Shortlisting for the Portasonic 2.FL0 in the Security & Fire Excellence Awards

Monday, 25th November 2019

Coltraco were delighted that the Portasonic® 2.FL0 portable ultrasonic flow meter was nominated as Security & Fire Excellence Awards, as Passive / Active Fire Project of the Year. The awards celebrated the best people, projects and processes that the security and fire sectors have to offer. This comes as the 10th awards shortlisting for Coltraco Ultrasonics in 2019.

Introduced in 2018, the new and improved Portasonic 2.FL0 is an accurate, reliable and robust portable ultrasonic flow meter. The ability to conduct spot check systems at mandated intervals ensures the full integrity of sprinkler systems. The ease of use and accuracy of Portasonic® 2.FL0 allows for improved business continuity and safer office buildings and industrial facilities across a range of applications. Reducing maintenance downtime reduces disruption to commercial operation at the same time as improving life safety particularly in high-risk environments and industries will help to further educate the industry and reduce fire incidents.

With no moving parts and an easy digital set up for liquid flow measurement, it’s a cost and time-effective maintenance solution. Reduction of maintenance time and cost is a driving factor within any business operation with pipework installed. Accurate flow data provides the chance to make energy-saving measures by fine-tuning the systems.

Portasonic® 2.FL0 can be used for measuring flow in a pipe, to spot checks using the internal, rechargeable battery or for extended continuous operation as a 4-20mA flow transmitter with AC power input. The ease of use and accuracy of Portasonic® 2.FL0 allows for improved business continuity and safer buildings and industrial facilities across a variety of industry verticals. With the ability to conduct spot checks at mandated intervals, flow rates in pipework can be maintained to ensure they meet the required standard.

Designed to save customers time, money and risk, the award shortlisted Portasonic® 2.FL0 is part of Coltraco’s efforts to strive to provide innovative and personalised solutions to the demands that their customers have to face, so that their customers can be assured of business success and efficiency.

Green Marine (UK) Ltd Chosen to Install New Anchoring System at Kishorn Dry Dock

Monday, 25th November 2019

A new anchoring system installation, designed to accommodate and secure the large concrete caisson gates of Kishorn Port’s Dry Dock facility, has been successfully deployed at the port in the West Highlands of Scotland.

Highland marine equipment firm Gael Force Group was awarded the £1m contract by Kishorn Port Ltd (KPL) to manage the specification, sourcing and delivery of mooring equipment for the dry dock facility. The moorings were designed to allow the gates to be safely secured whilst the dry dock is open.

The two dry dock gates are of a considerable size each measuring 83 metres in length and weighing 11,000 tonnes when floated. The Dock is believed to be amongst one of the largest in the world, with up to 13.8m MHWS. For the installation comprising two anchor arrays, 10 tonne High Holding Power Bruce Anchors were specified.

Gael Force subcontracted Green Marine (UK) Ltd to carry out the deployment and positioning of the equipment in Loch Kishorn.

The in-house engineering team at Green Marine meticulously planned the operations and this, coupled with the highly skilled offshore team ensured that the project was completed safely and ahead of time.

Green Marine has a vast amount of experience in anchor handling works and has recently expanded its marine services by teaming up with Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) to bring a full suite of innovative and conventional anchoring and mooring solutions to customers worldwide.

With this collaboration Green Marine is combining their excellence in marine operations with SMEs extensive experience in developing and installing anchoring solutions in some of the world’s harshest marine environments.

Commenting on the successful completion of the project, Sales Director Jamie Young said;

“This was a project of a significant magnitude and we are pleased that KPL placed their trust in us and our reputation as an experienced moorings supply partner. Our chosen installation partner Green Marine were completely professional in their approach to installation, carrying out their tasks on time and without issue. It is satisfying for us, as a Highland business, to be playing a part in the continued development of these first-class port and dry dock facilities in the area."

Kishorn Dry Dock was recently refurbished, having been a site for major North Sea construction projects like the Ninian Central platform in the 1970s, and earlier this year hosted the world’s largest semi-submersible rig, the Ocean GreatWhite.

