Short Listed Entries 2007
CATEGORY I - SAFETY AT SEA
THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE, UK - 11 employees
Alert!, the International Human Element Bulletin was founded in 2003 by The Nautical Institute and remains sponsored by the Lloyd's Register Educational Trust.
The aim of Alert! is to raise the awareness of Human Element issues as they apply to the commercial maritime industry. The bulletin is an eight page, colourful, illustrated, collection of themed pieces, written in plain maritime English, and targeted at an international, interdisciplinary audience of 'operational decision makers'. Thanks to Trust funding, the bulletin is made available for free and over 60,000 copies of each are distributed, primarily through the kind support of other international organisations and companies such as GlobalMET, IFSMA, IIMS, IMarEST, IMPA, NewsLink, RIN, RINA, and SNAME. Additional copies are made available through direct mailing, fleet distribution, and via the Internet.
To date the project has addressed key issues such as Human Factors, Ergonomics, Mind Body & Spirit, lifecycles, maintenance, human centred approach, design and build, operations, regulation, integration, and fatigue. Future issues will examine communication, automation, complacency, health, and education.
The Alert! project website (www.he-alert.org) now contains a substantial body of knowledge and advice on how to understand and apply the Human Element in the maritime industry and the bulletin distributes this knowledge to maritime professionals around the world.
Websites: http://www.nautinst.org/ or http://www.he-alert.org/
Email: editor@he-alert.org
TYCO
FIRE SUPPRESSION GROUP, EMEA - 1000 employees
The SAPPHIRE ® Suppression System is a revolutionary technology utilizing a sustainable, environmentally-friendly chemical clean agent that fights fires without causing any damage to machinery rooms, pump rooms, electrical switchboards, diesel generators, or control rooms. This system provides the ideal fire suppression solution for marine environments and other facilities seeking to protect critical assets that could be damaged by ordinary water-based fire suppression systems.
Using 3M® NOVEC' 1230 Fire Protection Fluid, the SAPPHIRE ® Suppression System is well known for its effectiveness and suppression capabilities, thanks in part to the NOVEC fire protection solution. The SAPPHIRE system has received numerous product approvals from all major international classification societies, including Lloyds Register of Shipping, Germanische Lloyds, DNV, Bureau Veritas, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), and RINA.
The SAPPHIRE ® engineered system offers compact storage, fast fire knock down and very high margins of safety. Other benefits of the SAPPHIRE ® suppression system include an atmospheric lifetime of only five days, versus 33 years for the closest chemical alternative, as well as zero ozone depletion. SAPPHIRE ® is part of Tyco Safety Products, Fire Suppression Group's full portfolio of clean agent, special-hazard fire suppression system solutions.
Website: http://www.ansul.com
Email: tspmarketing.emea@tycoint.com
VIRTUAL MARINE TECHNOLOGY INC, CANADA - 6 employees
Lifeboat Launching Simulator.
The risks associated with the emergency launch of a lifeboat into rough
seas are considerable. This risk is amplified by lack of training. With
the safety of personnel in mind, lifeboat operators are unable to
perform practice launches into sea states commonly experienced in
offshore oil and gas and shipping operations.
Virtual Marine Technology has developed an immersive lifeboat launching
simulator that allows trainees to practice in conditions considered
too dangerous for live boat exercises, such as launching in harsh seas,
reacting to equipment faults, and performing in reduced visibility.
The simulator is comprised of a complete mock-up of a lifeboat and
instrumentation, a 270º projected visual environment, and an audio
system. Realistic mathematical models of lifeboat water entry
and performance in high sea states were derived from extensive scale
model testing. Training scenarios focus on providing the trainee with
a valuable skill set including timing a vessel launch into waves, quick
evacuation and escape procedures, and reacting to equipment malfunctions.
VMT is improving the safety of life at sea by providing realistic,
effective and safe training technologies for lifeboat operators. The
lifeboat launching simulator provides a means for operators to train
in all weather conditions, ensuring they are prepared for an actual
emergency situation.
Website: http://www.vmtechnology.ca/
Email: info@vmtechnology.ca
CATEGORY II - PROTECTION OF THE MARINE AND ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
Knutsen OAS Shipping AS, Norway - 1100 employees
Knutsen Volatile Organic Compound (KVOC) system.
Knutsen OAS have developed a new method to reduce emission of Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOC), that is harmful to human health when it
is exposed to NOx and sunlight. The loss of product also represents
a considerable value.
The reasons for VOC formation have been investigated and it was discovered that the ship design of today and in the past, in most cases expose the crude oil to a low pressure during loading. This low pressure causes the light ends of the crude to vaporise. The vapour or VOC generated will not be reabsorbed but displaced to the atmosphere during loading and transit.
The new technology called KVOC® prevents this vapour release. KVOC® ensure that low pressure is prevented by redesign of the loading arrangement. Tests and verifications have documented reduction of VOC between 60 and 70%. Since H2S is a component that follow the VOC components, KVOC® has a similar effect on reduction of H2S. The main feature with KVOC® is simplicity, does not require energy and function independent of loading rates and quality.
