System Management News

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has been selected by Gaz-System as the preferred shipowner to time charter out a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for the planned LNG import terminal in the Gulf of Gdańsk in Poland.Polish gas transmission system operator Gaz-System is the project developer and operator behind the future LNG terminal.This is Poland's first such FSRU and is a strategically important piece of energy infrastructure which will enhance the country's energy security.The FSRU is expected to be berthed at a mooring platform approximately 3km from the shore…

Jörg Franzke, the newly appointed president of Scania U.S.A., Inc., is a company veteran, having been with the Scania group since 1995, building a wide experience in various positions such as Services, Truck Sales, R&D, Network Development and Quality Management. And prior to his current role, Franzke was the Head of Power Solutions at Scania Germany for 10 years.He weighs in on how Scania is helping customers meet their decarbonization agendas, and lays out challenges and opportunities on the path ahead.The commercial marine industry is seeing major changes in several key areas…

In the United States, it is a frustrating time to be in the government shipbuilding business. Even though America depends upon maritime commerce and faces growing security risks at sea, shipbuilding is just not a major national focus.Up to now, shipbuilders have had it pretty good. For the past several years, big naval shipbuilders have enjoyed steady growth and strong performance. In 2020, Huntington Ingalls Industries enjoyed record revenue of $9.4 billion, an 8.5% margin and gave a quarter billion back to shareholders in dividends and stock buybacks.

Coast Guard Capt. Jerry Barnes assumed command of Coast Guard Sector North Carolina in Wilmington, N.C., Tuesday. Barnes reported to Sector North Carolina after serving as the 5th Coast Guard District's chief of prevention. Barnes, a specialist in marine safety, security, environmental protection and marine transportation system management, previously served at the Marine Safety Center in Washington, D.C., Sector Hampton Roads, in Portsmouth, Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, Fla., various staff positions at the 5th Coast Guard District, and aboard a 210-foot medium endurance cutter home ported in St. Petersburg, Fla. Barnes, a native of Raleigh, N.C., is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He graduated from the U.S.

The IMRF, the charity supporting maritime SAR service globally, and McMurdo, a company in search and rescue and maritime domain awareness solutions, announced a partnership aiming at several key search and rescue (SAR) initiatives to be launched at next week’s World Maritime Rescue Congress in Bremerhaven, Germany. Working together the IMRF and McMurdo will target some of the key challenges facing maritime SAR globally including rescue team training, the safety of artisanal fishermen and the emerging requirements of SAR services managing the unsafe mixed migration by sea.

SMM was another full success. With more than 2,100 exhibitors from all around the world, including 150 first-timers, with 50,000 industry visitors and roughly 90,000 square metres of exhibition space, SMM has demonstrated once again what it means to be the leading international trade fair of the maritime industry. After four days brimming with activity, the 26th SMM came to a close today. "We set new records this year," said Bernd Aufderheide, CEO and President of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. "The excellent turnout not only showed that companies are ready to meet the current challenges with determination, but it also revealed a growing appreciation for collaboration," he added.

Imtech Marine has been awarded a second Advanced Support Agreement from Jack-Up Barge for 24/7 remote monitoring and maintenance of the systems installed by Imtech Marine on board the newbuild, self-elevating platform JB-118. This follows an earlier and similar contract for the JB-117, where Imtech Marine completed equipment installation in 2012 and subsequently started remote monitoring. The JB-118 was built near Hong Kong in Shenzhen. Imtech Marine presents a live & operational remote control room at the Europort exhibition, hall 1, stand 1124.

SMSGlobal Ltd., a provider  of personal communications for the global maritime industry, today announced that the number of vessels now equipped with its CrewCommCenter has reached 3,000. CrewCommCenter creates an onboard Internet Café, allowing seafarers to stay in touch with family and friends without interfering with the ship's official business communications. The milestone is doubly significant as SMSGlobal marks its tenth year in the maritime industry. Today, around the globe, more than 120,000 seafarers use CrewCommCenter to exchange approximately 2,200,000 messages with over 1,300,000 friends and loved ones on-shore each month. “This milestone is a testament to CrewCommCenter and cements it as the crew communications solution of choice,” said Capt.

GE pioneers a friendlier operating system for mariners. GE’s Power Conversion business is bringing enhanced operability to the company’s Dynamic Positioning (DP) system. According to GE, the latest version is more energy efficient, better integrated and more mariner friendly. Defining that concept further, Paul English, marine leader of GE Power Conversion, told MarineNews in May, “We are giving ship control back to the mariners.” GE leverages more than 40 years of experience in its effort to reduce the burden of the technology on the operator. It’s a new direction in DP. It’s the mariner’s DP. GE’s latest DP offering is mariner-focused, enhancing situational awareness and rebalancing attention from system management to true seamanship.

