Wärtsilä launches new Aframax tanker design at Posidonia 2014 exhibition

A new, highly efficient, Aframax tanker design offering practical and viable solutions that meet current and forthcoming emissions legislation is today launched by Wärtsilä at the Posidonia 2014 exhibition in Athens, Greece. Wärtsilä will also be featuring its range of merchant ship designs to provide owners with tailored designs based specifically on their intended operating profiles. Wärtsilä Ship Design also offers shipyards a solution based approach with integration packages and full support throughout the planning and execution phases.

The new Aframax design emphasises energy efficiency to provide lower operating costs and enhanced environmental performance. It features an optimised hull form to minimize resistance, and an optimised propulsion train with energy saving devices (ESDs) for greater efficiency. Fuel savings have been the primary focus during the development of this design, and significant testing of the hull lines by both CFD and tank testing have successfully produced a highly competitive design. Wärtsilä offers the Aframax design in three, fit-for-purpose versions; the Basic configuration using conventional HFO fuel, Environmental with the exhaust emissions cleaned using a scrubber and selective catalyst reduction (SCR), and the Green version based on dual-fuel engines using LNG. The design can also be adapted for Ice Class notation.

“Wärtsilä is an experienced and innovative global supplier of efficient, reliable and environmentally sustainable ship designs that fully meet the needs of the rapidly changing marine sector. … Continue Reading

New regional structure for counter-piracy code implementation

Ministers from participating States in the Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden (the Djibouti Code of Conduct) have recognized the need to develop a mechanism for the region to run its own counter-piracy agenda, following the successful implementation by IMO of numerous projects aimed at improving regional capacity to counter piracy by developing enhanced regional cooperation and coordination.

A high-level meeting, held at IMO Headquarters in London on 30 May, agreed a resolution on future work under the Djibouti Code of Conduct. The resolution envisages the immediate launch of work to establish a new structure for regional implementation of the Djibouti Code of Conduct, with IMO playing a supportive role during a transitional period. There was also widespread appreciation of the work of IMO in implementing the Code, as well as the support provided by the ReCAAP-ISC.

The meeting was attended by 80 delegates, including ministers and other officials from the Djibouti Code of Conduct participating and signatory States, as well as by representatives from a number of donor States and international organizations including the European Union (EU), ReCAAP, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.

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Evergas to supply comprehensive integrated solution for three Multigas carriers

Three new state-of-the-art 27,000 cbm LNG/Multigas Carriers for Evergas, the Denmark based transporter of petrochemical gases and natural gas liquids, are to be built featuring the integrated Wärtsilä solution, comprising the main propulsion equipment, the gas fuel supply system, and the cargo handling system. This order is an extension of the one placed in 2013 for a series of three similar vessels. The ships are being built by the Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (SOE) shipyard in China, and feature an advanced design that offers very high efficiency and unparalleled flexibility. The order was signed in March 2014.

“Wärtsilä is extremely pleased to continue this valuable cooperation with Evergas and SOE. The concept that has been developed has proven to be extremely successful as evidenced by the fact that it is being continued for a further three vessels. Our integrated solution fully meets the design criteria for excellent fuel economy as well as superb redundancy,” says Jaakko Eskola, Senior Executive Vice President & President, Ship Power, Wärtsilä Corporation.

“These vessels are the largest, most flexible and advanced multigas carriers yet to be built. By utilising Wärtsilä dual-fuel propulsion machinery capable of running on clean LNG, the ships will be Tier III compliant and have a minimal environmental footprint, which is important to our company. We appreciate Wärtsilä’s valuable cooperation in this newbuild programme, and we are pleased that this extended order allows us to continue this excellent cooperation,” says Martin Ackermann, CEO of Evergas. … Continue Reading

Investment projects for gas supply to China launched

Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee signed an order to start the implementation of Gazprom’s investment projects for gas supply to China. Starting from today, all the specialized structural units and subsidiary companies are involved in the projects for creating gas production, transmission and processing capacities to supply gas to China. All these investment projects rely on natural gas from the Yakutia gas production center.

It is planned to launch gas production from the Chayandinskoye field in late 2018. By this time, the top-priority section of the Power of Siberia GTS from Chayanda to Blagoveshchensk and primary gas processing capacities will be put onstream. This will make it possible to initiate direct gas supplies to China in line with the obligations provided for by the contract.

The comprehensive plan also stipulates test oil production from the Chayandinskoye field in 2014 and pilot production – in 2015. The oil supplies into the Eastern Siberia – Pacific Ocean oil trunkline are slated for late 2017. … Continue Reading