It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, August 09, 2024
Video: First Use of Heavy-Lift Drones to Support Wind Farm Maintenance
Drone lifts up to 220 lbs to the top of the nacelle (Orsted)
For the first time, heavy-lift cargo drones are being used to speed maintenance operations at an offshore wind farm and reduce the safety risk to personnel and machinery. Ørsted, which had previously tested applications for drones, released a video showing a drone capable of lifting 70 kg (over 220 lbs) deployed at its Borssele 1 & 2 wind farm in the Dutch portion of the North Sea.
The drones that are being deployed are reported to be 70 kg units. Each has a wingspan of 2.6 meters (8.5 feet). They are larger and have more capacity than previous trials conducted by Ørsted. Last year, the company tested drones at the Hornsea 1 Offshore Wind Farm in the UK capable of lifting 150 lbs.
Borssele which is located about 14 miles off the coast of Zeeland near the Netherlands – Belgium border was fully commissioned in late 2020. At the time, the company said with its 94 turbines and 752 MW capacity, it was the largest in the Netherlands and the second-largest wind farm in operation.
Ørsted reports the current maintenance project called for updates to some critical evacuation and safety equipment in each of the turbines. The drone is lifting the critical equipment from an offshore supply vessel and in about four minutes carries it to the top of the nacelle.
The company says that its tests show the drones mean less work disturbance as wind turbines do not have to be shut down when the cargo is delivered. They also minimize the need to constantly reposition the support vessel to reach each turbine.
In the traditional system, the vessel would have had to sail to each turbine and using a crane lift the box containing the equipment to the transition piece on the turbine’s foundation. The box would then have to be lifted with the nacelle’s crane and then be moved to the top of the turbine. Ørsted said the operation could take up to six hours but through the use of drones, it has been able to complete the tasks at Borssele 10 to 15 times faster.
The company highlights that it continues to explore new technologies to enhance its offshore wind efforts. It has piloted a new technology that further optimizes offshore wind monopile installation. It is also deploying autonomous vessels for offshore surveying.
Samsung Heavy Industries Enters Offshore Wind Sector with Equinor
SHI will build, assemble, and marshal the offshore wind turbines at its yard in Geoje, South Korea (SHI)
A long-term supplier to the offshore energy sector, Samsung Heavy Industries looks to leverage its expertise to expand into offshore wind farms. Through a series of agreements with Norway’s Equinor, the companies plan to work together if Equinor is successful in its bid to build a large floating offshore wind farm near Ulsan, South Korea.
The companies highlight they have worked together for more than 20 years on numerous oil and gas projects. This however would be SHI’s first foray into renewable energy and the offshore wind sector.
Samsung Heavy Industries signed an exclusive agreement with Equinor to supply floating wind turbine substructures for the proposed Bandibuli Offshore Wind Farm. Equinor has the project under development and working with the authorities in Ulsan to obtain the necessary agreements. The company reported in July that it received approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the wind farm. The assessment launched in December 2021 after the Bandibuli project obtained an electric business license.
Equinor notes that achieving the milestone allows the Bandibuli project to participate in the fixed-price contract auction for wind power projects. One of the elements for the auction is local participation and they look to enhance this through the agreements with SHI. South Korea plans to select a developer for the wind farm this year.
“Together, we have achieved significant milestones in the oil and gas sector. Now we are excited to bring our combined expertise to develop robust and investible projects in the renewable energy sector. The Bandibuli project is testament to our shared commitment to advancing the energy transition in Korea,” said Anders Opedal, President & CEO of Equinor.
Equinor signed an MoU with Ulsan city in May 2019 for the development of a 750MW floating wind farm offshore Ulsan. The company secured rights for two areas approximately 40 miles off the coast of South Korea. The plan calls for 50 floating installations each with a 15 MW wind turbine. It has been called the world's largest offshore floating wind farm.
Under today’s agreement, SHI would build the structures for the turbines. The company last month reported they were also planning marshaling services for the integration of the turbines onto floaters and would use SHI’s Shinhannae Yard located in Geoje. It would provide local value creation, which is a key requirement for the project as it moves forward into the power purchase agreement auction.
