Thordon Taps Bruntons as UK & Ireland Distributor
Canada-headquartered water-lubricated and grease-free seals and bearings company Thordon Bearings has appointed propeller manufacturer Bruntons Propellers as its new distributor for the U.K. and Ireland region.The propeller manufacturer will market, supply and service Thordon’s entire marine portfolio of propeller shaft bearings and seals. There is also provision for Bruntons to promote and service Thordon’s products in other market segments.Neil McDonald, Thordon Bearings’ Regional Manager…
Interview: Juha Kytölä, Director of R&D and Engineering, Wärtsilä
As maritime faces transcendent changes in terms of decarbonization and automation, Juha Kytölä, Director of R&D and Engineering, Wärtsilä, discusses how this Finnish maritime technology powerhouse is investing in the technologies and facilities that will drive the maritime industry for the coming generation, including insights on its unique arrangement for a future fuel engine testbed onboard Wasaline’s MS Aurora Botnia.To start off, can you give a scope of the Wärtsilä R&D investment?We invest heavily in research and development, about 4.1% of our annual turnover.
FINLAND: ‘A Birthplace for Icebreakers’
Finnish companies have designed about 80 percent of the world’s icebreakers, and about 60 percent of them have been built by Finnish shipyards.Finland is home to a strong and vibrant maritime cluster, with a mix of large, medium and small shipyards, as well as a deep pool of marine engineering expertise and a broad network of vessel equipment suppliers.As one of the world’s northernmost countries, Finland is also home to a fleet of icebreakers that keep imports and exports flowing through its harbors, even during the coldest winter months.
Inland Waterways: US Making Progress on Infrastructure
The United States’ vast network of navigable inland rivers is vital to the nation’s economy, serving as an aquatic superhighway for the efficient shipment of critical commodities like agricultural goods, energy products, building materials and industrial chemicals to destinations within the U.S. and to deepwater ports for export. The Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI), which advocates for a modern, efficient and well-maintained inland waterways, often describes the network as “the…
Foss Chooses Markey Machine for Winch Upgrades
Foss Maritime recently elected to refurbish two existing Markey winches aboard the Foss tug Hawaii.Though other options were considered, “these winches have been ideal for bringing the barge up tight against the stern of the tug,” noted Foss’ Danny Riser, Captain. “The brake-holding capacity of the 32s (Markey model DEPC-32) is well-suited for mounting on our 5200 HP Z-drive tugs. I’ve been a lifelong fan of Markey winches, so for us it was an easy decision.”The tandem electric models had served so well historically that only refurbishment made sense.
Jobs at Stake as California Port Terminal Upgrades to Green Technology
Unions hope a $30 million grant to electrify tractors in a Long Beach, California, port terminal's final push to become the world's first zero-emissions facility will serve as a bulwark against lost jobs in an era of energy transition and increasing automation. The money from U.S. President Joe Biden's administration for Long Beach Container Terminal's purchase of 60 electric yard tractors that haul shipping containers from stacks to waiting trains comes with strings attached…
Hundested Propeller Acquires Ocean Marine Systems
Hundested Propeller announced it has acquired Ocean Marine Systems Ltd (OMS) and with immediate effect welcomes the U.K. organization as a subsidiary.For over 100 years, Hundested Propeller has been a manufacturer of marine equipment and today it supplies complete controllable pitch propulsion systems, marine gearboxes, thrusters and sail drive solutions. The purchase of OMS will increase its thruster range, and OMS will continue its range of hydraulic cylinders and through-hull instrument deployment systems used in underwater security and seabed mapping applications.The former owners of OMS…
What Does Climate Change Mean for Extreme Waves?
In 80% of the world, we don’t really know.Across much of the world’s oceans, waves are getting bigger. In the Southern Ocean, where storm-driven swell can propagate halfway across the world to California, the average wave has grown about 20cm in the past 30 years.These changes are part of climate change, and are likely to continue well into the future. If you’re making long-term plans near the sea – like building ships, or constructing flood defenses in coastal cities – you need more detail about how big those waves are going to get.In a study published this week in Science Advances…
Fairbanks Morse Defense Launches Its First High-speed Engine
Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) is expanding its naval defense capabilities by offering the nForcer FM 175D engine, the defense contractor's first engine designed for high-speed applications. With more power density than competing high-speed engines in the maritime defense marketplace, the nForcer FM 175D is best suited to support the substantial power and propulsion needs of the Navy's unmanned programs."The Navy's future fleet will be electric, and the power requirements for each…
How Climate Change is Altering River Shipping
Rivers are critical corridors that connect cities and ecosystems alike. When drought develops, water levels fall, making river navigation harder and more expensive.In 2022, water levels in some of the world’s largest rivers, including the Rhine in Europe and the Yangtze in China, fell to historically low levels. The Mississippi River fell so low in Memphis, Tennessee, in mid-October that barges were unable to float, requiring dredging and special water releases from upstream reservoirs to keep channels navigable.Conditions on the lower Mississippi may be easing somewhat…
Louisiana Announces $1.8 Billion Port Expansion Project
A public-private partnership between the state of Louisiana, the Port of New Orleans and two global maritime industry leaders will build a $1.8 billion container facility on the Lower Mississippi River, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced.The new Louisiana International Terminal (LIT) in St. Bernard Parish will be able to serve vessels of all sizes, increasing Louisiana’s import and export capacity and stimulating the creation of more than 17,000 new jobs statewide by 2050, Port NOLA estimates.New Jersey-based Ports America…
Cochin to Build Hopper Dredge for India's DCI
IHC Dredging and Cochin Shipyard have signed an agreement for a design and engineering, hardware and support package for the licensed construction of a Beagle 12 trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD). The 12,000 m capacity TSHD will be built by Cochin Shipyard for the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI).The new dredging vessel will be used by DCI for safeguarding and improving the accessibility of the ports and waterways of India.Ronald van Son, Director Dredging Custom Vessels at IHC Dredging…
Charleston has Deepest Harbor on US East Coast
Charleston Harbor is now the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet.At 52 feet, the biggest ships calling the East Coast can access South Carolina Ports’ terminals any time, any tide. Ships filled with record imports and heavy exports can seamlessly sail through Charleston Harbor to SC Ports’ terminals.This depth makes SC Ports more competitive, helping to attract new ship services, first-in-calls and more cargo to South Carolina.Governor Henry McMaster and other state elected leaders…
MSC to Acquire Towage Operator Rimorchiatori Mediterranei
Swiss-headquartered shipping giant MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA continues to expand with an agreement to acquire towage provider Rimorchiatori Mediterranei.The company announced Sunday a deal through its wholly owned subsidiary SAS Shipping Agencies Services Sàrl to acquire 100% of the share capital of Rimorchiatori Mediterranei S.p.A. from Rimorchiatori Riuniti and a fund managed by DWS’s Infrastructure Investment business.Completion remains subject to the receipt of approvals…
New Lock at the Soo: Unlocking the Great Lakes
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District works on unlocking the Great Lakes by providing a much-needed resiliency at the Soo Locks with the construction of the New Lock at the Soo. The New Lock at the Soo will be the same dimensions as the Poe Lock, 1,200 feet long, 110 feet wide and 30 feet deep.Often called the “linchpin” of the Great Lakes navigation system, the Soo Locks are located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan between the upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario. The Soo Locks enable bulk carrier vessels to safely bypass the swift-moving St.
