Condensation News

Somerset, Mass. shipyard Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, announced it has delivered the first of the Boston Pilots’ two Chesapeake-class pilot boats undergoing a comprehensive refit.“The vessels are well used and well maintained. Only minor structural repairs were necessary so definitely worthy of refitting,” said Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president.Along with installing new shafts and Brunton propellers, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat’s twin 600 hp Lugger L6140AL2 engines were replaced with a pair of Volvo Penta D-16 diesel engines…

A loss of propulsion due to a false alarm led to cargo vessels colliding near Port Arthur, Texas last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.While transiting the Sabine Pass on August 21, 2022, the general cargo ship Damgracht lost propulsion when the vessel’s main engine shut down due to “high oil mist density” sensed by its oil mist detector (OMD). Due to the abrupt loss of propulsion, the Damgracht began veering into the path of the bulk carrier AP Revelin.

Antonio Ferrando,Provision Store Expert at ALMACO Group, explains the key factors behind creating optimal provision stores and layouts.What are the three most important things to consider when creating provision stores and layouts?Let me start by emphasizing these three things: flow, maximum food preservation, and customization. These three are really the key when we are taking about creating an optimal layout of provision stores and galleys for a customer.Flow: The layout has a direct and major impact on the flow in an area.

Forsee Power said it is now offering its Pulse 2.5 high-power battery module in a DNV-certified version for the marine sector.Harsh weather conditions at sea require rugged batteries, with solutions compatible with water, condensation, and humidity. As a result, the guarantees in terms of design and safety required by the classification society DNV are very high. This approval allows the various players in the sector such as Forsee Power to have a guarantee on the quality and…

Proper ventilation is essential to preventing damage to the cargo and to ensure the safety of the crew and vessel in bulk carriers. To provide ship’s masters and crew with an understanding of different ventilation requirements for bulk cargoes, INTERCARGO, The Standard Club and DNV GL, the world’s leading classification society, have launched a new ventilation guide.The guide covers the main aspects on how and when to ventilate to control of humidity and to remove flammable and toxic gases released from cargoes.

The U.S. Navy has many assets other than its seaborn vessels to care for, and recently it adopted new standards to protect those that are fuel-related. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) contracted with Master Painter Institute (MPI) services to establish product standards for interior carbon-steel fuel pipes, interior welded fuel tanks, exterior steel systems and waterfront steel structures. These new standards, known as the MPI 500 Series Standards, are for use in numerous aspects of work involving specialized Department of Defense (DoD) petroleum…

As the scope of the August 4 explosion at the port of Beirut becomes clear, the tolls of the loss of life, injuries, homelessness and property damage are staggering. In the immediate chaos of large explosions, it can be difficult to make sense of what has happened.There are numerous similarities between the 2020 Beirut port explosion and the 1917 Halifax Harbor Explosion that can help us make sense of what has happened in Beirut.In 2017, I was part of a group of hazards researchers who met in Halifax to reflect on aspects of the Halifax Explosion for its 100th anniversary.

Purpose-built for storage challenges brought on by climate change and geopolitical tensions, TeleSense has introduced its cellular SensorSpear Monitors to protect post-harvest grain.TeleSense, a post-harvest grain monitoring innovator, recently introduced a Cellular SensorSpear intended to give grain managers and barge operators an easy and reliable way to accurately monitor stored grain, ensuring grain quality while reducing spoilage and safety concerns.Inserted into piles of stored grain, the Cellular SensorSpear sends temperature and moisture data to the cloud where TeleSense machine learning algorithms analyze the data and alert users to any anomalies and issues that may arise.

Brazos Pilot Association President Captain Billy Burns said its newest boat, Brazos Pilot, is a vessel tailored to fit the job and provide the pilot association with performance dependability and the safety systems integration to fulfill their maritime mission.The 64 x 19-ft. Defiant-class mono-hull pilot boat arrived two weeks ago and will be christened at a ceremony on Jan. 31. It was designed by Metal Shark and built at the company’s Franklin, La. shipyard. The $2.5 million new pilot boat is intended to replace the pilots’ smaller pilot boat…

Victaulic’s forward-thinking vertical integration remains, at the same time, solidly connected to a rich and varied past. It is still common to hear waterfront stakeholders refer to alternative pipe connection systems as temporary or simply as ‘a new development.’ While none of that could be further from the truth, the education of the marine community as to the merits of these products as an alternative to traditional flanges continues. These products – like Victaulic’s market offerings – are indeed mainstream parts of the marine sector, their use limited only by the imagination of designers, builders and operators who constantly find new applications to improve their bottom line. Since the 1920s, Victaulic couplings have demonstrated their value in countless maritime applications.

The new Simrad A2004 is a dedicated autopilot controller designed to meet the needs of workboat, commercial fishing and passenger vessels. The A2004 is suited for vessels that don’t require SOLAS Heading Control Systems but do require a proven autopilot interface backed by Continuum software for accuracy and ease of use. The autopilot’s information is presented on a wide-angle and zero-fog color display and is engineered for responsiveness and ease of use with a precision rotary control dial and dedicated buttons for instant access to steering modes…

For ship and vessel owners that struggle with corrosion caused by water, humidity, condensation, salt air and environmental contaminants, Force5 Marine works as corrosion inhibiter, lubricant and cleaner to protect engines and critical equipment and keep it in good working order. The harsh marine environment costs an estimated $50-80 billion in corrosion related damage worldwide, and can lead to the failure of critical equipment including engines, fittings, valves, switches, lighting, and electrical gear if not properly maintained.

