This is always one of our most exciting and illuminating feature weeks. It is always fascinating to discover what imaginative, stylish and inventive new vessels the world's naval architects have come up with. Of course, with Naval Architecture Week coinciding with Passenger Vessel Week, we have almost a double-dose of new and interesting craft to inspire us.
It is unusual that two of the vessels featured this week are dredgers. One is small and for sheltered waters operations in Queensland, Australia and the other a large coastal, Royal IHC-designed dredger that will operate in remote areas of Cameroon.
As always, British Columbia's own Robert Allan Ltd, the global kings of tug design, have come up with something new, different and economical in Yalora 3 , the first of their Sanmar-built and owned 19-metre harbour tugs. They will be operated around the Bosphorus in Turkey and are quite simple, being powered by conventional shaft drive propellers.
One Australian designer, Adam Schwetz, has proved that persistence pays. I well remember introducing him to Chao Phraya Express boss Khun Supapan at least twelve years ago. He now has four impressive examples of his talents operating on Thailand's fabled Chao Phraya River.
Elsewhere in Australia, the in-house and contractor designers for Austal and Incat remain very busy with some very progressive designs such as Japan's Queen Beetle trimaran ferry.
The important thing about naval architecture, whether it originates within ship building companies, from consulting NA firms or from design bureaux, is that the activity almost always improves the breed. Our ships and boats continue to develop and advance in almost every respect.
– "The vessel is now equipped with 35 new silos and a huge hold to enable the transport of up to 2,800 tonnes of fish feed."
– "While USV technology is potentially applicable to a broad scope of Coast Guard law enforcement missions, the primary focus of this evaluation is its ability to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing."
– "An advantage of DACS is that it can be relatively easily installed on existing vessels…"
– by Nelson Dela Cruz, Baird Maritime correspondent
– "…the 181- by 40-metre, 2,375TEU vessel will have the distinction of being the largest ship ever to sail on the Mississippi River."
– "Should [naval auxiliary] ships be put out to worldwide tender and ordered from wherever the best deal is to be found?"
– by Michael Grey, former long-term editor of Lloyd's List
Remember to come back every day to see the latest news, opinion and vessel reviews!
Any news or views about the global maritime tourism, ferry and cruise industries? Send it through to editor@baird.com.au ASAP (between now and November 27), so we can add it to this current edition of Naval Architecture Week!
We are after: