Products & services

Norwegian Cruise Line to install scrubbers on two Breakaway Plus newbuilds

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 18 July 2013 18 July 2013

Norwegian Cruise Line announced today that its two new Breakaway Plus class ships will be among the first new builds in the cruise industry to feature innovative scrubber technology developed by Green Tech Marine (GTM), a world leading marine scrubber supplier.

The two new vessels will be built by MEYER WERFT GMBH in Germany and delivered to the fleet in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

Green Tech Marine will provide five scrubbers per ship for the engines which range from 14.4 to 16.8 megawatts. This installation will be the largest scrubber plant in the world with a total engine power of 76.8 megawatts.

"Norwegian Cruise Line has a history of innovation along with a commitment to utilizing green technology whenever possible," said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "Installing scrubbers from Green Tech Marine on our new Breakaway Plus vessels is a smart decision and one that will ensure these ships are as eco-friendly as possible."

The GTM-R scrubbers are compact, making it possible for the builds to avoid the loss of cabin space or other service areas. GTM uses one smaller scrubber for each engine instead of a large multi inlet scrubber serving several engines, and the scrubber also replaces the silencer, which is very suitable for cruise ships. The GTM-R scrubbers hold all necessary certificates to ensure these vessels are compliant with the 0.1% sulphur limit in Emission Control Areas (ECA) beginning in 2015.

GTM has previously delivered scrubbers to Norwegian's Pride of America which sails year-round in Hawaii. The scrubbers were installed during the ship's dry dock refurbishment in March and are scheduled to be fully operational later this year.

"We are thrilled to see a large ship owner such as Norwegian Cruise Line and a respected ship builder like Meyer Werft being early adapters of green technology," said President and CEO of GTM Peter Strandberg.

Success for Roxtec Transit Designer

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 16 July 2013 16 July 2013

Five weeks ago, cable and pipe transit provider Roxtec released the free software Roxtec Transit Designer. Today, there are more than 730 registered users worldwide designing more than 5,000 transits! The new tool, that simplifies sealing product selection and drives efficiency, is a hit among engineers.

Designers and engineers just enter their cable schedule, sealing requirements, installation preferences and preliminary opening sizes into the Roxtec Transit Designer, and the software generates manufacturer-approved drawings and documents such as material lists and installation instructions.

Design teams can share their work online with project teams anywhere in the world, and Roxtec transit design experts are always there to help through the built-in chat function. To start using the Roxtec Transit Designer, designers and engineers are invited to register on www.roxtec.com.

Caterpillar ships first MaK dual fuel engine to MHI to power AIDA newbuild

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 03 July 2013 03 July 2013

Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is pleased to announce the shipment of the first MaK M 46 DF dual fuel marine engine. The M 46 DF, Caterpillar’s first marine dual fuel solution, will power a newbuild ordered by Germany’s AIDA cruises. Three 12 M 43 C marine engines will also power the cruise liner. The engine left the MaK Rostock, Germany facility en route to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan. Upon arrival, it will immediately be placed in the ship’s hull.

"We’re pleased to deliver our first dual fuel marine product to AIDA cruise lines, a longtime collaborator and partner," said Detlef Kirste, Caterpillar Marine Power Systems Senior Product Definition Engineer. "The M 46 DF will provide AIDA with superior performance and operational flexibility without sacrificing power or reliability."

Able to alternate from gas to diesel mode during operation, the M 46 DF offers the flexibility to operate vessels reliably in all geographical areas, whether the fuel in use is gas, marine diesel oil (MDO) or heavy fuel oil (HFO). In gas mode, the M 46 DF features industry-leading fuel consumption and will comply with IMO III as well as EPA Tier 4 regulations. The engine has been designed to allow retrofitting of current M 43 C engines.

With a bore of 460 millimeters and stroke of 610, the engine was designed for electric drive propulsion systems as well as mechanical propulsion systems. Although designed for unlimited operation on LNG, marine diesel oil and heavy fuel oil, the M 46 DF will reach industry- leading efficiency in gas mode.

Caterpillar offers its renowned service and support for the MaK dual fuel engine, including installation and application, system integration support, as well as customer and crew training. The M 46 DF is distributed and sold through Caterpillar’s MaK dealer network.

