Marine Link
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Polar Tankers News

03 Dec 2021

ABS Approves 3D Printed Spare Parts After Tanker Trial

(Photo: Sembcorp Marine)

Parts fabricated by additive manufacturing (AM) – also known as 3D printing – and installed on an oil tanker for operational testing have been validated to be in good working condition, marking a significant step for the technology's implementation in the marine industry.The project involving ABS, ConocoPhillips Polar Tankers, Sembcorp Marine Ltd and 3D Metalforge started in February 2021 with the fabrication and lab-testing of functional additive manufactured parts, which were then installed on board the oil tanker Polar Endeavour.

27 Apr 2021

ABS Publishes Guide on 3D Printing

© jean song / Adobe Stock

Classification society ABS has published guidance on the application of additive manufacturing (AM) in the marine and offshore industries.The ABS Guide for Additive Manufacturing focuses on two main categories of metal AM processes: Powder Bed Fusion and Directed Energy Deposition. The Guide defines the ABS approval and certification process for AM facilities and AM parts by providing standards for AM design, feedstock material, building processes, inspection and testing. The Guide includes a strong focus on the quality of the materials and of the manufacturing process…

17 Feb 2021

3D Printed Parts Installed On Oil Tanker

(Image: ABS)

Additive manufactured parts have been built, tested and installed on board the U.S.-flagged oil tanker Polar EndeavorTraditionally, parts used in shipbuilding and repair are manufactured via casting or forging techniques. For this project, a consortium consisting of ABS, Sembcorp Marine, 3D Metalforge and ConocoPhillips Polar Tankers Inc. (Polar) aimed to utilize additive manufacturing (AM) to fabricate three types of parts that surpass conventionally manufactured products in terms of quality.

20 Aug 2018

Shipping Companies Recognized for Efforts to Save Whales

(Photo: NOAA)

NOAA presented awards to 13 global shipping firms for their commitment in helping prevent ship collisions with whales off the coast of California.The companies participated in a Voluntary Speed Reduction initiative by slowing their ships to speeds of 10 knots (about 11.5 mph) or lower while transiting vessel traffic lanes outside the Golden Gate during whale feeding season, from May through mid-November.The national marine sanctuaries of North-central California - Greater Farallones…

26 Jun 2014

USCG Presents William M. Benkert Awards

Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Vice Adm. Peter Neffenger presented the 2014 Rear Adm. William Benkert Awards at the American Petroleum Institute's (API) annual tanker conference Thursday. The award is given to support and recognize maritime industry efforts for their environmental protection programs. This biennial award was started in 1995 and honors industry leaders in the field of marine safety and environmental protection and provides an opportunity for the Coast Guard to recognize leadership, innovation and creativity found among those members of the maritime industry. It is the premier environmental protection award presented by the U.S.

26 Jun 2014

Polar Tankers Win Prestigious Coast Guard Award

The United States Coast Guard informs that it has recognized ConocoPhillips subsidiary Polar Tankers, Inc. with the Rear Admiral William M. Benkert Osprey Award for Environmental Excellence. Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger, the USCG 29th Vice Commandant, presented the award at the American Petroleum Institute Tanker Conference. The Benkert awards were created to recognize outstanding achievements in marine environmental protection that go beyond compliance with industry and regulatory standards. A committee reviews and scores award applications submitted biennially by maritime operators. The Osprey-level Benkert award is the highest environmental award given by the USCG. “ConocoPhillips is honored to accept this prestigious maritime award from the U.S.

09 Jan 2014

Charting Paperless Navigation in U.S. Waters

Vessel approaching the con Hook range in New York harbor. The image shows a dual display for ECDIS running the official US5NY1CM cell groomed for the tanker in transit. (Transas simulation, real ECDIS)

Pasha Hawaii, SeaRiver Maritime Inc., and perhaps ConocoPhillips will soon share the practice of paperless navigation in U.S. domestic trades. Each of these three ship owner/operators is managing a transition to paperless navigation at distinctly significant stages. Their progress opens a window into the evolution of electronic navigation, now taking place worldwide. There are other U.S. operators on a similar path, to be sure, but the prominence of these three is exemplary. The…

18 Mar 2010

Polar Tankers to Pay $588K for 2004 Spill

Polar Tankers Inc., a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Co., has agreed to pay $588,000 to help compensate the public for environmental harm caused by the October 2004 crude oil spill into Puget Sound’s Dalco Passage near Tacoma. The payment would come under a proposed settlement agreement or consent decree filed this week in U.S. District Court, Western Washington Division involving Polar Tankers and the United States, state of Washington, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Puyallup Tribe of Indians. A consent decree in federal court makes no finding of guilt or innocence. The U.S. Attorney General’s action was made at the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S.

