Eight technologies that will transform shipping

“The marine world in 2030 will be a connected and digital one, bringing closer integration between people, software and hardware in a way that could transform the way we operate,” says LR’s Marine Marketing Director, Luis Benito. “We know technology is changing our world and there is a great deal of overlap between technologies and how they combine will be important.”

LR was the lead partner on the commercial shipping parts of the report and focused on eight technologies that will transform commercial shipping:

LR says that these eight will have a profound impact on ship system design and operation in the next 15 years. With faster technological advances, there will be a move towards delegating authority from the human operator to the machine. Machines will perform many more of the tasks which are considered dull, dirty and dangerous to achieve a higher level of safety and efficiency.There are varying degrees by which a human can delegate responsibility to a machine, depending on the nature of the task and goal they wish to accomplish, and depending on the levels of automation and autonomy built into a ship.

The report identifies two groups of technology drivers – those that will transform the ship design and build space – leading to advancement in shipbuilding, propulsion and powering and the development of smart ships; and the technologies that drive safety, commercial and operational performance – advanced materials, big data analytics, communications, sensors and robotics.

Looking at the impact of these drivers on different ship types, the report presents “Technomax” scenarios for bulk carriers, tankers, containerships and gas carriers. These scenarios are not concept ships but give an indication of the potential maximum technology uptake relevant to the four ship market sectors.

Tom Boardley, LR’s Marine Director commented: “Shipping is likely to evolve quickly now. That evolution is likely to be uneven but while 2030 is not far away, we think that shipping is likely to have changed significantly.”

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USMMA Midshipman gets maritime security award

Jenny Terpenning, labor relations representative for Crowley, presented the certificate of recognition and cash award to Miller on behalf of Crowley, commenting, “We are very proud to present this award to Mr. Miller who is eager to start his seagoing career on a Crowley tanker.”

Mr. Miller, a native of El Paso, Texas, began attending USMMA in 2011 and graduated this year with a degree in intermodal logistics and transportation.

During his senior year, he participated in the maritime security elective, with a focus on maritime cyber security, leading to his award. He also served as regimental supply officer within the regiment of midshipmen and was captain of the tennis team during his senior year.
Since 1984, Crowley has provided more than $3 million dollars in scholarship funding for more than 1,000 students.

The company has also donated more than $2 million over the years to support other educational programs.  In 1994, Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley Jr., established the Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship Program in honor of his father. The company continues to give scholarship dollars to deserving students in the U.S., Alaska and Puerto Rico. In 2006, the program was expanded to Central America and to date, has provided financial assistance to 20 students in that region. Crowley’s Jenny Terpenning (left) and USMMA Midshipman Christian Alexander Mille

Evergreen gears up for projected increase in intra-Asia trade

All twenty newbuildings are planned to be deployed in the intra-Asia trade. Evergreen believes that under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that is now being negotiated, the ASEAN countries, Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand will remove trade barriers,  boosting regional cargo growth.

The first ship in CBC series is set to be delivered during the second half of 2017 with the completion of the CSBC series due by the first half of 2018. The first ship from Imabari Shipbuilding is planned to be delivered during the first half of 2018 with the completion of the series due by the first half of 2019.

Evergreen’s B-type vessels will be 211 meters in length, 32.8 meters wide, and have a design draft of 10 meters with a capacity of around 2,800 TEU. The ships are designed to load 13 rows of containers on deck, which is within the span of existing gantry cranes in the major ports on the intra-Asian trade.

The hull design of the vessels is wider in comparison to ships of a similar capacity, enabling the ships to navigate in the shallower ports encountered in the intra-Asia trade and to enhance their cargo carrying capability. The ships can cruise at a speed up to 21.8 knots, enhancing their on-time performance and competitiveness.

Vessels operating on regional trades, such as intra-Asia, often sail in coastal areas. To reduce their impact on port communities and eco-systems, Evergreen has imposed stringent eco-friendly criteria on their operation. The B-type vessels will be equipped with a range of environmental protection devices.They will have electronically-controlled fuel injection engines, meeting IMO Tier II standards for NOx emissions and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements.

