Machinery

The yacht Obsession sits hard aground on a reef just off Flamenco Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico. (Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

Salvors Send Crane Barge to Refloat Yacht that Grounded in Puerto Rico

Salvors are sending a crane barge to lift a yacht that ran aground on a coral reef just off Puerto Rico's Flamenco Beach.The 72-foot sailing catamaran Obsession was reportedly traveling with four people on board from Puerto Rico to the British Virgin Islands when it struck a reef during a stop in Culebra on July 21. No injuries were reported.To remove the vessel, salvage and marine services contractor Resolve Marine has deployed its 400-ton shear-leg barge. The 164-foot-long, 54-foot-wide barge is being towed by tugboat from Baltimore and is expected to arrive to Culebra…

(Photo: AvA Yachts)

Superyacht Delivered for NBA Star Tony Parker

Infinity Nine, the second of the Kando series of contemporary explorer yachts from AvA Yachts was delivered to its owner NBA basketball star Tony Parker in early November.Atilla Küçükdiker, chairman and founder of AvA Yachts, said, “It is a proud and happy day that we as AvA Yachts team have delivered Infinity Nine! We describe our Kando series yachts as contemporary explorers and Infinity Nine really is a superb demonstration of both contemporary style, inside and out, and superb exploration potential with class-beating efficiency…

​​(La Dolce Vita on fire shortly after passengers and crew abandoned the vessel (top) and the yacht afire shortly after sunset on March 16, 2021 (Bottom). (Source: Captain of La Dolce Vita)​

Electrical Fire Destroys $3.9 Million Yacht

The engine room fire aboard a yacht was likely caused by an electric source within the sound enclosure for the starboard generators, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.Marine Investigation Report 22/16 details the NTSB’s investigation of the March 16, 2021, engine room fire aboard the yacht La Dolce Vita while anchored near Marquesas Keys in the Gulf of Mexico. The crew unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the fire. The crew of four and two passengers on board abandoned the yacht into the vessel’s tender boat. They were then assisted by two U.S. Coast Guard boats.

Christina O has been fitted with a low flow L series - split skid BIO-SEA L03 0087 BWTS system (Photo: Costas Carabelas images)

World’s Most Famous Superyacht Gets New BWTS

The world’s most famous luxury yacht is operating an advanced BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system from France’s BIO-UV Group.Christina O, the 1943-built motor yacht named after the only daughter of Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, was fitted with a low-flow BIO-SEA system last year as part of a major refurbishment at the D.K Fotinakis yard, in Greece.To fit the limited space available in the 325ft long vessel’s machinery room, the 87m3/h capacity BIO-SEA L03-0087 system was supplied on two separate skids – one housing all mechanical components…

A BIO-SEA system has been retrofitted to a 37m yacht. Image: Bio-UV Group

Does Your Yacht Need a BWT System? You Better Check

France-based  BIO-UV Group is advising yacht owners and crews to ensure their vessels are compliant with the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention and USCG regulation.Yachts less than 50m in length are often considered recreational craft and exempt from the regulations. However, despite their size, some smaller vessels are over 400gt and have a ballast water capacity greater than 8m3. This means they must comply with the requirements set out in the BWM Convention.Maxime Dedeurwaerder…

(Photo: Wave International)

Historic Steam Ship Sailing Cleaner with New Bilge Filter

Environmental awareness is key priority for historic 83-year old steam yacht S/S UkkopekkaThe last surviving ship to have seen active service in Finland’s Winter Wars and Continuation Wars from 1939-1944 has stepped up its fight against marine pollution with the installation of new environmental protection products.Built in 1938, S/S Ukkopekka is a 35-meter privately owned passenger steamship operating cruise trips in the Finnish Archipelago Sea. This area of the Baltic is a MARPOL…

New Book: Steaming to Djibouti…My First Hitch on an Underway Replenishment Ship

The following excerpts are from the new travelogue by Captain Sean P. Tortora, titled, “Steaming to Djibouti…My First Hitch on an Underway Replenishment Ship.”  Join a motivated young merchant marine officer on his first journey onboard a venerable navy auxiliary steamship. Accompany him through the convoluted reporting for duty process through his truly surreal first tour onboard. Meet the oddball characters in the crew and follow their outlandish daily routine. Listen in to the truly jaw-dropping crew interactions.

Applied Satellite Technology (AST)

Bandwidth Efficiency will Drive Maritime Digitalization

Gregory Darling and Applied Satellite Technology (AST) works with shipowners to help them use their bandwidth more efficiently for ship business and crew needs.When Gregory Darling, Group MD, AST, worked in the marine industry in the 1980s with a marine survey company, he needed to get word to one of his ships off of West Africa to recalibrate its course and head off to a new job. But the ship had left port, and radio calls to the ship went unanswered, resulting in two days of lost time and revenue.“That was frustrating and costly…

(Photo: Metal Shark)

Metal Shark Launches Expedition Yacht Portfolio

U.S.-based shipbuilder Metal Shark has launched a 48-meter (158’) aluminum catamaran expedition yacht, the first in its newly introduced lineup of high-speed, long range catamaran expedition yachts.The new Metal Shark M48, named Magnet, is the first-ever private recreational yacht built by Metal Shark, a diversified builder of aluminum and steel vessels for military and commercial operators worldwide. In addition to the M48, the company’s Metal Shark Yachts portfolio includes the M30 (30 meters / 100’) and M70 (70 meters / 231’).