Turbine integration onto a floating substructure is a new industry in Korea, notes Samsung Heavy Industries. Through this cooperation on Bandibuli, the company says there will be technology transfer to Korea ensuring that it will be in prime position in this expanding global market segment.
New England States Defer Offshore Wind Auction Results to Review DOE Grant
Massachusetts seeks the largest portion of the new solisciation (Vineyard Wind file photo)
The results of the first multi-state offshore wind solicitation were scheduled to be released today, August 7, but the states involved in the coordinated effort have deferred the announcement. The three-way effort seeks to coordinate proposals for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, but the selections are being delayed after the Department of Energy announced $389 million in federal funding to transform the regional transmission network.
The auction process launched in August 2023 for Massachusetts and was followed by solicitations from Rhode Island and Connecticut in October. Bidders for the first time were offered the option of submitting project proposals either for a single state or coordinated to multiple states. Massachusetts and Rhode Island were scheduled to announce their selections while Connecticut had told Reuters yesterday it might need some more time.
Massachusetts is seeking the largest portion of the solicitation. They called for up to 3.6 GW of new capacity. Rhode Island is seeking 1.2 GW and Connecticut 2 GW for a combined three-state total of up to 8.5 GW by 2030.
The Department of Energy Resources for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Energy confirmed that they would be deferring the announcement for approximately 30 days. Connecticut is also deferring without reporting a new timeline for its portion of the solicitation.
“The additional time is needed to consider any impacts to this solicitation from the recently announced federal grant to New England states through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Innovation Program (GIP) program for projects to invest in regional electric infrastructure,” Massachusetts writes in the formal notice.
DOE announced yesterday, August 6, that it has selected a proposal called Power Up New England and will be providing federal funds for the project. The project calls for significant investments in the regional electric infrastructure including proactive upgrades to points of interconnection in Southeast Massachusetts and Southeast Connecticut. The goal is to ready the onshore transmission system for up to 4.8 GW of additional offshore wind power.
“Power Up is a big win for electric customers and continues the momentum of federal partnership and regional collaboration here in New England,” said Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “These funds will resolve one of the significant challenges of standing up the offshore wind industry here in Massachusetts.”
Indications are that the three states received strong indications from a range of projects, but they will all need to be reviewed based on the federal funding for the transmission project. Reports are Avangrid, Ørsted, SouthCoast Wind Energy, and Vineyard Offshore all participated in the multi-state solicitation. All the companies are believed to have submitted multiple plans, except Ørsted which is believed to have not participated in the Massachusetts portion.
Massachusetts and Rhode Island have each set September 6 as the new target date for announcing selections and they are targeting November 8 for the execution of contracts. By mid-December, they expect to have final plans submitted to each state’s regulators.
The Power Up New England project also includes an innovative, multi-day battery energy storage system to be deployed in northeast Maine. It will be capable of providing up to 100 hours of electricity.
The awards are part of DOE’s $10.5 billion Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership. New England is receiving its grants in the second round of the program that seeks to fund projects that will improve grid reliability and resilience. It focuses on the use of advanced technologies and partnerships and approaches. Georgia received a $250 million grant in October 2023 that included a focus on the grid to supply rural parts of the state. GRIP offers individual awards of up to $250 million or $1 billion for larger, more consequential projects.
World's First Passenger Fast Ferry Equipped with Machine Vision Unveiled
Fred. Olsen Express, a Canary Island-based ferry company, is setting a new standard among international fast ferry operators by upgrading its safety equipment. With the support of Aeromarine, the company is installing SEA.AI, the latest state-of-the-art, artificial intelligence-based anti-collision technology, on its ships.
Prevention of collisions at sea remains fundamental to maritime culture. Over the years human watch systems have developed and are today defined in the COLREGs. For seafarers, they have been augmented by an internationally agreed systems of lights, shapes and sounds on vessels, buoys and lighthouses. In more recent decades colossal advancements have been made in electronics such as radar, AIS and the possibility of overlaying their data upon electronic charts.
