• 2021 February 9 13:24

    Ultra awarded Canadian Surface Combatant subcontract to provide VDS

    Ultra has announced a contract award to commence work on the key Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) system for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program – named the Towed Low Frequency Active Sonar (TLFAS). This subcontract moves the development of CSC’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability from the program definition phase into the full manufacture and delivery of the vessels suite of sonars.

    The TLFAS is a world-class towed sonar solution, optimized for the detection and tracking of stealthy submarines in challenging ocean environments. When delivered it will represent a step-change in Canada’s anti-submarine warfare assets and will provide a level of sonar capability never before enjoyed by the Royal Canadian Navy.

    The TLFAS system is fully designed and manufactured by Ultra in Nova Scotia, Canada. Its design also includes components built by other Canadian companies, such that the industrial benefit of this system selection is spread across multiple Provinces. The selection of this system for CSC therefore means that Canadian industrial content is maximized in the delivery of the initial systems, and that the skillsets and facilities required to maintain the system through its operational life are also resident in Canada.

    More broadly, Ultra is proud that its work on the CSC program is proving to be an important vector for growth of Canadian jobs, innovation and investment. In the two years since having been originally awarded program definition studies for CSC, working in close partnership with Lockheed Martin Canada and Irving Shipbuilding Inc., Ultra’s Canadian team has grown by over 150 employees, with another 80 high-tech roles expected to be made available in 2021 alone.

    The program is also triggering major Canadian investment decisions by Ultra in terms of facilities, inward technology transfer and research partnerships which will be announced through the course of 2021. Overall, Ultra’s role on CSC is a very good example of the Industrial and Technological Benefits that the program is providing to Canada, and of the enduring impact that the program will have on sovereign naval capability for the nation.

    Bernard Mills, President of Ultra Maritime Sonar Systems commented: “Ultra recognizes our responsibility to provide, through CSC, the highest possible level of ASW capability to the Royal Canadian Navy. We are therefore immensely proud of this contract award, especially because it is grounded in Canadian innovation and ingenuity, and because it will be an enduring driver of both operational capability and national industrial benefit. Most importantly, this is not just a success for Ultra but is one for the entire CSC enterprise, and I want to thank our strong partners in Lockheed Martin Canada, Irving Shipbuilding Inc., and all our peers on the CSC team who are as dedicated as we are to the delivery of a world-class naval capability to Canada, built by Canadians”.

    The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, noted: “As we work to build the future fleet of the Royal Canadian Navy, we are pleased to see companies like Ultra stepping up to provide leading-edge technology for our shipbuilding projects. The National Shipbuilding Strategy continues to provide opportunities for Canadian businesses of all sizes, from coast to coast to coast.”

    Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, Darren Fisher, highlighted the benefit of this contract award in his riding: “I am delighted to see the positive economic impact of the National Shipbuilding Strategy across Nova Scotia. Companies like Ultra are playing an important role in the CSC program, while providing good quality jobs here in Dartmouth. Ultra’s highly skilled employees will produce the technology needed to help ensure the capability of the Royal Canadian Navy’s future fleet.”

    Ultra are applications engineers and trusted partners in the design, development and production of the key elements of mission critical, intelligent and highly regulated systems. In Canada, the group’s history traces back to 1903 and now comprises three core business units – Sonar Systems in Nova Scotia, Communications in Quebec, and Forensic Technologies also in Quebec. These entities represent a combined employee base of around 600 staff, and each company provides Canada with a significant value of high-technology exports as well as providing systems related to Canada’s own defence and law enforcement capabilities.


2024 May 28

18:02 Boluda Towage acquires British company SMS Towage
17:16 TE H2 and VERBUND sign MoU with the Republic of Tunisia to study the implementation of a large green hydrogen project
16:42 China’s bonded bunker fuel imports fell in April – JLC
16:15 European Commission approves up to €1.4 billion of State aid by seven Member States for the fourth Important Project of Common European Interest in the hydrogen value chain
15:52 Finnlines inaugurated its new line in Malmö
15:26 Yangzijiang Shipbuilding’s order book rises to record US$16.1 billion
14:52 Cochin Shipyard bags new order for construction of new generation hybrid wind farm Service Operation Vessels
14:18 HD Hyundai Heavy aims to top 5 tln won in naval vessel sales by 2035
13:41 RINA hits 800 million euros in 2023 revenue
13:21 COOEC appoints ABL for Safaniya jacket installations
12:41 The Canada Infrastructure Bank investment to improve flow of Canadian exports through Port of Prince Rupert
12:21 Cyprus cancels the contract for the reconstruction of the port and marina of Larnaca
11:42 Vår Energi signs an agreement with the OGMP to improve the accuracy and transparency of methane emissions reporting
11:10 AD Ports, Transmar and Orascom Construction sign MoU for the development of a green methanol facility in Egypt
10:41 Astilleros Armon launches the first of twelve new hybrid high-speed ferries designed by Incat Crowther for Italian ferry operator Liberty Lines
10:04 HELCOM adopts new measures to mitigate ammonia emissions from agriculture
09:58 HAV Group receives an order from Fjord1 to design vessel automation and autonomous navigation systems for four ferries

