Ligurian port authority launches tender for passenger terminal at La Spezia port

by & filed under Port infrastructure, Port-city relations.
Risultati immagini per la spezia+cruise terminal

 

La Spezia, Italy – October 25, 2018 – Autorita’di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Orientale (AdSP – Eastern Ligurian Sea Port Authority) has authorised the tender for the construction of a new passenger terminal.

The deadline for the submission of bids in the tender, which envisages the launch of the new station in 2023, is January 14, 2019. The project also includes the construction of a multipurpose building adjoining the new terminal and a large public square between the two buildings.

The institution approved a concession to Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Costa Crociere for the delivery of passenger assistance services via a project financing contract.

Source: Portseurope

Carnival Corporation: Stop destroying the environment your customers pay to see!

by & filed under Environment.

A company that runs cruises through Arctic waters is coming under increased pressure to stop using a cheap-but-dirty fuel that is destroying the environment its passengers pay to see. Carnival Corporation’s customers and the general public are being asked to sign a petition at cleanupcarnival.com, setup by an international coalition of environmental groups.

Warming temperatures resulting from climate change have speeded up the melting of the polar ice caps, which has opened up Arctic sea routes to ships for more of the summer months. Carnival Corporation is the world’s leading cruise ship company operating in Arctic waters and many of its ships have begun their summer cruises. But the heavy fuel oil (HFO) that they burn emits large quantities of polluting and climate-changing substances, which means Carnival is effectively destroying the fragile Arctic and sub-Arctic waters that its customers pay to visit.

When burned, HFO releases greenhouse gases and other dangerous pollutants like sulphur dioxide and soot. In the Arctic and sub-Arctic, this soot settles on sea ice, rapidly accelerating its melting. The sea ice loss is devastating for Arctic wildlife and is heavily affecting Arctic communities. In addition, the damage done by HFO in cold and remote Arctic waters is virtually impossible to clean up, and the risk of an oil spill in iceberg-filled waters is considerable and poses a major threat to Arctic wildlife and coastal communities. A recent HFO spill in Rotterdam harbour is costing in excess of €90 million and is requiring a complete replacement of the sea walls through the harbour. This puts into the perspective the costs of clean up in an easy-to-access, busy harbour.

T&E’s aviation and shipping officer Lucy Gilliam said: ‘Carnival has talked a lot about its “climate values”, but such talk is meaningless when it continues to burn the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel. Carnival is destroying the delicate environment its customers are paying to see. Instead, the company should commit to using cleaner fuel now.’

The petition calls on Carnival to switch all its ships to low-sulphur diesel and to end the use and carriage of all HFO blends through the Arctic (including Canada and Alaska). It also calls for the installation of diesel particulate filters on all ships to reduce soot emissions and to take the lead in developing clean shipping technologies that will remove the dependence of cruise ships on fossil fuels.

The petition is open until 27 September 2018, and will then be delivered to Carnival Corporation.

Source: Transport environment

European Parliament adopts port reception facilities measures

by & filed under Accessibility and Standards, Relation with Med & Neighbouring Countries.

 Parliament guarantees the provision of adequate port reception facilities for all ships entering EU ports, in line with the polluter pays principle

 

On October 11, 2018, the Transport Committee of the European Parliament adopted earlier this week the final report on the Port Reception Facilities and gave a mandate to the Rapporteur Ms Gesine Meissner to start negotiations with the Council and the EU Commission to finalise the text of the new directive.

The European Community of Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) supports the polluter pays principle in return for the safe and environmentally sound management of the ship-generated waste. Ships will be allowed to deliver all garbage when paying a fixed waste fee, without port-specific limitations towards the volumes delivered. “This will guarantee that ports keep investing in the needed infrastructure, additional capacity and technological developments,” says Martin Dorsman, ECSA’s Secretary-General. “Setting very strict port-specific limits would have created too much differentiation throughout EU ports, making it more confusing for ships to make good use of the facilities”. ECSA welcomes this report which contributes to increasing the transparency of the many different cost recovery system in European ports.

“Efficient and transparent port reception facilities will facilitate the use by ship owners and hence the delivery of waste from ships ashore”

The Transport Committee also strikes the right balance between allowing ships to sail as swiftly as possible between EU and non-EU ports and reassuring that waste is delivered ashore for further safe and environmentally sound treatment, by referring to existing international databases of adequate facilities. “This is important for European shipowners, as we currently still do not know where the Brexit negotiations will take us”.

