Tanker Operator [2014.Oct]

TANKEROperatorOCTOBER 2014 www.tankeroperator.com

fuel saver

October 2014 � TANKEROperator 01

ContentsMarkets� Return of the private investor

Singapore Report� SSA’s new head speaks out� Storage capacity at a premium

Chemical/Product Tankers� Updated short sea design� Shaft generators for gas fuelled tankers� A look at the markets

Satellite Communications� Airbus expands offering� Dual-band antenna� Inmarsat goes to Hollywood� Iridium addresses GMDSS

Front cover - Becker Marine Systems has sold more than 800 Mewis Ducts, managing director Dirk Lehmann said at SMM. Over 400 have already beeninstalled and the 750th was exhibited in Hamburg.Installing a Mewis Duct can save around 6% of fuel and the company claimed that some 900,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions had already been saved. Lehmann also said that the company’s overall orderbook had increased by 20% and that turnover was forecast to be 25% higher this year. fuel saver

04

06

23

10

Technology 23 Ethane carriers 26 Propulsion �Hercules - 2 research starts � Lubrication choice vital for ECAs 30 Efficiency � Speed setting software � Ship machinery simulation � Performance management tool 33 Underwater Maintenance �Hull cleaning ROV

34 Safety systems � AIS improves safety � Safety equipment training � VDR standards introduced � New equipment launched

Tank Servicing� Eco friendly tank coating40

13

TANKEROperator � October 201402

COMMENT

Its takes two to contango

TANKEROperatorVol 14 No 1Future Energy Publishing Ltd

39-41 North Road

London N7 9DP

www.tankeroperator.com

PUBLISHER/EVENTS/SUBSCRIPTIONSKarl Jeffery

Tel: +44 (0)20 8150 5292

[email protected]

EDITORIan Cochran

Mobile: +44 (0)7748 144 265

[email protected]

ADVERTISING SALESMelissa Skinner

Only Media Ltd

Mobile: +44 (0)7779 252 272

Fax: +44 (0)20 8674 2743

[email protected]

SOUTH KOREANREPRESENTATIVESeung Hyun, Doh

Mobile: +82 2 547 0388

[email protected]

PRODUCTIONWai Cheung

Tel: +44 (0)20 8150 5292

[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION1 year (8 issues) - £150

Subscription hotline:

Tel: +44 (0)20 8150 5292

[email protected]

Printed by PRINTIMUS

Ul.Bernardynska 1

41-902 Bytom, Poland

This comment page is devoted tocontangos, written with morethan a little help from our friendsat McQuilling Services, who haveanalysed what they see goingforward.

After the financial collapse in 2008, crude

oil forward curves moved into steep contango,

resulting in fortunes being made in storage

asset plays in 2009-2010.

This is probably the reason that so much

attention is being devoted to the topic today;

however, the contango is much different now

than it was after the recession.

As the US energy revolution continues to

develop, global crude oil supply and demand

dynamics have begun to evolve. The US has

become the world’s largest crude oil producer.

However, US produced crude oil cannot be

exported, apart from a few exceptions, due to

its protectionist policy.

As a result, the US now requires less crude

imports to meet domestic demand and the new

supply and demand re-balances have reduced

the long standing price interdependency

between US and foreign crudes.

McQuilling noted that one interesting

development that has been closely monitored

this summer is the price differential between

the US and European crude oil benchmarks.

WTI, the US benchmark, is currently in a

forward curve formation referred to as

backwardation, while Brent, the European

benchmark, has moved into a forward curve

formation referred to as contango.

In a backwardated market, futures prices are

lower than spot prices; and in a contangoed

market, futures prices are higher than spot

prices. A variety of trading strategies are

developed when forward commodity curves

move into these formations.

Many players have rightly identified the

current contango phenomenon in the Brent

curve and several have begun to link it with

cargo asset plays utilising crude oil tankers for

crude storage in the Atlantic Basin. However,

there are a variety of considerations that must

be taken into account when evaluating floating

storage plays, which many recent reports have

overlooked, the consultancy warned.

The cost of carrying, or storing, the

commodity and the perceived price the cargo

can fetch in the future are critical components

of a storage asset play. For floating storage,

the cost of the vessel, financing, insurance and

crew represent the bulk of the carrying costs.

Storage costs are not uniform, though. For

instance, if you are a tanker owner, crude oil

producer, or a bank with low financing costs,

your cost of implementing a floating storage

play will likely be lower than other non-

strategic players.

However, current market conditions make a

pretty weak case for floating storage

regardless of strategic positioning, McQuilling

argued.

Storage is normally undertaken on the back

of bullish sentiment; but, contango curves

don’t necessarily reflect a bullish market. The

current contango is more likely a result of

short-term over-supply in the Atlantic Basin,

which has driven down near-term prices.

The shallow Brent contango levels out by

the end of 2014, not leaving much meat on the

bone for speculators.“We do not see a long-

term increase in crude oil demand leading to

higher prices in the future that would justify

putting oil into storage at current prices to sell

in a future spot market at a premium,” the

consultancy said.

Another meaningful difference between

today’s contango and that of 2009 is the price

level at which the contango curves formed,

respectively. Five years ago, the contango took

shape as markets started to recover after the

economic collapse. As the global economy

weakened, so did crude oil demand. As the

global economy recovered, so did crude oil

demand.

Today’s contango comes at the top of a

multi-year rally. We are at the top of a

consolidating price range and without

substantial changes to demand, prices will

likely not have much room to the upside.

The physical crude oil markets are soft.

When global crude oil production decreases at

a slower pace than demand, some cargoes may

sit on the water and wait for buyers. This is

the case in Asia and the Atlantic Basin,

McQuilling said.

When there is a surplus of crude oil, clever

traders could delay purchasing cargoes until

the over-supply starts to dissipate and prices

reach a bottom. There is some evidence

pointing at this taking place as recently, the

US Energy Information Administration (IEA)

released inventory data revealing that US East

coast refiners imported 460,000 barrels, as

PADD 1 refinery utilisation increased by

10.2%.

US crude oil production has been so robust

that geopolitical turmoil in key producing

nations like Iraq and Libya seem to have little

effect on prices. While US production is

expected to eventually peak, the one to three

year global supply forecast is very strong. At

the same time, global crude oil demand

forecasts are being pared back.

While floating storage is an enticing

strategy to consider, a meaningful shift in

crude oil supply, demand and futures prices

would have to transpire for this contango to be

more than just an interesting phenomenon. TO

INDUSTRY - MARKETS


Shipping attractsprivate investors

Banks are no longer the traditional source of financing for shipowners. Their investment

has continued to decline since the peak of 2007.

Encroaching on the banks’ business

are private equity players and

hedge funds, as shipping has

become a fashionable sector for

private funds to input some of their capital.

There is speculation that at least $7 bill has

already been invested (up to the end of

August) in all types of vessels from these new

sources with suggestions that this figure could

double by the end of the year, Gibson

Research said in a report.

When this may seem a considerable amount,

it is a mere ‘drop in the ocean’ when looking

at the combined portfolios of these funds.

For example Golden Tree Asset

Management, who has a 4.8% stake in

Euronav, manages around $21 bill and Oaktree

Capital Management has almost $80 bill under

its control. Entrepreneur Wilbur Ross

estimated that private equity pumped $16 bill

into shipping between 2008 and 2013, which

was two and a half times the amount generated

through IPOs.

Gibson said that the exact involvement of

these funds was difficult to quantify, as most

keep their dealings close to their chests with

precise details not normally in the public

domain.

One of the best indicators are the filings of

public shipping companies who are obliged to

make the information public.

At the end of last year, Euronav spent $980

mill on 15 Maersk VLCCs and more recently

purchased another four VLCCs for $342 mill.

Much of this investment was funded by

private equity groups, such as Blue Mountain

Capital Management, York Capital

Management and Golden Tree Asset

Management, who together control 22.34% of

Euronav’s shares.

These investors are betting on this being the

right time in the cycle to invest in the tanker

�� ! �

" �# ��$%� ��% ��%��&�� '��%��&" �# ��&�% ��%�$��$(��$�$(� ��$ ��&��%� �" �)��* �� %� �*�%

+��,�-**� ��.��/��&�0 ��%� �

)��%�1��2��%�3�%��%��%�* ��4�

�� 5��'%��4(��'6 5�&�23��5%�

THE FIRST BWT SYSTEM TO BESUCCESSFULLY RETROFITTED TO A VLCC

INDUSTRY - MARKETS

October 2014 � TANKEROperator

flexible talent

Honeywell is a global partner providing complete solutions for any type of vessel.

No matter where you are located, we have the right talent to support you in all phases of your project: from specification to long-term profitable ship operation. Our high-level services meet the needs of both shipyards and ship owners — regardless of their size. This includes remote maintenance, global installation databases, remote spare stocks, and on-board services. All Honeywell services comply with international certifications and regulations.

To learn more about Honeywell’s marine offerings visit www.honeywellmarine.com or www.tanksystem.com

® 2014 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.

sector. It could well prove to be a reasonable decision with

newbuilding prices at around two thirds of their peak, ie $100 mill

instead of $150 mill for a VLCC.

Also the longer haul nature of the trading and stronger demand for

VLCCs has led to some increased volatility in the spot market with the

result that sentiment and rates have improved thus far this year,

Gibson concluded.

Good timingMoore Stephens agreed that the timing appears to be good, as a

shipping industry emerging from a protracted slump offered potentially

exciting opportunities for private equity investors.

Newbuilding prices are relatively low, so it makes sense for private

equity funds to invest. Freight rates have not yet returned to the sort of

levels which would normally have private equity investors reaching

for their cheque books, but they are no longer in the doldrums.

There is a reasonable expectation that, if rates rise and values

recover, the returns in the next few years will be above the long-term

average, Moore Stephens said.

Tonnage ordered now may be in the water at a good point in the

industry recovery period. Therefore, investors should be able to sell

promptly for a good price, should they choose to do so. An IPO would

be one of a number of exit strategies. This fits well with the

comparatively short-term horizons of private equity funding, which are

generally reckoned to be of a five-year duration.

Shipping is currently attracting a great deal of interest from

investors in the private equity sector. It has been estimated that at least

$7–8 bill of private equity funding could find its way into shipping

this year. The shipping industry, however, still accounts for only a tiny

percentage of overall private equity investment, so there is arguably

scope for significantly more.

Oaktree, Blackstone, Riverstone, KKR and others have all made

significant investments in shipping at a low point in the shipping

cycle. There is a clear incentive for others to take the plunge.

Moreover, private equity could provide a viable funding option for

shipping company senior executives looking to set up on their own.

Experienced professionals with a thorough knowledge of the

industry are just the sort of people with whom private equity should be

looking to do business, so it is a perfect example of goal alignment,

Moore Stephens said.

TO


INDUSTRY - SINGAPORE REPORT

SSA’s new executiveairs his views

Michael Phoon took over as the new Singapore Shipping Association’s (SSA) executive

director on 1st August this year, following the retirement of Daniel Tan after 29 years of

service with the SSA.

If there is one thing that Phoon fervently

believes in, it is the power of the people.

Or to put it more accurately, the power

that is within people to perform at even

higher levels than they may have previously

believed themselves.

Apart from holding a Bachelor of Science

Degree in Business administration, the new

SSA executive director is also a certified

master coach, graduating in 2009 at the

Graduate School of Master Coaches at the

Behavioural Coaching Institute in California.

It was during his time at Hewlett Packard as

director and general manager of the company’s

enterprise networking business unit for

Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong that

he earned his spurs as a behavioural coach.

“In all my business roles I have been able to

motivate staff to a higher level of performance

and while shipping may be a different

industry, it is still all about getting staff to

work to higher standards. As employees move

on it is important that they possess a sense of

achievement and a belief that they can develop

to their fullest potential.

“Other than normal attrition rates, I am also

lucky enough to have never had an employee

leave me. For me that is a good testimony. I

like coaching and have been a ‘coachee’ in the

past and have been quick to pass on the

lessons I have been taught,” he said.

When you start business coaching someone,

what are the key elements you latch onto?

Phoon said: “Well there are two key issues I

see as important. I always believe that

everyone wakes up in the morning and wants

to go to work and do a good job. All of us

wake up with a good intention to bring home

the bacon and once that is in mind, I look at

what levers will motivate an individual

employee? What will make them say I want to

be part of the team and I want to contribute?

“It all begins with ownership. On many

occasions, I feel that employees and managers

become disengaged because they have no

sense of ownership. To direct them towards

that, is to get them involved in the day-to-day

decision-making process so they understand

what is in store for them. The second key

factor is empowerment; otherwise they won’t

want to make a decision. Once they are

empowered, they then have a sense of mission

and empowerment,” he said.

Welcoming the new appointment, SSA

honorary secretary Esben Poulsson, who

headed up a committee of four elected SSA

councillors charged with undertaking the

search for the next executive director, said:

“The process of choosing a successor to the

Association’s long-serving and extremely

talented executive director Daniel Tan has

been a big challenge, given how difficult it

will be for anyone to succeed such an

illustrious and well respected industry figure

as Daniel.

“We did, however, interview some highly

impressive candidates and the final choice was

very difficult. Nonetheless, the SSA Council

was unanimous in its choice of Michael Phoon

who, while not being from the industry,

demonstrated a level of understanding,

enthusiasm and passion for the role and was in

the end simply chosen on the basis of being

the best person for the job,” he said.

Track recordIt was his track record as a results-driven

person, with excellent people management

skills that the SSA believed would enable him

to lead it to the next level.

Indeed as Esben Poulsson stressed, there is

a clear trend for Associations around the world

to be run along more business-like lines and in

this respect, the SSA in the future will be no

exception. “With more than 475 member

companies, the SSA has a very solid

foundation from which to grow further and

continue to make its contribution to further

enhancing Singapore as a leading international

maritime centre,” Poulsson said.

So what motivates the new executive

director as a person? “First of all it is a sense

of achievement. I have always been a results-

driven person; that is the little spark that fires

me. I have a degree in finance but throughout

my entire career I have only spent about three

years in finance. The rest of my roles have put

me beyond my comfort levels. I like the

challenge because I am very hands on and I

pick up the technical stuff very quickly.

“My past successes in roles beyond my

comfort zones, were partly because I had

asked for and received help from colleagues

who knew better than me, and saw my

eagerness to want to learn and contribute,”

Phoon said.

ChallengedSo does Phoon feel challenged as this is a new

industry? “I am thoroughly excited being here

in this industry and, yes, I will be challenged

in some areas of expertise where experiences

built the knowledge. And I have a lot to learn

from my colleagues that is for sure. I won’t be

on par, knowledge-wise with them.

“But it is in my plans to engage them and I

will see them as collaborative partners. I have

worked long enough to know that if I asked

for help, people are often willing to help. And

I hope to also bring in my own qualities into

the industry,” he said.

And the question was put to Phoon as to

what qualities will he bring to the job,

especially when he will immediately embark

on a steep learning curve?

“One of the issues I feel committed to is

that I feel the SSA needs to have a higher

profile regionally and internationally. I am a

strong advocate for the business to grow and I

would like to see the SSA grow to be even

more of an important player. Today, the SSA is

a collective voice for all its members so I

believe the SSA should ensure the concerns of

its members are heard inside and outside the

industry loud and clear,” he said.