11 Aug 2009

Polar Tankers Receives Ecology Award

Representatives from Washington Department of Ecology and the oil tank vessel industry met in Seattle on July 29 to award Polar Tankers with Ecology’s Exceptional Compliance Program (ECOPRO) Award. The award was given to the subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Co. for achieving excellence in marine safety and environmental stewardship. Polar Tankers operates U.S.-flagged crude oil tankers on the West Coast including Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii and Canada. Its five modern, Endeavour Class tankers are specifically designed to carry crude oil in an environmentally safe manner.

17 Jun 2009

Valdez Oil Tanker Tax Ruled Unconstitutional

According to a June 15 report on ktuu.com, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a tax the city of Valdez has been collecting from oil tankers. A Conoco Phillips subsidiary, Polar Tankers, fought the tax and the high court ruled the tax unconstitutional. It argued that under a provision known as the "tonnage clause," Valdez must first get permission from Congress for the tax – something it did not do. (Source: ktuu.com)

11 Sep 2008

Alaska Upholds City of Valdez Tax on Large Vessels

On April 25, 2008, the Alaska Supreme Court held that a City of Valdez property tax, apportioned based on days docked in the City over days docked everywhere and imposed on large vessels, did not violate the Due Process, Commerce or Tonnage Clauses of the U.S. Constitution. City of Valdez v. Polar Tankers, S-12218/12223, Supreme Court of Alaska (April 25, 2008). In 2000, the City of Valdez (the "City") adopted a personal property tax (the "Vessel Tax") to compensate for its declining oil and gas property revenues. Revenues were declining as a result of a depreciation formula negotiated by the State of Alaska and the owners of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (the "TAPS"), which included Conoco Phillips and Exxon Mobil, in the mid-1980s.

03 Mar 2008

SCI – Houston Adds Instructors to Training Staff

The Seamen’s Church Institute announces that Captain Henry E. Cummings and Captain Stephen Polk have joined the teaching staff at the Institute’s simulator training center located in the Port of Houston. Since May of 2001, the SCI – Houston Center staff has provided advanced training for deep-sea, inland, and coastal mariners. Captain Henry E. Prior to joining SCI in January of 2008, Captain Henry Cummings was Senior Port Captain and an Operations Officer at XL Marine in Paducah, KY. For two years, he was responsible for managing Navigation and Crewing concerns, supervising chemical tows on the Ohio River, and investigating all vessel incidents and reporting findings to management.

05 Dec 2001

Great Ships of 2001 -- Polar Endeavour

Representing an important milestone for U.S. commercial shipbuilding, the delivery of the 141,740-dwt Polar Endeavour signaled the unfolding of a major new chapter of investment in the fleet dedicated to coastwise transportation of Alaskan crude oil. Giving first form to the Millennium concept, the tanker has been purpose-designed for trade in the world's most environmentally-sensitive waters. While Polar Tankers' main requirement of the Millennium-class is to ship crude to Puget Sound from the Trans Alaska Pipeline terminal at Valdez, the series is also suited to the needs of the traffic to California and Hawaii. The program had been implemented in 1997…

05 Dec 2001

Great Ships of 2001 -- Polar Endeavour

Representing an important milestone for U.S. commercial shipbuilding, the delivery of the 141,740-dwt Polar Endeavour signaled the unfolding of a major new chapter of investment in the fleet dedicated to coastwise transportation of Alaskan crude oil. Giving first form to the Millennium concept, the tanker has been purpose-designed for trade in the world's most environmentally-sensitive waters. While Polar Tankers' main requirement of the Millennium-class is to ship crude to Puget Sound from the Trans Alaska Pipeline terminal at Valdez, the series is also suited to the needs of the traffic to California and Hawaii. The program had been implemented in 1997…

09 Feb 2004

Training & Education: CBT and the Inland Tow and Barge Industry

With fleets spread over 25,000 miles of waterways, the inland tow and barge industry faces training and communication challenges intensified in comparison to other sectors of the maritime industry. Even though they may be close to home, inland waterways crew are constantly on the move and lunch bucket crews need to preserve valuable time spent onboard and commuting. The abundance of locks, bridges and other traffic along the waterways keeps crew busy performing critical navigation duties, making it essential that time spent on training is efficient and maximizes value. Large operators face the challenge of constantly improving the value of training dollars spent and driving industry best practices.

09 Jan 2002

Northrop Grumman Names Retired Rear Adm. Yount To Head Operations At Avondale Facility

Grumman Corporation announced today that Rear Adm. George R. Yount, USN (Ret.), has been named vice president of the company's Ship Systems sector, with responsibility for operations at the Avondale facility. Rear Adm. Yount, 55, will join Ship Systems' senior management team in mid-January. ship management personnel involved in ship construction as well as production planning, scheduling and facility engineering. Rear Adm. Yount will also serve on the Ship Systems Policy Council which influences all future Northrop Grumman Ship Systems business decisions.\Rear Adm. for Integrated Warfare Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command. "We are delighted to have George Yount join our Ship Systems team," said Dr. Philip A. of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. Rear Adm.

