COSCO Signs Its Largest Shipbuilding Deal Spending $2B for 42 Bulkers

COSCO is adding $2 billion in orders for new bulkers as it expands its leasing business (COSCO)

Published Sep 2, 2024 1:49 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

China COSCO Shipping is continuing its aggressive fleet expansion and modernization signing the largest shipbuilding deal since 2016 when it transformed into a shipping operator and leasing company. The transaction is structured to push forward its position in the global leasing market while expanding its focus on midsize dry bulk carriers.

The transaction in total will build 42 bulkers due for delivery in 2026 and 2027. The deal is being set up through COSCO Shipping Development the group’s leasing and finance company with several divisions involved for the operation of the vessels. The total contract value is being set at approximately $1.8 billion, before tax and a total aggregate value of more than $2 billion. The vessels will operate under long-term charters providing stable future income and cash flow for COSCO Shipping Development.

With the scope of the deal covering 42 vessels, COSCO reports it will be split into two tranches. COSCO will undertake the construction of 20 of the bulk carriers at its group’s COSCO Shipping Heavy Industries. This portion will include two 82,000-ton bulk carriers, 13 vessels each at 80,000 tons, and five 64,000-ton bulk carriers. The value of this portion is set at approximately $820 million excluding tax.

While COSCO traditionally favors keeping the building work within the group, this deal also includes China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Chengxi which will be responsible for building 22 ships at a total cost of nearly $1 billion excluding tax. CSSC will be responsible for 22 vessels each at 80,000 tons.

The bulkers are the second step in a major shipbuilding investment. Last week, COSCO reported it had ordered a dozen methanol dual-fuel containerships with advanced technologies. These ships will cost $2.15 billion for delivery between 2027 and 2029. With a capacity of 13,800 TEU, they will be used to expand the company’s Latin American service. They followed an order two years ago for a dozen 24,000 TEU methanol-fueled containerships for COSCO and OOCL. 

In the last week, COSCO has added 54 vessels to its orderbook. The value of the two contracts plus the 2022 deal for the ultra-large containerships means COSCO has commitments for more than $6.85 billion in new shipbuilding in this decade.

The new orders come as the company reported a solid first half of 2024. Total revenues were $1.65 billion with an operating profit attributable to shareholders of $126 million. The leasing business they reported generated over $165 million in revenues as they seek to expand this portion of COSCO’s operations. In addition to ship operations and shipbuilding, COSCO’s related business also includes container manufacturing and leasing. COSCO highlighted the strength of the container manufacturing business reporting a 300 percent increase in sales to over 744,000 TEUs ordered. 
 

 

Re-evaluating Gas Turbine Engines for Future Maritime Propulsion

Aeroderivative turbines in ship's engine room (GE Power)

Published Sep 2, 2024 5:00 PM by Harry Valentine

 

The combination of advances in engine management technology, in the design of heat exchange technology and the chemistry of high-temperature ceramic materials and compounds provide the basis of enhancing the efficiency and market competitiveness of open-cycle and closed-cycle gas turbine engines, including in ship propulsion.

Introduction:

Traditional open-cycle gas turbine engines flow atmospheric air through a compressor, combustion chamber and power turbine. Peak fuel efficiency occurs when operating at maximum power output while the turbine spins at maximum RPM and maximum combustion temperature. Engine efficiency decreases as power output decreases, with half the efficiency available at 25%of output for a single-shaft engine. Externally-heated closed-cycle engines continuously recirculate the same gas through compressors and turbine can deliver high efficiency at 25% of power output. However, the materials of which heat exchangers were made incurred temperature restrictions that restricted both peak efficiency and peak power output. 

The complex-cycle gas turbine engine was an open-cycle, triple-shaft engine that combined 2-compressors with 3-turbines, 2-combustion chambers and 2-heat exchangers. Both high-pressure turbine and power turbine spun on separate shafts and had their own combustion chamber. During an earlier era, it was difficult to accurately control air-fuel ratios manually for each combustion chamber that operated in series, upstream and downstream of each other. As a result, in real world operation the complex-cycle gas turbine rarely delivered peak efficiency over a range of power output. However, modern technology offers possibility to both the complex-cycle and closed-cycle gas turbine engines. 

