Capstone News

During a seven-week Arctic transit aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB 20), researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) will study the impact of the extreme environment on crew performance and potential mitigations, as well as advanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies in adverse sea conditions.The studies, which commenced with Healy’s departure from Kodiak, Alaska on Aug. 26, will be led by principal investigator Dr. Nita Shattuck, a professor in the NPS Operations Research (OR) department.

For the first time, a portable laser shock peening system has been developed for and demonstrated in a shipyard environment and on board a U.S. Navy warship to combat aluminum cracking.On June 24, 2022, through a 2020 National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) Research Announcement Project, Hepburn and Sons LLC, teamed with LSP Technologies, Vigor Industries and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) was able to demonstrate for the first time ever the use of a portable Procudo LSP system both in a shipyard facility and onboard USS Cape St. George (CG-71).

The 2022 biennial, multi-national Rim of the Pacific's (RIMPAC) exercise has come to a close.This year’s exercise with the theme of “Capable Adaptive Partners,” featured 26 participating nations and 38 surface ships, three submarines, more than 30 uncrewed systems, approximately 170 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel.RIMPAC 2022 featured a wide range of capabilities--projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces and helping to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, and took place in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, June 29 to Aug.

Deal builds on Auxo’s December 2017 acquisition of leading dry-bulk transportation and logistics company, M/G Transport Services. Private investment firm Auxo Investment Partners announced today that it is partnering with the Andrie family with an investment in Andrie LLC, a Michigan-based Jones Act bulk transporter of specialty products including liquid asphalt, cement, light oil petroleum products, and calcium chloride throughout the Great Lakes. The deal, terms of which were not disclosed…

MMA Launches Third Graduate Degree, M.S. Maritime Business Management. The Massachusetts Maritime Academy has announced the launch of their third Graduate Degree, the Master of Science in Maritime Business Management. MMA developed the MSMB over a four-year period as a campus-wide collaborative effort with the Academic Dean, the Dean of Graduate & Continuing Education, the undergraduate International Maritime Business Department faculty and input gathered from employers, prospective students, the Graduate Education Council, and MMA graduate and undergraduate alumni. The MSMB program is certified by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

Fathom is finalizing preparations for its July 17 Dominican Republic voyage representing the first ever cruise to the Caribbean focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programming. The 7-day cruise will feature specialized STEM-focused workshops for educators that Fathom developed in close collaboration with the Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL). Fathom also will play host to the fifth annual Clean Tech Competition, a unique research and design challenge for pre-college youth. Additionally, advertising students from the Gaylord College at the University of Oklahoma’s (OU) student-run advertising and…

The Port of Portland Commission today approved a 14-acre, 50-year lease with locally based Capstone Partners and its investment partner PCCP, LLC to develop Phase III of the PDX Logistics Center. At more than one million square feet, the PDX Logistics Center will have a total of five state-of-the-art buildings; two of which are already fully leased to trade and logistics tenants. The project, located within the Portland International Center (south of Northeast Airport Way), provides tenants with immediate access to I-205, close proximity to airport freight and transportation services near Portland International Airport, and is within walking distance to TriMet’s Airport Max light rail line and mixed-use Cascade Station (shopping center, office buildings and hotels).

Private maritime training school Maritime Professional Training (MPT) announced it recently graduated Captain Roberto Beretta who is the recipient of the first Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Master (Yachts) - Unlimited license. Captain Beretta is the first in the world to achieve this certification, which he attained through MPT’s first of its kind, expedient superyacht-specific assessment for captains wishing to gain their unlimited license from the RMI Maritime Administrator.

John C. Daidola has joined Webb Institute as Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering. Dr. Daidola is a structural engineer with over forty-years of experience. His early experience was as Design Engineer at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company and as Chief Naval Architect at Storm-Master Boat Corporation. He was employed for 28 years at M. Rosenblatt & Son, Inc., where he worked as Senior Vice President and Engineering Branch Manager. For the last 15 years he worked at the AMSEC LLC, serving as Senior Vice President and Commercial Operations Manager. Dr.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that two U.S. Areas of Concern, Deer Lake in the Lake Superior basin and White Lake in the Lake Michigan basin, have been removed from the binational list of toxic hotspots that were targeted for cleanup in the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. After decades during which only one U.S. Area of Concern was delisted, federal agencies have accelerated cleanup actions during the past five years by using Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding.

Over the past two years, the only constant in the dynamic positioning industry has been uncertainty. A new certification scheme, a long-awaited revision of the industry standard and threats of regulation continue to cause oscillating senses of hope and fear. As a result, the DP industry has a collective case of whiplash. However, even today few answers exist as to what direction the industry should take toward a worthwhile system of DPO certification. To some, the answer is a return to a one-size-fits-all DPO certification system.

In a recent study, two groups were shown the same painting; one group was told it was painted in 1905, the other was told 2005. Not surprisingly, the first group reported liking the painting more than the second, proving the human brain almost automatically equates longevity with quality. But does longevity always equal quality? Of course not, but our natural inclination is to respect that which has been around and to be uncomfortable with change. I admit it; I fear change as much as the next person. However, in certain circumstances we must take a breath and recognize the status quo can no longer be our only option. Nowhere in the maritime community is the need for well-crafted options more evident than the certification of dynamic positioning operators (DPOs).

