Tognum subsidiary L’Orange GmbH today celebrates the production of its 500,000th injector - a new record for the manufacturer of highpressure injection systems for diesel and heavy-oil engines. “Against the background of ever more stringent emissions legislation, injection is of enormous strategic significance for engine manufacturers,” explained L’Orange CEO Dr. Ralph-Michael Schmidt (right). (more…)

In recent trials carried out in co-operation with the Spliethoff Group, the Wärtsilä Energopac solution delivered significant reductions in fuel costs. The trials involved eight 17,700 DWT vessels. The trials have shown that the Energopac solution saves close to 4% power in design condition. This represents annual fuel cost savings of more than USD 120,000 (at fuel prices in July 2010). (more…)

The manufacturing process for MaK and Cat engines up to 16,000 kW in Germany has been awarded an impressive environmental award. In June, Caterpillar’s Kiel Engine Center in Kiel, Germany, was awarded an Environmental Award from the Economic Association of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state in Germany, at a celebration including the governor of Schleswig-Holstein. (more…)

All four of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s 41m Austal-designed and built high speed passenger ferries achieved a trial speed above the contract requirement during recent sea trials. Designed to carry 405 passengers at speeds of more than 37 knots, they are intended to help reduce road congestion by establishing a water taxi service between San Fernando and Port of Spain in southwest Trinidad. (more…)

Wärtsilä is to supply the main engines for 40 new bunkering tankers being built for the Brightoil Petroleum Group (BPG), China. In terms of the number of engines, this is one of the largest-ever orders received by Wärtsilä Ship Power. It has a total value of more than EUR 23 million. This order for a total of 80 Wärtsilä 20 engines has been included in the order book already earlier but made public. (more…)

Wärtsilä has signed a major contract with the A.P. Moller Maersk Group (APMM). The order covers the installation of Wärtsilä Slow Steaming Upgrade Kits to 34 more of the company’s large container vessels, following the successful installation and testing on one of the fleet’s sister vessels in late 2009. Slow steaming has become a recognized means of operating in order to reduce fuel consumption. (more…)

The Swedish Coast Guard is to install Volvo Penta’s Inboard Performance System (IPS) in an entirely new type of vessel - KBV 312 - for surveillance, border control, fishing control, sea rescue and safety at sea activities. Using the IPS system, the Coast Guard will reduce the fuel consumption of the five new vessels by about 30%. The first KBV 312 vessel in the series is scheduled for completion during autumn 2011. (more…)

Last week in the Geiranger fjord in Norway, onboard Hurtigruten’s Richard With, DNV officially launched its ECA Survival Kit in the presence of a selection of international maritime and offshore journalists as part of international press event organised by Blue-C. DNV’s principal consultant Henning Mohn (l) and segment director for special ships Arnstein Eknes (r) presented DNV’s new toolkit for ECA compliance. (more…)

The first-ever Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) certification for a large container vessel owned and operated by Hapag-Lloyd has been conducted by Germanischer Lloyd (GL). The EEDI certificate is issued in accordance with the voluntary EEDI guidelines, MEPC.1/Circ.681 and 682 of IMO. With this first EEDI certification, Hapag-Lloyd emphasises its leadership in sustainable container shipping. (more…)

Early last week, Fjord1 entered into a contract with Fiskerstrand BLRT AS to plan and construct the world’s largest gas-powered ferry. The new gas-powered ferry is designed by Multi Maritime AS in Førde and will have a total length of 129.9 m, a maximum width of 19.2 m and a capacity of 242 cars and/or 22 lorries in combination with cars. The contract was won in a tough European shipyard competition. (more…)