Products & services

Wärtsilä to supply customized Hybrid Scrubber solution to two Norwegian Cruise Line ships

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 17 February 2020 17 February 2020

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply Hybrid Scrubber system packages, specially customized to meet the specific needs of two cruise vessels. The ships are owned and operated by Norwegian Cruise Line.

The 325 metre long Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway vessels will be fitted with Wärtsilä scrubber systems, enabling them to be in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) sulphur restriction legislation while operating on heavy fuel oil (HFO). The legislation became effective in January 2020. Customization of the system was required in order to meet the ships’ restricted space availability.

“Wärtsilä’s technical and engineering capabilities are once again emphasised with this tailor-made exhaust gas cleaning solution. Obviously not all installations are the same and there is no single system that fits all applications. Having the flexibility to adjust the design to meet the customer’s specific needs is an important value-adding feature of our offering,” says Sigurd Jenssen, Director, Exhaust Gas Cleaning, Wärtsilä Marine.

“We previously worked with Wärtsilä and are familiar with the quality and reliability of the group’s solutions,” said Giovanni Canu, VP, Special Projects and Operational Support at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH).

“We were confident, therefore, that the team there could design and engineer a sulphur emissions abatement system that could be successfully integrated into our two vessels. The VSOx scrubbers are the right choice for this project, being both efficient and the right technical solution. They will allow us to serve our customers, the environment, and society in general by meeting and exceeding the strict regulatory and environmental targets.”

The Wärtsilä hybrid solution allows flexibility in the cleaning of sulphur from the exhaust gases. When operating in closed-loop mode, the wash water circulates from the scrubber unit to a process tank, with seawater being used as make-up replenishment water as needed.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2020. For the past seven years, Wärtsilä has had an engine maintenance agreement with NCLH, and four new NCL cruise ships, currently under construction, will be fitted with Wärtsilä engines and scrubber systems.

Roxtec extends high density cable sealing solution range

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 14 February 2020 14 February 2020

Cable and pipe transit provider Roxtec adds two new versions to its popular range of Roxtec HD (High Density) cable transit devices for use in terminal boxes, cabinets and enclosures. Developed for high cable density applications with high demands for environmental protection, Roxtec HD transits help securing sites and saving time during design, installation and upgrades.

Roxtec HD transits are tested and approved to serve in extreme environments, and they are available in versions for ATEX, IECEx and NEC projects. The transits consist of AISI 316L acid-proof stainless steel frames and Roxtec sealing modules, making them adaptable to cables of many different sizes.

Instead of cable glands

The Roxtec HD 32 for up to 41 cables is already a success. The new versions are Roxtec HD 16 for up to 16 cables and the Roxtec HDLC for large cables up to 54mm. All three are available for Ex e/Ex tb rated terminal and junction boxes and fulfill the requirements for bonding and grounding. Roxtec HD transits are certified as a replacement to cable glands. They are quick to install, 50 percent more area efficient than traditional cable glands and can help reducing installation cost by 50 percent.

Space and weight saving design

Roxtec HD transits make it easy to seal multiple armored or non-armored cables in each opening. This is a great advantage in comparison to cable glands as it allows designers and manufacturers to reduce the quantity, size and weight of cabinets and enclosures drastically. It is possible to cut weight by half and increase cable capacity by up to 40 percent when compared to cable glands.

Aboa Mare appoints Micael Vuorio as new head

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 24 January 2020 24 January 2020

Aboa Mare, the Turku based maritime academy and training centre, has appointed Micael Vuorio as its new head, the organisation said in a statement.

He succeeds Per-Olof Karlsson, who started his career at the organisation 32 years ago.

“Karlsson will continue as CEO for Aboa Mare Ltd until his retirement this summer. This will ensure a sufficient transition period for the new Head of Maritime Academy and Training Center,” Aboa Mare said.

Antti Marine introduces e-hinge – the invisible ethernet cable system at sea

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 24 January 2020 24 January 2020

Antti Marine, a major Finland based producer of marine doors, has invented a new solution for online door cabling, the company said in a statement

This is an ethernet-equipped hinge, dubbed “Antti e-hinge.” It is part of the same system of service-free and adjustable hinges introduced by Antti in 2011 – but offers a different choice for online cabling. According to the company, reasons to switch include ease of installation, safety, and its low profile compared to previous options.

