Products & services

The new sulphur switch system is less than 5% of the price for a scrubber solution

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 22 July 2013 22 July 2013

The Danish company Insatech A/S has developed the Smart Sulphur Switch S3 system (S3) that minimizes shipping companies’ additional costs as a result of the requirements stipulated in MARPOL Annex VI concerning sulphur emissions in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in North America, the Caribbean, the Baltic, and the North Sea. The price of the S3 is less than 5% of the price for a scrubber.

The S3 system distinguishes itself through its ability to always blend and adjust two fuels to the desired sulphur content. This enables monitoring and control of sulphur emissions. The system logs and reports nett fuel sulphur content, density, and the ship's position and speed. By installing the S3 system, the shipping company will meet MARPOL’s requirements for observance as well as documentation of sulphur emissions. The shipping company’s additional costs are minimized since there is only a need for two types of fuel aboard. Irrespective of the ship’s destination, it is only necessary to carry a Marine Gas Oil (MGO), and a Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). Outside ECAs the cheapest fuel can be burnt and when entering an ECA, the MGO and HFO blend can be adjusted in order to meet the allowed sulphur emission in the area.

The S3 will provide the shipping companies with significant savings by simplifying logistics regarding fuel handling, minimizing products needed aboard, reducing the number of bunker operations, and limiting consumption of the more expensive MGO. In addition, use of chemicals is avoided and construction costs and downtime during installation are minimized. The price for the S3 is less than 5% of the price of a Gas Scrubber, which is the solution shipping companies often choose in order to control sulphur emissions. S3 is easily retrofitted and the ship does not have to be docked in order to mount the system as it can be easily mounted while the ship is at sea.  Maintenance is limited to one yearly calibration. 

MEIKO consolidates its position as a global leader

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 20 July 2013 20 July 2013

 The MEIKO brand and MEIKO products are already represented in over 90 countries around the world – and now the Offenburg, Germany-based company is successfully tapping one of the world's last major growth markets: Southeast Asia. More than a decade ago MEIKO delivered what was, at that time, one of the world's biggest dishwashing systems to Kuala Lumpur airport for Malaysia Airlines' catering operations. Fast forward to today, and MEIKO has established its very own regional office in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

With MEIKO already operating its own offices in Australia (Sydney) and India (Bangalore), this once again reinforces the company's role as a global player in world markets. MEIKO Australia-Pacific Pty Ltd. commenced its business activities back in 2007. The Australian regional company is now headed by Sören Gleitsmann, a seasoned sales expert who previously worked at MEIKO's headquarters in Offenburg. Building on its strong performance selling and servicing warewashing systems, the company is now also successfully marketing and distributing cleaning and disinfection appliances in Australia.

Meiko (Asia) Techcentre Pvt. Ltd. was also established in 2007. Headed by Virendra Dutt – who previously held a managerial role at the company that used to represent MEIKO in India – Meiko (Asia) Techcentre Pvt. Ltd. is headquartered in the Indian city of Bangalore and has a branch office in Delhi. As well as distributing MEIKO products in India, its reach also extends to Sri Lanka (dishwashing technology), Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

MEIKO Managing Director Burkhard Randel sums up the current situation as follows: "Our ongoing commitment to the Asian market was recently highlighted by the opening of our Regional Office South East Asia in Kuala Lumpur which – together with our long-established companies in China and India – puts a solid emphasis on the newly industrializing markets between Thailand and Indonesia. We are fortunate to have Rudolf Kitzbichler at the helm, a highly experienced manager with excellent contacts and a wealth of skills who is already familiar with the region. The twelfth international member of the MEIKO family is already forging a successful path in the industry."

TGE Marine Gas Engineering to deliver LNG fuel systems for the next AIDA generation

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 21 July 2013 21 July 2013

TGE Marine Gas Engineering has been awarded by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to deliver two complete LNG fuel systems. The systems will be installed on the new generation of cruise ships which Mitsubishi Heavy Industries currently builds for AIDA Cruises of Rostock, Germany belonging to the Carnival Corporation & plc. The 124,500 gross ton ships will be delivered in 2015 and 2016 and will be the first cruise vessels in the world fitted with dual fuel engines, meaning that they can also run on liquefied gas, depending on its availability at the port.

For TGE Marine Gas Engineering the contract with MHI for a world-leading cruise line is a great success in recognition of the company’s efforts in developing environmentally friendly fuel gas systems for the marine industry.

Lloyd Werft to convert P&O Cruises' Arcadia

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 19 July 2013 19 July 2013

In 2012 and also this year, Carnival Corporation & plc docked two of its globally operating fleet of luxury liners – Queen Victoria and AIDAbella - at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven AG. Now the Bremerhaven facility has landed yet another attractive repair and conversion contract from the same group. The 82,505 gross ton Arcadia will dock in Bremerhaven between November 26th and December 12th. The 285.30 m long and 32.25 m wide ship was completed in 2005 at Fincantieri’s Marghera yard in Venice for P&O Cruises, which is also part of the Carnival group. Extensive conversion work on the ship has been carried out once before by Lloyd Werft, in the winter of 2008. This time she will stay in the yard’s big Kaiserdock II and get a new superstructure on her upper deck with 23 new cabins and one suite, all with balconies, as well as a sun deck.

The conversion and repair of Arcadia continues an association which Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven AG and P & O Cruises have enjoyed for many years, as well as an activity which the yard is justly famous for throughout the world - the high-quality handling of complex jobs in the shortest possible time. Lloyd Werft board member Rüdiger Pallentin said "it is good to know, at a time when things are not always easy for German shipbuilding, not only that our performance is valued by clients placing small repair orders, but also that we can hold our own on the market with bigger conversion projects. This second contract from the Carnival group inside just six months makes that impressively clear," he added.

Lloyd Werft will build a new deck weighing 75 tons. It will also build the 23 passenger cabins and a suite, all with balconies, in the new deck house structure. The new deck house will not only increase passenger capacity from 1,952 to 2,000 and the number of passenger cabins from 976 to 1,000, but will add holiday comfort to the Arcadia. That’s because the ship will also get a new 550 square m outside sun-bathing area. Also being installed are additional catering and air-conditioning facilities.
 
Lloyd Werft carried out similar work for P&O in 2008. At that time a 340 ton deck was installed on Arcadia with the help of a floating crane, increasing both the ship’s passenger capacity and comfort. The same extension principle is being followed this time also by her owners, once again to make their luxury liner more attractive on the cruise shipping market and to expand her yet again.

Along with the conversions, the shipyard will also carry out extensive docking and repair work on the eight-year-old ship. The work will include blasting and conservation of her underwater hull, the repair and conservation of the hull above the water-line, the overhaul of bow thrusters and stabilisers, overhaul of the ship’s two pod drives and also the overhaul of all seacocks. In addition, all life-saving equipment, boats and davits will be checked. There will also be a lot of work for Lloyd Werft’s pipe workshop because various pipe systems in both the engine and passenger areas are to be renewed.