Modern advances:

Modern reciprocating internal combustion engines operate with such technology as mass-flow rate sensors, air-fuel ratio sensors, air temperature sensors and computer managed fuel injection that have greatly improved fuel efficiency. There is theoretical potential to adapt such technology to the old classical complex-cycle gas turbine engine, along with the possibility of introducing new generation heat exchanger technology that operates at much higher effectiveness that earlier generation technology. Modern annular counter-flow heat exchangers developed by Ed Proeschel offer heat transfer effectiveness of over 90% compared to 80% for earlier generation counter-flow heat exchangers. 

The annular counter-flow heat exchanger can be adapted for operation in both open-cycle and closed-cycle gas turbine engines. Modern turbine blades made from ceramic material retains mechanical properties at 1400-degrees C or 2550-degrees F and allow combustion temperatures of 1200-degrees C without need to cool the turbine blades. While earlier generation heat exchangers were made from steel or stainless steel, there is evolving possibility of being able to make future heat exchangers from materials such as aluminum-nitride and high-purity boron-arsenide that offer higher coefficients of thermal conductivity than that of steel, at much higher temperatures. 

Upgraded Complex-Cycle Engine:

An upgraded complex-cycle gas turbine engine would include annular counter-flow heat exchangers installed downstream of both the low-pressure and high-pressure compressors, with computer-controlled fuel injection into combustion chambers placed upstream of both the high-pressure as well as power output turbine. The high-pressure turbine would operate on computer-controlled ultra-lean burn air-fuel ratio to assure sufficient oxygen in its exhaust gas to assure additional combustion to sustain operation of the power output turbine. Sensors connected to the computer would continuously monitor properties of gases flowing from the high-pressure turbine, to assure optimal overall engine performance.

The power output of a future computer-monitored and computer-controlled complex-cycle gas turbine could rival that of the largest maritime diesel engines rated at over 100,000-horsepower and up to 50% thermal efficiency. To assure optimal turbine engine efficiency in cargo ship propulsion, the power output turbine could drive a variable pitch marine propeller via a planetary reduction gear system. While an optional electrical power transmission between power turbine and propeller would incur a reduction in overall engine efficiency, such a layout would be suitable for passenger cruise ship operation. 

 

 

Bottom-cycle Steam Engine:

The complex-cycle gas turbine engine has 2-sources of reject heat to assist in the operation of a steam engine, preheating water flowing from the water pump to the boiler. Reject heat from the inter-cooler for the low-pressure compressor would provide primary preheating while turbine engine exhaust gas would provide a secondary source of heat that would further raise water temperature. Combustion of liquid or gaseous fuel would convert the preheated water to steam to operate a steam turbine engine at the equivalent of an elevated level of efficiency. 

If a gas turbine engine of 100,000-horsepower operates at near 50% thermal efficiency, its inter-cooler and exhaust would release the equivalent of 100,000-horsepower of thermal energy to preheat water to operate a bottom-cycle steam engine. A combined-cycle engine could operate at the equivalent of between 60% and 70% overall thermal efficiency on either liquid or gaseous fuel. The open-cycle turbine engine offers greater flexibility than a reciprocating engine, in the variety of competitively-priced fuel that could sustain its operation. Higher overall thermal efficiency combined with lower fuel cost enhances the engine’s marketability.

Closed-Cycle Engine:

Externally-heated closed-cycle cycle gas turbine engines continuously recirculate the working gas by cooling it after leaving the power turbine. It replaces the combustion chambers of open-cycle engines with high-temperature heat exchangers, with low-pressure and high-pressure compressors and turbines rotating on a common shaft that drives either an electrical generator or reduction gearbox. Closed-cycle engines can be designed to operate with wide variation in the mass of gas that recirculates within the closed system. Such operation maintains high efficiency over a range of power output as turbines spin at maximum design RPM, with gas entering turbine at maximum temperature.

A closed-cycle engine that delivers 40,000-horsepower with mean-average internal system pressure at 5-times atmospheric pressure (5-ATM) would deliver 8,000-horsepower at comparable thermal efficiency with mean system pressure reduced to 1-ATM. During operation, some exhaust heat will be reintroduced into the engine downstream of the high-pressure compressor. The combination of heat rejected from the low-pressure compressor inter-cooler and residual exhaust heat would partially sustain the operation of a bottom-cycle steam engine. Future development of high-temperature heat exchangers made from compounds such as highly-purified boron arsenide with high thermal conductivity promise to assure engine efficiency. 

