Departments

Next SMM 9 to 12 September to focus on Innovation

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 15 May 2014 15 May 2014

With 90,000 square metres of exhibition space, more than 2,000 exhibitors and over 50,000 industry visitors, SMM is the leading trade fair of the global maritime industry. The motto of this year's event, to be held from 9 to 12 September, will be "Innovation". "Once again we will welcome the Who's Who from all segments of the global maritime industry this year. At SMM they will highlight current trends and developments, offering fascinating insights into the future of the industry. We have been fully booked for months," says Bernd Aufderheide, CEO Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. The patron of SMM 2014 will be German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The maritime mega event will be covering the entire space available at Hamburg's fair site: eleven exhibition halls (B1 to B7 and A1 to A4) plus a new hall called B8. Each hall will be dedicated to one particular field of the shipping world. Hall A1, for instance, will feature Ship Operation Equipment, Environmental Technologies as well as Deck Equipment and Cargo Handling Systems. Becker Marine Systems will be among the exhibitors in this hall. "For our company SMM is the most important trade fair. Our customers from both the shipyard and ship-owning sectors use this fair to keep themselves up-to-date on innovative trends, and to network," says Dirk Lehmann, Managing Director of Becker Marine Systems. This year the company's exhibits will focus on energy-saving concepts, including innovative rudder optimisation solutions (such as the Cross Over Rudder) and the well-known energy saving devices Becker Mewis Duct and Becker Twisted Fin. Furthermore, Becker Marine Systems will showcase their LNG Hybrid business line. "This context will be the perfect backdrop for Aida Cruises and Becker Marine Systems to jointly announce the commissioning of the first LNG Hybrid Barge, a floating power station for cruise ships mooring at Hamburg harbour," says Lehmann.

SKF/Blohm+Voss Industries will likewise set up an large stand in this exhibition area. "This year we will present an entire array of new products and innovative technology for the shipping industry, including several new solutions from SKF/Blohm+Voss Industries which will help our customers improve the performance of their ships while reducing their lifecycle costs. We will also introduce new engineering concepts addressing the need to comply with the requirements of the Vessel General Permit 2013 as issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)," promises Martin Johannsmann, Managing Director of SKF/Blohm+Voss Industries. Johannsmann says he especially welcomes the opportunity to share views with customers personally in Hamburg's fair halls: "As the leading international maritime trade fair held right here, at the doorstep of SKF BVI, SMM is the biennial highlight of our interaction with customers. We are excited about the prospect of meeting up with our customers, networking and showing our enhanced market presence which we acquired by joining SKF."

A wealth of innovations

Halls A3 and A4 will accommodate exhibitors from the segments of "Prime Movers and Propulsion Systems" and "Lubrication", including such manufacturers as Caterpillar, Rolls Royce or MAN. "We are looking forward to this great industry gathering in Hamburg. For MAN Diesel & Turbo SMM is the most important fair and our visitors can expect fascinating exhibits and groundbreaking technologies at our new stand," says Dr Jan-Dietrich Müller, Head of Corporate Communications & Marketing with the Augsburg-based world market leader in ship engines. In view of the recent passing of the IMO Tier III emission control regulation, efficient use of energy resources will be a key topic for MAN this year.

Halls B2 to B8 will feature exhibitors from the ship building, production equipment, ship outfitting, safety equipment, navigation and communication, maritime security and defence and other segments. For example, in Hall B6 visitors will find the stand of SAM Electronics, ASP, a subsidiary of the US company L-3 Marine Systems International. "L-3 Marine Systems International will present a huge array of systems and products for automation, communication, navigation, positioning, propulsion, energy generation and distribution as well as entertainment," says Ulrich Weinreuter, President of L-3 Marine Systems International. "What is more, we are very focused on eco-friendly, low-emission solutions and are proud to show our products at the world's most important shipbuilding fair, SMM 2014."

The leading international maritime trade fair will be accompanied by a generous conference programme revolving around SMM's five featured topics, each assigned to one specific day of the fair: Finance (SMM Ship Finance Forum), environmental protection (gmec, global maritime environmental congress), security and defence (MS&D, international conference on maritime security and defence), offshore (SMM Offshore Dialogue) and recruiting (Maritime Career Market). In addition, the fair's industry visitors from all over the world are sure to benefit from the comprehensive special-events programme with more than 150 individual events (workshops, symposia etc.).

Transtech organisers sign contract to secure venue till 2018

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 24 April 2014 24 April 2014

Organisers of the Transtech Ports and Shipping Conference and Exhibition in St Petersburg say they have extended agreement with Expoforum, a Russian owner of conference centres, which provides the basis for continuing its traditional promotion of Russia’s Ports and Shipping infrastructure development programmes through 2018.

Transtech will be held in cooperation with the Neva Exhibitions in accordance with the Decree of the Russian Federation Government №1910-R signed 21 October 2013.

"This renewed agreement will strengthen cooperation between supporting ministries and serve to widen Transtech's profile, offering additional topics for discussion and providing new business opportunities which have been fostered directly from B2B interest shown during previous Transtech events," the organisers said in a statement.

Silversea extends nine-year relationship with MTN

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 23 April 2014 23 April 2014

MTN Communications (MTN) announces Silversea Cruises, Ltd. (Silversea) is renewing and extending the companies’ long-term relationship. Silversea chose to increase the breadth of communications services MTN will provide its eight-ship fleet, including its latest ships, Silver Discoverer and Silver Galapagos. This relationship includes a substantial increase in broadband connectivity to its ships. MTN also worked with Silversea to optimize the Wi-Fi design on each vessel with the latest technology to further enable Silversea support of video streaming and other guest services. These upgrades support expanded broadcast, data and voice services on the Silversea fleet, further catering to today’s Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) passengers and crew.

