World's first LNG/LPG
Built in China and Classed by GL
A naming ceremony
was held November
15 at Shenghui Gas
& Chemical Systems in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China, for the world's first LNG/ LPG/Ethylene carrier "Norgas Innovation".
The multigas vessel
was built according to Germanischer
Lloyd (GL)'s rules for classification and construction and labelled GL's ice class notation E. It is scheduled to be delivered to its owner
Singco Gas Pte Ltd, a joint venture between I.M. Skaugen Marine Services
Pte Ltd and GATX Corporation (www.gatx.com), by the end of this year or
early January 2010.
I.M. Skaugen Marine Services Pte Ltd is a 100% owned
subsidiary of Norway-based I.M. Skaugen SE (www.skaugen.com). Flying Singaporean flag, the vessel will be operated by Norgas Carriers AS.
The innovative
combined gas carrier
was constructed in response to the ever rising demand for the transport of clean energy fuels amidst global
concern over green house gas emissions.
The ship's hull was built by Taizhou Wuzhou Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., in Zhejiang Province.
Its cargo system, built and installed by Shenghui Gas & Chemical Systems
Co., Ltd, (www.zshcm.com) is capable of carrying two grades of completely segregated gases simultaneously, cooled and un-cooled, with a
unique liquefaction system for LNG. The carrier measures 137 m overall in length and 19.80 m in width, with a maximum depth of 11.50m, and a capacity of 10,000 m3.
"GL is pleased to be part of this innovative solution by contributing
our expertise and know-how in technically complicated liquefied gas
carriers. We see the 'Norgas Innovation' as a milestone for small scale
LNG shipping and also a milestone for GL's services for the liquefied
gas shipping industry," said Mr. Werner Enning, Principal Surveyor &
Area Manager Greater China, at the naming ceremony. "This is another reflection of our
expanded capability of doing classification and
construction supervision for various types of vessels."
I.M. Skaugen is a marine transportation service company engaged in the
hassle-free transportation of petrochemical gases LPG and LNG, marine
transfer of crude oil and LNG, and the design and construction of
specialized high quality vessels.
GL and I.M. Skaugen have formed a long-term partnership in
classification services.
Multi-axle MAN keeps heavy loads rolling
The MAN TGX 41.540 10x4-6 BLS is the result
of cooperation with a conversion partner qualified by MAN Nutzfahrzeuge.
The five-axle vehicle
will be operated in heavy-duty long-distance transport.
The basis for the conversion is a four-axle semitrailer tractor with heavy-duty frame, which was given a steered, air-sprung lifting MAN trailing axle by the firm of ESTEPE in the Netherlands.
Distributing the load
over five axles increases the permitted load of the semitrailer to 30,305 kilograms.
This means that the semitrailer tractor can be registered in Germany with a gross vehicle weight of 44 tonnes: 9 tonnes on the front axle, 7.5 tonnes on the steered leading axle, a maximum of 13 tonnes (technically permissible) on each of the two driven rear axles and 9 tonnes on the trailing axle with its
single tyres.
The first of these vehicles was built to order for the Belgian firm Faymonville, which manufactures semitrailers and flatbed trailers for the specialist haulage industry.
The firm operates this highly manoeuvrable multi-axle MAN in its rental fleet, Renting
Car-WTS.
The flagship of the heavy-duty transport range, the MAN TGX 41.680, can also be converted to five axles.
Kuehne+Nagel:
New logistics hub for Hamburg
In the presence of numerous customers
and business partners from industry and trade, Ole von Beust, First Mayor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and Chairman
Klaus-Michael Kuehne officially opened one of the Kuehne + Nagel
Group’s largest logistics centres in Obergeorgswerder to the south of Hamburg.
The opening underlines the Company’s growth-oriented business strategy and its commitment to the Elbe metropolis.
The new complex of buildings which comprises five warehouses and two
office facilities is situated on a 120,000 sqm plot of land and was completed
after a construction period of roughly one year.
The multifunctional facility
provides 44,000 sqm of warehousing and handling space and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Featuring 166 loading bays, a spacious
vehicle yard and closed-circuit TV, the logistics centre is geared to ensure
fast and secure freight handling.
The total investment amounts to 55 million euros.
