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Vard Marine Inc. Announces CEO Transition

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Dave McMillan and Wade Carson, outgoing and incoming CEO of Vard Marine
Dave McMillan (left), Wade Carson (right)

Vard Marine Inc. today announced that Dave McMillan, the firm’s President and CEO, will retire on May 31st, 2020 to pursue another chapter in his career in the marine industry as a Marketing/Business Development consultant. The Board of Directors has named Wade Carson as the new President and CEO of the company upon Dave’s retirement.

During over 30 years with Vard Marine, Dave McMillan was instrumental in the growth of the firm in size and market presence. He helped the company establish new markets and partnerships, as well as build a team of highly skilled engineers. Dave has been a catalyst in positioning Vard Marine as a leader in the maritime industry.

Wade Carson, who for the past 6 years has led the business’s strategic direction as VP Business Development and most recently was on assignment as interim Managing Director of affiliate company Vard Electro Canada, will step into the role with a vision to build on the foundation of achievement and growth established by Dave McMillan.

Dave made the following statement: “It has been a privilege to lead such a dynamic company for the last 15 years. A deep understanding of Vard Marine’s core values, priorities and proven business practices are vital to the future success of the company. Passing these responsibilities on internally as much as possible has always been a value that we have promoted. Wade is a bright and talented leader, whose energy and vision will guide Vard Marine through further growth and development in the coming years. Vard Marine will be in good hands as the company sharpens its focus on existing products and services and pushes into new markets. As much as I will stay engaged in a consulting role with Vard Marine for a number of years to come, the ever-growing number of grandchildren, DIY projects, golf courses and countries still to explore with my wife Carol are an exciting next chapter for me.”

Wade Carson commented: “Dave has built Vard Marine from a small consulting company of less than 20 people to one of the most prominent naval architecture and marine engineering companies in the sector. He has provided mentorship and guidance throughout my 18 years with the company, providing solid business leadership, reflected in the strong track record of the company. He is always ready to roll up his sleeves and help solve a design problem and I look forward to carrying on his legacy and building on the remarkable craftsmanship Dave has delivered throughout his career.”

Chairman of the Board of Directors in Vard Marine, Kjell Morten Urke says: “I would like to thank Dave for his excellent performance and cooperation over several decades. Vard Marine is a vital part of VARD’s design and engineering broad expertise, and we highly appreciate all the exciting projects developed by Dave and his team in Vard Marine. I wish him all the best. I will also take this opportunity to thank Wade. I’m glad that we can continue the strong cooperation across borders and further develop Vard Marine for the future."

Through the challenges of the current times, Vard Marine’s vision to build relationships based on trust and deliver value to our clients remains ever clear and strong. Wade’s enhanced vision sees further growth and development in technology, research, new markets and, most importantly, service to the constantly evolving needs of our customers.

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Business Continuity and Vard Marine’s Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic

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For Vard Marine, the health and well-being of our staff and customers is our top priority and we are constantly reviewing the situation as it evolves to determine our actions.  In response to the COVID 19 pandemic, Vard Marine has implemented a work from home policy for all employees commencing today, March 18th, 2020 and will remain in effect until April 6th as a minimum.  The ability for our staff to effectively telework has been available since last year and therefore the systems and related infrastructure are already in place and we expect to see only a very minor impact on the ability to maintain our engineering activities.   Rest assured that any inquiry will be handled in a timely manner.

We fully expect to continue business as effectively and efficiently as possible through the duration of this period. We are technically prepared for this scenario and remain in close contact with all our clients – we are confident we can maintain close to full business continuity.

Please all take the necessary precautions against the virus and stay safe.

-Dave McMillan – CEO/President Vard Marine Inc.

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Andrew Kendrick – President-Elect of SNAME

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Vard Marine Inc. is proud to announce that Andrew Kendrick, VP Ottawa has been voted in as President-Elect of the Society of Naval Architect and Marine Engineers (SNAME).  His two year term will commence at the start of 2021.

