Kvaerner

  • Oslo-based Aker Kvaerner Yards is irony in action. It serves an ancient industry dominated by older generation, yet is led by a fresh faced young executive. It prospers in a capital and equipment intensive market, yet is helping to re-define some of these relationships via the Internet. The organization is the largest shipbuilding consortium in Europe, yet good prospects for growth lie in smaller, compact yards.

    — by Greg Trauthwein Upon first meeting the new leader of Aker Kvaerner Yards, the initial thought is "Good God, this guy is successful at a young age!" Once the cover of the book is read, though, it is increasingly easy to see why Karl Erik Kjelstad, 36, was tapped to lead one of the top shipbuilding consortiums in the world. Aker Kvaerner Yards is a collection of 16 yards and approximately 16,500 employees that generates an annual turnover of nearly $3 billion.

    Kjelstad, officially named to the post of President and CEO on February 4, 2003, has occupied these positions in an acting capacity since early January 2002 when the previous incumbent. Leif- Arne Eangtfy, left to become president and CEO of Aker RGI.

    To set the stage, Aker Kvaerner Yards is a management company owned 50/50 by Aker Kvaerner and Aker RGI Holding AS. It functions as the group management for the 16 yards variously owned by Aker Kvaerner and Aker RGI.

    They are highly specialized, with a range of deliveries, which includes cruiseships, containerships, RoRo vessels and offshore service vessels, as well as traditional and fast ferries.

    Aker Kvaerner Yards also acts as the management for the shipbuilding activities of Aker Kvaerner. The wholly owned Aker Kvaerner yards in the group are Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Finland, and Kvaerner Philadelphia. Aker Kvaerner also owns 40 percent of two German yards, Aker MTW and Kvaerner Warnow.

    A Clear, But Not an Easy Path The strategy to profitability at Aker Kvaerner Yards lies in the diversity of its talents and the breadth of its reach. The company — which enjoys an approximate 20 percent return on capital — is in the business of building high-value niche vessels. With 16 yards, it can target most niches, helping to effectively smooth out some of the cycles inherent in the marine business. The problem today: there are few if any strong markets, according to Kjelstad, a situation he sees improving in the 2004/2005 timeframe. It can be sure that top business schools are not modeling business success today as that of an equipment and capital-intensive venture in Norway.

    Norwegians, generally very forthcoming with on-target self-analysis, make no secret of the fact that soaring costs in Norway, including labor, is driving business out of the country.

    Despite this, there is an inherent experience and base of knowledge — that cannot be reproduced within a generation — that keeps the customers coming back. Diversified international companies such as Aker Kvaerner Yards are now trying to strike a delicate balance that integrates the financial benefits outside the country with the technical expertise inside.

    A perfect example of this is the company's shipyard in Romania, Aker Tulcea.

    Acquired by Aker Yards in 2001, the shipyard has been utilized liberally to build hulls for the new wave of massive offshore vessels, sending them to the Norwegian facilities for final outfitting and delivery.

    Another good example of investment outside the country is the company's venture in Brazil, Promar.

    Promar was acquired, initially, to win new orders for offshore vessels from U.S. giant Tidewater. Now that the operation is integrated into the company fold and running, it is seen as a potential model of efficiency. "What we want to do in Brazil is to take the Norwegian model and incorporate our plan ... a small compact yard with no heavy lifts," said Kjelstad.

    The Philadelphia Shipyard is another sign of the company's strategy towards expanding markets, albeit much different f r om the previous two examples. The Philadelphia shipyard — which occupies more than 114 acres of the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard — is currently building three containerships, (two of them ordered and one on spec) with the first due for delivery to Matson Navigation in early June. While the containership market is interesting, the real target for this yard will be the Jones Act tanker fleet, though Kjelstad admits that he hopes to avoid building tankers on spec.

    Another big ship building unit is in Finland, with the pair of Kvaerner Masa-Yards, in Turku and Helsinki, as well as Aker Finnyards. Kvaerner Masa- Yards needs no introduction, as the company is a prolific builder of some of the world's most outstanding cruise ships, and has been profiled in these pages on many occasions. The company recently signed a $329 million deal with Color Line AS, the largest ferry operator in Norway, for the construction of a 74,600-gt, 2,800-passenger cruise ferry.

    To be classed by DNV. the 735 x 115 ft.

    (224 x 35 m) ship is scheduled for delivery in December 2004, and was a muchneeded boost for the yard. While Kjelstad admits that the cruise market is a bit depressed at the moment, he is quick to remind that a cruise ship has not been ordered in about 18 months — since September 11, 2 0 0 1— which could indicate that once ordering resumes, it could do so in earnest.

    Kjelstad said the there are no firm acquisition offers on the table now, but if the company were to expand again, it would possibly cast its eyes to the Far East, where it currently has no presence.

