The Virtual Congress will happen between the 2nd and the 4th of March 2021, bringing together representatives from almost 40 SMEs with activity in the Shipbuilding sector from Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, and the UK. The event will happen through the VirBELA platform.

The CONSORTEX Virtual Congress will host meetings from the six Interregional Exporting Consortia established under the Project. The objective, as CONSORTEX is coming to an end, is to give a step forward towards the constitution of those Consortia, consisting of European SMEs specialised in the manufacture of built-in packages for vessels and marine structures (Deck, Vessel Design, Accommodation, Engine Room, Bridge and Offshore Energy). 

The Project partners are committed to bringing together the Atlantic Area Shipbuilding SMEs, promoting the collaboration between them. In this context, the event will be also of relevance as the companies will have the chance to attend B2B meetings.

The Congress takes place after three rounds of meetings with SMEs, arranged between 2019 and 2020. Despite all the pandemic constraints, the CONSORTEX partnership managed to organise virtual meetings that were important to support and stimulate companies finding common interests and setting strategies. Therefore, 36 European SMEs will integrate six Export Consortia, focusing on combining expertise and assets to address international markets and new business opportunities. 

Foro Marítimo Vasco leads CONSORTEX project, which gathers the partners Fórum Oceano – Associação da Economia do Mar, Associação das Indústrias Navais, MTU – Munster Technological University, National Maritime, Clúster del Sector Naval Gallego and Bretagne Pôle Naval. Co-funded by the INTERREG Atlantic Area Programme, the Project aims to promote the competitiveness and internationalisation of the Shipbuilding sector and its ancillary industry in Portugal, Spain, France, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

With a total budget of over € 1.6 million and an ERDF incentive, through the INTERREG Atlantic Area programme, of almost € 1.3 million, CONSORTEX will end in March 2021.

For further information on CONSORTEX, please see www.consortex.eu. 

When you’re asked to work on a project restoring a 140-year-old bulk carrier to her former glory, it’s something you simply cannot refuse. 

The Falls of Clyde, the only remaining sail-driven oil tanker in the world, is heading back to her birthplace in Scotland after sailing the seas for 140 years. Built in 1878 she is a survivor and the last of her kind, a testimony to the workmanship of Scottish shipbuilding.

Currently based in Honolulu and at risk of neglect, David O’Neill, the creator and director of Falls of Clyde International, an organisation founded to save the historic Falls of Clyde from being ‘scuttled’ by the Honolulu harbours department.

“She will become a symbol of Scotland’s lead in the world of new eco-technologies, alternative propulsion and hydrogen/ electric power systems”.

David’s vision wasn’t to keep her as a static nod to Scotland’s proud nautical past by turning her into a dry-docked museum, but rather create a unique piece of history capable of sailing for a further 140 years. With a passion for the environment and climate change, David set out to create a carbon-neutral vessel that will fly the flag for Scotland’s engineering and green tech abilities.

MIT is thrilled to have been approached by the Falls of Clyde International to look at developing a sustainable diesel alternative power solution for this unusual project. Our expert team of alternative power engineers have been working on a range of solutions to deliver emission-free sailing.  

The initial plans are to use a combination of industry-leading marine thrusters, driven by either electric or hydrogen power. Manufactured by Veth Propulsion with an ethos built around simplistic and intensely engineered solutions. Over the last 5-6 decades, they have developed a range of robust and sustainable emission-free power alternatives, suitable for a variety of vessels due to the flexibility of their models. 

Tom Binns, Sales Manager, MIT, said “With sustainability at the core of our business strategy, we are delighted to play a role in such a historical project. Backed by Veth Propulsion, we are confident we have the best solution to deliver years of emission-free sailing. We look forward to welcoming such a prominent part of Scottish maritime history back to our waters”.

The Falls of Clyde International are currently engaging with a property developer based in Glasgow to discuss a new home for the vessels rebuild. The proposal would also offer the possibility of creating a new maritime centre on the site.

Marine architects and designers also have the opportunity to be involved with the project. FOCI plan to launch a competition for the redesign of the entire ship.  Details to be released shortly.

You can follow her journey in full here: https://www.foci.scot/

In the six months since the partnership between Reich and MIT (Marine & Industrial Transmissions Limited) was formally announced, the commercial and business landscape has changed significantly. Notwithstanding the challenges presented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the combined efforts of both parties have resulted in successful contract wins across several different market sectors.

The new working partnership, established in January 2020, set out to capitalise on Reich’s technical expertise and the international reputation for reliability and performance of their torsionally flexible and torsionally rigid coupling ranges. Combined with the recognition of MIT as an established centre of excellence for driveline systems, this delivers unparalleled customer support throughout system design, supply, commissioning, maintenance, repair, spares and overhaul or replacement.

(Reich’s TOK Coupling – LEFT and VSK Coupling – RIGHT have been at the heart of success for MIT so far in 2020)

Despite the cancellation of exhibitions and events planned to reinforce the partnership, enquiry levels and sales have met expectations. Tom Binns, Sales Manager MIT, comments: “While, like most businesses, we have had to re-think our sales and marketing strategy for 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have started to gain traction within the market place and are working on a number of new coupling projects. We are committed to focusing on our ability to deliver a comprehensive and tailored technical solution into both marine and industrial market sectors, backed by Reich’s quick response on technical queries and their short delivery lead-times.”

