Mainland Machinery Ltd

Ports That Embrace Renewable Energy Save Big

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renewable energyPorts That Embrace Renewable Energy Save Big

Going green isn’t just for homeowners who recycle their weekly papers, plastics, and aluminum soda cans. Improved energy efficiency is an important issue at major ports across the globe. At many of these ports, outdated land-based power grids aren’t keeping up with the increased demand of the cargo flow. There is also the environmental impact to consider, as carbon-emitting fuels are proving to be a detriment to the surrounding areas and to the planet at large.

Residents who live within sight of these ports are demanding better accountability and the port managers are listening. Even though implementing energy efficient policies is good for public relations, they are also proving to be important factors in supporting a port’s overall financial plan. Saving energy equals saving money and that’s good for everyone in the shipping industry.

Right now, most ports are looking into the issue of sustainability as it applies to their facilities. There are many studies being conducted and plans being looked into. There are already a handful of ports that are taking the lead in regards to cost-cutting measures.

An example of a port that has been proactive is the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. They’ve been focused on reducing their energy consumption for quite some time. Their goal has been to cut back on carbon-emissions across the board on all of its facilities. This includes all the busy bridges, tunnels, and bus terminals under its responsibility. Thanks to their renewable energy policies, the port has achieved the ability to profit from some of its 250 electricity accounts by utilizing online reverse auctions. The estimated savings totals approximately $2.2 million. Imagine if you could sell energy back to the power company?

On the opposite coast, the Port of Seattle upgraded their port management facilities at Pier 69 and earned an Energy Star rating for improved energy efficiency. The project, started in 2000, managed to reduce energy use by 50 percent. At Terminal 46, the out-of-date flood lamps were swapped out for energy efficient sodium vapor lamps. These two programs combined saved the port around $300,000 a year in energy costs.

At the South Jersey Port, there is a plan on the table to install up to 1.1 million square feet of solar panels across all of their terminals. Once implemented, this array can generate up to 10 million kilowatt hours of energy every year. Furthermore, these panels will continue to produce power utilizing the free resource of the sun, as long as it continues to shine.

Here in Canada, the Toronto Port Authority has put forth a commitment to utilize 100% green power. They are partnering with Bullfrog Power to accomplish this goal. Bullfrog Power derives all of its energy from such renewable sources as wind power and hydroelectric facilities. As a result of their efforts, they have been certified as low impact from the EcoLogo program sponsored by Environment Canada.

How “green” is your port?

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Leadership Skills for the Port Manager

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port managerLeadership Skills for the Port Manager 

Every decision you make as a senior port manager should be an informed one. When presented with a problem, you’ll want to look at all the facts and possible solutions. You may even want to get advice and opinions from the staff before making your final call. Is there something that you’re leaving out? What is your “gut” telling you about this decision? You might think that managing a port is no time for intuition or “gut feelings.” However, applying something called intuitive intelligence can greatly enhance your entire decision making process.

There are certain situations where you could benefit the most from utilizing intuitive intelligence. One of these would be during a crisis. As a port manager, you need to respond quickly, before the matter gets out of hand. There are also problems that bring together opposing forces, making it hard to resolve the matter without sounding as if you’re contradicting yourself. Then there is the problem that’s easy to get stuck on. In these situations, when things are a mess from the start, you are required to spring into action.

How can you apply intuitive intelligence in your role as port manager? Consider this five-step process:

 Step 1: Get Focused

As the problem is presented, you’ll want to take a moment to get focused. Think of yourself as a black belt karate expert who has to break a board with his hand. Before the strike, all your concentration is focused on that board and in shutting out the rest of the world. Using your intuition means being able to clear your head of noise and judgment. Don’t try to make sense of the problem in this moment, just take it in. You don’t have to go off for an hour to accomplish this. It really can happen in a few seconds.

 Step 2: Look at the Big Picture

There are a lot of moving parts involved when solving any port problem. Before pulling the trigger on your decision, take a moment to step back and see the big picture. You need to focus in order to sort through the clutter in your mind and find pertinent information. You might already have the answer you’re looking for based on a report you read weeks ago. Maybe a few moments staring at the Google Earth snapshot of your port will do the trick.

Step 3: Declare Your Purpose

Obviously, you want to solve the problem at hand. However, you need to dig deeper when calling upon your intuition. Solving a problem can have a ripple effect all across the port. You need to declare, in no uncertain terms, what your objective is in making this decision. Once that is “set in stone,” you’ll find your gut instincts kicking in.

Step 4: Use Your Moral Compass

You know what is right and wrong. When you engage your intuition, you’ll be depending on your moral compass to help you make those calls. Of course, you need to clarify your values as they relate to your leadership, before a crisis crops up. That way you’ll clearly know what extent you should trust your intuition, in regards to your final decision.

Step 5: Pull the Trigger

After you’ve assessed the situation and listened to your intuition, you need to pull the trigger on your decision. This has to be done with a firm resolve so that there will be no doubt amongst your staff about what they are to do. This is where genuine leadership comes into play and it will be your chance to prove yourself.