As Singapore continues to stay ahead and

remain relevant in the global world, Phoon

believed that the SSA, must also match its

pace with Singapore. That means the SSA

must be ever ready to step up and to be

engaged collaboratively for its members and

for the industry.

So what is his plan for the next few months as he settles into his

role?

“I have been putting together a work plan which encompasses a

handing over and taking over process before spending time meeting

with key SSA members and their stakeholders and finding what their

market drivers are. I will also look at the events and calendars coming

up. It will also give me an opportunity to start to engage with the ASF

secretariat which is based here in Singapore. The best approach is to

take it all one step at a time.

“There is also a drive to increase the broad membership of the SSA

which I believe is too small. My intention is to drive this forward. We

want to know why there are still shipping industry players who are not

yet ready to be members of SSA and so it is important that SSA

continues to be seen as an engaged leader for its members and

observers.

“SSA has actively launched many working groups, which are set up

to address matters affecting the shipping industry. These working

groups (committees and sub-committees) comprise of members who

volunteer their time and effort to help address these issues with the

maritime and related authorities. This, to me, is the value that SSA

brings. SSA must be seen as an organisation which the shipping

industry want to be a part of, by offering added value services, a

collective voice, educational seminars, related training programs, etc.

"I said that SSA needs to be relevant and that’s why the SSA

executive council and its council members are comprised of

individuals with both domestic and international experiences in the

industry. This is essential because we need that kind of exposure to

grow and engage globally,” he concluded.


October 2014 � TANKEROperator

� � �

� � � � � � �

KROHNE Skarpenoroor monitsolutions f

� � �

� � � � � � �

e etompls cerd offroring of liquids

� � �

� � � � � � �

� � �

� � � � � � �

� � �

� � � � � � �

� � �

� � � � � � �

� � �

� � � � � � �

ARGOMASTERC ® – Temtoring sysmonit

ARGOMASTERC ® om is the cank or tsolution f oringmonit

en anvoell prem is wtThe syssesed on all kinds of valltins

VAAVCombined with the OPTIWveank lgo tarecision chigh pr

s unierem offtadar, the sysr��

� � �

� � � � � � �

ankThe all-in-one t

eetplg.nd issels.

VEelv

que��

� � �

� � � � � � �

TEoMAATEc ® oring ofor monitem ft– Sysering bunk and onsumptionfuel c

TEoMAATEc ® leuoring of for monitem fte syseliabl is a rations.opergnirkenuonsumption and bc

�� ee solutionsefrenance and maintatcurs acerit off

� � �

� � � � � � �

� � �

� � � � � � �e and mainatcurs acerit off

� � �

� � � � � � �ee solutions.efrenanct

� � �

� � � � � � �

omd.cohne-skarpenor.krwww

The SSA’s new head Michael Phoon.

TO



According to a Platts report

published in August entitled ‘FOB

Singapore Beyond Singapore –

Towards FOB Straits’,

Singapore’s storage capacity is a key reason

for the country’s status as Asia’s leading oil

trading hub.

As the island’s storage terminal market has

matured, further capacity growth has been

curtailed by limited waterfront land

availability. Terminal storage operators have

opened up in Malaysia and Indonesia to

accommodate higher trading volumes, as

supply and trading of oil has steadily grown

across Asia as a whole.

These developments mean the oil industry is

evolving from a specified loading of free-on-

board (FOB) basis Singapore ports, towards a

broader FOB ‘Straits’ basis, Platts said.

Meanwhile, due to its strategic location, the

island country is one of the world’s leading

bunker suppliers and to tighten up on quality

and quantity issues, from 1st January, 2017

mass flow meters (MFM) will be mandatory

when bunkering in Singapore .

In an announcement made earlier this year,

Lui Tuck Yew, Minister for Transport, claimed

that the port is the first in the world to

mandate the use of flow meters.

Before this, from 1st January next year, all

new bunker tankers applying for a harbour

craft (bunker tanker) licence will be required

to be fitted with a Maritime Port Authority of

Singapore (MPA)-approved MFM system for

fuel oil delivery.

The MPA said it will offer a lump sum

incentive of Sing$80,000 ($63,500) per bunker

tanker to help offset the cost of the new

systems, which will be awarded upon MPA's

approval of each system fitted.

Under the new rules, by 31st December,

2016, all existing bunker tankers operating in

the port must be fitted with a MPA-approved

MFM system.

MPA get tougherIn addition, the MPA has been getting tougher

with bunker suppliers that allegedly flout its

rules.

For example, last month, the MPA cancelled

the bunker supplier and bunker craft operator

licences of Northwest Resources with effect

from 1st September, 2014.

MPA's investigations into Northwest

Resources had disclosed breaches by the

company of the terms and conditions of their

bunker supplier and bunker craft operator

licences.

The cancellation of the bunker licences

follows the conviction of one of the company's

directors for bunkering-related corruption

offences.

In a statement, the MPA reminded all

licensed bunker suppliers and bunker craft

operators to adhere strictly to the terms and

conditions of their bunker licences. It said that

it will take firm action against any bunker

supplier, or bunker craft operator, who has

acted in contravention of their bunker licences,

including suspending, or cancelling their

bunker licences, as appropriate.

For its size, Singapore has a huge service

sector serving shipping, due to the number of

calls made in the terminals, as well as the

various anchorages.

New playerOne recent addition to the island’s ships

agency sector was Wave Shipping. However,

almost no sooner than it was set up, Wave was

sold to EMS Seven Seas. In addition, Wave’s

founder and CEO Lars Rosenkrands was

appointed EMS CEO.

Wave Shipping will remain a standalone

division based in Singapore, once the

acquisition goes through.

With more than 1.4 mill port calls recorded

in 2013 and $6 bill in estimated potential

agency revenue, Rosenkrands said that he saw

great potential and opportunity for Wave

Shipping in the market.

“Currently, what we see is a highly

fragmented industry with thousands of

relatively small agencies and with the four

global agencies having a combined market

share of less than 15% by volume of port calls

handled. There is an opportunity to

consolidate the industry, improve the overall

customer service competency and eliminate

bureaucratic inertia in the market, ” he said.

Wave Shipping has offices in Australia and

Singapore. The agency has plans to expand its

operations in the Middle East and other parts

of Asia in the latter part of this year. Its target

is to establish presence in 20 countries over

the next three years and acquire a more

significant market position with 13,000 to

14,000 port calls a year within five years.

A spokesperson for Wave Shipping told

Tanker Operator that the agency was targeting

the various tanker segments as the company’s

teams are among the most experienced port

agents in their locations within this segment.

Lack of land impactson storage capacity

expansionThe expansion of Singapore as a leading Asia/Pacific energy hub, combined with the

country’s moratorium on the development of further onshore storage, has led to the hub

expanding beyond national borders to encompass infrastructure in Malaysia.

From 1st January,

2017, the fitting of

mass flow meters

will be mandatory

in Singapore.

“

”

TO

3-5% TYPICAL FUEL SAVINGS

3 MONTHS 100%+ PAYBACK PERIOD (subscription-based model)

€100,000 TYPICAL ANNUAL SAVINGS(based on subscription based model of ro-ro vessel and consumption of 35 metric tonnes per day)

1-2 DAYS FAST, EASY INSTALLATION PROCESS, OFTEN UNDER A DAY, NO MAJOR EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT WWW.GREENSTEAM.DK

PLEASE VISIT US

AT THE DANISH PAVILION

AT SMM HALL B1.EGTOWARDS 100% FUEL EFFICIENCYGREENSTEAM

Please visit

our new website

www.greensteam.com


INDUSTRY - CHEMICAL / PRODUCT TANKERS

New short seachem/products design

unveiledFollowing consultations with shipowners, Wärtsilä has upgraded its chemical/products

tanker design first introduced in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

More than 60 vessels have been

delivered to the original design.

The SK 5054 MkII IMO II

type incorporates the latest

Wärtsilä technology applied to its broad

offering of solutions, including the company’s

2-stroke engines.

In particular, the new design facilitates the

use of gas as a marine fuel, thereby making it

especially applicable to ships that will operate

within emission control areas (ECAs).

This new design is claimed to offer a 12%

increase in energy efficiency over the original

SK 5054 design. Other notable features

include lower operational costs, an efficient

cargo handling arrangement with minimised

ballast capacity, an emphasis on ease of

maintenance and a strong focus on crew

safety.

The ice class design also implements

Wärtsilä's LNG fuel technology, for which the

company's in-house knowledge concerning gas

solutions has been utilised in the development

work.

"The SK 5054 MkII design effectively

raises the bar in terms of innovative designs

that emphasise operational efficiency and

environmental sustainability. In further

improving an established and successful

design to make it even better, we are meeting

the needs of our customers for the challenges

that the industry faces today, and at the same

time, helping to take merchant shipping into

the gas age," said Riku-Pekka Hägg, vice

president, Wärtsilä Ship Design.

It is being offered in three versions - basic

burning fuel oil, an SCR scrubber fitted vessel

and a dual-fuel LNG design.

Differing environmentThe second version has been designed for a

different environment from that of the first

under strict commercial boundaries, as it is

being marketed to owners and operators

involved in North European and Baltic trades,

where emission controls are needed.

The hull lines were redesigned for greater

fuel efficiency, seakeeping capabilities and for

a high efficiency propeller design. The steel

weight is claimed to be significantly lower

than the first design. Speed flexibility has also

been taken into consideration, while the whole

design is claimed to be aerodynamic for

greater efficiency.

As an LNGC, the new vessel will have a

capacity of 19,500 cu m on a deadweight of

16,700 tonnes.

Jacob Høgh Thygesen, Wärtsilä director

sales, merchant ship design solutions, told

Tanker Operator that the new design is

favoured by the oil majors for Northwest

European/Baltic operations.

The vessel is designed for a service speed of

13.5 knots, as there is a need for higher ballast

speeds for economic operations. Thygesen

also said that Wärtsilä had designed the vessel

Above and below: SK 5054 Mk ii's hull was re-designed for greater fuel effiicency andaerodynamics were also introduced also for greater efficiency.

CBS EXECUTIVE MBAIN SHIPPING & LOGISTICS

EXECUTIVE MBA IN SHIPPING AND LOGISTICS (THE BLUE MBA)A unique MBA for a unique industry. Take your career to the very top international level by joining the world’s premier Executive MBA designed specifically for shipping and logistics professionals.

Work from anywhere in the world on this unique module-based shipping and logistics Executive MBA,

joining up for just 8 one-week sessions spread over 22 months.

Class start: September 2015 Visit www.cbs.dk/mbs or email [email protected]



to keep its residual value for around 10 years,

giving the owner/operator the option to factor

in potential asset play going forward.

The tankers will be be built by the so called

‘big five’ Chinese shipyards, but at present it

is a buyers market, as the smaller chemical

trades are relatively weak.

Thygesen said that he was hopeful that the

first orders will be placed by the end of this

year.

At SMM, Wärtsilä also introduced its latest

development in large controllable pitch (CP)

propellers, based on the previously E-hub

type.

The new CPP offers greater efficiency and a

reduced environmental impact and has been

designed to address the demands of medium

and large size vessel owners.

It is particularly applicable for special

vessels that are equipped with dynamic

positioning capabilities, as well as vessels

having an ice notation.

Among the benefits claimed are an

increased load capability, a high propulsive

efficiency, reduced fuel consumption created

by the extra efficiency, excellent reliability and

a reduced environmental footprint.

Length, oa .............................................144 m

Length, bp...........................................133.8 m

Breadth....................................................23 m

Depth....................................................12.4 m

Draught, design.....................................8.4 m

Draught, maximum..................................9 m

Design deadweight.............................15,000 t

Maximum deadweight.......................16,700 t

Cargo capacity, maximum..........19,500 cu m

LNG fuel capacity, net.....................680 cu m

Service speed.......................................13.5 kn

Principal Particulars- SK 5054MkII IMO II Chemical Tanker

TO



Shaft generators for gas powered producttankers introduced

Our Unitor maintenance and repair products keep your vessels on the move

OPTIMISING PERFORMANCE

We know that maintenance and repair is vital to protect your assets. That’s why we work to constantly improve our products to better your operational efficiency. Delivered by our worldwide network of marine specialists, they meet global standards so you can be sure of quality and consistency. It’s marine products, done better.

To learn more about our Unitor maintenance and repair products please visit our website.

wilhelmsen.com/shipsservice

In June of this year, WE TechSolutions and Wärtsilä Finlandsigned a contract for the deliveryof four direct drive permanentmagnet shaft generator systemsto a series of LNG fuelled producttankers.

Vaasa-based WE Tech is to deliver the shaft

generators to a series of four LNG powered

15,000 dwt product tankers ordered by Danish

shipping company Terntank Rederi.

The tankers will be built by the Chinese

shipyard Avic Dingheng Shipbuilding and the

delivery of the equipment will commence in

April, 2015.

Terntank aims to have the most energy

efficient and environmentally adapted tankers

by using LNG as fuel to achieve significant

environmental advantages.

With the patented WE Drive and the shaft

generator technology from WE Tech, the

energy efficiency of the machinery will reach

unprecedented levels in the

marine industry, the company

claimed.

With its active front-end low

harmonic drive technology, the

WE Drive allows the shaft

generator to operate over the full

main engine speed range, while

generating electricity for the

vessel’s electrical network with

high efficiency over the entire

range. This feature is particularly

prominent in electrical part loads

– the normal electrical load condition in any

ship.

With the drive and shaft generator in power

take out (PTO) mode, the available power for

the vessel’s electrical network is up to 600

kW, generated by a fuel efficient 2-stroke, low

pressure, dual-fuel main engine.

In this mode, the auxiliary generators are

not running thus reducing the auxiliaries

operating hours giving significant savings.

Reduced running hours also decrease the need

for maintenance.

WE Tech has developed this new type of

variable frequency shaft generator system,

which is claimed to provide many benefits for

shipowners. The company’s energy efficient

solutions are suitable for retrofits and for

newbuildings.

Front of the WE Drive.

TO



NB OWWNWOOORRRB

L, LWNL:00N

G

NN ENNNNNNNN EEE WWNNNNNNNNNN EEEE WWNNNNN EEEE WWNNNNNN EEEE WWWWNNNNN EEEE WWWWNNNNNN EEEEEE WWWNNNNN EEEE WWW–18:00

:00N–17:00

:00N–16:00

:00N–15:00

:00N–14:00

:00N–13:00

–12:00

11:00

11:00–10:00

10:00–09:00

09:00–08:00

08:00–07:00

07:00–06:00

06:00–05:00

05:00–04:00

04:00–03:00

03:00–02:00

02:00–01:00

01:00–00:00

BULB BYRDBULB BETW EESSURREREPICOMEETAROBEURETAERRAPEMTTE

YTLIBBIISIVERVOVC

DLOUCELLWS

EAATTSEAS

IONTECIRREDDINWWI

EEDPSDINW

EARINB/GEANRORSDGPIONTOSIPPO

IMET

…………..…….......………………..…………….....…………………………….V..M2

&

WWWWWWWW

fr

W .L, LLTLSONL.LOLNERNTTAPOOK PBBOOGLLOECK LD DWROB

…………………………………….L2000

1600

1200

0800

0400

0000

ECCEORFNOITEECRIDOREROYRGYDADANTSOYYGGRUET TAATSTSEAWINDOURSESC

SRUOH

………………………………………mrof………………………………………………………………………………VM//MS.S.

