F Perla News

Power solutions provider Caterpillar Marine is partnering with Jackson Offshore Operators to pilot an integrated hybrid energy solution that will help the Louisiana-based offshore marine services firm reduce fuel consumption and diesel exhaust emissions on board one of its platform supply vessels (PSV), the companies announced Wednesday.The solution, which will include a new energy storage system (ESS) to compliment the vessel's existing twin 2,815 hp Caterpillar 3516C main diesel generators and twin 1…

JAX LNG, a small-scale LNG facility located along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Fla., recently completed the first fueling of a marine vessel in the United States with a blend of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and renewable LNG (RLNG).JAX LNG loaded the RLNG/LNG blend into the Clean Jacksonville bunker barge to fuel the Isla Bella. The Isla Bella is the world’s first LNG-powered container ship and was put into service by TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico in 2015. Element Markets supplied the renewable natural gas (RNG) used to produce the RLNG via renewable thermal certificates (RTCs).

The MSC Grandiosa cruise ship is set to dock at the cruise pier of the Port of Valencia marking the MSC's resumption of activity at the port. The ship will dock at the Cap i Casal, an operation that will take place every Friday with a full day stopover until November 5, when the summer and autumn season comes to an end. This was explained this morning at a press conference by the, who was accompanied by the president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), Aurelio Martínez, and the CEO of MSC Spain, Francisco Lorente.Vice-president of MSC Cruises, Gianluca Suprani said it was important that the sector was slowly but surely returning to normality…

Build it and they will come mentality serves TOTE well on ‘world first’ LNG ContainershipsAs the marine industry collectively struggles to find solutions to the mounting mandates to cut emissions, U.S. owner TOTE, which broke ground three years ago with the world’s first LNG-fueled containership, has more than 36 months experience operating almost exclusively on LNG. To date it has been a rousing success.As environmental mandates for ships continue to get stricter, particularly…

In a recent interview with Peter Keller, Executive Vice President, TOTE, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News discussed lessons learned after three years of experience running two containerships – Isla Bella and Perla del Caribe – on LNG, the world’s first containerships with LNG fueled engines. Built in San Diego at NASSCO, powered by MAN ME-GI dual fuel engines and classed by ABS, Keller discusses ‘lessons learned’ today"When you're dealing with natural gas the safety culture is important. It's cryogenic, you don't want to spill it.

American shipping company, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, has returned very positive reports on its LNG-powered containerships, ‘Isla Bella’ and ‘Perla del Caribe’ as they approach the third anniversary of commencing operations, said a press release.It said that the 3,100-teu sister ships serve the route between Jacksonville, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico and are notable for being propelled by the first ME-GI dual-fuel engines produced by MAN Energy Solutions.Tim Nolan, President and CEO of TOTE noted: "The relationship between MAN and TOTE has been strong with excellent collaboration from the top level all the way to the engine room, and that continues. TOTE is proud to be an LNG first mover.

The first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge to be built in North America has been delivered in Jacksonville, Fla., said U.S. shipbuilder Conrad Industries.The new 2,200 cubic meter bunkering barge, Clean Jacksonville, will service TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico’s LNG-powered Marlin Class containerships, the Isla Bella and Perla del Caribe, which operate between Jacksonville and San Juan, Puerto Rico.The new barge enters operation as the maritime industry increasingly explores…

Significant moments in naval architecture & marine engineeringOn October 16, 2015, U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO delivered the world's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered containership, Isla Bella, to domestic ship owner and operator TOTE Maritime. The 764-foot-long Isla Bella and its sister ship Perla del Caribe currently serve the Florida-Puerto Rico trade.Today, LNG continues to pick up steam across the industry. In November 2017, French carrier CMA CGM announced that its nine new 22…

The move to LNG as fuel in the maritime sector picks up steam, as CMA CGM announced plans to outfit nine of its new 22,000 TEU containerships with LNG fueled engines. A trend that started in the United States is spreading to the world, as global containershipping giant CMA CGM announced its intention to outfit its series of new 22,000 TEU containerships with LNG-fueled engines. The move to ‘clean fuel’ in the maritime sector has been rapid, spurred by new rules from the International…

The move to LNG as fuel in the maritime sector picks up steam, as CMA CGM announced plans to outfit nine of its new 22,000 TEU containerships with LNG fueled engines. A trend that started in the United States is spreading to the world, as global containershipping giant CMA CGM announced its intention to outfit its series of new 22,000 TEU containerships with LNG-fueled engines. The move to ‘clean fuel’ in the maritime sector has been rapid, spurred by new rules from the International…

Since Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 19, TOTE Maritime’s vessels have brought cargo to the island nine times delivering more than 7,200 containers of food, water, oxygen, generators and other essential relief and recovery items, along with the island’s regular day to day commercial needs. Through its efforts, TOTE Maritime has supported a 20 percent increase in cargo movement to the island. TOTE Maritime said it is working closely with customers to ensure the most critical items are receiving priority status…

TOTE Maritime continues to see an increase in overall productivity at the Port of San Juan as more and more containers leave the terminal for communities around Puerto Rico. Monday the terminal reached 87 percent productivity with more than 330 loads of relief and commercial goods leaving the terminal. TOTE Maritime has been working closely with a number of partners including the Department of Homeland Security, American Red Cross, FEMA, the Puerto Rican government, the Government’s Elderly Support Team and customers to support their needs as they deliver goods to the island. The TOTE Maritime team in San Juan has been working around the clock to ensure that drivers and customers coming to the terminal are able to access their goods.

