Maintenance Systems News

In 2019, Oldendorff Carriers signed a research agreement with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms to investigate disruptive improvements in ship design, propulsion, and alternative energy sources to help achieve the enhanced decarbonization targets to 2050. As part of their agreement, Oldendorff Carriers asked MIT to conduct a study on the long-term stability and degradation of a B20 advanced biofuel blend.Biofuels offer a drop-in fuel option, reducing GHG emissions from a life-cycle perspective.

Kongsberg Maritime announced it has won a contract to provide the design and equipment for two powerful salvage tugs being built by Alexandria Shipyard as main contractor on behalf of the Suez Canal Authority. The tugs will be based on Kongsberg Maritime’s UT 722 CDT Design.The UT 722 tugboat design has a length of 71.6 meters, bollard pull of approximately 200 tonnes, and it can operate independently for up to 35 days.Egypt’s Alexandria Shipyard successfully bid on this contract with the Suez Canal Authority in cooperation with Kongsberg Maritime…

Cobham Satcom, provider of radio and satellite communications solutions to the maritime and land has expanded its SAILOR XTR portfolio with the introduction of two new Ka-band antenna systems for Telenor Satellite’s THOR 7 VSAT services.The one-meter SAILOR 1000 XTR Ka and 65-centimeter SAILOR 600 XTR Ka leverage Cobham Satcom’s most advanced VSAT technology platform to secure high availability of broadband service on the THOR 7 satellite, used for a full range of network applications…

Wärtsilä said its digital predictive maintenance product is now being offered to support two-stroke engines and will be available for scrubbers at a later date.Originally launched in November 2019 for four-stroke engines, Expert Insight combines artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and rule-based advanced diagnostics with the knowledge and experience of Wärtsilä’s product experts to detect potential issues in asset operating data, and enable experts to provide actionable advice proactively.

DNV GL and Alpha Ori Technologies (AOT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which they agree to work together to contribute to the marine industry’s ongoing digital transformation. The MOU will also see the companies work together to unlock the benefits of new digital technologies and methods, including sharing data collaboratively, and the creation of frameworks and standards, to develop new and enhance existing products and services.The MOU is based around the installation of Alpha Ori’s SMARTShip systems on BW LPG vessels…

OSM Maritime Group extended its partnership with Tero Marine, as the Norwegian tech company now prepares to install its TM Master suite on the remaining OSM fleet globally.The frame agreement with Tero Marine means that all vessels with various planned maintenance systems across the OSM fleet would be standardized on TM Master. TM Master is currently installed on close to 70 vessels across OSM’s Norway and Singapore managed fleets. With OSM’s vision in the ship management segment…

New TechGuide maintenance app from MAN CEON represents new generation of instructional material.As the global maritime community embraces new digitalization technologies aimed at reducing costs and enhancing safety onboard ships, MAN CEON, which is MAN Energy Solutions umbrella brand for all its digital products, comes to the fore for TechGuide, and augmented reality maintenance platform.The new generation of instructional material with augmented reality features a mix of different multimedia.

Marlink has unveiled BridgeLink, a technology agnostic solutions portfolio designed to interconnect on board Operational Technology (OT) within a standardized data structure.BridgeLink addresses compatibility and interfacing challenges by providing an open, technology agnostic platform for unifying on board equipment and sensors with network infrastructure and satellite IP connectivity, so that data from any system can be accessed, collected and shared in a single interface at sea or ashore.Providing access to data from OT such as radar…

A maritime consortium, including ABS and Sandia National Laboratories, recently proved the viability of a hydrogen fuel cell ferry designed for operations in the environmentally sensitive San Francisco Bay area. The IMO’s mandate to cap the sulfur content in marine fuel at the start of next year may be the biggest regulatory change in shipping since the requirement for double hulls, but the challenge will fade in comparison to its future goals to reduce green-house gases (GHG).A year ago (April 2018)…

Nimble and quick, unmanned aerial vehicles have evolved into a valuable tool for marine and offshore applications.When a U.S. oil tanker conducts a Critical Area Inspection Plan (CAIP) as required by ABS, it is an onerous process. For example, each tank requires seven days of set up with scaffolding and staging. An ABS inspector and UDT technicians must access, and be carefully lowered into the tank with instrumentation and tools. Inspection points in far reaching places are surveyed.

Damen Shipyards Group said it has signed a sales agreement with scrubber producer AEC Maritime, meaning Damen will now be able to offer ship owners exclusive access to efficient, low maintenance and IMO-certified exhaust gas scrubber technologies. With the inclusion of scrubber solutions, Damen has added another facet to its strategy of providing ship owners with a total solution regarding the latest IMO requirements. AEC Maritime is a business that draws upon experience and cooperation…

OEM Group has secured a two-year contract worth up to £1 million with Go Marine to deliver engine support services to its fleet of vessels operating across the world for the oil and gas industry. Under the global technical support and services agreement, OEM Group will solely carry out the procurement of engine spare parts, electrical componants and systems, as well as providing personnel, project management and maintainence to support work across the different vessel types and regions Go Marine operates in around the world. The maritime company’s assets include ROV and dive support vessels, barges, offshore fire-fighting craft as well as a floatel, and operates in regions such as AsiaPac, West Africa, Gulf of Mexico, and the North Sea.

