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Production Technologies News

10 Jun 2022

US Announces $59 Million to Spur Biofuels Usage

Š Gary Peplow / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $59 million to accelerate the production of biofuels and bioproducts to reduce emissions in industries such as maritime.The department said it is focused on applied research, development and deployment to improve the performance and reduce the cost of biofuel production technologies and scale-up production systems in partnership with industry. "By reducing costs and technical risks, these efforts can help pave the way for the biofuels industry to deploy commercial-scale integrated biorefineries," the DOE said.

17 Mar 2022

Current Direct: A Transition Effort in Europe

(Image: Current Direct)

The European Union is underwriting a project, called Current Direct, to facilitate and hasten the transition to battery powered commercial maritime vessels. It's funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. It also has 13 private sector partners, including Blackstone Resources, Spear Power Systems and Wärtsilä. It has a quick timeline; a demonstration project should be ready by 2023.New thinking and innovation run across every aspect of this project…

03 Oct 2019

"Green" Ammonia's Future as a Marine Fuel

Ammonia, the same pungent solution used in fertilizers and cleaning agents, may one day be the key to transporting renewable energy around the world. There are currently a number of government and corporate projects assessing the feasibility of converting excess renewable energy from sources like wind, solar, tidal and nuclear into ammonia and then back into usable energy.In its purist form, ammonia or NH3 is composed of one nitrogen and three hydrogen atoms making it an ideal candidate to chemically bind excess renewable energy. Like several other chemical compounds, ammonia can be transported by chemical tanker in liquid form to end-users. Based on its near ambient liquification point, it may be more appealing to transport ammonia over longer distances than hydrogen.

20 Nov 2018

Shipyard Report: Abeking & Rasmussen

ŠAbeking&Rasmussen

111 years of success by designWhen Georg Abeking and Henry Rasmussen from Denmark established their boat and yacht yard 111 years ago, it is likely that neither of them suspected at that time that their small shipyard, headquartered in Lemwerder next to Bremen, would one day evolve into a world-renowned company known for building first class vessels.Today the company, which has been transferred into a European Company (Societas Europaea, SE), is a company that designs and manufactures, among other things. Included in this mix are some of the world’s most luxurious yachts.

25 Jul 2018

SMM Plans 3D Printing Exhibition

(Photo: Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH)

From propellers and components to entire ships, there is hardly anything additive manufacturing will not be able to make one day. 3D printing technology is still in its infancy, but experts agree that it will forever change the global flow of products; at the same time, however, it may open up entirely new perspectives for shipping. For example, by creating the ability to provide spare parts just in time at any place in the world. The 3D printing market harbors enormous potential…

15 Nov 2016

DNV GL Debuts Tool to Support Wider Adoption of LNG as Fuel

European Autumn Gas Conference, The Hague: Greater use of LNG as fuel would reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases, but barriers remain to its widespread adoption. One challenge is the varying compositions of LNG fuel globally, which can lead to engine damage and failure. DNV GL has now addressed this by developing a new online PKI Methane Number Calculator1 to match fuel quality with an engine’s requirements, and which can also support the development of an international standard. The PKI Methane Number Calculator can be applied to a wide range of engine types and used across the entire supply chain by engine manufacturers, ship and truck owners, traders, as well as international policy makers on LNG.

10 May 2016

Shipping Sector Emissions: LNG, Methanol Lead the Pack

A recent JRC report finds that fuels like liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol are the most promising alternatives to drive decarbonisation of the shipping sector and ultimately contribute to the fight against climate change. Market penetration by alternative fuels has already begun with ship builders, engine manufacturers and classification societies by introducing greener ships running on cleaner fuels. Shipping is more fuel-efficient than road transport: it requires 2-3 grams of fuel per ton per km, compared to road transport by truck which is about 15 grams of fuel per ton per km. However, its greenhouse gas emissions are substantial, representing 4% of the EU’s GHG emissions in 2013, and growing fast.

