DECEMBER 17, 2015 — Congressional supporters of the Littoral Combat Ship are coming to its defense within hours of defense media reports of an intense internal battle between the Navy and Secretary
The scope of MAN Diesel & Turbo’s contract includes twelve MAN 8L51/60DF four-stroke engines and twelve MAN SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) systems.
MAN Diesel & Turbo says that the total power output of the engines is some 96 MW, meaning that this will be one of the largest engine installations ever seen aboard a commercial ship.
The vessel will be the first in its size range to feature dual-fuel technology and, on completion, will be the world’s largest vessel of its kind.
Engine delivery is scheduled for first quarter 2017 with vessel delivery due from the shipbuilder in 2018.
The highly efficient MAN Diesel & Turbo package ensures full fuel-flexibility and will meets NOx Tier III emission limits at all times – whether the vessel is within Tier III zones or not – both during operation on LNG and during operation on MGO with the help of the SCR system.
MAN Diesel & Turbo says that the engines maintain their high efficiency – including during SCR operation – through integrated and customised control strategies.
“The entire project has special requirements in all aspects – it is absolutely a customized solution and a notable feather in our cap to have been selected as propulsion-system supplier for this unique vessel,” says Lex Nijsen – Head of Four-Stroke Marine – MAN Diesel & Turbo. “This is not just the largest, dual-fuel propulsion system ever featured on a single vessel, it also ensures Tier-III compliance in all operational scenarios, whether in gas- or MGO-modes, and whether within or without NOx Tier III-controlled areas. The solution MAN Diesel & Turbo is delivering to Sembcorp Marine and Heerema is reliable, efficient, flexible and meets the highest safety and environmental standards.”
A key determinant in the choosing of the 51/60DF engine was its ability to fulfill the particularly high load-ramp requirements demanded by the NSCV’s two giant Huisman 10,000 ton cranes in both diesel and gas modes while maintaining its efficiency.
Another key characteristic of the four-stroke unit is its ability to operate at 100% MCR and above, in gas mode, and to switch smoothly and seamlessly from gas to liquid-fuel operation (and vice versa) at full load without any fluctuation in output or speed. These are all essential features to satisfy the SSCV’s vital DP-3 (dynamic positioning) station-keeping requirement.
Furthermore, with the aim of becoming the most environmentally friendly crane vessel ever built, operation will be on ultra-low sulfur fuel, a fuel type that the 51/60DF readily handles.
MAN Diesel & Turbo’s SCR system provides an integrated solution for its entire portfolio of four-stroke engines and serves as a standard solution to meet Tier III emission limits.
The MAN SCR solution is a modular system, with the built-in flexibility to adjust to the NSCV’s particular requirements such as its long exhaust-gas lines, the distance between the SCR and engine. Nor does the SCR system negatively affect load-ramp requirements. In this respect, MAN’s SCR is very much a customized solution.
With a length of 220 m and a width of 102 m, the NSCV will be the world’s largest crane vessel. Despite the vessel’s large dimensions, optimally locating the engines and SCR systems aboard proved a challenge, one which MAN Diesel & Turbo and the flexibility of the SCR system helped resolve.
The vessel features four engine rooms, each with three MAN 8L51/60DF engines. The integration of SCR and engine-control system enables the SCR to be operated at a relatively low exhaust-gas temperature, which is the basis for a high engine efficiency, and enables the SCR to be positioned further away from engines. In consequence, no compromises have to be made with the vessel layout and the SCR systems will be positioned under the ship’s funnel in a vertical arrangement, some 80 m away from the engines.
“We have been looking at ways we could help our customers by accelerating the survey process,” says Cezary Galinski, Manager of the DNV GL – Maritime classification flying squad based in Gdansk. “Camera equipped drones are now much more widely available and affordable, and by using them for a first screening we can identify areas that require closer inspection quickly and without extensive staging, which can be both costly and time-consuming.”
Using drones to visually check the condition of remote structural components has the potential to significantly reduce survey times and staging costs, while at the same time improving safety for the surveyors.
The tests used a camera-equipped drone to visually evaluate structural components through video streamed to a tablet. One surveyor operated the drone, while a second checked the video feed in real time. The stream was also recorded for review and documentation purposes.
Equipped with a powerful headlight, the drone was able to produce a video of sufficient quality for initial inspection purposes. In the event any damage is detected, a traditional close-up survey may still be required.
“We used a modified off-the-shelf drone for our tests,” says Mr. Galinski. “Because there are currently no drones formally certified as explosion-proof commercially available, we performed a risk assessment. Of course, before the drone operation started, we also ensured that the cargo tank was gas-free and certified for safe entry.”