Stored Thermal Energy:

Solar thermal power stations use stored thermal energy to generate several hours of electric power after sunset. The thermal storage medium is low-cost salt compounds of sodium and potassium that melt at sufficiently high temperature to generate steam. Advances in high-temperature ceramic chemistry have produced corrosion-resistant compounds that maintain constant mechanical properties up to 1400-degrees C (2550 F). Open-cycle gas turbine engines require heated air or gas to enter the power turbine at temperatures to 1200-degrees C, while single-shaft, closed-cycle turbines with single compressor and single turbine can operate with air heated to 900-degrees C.

Sodium fluoride (NaF) that historically was a waste byproduct of the aluminum smelting industry, melts at just under 1,000-degrees C (1800 F) with heat-of-fusion of 300-BTU/pound. The aluminum industry mixes the mineral cryolite (Na3AlF6) from Iceland and Greenland with bauxite (Al2O3) to produce aluminum. A mixture of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and cryolite can melt at under 1200-degrees C (2,200 F) with heat-of-fusion at some 400-BTU/pound, with usable life expectancy of 1-million deep-drain cycles. Future research offers the possibility of closed-cycle gas turbine engines operating from stored thermal energy in both stationary land-based applications and in future maritime propulsion. 

Thermal Recharge:

Much advancement has occurred over the past decade in the development of micro and mini-nuclear power conversion. One future possibility would involve a micro or mini-reactor being brought to quayside on a railway carriage, then transferred on board a ship for the purpose of replenishing the onboard thermal storage supply that would sustain ship propulsion for several hundred nautical miles. A fleet of ships assigned to short-sea shipping service could operate between ports located within the operating range of each ship, allowing a small number of micro or mini reactors to sustain the operation of a fleet of ships. 

Conclusions:

A 3-shaft open-cycle gas turbine engine using modern electronic engine management technology installed in duplicate or even triplicate, would operate efficiently and reliably over a wide range of power output, even for extended duration cycles. Likewise, a single-shaft closed-cycle gas turbine engine using modern and evolving ceramic-based, annular configuration heat-exchange technology could operate at competitive levels of efficiency using a wide range of fuels, including stored thermal energy. The exhaust heat of both types of engines would sustain the operation of a bottom-cycle steam engine, allowing the combined-cycle engine to deliver very competitive levels of thermal efficiency. 

While reciprocating marine engines require massive volumes of lubricating oil, turbine engines require a fraction of the amount of lubricant to assure proper operation of engine bearings. Turbine engines also avoid the problem of internal friction and engine wear caused by piston rings sliding on cylinder walls, thereby extending usable service life. While turbine engines are compact, the heat exchangers attached to them will occupy a substantial amount of volume, which would likely be available inside the hull of a ship. The combination of gas turbine engine with steam bottom-cycle engine represents a future propulsion option for large ships.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

 

Cargo Ship Turned Away by Namibia Over Fears of Explosives for Israel

A cargo ship was denied a port stop at Walvis Bay due to allegations it is carrying explosives to Israel (Namport file photo)

Published Aug 29, 2024 1:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The African nation of Namibia revoked the docking privileges granted to a Portuguese-flagged general cargo ship. It was the second vessel that officials suspected of transporting materials to Israel with government officials saying their country would not be complicit with the war in Gaza.

A local rights group called the Economic and Social Justice Trust was campaigning with government officials to refuse the vessels. It is unclear how or why they targeted these individual ships for their campaign, but they were successful in gaining the attention of government officials.

The cargo ship named Kathrin is reported to have departed the port of Hai Phong in Vietnam in late July and made a transit stop in Singapore. The ship requested late last week port privileges for a stop in Walvis Bay, Namibia’s largest commercial port and one of the main ports in Southern Africa. The vessel which is 8,000 dwt is operated by a company based in Germany.

Port officials told the local media it was unclear why the vessel wanted to dock in Namibia, but speculation centered on a replenishing call or possibly for the crew after the long voyage across the Indian Ocean. Port officials initially said they had not received proper pre-clearance documentation required for the port visit.

The chairperson and chief executive of Namport became involved expressing their concerns that the vessel might be carrying cargo for use in the Israel-Gaza war. They confirmed that the Kathrin was the second vessel to be called into question with a ship they identified as Nordic having passed through but not stopped in Namibia in July. It was also suspected of carrying supplies, possibly fuel, to Israel.

“Upon receiving reports that a vessel might be carrying weapons intended for Israel, I addressed a letter to the cabinet, international relations ministry, work ministry, as well as the safety and security ministry,” said Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab. The minister writes that she requested the relevant authorities not allow the vessel mv Kathrin to dock at the Walvis Bay port.

