Power Distribution Systems News

ABS has been selected to class two Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV) being retrofitted with a battery/converter system by Harvey Gulf International Marine.The Harvey Energy will become the first ABS-classed dual fuel and battery vessel and the first U.S. flagged OSV equipped with a battery/converter system. The Harvey Supporter will become the second vessel in the Harvey Gulf fleet to have a battery power system.The battery installation, which is expected to achieve the ABS class notation ESS-LiBATTERY…

CMR Group said it has won funding support from Innovate UK for a new electrical wiring harness being developed for industrial diesel and gas engines used in harsh environments. The firm, which specializes in marine control instrumentation and electrical engineering, is set to invest the five-figure cash sum in a major research and development program to design and develop a new generation of ‘people-centered’ harnesses. An electrical wiring harness is a piece of equipment that forms the backbone of an electronic engine…

Technology group Wärtsilä and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) have signed a new joint venture company agreement. The new joint venture, to be known as CSSC Wärtsilä Electrical & Automation Co Ltd (CWE&A), will focus on the growing Chinese electrical and automation (E&A) market, especially for high-tech ship applications. The joint venture company is expected to be fully operational before the middle of 2017. China is a growing market within the high-tech ships segment, and Chinese yards are increasingly active in newbuild projects for high-tech and high-added value ships.

Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M)'s wholly owned subsidiary Keppel Shipyard Ltd (Keppel Shipyard) has secured four contracts worth a total of about S$120 million from repeat customers. Mr Michael Chia, Managing Director (Marine & Technology) of Keppel O&M, said, "We are pleased to secure new orders from long-time customers who continue to entrust their projects with us, whether it is for turret fabrication or vessel upgrades. The first contract that Keppel Shipyard secured is from BW Catcher Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of BW Offshore, for the installation and integration of topside modules for a newbuild Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

ABB, a power and automation technology group, has won an order to provide integrated solutions that include the electrical propulsion system, Azipod CZ and automation system onboard two offshore accommodation vessels. The 1+1 accommodation vessels will be built by COSCO (Nantong) Shipyard Co., Ltd for Singapore-registered owner Logitel Offshore, which is a subsidiary of Norwegian company Sevan Marine. The cylinder-shaped vessels will each have a displacement of about 40,000 metric tons and capacity to accommodate 490 persons.

GE showcases futuristic technologies that could set new standards in electrical naval propulsion at Paris Euronaval Expo. “I’ve seen the future of naval propulsion, and it’s electrifying,” observed GE Power Conversion’s (NYSE: GE) Captain Mark Dannatt Royal Navy (retd.), speaking during this week’s Euronaval exhibition and conference in Paris. Capt. Dannatt’s comments came as he outlined the latest advances in advanced naval electrical technology from a GE perspective. “Working with the world’s leading navies gives us what may be a unique perspective on the trends that are emerging and a view into the future. Against this background, Captain Dannatt believes that we have entered the age of electrically powered and propelled warships and support vessels.

ABB wins $18 million order for subsea pipeline construction vessels. Zurich, Switzerland, May 16, 2012 -- ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, recently won an order worth $18 million from Daewoo to supply energy efficient propulsion and electrical power systems for two new deep sea pipeline installation vessels that will build oil transport infrastructure off the coast of Brazil. The order was booked in the first quarter. South Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) will build the vessels.

ABB LV Products releases new generation of its proprietary Arc Guard System, providing enhanced arc flash protection. The ABB Low Voltage Products division has released TVOC-2, a new generation of its proprietary Arc Guard System that has been protecting electrical equipment from dangerous electrical arc flashes for over 35 years. TVOC-2 features numerous upgrades and new functions to provide superior arch flash protection, detecting faults in low and medium voltage switchgear and disconnecting the power provided to the arc within 30 to 50 milliseconds…

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) is updating the IEEE 45 standard for electrical installations on ships. This is a big undertaking because so much has changed with new power systems on ships, from the cruise industry to integrated electric propulsion systems on warships. “With new voltages, power distribution systems and casualty power arrangements, the standard really needs a refresh,” says Moni Islam, an electrical engineer who is chairing the IEEE committee reviewing and revising the standard. Islam is asking qualified electrical engineers, to include maritime experience if possible, to contact him. He is inviting any and all interested parties…

The Port of Los Angeles this month became the first port worldwide to provide Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) to three separate cruise lines. In recent weeks, ships from Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have all taken advantage of unique “AMP Mobile” technology developed specifically for the World Cruise Center. “The use of AMP at our World Cruise Center reduces emissions not just at the Port but improves the quality of air throughout the Los Angeles region,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded two contracts totaling $34.6m by the U.S. Navy to modernize the amphibious assault ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) and maintain the amphibious transport dock ship USS Dubuque (LPD 8). Under the first contract, valued at $26.3m, NASSCO will upgrade the Germantown’s electrical generation and power distribution systems. The contract follows a $100,000 award to NASSCO last July for preparatory work for the ship’s modernization. Additional contracts are expected to be awarded for other hull, mechanical and engineering work. Modernization work aboard the Germantown began in December and is scheduled to end in August. The 610 ft ship was commissioned in February 1986 and is homeported in San Diego.

