Marine Air Flow Articles

SCR And Marine Engine Room Ventilation

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 05:07:32 GMT

Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Systems: Cleaner Solutions For Maritime Applications

The marine industry is under increasing pressure to cut harmful emissions and operate more sustainably. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems, a proven technology that reduces nitrogen oxides (NOx) in marine engines.

At Marine Air Flow International (MAFI), we work alongside shipbuilders, operators, and defence clients to ensure that our ventilation systems are designed for efficiency, compliance, long-term reliability and to work alongside SCR units.

What is a Marine SCR System?

A Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system is an after-treatment solution designed to reduce NOx emissions. It works by injecting a urea-based solution, often called Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) or AdBlue, into the exhaust gases. As these gases pass through a catalyst, the NOx reacts with the fluid and is broken down into nitrogen and water vapour.

This process can reduce NOx emissions by up to 90%, helping vessels meet various emission standards and supporting a cleaner marine environment.

Why Are SCR Systems Vital in Marine Operations?

Regulatory Compliance
With IMO Tier III and other regional requirements in place, SCR technology ensures vessels remain compliant in Emission Control Areas (ECAs).
Environmental Responsibility
Reduced NOx means less smog, acid rain, and air pollution—protecting both marine and coastal ecosystems.
Performance and Flexibility
SCR systems can be adapted for a wide range of marine engines, including high-performance patrol boats, commercial ferries, and defence vessels.
Future-Proofing Fleets
As emission standards continue to tighten, SCR provides a robust pathway for long-term compliance.

How SCR Systems Work

The process is straightforward yet highly effective:

Injection: Urea solution is sprayed into the exhaust stream.
Catalysis: Exhaust gases pass through a catalyst where NOx is converted.
Conversion: The reaction turns harmful NOx into nitrogen and water.
Clean Output: The result is significantly cleaner emissions leaving the stack.

How SCR Systems Can Affect Your Engine Room Temperatures

By design SCR Systems can and do run very warm. This can have a decent impact on your engine room temperatures, increasing them toward undesirable levels of heat.

If your SCR system is not encapsulated and/or insulated you can end up with a lot more heat in your engine room space. The knock on effect of this is that you can require a lot more air induction to counteract this. However if the SCR location is taken into consideration before your ventilation system is designed we can usually account for the extra heat quite effectively.

MAFI’s Role in Supporting SCR Technology

At Marine Air Flow International, we understand that installing SCR systems involves more than just fitting a catalytic converter. Effective operation requires precisely engineered ventilation and airflow management. Our team provides:

Custom ventilation solutions to ensure your engine room operates at maximum efficiency, despite SCR systems.
Lightweight, durable ventilation systems , using sustainable green materials wherever possible. This helps to support your commitment to environmental considerations.
Integration expertise across a wide range of vessels, including naval ships, patrol boats, commercial ferries, and luxury yachts.
Compliance-focused designs that align with NSCV/USL codes and international maritime standards.

With over 20 years of experience in marine ventilation, MAFI has become a trusted partner for operators seeking safe, reliable, and regulation-ready systems .

The Future of Marine Emissions Control

As shipping transitions toward alternative fuels such as LNG, methanol, and hybrid propulsion, after-treatment solutions like SCR will continue to play a critical role. MAFI is committed to supporting this transition by delivering future-focused ventilation systems that complement the latest emission control technologies.

Final Thoughts

Marine Selective Catalytic Reduction systems are essential for meeting today’s strict emission standards and building a sustainable future for shipping. With the right design, integration, and ventilation support, SCR technology not only keeps vessels compliant but also demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental responsibility.

At Marine Air Flow International , we help shipbuilders and operators get the most from their SCR installations, delivering systems that are efficient, reliable, and built for the future of marine engineering .

NSW Port Authority Vessels | Completed Project

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 01:16:50 GMT

Client:
NSW Port Authority

Project Details

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

The Port Authority of New South Wales recently welcomed the Burra and Girawaa, two advanced firefighting vessels built by local company Birdon. These aluminium monohull vessels are designed to respond swiftly to major on-water incidents in Sydney Harbour and surrounding areas. Equipped with twin Scania engines and Namjet waterjets, they boast speeds exceeding 20 knots, essential for rapid response in emergencies.

Project OVERVIEW

Project GOALS

We wanted to create an effective ventilation and cooling system that utilized limited generator resources to allow that to remain free for critical applications.

Additionally, MAFI provided comprehensive fresh air ventilation for all void areas on the vessel, maintaining positive ventilation to mitigate condensation and prevent corrosion. This solution enhances operational reliability and longevity in critical vessel compartments.

The CHALLENGE

Weight was a major consideration in this project, so it was essential that our system was as light as possible while still allowing for the correct amount of airflow and temperature handling for a vessel that might not be moving for an extended period of time.

The SOLUTION

Due to the extensive equipment onboard utilizing the genset for power, we employed high-volume 24V DC fans. This strategic choice minimized additional load on the genset, allowing it to allocate more power to water pumps and other critical firefighting equipment. The fans operate efficiently on the 24V battery supply, crucial for fast-response vessels like firefighting boats.

These lightweight fans were custom-tuned to draw a maximum of 35 amps each, ensuring optimal power efficiency.

Marine Air Flow

CONTACT Us!

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

office@marineairflow.com

Images and Drawings

Below you will find some photos of the equipment we installed, the designed air flow drawing and photos of the vessels themselves.

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Marine Air Flow

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
NSW Port Authority

Marine Air Flow

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Details

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
NSW Port Authority

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

Marine Air Flow

Project Details

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Marine Air Flow

+61 7 3523 3523

56 Meter RORO Ferries Project For Abu Dhabi

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 05:33:41 GMT

Optimising Engine Room Ventilation for Abu Dhabi’s High-Speed Ro-Pax Ferries

As part of Abu Dhabi’s ongoing investment in advanced maritime infrastructure, the AD Ports Group commissioned two high-speed Ro-Ro ferries to operate between the UAE mainland and Delma Island.

Carrying 250 passengers and 25 cars per trip at a service speed of over 30 Knots is pretty impressive , and you'd have to agree they are certainly very tidy looking Roll On Roll Off Ferries!!

Designed for both passenger comfort and operational performance, these cutting-edge vessels required a ventilation solution that could meet the rigorous demands of the Gulf’s climate and the intense operating conditions of four powerful MTU engines per vessel.

Our team was proud to be selected to design and deliver the engine room ventilation system for these state-of-the-art ferries, ensuring they remain safe, efficient, and reliable at sea.

Engineering the Future of Fast Ferry Travel

Built to carry up to 194 passengers and 25 vehicles, each of the 56-metre-long catamarans has been equipped with four MTU 16V4000M65L high-performance engines driving Kongsberg KaMeWa waterjets. This powerful propulsion setup enables cruising speeds of up to 35 knots, making the ferries among the fastest in their class within the region.

Inside, the vessels feature modern amenities such as a VIP lounge, children’s play area, two cafes, five toilets, and full wheelchair accessibility, highlighting AD Ports Group’s commitment to both efficiency and passenger experience.

Operating in the heat of the Persian Gulf, however, presents unique engineering challenges.

The heart of this lies within the engine room where temperatures, airflow, and safety systems must be tightly controlled to prevent overheating, ensure compliance, and protect both crew and machinery.

A Tailored Ventilation Solution for Demanding Conditions

The brief for this project was clear: create a ventilation system that could not only manage the extreme thermal loads generated by four high-output marine engines but also comply with international marine safety standards, including fire isolation and redundancy protocols.

Key features of the system we delivered include:

Marine-Grade Ventilation Dampers : Built from corrosion-resistant stainless steel, our dampers are designed for longevity and reliability in a saltwater environment.
Integrated Auto Close Capability : The dampers are configured to close rapidly in the event of a fire, helping to isolate the engine room and restrict oxygen supply.
High Airflow Capacity : Designed specifically for the compact, high-output layout of the engine rooms, the system allows for maximum airflow and heat dissipation under full load.
Moisture and Salt Mist Defence: Our Intake grilles are known globally for their excellent capability of reducing salt mist and spray into your engine room. Here they allow a vessel operating in already extreme conditions to require far less ongoing equipment replacement.
Redundancy & Safety : With automated control options and manual overrides, the system ensures continuous operation and safety during engine shutdowns or emergencies.

Delivering Results at Sea

With the ventilation system now fully installed and operational, the Ro-Pax ferries have successfully completed sea trials and are ready to begin service. The performance of the engine room ventilation under load has exceeded expectations, maintaining optimal operating temperatures even during high-speed runs in the peak Gulf heat.

In addition to thermal performance, the system’s fire isolation capability offers an added layer of safety, helping these ferries meet stringent international compliance standards while delivering peace of mind for operators and passengers alike.

Reflecting on the Project

This project underscores the critical importance of high-performance ventilation systems in modern vessel design.

From the intense thermal loads of multi-engine configurations to the need for rapid fire response and corrosion resistance, every detail matters when it comes to marine safety and reliability.

We’re proud to have played a key role in supporting this milestone for AD Ports Group and Abu Dhabi’s maritime future and we look forward to bringing this level of engineering excellence to future vessel builds across the region and beyond.

Talk to Us About Your Marine Ventilation Needs

Whether you’re designing a new-build high-speed ferry or retrofitting an existing vessel, we offer tailored ventilation solutions that combine safety, efficiency, and performance. Get in touch with our team today to learn how we can support your next marine engineering project.

Marine Air Flow Achieves JOSCAR Accreditation

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:39:25 GMT

JOSCAR Accreditation Achieved

JOSCAR (Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register) is a collaborative supplier compliance and risk management system developed by Hellios Information. It is designed to streamline the procurement process within the defence, aerospace, and security sectors by providing a centralised platform for collecting, validating, and sharing supplier information.

Marine Air Flow is proud to announce that we have achieved JOSCAR-AU certification.

Launched in the United Kingdom, JOSCAR has been successful in reducing compliance and administrative costs for both buyers and suppliers. The system comprises a community of major defence companies and thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) .

In June 2024, JOSCAR was introduced to Australia, with the Australian Department of Defence and leading defence companies such as BAE Systems Australia, Raytheon Australia, Babcock Australasia, Lockheed Martin Australia, Boeing Defence Australia, and Saab Australia adopting the system. The Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN) has expressed strong support for JOSCAR, highlighting its potential to alleviate the compliance burden on SMEs .

In Australia, JOSCAR is managed by a dedicated Hellios team based in Brisbane, led by Tom Maund. The platform aims to enhance collaboration within the defence supply chain, support sovereign industry capabilities, and drive growth in Australia's defence sector

Marine Air Flow 20 Years On!

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 06:20:40 GMT

Marine Air Flow is 20!

20 Years ago Marine Air Flow started in a farm shed in East Trinity. We had finally gotten really sick of the horrific hours that a marine maintenance business took and sold up. While Brad wanted to immediately immerse himself in something else, I insisted that he take a year off. And he did.

He spent a year fishing with his mate Rod, using his backhoe on the property we had (30 acres at East Trinity) and we also took a few trips overseas. When the year was close to ending, he started to put into place the plan for creating Marine Air Flow.