ECSA is confident that the rapporteur and her team in the European Parliament will stand by these principles and is confident in a good outcome of the trialogue negotiations.

However, there still are some points of concern for ECSA. “It is not clear what the added value could be of including many different waste streams in what has been defined as ship-generated waste”. Some industries such as the offshore industry and the ship repair yards are very different compared to commercial shipping. It will be very difficult to develop a one-size-fits all cost recovery system for those different industries as the waste production and the way they manage their waste differs a lot.

While ECSA is not opposing to the Green Ship concept as such, the current proposal remains rather vague on the exact way forward. ECSA emphasizes that it is crucial to avoid the development of yet another indexing system. Defining the Green Ship concept should remain the prerogative of the IMO.

Finally, reminding the EU legislators of the specific short sea shipping (SSS) statements in the Athens and the Valletta Declaration, ECSA stresses the need for an improvement of the position of short sea vessels on the spot market.

Source: Portseurope

Offshore Tests for Subsea Cable Shells

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Relation with Med & Neighbouring Countries.
The FMGC cast iron shells are being put to the test at the Centrales Nantes SEM-REV offshore test site Photo: Centrales Nantes

The FMGC cast iron shells are being put to the test at the Centrales Nantes SEM-REV offshore test site Photo: Centrales Nantes

 

The third round of offshore tests for a new type of subsea electrical cable ballast have been undertaken at a depth of 30 metres on the Centrale Nantes SEM-REV offshore test site.

The FMGC cast iron shells (IBOCS) aim to protect, stabilise and restrict the bend of subsea electrical cables, even under heavy swell conditions.

These tests are part of the FORESEA project (Interreg Europe funding), which aims to help bring Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) technologies to market by providing access to the North-European network of offshore test sites, which includes SEM-REV.

Tough testing

These tests will also provide comparative data since three sections of test cables – two equipped with shells of different linear density and the third completely bare – were installed alongside each other.

Through regular on-site measurements, current measurements and cable movements, the impact of the cast iron shells can be easily assessed. The FMGC and SEM-REV teams will observe how the shells bear up against factors, including resistance and corrosion, in order to gain unique feedback in an environment representative of offshore wind-farm conditions.

Innosea, a Centrale Nantes spin-off, worked with FMGC on shell design methods to calculate the optimal mass required to ensure cable stability on the sea floor.

FMGC previously equipped the Floatgen foundation – the first offshore wind turbine in France – with clump weights, which are attached to the anchor lines, providing stability to the floating structure.

It’s the third company to make use of the Centrale Nantes offshore test site, following on from NEREIS Environnement’s acoustic sensor and the Floatgen floating wind turbine – a European research project involving Ideol, Bouygues TP and Centrale Nantes.

By Anne-Marie Causer

 

Source: Maritime journal

Monitoring Blyth Offshore Windfarm Efficiency

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Sustainability.
ONYX InSight will monitor the Blyth Offshore windfarm project’s 8.3MW MHI Vestas V164 wind turbines Photo: ONYX InSight

ONYX InSight will monitor the Blyth Offshore windfarm project’s 8.3MW MHI Vestas V164 wind turbines Photo: ONYX InSight

 

A predictive maintenance provider has signed a three-year contract with EDF Renewables at Blyth Offshore Demonstrator windfarm to monitor the largest operational wind turbines.

The contract will see ONYX InSight monitor the project’s 8.3MW MHI Vestas V164 wind turbines – some of the largest installed turbines in the world – throughout the first three years of their operation.

“Turbines of this size will soon become the standard in offshore wind, which means operators need to have a good understanding of how they perform,” said Fraser Morris, business development manager at ONYX InSight.

“With energy production on this scale, the stakes are inevitably raised, and the business case for investing in robust and accurate predictive analytics is clear.”

 

Boosting efficiency

As the offshore wind sector aims to boost generation capacity and efficiency to bring down the levelised cost of energy, turbine technology is increasing rapidly in scale.

This increase in scale brings with it increased complexity and any downtime has a greater proportional impact on production and revenues. Effective predictive analytics becomes necessary to mitigate the risk of costly equipment failure and other interruptions.

