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Displaying items by tag: Offshore Renewables

Marine renewables sector in south-west Wales, is to High Speed Tranfers Marine, an offshore vessel company, expand into Pembrokeshire after recognising the opportunities of the sector in the region.

HST Marine provides solutions in shipping, vessel management and chartering to industries throughout Europe from their headquarters in Swansea.

After learning at an industry event last year of the £60m Pembroke Dock Marine project,  they now occupy an office and warehouse space in the heart of the development at Pembroke Port (see ferry deal) where they will be storing crew transfer vessels, RHIBs and workboats.

Site modifications are planned at Pembroke Port to create a modern port capable of delivering the needs of the marine energy and engineering sectors, including a deep-water slipway. Forming part of the ports' project as alluded, it will create the right conditions for job creation, skills development, supply chain resilience and economic growth.

CEO at HST Marine, Tom Nevin, sees this as a huge opportunity for Pembrokeshire. “Projects such as the Pembroke Dock Marine port infrastructure changes are crucial to HST’s current and long-term business plans. In order to expand, grow and compete with international companies, these types of projects are incredibly important and will help us to establish ourselves in south Wales” he said.

Tim James, Head of Commercial and Energy at the Port, has welcomed the team, commenting “HST Marine are bringing credible expertise and equipment to the growing cluster of specialists attracting year-round, well-paid employment opportunities into our community. Businesses like HST are recognising that Pembroke Dock, in particular, has the potential to play a major part in Wales’ aspiration to meet net zero targets and we must evolve our assets to meet their needs and those of future generations.”

Pembroke Dock Marine is funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal, the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, and through private investment.

Published in Power From the Sea

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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