Diagnostic Tools News

Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation, has provided its Mercury University curriculum along with 90hp FourStroke outboard engines and tools to high schools in Florida, New York and Virginia to help prepare the next generation of marine service technicians and address the industry’s workforce shortage.In a survey conducted by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas prior to the pandemic, more than 85% of boat dealers suggested they had multiple positions in their businesses that were unfilled…

Hybrid drive and potential fuel savings are well known — from 10 to 30 percent, according to the sources we’ve written about over the years. Less known, is the potential need to purchase some sort of remote monitoring package to complement that diesel-electric or battery hybrid system from a system operator in order to secure the maximum safety benefits. As the count of system operators offering hybrid drives grows, so too, it seems, there’s continuous need to look at who they are and what they’re offering.

Installed and on the water, Yanmar’s 6AYA-ET engines are already providing value on the U.S. Gulf Coast. This fully mechanical engine is anything but low-tech. More than 60 years of worldwide experience plus an engine designed specifically for the United States market has made a winning combination for YANMAR’s new EPA compliant commercial engine application. The Push boat Sherry L, owned by E Squared Marine Services, LLC from Texas and repowered by Laborde Products, now operates even more quietly and with better fuel consumption thanks to its new 6AYAM-ET engines. That’s only part of the story, however. With a need for 24 hours of continuous operation each day pushing inland barges from Channelview to Galveston and on Gulf intercoastal waterways…

Rushton Gregory Communications announced today the latest addition to its industry-leading client roster, Gemeco Marine. Based in Lake City, South Carolina, Gemeco has over 30 years of experience serving the marine electronics industry as experts in the selection, placement and technical support for marine transducers as well as adept knowledge of NMEA networking and components. Gemeco also offers an array of marine accessories including underwater lighting, antennas, electrical and wiring accessories, hard-to-find and specialty marine connectors, a broad range of installation and diagnostic tools, and more. Under the terms of the partnership…

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has successfully completed the project to supply the onboard navigation application for four automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to PSA Singapore. The initiative is part of PSA's strategic investment in automation technologies to enhance its premier status as the world's largest transhipment hub. The project included the design of the AGVs' onboard navigation system, the navigation infrastructure and the deployment of Kalmar SmartFleet remote diagnostic tools. The installation and integration to vehicle systems were started in the autumn of 2013, and the navigation application was fully integrated with PSA Singapore's in-house systems by the end of 2014.

World crude production may rise and fall, but the historical trend shows a steady increase in the price of a barrel of oil, and with it, the price of a ton of fuel. Add the demands of shareholders and charterers to increase operational efficiency and profitability, as well as increasing international pressure to reduce fuel consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. It is no wonder that ship owners have seen a steady rise, as well, in the availability of technologies — from ship design to propulsion and HVAC systems to hull coatings — that are purported to reduce fuel consumption.

Offshore Systems (U.K.) Ltd, manufacturer of NMEA2000 digital monitoring and control systems for recreation and commercial vessels has appointed Gemeco Marine Accessories as its exclusive U.S. distributor. Gemeco will distribute Offshore Systems’ entire product line including tank senders, gauges, electrical system sensors and display units. Gemeco is a wholesale distributor of marine accessories to thousands of marine electronics dealers throughout the U.S. and abroad. The company, founded 35 years ago, is based in Lake City, South Carolina.

AB Volvo Penta and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd have decided to set up joint working groups to evaluate the potential for deeper collaboration between the companies. On December 6, Volvo Penta and Yamaha Motor announced that they had signed an agreement involving technological collaboration relating to the development of electronic control systems for boats. This collaboration is designed to produce technological synergies in the increasingly important field of electronics. The collaboration became operational at the end of the year, but the parties have already decided to take things further and conduct joint studies of the way cooperation between the companies could be further extended. “Volvo Penta is a world leader when it comes to marine power systems.

Blount Boats, Inc. shipyard at Warren, RI has contracted with the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) of the United States Department of Homeland Security for a steel vehicle and passenger ferry. The 120 ft. OSV type vessel will be propelled by twin 1,300 hp Cummins engines at a speed above 16 knots. It will provide RoRo capacity to a vehicle load of 100 tons, and when partially loaded carry 150 passengers. It will be the second such steel vessel built for the center by Blount Boats. The first one was the Plum Isle, built in 1968. “Though Plum Island Animal Disease Center’s mission has always been to develop preventatives and diagnostic tools to protect America’s livestock from foreign animal diseases…

One of a vessel owner's largest expenses is, of course, the powering of vessels. The initial purchase, continuing maintenance and repair, qualified personnel and, unfortunately, downtime, make engine expense a primary concern in the allocation of capital. For the most part, instrumentation to reduce this expense has fallen into two categories. The first being inexpensive, simple, yet effective alarm and/or shutdown systems geared towards preventing catastrophic failure. The second category is that of more expensive, complex integrated systems that perform these functions as well as providing numerous additional functions such as displays and data collection. A new breed of electronics hitting the market is designed to fill this void. Perennial Monitoring Systems, Inc. of Baton Rouge, La.