During our time with Profab, our prior business, engine room ventilation was something we just couldn't get. It was available offshore but seemed to be either one of two things: a less than great product, or constructed for military applications where the business wasn't interested in supplying to recreational vessels.

We had da bbled in creating a few "vents" as they were then called but the lack of a dedicated system stuck with Brad and when he was ready, that was what he decided to focus on.

It has been far from plain sailing and a MASSIVE amount of work, dedication and pure commitment from Brad has meant that today Marine Air Flow is a leader in its field. Not just in Australia either, we do more than 40% of our turnover as export today.

Things Have Gone Wrong

Very early on, Brad was bringing a new drill press home from Cairns city and avoiding a cane truck, it fell off the back of the trailer. That was devastating at the time. It was money we didn't have to spend again and despite insurance covering it, we had to wait 2 months for another to arrive. It seems so trivial now, but at the time it meant that I spent hours in the shed with Brad every month manually drilling fixing holes.

At one point after moving the whole thing to the Gold Coast, a staff member let us down very badly and Brad missed a holiday to Fiji to cover for it. That one sucked.

I got a steel sliver off a wire brush in my finger while I was doing some kind of finishing, which got horribly infected and put me off my own work for 3 weeks. Turns out you can't type with a finger bandaged to be the size of a sausage! That damn metal bit is there to this day!

Brad jumped off the trailer at one point and ruptured the ACL in his knee. This was when we found out that directors aren't covered under workers comp. I had to use the insurance from a motorbike trip we were supposed to be doing in Africa to cover Brad's knee reconstruction. To this day, we've never done that trip.

About 3 years into Marine Air Flow, Brad went on a sales trip to WA which left us with $30 in our business account. I can't begin to explain just how scary that was!

There Has Been Some Amazing Achievements Along The Way

I remember the day that Riviera committed to us being their one and only supplier of ventilation equipment for all their new boats. It was so very exciting for us and we thank them for their amazing commitment to us over the last decade.

We now regularly do work for the Australian Government, local and international boat builders, foreign military projects, and even roll-on-roll-off ferries.

Some amazing outcomes:

Thian one of our mature age apprentices won Apprentice Of The Year, and Jacob has just been nominated this year for the second time.
We are now a team of 24 with team members from Myanmar, Thailand, Brazil, Spain, France & Argentina
Blake one of our original apprentices has now been with us 17 years. He is married with 2 children the oldest of which is 10!
Mark has been with us for around 14 years from memory, is also married and has a son now.
Joh our accounts person has been with us the entire way and we are so grateful to her for her hard work and putting up with Brad's receipt collecting. Her children that weren't even born when we started are almost fully formed humans now!
Our factory is now 1200 square meters and we could do with a little more space if I'm honest.
We won the Small Business Exporter of the Year award last year which was pretty epic, and then
We also won the AIMEX Exporter of the year this year in 2025.

Equipment has evolved from the manual drilling to CNC machines, laser cutters, automatic benders and we are currently investigating robotic welders.

We have evolved from Brad writing hand written invoices (remember those little carbon copy invoice pads?) to running almost our entire operation from the Zoho suite of software tools.

We now have over 30 products in our line up but our Air Intake Grilles still top the sales chart every quarter.

Our Website Has Been and Still Is One Of Our Biggest Assets

Yes, sure this is because I am a web developer by trade and we embraced the technology as a way to get our name and products out there. However, there have been multiple evolutions over the 20 years and will be more to come.

Our Team Is Our Biggest Asset

We are always extremely grateful to our amazing team of very hard workers. Marine Air Flow has:

a production team,
a design team,
a estimating and quoting team,
a technical and development team,
an assembly and dispatch team and

team leaders for all of those.

Some of our team have mechanical engineering degrees, there's an MBA in there, and even a Database Administration degree however you don't need a formal qualification to work with us. Some of our best workers are fully self taught and are just as valuable to us as anyone else.

Some Numbers:

4 - we work 4 days a week Monday to Thursday
32 - monitors in our office
27,000+ - The amount we spend on software per year!!
4200+ - Cans of soft drink consumed from the smoko hut fridge per year
1,000,000+ - Christmas lights in our electrical wizard Matt's house every year. Get in touch at the end of the year for the address to see it. It's pretty amazing.
1 - tonnage per month in spacer we have to use before Brad promised he would buy us a company Maserati! We are getting close....
4 - Office dogs we've had. Squirt a 65 kg Great Dane, Miss Monroe a 40 kilo Hungarian Vizler, Prada an American staffy with a very distorted face from her cleft palate & Chloe an English staffy with a serious overbite!
382 - The combined age of Guns and Roses band members when we all went to see them for our Christmas party in 2023.
10 - The years our local Magpie Neil has been with us for. He has a damaged foot and the boys named him Neil after one of our guys who they said used to squark and carry on. He hangs out around the house and factory and comes in the smoko hut looking for crumbs most days. It will be a sad day when we realise Neil is missing.
4000+ projects completed to date

Thank You

Thank you to our amazing team, our incredible clients and everyone who has helped us along the way.

They say it takes a village and in this case its more like a small city.

You all know who you are and we thank you from the bottom of our heart!

Jen

Delta T in Engine Cooling: Optimizing Vessel Efficiency

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 06:19:01 GMT

Understanding the Principle of Delta T and Its Role in Cooling a Boat's Engine Room

What is Delta T?

Delta T, simply put, represents a change in temperature (ΔT). It is a little more complex than that, however basically it is a fundamental concept in thermodynamics that plays a significant role in various cooling and heating processes.

In the context of a boat’s engine room, understanding and managing Delta T can mean the difference between efficient operation and overheating disasters.

Why Delta T Matters in Engine Room Cooling

Boat engine rooms are subject to enormous amounts of heat generation. If not managed properly, this heat can lead to engine failure or even catastrophic damage. Delta T helps us measure and control the temperature differential between the hot engine room and the cooler outside ambient air brought in for ventilation.

Assessing Delta T in Boat Engine Rooms

1. The Basics of Heat Transfer

Heat produced by machinery will increase the engine room air temperature. By exchanging the heated air with cooler outside ambient air, we are able to regulate the temperature. Delta T is a measure of how efficiently this regulation takes place.

2. Measuring Delta T

Outside Ambient Temperature: The temperature of the air entering the engine room.
Output Temperature: The temperature of the air leaving the engine room.
Delta T Formula: ΔT = Output Temperature - Input Temperature

A higher Delta T indicates poor ventilation, while a lower Delta T signals effective cooling.

Managing Delta T in Boat Engine Rooms

Ventilation Systems

Efficient ventilation systems help maintain optimal operating conditions by minimizing Delta T. These systems bring fresh air into the engine room while expelling hot air.

Key Components of a Delta T-Based Cooling System

1. Intake Grilles

Allow fresh air to enter the engine room.
Removes salt laden air and spray
Can be single stage or double stage for heavier operating conditions
Designed to suit your vessel use and application.

2. Ventilation Fans

Increase air flow into the space
Expel hot air efficiently.
Can direct air flow to important areas
Powered by controlled automation systems.

3. Temperature Sensors

Strategically placed to monitor air temperatures.
Provide real-time data for correct assessment.

4. Control Panels

Central hub for adjusting fan speeds, monitoring temperatures, and ensuring system efficiency.

The Role of Automation in Engine Room Management

Automation has revolutionized engine room management in modern boats. Advanced systems:

Continuously monitor temperatures.
Automatically adjust airflow and cooling mechanisms.
Alert operators to potential issues before they escalate.

Benefits of Managing Delta T Effectively

Improved Engine Performance: Consistent cooling maintains optimal operating temperatures.
Reduced Maintenance Costs: Prevents overheating-related damage.
Increased Safety: Minimizes risks of engine room fires.
Energy Efficiency: Reduces power consumption by optimizing ventilation and cooling systems.

Tips for Optimizing Delta T in Your Boat’s Engine Room

1. Regular Maintenance

Clean intake grilles regularly.
Inspect and replace worn-out fans and sensors.

2. Invest in Quality Equipment

Choose high-efficiency fans and mist eliminator grilles.
Opt for automated control systems for real-time Delta T management.

3. Monitor Temperature Trends

Keep a log of temperature readings.
Address anomalies promptly to prevent larger issues.

4. Optimize Airflow

Avoid obstructions near vents and ducts.
Ensure fans are positioned for maximum circulation.

Real-Life Example: Managing Delta T on a Mega Yacht

Imagine a luxury yacht cruising through tropical waters. The engine room is a hive of activity, with engines running at full capacity. Here’s how Delta T principles come into play:

Initial Readings: Air entering at 30°C and exiting at 50°C (Delta T = 20°C).
Adjustments: Increasing fan speed reduces the exiting air temperature to 40°C (Delta T = 10°C).
Result: Improved engine efficiency and a safer operating environment with an extended fuel range.

Challenges in Managing Delta T

1. Harsh Marine Environments

Salt, humidity, and debris can damage ventilation systems.

2. Space Constraints

Limited room for large fans or ductwork.

3. Power Consumption

Balancing cooling efficiency with energy use.

Future Trends in Delta T Technology

Smart Sensors: AI-driven systems for predictive maintenance.
Eco-Friendly Solutions: Solar-powered ventilation fans.
Advanced Materials: Corrosion-resistant components for longer lifespan.

Conclusion: Delta T For Engine Rooms

The principle of Delta T is a cornerstone of effective engine room cooling on boats. By understanding and managing engine room temperatures, boat owners can ensure optimal performance, safety, and efficiency. Investing in quality equipment, regular maintenance, and automated systems will help you stay ahead of potential issues and enjoy smooth sailing.

Delta T FAQs

Blackwatch 40 Ventilation System

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 23:38:46 GMT

Client:
Private Client

Project Details

Vessel:
Blackwatch 40

Project Overview:

Eliminate salt mist ingress that was causing damage to valuable equipment

We were tasked with replacing that fashion grilles in this Blackwatch 40 with a full ventilation system including mist eliminator grilles, DC compact fans and fan speed controllers.

Project OVERVIEW

Project GOALS

For this project we needed to match the size and shape of the current penetrations and also match the colour accurately.

What you might not know is that here at Marine Air Flow we can retro fit both new intake grilles and fans so that not only are your water issues resolved, but your engine room will overall be much cooler as well.

The CHALLENGE

Even though Black Watch is a great sea boat, when the ocean is less than flat calm they can and usually do have quite a challenge with salt mist coming into the engine room. This can cause some increased maintenance bills and the need to replace valuable engine room equipment more often than you maybe would like.

The SOLUTION

We removed the fashion teardrop grille on the outside and added a single stage separator grille fitted in its position. We powder coated the new grille to be a perfect match to the hull colour.

For the best outcome with this particular boat, the best position for the fans is to be mounted is on the forward bulkhead as high as practical. If they are installed on a 45° mounting bracket, the discharge velocity from the fans will push the air down to the keel ensuring the engine room has great circulation.

The last item we added to this project was our manual fan speed controller. This control system results in a reduction of noise and power consumption when you turn the fans down to a lower speed. This is really helpful when trawl fishing as your engines are doing low rpm and producing minimal DC power via the alternators, but pending sounders etc you may still be pulling a lot of amps. So reducing power consumption may become essential, pending your set up.

