Metso News

The world of dredging is defined by the vast diversity of each assignment that contractors perform on any given day. Fortunately, DSC’s standard lineup of dredge equipment can be modified and customized to meet just about any job that needs doing. It wasn’t too long ago that retired U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Jim Loy told me, “If you’ve seen one port, well, you’ve seen one port.” That now-famous declaration was made in reference to port security in a post-9/11 world, but the quip is as valid now as it was when he said it during his tenure as Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Similarly, it can also be said that if you’ve seen one dredging operation, well, then you’ve seen one dredging operation.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has appointed Tero Kokko Senior Vice President, Automation and Projects as of 1 July 2016. He will report to Antti Kaunonen, current Senior Vice President, Automation and Projects who will start as President of Kalmar as of 1 July 2016. Tero Kokko (Doctor of Technology) has worked for Kalmar since 2011, most recently as Vice President, Intelligent Horizontal Transportation Solutions business line. Before joining Kalmar, Tero worked for Metso Automation in various positions and for Tampere University of Technology where he did his PhD on automation and control engineering. "Tero has deep insight on automation, our industry and our company, and is able to combine deep technical expertise with good business understanding and customer focus.

Rose City Yacht Club, a long-standing private marina and social club along the Columbia River in Portland, Ore., recently took delivery and startup of a new 8-inch Badger Class dredge from Reserve, La.-based DSC Dredge, LLC. The Badger dredge was a much-needed replacement for an older dredge the club had purchased used and had operated for more than 20 years. After researching its options, the yacht club’s members decided in early 2015 to order the Badger Class dredge, which is manufactured at DSC’s Greenbush, Mich., facility. The Badger is an 8-inch cutter suction conventional-style dredge.

Maritime innovation never stops, and 2015 was certainly no exception, as a number of “world firsts” hit the high seas. In its December 2015 edition Maritime Reporter & Engineering News (http://digitalmagazines.marinelink.com/nwm/MaritimeReporter/201512/) presented its “Great Ships of 2015;” MarineLink.com takes the process one step further, and here confer the “Top Five Ships” of 2015. With a gross tonnage of 168,666, somewhat smaller than the world's largest Oasis class vessels, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Antti Kaunonen has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Automation and Projects, Kalmar, part of Cargotec. Antti Kaunonen brings with him over 25 years of experience from industrial businesses and deep knowledge in automation. He has delivered proven success in building automation and project business capabilities in global companies. Before joining Kalmar, Antti worked at Voith in Germany close to eight years in different management positions heading Voith Paper Automation, Voith Paper EMEA Region and, most recently, Voith Hydro Automation. Before Voith, Antti worked for Metso Automation over 20 years in various key roles. During this time he lived five years in the USA and over one year in China.

Meyer Werft of Papenburg, Germany has selected Metso DNA for the Integrated Alarm, Monitoring and Control System (IAMCS) to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd's new generation of cruise ships referred to as Project Sunshine. The contract is for three vessels of 167.000 GRT with a capacity for 4180 passengers in double occupancy. The vessels will be of the latest design with high focus on energy saving and sustainable environmental solutions, both important subjects for Royal Caribbean.

About one year ago, Metso announced a launch of a new line of Neles globe control valves, targeted in the first phase to the Asia Pacific, Chinese and Indian petrochemical, refining and oil and gas industries. Global launch is to follow in 2014. Metso is an international supplier of control valves and services. The addition of the globe valve product line means that Metso's customers in Asia Pacific, China and India will have access to a complete portfolio of control valve solutions backed by world-class product, applications and service expertise.

Metso DNA provide high-technology automatic control system to two new multi-functional icebreaking supply vessels. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has been a successful builder of multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels built to operate in harsh conditions in Russia, specializing in shipbuilding technology and today, about 60% of the icebreakers in operation in the world are built in Helsinki. The Russian company Sovcomflot has sufficient confidence in Arctech’s skills that it ordered two identical multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels (MIBSV).

The Star Cruises of Malaysia has chosen Metso to refurbish the automation system on its MS Star Pisces cruise ship that sails in the Far East. The vessel's new automation will increase reliability and customer comfort. After docking in Hong Kong in February, the vessel will continue its cruise program from March 2013 onwards. Metso will supply its state-of-the-art Metso DNA system to replace the present Damatic Classic automation system that it had supplied earlier. Ship automation systems from Metso have a long history.

Metso has won an order from Eni Norge and Statoil to supply its latest-generation stainless steel valve controllers to the Norwegian Goliat Floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) plant in the Barents Sea. Metso's controllers will equip all pneumatic actuated control, on/off and ESD valves of the plant and will help Eni Norge to monitor and report valve performance for asset management purposes. With all valves-related information available, predictive maintenance is possible. Goliat is one of the largest industrial projects ever in the High North and the first oil field to be developed in the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea. Metso's delivery to Goliat project will comprise more than 800 controllers.

Metso has opened a new valve supply and service center in Vadodara, India. The new supply center supports the company’s strategy to grow the valve business globally and strengthens Metso’s service capabilities in India for major petrochemical, energy, and oil and gas companies, such as Reliance Industries Ltd., Indian Oil Corporation, Technip, Praxair India Pvt. Ltd and PRAJ Industries Ltd. “The market in India is growing. Last year, we doubled our order intake for valves and related services, and expect the good development to continue. Establishing a new supply center in India is a step going forward in widening  manufacturing and service capabilities in India,’’  said  Alok Kishore, Country Manager India, Metso Automation.

