Johnson Joins Birdon as Ship Design Director
Spencer Johnson has joined Birdon as the ship design director building on his extensive career in shipbuilding, naval architecture and engineering. Johnson will lead Birdon’s engineering and integrated product teams to deliver 27 vessels to the U.S. Coast Guard for the Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program.“Spencer’s background leading large ship design and construction projects make him a great fit for Birdon’s team,” said Birdon president, Rob Scott. “Spencer’s extensive leadership and engineering experience will help Birdon grow its ship design team of structural engineers…
Novaco Upgrades Its NovacoBridge Navigation Management Solution
Navigation services provider Novaco Limited is set to release a major update to its integrated navigation management solution, NovacoBridge. The update will be launched this month at Expomaritt Exposhipping Istanbul 2021.Used by mariners and businesses across the commercial and leisure markets, NovacoBridge provides a comprehensive all-in-one suite of navigation tools as well as individual modules for vessels and shore-based offices.Costas Zervas, Director EMEA at Novaco said…
Verdane Invests in Danelec Marine
Northern European growth equity investor Verdane Capital has taken a majority stake in the Denmark-based maritime hardware and software company Danelec Marine.Under the agreement, which was signed December 31, 2019, Verdane assumes a majority shareholder position in the privately held corporation. Danelec’s existing shareholders will continue to own shares in the company, and the management team, including CEO Hans Ottosen and COO Casper Jensen, will continue in their positions.Headquartered in Birkeroed, Denmark, Danelec Marine is a supplier of voyage data recorders (VDR), ship-to-shore data communication systems and electronic chart…
Wärtsilä Debuts HY for Dredgers
Wärtsilä launched the Wärtsilä HY for Dredger, a new product based on Wärtsilä’s HY hybrid propulsion technology, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of dredging operations.The product was recently unveiled at a Future Dredger Day event held at the Wärtsilä's Hybrid Center in Trieste, Italy. The Wärtsilä HY for Dredger features a combination of different power sources, including the engines and energy storage systems, the power distribution equipment, and the Energy Management System (EMS). The EMS ensures instant load taking and dynamic power demand.
Supreme Court Rules on Asbestos Liability
The United States Supreme Court held that, in the maritime tort context, a product manufacturer has a duty to warn when its product requires incorporation of a part that the manufacturer knows or has reason to know that the integrated product is likely to be dangerous for its intended uses and the manufacturer has no reason to believe that the product’s users will realize that danger. In the instant case, the manufacturers produced equipment for three Navy ships. The equipment required asbestos insulation or asbestos parts to function as intended…
BW LPG Moves to Gas Trading Too
Singapore-based owner of gas carriers BW LPG has established a product services division in an effort to support its core shipping business.The Product Services division is part of BW LPG’s ambition to propose a low-risk and fully-integrated product delivery service to customers.The owner and operator of LPG vessels will purchase LPG and offer it delivered on the basis of cost, insurance and freight, directly to the end user.Through this new division, BW LPG aims to maximise utilisation of its vessels by providing full LPG delivery service, including product, while remaining focused primarily on shipping services.Martin Ackermann, BW LPG CEO said: “The new product services division reflects BW LPG’s ambitions to provide existing and new customers with reliable…
Wärtsilä: 'An Oceanic Awakening'
Wärtsilä has unveiled a global initiative that aims to transform the world’s marine and energy industry into a more efficient, ecologically sound and digitally connected ecosystem. The initiative, which Wärtsilä calls “An Oceanic Awakening”, was announced at the SMM maritime trade fair in Hamburg.Wärtsilä said its drive to activate a fully-integrated smart ecosystem aims to address major maritime inefficiencies that impose a significant negative impact on profitability and sustainability…
Huntington Ingalls Industries Q4 Revenue up 3.9%
U.S. military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries reported fourth quarter 2017 revenues of $2 billion, up 3.9 percent from the fourth quarter of 2016. Operating income in the quarter was $227 million and operating margin was 11.4 percent, compared to $268 million and 13.9 percent, respectively, in the fourth quarter of 2016. Diluted earnings per share in the quarter was $1.41, compared to $4.20 in the same period of 2016. Diluted earnings per share in fourth quarter 2017 included a one-time expense related to the early extinguishment of debt…
Newport News Wins Columbia-Class Submarine Contract
Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division was awarded a contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat worth up to $468 million to begin work on integrated product and process development for the U.S. Navy’s new Columbia-class submarines. The U.S. Navy awarded a $5 billion detailed design contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat on September 21. Newport News Shipbuilding is the subcontractor for the new class of ballistic-missile submarines that are being designed to replace the Ohio-class submarines. The contract work, which began on October 1, allows for the completion of the design and also includes engineering analysis, component development, detail planning and technical services.