SEA.AI represents the next step in this evolution, by harnessing latest technologies such as ‘machine vision’ and AI to help fill in a gap in the human and electronic arsenal – short to medium range collision avoidance, that for the first time is ‘intelligent’. At present AIS can show and identify maritime traffic, superimposed over an electronic chart that in turn indicates fixed features such buoys, beacons and other navigational marks. SEA.AI takes this to the next level and can alert navigators and officers on the bridge to everything else floating on the water that has not been identified by these other systems. Most crucially SEA.AI can identify targets and can automatically determine what is a potential collision threat and what isn’t.
To achieve this, it uses an externally mounted unit, typically mounted at the highest point on the ship. This unit is fitted with two high resolution daylight cameras capable of operating in the lowest light and contrast situations. In addition, it has two thermal cameras, accurate to 0.05°C which enable SEA.AI to function at night. The cameras are both gyro and digitally stabilised to provide a constant watch 360° around the vessel.
In practice the outputs from SEA.AI’s cameras eliminate the digital ‘noise’ of the sea to determine potential targets in real time. The visual and thermal signatures of these targets is then compared to those within SEA.AI’s ever-growing proprietary database of millions of annotated marine objects. This process harnesses the latest machine vision technology, best-in-class deep learning capabilities enabling SEA.AI to provide the most comprehensive digital interpretation of a vessel’s surroundings. Its output can be shown on a display on the bridge or on a computer or tablet. Once potential collisions have been determined, SEA. AI will automatically alert the crew. The system is stand-alone and requires no internet connection.
With its cameras suitably mounted, SEA.AI’s Sentry (aimed at commercial and governmental ships) will identify larger vessels not fitted with AIS up to a range of 7.5km; smaller craft such as local fishing boats, dinghies and inflatables up to 3km and buoys and potentially dangerous flotsam up to 700m away. This latter feature, assisted by its thermal cameras, makes the SEA.AI Sentry an invaluable tool in man overboard search and rescue situations.
Launched in 2018 SEA.AI was inspired by collision avoidance technology developed for the automotive industry. Initially it was tested in the maritime world aboard shorthanded racing yachts competing in round the world races such as the Vendée Globe. Its product line has since developed with tailored equipment targeting all sectors of the maritime world.
Fred. Olsen SA has tested SEA.AI and has been attracted by the gap it fills in their collision avoidance equipment and also by the high resolution of its imagery, which on its own is a vital ingredient in the process of identifying potential targets.
Ivan Fernandez, Head of the Technical Department at Fred. Olsen Express commented: “This camera [SEA.AI] already has some incredible innovations because the technology has allowed us to incorporate more things [ such as the visual validation of radar targets]. It has artificial intelligence, and it has imaging software that inform us of what we are seeing. At the end of the day, even though all high-speed ships are required to have two officers maintaining a constant look-out, it [SEA.AI] is like having a third officer also looking, because as soon as it detects any object it gives you a warning saying something is there.”
Diogo Arreda, Country Manager and Business Developer at SEA.AI added: “We are happy for SEA.AI to make its debut in the commercial fast ferry sector with Fred. Olsen Express. We thank them for their trust and their assistance in helping us to develop SEA.AI so it’s features can be put to the most effective use by vessels such as theirs. We hope our equipment will improve the safety of all their ships and their passengers.”
The innovative use of artificial intelligence and machine vision in collision avoidance marks a new era in maritime safety. This development is expected to set a benchmark for other operators in the industry, highlighting the importance of continuous improvement and adoption of cutting-edge technologies to enhance safety at sea. The successful implementation of SEA.AI by Fred. Olsen Express, facilitated by Aeromarine, is a testament to the transformative potential of advanced technology in improving maritime operations and ensuring the well-being of passengers and crew.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
Phoenix Completes Critical Subsea Cable Repair Project for EXWC
WETS project-Cable to Shore. (Image credit: Phoenix)
In October of 2023, Phoenix was contacted by the Ocean Cables and Unmanned Systems Division of the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (EXWC) to develop an innovative approach to repair the Kaneohe Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) 60M Berth Electro-Opto-Mechanical Cable. Due to the dynamic shoreline environment, the cable had sustained damage along the shore landing riprap. This time sensitive repair was critical to support Wave Energy Converter (WEC) deployment schedules and other site initiatives.
The WETS deep water system contains two cables. One servicing the 80M Berth and the second servicing the 60M Berth. WETS Kaneohe was the first grid connected wave energy test site installed in U.S. waters.