Maine Maritime Academy faculty member, Dr. George Harakas, has coauthored a patent with colleague and business partner, Scott Eaton, for glycerol-containing fuel aimed at reducing emissions in large diesel engines. The two are members of the SeaChange Group LLC a private company formed in 2009 to develop low-emissions fuels. They recently received notice from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that patent # 8,679,202 was formally issued. SeaChange Group (SCG), headquartered in Brunswick, is an entrepreneurial high-tech start-up with strong ties to Maine Maritime Academy. The company is developing Eco-Hybrid fuel technology, a low-cost, low-emissions “drop-in” fuel for marine, rail and power-generation industries.

Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) apprises that faculty member, Dr. George Harakas, has co-authored a patent with colleague and business partner, Scott Eaton, for glycerol-containing fuel aimed at reducing emissions in large diesel engines. The two are members of the SeaChange Group LLC a private company formed in 2009 to develop low-emissions fuels. They recently received notice from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that patent # 8,679,202 was formally issued. The Academy explains that SeaChange Group (SCG)…

The U.S. Coast Guard hosted the 2013 Spill of National Significance Executive Seminar at its headquarters Monday. As a follow up and identified best practice to the 2012 Spill of National Significance (SONS) Executive Seminar, the Coast Guard hosted the 2013 Executive Seminar to explore national level policy issues associated with Arctic spill response and to exercise national-level coordination of Senior Officials during an Arctic SONS. Over 75 senior government officials and advisors representing over 20 federal agencies and departments participated in this year’s SONS capstone event.

Capstone Turbine Corporation, a clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, announced the company's inclusion on Deloitte's Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America. Capstone Turbine's President and Chief Executive Officer, Darren Jamison, credits the U.S. shale gas boom, tightening global emission requirements and businesses increasingly becoming more focused on reducing energy costs with the company's outstanding revenue growth. He said, "This is the third consecutive year Capstone has been a Technology Fast 500 winner.

Stevens Institute of Technology will host its 2013 Innovation Expo on April 24, 2013, allowing the public a peek at innovative technologies, products and services developed by students and faculty throughout the year, and introducing a new lecture series on business and entrepreneurship. The Stevens Innovation Expo is an annual, one-day, campus-wide event which displays the extensive research and innovation accomplishments of faculty and students. From mobile apps to solar houses to financial software to biomedical products…

Environmental Protection Engineering S.A.(EPE) has become the first Greek company to obtain certification from classification society Germanischer Lloyd. GL is a certified provider of Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) services. EPE becomes one of only a handful of companies worldwide that are able to offer IHM in compliance with the Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships and the Guidelines for the Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials. EPE HazMat Expert, Mr.

Capstone Turbine Corporation, a clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, is expanding its product offering in the marine market and has appointed six Capstone marine distributors. In addition, the company has launched a contest that will give away up to 130 kilowatts of marine power to three existing or new ship owners. Winners will be selected from entries submitted which represent the most compelling marine projects that can be powered by clean-and-green marine microturbines. Entries must be submitted at www.winmicroturbinepower.net by March 31, 2014.

Morgan Industries Corporation, the parent company of Hunter Marine Corporation and the Luhrs Marine Group family of boat manufacturing businesses, announce that it and its U.S. subsidiaries (the "Company") filed voluntary petitions for chapter 11 business reorganization in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The Company is a  builder of recreational powerboats and sailboats under the iconic brand names of Hunter Marine, Silverton, Ovation, Luhrs, and Mainship. The business reorganization is intended to bolster liquidity, fairly resolve legacy liabilities, and enable the company to focus on its most valuable business lines and assets.

Capstone Turbine Corporation, a clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, is expanding its product offering in the marine market and has appointed six Capstone marine distributors. Capstone marine microturbines, which run on cleaner and less costly liquid natural gas (LNG) or traditional diesel, already are installed on several vessels including the Argonon. The Argonon is a Type C Tanker in the European inland waterways that has been successfully operating with two C30 LNG Capstone microturbines since 2011. "The Argonon has been efficiently running using Capstone microturbines in excess of 20,000 combined hours," said Gerard Deen, Founder of Deen Shipping.

1 of 7 Navy Ships under construction at Austal USA. On October 1, 2012, Austal USA successfully completed the launch process of the second Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV), the recently christened USNS Choctaw County (JHSV 2). This 103-meter high-speed catamaran represents the U.S. Department of Defense’s next generation multi-use platform. It is part of a 10-ship program potentially worth over US$1.6 billion. Brian Leathers, Austal USA Interim President and Chief Financial Officer commented, “This is the ship’s first voyage, one of many in its future.

Greene’s Energy Group (GEG), a  provider of integrated testing, rentals and specialty services, has promoted Maury Dumba to Senior Vice President of Business Development, announced CEO Bob Vilyus. Dumba, who is based in Houston, previously served as the company’s Vice President of Business Development where he developed strategic plans and identified future growth opportunities for the company through organic expansion and acquisitions. In his new position, Dumba will maintain these duties and will also provide oversight for organic growth initiatives.