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January 2011 www.marinelink.com 13 Azipod C for Wind Farm In- stallation Vessel ABB won a contract to supply an integrated electrical power and propulsion system for the first wind-farm installation vessel to be ordered by Swire Blue Ocean. ABB’s brief specifies that the shallow draft vessel can maximize maneuver- ability in depths up to 75m. The Knud E.Hansen designed vessel, which is under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries for Swire Pacific Off- shore acquisition Blue Ocean, is due to be deliv- ered in June 2012. The vessel, which is expected to be deployed in Eu- ropean waters, will feature an integrated electrical drive sys- tem working in tan- dem with four Azipod C units, fitted aft. This is ABB’s new generation compact Azipod propulsion solution, which has been designed for construction sim- plicity, and for both bollard pull and transit re- quirements. The four Azipod COunits, to be delivered by ABB Marine’s Shanghai factory in the second and third quarter of 2011, will each be rated at 3400kW. Designed for installation of wind turbines and foundations, the vessel will offer a significantly improved operating weather window compared to existing ships, with crane capability of 1,200 tons, DP2 station keeping, a transit speed in ex- cess of 13 knots and single cabin accommodation for 111 people. Signal Completes Mobile Yard Renovations Signal International recently completed a $9m yard and drydock renovation on its ship repair fa- cility in Mobile, Alabama. Signal Ship Repair, SSR, the company’s most recent acquisition, is the flagship vessel repair and new construction division for ships, workboats, and tugs in the Sig- nal family of yards. The facility upgrade project was completed ahead of schedule and ready for the Transocean Deepwater Navigator. The drill- ship has been at Signal’s Pascagoula yard for re- pairs and recently arrived at SSR’s Panamax drydock, for hull and tank repairs, thruster re- moval and repair, servicing of the main propul- sion system and lower hull painting. The newly refurbished Panamax floating drydock has been certified for a lift capacity of 21,500 tons. Ac- cording to Bob Beckmann, senior vice president and general manager of Signal Ship Repair, “we completely overhauled the drydock.” Over 500 tons of steel were replaced on the well deck sup- porting structure and the wing wall plating with attached internal structure. The west end well deck apron was also renewed in its entirety and all exterior wing wall coatings were redone. The south wing wall crane had two new engines in- stalled, all the steel cables on both cranes were replaced and both cranes were inspected, tested and annual certifications renewed. Disney Dream Delivered Disney Cruise Line took possession of its newest ship – Disney Dream – from the Meyer Werft shipyard in Bre- merhaven, Germany. “It gives me great pride to deliver the Disney Dream, which is the largest ship that Meyer Werft has ever built,” said Bernard Meyer, managing part- ner of Meyer Werft. Meyer Werft and Disney first signed a contract to build two new ships in April of 2007. Cap- tain Tom Forberg will officially take the helm of the Disney Dream for Dis- ney Cruise Line. Proposed ASTM Standard to Cover Use of Doublers in Repair Many ship owners and operators re- pair ship structures with temporary steel patches known as doublers. The U.S. Coast Guard and Navy, as well as other maritime authorities, usually allow such patches until the ship’s next inspection period, which can be as long as three to five years from the date of repair. Despite this situation, there is not currently a standard for repairing steel hull ships with dou- blers. Subcommittee F25.01 on Structures is now working on a pro- posed new standard that will cover doublers: ASTM WK30649, Guide for Steel Ship Structure Repair Doubler Plate Design. The subcommittee is part of ASTM International Committee F25 on Ships and Marine Technology. All interested parties, particularly ship owners and operators, are invited to participate in the development of ASTM WK30649. According to Chao H. Lin, naval architect, Maritime Ad- ministration, U.S. Department of Transportation, and chairman of F25.01, the standard will be based on a research paper written by Pradeep Sensahrma, U.S. Coast Guard. Sensahrma will be helping F25.01 to convert the paper into ASTM WK30649. ASTM International welcomes and encourages participa- tion in the development of its stan- dards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN. (Photo of www .disneycruisenews.com)