16 Nov 2014

MHI to Revamp its Casting Operations

Effective April 1, 2015 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) will revamp its production structure for casting products. From that date all current Group casting operations will be consolidated at the company's Futami Plant, part of its Kobe Shipyard & Machinery Works, and the existing casting plants at the Hiroshima Machinery Works and Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works (Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.'s Nagasaki Works) will be closed down. In consolidating casting-related functions at one plant MHI looks to reduce in-house manufacturing costs and forge a robust production system capable of withstanding operational fluctuations.

07 Mar 2013

Russia is Open for Business at NEVA 2013

NEVA 2013, which convenes in Russia’s ‘maritime capital’ St Petersburg between September 24 and 27, will offer delegates and exhibitors the opportunity to scrutinise the significant developments in the structure and operation of Russia’s maritime industries and the nation’s growing presence on the international stage. Organized by UK-based Dolphin Exhibitions at the Lenexpo exhibition complex, NEVA 2013 is expected to attract more than 870 exhibitors from over 55 countries seeking to broaden trading ties with Russia. It will also feature a wide-ranging conference and seminar programme with an array of leading Russian and foreign experts ready to debate the key issues.

30 Nov 2012

Floating Production

Douglas-Westwood forecast that between 2013 and 2017, $91bn will be spent on floating production systems (FPS) – an increase of 100% over the preceding five-year period. A total of 121 floating production units are forecast to be installed – a 37% increase. This growth is driven by multiple factors, such as a larger proportion of newbuilds and conversions compared to redeployments, a greater degree of local content which often results in a higher cost base and general offshore industry cost inflation.

20 Nov 2012

Floating Production Expenditure set to Double

Figure 1: Global FPS Installation Capex by Region 2008-2017 (Source: Douglas-Westwood)

Douglas-Westwood forecast that between 2013 and 2017, $91bn will be spent on floating production systems (FPS) – an increase of 100% over the preceding five-year period. A total of 121 floating production units are forecast to be installed – a 37% increase. This growth is driven by multiple factors, such as a larger proportion of newbuilds and conversions compared to redeployments, a greater degree of local content which often results in a higher cost base and general offshore industry cost inflation.

17 Jul 2012

Aker Solutions Acquires Subsea Companies

Aker Solutions has acquired Subsea House and SSH Engineering

Aker Solutions has acquired the Norwegian companies Subsea House and SSH Engineering and plans to further expand and recruit 50-100 people in Stokke, located in the Vestfold county of Norway. The transaction value is undisclosed. Subsea House and SSH Engineering, currently owned by Subsea Holding, employs 40 people in total. The companies were established in 2007 and have a solid background within development, assembly, testing and refurbishment of subsea tools and products. The companies developed a state-of-the-art subsea facility in Stokke…

20 Apr 2012

Aker Solutions Boosting Subsea Capacity

International oil service group Aker Solutions is preparing for major growth by investing NOK 500 million (USD 87 million) in its subsea business. This investment is set to double the capacity of its manufacturing plants in Tranby, Norway, and Port Klang, Malaysia. In addition, a new service base will also be established in Malaysia. The subsea segment of the oil and gas industry is growing rapidly and is expected to develop exponentially over the next few years. Of Aker Solutions' 23 500 employees almost 7000 are employed within the subsea business…

09 Apr 2012

U.S. Navy: The Business Case for a Titanium Ship

Friction stir titanium welding is conducted at the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing at Michoud, Louisiana. (UNO-NCAM photo by Dr. Greg Dobson)

Participants at a workshop exploring the use of titanium structure for ships found that it is not only possible to construct a ship hull from titanium—or Ti, it could be cost effective. The workshop was sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and hosted by the University of New Orleans, where an ONR research program on titanium ship structures is being conducted. Representatives of the shipbuilding industry, titanium suppliers, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force labs, and academia discussed and examined materials, processes and applications. Most ships today are primarily made from steel.

19 Oct 2011

Liebherr Celebrates Milestone

(Source: Liebherr)

Last month Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH celebrated its 35th anniversary. An open day with over 20,000 visitors concluded the festivities in the Austrian village of Nenzing. Such a high attendance by far exceeded the ambitious expectations in the planning stages. The festivities started on Wednesday, 28th September, and on the second day Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH welcomed around 500 customers from all over the world. The open day was a showcase of the Nenzing factory, with company tours, machinery presentations, multi-vision shows, and information booths.