The agreement for B-type vessels is the third project in which Imabari will participate in Evergreen Line’s fleet renewal program. Evergreen has signed agreements with Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the ship owning arm of Imabari Shipbuilding Group, to charter five 14,000 TEU containerships to be delivered in 2017 and eleven 18,000 TEU containerships to be delivered in 2018 and 2019.

Evergreen gears up for projected increase in intra-Asia trade

All twenty newbuildings are planned to be deployed in the intra-Asia trade. Evergreen believes that under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) that is now being negotiated, the ASEAN countries, Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand will remove trade barriers,  boosting regional cargo growth.

The first ship in CBC series is set to be delivered during the second half of 2017 with the completion of the CSBC series due by the first half of 2018. The first ship from Imabari Shipbuilding is planned to be delivered during the first half of 2018 with the completion of the series due by the first half of 2019.

Evergreen’s B-type vessels will be 211 meters in length, 32.8 meters wide, and have a design draft of 10 meters with a capacity of around 2,800 TEU. The ships are designed to load 13 rows of containers on deck, which is within the span of existing gantry cranes in the major ports on the intra-Asian trade.

The hull design of the vessels is wider in comparison to ships of a similar capacity, enabling the ships to navigate in the shallower ports encountered in the intra-Asia trade and to enhance their cargo carrying capability. The ships can cruise at a speed up to 21.8 knots, enhancing their on-time performance and competitiveness.

Vessels operating on regional trades, such as intra-Asia, often sail in coastal areas. To reduce their impact on port communities and eco-systems, Evergreen has imposed stringent eco-friendly criteria on their operation. The B-type vessels will be equipped with a range of environmental protection devices.They will have electronically-controlled fuel injection engines, meeting IMO Tier II standards for NOx emissions and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements.

The agreement for B-type vessels is the third project in which Imabari will participate in Evergreen Line’s fleet renewal program. Evergreen has signed agreements with Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the ship owning arm of Imabari Shipbuilding Group, to charter five 14,000 TEU containerships to be delivered in 2017 and eleven 18,000 TEU containerships to be delivered in 2018 and 2019.

Bulker can’t leave Australia until crew gets paid

The MV Apellis is operated by Piraeus, Greece, headquartered Pyrsos Shipping Co Ltd and chartered by Hudson Shipping Lines.

All Australian registered and foreign flagged vessels within Australian waters must comply with the standards set out in the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) of 2006. Any vessel which is found to be in breach of the MLC or other Australian standards will be detained by AMSA and repeat offenders risk being banned from Australian waters.

AMSA inspected the vessel at Esperance grain jetty after receiving a complaint from the International Transport Workers Federation raising concerns about the welfare of the crew. Once on board, the AMSA surveyor discovered a number of deficiencies including:

The vessel has been detained on the matter of non-payment of wages.

The MV Apellis will remain under detention by AMSA until this deficiency is rectified.

AMSA’s General Manager of Ship Safety, Allan Schwartz, said that the proper treatment of seafarers is just as important as the proper maintenance of ships’ equipment – a failure in either system can lead to serious accidents.

“All ships in Australian waters need to comply with Australian standards,” Mr. Schwartz said. “Seafarers live difficult lives often spending many months at sea away from their families and friends.”

IACS nod for higher strength intermediate shafts

Today’s low speed, high torque engines for large ships call for high strength intermediate shafts that can suppress the torsional vibration that occurs when the engine rotates at low speed, shafts of high strength are required.

Until now, however, under the IACS UR, material design for intermediate shafts had been limited to a maximum tensile strength of TS800N/mm2.

Kobe Steel’s production technology enables it to make highly clean steel in an integrated manufacturing process that gives it control from steelmaking to final product. It can thus produce high-strength steel up to TS950N/mm2, which has now been adopted as the tensile strength limit for intermediate shafts under the IACS UR.

What this means is that, under the IACS UR, it is now possible to design intermediate shafts of higher strength. Shafts of the same diameter will be better able to cope with large torsional vibrations. Alternatively, at the current level of torsional vibration stress, intermediate shafts of smaller diameters are also possible, saving on weight.