In March 2024, Phoenix received approval to commence the repair and mobilization was initiated. The star asset of this project was a 50-ft by 60-ft modular jack up barge. This barge was outfitted with a Phoenix Palfinger crane, custom cable chutes, 10k winches, a shallow water dive spread and other miscellaneous repair support equipment. The jack up barge provided a stable and reliable work platform on a site known for unfavorable nearshore working conditions.
Once the barge was on site operations commenced. The shore end of the damaged cable was repaired by way of splicing in a new section of cable to the existing offshore leg from the jack up barge positioned offshore in 17-feet of salt water. Approximately 1089-linear feet of cable was pulled offshore with the barge mounted winch. The new cable was spooled off the flatbed mounted power reel to a stand on shore. Cable floats were added at the mean high-water mark as the pull progressed. Both the existing offshore cable and new shore end were jointed in a submersible splice box provided and accomplished by Marmon Utility (Cable OEM). Once jointing and initial testing was complete, the splice box was deployed, and both the cable omega loops, and splice box were fastened to the seabed. The shore end was routed, connected at the beach vault, and final testing satisfactorily completed.
Commenting on the successful completion of the project, Travis Niederhauser, Phoenix Hawaii Area Manager stated, “We are humbled that EXWC entrusted Phoenix to plan and execute this highly visible project. Phoenix personnel, consultants, subcontractors, and suppliers all performed to the highest standard. We are grateful for their support.”
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
Austal Launches The Very Last Littoral Combat Ship
Australian-owned shipbuilder Austal USA has launched the last Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, USS Pierre. The yard emphasized that the final transporter-to-barge-to-drydock launch sequence went like clockwork, giving the aluminum-hulled trimaran a smooth departure. Pierre will undergo testing and preparation, then transit to her new home with Pacific Fleet.
The second-to-last hull, USS Kingsville, was launched in March. After both events, Austal emphasized that the complex launch procedure demonstrates commitment to better operations, through partnerships that allow the firm to "continually examine our process, identify opportunities for improvement, and more effectively achieve these major ship milestones."
Austal's next facility will have a shiplift adjacent to the assembly shed, which will be able to lower completed hulls directly into the water.
Launch operations do not always go smoothly: At the side-launch of the final Freedom-class LCS, USS Cleveland, the newbuild made contact with the stern of an assist tug during the dynamic process of sliding down the ways. The shipbuilder, Marinette Marine, is investing in a ship-lift for gentler launch operations.
The LCS program is winding down so that the Navy can refocus on high-end warships, like the Constellation-class frigate, which is in an early construction and detail design phase at Marinette Marine. The Navy truncated the LCS program by not exercising options for the final three planned Freedom-class hulls, and it has asked Congress to decommission multiple ships years ahead of schedule, including the first two Independence-class LCS hulls and all of the first 10 Freedom-class ships.
WWIII
CNOOC Confirms Major Gas Discovery in South China Sea
Chinese state oil company CNOOC has made a remarkable natural gas discovery in the South China Sea, and it could be a game changer for the region's energy politics.
CNOOC believes that the new Lingshui 36-1 reservoir contains more than 100 billion cubic meters (3.5 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas in an ultra-shallow field in ultra-deep water - the first field of this kind in the world. The gas layer lies just 200 meters below the seabed in 1,500 meters of water.
According to CNOOC, the odds of a commercially-viable gas field at such a shallow depth below the seabed was believed to be impossible. This one, however, should be capable of producing an abundant 10 million cubic meters a day of natural gas.
CNOOC first announced the find in June, and it has now been confirmed by state regulators. Taken together with its previous finds, the new field brings the regional total to more than a trillion cubic meters of reserves. For comparison, this is approximately 1/60th the size of Norway's Troll field.
CNOOC has not released the location of the field. China's neighbors have not issued protests about its development, suggesting that it may lie within China's legitimate and internationally-recognized EEZ off Hainan Island.
China also claims the vast majority of the South China Sea as its own, including international waters and segments of its neighbors' EEZs. It has previously sparred with Vietnam over energy E&P projects, repeatedly shadowing and harassing rig activity in Vietnamese-sponsored oil leases within Vietnam's EEZ. In 2014 and again in 2016, China deployed a rig of its own into disputed waters off Vietnam in an attempt to drill, leading to a diplomatic standoff.