Great importance was attached to the environmentally-friendly and sustainable
architectural design and operations of the facility, demonstrated through
extensive green spaces and plants as well as the lighting and heating
systems and the use of regenerative energies.
Kuehne + Nagel’s environmental
commitment is also exemplified in a photovoltaic array on a roof space of 4,500 sqm which is among the largest in Hamburg.
With the opening of its new logistics centre in the Hamburg area Kuehne +
Nagel is meeting the continuous demand for cost efficient integrated logistics solutions.
The location is of particular importance for national and international
overland traffic.
The dimension and technical equipment of the handling spaces support the ambitious growth targets Kuehne + Nagel has set itself in this strategic business unit.
“Tsavliris
towage and
BC “Minoan Euro”
On the 10th September 2009, bulk carrier “MINOAN EURO” (GT 35,699, DWT 64,155), fully laden with 62,730 MT of sub-bituminous coal, became immobilized, due to tail shaft leakage, in the Makassar Straits, approximately 90 nautical miles NE of Samarinda, Borneo.
Tsavliris promptly dispatched the AHTS “ITC CYCLONE” (10,800 BHP/136 TBP) to the assistance of the casualty, from a position about 400 nautical miles away.
On 14th September Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister for Families, the Aged, Women and Youth, and Anton Weinmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG, together officially opened the MAN company nursery "MAN Löwenkinder".
The organisation
which runs the kindergarten is the charitable company kibiku Vogelloh gemeinnützige GmbH in cooperation with MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG.
"It is a pleasure for us to be able to open our company nursery today together with the MAN parents' initiative", declared Anton Weinmann at the opening ceremony.
"In kibiku Vogelloh gemeinnutzige GmbH we have found an innovative partner for our project. We found kibiku's concept convincing above all because of its high educator-to-child ratio, bilingual education in German and English and true all-day support with long opening times," he added. In her speech Ursula von der Leyen made the following point:
"If companies are now creating facilities for supervision of their employees' children, that is a clever investment in their own future.
To find its way out of the crisis industry more than ever needs young,
well-trained specialists. Experience shows that high-quality child supervison facilities
are a good way of
arriving at solutions
that suit parents,
the children and the company too."
“ITC CYCLONE”
arrived on site on 13th September and on the same day, at 20.00 hrs, commenced towage towards Manila.
On the 17th September, while the convoy was passing between Pearl Bank and Laparan Island, the tow began to sheer very heavily due to the strong tide rips and lost control. Side thrusters were put into operation in order to manoeuvre and to stay ahead of the tow. The tow however made a heavy swing to port creating a fury of 270 degrees, thus losing control and at that moment causing her port bridle leg to part.
The tow wire from the starboard side bridle leg was disconnected by the crew while the convoy drifted back through the channel between Pearl Bank and Laparan Island (at an approximate speed of 3 knots) due to the strong current. Under these circumstances the tow was connected to the stern of the casualty and the towage was recommenced towards the coast of Saban in order to reduce the influence of the current and to clear the coral shallows. On the 19th September the tow connection was re-established at the bow and the tow resumed to Manila. Tsavliris also dispatched the S/T “TRABAJADOR-1” (8,200 BHP, 85 TBP) from Manila to assist as steering tug arriving on the scene on the 20th September.
During the towage,
the convoy encountered adverse weather conditions due to nearby typhoons. The convoy arrived safely at Manila on the 24th September and anchored in Manila Bay.
Moreover, HYDREX had been contracted to carry out the replacement of tail shaft seals by specialist divers in situ, with vessel in laden condition.
This innovative method
of operating within a pressurized habitat saved the onward towage to her destination (South Korea) and enabled the casualty to undergo permanent repairs without dry-docking.
On the 26th September, underwater repairs were interrupted due to the typhoon “KETSANA” and had to resume later.
The “ITC CYCLONE” was released on the 27th September at 05.30 hrs and the “TRABAJADOR-1” continued her services as a stand-by tug and as a diving support vessel.
Repairs by HYDREX
were completed on the 1st October. After successful sea trials on the 2nd October, the “MINOAN EURO” was redelivered to her owners and sailed to her destination Younghung South Korea, where she arrived on the 11th October 2009.
