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Steel Processing News

26 Dec 2023

Maritime Innovation: Fostering Creativity and Working to Make Bright Ideas Work

© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock

This is the dawning of the age of AI and Big Data, huge agglomerations of new and transformative energy; almost self-generating, always strengthening and pulling at the reins, seeking to break free and run, a prospect both exciting and terrifying. That image can imply a human is holding the reins. How quaint: these days, AI itself may be holding the reins.In a review of innovation in 2023 – across any industrial or economic sector, not just maritime – AI looms large, a game-changer equivalent to IBM’s programming advances in the 1940s.

22 Jun 2023

USCG Commandant Visits Austal USA

(Photo: Austal USA)

Admiral Linda Fagan, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, visited Austal USA Thursday to tour the Mobile, Ala. shipyard's manufacturing facilities and discuss the company’s contract for the service’s Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC).Austal USA said in a press release its leadership briefed the Commandant on the company’s steel shipbuilding production line. The 117,000 square foot steel panel line, where OPC construction will begin in mid-2024, houses state-of-the-art computerized and robotic steel processing equipment to handle the current and future demands of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S.

11 Jul 2022

Austal USA Begins Building Its First Steel Ship

The start of construction of the T-ATS 11 on the new steel line at Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. (Photo: Austal USA)

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA on Monday said it celebrated the start of construction on the company’s first steel ship, a U.S. Navy Navajo Class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11).“It seems like only yesterday we were breaking ground on our steel shipbuilding facility and here we are, a little over a year later, beginning construction on our first steel ship,” said Austal USA Vice President of New Construction, Dave Growden.Austal USA, which has built a number of aluminum vessels for government and commercial customers…

12 Apr 2022

Austal USA Opens New Steel Facility

(Photo: Austal USA)

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA hosted a ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new facility which adds steel shipbuilding capability to the company’s well-established aluminum shipbuilding expertise.“We are so excited to see our plans to add steel to our capabilities come to fruition,” said Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh. “The addition of steel capability is a game changer as it opens up our capability to support the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and other customers with high-quality ships.

11 Nov 2021

U.S. Navy: Constellation-class Brings Frigates Back to the U.S. Fleet

Artist’s concept of the new Constellation class of guided missile frigates.  (Fincantieri Marinette Marine)

Introducing a new class of warship can be fraught with pain, and the first ship is always the hardest – almost always behind schedule and over budget. And trying something new and transformational is even harder.The U.S. Navy knows this from experience. That’s one reason why the Navy is opting for a lower risk design for its next class of guided missile frigates (FFGs).Just about every new class has experienced a rough start. Although the USS Arleigh Burke-class of guided missile destroyers (DDGs) today represent the largest and most successful class of warships…

14 Jan 2019

NASSCO Expands Ships Production Capacity

National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday to commission its new panel line, which expands steel production capabilities for the construction of commercial and government ships in San Diego.The American shipbuilding company with three shipyards located in San Diego, Norfolk, and Mayport said in a press release that the new panel line enables distortion-free welding of plates as thin as five millimeters to produce lighter, more energy efficient ships.The cutting-edge facility uses hybrid laser arc welding and numerically controlled robots to mill, seam and weld steel panels in a highly automated production line.

29 May 2018

Ugitech's Stainless Steel for Parts Subject to Heavy Wear and Tear

Photo: Ugitech

Hardness, corrosion resistance and impact strength are determinate factors in the lifecycle costs of wearing parts made of steel bar such as valve seats, bending guides and nozzles for abrasive liquids. The material's machinability, however, is just as relevant for quality and cost effectiveness. Ugitech now for the first time introduces to the market a stainless steel with outstanding values that meet all of these criteria. UGIMA 4116N is extremely hard thanks to the addition…

06 Sep 2017

Steel Cut for New Staten Island Ferry

(Photo: Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc.)

The City of New York Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division and Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) cut steel to officially begin the construction of the first of three new 320’ Staten Island Ollis Class Ferries. The steel cutting ceremony held August 29, 2017 took place in Eastern’s steel processing and pre-fabrication building at its Allanton facility in Panama City, Fla. Attending the ceremony from Staten Island Ferry Division was John Collins, Director of Ferry Engineering and Bill Tomalonis, Vessel Construction Manager SIF Division.

22 Feb 2017

Indiana Ports set Quarterly Tonnage Record

The Ports of Indiana handled nearly 3.9 million tons of cargo during the fourth quarter of 2016, the highest quarterly shipment total in the organization's 55-year history. The total surpassed the ports' previous quarterly record set in the second quarter of 2015 by 300,000 tons. The state's three ports' shipped nearly 11.3 million tons in 2016, the second highest volume in history and the third consecutive year the ports exceeded 10 million tons annually. Since 2014, the Ports of Indiana has handled 34 million tons of cargo, the highest three-year total since Indiana's ports opened. Major cargoes included coal, steel, grain, fertilizer and limestone.

