The sister ATB tug, the Tina Pyne, is is scheduled for launch in December 2015.
The new track and dolly system was specifically developed by Engineering Heavy Service (EHS) for vessels greater than 1,000 tons. It is a development of the system that has been used successfully multiple times for transferring the Washington State Ferry 144 car ferry superstructures fabricated at Nichols Brothers on to a barge for transport to assembly with the hull.
The EHS launch system moved the ATB from the shipyard to the launch ramp. General Construction provided two floating cranes to assist in the final lifting of the vessel, shuttling it to deeper water.
The vessel was towed to Everett, WA for lightship, stability testing and fuel transfer. Following this the tug will be towed to Nichols Brothers outfitting pier in Langley, WA, located across the Puget Sound from Everett, WA, for final outfitting, dock and sea trials before its final delivery.
The new launch system significantly increases the displacement and draft of the vessels that Nichols Brothers can haul and launch in the future. Currently the shipbuilder is engineering to install ridged buoyancy tanks to the side of the launch frame, eliminating the need for the floating cranes in the future.
The Dragon vessels were originally designed as dual-fuel LNG/diesel powered vessels, with two 1,000 cu m LNG tanks on deck powering two Wärtsilä 6L20 DF main engines with a total output of 2,112 kW and two shaft generators with a total output of 3,600 kW power. As we reported in May (see earlier story), as the vessels will initially transport ethane from the U.S, to the U.K. Ineos refineries, the ability to also burn ethane was added to allow use of the cargo gas as fuel.
“The ability to burn ethane as well as LNG to power these unique vessels is a major step forward in the use of clean fuels. It means the vessels can use cargo gas during transits to provide a clean and clear commercial and environmental advantage,” says Bureau Veritas Business Development Manager Martial Claudepierre. “We have worked with Evergas and the Danish Maritime Authority to verify and ensure that the use of ethane is at least as safe as required by the IGC and will not impair the engine compliance with MARPOL Annex VI.”
According to Mr. Claudepierre, using ethane required extra engine room ventilation and additional gas detection, plus modifications to the main engines including a lower compression ratio, different turbocharger nozzles and de-rating of the engine to cope with the lower knocking resistance of ethane. “But,” he says, “the gains in not carrying an additional fuel and in environmental performance from being able to burn clean fuel throughout the voyage are significant.”
Kockums says the A26 has the ability to perform in all oceans and across a broad spectrum of conflict environments. A unique A26 design feature is a Multi Mission Portal for the launch and retrieval of a mix of mission payloads such as manned and unmanned vehicles.
“We have left the design phase behind and begun construction of the A26, a pillar of Sweden’s future naval defence,” says Gunnar Wieslander, head of Saab’s business unit Saab Kockums. “The A26 is a new standard bearer; a step forward in the Swedish tradition of modular design and building, it ensures maximum operational effectiveness with a lower lifecycle cost. With the A26 you can always adapt the submarine to the mission in hand. Now that production has started it is a clear signal to other potential customers around the world that Saab is ready to deliver to them as well.”
The first two A26 submarines are being built under contracts worth a total SEK 7.6 billion placed by the Swedish Defense Material Administration in June this year. The first boat will be delivered in 2022.
The submarines will be powered by conventional diesel-electric propulsion machinery and equipped with the Kockums Stirling AIP (air-independent propulsion) system, making them stealthy and difficult to detect.
Dynagas will build five 172,000 cu. m ARC 7 LNG carriers at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. shipyard in South Korea. They will serve the Yamal project under long term time charters. The vessels will be capable of breaking 2.1 meter thick ice in both the forward and reverse direction.
In addition, four of Dynagas’ existing ARC 4 LNG carriers will come into the Yamal shipping fleet to support Yamal deliveries committed to Asian buyers from year 2019 onwards and will be time chartered for a period of 15 years each.Yamal LNG is a joint venture between NOVATEK (60 percent), TOTAL (20 percent) and China National Oil & Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC) (20 percent). The project consists of three LNG trains with a total capacity of approximately 16.5 million metric tons of LNG per annum.
“The award of five long term contracts for the ARC 7 LNG carriers and award of four long term contracts for our existing ARC4 LNG carriers is a testament to our long term commitment and our manager’s operational excellence and expertise in operating high specification ice class LNG carriers,” commented Mr. George Procopiou, founder and chairman of Dynagas.
Dynagas Holding Ltd is a holding company engaged in the ownership of LNG carriers and owner of 44% of the equity interests in Dynagas LNG Partners LP (NYSE: DLNG), including the General Partner interest.
“By focusing on these three legs of the safety stool, I believe we can build on IACS’ recent achievements and set out an agenda that addresses existing and emerging challenges,” says Mr. Wiernicki. “My priorities for 2015-2016 strike a balance between the completion of ongoing projects and the need to look forward and formulate the next generation of IACS guidelines, unified and procedural requirements.”
Among ongoing projects that will get his attention is ensuring a smooth completion of the initial round of audits for the IMO Goal-Based Standards process.
He will also advance the creation of a cyber-system safety framework that addresses control systems, software quality assurance, data integrity and cyber security, enhancing an initiative that was started in 2014.
Another priority; ensuring that the IACS Quality System Certification Scheme (QSCS) remains the “gold standard” for classification society performance.