 

 

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Best Maritime Safety Product of 2013

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maritime safety Best Maritime Safety Product of 2013

At the end of the year, companies and TV shows alike often use the season to compile top ten lists with a comical spin, review the events of the year, and hand out awards. As the year 2013 winded down, the Safety at Sea Awards shined a much-needed spotlight on maritime safety. This year, the organization awarded Norsafe’s GES50 MKIII lifeboat as the best maritime safety product. The competition was fierce for this coveted trophy; good news for the entire maritime industry as it means there are many new and improved devices aimed at keeping workers and crews safe.

The GES50 MKIII was designed as a fully enclosed free-fall craft. It will be used for emergency evacuations on ships, oil-rigs, and any other  type of offshore platforms. Far from a small craft, this lifeboat is 50ft long and can carry up to 70 people. The vessel is made from fire-resistant Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester (GRP). Before being put into operation, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) signed off on the release hook configuration, lifting pad eyes, the buoyancy foam-filled compartments between the hull and hull line, and the deck liner. That is a seal of approval any manufacturer would be proud of obtaining.

Before being honored by the Safety at Sea Award, Norsafe put its craft through the paces in an extreme free-fall test. For this exam, the GES50 MKIII was transported two miles off the coast of Norway, during a very chilly December afternoon. The goal was to drop the lifeboat in stormy weather conditions to see how the craft would stand up in big waves. The seas complied and the lifeboat was delivered on the back of a huge trawler . The crew, including Norsafe engineers and technicians, who were also aboard the trawler, had to endure a two hour trip in very rough waters in order to reach the test site. Marine representatives from the Netherlands were also on hand to log the collected data. Just in case things went south, Norsafe had a Magnum 850 rescue boat stationed nearby; thankfully, it was never needed for this operation.

Once at the designated spot, the vessel was dropped from a height of 61.53m, even though it has only been certified for drops as high as 47m. On the test boat, was an advanced GPS and sophisticated acceleration sensors and over the course of the four-hour test, the GES50 MKIII performed an array of maneuvers in waves that were cresting at up to 10 meters. By all accounts, the boat performed extremely well. With those harsh conditions, the GES50 MKIII was still able to maintain a speed of about 8 knots at an 80% throttle.

The GES50 MKIII was designed to work from a skid launch, which meant that Norsafe needed to create a new davit for the boat. The SW50 is as safe and easy to operate as the vessel it holds. The GES50 MKIII is among the first in a series of lifeboats Norsafe designed to meet all the new maritime safety regulations pertaining to free-fall lifeboats. Currently, there are 100 boats in the works for delivery to companies all across the globe. Those fortunate companies will be on the receiving end of the safest lifeboat system available on the market today.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Career Profile: Working as a Harbour Master

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harbour master

Career Profile: Working as a Harbour Master

A large percentage of everything you have in your home was most likely shipped over water and at some point, was processed at a harbour. The person responsible for the smooth operation at these ports is the Harbour Master. The simplest way to describe their role is that they oversee the daily operations of a cargo port. However, this does not do justice to the depth and variety of work that they do.

The Harbour Master has the ultimate authority for granting permission for ships to come and go in the port. In order to carry out this important task, the Harbour Master has to become familiar with every aspect of the port including all security guidelines, nautical data, and environmental concerns. This puts them at the center of all operational planning for the port.

Although a large portion of the Harbour Master’s job would be considered administrative work, they will often spend time down on the docks. This is especially true when weather conditions are an issue. It’s also very common for a Harbour Master to work extended hours when traffic at the port is at its peak.

The specific duties of the Harbour Master depend on the size of the port. With a smaller facility, the Harbour Master could actually be the sole employee. This would put them in a hands-on role managing vessel movements. At a larger port, the Harbour Master will work with various management systems to coordinate all the port activities. They need to make sure all the tugs and pilots are up to code and following proper procedures for their specific duties. The Harbour Master is also responsible for maintaining all the safety protocols and managing the pollution and emission controls of the port.

There are thousands of commercial ports all around the globe. Each one of them needs a Harbour Master, which means you could work anywhere in the world. It is vital that you understand the international port regulations of the region you would be working in, and learning the culture will be helpful for creating good working relationships with local employees.

There is a lot of competition to secure a job working as a Harbour Master. Often, a Harbour Master will begin their career with a stint at sea and typically, the person who lands the job will stay in that position for several years. You’ll frequently notice that Harbour Masters have made the transition from ship captain to their current position. Officially, holding the title of master mariner is not required; however, most Harbour Masters have obtained that level of instruction and experience. The good news is that there are many new ports being built that will require the services of a certified Harbour Master.

The International Harbour Masters’ Association is the leading online resource for Harbour Masters around the world. Their online mission statement reads, “With 200 members in 40 countries the Association strives to bring together all those who hold a managerial position in aspects of the control of Marine Operations within a port.” The association provides current information about all harbour regulations. There are links to training facilities, job posts, and nautical information that would be of benefit to anyone in the profession. If you are interested in this type of career visit www.harbourmaster.org to learn more.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

Improvements Seen on the Port Productivity Front

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port productivityImprovements Seen on the Port Productivity Front

According to a report just released by the Journal of Commerce (JOC), there is good news when it comes to port productivity. Overall, nine out of the top ten U.S. ports posted improved numbers. Across the globe, there was the same level of improvements for vessel berth performance at the leading international ports.

