Engine Operators News

Chevron Marine Products said Tuesday that four-stroke engine operators could benefit from its new lubricating oil's versatility.HDAX 9700 was created to provide a solution for engines that run on multiple liquid and gaseous fuels and applications that require a low-sulfated ash lubricant, Chevron said.According to the company, the HDAX 9700t is also suitable for dual-fuel marine engines, as HDAX 9700 has successfully completed more than 20.000 hours of testing on a Wärtsilä dual-fuel power plant.“HDAX 9700 brings many benefits for operators of four-stroke engines.

With more than 90 percent of global trade carried by sea, shipping is a major battleground in the reduction of emissions. Tier III is the latest emission standard pertaining to NOx emissions from marine diesel engines. Tier IV is expected to come into effect for 2020 – with engine manufacturers already seeking sealing components to future-proof engines well into the next decade. Here we explore challenges faced by diesel engine operators in the face of Tier III, and how the correct selection of sealing materials could deliver better performing solutions.

Pivotal LNG, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AGL Resources, and WesPac Midstream LLC announced they have been selected by TOTE, Inc. to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel TOTE’s two new state-of-the-art container ships in Jacksonville, Fla. TOTE’s new dual fuel LNG container ships are expected to be delivered to the port in Jacksonville in late 2015 and early 2016. To move forward on this project, Pivotal LNG, Inc., WesPac and TOTE have signed a letter of intent and are working toward definitive agreements. While there is still work to be done, Pivotal LNG, Inc.

By any yardstick, remote monitoring is fleet optimization in the new millennium. You’re all over it: optimizing your fleet. But, what does that mean? For some operators, it means making sure their mix of vessels meets the needs of their customers and the prevailing winds of the economy. For others, it entails reading the tea leaves just right when it comes to deciding on time charters or dipping one’s toes into the spot markets. Still others focus on the closely linked Holy Grail of reduced bunker consumption and minimal stack emissions. For all of these cool customers, however, “remote monitoring” will also be part of that equation. That said; defining what remote monitoring means is another thing altogether. Remote monitoring of on board metrics or data points is here.

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems announce the development of the MaK M 34 DF, a new marine dual fuel engine platform for the commercial marine industry. The M 34 DF dual fuel engine boasts a power rating of 500 kW per cylinder at 720 and 750 rpm in diesel and gas modes, and will share the same footprint as the highly successful M 32 C engine series. The M 34 DF will be capable of running on natural gas as an alternative to marine diesel oil or large and complex scrubber installations for Emission Control Areas (ECA) operation as of 2015. First engine deliveries are foreseen for October 2014.

A two-week voyage through four Great Lakes and the Mississippi River will bring to the Port of Houston Authority the first of three high-performance fireboats to replace the current fleet. "As the nation's busiest port in terms of foreign tonnage and home to one of the world's largest petrochemical complexes, our firefighting team is second to none in protecting this national asset and the many who work here," said Port Authority Executive Director Len Waterworth. The five-member crew includes three from the Port of Houston Authority's Fire Department.

Trans Marine Propulsion Systems, Inc. (TMPS) join with Seattle Marine Consulting LLC to support marine diesel repair volume. "This partnership is a win win for all," said Herbert Roeser, TMPS Chairman. Vessel owners and diesel engine operators worldwide will now have streamlined access to the expertise, knowledge base and service teams of both companies. In todays diesel world, it is hard to find the engineering experience needed to spot failures before they happen, expertise that can only be obtained from decades of hands-on experience. "Together, these two companies can utilize our more than 60 years of joint engine experience on 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines and their related equipment to serve our customers the best possible way…

Held on 9 September at SMM, more than 150 delegates attended this year's CIMAC Circle, covering the total cost of ownership of marine propulsion engines. Inevitably, the panel of engine builders, engine (vessel) operators and engine system and component makers were strongly influenced by the effects on engine first costs and engine running costs of the upcoming IMO Tier II and Tier III emissions regulations, due in 2011 and 2015 respectively. As Dr. Udo Schlemmer-Kelling of Caterpillar Motoren noted in the title of his lively presentation: IMO III is knocking at our door. The levels of emissions reduction prescribed by IMO Tier III for vessels operating in Emissions Control Areas clearly come at a price…