Damen Introduces Fully Electric SOV with Offshore Charging
Damen Shipyards Group has officially launched a fully electric service operations vessel (SOV), 70 meters x 17 meters, with its offshore charging capabilities.To achieve offshore charging, Damen has partnered with UK-based MJR Power & Automation â a company that has previously developed an offshore charging system for a crew transfer vessel.The charging system uses the motion-compensated gangway to create a connection between the vessel and a turbine or substation offshore, in much the same way a personnel transfer is undertaken.
The Power of Offshore Molecule Production
Energy ecosystems are evolving as the value of offshore power-to-X production is being realized.Flexible and delivered in long lengths on reels in a fast-track operation, thermoplastic composite pipeline can transfer up to nine times the amount of energy as a cable and can be used to store hydrogen, increasing the uptime of offshore wind farm generated power.Thatâs according to Netherlands based supplier Strohm, member of the Hydrogen Offshore Production for Europe (HOPE) project and the Dutch floating green hydrogen and ammonia OFFSET project.
From Protecting National Sovereignty to Protecting the Reef
Melanie Olsen is harnessing 10 years of missile defense and electronic warfare systems expertise to drive rapid technological innovation in marine research and monitoring. Today, on International Women in Engineering Day, the AIMS Team Leader for Technology Development Engineering shares her unique journey.Growing up in a third-generation farming family near the small settlement of El Arish in north Queensland, Melanie Olsen thought engineers were train drivers.When a James Cook University engineering lecturer visited her small rural high school with a quad helicopterâŚ
ROBOATS: MIT's Shape-Shifting Autonomous Boats
New capabilities allow âroboatsâ to change configurations to form pop-up bridges, stages, and other structures.MITâs fleet of robotic boats has been updated with new capabilities to âshapeshift,â by autonomously disconnecting and reassembling into a variety of configurations, to form floating structures in Amsterdamâs many canals.The autonomous boats â rectangular hulls equipped with sensors, thrusters, microcontrollers, GPS modules, cameras, and other hardware â are being developedâŚ
India Publishes Draft Wind Turbine Certification
India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a draft scheme on wind turbines in India. Known as the âIndian Wind Turbine Certification Schemeâ (IWTCS), the draft has been prepared in consultation with the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), Chennai."The IWTCS is a consolidation of relevant National and International Standards (IS/IEC/IEEE), Technical Regulations and requirements issued by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), guidelines issued by MNRE and other international guidelines," said a government statement.The draft has also strived to incorporate various best practices from other countries to ensure theâŚ
ESG Sees Green With its Tier IV Thunderbolt Design
Eastern Shipbuildingâs forward-thinking inland towboat design now features CAT Tier 4 propulsion and aftertreatment. When Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) introduced its cutting edge 4,000 hp Thunderbolt inland towboat designed around twin azimuthing AAA Propulsion electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology back in 2015, the approach was collaborative, with input from operators, naval architects (Gilbert Associates, Inc. (GAI)) and propulsion OEMâs. In selecting the podded propulsion system for inclusion on the design, Eastern met with two inland owner/operators that had Z-Drive towboats, and others that didnât. Starting as far back as 2013, listening to each and noting their concerns, it was decided that the V-Pod was the best solution.
IEEE Honors Retlif Testing Laboratories
Independent Electromagnetic Compatibility testing (EMC) and Environmental Simulation testing (ESS) company Retlif Testing Laboratories said it has received an award from technical professional organization the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Ronkonkoma, N.Y. based Retlif, a longtime provider of strategic compliance services to the marine and maritime sector, was cited as a âFriend of the IEEE Long Island Sectionâ and received a commemorative plaque for providing financial assistance, consultative advice and for hosting EMC Society events over the years.
Retlif Promotes Reitz to Director of Engineering
Independent EMC and environmental testing organization Retlif Testing Laboratories has promoted Richard Reitz to the position of Director of Engineering. Reitz has been with Retlif since 1985, serving in several capacities. As Director of Engineering, he will now oversee testing and staff engineers at all the Retlif testing facilities including Ronkonkoma, N.Y. headquarters and Plainview, N.Y. composite laboratory, as well as the Harleysville, Penn., Charlotte, N.C. and Goffstown, N.H. laboratories. Reitz will be based in Harleysville, Penn.
