Marco Pluijm News

The global engineering, project management and construction company, Bechtel has become a member of the World Ocean Council (WOC), the international business alliance for Corporate Ocean Responsibility. Bechtel brings considerable experience and expertise in the design, engineering and construction of sustainable ports and coastal infrastructure. The company has worked on more than 80 ports and coastal projects around the world. Its projects include Khalifa Port (UAE), Jamnagar Refinery and Port Complex (India) and Jubail Industrial City and Port (Saudi Arabia). “Smart planning, innovation and having an integrated approach are key to developing sustainable infrastructure,” said Tam Nguyen, global head of sustainability at Bechtel.

The benefits of offshore ports in the U.S. In many parts of the world, offshore ports are a good solution for meeting the requirements of the rapid changes in the international container and bulk shipping industry. Bigger ships, changing routes and destinations require larger and deeper ports, which port owners and operators can be confident will be capable of handling ever-increasing sizes of vessels for many years to come. One of the major challenges in the current container shipping industry is to bundle and organize capacity in the most economical way.

The Maritime Alliance promotes the 6th Annual event Novemeber 12-13, 2014 at the McMillin Companies Event Center in San Diego, CA  as a unique opportunity to understand trends, network with leaders from the public and private sector, see innovative technologies by the exhibitors, and identify possible partners. Recent studies are helping us understand the size and dynamic nature of the Blue Economy and particularly the BlueTech sector that is enabling us to explore, measure and develop ocean industries like never before. And financial and strategic investors are recognizing the opportunity evidenced by an increasing number of M&A and financing transactions - four sizeable transactions announced in the San Diego BlueTech community in the last 120 days alone. Leaders from the U.S.

Bechtel says it announced the results of its research at the PIANC World Congress in San Francisco, confirming that in restricted waters, the wash from passing ships can exert large forces on moored vessels, mooring lines and fender loads, creating dangerous conditions. The research also concluded that the forces from the wash are directly influenced by the shape of the port basin, the size of the vessel, the passing distance, and the passing speed. Based on the findings, researchers have developed a software program to immediately improve the safety of ports and created guidelines for use in the planning and design of future ports.

Bechtel, the global engineering, construction and project management company, has created a design for ports that they say has potential to transform shipping in Africa. The Multi-User Offshore Hub is designed for two or more users and consists of an offshore, smart terminal arrangement and docking system that can accommodate oceangoing vessels and barges. The Multi-User Offshore Hub has the potential to open new market opportunities for African ports by significantly increasing capacity and substantially reducing port construction and operation costs.

Bechtel, the global engineering, construction, and project management company, has created a revolutionary design for ports that could transform shipping in Africa. The Multi-User Offshore Hub is designed for two or more users and consists of an offshore, smart terminal arrangement and docking system that can accommodate ocean-going vessels and barges. The Multi-User Offshore Hub has the potential to open new market opportunities for African ports by significantly increasing capacity and substantially reducing port construction and operation costs.

Bechtel launched a new research initiative to improve the safety of mooring large cargo ships off the coast of West Africa. The combination of heavy ocean swell, squalls and shallow coastlines can create unpredictable conditions which limit the number of dry bulkers that can be moored safely in the area. The results of this research aim to provide new mooring guidelines and systems, which will improve the transfer and transshipment of natural resources from the region. Bechtel’s senior ports specialist, Marco Pluijm, who chairs the new joint-industry project, announced the new research initiative at the Smart Ports Seminar in Wageningen, Netherlands.