The new Transas LCHS 5000 TechSim product line includes simulators for LNG tanker, LNG terminal and LPG carrier.

Ship-to-ship transfer is a complex operation which requires adequate training to minimise the risks of damage to personnel, environment and assets. Transas LCHS 5000 allows for a  complete resource management training involving crews of both mother and daughter vessels.

The new simulator will enable trainers to provide highly realistic, in-depth training using the high-end simulation technology ingerent within LCHS 5000 TechSim. This includes vessel team management exercises as well as interaction with terminal operations staff.

The LNG vessel and LNG terminal simulator models were developed in a close collaboration with the Sczecin Maritime Academy, Poland. Simulated models have been designed to reflect real installations which are currently under-construction at the Swinoujscie LNG terminal in Poland.

To further complement the liquid gas vessel model range, an LPG vessel model was developed by Transas and validated by LPG operators.

The new developments will be showcased during Gastech exhibition at the Transas stand J210. The exhibition takes place in Gyonggi, Republic of Korea during March, 24-27.

Along with previous funding, Georgia has now allocated $266 million, fulfilling the state’s portion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP).

“Lawmakers across Georgia recognize that improving the Savannah Harbor is critically important to the continued economic health of this state and region,” Deal said. “That unified vision is also evident among our delegation to Washington, which has worked tirelessly to secure the federal portion of the project costs. It is now long overdue for the federal government to fund their portion of this federal project to make U.S. manufactured products more competitive overseas.”

Deepening the Savannah Harbor from 42 to 47 feet will accommodate an increase in the number of super-sized container vessels transiting the Panama Canal after its 2015 expansion. With a deeper channel, larger and more heavily laden ships can arrive and depart with greater scheduling flexibility. These “Post Panamax” vessels will lower shipping costs per container slot.

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study has shown that SHEP will reduce shipping costs for private companies by $174 million a year.

The new funding was part of Gov. Deal’s FY2015 budget request, and was included in the final version of the state spending plan passed by the General Assembly Tuesday.

“The leadership from the General Assembly and the governor, pressing forward on the harbor deepening, is a testament to the importance of Georgia’s ports to communities throughout the Southeast,” said GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson. “We appreciate this strong message our state officials have sent in support of efficient global trade – a key factor in keeping America competitive on the world stage.”

Approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, the project is anticipated to cost $652 million. The Corps of Engineers study shows a 5.5-to-1 benefit to cost ratio, meaning that for every dollar spent on the deepening, the nation will reap $5.50 in benefits.

“The $266 million in state funding for SHEP is enough to allow significant progress on the project, including environmental improvements such as rerouting freshwater flows, and improvements to the outer harbor,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. “Besides deepening the channel, the harbor expansion will also include general navigation improvements, such as wider channel turns and a larger turning basin.”

The original MOU was signed in 2007 in Santa Marta, Colombia.

Reaffirming the MOU signifies the joint effort to promote and facilitate trade between Texas and Colombia. This includes partnering in research and innovation to enhance business relationships, promoting port infrastructure, developing logistics activities at the other port, and sharing knowledge of facilities and benefits at their respective ports to create a favorable synergy for the transit of goods.

Puerto Santa Marta is strategically located on the Northern tip of South America and the Atlantic Coast. A fairly new port established in 1991, Santa Marta currently runs 20 shipping lines to the U.S., Mexico, Ecuador, Russia, Guatemala, Honduras, Panamá, Costa Rica and more. Port Santa Marta offers direct-ship-to-rail, the only port on the Atlantic Coast with rail service, cold, cellar, and laydown storage areas, and Free Trade Zone status. Port Santa Marta operates four terminals: general cargo, coal, bulk, and container. Port Corpus Christi is currently in the process of establishing a weekly shipping service line. The signing of the MOU with Port Santa Marta enables Port Corpus Christi to continue to develop business relationships in Colombia, and learn from new partners in South America.

The company can boast the longest industrial history in Norway, with continuous operations since its foundation.

As part of the Kongsberg Group (KOG), Kongsberg Maritime has played an important role in the development of the Norwegian technology company, which over two centuries has become a global leader within the maritime, oil & gas, defence and aerospace industries. KOG, originally Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk, was formed as a munitions company 200 years ago. In the years since it has grown to represent the best of Norwegian and international product and technology development.

“There are not many businesses in the world that can boast 200 years of continuous operations, and this is something we are very proud and respectful of. We can look back on a unique and memorable history, and we are now a leading international high-technology corporation,” says CEO Walter Qvam of KONGSBERG.

In the maritime and offshore world, Kongsberg Maritime has become a vital aspect of KOG’s global capabilities and with over half a century of technology development for ships, Kongsberg Maritime is today recognised as a pioneer in the fields of DP, automation, subsea and simulation technology.

During the fifties, KONGSBERG company Simrad commercialised echosounder and sonar technology, making hydroacoustics available outside of the military for the first time. In 1969, Kongsberg Norcontrol installed the first ever computerised engine monitoring and navigation system on the M/S Taimyr. The company then unveiled its first navigational simulator in 1974, while the first engine room simulator arrived in 1978. In 1977 the first KONGSBERG Dynamic Positioning (DP) system was put into operation on board the diving support vessel Seaway Eagle.

“Over the years, Kongsberg Maritime has introduced a number of firsts that have contributed to safer and more efficient operations at sea. We have strong ambitions to continue the development of innovative, new solutions to meet future market demands,” comments Geir Håøy, President, Kongsberg Maritime. “During our history, KONGSBERG has become a global company, with facilities and employees all over the world dedicated to supporting our customers, wherever they are.”

2014 is a hugely significant year for KONGSBERG. Celebrations for the bi-centenary started in January with events at offices in various countries and will continue throughout the year in different locations. KOG has also developed a brand new ‘200 Years’ website, which tells the story of the company from its beginnings in 1814 up to its position today as a leading global technology supplier: www.km.kongsberg.com/kongsberg200