ONYX InSight said there are, in turn, challenges involved in monitoring such large machines. At Blyth, ONYX InSight is using Fleet Monitor – a technology-agnostic predictive analytics platform that pulls data from all of these sensors into one place.

Fleet Monitor will enable effective monitoring and analysis of all sensor data and keep tabs on turbine condition. In turn, ONYX InSight’s monitoring team will detect, diagnose and mitigate failures before they occur.

ONYX InSight is a joint venture, combining Romax Technology’s 30 years of expertise in software and data analytics with Castrol’s knowledge of wind turbine lubrication.

 

By Anne-Marie Causer

EU Tidal Project Moves onto Next Stage

by & filed under Accessibility and Standards, Port infrastructure, Sustainability.

 

A European Union-backed tidal energy project has received approval from the European Commission to proceed to its next stage after a successful first full year reports Andrew Williams.

So, what design, development and operational activities have been carried out to date?  What have been the results?  What activities does the project team plan to carry out as part of the next phase?  And, looking ahead, how does the project team envisage that the outputs of the project will contribute towards the ongoing growth and commercial development of European tidal energy arrays?

 

TIDAL RESOURCE MONITORING
The key aims of the flagship €20 million Enabling Future Arrays in Tidal (EnFAIT) project – led by Edinburgh-based tidal energy company Nova Innovation in collaboration with eight European partner organisations, including the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, the University of Edinburgh and marine engineering outfit Mojo Maritime, as well as the Belgian renewable energy company ELSA, Swedish bearing and seal manufacturer SKF, energy services firm Wood Group, French company RSK Environnement and leading UK motion control system provider HMK Technical Services – are to prove that the reliability and availability of tidal energy arrays can be significantly increased, and that the cost of tidal energy can be reduced by at least 40%.  The initiative compliments earlier work carried out by Nova at its existing operational tidal power station in Bluemull Sound off the Shetland Islands in Scotland – the first-ever grid-connected offshore tidal energy turbine array.

As a spokesperson for Nova Innovation explains, the activities conducted by the project team in the first year have included the re-instrumentation of the three existing turbines at Bluemull Sound in an effort to ‘collect improved performance data’ and carry out extensive tidal resource monitoring activities to ‘build up a detailed understanding of the array site and its characteristics.’  The team has also worked on gaining the necessary site consents and permissions for the planned expansion of the array to six turbines – and developed and verified ‘detailed designs for the new turbines and their subsea connections.’

In addition, the team has developed a number of key performance indicators (KPIs), which are now being employed to ‘analyse periods of better-than-expected operations and identify aspects for potential improvement, so that designs and maintenance approaches can be improved.’  This process also bolstered both Nova and ORE Catapult to nurture a better understanding of ‘what tidal turbine and array data should be recorded and how.’

 

INCREASING COMMERCIAL VIABILITY
According to the spokesperson, work carried out throughout the next stage will ‘help to continue the success that has been established after the first year of the project’s operation.’

“The next stages of the project over the coming months will see the continued operation of the existing three turbines in Bluemull Sound, collecting performance data to further inform the understanding of the tidal array, whilst in Edinburgh, the procurement and build of the fourth turbine T4 will take place,” they say.

Ultimately, the Nova spokesperson is confident that the successful delivery of the EnFAIT project ‘will significantly increase the commercial viability of tidal power’ – in the process demonstrating what they describe as a ‘significantly reduced’ levelised cost of energy (LCOE), which will ‘boost the confidence of potential clients and investors.’

“EnFAIT is designed to generate significant ‘learning by doing’ that is not specific to one type or scale of technology, but is immediately applicable to the wider ocean energy industry,” they say.

“The project will showcase the positive impact of ocean energy on the natural environment and local community, highlighting the huge potential benefits of the sector for European industrial output and employment,” they add.

 

Source: Maritimejournal

MAN Launches Latest Eco-Friendly Solution

by & filed under Bridging R&D and implementation, Environment.

 

MAN Energy has launched its new electrical turbo blower (ETB) for the marine industry at a ceremony in Shanghai.

The new ETB is designed specifically to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Tier III emission standards, which are meant to cut the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emitted by vessels.

The ETB is a core component of MAN Energy Solutions’ high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system that is designed to increase efficiency by controlling the exhaust gas flow and varying the blower speed.

