Dutch officials are investigating an explosion aboard a river cruise ship docked in Amsterdam as a likely malfunction of the vessel’s battery power system. The newly launched Viking Gymir, which was introduced by Viking for river cruises on the Rhine in 2022, features a new hybrid propulsion system that was developed in place of solely diesel propulsion on Viking’s other Longships.
According to reports from the Amsterdam fire brigade, they were summoned to the vessel Monday, July 25 around 6:30 p.m. after reports of an explosion in the engine room followed by a small fire. Pictures posted on social media show the fire teams venting the ship. Testing is reportedly ongoing to determine what if any substances or toxins might have been released.
The river cruise ship was preparing to depart from Amsterdam when the explosion occurred. Reports indicate that were approximately 200 passengers aboard. At the time of the explosion, however, passengers had gathered in the lounge for a briefing from staff. They were quickly evacuated to the pier with no reports of injuries. Approximately nine crew members however were treated by the medical personnel for smoke inhalation.
Passengers reported that Viking moved them to an alternate ship for dinner. Later they were taken to a nearby hotel. Fire crews remained at the ship venting it and testing the air quality before the crew was permitted to reboard. Viking now reports that the ship is operational but it is unclear when it would resume sailing.
The 443-foot long river cruise ship was built by Neptun Werft and delivered to Viking in 2021 as the last of a 65-ship class of riverboats Viking calls Longboats. The class of ships was first introduced in 2010 and became the basis of Viking river cruise operations in Europe.
The Viking Gymir and her sister ship Viking Egdir were part of the final five ships of the class to be built and they were outfitted with a new hybrid propulsion system. According to Neptun Werft, in the past, a total of five engines for power generation were installed on the ships.
The newest ships instead are outfitted with three diesel engines combined with a battery pack. The battery solution, Green Orca 1050, provided by EST-Floattech provides a reported 745.5 kWh of capacity. The batteries are being used in place of auxiliary engines and can also provide the energy required during peak loads. The engines, according to Neptun Werft can be run in the optimal range with the use of the battery so that they consume less fuel and produce fewer exhaust gases.
According to EST-Floattech, its energy storage system has a raft of integrated safety features. “Its unique active balancing and passive safety system is applied at the module and string level. Heat is dissipated by a simple off-the-shelf aircon unit.” Their website says the battery racks are a favorable option as they can easily be installed in a modular fashion.
Luxury yacht ION FEDRA ran aground or touched bottom in Gulf of Ornos, Mykonos island, Greece, in the afternoon Jul 26. Yacht’s hull in fore part was breached, she started taking on water and developed fore tilt. She was secured somehow, either berthed or by other means, with water ingress taken under control. Accident reportedly was caused by crew mishandling. Yacht AIS is either off or she’s registered under other name. Yacht LONE WOLF was mentioned, but judging from photos and video, it’s not the distressed yacht ION FEDRA.
Luxury yacht ION FEDRA, GT 214, length 33 meters, built 1999, flag UK, 10guests/5 crew, owner G. Kampanis.
The MS MEDSTRAUM, the world’s first fully electric vessel and classified as a high-speed craft, was completed by the Norwegian shipyard Fjellstrand and delivered to its homeport in Stavanger, Norway. The ship can reach speeds of up to 27 knots and is scheduled to begin regular commuter service in late summer.
The vessel weighs 260 gross tons and is around 98 feet long. It has a capacity of 147 passengers and will be operated by a crew of 3. It has two 550kW electric motors and 1524 kWh battery capacity with 2.3 MW charging power. The vessel cost $11 million to build, half of being underwritten by the European Union due to being a demonstration project. It is to sail as a regular service ferry between Stavanger, Byøyene, and Hommersåk in Norway, where a typical trip will be around 35 to 40 minutes long. It is expected to cut emissions by 1500 tonnes compared to the traditional fuel-intensive fast ferries.
