Georgia Ports Authority starts improving energy efficiency for buildings

Georgia Ports Authority starts improving energy efficiency for buildings

Georgia Ports Authority starts improving energy efficiency for buildings

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 09:02 PM PST


Georgia Ports Authority Launches Energy Efficiency Improvement For Buildings

Friday, February 18th, 2011

GPA Launches Energy Efficiency Improvement for Buildings Web-Based Remote Control System to reduce energy consumption

Savannah, Ga.: February 18, 2011 The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), in partnership with Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) and Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission (GSFIC), has begun the process of installing an energy management system to monitor and control HVAC and lighting at seven buildings at the Port of Savannah thanks to an energy efficiency project grant.

We continue to look for ways to improve our footprint and reduce energy consumption,� said GPA Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz. These energy management systems will build upon our other environmental initiatives to manage port operations with consideration for best practices and procedures.

Last September, the GPA was awarded two of the 135 energy efficiency projects as part of Georgia’s State Facilities Retrofit Program. One project automates building controls and the other uses voltage regulating transformers and an astronomical clock to reduce total energy consumption of the high mast lighting for Garden City Terminal’s exterior lighting.

Funding for the projects was provided by GEFA through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The energy efficiency projects for state facilities include lighting system retrofits, HVAC system upgrades, replacement of inefficient chillers and boilers, advanced control systems, utility sub-metering and building tune-ups (also known as commissioning).

The web-based remote control system for the GPA’s Administration Building, Annexes 1 and 2, along with buildings on Garden City Terminal will yield an annual savings of $78,000 in energy costs. This expandable system will reduce energy consumption by using smart switching and zone control and will enable better management of remote structures. The contract for the project was issued in January, and it is scheduled to be completed in the next six months.

“Improving the energy efficiency of government buildings will reduce energy consumption and save the state millions of dollars,”� said GEFA Executive Director Kevin Clark. “Georgia taxpayers may not notice many of the improvements, but the result will be a more efficient state government.”

“Further improving our energy consumption is good business and can improve the bottom line,”� said GPA’s Chairman of the Board Alec L. Poitevint. “The Authority is committed to conducting our operations in an environmentally responsible manner, and these conservation initiatives will help us better achieve that goal.”

The GPA has instituted an environmental management system, managing port operations with consideration for best environmental practices and procedures at its Garden City Terminal, the largest single terminal in North America. Through the GPA’s crane electrification, use of refrigerated container racks, rubber-tired gantry crane repower project and use of fuel additives, the Port of Savannah avoids use of more than 4.5 million gallons of fuel annually.

For more information, www.gefa.org, www.conservegeorgia.org.

Vattenfall Enables Record vessel for offshore installation

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:38 PM PST


Vattenfall Engages Record Vessel For Offshore Installation

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Vattenfall’s German offshore project DanTysk has signed a contract on a vessel for the transportation and installation of 80 wind turbines. The installation vessel, Pacific Orca, is being built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea to be delivered in 2012.

Vattenfall and Stadtwerke M�nchen will build the DanTysk offshore wind farm as a joint project managed by a team based in Hamburg. On Thursday, the consortium signed a deal with the Danish shipping company Swire Blue Ocean (SBO) on a vessel for the transportation and installation of 80 Siemens wind turbines.

With an advanced specification focusing on safety, efficiency and reliability, including the ability to operate in water depths of up to 75 metres, the vessel Pacific Orca offers operational flexibility in the installation of the offshore wind farm.

“Since there is limited availability of suitable offshore vessels on the market, we are especially glad to obtain this large vessel to DanTysk,”

says Georg Friedrichs, Head of Offshore Projects Vattenfall. “The newly built vessel Pacific Orca meets our criteria with outstanding safety, efficiency and reliability. Our project team is looking forward to realising the construction of DanTysk together with our new Danish partner Swire Blue Ocean.”

SBO won the European wide tender, based also on the strength of its parent company Swire Pacific Offshore, which holds more than 30 years’ experience in offshore marine operations and operates one of the largest fleets of dynamically positioned vessels in the world. Pacific Orca will be certified by GL-Group Germanischer Lloyd in line with strict European environmental standards.

“We are delighted to have been selected as the vessel provider for the turbine installations for DanTysk,” says Lars Blicher, General Manager and Director of Swire Blue Ocean. “This project will provide a great opportunity for SBO to demonstrate the enhanced capabilities and efficiencies of our vessel and the high standards of operational and safety performance of our personnel.”

Commencing in 2013, Pacific Orca will load the wind turbines at Esbjerg before being transported to the DanTysk construction site 69 km west of the island of Sylt in the German North Sea.

Vattenfall currently develops, constructs and owns wind farms in six countries, including the neighbouring offshore wind farm Horns Rev I (160

MW) on the Danish border. Vattenfall is building and planning offshore wind farms along the British coast as well. The next offshore wind farm to be commissioned at the end of 2011 is Ormonde, situated in the Irish Sea with the capacity of 150 MW.