Port officials highlighted that a vessel must declare when it is loaded with dangerous cargo. However, they said the ship and its operator had no legal requirement to name the owner of the cargo.

The Namibian Police Force also got involved with unconfirmed reports saying they determined the vessel was loaded with 60 containers of the explosive TNT as well as eight containers of other explosives. The report says the vessel’s declared destination is Koper, Slovenia. Citing a cabinet decision, the police said the permission to dock which had been granted on August 13 had been revoked. 

A similar situation took place in Spain in May when activists targeted another cargo ship with accusations. Spain’s Transport Minister asserted however the vessel was carrying arms for the Czech Republic and bound for Slovenia. Spain however days later denied a Danish-owned vessel port privileges over further charges it was transporting arms to Israel.

Maersk Ship Demasts Iconic Sailing Ship and Damages Port Entering Fremantle

Maersk Shekou hit the docked sailing ship as it was entering Fremantle, Australia (Fremantle Ports)

Published Aug 30, 2024 11:48 AM by The Maritime Executive

A well-known three-masted training ship Leeuwin II was extensively damaged as well as parts of the Fremantle, Australia port as a Maersk container vessel was attempting to dock in bad weather. Two individuals aboard the sailing ship sustained non-life-threatening injuries while the port and residents were in shock after the incident which happened early on Friday, August 30.

“The Leeuwin has been absolutely smashed to pieces,” a witness said on Radio 6PR Australia. “None of its mast is standing, and it’s listing over and hanging over onto the port.” Pictures showed parts of the mast hanging on the bow of the containership and other debris in the water while the Western Australia Maritime Museum sustained superficial damage to its roof and parts of the berth were broken off. There is also a gash in the hull of the containership.

The Maersk Shekou (108,622 dwt) was entering the port to berth at around 0600 local time. Port officials are reporting there were two pilots aboard and the vessel was being assisted by four tugs. Australia in recent days has been experiencing heavy weather and there were wind warnings for much of the country on Friday. Indications were that there was a 20-knot wind blowing in Fremantle this morning and the seas were running at about eight feet.

Preliminary assessments indicate that the strong weather conditions including wind gusts could have caused the allision. The 332-meter (1,089-foot), Singapore-flagged Maersk Shekou was entering Fremantle’s inner harbor after sailing from Adelaide when it struck the 1850’s style schooner, the 55-meter (180-foot) wooden sailing ship. 

 

 

The non-profit managing the sailing ship said it was devastated by today’s events. Two nightwatchmen were aboard and taken to a hospital with one having possibly broken an arm. An initial assessment said the hull of the sailing ship was intact but the three masts toppled and there was damage to the deck. The ship is used for training cruises with the non-profit saying more than 40,000 young people had experienced sailing aboard since 1986.

The Shekou’s registered owners are listed as Moller Singapore. The 2010-built containership has a capacity of 8814 TEU and was due to depart Fremantle on August 31 to Port Klang in Malaysia. The vessel dropped its anchor as it was making a turn into the harbor but a possible gale pushed it into the sailing ship. It was later moved to its berth as investigators began their work.

 

 

“The ATSB is deploying a team of four transport safety investigators from its Brisbane, Canberra, and Sydney offices, with expertise in shipboard operations, pilotage, and recorded data systems, to the site,” said Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in a prepared statement. “They will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities, including vessel examination, interviews, and the recovery of any relevant recorded data, as well as documents, records and weather information.”

Port operations resumed in Fremantle and the Maritime Museum reopened to the public on Friday afternoon. 

 

Leeuwin II - Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation

 

Canadian Shipbuilders Call for 100 Percent Tariff on Chinese-Built Ships

Canadian trade group is calling for tariffs against Chinese-built ships (file photo)

Published Aug 30, 2024 4:37 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The Canadian Marine Industries and Shipbuilding Association (CMISA) this week issued a call for the Canadian government to impose a 100 percent tariff on Chinese-built ships as a step to protect domestic capabilities and national security. The move comes after Canada announced a similar tariff on Chinese-made electrical vehicles and as the United States is also reviewing a trade complaint from its unions lodged against the Chinese shipbuilding industry.

The Canadian lobbying group highlights that China’s shipbuilding industry is part of a doctrine of civil-military fusion where they contend commercial ship exports are subsidized to strengthen the country’s military capabilities. They highlight that the same shipyards that are producing ferries and cargo vessels for the global market are also used to construct warships.

