Gas Detection News

Bureau Veritas (BV) has launched its first classification Rules for hydrogen-fueled ships (NR678) to support the safe development of hydrogen propulsion in the maritime sector.The rules outline technical requirements for the safe bunkering, storage, preparation, distribution, and use of hydrogen as fuel for power generation on board. Monitoring and control systems are also covered, addressing specific safety challenges relating to the transport and use of hydrogen on ships, such as high flammability…

Brazilian oil and gas company Petrobras has ordered a floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel from Singapore's Sembcorp Marine Rigs & Floaters.The FPSO, named P-82, will be deployed at the giant Búzios oil field, in the Santos Basin pre-salt area, offshore Brazil.Worth US$3.05 billion (S$4.25 billion) the P-82 is the largest contract secured by Sembcorp Marine from PetrobrasThe P-82 will have the capacity to produce up to 225 thousand barrels of oil per day, process up to 12 million m³of  gas per day, and store more than 1.6 million barrels.

About the Author: Captain Rahul Khanna is Global Head of Marine Risk Consulting at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty. A marine professional with 26 years of experience within the Shipping and Maritime industry, Captain Khanna served more than 14 years on board merchant ships in all ranks, including Master of large oil tankers trading worldwide. Although shipping losses have more than halved over the past decade fires on board vessels remain among the biggest safety issues for the maritime industry.

A pair of new new tugs at the Port of Acajutla will provide services for the first project to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to El Salvador, a joint initiative from Energía del Pacífico (EDP) and the U.S. group Invenergy.The SAAM Towage vessels SAAM Acaxual and SAAM Centzunat were christened as part of the festivities to celebrate the arrival of the first floating storage and regassification unit (FSRU), the BW Tatiana, at the city’s port. This is the first FSRU stationed…

Newport Shipping announces it will be working with global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market service provider Gloryholder Liquified Gas Machinery (DL) Co., Ltd (LGM Engineering).The agreement between the two companies was signed in February and will see LGM Engineering supply LNG solutions for Newport Shipping’s retrofit projects.In June LGM Engineering signed a contract to design and supply LNG fuel gas supply system for two 13,000 DWT chemical tankers with Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding Company Limited (YZJ). The shipowner is Tarbit Tankers B.V, and the classification society is Bureau Veritas (BV).The complete LNG fuel gas supply system delivered by LGM Engineering includes the design and manufacture of double vacuum insulated LNG fuel tanks with integrated tank connection space (TCS)…

MAN Energy Solutions’ marine liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel-gas-system manufacturer MAN Cryo has inked a deal to supply the LNG fuel-gas supply systems for two icebreaking roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) newbuilds being built at Yantai Raffles shipyard in China for Swedish shipping line Wallenius SOL. MAN Energy Solutions will also supply a pair of 9L28/32DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines to each vessel.Upon construction, the 242-meter vessels will be the largest to ever to meet Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A Super standard…

A new joint industry report offers recommendations for enhanced battery safety on vessels.The report, released by DNV GL in collaboration with the Norwegian, Danish and US maritime authorities, battery manufacturers, system integrators, suppliers of fire extinguishing systems, shipyards and shipowners, assesses explosion and fire risks in maritime battery installations and the effectiveness of fire extinguishing systems in the event of a battery fire.While onboard battery power represents a pathway toward more environmentally friendly vessel operations…

VIKING has acquired Drew Marine’s Fire Safety and Rescue (FSR) division.VIKING increases its global volume, reach and technical competencies for marine firefighting equipment services (MFS).At the moment, Drew Marine FSR provides services in more than 150 ports across 45 countries. The division offers a complete range of FSR services, specializing in solutions for fixed-firefighting foam, fixed-extinguishing and dry-powder systems – along with calibration solutions for gas detection, medical oxygen, and dry-docking services.