“Our next step is to work with a more advanced tailor-made drone in early 2016,” says Mr. Galinski. “We are also developing a special guideline for performing drone-based surveys. This could open the way to remote or even autonomous inspections being carried out as part of our survey scheme in the near future.”
DNV GL has a longstanding R&D program working on developing advanced inspection technologies, including the IRIS system which can automatically associate photos onboard a ship with a 3D model of the vessel’s structure.
“Using a drone in combination with a system like IRIS could be very beneficial to our customers,” says Dr. Pierre C. Sames, Director of Group Technology and Research. “We have already demonstrated the ability to place images within a 3D model and furthermore to assess the individual findings. These are the first steps towards an automated survey process which might include using a drone to make the initial survey, taking the images generated and then running them through an algorithm to determine the hull condition.”
The barge is under construction at Conrad Shipyard in Orange, TX, which has just hosted a tour where 200 participants at a USCG Liquefied Gas Senior Executive Forum got a chance to see its progress.
Hull construction of the 2,200 m3 barge is near complete and abrasive blasting and painting is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.
The barge’s LNG Mark III Flex cargo containment system, designed by Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT), is scheduled to be installed immediately following the February launch.
The Bristol Harbor Group designed and ABS classed vessel will be outfitted with a 20 m bunker mast (custom fabricated by Conrad under GTT license) that will enable the barge to service a wide variety of vessels. It will also be equipped with six DH Industries StirLNG-4 cryocoolers sized to handle 125% of the vessel’s boil-off gas, along with other systems specifically designed for this vessel’s LNG bunkering application to deliver the coldest LNG to the end user.
The barge will be delivered to Jacksonville, FL in the third quarter of 2016 to service TOTE’s newbuild Marlin class LNG fueled container vessels and other LNG fueled vessels in and around the Port of Jacksonville and the Southeast.
CME is partnered with WesPac Midstream LLC (WesPac) and together with Pivotal LNG (Pivotal), a subsidiary of AGL Resources, will own and operate JAX LNG, a small scale liquefaction facility in the port of Jacksonville. The plant is planned to be commissioned during the first quarter of 2017 and will be capable of providing LNG to locations up and down the Florida and Georgia coasts.
Norway’s Optimarin, which claims to be on the brink of full USCG approval of its UV based system, says the decision is good news.
The Coast Guard has told UV system manufacturers that it will not accept the Most Probable Number (MPN) testing method in its approval process. The MPN methodology evaluates organisms on the basis of “viable/unviable,” with most UV systems depositing “unviable” organisms back into the water – meaning they are still alive but cannot reproduce.
The USCG says that FDA/CMFDA test, which judges life forms as “living/dead,” must be the standard for approval.
Optimarin says that having systems with USCG approval is imperative for any shipowner wanting to discharge ballast in U.S. waters after January 1,2016.
“This is a clear indication to the industry that USCG wants absolute certainty with regard to standards – they do not want living organisms deposited in their territory,” comments Tore Andersen, Optimarin’s CEO. “MPN is acceptable for IMO, but that won’t be any consolation to shipowners with global fleets that want the flexibility of sailing in and out of U.S. waters.”
Mr. Andersen notes that while the USCG is currently accepting vessels with approved Alternate Management Systems (AMS) based on testing by another flag state, can discharge ballast in that approval is good for only five years after the vessel’s compliance date.
“At that point, if they haven’t met the USCG’s own ‘instant kill’ standard, they will have to be changed,” says Mr. Andersen. “That’s a burden of potential cost and uncertainty that shipowners operating in today’s tight market shouldn’t have to contend with.”
He says that Optimarin, which has over 20 years of industry experience and installed the world’s first commercial BWT system in 2000, is the only UV manufacturer that is currently within “touching distance” of USCG approval.
Its technology successfully satisfying the FDA/CFMDA criteria during testing this year. Further tests in other water salinities are scheduled for spring 2016, after which point approval is expected later in the year.
Mr. Andersen says the system’s power is the key to its efficacy.
“Each of our system lamps has a 35 kW capacity, which is huge for a UV system. That power instantly kills invasive organisms and that’s exactly what USCG wants to see,” he says.
Optimarin has now sold over 350 of its systems to shipowners across the world, with more than 270 installed, over 60 of which are retrofits.
One major client of the business is Saga Shipholding. Optimarin signed a frame agreement with the open hatch bulk shipper in 2011 and has since gone on to install 26 systems, including eight newbuild installations, on a fleet that currently numbers 32 vessels. The remainder will receive their BWT units during 2016.