    Home Field Advantage While the company is busy expanding around the globe, it is not forgetting its roots, and is in the midst of many yard improvement projects in Norway that are designed to enhance efficiency and output.

    For example, an approximate $20 million is being invested in Langsten shipyard, primarily in the form of a new covered building facility, capable of accommodating two supply vessels inside and one for final outfitting. It is scheduled to be complete in June 2003. Langsten currently employs 420 and has a capacity up to 30,000 dwt.

    The company is due any day to announce its plan for Tangen Werft, as it is working with local officials and unions to determine the future course of profitability.

  • Kvaerner Eureka cargo pumps have been specified for two 91,000- dwt North Sea shuttle tankers recently contracted by Finland's state oil company Neste Oy, from domestic shipbuilder Masa Yards. This contract is a significant one for Kvaerner Eureka as it breaks new ground in the use of the company's c

  • Kvaerner has launched a new company with 18,000 employees in 17 countries and on five continents. The new company, to be known as Aker Kvaerner, will supply products, services, tech- nology and solutions worth $2.2 billion a year to the global oil and gas industry. Aker Kvaerner is the result of a

  • In a widely expected announcement, late last month Matson Navigation Company, Inc. signed a contract with Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. (KPSI) for two new containerships worth a cumulative $220 million. The 2,600-TEU diesel-powered vessels will be deployed in the company's Hawaii service when

  • cruise ship in a series of new Panama-Max size cruise ships under construction for Carnival Corp was delivered to the cruise line last month at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards' Helsinki shipyard. The vessel will be operated by Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Crociere. The first ship in the series, Costa Atlantica

  • One of the leading manufacturers of hatch covers, Kvaerner Brug A/S, is now offering literature on their full range of ro/ro equipment, including bow and stern ramps, slewing and angled ramps, bulkhead d o o r s , elevators, and hoistable cardecks with built-in ramps. Kvaerner offers their standard

  • Despite a year of turmoil spurred by its parent company's withdrawal from shipbuilding, Kvaerner Masa-Yard's Helsinki shipyard continued to build on its world renowned tradition of delivering some of the finest cruise liners ever built. In mid-November, Costa Atlantica, newbuilding 498, was launched.

  • Kvaerner, the Anglo-Norwegian engineering and construction Group, has elected Ronald J. McAlear, as CEO of its Philadelphia Shipyard. He replaces Baard Bale, who has been acting CEO of the yard since June, and will be returning to Kvaerner's international headquarters in London in December. McAlear

  • Explorer of the Seas was delivered by Kvaerner Masa-Yards' Turku shipyard on September 28 to Royal Caribbean in time for its dedication and naming ceremony, which was held in New York on October 21. The second member of RCCL's Project Eagle series, the vessel follows the successful delivery of

  • Kvaerner's ability to react quickly and innovatively to the fast changing requirements of the marine industry have been highlighted once again by a contract to design the side-rolling weatherdeck hatch covers for a total of four 70,000-dwt OBO carriers building for Norwegian and Dutch owners at

  • Norwegian industrial group Kvaerner's subsidiary Kvaerner Eureka recently signed contracts with shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries worth about $6.6 million for help in construction of LNG carriers. Kvaerner Eureka will assist Hyundai in the fabrication of aluminum cargo tanks for South Korea's firs

  • Kvaerner Eureka of Seattle, Wash., Marine Equipment Division, is offering a 20-page, full-color brochure titled "Marine Equipment Review," featuring products marketed by the company. The following chapter headings taken from the contents list give a quick account of what the brochure contains: the

  • MT Jan-22#13 for the Blind Faith (Aker Kværner designed semisubmersible)
    January 2022 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 13

    based on the standardized building blocks it’s de- veloped and proven in oil and gas. “The simple hull is based on our design for the Blind Faith (Aker Kværner designed semisubmersible production) platform that has been in operation for over a de- cade (in the US Gulf of Mexico), and the Njord platform

  • MT Mar-19#33 them to shore, at Kværner Stord in Norway, either)
    March 2019 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 33

    paratory work, removing sections of the platform piece by piece and then Ship Repair | Conversions | Drydocking taking them to shore, at Kværner Stord in Norway, either on the deck of the by people who care about returning your vessel by people who care about returning your vessel S7000 or while still

  • MR Apr-18#47 HII Bollinger Bollinger Kvaerner BSM TOTE Maxwell )
    April 2018 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 47

    PEOPLE & COMPANY NEWS HII Bollinger Bollinger Kvaerner BSM TOTE Maxwell Chiarello Thomas Loken Eymard Battaglia Obituary: Robert Maxwell, MD, BSM Singapore RH Taps Bannerman to Head Americas Group, effective as of May 1, 2018. He will be based BSM announced the passing of Robert (Bob) Max-