Kobe Steel’s casting and forging business supplies a range of shipbuilding components including built-up crankshafts, solid crankshafts, intermediate shafts and propeller shafts. These components are all inspected and assured under a stringent quality control system that includes Automatic Ultrasonic Test (AUT) and quantitative digital evaluation of the contact area of crankshafts.

Donjon gets $11.5 million dredging contract

Bids were solicited via the Internet with three received. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $11,552,862 were obligated at the time of the award.

Army Corps of Engineers, New York, NY, is the contracting activity (W912DS-15-C-0016).

Webb Institute launches $40 million fund raising campaign

“Webb has a unique challenge, as the demand for our graduates exceeds supply; each year, 100% of our students receive meaningful job offers or pursue advanced degrees,” said Webb’s President, R. Keith Michel. “It is imperative that we respond to industry demand; build upon our facilities to provide students access to cutting-edge technology; and, sustain the financial model of providing each and every one of our students with a full-tuition scholarship.”

The effort will be led by a Campaign Cabinet of alumni, trustees, past parents, and friends.  Chaired by Joseph Cuneo ’57, its members are:  John Couch (honorary alumnus), Alison Granger (parent of alumnus), Roy Johnson ’62, John Malone ’71, R. Keith Michel ’73, Jake Neuman ’93, Anthony Urbanelli ’75; and honorary members Arthur Burr ’54 and Harold Lenfest (honorary alumnus).

Five Cornerstone investments (contributions of $2.5 million or more) have already been secured, four of them from members of the Campaign Cabinet.  The momentum generated means that $22.8 million of the $40 million goal has been secured.

“Making an investment in Webb is making an investment in the best, simply put – the best education, the most promising students, the opportunity to make the greatest industry impact,” said Joseph J. Cuneo.  “I’m honored to serve as the Campaign Chair and welcome the responsibility to help secure the future financial well-being of Webb.”

Of the $40 million Campaign goal, $28 million will be raised to strengthen the endowment and ensure the sustainability of the full-tuition scholarship model, and $12 million will be earmarked for facilities improvement, headed by the establishment of a Faculty & Research Center and an expansion of the on-campus residence halls.  

“Webb Institute’s goal is to attract top students who display a passion and an aptitude for engineering,” said Mr. Michel. “Because of a carefully crafted blend of theoretical study and practical application, Webb alumni are recognized by the industry as being exceptionally well prepared to make immediate and lasting contributions.”

While 80% of Webb alumni serve the marine community, he noted, Webb graduates make an impact across industries as CEOs of companies and entrepreneurs in high-tech start-ups; as leaders in law, finance, higher education, retail and manufacturing — each building on the foundation of the Webb engineering education.

Campaign regional kick-off events will be held throughout next year, enabling Webb alumni, friends, and family to learn first-hand of the Campaign’s priorities, and provide an opportunity for live Q&A sessions with Campaign leadership and members of Webb’s administration.

DRYS sells 17 ships to Economou, takes impairment charge

Analysts see the sell off as part of a longer term plan to recapitalize the business.

“Basically the company just has too much debt relative to its earning powers, relative to what rates are. They need to do something like this to recapitalize the company,” one leading analyst is quoted as saying.

The 17 vessels, comprised of 13 Capesize and 4 Panamax bulk carriers, are being sold for an aggregate price of $377.0 million, including their existing employment agreements and the assumption of $236.7 million of debt as of September 10, 2015, associated with some of the vessels. All of the individual transactions are expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2015 and some remain subject to the approval of the applicable lending banks. These transactions were approved by the independent directors of the company.

As a result of the company’s decision to sell these vessels, the company expects to recognize an impairment charge of approximately $373 million in its results for the third quarter of 2015.

In addition, the company’s Board of Directors, has decided to classify all of the remaining vessels in the fleet, comprised of 20 Panamax and 2 Supramax bulk carriers, as held for sale, and as a result the company expects to recognize an additional impairment charge of approximately $422 million in its results for the third quarter of 2015.

COSCO in $1.51 billion newbuild spree

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 — In an aggressive expansion of its capacity, Chinese container shipping giant COSCO yesterday announced it had entered shipbuilding contracts with domestic shipbuilders worth a total $1.51 billion for

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