25 Oct 2016

Rotterdam Port Throughput Slips

Compared to the excellent first three quarters of 2015 (+5.4%), cargo throughput in the same period this year fell by 1.9%. The decrease was particularly strong in coal and iron ore. Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority: “Each of the different sectors in the port has its own dynamic. The 1.9% decrease is consequently the sum of a number of different developments. Last year, throughput in the port increased by 4.9%, to 466 million tonnes. Castelein: “Throughput figures only tell part of the story. Throughput in liquid bulk fell by 0.4%, to 160.0 million tonnes. The volume of crude oil handled in the port saw a 1.6% decrease. While the refineries’ margins are still positive, they are smaller than last year.

27 Sep 2016

MV WERFTEN Pumps €75 Mln into Rostock Yard

(Image: MV WERFTEN)

Announcing further investments into its shipyards, MV WERFTEN has today signed three contracts for the investment program for its Rostock yard, including a purchasing contract for a new thin-plate laser panel line with welding and production automation specialist Pemamek, the construction of a new hall with engineering company Inros Lackner and design services with service engineer Warnow Design. “This investment clearly indicates our long-term commitment to our yards and our plans to make MV WERFTEN one of the world’s most modern and efficient cruise shipbuilders…

19 Apr 2016

POSCO Plans Port Plant at Indiana-Jeffersonville

POSCO, a multinational company headquartered in Pohang, South Korea, and the fifth-largest steel producer in the world, has announced plans to build a wire rod processing center at the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville, creating up to 60 high-wage jobs by 2018. POSCO is South Korea's fourth largest company, behind Samsung Electronics, SK Holdings and Hyundai Motors, and is ranked No. 162 in Fortune's Global 500. "Although we are located on different continents, South Korea and Indiana both share a reputation of excellence when it comes to advanced manufacturing," said Governor Mike Pence. "Having a globally-focused company like POSCO select Indiana to grow its business is a strong endorsement of our state's low-cost…

13 Nov 2015

Steel Processing for Brodosplit Box ship Begins

Processing of steel for Hull's 476, 477, 478 and 479 started on sheet-cutting machine in Shipbuilding Industry Split on 12 November 2015. It is the Multipurpose Container vessels contracted for the company Brodosplit Navigation Ltd. Ships will be 184.43 meters long, 27.5 meters wide and 15.80 meters high. Their individual deadweight at 10.30 meters draft will be 24 thousand tons, and they will be able to carry 2000 TEU (20 feet/6.1 m long container). 18-knot speed will be secured by engines with power of 11060 kW at 100 revolutions per minute. They are built in class of DNV GL classification society. - By building of these ships Shipbuilding Industry Split and Brodosplit-Navigation enter shipbuilding market niche that will enable sustainable business operation for Split Shipyard…

30 Sep 2015

Steel Processing for largest Sail Boat Begins

Processing of steel for Hull 483 started on sheet-cutting machine in Shipbuilding Industry Split on 22 September 2015. It is the largest square-rigged ship contracted for a Monaco buyer, the company Star Clippers Ltd. It will be 162 meters long and 18.5 meters wide, with deadweight of 2000 tons, five masts and sails with overall surface of 6.347 square meters. The type of Clipper sailing boat with such sail-plan is called barque. Marine platform that will be at the the stern will be equipped with the mechanism for opening and lowering until the sea level so that the passengers will have the direct sea access. The ship will have steel construction while the deck will be fully covered by the highest quality teak.

29 Jan 2015

Jeffersonville Port Sets Cargo Record in 2014

The Port of Indiana - Jeffersonville handled over 2.4 million tons of cargo in 2014, up 48 percent from the previous year, according to a news release from the port. This was the first time annual shipments exceeded two million tons in the port’s 29-year history. The 2014 total was 464,000 tons higher than the previous record set in 2006. Another outstanding harvest in 2014 helped push grain tonnage to its highest volume ever breaking the previous record set in 1993. Steel and salt shipments also set all-time records, up 72 percent and 51 percent from 2013, respectively. For the year, the port handled approximately 1,300 barges, 197,000 trucks and 18,000 railcars.

