Page 23: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 1994)

Continued from page 22)

Dual Fuel Technology

MDA representative Bill Berlin states that natural gas vessels have shown "much less en- gine repair, multiple times over expected mea- sures — the same for lubricating oil and filters."

Building on the experience gained on the two

B.C. ferries, MDA will provide vessel engineer- ing designs, as well as act as an interface be- tween the consortium and the regulatory bodies.

Systems Management Sciences, Inc. (SMS) will provide contract and shipyard management services, and will work as primary interface between the project and the various governmen- tal agencies. Prime operatives John Pounds and Wesley Moore will oversee both the con- version phase and the long-term testing proce- dures. ECI and SMS have been working for nearly a year on the acquisition of the surplussed vessel, funding of the projected $5-million project, and coordinating the input from sources as var- ied as Russian cryogenic specialists in Moscow,

Russia to the staff of the National Center for

Advanced Transportation Technology (NCATT) in Moscow, Idaho. Integrated parties from the

College of Engineering at Washington State

University have also been involved.

Methane, the major component of natural gas, exhibits ideal knock characteristics for spark- ignited engines, but not for compression-ignited engines like standard high-horsepower diesels.

ECI's system injects a small amount of diesel oil near the top of the piston stroke. The diesel fuel with its lower ignition temperature acts as a pilot charge, igniting the gas mixture.

This approach requires a lower compression ratio than normal. To alleviate the lower effi- ciency generally associated with lower compres- sion ratios, ECI's patented piston crowns and cylinder heads are specially designed to mini- mize loss and allow for full diesel-rated horse- power. The Gas Inlet Valve, an electrically- activated pneumatic device, is also patented by

ECI. In a standard natural gas power generat- ing plant, monitoring equipment within the en- gine room constantly checks for gas leaks. Should one occur, the system automatically shuts down.

While an excellent safety feature in a station- ary plant, such a shutdown on a moving vessel could prove disastrous. To assure uninterrupted power flow, ECI's patented Electronic Control

Unit automatically switches the fuel mix to pure diesel the instant a shutdown occurs.

Another important aspect of the Olympic project is the opportunity for engineers, scien- tists and regulatory bodies to work together to set realistic standards for this blossoming new industry. According to SMS's John Pounds, his initial contacts with UCGG representatives have been positive and encouraging. Mr.Pounds said, "The Coast Guard has been given a number of studies over the years. This project will prove the concept and provide a foundation for setting the rules for (LNG) passenger vessels."

The year-long test period will include fuel efficiency tests under demanding conditions pro- viding conservative baseline fuel consumption figures. Engine wear testing will include before- and-after micrometer measurements of all wear parts providing comparisons to manufacturer's expected wear data. Routine maintenance — repair parts, lubricating oil, filters, etc. — will be performed on an as-needed basis over the course of the test period and consumption levels will be compared to the manufacturer's expectations from a diesel fueled system. Once testing is complete, the vessel will continue to serve the industry as a training and research station in the areas of cryogenics, LNG technology, envi- ronmental enclosures, and synthetic lubricants, among several other possibilities. Government officials and industry insiders foresee a rebirth in the regional maritime trades if this project proves its worth.

For more information on the system

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December, 1994

Trinity Acquires Gulf Coast Fabrication As 16th Yard In Group

Trinity Industries, Inc. has acquired Gulf

Coast Fabrication, a shipbuilder located in

Pearlington, Miss., offering new construction, modifications, conversions and repairs. The company will retain its name and will be the 16th shipyard in the Trinity Marine Group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. In making the announcement, John Dane III, president of

Trinity Marine Group , said, "We are delighted with this acquisition because of the high quality of work produced at Gulf Coast for a long list of repeat customers, and for the addition of Dan

Mortimer andFred May, former owners of Gulf

Coast Fabrication, to our management team.

Dan will remain as president of Gulf Coast Fab- rication, Inc. and additionally will become a se- nior vice president of the Trinity Marine Group.

Dan Mortimer and I both worked for Halter

Marine, Inc., years ago. Later, we both founded our own companies and he was a tough, but honorable competitor. It's great to have him back on the same side again."

For more information on Trinity

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