Products & services

Viking Cruises selects MAN engines to power its new ocean-going cruise ships

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 15 June 2013 15 June 2013

MAN Diesel & Turbo is to supply eight engines for the diesel-electric propulsion of two cruise ship newbuildings to Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., world leader in cruise shipbuilding. The company is delivering the engines in cooperation with Alfa Laval who will supply accompanying exhaust-gas-treatment systems (PureSOx) for sulphur-oxide removal.

Each cruise ship will be powered by 2 × MAN 9L32/44CR + 2 × MAN 12V32/44CR engines, providing a combined output of 23,520 kW in a diesel-electric propulsion arrangement. The engines will operate with MAN Diesel & Turbo’s well-proven, state- of-the-art, common-rail injection system, suitable for both heavy fuel oil and distillate fuels. This technology, developed in-house by MAN Diesel & Turbo and fully optimised for its engines, provides superior performance in terms of fuel consumption and smoke emissions, especially at part-load.

Sokrates Tolgos – MAN Diesel & Turbo – Head of Cruise & Ferry Sales said: "We feel extremely honoured to have won Fincantieri, the world’s largest cruise shipbuilder, as a new customer for our engines in this high-added-value market segment. Fincantieri’s and Viking Ocean Cruises’ confidence in realising such a technologically leading and innovative cruise project with MAN Diesel & Turbo and Alfa Laval, our consortium partner, signals a new era of cooperation. We consider it an historical step for our future growth in the cruise and ferry business.”

Tolgos continued: “By combining MAN’s efficiency-leading 32/44CR engines with the PureSOx exhaust-gas-treatment system, these super-luxury cruise vessels can fulfill the increasingly stringent global requirements for permissible sulphur-oxide emissions in the most economical manner possible. This especially applies to the demanding limit of 0.1% sulphur fuel equivalent in Emission Controlled Areas (ECAs).”

With a total passenger capacity of 936 and a crew to passenger ratio of approximately 1:2, the ships are destined to serve the segment demand for small, super-luxury vessels. Delivery of the two newbuildings to the ship owner is scheduled for early 2015 and early 2016, respectively.

Herkules Private Equity buys Umoe Schat-Harding and Noreq

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 14 June 2013 14 June 2013

Herkules Private Equity has agreed to buy life saving equipment companies Umoe Schat-Harding and Noreq. The combined group will have pro forma net sales of NOK1.2 billion in 2013 and their product ranges will complement each other well. The merged company will also have the largest service network of its kind in the world. The move means consolidation in the life saving equipment market, which remains fragmented at the moment, Umoe Schat-Harding said in a statement.

Trimline upgrades Thomson Celebration to Platinum status

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 07 June 2013 07 June 2013

Trimline has completed an ambitious refit of Thomson Celebration, a 33,930 gross ton cruise liner that has since been added to Thomson Cruises' Platinum collection, following the six month refurbishment.

Undertaking the majority of the upgrade while the ship was at sea, Trimline worked carefully around the 1,250 passengers and 520 crew to ensure the work was carried out to the highest standards, but with minimum disruption to the day-to-day operation of the vessel.

Sailing through Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and Jordan, the 45-strong Trimline team upgraded 478 cabins including fitting new carpets, curtains, bedding, and the installation of new televisions and kettle facilities. The Deluxe Cabin refurbishments called upon Trimline's expertise in interior design, requiring the installation of new sofa beds to maximise limited cabin space. 624 bathrooms were also upgraded with new tiling, fixtures and fittings from Grohe, and vanity units with Italian stone tops. From November 2012 to May 2013, the team used 326 tonnes of materials.

John Westgarth-Pratt, Captain of Thomson Celebration, said: "Given the scope of work and the number of Trimline staff, the manner in which the team were managed throughout their stay on the vessel was a credit to the company. The communication and co-operation Trimline established with the ship’s company throughout the project was excellent. We look forward to working with Trimline on future projects."

Undertaking the work while the ship was fully occupied and operational presented a challenging logistical refurbishment, limiting the nosiest work to periods when passengers were off the ship and carefully selecting material routes on-board to minimise the use of public areas. By working with the ships occupied cabin schedule, the team were able to work on deck without disruption to passengers and crew.

Simon Dawkins, Contracts Manager at Trimline, said: "We wanted to prove that large scale cabin refits do not have to be limited to docking periods. We faced a tough job whilst the ship was full of passengers, but the workforce almost became part of the crew. They spent so long onboard, sharing mess rooms and crew areas, that they developed a very good working relationship."

Gary Oliver, Managing Director of Trimline, commented: “Again this project demonstrates that with good communication between all stakeholders, large scale accommodation refurbishments can be undertaken successfully on the run whilst in service, instead of having to wait for sometimes years between dry dockings, thus keeping the vessel in tip top condition and meeting passenger expectations.”

Viking Line to recycle vegetation brushed off from bottoms of ships

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 14 June 2013 14 June 2013

Viking Line, the Finnish cruise ferry company, says nearly all vegetation removed from the bottoms of ships is recovered for recycling following an upgrade of diving robot employed by the DG – Diving Group.

“The vegetation removed using the new brushing equipment is absorbed into the cleaning machine which filters the vegetation from the water. Clean water is returned to the sea and the organic mass is collected in sacks. This upgraded brushing equipment marks a new milestone in the joint efforts of DG-Diving Group and Viking Line for cleaner sea and dock basins,” the company said in a statement.

The aim is to recycle the collected organic waste in the best possible way, so Viking Line is currently investigating together with its partners whether the scrubbing waste can be used in the production of biogas. “The recycling of organic waste into biogas is the primary alternative due to the positive experience in the separate collection of food waste onboard Mariella, Viking Grace and Viking XPRS, and inspired by advice given by an expert in the field,” said Juhani Suvilampi from Watrec Oy.

Rolls-Royce to partner Balearia in LNG conversion for high-speed ferries

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 04 June 2013 04 June 2013

Rolls-Royce Plc has signed a memorandum of understanding with Spanish shipping company Baleària, to design gas-powered propulsion systems for three of the company's high-speed ferries, which currently run on diesel.

Baleària, which operates ferry services between the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands, in the Strait of Gibraltar and The Bahamas Islands, is proposing the conversion of three ferries from diesel to liquefied natural gas (LNG), a much cheaper and cleaner fuel.

Adolfo Utor, the Baleària Chief Executive Officer said: "This is a strategic agreement for the future of the company. The change in fuels will allow us to have high-speed, more competitive vessels available and, at the same time, be more respectful towards the environment, given that this fuel reduces CO2 emissions by 25%."

Neil Gilliver, Rolls-Royce, President - Merchant said: "There is no doubt that popularity of LNG as a marine fuel is increasing, as stricter emission controls and higher fuel costs continue to drive the strategic decisions of shipping companies. This is our first LNG project in Spain, which joins a growing list of countries where operators are keen to investigate the potential applications for a marine fuel that will reduce emissions and reduce operating costs."

"We are delighted to be working with Baleària on this project which demonstrates that LNG is now a serious option for converting existing fleets, as well as for new builds."

Rolls-Royce is the leading supplier of LNG propulsion systems, and its range of Bergen gas engines are the only pure gas engines on the market. The Baleària project will involve developing an economic and technical proposal to convert three ferries - the HSC Ramon Llull, HSC Jaume II and HSC Jaume III - to LNG power.

Rolls-Royce will work with Baleària on developing efficient propulsion systems for the vessels which are a mix of catamaran and mono-hull design, with water jet propulsion. Spanish company Cotenaval will lead the naval architecture aspects of the conversions.