26 Jan 2015

Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville Sets Shipping Record

The Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville handled over 2.4 million tons of cargo in 2014, up 48 percent from the previous year. This was the first time annual shipments exceeded two million tons in the port's 29-year history. The 2014 total was 464,000 tons higher than the previous record set in 2006. Another outstanding harvest in 2014 helped push grain tonnage to its highest volume ever breaking the previous record set in 1993. Steel and salt shipments also set all-time records, up 72 percent and 51 percent from 2013, respectively. For the year, the port handled approximately 1,300 barges, 197,000 trucks and 18,000 railcars. "These robust year-end numbers illustrate the impact our port companies have on the region's economy," said Ports of Indiana CEO Rich Cooper.

27 Oct 2014

Eastern's Columbia on Display in Fort Lauderdale

The modernized steel hull Columbia replica is based on the classic 1923 design. (Photo: Eastern Shipbuilding Group)

Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s reengineered Columbia, built from the original design plans of the classic 1923 Essex-built schooner, will be on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, October 30-November 3, 2014. The original Columbia, a 141’ classic Gloucester Fishing Schooner designed by William Starling Burgess, built at the historic A.D. Story shipyard of Essex, Massachusetts and launched April 17, 1923, was bred for speed, challenging – and nearly defeating – Canada’s legendary Bluenose schooner in the International Fishermen’s Cup Races in Halifax.

11 Sep 2014

MN 100: Signal International

11 N. With four yards, Signal offers new construction, rig and ship repair, offshore and technical services. The new construction facility in Orange, Texas has undergone a major transformation over the past several years, including the addition of a new panel line and steel processing facility. The Pascagoula facility handles rig fabrication and repair and has improved automation as well as dredging a deep hole for thruster work and space for storage of offshore equipment. The 30,000 ton Dual Carrier/heavy lift dry dock is located at this facility.

14 Feb 2013

OSX: Full Speed Ahead on Mammoth Shipyard Project

Danilo Souza Baptista, OSX’s Director of Naval Construction, sat with MR Contributing Editor Claudio Paschoa at EBX Group’s new HQ in downtown Rio de Janeiro, in a meeting room overlooking Guanabara Bay with Sugar Loaf Mountain as a backdrop, to discuss its ambitious yet realistic vision to create one of the largest, most efficient shipyards in the Americas, as well as its Integrated Service Solution to the meet offshore O&G needs. OSX is a relatively new company, founded by the EBX Group in 2009. The EBX Group, is a holding composed of several companies active in different industries such as mining, oil & gas, logistics, real estate, among others.

13 Sep 2013

Signal International

Signal International Texas Yard.

With a family of three yards located along the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, Signal International offers new construction, rig and ship repair, offshore and technical services. Marine construction and repair needs are complimented by three dry docks; a 30,000-ton lift rig dock, a 22,000-ton Panamax dry dock and a 4,500-ton lift dry dock. In Mobile, Ala., Signal Ship Repair (SSR) offers 4,400 ft. of water front along the Mobile River with a maintained channel depth of 44 ft. This facility specializes in ship repair and conversion.

27 Sep 2013

Brazilian Shipbuilder Urges Russia to Strengthen Maritime Ties

AMEC Kromav, the Rio de Janeiro-headquartered specialist company for shipbuilding and offshore activities, has urged Russian industry to take full advantage of Brazil’s multibillion dollar offshore industry opportunities. In a comprehensive presentation at NEVA in St Petersburg, Rosalo Sales, Director of Business Development & Strategic Planning at AMEC Kromav told delegates that the Petrobras Business Plan 2013-2017 had scheduled investments of more than $230 billion in Brazil (95%) and $11.7 billion (5%) overseas, with opportunities for annual contracts worth $28.4 billion alone in Brazil. “The current oil tanker fleet must go through a $101 billion or $14.2 billion per annum modernization program by 2020…

06 Dec 2013

New Steel Processing Equipment Helps Build Australian Warships

Inventive steel processing companies provide the backbone for infrastructure, transport, shipping and consumer goods sectors. One such company, Ferrocut Australia, was called on by the Royal Australian Navy’s Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Shipbuilder program, to provide steel plate cutting services and support for the life of the warship-building project. Ferrocut, a South Australian plate profiling business, specializes in offering oxy, plasma and laser cutting…

17 Apr 2014

Beijing's bid to move polluting firms adds pressure on nearby regions

China's capital has ordered more than 50 companies to shut down this year in an effort to cut pollution but pushing factories out could raise objections in surrounding areas reluctant to host Beijing's polluters. Smog-shrouded Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei have become a front in a "war against pollution" declared by Premier Li Keqiang last month. But experts say efforts to cut coal consumption and industrial output in big cities like Beijing is likely to put pressure on other regions to endure more pollution to keep the economy growing, with overall coal consumption expected to rise by a quarter from 2011 to 2015. "Moving Beijing's plants to Hebei isn't the best way…