Owners, Kishorn Port Limited, said the ongoing investment to upgrade the dry dock strengthens its position for “major decommissioning projects for oil and gas assets and for construction of offshore floating wind structures”.

MAN Engines launches 800 hp light-duty workboat engine with keel cooling for North American market

Thursday, 21st November 2019

MAN Engines is expanding its range of engines for light-duty workboats in North America by introducing an 800 hp (588 kW) inline-six engine.

The D2676 LE426 will be available from the second quarter of 2020. It satisfies the EPA Commercial emissions standards and offers 70 hp greater output than the well-established, 730 hp D2676 model.

For the first time, the 800 hp version of the D2676 will also offer keel cooling capability for the engine as a factory-fitted feature.

MAN Engines are manufacturers of efficient diesel and gas engines as well as for axles and transfer cases.

They have decades of industry experience and the expertise for a wide range of assembly situations and load profiles.

For all your marine diesel engines, generators and marine power propulsion units.

ASAP Supplies wins the â€œCustomer Focus Award â€“ SMEâ€ at the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards

Thursday, 21st November 2019

Earlier this year, ASAP Supplies won the “Customer Focus Award – SME” at the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards and it’s just been announced that they have been named finalists again for the 2020 Award.

The UK Customer Satisfaction Awards recognise organisations and individuals that have implemented successful customer service strategies. Organisations from across the UK can enter and are judged by industry experts, business leaders and academics.

Operations Manager Gary Aldred was not content with just winning the award once for the company and applied for next year’s awards.

Gary said “I am thrilled for the company and the hardworking staff at ASAP who make this entry possible, It just goes to show that the dedication and service we provide our customers is recognised and our customer service really is one of the best in the UK.”

ASAP Supplies offer Marine Products for marine, repair and overhaul and boat parts.

With 30 years of experience, ASAP Supplies are industry leaders in supplying marine equipment and spares worldwide for Leisure, Trade and Commercial sectors, specialising in products for maintenance, repair and overhaul.

Maritime Leaders Address Tomorrowâ€™s Solutions for the Vessel Industry

Wednesday, 20th November 2019

The digital evolution is shaping the maritime future in multiple aspects – both onshore and offshore – and shipping organisations are facing pressure to operate more efficiently and profitably while catering to the increasingly sophisticated customer demands. As with any change, digitalisation was initially met with scepticism. But this has given way to a building digital momentum, in view of the many strategic business benefits to be reaped – from operational efficiency improvements and cost reductions, to environmental performance enhancements.

Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) will return for its 16th edition from 18 to 20 March 2020, with a conference that will gather over 50 industry top minds for a three-day, in-depth discussion on what the maritime industry could look like in 10 years. Key solutions making waves across the industry, including maritime 5G, digitalisation standards and remote pilotage, will be examined.

Yeow Hui Leng, Group Project Director, Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) said, “Shipping carries around 90% of world trade, making it the blood life of the global economy. Amid challenges posed by shifts in economic activity and tightening regulations, the maritime industry continues to seek means to answer the imperative call to digitalisation. In the face of a changing landscape, APM 2020 will present an opportunity for delegates to glean important insights from industry leaders and explore partnerships to navigate for success.”

Held in conjunction with the conference is the APM exhibition, one of Asia’s largest marketplace showcasing a complete overview of the vessel sectors. The biennial trade exhibition is expected to host over 1,500 international exhibitors and 15,000 visitors, across six halls spread over two levels.

Digitalisation standardisation for greater collaboration

While automation and other technological innovations can benefit the industry by easing strenuous tasks and streamlining workflow, lack of standardisation remains one hurdle to industry-wide digitalisation. Standardisation is key to improving data flow and enhancing interoperability and synergy.

