Australian vessel operator the SeaLink Travel Group was looking to upgrade its existing service carrying passengers and luggage between Townsville and Magnetic Island in the state of Queensland, as well as catering for seasonal whale watching tours. The company was looking for a vessel with an upper deck boasting a 360-degree viewing capability, and selected a local catamaran design to be built by Brisbane-based Commercial Marine Australia (CMA).

SeaLink requested a vessel that was lightweight, robust, fuel-efficient, and fitted with new technology. The result is Maggie Cat, which will operate as Sealink’s flagship to Magnetic Island, with an allowance for 340 passengers and four crewmembers across three decks.

The all-aluminium vessel has an LOA of 30.8 metres, a beam of nine metres, a draught of 2.1 metres, and a displacement of 115 tonnes. It features a narrower overall beam than Coolgaree Cat, an earlier SeaLink vessel. Whilst the vessels are interchangeable, the newer Maggie Cat is configured for the shorter, more frequent Magnetic Island service while Coolgaree Cat will serve the Townsville–Palm Island route.

Boarding is via a port side midship boarding door and upper aft boarding gates. The main deck features 186 seats in a combination of booth and forward-facing types, with deep windows giving the cabin a light and airy feel with a great outside visual but the comfort of air conditioning.

Also located on the main deck is a large kiosk offering light refreshments as well as multiple storage areas on board.

The upper deck seats 64 inside an air-conditioned cabin in addition to 26 exterior seats on the aft deck. A large portion of the space is dedicated to containerised freight stowage, with space for nine items of luggage. The coamings of this deck have been reinforced to cope with the impact of trolleys whilst the loading gates are specifically located to work with existing infrastructure.

The sun deck has 48 seats and provides 360-degree visibility for tourists visiting the island. This area of the vessel also provides an ideal platform for whale watching.

All passenger seats were supplied by Beurteaux Australia.

Maggie Cat is powered by twin Caterpillar C32 main diesel engines, each delivering 895 kW at 2,000 rpm. Two VEEM interceptor fixed-pitch propellers are driven by the main engines via Twin Disc gearboxes. During recent sea trials, the vessel exceeded 31 knots, though it can achieve a fuel-efficient operational speed of 25 knots at full load and low main engine MCR. CMA said this will offer increased time between main engine overhauls.

Caterpillar also supplied the vessel’s auxiliary engine and two C4.4 generators. These supply power to an extensive navigation and communications suite that includes Icom radios, a Plastimo compass, and a radar, a sonar, a depth sounder, an autopilot, a GPS, and an AIS from Simrad. Ultimate Marine Power provided the external lights, cameras and audio systems as well as the vessel’s steering system while MET Services installed a monitoring system.

Jotun paint was used for the exterior surfaces while Flotex floors and G James windows are also fitted. Ayres Composite Panels provided work on the ceilings.

The vessel’s emergency equipment includes Survitec gear, a Systems Advantage firefighting system, an RFD liferaft, and a lifeboat from Barefoot Inflatable Boats.

Maggie Cat has already begun operational sailings with SeaLink, providing fast transport services for residents and tourists visiting North Queensland alongside Coolgaree Cat.

Source: https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/passenger-vessel-world/ferries/vessel-review-maggie-cat-new-shuttle-and-whale-watching-ferry-to-serve-australias-magnetic-island/

A consortium led by Japanese gas company Inpex has won an assessment permit for a subsea carbon capture and storage site for its Ichthys LNG plant in Australia.

Inpex, together with Woodside and TotalEnergies, has secured a permit to look for suitable CCS sites in a promising area in the Bonaparte Basin, a shallow-water region just off the coast of Darwin, Australia. The liquefaction plant is located just outside of Darwin, and it would be a “natural user” of a CCS facility in the area, Inpex said in a statement. It would help Inpex, Woodside and TotalEnergies reduce carbon emissions from production and advance a shared goal of a net-zero carbon society by 2050.

