General News

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…

THICKNESS TESTING The latest through-coating multiple echo ultrasonic thickness gauge from Cygnus Instruments has a lightweight and environmentally sealed IP65 case with a backlit liquid crystal display which can be viewed in…

Knut Andresen, Technical Director for Brunvoll A/S explains the need for and the measures to reduce noise from tunnel thrusters. With increasing environmental pressures and restrictions on anchoring at some of the…

GAS MONITORING The EX-PLUS personal combustible gas detector from TQ Environmental meets the requirements of the new Solas ll Part D Regulation 59, in which portable combustible gas detectors are mandatory aboard…

Revised lub oil formulations appear to have tackled problems of black paint. The problem of so-called black paint and sludge in medium-speed engines caused by fuel contamination of the lub oils seemed…

SAFETY DBC Marine Safety Systems has introduced a mini-slide system to work in conjunction with its IBAs (reversible inflatable platforms) and liferafts. The mini-slide has been designed to meet the USCG and…

The ability to achieve a key target is helped by the launch of a new product at this year`s SMM exhibition. Alstom Turbochargers aims to achieve sales of 2,000 units by 2000…

BRIDGE SYSTEMS A contract, worth $1 million, has been awarded by Horizon Exploration to A-N-D Group to supply a Raytheon/Anschutz integrated bridge system for its largest seismic research vessel, Atlantic Horizon, which…

SMM, Hamburg`s biennial gathering of shipbuilding industries, has grown again and many exhibitors will use the show to launch new products. Each day, The Motor Ship will publish a daily newletter/paper providing…

COMMUNICATIONS The Webtrack messaging and tracking service uses the Internet to allow fleet managers and their agents to keep track of and in touch with their fleets, says BT. Webtrack uses existing…

In its first launch since acquiring a number of suppliers Litton Marine Systems offers an improved version of a Decca radar Decca`s BridgeMaster radars have established their mark in the marine market…

Subject to shareholder agreement, Cammell Laird Holdings is to buy ALB Holdings, owner of the Wear Dockyard Group, for a total consideration of £32.68 million ($54.68 million). The Wear Dockyard Group operates…

The economic turmoil in Asia has weakened the markets for raw materials and has contributed to the downward pressure on shipping rates globally. :Despite the dramatic fall in the value of all…

Navieras NPR of New Jersey has awarded a 76 day repair contract to Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co for the drydocking, modification and repair of the S/S Guayama, a 213.36m roro serving…

Further efforts are being made to eliminate substandard shipping. The Committee for the Elimination of Substandard Ships (CESS) meeting in Pusan came up with a seven-point plan while the OECD is exploring…

Cunard Line`s Royal Viking Sun has been stemmed to Malta Drydocks for a $3.2 million refit. Work will take 13 days from September 19, and includes significant refurbishment of passenger areas and…

There are encouraging signs that the shipbuilding market may have bottomed out and could start to recover next year. The Gothenburg-based Institute of Shipping Analysis predicts orders for vessels over 400g will…

According to Intercargo, in 1997 five bulk carriers were actual total losses and two constructive total losses - only one was attributable to structural failure. These figures show a considerable improvement on…

Japan The Evergreen Group, of Taiwan, has ordered five 5,364 TEU U-class container vessels from Japan`s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The vessels will be delivered at regular phases until the second quarter of…

Norway Kvaerner Fjellstrand has secured an order from Maltese Shipping Company Virtu Ferries Ltd for the construction of a FlyingCat 50, the yard`s proven high-speed passenger/vehicle ferry design. The ferry newbuilding will…

USA The Halter Marine Group`s Halter-Moss Point yard is to build a 6,000g roro vessel for the transportation of rocket booster cores. Seattle-based Foss Maritime, which has been selected to transport Boeing-built…

Two of Incat`s latest newbuildings have both recently made record-breaking Atlantic crossings. On June 10, the 91m wave-piercer catamaran Catalonia completed the 2,972 nautical mile Atlantic crossing from New York to Tarifa,…