Electricity generation from offshore wind farms is part of Vattenfall’s climate ambitions and Vattenfall is investing in renewable energy for the long-term reduction of CO2 emissions.

For pictures of the installation vessel and technical data see:

http://www.swireblueocean.com/fleet.html

and

http://www.swireblueocean.com/Techspec.pdf

Dometic Marine presents In-Duct Breathe Easy (TM) air cleaner in Miami Boat Show Int \ u0026 # 39; l

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:46 PM PST


Dometic Marine Presents In-Duct Breathe Easy(TM) Air Purifier At Miami Int’l Boat Show

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Dometic Marine’s Booths (Q71, Q65, and Q61) at this year’s Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail feature the new In-Duct Breathe

Easy(TM) Air Purifier (patent-pending), which won a 2010 IBEX Innovation Award in the Mechanical Systems category. Since its launch to the U.S. market, the In-Duct Breathe Easy has been specified by several yacht builders including Trinity Yachts.

The In-Duct Breathe Easy Air Purifier is specifically designed to work within the ducting of a yacht’s air conditioning system. Operating silently, it purifies and cleanses air using Photocatalytic Nano-Mesh Technology with UV light. Each time the air circulates it is further purified.

The unit takes up little space and if retrofitted will require no alterations to be made to the vessel’s existing air conditioning unit.

There is no need for any mounting hardware as a section of the A/C ducting is cut out and the circular In-Duct Breathe Easy tube simply inserted, then the ducting is reattached to it. The Breathe Easy is available in sizes to match all standard duct diameters.

The In-Duct Breathe Easy unit is also highly relevant for installation during a vessel’s refit and refurbishment as during such extensive work there are a myriad of solvents and glues used all of which give off dangerous odor-free emissions. Coupled with the smell of new fabrics and carpets a recently refurbished vessel, although looking in pristine condition could contain highly contaminated and polluted air.

Frank Marciano, President of Dometic Marine said, “I recently visited a 95ft yacht built in 2004 that developed a serious mold problem that was making the crew sick. To alleviate the problem, the captain had all of the air conditioning ducts replaced and installed our In-Duct Breathe Easy Air Purifiers.

Within days the boat’s crew could actually perceive that they were breathing cleaner air. It makes me proud to offer such an incredible solution to our customers.”

Marciano continues, “I think boaters are used to dealing with some sort of odor onboard due to residual effects of the boat’s high humidity environment, especially if a boat is not used everyday and the air gets stagnant. With this revolutionary new product, people don’t have to live with odors anymore. I used to have odors on my 30ft cabin cruiser, but since I put in the Breathe Easy Air Purifier they are completely gone!”

The health risk of inhaled mold could be heightened onboard a boat as dampness is common, cabin spaces are more difficult to ventilate with fresh air, and excessive exposure to contaminants is more likely due to long periods of time spent aboard. The In-Duct Breathe Easy has been proven by independent test consultancy, Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory to reduce the presence of harmful mold spores and other contaminants and odors by up to 100%. Inhaled mold is acknowledged by leading experts as a key contributor to health issues such as eye and respiratory tract irritation, sneezing and sore throats.

Owners and operators of larger vessels seeking to offer the cleanest air within cabin spaces should visit Dometic Marine in the Convention Center Booths Q71, Q65, Q61 at Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail, 17th – 21st February 2011.

About the Technology

The Photocatalytic Nano-Mesh is constructed of metalized foam. This minutely intricate structure provides 2200% more surface area for holding the molecular catalytic coating than is possible with a simple screen structure. In addition, through the science of nanotechnology, the titanium-dioxide catalyst is restructured at the molecular level to have an increased number of contact surfaces. This provides 70% more atoms on the catalytic surface for improved reactivity with contaminants.

The metalized foam structure and the catalyst’s nanotechnology create maximum photocatalytic activation for more thorough purification of air. This means fresher, cleaner and healthier air onboard. The system has been proven to reduce microbiological contaminants such as bacteria, fungi, and pollen by 90% to 100% and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 80% to 100%. VOCs emanate from materials such as carpeting, curtains, plywood and adhesives and are known to cause a variety of health problems.

Test Verification

Within the report on the Breathe Easy Air Purifier’s performance, Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory confirmed an overall reduction in indoor air pollutants, with up to 100% reduction in bacteria, surface mold and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The report stated: “Our findings show that in accordance with the manufacturer’s claim, this equipment/technique is effective in reducing the indoor air pollutants, both biological as well as chemical.”

To view the In-Duct Breathe Easy Air Purifier video, please visit:

http://www.dometic.com/enie/International/Site/Marine/In-Duct-Breathe-Easy-Testimonial/

U.S. rates Pirate to 33 + years in prison

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 01:37 PM PST


Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

On Wednesday a federal judge in Virginia sentenced a Somali man to 33 years and nine months in prison for attacking the U.S. flagged Maersk Alabama off the coast of Africa in 2009.

Before issuing her sentence, Federal Judge Loretta Preska read letters from crewmembers who had been onboard during the attack. According to the letter some of the crew suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder and can no longer work, and two marriages ended in divorce as a result of the increased stress. Judge Preska said there was a need for deterrence and cited this need while issuing the sentence to Abdiqadir Muse.

