Astilleros Canarios S.A. (Astican) - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Port of Las Palmas is a key strategic mid-Atlantic maritime and logistics hub serving the offshore energy sector as well as ships sailing to and from Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Lately, it has also been playing a vital role in refuelling vessels diverted around Africa from the Red Sea and Suez Canal.  Maritime Week Las Palmas Maritime Week Las Palmas - the second edition of which takes place from 17-19 June at the famous Santa Catalina Hotel in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - will examine the port’s maritime activities, from bunkering and bulk storage to fuel testing and ship repair; from cargo handling and agency to ship supply and spare part services. It will also examine key international issues such as the energy transition, environmental regulations, and game-changing geopolitical events including the diversion of international shipping from the Red Sea and Suez Canal to South and West Africa, an issue that is currently having a big impact on the maritime sector in the Canary Islands.,  Flagship Conference It will include a full-blown fuel spill simulation exercise in the anchoring area of ​​the Port of Las Palmas The week consists of a high-level Flagship Conference, an alternative fuels training course, and a unique tour of the port and its facilities. It will also include a full-blown fuel spill simulation exercise in the anchoring area of ​​the Port of Las Palmas involving local bunker barge operators and oil spill clear-up specialists. The exercise will underline the Port Authority of Las Palmas’s commitment to the environment and sustainability.  Support for the event The event is heavily supported by the pioneers of the Canary Islands Government, the Port of Las Palmas, and the local shipping and maritime sector. The Flagship Conference will be opened by German Suárez, President of the Canary Islands Maritime Cluster and shipyard ASTICAN, Beatriz Calzada, President of the Port of Las Palmas, Antonio Morales Méndez, President of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria and Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands.  Opening keynote speech A special Women in Maritime session will bring together a selection of women working at various levels The opening keynote speech will be given by International Maritime Organization Ambassador Nancy Karigithu, Special Envoy and Advisor on the Blue Economy at the Executive Office of the President of Kenya who will focus on developments in Africa and beyond.  Sessions in the packed conference programme will cover all the maritime activities that take place in Las Palmas, including a focus on bunkering. Decarbonisation and digitalisation will also be examined in depth, while a special Women in Maritime session will bring together a selection of women working at various levels and in different sectors of the maritime industry, in Las Palmas and beyond, to share their views on key issues that impact their daily work experience.  Oil spill exercise The Port of Las Palmas and FEDEPORT – the Canary Islands Federation of Port Enterprises are collaborating to deliver the oil spill exercise, a reception in the heart of the port, and a guided tour of the facilities at the Port of Las Palmas, including bunker barges, oil storage and delivery facilities, container and cruise terminals, offshore drill ships, tugs, and other workboats, and the island’s key shipyards.  The oil spill exercise will be a realistic scenario in which all anti-pollution plans provided for in international regulation will be activated. The exercise will be an opportunity to update and improve communication processes between the public and private agents involved and to demonstrate the professionalism and capacity of the Port of Las Palmas in the event of marine pollution due to discharge.  Incidence rate in fuel supply According to the Port of Las Palmas, the incidence rate in fuel supply operations in the port is well below 0.01% According to the Port of Las Palmas, the incidence rate in fuel supply operations in the port is well below 0.01% thanks to the professionalism of the bunkering companies, who will unite for the first time to conduct the drill. Despite some 12,000 bunkering operations being conducted annually, very few accidents occur, and when they do, the speed and effectiveness of the entities involved minimise the impact.  Offshore wind sector and sustainability Promoting the event, Beatriz Calzada, the President of the Port of Las Palmas said, “We have a robust and consolidated port, we are leaders in bunkering and naval repair, strong in transportation and logistics and we are firmly committed to the offshore wind sector and sustainability." "Characteristics that we strive to show and improve, that have made us a benchmark in the Mid-Atlantic and that today allow us to host this international summit of the maritime sector.”  Mid-Atlantic maritime and logistics hub Llewellyn Bankes-Hughes, Founder and CEO of Petrospot, creator, and organiser of the biennial event, said, “The Port of Las Palmas is a key strategic mid-Atlantic maritime and logistics hub but while everyone in the shipping and bunkering sectors knows about the role Las Palmas plays in refuelling ships, the same still cannot be said for many of the other outstanding maritime services available in Las Palmas which remain relatively unknown." "Maritime Week Las Palmas is designed to highlight the port’s maritime activities and to bring international companies to the event so that they can see and hear for themselves what Las Palmas has to offer."

