Products & services

Roxtec acquires Sleev-It Fire Systems LTd

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 22 March 2012 22 March 2012

Roxtec International AB, world leader in modular pipe and cable penetration sealing systems, has acquired Sleev-It Fire Systems Ltd of the United Kingdom. The acquisition of Sleev-It will enhance the Roxtec line of sealing products by providing shipyards a lightweight firestop for plastic pipes. Sleev-It marine penetration seals expand the already diverse product offerings of Roxtec for fire-sealing in A & B fire-rated sections.

Sleev-It Fire Systems Ltd will continue to operate under its current name.

Through the integration of Sleev-It, we have added light-weight fire penetration seals to our product portfolio, says Francesco Solzi, Marine Segment Manager of Roxtec. We are able to offer fire collars and other solutions for plastic pipes to become more complete as a provider of sealing solutions. We can help shipyards with new builds as well as retrofit projects.

Roxtec seals and fire collars cover the needs of the entire ship, from below the waterline up to the passengers' cabins. When plastic pipe and cable systems penetrate A and B class divisions, each penetration needs to be protected in order to maintain the integrity of each division at the point of penetration. The SLEEV-IT marine penetration seal can be used to maintain integrity by sealing off the penetration in the division and filling the void left by the plastic pipes that have either burnt or melted away.

Designed for simplicity

Simplicity in design means that the SLEEV-IT marine penetration seals are an ideal substitute for more complex options when using plastic pipes in marine applications, or when steel or copper pipes are being replaced by plastic and/or multilayer alternatives. The easy installation of the SLEEV-IT marine penetration seal provides considerable retro-fit capabilities which benefit many ship yards and ship owners by offering a very cost efficient, time effective and clean process which minimizes disruptions either at sea, or in dry dock when repairs are being carried out.

Only a single SLEEV-IT marine penetration seal is needed for each penetration, thereby reducing the quantity of product needed. Various size collars are produced to fit the actual penetration being protected. SLEEV-IT marine penetration seals can be fitted on either side of the deck or bulkhead (see diagram), thereby providing optimum flexibility of space and location. Among the many other benefits of SLEEVE-IT are: significantly reduced weight, reduction of labor costs due to easy installation, no need for costly insulation, plus reduced maintenance made possible because all SLEEV-IT marine penetration seals have a stainless steel casing or are powder coated to avoid damage from corrosion.

A few examples of ships where SLEEV-IT marine penetration seals have been installed are: Queen Elizabeth (Cunard) , Azura (P&O), Oasis of the Seas (RCCL), Carnival Destiny (Carnival), Norwegian Dawn (NCL).

Wärtsilä signs long-term service agreement with Prestige Cruise Holdings

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 15 March 2012 15 March 2012

Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading solutions and services provider, has signed a five-year service agreement with US-based Prestige Cruise Holdings, Inc. (Prestige), the parent company of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

The long-term service agreement covers six vessels, a total of 27 Wärtsilä engines, and has the option to include further vessels in the future. The agreement facilitates the projection of costs associated with the maintenance of Prestige's cruise fleet, while also minimizing the downtime during routine maintenance and overhauls. The agreement provides a broad scope of services, including maintenance planning, spare parts supply, training, technical surveys, condition monitoring, and workshop services.

New type of agreement

The tailor-made agreement is one of the most comprehensive yet for the cruise industry. The depth and scope of the agreement cover pro-active planning by both companies working in co-operation. It involves dedicated teams from both parties, which will work closely together to ensure the optimal performance of the Prestige fleet.

"Wärtsilä's willingness to assume a large part of the service and logistics activities, while offering a streamlined cost structure, provides the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the quality is the very best," says Robin Lindsay, Executive Vice President, Vessel Operations, Prestige Cruise Holdings.

"We are very excited about this agreement that positions Prestige and Wärtsilä on a path for success in a partnership for continuous improvement," says Kourtney Dever, Account Manager, Wärtsilä North America, Inc.

"The premise of the partnership is based on each company focusing on their area of expertise, while fully co-operating with each other to ensure maximum efficiency. The agreement is extremely comprehensive and is one that extends beyond the traditional standard in the marketplace," states Tomas Hakala, Vice President Wärtsilä Services, Americas.

Wärtsilä Services - the industry's most extensive service network

Wärtsilä Services is one of the three Wärtsilä's businesses alongside Ship Power and Power Plants. Wärtsilä Services offers services to both the global marine and energy markets and operates the most extensive service network in the industry. The company's broad portfolio includes environmental services and solutions, the servicing of engines, propulsion systems, electrical and automation systems and boilers, as well as field services and spare parts. It also covers upgrades and conversions, long-term agreements for engine and propulsion systems, as well as training services. Wärtsilä Services is at the forefront in developing new service concepts to meet customer needs for optimal operational efficiency. Wärtsilä Services operates some 70 fully owned workshops and employs over 11,000 service professionals.