The sailboat Preston Point about 14 miles west of Key West, Fla. The sailboat owners called Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at approximately 6:30 p.m, Saturday, September 12, stating their engine was disabled, adrift and in danger of capsizing. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Sailors Rescued in Storm Sally off Key West

Two people aboard their sailing vessel Preston Point were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, Sunday, after they were in distress in heavy seas about 14 miles west of Ponce de Leon Bay off Key West, Fla., during Tropical Storm Sally.The sailing vessel's owners called Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders at approximately 6:30 p.m, Saturday, stating the vessel's engine was disabled and that they were adrift and in danger of capsizing. The watchstanders directed the launch of an…

(Photo: RMK Merrill-Stevens)

Miami Shipyard RMK Merrill-Stevens to Hire 75 Staff

Miami shipyard RMK Merrill-Stevens says it is hiring 75 new employees over the next two months to staff its newly renovated North Yard and South Yard. The hiring campaign follows years full of updates after Rahmi M. Koç, a Turkish philanthropist, purchased the shipyard in 2013 while committing to restore the yard to its former glory. RMK Merrill-Stevens is known as the first shipyard in Florida and is now one of the most updated and capable shipyards in the region.RMK Merrill-Stevens provides yacht service…

(Photo: Cox Powertrain)

Cox Powertrain Ships Its First Diesel Outboards

Cox Powertrain's production line has been in full flow over the last few weeks with the company’s team of engineers working around the clock to meet their next big milestone. This week Cox watched the first ever production CXO300 diesel outboards come off the assembly line, ready to leave the factory to the company's global network of distributors.Cox’s distributors have been awaiting the delivery of their first CXO300 outboard engines so that they can begin their on-the-water customer demonstrations.

“ ... the best expedition vessel ever built ... ” 
Nikolaos Doulis, Senior Vice President, New Buildings, Lindblad Expeditions, and the model of National Geographic Endurance at the tank testing facility, sporting Ulstein’s signature ‘XBox’. Photo: Lindblad Expeditions

"The best expedition cruise ship ever"

A cruise industry veteran of more than 25 years, Nikolaos Doulis, Lindblad Expeditions’ SVP, New Buildings, discusses with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News the build plan for “the best expedition cruise ship ever built.”Born in Greece to a seafaring family, Nikolaos Doulis was destined for a maritime career. His father was a ship captain and eventually a ship owner, and to support the family business he wanted his son to have an engineering education. So at the age of 14, Doulis started spending more time in and around ships…

Andy Scott (Photo: MCI)

MCI Sees Turnover by Quarter

Dorset, UK maritime company Marine Components International has increased turnover by a quarter in the last 12 months under new management.New deals in the superyacht and motor boat sectors across the UK and Europe have ramped up turnover to $1.76million, nearly double sales from two years ago at the company which provides distribution and technical support for a range of manufacturers.MCI managing director Andy Scott, who took over the Poole headquartered company in 2017, said…

“When the human element is considered, securing networks from cyber-attack is incredibly challenging.   Reducing human interaction with on board networks and computers by deploying a more standardized IT environment can minimize risks.”
-- Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink

Interview: Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink

Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink, discusses the pace and direction of high speed comms in maritime.Using metrics of your choice, put in perspective where we are today in terms of getting shipowners to adopt high speed communication solutions.The term broadband has been used in the maritime industry for at least a decade and if we are to follow the FCC’s definition which was upgraded to 25mbps from 4mbps (download) in 2015, then those high speed internet services are nothing of the sort.However, everything is relative.

Project Phoenix 130 rendering by Lazzara Ombres Architects.

PROJECT PHOENIX. RISING 2020.

Project Phoenix Series is a revolutionary spec build, representing the collaboration of an American design and engineering team and a South Korean shipyard constructing the first superyacht in the world’s leading shipbuilding nation.Lazzara Ombres Architects of Tampa, Fla. partnered with BongChul “BC” Kim of GHI Shipyard to build their 130-foot, aluminum luxury sport superyacht design. With the vessel’s hull and superstructure now complete for the five stateroom vessel, interior and outfitting will commence with the vision of interior designer Alexandre Thiriat. Mr.

Lady A (Marine Software LTD)

Superyacht "Lady A" Uses Marine Software

U.K. based Marine Software supplied the Superyacht "Lady A" with the Marine Purchasing (MPSWin) package. This comes after successful implementation of the Marine Planned Maintenance (MPMWin) package, where Marine Software originally constructed the planned maintenance database to incorporate main machinery and ancillary equipment.Lady A's Ship Manager has installed the office package, combined with Marine Software’s Cloud based data replication services (ADR), allowing them to monitor planned maintenance activities…

Photos by Steven Greenbaum

Marine Trader Trawler Refit Evokes Style, Decorator Flair

Vision, the relentless pursuit of perfection and a large bankroll transformed this 43-foot trawler into a beautiful yacht with an extensive range of amenities.Manufactured by Marine Trader in 1984, M/Y The Giuliana is a collector Sundeck Trawler restored with exquisite brightwork, impeccable woodworking and joinery detail with decorator nautical flare.With a complete retrofit in 2015, the owner stripped her down from stem to stern, restoring with a megayacht-quality interior and amenities of a new…

(Photo: SMS Group)

Superyacht Returns to the Water after Major Overhaul

Southampton, U.K. headquartered ship repairer and marine engineering services provider, SMS, has launched the classic superyacht MY Alicia from its covered 60m dry dock in the heart of the city.Peter Morton, the CEO of The SMS Group comments: “Today’s launch is a major positive milestone in another huge refit project for The SMS Group, all our colleagues and all our suppliers. It’s big, big news. As a company we are genuinely thrilled to have had the inspiration and support of another truly exceptional British businessman…