SAAM SMIT Canada Inc. (SST Canada) held a blessing ceremony for a new RAstar 3200-W escort tug named SST Tsimshian Warrior built by Turkey’s UZMAR Shipyard.This new Robert Allan Ltd. designed tug brings formidable capabilities to the west coast of British Columbia, Canada.Principally intended to serve AltaGas’ newly opened LPG terminal, the SST Tsimshian Warrior is both the most powerful tug of its kind on the coast, as well as the most environmentally friendly in Canada.With an IMO Tier III compliant exhaust after-treatment system, a first on a tug in Canada and pioneering in the world as well, the tug’s emissions of NOx, SOx, and particulate matter are dramatically reduced from levels seen on even the most recent generation of tugboats.Powered by CAT 3516E engines each producing 2…

The first Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal (RIPET) in Canada was inaugurated and SAAM's new tug, the Tsmishian Warrior, was christened.The tug will provide services at the terminal, which is owned by the Canadian company Altagas —leader in energy infrastructure in North America— and the dutch firm Vopak.“SAAM closed a contract with RIPET, which included construction of this new tug. Two other tugs from our Canadian fleet will be deployed to support operations at the terminal. This long-term agreement is a milestone for our company and we are making the best technology available to support gas exports, especially to Asia,” commented SAAM’s CEO…

The importance of maintaining chemical toilets onboard ship has been raised following an incident in February onboard a Sydney Harbor-operating passenger ferry in which a high level of toxic gas was detected in a toilet cubicle after a passenger was fatally injured.A 39-year-old passenger was found unconscious in a toilet cubicle aboard the Lady Rose and could not be revived by paramedics. While the reasons behind her death are unconfirmed, during the initial investigation HAZMAT…

Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. announced Friday that one of its barges has ended its shipyard period after completing a major overhaul.The work was performed at Gulf Marine Repair in Tampa, Fl. She left the shipyard earlier this week.Bouchard Barge No. 295 (B. No. 295) left Gulf Marine Repair in Tampa, Fla. earlier this week following an extensive scope of repair and upgrade work, a Bouchard spokesperson told MarineLink.Approximately 90 percent of the the barge’s main deck plate has been replaced…

THE London P&I Club has published a loss prevention guide on risks associated with the carriage of coal cargoes, with particular emphasis on gas monitoring and ventilation.The guide, written by Paul Willis, Senior Associate with UK-based forensic investigation and root cause analysis specialist Hawkins, notes that the management of coal cargoes and the proper use of gas detection equipment are key elements in the prevention of coal fire claims. It details the fundamental requirements relating to the installation…

Four new escort tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and constructed at the Triyards SSY facility in Saigon, Vietnam, by contract to Greenbay Marine Services Pte. of Singapore, have been delivered to owner Star Marine Ltd. of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.The four RAstar 3400 escort tugs, named Murjan 1, 2, 3, and 4, will be stationed in the Red Sea port of Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, and managed by Marine Services Co. Ltd.According to the designer, the RAstar 3400 escort/offshore terminal tug designation is reserved for a distinctive class of high-performance ASD tugs…

UZMAR SHIPYARD of Turkey has officially joined the Robert Allan Ltd. Century Club, with construction underway on its 100th tug to a Robert Allan Ltd. design. This new tug is a RAstar 3200-W destined for service on Canada’s West Coast with SAAM-SMIT Canada. This milestone tug, expected to be delivered in early 2019, represents the state-of-the-art in the design and construction of ASD escort tugs in a sub-500 GRT hull. With its RAstar hull and deep skeg, the design is optimized for generating high indirect escort forces and is also capable of providing towing operations from the stern. The tug features gas detection, explosion-proof deck equipment, off-ship fire-fighting capability, and one of the first applications of an IMO Tier III emissions compliant propulsion package on a tug.