China has rapidly expanded its shipbuilding capabilities and today dominates commercial ship orders. South Korea is the only meaningful competitor that is still able in some months to record the highest value of orders. However, according to data from Clarkson Research, China attracted 63 percent of the total number of ships ordered so far in 2024 versus just a 23 percent share for the South Korean industry. Japan is a distant third for commercial ship orders.

CMISA in its statement alludes to China's naval expansion and entanglements with neighbors as well as more distant incursions such as in the Arctic. They point to reports that Chinese ships have been seen in Canada’s Arctic waters.

“CIMSA calls for immediate and decisive action,” the trade association said in its statement. “We recommend the imposition of a 100 percent surtax on all Chinese-built ships imported into Canada and demand a clear prohibition on any government entity or Crown corporation from acquiring or leasing Chinese-built vessels.”

The appeal singles out the Canadian government-owned, government-funded Marine Atlantic for its recent introduction of a Chinese-built ferry chartered from Sweden's’ Stena group. The vessel which was built in Weihai, China is on a five-year charter to operate on Canada’s Atlantic coast and Marine Atlantic has a purchase option. 

The group accuses the company of using this structure to “evade public scrutiny and ethical concerns.” They call on the company to use the five-year charter period to work with the Canadian industry to design and build a domestic vessel instead of ultimately purchasing the Chinese-built ship.

The statement asserts that it is “imperative that the government takes these actions to protect Canadian industries.”

In the U.S., a coalition of major unions filed a trade complaint against the Chinese shipbuilding industry accusing it of unfair business practices, subsidies, and other violations. This complaint is still under review by the US Trade Representative for possible punitive actions. China angrily responded to the complaint saying it was not based on fact and said the problems in the U.S. industry were more deeply seated and not China’s fault. 

The Canadian trade group alludes to concerns about working conditions and environmental standards but focuses on what it says are the capabilities of Canadian companies. They reiterate the national security concerns and the need to protect the domestic industry. The Canadian government is undertaking a massive shipbuilding strategy working with three major shipyards to build new government vessels for the navy, coast guard, and Antarctic icebreakers. The ongoing program is part of an effort to shore up Canada’s shipbuilding capabilities while Canada, Finland, and the United States also announced a new cooperation to support the development of icebreakers. 

 

Lack of Connection Plan Shelves Sweden’s Most Mature Offshore Wind Project

Vattenfall operates a nearby Danish wind farm but said it will shelve plans for an offshore wind farm in Sweden (Vattenfall)

Published Sep 2, 2024 6:02 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Sweden’s Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm, which had proceeded to become one of the most mature plans for the emerging sector, is being shelved developer Vattenfall reported today. The company which is owned by the Swedish state cited the “unviable investment prerequisites in Sweden” for the industry saying it would defer until further notice the wind farm which was nearing construction.

Vattenfall is reiterating that it has repeatedly said the project, as is Sweden’s industry, needs a reasonable connection point to the national grid offshore. Speaking with Reuters, the company’s Senior Vice President, Head of Business Area Wind, Helene Bistrom said if Vattenfall had to build the grid connection it would increase the cost of the project by approximately a quarter. Two years ago, in May 2022, when Sweden granted a construction permit for Kriegers Flak, Vattenfall said the project would be contingent on an agreement with Svenska kraftnät, the TSO, on how to connect to the grid on land.

“The investment prerequisites for offshore wind in Sweden are currently not viable and Vattenfall has therefore decided to pause all further development of the project. The wind farm was planned for production start in 2028, which is no longer possible,” the company said in its announcement.

Kriegers Flak was scheduled to reach a final investment decision by 2025 and immediately begin construction. It is on the Swedish side of the Kriegers Flag reef, an area approximately 20 miles south of Trelleborg, Sweden, and home to other wind farms. Vattenfall operates a 605 MW wind farm that went into service in the Danish area in 2021 as Scandinavia’s largest offshore wind farm and on the German side, there is a 288 MW wind farm that has been operational since 2015.

Vattenfall received approval from Sweden in May 2022 for its plan to build a 640 MW wind farm consisting of between 35 to 50 turbines. The company has obtained several permits for the project and in 2023 received the final approval to begin cabling. That permit requires the work to be completed within 10 years.