P SGV AALENERGPEEDSAGEE SERVA

EISTANCEDOTALLTTOEISTANCEDONGITUDEL

TGNIME MASSTLATTTOIMETEAMINGTSTITUDEAL

TIONALCULA CYYSADOSITIONPOONN NTIONSAATCULALLCNOON C

FWLL OOLLLL OLLLLLL OOLLLLDOLDO

LLOHFO

LHFO

..BR.OOCFUEL

OLN E W L OL..................WWEN19

18

17

16

15

14

N, SON &NOS,N

–

14

KK MASO OOOOOOOOOOOOGOGG BLL4CT1F0

OO........................……………………………………………B...............................……………………………………………………O ALO.BOBmiO ..G..G KK BOG

02

.tions of its usexplana, with eorstviganawolloe as fencerefeady ror rts fed pared in number

—OBER 2014T OCSTTE 1AATON DC 2015 EDITIONANAAL ALMTIC

s:–

.............................................................................teDa..........................................................................................................................................................................................................to

SKMARER AND R

....................20.........

rineeEngffChieef...........................

in.aaiitat Breaed in Grintee & PrdMaad

SS

E

.............................................................................

...........

SSSSSS

222

T

OK

ILOPERR /ICERFFOOFFHIECCH/AINPTACONNC

TILOPF POAME ON

ILOTAGEP

Y

44ITLTABIILSSTDNAANGOARCYLITTABI SDNNDAGOARC

4SOORDTTIGHERAATWSOORDTTIGHERTAATW

GGSNNIPENIDE O & SSOORDTTIGHTHEREAATWGSNNIPENOIDE & SSOORDTTIGHTHERRTEAW

SSDMGSSDMG

TENMQUIPEQYTYFETAAFSTENMQUIPEQYTFETAAFS

TENMQUIPEQYALIUXILADNANAIMTENMQUIPEEQYARRLIUXIILADNANAIM

TENMQUIPEQRIDGE EBTENMQUIPEEQRIDGE EB

NEDIGSIMETTIHECKSCCHALRRIVVAAEE-REPNEDIGSIMETHECKSCE CURREARRTE APDE-REP

HECKSCEMSTYYSSSDANNDMENNTPQUIEEQffffffffffffffffT fU fO f/ fN ffILISERSfB fBI fA fTS ffffffffff Of MErrrrrr TTI

OrPrrrNIOTPMUSNOCELFFU

EEDPGE SAERVA

UNRSYAD

UNRE RNCCEATSID

ALSOOTTUNNRUE RANCTISD

F

41444144TA

1&

1RIDGEB

IMESTYDBYANNDTS

3

0010201 …………..………….......………….......……………….......……………………APTAINCCA…………..………….......………….......………….......…………………………ERCFFIOHIEFCCH.GNINIGSOTPRIORSAGESMDAO4NC4I4E4ET4L4PPL4MO1C1S1I1N1TIOK0AM

N

0O

0LOTAT

22GEENSSAASPLOTAT

D

2OARBNOEWRCL COTAT

ERSBUMNEWRCANDERASSENGP

......

SKKKKKOKKKKRBASM

ELM HUTOOKKOLLOOOWBUL BTWWEBULBYYDEETMORABTEIGHHNOITECRID

TEAMBRIDGEE TARKSREM

TUAATEMPERSWETE

…………leveevy LitrueccuS……………enome ZZoiTT…………20………………………………………………………………y adda……… d…………………………………………waotto…………

OBBBOBOOOOBBBOOOOOOO4.ON

3.ON4.ON

2.ON3.ON

1.ON2.ON

APTFPT1.ON

SPANKTTASPANKTSP.ONANKSTALLASTTBSOUNDINGSILGESBOLDDH

PEED

AET

O GTOE TISTANCDEMTTI

TIONALCULACAGEE CYOV

OOOOOO……...........................OmOroOFOFrO……

OS N LIGHT

B..B..B...B..B..........................................................................................................G..G..G..G..G...G..G..G..G...G..G..G..G..G...G..G..G..G..G..G..G..G..G...G..G..........................

...................................................................................................

G..

G..

G..

G..

G..............................

...............................................................................................................

G..

G..

G..

G..

G..

G..

G..

G..

G..

G...

G..

G..

G..

G..

G………

………….………………………………………………………............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

..........……….…......................................................................………………………………………..........................………………………………………………..…...................................................................................................……

.CETCTIONN,TILAENNTVVEOLD, HESTSTLARM AALENERGE /IR, FHECKSS,, LSA CCHCISEDER EXTSOA, BESTST, RILLSDARKSAL REMGENERRA

of………………………………

ELLEC

………………………

T

OOOG BOOK SOOOOOOOOO

14or

BB…………………GGOGOG...................

forfffofoNA

14201414N00222T

& FE GGUSON TTLLLNOSUGRRREF&

KCHIE ENGINEERR’ OO BOOKOOGGOLLSSEERNGENEFFHC 2No 13213o.NKDEC LO BOOKOOBOGGLKKCED 3No 13313o.N

WOOWLSNONHOHJdand

O CNITNENU QNIATPAChittwion iotaerpoop-ocn IIn

YLLO SDNOMYARA. RD

NIOTAATRPEOENKAL TTAIO

OLUANAM

.D.DTT

SNRE

OF

L

y nta in daily use bonomical daAstrI.angelmanac is arral As Nautic’’swnoBr

TIOAATPUBLIC—US NAWN’OBR

K

24:00

NNN WWN E WNN WWW–23:00

23:00–22:00

22:00–21:00

–20:00

20–19:00

IONAATOCLIMETEDAMAAGDOARRGCEGONNATTOIONTAOCCALLOOGARC

KEEA PFFTA

DTARBOAR. 2 SON

TORP. 2 ON

DTARBOAR. 1 SON

TORP. 1 ON

EPEAKORF

ANKTTALLASB

.DLLT,NOSGUFE&NOS,NWROB©.3331.ONNERTTAPK POOBGOLLKEECD&E &EDRIB’SWNROB

WWWN E W L OEN

DECK LOG BOOKOOG BOK LCED 1No 13113o.NBRIDGE D&&EDGRB

X

Y

tion.ormailotage infPs of thyons and Buoeac, BtsLighVII.

T, egaltion: Lormanffoellaneous IiscMVI.t atanes in import distanc-porertin

o all imanada, t.S.A. and CBritain, Uwidorld-a wiving gablesTTae DistancV.

ound the British Ises arand Distancte) notarue (3-figurT(2014) and in

oues arourses and Distancoastal CC.IVVwledgnoeliable authorities as ackr

eigoror Home and Fables fTTaide TIII..ethodsables and MTTaNautical II.

e and the , including Éirhe British Isles.alenerechnical and GTTe

.easarous oorld; Numerts of the wt portanmpor

om the fres distancotal tof age ervode cea, English Channel and the th S, Norsles

est ¼ mileo the neare tes artion, distancen in ive gourses ar. Cund the British Isles

or British Isles ants fonstanidal CThe Tged; ompe been cvtions haedic, prerstaWn

t

Channel Islands;

iving ther tables gts of porprincipal

.tsorBaltic Pourses able of CTTa;

netic agt MecorrC.tsorn Peigornd F

piled b

info@skip

y the most

e-mail:: .ski wwwe:bsitteew

ies worrcountibutors inrriDist

ions for attiliccapuboviding NrroP

.uk.corr.ippe

.uk co.rr.ippe

.ldwiderrl0 r 3n ove

ears.160 yal iccautaNNa

or the MA mass of aluable information or the Mtion ffformaaluab e inffVVVA mass ofound the wUsed round the wsed rU

, ShiMerchant Navy, achtsmen, Shipper ,, Shitsmen, ShipperssachYYYYaYYa, yyy,y,vt NachanerM.world every day throughout the year.earroughout the yy thry daerorld evw

.pping Offices, etc.c, etesfficpping O 1441114001lephone:: ettef p

349 12231 4229pp

The 50 plus page report contained an

updated outlook for monthly tanker

freight rates and TCE revenues for

13 major tankers on eight vessel

segments for the second half of the year and the

remaining four years of the forecast period.

Some key findings from the report affecting

chemical/products tankers, included the

following:

Demand in the refined products transport

sector was mixed, depending on vessel class.

Robust expansion for LR2 demand is expected

to continue at 13% for 2014 with continued

emphasis on shipping larger parcels and a

return of AG/East condensate volumes.

However, this expansion will be at the

expense of the LR1 sector, where demand

growth of just 1.2% was expected.

The MR2 sector is anticipated to decline by

2.2% in 2014, compared to 2013, even as the

main trades see increased demand.

As for vessel deliveries, MR2s have

remained robust with 26 tankers joining the

fleet up to August this year.

Demand growth for LR2s & LR1s is forecast

to be robust going forward, as trade transfers

from the MR sectors.

Competition for market share between LR1

and LR2 tonnage will ensue. Supply is also

growing significantly, but overall, the freight

effect is expected to be positive and higher than

the January TMO estimates.

A substantial TCE differential currently

exists between the dirty and clean

Aframax/LR2 and Panamax/LR1 sectors. At

some point, this will compel owners to dirty up

more LR tonnage, limiting some of this supply

growth and leading to higher freight rates in the

LR sectors.

As for MR2s & MR1s, poor fundamentals

are a feature of this sector. On the back of a

string of high contracting years, net fleet

growth is set to expand in 2015 and 2016.

Additional supply pressure comes from a

large and growing IMO II fleet that could

compete with standard MR tankers for cargoes

if the chemical markets is disappointing.

Demand is declining, as the average trade

Markets- LRs togain/MRs feel pain

McQuilling Services recently published its mid-year Tanker Market Outlook (TMO),updating its annual five-year take on the tanker market.



length shortens in response to more inter-

regional trade from intra-regional deployments

and volumes traditionally reserved for MR

tonnage are increasingly being carried on LR

tonnage.

McQuilling’s adjusted freight outlook at mid-

year 2014 was lower for the MR trades in the

forecast period than the expectations last

January.

Asset values were broadly higher in the first

half of 2014 as attention began to shift away

from newbuilds to secondhand tonnage.

LR2 secondhand tonnage is showing almost

30% above where the consultancy had

anticipated.

McQuilling concluded; “While believe the

economies of scale may help this tanker class

cannibalise LR1 cargoes, we think the current

values do not support the expected earnings

environment and would be cautious at

buying tonnage at these levels.”

www.airproducts.no

Air Products has been Pioneers in the Nitrogen

market since 1982 and more than 1.000 marine N2

generators have been installed onboard ships.

If you wish to learn from our 30 years experience,

contact us and we will share with you.

Air Products nitrogen generators

When reliability matters

TO

US-based Chemical and productstanker owner Laurin Maritime hasselected the Trojan MarinexBallast Water Treatment (BWT)system for its 11-vessel fleet.

“Our vessels sail in waters in the US and we

are convinced that the Trojan Marinex system

offers Laurin Maritime the ability to meet

emerging regulatory requirements, especially

requirements for US Coast Guard type

approval,” explained Capt Pär Brandholm,

environmental & nautical manager, Laurin

Maritime. “We were impressed with the amount

of testing that has been conducted and Trojan’s

overall approach to develop a system

specifically to meet the US requirements.

“Our vessels often visit river ports and the

fact that they tested in all water qualities,

specifically freshwater and in very poor water

qualities were very critical factors in our

decision-making process. In addition, not only

is their system available as a single integrated

unit for high flow rates, it also has explosion-

proof certification which was a requirement for

our vessels,” he said.

Vessels sailing in US waters will require

BWT systems that are type approved by the

USCG. Currently, despite the availability of

more than 40 IMO type approved systems, no

system supplier has obtained USCG type

approval.

Trojan’s Marinex BWT product suite recently

received Alternate Management System (AMS)

acceptance in accordance with the USCG final

rule for Standards for Living Organisms in

Ships’ Ballast Water Discharged in US Waters.

The suite is one of the few to receive AMS

for all water qualities - freshwater, brackish

water and marine water. In addition, the suite is

tested and IMO type approved to the lowest UV

transmittance value in the industry

(corresponding to poor water quality) under full

flow conditions.

Testing was conducted under the supervision

of DNV.

Laurin to fit Marinex BWT systems to itschemical/product tanker fleet

TO


INDUSTRY - SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

Headlining the new version is a

unique system that provides

universal remote access to any

device connected to on board

networks, or the IT network itself and new

functionality that builds on the recently

released BYOD (bring your own device)

solution for XChange.

Universal remote access is a new option for

XChange and provides secure remote access to

computers on board a vessel from anywhere. It

meets the growing need from shipowners,

communications equipment manufacturers,

satcom service providers and maritime service

companies to easily access IT networks on

board from shore for maintenance and

troubleshooting, Airbus explained.

“Though it’s already possible to access

computers and networked equipment on a ship

remotely, our system is the first to provide

universal remote access, meaning equipment

vendors can provide support for their systems

through XChange rather than implementing

proprietary systems. This reduces the number

of access points on board, which in turn

improves security and bandwidth usage for

remote access applications,” said Tore Morten

Olsen, head of maritime satcoms, Airbus

Defence and Space at the time of its launch.

XChange’s remote access facility differs

from standard remote access solutions, as they

are designed for specific terminals, or protocols

and require their own IP address. The new

system is a universal, single tool to control any

device on board. It supports all protocol

formats and is completely carrier independent,

working on all connectivity types from VSAT

to Inmarsat FleetBroadband and Iridium

OpenPort, or non-satcom connectivity.

In addition XChange version 3.1 includes a

new functionality that automates and hence

reduces action required for managing and

allocating crew credit. XChange’s new user

admin and credit management service frees the

Master on board from time consuming admin

Airbus expandsoffering to ease IT

accessAirbus Defence and Space has added new features to its XChange communications

management platform and as a result, released version 3.1 at SMM 2014.

After a detailed andcomprehensive portfolioassessment, Airbus Defence andSpace could be about to sell offits maritime interests in the nearfuture.

The group has defined space (launchers &

satellites), military aircraft, missiles and related

systems and services as its future core

businesses.

Some business areas have been identified as

divestment candidates, including the

commercial and para-public communication

business (professional mobile radio and

commercial satellite communications services

activities), which will have better chances for

growth and market success in different

ownership structures, Airbus said. �

Airbus to sell maritime subsidiaries

tasks: They just need to configure the monthly

amount of data allowance per crew member,

which is then renewed automatically – month

after month, as long as they are on board.

When a new crew member joins a vessel for

the first time, he, or she can self-register with

one click via the XChange interface. After

registering, the crew member can purchase a

PIN voucher at the crew kiosk – and go online,

either using a Crew PC in the mess, or by using

his, or her own device in a cabin.

Airbus Defence and Space has thus far

delivered 1,200 XChange systems, with more

than 80 shipping companies currently using it.

Over 70% of vessels with XChange installed

use it for switching between satellite terminals

on board with a 50:50 split between VSAT and

FleetBroadband services. Over 60% of these

vessels use XChange as their main router.

XChange is a key component of Airbus

Defence and Space’s AuroraGlobal portfolio,

launched in March 2014. This function offers

the full capabilities of Airbus’ satellite services

and infrastructure, offering flexible solutions

based on X-, Ka-, Ku-, C and L-bands.

