TOTE pushes back Orca Class LNG conversions
NOVEMBER 9, 2015— The tragic October 1 loss of the El Faro means that TOTE Maritime is having to delay the planned conversion of the first of two “built for Alaska” 839
shipyard
LNG bunker/feeder vessel will be Wartsila powered
The contract with Wärtsilä was placed in September. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in 2016 and the vessel is due to be delivered in February 2017.
When delivered, the ship will be operated on a long-term charter by Skangass, the leading player in the Nordic and Finnish LNG markets. Sirius Veder Gas AB, the owner of the new vessel, is a joint venture formed by Sirius Rederi of Sweden and the Netherlands based Anthony Veder Group.
The Wärtsilä propulsion package will comprise a 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel main engine capable of running on either LNG or diesel, a reduction gearbox with power take-off (PTO), a shaft line suitable for use with environmentally friendly lubricants and equipped with a Wärtsilä Airguard aft seal that allows zero emissions, and a Wärtsilä controllable pitch propeller.
The latest Wärtsilä 34DF engine version features high power output and reduced fuel consumption in both gas and diesel modes. In gas mode, the vessel will comply with the IMO’s Tier III NOx emission regulations without need of secondary exhaust cleaning systems.
“We are committed to developing energy-efficient solutions for small to mid-size LNG shipping. The use of LNG as a marine fuel is rapidly increasing and there is growing demand for efficient bunker and feeder vessels. Wärtsilä has both the technology and the experience necessary to meet the needs of this market,” says Jan Valkier, CEO of Anthony Veder.
“Since Wärtsilä introduced dual-fuel engine technology, more than 1,300 Wärtsilä DF engines have been ordered. Similarly, bunkering and feeder vessels such as this one are also increasingly taking advantage of our proven technology. This extensive experience adds tremendous value as it allows us to provide expert engineering and project support to the shipyard, which importantly saves time and reduces risk,” says Göran Österdahl, General Manager, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions .
First four-stroke in boxship retrofit to burn LNG
NOVEMBER 6, 2015 — German feeder containership operator Wessels Reederei and MAN Diesel & Turbo have now signed a contract covering the retrofit of the four-stroke 8L48/60B main engine in the 1,000
VT Halter launches 130 ft ATB tug for Bouchard
The vessel is one of two sister vessels being built under a two vessel contract signed with Bouchard Transportation, Inc. in August 2014. Morton S. Bouchard and sister vessel Frederick E. Bouchard each measure 130 feet by 38 feet by 22 feet and is classed by ABS as +A1 Ocean Towing , Dual Mode ATB, USCG Subchapter C. On completion, both tugs will be equipped with an Intercon Coupler System. Deliveries are expected in January and May 2016 respectively. The vessels will enter into Bouchard Transportation’s fleet service in New York, N.Y.
This most recent launch follows the September launch from the Moss Point shipyard of another ATB tug for Bouchard, the 10,000 hp M/V Donna J. Bouchard.
Also equipped with an Intercon Coupler, Donna J. Bouchard, is classed by ABS as +A1 Towing Vessel, Dual Mode ATB, USCG Subchapter M.
She will be paired with barge B.No.272, which is currently under construction at VT Halter Marine’s Pascagoula, MS, shipyard to comprise the second ATB unit built for Bouchard Transportation as part of its major expansion program.
“Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. is happy to announce yet another successful launching of a state of the art ATB tug built by VT Halter Marine. The launching of the M/V Morton S. Bouchard Jr. is a special event within the Bouchard Family, for the vessel is named after the father of President/CEO, Morton S. Bouchard III, who wanted his father’s name to always remain on the waterfront for which he dedicated his entire fife to. The original tug, Morton S Bouchard Jr., which was also built by Halter, was earlier renamed as The Bouchard Boys and continues to operate with Bouchard Fleet,” said Morton S. Bouchard III President and CEO, Bouchard Transportation.
“The successful launching of both vessels, the M/V Morton S. Bouchard Jr. today and the M/V Donna J. Bouchard in September is an indication of the commitment to the continued relationship with Bouchard Transportation. We are pleased and proud to celebrate this important milestone in the life of any vessel, and we look forward to having these superb tugboats join the Bouchard Transportation fleet,” said Jack Prendergast, CEO, VT Halter Marine
Aker Philly facing higher costs, delivery delays
The company, which is planning to change its name to Philly Shipyard, reported an order backlog of $1,043.2 million as of September 30, 2015, providing for shipbuilding activity with delivery dates through 2018.
In its third quarter report, the company says that it has recently completed a thorough analysis of its production schedule and budgets based on its experiences with the construction activities on the current product tanker program and the purchasing and engineering activities on the two containership’s on order by Matson project.
“As a result of this analysis,” it says, it has “prepared a revised forecast which includes higher costs of construction and later delivery dates for the vessels in AKPS’s backlog than previous forecasts. Corrective actions have been put in place to address some of these additional costs and schedule impacts.”