ENSTA Bretagne wins SAUC-Europe â16 at CMRE
Team ENSTA Bretagne from France won the 11th edition SAUC-E competition, the Student Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Challenge - Europe. The 2nd prize went to the Tom Kyle team, from the University of Applied Sciences of Kiel (Germany). The UNIFI team with the robot Marta from the University of Florence was awarded the 3rd prize. The other prizes were awarded to: the AUGA team, from the University of Vigo with ACSM, that won the âCollaborator Awardâ; the ROBOTUIC team, from International University of Canarias, that won the âRookie of the Year Awardâ; the ENSTA Bretagne team 2, from France, that won the âTenacity Awardâ; the UnivPM teamâŚ
Shipbuilding: Inland Towing Thunderstruck
Eastern Shipbuilding offers the 4,200 hp Thunderbolt inland towboat designed around twin azimuthing Verhaar Omega electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology. The ESG approach was collaborative, with input from operators, naval architects (Gilbert Associates, Inc. (GAI)) and propulsion OEMâs (Verhaar Omega: since 2012, 19 Omega V-pods have been installed and are in service in Europe on various types of vessels). Thunderbolt will be built to ABS rules, but will not be classed.
JMS Hires Business Development VP
Justin Manley has joined Juliet Marine Systems (JMS) as Vice President of Business Development and Marketing, the company announced today. Manley brings over 20 years of experience in the marine technology sector including roles at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He has also led growth of sales and development of new products at both startup companies and public corporations. At JMS, Manley will lead all aspects of sales, marketing and business development. In addition to his new role at JMS, Manley is involved in the marine technology profession through a variety of leadership roles.
Thunderbolt: Eastern Delivers Innovative Towboat
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. introduced its new 120-ft., 4,200-hp Inland Towboat design, Thunderbolt, combining twin electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology for what the builder calls its âvision of the future for the U.S. Eastern said the idea for the Thunderbolt came from a conversation at a trade show. On the rivers, thruster propulsion systems are starting to get noticed and are outperforming conventional nozzle propeller propulsion systems with main/flanking rudder steering. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. and Verhaar Omega, B.V.
Eastern Debuts âThunderboltâ Towboat
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. introduced its new 120-foot, 4,200-horsepower Inland Towboat design, THUNDERBOLT, combining twin electric V-Pod propulsion and diesel-electric technology for what the builder calls its âvision of the future for the U.S. Eastern said the idea for the THUNDERBOLT came from across the aisle conversations at the 2013 International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans. On the rivers, thruster propulsion systems are starting to get noticed and are outperforming conventional nozzle propeller propulsion systems with main/flanking rudder steering. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. and Verhaar Omega, B.V. began discussions and realized they were driving towards a more refined towboat thruster propulsion system design.
Kongsberg AUV Pioneer Recognized by MTS Award
Kongsberg inform that Bjørn Jalving, Executive Vice President Subsea at maritime, offshore and subsea technology developer Kongsberg Maritime recently has been given the Compass Distinguished Achievement Award from the Marine Technology Society. The award ceremony was at the OCEANS 2014 MTS/IEEE conference in St. John 's, Newfoundland, Canada. This prestigious award is presented to an individual whose work has had significant impact on the fields of marine science and technology. Bjørn Jalving was selected for the award because of his long career and significant achievements within AUV technology. After graduating as M.Sc. in Engineering Cybernetics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 1991âŚ
ABB S2S System for Color Line Ferry
ABB, a global provider of power and energy solutions, is to supply a complete Shore to Ship Power (S2S) system to Color Lineâs ro-pax ferry, SuperSpeed1. The 34,231 tons gross SuperSpeed1, built by Aker Finnyards at Rauma in Finland, has been in service on the Kristiansand â Hitshals route since 2008 and is the third Color Line vessel to be equipped with ABBâs system, after the Color Magic and Color Fantasy. The contract, due for completion in March, underscores ABBâs EnvironmentalâŚ
Oceans 2013 MTS/IEEE Update
There will be more tham 450 papers, presentations and posters, plus exhibitions by industry, academia, nonprofits and government agencies. The Marine Technology Society will use the occasion to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. Numerous special events complement the rich technical and scientific presentations. The Tuesday through Thursday Technical Program will feature 23 Special Sessions, including Ships-to-Reefs, Ultra-deep Exploration, International Business, San Diego Maritime History and Technology Transfer. More than 200 exhibit booths fill the two Exhibit Halls.
