May 1st saw the delivery of 2 different liquefied gas carries from 2 different shipbuilders in Korea but both have wheelhouse windows that are protected by SOLASAFE roller sunscreens for the benefit of the crew.
KIKYO is a 58,000 dwt LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) tanker built by Hyundai Heavy Industries at their Ulsan facility for Cido Shipping of Hong Kong and is 225 mts long, 36.6 mts wide with a depth of 22 mts. The vessel’s MAN-B&W 12,889 hp engine achieves a service speed of 16.75 knots.
There are 23 of Solar Solve Marine’s SOLASAFE type roller screens installed at the windows on the navigation bridge that will reject significant amounts of glare, heat and uv light from the sun. Their main function is to provide clearer outside vision for the navigators and to create a comfortable working environment in which they can operate.
GDF SUEZ CAPE ANN , a much bigger 81,000 dwt vessel was built by Samsung Heavy Industries at their yard on Geoje Island, Korea for Hoegh & Co of Norway. She is 280 mts long, with a beam of 43.4 mts and a depth of 46 mts and transports LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). Her significantly more powerful Wartsila diesel electric engines of which there are 3, have a total of 54,247 hp giving a much faster service speed of 19.5 knots.
With 45 SOLASAFE roller screens fitted to the windows all round the wheelhouse, as well as protecting the personnel and creating less stressful surroundings, they also safeguard the valuable equipment and enable more effective use of it. They achieve a reduction in air conditioning power consumption that is significant, which results in savings in operating costs as well as carbon gas emissions.
The screens were manufactured by South Shields based Solar Solve Marine and were dispatched from their factory during November of last year, to their distributor in Busan.
Julie Lightfoot, Solar Solve’s Managing Director commented, “Korea continues to be the biggest market for us, with China running a close second. Korean yards will fight extremely hard to retain their market share and number one position. They will give way on price but never on quality and reputation, which is good news for well respected marine equipment brand leaders such as Solar Solve.”