WWIII Manila Secures New Partnerships for Defense of its Maritime Rights
The aging outpost aboard a tank landing ship at Second Thomas Shoal. The AFP has repaired it to last for many more years, four sources told Bloomberg (file image courtesy Jay Tarriela / PCG)
Just weeks after reaching a de-escalation agreement with the Chinese government, the Philippines has announced a flurry of defense partnerships, drills and supply operations in the South China Sea, all favoring the defense of Manila's exclusive economic zone.
First, four security sources have confirmed to Bloomberg that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has managed to repair its rusting outpost on Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese forces have been attempting to deny access and push Philippine troops out. The repairs have been so successful that they should be sufficient to keep the outpost going for up to ten years, the sources told Bloomberg.
The news of the successful repair work is positive for the AFP, which has warned that the structure - a grounded WWII tank landing ship that is now eight decades old - was so decayed that it might have to be abandoned within a few years' time. China vigorously opposes the presence of the garrison within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, and has attempted to block resupply missions with force. Last week, after the announcement of a confidential de-escalation agreement with Beijing, AFP forces carried out a resupply mission to the reef without interference from Chinese forces.
Partnership patrols with Vietnam, Japan and U.S.
On August 5, the Vietnam Coast Guard cutter CSB 8002 called in Manila for the start of joint exercises with the Philippine Coast Guard. Though Hanoi and Manila have competing views of their respective maritime boundaries in the South China Sea, they have committed to a peaceful resolution process centered on international law and negotiation - drawing an unspoken contrast with China's unilateral expansion.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, including international waters and neighboring states' exclusive economic zones. Beijing continues to reject a 2016 international arbitral ruling that affirmed the Philippines' EEZ boundaries, adopting an official policy of "non-acceptance, non-participation, and non-recognition" of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague and the rules-based implementation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In pursuit of its own interpretation of regional maritime boundaries, China has authorized the use of force against Philippine servicemembers inside of the Philippine exclusive economic zone. Multiple Philippine nationals have been injured in clashes with the China Coast Guard since the start of 2024, when the CCG adopted tougher rules of engagement; no CCG personnel have been harmed in response.
Vietnam has had similar run-ins with Chinese forces in the past, all centered on oil and gas E&P. China claims a large swathe of the Vietnamese EEZ, and has attempted to lay claim to its subsea resources as well. In 2014-16 a Chinese state oil firm attempted to carry out drilling in disputed waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, backed up by gray-zone forces of the Chinese maritime militia. Chinese vessels have also conducted unauthorized subsea surveys in Vietnamese waters, and have regularly harassed foreign-operated drilling rigs on Vietnamese license blocks, prompting several international partners to pull out.
In addition to the partnership-building drills with Vietnam's coast guard, the Philippine Navy held its first bilateral drills with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force in the South China Sea last week, the service announced Friday. It also held a rare drill with the U.S. Navy littoral combat ship USS Mobile, near a contested reef within the western Philippine EEZ; most U.S. gray-hull patrols with the Philippine Navy have been conducted in less sensitive locations, outside of the contested area where China's unilateral claims overlap with Philippine waters.
On Sunday, Manila also announced talks on a new defense partnership with Germany, coinciding with the first-ever visit of a German defense minister to Manila. The planned agreement covers training and weapons exports, said German minister Boris Pistorius, and is part of Germany's commitment to "maintaining rules-based order, securing freedom of navigation and protecting trade routes."
Chinese state-owned opinion outlet Global Times objected to Pistorius' remarks. Citing an anonymous expert on Chinese foreign affairs, GT called the German minister's public support for Philippine maritime rights "a blatant provocation against China that exacerbates tensions."
"Support for the Philippines at the cost of damaging ties with China brings no benefits to Berlin," warned GT. "There is great potential and space for rational and pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany, which is mutually beneficial and win-win."
Four Nations Make a Show of Force in Philippine EEZ
The HMCS Montreal and the USS Lake Erie follow the BRP Jose Rizal (AFP)
On Wednesday, three allied nations joined the Philippines for a two-day exercise in the South China Sea, demonstrating international support for freedom of navigation in a region contested by China.