Azipods ordered for two more Carnival Corp. newbuilds
ABB’s delivery will also include generators, main switchboards, a remote control system and distribution transformers.
One of the ships is for Carnival Corporation’s Holland America Line brand and will 99,500 gt, 2,650 passenger sister ship to Koningsdam, currently under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard. It will be delivered in fourth quarter 2018.The other is Carnival Cruise Line’s 3,954-passenger a sister ship to Carnival Vista. It is set for delivery for in first quarter 2018 and will be the line’s twenty-sixth ship
“We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Fincantieri, which is known as one of the world’s leading cruise ship builders. Longstanding customer relationships with leading shipyards such as Fincantieri are testament to our continued dedication to quality and customer value,” says Heikki Soljama, managing director for ABB’s Marine and Ports business.
The collaboration between ABB and Fincantieri spans over 25 years: ABB’s first electric propulsion delivery to Fincantieri was for a Carnival cruise ship in 1990. Since then, 14 ships built by Fincantieri have been equipped with ABB’s Azipod propulsion. Twenty-four of Carnival Corporation’s ships are equipped with Azipod propulsion.
Damen inks deals for Carrousel Rave Tugs and ASD
Additionally, Multraship has also agreed a deal with Damen for a new state-of-the-art ASD 3212 tug as part of its planned fleet expansion
Construction of the CRTs will begin immediately. The hulls of the vessels will be built by German shipbuilder Theodor Buschmann GmbH in Hamburg, with final outfitting carried out by Damen Maaskant Shipyards in Stellendam, the Netherlands. Delivery of the Bureau Veritas-classed vessels is scheduled for first-quarter 2017.
The Carrousel towing system consists of a towing point on a straightforward steel ring, freely rotating around the superstructure of the tug. According to Novatug, a towing load simply cannot capsize a Carrousel tug and the tug’s own hull profile can safely be used for generating braking and/or steering forces, based on the lateral resistance of the hull through the water and given the kinetic energy present in the moving tow and/or the current.
In the CRT, this towing system is combined with the advantages of the RAVE Tug (Robert Allan Ltd. – Voith Escort) jointly developed by naval architectural consultancy Robert Allan Ltd. and Voith Turbo Marine. The unique characteristic of the concept is the longitudinal alignment of two Voith drives, delivering very precise and improved force generation characteristics.
The CRTs have an overall length of 32 m, and a bollard pull of minimum 70 tonnes. Propulsion is via two Voith thruster units and two ABC main engines of 2,650 kW operating at 1,000 rpm. Free running speed is over 14 knots at 5,300 kW.
The CRT’s combination of low operational costs, speed of action and enhanced control over the tow can provide major advantages over conventional tugs, for example by widening or even removing tidal and/or weather windows for certain ports.
Novatug will offer the Carrousel Rave tugs on the basis of long-term bareboat charters, basically a financial or operational lease construction, an arrangement proven in other capital-intensive industries such as aviation. Its customer for the first two units is its parent, Multraship.
Leendert Muller, managing director of Multraship, says, “Safety is always our overriding objective, and that it is why we have opted wholeheartedly to produce the Novatug CRT. This new tug design, for the first time, eliminates what has always been the most significant threat to safety in towing – the risk of capsizing under a tow load. The benefits in terms of efficiency and flexibility, meanwhile, are also enormous.”
Carrousel Rave Tug
ASD TUG
The new state-of-the-art ASD 3212 tug acquired by Multraship — the Dutch-flag, LR-registered Multratug 31 — was built at Damen Song Cam, Vietnam. A sister vessel to Multratugs 19, 29 and 30, it will operate mainly in the Western Scheldt area. It has a maximum bollard pull of 83.2 tonnes and a maximum speed of 15 knots.
The 453 gt vessel is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C engines and has two Rolls Royce Azimuth thrusters and a 2,800 mm-diameter controllable pitch propeller.The vessel’s deck layout features a hydraulically driven escort double drum winch forward and single drum aft, and a 25 mt deck crane. There are two one-man cabins, four two-man cabins, a mess room and galley.
Future USNS Brunswick completes Acceptance Trials
The ship, which was constructed by shipbuilder Austal USA, is the sixth in the EPF class. The EPF class ships were formerly known as Joint High Speed Vessels, or JHSVs. In September, the Secretary of the Navy brought in a new E ship class designator that, in addition to seeing the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) become the Expeditionary Fast Transport, or EPF, sees the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) become the Expeditionary Transfer Dock, or ESD; and the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) variant of the MLP become the Expeditionary Mobile Base, or ESB.
“Conducting Acceptance Trials is a major milestone for the shipyard and the program office,” said Capt. Henry Stevens, Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Manager, Program Executive Office, Ships. “We are very proud of our contractor and government team’s commitment to delivering affordable, quality ships and look forward to the delivery of EPF 6 later this year.”
