Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
Turkish shipyard group Sanmar has delivered azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs to owners in the United Arab Emirates and in New Zealand. These are Yenicay series of ASDs based on Vancouver based Robert Allan’s Rascal 1800 design. Safeen was delivered to Abu Dhabi Ports and Arihi to Port Otago Limited in New Zealand.
Both 18.7m tugs have a bollard pull over the stern of 32 tonnes, delivered by two Caterpillar C32 main engines, each producing 970kW at 1,800 rpm. They drive Veth type VZ900 Z-drives for agile omni-directional performance. They also have heavy duty deck machinery including a DMT towing winch. Sanmar said it had to include extras on each of these tugs to adapt them for the operating and regulatory requirements.
Safeen was constructed with an upgraded ventilation package for the intense heat of the Middle East climate. The HVAC system was modified with a split system serving all accommodation spaces. The insulation thicknesses were also increased and fan capacities were enhanced. Sanmar also installed a fire-fighting system.
For Arihi, Sanmar included additional equipment to meet New Zealand rules and regulations regarding the electrical systems. “The Port of Otago was quite specific about the level of protection – insisting upon tyre fenders along the sides, special fendering aft and bulwark top plates in stainless steel both fore and aft as towline protection,” Sanmar said. Duplex seachest strainers were also fitted as weed protection.
Source: Tug Technology & Business July 28, 2016
The latest companies that meet eligibility criteria for R&D (research and development) Growth Grants have been announced by Callaghan Innovation.
23 new companies will be able to increase their investment in R&D through Growth Grants worth up to $18.5 million over three years.
The latest companies to qualify are:
8i LimitedAccord Precision LimitedAutex Industries LimitedA-Ward LimitedEcostore Company LtdFuture Products Group LtdGoodnature LtdGourmet Blueberries LimitedJavelin LimitedLeapThought NZ Ltd (TR)Maxtel Sotware LimitedOasis Engineering (2003) LtdOutpost Central LimitedProlife Foods LimitedRayglass Sales & Marketing LimitedReal Time Genomics LimitedS.L.I. Systems IncSolutions Plus LimitedStabicraft Marine LimitedTask Management LtdTotara Learning Solutions LtdWaratah NZ LimitedWinScribe Inc Ltd
A Callaghan Innovation release July 28, 2016
Oracle -- whose CEO Larry Ellison was NetSuite's first and biggest investor -- sees midsize customers in its future.
Already one of the most acquisitive companies in the tech industry, Oracle said Thursday it's buying cloud-app pioneer NetSuite for about $9.3 billion in cash. That will give Oracle an inroad to smaller customers wanting a single system to handle finance, HR, e-commerce and other business management tasks.
Oracle has been an aggressive buyer since 2005, when it bought PeopleSoft for $10.4 billion in a hostile takeover. Since then, it's acquired at least 100 companies, including Sun Microsystem. NetSuite is one of its largest purchases.
The two companies have been connected indirectly since 1998, when Oracle CEO Larry Ellison funded what would become the first web-based application for business, then called NetLedger. Ellison and his family are now NetSuite's largest shareholders, with almost 40 percent of NetSuite stock, according to NetSuite's most recent proxy statement.
Oracle was late to cloud computing as the database giant tried to protect its profitable software licensing business. Unfortunately for Oracle, it stuck to the software licensing model long after cloud computing had become standard. With NetSuite, Oracle can fill in a few gaps in the application side of its business. Oracle also sells products to store information and operate systems in the cloud.
The deal is expected to close this year, but only if it gets the approval of the majority shares that Ellison doesn't own, Oracle said.
Source: EINPresswire July 28, 2016
A team of engineers at Washington University in St. Louis has found a way to use graphene oxide sheets to transform dirty water into drinking water, a discovery it says could be a global game-changer.
Srikanth Singamaneni, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the School of Engineering & Applied Science, said: “We hope that for countries where there is ample sunlight, such as India, you'll be able to take dirty water, evaporate it using our material, and collect fresh water.”
The new approach combines bacteria-produced cellulose and graphene oxide to form a bi-layered biofoam.
“The process is extremely simple,” Singamaneni said. “The nanoscale cellulose fibre network produced by bacteria has the ability to move the water from the bulk to the evaporative surface while minimising the heat coming down.
“The design of the material is novel here,” Singamaneni said. “You have a bi-layered structure with light-absorbing graphene oxide filled nanocellulose at the top and pristine nanocellulose at the bottom. When you suspend this entire thing on water, the water is actually able to reach the top surface where evaporation happens.
“Light radiates on top of it, and it converts into heat because of the graphene oxide - but the heat dissipation to the bulk water underneath is minimised by the pristine nanocellulose layer. You don't want to waste the heat; you want to confine the heat to the top layer where the evaporation is actually happening.”
The cellulose at the bottom of the bi-layered biofoam acts as a sponge, drawing water up to the graphene oxide where rapid evaporation occurs. The resulting fresh water can easily be collected from the top of the sheet.
In the same way an oyster makes a pearl, the bacteria forms layers of nanocellulose fibres in which the graphene oxide flakes get embedded.