Vard Marine is a strong supporter of SNAME, which contributes substantially to technical progress in the marine industry and to the professional and technical development of its members.  Our own staff contribute to a wide range of SNAME activities at the international and local levels. Andrew’s own ongoing commitment to SNAME builds on his authoring of numerous technical publications, being 3 times past Chairman of the Eastern Canadian Section of the Society and a participant in many of its other activities.

More details on Andrew’s own career and interests can be found on our Teams page.

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Vard Marine Supports New York’s Gowanus Repowering Project Through Design Package for Two Power Barges

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Vard Marine Inc. has been contracted to complete the basic class design package of a new generation of Siemens powered SeaFloat power barges to support New York’s Gowanus Repowering Project.  Working under the guidance of Stantec, the project’s engineer of record, Vard Marine will supply the barge arrangements, structural design package, marine engineering and naval architecture for the project.

Vard Marine’s Houston Vice President, Darren Truelock, said, “We are very pleased to be partnered with Stantec and Siemens in such an important initiative that reduces potential emissions in New York City and provides peaking power to the city and state.”

The two barges will be equipped with eight Siemens SGT-A65 Aeroderivative gas turbines and will replace the four older barges currently operating in the Gowanus Generating Station in Brooklyn, New York City. They will have a generation capacity of approximately 300 megawatts (MW) each.

Vard Marine’s current portfolio of floating power plants span from 40 MW to 220 MW units of both diesel and gas turbine power generation.

“We are proud to partake in the city’s strategy to leave a greener footprint and are excited to see the environmental impact the two barges will have,” Truelock further stated.

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Vard Marine to Design Largest LNG Jones Act Bunker Barge for Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding

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perspective render of the Polaris LNG ATB

Vard Marine Inc. recently completed the concept design of a new 5,400 cubic meter (CBM) LNG bunker barge for Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. The barge is being designed for Polaris New Energy’s bunkering operations that will support LNG fueled ships in the east coast of the United States. It will be built at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and is expected to be delivered in November 2021.

Vard Marine is currently developing a classification design package for the review and approval by the American Bureau of Shipping and the United States Coast Guard.  The barge is designed with a philosophy of utilizing proven technology. It will be fitted with four 1,350 CBM IMO Type C tanks, utilizing a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wartsila. The barge will use cargo handling equipment for continuous cargo conditioning and to provide multiple levels of redundancy to maintain the LNG cargo’s pressure and temperature.

“LNG as a marine fuel is being adopted in the US and around the world at an exponential rate,” said Darren Truelock, Vice President of Vard Marine’s Houston’s operations,  “and Vard Marine is proud to be a part of this evolution. Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has brought together a ‘dream team’ of expertise to provide Polaris New Energy with a world-class product that will be instrumental in providing access to cleaner, economical energy.” 

The barge dimensions will be 340 ft overall length, 66 ft beam, and have a depth of 32 ft-10 in. This project plays a key role in strengthening the US’ bunkering capability to provide LNG as a marine fuel to domestic and foreign LNG fuelled vessels operating in US ports. It will be the largest capacity LNG Jones Act bunker barge designed and built to date.

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Philly Shipyard and Vard Marine Team Win Contract for CHAMP Design Study

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Vancouver, BC (June 13, 2019) – Philly Shipyard and Vard Marine are pleased to announce that their bid to conduct industry studies for the Common Hull Auxiliary Multi-Mission Platform (CHAMP) program has been selected by the U.S. Navy.

The CHAMP program is a multi-phase effort that involves design studies, preliminary design, and detail design and construction (DD&C) to ultimately replace the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet of aging ships, which provide transport of supplies and critical support to U.S. forces abroad. CHAMP could affordably recapitalize the current fleet with significant decreases in cost both in ship construction and life-cycle maintenance cost. The demand for the CHAMP program could approach 60+ vessels.