WaveCall successAnother Airbus company, Marlink is to supply

WaveCall VSAT services to Scorpio Ship

Management’s (SSM) 75 newbuild tankers and

bulkers to be delivered throughout 2015 and

2016.

Following an earlier contract in 2013 to

provide VSAT services for 46 newbuildings and

upgrading of the existing 27 vessels, this new

brings the total of SSM managed vessels to be

fitted to 148.

Marlink was selected for the original 46

newbuildings and existing fleet upgrade in a

competitive bidding process, with WaveCall

winning due to its exceptional quality of service

during testing, the company said.

Happy with the performance offered by

WaveCall, based on 512 kbps uplink and 256

kbps downlink, SSM selected the same service

parameters for its 75 new vessels.

Each vessel is being fitted with a 1 m Ku/Ka-

band convertible antenna, L-band back-up, and

Iridium handheld with external antenna for

security and anti-piracy applications. It will also

offer HTS satellites when available.

WaveCall is the first maritime innovation

from the AuroraGlobal multi-band portfolio and

will also offering HTS satellites when available.

Marlink’s service and support function is

matched by SSM’s IT organisation. The

company’s service provides the bandwidth that

SSM IT staff need to remotely manage SSM

vessels from ashore. In addition, WaveCall Plus

will enhance the free internet services provided

to the crew on SSM-managed vessels by adding

more bandwidth for crew to use.

Delivery of WaveCall VSAT for the first 46

SSM newbuildings is proceeding as planned,

with 30 installations already completed and

ready for service as of the end of August. TO



Designed to deliver efficient high-

speed global broadband operation

on Ku- and Ka- band services, the

1 m Intellian v100GX VSAT

communications antenna compliments the

recently unveiled 65 cm GX60 VSAT

terminal.

The new dual-band antennas support

automatic satellite and beam switching for GX

coverage when crossing from one satellite

coverage region to another, which can be

achieved in under 10 secs.

In addition, Intellian’s Gyro-free satellite

search function enables the antennas to acquire

and lock onto the satellite without requiring

separate input from the ship’s gyrocompass,

thus further simplifying the installation

process. The antennas also support a low

elevation angle (-20 deg) capability to ensure

reliable connectivity even at high latitudes.

The dedicated patented Intellian Aptus

software is used for system control and

monitoring of the v100GX and GX60

antennas. Aptus automatically configures the

antenna to provide true one-touch

commissioning. Available also as a mobile

app, the software allows for even greater

accessibility to the terminal wherever the

operator is located, Intellian claimed.

When space is limited on board a vessel, the

compact GX60 is an ideal option and

comprises an all-new GX below deck unit

(BDU) with a GX modem fully integrated

within the system, saving significant time

during installation. Users also benefit from the

eight network ports on the BDU, providing a

complete communication solution in one

compact unit, the company said.

The v100GX antenna is already in use on

board hundreds of vessels and service

providers and can be upgraded to the

upcoming GX service with minimal

intervention to meet future needs. It takes just

minutes to complete the conversion, which is

made possible with a quick and easy to use

plug-and-play kit. When converting the

v100GX from Ku-band, the carbon fibre

antenna reflector does not need to be changed

as the RF section is mounted on a single

modular chassis, enabling quick conversion to

Ka-band operation without any system re-

balancing.

All Intellian antenna systems are designed,

manufactured and tested to withstand the

company’s standards for vibration and extreme

shock in all sea states and weather conditions.

Warranties for all Intellian VSAT antennas last

for three years for parts and one year for

labour.

Inmarsat approvedAt SMM, Intellian also showed its latest

Fleetbroadband systems, which have been

approved by Inmarsat for use as part of the

upcoming GX package.

The three products in the Intellian

Fleetbroadband range include - FB150, FB250

and FB500. The FB150 is a high performance

satellite communication solution designed to

provide global, high quality data and voice for

business, operational, or recreational

applications in a compact size and light weight

ADU (above deck unit) with the optional

matching dome solution and simple user

installation.

FB250 enables commercial vessels to enter

the broadband arena providing all the required

functions. A low initial investment and the

Inmarsat FleetBroadband service per MB

pricing reduces the communication cost,

despite the increase in functionality and

frequency of use.

FB500 is the largest of Intellian's

FleetBroadband product range and provides

Dual-bandcompatible antenna

introduced Intellian has developed a dual-band compatible antenna line in readiness for the

introduction of Inmarsat’s Ka-band Global Xpress (GX) service.

Inmarsat approved Fleetbroadband system for use with GX.



the fastest and most cost-effective

FleetBroadband service available, the

company claimed. It is designed specifically

for intensive use on board vessels using

Inmarsat’s I4 satellite, global broadband

coverage. It will keep the ships in touch with

their control centre in addition to keeping the

crew connected with home wherever the ships

are operating around the world.

Jon Harrison, vice president communication

systems told Tanker Operator that with the

advent of GX, now was the right time to

deliver more reliability with different modems

having higher throughputs.

Intellian sells its hardware to the satcoms

service providers as a managed service. Some

of the first vessels to take VSAT on board

were the North Sea shuttle tankers and

chemical carriers, the company explained as

the tanker sector greatly benefits from having

this type of communications on board.

The 1 m antenna is proving the most

popular, accounting for 30-40% of the sales.

An average fitting of a three-piece model takes

only around six hours using a crane, Carl

Novello, vice president strategy and US

general manager said. TOIntellian’s FB250 allows vessels to enter the broadband communications network.

DR

DOYR

OCKI

ING

WPDEELIKE Y

O YOD

TER?ATWAOU’RE IN OU FEEL

SPECIFIC

TENDERIN

TALUAATEVVA

TIONCAAT

NG

ION

ange a livro arT

MARINE PROJECT MANAGER

erience the simplicity

ve one-to-one web

M

way to get everything you want out of your next docking.dableoject Manager is the easy, effective and afforSimplicity itself, Marine Pr

mation into one place.ed inforequirall the rocess – quickly pullingough every step of the pres you thrspecific needs, it tak

ound superintendents’eveloped for mariners by mariners, and built arD

.so much easieres everythingoject Manager makd templates. Marine Proreadsheets and Wspr

xcelE,aditional way using paperr,get about managing vessel dockings the trorF

ol.under contreeping costse helps you plan and manage the job quickly, while ksoftwarur intuitiveOganising your next docking. ain of oron’t sink under the strD

of planning and managing your next docking.ocess eamlining the pration by stress and frustrave time, strS

INGSPURCHA ENTMSAFETY MANAGEENTMENT MANAGEMOCUDONTROLCSTOCK ANNED MAINTENANCEPL

or email

call Jof MPPJ

demo and expe

ange a livro arT



The private global mobile satellite

communications service provider

and NT Digital Partners launched

Fleet Media this Summer.

The five-year agreement covers the digital

distribution of the latest Hollywood releases,

as well as television programming and sports

and news content. It is available to vessels, via

any Inmarsat broadband package.

Fleet Media offers a selection of movie and

television programming packages every

month. The packages are sent directly to

participating vessels over the Inmarsat

network for ‘off-line’ viewing on PCs, laptops

and tablets.

The service is available to Inmarsat

broadband service subscribers with the content

securely downloaded and stored on the

vessel’s Inmarsat iFUSION* box. Any

shipowner subscribing to the new digital

packages is able to take their service with

them when they upgrade from one Inmarsat

service to another (eg, FleetBroadband to

XpressLink, or XpressLink to Global Xpress).

The content packages are created by NT

Digital Partners and its co-owner Spafax, a

WPP company. Spafax is a leader in inflight

entertainment with customers including British

Airways and Air Canada.

“Inmarsat is extremely excited by this

agreement and the opportunities to bring more

benefits to seafarers,” said Frank Coles,

president, Inmarsat Maritime. “This service

continues our commitment to welfare at sea.

We will be offering this service through our

global distribution channel.”

Tim Swank, Chairman of NT Digital

Partners, said, “Our unique and exclusive

partnership with Inmarsat brings together the

best of both worlds. Inmarsat and NT Digital

Partners are able to leverage Inmarsat's state-

of-the-art satellite distribution network with

NT Digital Partners’ streaming technology and

our exclusive relationships with the

Hollywood studios for a product that will

forever change the crew member experience."

Fleet Media offers an on-demand video

experience with hundreds of hours of

programming. The new service, which is

available to shipowners via their Inmarsat

distribution partner (DP), is claimed to be an

improvement over traditional DVD

distribution methods with the streamed content

specifically licensed and selected for

commercial ships.

To meet their specific needs, vessel owners

can select from multiple tiered offerings.

*Inmarsat’s iFUSION box can incorporate

an Inmarsat FleetBroadband terminal, a

localised GSM network, an IP network router,

firewall, proxy and email system into an

integrated rack-mountable solution. TO

Inmarsat’s Frank Coles.

In July of this year, IridiumCommunications’ application tothe IMO to provide mobilesatellite communications in theGlobal Maritime Distress andSafety System (GMDSS) wasreviewed by the IMO sub-committee on Navigation,Communications and Search andRescue (NCSR).

As a result, the application will be presented

to the November Maritime Safety Committee

(MSC) meeting, before advancing to a group

of experts for comprehensive technical and

operational evaluation.

Final approval will be down to the MSC,

following review of the experts' report by

NCSR, which is expected by mid-2016.

This is particularly important for coverage

of Polar regions, where the current GMDSS

provider (Inmarsat) is not able to provide a

service, Iridium claimed.

Iridium's constellation of 66 low-Earth orbit,

inter-connected satellites operates as a fully-

meshed network and provides coverage

worldwide - including Polar regions - where

demand for reliable voice and data

communications is on the rise, as shipping and

trade routes continue to expand into the area.

The company will begin deploying its

second generation constellation -Iridium

NEXT - in 2015, offering greater capacity,

bandwidth and data speeds, as well as

backwards compatibility for existing products

Iridium gears up for GMDSS

Inmarsat goes to themovies

Inmarsat has secured an exclusive five-year, worldwide movie distribution agreement

for commercial shipping.

Iridium’s Dan Mercer.

ZERO POL LUT ION | H IGH PERFORMANCE | BEAR ING & SEA L SYSTEMS

To contact your local distributor, please visit: www.ThordonBearings.com

SEAWATER LUBRICATED BEARINGS ARE A BENEFIT TO US ALL

COMPAC SEAWATER LUBRICATED PROPELLER SHAFT BEARING SYSTEM

Seawater is an EAL (Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant) for Thordon stern tube bearings… and it’s FREE!

��

No AFT seal required means reduced operating costs

No oiled seabird feathers and no sheen (compared to mineral and biodegradable oil leakage)

Proven technology in over 600 commercial ships

The COMPAC propeller shaft bearing system is proven technology that is in service around the world ensuring no oiled feathers for seabirds everywhere.

Certain conditions may apply. Please contact Thordon Bearings Inc. for further information.*

*

For more information visit: www.ThordonBearings.com/COMPAC



and services in the market.

Dan Mercer, Iridium’s vice president and

general manager for Europe, Middle East,

Africa and Russia told Tanker Operator; “We

see a desire for increased bandwidth in the

future as a result of new real-time applications

that enable operational efficiencies and safety

benefits. We are actively working to support

these market requirements through the

development of our second-generation

broadband products and services that will

deliver data speeds up to 1.5 Mbps. We are

developing this technology in conjunction with

soon-to-be-announced equipment

manufacturers and expect them to be

commercially available in the second half of

2016.

“As vessels operate in more remote and

treacherous waters, the coverage of a satellite

network is increasingly critical for ship

operators. Not all satellite networks and service

providers offer the same coverage, so it is

essential that buyers do their homework as to

what the actual service offering entails.

“Satellite access remains a key selling point

as users become aware of vulnerabilities that

exist with other technologies. Many terrestrial-

based solutions advertise coverage, which may

be inconsistent, and higher throughput satellite

solutions such as Ku and Ka-band have

demonstrated susceptibility to inclement

weather, which is not the case for Iridium

devices.

“Reliable satellite connectivity remains a key

selling point because users are coming to

understand that not all networks have the same

level of reliability and as users adopt more

real-time shipboard monitoring, it is imperative

that they have a reliable source of connectivity

to support their business operations.

“We believe that our second-generation

broadband products and services will provide

the opportunity to further reduce the cost of

connectivity for vessel operators. The primary

cost reduction is likely to be achieved through

lower-priced equipment that can still deliver

VSAT-like functionality.

“At present, most VSAT equipment is twice

as expensive as L-band terminals, so an

Iridium terminal that can provide VSAT

functionality at half the size and half the cost

would be very attractive to the market,” he

said.

Addressing the specific needs of the Arctic

region, Mercer said; “We have seen increasing

utilisation of our products and services in the

Arctic regions. While it is still early for the

maritime market, the forecast for growth in the

Northern Arctic is expected to further increase

in use over the coming years.

“The rescue co-ordination centre responsible

for Arctic waters have been very supportive of

our GMDSS efforts and we expect them to be

some of the early adopters of our service, as

Iridium is the only reliable means of

communications in this region,” he stressed.

In anticipation of IMO recognition, Iridium

said that it was working with established

maritime communications equipment

manufacturers for the production and

certification of GMDSS terminals that use the

Iridium network, along with Maritime Rescue

Co-ordination Centres and service providers

for the provision of maritime safety

communications.

Mercer confirmed that the company is

engaged in active discussions with multiple

equipment manufacturers who are looking to

build a GMDSS terminal that uses the Iridium

network. “However, we do not expect to

formally sign any manufacturing partners until

an approved equipment specification has been

adopted by the IMO. We would expect this to

take place in 2016,” he explained.

Once approved, the shipboard terminals will

meet both the GMDSS and operational

communications needs of a vessel, giving the

industry the option of a single, affordable

communications terminal to satisfy both safety

and business communications wherever they

operate.

Expected to be available before the end of

2015, GMDSS terminals using the Iridium

network are designed to have an operational

longevity of nearly 20 years, eliminating the

need for vessel owners and operators to

purchase new equipment every few years, the

company claimed.

Advanced Polymer Coatings Avon, Ohio 44011 U.S.A.+01 440-937-6218 Phone+01 440-937-5046 Faxwww.adv-polymer.com

Compare MarineLine® cargo tank coating to any conventional phenolic epoxy or zinc silicate coatings and expect a major difference in enhanced corrosion protection and versatility. More than 500 tankers worldwide have relied on MarineLine®.

Over 500 Tankers Worldwide Have UsedMarineLine® Cargo Tank Coatings

TO

TECHNOLOGY - SHIP DESCRIPTION - ETHANE CARRIERS


Interest in ethanecarriers hots up

Earlier this year Norwegian shipping investment firm Ocean Yield ordered three

Liquefied Ethylene Gas (LEG) carriers of 36,000 cu m capacity each from Sinopacific.

The three vessels are claimed to be

the world’s first ethane fuelled

LEG carriers ordered.

Upon their delivery from the second half of

2016 onwards, they will be bareboat chartered

to the Leer-based Hartmann Group for 15

years. For the first 10 years, the charter will be

at a fixed daily rate, while the last five years

will be concluded at a floating daily charter

rate.

In turn, Hartmann has agreed to sub-charter

the vessels to SABIC Petrochemicals, a

subsidiary of Saudi Arabian petrochemical

company SABIC. This charter was concluded

through Hartmann’s commercial management

subsidiary- GasChem Services.