Knutsen OAS has installed 8 KVOC®'s on crude oil and product carriers. The technology is available for anyone interested to reduce the environmental impact from tankers.
Website: http://www.knutsenoas.com
Email: firmapost@knutsenoas.com
KRYSTALLON LTD., UK - 30 employees
Sea Water Scrubber.
Krystallon supply on-board emissions control solutions to the marine
industry. Abatement technology facilitates access to cost-effective
energy supplies and ensures that vessels remain compliant with prevailing
marine legislation. Krystallon's scrubbing solutions unite
high-quality design with outstanding technical performance to provide
an effective and reliable emissions control system. The
principle components of the system include:
• Scrubbing unit - One for each engine or a combined unit with gas path separation for auxiliary engines.
• Wash water treatment system - One treatment system is capable of handling all wash water flow from all engines removing oil and particulates from the wash water for safe disposal.
• Continuous monitoring of exhaust gases - Utilizing latest Cascade laser technology providing in stack gas measurement for CO2, SO2, NO and NO2.
• Continuous monitoring of wash water discharge -
Utilizing pH and Oil content measurement, demonstrating compliance
with in port wash water criteria.
Established to develop innovative pollution abatement technology, Krystallon
is a BP Group Company and a joint venture between BP Marine and Kittiwake
Developments Ltd. The Krystallon Seawater Scrubber is an evolution
of the technological merits of over 150 successful land-based industrial
scrubbers and ground-breaking new laser monitoring technology to provide
a unique environmental solution for marine fuel emissions.
Website: http://www.krystallon.com
Email: mail@krystallon.com
PETER BROTHERHOOD LIMITED, UK - 289 employees
Waste Heat Recovery system for two stroke diesel engine (as
the main propulsion unit) for large ships.
Rising fuel costs combined with the need to reduce environmental
impact have led many commercial ship owners to seek innovative ways
to improve the energy efficiency of their fleets. Peter Brotherhood
Ltd has worked within a consortium to develop an innovative waste
heat recovery system for such ships.
The Turbo Compound System harnesses energy in exhaust gases from the main diesel engine and uses it in a waste heat boiler to generate steam, which is fed into a turbine driving a generator that provides electrical power. In addition, some exhaust gas not required by the main engine turbo-chargers is expanded through a gas turbine to provide additional power from the same shafting system.
The consortium partners who developed the system with Peter Brotherhood are the marine division of Siemens AG that manufactures shaft generator/motors and electrical equipment, boiler manufacturer Aalborg Industries A/S, and main engine designers Wärtsilä Corporation. The TCS combines the individual expertise and products of each company.
Taking into account the reduced requirement to run the auxiliary diesel generator sets, an efficiently utilised system can save up to 10 % of the total fuel costs for the ship and the same amount in the level of emissions to atmosphere.
Website: http://www.peterbrotherhood.co.uk
Email: sales@peterbrotherhood.co.uk
CATEGORY III - INNOVATION IN SHIP OPERATIONS
GERMANISCHER LLOYD AG, GERMANY - 3200+ employees
Fast Safety Checks - GL Pegasus
Thickness measurements are a very important feature in determining
the structural safety of a vessel. They are an integral part of the
class renewal process. So far, thickness measurements are typically
recorded manually. The final report takes weeks - too late for instant
plate repairs. The tool GL Pegasus based on a 3D computer model of
the vessel speeds up thickness measurements and allows immediate
responses to safety critical hull parts.
Manual drawings are no longer required to prepare the measurements. Instead, the corresponding views (cross sections, shell expansion, etc.) are automatically generated by the programme. Measurements are planned by graphically entering measurement locations. The measurements themselves remain unchanged. Once they have been completed, the ultrasonic measuring device is connected to the computer, and GL Pegasus allocates the data records automatically to the ship model.
Beside the interactive 3D visualisation of the thickness measurements results - using colouring schemes for different levels of material degradation - an IACS compliant thickness measurement report is available within minutes thus accelerating the assessment part of the process.
Website: http://www.gl-group.com/glpegasus
Email: glpegasus@gl-group.com
KELVIN HUGHES LTD., UK - 342 employees
SharpEye ™ from Kelvin Hughes is the world's first 'new technology' marine navigation and surveillance radar, which will significantly improve the efficiency and safety of ship operations.
The system offers performance benefits to the commercial user previously only possible in military or civil aviation surveillance radar systems, including improved target detection in clutter especially of small fast-moving vessels and enhanced reliability and reduced through life costs.
SharpEye™ is a radical and innovative monostatic pulse radar, which uses the doppler effect to determine target velocities giving a significant performance advantage in detecting small targets in clutter.
The motion of targets is achieved by measuring the phase of received echoes relative to the phase of the transmission. This requires an extremely stable transmitter and receiver element achieved by using a solid-state power amplifier with a peak output of just 170W. Conventional magnetron based marine radar systems have a 30kW output.
