Page 33: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2002)

Italian Maritime Report will hold three diesel engines, while the room for- ward will house the gas turbine. If a power outage or burn out were to occur, the other engine room could still operate the vessel from between 15 and 16 knots. "If even just a small fire were to occur in the engine room onboard these vessels, there would be severe water and C02 damage to the electrical switchboard," Rijkaart said. "With the dual engine room concept, the vessel can still be brought back with power from the remaining one."

Other innovative safety items onboard the Vista vessels include audible smoke detectors in every stateroom. Up until this ship series was intro- duced, smoke detectors were present in every cabin, but could not be heard by passengers in their individual cabins. This way if a fire were to occur in a guest room, the passenger could imme- diately alert a crewmember for safety upon hear- ing the smoke detector go off in their room. Each ship, according to Rijkaart will also feature a fast rescue boat similar to an RIB. This 22-ft. (6.7-m)

IMO-approved vessel, which is able to withstand flames, can accommodate eight passengers — is lowered into the water just the same as a conven- tional lifeboat. — Regina P. Ciardiello

Fincantieri Signs Strategic

Navy Deal

Cooperation between Fincantieri and Ger- many's Howaldtswerke-Deusche Werft AG, Kiel (HDW), which had already started up with the construction, in Muggiano (La Spezia) of class U 212 A submarines, was strengthened earlier this year with an agreement that provides for the con- stitution of a joint venture company, under the guidance of Fincantieri, aimed at the develop- ment and marketing of submarines below 700 tons. Moreover, on the basis of the agreement.

Fincantieri will become the first-choice partner of

HDW in the management of its production over- load relevant to submarines of over 1,000 tons.

The agreement also provides for an ad hoc co- operation in the ferries sector in case of multiple orders and aims to be extended to the construc- tion of naval surface vessels.

Bono Named CEO

The Board of Directors of Fincantieri, chaired by Corrado Antonini, having accepted the resig- nation of Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, has appointed Giuseppe Bono as CEO of the Com- pany and given him the relevant powers. The

Board of Directors warmly welcomed the new CEO and took the occasion to thank Mr. Guarguaglini for his work for which they expressed their great satis- faction.

Rodriquez Cantieri Navali: Fast Company

Rodriquez Cantieri Navali has built a reputation for building fast, sleek ships. Sam Crockford, mar- keting director, explains how the yard keeps its orderbooks full.

Touted in the pages of the trade press, includ- ing MR/EN, for more than a decade has been the "need or speed" which gripped the burgeoning fast ferry market. Upon meeting with Sam

Crockford on the occasion of Posidonia 2002, it is sobering to learn that the "bigger, faster, more" mantra has quieted somewhat in recent years. "No one is trying to push the envelope (techno- ( logically) anymore, said Crockford, noting that the technology level has leveled out, and saying Rodriquez Cantieri Navali has a long history of supply- that the market opportunities lie in the small and ing fast' technica"y danced vessels, mid-size ferry markets. "Basically, a 35-knot boat with good accommodations is what people want."

Crockford reasons that fuel costs, and the voracious fuel appetites of the ultra fast class, ultimately led operators to re-evaluate the logisitcs of fleet management. He said that, in lieu of running one very fast boat, owners seem more apt to purchase a pair of smaller, slower vessels.

Considering that Rodriquez Cantieri Navali, founded in 1887 in Messina on the island of Sicily by

Leopoldo Rodriquez as a repair yard, has carved a considerable niche in designing and building very large, very fast ferries, one might conclude that the builder is not faring so well. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth, as the yard counts on the trifecta of the ferry, yacht and patrol boat mar- kets to keep its facilities in action. The diversification allows the company to jump on a given market immediately. The company's orderbook currently inculdes 10 passenger catamarans for Brazil, plus a pair of 84 m fast ferries and a 38 m catamaran; two yachts (one 38 m, another 72 in ); and 28, 25-m patrol boats for the Italian Coast

Guard, of which 12 have already been delivered. The Brazilian ferry project is unique in that all of the ferries will be built in Brazil, result- ing in Rodriquez Cantieri Navali setting up a company there. It has subcontracted out the business to three separate facilities: one to build the hulls, another to build the superstructures; and another for final assembly; to keep the project on track, which entails the deliv- ery of seven 52-m/900-passenger (CityCat 40 DE) and three 29- m/200 passenger ferries (CityCat 28), starting in June 2003. Circle 188 on Reader Service Card www.maritimereporterinfo.com

Smart Pneumatic Level

Sensor with Generic 4-20mA Output

The Bubbler is an electro-pneumatic level trans- mitter that allows remote level measurement using a 4-20mA analog output. The lack of air pressure poses no operational problems, due to an auto- matic one-way valve which closes as soon as the pressure drops below 1 bar, this prevents back flow in the bubbling line towards the transmitter.

Over pressure is also protected against by an automatic one-way valve. • It's the size of a grapefruit • Explosion proof housing • Accuracy .3% full scale • Automatic over-pressure valve • Automatic stop valve for air failure • Automatic cleaning of bubbling line • Connection for pressurized tanks • 2 pair 24 VDC and 4-20mA cable • Top or side mount

Many Options » Call today |T for more information!

ELECTRONIC MARINE

SYSTEMS, INC. 800 Ferndale Place

Rahway, NJ 07065 732.382.4344 732.388.5111 fax [email protected] e-mail http://www.emsmarcon.com

Circle 214 on Reader Service Card or visit www.maritimereporterinfo.com

July, 2002 33