“IACS’ relationships, extensive technical knowledge, experience and independence place it in a unique position to work with regulators and industry,” Mr. Wiernicki says. “IACS will continue to reach out and strengthen relationships with all parties, continuing to demonstrate that its commitment to safety, quality and environmental protection are more important than ever.”
The unit was ordered during the second quarter of 2012 and the delivery date stated in the construction contract was by December 31, 2014.
“Due to the shipyard’s inability to deliver the unit within the timeframe required under the contract, the company has exercised its cancelation rights,” says Seadrill, which notes that, under the contract terms, it has the ability to recoup its $168 million in pre-delivery installments to the shipyard, plus accrued interest.
In fourth quarter 2012, Seadrill was awarded a five year contract for the West Mira with Husky Oil Operations for operations in Canada and Greenland.
In its second quarter earnings report, Seadrill reported that, due to the late delivery of West Mira, the company had tentatively agreed with Husky to reduce the dayrate of the West Mira drilling contract.
Seadrill says it remains in discussions with Husky to find an alternative solution to meet its drilling requirements.
Svante Fielding is joining Schottel, Inc, in Houma, LA, as its new Vice President Operations, where his team will include Randall Freeman, who joined Schottel, Inc. as Operations Manager last month.
Mr. Fielding has 20 years of experience in the marine and propulsion industry. He has held past leadership positions across Europe / Scandinavia, North America and Asia spanning sales and service, aftermarket and production. He is currently at Schottel headquarters in Germany and will join the management team in Houma in spring 2016.
Mr. Freeman has over 15 years of experience in the marine propulsion industry, serving in various technical and management positions.
Munro is the company’s sixth NSC and is expected to be delivered by the end of next year.
“The National Security Cutter program is in a very mature state,” said Derek Murphy, Ingalls’ NSC program manager. “NSC 6 is the most complete ship at launch, and we accomplished this a week earlier than scheduled. Our shipbuilders continue to improve the learning curve, and the National Security Cutter program illustrates the cost savings and first-time quality that comes from serial production. Our learning curve is the best it has been on this program, and we look forward to continuing this trend on future Coast Guard ships.”
Munro was translated (transferred) via the shipyard’s rail car system to the floating dry dock one week prior to launch. The dock was moved away from the pier and then flooded to float the ship. With the assistance of tugs, Munro came off the dock Saturday morning.
“All of the folks working the translation and launch worked diligently to ensure the process was done in the most efficient manner possible, and that’s exactly what happened,” said Jason Frioux, Ingalls’ NSC 6 program integration manager. “Now our NSC 6 team will continue this effort so this ship will be ready for sea trials and delivery next year. Everything we are doing on a day-to-day basis matters because we want to ensure the men and women of the Coast Guard will have a safe and quality ship to support their homeland security missions.”
Ingalls has delivered the first five NSCs and has three more under construction, including Munro. The seventh ship, Kimball (WMSL 756), is scheduled for delivery in 2018. The eighth NSC, Midgett, will start fabrication in November.
Munro is named to honor Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro, the Coast Guard’s sole recipient of the Medal of Honor. He was mortally wounded on Sept. 27, 1942, while evacuating a detachment of Marines on Guadalcanal.
Legend-class NSCs are the flagships of the Coast Guard’s cutter fleet. Designed to replace the 378‐foot Hamilton-class high-endurance cutters that entered service in the 1960s, they are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 110.
NSCs are capable of meeting all maritime security mission needs required of the high-endurance cutter. They include an aft launch and recovery area for two rigid hull inflatable boats and a flight deck to accommodate a range of manned and unmanned rotary wing aircraft. The Legend class is the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the Coast Guard, with capabilities for maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense missions.
The HiMSEN engine has just passed another milestone. The next generation CLEAN (Customer, Liability, Environment, Acceptable Technology, No Defect) HiMSEN engine has now completed type approval testing in the presence of eight major classification societies including ABS, DNV/GL, LR and KR.
The four-stroke CLEAN HiMSEN engine (Model H21C) improves power output by 20 percent and fuel efficiency up to 2 percent compared to the existing same class four-stroke engines, H21/32, while physical size and weight are 10 percent lower, thanks to the utilization of high pressure combustion technology.
The IMO Tier III-compliant engine emits 98 percent less NOx with the use of HHI’s proprietary Hyundai Selective Catalytic Reduction technology, NoNOx.
Mr. Youn Joong-geun, executive vice president of HHI’s Engine & Machinery Division said, “Our next-generation CLEAN HiMSEN engine is the culmination of our 40 years of technological know-hows and experiences. With the customer-oriented engineering, the high-output and high-efficiency engine will surely bring mutual benefits to HHI and its valued customers.”
Mr Holm joined Wärtsilä in 1997 and has held several managerial positions, most recently leading the engines organization, responsible for Wärtsilä’s engine production and R&D for the marine and energy markets. Before that he has led Seals & Bearings, Solutions Management and Business Development within the Services business, and has worked as CIO for Wärtsilä Corporation.
“I am very pleased to have Roger follow me as the President of Marine Solutions. He has a passion for quality and he deeply understands the customer demands. Over the years, Roger has demonstrated strong leadership in his many challenging positions,” says Mr. Eskola, who will become President and CEO of Wärtsilä on November 1, succeeding Björn Rosengren, who will become the CEO of Swedish base engineering group Sandvi
