Mechanical Equipment News

Owning and operating a quiet boat offers many benefits, from crew comfort and retention to efficient, safe operations. While the benefits are clear, it’s generally not the first line of design and concern for most vessel owners.Noise is a funny thing in the marine world: it’s invisible, it sneaks up on you, and it’s usually not the headline item on a newbuild spec sheet, until you’re standing in the pilothouse, trying to talk over the machinery, thinking, “oh my gosh, I can’t stand this thing.”That’s the moment Jesse Spence…

Bardex, in partnership with Irving Shipbuilding, Inc., announced that production has commenced on the mechanical equipment for the Irving OmniLift Shiplift. This specialized set of equipment, designed and engineered to meet exacting standards, will play a central role in supporting Irving’s River-class destroyer shipbuilding program, a part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy and the most complex Canadian shipbuilding program since World War II.The move into production reflects Bardex’s ongoing commitment to precision, reliability, and on-time project delivery.

Laborde Products announced the completion of a repower project for the towboat Ned Merrick, owned by Canal Barge Company. The project featured the replacement of the vessel's previous engines with two Tier 3 S16R engines from Mitsubishi, each delivering 1,675HP at 1,600RPM.The 145-foot-long twin screw retractable towboat was previously powered by two EMD 567 engines. It was built by Southern Shipbuilding Corp., Slidell, La., in 1961.David Lane, Senior VP with Canal Barge Company…

MAN Energy Solutions and Karpowership have signed a contract for the delivery of 48 dual-fuel engines for Karpowership’s fleet of power plant ships (Powerships). The engine order consists of MAN 18V51/60DF dual-fuel engines with a mechanical output of 20.7MW each.The engines will be split between a number of Powerships. In addition to the engines, MAN Energy Solutions will also supply the control systems for the Powerships as well as other electro-mechanical equipment.Karpowership has the world's largest fleet of Powerships.

GEA marked the official start of construction of its new repair, logistics, assembly, production and training facility in Janesville, Wis. The groundbreaking ceremony of GEA’s first greenfield site in North America in 50 years was attended by company representatives and officials from the State of Wisconsin and City of Janesville.GEA will invest more than $20 million in the new site in response to growing demand for separators, decanters, valves, pumps and homogenizers which are at the heart of many industrial production processes.The 85…

ABS’ support for the development of autonomous technology at sea took another step forward with the granting of approval in principle (AIP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries Group (HHI Group) for four areas of autonomous functions: navigation, machinery health management, fire fighting management and network infrastructure.“ABS is leading the industry in supporting autonomous projects and assisting pioneers like HHI Group. ABS understands that autonomous technologies are not stand-alone…

While maintaining the integrity of power supply, digitalization and the integration of data have been prioritized in the energy transition process, ensuring a robust telecommunications infrastructure is essential for operational success. A well-designed and integrated telecommunications solution is critical in driving offshore wind operations and plays an integral role in connecting hundreds of physical assets and vessels. ABB Energy industries’ Ian Holden explains.Across the world and in many seas, new technologies are being harnessed to meet our power needs.

Portugal’s Navalrocha Shipyard reports that it is continuing its robust performance through the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic with a steady pipeline of work through to 2024, with the first six months of 2021 including a series ofdrydock projects involving general cargo vessels, tugs, passenger ferries, bunker tankers, Ro-Ro Pax vessels, LPG carriers and cruise vessels.According to Navalrocha commercial director Sergio Rodrigues, order volumes are running ahead of each of the last three years…

U.S. ports have worked toward increasing the depth and width of their channels to allow for larger ships with greater capacities. The equation is generally: bigger ships = more throughput = increased profitability. But what are the impacts around a channel after it’s widened? The ripple effects may go further than you think.Managing the Impact of Channel Improvement Projects on Structures and PipelinesWith more water to impact them, structures around an expanded channel may need improvements, and pipelines under the channel may need relocation to make way for dredging.

Radar confusion and speed cited in ferry groundingWhile the perennial issue of commercial vessel and recreational boat collisions, near misses and allisions with navigational aids are certainly nothing new, in much of  the navigable waters of the United States they are typically associated with the warmer weather of late spring, summer and early fall when privately-owned boats abound on the nation’s lakes, rivers, bays and sounds.But even after the cabin cruisers, sailboats, jet skis…

Canadian-Norwegian battery maker Corvus Energy announced that it has finalized an investment deal with Shell Ventures.The investment is a step towards Shell’s ambition to decrease the carbon footprint of the energy products they sell by around 20% by 2035 and by around 50% by 2050, in step with society.Corvus Energy,  the developer and supplier of advanced energy storage systems (ESS) for maritime, offshore, subsea and port applications, said that the investment will help Corvus Energy expand internationally and further enhance its technological leadership within maritime energy storage.Corvus Energy has delivered ESSs for more than 30 offshore support vessels…

“I think it is very early to project what will be the fuel of the future. I think that it will be much more clear in January 2020 (when the new IMO fuel rules enter force) and we see the direction of fuel costs.”To start, put in perspective the current pressure to reduce emissions in the maritime industry.It all really started at the beginning of the 1990s when the world started discussing that something needed to be done on exhaust gas emissions from marine vessels. We stayed in contact with various regulatory authorities, as we tried to be a part of the conversation in the creation of rules.