Courtesy TotalEnergies

The project could also be a step towards a much larger, global-scale carbon capture, utilization and storage project planned by the Northern Territory’s government. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is currently leading the development of a business study for a carbon capture hub in the Northern Territory, working with Inpex and other stakeholders. If built, it could be a southern-hemisphere answer to Norway’s Northern Lights CCS project, and some of the captured carbon could be combined with hydrogen to make electrofuels.

TotalEnergies is also a partner in Northern Lights, and it has broader ambitions in CCS.

“TotalEnergies aims to develop more than 10 Mt/year of carbon storage capacity by 2030, including storage for its facilities as well as storage services for its customers,” said Julien Pouget, SVP TotalEnergies Asia-Pacific E&P & Renewables. “As a partner in both the Ichthys LNG and Bonaparte CCS Assessment joint ventures, TotalEnergies is well positioned to contribute to low carbon LNG production in Australia.”

Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar, the manning affiliate of the Bourbon Group, has agreed a deal to implement MarTrust’s E-Wallet system to digitally manage its crew payments.

Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar is responsible for managing over 1,000 seafarers on more than 100 vessels. The E-Wallet and pre-paid cards provided by Marcura subsidiary MarTrust will be used to optimise payment processes, enabling crews to receive and manage their funds using a mobile app or any web browser.

Cash can be accessed at any Mastercard-supported ATM around the world, and the card can be topped up in different currencies. Users also have the ability to transfer money to family and friends as they wish using the system.

“Our key goal is to attract and retain the very best seafarers and to actively contribute to their personal growth within our organisation. This means ensuring that all areas that impact their lives while at sea are at the highest level, from communication and sourcing of stores, health and safety, as well as how they are remunerated and receive their hard-earned salaries,” said Suraj Maharaj, Managing Director, Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar.

“We recently introduced an attractive pension scheme for our seafarers, as well as a digital signature platform for employment agreements, and now the E-Wallet is the latest digital development to ensure that they receive their wages safely and securely, and with the freedom and ability to do with it what they choose.”

Source: https://smartmaritimenetwork.com/2022/08/10/bourbon-implements-digital-crew-payments-system/

Austal Australia delivered the second of eight Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (ECCPB’s) to the Royal Australian Navy August 5th.

The vessel, ADV Cape Peron, was officially accepted by the Commonwealth of Australia.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer, Paddy Gregg said the delivery of the second Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat highlights the critical importance of the vessel as a capability to the Royal Australian Navy, and Australia’s national naval shipbuilding enterprise.

“The Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats are not only enhancing the Royal Australian Navy’s capability, but further strengthening Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability, which is more important than ever before,” Mr Gregg said.

“Austal continues to engage over 300 defence industry partners across Australia to construct the Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats. We’re part of the national naval shipbuilding enterprise that is delivering enhanced capability for the Navy, protecting Australia’s borders, and maintaining security in our region.

“It’s a great source of pride for the entire Austal team knowing that we’re equipping our Navy, and our nation with the best possible patrol boat capability. Our congratulations and thanks go to the Navy, the Commonwealth, and our industry partners on this latest delivery.”

The 58-metre aluminium monohull patrol boat is the second of eight to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy. The first Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat, ADV Cape Otway, was delivered in March 2022, following approximately 18 months construction. The six remaining vessels are in various stages of production at Austal’s Henderson, Western Australia shipyard and deliveries are scheduled progressively through to 2024.

With greater capability than the benchmark Cape-class Patrol Boats, the Evolved Capes feature new, larger amenities to accommodate up to 32 people, improved quality of life systems and advanced sustainment intelligence systems that further enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s ability to fight and win at sea.

The Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boat Project (SEA1445-1) is employing approximately 400 people directly in Western Australia and engaging more than 300 supply chain partners across Australia.

Austal Australia is also contracted to deliver 21 Guardian-class Patrol Boats to the Commonwealth of Australia under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1) and has delivered 15 vessels to date.

Source: https://seawaves.com/?p=23800