Products & services

Two German ship repairers merge to form German Dry Docks

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

Two German ship repairers, MWB Motorenwerke Bremerhaven AG and Rickmers Lloyd Dockbetrieb GmbH & Co KG merge their dry dock businesses to form a new company called German Dry Docks GmbH & Co. The headquarters of the new company, employing about 100 people, is at Barkhausenstrasse 60 in Bremerhaven, the new company said in a statement.

German Dry Docks boasts four docks of its own and a further 2 large docks in co-operation with Lloyd Werft. As a result, six docks in Bremerhaven’s Kaiserhafen – of up to 38 m internal width, 335 m length and 11.5 m draught above keel blocks - are available to our customers. Our targets are increased efficiency, more flexibility, bigger dock capacities and thus better performance at fair market prices.

The management of German Dry Docks will consist of the Managing Director of Rickmers Lloyd Dockbetrieb Uwe Beck and the current Authorised Officer of MWB Ship Division Detlef Nünke. They are both successful shipbuilding engineers with many years of ship repair management experience behind them. Docking repair business at both existing locations will also continue to involve the current proven joint personnel team.

MWB Motorenwerke Bremerhaven AG under its Chairman Jürgen Gloystein and 145 specialists will continue to concentrate on its traditional business know-how in the ship drive and energy technology sectors which includes the now increasingly important areas of energy efficiency and emissions reduction.

Wärtsilä wins LNG propulsion system order from Canadian ferry company

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 03 December 2012 03 December 2012

Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading solutions and services provider, has been awarded the contract to supply the gas powered propulsion machinery and corresponding gas storage and handling systems for a new passenger ferry, the company said in a statement.

The vessel has been ordered by Canadian operator Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), and will be the first North American ferry to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship is being built by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani in Italy and will be used on routes crossing the St. Lawrence River. The Wärtsilä contract was signed in October, 2012. The Wärtsilä equipment is due to be delivered in the autumn 2013, and the vessel is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2014.

The ferry is being built to comply with the stringent emission regulations applicable to its area of operation. With the Wärtsilä 34 dual-fuel generating sets, which will provide the main power generation, the stringent regulations will clearly be met. By operating on LNG, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are at least 85% below those specified in the current International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations, and the CO2 emissions are some 25% less than those of a conventional marine engine running on diesel fuel. The sulphur oxide (SOx) and particle emissions are negligible at almost zero percent. This level of environmental sustainability even exceeds the emission reductions mandated by the strict local regulations. The IMO has designated some U.S. and Canadian waters as an Emissions Control Area (ECA). This is in line with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The North American ECA became enforceable in August 2012.

Long experience in gas technology

In addition to the four main power generating sets, Wärtsilä will also supply its innovative LNGPac system. Designed and developed by Wärtsilä, the LNGPac comprises onboard LNG bunkering, storage tanks and handling equipment, as well as the related safety control and automation systems. The entire Wärtsilä propulsion solution is designed with a focus on safety and simplicity. All engines can be seamlessly switched to marine diesel oil (MDO) operation, should gas not be available, thus full redundancy can be achieved. This ensures that the safety factor is at the highest possible level.

"Wärtsilä is the established global leader in dual-fuel and gas engine technologies. All in all, Wärtsilä has now sold more than 2000 of its gas fuelled engines, which together have accumulated more than 7 million operational running hours in both land-based and marine applications. We are extremely proud to be contributing in a meaningful way towards more sustainable shipping," says Aaron Bresnahan, Vice President, Wärtsilä Ship Power, Sales.

"I am very happy with the outcome of the very demanding design and construction process for this new ship due to start service in Matane, Baie-Comeau and Godbout in 2015. At 130 meters long and with a capacity for 800 passengers and 180 cars, the new ferry will be much larger and better equipped than the "Camille-Marcoux" that it will replace. Its larger hold capacity will be suitable for all types of vehicles. The crossing will be a more pleasant experience for passengers," comments Georges Farrah, CEO of STQ.