Metso introduces new solutions for improved safety in upstream offshore industry. New stainless steel version of Metso's intelligent safety valve controller Neles ValvGuard offers market leading pneumatics capacity, extensive safety valve testing capabilities and enhanced online condition monitoring features resulting in improved safety and availability at offshore platforms. To complement its Smart Product offering for offshore customers Metso has released stainless steel versions…

Metso has strengthened its offering for customers in oil and gas and power by acquiring a globe valve technology and service company, Valstone Control Inc. in South Korea (Valstone). The acquisition enables Metso to expand its offering for the oil and gas and power industries with globe valve technology, which plays a key role in most critical processes with extreme pressures and temperatures. Valstone Inc. is a privately-owned globe valve and service specialist company. Valstone has an established customer base in Korean engineering…

Metso is strengthening its product offering by certifying valve products according to the latest widely accepted fire-safe standard - API 607 6th edition. The plan is to replace all former fire-safe certificates and to widen the range of Metso fire-safe certified products in order to better serve our customers' needs and requirements and to expand the applications for our product range. At present, the testing plan applies mainly to Neles ball valves - such as the new D1F-, D2- and X-series valves - as well as L6-butterfly valves and Finetrol-valves.

STX Finland Oy appointed Juha Heikinheimo as new President of STX Finland Oy. Heikinheimo will replace Martin Landtman. It has been agreed that Mr Landtman steps down from his position with immediate effect. While STX Finland in the last years has built and delivered some of the world’s most magnificent vessels, STX Finland has also experienced low order intake of new vessels, resulting in gradually lower activity level during 2009 and 2010. The Board of Directors of STX Finland therefore believes that it is necessary to make a change in the management. Heikinheimo (53), who will start in his new job immediately, has extensive experience from the shipyard industry and has previously worked for STX Europe’s Cruise & Ferry Business Area in France and Finland for more than four years…

Wärtsilä recently signed an agreement with Metso Corporation to co-operate in developing and delivering scrubber systems for marine applications. Under the terms of this agreement, Metso is to supply the scrubber unit, while Wärtsilä is responsible for world-wide sales and integration, including automation, water treatment, and ancillaries. Both Wärtsilä and Metso have experience in the use of scrubber technology for land-based installations. Wärtsilä and Metso have already worked together for a number of years in the development of scrubber technology. In 2005 the two companies, together with other companies within the Finnish maritime cluster, embarked on a program to develop a feasible marine scrubber. By autumn 2007, the project was ready for a test installation.

Metso has been awarded major automation system contracts for 3 advanced vessels to be built in Finland. One contract is for 2 Multifunctional Icebreaking Supply Vessels (MIBSV) by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy for Russian Sovcomflot. The second is a Multipurpose Deck Cargo Carrier by STX Finland Oy for Finnish Gaiamare Ltd. belonging to Turku based Meriaura Group. The MIBSV’s are designated for the Sakhalin-1 Arkutun-Dagi gas field and will be used as supply vessels for the Exxon Neftegas Ltd gas platform. They are designed for the harsh environmental conditions in the Sakhalin area with drifting ice and temperatures down to minus 35°C.

Juha Heikinheimo (54) was appointed President of Napa Group (Napa Ltd), a leading provider of software solutions for the maritime industry. The appointment takes effect on September 1, 2011. Mr Heikinheimo assumes the position from Matti Salo, who successfully served as President of Napa Group for eleven years. Mr Salo will continue as President of the subsidiary, Onboard-Napa Ltd. He will focus his attention on customers and boosting the growth of the NAPA for Operations business. Heikinheimo has extensive experience of the shipbuilding industry.

Metso has received an order for a Metso DNA automation system to a fisheries research vessel. The Fisheries Research Vessel is contracted at STX Finland Oy, Rauma shipyard, by the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources. The vessel is 65m long with a beam of 14m. It is designed with special care about laboratory equipment, propulsion and power generating systems. High serviceability and low maintenance costs has got special attention. The vessel's task will include monitoring of fish stock, as well as sorting, processing, freezing and storage of fish.

Morse Rubber LLC completed a purchase of assets, which include various product ranges and the Keokuk, Iowa manufacturing facility, from Metso Minerals Industries. components. The manufacturing facility comprises 120,000 square ft. under roof with capabilities that include rubber to metal bonding; large scale molding; extruding; machining of rubber, composites and metals as well as metal welding and fabrication. Morse Marine Bearings are rubber lined and water lubricated. They require no seals, and no oil or grease for lubrication. The use of water as a lubricant provides efficient low friction operation and a stable lubricant film due to the incompressibility of water. A full standard range of Imperial and Metric sizes is available. Special sizes are available upon request.

DNV has issued a compliance certificate for the first ship fitted with an exhaust gas cleaning system capable of meeting the requirements of SOx Emission Control Areas. The certification demonstrates that ship operators may in the future have the option of using traditional fuel oils, rather than low-sulphur fuels, when voyaging in designated sensitive areas such as the North Sea. The pilot SOx scrubbing system was fitted to the exhaust pipe of an auxiliary engine on the product tanker, MT Suula, owned by Neste Oil Shipping of Finland. DNV approved the system on behalf of the Finnish Maritime Administration after overseeing the installation and successful operation of the new technology.