Fuel Equipment News

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to eight marine highway projects across the nation under the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will improve the movement of goods along our navigable waterways and expand existing waterborne freight services in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, which will strengthen supply chains and ultimately cut costs for consumers.“Our country has always relied on American waterways to get vital goods where they need to go,” said U.S.

Offshore energy companies have started searching for new bases away from Louisiana's devastated ports as oil and gas companies launch efforts to resume their Gulf of Mexico operations.Port Fourchon, a key hub for the offshore industry, was slammed by Ida on Sunday when it made landfall with winds over 150 miles per hour (240 kph). Supply boat, fuel and air ferry services were still unable to access facilities there on Wednesday due to extensive storm damage.Dozens of oil and gas companies operate in the U.S.

Innovation Fund Denmark, the Danish investment entity, has announced the establishment of a consortium to develop a two-stroke, ammonia-fueled engine for maritime shipping. It aims to specify and demonstrate an entire, marine-propulsion system that will pave the way for the first commercial order for an ammonia-fueled vessel.MAN Energy Solutions will lead the consortium that also numbers: Eltronic FuelTech, the Danish fuel-system supplier; the Technical University of Denmark (DTU); and DNV GL, the leading classification society.

Finland’s oil refiner Neste Corporation has made low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO)available in Bremerhaven, Germany in response to the upcoming IMO 2020 global regulation.Neste and the German BMT Bunker und Mineralöltransport GmbH have signed a partner agreement concerning distribution and sales of Neste MarineTM 0.5. This new marine fuel, containing maximum 0.5% sulphur, has been available in Bremerhaven, Germany, since the beginning of November 2019. BMT is a bunkering services company with a long experience in the sales of marine fuels. The company is well-known especially in the North Sea coast in Germany, which is a key logistics channel for global shipping companies.“We are truly delighted that BMT is our marine fuel channel partner in Northwestern Europe.

Finland-based refiner Neste Corporation will begin to sell a low-sulfur marine fuel in northwest Europe in the fourth quarter of 2019.From January 1, 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will enforce a 0.5% global sulfur cap on fuel content for areas currently with 3.5% limit.In these areas, all vessels will be required to use fuel with a maximum sulfur content of 0.5%, unless they use exhaust gas cleaning systems.Neste helps shipping companies to respond to the tightening regulation on sulfur dioxide emissions by offering them a new IMO2020-compliant marine fuel.The Neste Marine 0.5, containing maximum 0.5% sulfur, will be introduced to the market during Q4/2019.

With the global fuel sulphur limit of 0.5% entering into force in 2020, the interest towards LNG as a marine fuel is increasing. One of the main obstacles to the accelerated uptake of LNG, however, is the uncertainty regarding future market volumes for LNG. DNV GL has addressed this issue in a recent market study on the future LNG market in the Iberian Peninsula, as part of driving the development of an EU-wide network of LNG refuelling points. DNV GL conducted the market study on behalf of the six-year CORE LNGas hive project1, which aims to provide an investment plan for LNG fuelling in Spain and Portugal. The 33 million Euro project is coordinated by Enagas, and co-funded by the European Commission.

Those MarineNews readers who are not familiar with Bob Kunkel probably should be. That’s because Kunkel, President of Alternative Marine Technologies, previously served as the Federal Chairman of the Short Sea Shipping Cooperative Program under the Maritime Administration and Department of Transportation from 2003 until 2008. He is a past Vice President of the Connecticut Maritime Association, a contributing writer for many maritime and technical trades publications, including Maritime Professional Magazine and MarineNews.

Bourbon celebrates delivery of the 500th vessel, placing the group at the head of the world's largest fleet of vessels operated (vessels owned or on bareboat charter) for the offshore marine services industry. Bourbon announced the entry into service of its 500th vessel - the Bourbon Evolution 806, the sixth vessel of the first series of vessels for inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) of subsea infrastructure for the offshore industry. Bourbon thus ranks among the world's leading groups for the offshore marine services industry.

