Merchant Shipping

Sperry Marine, Telemar Yachting Team on Superyacht Nav Systems

Sperry Marine and Telemar Yachting have collaborated on bridge systems for some of the world’s most advanced superyachts. A notable rerference is the 54-metre MLR, which has completed a successful first year of voyages with no downtime to its bridge systems, according to Sperry Marine.Built by Delta Marine Industries Inc. in Seattle, MLR features a complete Sperry Marine VisionMaster integrated bridge system comprising TotalWatch, dual ECDIS, X-band and S Band radar, Sperry Speedlog and Navigat compass systems.The bridge interface is a glass console, designed and installed by Telemar.

New VR Technology to Transform Yachting, Shipping Industries

The global yachting and shipping industries are queuing up to adopt the very latest in immersive virtual reality visualization, mapping and design technology developed at The Landing, MediaCityUK. VR solutions designed specifically for the yachting industry, as well as for the merchant shipping sector, have been developed by Sam Slater and Richard Hooson, from Manchester, the flagship being their ground breaking Digital Twin application which is set to revolutionize the marine industry.

Yacht Manager Aquited of Manslaughter Charges

The director of a yacht management firm was cleared of manslaughter charges bought on by the death of four sailors in 2014.Four U.K. men – two in their twenties and two in their fifties – were killed when the 40-foot Cheeki Rafiki capsized in the Atlantic in May 2014 while returning across the Atlantic Ocean to Southampton from Antigua. The sailors’ bodies were never recovered.Yacht manager Doug Innes, who had been accused of failing to have the yacht properly checked ahead of its voyage and to ensure that its certification was in date for the intended trip…

Royal Navy's HMS Dragon Rescues Yacht Crew

Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon rescues 14 stricken sailors from damaged British racing yacht. "The crew of Dragon have rescued 14 sailors in treacherous weather conditions today after a racing yacht suffered damage in the Atlantic ocean," says a statement from Royal Navy. HMS Dragon was diverted 500 miles away from a routine tasking to provide life-saving assistance to the crew of the 60ft Clyde Challenger racing yacht. The yacht had left the Azores on 5 February 2017 and was bound for the UK when it suffered significant damage following days of strong winds and heavy seas.

Manslaughter Charges Sought in Yacht Tragedy

Following the U.K. Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s more than two-year-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal loss of the yacht Cheeki Rafiki in May 2014, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided to bring charges against Douglas Innes and Stormforce Coaching Limited. Four sailors were killed after the 40-foot yacht lost its keel more than 700 miles from Nova Scotia while en route from the U.K. from Antigua. “We have authorized the charging of Douglas Innes with four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and Douglas Innes and Stormforce Coaching Limited with one charge contrary to section 100 Merchant Shipping Act 1995…

Dutch Chief Mate Sentenced for Fatal Collision

Gerardus Chapel, the chief mate at the helm of the dredger that collided with a sailing yacht at the entrance to the River Orwell in Suffolk last summer, has received a six-month sentence. On June 8, 2014, Shoreway, a 98-meter, 5,000-metric-ton dredger owned by Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster NV, collided with a Moody 31 sailing yacht Orca at the entrance to the River Orwell in Suffolk. The Shoreway had just finished dredging in Felixstowe and was going out to sea to dump the spoils when it left the deep water channel into an area frequented by pleasure vessels.

Maritime Communication: A Bold New Shape and Direction

Richard Simonian is the President of Maritime Solutions, a business unit within Harris CapRock Communications. MR picked his brain for insights on the shape and direction of maritime comms. We understand that you recently unveiled your Advanced VSAT solutions at Satellite 2014. Can you give us a brief on exactly what this is? The problem increasingly being faced by ship and rig operators is that their communication needs are dynamic, yet the traditional buying approach is static. They have had two choices.

Varadkar Publishes New Ship Registration Bill

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar TD has announced the publication of the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013. The Bill is one of the Minister’s legislative priorities and is part of an overall objective to update and enhance the national maritime legislative code, and ensure the safety of maritime transport services. The importance of ship registration is that it confers Irish nationality on ships, allowing them to fly the Irish flag and register ownership. The new Bill will provide a basis for the introduction of an updated and modernized ship registration system in Ireland.

Upcoming ISS Seminar: 'Malta, a Better Destination for Superyachts!'

International Superyacht Society (ISS) is again extending its collaboration to Wilfred Sultana & Associates (WSA) in presenting the Superyacht Industry Seminar, Malta, a Better Destination for Superyachts! being held in Malta on Wednesday 11th September 2013. Dr. Chris Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, responsible for maritime affairs in general will be the main speaker at the September Seminar. Ken Hickling, President of the International Superyacht…