SABIC has also recently announced that it

will upgrade its cracker on Teesside, UK, to

use imported ethane from the US as feedstock.

The cracker upgrade is scheduled to be

completed during 2016. The three gas carriers

will be used to ship ethane from the US to the

UK following the cracker’s conversion.

Hartmann will be responsible for the full

vessel operations.

The eco-friendly LEG carriers are of a new

design - ECO STAR 36K - developed by

Hartmann Reederei in co-operation with

engineering consultants HB Hunte

Engineering, The new design was developed

with a ‘Svelte’ type bow.

This new vessel type differs fundamentally

from conventional gas carriers in that its

superstructure will be located at the bow-

another first claimed for a gas tanker. This

results in optimised distribution of weight and,

therefore, a reduced demand for ballast water

− which again leads to reduced fuel

consumption and emissions, Hartmann

claimed. The new ‘Svelte’ bow design also

enables the vessel to improve seakeeping at

higher sailing speeds and improved fuel

efficiency.

Each vessel will each be fitted with the

latest generation MAN B&W ME-GI 2-stroke

dual-fuel engine and will be able to operate on

HFO, MDO and gas oil, as well as LNG and

Principal Particulars - ECOSTAR 36KLength, oa......................................................................................abt 188 m

Length, bp......................................................................................abt 179 m

Breadth, moulded..................................................................................29 m

Depth to main deck, moulded.........................................................17.50 m

Depth to trunk deck...................................................................abt 23.50 m

Design draught (ethane)....................................................................9.50 m

Carrying capacity......................................................................36,000 cu m

Schematic of the new 36,000 cu m LEG-carrier under construction at Sinopacific. photo credit: Hartmann Reederei/HB Hunte Engineering.

Principal Particulars - ECOSTAR 85KLength, oa...........................................................................................231.6 m

Length, bp...........................................................................................225.5 m

Breadth, maximum...............................................................................36.6 m

Deadweight, maximum...............................................................abt 50,000 t

Scantling draught................................................................................12.3 m

Carrying capacity........................................................................85,000 cu m

Classification: Germanischer Lloyd: GL 100A5 Liquefied Gas Carrier, -

104° C; 0,602 t/m³, 4,1 bar g; type 2-G; NAV, IW; BWM (D2); INERT; NLS;

ERS GL MC AUT GF; RI; CM-PS; EP-D.



ethane. Furthermore, it can utilise the boil-off

gas from its cargo. The engine’s low emissions

will also meet the requirements of IMO Tier II.

MAN Diesel & Turbo said that ethane was

chosen as a fuel, in preference to HFO, due to

its more competitive pricing and, as well as the

significantly shorter bunkering time needed.

The engine manufacturer also said that the

engines will be set

up to be easily

converted to run on

methane.

Propulsion

efficiency will be

further improved by

adopting a MAN

Kappel propeller

with rudder bulb

system and a twist-

flow rudder

developed by HB

Hunte Engineering.

Ship model tests

conducted at

Hamburgische

Schiffbau-

Versuchsanstalt (HSVA) resulted in reduced

energy loss and improved propulsion

efficiency with this system fitted.

The vessel’s separate gas fuel tanks will be

built to contain ethane and LNG and will

enable the vessels to operate to a range of

about 10,000 nautical miles. In addition, the

design encompasses heavy fuel oil tanks for

the vessels to operate

to the same distance.

If necessary, it will be

possible to switch

over from gas to

diesel operation and

vice versa

immediately.

The gas plant,

which was jointly

developed by

Hartmann Reederei

and HB Hunte

Engineering, will be

located in a sheltered

space behind the

superstructure. Its

components will be

provided by AC-

INOX.

Compared to

conventional gas

carriers with

cylindrical, or bilobe

tanks, ECO STAR

36K adopts a new

tank design developed

by Hartmann

Reederei: the ‘Star-

Trilobe’-tank. This

design consists of

three cylinders

combined into one.

Due to better space

utilisation of the cargo areas, this results in

higher efficiency and allows an increase in

cargo capacity by nearly 30%, compared to

another gas ship of the same dimensions −

leading to reduced shipping costs through

higher economies of scale, Hartmann claimed.

The new vessels offer a cargo capacity of

36,000 cu m each for liquefied gas cargoes up

to -104 deg C. As well as being the first ethane

powered vessels, they will be the largest LEG-

carriers worldwide when delivered.

Ocean Yield CEO Lars Solbakken said in a

comment: "We are pleased to announce the

sub-charter for the gas carriers to SABIC, one

of the world's largest petrochemicals

manufacturers. The design of the gas carriers is

very innovative and together with the

Hartmann Group we are able to offer SABIC a

very cost efficient shipping service."

Hartmann Reederei has been specialising in

the development and management of gas

carriers for 30 years and today has a fleet of 36

gas carriers and 74 vessels overall.

Since the launch of its first gas carrier in

1984, the company said that it had constantly

developed and improved gas carrier design.

HB Hunte Engineering was founded in the

1990s by the Brand family. It offers services

for the shipbuilding and offshore industries

and specialises in the design and construction

of gas carriers and gas plants. Due to the

company’s background in the shipbuilding

industry, the management’s experience in gas

carriers and gas plants dates back to 1959.

Co-operation between Hartmann Reederei

and HB Hunte Engineering started 15 years

ago. Since then, they have jointly develop new

ship designs. Among others, this resulted in

concepts for 8,400 cu m LPG/LEP, 8,600 cu m

LPG/LEP, 6,500 cu m LPG/LEP gas carriers

and the design for a 5,000 cu m LPG fully-

pressurised gas carrier. Thus far, 16

newbuildings have been designed by the joint

venture.

GasChem Services is a Hamburg based

shipping company, which provides shipping

services and commercial management to a

fleet of fully refrigerated, semi-refrigerated

and pressurised gas tankers for the major oil

and chemical industry worldwide. The

company was established in 1990 and is a

member of the Hartmann Group.

Large VLECs seriesSince then, interest as accelerated in the

development of ethane carriers of over 80,000

cu m (VLECs).

At least two tranches of VLECs have thus

far been ordered. For example, ABS has

confirmed that it will class a series of six

Schematic of the new Star Trilobe tanks. photo credit: Hartmann Reederei/HB Hunte Engineering.

87,000 cu m VLECs and available options.

The ships will be built at Samsung Heavy

Industries’shipyard in Geoje, South Korea for

unnamed Asian interests.

"We are delighted to have received the class

contract for the world's first large ethane

carriers," said ABS vice president of Global

Gas Solutions, Patrick

Janssens. "As a result of

the shale gas boom in the

US, ethane is developing

as an exciting new

market with great

potential, requiring the

development of new ship

types. This award is an

industry testament to the

diversity of ABS'

technical knowledge and

our commitment to

remain at the forefront of

classification for gas

carriers."

ABS classed the

world's first LNG carrier

and currently claims to

have the largest number

of classed LNGCs on its

books.

This VLEC award marks one year since

ABS unveiled its Global Gas Solutions team, a

multi-disciplinary group of gas specialists

formed to respond to the rapidly escalating

number of gas-related projects, including LNG

and LPG transportation, plus the growing use

of LNG and LPG as fuel for the commercial

fleet.

The second tranche comes in the form of a

letter of intent, which was recently signed by

Hartmann Schiffahrts, Jaccar Holdings, HB

Hunte Engineering and DNV GL, for the

classification of five ECO STAR 85k VLECs.

The five ECO STAR 85K ethane-fuelled

VLECs will have a capacity of 85,000 cu m

each. The cargo tanks will be of the Star-

TriLobe type.

To operate the vessels, Luxembourg-based

Jaccar Holdings and the Hartmann Group have

formed a joint venture for the commercial

management of ethane carriers.

The new company, - United Ethane Carriers

(UEC) - will be based in Singapore. Its

purpose is to develop the ethane business,

focusing on marketing, branding and

commercial management of ethane carriers

internationally.

“We’ve known each other for a long time

now, meaning that we also know and

appreciate the other one’s strengths”, said

Jacques de Chateauvieux, Jaccar Holdings

CEO. “We found that our strengths

complement each other very well, particularly

in this highly specialised market.”

The ethane-fuelled VLECs will be

employed on a long term timecharter to

Oriental Energy.

Evergas (a Jaccar Holdings company) and

GasChem Services (a Hartmann Group

company) will continue to serve their client

relationships independently of the new UEC

joint venture.

Jaccar Holdings is a privately owned

investment company with its main focus

within the maritime sector. It has

shareholdings in offshore, fishing and drybulk

concerns, plus Greenship Gas and EVERGAS

(Ethylene, Ethane and LPG). The company

has also invested in Sinopacific Shipbuilding,

a private shipyard in China.



MAN workshop assembly and testing of a 4.5 m four-bladedMAN Kappel CP propeller with fairing cone. This example issimilar to the one chosen for the ECO STAR 36Ks. photo credit: MAN Diesel & Turbo.

Hartmann said that it could not name the builder of the five ECO STAR 85K United EthaneCarriers VLECs just yet, but the charterer is Oriental Energy.

TO

· srosnee suqinf ue ognal rluF· emstsy stenemrusaemtsallaB

· smetsysmralalevelhgihtnednepednI

Sw

aU

lkM

T

O0-17 ct , 410. 2 enpoCS dant No 100-0B.

U ATOE YES

ST MT

cionsaknTahctiw

D MT

knTagig

G

engah

Spe AniraI MPA · 2 1jevesneorT · D

· smetsysm ralal evelh giht nednepednI· snioutlon siotmaoutd aetargetne itelpmoC

· sreirras cad gns areknar tos ffometsyl sortnoo cgraC

tse Ogrbol Aa0229-K · karmneD · 4635 94: +.leT

0704 5 · moc.enirma-iap.www · nira-mpia@onfi

gingceive

u

moc.en


TECHNOLOGY - PROPULSION

The Hercules R&D programme

originally started in 2004 to

develop large engine technologies

is to continue, pending approval

under the Horizon 2020 EU Framework

Programme for Research and Innovation.

Hercules-2 is aimed at developing a fuel-

flexible marine engine that is optimally

adaptive to its operating environment. The

work will focus on four areas of integrated

R&D:

� WPG 1 - a fuel flexible engine;

� WPG II - new materials (for engine

applications);

� WPG III - an adaptive power plant for

lifetime performance;

� WPG IV - a near zero emissions engine.

The latest initiative will build upon and

improve on the targets of the previous

Hercules projects by going beyond the limits

set by the regulatory authorities, the OEMs

explained. By combining the latest

technologies and through the use of integrated

solutions, Hercules-2 aims to achieve

significant reductions in fuel consumption and

exhaust emissions. The research will include

several full-scale prototypes and shipboard

demonstrators that will speed the development

of commercially available products.

Other European companies, as well as

Wärtsilä and MDT, plus universities and

research institutions, will be involved. The

project will further accelerate the shipping

industry's transition to better fuel efficiency

and a significantly reduced environmental

footprint, while strengthening the position of

the participating partners in the market place,

the OEMs said.

The consortium is made up of 32 partners,

of which 30% are industrial and 70% are

universities and research institutes. The budget

is divided between industry and the

universities on a 63% - 37% basis,

respectively.

The original HERCULES programme was

conceived in 2002 to develop new

technologies to increase marine engine

efficiency. The three previous projects within

this programme ran from 2004 to 2014.

Several presentations at SMM last month

concerned vessel propulsion in the light of

impending emissions controls.

There is no revolutionary propulsion system

on the horizon for standard vessels, such as

tankers. The choices are and will be made by

the owners/operators as to how they reduce

emissions and fuel costs, while not loosing

efficiency.

All of the main engine manufacturers have

unveiled engines to burn gas, to operate as

dual fuel engines and/or to burn other fuels,

such as ethane and methane.

2-stroke here to stayAt SMM, ABB’s Eero Lehtovaara stressed that

the 2-stroke engine was still by far the best

way to propel vessels, while MDT’s Dr

Stephen Timmermann claimed that big steps in

propulsion efficiency were still possible.

Timmermann thought that NOx/SOx

technologies would be strongly influenced by

ECA/SECA areas, the development of the

MDO and gas prices, gas logistics and

legislation, wet scrubber legislation and

logistics additives, such as urea, etc.

The ultra long stroke slow speed engine

with an adapted propeller is the way forward,

according to the OEMs with an extra 10%

stroke. Timmermann said that the longer

stroke with a lower rev/min and larger

propeller fitted would equate to higher

propulsion efficiency, which would add up to

fuel and thus CO2 emissions savings. A saving

of around 5% could be made on the specific

fuel oil consumption, he claimed.

Some criticisms were aired, such as the lack

of studies into black carbon and methane slip.

An EU spokesman said that the question of

port reception facilities to house scrubber

waste water was being addressed. By 2025,

some ports will also have to provide LNG

infrastructure, he said. A study will be released

in about two years.

At SMM, MDT signed a new license

agreement with Qingdao Haixi Marine Diesel

(QMD), a member of the CSIC Group,

together with Dalian Marine Diesel and

Yichang Marine Diesel Engine.

Thus, QMD became MDT’s 12th Chinese

licensee. QMD boasts a modern facility

dedicated to the production of large, 2-stroke

engines in NE China.

New turbochargerIn addition, MDT has developed a new

turbocharger series, TCT, which are

specifically matched to the requirements of 2-

stroke engines.

For the first time, MDT will develop a

turbocharger series exclusively for 2-stroke

engines that is especially designed and

optimised to fulfill Tier III requirements, the

company said.

Compared to the TCA turbocharger range,

introduced by the company during the last

decade, TCT efficiency shows an increase of

5% through using newly-developed

compressor and turbine-wheel geometry,

consequently increasing waste-heat-recovery

potential by 30%.

The TCT range will also deliver a 10%

greater air flow at a turbocharging pressure

25% higher, while being 30% smaller and

40% lighter than the existing TCA range.

MDT said that the first TCT turbocharger is

expected to be ready in 2016 after an

extensive validation and field-testing

programme.

EU research projectinto lowering

emissions continuesThe two leading OEMs, Wärtsilä and MAN Diesel & Turbo (MDT), have initiated the

Hercules-2 research project aimed at minimising vessel emissions

TO



Lubrication selectionof prime importance

Most of the main lubricant manufacturers have introduced new products this year in

order to combat engine problems caused by slow steaming and the use

of low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO).

Tanker Operator has taken a look

at the latest initiatives taken in

strict alphabetical order of

companies.

Castrol has rather bucked the trend in

developing low base number (BN) lubricants

by sticking with its BN 40 product.

Marketing director Jonathan Hutchinson

explained that the longevity of trials and the

fact that it has been around for five years and

has been used with low sulphur fuel oil

(LSFO) very successfully, the company saw

no reason to change to a lower BN.

Some of the challenges are thrown up by

Brazilian and Russian supplied LSFO and

marine gas oil, Hutchinson explained. “Cold

corrosion will not go away. Sales of BN 100

have increased, while sales of BN 80 have

nearly doubled,” he said. Those using higher

BN lubes will have to take two products on

board, he warned..

Introducing a new lubricant takes some

time, while additives can be made in only

one, or two months, he said.

There is a certain amount of uncertainty

today and both the OEMs and luboil suppliers

will have to work together. “Customers need

help now,” he stressed.