We did manage to turn this project around in just a few weeks as we had the grilles in stock. However our lead time can be up to 12-16 weeks for custom projects, so be sure to get in touch in advance so we can be sure to provide the equipment when you need it.

Marine Air Flow

CONTACT Us!

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

office@marineairflow.com

Images and Drawings

Below you will find some photos of the equipment we installed, the designed air flow drawing and photos of the vessels themselves.

Equipment Supplied:

2 teardrop shaped Mist Eliminator Grilles,
2 DC compact fans (12 volt and 12" diameter)
A compact fan mount bracket and finger safety guard
Dc Fan Speed controller with reversing switch

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Marine Air Flow

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
Private Client

Marine Air Flow

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Project Overview:

Eliminate salt mist ingress that was causing damage to valuable equipment

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Vessel:
Blackwatch 40

Project Details

office@marineairflow.com

Client:

Private Client

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Vessel:
Blackwatch 40

Project Overview:

Eliminate salt mist ingress that was causing damage to valuable equipment

Marine Air Flow

Project Details

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Marine Air Flow

+61 7 3523 3523

Marine Air Flow - Winner 2024 Australian Export Awards

Sat, 23 Nov 2024 06:24:15 GMT

Small Business Winner - 2024 Australian Export Awards

We are immensely proud to announce that Marine Air Flow has won the Small Business Category in the 2024 Australian Export Awards.

Thanks must go to our amazing team and of course ALL our clients. We have come a long way from just engine room grilles in 2004.

We would also like say how much we appreciate both Yaël and Kaleena for attending the ceremony in Canberra and collecting the award on behalf of all of us. It is very exciting that not only are we competing on the world stage, but that we can achieve awards such as this.

Many thanks to the Australian Export Awards and congratulations to all the winners and nominees on the night.

Marine Air Flow - June 2024 Gold Coast Business Excellence Award Recipients

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 06:28:21 GMT

Winners of the Manufacturing Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards (June 2024)

We are thrilled to an nounce that our team has been awarded the Gold Coast Business Excellence Award in Manufacturing for the month of June!

This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovation of our entire team. It is a validation of our commitment to excellence in manufacturing and our relentless pursuit of quality and innovation.

We owe this achievement to the incredible efforts of our team members and the support of our loyal clients and suppliers. We really couldn't have done it without them.

We are so proud of what our team has achieved this year and we truly want to thank each an every one of them for their hard work:

Our Design & Estimating team, for producing over 400 custom quotes and concept designs and delivering excellent customer service to our clients this year.

Brad Marsden, Director
Mark Oakley, Technical Manager & Chief Estimator
Liam Adams, Senior CAD Designer
Kenny Piromkarn, CAD Designer,
Mariana Chaves, Junior CAD Designer,
Zach Doiron, Technical Assistant

Our Production team, for proficiently manufacturing the highest quality and bespoke products for more than 300 projects this year.

Blake Highland, Production Manager
Jacob Gibson, Senior Apprentice
Peter Cushing, Production Supervisor
Thian Ngawn, Tradesman
James O'Neill, Junior Apprentice
Jaxon Schofield, School Apprentice

Our Detailing & Dispatch team, for meticulously ensuring that all our products adhere to our Quality Assurance Standards before leaving our warehouse, contributing to our achievement of 100% customer satisfaction.

David Anderson, Quality Manager
Matthew Regan, Assembly & Factory technician
Rowan Birley, Metal Finisher
Huynh Do, Metal Finisher
Matthew Russ, Metal Finisher

Our Operations & Admin team, for managing our logistics, accounting and inventory, streamlining our operations and enhancing our efficiency, contributing to MAFI's most successful year in 19 years!

Joh Ciechan, Accounts Administrator
Kaleena de Voigt, Operations Manager
Sofia Martinez, Operations Assistant
Jen Marsden, Marketing Manager

Looking forward to many more years of continued success with our team ��

Australian Volunteer Marine Search and Rescue | Completed Project

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:04:23 GMT

Client:
NSW Port Authority

Project Details

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

The Woolgoolga 30, measuring 10 meters in length and 3.45 meters in beam, is specifically designed for beach launch and recovery operations. This capability is crucial in areas without accessible boat ramps, ensuring rapid deployment and retrieval, thus enhancing response times during emergencies.

These capabilities could also offer some challenges should difficult weather arise so it was important that we ensure the operating parameters were able to be met.

Project OVERVIEW

Project GOALS

Equipped with a powerful Cummins QSB6.7 inboard diesel engine and a Hamilton waterjet, the Woolgoolga 30 offers exceptional speed and manoeuvrability. This advanced propulsion system allows for tight turns and high-speed travel, significantly improving operational efficiency during rescue missions.

In combination with the beach landing capabilities it was important that we design an air flow system that didn't put the boat at risk. Knowing how it was to be used was a key factor in our design.

The CHALLENGE

The Woolgoolga RIB is designed for fast response and recovery in what may be difficult conditions. To accommodate for this our system was designed to ensure the best airflow possible with the safest set up.

The SOLUTION

Mark laid out and designed a system that drew the cool fresh air in through air intake grilles in the front of the boat, ejecting the warm spent air out the rear over the transom. This means that the Woolgoolga does not compromise its capabilities at any point.

Marine Air Flow

CONTACT Us!

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

office@marineairflow.com

Images and Drawings

Below you will find some photos of the equipment we installed, the designed air flow drawing and photos of the vessels themselves. Some Images in this post are thanks to Marine Rescue NSW.

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Marine Air Flow

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
Yamba Welding / Marine Rescue NSC

Marine Air Flow

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation system in a small restricted space

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Vessel:
Woolgoolga

Project Details

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
NSW Port Authority

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

Marine Air Flow

Project Details

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Marine Air Flow

+61 7 3523 3523

Svitzer Pilot Boat For Dongara Marine | Completed Project

Wed, 29 May 2024 03:23:03 GMT

Client:
NSW Port Authority

Project Details

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

Owned by Svitzer, this vessel will be operational from Woodside's Gas plant in Dampier. Dongara Marine in WA has handled the construction with Marine Air Flow supplying engine room equipment for this fast service vessel.

This level of design achieves not just a reliable boat, but also some amazing environmental efficiencies. Under trials the boat could cruise at around 80% capacity using just 6.5 litres of fuel per mile (nautical mile). This was in conjunction with a speed of 28 knots.

Project OVERVIEW

Project GOALS

We wanted to create an effective ventilation and cooling system that allowed the vessel to operate at its maximum for extended periods of time.

The vessel can cruise at 28 knots which is around 80% of its capacity for long time frames.

The CHALLENGE

Obviously in the extreme conditions that north west WA has, it was essential that the vessel maintain a cool engine room and peak operating conditions. Marine Air Fl ow designed and manufactured a system to achieve just that.

Powered by twin 900Kw (1200 hp) volve Penta Inboard Performance System engines, this amazing new design will be able to achieve a top speed of 36 knots. Fully loaded. Dongara Marine are always impressive in their designs and construction and this vessel is no different.

The SOLUTION

These hot and dry conditions meant that it was essential to not just cope with the salt mist and spray but also to maintain an operable engine room temperature.

To do this we designed a system that included:

air intake grilles ,
outlet grilles,
high volume DC fans with inbuilt VSD's,
survey quality stainless steel air dampers ,
actuators for those dampers,
finger guards for the dampers and
our new gravity assisted rollover closures that were fitted to the grilles.

For those of you who might not know, Brad is actually from Geraldton and spent a lot of time in Dongara when he was younger. Dongara Marine produce such quality vessels and we are always very excited to be able to contribute to the ongoing lifespan of these boats.

Marine Air Flow

CONTACT Us!

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

office@marineairflow.com

Images and Drawings

Below you will find some photos of the equipment we installed, the designed air flow drawing and photos of the vessels themselves.

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Marine Air Flow

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
Dongara Marine

Marine Air Flow

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for a pilot transfer boat for servicing Woodside Offshore gas plant

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Vessel:
Svitzer Marlin

Project Details

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
NSW Port Authority

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

Marine Air Flow

Project Details

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Marine Air Flow

+61 7 3523 3523

X18 Tank Boat for North Sea Boats | Completed Project

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 03:48:36 GMT

Client:
NSW Port Authority

Project Details

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

The X18 ATC (Armoured Troop Carrier) referred to as the "tank boat" is a carbon fibre hulled vessel that can carry 60 troups with a cruising speed of 30 knots.

Powered by twin 1700 hp MTU diesel engines this beast of a boat is capable of a top speed of 50 knots and is highly manouverable and extremely stable.

Project OVERVIEW

Project GOALS

Designed not just as a support vessel but also as a first line of defence, this incredible boat is just under 20m in length and runs a jet drive system. It needs only 5 crew for operation and has a range of 600 nautical miles. With a draft of less than a meter it can access area's where more traditional vessels aren't able to operate.

With an operational area of high temperatures and humidity it is important that the massive motors are properly cooled and that the engine room remains free of any salt ingress challenges.

The CHALLENGE

For any vessel operating in east Java, protection from the elements is essential to not just the lifespan of the enigne room components but also the safety of the crew.

The SOLUTION

As with other vessels we have equiped in this area, we chose a two stage air intake system, primarily for its capabilities in larger seas. In conjunction with the double stage grilles which we used on the air intakes, we used single stage grilles for the air outlets.

Stainless steel air dampers and our AC High Volume fans completed the system supplied for the X18.

Equipment Supplied By MAFI

18.75 metre naval tank boat built by North Sea Boats

A total of 2 x Double stage intake separator grilles
2 x AC High Volume Fans
2 x Stainless Steel Air Dampers for fire safety
Protection guards to keep the crew safe from the fans &
Some custom ducting to enable the correct airflow for the vessel.

If you would like to know more about the X18 Tank Boat, get all the info on t he Tank Boat from North Sea Boats website.

Marine Air Flow

CONTACT Us!

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

office@marineairflow.com

Images and Drawings

Below you will find some photos of the equipment we installed, the designed air flow drawing and photos of the vessels themselves.

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Marine Air Flow

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
North Sea Boats

Marine Air Flow

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for fast high speed military vessel operating in Java

CONTACT Us!

+61 7 3523 3523

Vessel:
X18 ATC

Project Details

office@marineairflow.com

Client:
NSW Port Authority

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Vessel:
Burra and Girawaa

Project Overview:

Engine room ventilation for 2 new NSW Fire Fighting Boats.

Marine Air Flow

Project Details

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

+61 7 3523 3523

Get in touch with any questions you might have or for a quote for your own vessel.

office@marineairflow.com

CONTACT Us!

Marine Air Flow

+61 7 3523 3523

Completed Project - FAC Trimiran for North Sea Boats

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 03:57:18 GMT

North Sea Boats Built Fast Attack Craft Launched With MAFI Equipment

Is this the next generation of military maritime prowess? The Fast Attack Craft (FAC), built by North Sea Boats showcases a sleek "Wave Piercing" trimaran design. Built to slice through the water rather than skipping over it, its wide beam ensures its stability.