Turkish shipbuilder Uzmar Shipyard has inked a deal with Saam Smit Canada Inc. (SST Canada), a joint venture partnership between Boskalis of the Netherlands and Saam S.A of Chile, for the construction of a new escort tug for operations in British Columbia, Canada. Designer Robert Allan Ltd. said the state-of-the-art RAstar 3200-W tug will be capable of safely performing all ship-handling roles, including berthing, unberthing and escort duties, including in heavier weather conditions.

The first of three new dual fuel RAstar 4000-DF class extreme escort tugs, the Dux, has been delivered to Østensjø Rederi AS by Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Gondán S.A. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the 40.2 meter vessel is the first of a three boat order from Østensjø for severe weather operations at Statoil's Melkøya LNG Gas terminal at Hammerfest in the extreme north of Norway. These escort tugs will conduct approximately 300 LNG ship escorts annually, assist with berthing operations and will be maintained in readiness for emergency services such as long line towing…

Low energy prices, depressed day rates and slow growth of bunkering infrastructure has dampened progress for the marine industry’s ‘white knight’ of environmentally friendly fuels. LNG, nevertheless, is here to stay. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) is a clean fuel in abundant supply. The green advantages of LNG are well known: Class Society DNV-GL, a pioneer in the commercialization of LNG fueling for maritime applications, offers that use of LNG fuel provides “the complete removal of SOX and particle PM emissions and a reduction of NOX emission of up to 85 percent ...

Classification society ClassNK has released printed versions of its 2016 Rules and Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships. ClassNK regularly reviews and revises its technical rules and guidance in order to ensure that they are relevant and up-to-date. The 2016 edition contains requirement amendments made between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 related to structural strength of container carriers, fire safety measures for vehicle carriers transporting motor vehicles powered by compressed hydrogen or compressed natural gas, welding procedures and related specifications, material factors of rolled stainless steel and stainless clad steel plates…

Wärtsilä has been awarded the contract by Gdansk Shiprepair Yard Remontowa S.A., to supply a scope of engines, propulsion machinery, integrated automation systems, and gas handling systems required for the mid-life upgrading of two RoPax ferries and their conversion to operate on LNG fuel. The ferries, the Spirit of British Columbia and the Spirit of Vancouver, are the flagship vessels of British Columbia Ferry Services based in Victoria, Canada. The work will be carried by the Remontowa Shiprepair yard in Poland. The contract with Wärtsilä was placed in March 2016.

Ship operators must combine vigilance, structure and care with the new SOLAS X1-1/7 - MSC.1/Circ.1477 & MSC.1/Circ.1485 regulations to safeguard crews from the dangers of gas when entering enclosed spaces, warns Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS), stressing that just supplying vessels with one portable four-gas detection unit, as stipulated by the IMO, simply isn’t sufficient. The new regulation, coming into force on July 1, 2016, requires all ships engaged in international voyages to have at least one unit capable of detecting the presence of oxygen, flammable gases or vapors, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. This is an important step forward, acknowledges WSS, global provider of maritime products and services, but not the end of the road when it comes to safety.

Gibdock’s strategic location has been brought into sharp focus with the docking of HMS Scott, the largest vessel in the Royal Navy's Hydrographic Squadron, for a recent 19-day maintenance period at the Gibraltar yard. Work took place as part of the MOD UK’s Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Teams Through Life Support (TLS) contract with main contractor Babcock. The TLS contract, which runs to 2018, includes fleet time maintenance, design services and spares management. “Recent world events suggest that the Royal Navy will highly prize support from strategically-located facilities that can deliver vessels back into service on schedule and to high quality standards,” said Richard Beards, Gibdock Managing Director.

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has signed a contract with COSCO Container Lines Co. Ltd (COSCON) to supply its Unitor multi-gas detectors to the company’s expanding container fleet. The deal, worth more than $200,000, covers 70 vessels, including 20 newbuilds scheduled to launch between now and 2018, plus a five-year service agreement to maintain the detection units. “WSS have consistently delivered the products and service solutions our business demands,” said Mao QingDao, Technical Director of the COSCON fleet.