According to Markko Takkinen, Commercial Director at Antti-Teollisuus, e-hinge is the optimal ethernet cable solution: “For ship owners and builders, e-hinge is the safest and easiest way to get all the features of their existing online system, without the lead cover. It’s a completely hassle- free and invisible system and doesn’t carry the same risk of damage as the exposed systems they have now.”

E-hinge is identical to a standard door hinge but comes equipped with online access and data transfer. E-hinge simply takes the place of one or more hinges on a standard door – that is, it’s completely invisible and a cinch to install.

Antti first introduced an online door cabling system in 2013, aboard the AIDAstella – but there were tradeoffs. Structural modifications to the door were necessary, and what’s left is an obvious, surface-mounted lead panel on the door leaf and a cable – or cables – stretching plainly from door to frame.

According to Takkinen, the seed for what would become Antti e-hinge was planted by a customer in March 2017.

“A major ship operating company requested we replace the existing lead cover with something less visible and better looking. The idea started to grow immediately.”

Antti chose a Swiss hinge manufacturer as their partner on the project. In close collaboration, e-hinge took its form and met validations for mechanical durability, electrical connectivity and data transfer capability. The final decision to invest in the product was made in early 2019, and Antti moved forward decisively with the final stage of development.

The result was a connected hinge as simple to install as a regular one.

“It worked just perfectly. For builders and maintenance, it’s a return to the old days of offline systems, because the procedure with e-hinge is no different. Doors can be built, installed, or removed with no extra considerations – e-hinge is a service-free system, and even the height of the hinge can be adjusted,” Takkinen says.

Takkinen is quick to point out that, although the standard use-case is to have one Antti e-hinge per door, additional e-hinges can be added for future applications.

“That kind of freedom is the most exciting thing to me.”

E-hinge is now available worldwide, only from Antti Marine.

Wärtsilä to supply technology to support sustainability for MSC Cruises’ first two World Class ships

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 17 January 2020 17 January 2020

The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä said it will supply Chantiers de l‘Atlantique, France, a comprehensive package of integrated solutions designed to support and enhance the efficiency and environmental sustainability of the first two World Class cruise vessels being built for Geneva, Switzerland based MSC Cruises.

The ships will operate on clean burning LNG fuel, and with optimal environmental performance. The orders with Wärtsilä were placed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Q3 2018 and Q1 2019. These will be the first two cruise ships to run on LNG with Wärtsilä 46DF engines, and with Wärtsilä LNGPac systems.

The cruise industry’s profile in general is today very much geared towards sustainable operations. Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine vision, whereby high levels of digitalisation and connectivity are utilised to deliver greater efficiencies and better environmental performance, strongly supports this trend.

“The focus of our solutions is on reducing energy and fuel consumption in order to promote efficiency. At the same time, our nitrogen oxide reduction and LNG solutions enhance environmental sustainability, which together with the higher efficiency, is very much in line with Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine strategy,” says Stefan Nysjö, Vice President, Marine Power Solutions, Wärtsilä.

“We are very familiar with Wärtsilä’s products and they have always provided us with excellent support in newbuild projects. These two new cruise ships will represent the latest thinking in minimising the environmental impact and reducing fuel consumption, which is in line with our Ecorizon plan, and Wärtsilä is playing a major role in this,” says Yves Pelpel, Technical Director, Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

The full scope of Wärtsilä’s supply of fully integrated solutions includes, for each of the two vessels, five 14-cylinder Wärtsilä 46DF dual-fuel engines fitted with nitrogen oxide reduction (NOR) units, two Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage and supply systems, seven Wärtsilä thrusters, and two Wärtsilä fixed pitch propellers. The Wärtsilä 46DF engines are IMO Tier III compliant in gas mode, and are compliant in marine diesel oil (MDO) mode in combination with the NOR units. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in mid-2020 for the first ship, and in mid-2022 for the second.

The steel cutting ceremony for the first of the two vessels, the ‘MSC Europa’ was held at Chantiers de l‘Atlantique in the end of October and it is scheduled to be launched in May 2022. Delivery of the second World Class vessel is scheduled for 2024. MSC Cruises is the world’s largest privately held cruise operator, and these two new ships will operate worldwide.