(Berlin, Germany) Following extensive research, Cordner Aviation Group (CAG) has announced it will enter the growing worldwide mining, exploration and energy market sectors, offering aircraft with conversions based on proven Bae 146 and Avro RJ platforms. These are purpose-outfitted for the mining industry’s unique requirements. According to Stewart Cordner, the company’s president, “You might say we found a golden opportunity in this often overlooked market and the initial reactions to the Surveyor and our range of design concepts–resulting from many candid conversations with prospects in the mining industry–have been totally positive.”

The Surveyors will come from CAG’s growing remarketing portfolio of BAe 146s and Avros in a range of models.  The selection process is owner-driven and the aircraft selected for conversion depends on the specific requirements, such as average number of passengers, operational locations, distances, cargo capabilities and landing/takeoff conditions.

Says Cordner, “The 146s and Avros are not strangers to mining and energy exploration and in fact have earned high marks over the years in operations worldwide. So what we are doing now is building on a proven basic platform and greatly enhancing it based on our extensive customer needs analyses and using new technologies now available to us. For example, we have identified and plan to reduce the operating weight empty (OWE) by over half a ton over the basic passenger aircraft currently in use worldwide. The benefits are significant in terms of fuel saving, increased performance and positive environmental contributions.”

He points out number factors that will make the Surveyor so attractive to mining and exploration companies: “The aircraft has all-around excellent hot and high performance, as well as outstanding short field capability. That can be nothing more than a gravel or dirt airstrip, located potentially right where the mine is located. By taking this mine/customer-centric approach, we can minimize the permanent “land take” for the airfield, which also greatly reduces the environmental impact and, naturally, provides the industry with a maximum production and logistical upside.

The aircraft, with 112 seats or less, is also approved for short runways, such asLondonCity, which means it can make very steep approaches over rough terrain typical of mine locations. And when it lands, it is quite independent with an electric internal starter system and integral air stairs and several other autonomous features.

The initial Surveyor designs include a quick-change (QC) capability. For example, from all-passengers, to passengers and a separate VIP module, to passengers and a Medevac LifePort™ separate cabin. But at the end of the day, it all depends what the customer requires for his flight operation.

Adds Cordner, who has worked with the Bae 146/Avro series over 20 years, at least half of those “hands on” in the field with customers and their operations. “These aircraft have been simply and ruggedly built originally to airline standards and for high utilization at remote locations. Considering their fuel efficiency, low acquisition and operating costs, and a 60,000-hour lifespan barely touched, they have to be the best bargains in the air. Add to that the fact that it has the lowest noise print of any similarly sized jet and meets all current emissions standards, our Surveyor is kind to the environment as well.

(Berlin, Germany) Following extensive research, Cordner Aviation Group (CAG) has announced it wiis now entering the growing worldwide mining, exploration and energy market sectors, offering aircraft with conversions based on proven Bae 146 and Avro RJ platforms. These are purpose-outfitted for the mining industry’s unique requirements. According to Stewart Cordner, the company’s president, “You might say we found a golden opportunity in this often overlooked market and the initial reactions to the Surveyor and our range of design concepts–resulting from many candid conversations with prospects in the mining industry–have been totally positive.”

The Surveyors will come from CAG’s growing remarketing portfolio of BAe 146s and Avros in a range of models.  The selection process is owner-driven and the aircraft selected for conversion depends on the specific requirements, such as average number of passengers, operational locations, distances, cargo capabilities and landing/takeoff conditions.

Says Cordner, “The 146s and Avros are not strangers to mining and energy exploration and in fact have earned high marks over the years in operations worldwide. So what we are doing now is building on a proven basic platform and greatly enhancing it based on our extensive customer needs analyses and using new technologies now available to us. For example, we have identified and plan to reduce the operating weight empty (OWE) by over half a ton over the basic passenger aircraft currently in use worldwide. The benefits are significant in terms of fuel saving, increased performance and positive environmental contributions.”