The OSM Maritime Group has chosen TM Master as the company’s preferred planned maintenance system. Tero Marine is now in the phase of implementing TM Master on 24 container vessels under the technical management of OSM. OSM has approximately 10,000 employees and 500 vessels included in its worldwide operations. Its ship management division provides management services for a range of vessels, including offshore vessels, shuttle tankers, container vessels and VLCCs. “We have carefully reviewed maintenance systems, with internally evaluations from a system and user perspective, and have chosen TM Master due to its superior flexibility and versatility.

In December Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corporation (MCO), a Group company of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) based in Hiroshima, will establish a new company in Brazil in a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), to be known as MHI Compressor do Brasil Ltda. (MCO-B). Creation of the new entity, which will launch commercial operations in February 2016, is targeted at developing the Latin American market for compressors, with a focus on expanding sales of compressors for use in Floating Production, Storage and Offloading systems (FPSO), a market expected to see robust demand as Brazil develops deepwater oil fields. Initially MCO-B will perform sales and after-sale servicing functions, with local manufacturing capability targeted for the future.

Alphatron Marine announced it has signed a leasing agreement with Acta Marine for to provide satellite hardware and data solution packages for 13 vessels. Alphatron Marine’s VSAT system including Wireless access will be integrated into the IT infrastructure on the Acta Marine fleet of Multicats, Tugs and Shoalbusters, enabling an unlimited dataflow for both operations and crew welfare. The vessels will use Alphatron Marine’s new global iDirect platform, the first installation was done just one week after signing the contract on board Coastal Chariot…

In the early hours of 18 May 2012, while transiting the Coral Sea, ID Integrity’s main engine shut down when its fuel pump reversing mechanism came free and jammed. This caused the camshaft to bend and slip in a drive coupling which resulted in the camshaft being out of timing and therefore the engine could not be restarted. The ship drifted in a westerly direction towards the Australian coast and the Great Barrier Reef. During the afternoon of 19 May, the ship passed over Shark Reef, located about 60 miles east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, without incident.

ABB, a power and automation technology group, has secured an offshore marine industry contract covering electrical power and propulsion systems onboard a DP class 3 Drill Ship to be conferred with "Enhanced Reliability" and  Dynpos Autro notation from Det Norske Veritas(DNV). The contract covers installations onboard a BT-UDS dynamic positioned ultra-deep water drill ship ordered by Sigma Drilling, the joint venture between Norway’s Skeie Technology and Houston-based Vantage Drilling, from STX Offshore and Shipbuilding. The vessel, to be built at South Korea’s STX Jinhae yard, is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2015. The new Dynpos ER class notation for Enhanced Reliability from DNV recognizes advances made in flexibility…

Aberdeen-based XPD8 Solutions has achieved the internationally recognized ISO 9001 accreditation for quality management. XPD8, which specializes in the management of maintenance systems for oil and gas producing assets, undertook the assessment as a way of supporting future business growth and ensuring high standards throughout the business. ISO 9001 was assessed independently by Lloyds Register to criteria set globally by the International Organization for Standardization. This system of evaluation is being increasingly used across the oil and gas industry. XPD8 recently announced plans to increase its workforce with the creation of 18 new positions following the award of contracts worth more than £2million.

GE signed an agreement with Shanghai Maritime University (SMU) to help improve the capabilities of the shipping engineering community in China by providing laboratory facilities and cooperating on research and innovation projects. SMU is a multidisciplinary university that encompasses such areas as engineering, management, economics, law, liberal arts and science, with a special emphasis on shipping technology, economics and management. SMU is one of the leading universities in China and is dedicated to marine and related disciplines…

The recent editorial (MarineNews February edition) by Jeff Cowan entitled “The Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) Quandary” raised more than a few eyebrows here at the American Waterways Operators (AWO) and among AWO members who operate ATBs. Mr. Cowan has it backwards: far from being unsafe, ATBs in fact represent a significant advancement in safety in the coastal tugboat and barge industry and have a long history of safe operation. Mr. Cowan’s piece also contained several factual errors…

Aberdeen, Scotland-based XPD8 Solutions' condition monitoring team secures contracts valued at more than £2-million. The company, which specializes in the management of maintenance systems for oil and gas producing assets, has been awarded contracts to deliver further condition monitoring support to CNR, Wood Group PSN and Hess over the next three years. XPD8 currently has a full order book, and to prepare for future growth the company will create 18 positions across all departments in 2013. The contract to provide condition monitoring services to CNR’s platforms in the North Sea will see XPD8 maintain its existing links with the operator stretching back more than five years.

AXI International, a Florida-based manufacturer of Diesel Fuel Optimization and Maintenance Systems, announced it has been acquired by AXI International Holdings. The new executive management team includes Islam Nahdi as President, Wessel van Tonder as CEO, and Bill O’Connell as Executive Vice President. AXI founder, Wout Lisseveld will continue as a consultant to the company, focusing on international business development. As a result of the acquisition, AXI International will be able to greatly expand its world-wide markets and distribution channels – with a particular focus on central Africa where poor fuel quality has challenged progress and economic development.

Baker Lyman's software is only approved Towing Vessel Record. Classification giant Germanischer Lloyd (GL) granted Type-Approval to Baker, Lyman & Co (BL) for their cutting-edge Towing Vessel Record software, CORSAIR TVR v.2, effective November 1, 2012. The software Type-Approval by Germanischer Lloyd solidifies CORSAIR TVR v.2's position as the exclusive regulatorily defined record-keeping process for Sub-Chapter M. Moreover, this latest action conceivably tightens Baker Lyman's grip on the impending Sub-Chapter M market in conjunction with their TSMS Transition Program.