From January 1, 2015, the maximum sulphur content of fuel oil used within the MARPOL Annex VI Emission Control Areas (ECAs) will be 0.10%, unless using an approved alternative means for controlling sulphur emissions. In most cases, the fuel used will be low-sulphur distillate oil (LSDO). Many ships operating both inside and outside ECAs will changeover between LSDO and residual fuel oil (RFO) when entering and exiting ECAs. The Lloyd’s Register (LR) Rule requirements for fuel oil systems are contained within Pt.5 Ch.14 sections 2, 3 and 4; these contain design requirements for systems which are to operate on either LDSO or RFO grades, or both. LR also offers the optional descriptive note, DIST, for shipowners and operators applying industry best practice to the use of LSDO.

In 2011, Bourbon entered a five-year charter agreement with CGG for a series of six new seismic support vessels, an industry first. Two years later, the Bourbon Petrel and the Bourbon Fulmar are already in service in the Black Sea and Northern Europe, and a third vessel, the Bourbon Gannet, will also be operational in the near future. The Grandweld Shipyard in Dubai is building the vessels and delivery of the remaining sister ships is scheduled for 2014. These custom-built vessels were designed to provide fuel…

Most every company knows it should have a plan to deal with catastrophe. That’s especially true for shipyards and vessel owners who often ply their trade in hurricane zones, where weather can rip apart a lifetime of work overnight, make confetti out of assets, and leave disarray in its wake. Emergency plans can be simple or complex, depending on the needs of a specific business. There are a number of resources to help business owners create customized plans, including online templates, detailed guidelines and model documents. A company’s insurance agent and carrier can also serve as useful resources for businesses trying to determine what should be in a plan, and how to best position themselves to recover quickly if disaster strikes. A plan by itself, however, is not enough.

Large bore engine sales and service company, Resource Power Group (RPG) has received Napier Turbocharger’s authorization as a service, repair and spare parts center. This move compliments RPG’s existing capabilities as a medium speed engine, turbocharger, and fuel equipment service and sales company. For it to become authorized by Napier Turbochargers Ltd. “Customers with Napier Turbochargers will be pleased with RPG’s ability to provide competitive OEM Napier spare parts, new Napier turbochargers, complete spare cartridges, retrofits, and a service team with a high sense of urgency,” said Sean Carey RPG’s General Manager.

Resource Power Group (RPG) acquired the assets of Gen Turbo Inc., a supplier of parts and services for large bore diesel engine turbochargers in Miami, FL. Gen Turbo Inc. (GTI) is recognized in the industry for delivering to it’s customers a combination of affordable, high quality, and highly technical turbocharger services. Genato Samson and Celso Villanueva, the founders of  GTI, are considered to be experts with ABB, KBB, and Napier type turbochargers. Mr. Samson was previously employed by ABB turbocharger as a Service Engineer and an ABB turbocharger Workshop Manager. He will assume the role of RPG’s Turbocharger Workshop and Sales Manager. Mr. Villanueva was previously employed by MaK as a Service and Commissioning Engineer.

Military Sealift Command accepted delivery of its newest dry cargo/ammunition ship, USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13), during a short ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO Ship Yard San Diego. The ship, which was christened Nov. 12, 2011 in San Diego, honors slain civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers, who is remembered for his efforts to end segregation at the University of Mississippi in the 1950s and for his opposition to Jim Crow laws in the 1960s. Since its launch, the ship has been undergoing a series of tests and trials in preparation for its delivery to MSC.

Military Sealift Command accepted delivery of dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS William McLean during a ceremony at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. The 689-foot long McLean, designated T-AKE 12, is the 12th of 14 new dry cargo/ammunition ships scheduled for delivery to the Navy by the end of 2012. The first ship of the class, USNS Lewis and Clark, joined MSC’s fleet in 2006 and is one of 11 dry cargo/ ammunition ships currently operating as part of the command’s Combat Logistics Force, delivering vital fuel, equipment and supplies to Navy warships at sea.

Ultra-long-stroke engine group adds extra bore-sizes Following the introduction of its G80ME-C9 engine in October 2010, MAN Diesel & Turbo has announced the addition of further bore sizes to its ultra-long-stroke engine programme. The updated engine programme has supplemented the original G-type engine with G70ME-C9, G60 MEC9 and G50ME-B9 engines. The G-types have designs that follow the principles of the large-bore Mk-9 engine series that MAN Diesel & Turbo introduced in 2006. Their longer stroke reduces engine speed, thereby paving the way for ship designs with unprecedented highefficiency.

