Plant Equipment News

MAN Energy Solutions and Svitzer have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on the development of a methanol-fuelled version of the MAN 175D engine. Designated 175DF-M (Dual Fuel-Methanol), the MoU targets the finalisation of a field-test agreement based on which a dual-fuel engine and plant equipment will be installed on board one of Svitzer’s newbuild tugs.Svitzer has a long-standing relationship with MAN Energy Solutions, especially recently with the MAN 175D engine.

The U.S. Navy's engineering systems command has awarded a $2.8 billion contract for the construction of a new concrete dry dock at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF).The $2,839,880,250 firm-fixed-price task order, which falls under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract, was awarded by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific to a joint venture between Dragados, Hawaiian Dredging and Orion. Four…

The demand for warships is strong, and the Navy continues to receive support from the Congress to build more ships. The Navy is working to achieve a fleet of about 355 ships, plus a fleet of about 150 unmanned vesselsBut to achieve something close to that goal requires more than demand, and even more than money. For one thing, it requires an industrial base that can build, repair and sustain that fleet.While Navy leadership acknowledges the challenges of a stressed supply chain…

Global Port Services, owned by Global Energy Group alongside the Port of Nigg, has said it has secured multiple contracts to support its client Seagreen Wind Energy Limited (SWEL), with site enabling works for the pre-assembly construction of wind turbine components (WTGs) at its Port of Nigg facility. The news comes as the final turbine foundations for Seagreen arrive at Nigg to be prepared for installation at Seagreen offshore wind farm site, 27km off the coast of Angus.Seagreen…

America' largest military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) on Wednesday announced its Ingalls Shipbuilding division recently achieved the Aegis light-off milestone on the Navy’s first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), marking the start of combat system testing as shipbuilders ready the ship for propulsion tests and eventually sea trials.“I am again very proud of our DDG 51 team and the work they have done,” said Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls Shipbuilding president.

Sheffield Forgemasters’ shareholders have agreed to sell its entire share capital to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to support a substantial recapitalization of its defence-critical plant, equipment and infrastructure necessary to secure the delivery of components into future MoD programs.This is aimed to secure Sheffield Forgemasters’ role as a key supplier into the MoD for the long-term and is structured to invest substantial new capital into the modernization of defence-critical assets…

Research and development (R&D) expenses among the world's top ten wind turbine manufacturers are expected to exceed $2.6 billion by 2023.The  R&D expenses more than doubled in the last four years, reaching $1.8m in 2018, as demand grows for ever-bigger on- and offshore models, according to the latest research from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables.The analyst said that over 90 new onshore and offshore turbines are expected to be launched within the next five years by the top 10 leading manufacturers."Turbine OEMs have accelerated R&D investments in next-generation turbine platforms, battling against new unit sales margin compression and the market’s need to further reduce wind energy’s Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE).

Merseyside maritime company Wren Industrial & Marine Fabrications has been bought by Merseyside entrepreneur and former member of the Armed Forces Jonathan Willoughby. Bootle-based Wren Industrial has been run for 27 years by husband and wife team David and Helen Wren. It specializes in manufacturing doors, windows and hatches for ships and boats as well as welding and fabrication services primarily in the maritime sector. Wren’s clients include the Royal Navy, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and ferry operators Stena and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

The Australian Defence Force's amphibious capability was on point in the recent response to Cyclone Debbie, with HMAS Choules delivering one of her largest loads of supplies to affected communities last week. Working seamlessly with Army’s 35th Water Transport Squadron LCM8 landing craft, 80 troops and 43 vehicles took more than 36 hours to offload 850 tonnes of equipment and disaster relief stores destined for Rockhampton. After an eight mile journey from the ship, nestled in the lee of the Keppel Islands to the coastal town of Yeppoon and a further 45 kilometres inland by road, the troops, predominately from Brisbane-based 6th Engineer Support Regiment, quickly set to task in a variety of clean up duties around the regional city.

Meercat Workboats yesterday moved from Portchester to new, purpose built premises in Hythe Marine Park, Southampton, UK. To coincide with the move the company’s management team has been restructured, two new vessels have been delivered and one new order confirmed. The new site is 1,600 sqm, has two 20-tonne gantry cranes, a machine shop, an electrical workshop, a hydraulic workshop, aluminum welding bays, steel fabrication bays, dedicated stores, offices and customer parking. A sum of circa £500,000 has been invested in the move. Late in September Meercat Workboats delivered two new build vessels: MC26 into the Aquaculture sector and MC28 to a Marine Civils Contractor. The company has relocated in time to conclude two further builds: MC27 (a 14m workboat) and MC29 (a 15m workboat).

Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet (ATF) has entered into contract with Vyborg Shipyard for the construction of a series of fishing trawlers. The shipbuilding contract, signed at the the International Forum "The Fishing Fleet - New Impulse to Development" in Murmansk in March 2016, entered into force in November 2016. For ATF, Vyborg Shipyard, a group member of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), will build four "turnkey" medium-size trawlers project ST 116 XL to be operated in the North Basin. Each vessel of the new generation will have on board a fillet factory, a fish meal plant, equipment for fish oil production, a can factory and will be equipped with cargo cranes with high capacity as well as a cargo trawl complex of the latest generation.