MacGregor wins North Star order from Royal Caribbean

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 05 July 2013 05 July 2013

MacGregor has won the contract to deliver North Star, an engineering marvel that takes guests to new heights with a jewel-shaped, glass capsule, transporting them on a spectacular journey more than 91 m (300 feet) above the ocean and over the sides of the ship to deliver awe-inspiring 360-degree views for Royal Caribbean International's first Quantum Class cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas, the company said in a statement.

The crane's slewing function will also allow the viewing gondola to be swung out over the sea for a unique guest experience. The order was booked in the second quarter 2013 order intake.

Quantum class will debut in fall 2014 with Quantum of the Seas, followed by her sister-ship Anthem of the Seas in spring 2015. Quantum ships span 16 decks, encompass 167,800 gross registered tons, carry 4,180 guests at double occupancy and feature 2,090 staterooms. Quantum of the Seas will sail out of the New York Harbor from her homeport of Cape Liberty on 7- to 12-night itineraries during the winter 2014/15 season. The ship is under construction at German shipyard, Meyer Werft and is scheduled to make its debut crossing from Southampton to New York in autumn 2014.

The electro/hydraulically-driven crane will have an outreach of 41m, and the 7.1-tonne viewing gondola will be able to accommodate 14 guests and one crew member. The gondola will be fitted with a stabilising system to ensure that it remains level with respect to the vessel's deck. It will also damp gondola movements, providing a comfortable ride for the guests.

"We are the first crane supplier involved in anything like this type for a cruise ship," says Jonas Hägglund, MacGregor Sales Manager. "Safety is paramount, and the operator needed a crane supplier that would not only deliver the highest safety standards, but also proven, reliable technology for the North Star guest experience."

The system is designed for 100 percent redundancy with two separate power units, each large enough to drive the crane in reduced speed mode; it will also be provided with a diesel-driven emergency power pack. Additional safety features include automatic cut outs and safety valve overload protection on all crane motions. The crane is designed to standards set by German technical certification company, TÜV süd.

North Star will be controlled using a separate PLC safety system in addition to a MacGregor CC3000 crane control system. "The CC3000 provides excellent load control and can easily be adjusted with a laptop computer for different parameters, such as speed ramp times," says Mr Hägglund. "All crane movements will be smooth and immediate, with stepless speed control, essential for this type of guest experience. It is also important that the experience is as quiet as possible, so the main power pack will be rubber-suspended to minimise vibrations and noise transmission; the crane housing will also be isolated to minimise noise.

Lufthansa Systems to provide IT network on AIDA newbuildings

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 01 July 2013 01 July 2013

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) entrusted Lufthansa Systems to provide the IT infrastructure onboard of two new AIDA ships, which are currently build by MHI at Nagasaki Shipyards in Japan. The two new ships for AIDA Cruises with a capacity for around 3,300 passengers will set new standards with regard to product content and passenger comfort. Lufthansa Systems has been selected to supply the infrastructure for LAN and Wi-Fi onboard and the platform for the ship's telephony system (VoIP). The delivery of the first AIDA ship is expected in spring 2015 while the second ship is expected to be completed in spring 2016.

"We are excited that AIDA and MHI decided to engage us with the provision of the IT infrastructure and we are proud to extend our long-term partnership with AIDA," said Bernd Appel, SVP Industry Solutions at Lufthansa Systems "With our solution these ships will have the latest technology in the field of convergence services for cruise lines on board. At low cost of ownership AIDA will be able to offer passengers of these ships a rich choice of infotainment and communication", he added.

Already with the last seven AIDA cruise ships, Lufthansa Systems proofed its ability to integrate complex and customized IT solutions that match perfectly with its infrastructure solutions. AIDA ships are known for their rather youthful style and their many modern onboard amenities and facilities. Therefore, it seems almost indispensable to supply the ships with the latest IT technology and to cater for the needs of their young and Internet affine customers.

MHI was founded in 1884 and has a long history in engineering, manufacture and sale of ships. It is known for the quality of its products. In Japan, MHI owns five yards where they build several ship types.