Current Design News

Future Energy Exports CRC, JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation, Low Emission Technology Australia, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and Osaka Gas have executed a project agreement for the "LP Technology R&D Project" to conduct research and development to demonstrate the technical feasibility and operability of low-pressure and low temperature solutions for the bulk transport of CO2 by ships.The LP Technology R&D Project will involve studying behaviour and boil off characteristics of liquid CO2 under dynamic operating conditions and the impact of non-CO2 components.

The good news is that work has commenced on the first new heavy polar icebreaker for the United States Coast Guard in 43 years. The bad news is that when it enters service, projected to occur in FY2024, it will be the first new heavy polar icebreaker for the USCG in 47 years.Meanwhile, Russia has approximately 30 active polar icebreakers, including four that are nuclear powered. Arktika, the first of a new class of three heavy polar icebreakers, has commenced sea trials in the Gulf of Finland, with the other two under construction.

The presence of biofouling on the hull of a ship increases the drag from the water during sailing and thereby the fuel consumption, which results in increased CO2 emissions as well as increased costs for the ship owner. Paints applied to the underwater areas on the hull of ships therefore often contain biocides to hinder biofouling growth or possess non-stick properties, allowing a release of the fouling when the vessels pick up speed.AkzoNobel is working with Royal Philips to…

The remarkable success of autonomous and remotely-controlled vehicles on land and in the air and the interest in this technology being shown within maritime circles suggests that it is only a matter of time before autonomous ships are deployed at sea. Although the fuel costs represent, by far, the majority of shipping costs compared to onboard crews, there are yet substantial benefits to be reaped from autonomous ships. The potential economic benefits are too great to ignore this emerging technology.

The most used and recognized offshore pipeline standard in the world has been updated to reflect the latest pipeline research and developments by DNV GL, the quality assurance and risk management company, and other leading industry players. The standard, previously called DNV-OS-F101 is now renamed DNVGL-ST-F101. Around 65% of all new projects globally are designed according to the standard, first issued in 1976. The new revision reflects the conclusions of joint industry projects (JIPs) by DNV GL and other leading industry players such as DNV GL’s JIP providing guidance for installation of rigid and flexible pipes, umbilicals and power cables.

President Barack Obama signed into law the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) of 2016, authorizing the Brownsville Ship Channel deepening project, making it eligible for federal funding, as announced by the Port of Brownsville. The Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project was one of 28 water infrastructure projects nationwide included in the WRDA and submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to Congress for approval. The project calls for the Port of Brownsville channel to be deepened to 52 feet from its current design depth of 42 feet. When complete, the Port of Brownsville will become one of the deepest ports in the Gulf of Mexico. “The deepening of the channel strengthens the port’s infrastructure and increases our global competitiveness.

Making its debut at the International WorkBoat Show, the new TITAN Line from Radio Zeeland DMP can be connected either to a network or to a wired system and provides wider flexibility and customization with the ability to have a combined digital or analogue display unit within the same panel. The TITAN Line incorporates technology deployed from its earlier products FALCON or SIGMA, has ISO-certified quality assurance, and is ideal for all types of new builds or refits for the commercial shipping industry.

China's Hong Kong Nicaragua Development (HKND) Co. said it is delaying the start of construction on a controversial $50 billion inter-ocean canal across Nicaragua until late 2016. HKND has obtained approval for environmental studies of the canal earlier this month. But on Wednesday, a company statement said that the construction will start toward the end of 2016. While the Hong Kong-based developer did not give a reason for the delay, it said in a statement that “the current design was being fine tuned,” and construction locks and excavations would start toward the end of 2016. The 172-mile canal project, dubbed the largest ever human engineering endeavor, was being funded by Wang Jing, the CEO of HKND Group.

