Wave Length

Commercialization of predictable tidal power generation is becoming a reality with the signing of international production licenses for the ‘SeaUrchin’ marine power generator…Continue reading

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Spotted on gcaptain.com

This poor, poor individual just did not see that 120,000 ton tanker that was cruising into his port side.

Yacht dismasted by supertanker

From gcaptain.com

The 100-ft long History Supreme was built over a three year period with 100,000 kilograms of solid gold and platinum accents including a hull that is completely wrapped in gold. The $4.8 BILLION price tag also include meteoric stone wall fixtures and petrified dinosaur bone from a T-Rex.

To put this in perspective, each foot of this yacht cost $48,000,000 to build. Stuart Hughes of Liverpool was put in charge of bedazzling the vessel, a man previously known for creating such luxurious projects as a solid gold iPhone and iPad.

The Master Stateroom

The glass atrium/dining room

The aft deck

Mr. Hughes was commissioned for the work by a Malaysian businessman who wishes to remain anonymous.

Alan McClure Associates has never considered using gold as a hull material, which may come as a shock to some. It is possible Stuart Hughes will have revolutionized the marine industry with this new luxury yacht.



Michael W. Behrens at Southwest Shipyards three weeks before it began operations

Two new Port Aransas ferries began shuttling passengers for the first time Friday, July 1. The Michael W. Behrens and the Charles W. Heald started hauling vehicles at 5 a.m. Friday.

The new ferries are bigger than the rest of the fleet. At a cost of $6.4 million each, they’re capable of carrying up to 28 cars, officials say, while the six older ferries can haul only 20 cars at a time. These larger vessels should allow for shorter wait times for travelers attempting to reach Mustang Island.

ACMA was involved in this project from the onset, providing stability analysis, hydraulic calculations, weight reports, and other vital engineering work. Involvement with the project began in the summer 2009 and finished three weeks ago with the deadweight survey.

HMAS Manoora via Wikimedia Commons

From gcaptain.com

Have you ever dreamed of owning a Kanimbla class Landing Platform Amphibious ship?  Well today, Australian Minister of Defence, Jason Clare, announced the Australian Defence Force is about to hold the biggest sale of military equipment since WWII in order to raise enough cash to replace or upgrade up to 85 per cent of its equipment.  Over the next ten years, the Australian Defence Force will sell or otherwise dispose of military aircraft, helicopters, armored vehicles and up to 24 ships, among other assets.

Mr. Clare hopes the fire sale will “reduce costs, generate potential revenue and provide opportunities for Defence industry involvement”, and provide an opportunity for the Defence to generate revenue to be re-invested in new military equipment for 2030.

The first part of the sale includes offering 24 Navy ships, including the HMAS Manoora, Adelaide Class frigates and Mine Hunters to private companies or investors in bulk, or as a single ship.   To be considered a qualified buyer, the Australian Defence Force requests a “Request for Proposal” by certain Fall deadlines.  So act now and make that dream come true!

ACMA recently completed work for the Port of Houston Authority which involved some of our specialty software that gives us an edge in providing quick and accurate results. It also saves our clients $$$$ at the end of the day!

Although we aren’t as active in the International Workboat Show in New Orleans, Louisiana, we do enjoy the show! This year, the show is being held at the Morial Convention Center and runs from December 1st – 3rd.

Earlier this year, approximately 70,000 people from around the globe visited the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas. Since the completion of OTC 2010 in early May, OTC has received about 900 unsolicited abstracts. Many of these papers will be used to develop the technical program for OTC 2011. Darrel Harvey is the Program Chair representing the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, one of the 13 founding societies.

OTC 2011 will be held May 2nd – 5th at Reliant Center in Houston, Texas.

For more information regarding OTC, visit www.spe.org/events/

After almost 3 years of activity, Alan C. McClure Associates (ACMA) finally sees the fruits of their labor as the HELIX PRODUCER I leaves Ingleside, Texas, for her sea trials and then on to her job - oil production in the Phoenix Field. ACMA’s involvement began when the vessel was undergoing modifications at the Croatian shipyard Viktor Lenac. ACMA began organizing, categorizing and prioritizing outstanding class questions and deficiencies that had been neglected by the original prime engineering group. Hundreds of issues were evaluated on how they would impact the current vessel construction phase so they could be addressed and eventually resolved in order to have minimum impact on the vessel’s construction schedule. Continue reading →