For the tanker sector, Castrol is attempting

to optimise luboil purchasing, as supplies can

be unreliable. When berthed on a finger jetty,

barging becomes more important, he

explained, as products could be required at

short notice.

Castrol has the use of three barges in

Singapore, which can carry more than one BN

product in bulk, while Salalah has become a

busier supply point for lubes, he said.

Lower BNThose opting for a lower BN include

Chevron Marine Products, which has

launched two new products - one for 2-stroke

engines and the other for 4-stroke engines -

both for continuous operation with LSFOs.

For 2-stroke engines, Chevron unveiled

Taro Special HT LF, which is claimed to be

one of the first products to be fully approved

for continuous operation using low sulphur

distillate fuel oil.

This lubricant is a 25 BN SAE 50 cylinder

oil. Prior to its launch, the product has been

thoroughly tested, including several sea trials

over a three-year period, running continuously

on distillate fuel. The tests were carried out

on board a crude oil tanker operating in the

CARB area off California.

Key customer benefits were claimed as -

� Reduced liner and piston ring wear and

improved corrosion protection.

� Detergent/dispersant properties help to

prevent ring sticking and minimise deposit

formation throughout the combustion

chamber exhaust areas.

� Excellent lubrication properties help

maintain an oil film under different load

conditions, thereby reducing frictional

wear and preventing scuffing of liners,

pistons and rings.

Powered by both Wärtsilä and MAN Diesel &

Turbo (MDT) engines, back to back testing

was carried out using the new lubricant and a

40 BN oil. While cylinder to cylinder

variation would be expected to be significant

in an engine of this nature, averaged wear

rates, as measured by iron entrainment within

the lubricant, were at least equivalent using

Taro Special HT LF.

At the same time, it was found that the

avoidance of ring and top land deposits was at

least as good using the new lubricant as the

reference base lubricant. The new lubricant is

now being used on board vessels fitted with

MAN G-type engines and Chevron has ‘no

objection letters’ from both OEMs.

Meanwhile, Delo SHP has been developed

for use on 4-stroke direct drive medium and

high speed engines and generator sets.

This lubricant has also been thoroughly

tested and has been approved by MDT, Rolls

Royce, Wärtsilä- Deutz SBVM628 and MaK

(Caterpillar).

Chevron said that when switching to

continuous low sulphur fuel, owners and

operators should recognise that their existing

lubricant is unlikely to be optimised for their

new, less acid forming fuel.

Both lubricants will be available as of 1st

December this year at key Chevron ports in

ECAs, as well as in Singapore and South

Korea, where the company has distribution

facilities.

As for ExxonMobil, this lubricant supplier

has launched the patented Mobilgard 525, a

high performance cylinder oil designed to

support marine operators using 0.1% sulphur

fuels in slow- speed engines when entering

ECAs after 1st January, 2015.

New challengesThe company said that the switch to low

sulphur fuels, such as marine gas oil (MGO),

presents new lubrication challenges when

compared to the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO).

Mobilgard 525 has been engineered to address

issues, such as deposit formation and scuffing

related engine wear that can occur when

operating on low sulphur fuel.

Among the benefits claimed are -

� BN 25 cylinder oil for use with fuel

containing 0.1% sulphur.

� Approved by MAN and Wärtsilä for use in

Above and overleaf - Condition of pistonrings using Mobilgard 525.



2-stroke engines.

� Joins Mobilgard cylinder oil range that

helps optimise the performance and extend

the life of slow-speed marine engines.

The 25 BN formulation has been engineered

using high quality base oils and an advanced

‘balanced formulation’ approach. In field

trials, Mobilgard 525 has delivered superior

piston ring deposit control, engine cleanliness

and high temperature protection when

compared to a 40 BN marine cylinder oil. It

was developed in close collaboration with

leading marine OEMs and meets both MDT’s

and Wärtsilä requirements for use in engines

operating on low sulphur fuels.

Mobilgard 525 joins Mobilgard 5100 and

Mobilgard 570 in ExxonMobil’s cylinder oil

range, which helps optimise the performance

of current and next generation marine diesel

engines. The unique slow-speed solution of

high performance cylinder oils and the

MobilGard Cylinder Condition Monitoring

(CCM) programme helps vessel operators

increase reliability and reduce operating costs,

the company claimed.

Iain White, field marketing manager,

ExxonMobil Marine Fuels & Lubricants, said

that Wärtsilä had dropped the lubricant level

needed to 15-25 BN, as 40 BN was too high.

Higher BN oils, such as BN 70, have many

additives, which can cause deposits to stick to

the high temperature areas at the top of the

pistons.

Separate tanks would be needed for

different BN oils carried on board ship, he

warned.

He also said that ExxonMobil was talking

with the OEMs about the problem of 2-stroke

modern engines in an effort to formulate a

best practice approach The company has had

experience with corrosive 4-stroke engines on

land-based applications, but the 2-stroke

engine is the challenge today.

BN tester launched Geserco has launched a digital rapid oil tester

aimed at quickly determining the total base

number (TBN) value of lubricating oils up to

100 BN.

This system is a documenting tester that

provides fast, simple and accurate results for

water in oil and BN, but also makes it easier

to monitor the condition of used oil over time,

the company claimed.

The tester features different functions to

ensure it is an easy and user-friendly tool for

monitoring oil condition, including: accurate

measurement within three minutes; extra-large

and easy-to-read digital display providing

instructions and results; test result pass/fail

evaluation; built-in memory for recording up

to 99 test results; USB communication port for

downloading test results to a computer; and an

interchangeable battery.

It is well suited to monitoring the BN

depletion of latest generation marine cylinder

oils, which are formulated with a very high

BN in order to prevent the corrosion of

cylinders.

The new version features:

� Accurate measurement within three

minutes.

� Extra large and easy to read digital display

providing instructions and results.

� Test result pass/fail evaluation.

� Built in memory for recording up to 90 test

results.

� USB communication port for downloading

test results to a computer.

Interchangeable batteryGeserco has been supplying a comprehensive

range of on board mini laboratories and

instruments for the condition monitoring of

lubricating oils since 1973.

The test kits are claimed to be easy-to-use

and designed to give rapid feedback on

lubricants condition, allowing immediate

corrective action to be taken to safeguard

correct machinery operation.

They are designed to be robust in marine

applications and to give reliable and repeatable

results, the company said.

During SMM, Shell Marine Products

(SMP) introduced Shell Alexia S3, a solution

for large vessels with 2-stroke engines

entering into ECAs. The new product - a BN

25 SA 15 lubricant for LSFOs of 0.1% sulphur

content -will be available from December

2014 in 22 countries across SMP’s network of

over 500 ports in over 40 countries.

SMP said that it can now offer a complete

suite of lubricants for all types of engines.

Shell Alexia S3 is the latest in SMP's line of

2-stroke engine oil and is formulated for use

with LSFO and distillate fuels of up to 0.5%

sulphur content. SMP also offers Shell Gadinia

for medium-speed 4-stroke engines and Shell

Mysella, used in vessels with gas powered

engines such as Shell’s chartered barge

Greenstream, the world’s first 100% LNG-

powered barge which operates on the River

Rhine.

"We are dedicated to providing our

customers with the right solution, at the right

place, at the right time," said Surinderdeep

Singh, SMP general manager in Hamburg.

“The introduction of Shell Alexia S3

completes our portfolio, ensuring all our

customers will have the right lubricant suitable

for their shipping needs.”

Test centreSMP is also celebrating the 10th anniversary

of its Marine & Power Innovation Centre

(MPIC) located in Hamburg.

Established in 2004 within Shell

Technology Centre Hamburg, MPIC has been

pivotal in SMP’s ability to meet the fast-

changing demands placed on cylinder oil

performance in today’s maritime landscape. Its

team of scientists and engineers working

together are constantly using insights from

Shell’s legacy of almost six decades of marine

lubricant development, from the first

successful alkaline cylinder oil – Shell Alexia

Geserco’s BN tester.

See page 27.



Investing inthe original

ys offayp

jetsgroup.com

A in 1955 to Shell Alexia S5 and S6,

introduced in late 2013, the company claimed.

“It is fitting that our 10th anniversary

coincides with the SMM maritime fair here in

Hamburg,” said Jerry Hammett, General

Manager for Marine & Power Engine Oil

Technology. “Here in the Centre we can put

promising formulations through their paces

before field trials and OEM validation tests.

Our testing takes into account extreme

conditions and involves rigorous attention to

the control of our test engines, to ensure that

the only test variable is the lubricant itself.”

MPIC runs four test engines of up to 800

kW in power, covering 2-stroke and 4-stroke

applications running on both residual and

distillate fuel. Each engine can simulate harsh

working conditions and measurements can be

taken on almost every aspect of the engine.

A product development cycle can take up to

three years to complete during which, engine

testing is key.

The facility works closely with OEMs and

employs experienced technicians and

engineers who are Co-ordinating Research

Council (CRC)-accredited to ensure that each

test run can be properly evaluated and

compared with all previous and future test

runs for any particular lubricant. Having an

engine test bed and a laboratory in one place is

an advantage, Shell said.

“If engine developments have been rapid in

recent years, there are more developments to

come,” added Hammett, “MPIC will continue

to be critical to sustaining our close relations

with OEMs, as well as offering robust and

reliable data to support our products, the

performance claims we make and the services

we offer. Responsible suppliers embrace

change and the centre represents SMP’s

commitment to invest in its technology and the

support that addresses the challenges faced by

shipping as a whole.”

Last year, the centre saw a substantial

increase in new investment,

leading to a new building and

updated laboratories. This year,

saw the opening of a new

technology centre in Shanghai.

More analysis is being

undertaken on board ship,

especially when it comes to the

drain oil, especially as engine

development is moving at a rapid

pace.

Range of lubricantsThe industry will need a range of

lubricants while an ECA will

deliver a different stress profile for

the machinery. If you change fuel, you will

have to change lubes as well, the company

said at a presentation during SMM. Two

luboil tanks will have to be fitted on board

and the product must match the performance

required, Shell stressed.

Finally, Total Lubmarine has also

introduced a new lubricant for ECA compliant

0.1% sulphur distillates.

The company has unveiled TALUSIA LS

25, a low alkaline lubricant specifically

designed for slow speed 2- stroke engines

running on distillates with 0.1% sulphur

content. It will be available from late October

in major shipping hubs worldwide.

Total Lubmarine global marketing manager,

Serge Dal Farra said: “TALUSIA LS 25 is an

innovative solution for ship operators looking

for a reliable lubricant specifically designed

to meet the challenging requirements of

running engines, including the latest

generation of crosshead 2- stroke engines, on

distillate fuel. TALUSIA LS 25 will protect

engines by offering excellent cleanliness

thanks to its low-ash chemistry.”

The new lubricant has undergone successful

trials with engine manufacturers MDT and

Wärtsilä who have both issued ‘No Objection

Letters’ confirming that the lubricant is

suitable for use in their 2-stroke engines.

Total Lubmarine already offers a lubricant

for low sulphur residual fuels, TALUSIA LS

40, while its single oil concept TALUSIA

Universal is suitable for residual fuels with

sulphur contents ranging between 0.5 and

3.5%. For modern engines affected by cold

corrosion, TALUSIA Universal 100 provides

exceptional neutralisation efficiency, thus

reducing the risk of severe wear.

“While our latest lubricants will ensure that

ship operators can comply with ECA

whatever fuel they choose to use, we believe

that modern chemistry is the key to a long-

term solution for the marine industry and our

laboratories are at the forefront of research in

this area,” said Dal Farra. “Shipping is a

complex business with frequent changes to a

vessel’s schedule, its fuels and cargoes.

“Total Lubmarine’s global port network

supports its customers not just through a

wide choice of lubricant, but has an expert

team that ensures prompt delivery worldwide,

engine inspections, on board and laboratory

testing, training and advice,” he

concluded.

TO

As well as redesigning vessels for greater efficiency,owners/operators must be aware of which BN lubes touse. Photo credit - NORDEN.


TECHNOLOGY - EFFICIENCY

This software is believed to be the

first route advisory service to use

advanced optimisation to set both

the optimum route and optimum

speed for each segment of a voyage with daily

updates.

AWT SmartSpeed combines vessel

specifications and voyage details with AWT’s

large database of nearly 20 years’ weather and

oceanographic information, to calculate

optimum speed settings across an entire

voyage. This allows operators and Masters to

improve the performance of their vessels and

burn less fuel, the company said.

AWT said that the software is suited for

anyone operating a vessel that is affected by

weather conditions who needs to ensure safe

and efficient passage and where the speed can

be varied.

“Because AWT routes 50,000 ship voyages

per year, we have access to millions of speed

and consumption records in all types of

weather. This gives us a unique ability to

calculate a vessel’s consumption and the

effects of weather,” said George Schlinkert,

vice president of ship route advisory services

at AWT. “To provide variable speed and

variable route optimisation has been the goal

of ship routing for years, but only today, with

massive computing power, is this made

possible.”

Prior to a voyage, AWT supplies shore-

based ship operators with a pre-voyage plan

for each segment of the voyage and the

operator can then send this information to the

ship.

During a voyage, users are provided with

the tools to proactively minimise fuel costs,

achieve on-time arrival and actively monitor

daily fuel consumption. When the voyage is

completed, AWT Voyage Reports allow users

to monitor compliance with the speed orders

to the ships. On a monthly or quarterly basis, a

return on investment (ROI) analysis is

provided to document fuel savings.

Schlinkert said that the company and its

clients were getting ready for the Asian

typhoon season. The company is advocating

more consultation ashore on weather routing

and associated problems, as there is a lack of

experience on board ship.

One of the ways to save money is to burn

less fuel in an ECA area by steaming more

slowly and increase speed outside the ECA

when burning cheaper HFO. “Why plough

through heavy weather at high speed?”

Schlinkert asked. “Why round the Cape of

Good Hope in 12 m waves when this could be

avoided? Why go against the current in the

Gulf Stream?”

Another example where savings can be

made is when using the Great Circle Route,

where up to six days could be spent in an ECA

area. By using weather and current

calculations, high wave situations can be

avoided.

Optimum speedsettings software

releasedStormGeo subsidiary Applied Weather Technology (AWT) has launched the patented

AWT SmartSpeed software.

TO

Although the speeds on the graphic are a bit high for a tanker, the principle is the same.



Computer modulesimulates complex

ship machineryHigh bunker prices, environment-focused regulations and overcapacity in certain

segments, create pressure on shipping companies’ finances, leading to a focus on

higher energy efficiency and fuel savings.*

These conditions also drive the

development, evaluation and

adoption of new technologies and

alternative fuels.

Operations and new technology

configurations are thus becoming increasingly

complex and novel computer-based methods

that can provide an integrated systems

perspective are needed to take coherent

decisions on design and operational

improvements.

DNV GL Research & Innovation Greece has

developed the DNV GL COSSMOS computer

tool that can simulate and optimise complex

ship machinery systems with regard to energy

efficiency, emissions, safety and costs.

For tankers, COSSMOS is used in a variety

of applications, from techno-economic design

evaluations and the optimisation of waste heat

recovery systems (eg, exhaust gas

economisers, steam turbine generators) to

performance assessments, the optimisation of

cargo discharge operations and holistic energy

management, via advanced thermodynamics

and energy analysis.