The need for mooring integrity monitoring has of late come back under the spotlight, not least because the use of floating production systems in the offshore oil and gas industry has been predicted to grow at a significant rate between now and 2017 with a peak in the number of new builds expected to occur in 2016/2017. Recently, an updated industry guideline on mooring integrity has been issued by Oil & Gas UK with the support of operators, contractors and vendors. The guideline…

Konecranes South Louisiana operations group completed a simultaneous replacement of 24 hoists in a tightly scheduled two-week service outage at the CHS Myrtle Grove Terminal outside New Orleans. Its South Louisiana operations group recently replaced 24 8-ton hoists mounted on two overhead cranes used to lift and replace top covers on barges delivering grain. These two cranes unload over six million metric tonnes of grain each year, which is then loaded onto export vessels for shipment all over the world.

Liquefied  Natural  Gas  Limited  announced the placement of 40 million fully paid ordinary shares in the capital of LNGL, which has raised A$174 million before costs (Placement).  Commencement of an Early Works program at the proposed 8 mtpa Magnolia LNG (MLNG) project following receipt of the timeline established in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Schedule of Environmental Review (SER) announced on 30 April 2015.  General corporate purposes. The Managing Director of LNGL, Maurice Brand, said “the capital raised will materially help us to progress the Magnolia LNG and Bear Head LNG projects under development in North America.

Hydrocomp’s newest release of PropCad incorporates 3 years of enhancements. Propellers are surprisingly complex devices, especially considering most are a solid piece of metal with no moving parts. The variation in vessels and operational requirements leads to wildly different designs, from noise-sensitive propellers for luxury cruiseliners to wide-blade sets for tugs. With different combinations of diameters, pitches, blade styles, and blade counts, there is no limit to the design alternatives available.

Lockheed Martin Corp and Australia's Austal on Thursday submitted their best ideas for the U.S. Navy's next small warship, as a Navy task force continues to reassess the future of its $34 billion Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. The Navy last month asked U.S. and foreign weapons makers to submit cost and technical data on ship designs and weapons to inform the work of a task force that is due to report on various options by July 31, in time to help shape the Navy's fiscal 2016 budget request.

Oil and gas—and also mining—are the drivers today propelling Arctic maritime operations and the construction of new vessels able to operate in extreme latitudes. While the gas and oil resources can be recovered in the Arctic or far north and shipped to markets by sea or pipeline, the cost of doing must be balanced upon the global market price for those commodities. Ships and marine structures able to operate in the harsh conditions of the extreme latitudes require special designs and construction techniques.

Modern cruise ships can cost upwards of a billion and built to last more than 25 years, so the platforms must be built for change, as evolving style & taste, material innovation & maritime regulation dictate. “Built to stand the test of time” is the mantra, so in seeking insight on modern cruise design we sought insights from a designer that also has stood the test of time, Tomas Tillberg of Tillberg Design International. Mr. Tillberg, as a long-tenured and well-respected member of the Cruise Ship design community…

Richard Holcomb has joined the Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), a naval architecture and marine engineering firm headquartered in Seattle, as a senior naval architect. Holcomb is a registered professional engineer (PE) and the latest hire at the growing firm, which has been acquiring new talent in response to increased customer demand for its services across the country. Holcomb brings more than two decades of naval architecture experience to his new position with a focus on project management, technical direction, and consultation in the areas of ship performance and design.

Wilhelmsen withdraws its Unitor Ballast Water Treatment System from market As a result of an evaluation, the company said that it had reached the decision to withdraw the current design. “We acknowledge the potential impact for our customers and others affected by this decision. However, in keeping with our commitment to compliance, quality and customer satisfaction, we believe this is the only prudent course of action,” said Petter Traaholt, WTS president.

Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions has completed a comprehensive performance verification program for the Unitor Ballast Water Treatment System (Unitor BWTS). As a result of the evaluation that followed, the company reached the decision to withdraw the current design of the Unitor BWTS from the market. “We acknowledge the potential impact for our customers and others affected by this decision. However, in keeping with our commitment to compliance, quality and customer satisfaction, we believe this is the only prudent course of action,” says Petter Traaholt, president of Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions. Wilhelmsen Technical Solutions is committed to developing solutions to address the environmental challenges of the maritime industry.