Island Monarch News

Krill Systems Inc., a producer of Vessel Fuel Measurement and Monitoring Systems (VFMMS), announced delivery, installation and successful sea trials of three more systems to Island Tug and Barge Ltd. of Richmond B.C. Canada. The newly fitted vessels, Island Scout, Island Brave and Cindy Mozel, bring to a total six vessels fitted in the Island Tug and Barge fleet with Krill VFMMS, the others being Island Crown, Island Defender and Island Monarch, which were fitted about three years ago. The Krill VFMMS systems installed on these vessels will measure and transmit fuel consumption data from two main engines and two generators on each vessel and transmit that data to a Krill Vessel Operations Center (VOC) installed at Island Tug and Barge headquarters.

The Intercon Coupler System is designed to provide a safe and efficient solution to the problems of connecting tugs and barges in ocean and coastwise pushing operations. Principal benefits include the ability to push in the widest range of sea states; the complete elimination of hull contact; fail-safe mechanical connection with redundant controls, and elimination of the expense and hazards of towing lines and related equipment. In simplest form, the patented Intercon System provides a single degree of freedom allowing the tug to pitch about a transverse connection between the tug and barge. All other motions are restrained so that tug motions match barge motions in roll and heave.

Research Winches for R/V Maria S. Seven special winches were supplied by Hatlapa in December 2003 after being tested and demonstrated in the factory. These winches are intended for the new research vessel Maria S. Merian, which will support the vessel Polarstern during operations in the Arctic. Hatlapa has escorted this project for five years, during which time the design of the winches was formed in close cooperation with the order principal BAW (Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau) and the shipyard Krögerwerft in Rendsburg. One specialty is the combination of friction and storage winch for handling the very long and relatively thin measuring cables. The advantage is that the sensitive and expensive research ropes can be spooled on the storage winch free from load.

"It is exciting to see our vessels coming and going through the harbour, I particularly enjoy that fact that we appear to be one of the busiest, and best looking fleets on the water," says Island Tug and Barge Ltd. President Bob Shields of the view from his harbour side office in Vancouver, BC. Capt. Shields has built a reputation as a boat proud innovator in the already innovative British Columbia towboating industry. This reputation was furthered last year when Shields and his partner, Capt.

"It is exciting to see our vessels coming and going through the harbor, I particularly enjoy that fact that we appear to be one of the busiest, and best looking fleets on the water," says Island Tug and Barge Ltd. President Bob Shields of the view from his harbour side office in Vancouver, BC. Capt. Shields has built a reputation as a boat proud innovator in the already innovative British Columbia towboating industry. This reputation was furthered last year when Shields and his partner, Capt. Jack Davies, retrofitted an Intercon connector to their handsome 41.5 by 9.75-metre 3000 HP twin-screw tug Island Monarch. Now, a year later, Vancouver waterfront watchers are seeing the company repower their classic raised-focsle style Island Crown with a pair of Cummins KTA38.