This design allows for smoother, faster travel, even when the sea is less than calm and I'm sure you will agree it looks amazing. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to be chased by it!

Stealth capabilities are at the heart of the FAC's design. It's engineered to fly under the radar, so to speak, with technology that lowers its visibility by diminishing radar, infrared, acoustic, and magnetic emissions. The absence of traditional reverse-angle bows cuts down on radar bounce-back, making it even stealthier. Its arsenal is also cleverly integrated into the ship’s structure to maintain a low profile.

With a top speed of 30+ knots, both cooling and salt water ingress management are essential to peak operations. Marine Air Flow was honoured to be a part of this project in conjunction with North Sea Boats. I'm sure you will agree this vessel is a weapon (pun intended!).

Marine Air Flow's FAC Engine Room System Details

Operating any vessel in the Indonesian area and keeping it cool is quite the feat. Add in the speed at which the KRI Golok does, and its super important to maintain a salt free and cool environment.

We chose a two stage air intake system, primarily for its capabilities in larger seas. In conjunction with the double stage grilles which we used on the air intakes, we used single stage grilles for the air outlets.

Our High Volume Fans with 2.2kw motors were added in conjuction with stainless steel air dampers, air diverters to direct the air around the engine room and security panels to protect the crew from the high speed fans.

Equipment Supplied By MAFI

63 metre naval fast speed patrol boat built by North Sea Boats

A total of 6 x Double stage intake separator grilles complete with
rollover flaps
powder coated to match the vessel
inbuilt dorade and ducts
4 x AC High Volume Fans
4 for supply air &
A total of 14 x Stainless Steel Air Dampers complete with auto actuators

KRI Golok Information

Manufactured for the Indonesian Navy, this incredible vessel was designed by LOMOcean Marine . With a design coming from our southern neighbour of New Zealand, and delivered to our northern neighbour of Indonesia, this project felt very close to home for Marine Air Flow.

We have worked on a few projects for North Sea Boats, but this one was a favourite for sure. Brad has even added a poster of this boat to the office walls!

Get all the info on KRI Golok from North Sea Boats website.

Some Images in this post are thanks to North Sea Boats (PT Lundin) post about this vessel .

Marine Air Flow International: Winners of the Mayor's Innovation Award - October 2023

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 06:19:11 GMT

MAFI Wins Mayor's Gold Coast Business Innovation Award Oct 2023

Two weeks ago, our team's efforts were recognised with the prestigious Mayor’s Innovation Award at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards. This recognition is not just an honor but also an affirmation of our relentless pursuit of excellence in marine technology.

Mayor's Innovation Award

The Mayor's Innovation Award is given monthly to local Gold Coast businesses that demonstrate outstanding innovation in their respective fields. It looks beyond mere profitability and market dominance, focusing on how a company is pushing the boundaries of what's possible through creative and innovative thinking. The award:

Acknowledges organisations that have demonstrated a novel approach to solving existing problems.
Prioritises businesses that contribute positively to the local economy and society.
Rewards companies that have a track record of sustainable practices.

As the recent recipients of this honour, Marine Air Flow International is inc redibly proud and humbled to be recognised for our contributions to the marine industry.

History of Marine Air Flow International

Since our inception, we have been on a mission to reshape the marine industry by developing advanced systems that improve marine operating conditions, increase overall safety and support environmental practice.

We believe our journey so far has been nothing short of extraordinary. Since the day we set foot in the marine industry, we have grown from a small company into a leading name in the industry, all while maintaining our commitment to innovation and excellence.

Our growth journey has not been without challenges. After all, innovation often means treading uncharted terrain. But the result of our hard work is a suite of marine products that are not only technologically advanced but also tuned to the real-world needs of our clients.

Grateful Recognition

We are extremely grateful to be the recipients of the Mayor’s Innovation Award. Such recognition is not the work of one, but many .

Every member of the Marine Air Flow team has contributed significantly to our success.

Their dedication, creativity, and hard work have been instrumental in continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation.

We would also like to thank our valued customers, partners and suppliers, for their support and trust for the past 18 years. Our numerous achievements could not be possible without them!

As the team at MAFI continues to move forward, we will continue to live by our motto:

Cool by Design, Green by Intention .

Attendees:

Brad Marsden, Director

Kaleena de Voigt , Operations Manager

Blake Highland , Production Manager

Completed Project - Australian Border Force Cutter Thaiyak

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 04:06:25 GMT

Engine room ventilation system for Australian Border Force Vessel

In a refit managed by AST Oceanics Marine Air Flow are proud to have been engaged to rectify salt ingress issues the vessel was having.

The Thaiyak already managed their engine room cooling well so it was simply a matter of adding in Air Intake Grilles to reduce the salt spray and mist ingress the boat was having challenges with.

While many engine rooms do need a significant level of equipment, sometimes its an easy fix as was this one. We supplied engine room mist eliminator grilles to be installed which completely solved the vessel's challenges.

Marine Air Flow's Thaiyak Engine Room System Details

Equipment Suppllied By MAFI

There was a whopping 25 air intake grilles installed in the Thaiyak! That is probably the most mist eliminators we've ever added to one vessel.

A total of 15 x Single stage intake separator grilles & 10 Two Stage Intake separator grilles.
These grilles service both the intake air and the outlet penetrations of the vessel.

Thaiyak Information

Manufactured in 2014 the Thaiyak was a joint effort from AST Oceanics, Strategic Marine and MMD which between them designed, managed and built this vessel for the Australian Border Force.

The Thaiyak was designed for long term deployment in remote marine environments so it is essential that the vessel engine room remains cool and dry.

At 9 years of age the engine room refit should enable this capable vessel to work for many more years servicing the Australian community.

Check out AST Oceanics article about the initial build and launch of the Thaiyak .

What Is The Difference Between A Single and Double Stage Intake Grille

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 06:41:30 GMT

Single and Two Stage Marine Intake Grilles Explained

We often get asked the difference between single stage and two stage (or double stage) engine room mist eliminator grilles. This article explains the differences between these grilles and when and where we recommend each one.

Single Stage Intake Grilles

A single stage mist eliminator is 100mm deep and has a single width core.

The core inside the 100mm section has 3 fingers to trap the salt mist. Those 3 fingers also change the direction of the air each time, creating a small pressure drop. This is often referred to as centrifical spin.

That pressure drop makes the heavy particles, including salt mist drop to the bottom of the mist eliminator then out the drain on the external face of the unit.

A single stage grille can handle a max average air speed of 6m/sec before they become ineffective. We work on an average of 3.5-4.5 m/sec for safety.

The green arrows signify air in and the red signify air out.

You can see the representation of the core section which makes the air change direction multiple times. This causes the heavy mist to fall out the opening at the bottom of the grille.

Water signified by blue arrow in this example

The green arrows signify air in and the red signify air out.

You can see the representation of the core section which makes the air change direction multiple times. This causes the heavy mist to fall out the opening at the bottom of the grille. In the double stage (or two stage) example here you can see the vane is effectively "doubled" up.

Water signified by blue arrow in this example

Two Stage (or Double Stage) Intake Grilles

A double stage/2 stage mist eliminator is 186mm deep.

The core inside the 186mm section has 6 fingers to trap the salt mist. Effectively this has "double" the vane section which is why we call them "double" or two stage grilles.

The 6 fingers also change the direction of the air each time, creating a small pressure drop. That pressure drop makes the heavy particles, including salt mist drop to the bottom of the mist eliminator then out the drain (on the external face of the unit).

A double stage grille can handle a max average air speed of 9m/sec before they become ineffective. We work on max 7 m/sec for safety.

What boats need single stage and which need two stage grilles?

As an example, on a vessel that will operate in heavy sea conditions like a patrol boat, we insist that the air intakes are 2 stage to give the added protection required.

For most recreation vessels used for coastal cruising, single stage is often enough. Should you upgrade to a Mega Yacht that will do ocean crossings, at that point a two stage system would be best. It is dependant on operating conditions primarily as heavier seas and conditions require more mist elimination.

The Air outlets, we are happy to see as single stage as they will have a decent amount of air being pushed out of them, so we are not overly worried about ingress of salt mist and spray due to the airflow direction.

What we do get concerned about and why we recommended having the single stage on the outlets is to protect the vessel while its at rest and also minimise the system pressure.

When the vessel is not operating and the fans are turned off all openings become passive in & out. So while the vessel is at rest there is a probability that the outlets could be fed salt mist from high winds from a storm etc. Hence why we like to see the outlets have a single stage grille on them.

We hope this has helped to explain the use of both single and two stage air intake grilles . Please get in touch for any further assistance required.

Engine Room Air Dampers (Fire Flaps) Explained

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 06:24:42 GMT

Engine Room Air Dampers And Why Your Boat Needs Them

A fire damper on a boat or ship is a crucial safety component, primarily designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke through a vessel's ventilation system. While the term "fire flap" is outdated and we now call them Air Dampers, however you refer to them - they are a necessary component in your engine room ventilation system.

Here’s a comprehensive understanding of fire dampers in a maritime context.

What is an Air Damper?

An Air Damper is a device installed as part of a vessel's ventilation system. In its simplest form, it consists of a set of louvers or blades that can close tightly, thereby sealing off the duct and/or air supply.

These blades are held open under normal conditions but are designed to either be manually closed or automatically closed when a certain temperature (indicative of a fire) is reached. They can also be set up to be activated upon receiving a signal from a fire detection system.

Why are Fire Dampers Required on Boats?

Safety Regulations: Maritime safety regulations worldwide often mandate the use of air dampers in specific areas on ships. These regulations ensure that ships meet a global level of safety and are often essential equipment that must be installed for your vessel to meet survey standards.
Prevent Spread of Fire: The main purpose of a fire damper is to stop or slow down the spread of fire and smoke through the vessel's ventilation system. Since ships have closed environments, unchecked fire and smoke can quickly become fatal to those on board. By triggering the Air Damper a fire is starved of Oxygen making it more managable for crew or fire fighting systems to extinguish.
Protecting Equipment and Cargo: By restricting the spread of fire, fire dampers can help protect both the ship's vital equipment and any cargo on board from damage.

Benefits of Air Dampers (Fire Flaps) on Boats

Lifesaving Measures: In the event of a fire, fire dampers can buy critical time for the crew and passengers, allowing them to evacuate or fight the fire.
Maintain Structural Integrity: By stopping the spread of fire, dampers can help maintain the structural integrity of the ship, preventing further damage and potential loss.
Lower Repair Costs: By containing fire damage to a smaller area, the repair costs post-incident can be significantly reduced.
Insurance Premiums: Having a proper fire prevention and containment system, including air dampers, may reduce insurance premiums for ship owners.

Different Types of Air Dampers

There are various types of fire dampers, including curtain, multi-blade, and combination fire/smoke dampers. The type used often depends on the specific requirements of the ship and its ventilation system.

Some recreational vessels can make use of Aluminium Air Dampers, however most global survey codes require the fire dampers to be stainless steel.

How Air Dampers are Triggered

Our Air Dampers come with an optional control cable that extends from the damper to a point outside the engine room. This manual system is simply activated by releasing the pull ring from its holding bracket. Doing so activates the spring-powered damper blade, cutting off the air supply to the engine room.