New holographic technology is set to revolutionize training procedures, fleet management, ship performance and engineering maintenance in the maritime sectorHave you ever wished you could move around your fleet of ships, in full 3-D, without ever moving from your desk? Have you ever wanted to be able to delve into the complex inner workings of one of your vessels and inspect its internal structure while sitting in your office? Have you ever been performing maintenance work within…

The European Commission has agreed to the request submitted by France and Germany asking it to look at Fincantieri's proposed acquisition of Chantiers de l'Atlantique in the light of the EU Merger Regulation.The Commission considers that the transaction could harm competition at European and global level.The proposed acquisition of Chantiers de l'Atlantique by Fincantieri does not reach the turnover thresholds set by the EU Merger Regulation for transactions notifiable to the European Commission because of their European dimension. However, the plan was notified for authorisation in France and Germany.France submitted a referral request pursuant to Article 22(1) of the EU Merger Regulation.

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) a Long Lead Time Material (LLTM) contract for the first Offshore Patrol Cutter, USCGC Argus (WMSM 915). The LLTM contract awarded on September 7, 2017 allows Eastern to move forward on an aggressive schedule to deliver a capable and affordable platform to meet the Coast Guard’s mission needs. The award includes main propulsion, machinery control, electrical and mechanical equipment orders that need to be placed…

Sea Machines is bringing autonomous self-driving systems to the world of workboats. At an impressive virtual reality demonstration seen late last year and then again at a frigid, late winter visit to the Boston waterfront, the future of workboat technology became all too evident for this writer. The late George Allen, former head coach of the Washington Redskins football team perhaps said it best when he coined the phrase, “The future is now.” If so, then Michael Johnson, the founder of Sea Machines Robotics has brought that reality to the marine industry. The technology company targets the emerging market of autonomous marine vessels. That’s not some sort of futuristic vision; those capabilities are here, now.

Navy’s deployed ship in the Middle East, HMAS Arunta, has had its small arms weapons inspected, serviced and certified during a recent port visit. HMAS Arunta is serving on a nine-month Operation MANITOU deployment which has necessitated an all-important maintenance period. With all previous ships only spending six months away, the requirement to have weapons inspected and maintained while in the area of operations had not been required. The fly-away team was required as embarked personnel are not qualified to conduct the tightly-controlled specific technical maintenance which is undertaken by the joint logistic units at Australian major bases in Sydney and Perth.

What is an EAL? Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) are defined by the EPA as offering these three characteristics. First, they must be “biodegradable” - biodegrading into carbon dioxide and water by ≥ 60% or more within 28 days (according to OECD 301B or ASTM D7373 methods). Next, they must be “minimally toxic,” causing only a light impact on the aquatic environment (LC50> 100mg/L for lubricants and LC50>1000mg/L). Lastly, they are “not bioaccumulative,” and must have a low propensity to bioaccumulate in organisms.

A Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft from Number 36 Squadron has successfully performed an air drop mission over Antarctica in support of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) building on the summer drop previously conducted in February 2016. The most recent air drop provides the Royal Australian Air Force with an all-season resupply capability and the ability to provide support to the current expeditioners on the continent. The air drop consisted of pallets containing supplies for vehicles and plant equipment, medical supplies and personal mail. The C-17A aircraft was pre-positioned at Avalon airfield to allow the crew to confirm suitable weather over Casey drop zone, approximately 70 kilometres from Wilkins Aerodrome.

Nutrient removal in membrane bioreactor wastewater treatment systems is the future. Rederi AB Gotland acts now for both savings and the sake of our seas. Rederi AB Gotland, Sweden’s oldest passenger shipping company, has chosen Evac products to equip its new LNG-fueled passenger and cargo vessels which will ply Baltic Sea routes. Each vessel will carry approximately 1,700 passengers and crew. And since the Baltic Sea is classified as a Special Area (SA), the new vessels will also carry the most state of the art nutrient removal system.

absorbents,  announced that its EnviroLogic 3032 readily biodegradable hydraulic fluid and EnviroLogic 802 multipurpose, lithium-complex biodegradable grease have been approved for use in Becker Marine Systems rudders. According to its developer, EnviroLogic 3032 hydraulic fluid is a high performance, readily biodegradable, synthetic ISO 32 grade hydraulic fluid. It is intended for severe service, extreme high temperature (250°F), low temperature (-40°F) and high pressure (5,000+ psi) applications. EnviroLogic 3032 can directly replace petroleum oil based hydraulic fluids of the same viscosity, yet has reduced environmental impact in the event of a leak or spill, as it is readily biodegradable and non-sheening.

Hot work required for welding, grinding and cutting operations presents certain potential hazards when conducted in potentially explosive and flammable environments. According to the Health and Safety Executive guidance 2013, “flammable liquids and vapors such as petrol, diesel, fuel oil, paints, solvents, glue, lacquer and cleaning agents are found in many places of work. In order to minimize the risk, cold bonding solutions involving materials that are applied and cured at ambient temperatures can offer an alternative solution for repair and newbuild applications on metallic surfaces.

Chevron Products Company, a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. division, unveiled a new line of Clarity Synthetic EA Hydraulic and Gear Oils for the marine industry and other applications where leaks or accidental discharge are a concern. These products meet the new EPA Vessel General Permit (VGP) requirements for environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs). Clarity Synthetic EA Hydraulic and Gear Oils are designed to give maximum protection and provide seal compatibility in hydraulic equipment and industrial gear applications on vessels and equipment where performance is critical. This includes marine applications such as: stern tubes, thrusters, controllable pitch propellers, stabilizers, rudder bearings and other mechanical equipment subject to immersion.