Interview: Volvo Penta’s ‘Full Charge’ into Electric & Hybrid
Voices: Ron Huibers, President and CEO, Volvo Penta of the AmericasVolvo Penta has a reputation for pioneering innovations in marine propulsion. To learn more about what the company has on its drawing boards we talked with Ron Huibers, president and CEO of Volvo Penta of the Americas.Please give us a snapshot of your commercial marine business in North America?Our marine commercial business in the Americas has seen great growth, and it now represents a significant portion of our business, along with our leisure marine and industrial engine segments.
Volvo Penta Engines for USCG Next-Gen RIBs
Volvo Penta of the Americas has been selected to supply the engines, drives and controls for the new U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Boat Large (CBL) rigid-hull inflatable boats (RIBs), which are being built at Metal Craft Marine.The boats will be powered by Volvo Penta three-liter 220 hp diesel Aquamatic sterndrive systems with HD controls.The Coast Guard awarded a Five-Year Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Metal Craft to build and deliver a minimum of 46 new seven-meter RIBs with deliveries to begin in 2019.
Cat Marine to Showcase Latest Products in New Orleans
Since the start of the International Workboat Show, Caterpillar Marine has participated at every show. This year, at the 2018 International Workboat Show, Caterpillar Marine will showcase the latest U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final and IMO Tier III Marine solutions optimized with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology.Product experts will be available to discuss the Caterpillar portfolio of products for this industry – including Cat, EMD & MaK power. The booth will feature a 3500 Tier 4 engine and after treatment scale model.
Volvo Penta Appoints Stewart & Stevenson as A New Marine Power Center
Volvo Penta of the Americas announced the appointment of Stewart & Stevenson as a new Authorized Power Center for the marine industry.Based in Houston, Stewart & Stevenson is a leading provider of specialized equipment, as well as aftermarket parts and service to the global oil and gas, marine, construction, power generation, transportation, material handling, mining, agricultural and other industries.As a Volvo Penta Authorized Power Center, the company will be responsible for…
Oil-to-water Conversions Success for Great Lakes Bulkers
The oil-to-water lubricated tailshaft conversion Thordon Bearings carried out last year to the 26,260dwt Great Lakes Fleet-managed bulk carrier SS John G. Munson has successfully completed its first season as a diesel-powered ship.The shaft conversion of the 1952-built self-unloader formed a key part of the mammoth 12-month power conversion project completed last year by Fincantieri’s Bay Shipbuilding yard, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.The vessel’s steam propulsion plant was replaced with an energy efficient medium-speed diesel arrangement.
Interview: Volvo Penta's Ron Huibers
As Volvo Penta continues its strategic penetration of the commercial maritime sector, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News checks in with Ron Huibers, President, Volvo Penta of the Americas. When we first met with you a few years ago, Volvo Penta was in the early stages of a strategic move into the commercial maritime sector in North America. Please update your progress. Historically, we have been strong in the marine commercial markets outside of North America. Five years ago…
Mercury Marine V-8 Lineup Awarded
Mercury Marine was awarded the 2018 Most Innovative Product for its all-new V-8 FourStroke outboard family at the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show. The show marked the first time these new engines have been displayed in public as they were launched globally on May 18. On display at the Mercury booth was the full range of V-8 4.6L outboards including the 250hp and 300hp FourStroke as well as the all-new Pro XS lineup. “We are honored to win the Innovative Product award for our all-new V-8 4.6L outboard platform…
Alexis Marine To Retrofit Rivertough to Salt Lugger
Louisiana-based inland workboat operator Alexis Marine has awarded a supply contract to Thordon Bearings for the retrofitting of 6in diameter RiverTough bearings to MV Kristin Alexis, the 60ft twin-screw towboat built by Bollinger Shipyard in 1969.Both the vessel’s shafts will be withdrawn at New Orleans yard Bayou Fabricators and Machine Works, where the original rubber bearings will be replaced with Thordon’s RiverTough tailshaft bearings.The polymer bearing manufacturer will…
Marine Jet Power Hires Tilton
Jordan Tilton has rejoined the Marine Jet Power (MJP) sales team as Program Manager responsible for key account management and aftermarket business development in the Americas.Tilton has more than 15 years experience in the commercial marine sector. He began his career on the Great Lakes captaining high speed ferries and also worked as a captain on board yachts and commercial vessels in the Gulf Coast and Caribbean before joining U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air…
Volvo Penta Names Interstate PowerSystems as Authorized Power Center
Volvo Penta of the Americas has announced the appointment of Interstate PowerSystems as a new Authorized Power Center for the marine industry.Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., Interstate PowerSystems is a division of Interstate Companies, Inc., which has been in business since 1957 with more than 20 locations in the upper Midwest. As a Volvo Penta Authorized Power Center, Interstate PowerSystems will be responsible for sales and service of Volvo Penta marine commercial and leisure propulsion solutions in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and upper Michigan.
