The Human Element of Ship Management
The best third party ship managers employ technology, good business practices, economies of scale and a customized approach for each client. None of that will succeed without first addressing the human element of the equation. Ship managers Crowley Maritime, Thome and Bibby Ship management companies all manage tonnage for others, in sometimes dissimilar sectors and different regions and world trades. Those differences set the three groups apart in terms of the skill sets necessary to manage different classes and types of ships. What brings them all together is a common belief that the human element of ship management is a critical piece of the equation. As it turns out, it may actually be the most important.
ABB wins UAE Order for Solar Power Grid Integration
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won an order worth around $55 million from Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), the leading power utility in United Arab Emirates (UAE), to build a substation that will integrate power from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park. The order was awarded in the third quarter of 2014. The gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substation will enhance transmission capacity, boost power supplies and strengthen the reliability of the grid. The 100 megawatt (MW) Phase II of the solar power plant in Seih Al Dahal, about 50 kilometers (km) south of Dubai, is scheduled to commence generation in 2017. The solar park is one of the biggest renewable energy projects in the Middle East and North Africa.
US Discussions Target Navigation Tech
The U.S. Coast Guard, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will hold nationwide public discussions on navigational aid technology and how it will affect the future of America's waterways. The Future of Navigation-21st Century Waterways public listening sessions will be held in several locations across the country and will provide venues for open communications between various federal agencies and U.S. Maritime Transportation System stakeholders to discuss the joint federal agency initiative to use modern technology to support a safer, more efficient, more secure and environmentally-sound Marine Transportation System.
Genei Maru No. 7 Waste Removal Operations Continue
A unified command including the Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Alaska Department of Environmental (ADEC), Crowley Marine Services, and FOSS Environmental Services, today continued waste removal operations on a Japanese squid catcher that ran hard aground on Afognak Island November 10. The contractors continue to work to remove the hazardous and solid waste aboard the vessel but will not be salvaging the 97-ft. vessel. After reviewing the salvage assessment the Federal On Scene Coordinator and the State On Scene Coordinator determined that salvaging the vessel at this time isn’t feasible. “We will continue to remove the hazardous materials, oils and other solid waste,” said Capt. Ron Morris, Federal On Scene Coordinator.