Reich UK Ltd General Manager David Proud added, “Our D2C (design to customer) philosophy has been instrumental in strengthening our working partnership with MIT. To date, we have delivered a number of application-specific coupling solutions based upon our TOK and VSK ranges, and we are currently working on several additional opportunities where our technology will deliver robust and reliable driveline solutions for MIT and their customers. ”

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers, today (24 October 2019) delivered a boost for the English fishing and seafood industry ahead of Brexit by opening applications for £15.4 million from two UK fishing funds.

The £14.7 million share of a £37.2 million UK-wide fund announced last December, will encourage the take up of innovation and technology, supporting jobs in coastal communities. In addition, £700,000 from a £2 million UK-wide fund announced in the 2018 Budget is ring-fenced for fishing safety improvements on board English vessels and around ports and harbours.

English fishermen and those working in the seafood sector will today be able to apply for a share of the new Maritime Fisheries Fund (MFF), which is designed to ensure the fishing and seafood industry continues to thrive once the UK leaves the EU on 31st October.

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The floating offshore wind sector in the UK can deliver almost £34bn in economic benefits by 2050, according to a new report by RenewableUK and Scottish Renewables.

The report – ‘Floating Wind: The UK Industry Ambition’ – says that the technology is necessary for the UK to reach its legally-binding net zero carbon emissions target by 2050 and to fulfil Scotland’s commitment to achieve this by 2045.

The industry estimates that floating wind can support 17,000 UK jobs by 2050, particularly in coastal communities in England, Scotland and Wales.

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Practical Traineeships for 12 Months
Bursary Payment: £12,000 per annum

We are looking for people who are passionate about a career working in maritime heritage to take part in a unique project. This traineeship is offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn and develop the traditional skills for maintaining, conserving and interpreting historic vessels. During the year you will have the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of environments, including maritime museums, traditional operational boats and working boatyards. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and in partnership with eight host organisations, this programme is ideal for someone seeking a career as a maritime curator, ship-keeper or conservator

We welcome applications from all and particularly encourage women and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups who are currently under-represented within the historic ships and heritage sector. Submissions are also sought from those aged 18-30, although candidates from outside this range will still be considered.

No experience is necessary, just good communication skills, a flexible approach and the ability to work as part of a team. Above all, you must have interest in a long term career in the maritime heritage sector. So if this sounds like you visit our website for more information and to apply, or please contact us at shtp@nationalhistoricships.org.uk

Closing Date: 0900, Tuesday 7th May 2019
Starting: October 2019

Practical Traineeships for 12 Months
Bursary Payment: £12,000 per annum

We are looking for people who are passionate about a career working on historic boats to take part in this unique project. This traineeship is offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn and develop the traditional skills for maintaining, conserving and operating historic vessels. During the year you will have the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of environments, including traditional boats, maritime museums and spend a season aboard a historic boat at sea. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and in partnership with eight host organisations, this programme is ideal for someone seeking a career in maritime heritage or as a professional seafarer.

We welcome applications from all and particularly encourage women and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups who are currently under-represented within the historic ships and heritage sector. Submissions are also sought from those aged 18-30, although candidates from outside this range will still be considered.

No experience is necessary, just good communication skills, a flexible approach and the ability to work as part of a team. Above all, you must have interest in a long term career in the historic vessel sector. So if this sounds like you visit our website for more information and to apply, or please contact us at shtp@nationalhistoricships.org.uk

Closing Date: 0900, Tuesday 7th May 2019
Starting: October 2019

Jobs in Maritime Ltd and McGinley Support Services (Infrastructure) Ltd are pleased to announce the formation of a new joint venture agreement, which will bring a new era of recruitment services across the Ports and Maritime Industries.

With over 50 years of combined specialist recruitment experience, this new strategic partnership enhances Jobs in Maritime and McGinley Support Services ability to further develop its service offering to clients and candidates specifically within the marine and ports environment.

Two leading specialists

Consulting and recruiting for over four decades McGinley Support Services is one of the UK’s largest specialist recruitment businesses providing the Infrastructure sector with permanent, contract and temporary staff at all levels www.mcginley.co.uk

Jobs in Maritime is the world’s maritime jobsite and recruitment service for candidates and employers specialising in Seagoing and Shoreside careers, committed to directly supporting the needs of the Maritime Sector sourcing personnel for permanent and contract roles www.jobsinmaritime.com

A new era of recruitment services

Dermot McGinley, Managing Director, McGinley Support Services says “We are excited to be entering into this partnership with Jobs in Maritime. This opportunity will allow us to enhance the already excellent service we provide in this sector of the infrastructure market. We look forward to what the future holds for this new partnership”

Sezen Zeki, Managing Director, Jobs in Maritime added “We are excited to be partnering with McGinley; the collaborative approach will help us to further improve our service to clients within the marine and ports environment. Culturally, we both share an understanding of what our customers and candidates need within the market place and we look forward to developing this further”

For additional information, please contact

For the 20th consecutive year, MIT will be exhibiting at Seawork, one of the largest European commercial marine exhibitions, where on stand PO5 they will showcase why they are the experts in marine propulsion and driveline systems.