On November 30 at NYK’s 10th annual Environmental Management Conference in Tokyo, Asahi Unyu Kaisha Ltd. (head office: Aichi; president and CEO: Toshiya Kozawa) and the GENEQ Corporation (head office: Fukuoka; president: Keiji Ushiyama) were selected from among 33 domestic NYK Group companies for recognition of environmental activities that resulted in the improvement of company value. NYK holds this conference once a year with NYK Group companies to share information on environmental practices and strengthen environmental management. The two recognized group companies were highly commended for their rooted activities within their communities and creative solutions. Details are provided below.

Mascoat was founded in 1995 to provide a thermal barrier solution that has revolutionized how many vessel and ship manufacturers prevent condensation, radiant heat gain, and unwanted vibration. The company strived to independently validate the coatings’ abilities so that potential customers would have confidence in choosing a relatively new technology. Mascoat’s coatings are now widely accepted as a viable alternative to conventional thermal barrier and sound control methods in many areas of a vessel. Mascoat is currently offered in over 70 countries around the world.

With the new Alfa Laval DuroShell plate-and-shell heat exchanger, Alfa Laval aims to strengthen its offering in LPG/E cargo reliquefaction with a construction that increases resistance to thermal and pressure fatigue. Alfa Laval DuroShell is a specially engineered plate-and-shell heat exchanger with unique design capabilities. Already used in the offshore oil and gas industry, it is now being introduced for marine duties such as LPG/E cargo reliquefaction. An innovative construction and a patented roller coaster plate pattern make DuroShell  more robust…

Whittaker Engineering, an independent Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) company, has developed a unique water-backed welding procedure for vessels which can save companies millions of pounds from the prevention of dry docking and resultant loss of production. Traditional welding specifications used for the design and manufacture of FPUs (Floating Production Units) and oil rigs do not take into account the cooling effects of seawater. Whittaker Engineering’s procedure uses high-powered induction heating coils to maintain a preheat temperature whilst welding water-backed plate, mitigating the heat loss through a ship’s hull into the cold temperature of the sea. It was successfully deployed by EnQuest on the Northern Producer FPU during routine work.

The new Simrad M5027 optically bonded HD monitor for the commercial marine market is a 27” marine monitor designed to meet the color calibration requirements of ECDIS systems and the size requirements of 320mm CAT1 radar systems. According to the manufacturer, the Simrad M5027 monitor is built for long term, reliable operation with an optical bonded LCD as standard. Optical bonded displays eliminate the “air gap” issues of condensation, overheating and contamination common in lesser quality displays.

Specialty chemicals company Clariant announced that its cargo desiccant Container Dri II, was awarded EcoTain status for its best-in-class sustainability and performance excellence of its cargo protection solution. In the U.S., Container Dri desiccants are manufactured in Belen, N.M. To achieve EcoTain status, Container Dri II was subjected to an assessment that measured 36 criteria in three sustainability dimensions - social, environmental and economic. The container desiccant was shown to deliver a positive benefit in all areas.

Classification society Bureau Veritas has granted Approval in Principle (AIP) to a 4,000-cubic-meter Bunkering Ship concept developed by France’s LNG containment manufacturer, GTT. The concept, which has now received its second AIP following the one issued yesterday by Lloyd’s Register, is for a bunker tanker which could deliver LNG as ship’s fuel using tanks with a GTT Mark III Flex Cargo Containment system operating up to a pressure of 2 barg. Combining the membrane containment…

U.S. Navy’s AGOR Research Vessels are built to be as operationally quiet as possible. That’s where Mascoat’s Sound Control-dB coatings come in. When the U.S. Navy began its design and build program for its newest generation of research vessels, it specified that the vessels had to be as quiet as possible. That’s because a large part of ocean research involves listening and excessive ship noise tends to negate that effort. Achieving the goal of an exceptionally quiet vessel, the vessel’s design team employed a variety of methods to meet the Navy’s exacting standards, choosing systems, defined equipment locations and designed special installation methods with acoustics as a priority. One of those methods involved Mascoat’s Sound Control-dB coatings.

WESMAR (Western Marine Electronics) announced that its heavy duty Bow Thrusters have been selected for three new 165-foot, 600-passenger excursion and sightseeing ferries operated by Circle Line Cruises, the New York City sightseeing company. Circle Line Cruises made the announcement in January as part of its 70th Anniversary celebration. They currently operate a dozen boats in New York Harbor and move more people in the city than anyone else, including thousands of school children and visitors from all around the world.

Sparks are flying on the bulkhead and engine room of the $3.8 million, 85-foot Miss Margy, the newest addition to the Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry fleet, at Moran Iron Works. Bill Shepler, CEO of Shepler’s, and Tom Moran, CEO and founder of Moran Iron Works, announced the project last month, when pre-production work started. The all-aluminum ferry – named after Shepler’s mother – is scheduled to carry its first passengers in July 2015. It will include an air-conditioned cabin…

Alfa Laval launched a high-pressure option for the Alfa Laval AQUA Blue freshwater generator. The option’s modifications will allow AQUA Blue to handle higher jacket water pressures than those in use today. Launched just over a year ago, the AQUA Blue freshwater generator employs a unique plate technology. Alfa Laval’s three-in-one AQUA plates allow evaporation, separation and condensation to occur within the same plate pack, which means only half the seawater flow and pumping energy are needed.