General News

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has decided to invest in new tonnage for its VLCC fleet and has ordered a double-hulled VLCC at Japan`s Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI). The contract, the value…

Japanese engine manufacturer Niigata has introduced an HLX medium-speed series in 22, 28 and 34cm bore sizes. Piston strokes are 300mm, 400mm, and 500mm respectively, giving engine speeds of 1,000/900 rev/min, 750/720…

Both MAN B&W and Wartsila NSD have picked up orders for their largest bore engines. MAN B&W has secured an order for eight of its 98 bore engines (five 10K98MC-C and three…

Kamewa has introduced a seven-bladed water jet impeller which is said to reduce pressure pulses by an average of 25 per cent, and give a 15 per cent increase in cavitation margin.…

The StackBeam system from MacGregor, designed to allow containers to be carried on the weatherdecks of ships not originally designed to accommodate them without the need for hatch cover strengthening or replacement,…

Hays Ships in the UK has awarded Cegelec`s Marine and Offshore Division a contract to provide and install a dynamic positioning system for Kommandor 3000, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) support ship.…

For much of the 1990s, international trade in LPG, LNG and other gas commodities has grown steadily, with increases averaging around 5 per cent per annum. For the next few years, much…

A series of pressure transmitters intended for engine room and cargo monitoring has been launched by Autronica. The standard measuring range is 0 to 60 bar gauges, or 0 to 40 bar…

The end of September saw Meyer Werft hand over the 76,800g cruise ship Superstar Leo to its owners Star Cruises a week earlier than planned. As the first of four cruise vessels…

The suite of fleet management software modules from ABS has been expanded following the merger of its SafeNet with the Nautical Technology Corporation (NTC) Ship Manager program. The two management systems have…

About 2,900 shipbuilders, or two thirds of those who once worked for Bremer Vulkan now have new jobs. Many have not gone back into the few remaining local yards, but it indicates…

ICS Electronic has launched a GMDSS A2/A3 communication system called the ICS Touchcomm TC2. A touch screen display allows control of both the VHF and MF/HF radios via one common control panel,…

Almost 80 per cent of the merchant ships built last year were propelled by two-stroke engines. Simplicity, both by design and direct drive, along with low running and maintenance costs have proved…

Stratos Mobile Networks has introduced Stratos Mail, a messaging service that allows Inmarsat-A/-B Telex or -C equipped vessels to communicate directly via satellite with Intemet e-mail subscribers. On the vessel, Stratos Mail…

The recently completed floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel Varg is designed for use in the harsh environment of the North Sea. Delivered in September by Keppel FELS Singapore Ltd, Varg…

Dubai Drydocks will commence an extensive refit of the FPSO Cossack Pioneer during February 1999. The contract was awarded by Woodside Energy after competitive tender, and is seen as an important step…

Exhibition space at Shiprepair & Conversion `98 has increased by 30 per cent and is full to capacity, according to the organisers. This year`s event takes place on November 18-19 at London`s…

Cegelec Projects has supplied a triple voting dynamic positioning system to R & B Falcon`s FPSO Seillean. The upgraded vessel will be used on the world`s deepest production well, at 1,900m, by…

Tanker owners` association Intertanko has calculated that the cost of changing ballast water in a VLCC as proposed by the IMO will be $1,800 per trip, costing the industry over $18.6 million/year…

San Diego`s Southwest Marine officially acquired the Norfolk, VA shiprepairer Norshipco on October 1. This gives Southwest significant repair capacity on both coasts. Terms were not disclosed, but Norshipco has not been…

Fortunes are mixed for both French shipowners and especially for its shipbuilders. After a fall in 1995, the French fleet has slowly recovered and has been static at 210 vessels grossing 4.2…

Transmission In designing the twin input/single output reduction gearboxes for the cruise ship Blue Sea,Valmet Power Transmission paid special attention to noise reduction. The transmissions will couple four 5,280kW Wartsila 8L38 engines…

An Indonesian/German joint venture has seen the delivery of the first in a series of five fast passenger ferries built to enhance Indonesia`s island transportation network. In 1995 the Indonesian state-owned line…