Pipe Systems News

Damen Shiprepair Harbor & Voyage (DSHV) has signed a joint partnership cooperation with Verolme Special Equipment for the provision of services to exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), widely known as marine scrubbers. The agreement arose from a mutual understanding that both parties’ clients were seeking wider availability of services for on board scrubber installations – either in port or underway. The partnership will create a leading global service provider of EGCS, supporting cleaner…

Subsea 7's newbuild reel lay vessel Seven Vega has been transported from Royal IHC's shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel to Rotterdam Heijplaat through the beautiful scenery of Rotterdam.Launched in May 2019, Seven Vega is a high-specification vessel capable of installing complex rigid flowlines including pipe-in-pipe systems. Seven Vega has an overall length of 149 meters, a breadth of 33 meters and a Class 3 dynamic positioning system. Its reel lay system has a 600-metric-ton…

ST Engineering Halter Marine and Offshore (STEHMO) installed a NOV crown mounted compensator (CMC) on Diamond Offshore’s Ocean Blackhawk drillship.The 215-metric-ton passive heave compensator was fully assembled and lifted on the top of the derrick on May 22, 2019. Carol Crane Rigging & Lifting Technology and Mammoet supported STEHMO with completing the engineered lift. STEHMO also cleaned and painted tanks, lifeboats and the exterior hull above the waterline.Before the lift,…

Shipbuilder Royal IHC has launched the fully integrated reel-lay vessel Seven Vega for subsea engineering, construction and services company Subsea 7.The ceremony took place at IHC’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands, and was performed by Monica Th. Bjørkmann, Vice President for Subsea 7 in Norway.Stuart Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President Strategy and Commercial Subsea 7 said, “The vessel marks an important investment for the future. When delivered in early 2020, Seven Vega will be one of the most capable and cost-effective reel-lay vessels in the market and a global enabler for Subsea 7. It has been designed to deliver…

Industry veteran T.J. Tracy has been named Director of the Marine Division at Viega LLC.Tracy is charged with further developing the company’s fast-growing marine division. Viega offers a full line of fittings and valves designed specifically for joining pipe systems on board military vessels, commercial vessels, oil platforms, cruise ships and mega yachts.  Tracy has spent his entire career in the maritime industry. Prior to joining Viega, he was vice president of sales and marketing at Survitec Group & Zodiac of North America.The Coast Guard veteran has a criminal justice degree from State University of New York College at Oswego. He and his wife have twin daughters. They live in Cambridge, Md.

The keel laying ceremony for Subsea 7’s new reel-lay vessel took place at Royal IHC in Krimpen aan den IJssel (Netherlands), July 5th. In line with this major milestone Subsea 7 announced the vessel will be named Seven Vega, which is the winning suggestion of an employee vessel naming competition. Stuart Fitzgerald, Executive Vice President Strategy and Commercial Subsea 7 said: “The vessel marks an important investment for the future. When delivered, Seven Vega will be one of the most capable and cost-effective reel-lay vessels in the market and a global enabler for Subsea 7.

Royal IHC and Subsea 7 have signed a contract for the design and build of a high specification reel lay vessel capable of installing complex rigid flowlines including pipe-in-pipe systems. IHC said it has worked in close cooperation with Subsea 7 to incorporate several innovative features to make this one of the most technologically advanced vessels to date. The vessel’s compact dimensions are facilitated by the creative positioning of its three engine rooms and main reel, efficient use of the superstructure and low-profile pipelay ramp.

Vulkan Italia has signed a cooperation with the German company SB Broneske. Vulkan Italia is going to work as a representative for SB Broneske in the Italian market, where the two companies will join their experience on the elastic support for exhaust pipe system. Elastic support for the exhaust pipe system includes vibration mounts, expansion bellows, pipe penetrations and rain caps for the exhaust pipe system of ships. Vulkan Italia, founded in 1987 and located in Novi Ligure, is the market leader in elastic support in the ship building industry in Italy. Vulkan Italia provides a superior service and deep knowledge of applications to the Italian customers. SB Broneske, founded in 1972, is inventor, designer and producer of elastic support for the exhaust pipe systems.

Bibby Offshore won a contract with Shell, due to commence in Q1 2017, that will see Bibby Offshore provide engineering and subsea construction activities in the Gannet G field in the Central North Sea. Bibby Offshore is contracted to use utilize its multipurpose dive support and offshore construction vessel - Bibby Polaris - and its integral 1000 ton basket carousel to lay flexible pipe systems in water depths of approximately 95m. The company has also collaborated with a third party operator who will carry out trenching operations after the initial workscope is complete.