It is the latest in MAN Energy Solutions’ eco-friendly maritime solutions. In September 2018 it unveiled a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) engine, designed specifically for large vessels.

Speaking at the unveiling in Shanghai, Ralph Klaunig, Vice President and Head of Turbocharger and Exhaust Gas Systems, MAN Energy Solutions, said: “Our development of the ETB series is a strategic decision and a significant addition to our existing, proven EGR technology that will play an important role in maintaining IMO Tier III emission standards.

“This will enable customers to achieve sustainable value creation in the transition towards a carbon-neutral future. In taking this step, we are making use of our in-house turbocharger technology that features a significantly higher thermodynamic efficiency than previous designs.

“The development of the ETB series is the next logical step toward complementing MAN Energy Solutions’ EGR IMO Tier III solution packages for customers, and to ensure that there is a significant cost-down on all major components.

“The key to success will be continuous development and to ensure that the ETB remains the most cost-effective blower on the market”.

 

Source: Port technology

New Paper: Safety in Automation

by & filed under Safety & security.

 

Port Technology has published an exclusive paper from Eduard Musalf, After Sales Manager at EMG Automation GmBH, who has discussed the development of the brake thruster.  

This vital piece of equipment is the last link in a chain of measures, ensuring the safety of man and machine in the event of power failure and other unforeseen circumstances.

Brake thrusters have changed massively throughout their history, developing from band brakes used in the crane and textile machinery sectors, to the intelligent, fully-connected braking systems of tomorrow.

Download the free paper from Eduard Musalf, After Sales Manager at EMG Automation GmBH

There are many areas of application for brake thrusters in automated ports and terminals, the technology proving particularly successful when subjected to heavy container loads.

Musalf also assessed the importance of standardization in his paper, emphasising that brake manufacturers, standard committees and container terminals need to cooperate.

“Safety in Automation” looks ahead to the future as well, with increasing digitization and sensor technology allowing the intelligence of braking systems to develop significantly.

PTI Assistant Editor Liam Donovan said: “This is an incredibly insightful paper that reinforces how pivotal safety measures are in automated terminals.

“By charting the past, present and future of brake thrusters, Eduard Musalf has pinpointed just one of many technologies that are evolving rapidly as ports and terminals become smarter.”

Safety in Automation will be a key topic at the Container Terminal Automation Conference 2019, which takes place May 7-8 in London, UK.

Source: Port technology

ESPO Award 2018: Port of Rotterdam Authority

by & filed under Accessibility and Standards, Port-city relations, Sustainability.
Risultati immagini per port of rotterdam

24 October 2018 – The ESPO Award 2018 will go to the port authority that creates a good workplace environment for its current and future employees and demonstrates its investment in a diverse and inclusive environment, facilitating mutual respect, non-discrimination and personal development.

In the running towards the official Award Ceremony on 7 November 2018, ESPO will be presenting the four projects. The third project is:

 

 

Port of Rotterdam Authority

The Port of Rotterdam creates a good working environment for everyone

ESPO: You are one of the four applicants of this year’s edition of the ESPO Award. Could you briefly describe your project and why it fits into this year’s specific theme, ‘Ports as a Good Work Environment for Everyone’?

We aim to create a good working environment for everyone by focusing on maximising the synergy between the port, the city, and the region.

To reach this goal of creating a good working environment, we have created various initiatives covering all ages and various educational backgrounds, which can be divided into three categories:

  • School to Work: in a rapidly changing environment in which developments follow each other in rapid succession, it is essential to prepare employees with the right skills. One way to provide employees with these skills is the establishment of the RDM campus, the ‘IT and Technology Campus’ and the ‘Haven Havo’, by providing intermediate vocational education, stimulating IT and technology skills and offering a special port-focused curriculum to prepare young people (aged 12 to 17) for a rapidly changing world.
  • Work to Work: it is crucial to prepare the port’s business community for new types of work. One of such initiatives is ‘Rotterdam Works’, a network offering voluntary labour mobility opportunities to employees. Participating employees will gain new work experience and will be better equipped for labour market orientation and professional development. Similarly, ‘Rotterdam’s Initiative for Social Innovation’ aims for greater cooperation and modernisation in the labour market and will deal with the question of how businesses can collaborate more in this area. A promising element in this project is that Port of Rotterdam Authority, Deltalinqs and labour union CNV are working together.
  • Return to Work: the port offers numerous job opportunities to tackle the high unemployment rate in the region. Through various projects like ‘Ambachtslab Charlois’ and ‘Startbaan project’, together with the Municipality of Rotterdam, the port is seeking to assist people to gain the right skills, to match potential employees with the right job and to help young people to acquire basic qualifications. It is crucial to invest in people now in order for them to be useful in the future when they are needed.


