US Great Lakes Shipping Companies Spend $120 Million on Winter Repairs
American shipping companies are spending more than $120 million to repair and maintain their fleets of Great Lakes bulk carriers this winter.The fleet of U.S.-flagged ships, known as "lakers", can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually, including iron ore, stone, coal, grain, salt and sand. Each year after the shipping season draws to a close, these vessels enter shipyards and repair facilities around the Great Lakes for a period of winter maintenance and repair. ThisâŠ
Danfoss Drives Forms Dedicated Marine Division
Danfoss Drives on Monday announced the formation of a dedicated marine business unit.The company said the move will allow it to provide tailored solutions for its customers in the marine industryâThis organization allows Danfoss to delve deep into the intricacies of maritime applications and understand the nuances of ship propulsion, control systems and electrification in ways that broader, more diversified companies might not,â Danfoss said in a statement.In addition to product experts in the fieldâŠ
Washington State Ferries Awards Vigor Contract to Convert Its Largest Vessels to Hybrid-electric Power
Washington State Ferries has tapped local shipyard Vigor to convert up to three of its Jumbo Mark II class ferries to low-emission hybrid-electric power.Vigor's $150 million winning bid for the contract came in about $16 million under the second place bid from another Washington shipyard, but was still approximately $30 million above the stateâs $120 million estimate for the project. Vigor has been awarded approximately $100 million for the conversion of two vessels, with a fixed-price option to convert the third vessel in 2025.WSFâŠ
Wärtsilä, Qtagg Launch Retrofit Solution for Marine Engine Governor System
Finland-based marine technology firm Wärtsila said Wednesday it had launched an innovative retrofit solution for its marine engine governor system in collaboration with Swedish marine green tech company Qtagg. The solution is designed to extend the lifespan of a shipâs propulsion control system, while simultaneously enhancing the vesselâs overall efficiency.Wartsila's Wärtsilä Automation, Navigation and Control Systems (ANCS) business is collaborating with Qtagg in this project."ANCSâs marine governor systems help regulate and control engine speed.
Kongsberg to Design and Equip Suez Canal's New Salvage Tugs
Kongsberg Maritime announced it has won a contract to provide the design and equipment for two powerful salvage tugs being built by Alexandria Shipyard as main contractor on behalf of the Suez Canal Authority. The tugs will be based on Kongsberg Maritimeâs UT 722 CDT Design.The UT 722 tugboat design has a length of 71.6 meters, bollard pull of approximately 200 tonnes, and it can operate independently for up to 35 days.Egyptâs Alexandria Shipyard successfully bid on this contract with the Suez Canal Authority in cooperation with Kongsberg MaritimeâŠ
WSF Invites Bids to Convert Its Largest Ferries to Hybrid-electric Propulsion
Washington State Ferries (WSF) this week launched an invitation for bid to convert its three largest vessels to hybrid-electric propulsion.The conversion will remove two diesel generator sets from each of WSF's Jumbo Mark II ferries and replace them with batteries and associated support systems. The conversion will incorporate energy storage technology and rapid charging of the batteries from each applicable ferry terminal.Siemens Energy will supply the propulsion control systemsâŠ
Tärntank Wind-Assisted Tanker Trio to Sport Kongsberg Gear
Kongsberg Maritime will supply design, engineering and equipment for three MGO/Biofuel and methanol-ready tanker ships being built for Danish tanker operator Tärntank. The 15,000-dwt tanker vessels will feature wind assist technology plus Tärntankâs own battery-powered Hybrid Solution.To be built at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, Yangzhou and delivered in 2025, Kongsberg's portion totals nearly $12m and includes steering gear, rudders, controllable pitch propellers, tunnel thrusters and thruster control systemsâŠ
Kongsberg Maritime to Deliver Hybrid Propulsion Tech for Grimaldi Group Ro-Ro Vessels
Norwegian maritime technology and equipment provider Kongsberg Maritime has secured an order from Grimaldi Group to supply engineering and technology for two new Roll-on/Roll-off(Ro-Ro) vessels. The vessels, which will be built at China Merchant Jinling Shipyard, are scheduled for delivery in 2025.Kongsberg Maritime will supply marine automation system and Auto Chief 600 propulsion control systems, hybrid systems, converters, battery energy storage of 5MWh, battery management system, maneuvering, and propulsion systems.