Eivind Holte, Senior Technical Manager Saga Shipholding (Norway), notes that Saga’s ships are frequent visitors to the U.S., servicing ports on both the West and East Coasts.
“I can’t overstate the importance of USCG approval to us,” he stresses, “it’s basically a ‘ticket to trade.’ We’re very happy that we chose Optimarin, for both their system’s technology and its compliance, with full USCG approval on the horizon.”
AMS accepted units, he says, present a “real risk.”
“They’re compliant now, but will they be in five years time? The cost of changing existing systems across a fleet to ensure compliance would be disastrous, just disastrous,” says Mr. Holte.
“Making the right choice for BWT systems is crucial,” he says. “Shipowners have to choose systems and suppliers they trust. We did, and that decision, now more than ever, looks to be completely correct.”
According to the filing, “on December 14, 2015, a subsidiary of GulfMark Offshore, Inc. (“GulfMark”) entered into an agreement with Simek AS to delay the delivery of its North Sea vessel under construction in Norway from 2016 to 2017. Under the original agreement, GulfMark’s subsidiary paid 20% of the construction price within three months of contract inception, and was to pay the remaining 80%, or approximately $33 million, in February 2016 upon delivery. Under the new agreement, GulfMark’s subsidiary will take delivery of the vessel in January 2017 and will pay approximately $2 million in the fourth quarter of 2015, approximately $5 million in the first quarter of 2016, approximately $4 million in the second quarter of 2016 and approximately $22 million in the first quarter of 2017 upon delivery of the vessel.”
That other shoe has now dropped.
Maine’s U.S. Senators. Susan Collins, a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Committee, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said today that the final omnibus spending bill includes $1 billion toward the construction of an additional DDG 51 destroyer that would “likely” be built at Bath Iron Works and would be in addition to those already included in the current multi-year procurement contract.
The following is the statement issued by the two senators — interestingly it contains no acknowledgement whatsoever that the funding was any kind of pre-arranged “done deal,” widely expected by defense industry insiders.
U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Committee, and Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced today that the final omnibus bill includes $1 billion toward the construction of an additional DDG-51 destroyer. This destroyer would likely be built at Bath Iron Works. This destroyer would be in addition to those already included in the current multi-year procurement contract. The omnibus bill will be considered by Congress later this week.
As a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins requested the funding toward the additional DDG-51 to help meet combatant commander requirements for destroyers across the globe. Senator Collins successfully advocated for the inclusion of the $1 billion in funding in the Senate Defense Appropriations Bill. The House Defense Appropriations Bill, however, allocated no funding for this additional destroyer. Following weeks of negotiations between the House and Senate regarding the bill, the omnibus bill appropriates the full $1 billion in funding toward this additional ship, affirming the strategic importance of our Navy and shipbuilding programs.
“Our destroyers are the workhorses of the Navy, and I am proud of the highly skilled, hardworking men and women at Bath Iron Works who continue to deliver the highest quality ships for our nation’s sailors,” said Senator Collins. “The power of presence cannot be taken for granted or ignored, which is why the investments for this new destroyer funded by this bill are so necessary. In a time of serious budget constraints for our Defense Department, this important investment underscores the value and importance of our naval assets to the security and stability of our country. The equation is simple: fewer ships means less presence, less security at home, and less security around the world. I am so pleased that after many long hours of negotiations, this $1 billion in funding was included in the final omnibus bill.”
“Senator Collins is a relentless advocate for the hardworking men and women at Bath Iron Works, and I am thankful that she was able to secure additional funding for shipbuilding through her position on the Appropriations Committee,” said Senator King. “The funding for this additional ship is a major achievement for Maine and she deserves all the credit. There is no one I’d rather be working with on behalf of BIW, the State of Maine, and the men and women of our armed forces than Susan.”
Senators Collins and King work together in support of Bath Iron Works from their respective positions on the Appropriations and Armed Services Committees. As a member of Armed Services, Senator King works to ensure that critical shipbuilding funding is authorized through the National Defense Authorization Act, a yearly bill that authorizes funding and directs policy for the Department of Defense. And as a senior member of Appropriations, Senator Collins works to make sure the authorized funds are then actually appropriated to shipbuilding priorities. Through this joint effort, the Senators are able to prioritize shipbuilding throughout the funding process.
As of January 2015, the Navy had 279 ships, well short of the goal set by the Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan which calls for the United States to have 304 ships by 2020. This investment will help to grow the Navy’s shipbuilding capabilities at a time when the Navy fleet is in high demand to protect national security interests worldwide.