“Silversea has been an MTN customer for nine years and is recognized as the world’s top ultra-luxury cruise line,” said Jason Cohn, director of global IT infrastructure, Silversea. “Committed to the highest standards of excellence, our itineraries cover all corners of the globe, so it is critical to deliver reliable communications and content everywhere at a level akin to a land-based resort. We are especially excited about the range of communications services on our two latest ships. Cruising these rarely-visited locales not only requires mission-critical connectivity, but a unique opportunity to show friends and family the highlights along such extraordinary journeys.”

Silversea’s enhanced connectivity infrastructure is enabling existing and new MTN communications offerings. These range from enhanced Internet access to calling solutions to new broadcast capabilities.

“We want Silversea passengers to have the most luxurious cruise experience available,” said Brent Horwitz, senior vice president and general manager, cruise services, MTN. “Part of that has been the ease, convenience and choice associated with communications services from MTN. Like Silversea, MTN delivers a quality and reliable service. With customers anticipating the skyrocketing demand for land-like communications on passengers’ and crews’ own devices, MTN takes great pride in enabling new applications and myriad entertainment options, as well as business-critical tools, for the Silversea fleet.”

MTN operates a worldwide connectivity footprint and content suite through its hybrid satellite and broadband terrestrial network across the globe. The pioneer in broadband maritime communications, MTN prides itself on the innovation and value that it delivers to cruise industry partners.

“MTN looks forward to continuing its partnership with Silversea,” Horwitz said. “We share the same passion for a luxury experience at sea, including service excellence in communications. Only MTN has the technology and infrastructure that meets and exceeds the crew and passenger expectations found on such a top-line fleet. We appreciate the opportunity to expand the ways in which we serve this industry-leading organization.”

Trimline to carry out Star Pride transformation.

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 16 April 2014 16 April 2014

Trimline, the UK based ship interior specialist, say they have been chosen by Windstar Cruises to complete the transformation of their new 106-suite power yacht, Star Pride after recentlt completing work on one of the same company's sail assisted vessels.

The ship is one of the three similar vessels Windstar recently acquired from the Yachts of Seabourn, the Carnival Corp & plc luxury segment brand.

"Around 65 Trimline staff will meet the yacht in Barcelona in April to turn McVitty Interior Consultants’ design into realityand revitalise the ship, ready to receive passengers in May.

Suites, public spaces and restaurants will all see significant renovation with new flooring, lighting, carpet, and bespoke furniture creating a warm contemporary style to the yacht.Trimline will complete the extensive works in just over two weeks while the ship is alongside port," the copmpany said in a statement.

Mike Oliver, Sales & Marketing Director at Trimline, said: “Having refurbished the existing fleet of three yachts, we are incredibly proud to have won the first refit of the three power yachts.”

Hans Birkholz, Chief Executive Officer of Windstar Cruises, said: “We are delighted to be working with Trimline again. The standard of their work is exemplary as displayed by their recent renovation work on our sailing fleet. We are looking forward to working with them on the transformation of Star Pride.”

Trimline has recently completed the refurbishment of all 73 cabins on Wind Star, one of Windstar Cruises four-mastedsailing yachts. The work to the cabins included creating and installing 73 bespoke tables that retract into cushioned sofa areas for the guests’ comfort. Trimline also replaced wooden cabinets and dressers, installed carpet and new mirrors, re-cabled the cabins’ electrics and produced new wooden window frames for the cabins’ portholes.

DNV GL introduces next generation energy efficiency methodology

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 10 April 2014 10 April 2014

DNV GL, the German-Norwegian classification society, presents a novel approach that overcomes challenges of assessing on board energy efficiency in a consistent manner. As a result, priorities for improvement can be determined accurately.

In a new report, DNV GL answers the question: How can a ship manager identify the biggest sources of useful energy that are currently being wasted on their ships?

“Ship operations and environmental legislation have become more complex, and it has become increasingly difficult to assess or even define efficiency with consistency and accuracy,” said Rune Torhaug, Director, Strategic Research & Innovation, DNV GL. “We have therefore revisited the basic and universal laws of thermodynamics to develop a methodology based on exergy, sometimes called available energy, which is a metric for describing the maximum useful energy that can be derived from a process, component or system.”

The methodology can be adjusted to suit newbuilds still in the design phase or operating ships, and it is designed to help managers make the most out of their Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans. Using both on board measurements and the DNV GL modelling suite COSSMOS, energy losses throughout the ship including hull, propulsion power train, machinery and electrical systems are quantified and ranked. Even difficult-to-capture processes such as throttling and fluid mixing can be incorporated.

The report includes an analysis of a waste heat recovery system. These complex systems can easily contain 70 components. “Through our exergy-based methodology, the true sources of useful energy losses were identified, revealing a picture far from self-evident. Subsequent optimisation in DNV COSSMOS yielded an increase in fuel savings that halved the payback time of the system,” said George Dimopoulos, senior researcher and project manager of this position paper.

A second study examined the fuel pre-processing sub-system for the marine fuel cell on board the offshore supply vessel Viking Lady. This resulted in a solution capable of a remarkable 50 per cent reduction in exergy losses.

When the main engine of an aframax tanker was analysed using operating data in combination with COSSMOS modelling, the true sources of losses were identified with greater accuracy than a traditional energy analysis, says Dimopoulos. “In fact, the standard energy analysis failed to identify the turbocharger as being the second largest contributor to exergy loss.”

With this ‘common currency’ for efficiency, DNV GL provides a way of energy management that will work for all ships, and all system and components that convert energy on board. It thus offers ship managers an unparalleled way of prioritising investment in technology alternatives or new operational strategies.