On this topic, Kenneth Lim, Chief Technology Officer, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said, “Digitalisation presents many opportunities and advantages for industry players, but it can only reach its full potential when data flows are seamless. As such, MPA has embarked on initiatives such as the ‘digitalOCEANS’ concept to foster Open or Common Exchange And Network Standardisation and allow digital platforms of port authorities, supply chain companies, terminal operators, marine services companies, and ships to interoperate.”

Morten Lind-Olsen, Chief Executive Officer, Dualog added, “There is a growing focus on utilisation of consolidated data for both business and compliance purposes. Data needs to be standardised when generated for more efficient collection, processing and analysis, to deliver the value of timely decision making. This focus is increasing day by day and certainly requires more digitally integrated ships. The shipping industry has the advantage and tradition of trading within global established regulations and legislations.”

Improving efficiency in a digitalised maritime industry is one of the main movements that APM 2020 conference will deliberate at the panel session titled “Enabling Digitalisation through Standardisation & Collaboration”, happening during the Leaders’ Forum (18 March 2020).

In addition to Kenneth Lim and Morten Lind-Olsen, panellists for the session include Andre Simha, Global Chief Digital & Information Officer, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company; Rakesh Rawat, Global Director of ICT Services, OSM and Punit Oza, Vice President, Head of Systems, Processes & Competence – Dry Bulk, Torvald Klaveness.

Maritime 5G enabling infinite communication possibilities

As the next big leap in mobile and wireless communications, 5G is expected to open up infinite possibilities in maritime communication – for example, the introduction of smart drones for real-time monitoring, ship-shore communication for vessel traffic management and just-in-time operations, autonomous vessels with low latency connectivity for remote operation, the use of Internet-of-Things sensors during search-and-rescue for real-time communications and accurate positioning.

Sharing his thoughts, Kun Yang, Founder, Super Radio AS said, “Autonomous shipping and ocean digitalisation drive the needs of maritime communication. Though currently in its experimental and commercialisation stages, maritime 5G will play an important role for the remote control of autonomous ships in the future.” Kun Yang is the board chairman and project administrator of “LTE, WIFI and 5G Massive MIMO Communications in Maritime Propagation Environments” (MAMIME), the world’s first maritime 5G communication project that is funded by the Norwegian Research Council. This project aims to develop optimised LTE and WIFI systems, and research dedicated to 5G solutions for the maritime applications. In addition, Super Radio AS is the Pre-5G test solution provider for the small-version Yara-birkeland autonomous ship, which is regarded as the world’s first fully electric and autonomous container ship.

Digitalisation Day (19 March 2020) will feature a session on “Understanding 5G Connectivity and What is Means for Maritime Communications”, where industry experts will examine and discuss the latest developments and potential benefits of 5G for the maritime industry.

Joining Kun Yang on the panel is Jeevarathinam Ravikumar, Vice President Technology & Innovation Global Technology Centre, Lloyd’s Register. (Please refer to Annex A for the list of speakers on Digitalisation Day).

Remote Pilotage: Going beyond the experimental phase

Unmanned vessels have also been top of mind for shippers. These game-changers could mean that ships can spend much more time at sea than human-controlled ones. Such innovation enables increased productivity, reduces reliance on human resources and is less prone to human error.

Sanna Sonninen, Pilotage Director of Finnpilot Pilotage, said, “Technology and solutions for commercially viable concepts of autonomous ships and remote control of ship operations have been developed and tested by various organisations. Though these are excellent showcases, public sentiment on the autonomous shipping development, the various levels of autonomy or remote operation is often mixed. When trying to find feasible solutions for remote pilotage it is important to understand the difference between an autonomous ship, remote operated ship and remote piloted ship. To understand how the complex task of piloting a ship could be successfully accomplished without the pilot being physically onboard and operating as a part of bridge team, one must analyse the different functions of pilotage. Such issues must be solved and analysed before these remote pilotage experiments become a reality.”

Sanna Sonninen will be delivering a presentation on “Developing a Comprehensive Remote and Autonomous Pilotage System” on Innovation Day (20 March 2020).

