Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia) launched the first of two fleet tankers ordered by the Indian Navy, with delivery scheduled by the end of the year. First announced at Euronaval in 2008, the order is the first surface vessel India has ever made to a European company and followed a selection procedure with strong international competitors, especially from Russia and Korea.

At 175 metres long, 25 wide and 19 high, the fleet tanker is a supply and logistic support vessel with a displacement at full load of 27,500 tonnes and a propulsion system of two 10,000 kW diesel engines enabling her to reach a maximum speed of 20 knots. Notable features of the vessel are its propulsion system incorporating a shaft with adjustable pitch propellers and a flight deck for medium weight helicopters (up to 10 tons). Maximum passenger capacity is 250 including crew and additional forces. Equipped with double hatches the tanker can refuel four vessels at the same time.

In accordance with the new Marpol regulations of the International Maritime Organization regarding protection of the environment, the ship has been built with a double hull. This will afford greater protection to the fuel tanks, thereby avoiding the risk of pollution in case of collision or damage.

Cooperation with India started in 2004 when Fincantieri drew up two contracts with Cochin shipyard for the design of an engine (one of the most powerful non-nuclear propulsion systems in the world), technology transfer and provision of complementary services for the construction of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC). Furthermore, in 2007 the company delivered the “Sagar Nidhi”, an oceanographic vessel for the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) of Madras, which is already operating off the Indian coast.

Crowley has signed a contract with Bollinger Shipyards to build two newly designed ocean going tugboats, with options for additional vessels. These 10,880-horsepower tugs are the beginning of a new-build program at Crowley to further enhance its ocean towing, salvage and offshore support capabilities.

The new tugs will be ideally suited to work with Crowley’s new 455 series heavy lift deck barges, which measure 400 feet by 105 feet and offer increased stability for loads up to 4,200 pounds per square foot. Additionally, the tugs will be outfitted for, and capable of, rig moves, platform and Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit tows, emergency response and firefighting.

Tugs will be 146 feet long, 44 feet wide and have a draft of 21 feet. They are designed to have a minimum bollard pull of 150 metric tons, and range for the vessels will be approximately 12,600 nautical miles at 15 knots free running. The tugs’ features are designed with personnel safety as a priority. The waterfall style winch, shark jaws and retractable pins can all be controlled from the pilothouse, keeping the deck clear of personnel and creating a safer working environment.

The tugs will meet all SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) criteria, and including ABS Fi-Fi 1 firefighting standards. Additionally, the Ocean Class vessels will have the capability to support salvage and rescue towing opportunities, as well as the U.S. Navy’s SUPSALV Contract.

The next DP Conference, to be held October 12-13, 2010 in Houston, is internationally recognized as the industry's leading conference on Dynamic Positioning. The Conference attracts an international audience of industry professionals. A call for papers has been issued with deadline for abstracts in April 15, 2010.

Those selected to present papers will have the opportunity to address a highly sophisticated and knowledgeable audience. In addition, papers presented at the conference become part of an extensive library of DP material accessible through the DP website. This technological know-how and data covers a broad range of DP issues, incidents, and topics, providing the most recent, and comprehensive single source of DP information and DP industry technical papers available anywhere worldwide.

Technical Committee will consider papers addressing the following topics:

• Arctic Vessels, Workboats, Shuttle Tankers
• Operations and Procedures, Simultaneous Operations
• DP Design and Control
• Power Plant Management
• Thrusters, Sensors
• New Technologies
• Reliability, Risk and Regulations
• Environmental Issues
• Training Methods

If you have a different topic which you feel would be of technical or operational interest to the industry, please submit if for consideration.

Wärtsilä Corporation and Trojan Technologies have signed an exclusive agreement to jointly develop, market, and distribute a ballast water treatment product for ships. The two companies will gain synergistic benefits from the combined strength of Wärtsilä's global reach and presence in the marine market, and from Trojan Technologies' experience in developing ultraviolet treatment solutions. The ballast water treatment product is presently in pre-production, with third-party validation to take place in late 2010. The innovative ballast water treatment product is expected to enter the market at the end of the year.

Changing regulations in the marine industry have driven the need for this new ballast water treatment product. In 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the Global Ballast Water Convention, which mandated ballast water treatment. Ballast water is used to stabilize vessels when not fully loaded: water is taken in when a ship unloads cargo, and released when it is loaded again. Water that is taken in at one port is often released at another, which can result in the introduction of non-indigenous organisms into fragile ecosystems. Untreated ballast water has been an issue of serious public concern during recent years.

According to the Global Ballast Water Convention, all vessels built prior to 2009 will need to install a certified ballast water treatment (BWT) system by 2014 or 2016, depending on the ballast water capacity of the vessel. Since 2009, all new vessels are required to install a BWT system. For the convention to come into full force, it must be ratified by 30 countries representing 35 per cent of the global fleet's dead weight tonnage. Currently 21 countries representing 23 per cent of the world's dead weight tonnage have ratified, and full ratification is expected to occur in 2011.

Warship 2010 conference “Advanced Technologies in Naval Design and Construction” (9-10 June, London) will provide the opportunity to both present advanced technologies which have been developed and are now or will shortly become available to the designer, builder and operator of naval vessels, and to update on future developments in such technologies. The organizers are calling for papers with emphasis on advanced and future technologies (deadline closes 26 February).

