Original news was published on 17 June, 2014

Signet Arcturus, a 105’ x 38’ Z-Drive, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, British Columbia was delivered by Patti Marine Enterprises of Pensacola, Florida on May 25, 2014.

Signet Arcturus is powered by two Caterpillar model C175-16 main engines, each rated 3417 BHP at 1800 RPM. The engines are coupled to two Rolls-Royce US 255 CP azimuth thrusters via carbon fiber shafting, providing thrust for ABS certified sustained bollard pull of 83.45 metric tonnes. All Caterpillar mains and John Deere 6068TFM76 generator engines aboard the vessel are U.S. EPA Tier 3 certified for reduced emissions.

Joseph W. Dahl, Vice President, Signet Maritime said: “this technologically advanced newbuild complements Signet’s offshore towing, rig escort and subsea expansion.”

Signet Arcturus will be joined by her sister, Signet Polaris, a second ocean towing tractor tug, scheduled for delivery later this month from Patti Marine. Both tugs will be based at Signet’s Ocean Towing Division in Port Fourchon, Louisiana for service to the offshore energy industry.

Further, Dahl said, “bundling the controllable pitch propeller (CPP) tractor technology with the brute strength of SIGNET WARHORSE tugs will provide our customers the best of both worlds in strength and agility.”

The vessel is equipped with fire resistant wheelhouse windows for servicing LNG and drilling platforms to ensure safety of the crew in case of fire hazard. It is USCG Inspected and is certified ABS International Air Pollution Prevention, International Oil Pollution Prevention and International Energy Efficiency for environmental compliance.

Deck machinery includes a Markey model DEPCF-52S, 75 HP electric bow winch and Markey model TESD-34, 100 HP electric double-drum towing winch. The bow winch contains 650 feet of 3-inch diameter synthetic line and the towing winch contains 2 ¼” x 2500’ tow wire and one 2 ¼” x 1500’ tow wire. Signet Arcturus is ABS Maltese Cross A1, towing vessel, escort vessel, fire fighting vessel class 1, Maltese Cross AMS.

With the inclusion of the Arcturus and the Polaris the Offshore Towing Division has increased its fleet to ten OTVs, equipping Signet to provide energy service companies with high bollard pull towing and marine movements from harbor to offshore throughout the Gulf of Mexico.


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Original news was published on 17 June, 2014

The project cargo logistics experts at UTC unveiled their own newly constructed mega railcar, featuring a 40-foot load deck undefined the longest of any 16-axle depressed center car currently available in North America and an attractive alternative to 20-axle Schnabel cars.

The extra-length deck and 400-load-capacity make the new car ideally suited for the transport of heavy and oversized components such as turbines, generators, stators, engines, gensets and transformers.

The delivery of the new car, after four months of construction, is particularly timely given the limited national inventory of such specialized rolling stock and increasing competition for such resources, driven in part by the global effort to modernize, diversify and expand power generation and distribution systems.

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Original news was published on 16 June, 2014

SARJAK Container Lines has again taken a major award in logistics by being named the All-India Winner - ET NOW India MART Leaders of Tomorrow Award 2013" for being innovative in handling outsize cargo.

"Being acknowledged as the best amongst the best and that on an all-India basis, is a tremendous morale booster," said Sarjak managing director Ashish Sheth.

"Sarjak looks at this award as a milestone from which we can only go forward and keep the flag of India flying high in regions across the globe," said Mr Sheth.

Sarjak, with its own fleet of special equipment and driven by a vision of excellence, innovation and a special ability to resolve complex ODC/OOG movements, is ranked among the select few, ODC/OOG service providers across the globe.

The latest award by the very reputed ET NOW India MART award forum, that is independent of the logistics industry, has highlighted the quality of Sarjak's leadership, as well as showcased the innovation and the commitment it delivers to its customers across 80 countries and 145 port cities of the world, according to the Daily Shipping Times of India.

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    Original news was published on 15 June, 2014

“In the specialised shipbuilding sector, this is the most important ship we have built in the past 20 years. She has opened a door for us into a market segment which will help to secure the future of our concern”, said FSG Managing Director Peter Sierk.