ABB, a power and automation technology group, has won orders worth $30m for electric propulsion, power generation and power distribution systems that maximize the fuel efficiency of offshore supply vessels to be built in China. ABB will provide an integrated electric propulsion solution for each of the vessels. The equipment, including generators, switchgear, transformers, drives and motors, will be delivered to the Fujian Mawei Shipyard on the southeast coast in 2010 and 2011. Offshore supply vessels deliver supplies, ranging from drill pipe to drinking water, to drilling rigs and platforms at sea. Electric propulsion systems equipped with variable speed drives consume significantly less compared with their conventional diesel-mechanical counterparts…

L-3 Westwood has contracted AETI to develop custom-built, commercially oriented marine switchgear for the two separate projects totaling slightly more than $5 million. The end customers are VT Halter Marine, a domestic ship engineering and construction company in the , and affiliates of AHL Shipping Company, a petroleum product transportation company that provides double hull tankers to the domestic petroleum industry. L-3 will provide twin shaft line electric propulsion systems to affiliates of AHL Shipping Company for the building of three, shallow-draft, 49,000 deadweight ton Jones Act and OPA90-compliant chemical product tankers in connection with a charter agreement with Shell Trading (U.S.) Company (Shell Trading). The vessels will have a cargo capacity of 330,000 barrels.

Maritime Reporter had the opportunity to visit with Jim Misage, Marine Business Leader of TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company, to get his insights on company specific and emerging trends in the marine propulsion niche. What exactly does TECO-Westinghouse offer to the maritime market? JM: TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company (TWMC) is one of the world's leading motor and generator manufacturers. Specifically for the maritime market, we offer a full line of electric propulsion equipment, which includes propulsion motors and generators of any size and as induction, synchronous, or DC designs.

Hamburg-based SAM Electronics will exhibit in the German Pavilion (Stand 1C31) in association with its local Shanghai office and its Chinese joint-venture company, SAM Taihang Electronics of Taizhou, a comprehensive range of advanced navigation, propulsion, power management and distribution, and ship automation systems. Key exhibits include sections of a locally-produced Integrated Bridge System combining and automating all main bridge equipment operating functions for navigation, communications and general ship management. It incorporates a latest NACOS Series 4 navigation command system. Among other navigation products will be the new European wheelmark-accredited Debeg 3400 UAIS together with its companion Debeg 3401 Display Control Unit (DCU).

L-3 Communications announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Westwood Corporation, a leader in shipboard power control, switchgear and power distribution systems, for $2.30 per share in cash. The total value of the transaction is approximately $22 million, plus assumed debt. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Westwood's stockholders, and is expected to close by the end of this year. The acquisition is expected to be slightly accretive to L-3's earnings. With headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Westwood is the premier niche provider of shipboard power distribution, machinery and automation systems to the United States Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard.

for 19 new vessels being built in Europe and Asia. vessel and one light well intervention vessel, all to be built in Norway. vessel from Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction of Korea. South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. • drilling drive packages for one jackup rig and three drill ships to be built in Singapore and Korea. propulsion, medium-voltage generators, main switchboards, frequency converters, transformers, and bow thruster motors. The vessel will be built by Meyer Werft of Germany.

American Superconductor Corporation received a $1.3m contract extension for its second generation (2G) high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The contract was awarded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This most recent extension represents the sixth contract or contract extension American Superconductor has received for 2G HTS wire development over just the last 10 months and brings the total dollar amount of all AMSC government contracts and contract extensions for this purpose to approximately $8.1m in that timeframe.

American Superconductor Corporation has received a $1.3 million contract extension for its second generation (2G) high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The contract was awarded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This most recent extension represents the sixth contract or contract extension American Superconductor has received for 2G HTS wire development over just the last 10 months and brings the total dollar amount of all AMSC government contracts and contract extensions for this purpose to approximately $8.1 million in that timeframe.