APM 2020: Future of Vessels. Solutions for Tomorrow

Amid a flurry of discussion on various technological innovations, the APM 2020 exhibition and conference will facilitate connections with decision-makers and industry observers to sharpen understanding about global maritime trends and movements.

Discussions will also deepen at newly introduced roundtable sessions taking place at the APM conference, where industry leaders will lead open dialogues about key issues affecting the maritime sector, such as the implementation of digital solutions and technical innovations. Another new addition to APM will be speed networking sessions, which are quick 15-minute meet-ups that will foster new relationships between experts and maritime personnel through a structured approach.

The Innovation Pavilion will make its maiden appearance at the exhibition, showcasing fully autonomous vessels, electronic professional certificates and ships with minimal carbon footprints – solutions that will support delegates in maintaining a competitive edge.

The APM 2020 exhibition and conference will take place from 18 to 20 March 2020, connecting delegates with decision makers and sharpening industry understanding in Asia. Registration to visit APM Exhibition is free and is now open. For more information, visit

Investment by CTruk Marine Services in Blackman & White Genesis-V helps streamline production

Wednesday, 20th November 2019

CTruk Marine Services Limited, a specialist designer and builder of composite vessels, workboats and general composite constructions, has added a Genesis-V multi-function cutting system from Blackman & White to its Essex factory to improve production processes and attract new markets.

CTruk Marine Services is a specialist composite manufacturer, producing moulds, tooling and specialist parts as well as having its own range of vessels which serve the offshore wind, oil and gas, harbour, pilot and survey markets. Together with its sister company Alnmaritec, it has over 200 vessels operating in the market today.

Following increased demand for tooling and mould services, CTruk Marine Services identified the need to increase capacity and improve kit cutting capabilities. This was achieved through the purchase of Genesis-V system from Blackman & White, with a cutting bed of 1.6 x 3m.

The Genesis-V cutting system is available in a range of bed sizes to optimise floor space and features a wide range of options to choose from, including knife, laser and router tooling.

Steve Edmonds, Operations Manager at CTruk Marine Services, explains the purchase decision: "From my experience in the foam industry I have seen several Blackman & White machines and always being impressed by the quality of build. As Blackman & White are local to us in Essex, we had confidence that they would meet and support all our needs."

Steve adds that he was drawn to the cutting-edge technology and versatility of the Genesis-V: "The digitiser program allows you to take measurements on the cutting bed, even if you don't plan to cut the material. In addition, there are lots of different cutting options including creasing, and we have the option of adding other tools such as a router."

Following the installation of Genesis-V in July 2019, CTruk Marine Services has experienced an improvement in its tool-making processes and, in particular, an increase in the range of different products that it can offer in kits to end customers. However, the system will not be used purely for one function, as Steve Edmonds explains.

"We're exploring all the Genesis-V capabilities, including scoring, marking and measuring, in order to maximise productivity," he says. "Looking ahead to 2020 we're actively seeking business in existing and new markets, which the Genesis-V can help us access."

Note: Blackman & White will be exhibiting at the METSTRADE Show at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre between 19th and 21st November 2019. The company will be located on stand CMP.41.EL in the construction material pavilion.

The METSTRADE Show is the world’s largest trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials and systems. It is an international B2B exhibition for the marine leisure industry and has served as a platform for innovation, market developments and networking since it's launch in 1988.

For more information on Blackman & White, please visit www.blackmanandwhite.com

For more information on Ctruk Marine Services, please visit https://ctruk.com/

Prestigious Project Nets Two Awards for Collett

Tuesday, 19th November 2019

In a four week period Collett & Sons Ltd deliver three 169 Tonne Super Grid Transformers, a prestigious National Grid project which awards the Team the titles of the FTA Road Freight Operator of the Year and the Motor Transport Awards Team of the Year!

Collett & Sons Ltd offer a range of heavy lifting and transport solutions. Collett Marine Vessel Chartering & Stevedoring offer in-house expertise within their Marine Industry Services Division which allows them to carry out stevedoring, shipping operations and vessel chartering for breakbulk and project cargo.