Steinar Nerbovik, Philly Shipyard President and CEO, remarked, “We are excited and grateful to team with Vard Marine and explore the design for this important program. Philly Shipyard has the history, facility and access to skilled labor, as well as a strong reputation for quality, which is required to develop a highly effective, mature and affordable solution to support a successful long-term recapitalization.”

“It’s an honor to be teamed with a state-of-the-art and capable world-class shipyard such as Philly. Our combined expertise is a great recipe for achieving a best-value solution for the CHAMP program,” said Darren Truelock, VP Houston for Vard Marine.

Philly Shipyard is one of four U.S. shipyards selected for the design study.  The design study efforts begin immediately and last into 2022.  It is anticipated the shipyards will ultimately compete for the DD&C contract, with award in 2023 and acquisition occurring over the next ten years.  There is growing support, however, to accelerate the program to begin acquisition of the first vessels as early as 2021.

About Philly Shipyard:

Philly Shipyard, Inc. (PSI) is a leading U.S. commercial shipyard constructing vessels for operation in the Jones Act market.  It possesses a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility and has earned a reputation as the preferred provider of oceangoing merchant vessels with a track record of delivering quality ships. PSI is the sole operating subsidiary of Philly Shipyard ASA.  Philly Shipyard ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (Oslo: PHLY) and is majority-owned by Aker Capital AS, which in turn is wholly-owned by Aker ASA. Aker is a Norwegian industrial investment company that creates value through active ownership. Aker's investment portfolio is concentrated on key Norwegian industries that are international in scope: oil and gas, fisheries and biotechnology, and marine assets. Aker's industrial holdings comprise ownership interests in Aker Solutions, Kvaerner, Aker BP, Aker BioMarine, Ocean Yield and Akastor.  For more information about Philly Shipyard, please visit www.phillyshipyard.com.

About Vard Marine:

Vard Marine is a consulting naval architecture and marine engineering company with Canadian operations located in Vancouver and Ottawa, and American operations located in Houston, Texas. The company offers professional ship design, engineering, and shipbuilding technology services. More information on Vard Marine can be found at https://vardmarine.com.

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Vard Marine Wins Canadian Coast Guard Concept Exploration Contract

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Vard Marine is pleased to announce that we have been awarded an engineering services contract for concept exploration with the Canadian Coast Guard. The contract will focus on the Coast Guard’s future fleet renewal program.

The work scope is aligned with Vard Marine’s core competencies in tailored, fit for purpose, multi-mission ship design and includes parametric concept design, feasibility studies and operational analysis, system design studies, trade-off analysis, and cost modelling. The work is intended to explore requirements for multiple future fleet ship types and could stretch over several years.

The contract continues a long positive relationship between Canadian Coast Guard and Vard Marine, beginning with Vard Marine designed patrol and science vessels built in the mid 1980’s and carrying on with the development of the designs for the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel and the Polar Icebreaker. Vard Marine looks forward to working with Canadian Coast Guard on this program.

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Fourth Irish OPV built to VARD 7 090 design commissioned by Irish Naval Services

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The LÉ George Bernard Shaw, Ireland’s fourth P60 class offshore patrol vessel (OPV), built to the VARD 7 090 design, has been officially commissioned. The ship was built by the Babcock Appledore shipyard and is the the sixth OPV built for the Irish Naval Services using a Vard Marine design.

The LÉ George Bernard Shaw will assert sovereignty over Irish territorial water including fisheries protection and marine search and rescue, as well as join her sister ships in the conduct of humanitarian work on behalf of the European Union.

The LÉ George Bernard Shaw joins the LÉ Samuel Beckett, LÉ James Joyce, and the LÉ William Butler Yeats as the final ship in the series. Vard Marine is proud to have been involved with the program and to have supported the Irish Naval Services in this ship building program.