The company said if the investment prerequisites improve and the permits are still valid, the project could resume. The company has plans to develop projects that could provide Sweden with 18 TWh of electricity by 2035, but it notes the issues related to the cost and installation of the interconnect remain a hurdle to the industry. Kriegers Flak was scheduled to provide 2.7 TWh of electricity per year.

Today, Vattenfall reports it operates more than 1,300 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of approximately 6.1 GW across five countries in Europe. Vattenfall in 2023 stopped plans for offshore wind farms in the UK citing increasing costs and later sold the portfolio to RWE.
 

Australia Declares First Indian Ocean Wind Zone and Solicits Applications

The Indian Ocean zone would be centered near Bunbury in the Southeast of Australia (DCCEEW)

Published Sep 2, 2024 4:00 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

Australia’s federal government is continuing to move forward with its efforts to develop the offshore wind power industry by declaring the first offshore wind zone in the Indian Ocean. With the declaration of the sixth offshore zone in Australia, the government tomorrow, September 3, will begin accepting applications for feasibility licenses.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Brown said the declared area was a vital step towards securing Western Australia’s energy grid with reliable renewable energy. The government has estimated that 50 GW of new energy generation will be required in Australia by 2042, noting that Western Australia needs new sources of electricity.

Plans for the Indian Ocean wind energy zone were announced in February with the government opening a period of consultation. The minister reports they received over 2,600 submissions which provided valuable information that was used to inform the decision on the area. They note that the final declaration is for a smaller area, about half the size first envisioned. They also set the distance from shore as well as the spacing of the proposed turbines to ensure access to fishing areas and commercial shipping. Approximately 60 percent of the requested areas for recreational fishing were removed from the zone and it was moved to place it further away from known Southern Right Whale habitats. 

The ministry highlights that the Indian Ocean area near the Bunbury region is well-suited due to its strong, consistent winds and proximity to areas of high electrical demand. They also highlighted the existing power grid for connections and the scheduled shutdown in the future of coal-fired power stations.

 

 

The declared area is just under 4,000 square kilometers (nearly 1 million acres) and has the potential to provide 11.4 GW of electricity, which they note is enough to power all the homes and manufacturing industries in the South West of Australia. The declared zone is at least 30 km (more than 18 miles) from shore and as much as 30 miles offshore. They said access for shipping to the Port of Bunbury, which they expect would become a support port for the industry, as well as to Fremantle is maintained under the plan.

The application period for feasibility licenses is beginning and runs till November 6. The ministry highlights it is the beginning of a process with today’s declaration making it possible to proceed to further exploration. Construction of wind farms can only begin after the feasibility is completed and developers present plans that would require environmental and management approval as well.

The Indian Ocean area is the last of the areas being explored. Australia started the process by defining areas in the southeast and south of the country and those are also proceeding through feasibility and the submission of the first offshore wind energy project plans.

Blade Failure at UK Wind Farm Due to Commissioning Process Says GE Vernova

The commissioning process is believed to have left the blades vulnerable during a wind storm reports GE Vernova (Dogger Bank)

Published Sep 1, 2024 6:35 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The failure of a blade at the under-construction Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK was due to the commissioning process reports GE Vernova. The company is ruling out an installation or manufacturing issue which were blamed for other blade failures earlier this year at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm and Vineyard Wind 1 in the United States.

Dogger Bank reported on August 22 that it was aware of a blade failure at one of the turbines in the first section of the wind farm which is currently under construction and undergoing commissioning. GE Vernova was quick to term it an “isolated blade event,” while also commencing an investigation into the root cause.

“GE Vernova analysis has established that during the commissioning process being performed by GE Vernova, the turbine was left in a fixed and static position, rendering it vulnerable during a subsequent storm with high winds,” Dogger Bank said in a statement released on August 30. 

SSE, which is leading the development in a partnership with Equinor and Norway’s Vargrønn, elaborated that the turbine rotor was locked in place and the yaw system, which orients the rotor towards the wind, was disabled, during the commissioning. They believe that it left the blade vulnerable during a storm that hit the area. GE Vernova is taking corrective actions to eliminate this risk.

Dogger Bank reports the site remains restricted. Installation activities however will restart they said in the coming days. Dogger Bank A is located approximately 80 miles off the northern English coast.

Another blade on the GE Vernova turbine broke apart at the U.S. offshore wind farm in July. In that case, the company later said that it believed it was a manufacturing issue with adhesion and said it should have been caught by quality control. Installation was suspended at the Vineyard Wind 1 site while GE Vernova reported it would be checking the blades for the wind farm for a similar problem. 

