Cargo Monitoring Systems News

Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems (KMSS) has recently won a number of orders for its cargo monitoring systems in Japan and Korea. These new orders are collectively worth over $1 million and firmly establish KMSS as a major player in these lucrative markets. The first order is for a Custody Transfer System (CTS) for MOL and Qatar Gas Hull 1561 currently under construction at Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Japan. The second order is also for a CTS cargo system for Shell Hull 2183 currently under construction at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., in Nagasaki, Japan. The ship is the last to be built in a series of three, which have also been fitted with equipment from KMSS. currently under construction at Daewoo in Korea.

Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems (KMSS) reported excellent progress in the cargo monitoring systems market at the Posidonia Exhibition 2002 in Piraeus, Greece. This news was reinforced by the announcement of a co-operation agreement with Gunclean Toftejorg that will offer system integration to common customers. Gunclean Toftejorg has developed a dedicated range of tank cleaning equipment. Cleaning of cargo tanks on crude oil, chemical and product tankers as well as bulk carriers is essential for the optimised use of the transportation capacity of a tanker. This latest collaboration strengthens KMSS’s ability to offer total solutions to their customers.

Kongsberg Maritime Ship Systems (KMSS) has taken orders to provide over $3 million worth of services and equipment to Petrobras and Metalnave SA, both based in Brazil. KMSS products are also set to be displayed at this years World Petroleum Expo, to be held in Rio this September. KMSS will supply Autrocargo cargo monitoring systems for the Petrobras P-43 and P-48 Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessels (FPSO’s), currently under construction in Singapore and Brazil and bound for the Barracuda and Caratinga field developments. Petrobras has 11 FPSO’s in operation and under construction, 8 of which have been fitted out with KMSS systems.

There has been plenty of talk recently about the birth of a spot and short-term charter market for lng carriers. Indeed some LNGoperators have formed strategic alliances to prepare for these potentially new trades. However, R.S.Platou Shipbrokers of Norway believes that the volume of LNGtonnage currently on order could yet force some owners to work short-term deals by the end of this decade whether they like it or not. According to the broker’s statistics, some 60 new LNG carriers will have been ordered during this year and, by the end of November, the orderbook consisted of 104 vessels equivalent to about 80% of the existing fleet.