With an array of innovative and forward thinking technology from world leading brands, and an industry leading service, repair and overhaul capability, MIT are not only the experts in product supply, but excel in whole life-cycle vessel support to both standard diesel and environmentally friendly driveline solutions.

As we see ever tightening emissions regulations within the industry, operators are looking to reduce their carbon footprint with sustainable alternatives to diesel power, whilst reducing operating costs and engine maintenance, future proofing of their business.

Experts in Electric and Hybrid technology, Transfluid are dedicated to delivering cost-effective and environmentally friendly systems to work-boat operators and continue to further develop their Electric/Hybrid driveline system. On display at Seawork 2018, the system offers unique flexibility which surpasses rival models, allowing the operator to work in three specific mode: Electric propulsion, to drive or sail at zero emissions in absolute silence. Engine Propulsion, using the electric machine as a generator to recharge batteries, and Booster, which allows the electric motor during acceleration to assist the engine – providing extra torque to the driveline.

The system can be easily fitted to any transmission such as, marine gear boxes, hydrostatic transmissions, cardan shaft and water jets has an approved engine power of up to 1100kw (1475 hp), with the electric motor reaching 400 kw.

To install the HM system, all that is needed is an additional few hundred millimeters between the diesel engine and the transmission, allowing the unit to be fitted on new vessels or installed as a retrofit, making the system an ideal solution for ports and commercial operators. MIT, in collaboration with Goodchild Marine Services will this year feature on the Seawork conference agenda, exploring how moving away from diesel power can aid the work-boat sector.

With innovation at the forefront of the MIT portfolio, steering solutions which complement the build of custom work-boats also take a front seat at Seawork 2018. Esteer, a plug-and-play technology developed by Twin Disc offers users reliable, robust features such as dual bus technology, adaptive steering, dynamic rudder control and more. Engineered to excellence, E-STEER was designed for both operators and boat builders alike. The ease of installation makes it the perfect partner to any propulsion system, delivering a smooth, vibration free drive, and is suitable for vessels large and small.

This technology has redundancies built into the steering system, ranging from basic with dual bus technology to full redundancy. Each control has two CAN-bus communication links between devices, and primary and secondary power inputs, with audible alarms for loss of either supply.

The optional dual control system serves as a backup in the event of a failure, providing the end user with peace of mind, along with providing adaptive resistance through speed sensing technology. Resistance is increased or decreased based on the vessel’s speed, giving the operator better control over the helm, and effortless, precise steering. With dynamic rudder control E-STEER constantly and proportionally adjusts the range of movement based on the vessel’s speed — preventing extreme and unsafe rudder angles and reducing the potential for accidents.
And innovation does not stop with steering and hybrid solutions! Official suppliers to the Sir David Attenborough Polar Research Vessel, Rubber Design also introduce their latest mount technology, the TT1X – a high performance torque thrust mount.

Listening to customer feedback, the TT1X was designed specifically for increased acoustical demands. This new mount series broadens the bandwidth of load-capacity and sets a new standard for the resilient suspensions of high speed engines with close coupled gearboxes.
With a load capacity higher than most other mounts on the market, combined with the compact and proven design, this mount enables simpler and more cost effective resilient mount solutions. Additionally, this mount is equipped with new, patented technologies, to even further increase its performance and reliability. Built from the highest quality materials, the choice for the TT1X means opting for a fail-safe solution, which will perform satisfactory in the field for many years.

With over 40 years of industry experience, MIT is more than just component parts. Visit MIT on stand PO7 where they will also be discussing their extensive system design, service, preventative maintenance, and overhaul capabilities available on most models of marine drivelines. MIT are official UK/Ireland distributors for both Twin Disc, Transfluid, Rubber Design and Quincy, along with being official service partners of ZF Marine, Reintjes and Servogear.

MIT will also be discussing standard marine drivelines and propulsion systems from across their product portfolio, including marine transmissions, single and multiple pump drives, standard and hybrid marine transmissions, anti-vibration systems, boat steering systems and air compressors.

About MIT:
Since 1974, MIT has been designing, supplying and servicing transmissions and driveline systems across the UK/Ireland, becoming a centre of excellence in driveline systems providing customers with full product life cycle support from system design, supply, commissioning, maintenance, repair, spares, and overhaul or replacement.

MIT have bases in southern and northern England, providing comprehensive UK and Ireland coverage along with an established global mobile support service, delivered by a highly trained and dedicated technical engineering team and a significant inventory of world class brands, including new and refurbished transmissions, driveline systems and spare parts.

MIT are the sole UK/EIRE distributors of Twin Disc, Transfluid, Rubber Design, Arneson, Rolla and Quincy compressors.

Media Enquiries:
Louise Woolley
Marketing Manager
e: l.woolley@mitgroup.co.uk
t: +44 (0) 2380 455 447
Full media pack available on request.