The latest news from across the industry that ‘got us talking’
Welcome to our weekly news round-up! Take a look at ‘what’s got us talking’, a collection of topical industry news from both our marine and industrial sectors.
Inverlussa orders two more hybrid service vessels
Scottish aquaculture services provider Inverlussa has ordered two hybrid-power vessels from Dutch boat builder Nauplius Workboats.
The 27-metre-long aquaculture service vessels, which will have both diesel and battery power, will increase Mull-based Inverlussa’s fleet to 20. They follow on from the 34-metre delousing vessel Camilla Eslea which was Nauplius’ first build for Inverlussa and is on a long-term charter to Mowi Scotland. It contains the world’s biggest Thermolicer delousing system.
The first of the new vessels will be named Eloise Eslea and will be delivered in late September, with the second vessel, currently known as N023, due in late December. Inverlussa expects to recruit an additional 12 employees which will take the company’s headcount to 115.
Scottish Government Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “I welcome this significant investment in the aquaculture supply chain by Inverlussa Marine Services which will safeguard existing jobs and create further skilled employment in our island communities. It also underlines the importance of the aquaculture sector to the rural economy.”
Hillhead quarry show record
The Hillhead quarry show will set a record for 2022.
The upcoming Hillhead 2022 quarry machinery exhibition in the UK , which MIT will be exhiviting at, will set a record for this year. For the first time ever, the event will have more than 600 exhibitors. The exhibition will be held in Hillhead Quarry, close to Buxton in Derbyshire.
Firms exhibiting technology at the show will include key companies from the quarrying, construction, and recycling sectors. Key exhbitors include: Agg-Pro, Ammann, ATG, Bell Equipment, Bobcat, Bomag, Case Construction, CDE, Doosan, Duo, Epiroc, Finning, Hidromek, Hitachi, Hyundai, Isuzu, Leica, Liebherr, Liugong, Magotteaux, Marubeni-Komatsu, McLanahan, McCloskey International, Metso Outotec, Michelin, Powerscreen, Pronar, Renault Trucks, Rubblemaster, Sandvik Mining & Construction, Sany, Scania, Shell International, SMT GB (Volvo), Sunward Europe, Terex Finlay, TotalEnergies, Volvo Trucks, Wacker Neuson, Weir Minerals, Wirtgen and Yanmar. The full exhibitor list can be viewed at: www.hillhead.com
Dinghy driver’s brush with death after close encounter with shipping
A man swam for his life after nearly being mowed down by a 195,000 ton cargo ship in Southampton Water early Sunday morning (6Mar22).
Passengers onboard a Red Funnel car ferry captured the harrowing moment shortly before 09:50. Three men in two dinghies were attempting to move out of the way of 400m long container ship Al-Zubara, according to the Island Echo. However, one of the dinghies suffered an engine failure – forcing the occupant to abandon ship and swim for his life. His dinghy was dragged under, but the man escaped with seconds to spare.
The Harbour Authority for Southampton Water says the man was recovered from the water by a patrol boat and taken to hospital after treatment for shock.
A spokeswoman for ferry firm Red Funnel says the crew onboard Red Osprey had also mustered a rescue boat and were on standby, but their assistance was not required.
MPA makes ‘last ditch attempt’ to delay red diesel reform
UK producers of construction and industrial mineral products have called on chancellor Rishi Sunak to delay the end of the red diesel rebate.
Ahead of the Spring forecast statement (23rd March 2022), the Mineral Products Association (MPA) has written to the chancellor in what they described as ‘a last-ditch attempt to delay in the removal of the red diesel rebate’.
The Government’s plans to remove the tax rebate on the red fuel used by construction businesses in their plant and machinery from 1 April are expected to cost industry up to £500m a year and each SME construction firm between £250,000 and £600,000.
MPA members argued that with ‘no low-carbon alternatives to the heavy machinery the industry uses, removing the rebate will achieve no reduction in carbon emissions for years to come’. Given the high levels of inflation, MPA has asked for the tax change to be delayed until new alternative equipment becomes available.
RWE reveals amphibious maintenance vessel
German energy company RWE and partner Commercial Rib Charters (CRC) have designed what they say is the world’s first amphibious maintenance vessel.
RWE says the potential is huge for the vessel, which can transfer crew to turbines or other assets stranded by rising sandbanks and can therefore support worldwide applications for wind farms in very shallow waters.
The first vessel, to be named CRC Walrus, will be used to reach turbines at Scroby Sands, in eastern England, which have become stranded on the prehistoric sandbank on which they were built.
Because of natural changes in the marine environment and coastal erosion, the sandbank has risen and four turbines cannot be reached by service vessels.
Naval architects Chartwell Marine designed the vessel to specifications requested by RWAE and CRC, and it is now being built by Diverse Marine on the Isle of Wight.
