Machinery Plant News

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on hundreds of people and entities, including in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, as it targets Russia's sanctions evasion, future energy capabilities, banks and its metals and mining sector.The U.S. Treasury and State departments targeted more than 250 individuals and entities in Washington's latest action attempting to crack down on Russia and its evasion of sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies over the war in…

Austal Limited announced that the future USNS Apalachicola (EPF-13) has successfully completed acceptance trials for the U.S. Navy.Constructed at Austal USA’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard, EPF-13 is the first Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ship with capabilities for V-22 Osprey flight operations and enhanced medical support. It is also the U.S. Navy’s largest ship with the capability to operate as an unmanned surface vessel (USV).Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the completion of acceptance trials for EPF-13 was a significant milestone…

The U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) has awarded GE Power Conversion an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to maintain the electric and hybrid electric power and propulsion systems aboard its vessels. The five-year contract potentially could be worth $125 million.The contract covers maintenance, modernization and upgrades, training, repairs, parts, remote technical support, and program management on 35 vessels, with more ships to be added as they are built and turned over to MSC after commissioning.

The U.S. Navy has awarded shipbuilder Austal USA a $44 million contract to establish the expeditionary fast transport USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13) as an autonomous prototype.Austal USA, builder of the Spearhead-class EPF, will design, procure, implement and demonstrate EPF 13 as an autonomous platform. This award builds on Austal USA’s previous autonomous work for the U.S. Department of Defense.The enhancements will allow EPF 13 to operate autonomously while retaining the capability for manned operation.

As the marine industry evolves toward autonomous operations, one of the sticking points traditionally has been centered on maintenance and answering the question: “what happens when machinery needs fixed?”Helping to advance the technologies is the NYK Group, which recently finished a concluded a joint research agreement for developing advanced condition-based maintenance (CBM), a new maintenance and management process for ship machinery which eschews the maritime practice of time-based maintenance (TBM).

The Port of Hamburg and Metrans Group are intensifying their links with Lithuanian Railways. Axel Mattern, Joint CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, and Egidijus Lazauskas, Deputy Director-General and Director Freight Traffic for Lithuanian Railways, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Vilnius to strengthen cooperation on the routes to and from the Port of Hamburg.In addition, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG - HHLA’s intermodal subsidiary Metrans, and Lithuanian Railways signed a Letter of Intent to promote and improve cross-border freight flows.For years, the Lithuanian economy has been experiencing a tremendous upswing. In the first quarter of 2018…

Robert (Bob) Hill of Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering Corp., of Milford, MA has specialized in the design of AT/B’s for many years. As probably the world's most experienced designer of large articulated tug/barge (AT/B) systems, Hill’s success comes, in part, from a willingness to innovate. Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering Corporation and Robert Hill are the co-inventors of the Intercon Connection System. In a nutshell, his firm has had a hand in over 70% of the operational AT/B’s in service in America – including, 80% of those built or converted since 1994.

A naming ceremony was held Monday at Japan Marine United Corporation’s (JMU) Kure shipyard for the first newly built containership painted in Ocean Network Express' (ONE) corporate color.The new magenta box ship, named ONE Stork, is the 10th of 15 new 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels ordered by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK). It will be chartered by Singapore-based ONE, which began operations on April 1 by integrating the container businesses of Japanese ocean carriers Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line), Mitsui O.S.K.

Tokyo-based Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) Group is not only one of the world’s largest ship owners with a diverse fleet of more than 800 ships, it is a growing global maritime logistics powerhouse. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News visited with Yasuo Tanaka, Senior Managing Corporate Officer, Naval Architect, in Tokyo for his insights on the company’s continued efforts to invest in operational efficiency. The story of NYK cannot start without a look at the numbers, because the numbers tell the story in a most impressive fashion.

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) is calling for vessel owners and technical managers to make records available that provide important information on the condition of the ship and its machinery when a ship changes owner. “The current trend to remove these records has the potential to impact on the new owner’s ability to operate the vessel effectively on takeover”, says Helle Hammer, Chairman of IUMI’s Political Forum. “Without continuity of information, it could be some months before the new crew and management are fully familiar with the vessel and machinery plant. During this time, there is an increased risk of machinery breakdown leading to inability or impairment to navigate, fire and explosion, or personal injury from component failure.

The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) completed Seakeeping and Structural Loads Trials, commonly referred to as Rough Water Trials (RWT) in late March the Navy reported May 21. The U.S. Navy must demonstrate the seaworthiness and structural integrity of each new ship class. One of the primary ways the Navy verifies these qualities is through a series of at-sea tests and inspections. These are designed to ensure the hull design is able to navigate through and withstand forces due to inclement weather and high sea state conditions.

An Enerpac EVO synchronous lifting system has helped save a transformer manufacturer hundreds of thousands of dollars in freight from New Zealand to India by safely and precisely weighing the electrical equipment to exactly verify that its tonnage came in under local shipping port weight limits. The hydraulic 12-point lifting, shifting and weighing system was deployed by New Zealand and international logistics and machinery moving specialists Machinery Movers Ltd to assist with their delicate challenge in Northland, New Zealand.

SEEMP can make a fleet more competitive in a difficult business environment while reducing its impact on the environment. In January 2013, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) put into force new regulations intended to improve the energy efficiency of ships over 400 gross tonnes (gt) on international voyages, including a requirement to keep on board a ship-specific Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). This initiative is intended to reduce ship greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by encouraging ship operators to reduce energy consumption. Since that time, there has been much discussion within the shipping industry about the potential domestic enforcement of the SEEMP. Recently, the U.S.