06 Jun 2011

Wärtsilä, Versa Power to Develop Fuel Cell Technology

Wärtsilä, the leading provider of power solutions to both the marine and energy markets, and Versa Power Systems (VPS), a leading developer of environmentally friendly, high-power solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), today announced a co-operative agreement to develop and integrate Versa Power's SOFC technology into Wärtsilä products. A key target of the agreement is to develop commercial Wärtsilä fuel cell products that generate power and heat for various applications in the distributed energy and marine markets. The agreement allows Wärtsilä to integrate VPS fuel cell stack modules, especially for larger power range products. For VPS, the agreement provides a dedicated partner with the ability to commercialize fuel cell products in large markets around the globe.

18 Aug 2010

Evaluating the Floating Production Market 2010-2015

Global FPS Installation Capex by Region 2005-2014. Source: The World Floating Production Market Report 2010-2014, Douglas-Westwood

Over the next few years, Douglas-Westwood forecasts a strong increase in FPS expenditure, driven by a surge in installations. Findings from the latest edition of our World Floating Production Market Report indicate that more than 100 Floating Production Systems (FPSs) will be installed worldwide over the next five years. This represents a total global value of approximately $45 billion and around a 20% increase on the previous five years. It is worth noting upfront that, following the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill…

12 Oct 2001

U.S. Shipbuilding Website Debuts

Scheduled to debut on October 1, 2001, USAShipbuilding.com will replace the existing NSRP services provided by NSNet.com. ARL Penn State was selected from a pool of highly-competitive proposals submitted to NSRP to develop and operate a state-of-the-art, web-based information system for the United States shipbuilding industry. The new website will incorporate elements of the existing NSnet content and architecture in a central, industry specific resource that includes timely business news, project documentation, industry events, new production technologies, and other relevant NSRP project information. Newly published and historical information necessary to successfully run the NSRP panels will be readily available.

07 Sep 2001

New U.S. Shipbuilding Site To Debut In October

Scheduled to debut on October 1, 2001, USAShipbuilding.com will replace the existing NSRP services provided by NSNet.com. States shipbuilding industry. The new website will incorporate elements of the existing NSnet content and architecture in a central, industry specific resource that includes timely business news, project documentation, industry events, new production technologies, and other relevant NSRP project information. Newly published and historical information necessary to successfully run the NSRP panels will be readily available. Additional content and services will be provided that benefit various segments of the shipbuilding industry, including commercial shipyards, Navy program offices, shipping companies, marine service organizations, and academic partners.

12 Nov 1999

Up, Up and Away?

The only logical reason the sustained high price per barrel of oil has not already been dubbed "OIL BOOM 2000" is the fact that hindsight is 20/20. Companies that operate, build and supply vessels for the fickle oil patch have seen schizophrenic markets of days past bring industry goliaths to their knees. There remains a reserve among Gulf of Mexico area companies regarding prospects 2000 and beyond, but there is a growing feeling the business - which has largely been dismal since the end of 1997 - is set to embark on one of those notorious end runs that will fill area yards with healthy backlogs for years. The reason for the "look before you leap" attitude is also largely rooted in changing business dynamics which have effectively altered the way in which the world does business.

13 Feb 2002

Rautaruukki Steel = Quality and Profit

Rautaruukki Group of Finland is the largest steel company in Scandinavia with 13,000 employees and an approximate annual turnover of $2.7 billion. While this is, essentially, a small company among the consolidated behemoths of the steel industry, Rautaruukki comes up big in the important areas: quality and profit. Shipbuilding, stripped to its bare essence, starts and ends with steel. From the ceremonial “first cut” through its eventual evolution at the hands of breakers to razor blades, steel – as much as any other factor – directly determines if the multi-million, multi-year investment in a vessel is a profitable one. Ensuring the original quality and long-term care and integrity of the ship’s steel is central to every quality owner’s repair and maintenance plan.