Ingeteam announces that they would like to present the new project to refurbish the Balboa Shipyard at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, in Panama City, where Indar pumps will help to reduce and control leaks in the dikes to prevent possible flooding. The shipyard was built more than 100 years ago to provide repair and maintenance services to vessels transiting the Panama Canal. It has recently been purchased and refurbished to bring it back into operation. Refurbishment of Balboa Shipyard In addition, the Balboa Shipyard has approximately 6,500 m2 of workshop space, which is currently being refurbished. The reactivation of the shipyard will have a direct impact on the national economy by boosting the creation of direct and indirect jobs, reactivating and strengthening the entire Panamanian maritime conglomerate. Ingeteam supplies main dewatering equipment Ingeteam has supplied the main dewatering equipment for emptying Docks 2 and 3 Ingeteam has supplied the main dewatering equipment for emptying Docks 2 and 3, when ships come in for repairs. In total, there have been 3 pieces of equipment, one Indar HE pump for the main dewatering of the dock and two Indar BF pumps as auxiliary pumping for the leaks in the dock. The equipment was designed ad hoc, to cover the whole range of operation required in the emptying of the dike, with a wide variation of pumping heights. High flow and high power submersible units In addition, they are high flow and high power submersible units for fast and controlled dike emptying, thus reducing prolonged consumption and achieving a more efficient operation. A robust solution when it comes to efficient water treatment and energy use. Thanks to their submersible technology, the risk of flooding in the pumping room was eliminated. They offer a more compact and easy-to-install solution with no vibration in operation and very low maintenance costs. They also use Duplex stainless steel as a special material to ensure durability in saline conditions. Ingeteam Variable Frequency Drives and Starters Finally, they also supply Ingeteam Variable Frequency Drives and Starters as a complete solution and integration for an efficient pumping system. The consortium - Astilleros Puerto Balboa S.A. (Astibal), of the Spanish group - Astilleros Canarios S.A. (Astican), was the only bidder in the tender for the shipyard, which started operations in 1916, is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal and is the only facility in Panama with three dry docks. Dock number 1 has capacity to receive Panamax type vessels The other two docks have been used for repairs of smaller vessels, such as tuna boats Dock number 1 has the capacity to receive Panamax type vessels, with a length of 318 metres and a width of 33.6 metres, with a maximum draught of 7.9 metres. It is for this reason that it is considered a very important asset for the maritime industry. The other two docks have been used for repairs of smaller vessels, such as tuna boats, fuel barges, tugboats and other vessels providing auxiliary maritime services, with the following dimensions: Dock 2 is 130 metres long by 25.9 metres wide with a draught of 6.4 metres. Dock 3, on the other hand, is 70 metres long by 15 metres wide with a maximum draught of 4.3 metres. In addition, the facilities include an administrative building, pump room, 6 work and storage hangars. All kinds of ship repairs to be carried out at the shipyard Astibal will carry out in this shipyard all kinds of ship repairs, including underwater works, surface treatment of hull and tanks, repair and maintenance of engines, electrical equipment, piping, steel, tail shafts, propellers, and fitting out. They are fully committed with all their products and services with the management and efficient use of water resources, in order to provide solutions with their advanced water engineering to achieve an efficient use of water. They are always hand-in-hand with a team that believes in the project and that contributes its grain of sand in the energy transition in which they find themselves to achieve a cleaner planet.