General News

Two years ago, the Spanish orderbook looked very healthy, but the situation is a lot less rosey today. In early 1998 Spanish shipbuilders were boasting a collective orderbook at a 15-year high,…

Carnival, the cruise ship operator, has awarded Fincantieri?s Monfalcone yard an order for a single 110,00g cruise ship, and has instructed the yard to lengthen two similar vessels it already has on…

Berendsen has introduced a new 3/8 BSP monoblock hydraulic directional control valve designed for flows up to 50 litres/min and pressures up to 350 bar. The valves can be operated by lever,…

Radio Holland Marine and SAIT Marine have developed a compact bridge console. Called Triple Sea, the companies say it provides unobstructed lookout, internal and external communications, systems monitoring, speed and course control…

Generating electrical power at sea imposes challenges on prime mover, alternator and system designers. Electrical power demands on ships were traditionally met by auxiliary diesel gensets running on marine diesel oil. Higher…

Emeraude Lines in France has awarded the Fjellstrand shipyard in Norway a contract for a single example of its well-known JumboCat design. The 60m fast ferry is the first newbuilding contract awarded…

A VOC-compliant polyurethane topcoat has been launched by Jotun Paints. Called Jotathane, the two-coat, high-solids gloss formulation, which is durable over most epoxy systems in aggressive atmospheres, has good flexibility and is…

Marine electronics company Raytheon has signed an agreement with Thrane & Thrane to add the Inmarsat Mini-M maritime telephone system to its High Seas range which includes the ?B, ?C, MF/HF, VHF…

The role of class is again under intense scrutiny, particularly in Europe, where pressure for ever-higher standards of shipping is the result of the Erika sinking. Casualties and financial problems aside, Class…

Fosen Mekaniske Verksteder is to build a new ropax ferry for operator Troms Fylkes Dampskibsselskap. The newbuilding is scheduled for delivery in early 2002, and will replace an existing Hurtigruten ferry vessel,…