Air Compressors for Modern Ships
Philip Stevenson
Regional Manager, Singapore Office, Tanabe Pneumatic Machinery Co., Ltd.
The nation of Greece is synonymous with shipping. The size of the Greek fleet is awesome, the activities of Greek shipowners are legendary and the ubiquitous presence of Greeks, working on vessels all around the world, is acknowledgement of the esteem given to Greek seamen. Many of you may have encountered Tanabe compressors in the past, so please bear with me as I present a synopsis of our company.
Established in Japan, 77 years ago the company has concentrated on the manufacture of compressors, especially for the marine industry. Working in this specialised niche market, we have established a reputation for quality machines with innovative features. Manufacture is concentrated in two factories. In Osaka we produce a wide range of rotary screw compressors, whilst in Nagoya we produce piston type compressors. Nagoya is also the home of the Tanabe Research Institute. In total the group employs about 200 people and has overseas offices in Singapore and Hamburg.
In recent years the Greek fleet has often been regarded as "mature" but in view of recent moves to replace many of these vessels with newbuildings, engineers now have the chance to define what equipment that they want on board, rather than working with what they inherit. A great deal of time and study goes into the selection of major machinery items (like engines and generators) but machinery such as air compressors, is often given scant attention: relegated to the status of accepting any brand, from a list of three or four makers, provided by the yard. This delegation of authority, by the owner, can often prove expensive.
Owners and builders often enjoy a satisfactory relationship but it is inevitable that the two have certain conflicts of interest. With a fixed price contract, the builder's priority is to purchase equipment at the lowest possible capital cost. It must satisfy the basic specification and not break down during the warranty period. After that it is the concern of the owner. Long term reliability, ease of maintenance and cost of spares do not concern the builder. Such factors however are of paramount importance to the owner, who can be settled with this choice for the next 25 or 30 years.