He points out number factors that will make the Surveyor so attractive to mining and exploration companies: “The aircraft has all-around excellent hot and high performance, as well as outstanding short field capability. That can be nothing more than a gravel or dirt airstrip, located potentially right where the mine is located. By taking this mine/customer-centric approach, we can minimize the permanent “land take” for the airfield, which also greatly reduces the environmental impact and, naturally, provides the industry with a maximum production and logistical upside.

The aircraft, with 112 seats or less, is also approved for short runways, such asLondonCity, which means it can make very steep approaches over rough terrain typical of mine locations. And when it lands, it is quite independent with an electric internal starter system and integral air stairs and several other autonomous features.

The initial Surveyor designs include a quick-change (QC) capability. For example, from all-passengers, to passengers and a separate VIP module, to passengers and a Medevac LifePort™ separate cabin. But at the end of the day, it all depends what the customer requires for his flight operation.

Adds Cordner, who has worked with the Bae 146/Avro series over 20 years, at least half of those “hands on” in the field with customers and their operations. “These aircraft have been simply and ruggedly built originally to airline standards and for high utilization at remote locations. Considering their fuel efficiency, low acquisition and operating costs, and a 60,000-hour lifespan barely touched, they have to be the best bargains in the air. Add to that the fact that it has the lowest noise print of any similarly sized jet and meets all current emissions standards, our Surveyor is kind to the environment as well.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

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It’s normal for things in the digital realm to get much larger very quickly, but it seems the same thing is happening with container ships, which seem to be more efficient the bigger they get. Samsung Heavy Industries recently launched the World’s largest container ship, breaking its own world record of 9200 teu (a teu is a 20 ft container) which it set less than 12 months ago. The Xin Los Angeles is the new heavyweight champ and carries 9600 teu – equivalent to 1.3 million 29 inch color TVs, or 50 million mobile phones. Whatsmore, the record will almost certainly be broken again in the near future as SHI has developed a 12,000 teu container ship design in co-operation with Lloyd’s Register and is working on a container ship capable of carrying 14,000 teu. To put matters in perspective, SHI built what was then the world’s largest container ship in 1999 – it carried 6,200 teu. This ship is more than three times larger than the Titanic and has a crew of (you’ll never guess) …

How many crew does it take to comfortably man the world’s largest container ship? Thanks to incredibly sophisticated automation, the answer is a staggering 19 men.

The world’s largest container ship, Xin Los Angeles, has been delivered by Samsung Heavy Industries Co Ltd (SHI) to Lloyd’s Register class. The ship is owned by China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) and is operated by China International Shipmanagement Company Ltd, a joint venture between CSCL and V.Ships.

The ship is 9,600 teu and is the first in a series of eight being built by SHI. The ship will trade from China to Europe initially and will eventually also trade to the US.

Xin Los Angeles can carry a maximum of 18 rows of containers by eight tiers on the weather deck and 16 rows by 10 tiers in the holds.

The principal dimensions of the ship are: • 336.7 metres length overall • 45.6 metres beam • 15.0 metres draught.

The ship is propelled by an MAN B&W 12K98MC-C Mk6, with a power of 68,520 kW. During sea trials the ship achieved a ballast service speed of 25.4 knots.

Xin Los Angeles is unique not only in terms of size, but also in its design aspects. The ship has been assigned Lloyd’s Register’s Environmental Protection Notation, which recognises vessels which exceed current statutory environmental requirements. The ship has a certified ballast water management system and has detailed procedures and systems in place for dealing with refrigerants, garbage and sewage and will also run on low-sulphur fuel. The ship is also enrolled in Lloyd’s Register’s Ship Emergency Response Service (SERS), a naval architectural consultancy service which provides technical support in the event of an incident such as a grounding or collision. As part of SERS, the operator will undergo a set number of ship emergency response exercises during the course of a given calendar year.

Xin Los Angeles has also been assigned Lloyd’s Register’s Crew Accommodation Comfort Notation. This means that the vessel has been designed to mitigate noise and vibration levels. A high specification of noise dampening material has been employed throughout the accommodation, and the vessel has been designed to minimise vibration aspects, by assessing main engine vibration characteristics, propeller design and equipment specification.