05 Apr 2002

Creating A New Paradigm for Simulator Training

Today, we live in a new era of global maritime standards, with the advent of ISO, ISM, and STCW-95. The industry has embraced these standards as mechanisms to ensure that corporate policy, company operational procedures, and mariners sailing on the open seas are measured and certified. Old internal practices have been done away with, and the new standard within the industry is to certify compliance in companies and aboard ships. At the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) and Pacific Maritime Institute (PMI), it is our business to train professional mariners. Our curriculum has been structured to exceed the standards of STCW and to provide mariners with the most realistic and technically advanced training available.

23 Apr 2002

Industry Leaders Elected To ABS Membership

Twenty-four prominent shipping industry executives have been elected as new Members of ABS bringing the classification society's worldwide membership to 817. The members, each eminent in their maritime field of endeavor, provide broad governance and oversight of ABS. Members are drawn from various sectors of the marine, offshore and related industries worldwide. Timothy J. Lawrence R. James J. John R. RADM. Robert C. Vittorio Portunato, Managing Director, Portunato & C.S.R.L. John F. Reinhart, CEO, Maersk Line. William J. H. W.

12 Apr 2002

Polar Discovery to be Christened at Avondale

Polar Tankers, Inc. is set to unveil its third state-of-the-art Endeavour Class double-hulled tanker, the POLAR DISCOVERY, during a christening ceremony on Saturday, April 13, at the Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Avondale shipyard in New Orleans. Phillips Petroleum Company, parent of Polar Tankers, is building five Endeavour Class tankers. The contract cost of the POLAR DISCOVERY is valued at $168 million. The Endeavour Class tankers, also known as the Millennium Class, are the first crude-oil carriers being built for the Alaska trade in compliance with the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The first tanker, the POLAR ENDEAVOUR, arrived in Valdez, Alaska, on its maiden voyage in July 2001. The new POLAR DISCOVERY tanker will join the Polar Tankers fleet in 2003.

16 May 2002

Investing for Academic Excellence

Given the sheer enormity and fluidity of the STCW-95 Code, it became abundantly apparent to MITAGS and to our trustee companies that organizations and mariners would need substantial assistance in complying with the Code. Therefore, we began a complete revision to our curriculum, which meant that we would have to commit substantial resources to assist in this effort. The Global Marine Distress Safety System (GMDSS) was an early example of the issues associated with the implementation of STCW-95 Code. Right from the beginning, MITAGS advocated meaningful GMDSS training curriculum standards. MITAGS understood that, in a distress situation, a mariner's best opportunity for survival would be a complete knowledge of GMDSS procedures.

07 Jun 2002

Redundancy the Next Watchword?

The fact that the actual incidence of oil cargo spills as a percentage of global shipments is minuscule can never be a reason for any relaxation in the constant vigilance and unerring drive for risk minimization which must be practiced in all fields of tanker shipping. Certainly, there is no evidence of complacency. The industry's continual striving for improvements in vessel and system design, operating procedures, risk management processes and training has a powerful motivator in the increasing, manifold penalties associated with marine pollution. But professionalism and the striving to meet business objectives in a competitive world tend to be understated as the real drivers of advance…

31 May 2002

Northrop Grumman Delivers Second Double-Hulled Tanker

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Ship Systems sector delivered the tanker Polar Resolution in a brief ceremony at its Avondale Operations in New Orleans, La. Polar Resolution is the second of five 140,000 deadweight (DWT) Endeavour-class double-hulled crude oil carriers Northrop Grumman Ship Systems is building for Polar Tankers, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum Company. "The delivery of this second double-hulled tanker underscores our commitment to compete in profitable commercial shipbuilding," said Dr. Philip A. Dur, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. The Endeavour-class tankers are the first crude oil carriers being built for the Alaskan trade in compliance with the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

13 Oct 2000

Avondale To Build Fourth DH Tanker

Litton Industries Inc. said Polar Tankers Inc. has exercised an option for a fourth double-hull crude oil carrier, valued at $197 million, to ship Alaskan crude oil. Under a contract awarded in 1997, Litton's Avondale Industries Inc. subsidiary has three 125,000 DWT crude oil carriers under construction. Delivery of the first ship is scheduled for January 2001. Long Beach, Calif.-based Polar Tankers, a subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum Co., Polar Tankers has an option with Litton Avondale for a fifth ship which could be exercised in the first quarter of calendar year 2001. The Millennium Class "next generation" tankers being built at Litton Avondale are the first new crude-oil carriers being built for the Alaskan trade in compliance with the Federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

Subscribe for
Maritime Reporter E-News

Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week