To support Crowley’s LNG needs, Eagle LNG will build a natural gas liquefaction plant (LNG plant) offering a capacity of 200,000 gallons per day (87,000 gallons per day initially) in Jacksonville, FL. The state-of-the-art facility is slated to be operational by early 2017.
The decision to partner with Eagle LNG was made by Crowley in part because of the two companies’ shared commitment to the environment.
“Crowley is proud to take a leadership position in the industry’s shift to cleaner-burning, natural gas fuel solutions,” said Crowley’s John Hourihan, senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico services. “The partnership with Eagle LNG is an important first step in developing sustainable supply infrastructure to ensure these highly technical, environmentally friendly vessels operate to their full capability.”
“The marine sector represents a significant opportunity for LNG fueling in the U.S., and Eagle LNG is well-positioned to build the necessary infrastructure and provide the specialized logistics to facilitate this energy transformation,” said Dick Brown, CEO, Eagle LNG “It takes companies like Crowley to lead that wave of change. Eagle LNG is proud to work with such a pioneering organization.”
“This project is an important investment in our community from both economic and environmental perspectives,” said Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry. “It clearly demonstrates the leadership role our region is playing in LNG development and progression, while strengthening our commitment to leaving a smaller footprint through cleaner-burning fuel.”
The supply agreement between Eagle LNG and Crowley will provide LNG fuel for the El Conqui and Taino, which are expected to be in service in the second quarter and fourth quarter of 2017 respectively.
The Jones Act ships will replace Crowley’s towed triple-deck barge fleet, which has served the trade continuously since the early 1970s. The new ships, will offer customers fast ocean transit times, while accommodating the company’s diverse equipment selection and cargo handling flexibility.
The LNG liquefaction plant is separate from the previously announced Eagle LNG Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) export terminal located along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, which will continue to focus on export markets in the Caribbean and Atlantic Basin.
Under the agreement, Radio Holland will install VDR Remote Interface on board three CNCo vessels (Coral Chief, Highland Chief and New Guinea Chief). The decision follows a successful pilot scheme on CNCo’s multipurpose vessel, the Papuan Chief.
Radio Holland’s Global Manager Remote Services, Frank Berends says that the remote monitoring agreement means that “we can, for example, monitor if the radar and ECDIS are working properly, examine data sent to the VDR and check all the GMDSS equipment on board. Most problems can be solved remotely, otherwise we prepare to send engineers to the next port, with the correct parts.”
The agreement cuts on board maintenance and the time it takes to do surveys considerably.
“An annual on board survey usually averages 6-8 hours,” says David Watts, Radio Holland Regional Director Asia. “But by Radio Holland engineers testing equipment remotely and verifying data, this can fall to just 2-4 hours. With a 50% reduction of maintenance hours on a large fleet of ships over their lifetime, this represents a significant savings for the shipowner.”
Radio Holland has worked closely with CNCo for several years and was already the preferred supplier for the navigation/communications package for CNCo’s newbuild program, which involves 37 multipurpose ships and bulk carriers. The company has already installed the integrated bridge system on 30 of these vessels and the remaining seven will have the new bridge fitted in 2016.
Radio Holland is part of the newly formed company RH Marine Group, formerly known as Imtech Marine, established in November following Imtech Marine’s acquisition by Parcom Capital and Pon Holdings.
The Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center has informed four manufacturers of ballast water management systems (BWMS) that are based on ultraviolet technology that the Most Probable Number (MPN) test method is not considered an equivalent alternative to the test method prescribed in the Coast Guard regulations on type approval of ballast water systems.
A Coast Guard review has concluded that the MPN test method does not measure the efficacy of the BWMS to the performance standard required by the regulations.
The regulations specifically require ballast water treatment systems to be evaluated based on their ability to kill certain organisms. Since the MPN method assesses the viability of an organism to colonize after treatment, it measures to a different standard than that required by the regulations.
In the Preamble to the Final Rule which implemented the ballast water discharge standard and the procedures for BWMS type-approval, the distinction between live/dead and viable/unviable was evaluated, explicitly discussed and the decision was made to use live/dead as the standard for evaluating the performance of BWMS. Since the MPN method does not measure performance to this standard, it is not an equivalent evaluation or test under the provisions of the regulations.
The Coast Guard says it is aware of other ultraviolet BWMS that are undergoing evaluation using the prescribed tests. As such, the tests required by the regulations and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Technology Verification, or ETV, Protocol are applicable and practicable for the evaluation of all systems.
As with all decisions made under the authority of Title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, this Marine Safety Center ruling is subject to appeal by the manufacturers. The Coast Guard will continue to evaluate this method through the ETV Technical Panel.
