JANUARY 14, 2016 — New Zealand builder Q-West’s Wanganui shipyard has started construction of two 34 m catamarans. They represent a NZ$16 million (about US$10.3 million) investment by operator Fullers Group Ltd
JANUARY 13, 2016 — Wärtsilä is launching a complete concept for a series of zero or low emission shuttle ferries. The concept has been developed in line with new Norwegian environmental regulations
JANUARY 7, 2016 — Germany’s first LNG-fueled ferry, the MS Ostfriesland, has now been operating for AG Ems between Emden and Borkum Island on the ecologically sensitive Wadden Sea, since June 2015.
The agency last week signed a Notice to Proceed giving shipbuilder Vigor Industrial the go ahead to get started on work on the fourth vessel in the 144-vehicle capacity ferry series and work will begin in January.
The new ferry is funded through the Connecting Washington transportation package which is being paid for through a hike in state gasoline taxes.
WSF is building the Olympic Class ferries to replace some of the fleet’s oldest vessels. The Olympic Class design is based on the Issaquah class, the most versatile vessel in the WSF fleet.
Two of four are in service, the third will be complete in 2017 and the fourth is scheduled for completion in 2018.
The first vessel, Tokitae, joined the Mukilteo/Clinton route in June 2014. The second, Samish, was put into service on the Anacortes/San Juans Island route in June 2015. Chimacum, the third ferry, will replace one of the older vessels on the Seattle/Bremerton route in 2017.
“Our top priority is keeping the ferry system safe and reliable for the millions of commuters, freight haulers and travelers who depend on us every year,” said WSF Chief of Staff Elizabeth Kosa. “Thanks to state lawmakers and critical funds from Connecting Washington, we are able to meet some of the ferry system’s most urgent needs, including building this new ferry.”
Like the other vessels in the class, the fourth ferry will be built at Vigor Industrial, supporting about 500 jobs at Vigor’s Seattle shipyard and contractors around the region.
The budget to build the vessel is $122 million, and delivery is scheduled for mid-2018.
The Washington State Transportation Commission is leading a public process to determine the fourth ferry’s name.
Olympic Class ferries are equipped with the latest emergency-evacuation and fire-suppression systems, two Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant elevators, and wider car-deck lanes that provide more room for passengers to access their vehicles.
The vessels’ hull design reduces wake and provides better fuel efficiency, while cleaner burning engines reduce emissions.
The first two Olympic Class ferries were delivered on time and under budget. The third vessel, under construction at Vigor, is on schedule and under budget and will be assigned to the Seattle/Bremerton route in early 2017.
The shipyard has previously specified Wärtsilä waterjets for a number of fast ferry projects. This latest order was placed in November.
The scope of supply includes four Wärtsilä LJX 1500 SRI waterjets and a Wärtsilä Lipstronic control system. The equipment is scheduled for delivery to the shipyard in September, 2016.
“The strong relationship between Wärtsilä and the Incat yard continues, and this latest order confirms the good cooperation that the two companies enjoy. It also underlines Wärtsilä’s commitment to the Australian market. We are pleased to once again be supplying Wärtsilä waterjets, which provide reliable and efficient propulsion for fast ferry applications,” says Hans Laheij, Sales Director, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.
“Incat, and our client Mols Linien, have continued to be satisfied with the performance of the Wärtsilä waterjets on KatExpress 1 and KatExpress 2 so it was a logical decision to select the Wärtsilä LJX 1500 SRI jets for KatExpress 3,” says Robert Clifford, Incat Chairman.
Set for delivery in March 2017, KatExpress 3 is a 109 m long wave piercing catamaran capable of carrying around 1,000 passengers and with capacity for 411 cars or a mix of trucks, vans and cars. .