  • MR Mar-18#50 been available for redeploy- Kvaerner. SBM is supplying the)
    March 2018 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 50

    doing the modi? cation. hull/topsides integration was awarded to to an FPSO for use on the Yombo ? eld off- Azurite had been available for redeploy- Kvaerner. SBM is supplying the turret shore the Congo. The 2002-built Aframax- Guanabara MV31 FPSO - Petrobras in ment since 2014. The FPSO currently mooring

  • MN Nov-17#103 at Aqua- master, Kamewa and Kvaerner Masa Yards. He has worked)
    November 2017 - Marine News page: 103

    Robert Allan as a business development specialist. Sami is an experienced marine industry professional who has worked at Aqua- master, Kamewa and Kvaerner Masa Yards. He has worked at Rolls Royce since 2000 and served as their contracts manager in Coquitlam. Most recently Sami has been the North

  • MR Jan-16#36 Amsterdam while dwt Kvaerner-class Bow Clipper, one)
    January 2016 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 36

    on the ? rst tanker, the 37,000 by 2017. The new propulsion concept RightShips energy rating, part of its Ship Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam while dwt Kvaerner-class Bow Clipper, one of is seen as a major step forward for en- Vetting Information Services (SVIS), the 4,100 passenger Norwegian Epic 11 sisterships

  • MR Oct-15#62 design options in real time Kværner Verdal AS selected AVEVA)
    October 2015 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 62

    ? c Software Solutions. Design handling by gathering parts described the Advanced Sequencer, to quickly en- and validate design options in real time Kværner Verdal AS selected AVEVA by both systems in the same production sure that the current operation will not through advanced 3D simulation and Bocad

  • MR Sep-15#42 FPSO Bonga South West, Kvaerner (Aker Solutions) process)
    September 2015 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 42

    — at Bonga, T ingly seen as the best hope of developing oil? elds too chemical engineer with two decades of the new-build FPSO Bonga South West, Kvaerner (Aker Solutions) process ex- Penguins and others — has taught him pricy as platform projects. Life extension is about making perience oversees production

  • MR Oct-14#35 subsea tie-back solution. Kvaerner has already worked on)
    October 2014 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 35

    , equipment and costs down to water depths of 150m and may be a cost effective solution compared to a conventional subsea tie-back solution. Kvaerner has already worked on devel- oping a cost-effi cient, standardized well- head platform concept called “Subsea on a stick.” The new wellhead platforms

  • MR Oct-14#33 awarded Kvaerner a concept study related)
    October 2014 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 33

    solutions on the path to a safe and sustainable fu- ture,” said Hans Anton Tvete, Senior Re- searcher at DNV GL. Unmanned Platform Statoil awarded Kvaerner a concept study related to a standardized, un- manned dry tree wellhead platform for the Oseberg Future Development project. The concept is

  • MR Oct-14#2 Design International Photo: Kvaerner 32 MR #10 (1-9).indd)
    October 2014 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 2

    vessels, systems and equipment. By MR Staff IN THIS EDITION 10 56 24 Photo: Sener 28 Photo: E-MS Photo: Tillber g Design International Photo: Kvaerner 32 MR #10 (1-9).indd 2 10/1/2014 2:17:03 PM

  • MR May-77#13 formed the basis for the Kvaerner-Moss spherical tank)
    May 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 13

    by J.L. Howard and R. Kvamsdal. SYNOPSIS—The authors provide a brief history of the analytical and research work that formed the basis for the Kvaerner-Moss spherical tank design. They go on to describe in more detail the cor- relation between the analysis and the recent experimental results

  • MR Jul-78#22 ; Johs. Christoffersen, Kvaerner-Moss, Inc.; O. Eidjord)
    July 1978 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 22

    Spesialservice A/S; Erik Ambjor, Norcontrol; Egil Ruud, Unitor Ships Service; Jarle Hektoen, Robertson A/S Radio Elektro; Johs. Christoffersen, Kvaerner-Moss, Inc.; O. Eidjord, Maritime Protection A/S; Gilbert Nelson, Simrad, and Arne Fonkalsrud, The Export Council of Norway. More than 200 guests

  • MR Nov-78#49 Kvaerner-Moss, Inc. Appoints James Victory Kvaerner-Moss)
    November 1978 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 49

    Kvaerner-Moss, Inc. Appoints James Victory Kvaerner-Moss, Inc., the United States representative of Kvaerner Industrier A/S, has announced the appointment of James J. Vic- tory as vice president. James J. Victory Mr. Victory will be responsi- ble for the development and man- agement of

  • MR Apr-80#39 Ltd. UK Ron Moore U Kvaerner Brug Norway Suomen)
    April 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 39