Molten Salt Reactors: Maritime’s Nuclear Option
A race is being run by nuclear scientists and ship designers. The prize? “Decarbonization’s” holy grail — believed to be a “small” thorium-fueled, molten-salt rector’s unlimited power to propel sea trade. At the same time, a recently revived discussion among leading marine-nuclear thinkers revolves now around how to put an ultra-modern, as-yet non-existent marine reactor aboard a modern commercial vessel. As with nuclear power generally, shipborne reactors produce national discussion first, then discovery.
Rhine Traffic Further Hindered After Vessel's Engine Failure
Around 20 ships are stuck in traffic along Germany's river Rhine, where low water levels have already impeded shipping this summer, after a vessel's engine failure closed part of the waterway, authorities said on Wednesday.A vessel with a 1,660-ton load was forced to drop anchor due to an engine failure, closing traffic between St Goar and Oberwesel, river police said."It's backing up," a spokesperson for the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration told Reuters. "The berths are full all the way to Mainz." Mainz is about 50 kilometres south-east of Oberwesel.Downstream was affected more.
Batteries: Ready to Scale Up
Batteries for maritime power have been picking up big momentum, benefiting from the most basic concept within Econ 101: supply and demand.On May 19 Corvus Energy announced it would establish a lithium ion battery manufacturing facility in Port Bellingham, Wash., just north of Seattle. Corvus Energy is a leading supplier of battery energy storage systems (BESS) for marine applications. Its systems already power more than 30 North American vessels, as well as 29 hybrid port cranes and 11 land-based drilling rigs.Geir Bjørkeli…
Østensjø Vessels Go to Svalbard for Coal Mine Clean-up
Norwegian coal mining company Store Norske is taking in vessels from Østensjø Rederi for one of the most ambitious environmental projects in Norway: the clean-up of the closed down Svea Nord longwall mine in Svlabard."When Svea Nord was closed in March 2020, a new camp was established at Kapp Amsterdam with associated functions such as workshop and power station. In August, the airport closes down, so we need vessels to transport to and from Longyearbyen. In addition, today's camp will be demolished…
USCG Warns of Water Contamination in Fuel Systems
A towing vessel operating in a pushing-ahead configuration experienced a loss of all propulsion while operating on the Mississippi River. The loss of propulsion occurred approximately three hours after getting underway and about 3.5 hours after receiving fuel from a shore-side facility. Fortunately, there was no significant damage to the vessel, nor injuries to crewmembers because of this casualty.The subsequent investigation into the causal factors revealed that the vessel’s fuel tanks and fuel service system to the engine were heavily contaminated by water.
Port of Corpus Christi Names Takizawa Director of Trade Development
The Port of Corpus Christi Authority has named Marcelo “Yudi” Takizawa as its Director of Trade Development. Takizawa has more than 20 years of commercial business and market development leadership experience in the energy and marine transportation space. He comes to the Port of Corpus Christi from Vopak.In his new role, Takizawa will oversee all business and trade development initiatives for the Port of Corpus Christi, including market development, management of customer relationships…
NFPA Certificated Marine Chemists – A Century of Fire Protection and Life Safety
As the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee on Gas Hazards votes on the First Draft of the next edition of NFPA 306, Standard for the Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels, the NFPA Certificated Marine Chemist Program will mark 100 years of fire protection and life safety on marine vessels, in shipyards, marine terminals and waterfront facilities.What started a century ago as an industry effort to prevent fires on vessels under repair has never been more important. According to a 2007 report of the U.S.
Alfa Laval Taps Matthews to Head of UK & Ireland Marine Business
Alfa Laval announced it has appointed Tristan Matthews as the Head of Marine Division for the U.K. and Ireland, effective March 1, 2022.In the new role, Matthews will hold responsibility for driving partnerships with U.K. customers in the marine industry with a strong focus on sustainability, decarbonization, future fuels and alternative technologies.Matthews originally joined Alfa Laval in 2016 as a Marine Sales Engineer for Alfa Laval Marine Service. His preceding role was Business Unit Manager - Marine Capital Sales, UK & Ireland.