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VARD Signs MOU with ASFAT in Turkey for Long Term Strategic Relationship

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Vard Marine Inc. is pleased to announce that an MOU has been signed with Askeri Fabrika ve Tersane İşletme A.Ş. (ASFAT) in Turkey to promote a strategic partnership where Vard Marine provides the design of a wide range of paramilitary vessels and ASFAT coordinates construction of select projects at their approved naval shipyards in Turkey.  The MOU provides an opportunity for Vard Marine to expand operations in the region and to collaborate with other companies in both Canada and Turkey.

Vard Marine president and CEO Dave McMillan commented: "We are proud to have been selected for this prestigious partnership by ASFAT and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship providing ship design services for indigenous Naval and Coast Guard programs as well as other international opportunities that benefit both parties.”

Vard Marine, with offices in Canada, USA and Vietnam, specialises in the development of advanced technology and its application to offshore, paramilitary and specialised vessel designs and offers ship design, engineering and shipbuilding technology services to the marine community in North America and select international markets.

Vard Marine Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vard Group AS. VARD, together with its subsidiaries, is one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of specialized vessels.

VARD is headquartered in Alesund, Norway which in turn has FINCANTIERI S.p.A as its majority shareholder.  Headquartered in Trieste, Italy, FINCANTIERI  , one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, has built more than 7,000 vessels over its 200 years of maritime history.  It is leader in cruise ship design and construction and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity special vessels and ferries to mega yachts, as well as in ship repairs and conversions, production of systems and mechanical and electrical component equipment and after-sales services.

ASFAT within the body of Ministry of National Defense, Turkey was formed in 2018 in order to manage and utilise the facilities and capabilities of the 27 military factories and 3 naval shipyards to serve the global defense industry benefiting from Turkish national facilities.

ASFAT Inc. operates under the auspices of the Turkish Ministry of National Defense. The General Board of ASFAT Inc. is headed by the Minister of National Defense while the Chair of Executive Board is Deputy Minister.

ASFAT Inc. is authorized to utilize 30 defense industry factories and maintenance & repair centers besides the labor force of more than 27.000 workers.

ASFAT Inc. functions by taking orders both from the public and private customers, national and international purchasers. ASFAT Inc. also participates in bids in accord with the customers’ requirements providing common production and design solutions, conducting research and development activities as well as by improving the conditions of military factories and shipyards.

For Further information please contact:

ASFAT:        Murat Elibol +90 537 062 33 37

VARD:         Dave McMillan,  email: marine@vard.com

                    Hege Akselvoll, email: hege.akselvoll@vard.com

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Vard Marine Congratulates Eastern Shipbuilding After US Coast Guard Exercises Option to Construct First Offshore Patrol Cutter

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Rendering of Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) VARD 7 110 for the Canadian Coast Guard in water

Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), FL has achieved another major milestone in the US Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program. On 28th September 2018, U.S. Coast Guard exercised contract options with Eastern Shipbuilding Group to begin construction of the lead Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and to acquire long lead-time materials for the second OPC. The actions enable the production phase of the program, which is the largest in Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security history to date, to proceed.

The OPC is based on the VARD 7 110 design and as production engineering nears completion Vard Marine and team partners are eager to support ESG through construction and delivery.  Upon construction, the 110 meter long OPC will be the largest vessel in Vard Marine’s extensive portfolio of OPV designs.

The OPC meets the Service’s long-term need for cutters capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups and is essential to stopping smugglers at sea, interdicting undocumented migrants, rescuing mariners, enforcing fisheries laws, responding to disasters and protecting our ports. The acquisition of 25 OPCs will complement the capabilities of the Service’s National Security Cutters, Fast Response Cutters and Polar Security Cutters as an essential element of the Department of Homeland Security’s layered security strategy.

Delivery of the lead OPC, USCGC ARGUS, is currently planned for 2021.

Another contract option was also exercised for long lead time items (propeller and steering components, marine diesel engines, the ship integrated control system, switchboards, and generators), for the second OPC, USCGC CHASE.