MAN Diesel & Turbo has been selected to supply the main engines to a new, icebreaking, supply-and-research vessel for the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). The 2 × 16V32/44CR main engines – each producing 9,600 kW – were chosen for their highly reliable and fuel-efficient design that will serve in an environment with a demanding operational profile, including temperatures down to -30 degrees and extended mission times. The vessel is being procured by Serco Defence through DMS Maritime (prime contractor) and will be designed and built by Damen Shipyards Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS).

MAN Diesel & Turbo has won a contract to supply the first shipset (plus an option for six more, to be confirmed) of GenSets for the multipurpose, offshore patrol vessel – Pattugliatore Polivalente d' Altura (PPA) – program. Each vessel will feature four 12V175D GenSets, each delivering 1,640 kW. The newbuildings have been ordered as part of the Italian Navy’s “Programma di Rinnovamento” fleet renewal program. “We already have several 175D test installations in operation but this is really the breakthrough for the engine,” said Lex Nijsen, Head of Four-Stroke Marine, MAN Diesel & Turbo.

A Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from Number 36 Squadron has successfully performed an air drop mission over Antarctica in support of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) building on the summer drop previously conducted in February 2016. The most recent air drop provides the Royal Australian Air Force with an all-season resupply capability and the ability to provide support to the current expeditioners on the continent. The air drop consisted of pallets containing supplies for vehicles and plant equipment, medical supplies and personal mail. The C-17A aircraft was pre-positioned at Avalon airfield to allow the crew to confirm suitable weather over Casey drop zone, approximately 70 kilometres from Wilkins Aerodrome.

The marine environment is extremely harsh and delivering equipment capable of performing reliably and efficiently requires expert design engineers combined with advanced materials technology. Neil Wright, Managing Director of Wichita Clutch, assesses the requirements of modern marine clutches and brakes, which play such a crucial role in a variety of applications. As marine exploration for oil and gas continues to greater depths, so the equipment used to exploit the new reserves needs to perform on a whole new level.

Classification increases planning certainty for exhaust gas scrubber operators. The classification society DNV GL has certified the SAACKE exhaust gas scrubber based on soot separation using a dry process. This ensures that the innovative system, which was initially installed in 2013 on the tanker MT Levana, owned by the Carl Büttner shipping company, can now be operated without restriction. "Many scrubbers manufactured by market competitors currently operate with special permits. This means that the operator is exposed to the risk that the investment may not pay off.

Rosneft has proved its leadership in national GTL (gas-to-liquid) technologies development. First pilot batches of Fischer Tropsch synthesis catalysts have been produced at Angarsk catalyst and organic synthesis plant. Today Angarsk plant is the first Russian enterprise capable of producing such catalysts on a commercial scale. The implementation of FT synthesis catalysts production national technologies has been performed as part of Program of the Company’s innovation development by scientists of RN-RDC corporate scientific center, a resident of Skolkovo foundation. The catalysts produced provide natural and oil-dissolved gas to be processed into synthetic hydrocarbons. They were tested in laboratory and have already proved its high performance properties.

France chose General Electric to form an alliance with Alstom on Friday - rejecting an offer from Siemens and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - but said the deal still needed some work and added it would buy a 20 percent stake in the hotly-contested company. Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said he had used a newly- created state decree to reject both of the existing offers as not being in France's strategic interest, and had formulated fresh demands to GE Chief Executive Jeff Immelt. The decision ended weeks of suspense surrounding one of Europe's fiercest industrial battles in years, but left open major questions about the final shape of an alliance which GE hopes will give it access to new power markets.

US Department of Defense informs that a $9,048,214 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to the previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-4308) has been awarded to General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut. The contract is to incrementally fund previously exercised options to provide non-nuclear submarine repair work on Groton-based submarines under the New England Maintenance Manpower Initiative (NEMMI). Under the terms of the contract, Electric Boat Corp., will provide NEMMI tasks in support of non-nuclear maintenance, modernization and repair of operational nuclear powered submarines, floating dry docks, support and service craft, and plant equipment assigned to the Naval Submarine Support Facility New London.

Maersk-Rickmers U.S. flag heavy-lift project carrier recently lifted and moved two 100+ ton range support craft for the U.S. Navy. The largest craft weighed in at 220 metric tons; both watercraft were lifted by Maersk Texas’ powerful onboard cranes (photo). The vessels were loaded on the U.S. West Coast and traveled across the Pacific to their destinations. Maersk Texas will soon transport U.S.-manufactured power plant equipment destined for Turkey. The equipment was financed by the U.S.

In the operation and development of a sour gas field, a key challenge is ensuring the process safety and integrity of the asset and, most importantly, the safety of the personnel working with high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide (H2S). To help the industry manage the risks throughout the project’s lifecycle, DNV GL has now initiated a Joint Industry Project (JIP). Operators are invited to join this JIP to obtain synergies through the development of guidelines on design, construction, operations and training.

General Dynamics Electric Boat Corporation has been awarded a US$15,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded Navy contract to provide non-nuclear submarine repair work on Groton-based submarines under the New England Maintenance Manpower Initiative (NEMMI). Under the terms of the contract, issued by the Department of Defense, Electric Boat will provide NEMMI tasks in support of non-nuclear maintenance, modernization and repair of operational nuclear powered submarines…

Amongst the latest listing of US Department of Defense, Navy contracts, GD Electric Boat is awarded a contract to provide submarine repairs. General Dynamics, Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is awarded an $11,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to the previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-4308) to incrementally fund previously exercised options to provide non-nuclear submarine repair work on Groton-based submarines under the New England Maintenance Manpower Initiative (NEMMI).