Boatbuilding News 22.07.22 Feat. The Royal Navy, Southampton International Boat Show, British Marine and Suntex Marinas

📰 This week’s boatbuilding news! 📰 

🇬🇧 The Royal Navy is aiming to create one of the world’s greenest fleets, from infrastructure in dockyards, to the technology on warships and the operations carried out around the globe.

This plan has been kickstarted by the Navy’s first ‘net zero’ carbon building, based in Portsmouth, UK.

The Royal Navy’s eight new type 26 frigates will be painted with environmentally friendly, anti-fouling paint to limit marine growth, while the vessel underwent a hydrodynamic redesign to add speed without the need for larger engines. 

The Queen Elizabeth Carrier Forward Logistics Centre in Portsmouth Naval Base is completely solar-powered, from the lights to the heating and computer systems, and even the forklift trucks. This centre is the first ‘net zero’ carbon building in the Navy.

The £7m logistics hub contains the spare parts, tools and documentation the carriers need during maintenance periods. The base has already won three environmental awards. 

New patrol ships HMS Tamar and Spey, which are on long-term deployments to the Indo-Pacific, have catalytic reduction systems to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, while icebreaker HMS Protector supports international research into wildlife and climate change in Antarctica and Royal Navy patrol ships deployed across the globe regulate fishing stocks.

All of this is a boost to green ambitions during the UK’s ‘Net Zero Week’, designed to raise awareness about climate change as the UK looks to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. 

“Portsmouth Naval Base has established many low-carbon initiatives in order to achieve our target of being carbon-neutral. This includes electric vehicles and charging points, installation of wind turbines, and of course the construction and opening of our first carbon-neutral building in June this year – the first Royal Navy infrastructure construction to be Net Zero in operation.

says Commodore John Voice, The base’s commanding officer.

The Royal Navy is also setting a sustainability standard for its serving warships. Before deploying on operations, every crew and their ship must meet the exacting standards of the Fleet Operational Sea Training teams based in Plymouth.

In addition, from next year, ships will be recognised if they meet sustainability standards under what will be known as the Green Pennant scheme.

Meanwhile, at HMS Collingwood in Fareham, Hampshire, £2.4m has been invested in building management systems, which have been installed to monitor and control energy usage, while conservation projects are being undertaken across the Royal Navy’s bases and stations as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy project, which marks Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

🛥 Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) is launching a new Environmental Innovation Showcase, highlighting to consumers how the marine industry is becoming cleaner and what they can do to become a more environmentally conscious boater. 

The on-water show – one of the largest in Europe and the biggest of its type in the UK – takes place this year from 16-25 September in Southampton on the UK’s south coast.

Organiser British Marine, says the new environmental showcase, located in Ocean Hall, will shine a spotlight on the best of the marine industry’s new environmental products. 

“This showcase will demonstrate the commitment that not only SIBS and British Marine have to the environment but also that our exhibitors continue to be a driving force in the journey to net zero and will hopefully be a source of inspiration for all businesses in the marine sector,”

says Lesley Robinson, CEO, British Marine.

Exhibitors at this year’s show who are bringing new environmentally innovative or sustainable products or services to the market are invited to submit details of their product or service along with the reasons it should be considered by the judging panel to appear in the showcase. The judging panel will then review all the entrants and select those products and services to exhibit.

“With thousands of visitors anticipated to attend this year’s show, being part of the showcase is the perfect opportunity to reach a wide audience and ensure your products and services are seen by a whole host of people and businesses alike. Plus, with additional promotional opportunities courtesy of the show team, it’s a great way to build brand awareness.”

British Marine says in a statement.

Entries need to be submitted by email by 12 August 2022. Successful applicants will be contacted by 19 August 2022.

🇺🇸 Suntex Marinas has acquired The Wharf in Marathon in the Florida Keys and, after a significant investment, will re-launch the property as Ocean View Marina.

The new acquisition establishes a significant foothold for Suntex in the Keys following the purchases of Faro Blanco, Caloosa Cove and Garriso Bight within the past year.

The property features the newest dry storage facility in the Florida Keys, developed in 2021. After construction is complete, Ocean View Marina will be a full-service marina, offering an easy to access fuel dock, boat rentals, a ship’s store and 165 racks with dry storage for up to 40-foot boats in two dry storage barns that are each covered on three sides. 

“In just the short year that we’ve owned Faro Blanco, we’ve seen the incredible draw of this region and when we got the opportunity to acquire the facility a mile down the road, we had to take it,” “We are looking forward to taking the reins and completing the construction.” 

says David Filler, investments partner at Suntex Marinas

Marine owner and operator, Suntex Marina Investors completed its integration with Westrec Marinas in April 2022, following the announcement of the two companies merger in 2022. 

It’s located one hour north of Key West and two hours south of Miami, and near the famous Seven Mile Bridge. The area provides access to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Situated between Islamorada and Key West, Ocean View Marina’s central location is ideal for boaters and visitors, providing access to all the action and amenities that the area has to offer within a short distance such as dolphin experiences, museums, private beaches, diving excursions and great restaurants.

“We are committed to acquiring select locations with tremendous potential to offer guests once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We are excited for the opportunity to transform Ocean View into a boater’s preferred marina.”

says Bryan Redmond, CEO, Suntex Marinas