Wärtsilä to Supply Propulsion for Worldâs Largest Aluminum Catamaran
Wärtsilä said it will supply the engines, waterjets and fuel storage and supply system for a new high speed catamaran ferry. The vessel is being built at the Incat yard in Tasmania, Australia on behalf of Argentinian ferry operator, Buquebus. Having an overall length of 130 meters, a width of 32 meters and the capacity to carry 2,100 passengers and 226 cars, it will be the largest aluminum catamaran ever built by Incat. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in July 2022.The vesselâŠ
Yara Acquires Lean Marine
Yara Marine Technologies acquired Lean Marine, a company, a company which provides automated fuel-saving, performance management, and reporting solutions, today installed on more than 200 vessels.In a release announcing the deal, it was touted that Lean Marine systems can help cut fuel consumption and CO2emission up to 25 percent. The FuelOpt system optimizes a vesselâs propulsion line in real-time based on the commands from the bridge, enabling automated control of vessel speed and fuel consumption, and avoiding fuel overconsumption.
MAN to Supply Propulsion Packages for Israeli-built Patrol Boats
MAN Energy Solutions announced Thursday it has won the contract to supply complete propulsion packages to two OPV-45 offshore patrol vessels currently under construction at one of the largest privately owned shipbuilding and repair facilities in the Eastern Mediterranean.Israel Shipyards in Haifa is constructing the new patrol boats for an undisclosed African navy. The vessels are designed for a wide range of missions, including protection against the increasing threat of piracy in the region.The OPV-45 has an overall length of 45.7 m, a displacement of some 300 tons.
ABB Delivers for Icebreaking LNG Carrier Fleet
The final vessel in 15-ship series enters service for Yamal LNG project ahead of schedule.Yakov Gakkel, owned by joint venture between Teekay LNG Partners and China LNG Partners, joins a fleet of 15 specially designed tankers transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) year-round from one of Russiaâs most significant export developments in a generation, Yamal LNG.Built in less than six years and to ARC7 ice class, fifteen 170,000m3 capacity vessels have opened the Northern Sea RouteâŠ
Schottel, Ulstein Team on Automation
Ulstein and Schottel announced that they will start cooperating to take the next step in automation and digitalization within marine operations. The former Ulstein subsidiary, Ulstein Blue CTRL, will continue as an independent company under the name Blue CTRL. Both Ulstein and Schottel will own 50 percent of the shares in the company. X-CONNECT is a universal digital platform for marine automation, control and monitoring. All functionality in the system is predefined and configurable supporting the work philosophy; configure, plug and play.
Maritime Autonomy: The Reality
While merriam-webster.com is succinct in its definition of âautonomousâ, ask 10 people in the maritime sector what âautonomousâ vessel means to them and the responses vary widely. Achieving autonomous, unmanned operations is not high, today, on the agenda of many (if any) shipowners. What does command their attention? Building ships that are increasingly âsmart,â with integrated, connected systems that take on additional decision-making processes while helping to reduce crew size (and cost)âŠ
ABBâs Next Generation DP System
Your marine pilot of the future, here today.At this yearâs SMM trade event in Hamburg, Germany, industrial digital technology specialist ABB introduced what could be the future of dynamic positioning, not just for traditional DP users, but also for the full spectrum of navigation tasks. ABB Ability Marine Pilot Control is a next-generation dynamic positioning (DP) system that simplifies ship maneuvering with an intuitive touch screen-based user interface and enables safer, more efficient ship operations.With its user-centric design, ABB Ability Marine Pilot Control reduces the workload on automating navigational tasks and allows bridge officers to focus holistically on the overall control and positioning of the ship.