Additionally, this control has a semi-automatic feature. Should a fire or extreme heat be near the control cable, which is made of synthetic material, it will melt, causing the flap to close automatically. The cable melts at 140 degrees Celsius.

We can also supply an automatic system to trigger the fire flaps. This actuator works via a temperature probe mounted in the air stream inside your engine room. When the probe sense temperatures of 72°C it will shut the damper automatically.

The actuator will also trip if the power supply to the system is turned off. These automatic controllers are a great option for a set and forget situation especially where your vessel might have a rotating crew.

Maintaining your Air Dampers

Like all safety equipment, fire dampers must be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure they function properly when needed. This often involves checking the damper's triggering mechanism, its ability to close fully, and ensuring that it isn’t obstructed by debris.

We recommend scheduling an annual inspection for all your fire equipment including any installed dampers and triggering systems.

Instructing Crew On The Use of Air Dampers

Modern ships often integrate fire dampers with their broader fire detection and prevention systems, allowing for automated responses to potential fire threats. Even though this might be the case, you do need to instruct your crew on how and when to reset the dampers and the trigger.

We recommend creating a plaque or poster that is part of your procedures instructing crew on actions to take during a potential or actual fire. Some points to include on this plaque might be:

sound the alarm and check no one is the engine room
ensure air dampers have been triggered and are closed
position vessel safely and shut down engines.
turn off fuel supply with remote valves.
turn off ventilation fans with E stops.
activate fire suppression system
f in doubt wait for emergency crews.

Most of all, ensure your crew understands not to open the engine room until ALL heat sources have been eliminated.

Understanding the Use Of Air Dampers

In conclusion, fire dampers on boats and ships are an essential part of maritime safety, offering protection to the vessel, its crew, passengers, and cargo. Like all safety measures, their value is often unseen until they're critically needed – and in such moments, they can mean the difference between disaster and recovery.

Get in touch for any help with Air Dampers for your vessel. We would be happy to help. More info and Spec Data sheets can be found on our Air Dampers page.

Engine Room Intake Refit for the Super Yacht Dancing Hare April 13, 2023

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:53:07 GMT

Supersize Air Intake Grilles for the Super Yacht "Dancing Hare"

While we often create engine room ventilation systems for super yachts, the Dancing Hare project was in a class all of its own.

We were invited to quote on updates to Dancing Hare's engine room ventilation sysem when it was undergoing some refit work at Rivergate Marina in Brisbane.

After extensive sea trials on the vessel we learned that the engine room was suffering from a decent level of salt mist ingress & also needed its air flow plan to be reconfigured.

These engine room grilles are now the largest we have constructed (a record previously owned by the hopper barge "Brisbane" ) at over 4.5 meters in length.

Info on the boat and project

Dancing Hare info:

58 m (190 feet)
767 T & powered by 2 Caterpillar engines.
designed by Bannenberg & Rowell Design and built by Amels in 1986
she has a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure
Marine Air Flow supplied 2 x intake separator grilles ea aprox 4050mm x 1400mm &
repowered the existing fans for better air flow

All MAFI grilles are designed and manufactured from high grade marine alloy extrusion & assembled and welded 100% with no dissimilar metals or fixings. This prevents premature corrosion, significantly improving the service life of the product.

For large projects like this we will often construct a freight container to ensure the grilles are delivered to site and ready for installation in perfect condition.

Riviera 51 Engine Room Ventilation Retrofit Project

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 06:50:19 GMT

Retrofitting a Marine Air Flow ventilation system into a Riviera 51

Riviera, one of Australia's premiere luxury cruising vessel brands have been a Marine Air Flow client for quite some time. We started doing the ventilation systems for all their smaller boats and have slowly built up to designing and creating systems for almost all of their vessels.

We are super proud of our relationship with Riviera, no more so than when they recommend clients who have older Rivs to us for a retrofit.

This particular vessel is a 2003 model that was having a refit in Cairns. Due to the complex shape of the penetrations and the fact that they have fashion coverings, Brad himself jumped on a plane and flew up to Cairns to inspect and design this system.

Info on the boat and project

Riviera 2003 51 project info:

58 feet (including duck board and extras)
powered by two 825hp engines.
designed and constructed by Riviera Australia
fibreglass hull and superstructure
780 litres per second required for combustion air
30% loading was added to accommodate for the hot and humid conditions the vessel operates in
MAFI supplied single stage mist eliminator grilles & multiple DC Compact fans for this project

These Riv 51's are very popular for family cruising, onshore fishing and for private use, however this vessel is used as a charter boat for Lizard Island. It operates in the far north of Australia and while the vessel isn't routinely taken out in very rough weather, it does operate in what can be extreme heat.

Part of our calculations for any engine room that is on a boat in a hot or humid environment allows for a good leeway in exchange air. We always work on the very worst conditions the vessel might be used in and ensure that the ventilation system is designed to meet those requirments as a minimum.

As a lot of you might know Marine Air Flow started in Cairns so its always nice to be involved with projects from MAFI's home town.

If we can help you in any way, please get in touch and we would love to chat.

NSW Marine Rescue Launches With MAFI Gear

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 05:17:11 GMT

NSW Rescue RIB delivered with MAFI Equipment

Replacing an existing vessel operating in Jervis Bay, NSW Marine Rescue recently accepted delivery of a new Harwood Marine built RIB complete with Marine Air Flow engine room equipment.

Specifically designed and built for the New South Wales coastal conditions, this new RIB had to be able to not only operate its rescue duties but also to be able to participate in exercises in conjunction with the Creswell naval base.

Marine Air Flow's Ventilation System Details

With two Yanmar diesel engines allowing the boat to run at a maximum speed of 30 knots, it was essential that the appropriate engine room cooling system was in place. With the operating conditions in this area being very unpredictable it was also essential to ensure that no salt mist or spray would enter the engine room and degrade valuable equipment.

Vessel Information: 13.6 M RIB for Marine Rescue NSW

The Base main engines are rated at 420 hp each with a total of 840 hp

We also allowed for a single genset at 50 hp operating in the same space. Between these engines we needed to ensure a minimum of 930 l/sec of air to support combustion.

In addition to the combustion air, the engine room volume should be exchanged at 120 times per hour (once every 30 seconds).

The engine room has a volume of approx 18 m³ this needs 600 l/sec for exchange air.

Total air required for this vessel is 1530 l/sec.

Air intake and Outlet Grilles

To keep costs down we designed the grilles for this project to be a long single unit rather then 2 shorter units.

These grilles needed to have a minimum sectional area of 0.48m² which meant the physical size is 1600 mm W x 300 mm H. The bullwark depth was 350mm and the grilles were supplied with a full height inbuilt dorade to meet free broad/downing flooding heights.

Fans and Air On Demand System

With the amount of air this vessel needed we designed what we call a reversible cross flow system.

We have two 12 inch fans (12 or 24 volt fans) set up as supply (supplying 700 l/sec ea x 2 = 1400 l/sec) and 2 set up as extraction fans.

These fans are also set up with our air on demand system.

Our Air-On-Demand systems are pre-programmed to ensure that your fans only run at the necessary speed which reduces unwanted noise and unnecessary power consumption.

• At an engine room temperature of 30 degrees celcius the fans will run at idle speed.
• From 30-40 degrees the fan speed increases relative to the temperature.
• At 40 degrees celcius the fans will run at 100% until the temperature reduces to 30 degrees at which point they will return to the preset idle speed.

Air Dampers

The dampers have been designed to fit two fans to each unit to save space, with the fan pre mounted to the dampers before they leave the factory for fast installation.

The dampers were provided with a complete manual activation kits including pull handles & operational plaques.

Flow Chart

Grille and Fan Images For This Project

Irelands 1st Windfarm Service Vessel With MAFI Equipment

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 22:19:32 GMT

Irelands First Windfarm Service Vessel Launches with Marine Air Flow Equipment

Based in Dublin, Farra Marine have had a successful launch of their first windfarm service vessel, the Farra Orla built by Singapore's Penguin Shipyard.

Marine Air Flow are very proud to have been the major supplier of all engine room equipment on the Farra Orla and looks forward to the next project with Penguin for this forward thinking Dublin based company.

As the Farra Orla operates in sometimes less than ideal conditions, it is vital that she has an engine room ventilation system that aids in not only optimal operating conditions for the vessel but also for the safety of the crew.

The Farra Orla project includes the following equipment:

Double stage intake grilles (mist eliminator grilles)
High volume AC fans capable of maintaining the correct pressure and change out of air,
Survey rated A60 Stainless steel air dampers,
Custom ductwork &
An Air-On-Demand system to run the fans as needed.

Congratulations to Farra Marine - a company who we admire as much for their products as for their commitment to a clean safe future, and also to Penguin Shipyard for yet another beautifully delivered project.

Marine Air Flow Achieves ISO 9001

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 22:24:24 GMT

Marine Air Flow Achieves ISO 9001:2015

Marine Air Flow International is proud to announce that we have achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification, an internationally recognised standard that ensures our products and services meet the needs of our clients through an effective quality management system.

To become ISO9001 compliant, Marine Air Flow International engaged with Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Limited, a global leader and independent third-party specialist. Lloyds Register reviewed our management system and provided certification to the standards, providing our clients with independent assurance that our commitment to quality permeates everything we do.

Marine Air Flow International decided to work towards ISO9001:2015 accreditation due to our passion for continually improving products and services to meet the ever-changing demands of the marine industry. Over the past several years, Marine Air Flow has purchased Advanced Manufacturing Machinery and invested in the most important thing, our people.

Our success in this industry is due largely to the amazing team we have here at Marine Air Flow. Our team is extremely diverse which has helped us move forward as a business and as a team . We are so proud of everyone on our team, how hard they work and how much they contribute to our day-to-day operations.

Our quality management system covers the planning, design and development of Engine Room Ventilation Equipment and related consulting services. We make high quality products, second to none. Quality is at the heart of everything we do, and we give value to our customers in every interaction and with all products, services, and advice.

Sealord Rescue Boat Completed Project

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 22:38:19 GMT

Nelson NZ Sealord Rescue Vessel

Three and a half years of planning and fundraising by Nelson Coastguard resulted in the delivery of their new rescue vessel the Sealord.

Marine Air Flow was very privilaged to have been involved in this project, and as always naval designers NAIAD have created a design suited to both the application and environment.

Built by AIMEX Service group Port Nelson this vessel is superb quality ensuring that this vessel will remain in service for decades to come.

The engine room ventilation system developed for the Sealord include:

Single stage intake separator grilles
Stainless steel dampers
Compact DC fans , diverters and mounts &
A variable speed Air On Demand controller.

Sealord Photos

Thanks to Aimex New Zealand for these images of their project the Sealord for Nelson Volunteer Rescue.

Engine Room Cool Down For The Opal Lady A Nordhavn 43

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 22:47:37 GMT

Solving A 43 Nordhavn Overheating Challenges

It was an absol ute pleasure to work with Peter, Suz and Neon the cat, to help them reduce the engine room temperatures in their Nordhavn 43.

