Air New Zealand News

GE’s Marine Solutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with RJE Global, Morphettville, South Australia, whereby RJE will assemble GE LM2500 gas turbine modules and manufacture a number of components for this engine in support of the Royal Australian Navy’s new SEA 5000 frigate program. The MOU was signed by both companies recently at RJE’s facility in Adelaide. The nine-ship SEA 5000 Future Frigate Program will replace the aging Anzac class frigates. GE’s LM2500 gas turbines are operational on two of the short-listed qualified ship designs -- Fincantieri’s FREMM and Navantia’s F100.

Air New Zealand said its Gas Turbines business unit has been awarded four contracts from the U.S. Navy worth up to $42 million to service its fleet’s gas turbine engines. The contracts will see the Auckland based Gas Turbines team carry out maintenance and overhaul work of the General Electric LM2500 gas turbines that power much of the U.S. Navy fleet for the next few years. Air New Zealand Chief Operations Officer Bruce Parton said the contracts are an important win for the airline, and the company participated in aa competitive bidding process to secure the work. Air New Zealand Gas Turbines is a business unit of Air New Zealand, providing gas turbine overhaul and repair services to clients across a range of industries.

GE Marine reports that its LM2500 gas turbines now power the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Adelaide which was commissioned in late 2015. Alongside sister HMAS Canberra, these 230-meter-long Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships are the largest vessels ever built for the RAN. According to the RAN, HMAS Adelaide was designed with the shallowest possible draft and can deploy an embarked force of more than 1,000 personnel and their equipment, landing ashore via landing craft or helicopters.

GE has signed an in-service support contract with the Australian Defense Materiel Organization’s Maritime Cross-Platform Systems Program Office. Under the contract, GE will provide maintenance and logistic support services for the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) GE LM2500 aeroderivative marine gas turbines that power Adelaide- and ANZAC-class frigates. GE will be backed by GE Marine and Air New Zealand Gas Turbines for this multi-year contract. In addition to repair and overhaul of the RAN’s 16 LM2500s and associated accessories…

Oil fell to four-year low of $72 on Thursday; Airlines hope the price will slip below $70 a barrel. Airlines in Asia-Pacific are holding off from hedging their fuel costs as they wait for oil to dip below $70 a barrel in hopes of securing lower prices, industry executives said on Friday. The benchmark Brent crude oil price fell more than $6 to under $72 a barrel on Thursday, its lowest since July 2010, after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries opted against cutting production even though a supply glut is pulling down prices. Airlines "hedge" some of their fuel needs - or buy fuel in advance at future, pre-determined prices - to reduce the impact on earnings of any volatility or increases in prices.

Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), a leader in  maritime services provider,  announced the appointment of Malcolm Tulip as Senior Vice President for Global Operational Excellence. The new position will involve Malcolm leading cross-company strategic initiatives, cultural change and continuous improvement for ISS to further its aim of delivering excellent customer service worldwide and achieving ‘best in class’ across its chosen markets. Based at ISS’ headquarters in the UK, Malcolm has successfully driven operational excellence and change initiatives to improve customer experience and deliver business efficiency for British Aerospace, General Electric, Air New Zealand, Tyco and Invensys.

The Griffin Global Group Ltd., with the goal of increasing product portfolio, announced the expansion of its corporate business with the appointment of John Prentice as director of Corporate Services. Griffin’s Corporate department will be targeting the offshore and shipping sectors, but do have expansion plans further down the line. Prentice started in the travel business with Air New Zealand. He then came to the United Kingdom and spent 10 years with British Airways, where he served as account manager, Specialist Markets. In 2002, Prentice joined Interargo as director of Sales and joined Griffin in January 2005 following the latter’s acquisition of Argo’s marine and corporate business.