Debris from the U.S. turbine blade fell into the ocean and parts washed ashore on Massachusetts beaches causing widespread concern which was exploited by detractors of the industry. Towns impacted by the clean-up were seeking compensation from the wind farm. U.S. regulators however have agreed that work on the wind farm including subsea rock installation activities for the Cable Protection System could proceed as well as the installation of the final 15 monopiles for the wind farm which will consist of 62 turbines.

Dogger Bank also suffered another blade incident in May 2024. In that case, it was determined to be an installation-related problem that damaged the blade. It was replaced as the work continued.

GE Vernova reports it continues to investigate. However, it is now confident that the issues at Dogger Bank and Vineyard Wind 1 were unrelated. 
 

 

 

NTSB: "Greater Speed" Needed as USCG Still Delays on Small Boat Safety

Conception’s burned hull at dawn on Sept. 2, 2019, prior to sinking (Ventura County Fire Department)??

Published Sep 2, 2024 6:54 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The National Transportation Safety Board came out swinging (again) against the U.S. Coast Guard on the fifth anniversary of the tragic fire on the dive boat Conception that killed 34 people. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy says the USCG has delayed for too long and greater speed is needed to enact its safety recommendations for small passenger boats.

“For decades, the NTSB has urged the US Coast Guard to take action to mandate safety management systems (SMS), and for many years the US Coast Guard has failed to complete this action,” writes Homedy in a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Linda Fagan. NTSB explains its SMS recommendation for all passenger vessels was first issued after a 2010 incident with a Staten Island (New York) Ferry. The NTSB has repeated the same recommendations including in a 2018 investigation and again in 2020 in the conclusion to the Conception investigation.

Homedy notes on a personal level that the Conception investigation was her first marine investigation as an NTSB Board member. She says she has formed a personal bond with the families of the victims and that she is committed to ensuring the consideration of the recommendations so no other families have to experience a similar tragedy.

The letter calls attention to US Congressional authorization for the USCG 14 years ago to implement the NTSB’s safety recommendations. Three years ago, NTSB says Congress mandated that the USCG carry out all the NTSB recommendations issued or reiterated as a result of the Conception investigation.

NTSB says Vice Admiral Peter Gautier, Deputy Commandant for Operations of the USCG, wrote NTSB on July 25, 2024, saying it was “diligently working,” on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking “with all due haste.”

“NTSB cannot accept this explanation given the length of inaction,” Homedy writes to Mayorkas and Fagan. “Greater speed is required.”

The NTSB is urging the full attention of the higher-ups to push the rulemaking forward. They urge the “immediate rectification of the US Coast Guard’s unacceptable response,” to the long-standing NTSB recommendations.

The NTSB has repeatedly over the years been critical of the USCG citing its failures and inaction on its safety recommendations. In a now yearly event, NTSB demands USCG action. It has also gone in front of Congress to call for action from the USCG on its recommendations.

Congress passed new safety regulations for small passenger boats while the families of the victims have sued the USCG over what they contend were failures to properly enforce safety regulations and inspections on the Conception before the September 2, 2019 fire aboard the 75-foot dive boat off the coast of Santa Cruz Island, California. The fire began at around 3:00 a.m. while the people were asleep and has been blamed on overloaded electrical circuits and a lack of a safety watch. A total of 33 passengers and one crewmember died.
 

Barge to Innovate New Zealand Coastal Shipping Grounds in Storm

Manahau was billed as a game changer for New Zealand costal shipping but grounded days after starting operations (Deon Swiggs, Regional Councillor on Facebook)

Published Sep 1, 2024 9:02 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

A newly launched service using a self-propelled barge that was promoted as a game changer in New Zealand’s coastal shipping ran into problems just weeks after it launched. The Manahau, a 321-foot (98-meter) barge with a crew of 11 ran aground on the northwest shore of New Zealand’s South Island during a storm around midnight on September 1. Officials fear it will be days before the vessel can be refloated and, in the meantime, it has become a local spectacle.

The 2006-built barge which has a capacity of 7,000 tonnes arrived in New Zealand in July from Indonesia where it had undergone an extensive refit. The work included overhauling the engines, azimuth drive shafts, and bow thrusters, as well as new electronics, navigation equipment, accommodations, electrical wiring, and steel plates. The vessel which is registered in the South Pacific nation of Niue, was brought up to the certification standards of RINA Class.