Peter has been very active in his efforts to decrease operating engine room temperatures in his and Suz's boat the "Opal Lady" and has over the years added extra axial fans to help reduce consistent +50 degree (c) temps. Unfortunately Peters best efforts were not helping on longer runs and he contacted us on advice from a friend in May of this year.

First Inspection

After inspection of the Opal Lady we discovered that despite Peter's amazing efforts, the amount of air moving through their engine room just wasn't sufficient. Opal Lady's air exchange sat at around 300 Litres per second and by our calculations the preferable amount was 870 Litres per second.

We don't just consider the combustion requirement for air supply, we also take into account your operating conditions (tropical or hot Vs cooler locations), whether you have wet or dry exhausts, the actual layout of your engine room and of course other components that could be using air and adding to the heat stress of the space.

The New Engine Room Ventilation System

After assessing all the factors that affect your engine room air flow and heating, we recommended the following system for Peter and Suz's Nordhavn 43.

Single stage mist eliminator grille
2 x DC Compact Fans
2 x Compact Fan Mount Brackets &
2 x Manual fan speed controllers

The Installation & Testing

Peter has been very glowing in the blog post on his website of how easy it was to install the system, and we are of course very appreciative of Peters comments.

While we don't install any of our equipment ourselves, each item is supplied with full installation instructions and everything you need to complete the installation. Peter installed everything himself, engaging an electrician to complete the wiring for him.

After leaving Sanctuary Cove and some base testing, Peter, Suz and Neon did a 2 and a half day trip to test the results. Without the new fans in an external temperature of 23 degrees Celsius, they saw engine room temps of 46 deg C, however after turning the new fans on they had the following results.

At half speed the temperature dropped to 40 degrees
At Full speed the temperature dropped further to 33 degrees &
At three quarter speed the temperature sat at a very maintainable 36 degrees.

Long term Peter ended up removing the extra Axial fan he had left on the port side of the engine room with no ill effects.

Hart Marine Built Pilot Boat for UAE

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 22:56:23 GMT

Hart Marine Supplied A New Pilot Boat for Dubai With MAFI Equipment

M arine Air Flow's Engine Room System Details

With both extreme heat and the possibility of rough conditions, this engine room system for the Al Dairah, needed to be able to maintain appropriate temperature levels within the engine room and accommodate for some rough seas.

We chose a two stage air intake system, primarily for its capabilities in larger seas. In conjunction with the double stage grilles, we used our high volume fans to ensure an adequate intake air flow, and also utilised the same fan for extraction air.

The extraction fan was added to reduce the pressure in the system and aid with increasing the flow. While a positive pressure system is ideal having too much positive pressure can also decrease the performance of the fans. The real advantage with this system is the 2 supply air fans and there position in the ER.

What is quite often over looked in a ventilation system is the position and use of the supply air fan discharge. The velocity when correct positioned insures good positive circulation throughout the ER without the use of space consuming and expensive air ducts. This means we can often get a better result with less air required = less power consumption and reduced noise levels.

Equipment Suppllied By MAFI

17.1 M Pilot Vessel "Al Dairah" built by Hart Marine

2 x Double stage intake separator grilles complete with
rollover flaps
powder coated to satin black
inbuilt dorade and ducts
3 x AC High Volume Fans
2 x supply air and 1 x extraction air
3 x Stainless Steel Air Dampers complete with auto actuators
Fabric coalescing filter and frames to match two stage intake grilles
3 x mesh finger guards for safety.

Al Dairah Reqirements

Built during COVID, the Al Dairah build could have been a very challenging process, however through virtual meetings, Hart Marine were able to deliver this unique vessel inside their usual time frames.

Suited to the extreme conditions that can be experienced in the UAE, the Al Dairah needed to be operational for 6,000 hours per year. Along with this large work load, the vessel needed to be both fuel efficient and able to operate at high speeds.

Marine Air Flow have worked hand in hand with Hart Marine for some time now, and their professionalism and commitment to quality always makes it such an easy process to design and develop engine room ventilation systems for any project they complete. The added temperature constraints of the Al Dairah meant that we had to be at the top of our game to ensure safe, cool operating conditions for all those aboard.

Images in this post are thanks to Baird Maritime's article about the Al Dairah which you should read for more info.

Ocean Explorer Hamilton Island Tourism Vessel With MAFI Equipment

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 23:05:36 GMT

Ocean Explorer Wins Baird Maritime Award

Designed by One2Three Naval Architects and built by Queensland boat builders Commercial Marine Australia and Wildcat Marine, Ocean Explorer is a tourism dive boat constructed for a Whitsunday Island resort.

Designed to be not just capable, but with comfort and economy in mind, the Ocean Explorer has a top speed of 25 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots. A fantastic looking boat with some great features all the companies involved have outdone themselves with this vessel construction.

Marine Air Flow's Ventilation System Details

This engine room system is a little unusual in that the Air in is aft (or to the rear) of the air out.

The reason for this is the air out duct also doubles as an entry into the engine room, so this system was designed that the supply air fans would be safely aft in the engine room. This located them away from the crew access, enabling the fans to push the air forward over the engines and out though the air out grilles that are just behind the cabin area.

The air out system also incorporates our brand new "man access" drop flap system. These drop flap dampers have been designed to allow crew access to the engine room while also providing the ability to the close off the air duct in case of a fire.

Vessel Information:24 M Dive cat for the Explore group Whitsundays

Our Air Volume Calculations:

MAIN ENGINES = 911HP
GENSET = 90HP TOTAL = 1000HP
COMBUSTION AIR = 1100L/SEC
ER VOL. 35M3
CHANGE OUT = 1160L/SEC
+ 30% ZONE ALLOWANCE
TOTAL AIR REQURIED = 2940L/SEC

Best Large Tourism Vessel Of The Year Winner - From Baird Maritime

Congratulations to One2Three Naval Architects , Commercial Marine Australia and Wildcat Marine for producing a vessel to such a high standard. It was great to see this boat recognised by Baird Maritime 2020 Awards as Best Large Tourist Vessel.

We at Marine Airflow are always proud to be associated with this high level of project.

Turn Key Engine Room Ventilation Package For Indonesia

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 23:11:47 GMT

Solving Salt Mist Contamination for Batam Ferries

A simple plan was developed to ensure the best possible engine room conditions using intake grilles, fans and outlet grilles. Sometimes, a simple air flow solution is the best.

We have worked hand in hand with Batam Fast Ferries in Indonesia on two projects to date, one a 41.6 meter ferry and the other their Ocean Raider fast ferry. Both projects were full ventilation systems designed by Marine Air Flow to support the General Arrangement supplied and were shipped from our factory here on the Gold Coast to their production facility in Indonesia.

Experiencing high levels of salt water mist and contamination, Batam Ferries were concerned about ongoing damage especially with a repower on the horizon. The engine room was showing severe signs of alloy plate corrosion and general equipment degradation. A site inspection was carried out by MAFI and a comprehensive system upgrade and design was supplied.

The Siabo - A New Pilot Boat headed to Papua New Guinea

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 00:05:57 GMT

Tropical Environment Patrol Boat Ventilation System

We have worked closely with Norman Wright and Sons for quite some time now and it is always a pleasure to be involved in any of their projects.

This latest vessel, the "Siabo" is one of two pilot boats that will be patrolling the coastline of Papua New Guinea.

The engine room ventilation system was designed specifically for this project and incorporates a single grille as combined intake/outlet with dedicated internal ducts, fans and dampers to distribute and circulate the air correctly and efficiently.

Operating in such extreme temperatures, it was essential that the Siabo has the best possible operating conditions to not only be economically viable, but to keep the crew safe. There isn't too many places on earth hotter and more humid than Papua New Guinea and it was our pleasure to design and construct a system for a vessel that is going to help keep our northern neighbours safe.

The Siabo system ready for despatch.

A compact designed system, this was designed with a single mist eliminator grille as a combined intake and outlet with our compact fans for ventilation and air dampers for fire safety.

As you can see from the pics below, the Siabo is a compact vessel, however it is still important to ensure correct air flow in a tight space.

Feedback From The Launch

We launched the pilot boat on Monday. First test run today. The feedback from the sea trial was that after coming back to the wharf the engine room is cooler than the wheelhouse! Very impressive. Thanks for your efforts.

Adam Evripidou | Naval Architect | Norman R. Wright & Sons Pty Ltd

Congratulations to Dongara Marine for Baird Maritime Award

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:52:39 GMT

Dongara Marine has just been awarded Best Lobster Boat

Western Australian premier boat builder, Dongara Marine has just been awarded "Best Lobster Boat" by Baird Maritime for 2020.

Congratulations to Dongara Marine for yet another excellent build of a Southerly Design vessel. We have worked hand in hand with both Southerly's and Dongara marine for quite some time now and are proud to have provided the full engine room ventilation system for local fisherman Dave Perham's new boat.

Most of you will know that Brad (our director) is a Geraldton native himself, so its always a little surreal to be designing and manufacturing engine room cooling and protection systems for fisherman from Brad's home town. It is always great to see such quality vessels come out of a smallish town such as Dongara.

Engine Room Ventilation System Info for Force Of Nature

This vessel is running a complete MAFI system including

Single stage air in and out grilles with protection bar to stop the cray pots damaging the vanes.
High volume AC 490 fans (line item 4 in this spec sheet ). These fans are very power efficient and quiet. Running at 100% they are only 88 Decibels, eliminating the need for fan speed controllers.
316 Stainless steel Air dampers with 24v DC fail safe actuators.

The system was designed to have inward facing grilles which is unique to the cray fishing industry. This further protects the intake from wave action and allows the use of a single stage grille in the narrow confines of the bullwark.

Pics Of Force Of Nature's Engine Room Ventilation Equipment

The Engine Room Flow Plan

We design every single ventilation system to suit each vessel. The flow plan for this Dongara Marine built vessel is below. Please get in touch with any questions you might have about having a ventilation system designed for your vessel.

Congratulations again to both Southerly Designs and Dongara Marine for such great recognition.

River Cat Intake System and Roof Mounted Fresh Air Ventilation

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:18:10 GMT

MAFI Engine Room Ventilation System For New River Cat Ferry

We are proud to have supplied the ventilation system for the about to be commissioned Brisbane River City Cat. While it is exciting to be shipping our systems all over the world, it's always special when you get on a local boat and our grilles are protecting their engine room equipment.

This new vessel destined for a life of service on the Brisbane River has not just our engine room ventilation equipment but also carries one of our latest products, our roof mounted fresh air module . These new roof mounted fresh air ventilation modules are designed for areas where fresh air and not air conditioning is required. It's perfect for ferries operating in more temperate climates or for ferries that go shorter distances.

This vessel also utilises our new Stainless Steel Drop Flap style Air Dampers. These allow personal access as well as functioning as an Air Damper. This saves space and expensive additional equipment purchases along with saving on added installation costs. On a typical Ferry Cat this saves 4 expensive deck access hatches.

This project also uses our latest Intake Separator Grille Combination, with an inbuilt air duct mounting a pair of DC Compact Fans (producing approx 1400 l/sec) capable of supporting approx 700 Hp in a typical ferry.