Navy Awards Contract for Columbia Class Submarine Development
The Navy awarded a $5.1 billion contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat for Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) of the Columbia Class submarine Sept. 21. The IPPD contract award is for the design, completion, component and technology development and prototyping efforts for the Columbia Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs). This work will also include United Kingdom unique efforts related to the common missile compartment. "The Columbia class submarine is the most important acquisition program the Navy has today," said Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer. The contract award follows a successful Milestone B (MS B) approval Jan. 4 2017. MS B formally initiated the Columbia Program entry into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase.
NAVFAC Southeast CERT Prepares for Hurricane Irma
Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast is forming Contingency Engineering Response Teams (CERTs) in preparation of any damage to Naval facilities in the path of Hurricane Irma. "Teams returned last week from Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville and NAS Corpus Christi after performing damage assessments after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas," said Integrated Product Team Gulf Coast Assistant Operations Officer Cmdr. Anant Patel who is the CERT officer in charge. Just one week later, Patel is preparing several CERTs to be prepared after Hurricane Irma passes through Florida and moves up the east coast of the United States. "We need to be ready to move out early next week depending on where there may be damage on naval installations," said Patel.
Product Lifecycle Management for Shipbuilding
Tomorrow’s high tech fleets will depend on shipyards – long after the christening is over. Siemens PLM software makes that dream possible – today. According to global powerhouse Siemens, a major transformation is underway in the marine sector. As operators strive to develop more energy-efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly vessels that also lower operating costs, they will increasingly depend on shipyards to make that happen. That’s right: shipyards. Long after the vessel slides into the water and the christening party is but a distant memory, the clean and efficient workboat of tomorrow will leverage a wealth of data that the builder will manage. Before any of that happens, shipbuilders will also need to design and build ships faster and better than ever before.
Danelec Marine's Conversion Kits for VDR Retrofits
Danelec Marine is now offering a comprehensive range of conversion kits to facilitate replacement of existing shipboard Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs). The company has created packages to replace more than 30 different models of VDRs and Simplified VDRs (S-VDRs) across all major existing and legacy brands, making it easy and less costly for shipowners to upgrade to the new technology. “Many ships are still equipped with VDRs and S-VDRs that were installed more than 10 years ago to meet the initial IMO carriage requirements,” said Danelec Marine CEO Hans Ottosen.“These systems are nearing or beyond their projected service life, and some are no longer in production or supported by their original manufacturers.
GoFLNG Strategy Milestone for Golar LNG
Golar LNG has now passed a very significant milestone in the roll out of its GoFLNG strategy, says a statement from the company. The recent full and final investment decision (FID) of the Cameroon GoFLNG Hilli project fully validates both the technical and commercial aspects of the Company’s FLNG business model. Furthermore, achievement of this FID in the current distressed Oil and Gas market is the clearest possible demonstration of a very robust new business proposition. The good progress toward FID being made with Ophir, now greatly enhanced by the potential participation of Schlumberger in the project, is adding to the GoFLNG momentum. The LNG carrier spot market remains a significant concern for the Company.
Danelec Launches ECDIS Computer-based Training
Danelec Marine has launched a new computer-based training (CBT) program for its second-generation DM800 ECDIS G2 products. The convenient and user-friendly CBT courseware allows students to download the training curriculum to their own computers or laptops and perform the self-study portion offline, at home or at sea. At the end of each module, the student takes a self-administered test. The student can communicate with an ECDIS instructor at any stage of the self-study portion by email or interactive chat. Upon completion of the 32-module course, the student logs onto the internet for a multiple-choice exam, followed by a live-cam interview with a certified instructor. When the student achieves a passing grade, Danelec Marine issues a certificate of completion.