Dellner Brakes Goes Global for IMX 2018
Dellner Brakes will present a global product range at this year’s Inland Marine Expo (IMX) in St Louis, bringing together power transmission products from its U.S., Swedish and German operations for the very first time.This global product offering follows on from the Swedish company’s acquisition of U.S. brake and clutch specialist Gummi USA in September 2017 and German braking manufacturer Pintsch Bubenzer in January this year.Dellner Brakes CEO, Marcus Aberg, said, “We are delighted to be exhibiting alongside our new sister company Pintsch Bubenzer for the very first time at IMX.
Wärtsilä, Hidrovias Group Ink Maintenance Deal
Wärtsilä and Hidrovias do Brasil signed a five-year Optimized Maintenance agreement on the fleet of eight pusher tugs operating in the rivers of South America. The agreement enables flexible maintenance planning and execution according to the real condition of the equipment, thus ensuring better lifecycle value for the vessels. Hidrovias pusher tugs offer high-quality logistic solutions for the transportation of agricultural commodities, ores, steel products and other loads, with customized long-term projects in the rivers of Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
Offshore Wind Drives Demand for US Support Vessels
The offshore energy boom: more than wind. Domestic offshore wind also promises to generate demand for new, efficiently propelled support vessels. The U.S. offshore wind farm industry, now in its infancy, is on the verge of a massive growth surge, and the boom will be felt throughout the American maritime industry. The U.S. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy reported last year that there is a “robust pipeline of projects to ensure growth in the country’s nascent offshore wind market…
BP Expects 90% Compliance for Marine SOx Emissions Caps
Oil major BP Plc expects more than 90 percent of the world's shipping fleet will comply with new regulations slashing sulfur levels ships are allowed to burn starting 2020, a company executive said on Tuesday. Coming International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules will cut the amount of sulfur emissions that ships worldwide are allowed from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent by 2020. "Potential non-compliance is a significant issue that the market has been contending with," Jason Breslaw, who leads BP's distillate trading origination across the Americas, said at an industry conference in New Orleans.
PONANT's Orders Two More Cruise Ships
She was right. Yesterday, Vard Holdings Limited announced that it has secured contracts for the design and construction of two luxury expedition cruise vessels for French cruise company PONANT. VARD’s close working relationship with PONANT dates back to the contracts for the construction of a series of four luxury expedition cruise vessels confirmed in 2016. The vessels were designed for voyages to tropical destinations and remote ports only accessible to small capacity ships. The two new vessels will be identical to their four sister vessels.
Volvo Penta Earns 15th Consecutive NMMA Award
Volvo Penta was honored with an annual Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) award presented by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) for its marine sterndrive systems. Volvo Penta is the only marine sterndrive manufacturer to win a CSI award for 15 years in a row. The marine industry CSI award signifies that the Volvo Penta sterndrives achieved and maintained a standard of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction. It was based on surveys of customers who purchased a new boat or engine during the period from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2017.
Volvo Penta Names Kelleher VP Customer Support, Training
Volvo Penta of the Americas announced the appointment of Tony Kelleher as vice president for customer support and training. Kelleher will be responsible to support both marine and industrial segments within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Kelleher was previously director of the marine leisure segment with responsibility for OEM and dealer sales and partnership development for North America. He has also served as head of the service department and purchasing director within Volvo Penta of the Americas.
Rolls-Royce to Equip Baydelta’s New Hybrid Tug
Rolls-Royce said it will supply a hybrid propulsion arrangement for installation to a multipurpose tractor tug being built for Baydelta Maritime LLC at the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders shipyard in Washington State, U.S. The 100-foot long tug is due for delivery in the first quarter of 2019, and will feature the same ship assist and tanker escort capabilities of existing Delta Class harbor tugs but with improved towing performance. Rolls-Royce said its hybrid system enhances the vessel’s escort capability…