“While we are culturing the bacteria for the cellulose, we added the graphene oxide flakes into the medium itself,” said Qisheng Jiang, graduate student in the Singamaneni lab. “The graphene oxide becomes embedded as the bacteria produces the cellulose. At a certain point along the process, we stop, remove the medium with the graphene oxide and reintroduce fresh medium. That produces the next layer of our foam.”
The new biofoam is said to be strong, light, mechanically robust and inexpensive to make, making it a viable tool for water purification and desalination.
“Cellulose can be produced on a massive scale,” Singamaneni said. “And graphene oxide is extremely cheap. Both materials going into this are highly scalable. So one can imagine making huge sheets of the biofoam.”
The team says it will be exploring other applications for these novel structures in future.
From Engineering Materials July 27, 2016
John Key is obvious candidate
The continuing shadow of the Tapie scandal overhanging Christine Lagarde has reappeared and threatens to create at the head of the International Monetary Fund a vacancy that could by filled by New Zealand Premier John Key.
South Seas prime ministers past and present are currently in vogue to fill exactly this kind of top-line international forum role, a trend that was begun by former New Zealand premier Mike Moore taking the helm of the World Trade Organisation.
Another former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark is in full campaign for the top slot at the United Nations, as is now the former prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd.
Miss Lagarde continues to be haunted by the Affaire Tapie in which French businessman, politician, and showman Bernard Tapie is accused of using connections to extract from a governmentcontrolled bank a huge discretionary sum of money to which he was not in fact entitled.
Now Miss Lagarde has been formally been called to book by France's supreme court over what has become one of France's saga-like politico-legal scandals of which the Dreyfus Affair remains still the best known.
She faces a penalty of up to a year in prison and/or a fine of $15,000 for her part as a former politician in the Affaire Tapie.
If as now seems certain the proceedings will in fact proceed, then she will find it increasingly more difficult to remain in the IMF role even though the fund, actually a bank, has formally reposed its confidence in her.
From the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk Thursday 28 July 2016
From August keep an eye out for the hard-working Homersham reps out in their new vehicles. It's all part of the reduce, recycle, re-use ethos being practised at homershams.
After another great year, the Management team decided to both upgrade the vehicles and to go with a greener solution. Hence our reps will now be driving Hybrid Vehicles.
The hybrid engine, in this case the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) in the Camry Hybrid, is a fascinating technology and we felt it might be of interest to our customers/readers, to give a technical overview, as the instrumentation is quite wonderful.
We also wanted to ‘celebrate’ the small Eco choices we’re trying to make to encourage others. They’re small efforts, but as the mantra goes, “Think globally”, act locally” therefore we are endeavoring to Reduce, Recycle and Re-use".
A Homershams news update Thursday 28 July 2016
Dr Greg Walker, Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Otago, has received a $25,000 grant from the KiwiNet Emerging Innovator Fund to aid his mission to protect our crops from pests without using harmful chemicals. The grant, awarded to help early career scientists with a clever new idea work closely with business to take it to market, is one of ten made possible by a donation from the Norman F. B. Barry Foundation.
Inspired by nature, Dr Walker has developed a spider web-like system for the protection of plants and crops against pests using his pharmaceutical knowledge. "Electro spun nano-webs are sprayed or draped over the plants like a spider web, but on a smaller scale. We're mimicking nature as the nano-webs, similar to spider webs, are not water soluble and are resistant to environmental conditions like rain and wind. In this way we can prolong the time the active agent, in this case the biocontrol, is on the plant to provide protection," he says.
The nature inspired system provides an environmentally friendly way to protect crops from pests without the need for harmful chemicals. The nano-webs, food grade polymers that are not harmful if eaten by humans, also carry bio-active compounds that are harmful to pests.
Dr Walker's mission is to now commercialise the technology. "I'm very excited as the grant will allow me to build a mobile prototype electrospinning device. This will enable us to carry out tests in the field and demonstrate the technology to potential horticulture and cropping industry players and bioactive suppliers. It will also allow us to perfect the bioactive formulations."
Jason Culbert, Head Grower at NZ Hothouse says, "We are constantly trying to find ways to combat pests. Greg's development program has the potential to provide a natural and effective way of doing this and it is of great interest to us."
According to Walker, the technology has the potential to offer several important advantages over conventional agricultural spray systems. "The nano-webs contain the bioactive compound which means the compound stays in contact with the plant longer, improving its effectiveness and reducing the effects of the weather. There is also no undesirable spray drift and run-off and because the nano-web is visible there is less chance of overspray, reducing costs to growers."
Gavin Clark, Director of the Research and Enterprise Office at the University of Otago says, "Greg has established a group dedicated to developing electrospinning as a way to deliver bioactives and is skilled in controlled release formulation science, including previous industry experience developing wound healing formulations. He's an ideal candidate for funding as he recognises the importance of working with industry partners and end-users in order to shape his product at an early stage.