BRP Ramon Alcaraz, BRP Jose Rizal, HMCS Montréal and cruiser USS Lake Erie made a joint transit in the Philippine EEZ on Wednesday, joined by a Royal Australian Air Force patrol plane. It is the second time in three months that a four-nation task force made a show of force off the coast of the Philippines. In June, the navies of Canada, Japan, Australia and the Philippines made a similar transit.
"We stand together to address common maritime challenges and underscore our shared dedication to upholding international law and the rules-based order," said representatives of the four allied militaries in a joint statement. "Our four nations reaffirm the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award as a final and legally binding decision on the parties to the dispute."
China claims a broad swath of the Philippine EEZ under its sweeping "nine-dash line" policy, which asserts sovereignty over the vast majority of the South China Sea, including international waters. China refuses to recognize the 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, which found that Beijing's historically-based claims were inconsistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In a statement, the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army said that it conducted a simultaneous naval drill near Chinese-occupied Scarborough Shoal, a reef within the Philippine EEZ. Three Chinese warships shadowed Wednesday's multilateral patrol, according to USNI.
China has repeatedly attempted to block Philippine navigation within the Philippine EEZ, particularly near Second Thomas Shoal, where the Armed Forces of the Philippines maintains an outpost. Since the start of 2024, Chinese forces have used violent methods to interdict Philippine supply convoys, including ramming and high-pressure water-cannoning - injuring multiple Philippine servicemembers. A recent de-escalation agreement between Manila and Beijing sought to dial back China's use of force and prevent further injuries to Philippine personnel. (No Chinese servicemembers have been reported injured in any of the encounters to date, nor has China claimed any physical damage to its vessels.)
While the most recent convoy to Second Thomas Shoal proceeded without interference from the China Coast Guard, Chinese white-hull assets have been accumulating near Sabina Shoal, just 30 nautical miles to the east. These include a survey ship - believed to be engaged in unauthorized operations - and the world's largest coast guard cutter, the CCG 5901.
WWIII
Chinese Survey Vessel Loiters Near Sabina Shoal, Raising Suspicions
A Chinese survey vessel is conducting unauthorized operations in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ), just 20 nautical miles off a contested reef.
The survey ship Ke Xue San Hao has been operating about 20 nautical miles off Sabina Shoal for about 10 days, according to Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Adm. Roy Trinidad. "It has been doing a zigzag pattern close to Sabina and the southern part of Sabina Shoal," Trinidad said at a press conference Tuesday. Survey vessels typically operate on a linear back-and-forth trackline, "mowing the lawn" as they acquire seabed data.
China did not ask for permission to conduct survey operations, he added. The Chinese government lays claim to a large swath of the western Philippine EEZ, along with the vast majority of the South China Sea, despite the 2016 arbitral ruling that found its claims invalid under UNCLOS.
The survey ship's presence has attracted extra attention because the Philippine Coast Guard previously found evidence of small-scale land reclamation at Sabina Shoal. The discovery raised alarm bells: ten years ago, China dredged and covered thousands of acres of coral reef in the Spratly Islands in order to construct a string of strategic military bases, and the Philippine government is watching closely for signs of further expansion.
The Philippine cutter BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed at Sabina Shoal for months in order to closely monitor Chinese movements. Last month, the China Coast Guard dispatched the world's largest cutter, the cruiser-sized CCG 5901, to anchor at a position within 800 yards of the Magbanua. As of August 5, satellite imagery showed that the 5901 was still holding the same position, according to Ray Powell, director of maritime transparency think tank SeaLight.
China regularly deploys survey vessels to operate without authorization in waters claimed by its neighbors, including Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. In June, the government of Vietnam vigorously protested the operations of a new Chinese survey vessel in the Gulf of Tonkin, alleging that the ship was engaged in "illegal" activities in the Vietnamese exclusive economic zone.
Coast Guard Leads Removal of Abandoned Fishing Boat off Maine
The U.S. Coast Guard is leading an operation to raise and remove a sunken fishing vessel from the harbor in Harpswell, Maine, in order to fix an ongoing source of pollution.