MAN Diesel recently retrofitted the M/F Geisnes pendulum ferry’s engine to Tier II limits. This retrofit solution achieves a 30% NOx reduction. The MAN 6L23/30 main engine originally installed in M/F Geisnes was built in Frederikshavn, Denmark, in 1988 - and after the delivery of the ferry in 1989, it has served the vessel for 96,842 operating hours. In connection with the major overhaul of the main engine, it was decided by the Norwegian owner, Namsos Trafikselskab, to retrofit an upgrade package with Tier II engine components.

With the recent introduction of stringent environmental regulations, such as those from the IMO, ship owners and operators are increasingly obliged to operate their MAN B&W two-stroke main engines on ultra-low sulphur fuels in defined marine zones. Furthermore, CARB (the Californian Air Resource Board) has enforced the use of diesel oils (MDO) or gas oils (MGO) in Californian waters since 1 July, 2009, while European harbours introduced similar requirements at the start of 2010. These new requirements ultimately mean more frequent, running changeovers in fuel type aboard marine vessels.

The first G-type engine, designated G80ME-C, has a design that follows the principles of the large-bore Mk-9 engine series that MAN Diesel & Turbo introduced in 2006. The G-type is designed with a longer stroke to reduce engine speed. Ole Grøne, Senior Vice President Low-Speed Sales and Promotions, MAN Diesel & Turbo, said: “MAN Diesel & Turbo always follows developments in the shipping market closely and we have kept a close eye on the trend for fuel optimization in recent years.

Wärtsilä introduced its Intelligent Combustion Monitoring system for two-stroke diesel engines; a system designed to provide ship operators and owners with  information that enables operators to optimize vessel engine performance, and to be aware of the condition of components in the combustion chamber. By operating at optimal firing pressures, fuel cost savings of up to two percent compared to deteriorated parameters can be achieved. Furthermore, the condition information ensures that maintenance is carried out at the right time. The Wärtsilä Intelligent Combustion Monitoring system provides a means for measuring the pressures in each cylinder during the entire combustion process, continuously, in parallel, and under all load conditions.

Nakilat’s wholly owned fleet of LNG ships is now covered by MAN PrimeServ, MAN Diesel & Turbo’s after-sales division, after an EMC maintenance agreement signed with STASCO – the shipping division of Royal Dutch Shell – which manages the Nakilat ships. The contract covers a period of 10 years and represents a breakthrough for the Engine Management Concept in that the contract covers an entire fleet. The agreement covers maintenance management/planning, assistance from PrimeServ superintendent engineers and fitters, as well as spare-parts for 25 LNG carriers (14 Q-Max and 11 Q-Flex). Each LNG carrier is equipped with two type MAN B&W 7S70ME-C or 6S70ME-C main-engines, and four type 9L32/40 or 8L32/40 auxiliary engines, and turbochargers.

The North American cruise industry last year generated $35.7b in gross U.S. economic output and supported 348,000 American jobs paying $14.7 billion in wages, according to a new report prepared for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The report shows total cruise industry spending increased by 10 percent in 2006 and finds that the overall spending had an impact in all 50 states. Direct purchases by the cruise lines for goods and services such as food and beverage, fuel, equipment, business services, port services, vessel maintenance and repair as well as purchases by crew and passengers of goods and services related to cruising, including pre- and post-cruise stays, airfare and lodging, totaled $17.6 billion in 2006.

MAN Diesel celebrated the official opening of its newest service centre in Seattle, Washington on 27 October to further expand its PrimeServ network in North America. The Grand Opening of MAN Diesel PrimeServ Seattle took place in front of more than 100 customers, suppliers and business partners, including the local Honorary German and Danish Consuls. The newly renovated, 1,800-m2 workshop and 400-m2 office space will handle customer requests for all basic repair and service requirements, and include complete overhaul facilities for fuel equipment and turbochargers.