"His technology also addresses a large market, New Zealand's horticulture sectors earns revenues in excess of $3.6B pa and all growers apply multiple sprays per crop, per year. If the technology proves successful it opens up other application areas such as biosecurity control where the web can deliver pheromones to trap unwanted incursions, pollution control by immobilising fertilisers, and for use in nurseries to encapsulate important microbes in the soil."
The Emerging Innovator Fund is intended to nurture innovative new ideas from scientists and support early stage prototype development. Available to early career researchers based at universities and Crown Research Institutes across New Zealand, the fund is designed to boost research with a community application at a critical time. It also enables researchers to partner with a business and refine their project for market.
Dr Bram Smith, General Manager of KiwiNet says, "The Fund was established thanks to generous financial support from the Norman F. B. Barry Foundation. MinterEllisonRuddWatts also played a critical part in pulling the programme together and Baldwins are assisting with IP advice. We're already seeing some great progress from our first three grant recipients."
A KiwiNet press release thursday 28 July 2016
Airways New Zealand and Aviation Australia have announced they will open a purpose-built air traffic control training centre for international students in Brisbane.
The joint venture is the first move under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between New Zealand’s air navigation service provider and Aviation Australia, a state-owned enterprise of the Queensland Government.
The agreement will see Airways delivering ab-initio air traffic control (ATC) training at Aviation Australia’s Brisbane training campus, Airways’ Head of Training Sharon Cooke says.
“We have similar training partnerships in place in Dubai, Puerto Rico and China and it’s pleasing to be adding Australia to that portfolio. Our track record in providing highly effective ATC training, combined with Aviation Australia’s wider educational portfolio, means this partnership is well placed for success,” Ms Cooke says.
A full suite of ATC training technologies will be available at the centre. Airways will install Total Control radar and aerodrome simulators which provide students with highly realistic tower and surveillance experiences via three-dimensional high definition graphics.
“Aviation Australia is pleased to be working with Airways New Zealand on this important training programme and we are very proud of being able to partner with a great organisation such as Airways to deliver world-class ATC training,” Aviation Australia CEO Bill Horrocks says.
The centre’s first intake, a group of 24 students from the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia (GACA), have now arrived in Australia to begin their training. The students will spend their first year studying English before beginning their 12 months of ATC training.
“Airways has a long history of providing training to GACA and has hosted its students in New Zealand for the past six years. We’re delighted that they will be the first students we host under this new venture in Australia,” Ms Cooke says.
Airways and Aviation Australia will partner on a variety of projects and initiatives across the training landscape under the MOU.
An Airways New Zealand press release Wenesday 27 July 2016
The Commission has received an application for the Wallace Group Limited Partnership (Wallace Group) to acquire up to 100% of the assets and business of Wallace Corporation Limited, Farm Brands. This comprises of Farm Brands Limited, Farm Brands Asset Management Limited and South Canterbury By-Products (2009) Limited) and Keep It Clean Limited.
The assets the Wallace Group is proposing to acquire include the rendering plants owned by: Wallace Corporation Limited in Waitoa (North Waikato) and Hororata (Canterbury); Farm Brands in Timaru and Mosgiel; and Keep It Clean in Dunedin.
Rendering involves the processing of animal waste materials into various finished products, such as animal feed and tallow.
The merging parties are each involved in the purchase and collection of animal waste material (including the collection of shop and casualty material), the toll processing of animal waste material on behalf of customers supplying the material, and the sale of finished product produced from rendering.
A public version of the application will be available shortly on our Clearances Register.
Released Thursday 27 July 2016
Instead of the canned beer typically available on airplanes, passengers of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines may soon be able to enjoy draft beer at high altitudes thanks to the company's partnership with Heinkein and a specialized keg design.Heineken’s product designer, Edwin Griffioen, had to come up with a keg design capable of fitting in the small space of an airline aisle without using the carbon dioxide cartridges often found home tap installations since they are prohibited on airplanes. 
The design also had to take into account the difference in pressure at high altitude, with lower air pressure on the airplane compared to sea level. Because of this, conventional beer taps would create too much foam if used on airplanes.
The key, according to Griffioen, is the balancing air pressure and the diameter of the tap.
“We managed to set the diameter of the tap and the air pressure to exactly the right combination, which delivers at 36,000 feet (11,000 m) exactly the same beer as you would get on the ground,” he said.The kegs also had to be compressed to fit into the airline catering trolley space, which meant sacrificing the cooling system.
To compensate for the lack of conventional refrigeration, the drinks trolley was redesigned to act like a thermos and keep the beer under 5°C. Heineken reports that the beer flavor is unchanged. Delivered cold to the Amsterdam Airport, four kegs can be loaded onto each flight.
“We are always looking for typical Dutch products to set us apart from other companies,” said KLM in-flight services vice president Miriam Kartman. “Heineken has been our beer partner for many years, and we both know that customers rate a beer from draught higher than out of a can.”
The good news for beer connoisseurs is that the on-tap beer is expected to be available within the next month. Launch of the tap service is pending until the airline obtains safety certificates from civil aviation authorities.
For a very different approach to in-flight beer, check out this two-stage beer keg rocket.
First published on engineering.com July 26, 2016
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
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