DECEMBER 14, 2014 — Helgoland, Germany’s first newbuild LNG fueled seagoing vessel was christened and made its maiden voyage December 11. Built by the Fr. Fassmer shipyard, the 83 m x 12.6
The intention is to have the new member of the fleet operated by the public utility running on gas between the two Lake Constance (the Bodensee) towns of Konstanz and Meersburg in 2019.
The new ferry will be one of the first in Europe to be powered by a high-speed pure-gas engine. It will feature low pollutant emissions and improved cost effectiveness, while delivering the accustomed high performance.
MTU is to develop the new 8-cylinder gas engine with a rated output of 750 kW based on the proven MTU Series 4000 diesel engines for workboats. The clean combustion concept will make it possible to meet IMO Tier III emission standards without the need for additional exhaust aftertreatment. By comparison with a diesel engine without exhaust aftertreatment, the gas engine will emit no soot particles and no sulfur oxides, 90 percent less NOx and 10 percent less greenhouse gas.
The new 8V 4000 gas engine will incorporate gas injection for individual cylinders, a dynamic engine control system and a safety concept optimized for natural gas operation.
The new gas engine series is being developed to ensure that it meets the particular load profile of the Lake Constance ferries, with acceleration comparable to that of the MTU diesel engines.In the development of the 8V 4000 engine, MTU benefits from its previous experience in stationary gas engines and from development work now being carried out for a 16-cylinder marine gas engine, which is currently underway and has just completed initial tests on the test bench. The first pre-series engines will power a tugboat in 2017, which is currently being built by Damen shipyards for Svitzer.
The MTU brand is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems within the Land & Sea division of Rolls-Royce.
The Rolls-Royce Group, of which Rolls-Royce Power Systems is a member, has almost ten years’ experience in delivering medium-speed, pure-gas propulsion systems to power ferries.
“We are delighted that MTU, our partner of many years standing, is developing a natural gas propulsion system for our new ferry,” said Dr. Norbert Reuter, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Konstanz GmbH. “The deciding factors for us to venture into a new world of propulsion for our fleet are the excellent environmental compatibility of the gas engines and the possibility of saving fuel costs, while maintaining our current requirements in terms of the performance and maneuverability of the vessel. As a ferry operator on Lake Constance, Europe’s largest reservoir of drinking water, it is very important for us to guarantee safe and environmentally sound operations.”
“We are convinced that gas engines will become increasingly important as supplements to tried and tested diesel engines for shipping,” said Marcus A. Wassenberg, Chief Financial Officer at Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG. “Natural gas is an important fuel for the future. It will be available for a longer period of time and is cheaper in many regions throughout the world, in addition to having a far better carbon footprint than either heavy oil or diesel. With the development of the new gas engine and its trials in the ferry operated by Stadtwerke Konstanz, we are taking up the challenge of further improving the emissions and efficiency levels of gas engines, in order to be able to meet future emission regulations and the needs of our customers. The development of gas engine technology and the associated fuel infrastructure will also require state funding until they become economically viable.”
Mr. Snyder recruited by the company’s founder, Art Anderson, and has served as the company’s lead naval architect for the second and third generation Anderson CEOs.
Ben Anderson, President & CEO, sums up his time with Mr. Snyder by saying “I’ve had the pleasure of working side by side with Eric for four years now. Eric was my mentor for two years as I transitioned careers from shipboard operations to design engineering. I admire much about Eric, but mostly his dedication to the team, finding the best answer to a client’s problem and, ultimately, his loyalty to Art Anderson Associates. I like to think I share the same appreciations for Eric as my grandfather did back in 1975 when he recruited him from the University of Michigan.”
Mr. Snyder is appreciated by fellow employees for his keen eye to detail and knowledge of the industry.He is described by the company as “a selfless professional and lover of good science (who) has applied insight, wit and, of course, great knowledge to ensure people and products attained full potential. He has mentored young engineers and designers and trained over a dozen naval architects and marine engineers in the field of basic hydrostatics, stability analysis, structural calculations, and regulatory requirements. His education of others has ensured the art of naval architecture will not be lost in the ever advancing software technology.”