One of a tanker’s important and challenging

daily operations is to discharge its crude oil

cargo. Discharges are an energy-efficiency

focus area for many operations. The

COSSMOS module developed by DNV GL

can simulate the discharge operations under

realistic conditions.

The module may serve as a performance

assessment baseline for evaluating the

condition of various components and the

effectiveness of applied operational strategies.

It may also be used to optimise the overall

discharge operations - both the engine room

and the cargo handling functions- by making

the optimal selection of discharge control

variables for given terminal schedules, tank

capacities and operational constraints.

On board measurementsIt is customised and calibrated based on each

vessel’s actual system in order to reflect the

behaviour of the discharge system. On board

measurements that are collected during the

discharge operations- manually, or

automatically - are used as input in the

simulations.

The module can be used to execute a wide

range of studies, such as an assessment of the

discharge process with regard to energy

efficiency and fuel consumption. Iterating this

procedure for various discharges can

benchmark each operation against the system’s

‘good as new’ performance.

In addition, the findings of these studies

provide a means of identifying ways of

improving operational and crew procedures

and assess the condition of the system

components.

Finally, the module can be used to provide

sensitivity analysis of important operational

variables, which may increase the operator’s

system knowledge.

The potential fuel savings and other findings

depend on the system’s condition, on the

understanding of the governing processes and

interaction between components and on the

crew’s operational experience and

communications. The COSSMOS discharge

module has been successfully applied in a

series of projects and demonstrated a fuel

savings potential of up to 10%.

Thus far, a series of COSSMOS projects

have been used by leading Greek tanker

concerns, such as Consolidated Marine

Management, Minerva Marine, Samos

Steamship and Thenamaris Ships

Management.

*This article was written by DNV GLGreece’s Nikolaos Kakalis and first appearedin the class society’s Tanker Update.

Power flow of the discharge system. Photo credit - DNV GL.

TO



Combined with the new Navigator

Insight data collection and logging

software, ECO Insight gives

shipping companies a fast track to

an effective performance management system,

the class society said.

“ECO Insight allows our customers to take

the next step to greater efficiency. After

exploiting measures to improve the vessels,

like retrofitting, or engine de-rating, many of

our customers are taking an intensive look at

how their vessels are being operated,” said

Albrecht Grell, head of DNV GL’s Maritime

Advisory division. “In order to enhance the

way vessels are operated, the natural starting

point is to begin to monitor them in a

structured way.”

ECO Insight is claimed to provide a

comprehensive and easily accessible way to

manage the performance of a fleet, including

voyage, hull & propeller, engine & systems

performance. It adds to owners and operators

own fleet reports with industry data, such as

AIS, weather, or fuel and provides unique

benchmarking capabilities.

Advanced engineering systems, for example

hull fouling prediction, are also packaged into

the portal. Navigator Insight, due to many

smart plausibility checks against specific vessel

particulars, will ensure high quality data

collection on board, DNV GL said.

“As we tap into to existing data collection

processes on board, with pre-defined

dashboards and a web-based access to hosted

data, getting performance management up and

running in a shipping company is a matter of

several weeks, not months,” said Dr Torsten

Büssow, head of the performance management

unit at DNV GL. “There is no additional

hardware or data collection systems investment

required.”

The ECO Insight portal will also be open for

industry partners. For example, at SMM, an

agreement was signed with the Icelandic

energy management company, Marorka.

This agreement will allow DNV GL and

Marorka to integrate their data onto the ECO

Insight platform, in order to allow customers to

manage their complete fleets using the same

dashboards and benchmarks for vessels – even

if different data collection approaches are in

place on different vessels.

Extensive testsECO Insight and Navigator Insight have each

been extensively tested on some 80 vessels by

10 shipping companies worldwide and are in

productive use. Another 15 shipping companies

have already signed up to use DNV GL’s

performance management portal, the class

society said.

In conversation with Pierre Sames, DNV

GL’s director of technology and R&D for the

maritime sector, he explained that one of the

methods was to take away standard procedures

from the crew and make these procedures

automated. This will give seafarers more time

to concentrate of safety, he said.

To achieve this, there would be continuous

support from the shore via remote access to

systems on board. “This was something to

think about and learn from,” he said. This was

also the idea behind the ‘Connected Ship’

where remote operations could take over some

of the tasks faced by the crew.

With bandwidth communications costs going

down and the fitting of sensors becoming

easier and less costly, the storage of data is

becoming easier. AIS, radar and ECDIS are the

building blocks to create software analysis.

However, there is a need to consolidate the

data and collate it. “We need to integrate,

standardise and verify the data,” he said.

He confirmed that there were a number of

projects underway at DNV GL. One pilot

project involves 3,000 sensors which are

connected to a server in about one second.

“We can offer reliability research. It is the

drive for energy efficiency that is propelling

this move to more remote control,” he

stressed.

Performancemanagement tool

unveiledDNV GL has also introduced ECO Insight, a performance management portal.

TO

Pierre Sames.

Head of Maritime - Tor Svensen, who ispromoting the concept of theConnected Ship.

DNV GL’s Albrecht Grell.

TECHNOLOGY - UNDERWATER MAINTENANCE


Studies show that even a slight

build-up of slime on a ship’s hull

can cause a speed loss of around

0.5 knots, increasing fuel

consumption by up to 20%.

If a tanker burns 60 tonnes of fuel every day

for 250 days, that adds up to 3,000 tonnes of

fuel lost every year. At a time when fuel prices

are rising daily, that’s an expense no owner

and operator can afford to ignore, so keeping

hulls free from harmful micro-organisms is a

priority.

Protective hull coatings containing toxic

copper, organotin compounds and biocides

used to be the main weapon in the war against

invasive species, slime and bio-foul that try to

find a home on the underside of vessels. But

they are no longer an option, due to measures

introduced to eliminate the use of toxic

materials in the delicate marine environment.

Such anti-fouling paints containing harmful

organotins have been prohibited in the IMO’s

International Convention on the Control of

Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships. Anti-

fouling coatings now permitted for use are

much less effective, so shipowners have to

find ways to physically remove marine fouling

from hulls more frequently, while keeping the

disruption to their schedules to a minimum -

usually while the vessel is in the water, using

divers driving brush-carts. But that’s an

arduous, time-consuming and expensive

process – and it can remove 10-30% of the

protective coating with each clean.

GAC EnvironHull’s HullWiper was

developed as a response to this dilemma by

offering an alternative that optimises hull

cleaning, while protecting coatings, efficiently

and without compromising the delicate

balance of the marine environment.

It is a remotely operated diver-free

underwater hull cleaning system that uses a

brushless cleaning technology to remove

fouling from ships’ hulls. The HullWiper

remotely operated vehicle (ROV) uses

adjustable high-pressure water jets to spray

seawater directly onto the hull at a very high

velocity, delivering an environmentally-

friendly, efficient and effective clean.

Because only the water jets come into

contact with the hull surface and no harsh

chemicals, or scrubbing action is used, the

anti-fouling coatings and hull surface are not

damaged in any way.

ROV advantagesIn terms of the operational efficiency of

vessels, the ROV solution offers significant

advantages for owners and operators.

Environmental and safety regulations mean

that traditional hull cleaning using divers must

be specially scheduled, as it cannot go ahead

within port waters. However, HullWiper is

remotely controlled from the GAC support

vessel and requires no diver involvement, so

there’s no danger to life, no issue working

during the hours of darkness, or at very low

temperatures and no waiting around for the

right moment.

In addition, waste and pollutants removed

from the hull are captured, filtered and

disposed of in an environmentally friendly

manner onshore once cleaning is complete. As

such, cleaning with HullWiper can be

undertaken in port while a vessel is in

resupplying, loading cargo, or between

voyages, avoiding costly downtime.

ROV cleaning is also much faster.

Our system can clean 1,000-1,500 sq

m of hull per hour compared to the

200-300 sq m cleaned per hour with

conventional methods. For example,

cleaning the vertical sides of a VLCC,

approximately 8,000 sq m, would take

around eight hours with HullWiper,

instead of 16 hours using divers – and

that means big time savings for

operators. Add that to the fact that the

HullWiper method causes no damage

to expensive coatings and carries no

risk of potential fines, the GAC EnvironHull

option makes sound economic sense.

The entire operation is also recorded by an

on board camera and presented along with

cleaning reports so that owners and operators

can be assured of the work done.

At a time when owners and operators are

squeezed from all sides, using new

technologies to find efficiency solutions is key

to protecting their profits and reputation. GAC

EnvironHull works closely with customers,

coating manufacturers and port authorities to

integrate hull cleaning into day-to-day

operations, avoiding costly deviations or

downtime and unnecessary additional costs.

We now have HullWiper ROV’s operating

in the Swedish port of Gothenburg, as well as

in Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Fujairah with

permission from UAE Environmental

Department. We can also provide services

within all Norwegian ports with approval from

the Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency

KFT.

Further expansion is in the pipeline to meet

the needs of international clients seeking a

cost-effective and green solution.

GAC EnvironHull is part of the GAC

Group, a global provider of integrated

shipping, logistics and marine services. In

operation since 1956, GAC employs over

10,000 people in more than 300 offices

worldwide.

Improving defencesagainst underwater

hull growthIn this article, Simon Doran, managing director of GAC EnvironHull, explains how adiver-free, remotely controlled underwater hull cleaning system delivers significant

operational savings for tanker owners and operators.

TO

A HullWiper ROV.


TECHNOLOGY - SAFETY SYSTEMS

Improving maritimesafety, security andefficiency with AIS

Understanding and monitoring our oceans and their use is vital to our national defence.

It also affects the safety of marine transportation.*

This requires a variety of ocean

observation and maritime domain

awareness (MDA) technologies,

including the use of AIS data.

These technologies are available through the

private sector and the US Coast Guard’s

(USCG) National AIS (NAIS) initiative.

Last May, I testified before the US House

Subcommittee on USCG & Marine

Transportation about AIS and related

technologies, including the potential impacts

of federal regulatory activities in this area.

As a leading provider of AIS solutions and

data through our PortVision service, we work

with a wide variety of vessel operators,

marine terminals, government agencies and

every major oil company. We also provide

patented tools and technologies that increase

MDA and improve waterway safety, security,

and efficiency.

To do this, we maintain a global network of

VHF receivers that detect the AIS collision-

avoidance signals transmitted by vessels

around the world. Today, our PortVision AIS

network processes over 50 mill real-time

vessel position reports each day and we

maintain a data warehouse of over 40 bill

arrival, departure and individual vessel

movements, dating back to 2006.

While some might consider PortVision’s

AIS network to simply be a commercial

variation on the USCG’s NAIS initiative, the

latter is focused primarily on aggregating AIS

data around the US and its territories. In

contrast, the PortVision service has extended

real-time vessel detection globally through

both terrestrial and satellite AIS receivers.

Another important distinction is that NAIS

is primarily focused on AIS data acquisition

for use in VTS and related operational

environments, while PortVision is focused on

data harvesting and analysis to generate

business intelligence and enhance maritime

visibility, efficiency and decision-making. As

a result, current government systems

generally appear to be good at collecting and

displaying real-time data, but not aggregating

and making it broadly accessible to field

personnel so they can clearly understand

waterway utilisation.

Many of our commercial (non-government)

users have the benefit of commercial tools

like PortVision to support their mission, while

frequently, USCG, Army Corps and other

government field personnel do not have the

benefit of such tools.

The availability of AIS tools that go beyond

simple data aggregation creates many new

opportunities for companies as well as

government organisations. These include

scheduling vessels at oil refineries, supporting

incident response operations and supporting

homeland security and law enforcement

activities.

AIS value growthIn addition to being used in these new and

emerging applications, AIS value, in general,

continues to grow. For instance, AIS has been

used to support operations related to key

incidents, such as the ‘Deepwater Horizon’ oil

spill, major hurricane and weather events and

numerous compliance and law enforcement

activities.

AIS is also helping the maritime business

community accommodate today’s surge of US

Gulf traffic, including vessels transporting

crude oil shipments from new finds in

locations including the Dakotas, West Texas,

and Mexico. It is also being used for new

applications in pipeline, bridge and offshore

asset protection.

As an example, PortVision has partnered

with the Coastal and Marine Operators

(CAMO) industry trade association on a

system to pro-actively notify vessels and

pipeline operators when there is imminent risk

that a vessel might damage pipeline

infrastructure. Over the last 20 years there has

been more than $100 mill in property damage

and in excess of 25 fatalities associated with

these coastal and marine pipeline incidents.

Another AIS application is identifying bad

actors and driving regulatory compliance. For

example, PortVision has participated with the

Offshore Marine Service Association to

identify and report Jones Act violators. In a

similar type of application, port authorities

use PortVision to enforce speed and emission

reduction initiatives. Other customers in the

Federal Government use PortVision data and

services to support homeland security and

intelligence operations.

These applications and their associated

benefits are only possible if carriers transmit a

persistent AIS signal with accurate data,

which means that the Federal Government

must ensure that all vessels required to

transmit AIS maintain a consistent,

uninterrupted and accurate AIS transmission.

We know of no uniform enforcement, or

educational campaign by the USCG to ensure

compliance. While some regional Vessel

Traffic Service (VTS) offices are vigilant

about compliance, other regions have

significantly less active oversight – if any.

Finally, it is also important that federal

agencies move beyond government-funded

‘build-versus-buy’ MDA initiatives. The

commercial sector and small businesses offer

proven, valuable services at very low cost.

However, a ‘not invented here’ culture can

hinder their adoption by federal agencies and

prevent many USCG and other government

field personnel from operating as effectively

as their industry partners who are already

using AIS-based MDA tools.

*This article was written by DeanRosenberg, PortVision’s director, products,oceaneering global data solutions.

TO



This enables owners/operators to

design and build their own, fully

customised courses for any

training task.

The move into training came as a result of

the recent purchase of VIKING Saatsea, a

maritime software developer. VIKING Saatsea

develops 24/7 on board training systems for

STCW crew certification, enabling owners and

operators to continuously train their crews by

offering a combined solution that manages

planning, implementation and documentation.

VIKING Saatsea’s CEO, Kim Baarsøe, said;

“Vessel and rig owners desperately need to

improve their training capabilities. To start

with, training has to speed up. Due to

scheduling delays and the need to conduct

most training at land-based facilities, the time

from identification of a crew certification

requirement to the certificate actually being

available when it’s time to sail can be up to

three months. That’s far too long – and a real

problem for any sector that needs to mobilise

crew quickly to meet business opportunities.

“Often, personnel are urgently required at

sea but, even if they have recently completed

required training, they can’t report for work

until they have been appropriately certified or

re-certified. And that becomes very costly for

the business,” he said.

VIKING Saatsea’s market research showed

that the current costs of training a crew

member are widely considered to be too high.

At the same time, certificate administration –

finding out which crew members are available

with the right certification for the job, who

needs their skills upgraded or refreshed and

the current status of training activities by

vessel, or individual – is far too resource-

heavy.

At SMM, VIKING Saatsea released new

refresher packages designed to help

shipowners comply with the tougher demands

of STCW 2010, which comes into force on 1st

January, 2017.

With 15 months still to go, every available

seat in land-based training facilities will soon

be booked, the company claimed. The new

refresher packages let vessel owners keep

basic education on board up-to-date by

combining theoretical with practical exercises

and reducing land-based training to a single

day every five years.

