Annual Review
Marine Engineering Progress in 1998
This report gives a summary of the major developments achieved in marine engineering technology in Japan and abroad in 1998 prepared by the Editors Committee of MESJ based on the manuscripts written by the chairmen and members of the research committees.
Each section gives an objective summary of researches, indicates the data showing the present technical level and improvements in production and performance of marine equipments, and introduces new products worthy of special attention.
In writing these articles, the authors specially intended to make only a very brief statement concerning advances in the field of fundamental engineering, to make reference as much as possible to the previously published journals of the related societies for research papers and technical informations, and to restrict the introduction of individual products and achievements only to the most representative ones.
The authors express their deep gratitude to the companies for providing them with informations required in compiling this summary.
Contents:
1. General, 2. Diesel Engines, 3. Steam Turbines, 4. Gas Turbines and Turbochargers, 5. Boilers, 6. Shafting System, 7. Auxiliary Machinery and Outfitting works, 8. Deck Machinery, 9. Fuels and Lubricating Oils, 10. Nuclear Ships, 11. Automatic Control, 12. Electronics Technology, 13. Electrical Equipment and System, 14. Ocean Engineering Machinery and Offshore Structures
1. General
1.1 Trend
In 1998, depression of economics in the Southeast Asian countries became serious, and a worldwide economic crisis caused by a depreciation of currency in Russia was a big topic. In Japan, depression of economics, related to bankruptcies of financial organ, was also taken a close up. The marine market was affected by these situations. In shipbuilding industry, it was shown by the decrease of ship order.
On the other hand, the movie “Titanic”, which deals with the tragedy of the Titanic, made a big hit all over the world. It showed us a fear of accident at sea, whole it interested in an elegance of a voyage on a luxurious passenger ship. There were some contributions in relation to the Titanic in the Journal of MESJ.
Looking through the articles published in the Journal of MESJ we had found that the study for reduction of the exhaust gas emission from marine diesel engines was the most remarkable topic since last year.
On the other hand, there were new topics such as the countermeasure for the new millenium problem and the application of EMC Directive and Marine Equipment Directive for ships registered in EU and EFTA countries.
1.2 Order Results
The order results in Japan in 1998 was 311 ships and about 10,679,000GT on the Ministry of Transport shipbuilding permission base (ships of 2,500GT or above or of 90m or above in length). The results account for about 80% in the number of ships and about 82% in GT compared with the results in 1997. Domestic ships decreased by 33% resulting in 355,000GT, and exported ships decreased by 17% resulting in 10,324,000GT, compared with those in 1997. Breakdown by kind of ships shows that cargo ships decreased by 13% resulting in 6,341,000GT and oil tankers decreased by 19% resulting in 4,290,000GT.
1.3 Topics
1.3.1 6,600 TEU Container ship
The 6,600 TEU type container ship “P&O Nedlloyd Southampton” was completed and delivered to P&O Nedlloyd Container Ltd. in March 1998 at Kure Shipyard of IshikawajimaHarima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. The vessel is propelled by one slow speed two stroke cycle diesel engine 12RTA96C which is newly developed focusing mainly on ultra large container ship and put out 65,880kW at the maximum continuous rating.
The vessel has the electric generation system, total capacity of 17.9MW, to satisfy electric consumption of 710 sets of reefer container, and the high voltage distribution system of 6,600V due to limitation of the breaker capacity.