Maritime CleanTech, the cluster that initiated the EU-funded TrAM project that led to the creation of the MEDSTRAUM, has stated that the vessel was built using modular manufacturing methods. This reduced the manufacturing and engineering costs and will help them produce these vessels at a much more economical price. It is a fact that a disproportionately large amount of energy is required to fuel the vessel as the speed of the vessel increases. Edmund Tolo, Head of R&D at Fjellstrand AS, underlined the vessel’s ability to operate at the speed of 23 knots for a full hour and hailed it as being revolutionary.
The fuel tanker, NORD JOY, was arrested in May on the alleged charges of illegally anchoring in Indonesian waters without a permit. An Indonesian court in Batam pronounced the decision, releasing the vessel with a $13,350 fine and placing the ship’s captain in jail for 15 days. However, two people involved in the investigation reported to Reuters that the Indonesian Navy had asked for an unofficial payment of $375,000 to avoid a protracted battle in court.
The NORD JOY, an oil products tanker registered in Panama, was arrested on May 30th while being anchored east of the Singapore Strait, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The shipping company has stated that they and the captain believed they were anchored in international waters. 4 days after the anchoring, they were boarded by the Indonesian Navy on the grounds of being anchored in Indonesian waters. The vessel was taken to Batam Naval base for further investigation.
A report by Reuters in June revealed that the Indonesian Navy was asking for unofficial payments for the release of the vessel, which attracted much attention from the international community. Both the Indonesian Navy and the Synergy Group, manager of the NORD JOY, deny any such request being made. The ship’s captain and the evidence regarding this case were handed over to the Batam court on June 17th, with the process being expedited and the judgment being pronounced on July 7th.
The July 9th, 2022 report and an earlier report of Reuters from 2021, along with Lloyd’s list report from November 2021, have accused Indonesian Navy officers of placing ships under detention and asking for unofficial payments to avoid a lengthy court process.
Yacht owners who have been hoping to buy a vessel with sanctions in its pedigree now have their very first chance: the upcoming auction of the Axioma, a luxurious vessel owned by billionaire Russian oligarch Dmitry Pumpyansky.
Axioma is a $75 million, 236-foot superyacht built in 2013. She has accommodations for 12 passengers and 20 crewmembers, and her interior was created by the well-known yacht designer Alberto Pinto. At a cruising speed of 14 knots, she has a range of about 5,000 nautical miles.
In March, the Axioma was arrested in Gibraltar after her owner, Russian billionaire Dmitry Pumpyansky, was added to U.S. and UK sanctions lists. Pumpyansky made his fortune from his stake in a Russian pipemaking conglomerate, OAO TMK. Western sanctions have targeted business magnates who have ties to Russia’s political leadership, and Pumpyansky appears to qualify: he was personally awarded the Order for Merit to the Fatherland by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014.
Unlike other recently-captured Russian yachts, Axioma was seized on behalf of a bank, not a government, and this means that her sale is proceeding relatively swiftly.
Pumpyansky’s holding company, Pyrene Investments, owed $22 million to American bank JP Morgan. As soon as Pumpyansky was sanctioned, JP Morgan could no longer legally accept money from Pyrene for the repayment of the loan. Instead, the bank asked a court in Gibraltar to seize the yacht for a breach of the loan agreement, then auction it off to repay the debt.
The auction is scheduled for August 23, and a website with more details and an online bidding portal is expected soon.
The nationwide challenges for hiring and staffing have reached Alaska, where the Alaska Marine Highway System is working hard to fill positions – and has had to suspend at least one sailing due to a manning shortage.
The ferry Tustumena, which serves on the run out to the Aleutian Chain, has had to berth at Homer until at least Saturday. She had just returned to service July 16 after an extended yard period. According to AMHS, “a critical crew shortage required the vessel to stay in port for safety reasons.”
The ship had been running with a small crew since mid-July, but because AMHS cannot find enough replacement staff to cover “essential positions that are vacant due to illness or other qualifying needs,” it has fallen below the manning level needed. The agency said that staffing shortages have been a concern throughout the AMHS, as in the rest of the country.