Waterways Council, Inc.’s (WCI) Executive Committee has endorsed two Senate waterways bills introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): “Mississippi River Navigation Sustainment Act” (S. 565) and “Water Infrastructure Now Public-Private Partnership Act” (WIN P3) (S. 566), co-sponsored by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL). S. 565 would “provide for the safe and reliable navigation of the Mississippi River, and for other purposes.” Referring to 2011 flooding in drought conditions in 2012-13…

Maritime training specialist Seagull plugs the gap in training for shipboard expertise in operation of high voltage electrical systems. The wider adoption of electrical propulsion, variable speed drives and cold ironing have combined to make shipboard higher voltage systems (above 1,000V) increasingly commonplace in the maritime industry. Two new Seagull courses, CBT#0232 and CBT#0233, address revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 2010) on electrical system management which are now force. They cover theoretical knowledge of HV systems, practical skills and safety awareness. The revised STCW requires seafarers working with, or around, HV systems to be trained.

Maritime training specialist Seagull has plugged a growing gap in shipboard expertise by launching new CBT titles targeted at High Voltage electrical systems operation and maintenance. The wider adoption of electrical propulsion, variable speed drives and cold ironing have combined to make shipboard higher voltage systems (above 1,000V) increasingly commonplace in the maritime industry. Two new Seagull courses, CD#0232 and CD#0233, address revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training…

Holland America Line receives second Benkert Award for its marine environmental initiatives as U.S. At a recent ceremony, Holland America Line was presented a gold 2012 Rear Admiral William M. Benkert Environmental Protection Award from the U.S. Coast Guard in recognition of the line's environmental leadership and for successfully achieving several environmental objectives established by the company that exceed standard regulation. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Robert Papp presented the award to Michael Inman, director, system management and program development, Safety and Environmental Management Systems for Holland America Line. The company first received the biennial award in 2010. The U.S.

A Marine Safety Alert was issued to increase awareness and reiterate general guidance on fuel systems and fuel switching safety in an effort to prevent propulsion losses. After a noted decrease, there has been a recent increase in the number of reported loss of propulsion incidents on deep draft vessels within the Eleventh Coast Guard District. Coast Guard studies and review of marine casualties indicate that lack of maintenance and testing of certain systems, including fuel oil systems, is one of the leading causes of propulsion failures. Advanced planning and careful fuel system management are critical to safely switching fuels. This is especially important if fuel switching is not routine practice.

Two significant efforts are under way at Washington State Ferries to shape the ferry system following passage of Initiative 695 (I-695), which eliminated $52 million from the WSF budget. One is a short-term project: Rewriting the sailing schedule for remaining years in the current budget. The second is to examine ways of raising revenue in future years to restore ferry service, including a statewide ballot measure that would approve higher ferry fares. Given the difficult task of cutting service, the ferry system has adopted goals of maintaining core weekday service as much as possible, and trimming night, non-essential mid-day and off-season recreational trips. Under this plan, passenger-only service will be eliminated, and 10 ferries will be taken out of service.

Atlas Elektronik completed the delivery of the coastal surveillance sys-tem, which has been ordered by the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance regarding the completion of the Bulgarian obligations towards the Schengen agreement of the European Union. The Sys-tem, operated by the Border Police (Ministry of Interior), covers the entire Bulgarian coastline of more than 350 km. The contract includes the delivery of the complete coastal surveillance system, whereby already existing radar sites were integrated.

WETA has released a Draft Transition Plan and Draft Emergency Water Transportation System Management Plan. The draft documents are now available for download at www.watertransit.org. In addition to the public hearings, comments may be submitted in writing to WETA at Pier 9, Suite 111, The Embarcadero, SanFrancisco, CA 94111. Comments may also be submitted via the contact form on our website or send by fax to (415) 291-3388. The public comment period is open April 2 through May 18, 2009.

Under new state legislation passed last year the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) was charged with consolidating City of Alameda and City of Vallejo ferry services and all planned public transportation ferries under WETA. WETA also has expanded responsibility for coordinating emergency response activities for public waterborne transit services. These responsibilities are to be carried out in accordance with a Transition Plan and an Emergency Water Transportation System Management Plan. WETA is required to create and adopt both plans by July 1, 2009 and to take public input prior to their adoption.