Fixed price serviceMeanwhile, parent VIKING has introduced a

new fixed-price offering to follow its

Shipowner Agreements, enabling customers to

leverage the manufacturer’s global reach,

broad range and worldwide stock points to

streamline day-to-day

safety equipment

purchases in ports

worldwide.

VIKING’s new

‘Global Safety Product

Agreement’ is claimed

to be a unique,

centralised safety

equipment purchasing

agreement designed to

help shipowners who

need to acquire, or

replace safety equipment

in a variety of ports

around the world – and

who want to avoid

wasting valuable

resources and time to find the right product at

the right price.

Anyone whose vessels sail among multiple

ports is familiar with the problem, the

company said when a routine purchase

decision is made to replace pyrotechnics, an

EEBD, or other item needed to ensure safety

– and safety rules compliance – on board a

vessel.

While the item itself requires only a modest

expense, its true cost needs to reflect the time

and resources it takes to procure it. Over a

period of time, these hidden costs can inflate

the shipowner’s total safety equipment

investment. And to make matters worse,

varying local conditions mean that vessels

often buy products whose pricing, quality and

compliance can swing widely from port to

port.

VIKING CEO Henrik Uhd Christensen

explained: “Shipowners don’t want to spend

too much time dealing with minor, one-off

purchases, they don’t want to risk buying sub-

standard equipment and they certainly don’t

want to overpay for anything in the name of

convenience.

“Highly efficient shipping operations, for

example, have carefully specified the types of

equipment that make business sense for their

fleet. But working with local marine suppliers

takes time and they may not have a similar

product in terms of quality, compliance, or

price in stock,” he explained.

At SMM, VIKING also released new

developments in PPE clothing, safety

equipment outsourcing, on board training

solutions and evacuation systems, as well as a

catalogue that almost doubles the number of

maritime products.

These included a new constant wear work

lifejacket, the PV9340. Designed for tough

marine and offshore work applications, it

combines superior in-water performance and

durability with a comfortable, ergonomic

design. Also introduced was the patented

LifeCraft – a hybrid new super-sized, flexible

evacuation system that brings together the

best of lifeboats and liferafts in one.

VIKING introducestraining

Danish-based marine safety equipment manufacturer VIKING Life-Saving Equipmenthas introduced what it claims is the first on board training system.

TO

VIKING CEO Henrik Uhd Christensen.

New VDR standardslead to newinnovations

Voyage Data Recorders (VDRs) are in the news again, as from 1st July, 2014, allrecorders installed must comply with the new standard as set out in IMO

resolution MSC.333(90) and IEC61996-1 Ed 2.0.



Danelec Marine, a leading supplier

of VDRs and ECDIS, has created

up to 20 certified service centres

in key locations, as part of a

global strategy to upgrade its existing

distributor network.

Augmenting the company’s service

coverage in more than 50 countries, the

centres will maintain a large inventory of

replacement units and spares to ensure

availability at short notice to ships anywhere

in the world.

SRH Marine Electronics, based in Piraeus,

is among the first Danelec Marine distributors

to become a certified centre.

“This is a major element in our structured

programme of continuous improvement in our

worldwide service support network,” said

Hans Ottosen, Danelec Marine CEO. “We are

also setting up new distribution partners in

countries where we believe our service

capability is not up to our standards.

“In many cases, Port State Control

authorities may not allow a ship to depart until

the VDR or ECDIS is repaired and tested to be

functioning properly. That’s why we ensure

that qualified service technicians and spares

are available worldwide and that our products

are designed for fast and easy serviceability,”

he said.

Ottosen also explained that the company’s

new-generation VDR products incorporate the

company’s SoftWare Advanced Protection

(SWAP) technology, which saves time and

money in shipboard service by removing

repairs from ship to shore. All of the VDR’s

software programs and configuration files are

on a hot-swappable memory card. If the VDR

fails, the service technicians simply remove

the memory card from the malfunctioning

VDR and insert it into a replacement unit. The

old unit is then taken to shore for repair in one

Man overboard safety and rescue is our concern and speciality

Hvaleyrarbraut 3 Hafnarfjordur, IS-220

Iceland Tel: +354 5651375

Main partners:

UK: Energy Marine Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1525 851234

USA: Marine Rescue Technologies Inc. Tel: +1 772 388 1326

Markusnet Type MS is designed for man overboard recovery on all types of ships, offshore installations and dams with less than 40 metre height from water level upto rescue deck or platform.

Markus Scramble net Type SCN6 is a mobile light weight scramble-net / cradle recovery system for deck vessels and offshore installations with either rail or special fastenings inside bulwark where they are to be used. Less than 1/6 of the weight of traditional scramble-nets.

Markus MOB boat rescue-net is light, quick fastening, takes little space, provides easy and fast method to place the casualty in the net, is soft but firm around the casualty, provides easy lift by one or two persons and is easy to repack after use.

Markus MOB boat rescue-net

Markus Scramble-net

Markusnet Type: MS [email protected] - www.MarkusLifenet.com

Danelec’s system’s memory cards can be easily taken from a malfunctioning VDR.



Uniservice Germany GmbH Hansa Lifeboat Germany Hansa Safety Services BV Uniservice Norway

HANSA LIFEBOAT Germany

Fire Fighting & Safety Services:

²

Calibration Services:

Lifeboat and Davit service approvals:

of Danelec’s certified workshops.

Danelec also unveiled VDRConnect, a Web-

based remote access service available with the

Danelec DM100 VDR.

VDRConnect is an interface module that

provides selective transmission of data from

the Danelec DM100 via satellite to the home

office. The VDRConnect module connects

directly to the ship’s IT and satellite

communication systems without the need for a

separate PC.

Ottosen said that the Oil Companies

International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has

called for proactive use of VDRs to enhance

safety at sea. “OCIMF believes that the VDR

can be a very useful tool for detecting unsafe

practices, analysing incidents and correcting

navigational mistakes.

“Using data from the VDR, the

shipmanager can set up remedial crew

training, correct poor practices and create

event-driven rules for parameters such as

depth beneath keel at speed, traffic separation

scheme adherence or voyage plans, with

automatic warnings for deviations detected,”

he said.

Other shipboard systems not mandated by

the IMO standard, such as fuel meters, main

engines, generators, auxiliary machinery and

weather sensors, can also be connected to the

VDR.

The DM100 is claimed to be the first VDR

to be type-approved and Wheelmarked under

the new IMO VDR Standard, which came into

force at the beginning of July.

Transas has selected Danelec Marine as one

of the company’s suppliers of VDRs. Under

the agreement, Transas has become an

authorised partner for Danelec Marine,

providing VDRs for newbuilds and retrofits

through its sales offices and representatives

around the world.

Kelvin Hughes’ new X-VDR also meets

these stricter regulations and also offers more

flexibility, functionality and features.

In line with the new MSC resolution, the X-

VDR has both a fixed and float free capsule,

each capable of holding a minimum of 48

hours of voyage data, as well as a long term

storage medium which will record 30 days of

data before overwriting the oldest record.

The recording of ECDIS and a second radar

is enabled via an Ethernet connection along

with the ability to interface for data download

via the high resolution, touch screen, bridge-

mounted console display.

The X-VDR system comprises a Main

Electronic Unit (MEU) which features a

compact and innovative cable gland design

with specialised cable entries for installing

VGA, video, power and capsule cables

directly into the VDR, enabling customisation

for individual vessels. The MEU also contains

an easy “swap out” OS drive as its long-term

storage medium.

In addition, the X-VDR features 10

individual channels, allowing up to 16

microphones and 4 VHF inputs.

Kevin Hughes new X-VDR.

TO



UK-based safety andcommunications specialist OceanSignal has launched what itclaims is the world’s smallestpersonal locator beacon -rescueME PLB1.

Easy to use and 30% smaller than other

personal locator beacons, rescueME PLB1 is

claimed to be ideal for a range of applications

in the commercial market.

Used to alert search and rescue services in

the event of an emergency at sea, another

product - the SafeSea E100G EPIRB - has the

longest quoted operational battery life in the

industry with enough capacity to operate the

EPIRB continuously, typically for four days,

even using the E100G with GPS fix. It is fitted

with a 50-channel, integral GPS.

Ocean Signal’s SafeSea S100 SART is

designed to assist in the rescue and recovery

of liferafts and survival craft and transmits a

series of pulses which provide a bearing, while

the

SafeSea V100 survival craft hand portable

radiotelephone is ultra-rugged and easy to use,

both on-board and in distress situations, the

company said.

The company has recently expanded its

production space and research and

development facilities by 40% to meet

increased global demand for its range of safety

products for the commercial sector and to

prepare for the production and distribution of

new products later this year.

Ocean Signal has also announced several

new distribution agreements in recent months,

including FURUNO Italia in Italy, All Sat

Communications in Australia and True

Heading in the Netherlands, bringing the

number of countries served to more than 40.

Smallest personal locator beacon

Servowatch Systems, a specialist in marineautomation and system integration, has introducedServoCore, a new AMC (alarm, monitoring and control)solution.

The UK-based company, a business unit of the Electrical & Automation

division of India’s engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro, has

adapted its technology used in its bespoke automation and integration

solutions supplied to the naval and specialist ship sectors to meet

commercial shipping needs.

Servowatch Systems’ head of R&D, Stafford Williams, said: “Drawing

on our knowledge and expertise from approaching 40 years in systems

integration development, we have designed a new COTS (commercial-off-

the-shelf) range of entry level systems that offer a reliable and highly cost-

effective solution that meets the robust demands of the commercial

shipping fleet.”

ServoCore has been specifically developed to deliver COTS solutions

for all shipping sectors, including tankers. The standard packages are

future-proofed for the integration of additional components.

The company’s patented software solution WinMon is at the heart of the

new AMC solution.

Both the company’s ServoCore and ServoFusion solutions can also be

expanded to incorporate the ship safety and security management aspects

of the company’s new ServoSecurity offering. This can be integrated to

manage shipboard fire, flood and emergency situations and optimising

evacuation processes.

Last year, Servowatch secured a large contract to provide IPMS for the

Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s new MARS (Military Afloat Reach and

Sustainability) tankers, currently under construction by South Korean

shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME).

The four 38 000 gt MARS tankers, which are due for delivery from

2016, will receive a Servowatch scope of supply that includes operator

interfaces for all the vessels’ shipboard machinery.

TO

The minute size of the locator beacon canclearly be seen.

Servowatch unveils new off-the-shelf alarm,monitoring & control system (AMC)

TO

THE FOUNDATION FOR SAFETY OF NAVIGATION

AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

SHIP HANDLING RESEARCH

AND TRAINING CENTRE

ILAWA

Our Training Centre offers you:

SPECIALIZED COURSES IN HANDLING OF

LARGE TANKERS!• Two fully equipped manned models representing

tankers of capacity 150 000 DWT and 280 000 DWT

are available;

• STS operations, approaching SBM and FPSO are

included in the programme;

• Harbour manoeuvres are supported by manned

models of large ASD and tractor tugs.

For further information please contact:

Ship Handling Research and Training Centre,

Ilawa, Polandtel./fax: +48 89 648 74 90 or +48 58 341 59 19

e-mail: [email protected]

www.ilawashiphandling.com.pl

�� ! ""�� #��

��$��%��&��"�� "��"��'�� #��"� "�� ( "�(��! ��"��"�)��'��!!��" "��

��*&��+��

�� "'''," �� "��,��!

�-��-��%�� $+��-'��#��(��"��(��'��"�� "��!!�� "�� "��,��'��#�.��"�(��#��! ��"��#"��"�)#��!�/��!��"! ��# �"��"�"��"��'��

��&�� "!��"��! 0��/��!��"�1��2(�""��3

$�4��! � ��!��"2� #�")2��(��!��" ��"�� "��

��5��%��*�� !!�� "�)��(��!��"�

��

��


TECHNOLOGY - TANK SERVICING

The number is expected to climb in

the coming months, as new

coatings advancements are

introduced and coatings contracts

are signed, APC said.

APC has recently developed a new ‘eco-

friendly’ MarineLine 784 formulation with

added performance benefits.

MarineLine 784’s VOC level has been

reduced to only 30 grams per litre, which is

the lowest level of any other cargo tank

coating, the company claimed.

This new coating formulation can be

sprayed using several methods. The first

method uses plural component equipment to

separately hold the coating components (resin

and catalyst) until spraying occurs. This

reduces waste and eliminates the need for

added solvent.

Another method - airless spraying - can be

used after adding in a recommended amount

of non-VOC solvent to the coating prior to

application. APC said that it is trying to lead

the maritime industry into using more

advanced spray technologies used by other

industrial markets.

Methanol resistantA key performance feature of new coating is

its ability to resist Methanol up to 50 deg C.

This is a growing need by shipowners and

operators, especially carrying Methanol in the

Middle East region, where temperatures can

escalate. This is made possible because APC

has engineered even tighter crosslinking in

MarineLine 784’s ladder-like structure, with

very small openings between the rungs. This

is far superior to the large openings of Phenol

Epoxy coatings, the company said.

When cured, MarineLine 784 is virtually

impenetrable by preventing even very small

chemical molecules from entering into the

polymer structure. With over 600 chemical

and product tankers coated with MarineLine,

this is the only proven high performance

cargo tank lining that withstands all IMO

approved chemical cargoes, APC said.

The new coating provides more chemical

resistance than stainless steel and phenolic

epoxies, with superior resistance to acids,

alkalis and solvents, such as Methanol.

APC is also marketing its patented

GuardLine cargo tank coating. This ‘low

temperature cure’ tank coating is offered at a

lower cost than MarineLine, as the coating

does not require heat curing.

This provides shipowners and operators

with a choice of MarineLine 784 — for

higher level chemical service, or GuardLine

— for its ability to carry less severe cargoes,

such as CPP, bio-fuels, vegetable and edible

oils and DPP.

APC claimed that GuardLine’s unique

advantages are greater versatility and

chemical resistance than any Phenolic Epoxy,

or Zinc, coating on the market today, but at a

cost that is comparable to these coatings.

GuardLine, with its distinctive blue colour,

only requires an ambient cure at +25 deg C

(+77 deg F) to achieve high service

capability. This tank coating is also

engineered with an eco-friendly ultra low

VOC formulation and can be applied by

plural component, or airless spray equipment.

Because of the broad versatility of both

coatings, APC said that it is now working on

several vessels and signing contracts for

others. Currently, a multi-vessel tank coating

project is underway at YARDIMCI Shipyard

in Tuzla, Turkey, which is using GuardLine

cargo tank coating for product tankers under

construction for Palmali Shipping.

In addition, APC is working with a number

of shipowners and shipyards on new

contracts for 2015 and beyond, the company

said.

Eco-friendly tankcoating hits the

marketMore than 600 ships have now been treated with Advanced Polymer Coatings (APC)

patented MarineLine tank coating.

An APC inspector checks the application of the GuardLine cargo tank coating at theYARDIMCI Shipyard in Turkey on a newbuild Palmali Shipping vessel.

TO

IRI International Registries GmbH��

tel: +49 40 361 6681 30 | [email protected] www.register-iri.com

service and quality are within your reach

Tanker Operator [2014.Oct]

Documents

Transcript of Tanker Operator [2014.Oct]