Cegal Launches Blueback ODiSI
Cegal today announced the release of Blueback ODiSI - an innovative One Dimensional Stochastic Inversion method. Blueback ODiSI produces high-quality images of reservoir property estimates and associated uncertainties. According to Sara Grant, Geophysicist, BP, “ODiSI has already been used successfully in a variety of siliciclastic fields. The method jointly inverts to both facies and rock properties by generating thousands of pseudo-wells for every seismic trace, with each pseudo-well constrained by rock physics and vertical statistics models, and then matching synthetic seismic traces with a number of color-inverted angle stacks. The algorithm does not require a low-frequency model and no spatial constraints are required.
Danelec Marine Making Free ECDIS Upgrades
Danelec Marine has launched a program to provide free upgrades of shipboard Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) to the latest technology meeting new ECDIS standards. The Danish marine electronics company is currently replacing the first-generation Danelec DM800 ECDIS products with new DM800 ECDIS G2 hardware and V2 software. The Danelec DM800 ECDIS G2 platform has been designed to enable the ship’s crew to upgrade to the V3 software, which will be fully compliant with the new IEC61174 Ed. 4, IHO 52 and IHO 64 standards. Danelec Marine also offers a free-of-charge update training for navigators already holding a type-specific certificate on previous versions of DM800 ECDIS.
New Tool Enables Remote Retrieval of VDR Data
Danelec Marine today announced the introduction of VDR OnDemand, a PC software tool that facilitates remote selective data downloads from shipboard Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs). VDR OnDemand is a portal and dashboard that allows shore offices to log on and request data from the VDR by remotely connecting via an IP link to the Danelec VDRConnect module on the ship. For the mandatory VDR annual performance tests (APTs), Danelec Marine service technicians, service companies or ship…
Caterpillar to Power 16 Korean Patrol Boats
Caterpillar Marine has announced Cat power solutions have been selected to power 16 new build Patrol Boats for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). Each Patrol Boat will be equipped with two Cat C32 main propulsion diesel engines and two Cat C9 ship service diesel generators. The first Patrol Boats will be constructed at the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) shipyard in Korea. Cat dealer Hae In led the Caterpillar efforts on the project and will continue to manage the delivery and subsequent service of the Cat solutions.
E-Procurement Streamlined via the Cloud
Marine Procurement Solutions (MPS) has built an electronic platform that aims to enhance the purchasing cycle for the maritime industry. MPS provides software, consultancy services and other customized solutions through its Direct Connect e-procurement trading platform that is designed to unite buyers, vendors and other members of the supply chain via a cloud-based interface that allows users to electronically process requests for quotations, purchase orders, confirmations and documents associated with supply management transactions.
Hoover Container Solutions Names Matis Sales Director
Hoover Container Solutions,a subsidiary of Hoover Group, Inc., has named Matt Matis as director of sales for the Gulf of Mexico region. Matis is based in Thibodeaux, La., and will work closely with Hoover’s facilities in Port Fourchon, New Iberia and Scott, La. Matis will lead Hoover’s Louisiana sales efforts with a focus on the offshore industry while managing several major customer accounts. Additionally, he will work closely with the Hoover and Dolphin Energy Equipment teams to develop an integrated product and service offering to better support customers.
Hydrasun Makes New Business Development Appointments
Hydrasun, a provider of integrated fluid transfer, power and control solutions to the global energy industry, has made two new senior business development appointments as it positions itself for further development and growth in international markets. Stephen McIntyre joins Hydrasun as business development manager for global key accounts, and Derek Murray joins as International sales manager. Both positions are based in the company’s Aberdeen headquarters, and will support key elements of a growth strategy…
Hydrasun, Parker Spearhead Hydrocarbon Leak Reduction Initiative
Hydrasun, a provider of integrated fluid transfer, power and control solutions, is teaming up with Parker Hannifin, a specialist in motion and control technologies, at Offshore Europe 2013 to showcase a range of process control instrumentation products and added value services, which support the industry’s Hydrocarbon Leak Reduction initiative. A practical demonstration area at the Parker Instrumentation technology center (stand X60), will offer hands-on educational opportunities…