Getting into the Swing of Things
With the goal of improving the safety and capability of the marine research industry, Allied Marine Crane, a division of Allied Systems Company, has developed the A-Stern A-Frame. Hydraulically powered, the A-Frame is used to launch and recover trawls, dredges, and ROVs. Its crossbeam rotates freely as it deploys, ensuring that the load—the unit has a 30,000 to 40,000 lb dynamic load capacity—and lighting are properly oriented throughout the entire range of motion.
Last year, the innovative unit was successfully fitted onto the R/V Sikuliaq. The vessel, owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, conducts oceanographic and fisheries related research in polar and sub-polar regions.
Allied says, the A-30 Stern A-Frame’s maintenance position allows crew to access the crossbeam from the deck at a standing height furthering safety during setup and rigging.
The provider also supplied the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research vessels the 238 ft Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride with two sets of crane components. The Neil Armstrong is being operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, while the Sally Ride is currently operating for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego.
Under the contract, the company designed and manufactured an identical set of handling equipment for each vessel. The units consisted of a davit; the Stern A-frame; a telescoping knuckle-boom crane; a starboard side handling system and a CTD handling system—both of which extend all the way to the waterline for more stability when loading; a portable telescoping knuckle-boom crane—among the first of its kind in the industry, the unit can be bolted down to a standard UNOLS mounting pattern anywhere on deck and can be removed when its not needed; and two hydraulic power units.
BREAKING INTO A NEW NICHE
Rapp Marine U.S. has taken a huge innovative step forward, developing, what its President Johann Sigurjonsson calls “an ideal tow winch for the market.” Having long been a developer and supplier of electric and hydraulic driven mooring winches, anchor windlasses, capstans, and cranes, Rapp Marine worked closely with Baydelta Navigation Ltd. to develop a towing winch that would be long lasting and dependable for the tug market.
Rapp Marine is supplying a unique, fully electric driven double drum tow winch for a new 110 ft x 40 ft tractor tug operated by Vessel Chartering LLC, a wholly owned division of Baydelta Navigation Ltd. The tug was designed by Seattle-based Jensen Maritime and will be built at JT Marine Shipyard, Vancouver, WA.
The winch, the first fully electric driven tow winch delivered by Rapp Marine, will be able to pull over 75 tons and use pneumatic cylinders in place of hydraulics—to keep fluid off the deck.
According to Rapp Marine, the winch will be driven by a single 100 hp electric motor with the ability to clutch in and out each winch drum. The clutches and brakes will be actuated remotely through either control panels or manually on the winch.
The winch will be primarily controlled in the wheelhouse using Rapp Marine’s Pentagon Tow Control System, which provides for a more efficient and safer operations for towing vessels. The system includes Auto Tensioning, automated haul-in and pay-out settings, in addition to touchscreen displays showing tension and wire length.
Rapp Marine says the winch can store up to 2,500 ft of 2.5 inches of Steel Wire Rope and 90 ft of 3 inch chain on the storage drum. The unit will also include a 10 HP electric “come home” drive. The drive can be used as a back up if the main motor should fail.
SELF-ALIGNING ESCORT WINCH
No stranger to innovation, the man behind the innovative training tug, the BRAtt, Captain Ron Burchett, and his company, Burchett Marine, recently delivered three new scale model tugs to Warsash Maritime Academy in Southampton, UK.
The 8,000 hp, 42m ASD tug models were equipped with the latest winch technology from JonRie InterTech—including a JonRie’s patented self-aligning escort winch.
During testing of the winch at the Academy, the model was able to stop a 44 ft long containership model at a speed of 10 knots. Captain Burchett will return to the Academy later this summer for Round 3 of testing at the 12 to 15 knot range.
The winch, says JonRie, was redesigned to accommodate a new 3-speed Hagglunds motor—this would allow for faster retrieval speeds. The motor will have the capability to free wheel each individual cam ring which comes complete with JonRie’s Render Blocking enabling render speeds to exceed 120 m/min. The tug’s dynamic stability was further enhanced by the righting lever supplied by the winch.
The winch’s hydraulic braking system is rated for 300 tonnes.
Additionally, the winch, explains JonRie’s Brandon Durar, is bolted to its rotating foundation to help prevent distortion to the drive from welding. The winch also contains a load tension read out system and JonRie’s foot control for a hands-free operation.
MACGREGOR WINS CONTRACTS FOR ESL SHIPPING CARRIERS
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, recently won a contract to deliver hatch covers, cranes, deck machinery and steering gear to two 25,600 dwt dual-fueled handysize bulk carriers being built for Finland’s ESL Shipping at China’s Sinotrans & CSC Shipbuilding Industry Cooperation’s Quingshan shipyard.
As part of the deal, MacGregor will provide three K3030-4 mechanical grab cargo cranes with a safe working load of 30 tonnes at 30 m outreach. Additionally, the group will provide the design and key components package for multi folding-type hatch covers (6+6), electrically-driven Hatlapa deck machinery and Porsgrunn steering gear.