The 1949-built sardine boat Jacob Pike went down in January after a series of winter storms battered the Maine coast. The wreck has been leaking fuel into the marine environment, and the Coast Guard estimates that it could contain up to 1,000 gallons of diesel.
Coast Guard Sector Northern New England attempted to get the owner to take action to clean up the wreck, but found that the individual "was unwilling or unable." In order to address the hazard to the environment, the Coast Guard federalized the response and tapped the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to pay for the cost of cleanup. It hired a pollution response contractor, who boomed off the vessel and pumped off 400 gallons of oily water mixture; however, the work stopped short of completion because sending a diver inside the tight confines of the vessel would be too risky. To get at the last potential sources of pollution, the wreck will have to be refloated.
The owner, identified as Cyrus Cleary, has been summoned by the town authorities on the charge of abandoning a watercraft. If found responsible, he could be fined up to 150 percent of the cost of removal. Separately, the administrators of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund will pursue recoupment of all federal costs after the wreck removal is complete.
Jacob Pike was an 83-foot wooden fishing vessel built for the sardine trade. Later in life, it worked in the lobster fishery. It ceased commercial operations in 2022, and like many defunct vessels, it changed hands several times in succession. Cleary, the current owner, told the Bangor Daily News that he disagrees with the Coast Guard over the removal method and does not believe he should be responsible for the full cost, which will be in the low six figures.
Operations to remove the vessel are under way. The plan is to set rigging, raise the Pike to the surface, and prepare it for a tow to its next destination. The Coast Guard has determined that the owner is not in a position to take possession of it, so it will be removed to South Portland for safe disposal.
Gearbox Failure, Pilot Error Caused V-22 Crash off Japan
The U.S. Navy salvage ship USNS Salvor searches the wreckage off Yakushima, December 2023 (USN)
A disintegrating metal gearbox was responsible for the crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft off Japan last November, which killed eight servicemembers and prompted a large-scale subsea salvage response, according to the Air Force.
On the afternoon of November 29, the Japan Coast Guard received a call from a fisherman who reported that an aircraft was in trouble off the island of Yakushima. One of the aircraft's two engines appeared to be on fire, the good Samaritan reported. Five minutes after the call, the plane disappeared off tracking radar, prompting a SAR response.
The aircraft was a V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, transiting from Iwakuni to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa on a training flight with eight servicemembers on board. All members of the aircrew were killed in the accident; seven bodies were recovered in an exhaustive 43-day search. The U.S. Navy's salvage experts recovered key parts of the plane's wreckage, including its engines and rotor nacelles.
After the crash, the Pentagon issued a military-wide standdown to examine the safety of the Osprey, which had had serious mishaps before. The Air Force launched a major investigation to examine all aspects related to the crash, from human factors to materials to design and engineering. They assembled a sequence of events and determined a probable cause: gear box failure, aided by pilot error.
On the day of the casualty, the aircraft took off from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, bound for Yakushima. About 40 minutes after takeoff, the cockpit warning panel flashed an alert for a chip detected in the left side proprotor gearbox. (This alert system monitors for metal chips in the gearbox lubricant oil, along with a burn-off system designed to eliminate loose chips.) About 30 seconds later, the alarm sounded again. The main pilot began looking for airfields to divert to on an electronic chart system in case they needed to land.
12 minutes later, the alarm sounded a third time, activating a "Land as Soon as Practical" guidance for safety. This protocol required the pilot to consider diverting to the nearest safe landing place, but did not require it. The nearest airfield was Kanoya Air Base, 10 miles behind them, but the main pilot did not discuss this option. Instead, he radioed the other aircraft in the formation and said that he planned to continue the mission route.
A fourth chip-detected alarm sounded five minutes later, and a fifth ten minutes after that. Shortly afterwards, the alarm sounded for a chip so large that it could not be burnt off. This triggered a more urgent land-quickly protocol, and the pilot diverted towards Yakushima, 11 minutes away. Multiple emergency landing possibilities were closer, but Yakushima was the only one in the aircrew's planning.
