6 •^ Summer 2018^ •^ http://www.shipsmonthly.com
waTerFrONT
The Panama Canal HaNseN desigNs FOr grimaldi
Authority has
increased daily
transits for its new
Neopanamax locks, as
well as the maximumsHip caNal
The Panama Canal Authority
(PCA) has increased the
maximum beam allowable
for vessels using its new
Neopanamax locks by more
than two metres, with the new
maximum beam set at 51.25m
(168.14ft). The PCA has also
added an additional daily
reservation slot for the locks,
bringing the total available ship
slots to eight daily.However, tug captains
who escort vessels through
the 427m (1,400ft) by 55m
(180ft) chambers have been
complaining that the PCA has
not been providing suffi cient
staffi ng and equipment for
the transits, which puts worker
safety at risk. Unlike the Canal’s
original locks, where electric
locomotives guide ships, the
new locks require the use of at
least two tugs. The new locks
opened in June 2016. JSNew rO-rO
Having worked on several ro-ro
and ro-con projects around the
world, the Knud E. Hansen design
group has signed a contract with
Nanjing Jinling Shipyard, China
for the development of the basic
design of various large ro-ro
vessels, based on Grimaldi/ Knud
E. Hansen designs.
The new vessels, the fi rst of
which is expected to be delivered
in 2020, will measure 238m by
34m and have a gross tonnage
of 64,000. They will be able to
transport over 7,800 lane metresof rolling units, equivalent to
approximately 500 trailers. The
design has been developed by
the Technical and Energy Saving
Department of the Grimaldi
Group with Knud E. Hansen,
and in close cooperation with
the shipyard. The new ro-ros are
known as the Grimaldi Green 5th
Generation (GG5G).
The vessels will use electricity
in port, through large lithium
batteries, guaranteeing zero
emissions while at berth. The
batteries will be recharged during
navigation with the aid of 600m^2
of solar panels.paNama caNal cOmplaiNTs
visiTOr TO
lONdON
Tall sHip
The historic 1911-built brigantine
rigged sailing ship Eye of the
Wind arrived at Gravesend on 21
May, and sailed to dock at HMS
President the following day to
celebrate the 40th anniversary of
a round-the-world trip the ship
made following the route taken
by Sir Francis Drake. The voyage
took two years, from 1978 to
December 1980, and among the
crew was HRH Prince Charles.
Since 2009 she has been under
the ownership of the Forum
Media Group, Germany. FG
The classic tall ship eye of the
Wind departs Gravesend pier on 22
May to head for london. FraSer greY
HisTOric gaTHeriNg aT girvaN
The unique sight of four all-weather lifeboats together at Girvan: the new Girvan lifeboat, elizabeth and
Gertrude Allan, on the left, was joined by the barra Island, Portpatrick and Troon lifeboats. NiCHOlaS leaCHNew liFeBOaT
On 5 May 2018 a new era
opened at Girvan lifeboat station
with the naming and dedication
of the new 13m Shannon class
lifeboat Elizabeth and Gertrude
Allan. Hundreds of guests,
families and supporters lined
Girvan harbour for the ceremony,
with the lifeboat moored on
a pontoon nearby and her
volunteer crew in attendance.The £2.1 million lifeboat was
funded by the John and Elizabeth
Allan Memorial Trust, which
was set up in 1998 by Professor
James Allan in memory of his
parents. Alan Reid, the donor’s
representative, handed the lifeboat
into the care of the RNLI and the
station, and named the boat at the
end of the service of dedication.
The new lifeboat left the
harbour and was piped back
in, leading three all-weatherlifeboats and forming a
unique gathering. Troon’s
14m Trent class Jim Moffat
and Portpatrick’s 16m Tamar
class John Buchanan Barr were
supporting their neighbouring
station, while the 17m Severn
class Edna Windsor from Barra
Island made up the fl otilla of all
four of the RNLI’s 25-knot all-
weather lifeboats. Edna Windsor
was in Girvan after completing a
refi t at the local boatyard.A new design of ro-ro ship has
been developed by Grimaldi
and Knud e. hansen.The Panama Canal Authority has
increased daily transits for its new
Neopanamax locks. PCa