Photos Of The Installed Items Prior To Launch

Example flow chart for this type of project

Rafnar Constructed RIBS Using MAFI equipment

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 01:15:41 GMT

Marine Airflow's Equipment On Polar Expedition RIBS

Rafnar UK has recently supplied two RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) to a client who does polar expeditions. Marine Air Flow has provided the engine room ventilation systems for both these vessels.

Acting as pathfinders for the mother ship, the vessels have been painted in vibrant colors not just to ensure high visibility, but so they can lead their mother ship as port and starboard indicators. I'm sure you will agree they will be hard to miss and its an ingenious idea!

Rafnar UK has recently supplied two RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) to a client who does polar expeditions. Marine Air Flow has provided the engine room ventilation systems for both these vessels.

The boats will transfer guests and crew to and from a larger mother ship in addition to ferrying supplies when required. These boats could be working in fairly extreme conditions on occasion and it was essential that they be able to weather what might be harsh operating environments. Acting as pathfinders for the mother ship, the vessels have been painted in vibrant colors not just to ensure high visibility, but so they can lead their mother ship as port and starboard indicators.

I'm sure you will agree they will be hard to miss and its an ingenious idea!

These custom designed air intake grilles are mounted with our DC compact fans which not only help protect the engine room from moisture and salt spray, but also assists with cooling to help maintain correct operating temperatures for the engines.

Operating in any harsh environment brings its own challenges, however it is also a situation where you never want to experience plant failure. Enabling the motors to run at a preferred temperature and without the risk of damage from the possible conditions is key to staying safe in these situations.

You can see from the face of the grille that the flange was designed to align with the design of the vessel, but still allow the vanes to run perfectly vertical as they need to.

Congratulations to Rafnar Maritime for another quality build. Their reputation as a vessel manufacturer is second to none and Marine Air Flow is proud to have such a close association with such an innovative and reputable company. We visited their factory in Iceland in 2017 and Brad came away extremely impressed with not just their capabilities but they day to day processes.

If you are not aware, Össur Kristinsson came from the world of prosthetics before venturing into marine hull design. Rafnar hulls are known for their "anti-slamming" technology which means a much better ride than a traditional hull. If you are considering purchasing a vessel specifically designed for rough seas, please consider Rafnar.

Check our some other Completed Projects

Cordina Marine Supply New Parks & Wildlife Vessel

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:38:18 GMT

Another Quality Australian Made Vessel from Cordina Marine, The Woonbalu

Joe and his team at Cordina Marine have recently handed over a custom built Aluminium vessel to the West Australian Parks and Wildlife services. Delivered earlier this year, the Cordina Marine built 17 meter patrol vessel is currently patrolling the East Kimberly Marine Park.

Cordina Marine, based in the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson Perth, is led by Joe the managing director who has over 18 years experience in the boat building industry. Originally involved in building cray fishing boats for the commercial fishing industry in WA, Joe's experience has resulted in Cordina Marine being one of the top family owned boat builders in WA.

Marine Air Flow was proud to have supplied the Engine Room Ventilation system for this project. As you know Brad our director is from Western Australia himself and is well aware of the challenges that our remote coastline has. Being able to be involved in producing such a high quality product for our front line services has been our honour.

Check out Cordina Marine's LinkedIn video about this vessel or the pics below.

If you are in the market for a custom built fishing boat or off shore vessel, please get in touch with Cordina Marine in WA.

MAFI Wins AIMEX Junior Exporter Of The Year

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 02:00:09 GMT

AIMEX Awards Honours Marine Air Flow

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We are very proud to be the recipients of Australian Export Marine Group's Junior Exporter of the Year for 2020.

Despite the onset of COVID and the challenges so many of our friends and family in business have faced during 2020, Marine Air Flow has gone from strength to strength this year. Our export percentage has surpassed 50% for these last few quarters and has included projects for international super yachts, police and military applications and work vessels around the world.

To have been recognised for this award is incredible to us and we are extremely grateful to AIMEX for proceeding with not just the award ceremony, but the actual awards in these trying times. It feels quite surreal that our small team of 11 has managed to achieve such an amazing level of success, however we know that it is 100% due to our team and the close working relationship we all have.

We stand with some of the best Australian maritime companies in this awards list and offer our congratulations to each and every one on their success.

Full Awards List

2020 Australian Marine Industry Award Winners

COMMERCIAL MARINE PROJECT/DESIGN OR MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: Aus Ships Group
COMMERCIAL MARINE SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR: Spear Green Design
MOST INNOVATIVE COMMERCIAL PRODUCT OR SERVICE OF THE YEAR: BTB Marine
SUPERYACHT INDUSTRY SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR: Rivergate Marina and Shipyard
SUPERYACHT INDUSTRY PROJECT/DESIGN OR MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR: Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard
AUSTRALIAN VOYAGE OF THE YEAR: Captain Gavin Bladen, SY Hemisphere
MOST INNOVATIVE NEW EXPORT PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Fliteboard
JUNIOR EXPORTER OF THE YEAR: Marine Airflow International
EXPORTER OF THE YEAR: Riviera Australia
MARINE INDUSTRY MARKETING STRATEGY OF THE YEAR: Aqualuma LED Lighting
MARINE INDUSTRY APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR: Jasmine Willoughby - Aus Ships Group
MARINE INDUSTRY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR: Trenton Gay - Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard

Brad looking more than excited about receiving our award.

While our team is integral to Marine Air Flow's success, credit must be given to Brad personally who saw an opening in the marine market over 12 years ago and has believed in Marine Air Flow with such passion for over a decade.

This has enabled us to be forefront in our field, respected as industry experts and Brad's drive to put Marine Air Flow first is a huge factor in our success.

Our Amazing Team:

Brad - General Manager

Liam Adams - CAD draft person

Joh Ceichan - Accounts

Kaleena DeVoigt - Operations and Processes

Blake Highland - Production Manager

Jaiden Lundt - Fabrication Apprentice
Mark Oakley - Estimator and Client Liaison

Thian Ngwan - Fabricator

Jarrod Nobrega - Fabricator

Joel Page - Store and Logistics

MAFI Obtains CCIQ 2 Star Ecobiz Level

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 02:05:02 GMT

Marine Air Flow Awarded 2 Star Level From CCIQ

We are very proud to announce that we have achieved a 2 Star partner level in energy ad waste from ecoBiz, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland. Marine Air Flow has always been very environmentally conscious with solar power on our factory, LED lighting and an open air environment.

This year we have lessened our waste output by over 18% and also managed to lessen our total energy usage by 15%. This was achieved despite the fact that we have had solar panels installed on the factory roof for over 5 years now. Our commitment to a 4 day work week ensures that our energy consumption is maximised over our working hours, leaving a full 3 days per week that energy is fed back into the grid with no consumption levels.

The reduction in our waste output has been our main focus with the addition of a cardboard and paper industrial recycling bin. In addition to this all our smoko hut recyclables are being collected and handed over to a local kindy and school to add to their Cash for Containers Scheme. While they were being recycled through the Gold Coast City Council bins, this now ensures that all our cans and glass bottles are getting to the recycling plant and a local community entity is benefiting too. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

The Largest Intake Grilles For Port Of Brisbane

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 02:14:58 GMT

Our Largest Air Intake Grilles For Port Of Brisbane

We recently delivered a project to the Port of Brisbane for their trailing suction hopper dredge the "Brisbane" (aptly named). As part of the engine room ventilation system supplied, we manufactured a set of air intake grilles that were over 2100mm on the shortest side. They were in fact almost square which is rare for an intake grille, however the size and shape was designed and calculated to service the air requirements for this massive dredge.

Along with the grilles, additional equipment in the system included Coalescing fabric and frame to suit the grilles, stainless steel air dampers , fans and duct adaptors . While our team manufactured these monster grilles, it was up to Joel our store person to work out how we were actually going to get them to the Port.

While we usually freight all our products, as this project was so close to home we had told the client we would in fact deliver it ourselves. There were discussions of hire vehicles and extra trailers when Brad came up with the idea to remove the carry rack on our own truck which solved the challenge in one foul swoop.

You can see the filter frames complete with coalescing filter fabric and security mesh for the purpose of ensuring the fabric is held in place.

As this grille was so large, we manufactured it in 3 sections. This ensures the vane won't flex and that the grille will work at its most effective level for its lifespan.

Info on the boat and project

Brisbane dredge info:

84 m
3600 T
designed and built by NQEA in Cairns 2000
total engines 4420 Kw (aprox 5750 Hp)
2 x single stage intake separator grilles ea aprox 2250 x 2250 - capable of 17 m3/sec of air per grille

A regular challenge for this style of vessel is air borne mist laden with mud that would not only cause significant engine room corrosion, but also create considerable mess and additional maintenance expenses.

The use of removable fabric particulate filters at the Intake Separator Grille face allows that the filters can easily be visually monitored and exchanged with a spare set. The dirty filters are easily hand washed using a low pressure deck hose with either salt or fresh water is fine. The filters can even be replaced while still wet if there are no fresh spares available.

Wight Shipyard Delivers Four Tourism Boats For Malta

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 02:29:48 GMT

Congratulations to Wight Shipyard on their delivery of four tourism vessels to Malta

Brad visited Wight Shipyard on Isle of Wight in the UK in 2017. Well known as a very professional outfit, Wight Shipyard have a few weeks ago delivered four tourism vessels to a Maltese tourism operator. 2 20 meter vessels and 2 33 meter vessels were delivered and will go into service as both harbour tour vessels and hop on - hop off tourist services along the east coast of Malta, going as far as Gozo in the north. Replacing older vessels these boats will mean considerable reduction in operating costs and fuel consumption for ownser Fortina Investments. Their hope is to reduce Malta's increasing traffic problems by using the centuries old trading routes that are available around Malta, and redirecting tourists and locals alike back to the waterways as transport.

Designed by One2Three Naval Architects, these boats have been built and delivered under the heavy COVID 19 restrictions which shows just how committed the staff and employees at Wight Shipyards have been. Having to cope with a new level of work safe practices Wight Shipyard should be commended by bringing these vessels in on time and on budget - no mean feat in this current market.

The 20 Metre Boat

The layout of the twenty meter vessel allows for passengers to choose between the main and upper deck ensuring the possible 197 passengers are well spread across the vessel with easy loading and unloading.

With one of the primary focus being on operational sustainability, between the designers and the manufacturing process these vessels are substantially lighter and more economical than the ferries they are replacing.

Replacing some older vessels, the two new 33 meter boats will operate between Malta, Gozo and Comino offering a hop-on-hop-off service to tourist and locals alike.

These vessels have a different layout which features an enclosed air conditioned main cabin level complete with a kiosk/cafe at the aft end of the cabin. The upper deck will remain open but with forward and side protection ensuring the commuters and tourist remain dry and warm.

Designed for operating in and around the ports of Valetta and the three cities, the features of the 20 m are:

Speeds of 8-10 knots at maximum efficiency
Top speed of 20 knots
Powder train consists of two MAN 270kw engines (540 Kw total)
ZF500 transmissions with twin 5 bladed CJR fixed pitched propellers (dynamically balanced)
Carrying capacity of 197 pax with 3 crew.

