Macrack News

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, says that the first units of a 672-strong MacRack orderbook are now being installed. The units are destined for a total of 38 ships for various owners; 35 of which are for 180,000 dwt bulk carriers and the remaining three are for 87,000 dwt bulkers. Each of the larger vessels will be fitted with 18 MacRack units and the smaller vessels will each feature 14 units. MacGregor explains that MacRack is an economical, competitive and environmentally-friendly electric-drive system for side-rolling hatch covers. "Current levels of interest in MacRack systems strengthen our firm belief that they will become the standard system for side-rolling hatch covers," says Torbjörn Dahl, senior naval architect for bulk ships at MacGregor.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has announced that the first units of a 672-strong MacRack orderbook are now being installed. The units are destined for a total of 38 ships for various owners; 35 of which are for 180,000 dwt bulk carriers and the remaining three are for 87,000 dwt bulkers. Each of the larger vessels will be fitted with 18 MacRack units and the smaller vessels will each feature 14 units. MacRack is an electric-drive system for side-rolling hatch covers. "Current levels…

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has won an order from Sungdong Shipyard in South Korea for side rolling hatch covers for ten 180,000dwt bulk carriers with electrically-operated opening and closing system, MacRack. The ships are being built for the New York listed Scorpio Bulkers Inc. The majority of the ships will be delivered during 2015. Scorpio Bulkers Inc, had previously ordered other ships with MacGregor side rolling hatch covers with MacRack opening and closing system. MacRack uses variable frequency drive (VFD) technology, which allows for the optimized use of electric power.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, confirmed that five 180,000 dwt bulk carriers under construction in South Korea at Sungdong Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, will feature MacGregor side-rolling hatch covers operated by MacGregor's innovative MacRack technology. The order includes the design and supply of key components and the fabrication of the hatch covers. The bulkers are destined for two Greek owners, the first two for Quintana Shipping and the remaining three for Alcyon Shipping. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2014.

Cargotec has signed its first contract for MacRack, an electric-drive innovation for MacGregor side-rolling hatch covers which combines two operations, raising a cover, and moving it sideways to open or close the hatch, and which generated great interest at Marintec China exhibition. Zhenghe Shipyard has ordered Cargotec’s all-electric MacRack system to open and close side-rolling hatch covers on a 47,000 dwt bulk carrier being built for a Chinese owner and scheduled for delivery in July 2012.

Cargotec has developed new operator interfaces for MacGregor dry cargo products; customer feedback formed an essential part of the process, the company said. Cargotec’s R&D team has developed a new portable operating unit (POU) for use with side-rolling hatch covers and has begun to create a new product series of future low- and high-end starters. “When developing the new electric-drive technology for side rolling hatch covers, MacRack, we took up the challenge to create something revolutionary from a usability point of view…