Most ships do not have legs. But a jack-up barge has six, protruding high into the air when the ship is in transit. Extending to a length of 48m from the bottom of the ship, and penetrating up to 5m into the sea bed, the "legs" of these ships provide a stable "ground" in a place where there is only roiling water. As the legs push down, the ship is lifted above the waves. Purpose-built at a Chinese shipyard, the £60m jack-up barge MPIO resolution is an extraordinary piece of engineering to help with the construction of offshore wind farms.

Jack-up barges rise out of the water to form a stable platform. With a solid platform achieved, the windmill is fixed into place using a crane from the ship. These procedures are becoming more common as the drive goes on to increase wind power.

Resolution’s most recent appointment has been to help with construction of the 60-turbine Robin Rigg scheme in the Solway Firth, about six miles off the south west coast of Scotland. On average, it takes about 24 to 36 hours to install wind turbine foundations from a vessel like the resolution. At locations where drilling is required, it can take closer to three days.

With around 2,500 crew and passengers reported killed or missing in 2005-2007, Lloyd’s Register and the UK P&I Club have launched an initiative to highlight the vital importance of life saving appliances working properly and lifeboat drills being conducted safely. The two organisations have recently published their Life-Saving Appliances Pocket Checklist, which lists and explains critical areas to be checked, monitored and maintained. This should reduce the risk of Port State Control detentions.

During 2005-07, one third of all life saving appliance deficiencies reported to Lloyd’s Register concerned lifeboats----three times as many as launching arrangements for survival craft and lifebuoys. Deficiencies were also observed in lifeboat inventories, inflatable liferafts, lifejackets, operational readiness maintenance and inspections, on-board training and instructions, embarkation arrangements for survival craft, rescue boats and liferaft stowage.

Life-Saving Appliances Pocket Checklist warns that if equipment is broken or missing or the ship suffers damage en route, the master has to notify the port authorities prior to entry and of any permanent or temporary remedies agreed with the flag state. If notice is not given, PSC has clear grounds for inspection which may lead to detention. The publication lists nine certificates, 15 documents and other records which need to be kept up to date and readily available on board merchant vessels. Certificates relate to safety equipment, cargo ship radios, lifeboats, rescue boats, liferafts, launching appliances, air supply bottles (if fitted), search and rescue transponders (SARTs) and Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs).

The documents and records concern maintenance programmes, SOLAS training manuals and on board training aids, muster lists, radio licences and drills. Inspection and testing documentation should encompass life saving and launching appliances, communications equipment, lifeboat and rescue boat engines, emergency lighting, EPIRB shore-based maintenance, liferafts, fire extinguishers and air supply bottles (if fitted). Launching and stowage arrangements focus on davits and falls, bowsing tackles and embarkation arrangements.

The closing date for nominations of candidates to be considered for the 2008 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea is 15 April 2008. The annual award was established by the Organization to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery, displaying outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea or in attempting to prevent or mitigate damage to the marine environment.

Individuals wishing to highlight an act of bravery should approach their national maritime Administration or one of the IGOs or NGOs to make the nomination. The winner of the Award will be presented with a medal, which will be accompanied by a certificate citing the act of exceptional bravery performed.

Nominations, for actions performed during the period 2 March 2007 to 29 February 2008, may be made by:

• United Nations Member States;
• Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs); and
• Non-governmental international organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with IMO.

The nomination form can be downloaded on the IMO website
http://www.imo.org/includes/blastDataOnly.asp/data_id%3D20774/2837.pdf

In order to reflect the changes that have occurred in the design and operation of dynamically positioned (DP) vessels, the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has reviewed and updated their publication ‘Guidelines for the Design & Operation of Dynamically Positioned Vessels’. “The guidelines were previously updated in 1999, and since then there are a number of factors that we felt should be reflected in the latest version,” explains IMCA’s technical director, Jane Bugler. “These include the increasing number of DP class 2 + 3 vessels constructed; and changes and developments which have taken place including the increasing use of DGPS.”

Other key factors taken into consideration by IMCA include the work being undertaken by DP vessels in deepwater; and the production of the ISO standard on station keeping. They have taken advantage of the update to include a section on two-vessel operations that was initially published separately as a supplement in 2001; and have also included an appendix on DP incident reporting, together with references to other published material and the increasing practice of risk analysis.

“With the guidelines now up-to-date from a technical and good practice point of view, the IMCA Marine Division Management Committee is to begin a more major review of the general structure, layout and philosophy of the guidelines,” explains Jane Bugler. “Any members wishing to provide input or to become involved in the workgroup overseeing this activity should contact Ian Giddings, the IMCA Technical Adviser who is co-coordinating the work at ian.giddings@imca-int.com.

Dynamic Positioning Conference will be held in Houston at the Westchase Hilton, October 7 - 8, 2008. Following the excellent turnout at last year's Conference, the organizers expect an equally successful event this year. A Call for Papers has been issued by the DP Committee and the Technical Committee is reviewing abstracts. Conference participants and the industry in general, please submit an abstract now. Deadline for abstracts is May 1, 2008.

Conference is on new technology and the Committee will consider all abstracts relating to DP. All papers selected for the Conference are published on the web site and become part of a growing internationally recognized electronic library of information covering DP technology, equipment, procedures, training, and other DP issues. Authors, presenters and their companies are fully recognized at the Conference and in the Proceedings.