The ship’s trials included dockside testing to clear the ship for sea and rigorous at-sea trials during which the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) evaluated and observed the performance of EPF 6’s major systems.
Completion of Brunswick’s Acceptance Trials signifies that the ship is ready for delivery to the fleet in the near future.
“We’re proud to have successfully completed acceptance trials for USNS Brunswick, and excited to see the continued improvement ship to ship on this mature program,” said Craig Perciavalle, Austal USA’s president. “Austal’s EPF team continues to do a tremendous job constructing incredible ships and preparing them to enter the fleet.”
The Brunswick is the sixth ship in Austal’s 10-ship $1.6 billion EPF block-buy contract awarded by the U.S. Navy in 2008. Three more under construction at Austal’s Mobile, AL, shipyard.
EPFs are versatile, non-combatant, transport ships that will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles, and equipment. EPF is designed to commercial standards, with limited modifications for military use. The vessel is capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and can operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-loading vehicles such as a combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank. Other joint requirements include an aviation flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations.
EPF 6 will have airline style seating for 312 embarked forces, with fixed berthing for 104.
The EPF’s large, open mission deck and large habitability spaces provide the opportunity to conduct a wide range of missions.
“We’re excited about the feedback we’re receiving about how well these ships are doing on deployment and about the overall potential of the program,” said Mr. Perciavalle.
In addition to the EPF program, Austal is also building 10 Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the U.S. Navy under a $3.5 billion block-buy contract. Three LCS have been delivered while an additional six are in various stages of construction.When it was launched at Austal’s Mobile, AL, shipyard in May EPF 6 was JHSV 6.
Royal Caribbean orders fifth Quantum class ship
Meyer Werft delivered the second Quantum Class ship, Anthem of the Seas, from its Papenburg, Ems, shipyard in April of this year. The third, Ovation of the Seas, is set for mid-2016 delivery and the fourth is planned for delivery in 2019.
“It is such a pleasure to announce the order of another Quantum-class ship as we are welcoming Anthem of the Seas to North America,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “These ships have been received with excitement, and performed exceptionally well, across the globe. We fully expect that momentum to continue as we add to this innovative class of ships.”
“At Royal Caribbean we are focused on continuously improving efficiency and sustainability, and the fifth Quantum class vessel will be clear evidence of this,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “Of equal importance is our ability to consistently surpass guest expectations, and we are harnessing the power of the latest technology to do so on this ship.”
Based upon current ship orders, says Royal Caribbean, projected capital expenditures for full year 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are $1.6 billion, $2.4 billion, $0.5 billion, $2.5 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively.Capacity increases for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are expected to be 5.4%, 6.4%, 3.4%, 3.7% and 6.6%, respectively. These figures do not include potential ship sales or additions.
Following are the main particulars of the Quantum Class ships. If the numbers don’t quite convey how big these ships are, take a look at the infographic below, released by Royal Caribbean as the Anthem of the Seas is set to make its New York debut.
Tonnage 168,600 GT
Overall Length 348 m
Width 41.4 m
Decks 18
Engine Output 67,200 kW
Speed 22 kts
Number of Passenger Cabins 2,094
Passengers 4,188
Crowley tanker first to get ABS LNG-Ready approval
The LNG-Ready Level 1 approval was issued, along with an approval in principle for the first vessel in a series built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard and operated by Crowley Maritime Corporation, the recently delivered Ohio.
By achieving compliance with the ABS Guide for LNG Fuel Ready Vessels, Crowley has the option to convert the product tankers in the series to LNG fueled propulsion at a later date having already been granted a conceptual review.
“ABS has played a fundamental role in supporting the ambitions of the maritime industry as it moves to embrace the opportunity of LNG as fuel,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “This milestone builds upon our work to provide owners with the guidance and support they need to move ahead with shipbuilding projects that allow them the flexibility to respond to changes over the lifetime of their vessels.”
ABS published the Guide for LNG Fuel Ready Vessels in 2014. The LNG-Ready endorsements allow shipowners and yards the flexibility to limit their initial investment while planning for the future conversion to dual fuel or gas-powered combustion engines. A well-thought-out plan can prepare shipowners to face ever-increasing stricter environmental regulations as well as help save time and money by considering basic gas-fueled ship requirements during the preliminary design and minimizing the potential changes during the future conversion.
“Crowley is proud to be the first company to actually receive this designation from ABS,” says Rob Grune, SVP and general manager petroleum services for Crowley. “As our business continues to shape itself to better meet the requirements of our customers, these vessels that stand ready and able to operate on a cleaner, alternative fuel source are our way of anticipating future demands.”
“Working with ABS and Crowley to build the first LNG-Ready product tanker has been a valuable process and has allowed the shipyard to deliver a vessel with the flexibility to evolve in the future” says Scott Clapham, SVP of Aker Philadelphia Shipyard.