Alfa Laval gives EGR water treatment a smaller footprint
NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — For many shipowners, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is emerging as an attractive option for compliance with the Tier III NOx emission limits that will soon apply in the
NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — For many shipowners, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is emerging as an attractive option for compliance with the Tier III NOx emission limits that will soon apply in the
NOVEMBER 2, 2015 — Singapore based BW Pacific Limited, the product tanker operation of Andreas Sohmen-Pao-led BW Group, is looking to raise at least $250 million from the initial public offering and
After the ground breaking ceremony, CWEC signed strategic cooperation agreements with the Hudong Zhonghua and Shanghai Waigaoqia (SWS) shipyards. It also signed a Letter of Intent ]with SWS for the delivery in 2017 of Wärtsilä Auxpac 32 generating sets for three large container vessels being built at the shipyard.
The CWEC joint venture was established in July 2014 for the manufacture of medium and large bore, medium speed, diesel and dual-fuel Wärtsilä engines. The new factory will be the first in China capable of producing locally large bore medium speed diesel and dual-fuel engines. By being able to produce and deliver locally, the new joint venture will provide CSSC Group and other Chinese shipyards with closer access to the Wärtsilä range of engines with the benefits of faster delivery times and competitive pricing. Wärtsilä’s share of the joint venture is 49 percent.
Products to be manufactured at the new facility will include the Wärtsilä 26, Wärtsilä 32, Wärtsilä 34DF, and Wärtsilä 46F engines, the first of which are expected to be ready for delivery in 2016. The production capacity is planned at 180 engines per year.
“It is an honor and a privilege to celebrate this latest milestone in our joint venture journey. By combining the strengths of our two companies; CSSC’s strong capabilities as the number one ship builder in China and Wärtsilä’s industry leading technologies, we can together make an important difference in today’s challenging global marine market,” said Roger Holm, Senior Vice President, Engines, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.
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This is an important occasion for the shipping industry in China. The new factory will produce state-of-the-art marine engines that will serve our customers with value adding efficiencies. We are pleased to cooperate with Wärtsilä in this exciting joint venture,” said Wu Qiang, President of CSSC.
The CWEC joint venture will target the offshore and LNG markets in particular, both of which are growing significantly in China. It will also serve the large container vessel segment.
Computer–generated images and video of the new ship were showcased October 29 at an event attended by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull MP, at the AAD’s headquarters in Kingston, Tasmania.
The icebreaker, designed by Danish naval architect firm, Knud E. Hansen, will be built by DMS Maritime’s subcontractor Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding at Damen’s Galati, Romania, shipyard with commissioning expected in October 2019. DMS Maritime would then operate and maintain the vessel in support of the Australian Antarctic program on a long-term basis.
Replacing the Aurora Australis, which has been in service since 1989, the new icebreaker will be faster, larger, stronger and offer increased endurance.
According to a fact sheet released by the Australian Antarctic Division, the new icebreaker will have an icebreaking capability of 1.65 meters at 3 knots compared to the existing vessel’s 1.23 meters at 2.5 knots.
The vessel will supply Antarctic research stations with cargo, equipment and personnel, and will serve as a research ship with extensive laboratory facilities on board and a multi-beam bathymetric echo sounder to enable seafloor mapping,
The vessel is expected to accommodate 34 DMS Maritime crew and up to 116 AAD scientific personnel, and has the ability to embark up to four helicopters, two landing craft and a dedicated science tender. Its physical specification is expected to be 156 m in length and 23,400 tonnes displacement.
OCTOBER 29, 2015 — Classification society ABS has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) to Troy, MI, based Altair ProductDesign for the Cubic Donut Tank System (CDTS) LNG containment concept. The CDTS concept
Designed in collaboration with international experts in the SAR field, the boats are covered, high speed craft and have different beams.
One is optimized for a double outboard drive solution and is based on Tuco’s proven ProZero hull with a beam of 2.84 m, resulting in an extremely effective hull with great maneuverability.
The wider, 4.05 m beam, sister boat features a full walk-around deck surrounded by full size safety railings and is equipped with inboard diesel engine installation and waterjet propulsion.
End users have been closely involved in the design and layout of the SAR boats and Tuco has worked closely with experienced operators to ensure that the boats will fit the demands of this specific market.
Tuco Marine Group’s ProZero range offers high performance deep V hull shapes, designed specifically for the demanding military and coastguard sector.
ProZero boats are available in a range of variations tuned to suit each individual user’s particular requirements.
Cockpit layouts in the SAR boats are arranged to maximize the use of modern day Search and Rescue management and situational awareness electronic aids.