2024 May 27

18:02 QatarEnergy announces FID in the second development phase for Brazil’s Sépia field
17:30 NYK begins first long-term biofuel test run on large crude oil tanker
17:16 Ondas Holdings' Airobotics and HHLA Sky partner to offer drone services
16:53 Seatrium secures FPSO newbuild contracts P-84 and P-85 from Petrobras
16:25 NYK Bulkship (Asia) сommences first shipment of sustainable aviation fuel
15:26 Wind propulsion systems to be installed on 7 vessels operated by MOL Drybulk
14:55 ASCO commissioned the first Handysize class vessel
14:25 Fincantieri launches FREMM frigate "Emilio Bianchi" for the Italian Navy
12:33 Singapore is ready for methanol bunkering for container vessels at Tuas Port
11:58 DP World and Mawani break ground on SAR900 million logistics park at Jeddah Islamic Port
10:42 DEAS and Fincantieri united to strengthen cyber resilience of military and commercial fleets
10:24 GTT receives an order for the tank design of four new LNG carriers
09:57 Singapore carries out ship-to-ship bunkering of close to 1,340 metric tonnes of blended methanol

2024 May 26

15:16 Fincantieri is awarded contract from the US Navy for the fifth and sixth Constellation-class frigates
13:24 ABP’s £35 million offshore energy development to be operational from October 2024
11:18 HPH Trust and Beibu Gulf Port Group agreed to promote trade between Guangxi and Hong Kong
09:26 Shore power plan for Irish, UK ports

2024 May 25

15:33 Bahri could be buyer of four VLCCs with $480 million
14:27 Panama Canal returns to normal operations
12:03 Equinor and partners to invest to maintain high gas production at Troll
11:41 Singapore carries out ship-to-ship bunkering of close to 1,340 metric tonnes of blended methanol
10:12 Australian operator renegotiates ferry deal with Finnish shipbuilder following delays

2024 May 24

18:00 MSC resumes Far East – Baltimore service
17:22 First LNG tugboat with hybrid system goes into operation in Singapore with mtu gas engines from Rolls-Royce
16:47 S. Korea slaps sanctions on 7 N. Koreans, 2 Russian ships for illegal trade with Russia
16:24 COSCO Shipping plans to build 120 ships worth $4.5 billion
15:46 LR award AiP to CMB.TECH and Damen for hydrogen tug solution
13:51 Kongsberg Maritime opens a new facility in Kochi, India
13:11 Wind Challenger to be installed on coal carrier for J-Power
12:41 India, Egypt top destinations for Russian seaborne fuel oil, VGO exports in April
12:21 Newbuilding contracts signed by Greek shipowners are up more than 50% this year to March
11:40 The port of Piraeus receives permission to continue dredging from the State Council
11:05 Eastern Shipbuilding Group awarded contract to construct Fisher Island Ferry
10:49 Huangpu Wenchong receives contract for up to eight methanol-fuelled bulkers
10:28 Cadeler signs installation vessel reservation agreement for upcoming wind farm installation projects
09:58 ScanOcean launches renewable biodiesel fuel
09:42 Uralkali fertilizer exports hit 7.6-million tonne mark by the end of 2023

2024 May 23

18:00 Cadeler places order to build its third A-class vessel
17:34 Van Oord successfully installs first monopile using KENC’s flange mounted upending tool
17:12 The fire engulfed approximately 600 square meters of metal waste on industrial premises at the port of Hamburg
16:57 Hapag-Lloyd resumes CGX service between China, West Africa and Germany
16:38 The world's first methanol-powered container ship now on weekly service to the Port of Gothenburg
15:32 Inmarsat launches combined VSAT, LEO and LTE managed connectivity service
14:52 Dominican Republic, Oman and Saudi Arabia join the International Transport Forum
14:21 Canada’s TMX pipeline expansion to boost Asian crude oil trade
13:44 Norwegian Cruise Line expands its presence across Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand with over 30 new itineraries
13:21 Canadian Coast Guard issues $15,000 fine for a hazardous vessel
13:18 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 21, 2024
12:51 Dunkerque LNG launches a request for interest for its Small Scale LNG services
12:11 SITC signs a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Fujian Port Group
11:40 Wartsila to convert two Scandlines ferries to plug-in hybrid operation
11:03 Hapag-Lloyd upgrades sea shuttle service between Ukraine and Romania
10:30 Japanese companies complete the early stages of a cross-industry project to create a secure data exchange system between shipyards and shipowners