Cited as the “best naval architect on the West Coast” in the area of trim and stability, Mr. Snyder has worked on over a hundred different vessels for clients around the country, including nearly every vessel in the NOAA, Washington State Ferry, and Alaska Marine Highway System fleets.
He has adapted with the times of technology, having the combined knowledge and ability to perform calculations by hand as well as through the latest available software.
Although hard for him to narrow down, he says that one favorite project was working on the design and construction for the U.S. Coast Guard Buoy Utility Stern Loading (BUSL) boat in the mid-1990s. As the on-site construction naval architect, Mr. Snyder would be asked questions about all aspects of the ship and responded with design direction, avoiding construction delays.
“It isn’t often I have worked on a vessel from start to finish and it was a treat to take this vessel from concept to ocean,” he says.
“Eric bridges three generations of leadership at Art Anderson Associates” says former CEO Eric Anderson. “As one of two named company Fellow Associates, an honor recognizing technical leadership and commitment to the company’s mission, Eric has epitomized the technical leadership that will be celebrated in the sixtieth year of the firm in 2017.”
In total, four 20V28/33D STC engines, each delivering 9,100 kW, will drive the four waterjets that will power the 109-m, wave-piercer.
“This is an important order for us and a welcome addition to our existing references in the high-speed ferry segment,” said Lex Nijsen – Head of Four-Stroke Marine – MAN Diesel & Turbo. “It is a technically-enhanced, repeat order with our newest, state-of-the-art engine; a success that builds on our ability to deliver engines with unrivlled fuel consumption in their class within a tight, customer-defined schedule. Importantly, it also builds on our existing good relationships with both Incat and Mols-Linien.”
Engine delivery is due over two shipments in September and October, 2016.
KatExpress 3, which is scheduled for completion by March 2017, will have 1,000 tonnes deadweight, with seating capacity for 1,000 persons and up to 411 car spaces, or a combination of cars, trucks and other vehicles.
The newbuilding’s near-sisterships KatExpress 1 and KatExpress 2 are both currently in service for Mols-Linien and were also built by Incat.
The MAN 28/33D STC is a compact, powerful engine with a high power-to-weight ratio. It is fully compliant with current environmental standards and employs an advanced SaCoSone engine-control system. The engine has been installed in several ferry applications and is also regularly employed by naval segments.
Characteristics of the engine include:
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has awarded the Alaska Class Ferry project to Vigor Alaska shipyard in Ketchikan, AK, where construction is currently underway.
The two day boat ferries will be 280-feet long, seat up to 300 passengers and carry 53 standard vehicles. Each ferry will feature bow and stern doors for quicker loading and unloading, fully enclosed car decks and controllable pitch propellers to maximize maneuverability and efficiency.
Seattle, WA, based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Glosten is providing production design for the ferry.
Vigor Alaska and Glosten are two of Cadmatic’s newest U.S. customers and Cadmatic says the production design of the Alaska Class Ferry is the premiere application of Cadmatic software in the northern U.S.
Glosten will deliver its design in the imperial unit versions of both Cadmatic Hull and Outfitting.
“Our team is excited to work not only with Vigor Alaska and Cadmatic – but also with exceptional, leading edge modeling tools,” says Ken Lane, Director of Production Services at Glosten. “It’s a terrific opportunity for all of our designers.”
Alan Coffin, Senior Project Manager at Vigor, says Cadmatic “has offered a unique opportunity to evaluate a world-class software platform. By opening the doors to new technologies, we anticipate improved efficiencies and advancement of our shipbuilding capabilities.”
The first U.S. customer to use the full design and production package of Cadmatic software was Edison Chouest Offshore’s North American Shipbuilding in 2013. Since then, other North American companies to joined the Cadmatic include Glosten, Vigor Fab, Genoa Design International, and VT Halter Marine.
