New Water Box Design

Boskalis won the IADC Safety Award 2023 for its improved safety design of the water box. Boskalis introduced new water boxes for sand fill areas, a design which is touted as greatly improving safety for its employees. The water boxes have been designed, calculated and constructed in such a way that the risk of implosion due to soil pressure is eliminated. Using an adjustable platform on the outside of the water box, it is possible to remove or add planks to regulate the water level within the sand fill area, a feature appreciated by the sand fill teams as this way of working eliminates safety risks.

The water box features an external, manually operated and adjustable platform that can be reached with a safe stairway. As the soil and water level rises, the platform can be moved up. This allows for project staff to add planks from the outside of the water box. The design is a “plug and play” setup and can easily be transported to a work site where local staff can receive instruction on how to handle the water box safely.

Offshore Hydrogen/Ammonia Production Platform

An offshore hydrogen and ammonia production platform design from the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO) received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS. The design developed by KRISO produces green hydrogen using electricity generated by a wind farm. Among the features, the design consists of a desalination system that desalinates seawater and turns it into clean water, an electrolysis system that produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water, a compression system that pressurizes the produced hydrogen, a nitrogen generation system that separates nitrogen from the air, and an ammonia synthesis system that produces ammonia by reaction of hydrogen.

“Hydrogen is the golden molecule and will continue to grow as the key component in the worldwide endeavor to build a sustainable energy landscape,” said Panos Koutsourakis, ABS Vice President, Global Sustainability. “Production of hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen derived from renewable sources, is critical to the realization of a worldwide hydrogen economy.”

Full-Touch Superyacht Bridge

Telemar Yachting, a Marlink Group company, partnered with bridge console designer Pariani Srl to create T-Master Touch, a full-touch bridge for superyachts, combining touchscreen technology with flexible bridge ergonomics. T-Master Touch combines workstations/pods, each equipped with large 32-inch 4K touch screen displays which can be built-in or installed standalone, enabling the bridge team to optimize their workflow, replacing the traditional linear console approach. On screen navigation functions can be completely customized, allowing users to choose displays and overlays as well as controlling bridge functions, reflecting different operating scenarios.

Telemar Yachting completed the first installation of this bridge solution onboard the 57.8-m Kathryn, launched from Codecasa Shipyards of Viareggio in July. This installation features three navigation stations combining Telemar’s renowned safety of operations with a high-specification interface completely controlled by touch.

The bridge consoles integrate a diverse array of essential technologies for safe navigation, including radar and chart plotters as well as wheelhouse controls, to deliver an ultra-modern integrated system with stunning aesthetics, suitable for any luxury superyacht. It is a highly flexible solution that can be customized according to client needs compliant with flag state requirements for safe operations with a significant level of redundancy.

Floating Offshore Nuclear Power Barge

A design for a floating offshore nuclear power barge from HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and KEPCO Engineering and Construction Company, Inc. (KEPCO E&C) received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS. Project collaborators include ABS, HD KSOE, KEPCO E&C and the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR).

The floating small modular reactor (SMR) barge is intended to serve as offshore power generation for remote communities and island electrification. HD KSOE provided basic designs for the marine systems; then ABS and LISCR completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements. KEPCO E&C will continue to work on risk assessments for future applications.

“Modern nuclear technologies are increasingly suggested as a potential solution to lower carbon emissions. Floating production platforms like this barge from HD KSOE have the possibility to scale more easily than what can be done on land,” said Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and CTO. “This barge design not only eliminates the inconvenience of selecting onshore sites by being installed at sea but also offers the advantage of an integrated design for thermal energy production. This increases the potential to support the production of eco-friendly ship fuels like ammonia or methanol.”

Van Oord contracts Jumbo Offshore

Jumbo Offshore was contracted by Van Oord for the transport and install of transition pieces for the Baltic Eagle offshore wind project in the German Baltic Sea. Operations on the project are to commence in October 2023. Under the contract, Jumbo Offshore will be responsible for transportation and installation (T&I) of transition pieces from the marshalling yard to the offshore wind farm site. “To date, Jumbo Offshore has transported and installed over 400 transition pieces with our DP2 heavy lift vessels,” said Brian Boutkan, Manager Commerce at Jumbo Offshore. “After working together on the Arkona offshore wind farm, we are looking forward to working for Van Oord again.