Markey Machinery is pleased to announce that it has been awarded an order for a complete suite of winch systems onboard AGOR-27, a new academic research vessel under construction at Dakota Creek Industries, (Anacortes, Washington).

Sponsored by the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research, this award continues a plan to renew America’s aging fleet of academic research vessels, including ocean ranging vessels like the US Navy’s Knorr (AGOR-15).

Markey’s participation continues the company’s strong tradition as a supplier of deck machinery for these vessels, having previously supplied equipment to the AGOR-14 “Melville” (SIO), AGOR-15 “Knorr” (WHOI), AGOR-22 “Moana Wave” (retired), AGOR-23 “Thomas G. Thompson” (UW), AGOR-24 “Roger Revelle” (SIO), AGOR-25 “Atlantis” (WHOI), and the AGOR-NOAA vessel “Ron Brown.”

Markey Machinery was invited to join the team of Dakota Creek Industries and Guido Perla Associates, (Seattle, Washington) as ship board handling systems integrator during the competitive design phase for the vessel in 2010. In fact the Markey offering was one of the reasons cited for awarding the vessel to the team.

The scope of the order is for one ship set, including two type CAST6-125 Deep Sea Research Winches with active motion compensation, a type DETW-9-11 All-Electric Traction Winch System with two storage drums, one instrumented flagging block, one ship board wire monitoring system and a type WES-23 Electric Anchor Windlass with two wild cats and two warping heads. All equipment furnished will be built by Markey at its Seattle, Washington, USA location utilizing its own skilled and experienced American workforce.

The type CAST6-125 is a third generation winch that can support research and explore depths with its drum capacity rated at 10,000 meters of 0.393 inch diameter electro-optical-mechanical cable. The winch features a close tolerance low mass moment of inertia drum for precise motion control of CTD/Rosette sampling instruments in sea state 5 environments.  The feature eliminates unwanted ship motion, thus extending the life of cables for improved safety.

The winches use direct coupled vector-duty 125HP non-proprietary, readily available electric motors. These vector-duty motors are sourced in America and possess a substantial history of reliability in marine applications. The winches exceed new fleet design standards and wire rope factors of safety promulgated by United States academic institutions.

Features of the CAST6-125 include:

A  motor-driven precision level wind system. A pushbutton operator interface enables the level wind to electronically adjust to any diameter wire, cable or softline.

A  two sheave instrumented fairlead head that eliminates reverse bends. The
elimination of one sheave in the cable path and all reverse bends will  effectively extend the service life of expensive, fragile cables.

The output sheave of the fairlead is mounted in a flagging block which sweeps 360 degrees.  This unique design  eliminates the need for deck hands to carry and rig intermediate blocks or  fairleads, resulting in less time spent rigging, more time for sampling,  which reduces overall operational time and expense.

A modern single speed transmission coupled with AC variable-frequency speed
controllers improves reliability and are more efficient, while requiring less maintenance than hydraulic powered machines.  Independent studies confirm that the payback of investing in all electric machines occurs as soon as the shipyard delivers the vessel.

The DETW-9-11 is a second generation all-electric version of Markey’s proven traction winch system. As such it also features a number of enhancements and new innovations:

Unique cantilevered heads with removable, overhung bolt-on traction wheels enable
easy line-reeving without threading.

An enhanced control system which eliminates the need for an auxiliary tensioner between the traction head, and the storage reels. Eliminating the sheaves associated with tensioners will extend the service life of the cables.

Markey’s proven AC Variable Frequency Drive System and electric motors giving
precise control.

A gear train utilizing planetary reducers with all elements enclosed in oil bath lubrication.

Storage reels featuring a right-angle level-wind, which can be disengaged under full tension.

Lebus-grooved  drum shells.

Rounding out the suite is Markey’s WES-23 Electric Anchor Windlass with two wild cats and two warping heads.

“The court decision recognized our origination of the term in 1994,” said Markey President Blaine Dempke. “It’s unfortunate that we had to defend something that was so clearly identified with our company, but defend it we did. We really had no other choice.”

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA — August 23, 2011— Markey Machinery
Company announced that it is under contract to supply Scripps Institution of
Oceanography (La Jolla, California, USA) with advanced deck equipment used to
conduct scientific investigations using Conductivity, Temperature, & Depth (CTD) Rosette samplers.  This new CTD handling system includes a third generation Markey CAST6-125 Deep Sea Research Winch with active motion compensation controls, integrated with an Allied Systems Company  (Sherwood, Oregon, USA) specialty CTD handling system with anti-pendulation CTD docking head.  The system fully conforms to 46CFR-Subpart 189.35—Weight Handling Gear (for Oceanographic Vessels), as well as Research Vessel Safety Standards Appendix A – “UNOLS Rope and Cable Safe Working Load,” and Appendix B – “UNOLS Load Handling System Design Standards.”  Following factory testing the system will be retrofit aboard the general purpose research vessel Roger Revelle (US Navy AGOR-23 class) to overboard their CTD/ Rosette sampler without the use of tag lines.  The automated control feature and active motion compensation functions improve shipboard safety during overboarding operations, improve data by decoupling ship and sampler motion, and extend the life of electro-mechanical cables.

Markey Machinery recently shipped the first of its new DESDF-48-200 Asymmetric Render/Recover “all above deck” winches. You can see the technical information by clicking here.

Stay tuned for a link to a future magazine article!

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, USA — July 22, 2011— Markey Machinery and
Wärtsilä in Australia announced today that they will collaborate to provide service
support for Markey products in that country.

“After looking at many potential overseas service suppliers, we recognized that the best equipped were primarily focused on propulsion systems and power generation,” said Markey President Blaine Dempke. “We needed a company with complimentary electrical and mechanical skills, a specific business focus on service and repair, and possessing the right equipment and facilities to do the job. That’s been a difficult combination to come up with.”

And adding to the challenge, “We also hoped to find a service organization with multiple locations, in markets and areas where we are focused. Needless to say, finding a possible partner with all of those qualifications was proving to be a daunting task.”

That task was made easier when Wärtsilä – USA and Markey recently met. Although the two companies have not previously had any type of formal relationship, both have been keenly aware of the other. Over the past few years, casual conversations have occurred in the US about possible ways to work together. Additionally, as Wärtsilä has focused greater attention on the service market in the US, the number of “common customers” has grown.
Concurrently, Markey has been pursuing overseas system opportunities in a number of Wärtsilä service markets. Both companies were appearing on each other’s radar regularly, establishing some form of complimentary business relationship became a logical “next step.”

John Sydney, Managing Director for Wärtsilä Australia is certainly enthusiastic about the new relationship, saying “I look forward to partnering up with Markey to service (the) Australian market. I believe it adds service synergy to our own operations as we do have common clienteles and markets.”

That sentiment is echoed by Markey’s Dempke, “We feel that Wärtsilä is strongly committed to the service market, as shown by the investment that they have made in equipment, locations, and personnel around the world. If we can’t be in front of our customer due to circumstances, we believe Wärtsilä will do the best job of taking care of them on our behalf.”

About Wärtsilä:  Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasizing technological innovation and total efficiency,
Wärtsilä maximizes the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers.

In 2010, Wärtsilä’s net sales totaled EUR 4.6 billion with 17,500 employees. The company has operations in 160 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.

About Markey: Founded in 1907, Markey Machinery is the leader in the design and manufacturing of high quality custom deck machinery for workboat, scientific, and dockside applications. Markey products include towing, ship-assist, and escort winches; single or multi-drum and traction-style deep sea research winches; capstans, windlasses and other high performance machines.