'National Marine Technology Week' Date Set
Congressmen Farr and Young introduce a bi-partisan Congressional Resolution designating September 22, 2013 through September 28, 2013, as âNational Marine Technology Weekâ. Resolution coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Marine Technology Society and OCEANS 2013 in San Diego. The Marine Technology Society is an international community of ocean engineers, technologists, policy-makers and educators that provides the ocean community with forums for the exchange of information and ideas through its peer-reviewed MTS Journal, conferences, newsletters and Web site (www.mtsociety.org).
Oceans '13 MTS/IEEE San Diego Preview
Heeding the call to join âAn Ocean in Common,â authors flooded the Oceans â13 MTS/IEEE San Diego technical program committee with a record number of abstracts in a single day. Special topics include an Ultra-deep track discussing current and prospective robotic technologies, plus a panel of scientists to consider research questions. Oceans2013 Chair Bob Wernli, and Co-Chair Kevin Hardy, developer of the unmanned landers for James Cameronâs DeepSea Challenge Expedition, will be the session conveners. âJamesâ intention is to be certain the door remains open to other explorers,â Hardy said.
Get on Board with Shipyard Electrical Safety
After teaching electrical safety for many years, one tends to understand the regulations, and the standards more than the average safety professional. We live them most every day. We also understand what regulations and standards apply to shipyard employment and what regulations and standards apply to industry â and which apply to both. For your safety, you should know about electrical safe work practices and shipboard electrical awareness. If you do not believe that you should know about electrical safe work practicesâŚ
Retlifâs Poggi Receives IEEE Wheeler Award
Walter A. Poggi, President and CEO of Retlif Testing Laboratories, Inc., was recognized with IEEEâs Harold Wheeler Award for his contributions to the industry and to Long Island during his 35 years at the helm of the independent testing organization. Awarded by the Long Island Section of IEEE, the Harold Wheeler Award recognizes IEEE members who have âdemonstrated outstanding technical and management abilities.â Under Mr. Poggiâs guidance and stewardship, Retlif, an EMC/EMI and Environmental testing leader since 1978, has grown dramatically.
Dead in the Water
The world watched as the Carnival Triumph sat still, dead in the water in the Gulf of Mexico after a main space fire caused a total loss of electrical power. For the 3,143 passengers and 1,000-plus crewmembers, there was no heat or air conditioning, toilets or sanitation, lights or ventilation. Fortunately, despite the seriousness of the fire, which was caused by a leaking fuel line, nobody was hurt. We waited and watched for several days for tugs to arrive on the scene and begin the slow process of pulling the 893-foot ship to port to let her passengers debark and commence repairs.
Responding to âThe Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) Quandaryâ
I read with great dismay, the article that appeared in your magazineâs February 2013 issue, entitled âTHE ARTICULATED TUG BARGE (ATB) QUANDRYâ. noun, plural quandaries : a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma. There is no dilemma involving AT/Bâs present in the coastwise or ocean transportation marketplace. AT/Bâs are indeed increasingly supplanting ships in the Jones Act coastal trade. It is a trend that is slowly beginning to spread to coastwise transport in other regions of the world as well.
Markey Fills Out Electric Towing Winch Line
As the new year begins, Markey Machinery is preparing a new TES-40-75HP electric towing winch for shipment that will be installed on Harley Marine Services new Z-drive ship assist tractor tug âM/V Robert Francoâ. The first item of two suites of deck machinery specified by Harley for both the âM/V Robert Francoâ and itsâ sister, the âM/V Ahbra Francoâ, the TES-40-75HP towing winch also fills out Markeyâs electric towing winch line which now covers wire sizes between 1-1/4â through 2-1/2â.