General News

The year 2000 problem represents a critical business risk with well documented problems evident already and warnings of worse to come. An IMO/US Coast Guard report on the year 2000 threat in…

The Siemens/Schottle consortium has secured the first order for its SSP azimuthing podded drive. The SSP uses a permanently excited magnet motor that does not require air cooling and is said to…

MAN B&W`s Alpha Diesel has picked up its first order for a complete propulsion package for a 50cm bore low-speed engine. The 7S50MC-C VBS complete with a CPP and controls is destined…

Kistler has introduced the Engine Peak Meter II, Type 2515A - a simplified version of its hand-held unit that can be used on diesel engines running up to 2,000 rev/min. The unit…

Operational experience - with a mixture of designs - on the Irish Sea indicates positive support for fast ferry services. While some concerns have been raised about disruptions to fast ferry routes…

The MacGregor-Conver Unilock twistlock combines the functions of the W20 semi-automatic twistlock and the AFC-1 automatic fixing cone in a single unit, says the company. It has been developed to meet the…

Naval and Jones Act vessels continue to be the mainstay of US yards The National Shipbuilding and Shipyard Conversion Act of 1993 provided the much-needed stimulus for the USA`s re-emergence onto the…

A tank cleaning monitoring system is being introduced by Saab Marine Electronics and Scanjet. Called WashTrac the system is fitted to the Scanjet tank cleaning machine and communicates with the Saab TankRadar…

After years of complaining about the impact of sub-standard shipping belief is growing that the development of a better safety culture may be effective. The drive to remove sub-standard ships is gathering…

The Doctor system from Icon Research has been revised to allow the user to take engine readings and see calculated results without having to use a PC, says the company. The instrument…

Operators have several ways to meet IMO`s latest Solas requirement for venting cargo tanks. Incidents like the rupture of an over-pressurised tank in a VLCC caused IMO to look again at the…

French Classification Society, Bureau Veritas, has launched VeriStar Machinery, a risk-based classification system which covers main machinery, safety and pollution prevention items, plus other areas of ship`s equipment and facilities. It integrates…

With the world GDP growing at only 2 per cent during 1998, the container ship industry is under constant pressure to reduce costs and improve efficiency. No part of shipping is so…

Transas has introduced two types of liquid cargo handling simulator: one for oil tanker operations and the other for operators on LPG vessels. Main features include the layout of the tanks, pipelines,…

IMO has approved a draft Assembly resolution including a deadline of 2008 for the complete prohibition of organotins acting as biocides in antifouling. Tributyltin (TBT) is one of the most effective organotin…

The latest range of satellite phones from O`Gara Satellite Networks feature interchangeable antennas to allow them to be used at sea, on the road or as a portable unit, says the company.…

Aratere is a flexible rail/vehicle ferry fitted with the first example of a special mooring system developed in New Zealand. Launched on September 8, 1998 at the newly privatised H J Barreras…

Philippines yard Keppel Batangas put its new graving dock into operation recently with the docking of locally owned passenger cargo vessel Super Ferry 8. The new drydock measures 200 x 38m with…

The IMF has assured the Danish Ministry of Economic Affairs that money made available to Korea has not been used to subsidise shipbuilding. In March, the IMF`s Nordic-Baltic office was asked if…

The A&P Group won significant repair contracts for three of its yards during November. A&P Falmouth started repair work on the Landing Ship Logistics (LSL) vessel Sir Percivale in December for the…

PSC in Cyprus has found 28 forged and two genuine certificates it believes have been issued following the presentation of forgeries. Capt Andreas Constantinou, Cyprus` senior surveyor, says suspicion was aroused by…

Class societies BV and LR have been given notified body status to issue the EU`s new type-approval certification on marine equipment. Their status covers the following categories: life-saving appliances; marine pollution prevention;…

Greece`s Minoan Lines has signed a contract with Korean yard Samsung Heavy Industries for two fast 28,000g passenger/car ferries. The cost of each vessel is approximately $75 million, and the contract includes…