“We are very pleased that the close co-operation between the owner’s, the yard’s and our site teams resulted in the successful and timely completion of this highly notable vessel,” says Duncan Duffy, Surveyor in Charge, Lloyd’s Register Koje. “We congratulate both the owner and the yard on this record-breaking achievement.”

“We have an ambitious strategy for building the container ship fleet of the future. We are pushing the size envelope because we believe that future market demand, coupled with the increasing importance of Chinese trade to the world economy requires an innovative, forward-thinking response to ship design and construction. The excellent teamwork between ourselves, SHI and Lloyd’s Register has helped us to achieve our objectives in this respect,” says Xin Yan Lin, Site Manager, China Shipping Group.

Construction also aimed at minimizing the emission of nitrogen oxide by using environment friendly engine. It can also run at a 26&min;note speed by using the engine that is used in 7,000 TEU container ships.

SHI has so far built some 181 container ships, while receiving orders for 33 ships out of the 9,000 TEU plus container ship orders received in the global shipbuilding industry – an approximate 45% market share.

“They key technology in container ship construction is to carry more containers under the same conditions. We have already developed 12,000 TEU container ships, and are trying to get new orders for these ships. At the same time, we will continue to focus on research and development, so as to steadily maintain our number one position in the world shipbuilding industry,” CEO Kim Jing Wan said.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

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after contamination scare

The Western Australian State Government has put a halt to lead shipments through the Fremantle ports, after a company allegedly breached the conditions for transporting the product.

Acting Environment Minister Peter Collier told Magellan Metals to immediately cease lead shipments through the port after advice received from the Office of Environmental Protection Authority indicated lead may have leaked from containers.

Mr Collier said the state’s environmental watchdog will be taking over investigations & looking into the matter.

“The OEPA advises there is extensive monitoring of lead contamination along the transport route from the mine to the port, and to date no Magellan lead has been detected through that monitoring program,” he said.

“However, given the environmental conditions concerning lead levels inside the containers may have been breached, it is in the public interest for shipments to cease.” Whilst the matter is investigated.

Owner and operator of Magellan Metals, Ivernia, released a statement early this afternoon detailing the company’s position on the order to halt lead movement & transportation.

“All lead concentrate produced at the Magellan Mine is transported in double-lined bags inside sealed steel containers,” the statement read.

“Extensive monitoring, sampling and analysis from close to 300 individual soil, air, and water samples sites has not shown the presence of any lead from the Magellan Mine along the road and rail route after more than a year of transport operations.

“Ivernia, along with its wholly-owned subsidiary Magellan Metals Pty Ltd, is working with government agencies to investigate the possible source of lead detected by air monitoring equipment within containers.

“The Company is focused on addressing issues that may be identified in relation to its loading operations and recommencing transport operations as soon as the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of the Government of Western Australia.”

The statement said that the order was issued to halt all lead transport after monitoring equipment installed by an independent inspector “identified the presence of airborne lead from Magellan within a small number of containers”.

“All airborne lead levels in the sealed containers were consistently below accepted occupational health levels established by the Australian National Occupational Safety and Health Commission,” the statement read.

Mr Collier said the government will wait for the formal advice of the authority before determining the long-term future of lead shipments via Fremantle.

The company was given the green light to transport lead through the area in August 2009 after it was banned from operating out of Esperance, where contamination from lead dust led to the death of thousands of birds in 2006 and 2007.

The decision to approve Magellan’s use of the port city for exporting lead sparked community outrage in the Greens-held seat of Fremantle, despite an increased monitoring of product transport.

The approval for Magellan Metals involved stringent guidelines for transporting the lead to the port included the use of double laminated and sieve-proof bags for all lead concentrate products.

Sourced & published  by Henry Sapiecha

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The commodity market activity  throughout the world has to keep moving between countries to ensure that all have a share of the global wealth and resources.

There are some who are not ‘pulling their weight whilst others are producing abundantly. These things are like that for different reasons.

Here we will bring them and others, together at a common market place where all can exchange goods and or services or sell for cash to the highest bidder or ready buyer.

MORE TO COME SO WATCH THIS SPACE

Henry Sapiecha

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