The ProZero´s high performance deep V hull ensures the boats’ capabilities to go fast, even in rough seas.
SAR missions at high speed in rough seas are mainly limited by the human factor of shock mitigation. All the ProZero SAR boats have been developed around thr design team’s shock mitigation strategy and minimizing the effects of shock in all parts of the vessels has been a primary design focus.
A design aim has been to ensure that the ProZero vessels outperform the current market in reliability as well as easy service.
The complete construction system behind the series is module based, allowing for easy adjusting and customization and the ProZero SAR boats can be rapidly reconfigured to meet different roles and requirements, which can include ambulance variants, fire support variants and command platform variants.
They will also perform fleet-wide inspections and other corrective measures to resolve claims stemming from an October 2014 oil spill in American Samoa and related violations of spill prevention regulations, according to the Department of Justice and the Coast Guard.
In its complaint, filed this week along with the lodging of a consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, the United States alleges that the companies —Tri-Marine Management Co., Tri-Marine Fishing Management and Cape Mendocino Fishing (Tri-Marine)— are liable for the October 2014 oil spill from their 230-ft commercial tuna fishing vessel, the Capt. Vincent Gann, into Pago Pago Harbor in American Samoa and related violations of the Coast Guard’s spill prevention regulations.
After the Capt. Vincent Gann returned to Pago Pago Harbor from a two-month fishing voyage, it struck two moored fishing vessels while maneuvering in the harbor on Oct. 16, 2014. The hull of the Capt. Vincent Gann was breached during the crash and at least 35 barrels of marine fuel oil flowed out of the bulbous bow into the water.
It is illegal to store fuel in the bulbous bow.
The complaint further alleges the illegal oil storage was done to extend the duration of the fishing voyage and allow storage of a larger catch of fish. The extra fuel oil had been stored in two of the fish holds, but the oil was transferred out of the fish holds to the bulbous bow to make room for storage of tuna in those fish holds.
The complaint also alleges the vessel was equipped with unlawful piping configurations that tied the bilge water system into the fuel system and that the extra fuel originally was loaded into the vessel using an unauthorized method of pumping fuel oil with hoses over the top of the deck into open fish holds.
In addition to payment of the civil penalties, the consent decree requires Tri-Marine to perform inspections and corrective measures across its entire fleet of ten American Samoa-based vessels, including a top-to-bottom review and overhaul of all of the vessels’ oil handling practices, operator certifications, independent audits, increased reporting, and the engagement of a full-time consultant or in-house personnel focused on environmental and maritime compliance.
“This settlement sends a clear message to vessel owners and operators that they cannot put profits ahead of protection of the marine environment or compliance with the law,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden, for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Tri-Marine will pay a significant penalty and conduct meaningful fleet-wide corrective measures for its release of oil into Pago Pago Harbor, a sensitive and valuable marine environment. We are grateful to our partner at the U.S. Coast Guard for their swift and diligent investigation of these violations.”
“Storage of oil in the bulbous bow has long been prohibited and poses obvious and serious risks to a vessel’s crew and the marine environment,” said Captain Shannon Gilreath, Sector Commander of the Coast Guard’s Sector Honolulu, which covers both American Samoa and Hawaii. “This enforcement action reinforces this point and emphasizes safety and pollution prevention measures within this fleet of vessels.”
Section 311(b) of the Clean Water Act makes it unlawful to discharge oil or hazardous substances into or upon the navigable waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines in quantities that may be harmful to the environment or public health. In addition, the Coast Guard has promulgated spill prevention regulations for vessels and other facilities under Section 311(j) of the Act. The penalty paid for this spill and the related spill prevention violations will be deposited in the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund managed by the National Pollution Fund Center. The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is used to pay for federal response activities and to compensate for damages when there is a discharge or substantial threat of discharge of oil or hazardous substances to waters of the United States or adjoining shorelines.
The proposed consent decree, lodged in the District of Hawaii, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and court review and approval. A copy of the consent decree is available HERE
OCTOBER 29, 2015 — Rotterdam, Netherlands, based integrated bridge systems specialist Alphatron Marine has introduced the AlphaEye, which it describes as “the next generation service communication tool.” The company says it has
They are being built to carry out supply and support work for the De Beers Group’s offshore diamond mining activities and this first vessel was named Aukwatowa by Mrs Jenny Coltman, spouse of the Chairman of De Beers Group Services.
The Shoalbuster multi-purpose workboats are designed for inland and coastal waters. The 30 m 3009S has a bollard pull of 24.5 tonnes and is fitted with a crane with a lifting capacity of up to 1.7 tonnes, making it suitable for towage, buoy-laying, pushing and all-round support duties.