On arriving at Yakushima, air traffic control instructed the Osprey to wait for a commercial plane to clear the runway. After the other plane took off, the aircrew approached for a landing. Half a mile away from touching down, and 49 minutes after the first alarm, the left side gearbox failed catastrophically, immediately causing two left-hand uncontrolled barrel rolls and an 800-foot drop into the water.
After an extensive search and recovery operation, seven bodies were recovered, along with the wreckage of the aircraft. The gearbox was shipped to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, where it was stripped down and examined. One pinion gear was shattered, and the bull gear's drive teeth were all stripped off, indicating that it had stopped transferring power to the prop. The gearbox was filled with large metal fragments.
The investigators found that the likely root cause was a "catastrophic failure of the left-hand prop rotor gear box," leading to a cascading drive system failure. This instantly cut off lift on the left hand proprotor while the right hand side remained at full power, sending the aircraft into an unrecoverable hard left roll.
They also faulted the aircrew for continuing the mission as planned for so long after alarms began to sound, and for failing to consider closer options than Yakushima. "The [crew] did not consider any other landing locations, such as islands with helipads, suitable landing terrain on other islands, or runways," the investigators found. "The [pilot's] decisions were casual, as they prolonged the mishap sequence and removed any consideration of an earlier landing."
The chief investigator also laid a share of the blame on the Osprey program office. "Inadequate action at the program level and inadequate coordination between the program office and the services prevented comprehensive awareness of [gearbox] risks, and substantially contributed to the mishap," wrote Lt. Gen. Michael E. Conley, head of Air Force Special Operations Command.
Additional documents obtained by the AP suggest that the pinion gear failed first, gradually shedding metal chips as it cracked and then ultimately broke apart. The supplemental documents indicated that there were multiple inclusions in the special metal alloy of the pinion gear, and while within acceptable size limits, any larger inclusions could have created opportunities for fatigue cracking.
AP also found that there had been at least 60 gearbox failures in the V-22 fleet over the past five years, including 41 involving chip warnings.
Investigation Underway into Ultra Galaxy Casualty off South Africa
Bad weather broke the vessel and ripped off the deckhouse/accommodations as well as the cargo hatch covers (SAMSA)
While bad weather continues to hamper the salvage efforts of the broken bulker Ultra Galaxy, officials from the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) report the investigation process into the cause of casualty is underway. Under maritime law, Panama as the flag state of the vessel is leading the investigation while South Africa because it was affected by the wreck is assisting in the efforts.
SAMSA reports that a team consisting of a surveyor and a technical expert from Panama is arriving in the country and will be meeting with SAMSA. This comes after the investigators from Panama flew to the Philippines for interviews with the crew of the Ultra Galaxy which have already been repatriated after they were rescued from the ship a month ago.
There are several working theories that SAMSA said will be part of the investigation while they also declined to speculate on the cause of the casualty. Officials however shared a few details based on their review of information and initial interviews with the crew. They were seeking to end some of the speculation in the South African media.
Speaking to the media, SAMSA Chief Operations Officer Sobantu Tilayi said there is “nothing to suggest it (Ultra Galaxy) had broken any laws.” Some of the speculation has centered on whether the cargo shifted before the storm and was later exasperated by the high seas as well as possible mistakes in navigation by the vessel before or during the storm.
Tilayi said the list seemed to indicate the cargo had shifted but the investigation would be looking into the cause of the cargo shifting. However, he said when the South African authorities received the distress call the storm was already underway that ultimately claimed the Ultra Galaxy. He said a review of the logs showed the crew tried to alter course before the casualty of the vessel which had been sailing eastbound toward Tanzania.
South African officials coordinated the rescue of the 18 Filipino crewmembers and conducted interviews before they left the country. Those interviews are being shared with the investigators from Panama.
The salvage team they said has been able to determine the location of the remaining oil aboard the Ultra Galaxy. However, they require a window of a week of calm weather to proceed with the operation which will include heating the oil and siphoning it from the tanks. A platform supply vessel continues to stand by with the necessary equipment for the oil removal process. In the meantime, the shore cleanup continues, but they did not say if the vessel continues to leak oil.
Representatives of the P&I Club are also on scene assisting in the salvage operation. They noted the focus currently is on the oil and environmental impact. A plan for the removal of the hulk will be determined in the second stage of the salvage operation.