World crude production may rise and fall, but the historical trend shows a steady increase in the price of a barrel of oil, and with it, the price of a ton of fuel. Add the demands of shareholders and charterers to increase operational efficiency and profitability, as well as increasing international pressure to reduce fuel consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions. It is no wonder that ship owners have seen a steady rise, as well, in the availability of technologies — from ship design to propulsion and HVAC systems to hull coatings — that are purported to reduce fuel consumption.

After two RoRo and RoCon designs for CMN and BAHRI, naval architect Knud E. Hansen’s focus has moved into the reefer market. Knud E. Hansen A/S is the naval architect behind the Reefer RoRo, which has been developed in close cooperation with Reefer Intel and Stena RoRo. Reefer Intel is owned by Mr. Birger Lindberg Skov, former President of Lauritzen Reefers A/S. Thee Vessel is intended for world-wide operation as a RoRo Reefer Vessel in the banana trade with special emphasize…

Doen Pacific as one of only 5 marine waterjet manufacturers in the world matching engines to 4,000kW, and CSIC, one of the two largest shipbuilding conglomerates in China, together with its Member WMMP, have jointly signed a license agreement for the manufacture and sale of WMMP‐DOEN Waterjets in China. The signing ceremony took place on October 29, in Wuhan, China, and was attended by representatives of each company, headed by Mr. He Jiwu, Board Chairman and President ‐ Wuhan Marine Machinery Plant; Mr. Wu Jing, Vice‐Executive General Manager ‐ China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. Ltd, as the Technology Import channel for CSIC; Mr. Mark Peters, Director ‐ Doen Pacific Pty. Ltd; and Mr. Timothy Udvary, Director and Chief Engineer ‐ Doen Pacific Pty. Ltd.

Danish Naval Architecture Firm KNUD E. HANSEN A/S behind the coordination for Basic Design of new Roll-on Roll-off/Containerships for Hudong-Zhonghua. On the 10th of August 2012, the Atlantic Container Line (ACL) announced their contract with the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (group) Co. Ltd. China for the construction of five new RoRo/Container (CONRO) vessels. The vessels will be the world’s largest and most innovative CONRO vessels ever built. The five ship order will form the G4 (Generation 4) class and on delivery…

Within the EU the Port of Hamburg is one of India’s most important commercial partners in seaborne foreign trade. In November the Hamburg Joint Representative Office in Mumbai was officially opened. This is designed to strengthen economic, but also cultural and academic links between the two countries. Supported by Port of Hamburg Marketing, the Hamburg Senate and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and already functioning since the beginning of this year, the Representative Office is regarded as the contact point for representatives of the worlds of politics, commerce and culture from Hamburg and India. Thanks to the exchange of information and various events…

The cliche “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” certainly applies to the past, current and future role of the Norwegian maritime cluster in the grand scheme of the international ship and boat building communities. Few countries, if any, can boast the maritime history of Norway, a history that entails many colorful tales surpassed only by the number and magnitude of marine innovations, which have emerged from a country with a population (approx. five million), which is smaller than many large cities. And while corporate consolidations around the globe continue to morph the marine market — including many notable Norwegian companies such as Ulstein…

Machinery plant maintenance represents a major expense for ship operators. In addition to normal maintenance expenditures, unexpected breakdowns have a significant cost impact. Recognizing the importance of preventing equipment failures, companies continue to adopt automation for machinery monitoring at a rapid pace. Continual improvements in the price/performance ratio of automation systems have also fueled their increased use in shipboard machinery plant monitoring. As a result, more ships with automated machinery plants exist today than ever before. However, just as a typical Internet search can easily create "information overload", so too can process automation create a "data overload" situation for the engineering crews responsible for equipment operation and maintenance.

Metso has been awarded major automation system contracts for 3 advanced vessels to be built in Finland. One contract is for 2 Multifunctional Icebreaking Supply Vessels (MIBSV) by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy for Russian Sovcomflot. The second is a Multipurpose Deck Cargo Carrier by STX Finland Oy for Finnish Gaiamare Ltd. belonging to Turku based Meriaura Group. The MIBSV’s are designated for the Sakhalin-1 Arkutun-Dagi gas field and will be used as supply vessels for the Exxon Neftegas Ltd gas platform. They are designed for the harsh environmental conditions in the Sakhalin area with drifting ice and temperatures down to minus 35°C.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique this week. and is due for delivery in 2005. vessel. new rules to allow the yard and owners to break new technological frontiers. commercial manager of BV's marine division. transportation. The ships have two key innovations. cargo gas will be carried in the new GTT CS1 membrane system. such engines. machinery plant. needed to develop the cost-effective CS1 containment system. BV concept approval in 2002. The dual fuel diesel electric propulsion system offers several advantages. space in the hull. conventional turbine installations. are now in short supply. taken off line and maintained on passage. cutting the risk of a power failure. and NO96 membrane systems. and a cost reduction of 15 per cent compared to existing systems.

Lloyd’s Register FOBAS has identified four separate instances of heavy fuel oil (HFO) bunkers loaded onto ships in Port Said with high levels of Silicon and Aluminium (Si+Al) ranging from 184 mg/kg to 240 mg/kg between the periods of 21-26 July 2005. Such concentrations are far and above the ISO 8217 limit of 80 mg/kg for a heavy fuel oil. The purification plant configuration of most ships will not normally be capable of reducing these high levels of Si+Al abrasives to acceptable engine inlet levels. This may therefore result in a carry over of excess levels of Si+Al into the engine inlet. Increased wear rates, even severe damage to the engine components – such as fuel pumps, injectors, cylinder liners and piston rings, can then be expected to occur as a result.