Norwegian Cruise Line awards onboard cellular communications contract to MCP

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 06 March 2012 06 March 2012

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP), the leading onboard communications partner to cruise and ferry vessels, has strengthened its foothold in the US cruise market through a major telecommunications contract with Norwegian Cruise Line. The contract includes the entire fleet and two large newbuilds.

MCP's contract with Norwegian Cruise Line covers cellular telephony and prepaid services to passengers and crew in the existing fleet and the two yet-to-be launched cruise ships. All the ships will be equipped with a state-of-the-art network enabling future migration to 3G and LTE technologies.

"The mobile communication needs of our guests are changing rapidly," says Ross Henderson, Norwegian's Vice President of Onboard Services. "We were impressed with MCP's progressive attitude towards innovation - making MCP the best fit for Norwegian moving forward. As part of Telenor, MCP can tap into a wide range of other onboard communications services."

"This deal reinforces our position as the industry's most innovative onboard communications provider and adds a fleet of cruise ships to our growing family of vessels," says Fred Sorensen, MCP's Managing Director for the Americas. "This is another step in the right direction for MCP in the US and is a positive development for the cruise operators, their passengers and crew members. Clearly, the major industry players are seeking to meet their customers' demands by providing the best possible modern and future-proof communications systems available on the market today."

"We are happy that MCP is able to design and operate the most modern networks available at sea," says Norwegian's CIO Vincent Cirel. "We fully expect MCP's network to go a long way in addressing our cellular expectations and look forward to other creative solutions that we can deliver to our passengers and crew members."

Wärtsilä launches medium voltage power drive

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 08 March 2012 08 March 2012

Wärtsilä, the marine industry's leading systems integrator and solutions provider, says it has launched its new Medium Voltage Power Drive. The product will enable the delivery of electro and automation systems for large, electric propulsion vessels, such as drilling rigs and tankers, large passenger and cruise ships, various offshore service vessels, as well as compressors and pumps for the oil & gas industry. The addition of this medium voltage unit to the low voltage power drive range that Wärtsilä has offered since 2005 further enhances the company's total solutions offering to the shipping industry.

Wärtsilä's new Medium Voltage Power drive is especially designed for marine applications, while the previous units in this range were first developed for land-based applications. It has been developed with special attention paid to personnel safety, while the modular design allows easy installation and maintenance. With the new power drive, Wärtsilä will be able to offer medium voltage Low Loss Concept (LLC) solutions with increased efficiency and redundancy, which in turn leads to lower fuel consumption and reduced operating costs. It can also enable the possibility of having less power installed, thus benefiting customers by reducing both capital and operational expenditures.

Development work began in 2009, and has been carried out at Wärtsilä's R&D facilities in Norway. Pilot sales are scheduled to begin this year, with an internal pilot to be installed in early 2013 and an external pilot later in that year. The Wärtsilä Medium Voltage Power Drive is based on press-pack IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) technology with 3-level PWM inverter control. The modular design has large overload capacity, integrated gate driver boards, and a plug-in bus bar connection.

The unit can be used as a control device in various marine propulsion and thrusters applications, as well as in large fans, pumps, compressors and hoists. Together with Wärtsilä's patented Low Loss Concept, the introduction of this next generation of medium voltage power drives brings increased efficiency and redundancy to the larger marine electric propulsion market. It also has the added benefit of reduced weight and space requirements.

"This product launch emphasises once again Wärtsilä's unique position as a total solutions provider to the marine industry. The new power drive is the most compact in terms of space and weight on the market, while the technology is more advanced than anything else currently being offered to the shipping sector. It is one more step in our continued efforts to shorten the route to lower costs and increased profits for our customers," says Juhani Hupli, Vice President, Wärtsilä Ship Power, Technology.

KONE elevators chosen for P&O Cruises' newbuilding

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 29 February 2012 29 February 2012

KONE, a leading provider of elevators and escalators, recently signed a contract with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri to provide the People Flow® solutions onboard the latest ship ordered by Carnival Corporation & plc for P&O Cruises. The vessel will be the largest cruise liner built specifically for the British market.

Expected to the be the flagship of P&O Cruises fleet, the new vessel will top the luxurious feeling onboard with an unprecedented range of entertainment and facilities. KONE will contribute to the overall experience onboard with 27 KONE MiniSpace® elevators, four freight elevators, as well as five stair lifts and one platform lift for passengers with impaired mobility.

"We are happy to continue our good collaboration with Fincantieri and Carnival. This is proof that KONE's innovative solutions for People Flow are well received by our customers and cruise passengers. Through this order, KONE consolidates its market leader position in the cruise ship segment," says John Hemgård, Head of Marine Business at KONE.

Planned to enter operation in early 2015, the new vessel with a volume of 141,000 gross tonnes will have a passenger capacity of 3,611, and 1,350 crew members.