A built in test provides an alert of any degradation in performance and removes the need for operator performance checks.
SharpEye™ technology and innovation provides the commercial marine market with a significant advance in the performance and reliability of navigation radar leading to safer ship operations.
Websites: http://www.kelvinhughes.co.uk or http://www.sharpeye.biz
Email: marketing@kelvinhughes.co.uk
LLOYD'S REGISTER EMEA, UK - 5200 employees
Hull Integrity is a new service from Lloyd's Register that helps owners and operators to manage the structural integrity of their ships. It enables them to demonstrate that sound structural inspection programmes are being employed, using well-trained staff armed with tools to identify what to look for and how to report it.
The service has three elements:
• Training for senior ship's officers and superintendents in how to carry out hull inspections, using a range of training material developed by Lloyd's Register.
• Ship-specific hull inspection guides, which include potential fatigue locations and other areas requiring particular attention during inspections.
• User-friendly software for recording and analysis. The software has two components: a desktop application for ship-based users and a web-based application for shore-based users. Users of the shore-based system are able to review inspection reports received from their ships, produce drydock repair lists and analyse the stored data to identify recurrent issues.
Hull Integrity was launched in 2006 and is applicable to all ship types, although the first implementers have been tanker and LNG carrier operators. It is not a class requirement, so it can be used by owners and operators of ships not classed by Lloyd's Register.
Website: http://www.lr.org
Email: marine@lr.org
CATEGORY IV - NEW IT APPLICATIONS FOR THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY
LIBERIAN INTERNATIONAL SHIP AND CORPORATE REGISTRY, USA - 120 employees
Seafarer's Electronic Application (SEA) System is a Web-Based Application designed to facilitate the secure application process for seafarers' credentials such as Officer's Certificates of Competency and Seafarer Identification books in accordance with the Standards for Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention.
As a web-based application, authorized users can access the SEA System application from almost anywhere in the world. The web server can host multiple instances of the application, which allows for the distribution of workload, real time quality assurance, and when needed, direct online intervention on the client's behalf.
Implementation of SEA System establishes a shift from a traditional paper based, snail mail and e-mail application systems to the use of a modern e-commerce web-based application process for seafarer credentials. This results in increased operational productivity and transparency, leading to greater efficiency, security, control, and ultimately, lower costs and increased customer satisfaction.
Since the January 2006 rollout of SEA System, over 290 of our agents have switched to the web-based system. This shift to web-based applications has allowed our electronic processing to grow from 10% in 2005 to an astounding 90% in 2006. Since January 2006 SEA has saved our clients over $4 million dollars in courier expenses.
Website: http://www.LISCR.com
Email: seafarers@liscr.com
RCM MARINE LIMITED, UK -
8 employees
RCM Voyager System.
Although problems with critical machinery have, for many years, been
indicated by UMS alarm systems, the diagnosis of actual vibration
related faults on specific machines have traditionally been elusive.
The indication of such faults should be intuitive and integrate into the normal procedure, whereby a duty engineer would deal with alarms. This implies no staff-training requirement.
The first innovative feature of the Voyager System
is that the initial engine room alarm indicates, not only that there
is a vibration initiated alarm, but also displays a concise statement
as to the diagnosis of the fault. This would indicate, for example,
that "Main Turbocharger
No1" has a "Rotor Balance" or "Bearing" problem.
This means that the duty engineer now actually has an instantly available
diagnosis of a machinery fault.
The major innovative feature of Voyager, however, is that the same
fault diagnosis message can also now be simultaneously transmitted
via the purplefinder® web based management reporting facility,
enabling for the first time ever, shore based fleet and RCM support
to be simultaneously and immediately aware of the problem.
This enables forward planning such logistical maintenance support that may be required. The facility is achieved entirely and economically using existing communications technology.
Website: http://www.rcmmarine.com
Email: technical@rcmmarine.com
SEAMANSHIP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, UK - 12 employees
Seamanship International developed 'Sheldon', using state of the art computer graphics techniques, to emphasis safety and procedure messages during 8 hours of Safety based CBT.
Sheldon speaks and moves in a humanistic way but is infinitely more 'durable' in the event of an accident. He shows outrageous behaviour extremes in an amusing manner, but also 'learns'.
Sheldon belongs to no particular race or cultural group. Speaking and acting in a humanistic manner, we share his 'thoughts,' see his actions and hear his self- justification and analysis. Messages are strongly made in a non-accusatory or patronising manner and without problems of cultural insensitivity.
Using Sheldon allows easy update or addition to modules without costly filming or situational set-up. For the marine based company this creates an opportunity to provide realistic situational training for seafarers at a relatively low cost.
Finally, an important aspect of Sheldon is his appeal to crew, particularly those with a lower English capability. Seafarers are growing up in an environment where computer graphics and videos are more familiar than books and classroom based training. An easy to recognise character in an acceptable and entertaining environment will be more readily accepted and watched.
Website: http://www.seamanship.com
Email: info@seamanship.com
The above statements are as provided by the individual short listed organisations.