Products & services

Former Cunard and P&O Cruises Managing Director joins Trimline Board of Directors

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 22 October 2015 22 October 2015

Trimline, the marine interiors specialist, has appointed Carol Marlow and Nigel Scarfe as non-executive directors. The duo will join the newly created Board of Directors who will be charged with the growth and expansion of the business.

Carol Marlow spent 16 years at Carnival UK, latterly as UK Managing Director for Princess Cruises, President of Cunard Line and then as Managing Director of P&O Cruises, where she was responsible for the profitable development of this leading British premium cruise brand. Carol has significant experience in the luxury and premium travel and hospitality sectors and has a proven track record of building successful brands. She now has a range of advisory and mentor roles, working with organisations such as The Aspire Foundation and is a Trustee of the Royal Museums Greenwich.

Nigel Scarfe was formerly Managing Director of Discovery Yachts Limited, one of the UK’s leading luxury yacht builders. Nigel has significant experience as a Board level business leader and mentor helping to grow and develop businesses, through consultancy and training, increasing sales and profitability and the implementation of good HR strategies.

Commenting on her appointment, Carol said: "As a previous satisfied customer, I'm delighted to join the Trimline Board. I look forward to assisting with the strategic growth of the company, as the Trimline team works to optimise the long-term asset management of their customers' brands, through quality refits and ongoing service support contracts."

Nigel added: “I am pleased to be joining the Board of Trimline at this exciting time to work with the Board and management teams to improve our customer experience and to successfully achieve the ambitious growth plans.”

Carol and Nigel will join Trimline’s Chairman, Gary Oliver, Sales and Marketing Director, Mike Oliver, Andrew Richards, CEO and Michael Colebourn, Chief Financial Officer on the newly formed Board of Directors. The Board will oversee the business, reviewing the strategy and management teams and driving further growth and expansion.

Gary Oliver, Chairman at Trimline said: “We are very fortunate to have Carol and Nigel join us as non-executive directors. They bring a wealth of business and industry knowledge and experience to Trimline and we are very much looking forward to working with them to focus the business for further expansion and development.

“We are experiencing significant growth in our business and have recently completed our largest project-to-date, the £13 million transformation of Spirit of Tasmania I and II and the adoption of this new corporate structure will provide us with all the necessary tools and experience to drive this growth further and take the business to the next level.”

Rockwool Technical Insulation introduces lightweight stone wool solutions for marine and offshore industry

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 13 October 2015 13 October 2015

Rockwool Technical Insulation, worldwide market leader in technical insulation, has introduced a range of lightweight stone wool fire boards, suitable for maritime and offshore applications. This product range, new generation SeaRox FB 6000, has been tested and approved for main A-class rated steel constructions especially targeting passenger ships, naval ships, offshore modules and supply vessels, where weight savings are essential.

The breakthrough SeaRox FB 6000 product range makes it possible to create solutions that are up to 40% lighter in weight, whilst retaining all the insulation benefits of genuine stone wool. These include highest fire safety, excellent acoustic properties, highest water repellency grade – lowest water absorption, and outstanding thermal insulation.

Increasingly, ship owners, shipbuilders, naval architects and marine engineers face pressure to improve performance in terms of safety, environmental protection, efficient operation and resource conservation, as well as energy efficiency, reduction of CO2 emissions and efforts to mitigate climate change. The new generation SeaRox FB 6000 range helps to address these challenges by combining the solid product performances in fire, thermal and acoustic insulation of Rockwool stone wool with an exceptional lower weight.

The weight savings significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions, resulting in substantial financial benefits. An additional benefit is that the weight saving also increases design flexibility, making it possible to place additional equipment on board which may result in a further positive economic benefit.

Like all Rockwool Technical Insulation products, SeaRox FB 6000 range is subject to the requirements in EUCEB (The European Certification Board for Mineral Wool Products) with an external conformity inspection as guarantee for the quality. EUCEB certifies that the mineral fiber is exonerated from classification and provides the highest level of health and safety on board. Furthermore, the new lightweight constructions have been MED approved by Det Norske Veritas (DNV-GL) and are being certified by the main classification societies. More information about the new generation SeaRox is available on www.rockwool-searox.com.

Luc Smeets, Business Development & Marketing Director of Rockwool Technical Insulation, comments: “Thanks to our wide range of excellent and innovative stone wool insulation products, we have been one of the biggest suppliers within the shipbuilding industry and offshore for many decades. Today, with the introduction of SeaRox FB 6000 range we have set a new standard for the maritime sector, helping to reduce the weight of naval vessels and platforms while at the same time meeting the stringent requirements regarding fire safety and comfort on board.”

Trimline transforms the Spirit of Tasmania I & II

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 25 September 2015 25 September 2015

Marine interiors refurbishment specialist Trimline has completed a comprehensive £13 million (US$20million) turnkey refurbishment program that transformed the two Tasmanian, state-owned and operated fast ferries, Spirit of Tasmania I and II.

Providing a vital year-round link for tourists and island residents alike, Spirit of Tasmania I and II are a pair of identical ships that have been in operation since 2002, owned by TT-Line that operate the 429km route across the Bass Strait between Melbourne and Tasmania. Operating a daily overnight service, with additional daytime crossings during peak seasons, the refit was carried out expediently in order to minimise disruption for passengers.