For the purposes of this study, JOC classified productivity as the average of gross moves per hour, during each specific vessel call. To calculate the gross moves, JOC added up the amount of loadings, unloadings and repositioning performed. That figure is then divided by the number of hours a particular vessel is stationed at the berth. Armed with this information, port operators and vessel companies can pinpoint areas where improvements can be made.

To compile the facts in this report, the JOC used data collected from 17 ocean carriers. These carriers represent up to 70% of the globes total vessel capacity. The data points include the following:

  • Vessel name
  • Terminal name
  • PortCity
  • Port Country
  • Berth Arrival
  • Berth Departure
  • Number of lifts on, lifts off and restows

In total, these figures represent 12,500 vessel’s ports of call throughout the Americas and 63,500 international ship calls between January and June of 2013. However, the improvements did not come as a surprise to industry analysts as the combination of bigger container ships, advanced technology and refined operating techniques all contribute to increased productivity.

A perfect example can be found at the Port of Oakland. Here, crane operators working for SSA Marine, routinely handle 35 to 45 lifts an hour, per crane. This average occurs during the night shift when there is less interference from traffic. As a point of comparison, the dayshift at Oakland has been clocking in an average of 28 to 30 moves per hour.

Another key factor in improving productivity is crane density. Most terminals will utilize the exact number of cranes needed to get a vessel in and out of the port. Usually, that means one crane for each set of 1,000 moves. At a large terminal such as Los Angeles-Long Beach, there could be as many as six cranes working on a single vessel.

In Asia, labor costs are lower, which translates into the ability to operate around the clock, opposed to the normal 16 hour shifts at an American terminal. That is around 50% more work hours than the average U.S. Port. Clearly, it explains how the top 10 most productive ports are located in Asia. These include Qingdao, Ningbo, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Dalian in China and Busan in South Korea.

Although the Asian ports can clock more man-hours, this does not necessarily translate into increased productivity. A review of the compiled data shows that the U.S. ports are on par with their Asian counterparts; welcome news as U.S. manufacturers consider returning some of their assembly plants back to America.

Mainland Machinery Ltd

New Arctic Spill Regulations Coming in 2014

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arctic spill regulationsNew Arctic Spill Regulations Coming in 2014   

The Arctic is an area which can be covered in ice for up to nine months out of the year; plus, geographical conditions cause the region to be dark for three of these months. Even in the summer, there are rough conditions such as high winds, freezing temperatures, fog, and floating ice. All of these contributing factors equal a setting that would be extremely challenging to navigate and operate within, if a major oil spill were to happen.

Thankfully, an incident like the Deepwater Horizon, which took place in the Gulf of Mexico, hasn’t happened in the Arctic. A spill even a fraction of the size of that disaster would have a devastating impact on the Arctic’s marine ecosystem. With the Arctic becoming a valuable region for oil exploration, while having a fragile ecosystem, it is of high importance that rules are set and enforced.

A new set of Arctic Spill Regulations, created by the US Congress, regarding procedures for handling Arctic oil spills is scheduled to be implemented next year. In light of this, a U.S. based, non-governmental organization, the Pew Charitable Trust, has put together a report they hope will serve as a guide for shaping the regulation updates. The suggested guidelines cover a wide range of topics, from the need to develop safer rules for hydrocarbon development in the Arctic Ocean, to emerging technology standards for staging recovery equipment.

The Pew Charitable Trust provides resources to government agencies to help them develop legislation in relation to environmental issues. Their report, Arctic Standards: Recommendations on Oil Spill Prevention, Response and Safety, recognizes the need for oil extraction, but highlights their desire to help facilitate a balance between this type of energy development and the need to protect the environment.

The following are among the suggested guidelines in the Pew report:

  • All vessels, drilling rigs and other support facilities should be designed and built to stand up against the maximum level of ice forces and sea conditions;
  • Any equipment that would be required to contain a spill should be staged in Alaska for easy deployment. This includes machinery such as relief rigs and well-control containment systems;
  • The spill response equipment needs to be strong enough to quickly remove any amount of oil that pollutes ice floats or has become trapped under the ice;
  • Redundant systems should be part of the staged containment equipment. This would pertain to backups of blowout preventers, double-walled pipelines, and double-bottom tanks. Too often, the hard weather conditions would prevent these types of machinery from reaching the region, in the event of a spill.
  • All offshore drilling in the Arctic should be restricted to times when the response system can be operated. In other words, during the most severe times of year, there should be no drilling if spill containment cannot be achieved.

The new regulations for oil and gas exploration in the U.S. Arctic Ocean will be brought up for review in the early part of 2014. As the rules are subjected to legislative scrutiny, undoubtedly, this will generate a fair amount of debate; especially since whatever is decided in the U.S. will have an impact on all other countries.