ESPO: How does your project contribute to the societal integration of the port?

Thanks to our diverse set of initiatives, thousands of students, various formally unemployed people, and employees are currently working in the Port of Rotterdam. As Port Authority, we increased our visibility as a regional facilitator to create a good and sustainable working environment for all people. At the same time, we have established a network with firms from several industries, shared over 50 vacancies within the network and will organise a summit to discuss labour developments and the future of jobs in the Port. As our CEO Allard Castelein emphasises: “the Port of Rotterdam needs skilled hands and bright talents!”

ESPO: Could you describe the original and innovative character of your project?

The originality and innovative aspect of our project lies in the variety of the initiatives we created, as well as in the variety of the goals we pursue, which include giving employees skills fitting with the needs of companies in the port, providing future-oriented training for our current and future talents, and having as many people from Rotterdam and its surroundings as possible working in the port. In this way we create a circular economy of people to stimulate employee mobility between firms in the port.

ESPO: Why do you think your project deserves to win the ESPO Award 2018?

Winning this project will create awareness of the development of a good working environment for everyone by focusing on maximising the synergy between the port, the city and the region. Awards contribute to the motivation of employees, employers and other stakeholders to participate in our or similar projects and to stimulate co-working between a diverse set of stakeholders in the port. Finally, we would like to celebrate the creation of a good working environment with the people that work in and in surrounded areas of our port.

ESPO: How would you make your experience in developing the project available to other ports?

In order to unlock the potential of human capital and to ensure that ports meet the requirements of the new economy, the collaboration between different ports is highly needed. By joining forces in an effort to enhance social innovation, develop instruments and policies for ports and port firms and to develop future port jobs, new insights and knowledge from a diverse set of ports are needed. We are certain that together we can change things for the better.

Next, to sharing our experience and knowledge about human capital in the Port of Rotterdam, we aim to gather labour market information jointly, work towards work pathways and further strengthen the cooperation. Therefore, an informal, multi-organisational platform will be established in order to facilitate this process and to share our knowledge with other ports. The objective would be to exchange experiences and to learn from each other in order to establish a worldwide human capital agenda for ports 2018-2022!

“The Port of Rotterdam needs skilled hands and bright talents!”

Allard Castelein, CEO of Port of Rotterdam Authority

 

Source: ESPO

Livorno port participates in European Autopilot project

by & filed under Port-city relations, Relation with Med & Neighbouring Countries.
Livorno Port Participates In European Autopilot Project

Livorno, Italy, 2018 – Companies operating at the port have been carrying out tests on intelligent driving in the framework of the European Autopilot project, the head of initiatives on the connected vehicle of the European Road Transport Telematics Implementation Coordination Organization (ERTICO), François Fischer said.

“Livorno is achieving important results in terms of technological innovation and has adopted an ambitious digital agenda to manage the upcoming and future challenges related to the capacity, traffic, efficiency and environmental sustainability of port activities”, added Fischer.

The European official underlined how the port plays an active role not only in the projects related to the implementation of new mobility (such as Autopilot) but also in those related to the digitalization of port operations, having been identified as one of the five living labs inside of COREALIS, the project with Ericsson, Livorno port and the National Inter-university Telecommunications Consortium (CNIT), born with the aim of designing and implementing a real 5G end-to-end network in the Livorno port area.

“The Tuscan port is leading the way in the development of new smart mobility solutions,” concludes Fischer. “The collaboration between Autorita’ di Sistema Portuale del Mar Tirreno Settentrionale (AdSP – North Tyrrhenian Sea Port Authority) and ERTICO is really giving good results”.

The port, which was identified by the European Union as a national site for experimentation of the new intelligent driving services, will host a public initiative dedicated to the theme.

Source: Portseurope