Delivering Willenhall, Cellarhead and Lovedean Super Grid transformers involved all pre-planning works, the discharging of each transformer from originating vessel at the dedicated port, delivery, road closures, SPMT operations and final jacking & skidding in to position.

Working to a 2, 1 and 2 day schedule respectively, each of the transformers travelled the intricately planned routes, with tree surgery, trackway placing and street furniture removals having already been undertaken ahead of the project’s commencement. Parking restrictions and temporary road closures were also implemented to ensure safe passage of the loaded vehicles.

With each transformer safely arriving on-site to the agreed timescale, Collett’s Heavy Lift Team were in place to begin jacking & skidding operations. In the case of Cellarhead and Lovedean the 66m long loaded girder bridge could directly access the site to allow for the unloading of the transformers. With regards to Willenhall, site restrictions necessitated transhipment operations from the girder bridge to an awaiting 6 axle SPMT. This allowed for the Super Grid Transformer to be driven through the access entrance of the Substation and positioned for the final jacking & skidding operations.
Having undertaken meticulous calculations to simulate the forces and pressure applied to the skid track during the skidding process, each of the three transformers were gradually manoeuvred into position.

“The project was extremely challenging, especially as these high-profile moves had attracted a lot of publicity and so the Team were under great pressure to deliver. One judge was especially impressed with the breadth of the service provided by Collett, while another said the Team had only one shot to get it right and they had "smashed it out of the park." – 2019 Motor Transport Awards.

Over the four week timescale, our Team travelled 270KM with a total of 507 Tonnes. Combining intricate planning, expert heavy haulage and specifically engineered jacking & skidding operations, this was a headline project for the Collett Team and we’re extremely proud to be recognised by the FTA Logistics Awards and the Motor Transport Awards!

Fugro awards contract to Bosch Rexroth to fully maintain and further improve Fugro Synergyâ€™s hydraulic equipment

Thursday, 14th November 2019

Extensive maintenance work onboard geotechnical drilling vessel.

Fugro, the world’s leading geo-data specialist, has worked with Bosch Rexroth for over a decade to ensure it has the best hydraulic systems and software solutions on board its geotechnical drilling vessel, the Fugro Synergy. Now, they are working together again in order to better prepare for the future.

The Fugro Synergy vessel has been in operation since 2009, and is primarily used to drill into the seabed in order to analyse whether it can be safely used as a foundation for structures like wind farms or oil rigs. This ship was built to be effective in the harshest conditions, and Bosch Rexroth provides the drives and controls for operating under these circumstances. During the operation, motion compensation of the vessel at sea is one of the drive and control challenges we faced. Two long stroke Heave Motion Compensator cylinders in combination with a compensating accumulator and intelligent software ensures that the drilling operation remains steady and accurate even when waves increase in size.

As the ship has been operational for ten years, a full service of the hydraulics systems and associated software is required. It has been performing reliably for the entire time, so the main focus of the service and maintenance is to ensure another decade of smooth operation. However, as the vessel is in dry-dock, this presents a great opportunity to look at ways to improve the system even further.

“A full recertification process is necessary every ten years, and this is to ensure that the vessel continues to comply with the DNV GL standards,” says Mark Timmermans, Account Manager at Bosch Rexroth. “Fugro then asked us what we would recommend for the hydraulics system going into the future. Generally speaking, they want another ten years of smooth operation, improve up-time, and more specifically asked for some alterations to improve the existing setup.”

An overhaul and exchange program for the main hydraulic pumps is in place as part of planned maintenance, and all these activities require good cooperation of the Boxtel service shop and service technicians on board. Fugro also requested that Bosch Rexroth look into a way to fix the level of noise coming from some parts of the ship, along the main hydraulic pressure lines. So, as part of the overall maintenance, Bosch Rexroth are implementing a solution.