Austal’s 65 metre Auto Express catamaran ferry “Shinas”, built for the Sultanate of Oman, has achieved a record service speed of 52 knots during sea trials, making it the fastest diesel-powered vehicle-passenger ferry currently in commercial service. The vessel’s confirmed service speed of 52 knots exceeds contract requirements by one knot, with the vessel also reaching a peak speed of 55.9 knots (103.5 km/h). “Shinas” is the first of two identical vessels being built for the Sultanate of Oman at Austal’s facilities in Henderson, Western Australia.

Each vessel will carry 208 passengers and 56 cars along a 180 nautical mile route between Shinas and Oman’s rugged Musandam Peninsular. The vessel has the capability to assist in search and rescue operations due to its helicopter landing facility, which is suitable for a medium class helicopter. Both vessels are powered by four MTU 20 cylinder 1163 series diesel engines each producing 6,500 kW and driving Rolls-Royce / Kamewa waterjets. The vessels meet Det Norske Veritas survey requirements and conform to the HSC code.

The full length vehicle deck allows space for 56 cars or 54 truck lane metres plus 40 cars with a deck clear height of over three metres. The vehicle deck aft can withstand axle loads of 9 tonnes (single wheel) or 12 tonne (dual wheel). The remainder of the main deck caters for maximum axle loads of 3 tonnes (single wheel). Lightweight structural fire protection, zoned sprinkler systems and hydrants ensure optimal fire safety during vehicle transport. As an added safety measure, the vessel has a medical transfer station accessible off the vehicle deck, offering a high level of medical equipment for patient transport. The vessel’s high operating speed is made possible by four MTU 20 cylinder 1163 series diesel engines, each producing 6,500 kW and driving Rolls-Royce / Kamewa waterjets.

A large tanker can reduce its fuel consumption by up to 12 tonnes per day by effective fouling control. Hempel’s Klaus Moller said that a large tanker normally burns about 115 tonnes of fuel per day. He calculated that by reducing the consumption level by 12 tonnes, a reduction of about 10,000 tonnes of co2 emissions would be possible. A Euronav ULCC was recently coated with Hempasil while drydocking in Dubai where a saving of 8% in fuel consumption was claimed over its sister ship.

However, Moller warned that the coatings industry was facing increased raw materials cost, increasing environmental legislation, shorter product lifetimes, which will reduce the R&D payback period and increased use of product performance inspections and certification. The growth in the newbuilding sector will also lead to increased maintenance as more ships approach their surveys in a few years time. The fleet will increasingly become younger and more efficient. He said that Hempel was seeing customers becoming more professional when dealing with coatings.

In January 2008 the new association ‘Scheepsbouw Nederland’ (Holland Shipbuilding Association) has seen daylight. VNSI (Netherlands’ shipbuilding industry Association) and HME (Holland Marine Equipment Association) combined their representative activities. The new combination is established at FME in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. The Holland Shipbuilding Association represents about 400 members with a total maritime turnover of € 6 billion, an export volume of € 3.5 billion, and a combined direct workforce of over 25,000 people.

The power of the new combination will be noticeable to all stakeholders. The member companies will get more value for their money, services will be further professionalized, influence will grow, and the professional network will be stimulated. The Holland Shipbuilding Association will be the voice of the Dutch maritime industry to the national and European government, press relations, other trade associations and international contacts.

The first meeting of the newly formed Cruise Ship Safety Forum (CSSF) took place in London a few weeks ago under the coordination of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The Forum is a consortium of cruise ship operators, ship yards, classification societies and CLIA to advance cruise ship safety in a coordinated and focused manner.

The Forum's purpose is threefold:

• To develop strategic direction for advancing cruise ship safety issues in their broadest sense;
• To proactively address issues as they relate to the future of the industry, as they pertain to the design and construction of new passenger ships and modification of existing cruise ships; and
• To provide a forum to consider regulatory and other safety initiatives and develop a coordinated response to external bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

As part of its initial work, CSSF will be focusing on an initiative of the IMO known as "safe return to port" regarding the design and operation of a passenger ship to allow it to safely return to port in the event of a major accident or incident. The Forum's activities will be guided by a steering committee comprised of senior executives from the three major cruise lines: Carnival Corporation, royal caribbean cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line; shipyards: Aker Yards, Meyer Werft and Fincantieri; and classification societies: DNV, Lloyd's Register and RINA; and CLIA.

The SNAME Papers Committee is inviting technical papers for presentation at the upcoming Annual Meeting and inclusion in the conference proceedings CD. Archived papers of high quality will be further considered for publication in the SNAME Transactions. Extended abstracts should be at least 500 words and should be submitted by January 31, 2008.

Papers on the following areas are of particular interest:

• Maritime Energy Transportation; oil and gas.
• Offshore Energy Exploration and Production.
• Maritime Alternative Energy sources; Oceans, Waves, Wind, Currents and Tides.
• Maritime environmental protection; Design and operation for a self sustaining marine environment.
• Inland Waterway marine design and Operation; Safe and efficient transportation on the worlds Inland Marine Highway System.
• Challenges in the design, construction and affordability of Combatant Naval Vessels.
• Size and Hi-Speed for Vessels; Risk and Reliability...what are the limitations?
• Super Yachts and Ferries; new worldwide demand for quality and safety.
• Coastwise Trade; advances in design and construction of Cabotage Vessels; Short Sea Shipping, MR Tankers, ATB’s/ITB’s.
• The Principles of "Human Factors" in Design, Construction and Operation of Marine Vehicles.