 

 (Deon Swiggs, Regional Councillor on Facebook)

 

The Buller District in New Zealand reported the grounding with local officials saying the vessel was not loaded and was holding offshore due to recent storms. New Zealand had experienced several days of bad weather and overnight from Saturday to Sunday, there were squally thunderstorms and winds.

When it arrived at Westport in mid-August, the vessel’s operator WMS (Westland Mineral Sands) said crews would be “doing a few crossings of the bar” to ensure familiarity with the local conditions before starting shipping operations. On August 17, Manahau completed its first shipment of mineral sands from Westport to Nelson. The company reported it carried several thousand tonnes of heavy mineral concentrate which was being shipped to customers in Asia.

“Coastal shipping of bulk commodities on this scale hasn’t existed in New Zealand and our mineral sands is the cornerstone cargo that has made this investment possible,” said Ray Mudgway, WMS Group managing director. “We’ve invested heavily to ensure the vessel and operation is world-class and a game changer for New Zealand.”

The company highlighted that Manahau was a versatile vessel that would provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to road or rail transport for bulk material. Specifically, it provides a new capability to access smaller regional ports and rivers, “a capacity no other vessel in New Zealand could achieve,” said WMS. It will transport aggregate, construction sand, and hard rock resources.

 

Manahau made its first delivery on August 17 opening a new coastal shipping service (WMS)

 

Maritime New Zealand responded to the grounding and is taking the lead in coordinating the efforts. On Sunday, September 1, they reported the effort was to stabilize the barge. Crews were digging on the beach to create anchor points to “lock the vessel in place.” Local officials said the stern would possibly be floating at high tide while noting it is broadside to the waves. 

Following the grounding, the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) expressed concerns over the fact that the barge was crewed by foreign seafarers and sailed under a foreign flag. “Vessels such as the Manahau operating in New Zealand’s unique and challenging maritime environment should be crewed by experienced New Zealand seafarers,” said Carl Findlay, MUNZ National Secretary.

Maritime NZ said plans would be developed in the coming days on how best to remove the vessel from the beach. WMS also said that specialized tugs were being brought in for the operation.

Avian flu confirmed in three central California dairies


Three dairies in central California have tested positive for avian flu, the first time the virus has been discovered in the state after spreading across the United States since March. Image by Charlie Boyd from Pixabay

Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Three dairies in central California have tested positive for avian flu, the first time the virus has been discovered in the state after spreading across the United States since March.

On Friday, the California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed the cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1. The virus is fatal to poultry and makes cows mildly sick with symptoms of lethargy, loss of appetite and dehydration.

No human cases of HPAI have been confirmed in California related to this incident.

The risk to humans is considered low, according to California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total reported human cases are 14 since 2022, with four after exposure to dairy cows, according to the CDC. Nine of the H5 human cases have been confirmed as H5N1.

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The primary concern is for dairy workers in close contact with infected dairy cows.

Herds in California began showing clinical signs consistent with HPAI on Sunday.

Samples were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety, and then to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

California State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones did not identify the county but said the 

The top three milk producers in the state are Tulare, Merced and Stanislaus counties. The state will also begin testing cows in nearby dairies and any poultry ranches for the avian flu, Jones said.

Jones said the affected dairies will be placed under quarantine, requiring enhanced bio-security measures, including wearing protective equipment and disinfecting equipment.

She said the healthy cows on the affected dairies have been cleared to continue shipping milk to processors for pasteurization to kill the virus and other harmful bacteria.

"This is a tough time for our dairy farmers given the economic challenges they're facing in a dynamic market, so I want to assure them that we are approaching this incident with the utmost urgency," CDFA Secretary Karen Ross said in a news release.

The virus was first reported in U.S. dairy cows on March 25 in Texas, most likely due to a single spillover event from wild birds. Since then it has been found in 13 states and has infected 192 herds.

Despite the low risk to humans, nearly 5 million doses of flu vaccine are being prepared for possible use in humans.

The avian virus has been detected in wild birds in the U.S. since 2022.

A study released in March found the bird flu is now jumping between species of mammals, a step that draws the virus closer to hopping into human beings.

Researchers have tracked transmission of avian influenza between dairy cows in herds, as well as from cows to cats and a raccoon.

Genetic analysis of the virus did not reveal any mutations that would lead to enhanced transmissibility of H5N1 in humans, said senior researcher Dr. Diego Diel, director of the Virology Laboratory at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center in the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.