To fill seagoing positions, AMHS has launched an “aggressive hiring campaign.” It has hired headhunters, attended job fairs in the Northwest, and even offered signing bonuses of $5,000, comparable to the current bonus amounts in the trucking industry. According to its site, it is focused on hiring for unlicensed positions in the deck and engine department, as well as support staff and stewards.
According to local KUCB News, the Tustumena is important for small fishing ports like Akutan and False Pass, which can’t accommodate the larger ferry Kennicott, the only other vessel on the route.
Tustumena is 58 years old, and the State of Alaska hopes to replace her within about five years’ time. However, no shipyards bid on the recent request for proposals for the construction of a replacement, according to Alaska House Speaker Rep. Louise Stutes.
The hiring and contracting difficulties compound the line’s challenges with financial stability. AMHS operates underserved remote communities with support from the state, and it has had to fend off intense budget pressure from the office of Alaska’s governor in recent years. A $30 million budget cut forced it to curtail service in Southeast Alaska in 2019, including suspension of winter service to Cordova. It had to cancel plans for a refit for the ferry Malaspina, and it considered reefing her instead to save costs; she was ultimately sold to a private party for use as an attraction. In 2020, AMHS sold off two high-speed ferries to a Spanish operator at a discount. This year its budget was fully funded, thanks in large part to federal assistance, but it faces an uncertain political climate going forward.
At the start of 2022, Shanghai Electric Wind Power (Group) Corporation awarded S.M.C. with a plan approval and site supervision contract for two SOVs that will be purpose designed and built for the Chinese offshore wind industry. The vessels are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.
S.M.C. will be working closely with Shanghai Electric – a leading provider of offshore wind turbines in China, Ulstein – a leading designer of SOV units and ZPMC – the builder awarded construction contract. Equipped with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that comes with a Battery Energy Storage System installed in addition to very high safety and comfort features, the vessels will improve the efficiency of service operations at Chinese offshore wind farms while reducing their carbon footprint.
In addition to the SOV project, S.M.C. was appointed to carry out plan approval and supervise the construction of a 1,600 tons crane wind turbine installation vessel in China in the beginning of 2022. Set to be jointly classed by the China Classification Society and Bureau Veritas, the self-elevating wind power installation platform is equipped with diesel-electric propulsion system with six diesel generators feeding three azimuth thrusters and two tunnel type bow thrusters. This is in line with efforts by the renewable energy industry to manage its environmental impact. Scheduled for completion by mid 2023, the vessel is capable of installing 20 MW wind turbines at up to 70 m maximum depth of water. The platform, which is independently developed, designed and built in China, is also capable of assembling wind hubs and blades on the main deck.
New patrol boats were recently delivered to the Royal Thai Police and a law enforcement agency in Alabama. A new navy ship enters service with Saudi Arabia and construction starts on a logistical support vessel for Italy. The US Navy retires one of its oldest active amphibious ships but takes delivery of a newbuild surface combatant and places orders for additional floating assets for delivery within the next two decades.
Royal Thai Police welcomes new patrol boat into service
Photo: Incat Crowther
The Royal Thai Police recently took delivery of a new patrol boat built by local shipyard Seacrest Marine.
Chai Jinda measures 42 by 7.9 metres and is crewed by 22 personnel. Three MTU 16V2000 M86 engines drive fixed-pitch propellers to deliver a maximum speed of 35 knots and a patrol speed of 20 knots.
The boat also has a forward weapons mount for a 30-millimetre autocannon as well as a firefighting monitor.
Alabama’s Orange Beach Police takes delivery of patrol boat
Photo: Metal Shark Boats
Metal Shark Boats has delivered a new patrol boat to the Orange Beach Police Department in Alabama.
The all-weather-capable Marine 1 measures 38 feet (11.5 metres) long and is powered by three Mercury outboards. The electronics suite includes a radar and a rotating thermal camera.
Patrol boat pair handed over to Turkish Gendarmerie
Photo: ASFAT
The Gendarmerie General Command of Turkey has taken delivery of two new patrol boats built by local defence firm ASFAT.