A hugely complex and time-sensitive project, the transformation brief from TT-Line was to deliver an interior fit for purpose. The extensive work has seen a complete remodelling and upgrade of four passenger decks, including 222 standard and deluxe cabins, in addition to the public areas of both vessels.

With the majority of early works taking place while the ships were still in operation and over 300 people working on the project - both from Trimline’s UK headquarters and local contractors and sub-contractors - this was a huge undertaking that required strong and clear project management, as well as a highly skilled and flexible workforce.

The Spirit of Tasmania transformation, included the refurbishment of:
- 222 standard and deluxe cabins
- Two new 48-seat cinemas
- New layout and look to four upper decks
- Revamped lounge
- New self service restaurant, ‘Tasmanian Market Kitchen’
- Three new bars
- Family area
- Retail shop

As a result of the refurbishment, TT-Line has reported significant forward bookings for the year ahead and scheduled extra day cruises to cater for the increasing demand from passengers.

Andrew Richards, Trimline CEO, comments: “As one of the largest transformation projects that Trimline has been involved in, we are delighted to have completed the work on Spirit of Tasmania I and II. It’s been a fantastic turnkey project for us to deliver, working in partnership with TT-Line, alongside a host of highly skilled local sub-contractors and suppliers, ensuring we were always utilising the highest quality materials available locally.

“With such tight timescales, it was really important for the project to run seamlessly – we had multi-skilled teams working around the clock, supported by Tasmanian and UK offices, alongside an outstanding project management team.

“The fantastic end result is testament to all the hard work from the Trimline and TT-Line teams, the transformation of the ships is incredible and I’m very proud of what has been achieved in a relatively short space of time.”

Mike Grainger, Chairman, at TT-Line Company Pty Ltd, added: “TT-Line’s turnkey contractor, Trimline, completed the refurbishment works on the Spirit of Tasmania vessels on time and on budget with the support and help of Tasmanian-based contractors and companies commissioned by Trimline.

“From a TT-Line Board perspective, we were very pleased that Trimline was so actively engaged with the Tasmanian businesses and that so many benefited from the project.

“We are just as pleased with the way the refurbishment works were completed – thanks to the joint efforts of Trimline employees and TT-Line staff and crew.

“It was a complicated task given some of the works were required while maintaining our overnight sailing schedule between mainland Australia and Tasmania. But the works were well planned and well executed.”

Trimline to launch White Paper at Interferry 2015

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 05 October 2015 05 October 2015

Trimline, the Southampton-based marine interiors specialist, will be launching a White Paper at this year’s Interferry Conference that explores the role of collaborative working in complex refurbishment programmes.

The company, which recently completed an extensive £13 million (US$20 million) refit of two Tasmanian state-owned and operated fast ferries, Spirit of Tasmania I and II, has compiled the White Paper to highlight how its approach to a complex and time-sensitive scheme enabled them to deliver a high-quality transformation on time and to budget.

Trimline will be launching the White Paper at the annual Interferry Conference which takes place from 3-7 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Copenhagen. The event, in its 40th year, brings together senior level executives and decision makers to learn about the newest ideas, market strategies and technologies from the around the world, as well as offering an invaluable opportunity for networking.

Andrew Richards, Trimline CEO, comments: “The transformation of Spirit of Tasmania I and II is one of the largest refit projects that Trimline has been involved with. This was a hugely complex project that required us to work cross-culture, cross-team and across the globe and necessitated a pragmatic and collaborative approach.

“We are pleased to launch the White Paper as a best-practise example of how to manage projects of this size and scale and to demonstrate our expertise in delivering world-class turnkey solutions.”

Wärtsilä introduces inland waterway vessel steerable thruster

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 21 September 2015 21 September 2015

Wärtsilä, the Finnish engineering group,says it has introduced the latest addition to its thruster product portfolio, the Wärtsilä WST-14 steerable thruster, which represents state-of-the-art azimuthing propeller technology. It is aimed primarily at inland waterway cargo vessel applications. The new thruster will provide increased reliability and efficiency, while also lowering costs.

Among the many innovations incorporated into the WST-14 are its space-saving compact design, an integrated slipping clutch that provides a cost competitive solution for manoeuvring when combined with a fixed pitch (FP) propeller, and the ability to maintain and service the propeller shaft and steering seals without requiring a complete overhaul of the thruster. It has a straightforward, reliable design and is ice-class rated.

By combining the 6-cylinder in-line Wärtsilä 20 engine with the WST-14 thruster, a solution package that is ideal for the specific demands of river and inland waterway operation can be offered. It also suits other marine applications, such as tugs, where manoeuvring in harbours and/or ice conditions is required. Compared to conventional fixed pitch (FP) and controllable pitch (CP) propeller drive line solutions, the WST-14 thruster enables a greater load capacity for the vessel. This offers increased revenues for the owner/operator since more cargo can be transported.

"This project began two years ago and we are delighted to announce that the WST-14 is now available to the market. This introduction fills a particular need in the inland waterway vessel sector, and it is already attracting interest from owners and yards in Asia, Europe and America. Wärtsilä is now able to offer a complete and highly efficient propulsion package for this specific market," says Arto Lehtinen, Vice President, Propulsion, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.