Muse plead guilty last year to two federal counts of hijacking maritime vessels, two felon counts of kidnapping, and two felony counts of hostage taking. In 2009 Muse led a crew of armed pirates in an attack on a U.S. flagged merchant ship in the Indian Ocean, in which his crew took hostage of the ship's captain on one of the life boats.

Capt. Richard Phillips of Underhill, Vermont was freed by the U.S. Navy after five intense day held hostage. Muse was arrested after he boarded the Maersk to negotiate for the captain's safe return, while snipers picked off the pirates holding the captain.

Crew from the Maersk Alabama described Muse as the leader of the pirates and one crew member Collin Wright called for the maximum sentence against Muse during his testimony.

Following his sentencing Muse apologized for his acts and asked for forgiveness from the people he harmed and the U.S. government. He also said, "I'm sorry very much for what happened to victims on ship, I am very sorry about what I caused. I was recruited by people more powerful than me."

Twice during his imprisonment Muse has tried to take his own life.

Earlier this month Muse was put in solitary confinement after being accused of ordering the murder of another hijacked vessel's captain. The freed captain of a hijacked yacht, Gilbert Victor, told the FBI that his captors repeatedly told him that Muse had sent them a message from prison instructing them to kill the captain of another hijacked vessel, the Win Far 161.

The Win Far 161, a Taiwanese fishing vessel was hijacked in April 2009 and was held for 10 months until its owner paid for its release. The captain of the fishing boat was released unharmed along with his ship.

_____

PICTURED: The 28 foot lifeboat where Captain Richard Phillips and the four Somali pirates were held up as seen from a US Navy Scan Eagle UAV.

NZ trade unions in support of Mexican workers rights rally

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:47 AM PST


NZ union representatives will rally tomorrow outside the Mexican Embassy in Wellington in support of Mexican workers’ rights as part of an international week of solidarity actions.

The participating unions will be the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU), Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ), Service and Food Workers’ Union (SFWU), National Distribution Union (NDU), Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU), Financial Sector Union (Finsec) and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (CTU).

From Voxy News Engine

Louis Dreyfus, Olam abandon merger plans

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:35 AM PST


Merger talks between top flight commodity group Louis Dreyfus and smaller Singaporean rival Olam have failed, reviving speculation about the strategy of Dreyfus, a top flight commodities firm.

Louis Dreyfus has been in a state of flux since chief executive Robert Louis-Dreyfus died in 2009. Talks with Olam were announced in September last year and Dreyfus has been reported to have held merger talks with other rivals, including Swiss-based Glencore International GLEN.UL.

From Reuters

CSAV launches new Asia-US East Coast

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:27 AM PST


CSAV Group has launched a new service called AMEX Sling 2, linking Asia and the US East Coast.

With this new service and the existing AMEX service Sling 1, CSAV will provide coverage by separate services of all major ports in North and South China to the US East Coast.

The first sailing starts on March 21 at Shanghaiy.

Amex Sling 2 will deploy nine vessels of 4,200 TEU capacity each with the following port rotation: Shanghaiy, Xiameny, Yantian, Hong Kong, Lazaro Cardenas, Port Elizabethy, Norfolky, Savannahy, Miamiy, Lazaro Cardenas, Shanghaiy.

Cargonews Asia

In the northwest, a Clash Over coal operation

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 06:00 AM PST


In the northwest, a Clash Over coal operation transport news

Millennium Bulk Terminals hopes to export coal through the troubled former Chinook Ventures/Alcoa site in Longview, WA.

A plan to build the United States' first West Coast facility for exporting coal to Asia has come under increased scrutiny after the disclosure of documents suggesting that the company proposing the project did not convey the full scope of its plans to state regulators here in Washington

Court records show that leaders of the company planning to build the facility, now called Millennium Bulk Terminals, tried to limit what state officials knew about its long-term goals during the early permitting process last year. The company's initial application described a facility that could export up to five million tons of coal per year. But court records show that the company hoped to greatly expand that amount in a second phase to 20 million tons or even 60 million tons annually.

From the New York Times

Damaged crane at APM is stabilized, port officials say

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 03:50 AM PST


The new crane that was damaged at APM Terminals in Portsmouth has been stabilized, port officials said Tuesday.

The crane, one of two that arrived at APM last week after a 41-day journey aboard the Zhen Hua 24 from China, was clipped Monday by another crane aboard the vessel as it pulled away from the berth, twisting the crane that was onshore.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the incident.

From the Virginian-Pilot

Philippine Star: ICTSI in Portland

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 01:22 AM PST


ICTSI signed a 25-year lease with the Port of Portland for the container/breakbulk facility at Terminal 6. Under the agreement, ICTSI will pay $8 million upon closing the deal coupled with annual lease payments of $4.5 million.

ICTSI Oregon is embarking on a massive expansion program aimed a boosting service for both imports and exports while leveraging intermodal rail facilities for movement of boxes to and from inland markets by train.

From the Philippine Star

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