The boats are the sixth and seventh in a series to be supplied to the gendarmerie. Each vessel has a length of 10.2 metres, a beam of 3.2 metres, a draught of 0.55 metres, and space for three crewmembers.
Two outboard engines will deliver speeds in excess of 35 knots.
Littoral combat ship Santa Barbara delivered to US Navy
Photo: Austal USA
Austal USA has handed over a new Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) to the US Navy.
The future USS Santa Barbara is the third US Navy ship to be named in honour of the city of Santa Barbara in California.
Three other Independence-class ships are currently under construction at Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama facilities. The future USS Augusta was recently launched while final assembly is underway on the future USS Kingsville and modules for the future USS Pierre are under construction.
Saudi Arabia to commission second Al-Jubail-class frigate
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces frigate Al-Diriyah during its launching and christening ceremony in Spain, November 14, 2020 (Photo: Navantia)
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces will commission its newest frigate in a ceremony at the San Fernando facilities of Spanish shipbuilder Navantia on Tuesday, July 26.
Al-Diriyah is the second of a planned five Al-Jubail-class frigates being built by Navantia for Saudi Arabia. The frigates are variants of the Avante 2200 series.
The frigate has a length of 104 metres, a beam of 14 metres, space for 102 crew and other personnel, a speed of 27 knots, and an endurance of 21 days.
First steel cut for new Italian Navy support ship
Photo: Fincantieri
Italian shipyard Fincantieri has cut the first steel for the second logistic support ship (LSS) in a series slated for the Italian Navy.
The vessel will have electric motors, low-emission generators, and biological waste control systems. Its secondary functions will include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Delivery of the second LSS is scheduled for 2025.
Sea trials begin for Royal Canadian Navy’s third Harry DeWolf-class patrol ship
The future HMCS Max Bernays, a Royal Canadian Navy Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, being launched into the water, October 23, 2021 (Photo: Irving Shipbuilding)
Irving Shipbuilding has begun conducting sea trials of the future HMCS Max Bernays, the second Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) that the company is building for the Royal Canadian Navy.
The trials are being carried out in Halifax Harbour just off Irving’s Halifax Shipyard facilities in Nova Scotia.
The 103-metre vessel was designed in compliance to IACS Polar Class 5. A diesel-electric propulsion system consists of four 3.6MW diesel engines that supply electrical power to two 4.5MW motors to deliver speeds of 17 knots in open water and three knots for icebreaking.
Once delivered, the future Max Bernays will be assigned to Maritime Forces Pacific, making it the first AOPS to operate primarily off Canada’s western coast.
US Navy decommissions dock landing ship Whidbey Island
Photo: US Navy
The US Navy formally retired the dock landing ship (LSD) USS Whidbey Island in a ceremony on Friday, July 22.
The lead ship of its class, Whidbey Island entered service in February 1985. Its notable deployments included Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994, and various cruises in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2002 to 2007.
Like its sisters, the LSD has capacity for four air-cushion landing craft (LCACs) or 21 LCM-6 medium landing craft and up to 400 embarked marines.
US Navy exercises option for two additional Navajo-class salvage vessels
Austal USA has been awarded a US$156 million fixed-price incentive contract option from the US Navy for the construction of two Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ships (T-ATS). With the award, the company is now under contract for four T-ATS, having received awards for T-ATS 11 and 12 in October 2021.
The ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue ships will be designed to support the navy’s fleet operations. Each T-ATS will have a multi-mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships.
The vessels will be capable of supporting a variety of missions including oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue (SAR), and surveillance.
US Navy awards design contract for future destroyer class
Photo: PEO Ships, US Naval Sea Systems Command
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) has been awarded a contract by the US Navy to provide shipbuilder engineering and design analysis to produce design products in support of the preliminary and contract design for the navy’s DDG(X) guided missile destroyers.
The design effort for DDG(X) will involve a collaborative navy-industry effort composed of the large surface combatant shipbuilders, suppliers, ship design agents and other subject matter experts. A similar award was also made to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), according to a recent announcement from the navy.