The two vessels ordered by Smit Amandla will operate out of Port Nolloth in South Africa’s Northern Cape. The shallow waters of the port make it accessible only to vessels with drafts of 2.8 m or less, so the Shoalbuster’s minimal draft was an important factor in Smit Amandla’s selection of the class.
The Aukwatowa was delivered on time and to budget. The trainees in Damen Cape Town’s highly-regarded Apprenticeship Program played a significant role in the project, with all of them getting the opportunity to exercise their newly-acquired skills as the vessel took shape.
The Apprentice Training Program recently received official recognition when the South African Minister of Trade & Industry, Dr. Rob Davies MP, visited the yard to present certificates to nine apprentices who have achieved Artisan status.
The training program makes an appreciable contribution to creating jobs and raising skills levels both locally and in the South African marine industry. Since 2010, 63 young people, including 19 women, have benefited from the program. The shipyard’s efforts also contribute to the South African Government’s economic change initiative, known as Operation Phakisa, one element of which is the development of the country’s maritime sector.
Meanwhile, the build of the second Shoalbuster for Smit Amandla is proceeding smoothly and on schedule for delivery in 2016. Throughout both builds, the Cape Town shipyard has had the full cooperation of Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands, the yard behind the development of this class. The Dutch yard has transferred the necessary technology and provided full support to ensure a top quality end result.
“We quickly established an excellent relationship with the Smit Amandla Marine project management team,” said Damen Cape Town’s project manager Craig Trethewey. “As a result the project has gone smoothly and is on schedule. We are really pleased with progress and look forward to seeing the second vessel in the water in February next year.”
Sam Montsi, Chairman of DSCT said: “We at Damen Shipyards Cape Town believe that the economic development of our country is a shared responsibility between Government and the private sector. We are therefore proud to be part of this co-operative effort with Smit Amandla and De Beers in having the two vessels built here in Cape Town. The vessels have been built within the budgets and times agreed. We look forward to more cooperation with Smit Amandla and other vessel operators in our country.”
Damen Shoalbuster 3009
Crowley’s Chairman, President and CEO Tom Crowley Jr., the grandson of the company’s founder, presented the award before more than 70 employees and senior leaders including two past recipients of the award, Bruce Harland, vice president, marine solutions, and Craig Tornga, vice president, government relations.
Mr. Ridge, a 30-year Crowley employee, was selected for the award because of his reputation for high performance. In his nominating letter, Crowley’s Captain Rod Jones, general manager, marine services, wrote: “David has proven his competence, loyalty and exemplary performance time and again, both aboard the vessels and in the office. Whether commanding Crowley assets half-way around the world or facilitating a training seminar in Valdez, his commitment to the core principles of safety, integrity and high performance have never waned. He projects an aura to those around him that not only instills confidence in his ability, but also trust in his judgement – a tireless and effective manager, who demonstrates daily the leadership skills he has honed over years of decision making in stressful situations.”
Mr. Ridge joined Crowley in 1984 as a mate, subsequently working aboard a variety of vessels operated by the company, including oil and cargo barges, offshore towing tugs, and ship assist and tanker escort tugs. In 1986, he was assigned master for Crowley’s military support service operating out of Sasebo, Japan, before transferring aboard Crowley’s harbor ship assist and tanker escort tugboat fleet in San Francisco Bay in 1987. He continued working aboard company tugs until 1996, when he changed roles again, as master of tow operations of Crowley’s 450 series barges transiting U.S. West Coast oil terminals. He came ashore as port captain in Seattle in 2005, and was later assigned to manager, marine operations, in Valdez, Alaska, for the ship assist and tanker escort contract with Alyeska SERVS in 2007. In 2014, he was promoted to his current position of director, marine operations, in Valdez.
“It’s not often that we see a tug captain come ashore,” said Mr. Crowley, on presenting the award. “It’s a difficult transition … I can’t think of a more difficult place to work [than Valdez.] Dave has taken a true leadership role there … in making sure the customer has confidence, that we are there to get the job done and to work with a great team. I congratulate him on his efforts.”
“I am honored to have received this award, but the recognition really should go to my team,” said Mr. Ridge. “Crowley is the most unique and worthwhile company I have ever had the pleasure of working for and it’s the people I work with who make me who I am. I share this award with them.”
The Thomas Crowley Award was created in 1985 and only 60 of the company’s more than 5,300 employees have received the award which symbolized by a limited edition bronze sculpture, which depicts company founder Thomas Crowley ferrying goods to and from ships on San Francisco Bay in the early 1890s.