The continuing development and use of advanced technologies in the design, construction and operation of naval vessels of all types will be necessary in meeting the increasing demands of governments and navies for lower procurement and operating costs. The use of such advanced technologies will also be essential in enabling naval vessels to meet the increasing demand to reduce their impact on the environment through improved energy efficiency and the sustainable use of resources.

Papers are invited on developments in the following fields:

• Hull technology and design
• Construction methods
• Design, construction and planning software
• Hydrodynamics
• Materials
• Survivability
• Maintenance
• Equipment
• Rules and regulation.

Wärtsilä has introduced a new portfolio of services, Environmental Services, which offer both marine and energy market customers the most extensive set of environmentally-related services, products and solutions in the industry. These services will help customers to minimize emissions into the air and water, and help them to meet increasingly stringent legislation and regulations.

The new portfolio includes a range of products, solutions and services aimed at both land-based power plants and ship installations. As part of the portfolio, Wärtsilä offers catalysts (SCR) that treat nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, while scrubbers are offered for removing sulphur oxides (SOx). Both are harmful emissions that have detrimental effects on humans and nature. Wärtsilä can also offer complete oily water treatment systems for power plants and marine applications that meet the most stringent standards.

In addition, Wärtsilä is able to offer total service packages, including start-ups, installations, engineering work, and maintenance and repairs. The company is also planning to develop a new area of expertise, namely consultancy services, to support customers in optimizing their environmental performance. Further plans to broaden the company's services offering to customers are also in the works.

A critical element in shipbuilding, the rigging process currently has limited documentation to guide and instruct those employees involved, impacting schedule and use of resources, as well as effecting training and safety issues. The project team, led by NASSCO (USA), developed the Rigging Planning Guide based on a review of domestic regulatory requirements and standards for rigging within and outside the shipbuilding industry.

The Rigging Planning Guide is comprised of the following:

• Lift Check Sheet – quick reference sheet providing a list of questions or checks which a rigging engineer should consider before carrying out a lift design
• Approach Lift Guidance (and training) – refers to the Lift Check Sheet and provides further details for engineers if an explanation is not apparent in the Lift Check Sheet
• Rigging Lift Common Component Catalog – a comprehensive index of common rigging equipment

Future Plans:

• Expand catalog of equipment
• Additional training information
• Review and compare data on synthetic slings deficiencies
• Methods of reducing or limiting complexity of finite element models
• Guide for classically analyzing blocks based on structure type

The Federation of National Associations of Shipbrokers and Agents (FONASBA) has taken an initiative towards setting quality standards for ship agents and brokers. The Quality Standard (QS) will serve to assist shipowners and operators in their selection of who is to represent them. This will ensure a specific level of knowledge and experience as well as financial standing of their selected representative.

The QS was initially launched in October 2007 and includes a regular audit controlled by the national associations and overseen by FONASBA to ensure that the required criteria are maintained and that the member displays a demonstrable and tangible commitment to quality. BIMCO fully endorsed this initiative as an important step in raising quality standards, generally, as well as specifically for the agents and brokers sector.

The Quality Standard was discussed in detail at the recent FONASBA General Meeting in South Africa, where BIMCO also participated in its capacity as a Club member of the Federation. At the meeting, it was confirmed that so far ten FONASBA member associations, representing nearly 200 companies in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Great Britain, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United States now apply the standard. A number of other associations are currently developing the relevant criteria. It is clear, therefore, that this initiative is gaining in stature and is becoming accepted as the global standard for professionalism and quality performance in the ship brokers and agency sector.

Austal has successfully launched its next generation 102 metre high speed trimaran vehicle-passenger ferry at its Western Australian facility. With a customisable seating arrangement for up to 1165 passengers, capacity for 254 cars and a maximum speed of more than 40 knots, the all-aluminium vessel is scheduled for completion in February 2010 and is currently available for sale.

Austal’s patented trimaran technology means the vessel uses less power than other high speed craft operating at similar speeds, resulting in lower fuel consumption and improved operating economy. The vessel also has the ability to maintain higher speeds in waves and operate in higher wave heights, meaning it is less subject to weather induced cancellations and delays. The hull form also reduces waves created behind the vessel which, like the lower installed power, reduces environmental impacts.

Austal’s trimaran hull form also forms the basis of the US Navy’s 127 metre Austal-designed and built Littoral Combat Ship LCS 2 “Independence”.

The International Dynamic Positioning Operators Association (IDPOA) announced the launch of the inaugural International Dynamic Positioning (DP) Excellence Awards and invites mariners from across the world to nominate their shining stars of the Dynamic Positioning sector. The history of DP is one of groundbreaking innovation and pioneering development and with the successful development of IDPOA comes the recognition of professionals working in this sector of shipping.

These awards recognise and celebrate excellence across the industry in categories which reflect the scope of this hugely specialised area:

• DP Operator of the Year
• Onboard Trainer/Mentor of the Year
• Leader of the Year
• Training Centre of the Year
• Lecturer of the Year
• Manufacturer of the Year
• Innovation of the Year
• DP Vessel of the Year
• Investor in People Award
• Outstanding Services to DP Award

As well as celebrating the success of individuals, the awards will honour and acknowledge developments in training, equipment and operations, which have opened up previously untapped maritime possibilities, and developments that have made the pursuit of the seemingly impossible, not just feasible but safe, clean and cost-effective.