If all options are exercised, the contract will continue through July 2028. Fiscal Year 2022 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (FY22 RDT&E) funds were obligated at the time of award.
With modern advancements in fuel management, reactor safety, and manufacturing, some new-nuclear reactors are looking increasingly viable for use in marine applications. However, certain criteria exist for applications in the marine environment that nuclear reactors must meet, in order to be considered feasible solutions, according to Core Power.
Back in May at the pre-SMM press conference, maritime economist Martin Stopford already touched upon the subject of nuclear power for ships. He sais: ‘The molten salt reactors have been resurrected. The big plus is that these do not explode, but shut down. Making them quite safe. Still, the nuclear option is not quite on the table, but it is worth thinking about.’
Advanced reactors
One of the companies working on advanced reactors for heavy industry and transport is Core Power. One of the technologies under the development there is the Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), an advanced nuclear reactor that uses a liquid fuel instead of solid fuel like most conventional reactors.
However, according to the UK company, there are three main criteria for success of new-nuclear reactors to be viable at sea:
1. Zero or ambient pressure reactors
Zero or ambient pressure reactors, which will have tiny emergency planning zones, ideally not beyond the railings of the marine installation. Inherent safety is essential for maritime nuclear reactors to be implemented commercially. All nuclear plants, regardless of size and design, require an emergency planning zone (EPZ) around the reactor. As most reactors today are pressurised, EPZ requirements for them can be large. Reactors operating at ambient pressure have the potential to require only very small EPZs removing the largest obstacle for floating nuclear power plants and nuclear-powered ships calling in commercial civilian ports.
2. High fuel efficiency
High fuel efficiency, which means long or ultra-long fuel cycles and a dramatic reduction in nuclear waste. The safest place for nuclear fuel is in a reactor. Creating an acceptable security and risk profile for a maritime reactor would need to be based on excellent fuel efficiency and long fuel cycles where few or no reactor refuelling is required. With no fresh fuel going in and no spent fuel coming out during the life of a marine asset, security and safeguarding risks are dramatically reduced.
3. Reactors as a manufactured product
Reactors as a “manufactured product” for good economic viability over a lifetime of power. Small, advanced reactors could be mass-assembled at the highest quality assurance levels, in dedicated facilities or specialist shipyards, possibly allowing for affordable maritime applications. This manufacturing concept is a major departure from conventional nuclear building techniques and allow new nuclear solutions to be competitive against other alternative fuels for marine decarbonisation.
Picture: Nuclear electric ships design (by Core Power).
The following article published by Manifold Times on 27 July was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. An online translation service was used in the production of the current editorial piece:
Law enforcement officers of the Dongjiakou Maritime Safety Administration on Wednesday (13 July) cracked down on Aframax tanker “Ka xx” and found sulphur content of its bunker fuel to exceed the permitted amount of 0.5%.
The officers first found the vessel emitting black smoke during an inspection and told the crew to resolve the issue.
However when the situation did not improve, the officers proceeded to collect samples of its fuel and sent them to a third-party testing agency. The officers found that the sulphur content exceeded the standard while suspecting illegal fuel was used. No further details were provided by the local authority on the amount of sulphur content found.
The ship was then detained in accordance with local laws for further actions.
This is the second illegal use of non-compliant fuel oil investigated and handled by Dongjiakou Maritime Safety Administration this year.
Previously, law enforcement officers of Dongjiakou Maritime Safety Administration found the sulphur content from oil samples collected from “Tai xx” at berth D23 in Dongjiakou was 1.21%.
This exceeded the control standard of 0.5% of sulphur content permitted according to the “2020 Implementation Plan for Global Marine Fuel Sulphur Restriction Order”.
After investigating the two cases, the authority found that both ships were Aframax oil tankers.
Following this, the Dongjiakou Maritime Safety Administration issued a fuel compliance warning, reminding Aframax ship operators or managers to only utilise compliant bunker fuel.
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