Bolidt successfully tests flooring that electrocutes bacteria

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 15 November 2012 15 November 2012

Bolidt Synthetic Products & Systems and independent Dutch research organisation TNO have carried out various tests on antimicrobial flooring systems, which employ a revolutionary new bactericidal technique. The first lab experiments show great promise, Bolidt said in a statement.

“Using a bactericidal technique in a flooring system that kills bacteria by electrocution is new. Bolidt has developed a range of synthetic flooring systems for the healthcare sector that introduces this revolutionary technique. Whereas currently available antibacterial (paint) systems are based on a chemical technique to prevent the spread of multi-resistant bacteria, Bolidt systems are based on a patented mechanical AM-Inside technology,” the company said.

“Their bactericidal effect is a process, by which the bacterium is killed as soon as it comes into contact with the floor surface due to the inherent difference in electrical charge between the floor surface and the bacterium itself. As a result, the multi-resistant bacteria cannot reproduce and survive. Large contact surfaces are thus protected against the growth and spread of bacteria.”

“Since it is precisely the flooring that poses a major risk of spreading multi-resistant bacteria, this development will help hospitals and medical centres make a huge step forward in their fight against multi-resistant bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Methicilline-resistant Staphylocuccus aureus (MRSA). The first series of lab experiments have shown that the bactericidal formula in the Bolidt flooring systems is effective against a large number of multi-resistant bacteria. In addition, the bacteria cannot become resistant. The tests and lab experiments conducted at TNO and in Bolidt’s own laboratory have reached an advanced stage, but a number of final tests remain to be done. We are also developing the same technology in our specialist hygienic wall systems for the healthcare sector”, said Commercial Director Ruud van der Sloot in the statement.

TEAM passenger bridges for Norwegian Breakaway at Manhattan terminal

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 22 November 2012 22 November 2012

TEAM’s Passenger Boarding Bridges will provide ease of embarkation and disembarkation for the cruise guests of Norwegian Breakaway at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

TEAM Ports & Maritime has been awarded by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Turner Construction Corporation a contract to design, manufacture, assemble, transport and install two HYDRA Passenger Boarding Bridges (PBBs) at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York.

The PBBs will provide seamless access for cruise guests from cruise terminal building to NCL’s Breakaway and vice versa. The Norwegian Breakaway will start turnaround operations in New York as of May 2013. .

Sance wins Carnival Destiny refit order

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 23 October 2012 23 October 2012

Sance-Sandelin Consulting and Engineering in Finland says it has been awarded a contract concerning the refit project of Carnival Destiny. Destiny will be refit to Sunshine and Sance participates to the project by providing engineering support for technical interior design. Contract participants are Sance and Kaefer Ltd and the contract concerns spa, gym and serenity outside area.

"We started our engineering work concerning this Destiny project in the beginning of this month and we are delighted to continue our partnership with Kaefer Ltd. The previous cooperation project with Kaefer was a development project concerning the construction sector (mobile apartment module) and now we will continue our cooperation relationship on marine sector," says Sance’s CEO, Mr. Kalle Sandelin.

In addition to this engineering contract, Sance is having other projects on marine, offshore and construction sectors at the moment. But this doesn’t prevent Sance to have eyes on the future and be prepared for possible challenges.

"Although the workload of our company is currently very good, it is always important to have a vision for the future and develop issues. Because of this, among other things, we have started our company’s ISO 9001 certificate process, which will open new doors for the client side. We have used our own quality management system, which clients have found very useful for monitoring the project phases and the quality. But because in some cases the only thing which has been the obstacle for starting cooperation with bigger companies is not having this ISO 9001 certificate, we decided to start this process", describes Mr. Tommi Sormunen, Sance’s Quality Manager.

Carnival Destiny refit will be carried out at Italian Fincantieri shipyard. The refit project is planned to accomplish in 49 days. The original Carnival Destiny was built in Italy and delivered in 1996. At that time this ship was the largest cruise liner in the world by its 101,353 gross tons size.