“As part of the 10-year survey, we’re replacing all seals, bearings and wear parts of the hydraulic components” adds Mark. “We are ensuring that everything is operating as it was when it was new, but now with the benefits of all the software updates we’ve implemented over the years. The hydraulics system was still in very good shape thanks to the competence and care of the crew on board the Fugro Synergy, but this was the right time to replace these parts. It’s a more complex task to reduce the noise level, but we are solving it together with Fugro by changing the entire layout of the pressure lines, and installing noise dampeners.”

Although the system was still performing according to expectations, the replacements are necessary in order to extend lifetime under the harsh offshore conditions. This process ensures that there will be no surprises or problems in the years to come. However, as the vessel was in dry dock for a number of weeks, it was the perfect opportunity to modernize further and introduce “smart maintenance” solutions.

“Previously, if there were software issues, we would have to send out a Bosch Rexroth engineer,” explains Mark. “So jointly, we decided to install additional software making remote access of the control system possible. This means if there’s an issue we can analyse it much quicker, without the need to travel wherever the ship may be. In addition to this, we are implementing a data logger to monitor and analyse the system over longer periods as a basis for predictive maintenance in the future. These additions can help to optimize the operational efficiency for longer periods, and we’re happy to be able to innovate alongside a partner like Fugro.”

Kloeckner Introduces NobelCladâ€™s Bi-metallic Plates

Wednesday, 13th November 2019

Kloeckner Metals UK have recently formed an exciting new partnership with NobelClad, the world leader in dissimilar metal bonding. It’s through these kinds of partnerships that Kloeckner has become one of the largest independent distributors of steel and metal products in the world.

Bi-Metallic Plates

Composed of two dissimilar metals, bi-metallic plates are bonded by explosion welding, a cold precision explosion that retains the best properties of both metals. NobelClad has pioneered the use of explosion welding in dissimilar metal bonding. This innovative technique enables bonding in milliseconds, reducing the amount of heat required and therefore preventing any damage that can occur to the metals during the cladding process.

NobelClad bi-metallic plates are renowned for the reliability and strength and are available in over 260 metal combinations.

Using NobelClad’s expertise, Kloeckner can advise the best welding solution and the combination of metals. This will ensure high mechanical strength, thermal and electrical conductivity, metallurgical bond, prevention of galvanic corrosion and reduces the weight of the product.

Bi-metallic plates are used in a wide range of industries as they maintain their mechanical properties regardless of the structure and geometry. Some typical applications include ship building components, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, nuclear components, crystallisers and autoclaves.

Explosion Welding

Barrie Salter, Business Development Director at Kloeckner Metals UK: “At Kloeckner we are continuously on a look out for unique products and services that would benefit our customers. The ability to source unique, hybrid materials that meet extraordinary demands further supports our vision of establishing Kloeckner as a supply chain partner for the marine industry such as oil and gas, power generation, transportation, marine and defence.

Diverse Marine certified for ISO 9001

Monday, 11th November 2019

Diverse Marine is pleased to announce that it has been assessed and certified as meeting the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 with the British Assessment Bureau.

Demonstrating Diverse Marine’s commitment to being at the forefront of developments in the workboat industry, the management system covers the provision of boat design, construction, engineering, outfit and refit, including consultancy services for workboats, defence and leisure craft for the UK and global market.

Diverse Marine will continue to ensure processes and systems are adapted and improved to meet the highest quality system standards, improving not only the management of internal processes, but also ensuring customer focus and delivery of customer excellence.

Commenting on the company’s achievement, Matt Chessell, Director: “The Company’s achievement provides a number of key benefits for customers. Certification to ISO 9001:2015 provides assurance that Diverse Marine has developed its management system to meet the growing needs of customers and other key stakeholders, identifying future customer needs, improving customer retention through better customer service and improving supply chain management.

Diverse Marine has worked extremely hard to ensure our systems and processes are in place and everyone is fully trained. Customer satisfaction remains our key objective.”

In addition to this certification, Diverse Marine will be undertaking Stage 2 audits for ISO 14001 Environmental Management and ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety early in 2020.

Author: CGTeam

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