Today's address by FMC commissioner William P.Doyle brought transparency to the massive U.S.-based efforts expended during this hurricane season at the 17th Annual Port Industry Day conference in Jersey City, NJ. Good Morning New York and New Jersey. It’s a great day here in Jersey City. I know that Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao really wanted to attend the 17th Annual Port Industry Day conference today. Even with a long-standing commitment, she tried to make her schedule work. Secretary Chao is a good friend. Before I begin, I want to address this year’s hurricane season. It’s been a tough one – Harvey, Irma and Maria. I am proud of the work performed during the recovery efforts by the U.S. Merchant Marine. The Merchant Marine consists of American mariners serving aboard U.S.

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.

The submarine Romeo Romei was delivered at Fincantieri’s shipyard of Muggiano, La Spezia. It is the last of the four U212A Todaro class twin units ordered from Fincantieri by the Naval Armament Unit – NAVARM for the Italian Navy. Romeo Romei, as its twin unit Pietro Venuti delivered last July at the Muggiano shipyard, features highly innovative technological solutions. It is entirely built with amagnetic material, using the most modern silencing techniques to reduce its acoustic signature.

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News (www.marinelink.com), published since 1939, annually publishes details on the world’s “Great Ships of the Year.” Of the 18 selected as “Great Ships of 2016,” here we rank the Top 10 Ships of 2016, according to the editors of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News. Why: Second in series of the world’s first LNG powered containerships. Shipyard: Philly Shipyard Inc. Owner  Reliance Industries Ltd. Owner: Arctia Icebreaking Ltd.

JAX LNG said it has executed the remaining engineering and procurement contracts required to begin construction of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction and storage facility at Dames Point near the Port of Jacksonville. The JAX LNG liquefaction facility is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2017. Once completed, it will be outfitted with a 2 million-gallon storage tank with the capacity to produce in excess of 120,000 gallons of LNG per day. JAX LNG’s Jacksonville plant will be North America’s first small-scale coastal LNG facility and will include marine distribution capabilities utilizing North America’s first LNG bunker barge, Clean Jacksonville. “The LNG industry is seeing a steady growth in demand,” said Tim Hermann, president of Pivotal LNG.

With offices in the US, Brazil, Chile, China and Germany, GPA developed into an independent, full-service naval architecture and marine engineering company that since 1979 has helped vessel owners and shipyards navigate through complex newbuild, retrofit and repair projects. Its extensive design portfolio includes hundreds of offshore vessels, workboats, passenger vessels and fishing vessels constructed for commercial owners worldwide and governmental institutions. The GPA team consists of over 60 professionals…

Fueled by liquefied natural gas, the Perla Del Caribe will join its sister ship, the Isla Bella, as the greenest containerships in the world. U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO today delivered the world’s second containership to be operated by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Perla Del Caribe. The ship was delivered two months ahead of schedule and is the sister ship of the world’s first LNG-powered containership, the Isla Bella, also built by NASSCO for TOTE Maritime. “The Perla Del Caribe and the Isla Bella exemplify world-leading…

BAE Systems delivered its fourth and final of series platform support vessel (PSV) to Jackson Offshore Operators, LLC, completing a four-ship program that began in 2012. Motor Vessel Squall joins three other vessels built by BAE Systems’ Jacksonville, Florida, shipyard to support U.S. offshore oil exploration. Squall is the fourth vessel of the GPA 675J class, designed by Guido Perla and Associates of Seattle. Construction of the 252-ft. vessel began in December 2014 and it was delivered on January 31, 2016.

The Dutch company Van der Velden Marine Systems (VDVMS) in conjunction with the U.S. representative Ships Machinery International, Inc. (SMI) has announced the launching of a new Jones Act Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) with BARKE high-lift flap rudders for coastwise service in the U.S. This new design vessel brings increased maneuvering to the fleet of ATB vessels plying U.S. coastal waters. Tank tests prove that for this type of vessel this is the most effective rudder design. This ATB will have enhanced maneuverability and excellent course keeping stability.

Marking its seventh ship delivery in the span of just over a year, General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered the newly built ECO Class tanker Garden State for American Petroleum Tankers. Garden State was delivered during a special signing ceremony and is one of three classes of ships delivered by the San Diego-based shipyard since June of last year. “In the past year, NASSCO shipbuilders have delivered seven ships – or the equivalent to 100,000 tons worth of steel,” said Kevin Graney, vice president and general manager for General Dynamics NASSCO.

Built at BAE Systems’ Jacksonville, Fla. shipyard, the new tug Sea Power has delivered the tug Sea Power to Seabulk Tankers, Inc. to be used to enhance the shipper’s Jones Act coastal operation, powering barges that transport chemical and petroleum products between U.S. ports. Sea Power is a 141-foot-long, 12,000-brake horsepower, twin-screw tug that will work in tandem with a high-specification, 30,000 deadweight tonnage chemical tank barge as an articulated tug and barge unit. BAE Systems and Guido Perla & Associates, Inc., of Seattle, Washington, designed the vessel.