Speaking during the hand-over ceremony he also recalled the orders signed just this spring for two further offshore ships for Siem Offshore for charter to Helix Energy Solutions.

“We are making our mark in this market segment, drawing attention to ourselves because of our outstanding performance and working to create follow-up orders. We are very proud of all of this”, the yard chief said.

The AMAZON WARRIOR is an Amazon-class vessel that features the world´s first custom-built hull and propulsion system, developed exclusively for seismic operationsusing a WesternGeco proprietary design.

As far as efficiency, safety, reliability and durabilityare concerned; this vessel meets the highest of demands and supports secureoperation anywhere the ship operates, including the Polar Regions, even in the most inhospitable weather conditions.

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China has issued new air emission standards for boilers undefined old and new.

For companies installing new boilers, the limits take effect on July 1, 2014. Existing boilers with capacities greater than 10 tons per hour must meet the stricter standards by October 1, 2015; smaller boilers by July 1, 2016.

Retrofitting and upgrading could cost more than US$50 billion, according to a report by Industrial Info Resources. Already, companies are moving to comply.

“As a result of the large emission of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide from China’s thermal power plants, industrial and space heating boilers, which are primarily fired with coal, the country has been faced with the increasing challenge of poor air quality and environmental pollution, including the heavy smog which has hit vast areas in China recently,” Gang Li, chairman of NF Energy Saving in Beijing, said in a statement. “It has been mandated in China’s Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Program for the 12(th) 5 year Plan Period that energy efficiency enhancements and dust removal retrofits shall be conducted on coal-fired industrial boilers and emission intensive industries such as iron, steel and cement making.

Li said his company NF Energy Saving has signed a US$3.38 million contract in Beijing to retrofit coal-fired boilers owned by a Chinese aircraft manufacturing company.

NF Energy Saving will provide and install boiler denitration, dust removal and desulfurization systems two sets of equipment at the project for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions reduction and dust removal. Li anticipates there will many more such contracts in the future.

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Original news was published on 13, June 2014

Signalling a major commitment to tug fleet renewal, Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) has placed a 10-vessel order with Damen Shipyards Group, as part of the state-owned operator’s strategic shift from chartered in to owned tonnage. The new tugs, which are expected to enhance operating efficiencies while reduce running costs, will provide mooring and manoeuvring support to tankers in Venezuelan ports and harbours.

Following a global tender, the contract calls for Dutch shipbuilding group Damen to supply ten ASD 2810 type Azimuthing Stern Drive tugs, each with a 60 tonne bollard pull rating. Seven of these 28m long tugs are being supplied by Damen Shipyards Galati (Romania), while the remaining three are being built at Damen’s joint venture Song Cam yard in Vietnam. All ten tugs are expected to be delivered by the end of July this year.

The Venezuelan oil company has several years of experience operating chartered-in tonnage to the ASD 2810 design. However, this is the first time that Damen has secured a direct contract from PDVSA.

“There are two main reasons why PDVSA opted for the Damen design,” says Erik Hertel, Damen regional sales manager. “Technically the ASD 2810’s flexibility and high-end performance makes a perfect match for PDVSA requirements; this is our most popular standard tug and has a proven track record for reliability. In addition we were able to provide a very short delivery time as a result of our policy of building tugs for stock.”

The 10 tugs have each been specified with a number of optional extras, including FiFi 1 capability, an aft towing winch and a larger than usual deck crane. The latter will have a lift capacity of 1.45 tonnes and 12.6m outreach.

Hertel suggest that while this is the first direct Damen contract with PDVSA, it may not be the last. “We are talking to PDVSA about further orders to meet their various requirements as a result of the ongoing tug renewal project,” he says. “We developed a close cooperation with them as part of this project and we hope very much to build a long term partnership over the months to come.”

In addition to tug newbuilding contracts, the shipbuilder and PDVSA are in active discussions over the possibility of Damen setting up service and maintenance facilities to support the operations of its new fleet of tugs in Venezuela.

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Original news was published on 13 June, 2014

Crossrail, Europe’s biggest civil engineering project, is receiving critical data from the world’s first smart tunnel, operated by University of Cambridge engineers.

Performed simultaneously in two yards in India and one in Oman

  Original news was published on 12 June, 2014