W&O Supplies Actuated Valve Solution for Vigorous
The marine industry watched as the United States’ largest floating drydock, the Vigorous, was delivered to its final home at Vigor Industrial’s Portland shipyard on the Willamette River in August. W&O is one of the partners that supported Vigor in this $40 million dollar project, by providing an actuated valve solution for the ballast system of the drydock. From design specification through initial commissioning, the W&O team has provided technical and product expertise for the Vigorous ballast system, utilizing SPACE Gate Valves, EIM Electric Actuators, reach rods and deck stands.
Ship Mooring Chocks – New International Standard
A new ASTM International standard covers the principal dimensions and materials of closed chocks, used for mooring, for installation on ships. The new standard, ASTM F2935, Specification for Chocks, Ship Mooring, Cast Steel, has been developed by Subcommittee F25.01 on Structures, part of ASTM International Committee F25 on Ships and Marine Technology. Chocks are mounted directly on the deck, on the foundation or in a bulwark of a ship. Chao H. Lin, Office of Safety, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and F25.01 chairman, notes that chocks are an essential apparatus for tying a vessel to a dock or pier. Shipboard hardware designers and manufacturers…
Wärtsilä NSD Address Sulzer RTA84T Bedplate Fears
Citing overzealous trade reporting and seeking to set the record straight and ensure that accurate information is being disseminated, Wärtsilä NSD has issued a formal announcement regarding cracks in the bedplates of Sulzer RTA84T and RTA84T-B low-speed marine diesel engines. The company, concerned that reports had become alarmist and exaggerated, decided to present the details to the marine industry to set the record straight. Following is an excerpt from the announcement. CURRENT SITUATION: There are today 41 of the RTA84T and RTA84T-B engine types in service, all in VLCCs. The first began operation in 1994, and the longest running engines have individually accumulated up to more than 40,000 running hours. Of these, 11 engines have cracks in one or more of their bearing girders.
Timberland to Supply Equipment for Tugs
Two Panama Canal Authority tugs, being built by Saint John Shipbuilding at East Isle Shipyard in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island, will be outfitted with deck machinery supplied by Timberland Equipment. Saint John Shipbuilding won the contract for two new 4,000 hp tugs, along with an option for two more, in October, 2000. Timberland's scope of supply consists of two Series 651A Hawser winches, one Series 353H, 24-in. Hydraulic Capstan and a 160 hp diesel/hydraulic power unit per ship-set. On the bow, two Timberland Series 651A Hawser winches, each with a line pull rating of 8,000 lbs. at 230 FPM mid-drum. The drums are designed for underwound configuration. Located aft is a Timberland Series 353H hydraulic capstan, complete with a 24-in. diameter cast steel head.
Bollinger Delivers DBL101
Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., has delivered DBL101, the first of four Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA’90) double hull, ocean service, oil tank barges to K-Sea Transportation Corp. While the DBL 101 was in the final stages of construction, Bollinger also retrofitted the K-Sea tug TASMAN SEA with a JAK coupler system, creating an ATB unit. Bollinger and K-Sea announced a newbuilding contract in March 2001, for the series of 4 barges with capacities of 80,000 to 100,000 barrels (BBL). Bollinger Marine Fabricators (BMF), Amelia, La., fabricated modules for the new 400-ft. by 74-ft. by 25-ft., 100,000 BBL barge and shipped them to Bollinger Gretna (Harvey, La.) for final assembly and installation of piping and other systems.
The Petroleum Connection
All of the growth markets in the commercial marine marketplace have something to do with petroleum. Supply and crew/supply boats directly support drilling activity and Articulated Tug Barges (ATB) distributes crude, refined or an oil byproduct to refiners or distributors. The ATB represents a big advance in transporting these oil products over a pushboat pushing a tow of petroleum barges. Typically an ATB is one large barge with capacity from 80,000 to 160,000 barrels being pushed by a tug that fits into a notch in the barge. An advanced coupling system permits easy coupling and uncoupling of the two units. With typical barge and pushboat units, the coupling system uses winches and wire ropes to lash the barges together and also secure the barge tow to the pushboat.