ABB Power and Automation for New Indian Ferries
ABB said it has signed a contract with Indiaâs largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility, Cochin Shipyard Ltd, to deliver a first-ever integrated power and automation package to an Indian shipowner.ABBâs contract with Cochin Shipyard covers two new 1,200-passenger ferries, to be delivered to the Andaman & Nicobar Administration in 2020. In whatâs said to be a first for a shipowner in India, these vessels will benefit from a full integration of their power generation, distribution and propulsion systemsâŠ
Aker Arctic Tests Autonomous Ship Model
A Finnish engineering firm known for its ice-going vessel expertise says it is studying another area of ship technology: autonomous vessel operations.Aker Arctic says it recently successfully tested an autonomous ship model at its ice model test laboratory in Helsinki.The test, which was carried out in ice-free waters, demonstrated the ship modelâs ability to detect obstacles in the tank utilizing onboard sensors, maneuver around them without operator input and moor itself automatically to a target pier.While Aker Arcticâs ice laboratory is normally used to test model icebreaking vesselsâŠ
Kongsberg Completes 10,000th AutoChief Propulsion Control System FAT
The 10,000th Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for Kongsberg Maritimeâs AutoChief propulsion control system took place at Kongsberg Maritime Korea in Busan on Friday, April 27. The AutoChief 600 system tested will be installed on a new LEG carrier featuring a 2-stroke MAN B&W engine being built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (Hull 8258), for owner Solvang ASA. HHI-EMD, HMD and Solvang were represented at yesterdayâs FAT alongside experts from Kongsberg Maritime in Norway and Korea.FromâŠ
Rolls-Royce Delivers Propulsion for Norwegian Ferries
Rolls-Royce has signed contracts with Bastø-Fosen and Fjord 1 in Norway for azimuth propulsion systems for five new double ended ferries. The ferries are scheduled to enter into service along the coast of Norway in the summer of 2016. The contract value to Rolls-Royce is £5.5 million in total. All five ferries are designed by Multi Maritime and will be constructed in Turkey at the yards Sefine, Cemre and ADA. These types of double ended ferries are designed to commute back and forth between ferry quays along the rugged Norwegian coastline.
Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum System for Maersk Boxships
Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum integrated navigation, automation, and propulsion control systems for 27 new container vessels being built for Denmark based Maersk Line A/S. The contracts with Wärtsilä were signed in July and October 2015, and January 2016. The vessels are under construction at yards in China and South Korea. With these orders, the latest 47 new buildings in the Maersk line fleet will all be fitted with the Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum system, thus emphasising its market application success. Wärtsilä will also provide a power management system and control consoles, as well as external communication facilities. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yards commencing in April 2016.
USCG Icebreaking Tug Up for Drydocking
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay (WTGB-101), homeported in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, arrived at Great Lakes Shipyard, Cleveland, Ohio, for drydocking, inspection, maintenance and repairs on July 8, 2015. The contract is for a scope of work that includes hull, propulsion and steering system inspections, as well as steel repairs, hull cleaning and painting. The 140-foot Bay-class Icebreaking Tug was hauled out on Monday, July 13 using the Shipyardâs 770-ton Marine Travelift â the largest on the Great Lakes.
Yara Birkeland Model Commences Testing
A six meter long, 2.4 ton model of the final design of the autonomous and fully electric container vessel Yara Birkeland was revealed as testing commenced at SINTEF Oceanâs 80 meter test tank facility in Trondheim, September 28, 2017. It was also revealed that ENOVA, a Norwegian government enterprise responsible for promotion of environmentally friendly production and consumption of energy will support the project with a NOK 133 million ($16.7 million) financial contribution.
Van Oord Orders Two New Dredgers
Rotterdam-based dredging and marine contractor Van Oord has recently ordered two trailing-suction hopper dredgers as part of its continuous investment program. The vessels will be constructed at CNN LaNaval Shipyard in Sestao, Spain with delivery dates scheduled for 2017. Each vessel will feature a complete MAN Diesel & Turbo propulsion package with MAN 6L48/60CR engines, RENK gearboxes with PTO, MAN Alpha CP Propeller systems, AHT (Alpha High Thrust) Propeller nozzles and MAN Alpha AT3000 propulsion-control systems.