    UK A Jaernkonstruktioner Sweden Cargospeed Equipment UK Orsa Katting Sweden Mariterm Swede Marine Development (Glasgow) Ltd. UK Ron Moore U Kvaerner Brug Norway Suomen Autoteollisuus Finland Adriatica di Navigazione SpA Venice UK Clark Equipment Ind. West Germany Truck Division Kockums

  • MR Apr-80#17 1195 KUSTER COMPANY 2750 KVAERNER GROUP 2433,2449 KYB)
    April 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 17

    KOBELT J. MANUFACTURING CO. LTD 3584 KOCKUMS 1375 KOOMEY, INC 6517 KRUPP ATLAS ELEKTRONIK 4250 KTM INDUSTRIES, INC 1195 KUSTER COMPANY 2750 KVAERNER GROUP 2433,2449 KYB CORPORATION OF AMERICA 6337 LAMARCHE MFG. COMPANY 265 LANGDON CORP 7457,9435 LANTANA BOATYARD, INC 268 LANZAGORTA INTERNATIONAL

  • MR Jul-80#34 in Florham Park, N.J., and Kvaerner-Moss, Inc., New York)
    July 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 34

    to this award were conducted in the United States by Exxon Interna- tional Company's Tanker Depart- ment located in Florham Park, N.J., and Kvaerner-Moss, Inc., New York City. J.W. Whitehouse Will Oversee All Marine Functions At Belcher James W. Whitehouse Responsibility for all marine

  • MR Jan-81#6 Verft A/S, a member of the Kvaerner Group, recently delivered)
    January 1981 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 6

    Combination Gas Tanker 'Hektor' Delivered By Moss Verft The Moss, Norway, yard of Moss Rosenberg Verft A/S, a member of the Kvaerner Group, recently delivered the liquefied petroleum gas/chemical tanker Hektor to A/S Nordsjogas of Stavanger, Norway. The ship has a total cargo capacity of 24

  • MR Apr-81#21 , a member of the Norwegian Kvaerner Group, re- cently completed)
    April 1981 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 21

    watchkeeping. ililiixl - - " • - JBBfi - » Liquefied Gas Minicarrier Delivered By Moss Verft Moss Verft, a member of the Norwegian Kvaerner Group, re- cently completed the liquefied gas/ammonia carrier Hebe (shown above) for K/S A/S Helengas of Stavanger, Norway. The vessel will

  • MR Apr-81#20 , Krupp Atlas Elektronik Kvaerner Group Laholm Stal A/S)
    April 1981 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 20

    AG Kockums AB Kongsberg Vapenfabrikk A/S Finn Koren & Company A/S N.O. Krog Andvik A/S Fried. Krupp GmbH, Krupp Atlas Elektronik Kvaerner Group Laholm Stal A/S A/S Langesund Verft Irgens Larsen A/S Olof Lindstedt & Company AB O.B. Linaae Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. Lohmann

  • MR Oct-81#22 Veritas Eivind Koch Kvaerner Kulde Moss Rosenberg)
    October 1981 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 22

    Trade ARBED The Netherlands De Boer/Ajax Enraf Nonius Holec Thomassen Group Norway Aukra Bruk Det norske Veritas Eivind Koch Kvaerner Kulde Moss Rosenberg Thune Eureka Unitor Westad Armaturfabrik Spain Auxini SENER Sweden AGA - Cryo Kockums Switzerland Cryostar

  • MR Dec-81#24 installation, called NKK-Kvaerner Hoistable Car Deck)
    December 1981 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 24

    is NKK's first new vessel to be equipped with hoistable decks. She was built at the Shimizu Shipyard. The cardeck installation, called NKK-Kvaerner Hoistable Car Deck System, is applicable to ves- sels having topside wing tanks, and provides temporary decks in the recessed space between

  • MR Dec-15-81#13 retrieval of con- tainers. Kvaerner, Oy Navire To Merge)
    December 15, 1981 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 13

    , the first in the Port of New York according to the Port Authority, will facilitate the grounding, stacking and retrieval of con- tainers. Kvaerner, Oy Navire To Merge Shipbuilding, Equipment Capabilities Kvaerner, the Norwegian ship- building and engineering group and the Finnish ship

  • MR Apr-82#53 6313 Kuster Company 275 Kvaerner Group 2433, 2449 L-K)
    April 1982 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 53

    . Special Products Div. . . 9435 Kremco - A Dreco Company . 6859, 9001 Krupp Atlas Elektronik 4250 KTM Industries, Inc 6313 Kuster Company 275 Kvaerner Group 2433, 2449 L-K Industries, Inc. 6118 (continued on page 77) JOSEPH LOUPE Owned by Joe Towing Company, Maurepa, LA, this 27.4 m (90