The imposition of a global 0.5% sulfur cap may be less than four years away. This clearly will eliminate residual fuel from the available fuel options unless you have fitted your vessel with a scrubber or other exhaust gas treatment technology in order to comply with MARPOL Annex VI emission regulations. At the start of 2015, permitted sulfur levels in emission control areas (ECA) dropped from 1% m/m to 0.10% m/m. Although this was a large reduction, the switch was relatively…

The Damen Shipyards Group has received an order for a state-of-the-art, 74 m Fishery Research Vessel from the Angolan Ministry of Fisheries. This special vessel, which has Silent-A/F/R Class notation and features a basic design from Skipsteknisk. The Angolan Ministry of Fisheries has been a customer for many years and previously Damen delivered two 62 m Fishery Inspection Surveillance Vessels 6210 and a smaller Fishery Research Vessel (FRV 2808). This vessel represents the cutting edge of its type and Damen is confident that it will help develop and preserve the important Angolan fishing economy. Hein van Ameijden, Managing Director of Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, commented that the yard’s vast naval building expertise can also be applied to this innovative research ship.

Eiltank Schiffart GmbH & Co KG has placed the order for the repair of the inland waterway tanker vessel Julius Rütgers Shipyard with the shipyard Gerb. Kooiman B.V. Zwijndrecht, The Netherlands. MTS Julius Rütgers was seriously damaged after the explosion of some cargo tanks. The midship area is heavily deformed and two cargo tanks exploded. The ship's deck of these tanks is almost completely ruptured. The deck of adjacent tanks is distorted. On the slipway of Shipyard Gebr. Kooiman B.V.…

Elwood Ide has joined Viega LLC as the company’s newest technical manager for shipbuilding and offshore for the West Coast. In this position, Ide will provide analysis, forecasts and guidance for developing the marine and offshore business in the California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii and British Columbia region. He will also introduce and train engineers and craftsmen to use and install new solutions that meet rigorous marine and offshore challenges. Ide has more than 40 years of piping design engineering experience for the commercial, industrial, military and marine industries.

Shipowners seeking to combat the harmful effects of lime scale, bacteria, algae and biofouling inside their vessels’ various water systems needn’t look any further than Hydropath Marine, a chemical-free technology for onboard water treatment. The patented Hydropath technology, which uses electrical signals to kill algae and bacteria, was initially developed in the early ’90s to treat lime scale within the home, but has since been developed for a dozen different product ranges for both land-based and marine applications…

Having been manufacturing Tube and Pipe Weld Purging Systems since 1975 Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) said it has evolved the science of Weld Purging to new levels. Along with other recently announced scientific developments in its Weld Purge Monitor series, the Company has now reached the Fifth version of its Tube and Pipe Weld Purge System designs by launching the new PurgElite range of Tube and Pipe Weld Purging systems for diameters from 1” to 24” diameter inclusive.

SB Broneske (Schwingungstechnik-Broneske GmbH) said it is the only supplier worldwide of fire- and water-proofed flexible deck and bulkhead penetration for the exhaust pipe system. In addition to the world exclusive certificate of fire approval for single pipe deck penetration our company received on August 19, 2013 the Lloyd’s Register Type Approval for single steel pipe bulkhead penetration. The penetrations are fire-proof for 60 minutes (A-60) at 1,000’C and water-proof for 30 minutes six meters, 0.6 bar). They are especially popular with all kinds of passenger vessels and offshore ships.

Teekay Couplings is launching its new Teekay Plastlock Pipe Coupling on September 9, the first day of the SMM marine trade fair in Hamburg, Germany. Enabling simple, rapid and permanent joining of plain-ended plastic pipes, the product will greatly increase the ability of the marine industry to specify plastic pipes in builds and therefore realise the cost, time, space, weight and simplification benefits of the material. Key to the new product’s capability is its patented dynamic axial restraint system…

Many vessel operators that experience leaks to piping, pipe fittings, and bulkheads have, in recent years, turned to the HydraWrap system. Used to repair leaking pipe systems and prevent downtime, the HydraWrap system, manufactured by HydraTech Engineered Products, LLC in Cincinnati, OH, utilizes high strength carbon fiber fabric and high strength epoxy resins to restore the structural and/or pressure boundary capacity of shipboard piping, bulkheads and equipment. In a nutshell, HydraWrap is a low cost alternative to traditional weld repairs.

Signal International announced the delivery of the Frontier Driller semisubmersible rig which underwent a major upgrade and modernization at its East Bank yard in Pascagoula, Miss. The scope of work encompassed starting with a veteran semisubmersible rig; renovating and outfitting it with updated drilling and marine equipment to render the rig capable of drilling deeper wells. Major tasks such as construction of new derrick (single lift), new BOP handling structure, addition of winch decks (four corners)…

“Lessons are still not being learned when it comes to preventing engine room fires.” This is the message from Graeme Temple, Regional Director for Braemar SA’s Far East operations, following a review of incidents taking place in 2013. “Last year we attended a significant number of engine-room fires - the industry is still experiencing far too many unnecessary casualties where flammable liquids in engine rooms are finding their way onto hot spots,” he said. ”On many of the vessels I visit…

Lessons are still not being learnt when it comes to preventing engine room fires according to Braemar SA (Braemar Incorporating The Salvage Association). He adds: “On many of the vessels I visit, these hot spots are only too easy to find, with thermal imaging photographs readily identifying these defects”. Braemar SA says that, despite all the attention classification societies aim at fire prevention and protection design, potential problems must be detected earlier to ensure a fast and efficient first response.