The 33 Metre Boat

A large overhanging roof line means that passengers can appreciate Malta's amazing summer weather while staying out of the direct sun.

These 33 meter vessels feature:

Two MAN D2862 LE466 marine diesel engines rated at 2 x 749kw
Two ZF3050 marine transmissions and two CJR 5 fixed propellers.
Cruising comfort at 20 knots and under
A maximum speed of 30 knots
Capable of carrying 298 passengers and 4 crew.

Malta is at the centre of the Mediterranean and consequently has been influenced over the centuries by many settlers and invaders. Sicilians, Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Byzantines and even Spanish have governed Malta. Today Malta is a stunning collection of incredible ports, cities and architecture which ranks second only to some of it's marine beauty. If you've not been to Malta, its a must do on any European tour, not forgetting of course to catch the new ferries!

Marine Air Flow would love to take this opportunity to congratulate Wight Shipyard on a fantastic result during these difficult times.

If you haven't been to Malta it is really worth a visit. The history of this small but mighty country is incredible and gives Malta some incredible buildings and architecture. The location in the south Mediterranean Sea sets it apart as a fantastic summer holiday location.

NSW Water Police Vessels Delivery

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 02:38:03 GMT

Marine Air Flow Engine Room Equipment in new NSW Police Boats

We have been very proud to have been selected last year to supply the engine room ventilation equipment for New South Wales 7 new Class 2 vessels. Working hand in hand with Penguin Marine in Singapore, the major contractor, Marine Air Flow designed and created a complete engine room air flow system for these new vessels to ensure the best possible operating conditions no matter the location or weather.

December saw the unveiling of the 7 vessels in the fleet all built by Penguin Shipyards. Shipping the engine room equipment we designed and built to Singapore to be installed by Penguin was no challenge at all, and the end result was well built new vessels for the Australian people and New South Wales police.

Weighing in at around 34 metric tonnes and 18.5 meters in length these boats have a top speed of around 26 knots. Keeping your engine, genset and other equipment operating at their peak can be greatly affected by not just fresh air supply but air exchange and even direction.

Part of Marine Air Flow's system is the provision of CAD designed flow diagrams which then evolve into precise drawings for the team in our factory to follow. Our design stage allows you the client to see exactly what you will be getting and how the various components in our range work in together to achieve the best possible outcome.

Thank you to both the Eden Magnet and NSW Police for some of these images.

Marine Air Flow Equipped Line Handling Boat by Dongara Marine

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 02:44:53 GMT

Engine Room Ventilation for Line Handling Vessel

Marine Air Flow has been proud to work in conjunction with Dongara Marine & Southerly Designs for a few years now. This latest project we have supplied engine room equipment for was recently launched by Dongara Marine and we think you will agree it's a beast of a boat!

Specifically built for Jetwave Marine , who provides offshore service vessels catering to primarily the oil, gas and resource industries Australia wide, this is the second in the series that Dongara Marine has manufactured. A sister to the Stanley Point, the Nelson Point which was also designed by Southerly Marine as a line handling boat, is 9.7 meters in length and powered by a single Yanmar 365hp motor. That's 272kw.

Marine Air Flow's Involvement:

Our supplied equipment for the Nelson Point included:

Intake single stage separator grilles with coalescing fabric particulate filters.
Outlet mist eliminator grilles also with particulate filters.
Stainless steel air dampers (fire flaps if you use old school terminology) &
24volt DC compact fans for supply and extraction air.

Knowing this vessel will be operating in Port Hedland in the very hot far north of WA, it is essential that the engine room and all its components are kept cool and operational at all times. As you can see in the video below, conditions could get much worse that this and it is extremely important to ensure that salt mist, spray and water are kept out of the engine room without affecting the operating temperature.

Specific calculations are made for all our engine room ventilation projects and to ensure that this 365hp Yanmar motor had the best possible operating air conditions, our calculations take into account:

the litres per second for engine combustion air,
an added calculation to ensure that the engine room air volume exchanges at 120 time per hour as it should &
also takes into consideration the size of the engine room.

We have been very proud to have been associated with both Dongara Marine and Southerly Designs especially as Brad, our director is actually from that area of Western Australia. It's always great to see local companies doing so well.

Check Out This Vessel In Action

Many thanks to Dongara Marine for these great photos and amazing video of the Nelson Point in action. Check out their YouTube channel for more videos of the amazing vessels they manufacture.

Riviera Launches New Vessel With Marine Air Flow System

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 02:48:56 GMT

Marine Air Flow Barely Visible Ventilation System

In preparation for the launch of the new Riviera 64 Sports Motor Yacht, this impressive vessel hits the water last week prior to the commencement of her final fit out.

Due for official release in June 2020, Marine Air Flow is proud to have been involved with another class of Riviera luxury. The new 64 SMY will cater to a wide market of luxury boat owners from week-end cruisers right through to live aboard blue water travellers.

Marine Air Flow designed and developed a virtually invisible engine room ventilation system for this new motor yacht to meet Riviera's standard of luxury not just in her build and fit out but with her aesthetics also in mind.

Congratulations to Riviera on the launch of yet another Australian built supreme quality vessel. We are very proud to have been involved.

Watch Riviera's launch video and post on LinkedIn

No Engine Room Is Too Small

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 02:54:09 GMT

A MAFI Intake Grille in a Kirby Marine Project

We are often asked how small an engine room has to be before it won't benefit from MAFI's equipment.

The easy answer for that is there is no engine room too small.

This NAIAD RHIB project we recently completed for Kirby Marine is a great example of this. While this engine room isn't a walk around engine room, it was still in need of good salt mist and spray protection and a great air supply.

Even though this centre console RHIB doesn't seem to have a "real" engine room, every space that holds engine equipment and is a closed space is an engine room. No matter how small the space it can benefit from Marine Air Flow mist eliminator grilles , fans and even air dampers .

No matter the size of the cavity containing your engine and equipment, it will still require good air supply, ventilation, cooling and possibly even directional air. By taking this into consideration prior to building your boat you can alleviate operating conditions that can be detrimental to your new and expensive plant. Often the smaller spaces are more in need of correct air supply than the larger rooms with can be more forgiving.

Another factor in smaller vessel engine spaces is that they are often directly exposed to the weather. If you boat is punching through heavy seas, often the engine box is being drowned in salt water, or alternatively if you are fishing in the Kimberly region, temperatures reaching over 40 degrees Celsius can mean temps of up to 60-65 degrees inside a small engine cavity. Don't make the mistake of believing that because your engine and electronic gear isn't inside a "full size" engine room that it doesn't need help to work at its best. Often it needs more help and we are happy to assist.

Get in touch with Brad or Mark for a chat about your small vessel engine room needs.

Lessen Engine Room Component Damage

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 03:16:22 GMT

Unnecessarily Damaged Engine Room Components Can Be Avoided

Salt mist and spray entering your marine engine room space can have some devastating effects on not only your major equipment but other components that are integral in maintaining optimal operating conditions.

The knock on effect can put your entire propulsion system under undue stress. By allowing excessive salt spray into your engine room, other important components can be seriously affected. These fan images were provided to us by a client who not only needed to install air intake grilles , but to replace these very expensive engine room fans . The corrosion is very clear and despite the efforts by crew to keep the engine room as clean as they could, these fans lasted only half their expected life span.

Using Intake Grilles will not only protect your large equipment but also items like fans that keep your whole environment cool. If they fail, your engine and generators can be operating under extreme heat conditions which in turn shortens their life span.

Talk to us today about ensuring the best possible conditions for your marine engine room and avoid the type of damage you can see below.

Noise And Our Fans

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 03:01:10 GMT

Fan Noise Calculations

When you look at a subject such as noise levels, there are a number of ways to measure and/or calculate noise levels.

When we offer you a noise level for one of our fans we do this by supplying your the worst case scenario which is referred to as the Sound Power level "CAUSE" or SWL .

Sound power is the acoustical energy emitted by the sound source (in our case fans), and is an absolute value. It is not affected by the environment. Sound power levels are connected to the sound source and are independent of distance.

The other common way to show sound levels is called sound pressure often referred to as SPL. This is what a lot of Fan Manufacturer's use as their reference to sound levels. Sound pressure is a pressure disturbance in the air whose intensity is influenced not only by the strength of the source, but also by the surroundings and the distance from the source to the receiver. Obstacles and barriers such as air ducts, air absorption from lagging and insulation, wind as well as other factors are taken into account. So any acoustic paint, insulation, sound attenuaters that you may install on the application to reduce noise will factor into this reading.

Sound pressure is what our ears hear and what sound pressure level meters (SPL meters) measure.

This measurement looks a lot better on the data sheet but can be deceiving as the only way to 100% guarantee this level is to measure the reading in the exact same in environment. We would have to be in the same size area, of the exact same constuction with the exact same components inside the measurement area. In practical terms for an engine room, it would have to be the same size, shape, construction, have the same aluminium duct's, the same intake separator grilles in front of the fan, the same lagging and insulation and the list goes on.

So you can see that the SPL measurement is impossible to state with regards to accuracy. The best way is to provide you with a SWL as that will be accurate no matter the situation.

To give you more of an understanding about this we have done two performance graphs of the same impeller/motor assembly.

Option 1 is the Sounds Power (How MAFI will measure sound for you) & Option 2 is the Sound pressure as supplied regularly by manufactures.

You will note that the MAFI sound level is not nearly as low and therefor not so attractive, however it is the most accurate measurement of worst case scenario. Once you install all of your acoustic barriers it a more realistic level of outcome.

We would strongly recommend avoiding the use of sound pressure levels as it will generally lead to disappointment. These levels can be out by 10-15% once installation has occured.

Of course any questions, please get in touch with Brad or Mark who will be able to chat to you about how noise levels relate to your specific application.

Sound Power Graph (As MAFI will supply)

Sound Pressure - As often supplied by manufacturers

Adding Ventilation Equipment When You Are Re-powering Your Vessel

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 03:21:06 GMT

Adding Engine Room Ventilation Equipment After Manufacture

The modern diesel engine relies so much more now than ever on having high volumes of cool quality fresh air that is free of salt mist and spray. If not, the engine will function at reduced efficiency which in turn can cost you more in fuel and maintenance.

The engine runs the risk of operating at a higher than ideal temperature and in some instances can cause the ECU (engine management system) to de-rate and go into limp mode. This de-rating will trigger an error code that is often recorded, which in turn warns the engine tech that the system has been operating out of specification boundaries. This will usually result the manufacturer declining a warranty claim in the event of a failure of any kind whether it occurred during this time frame or not.

While many operators throughout the world regularly refit and re-power existing craft which they have had for many years, they often do not take into consideration the changes in requirements from a 15 year old engine to a new power plant. The new engines are more likely electronically controlled and frequently have in built data logging. The same sized engine capacity generally has much higher output ability than older models and requires greater air quantities to enable the greater performance.

Due to the increased performance, the engines produce significantly more heat output. This latent heat results in increased engine room temperatures. Most older craft already operated at alarmingly high temperatures when they were originally designed and built.

Have you ever gone into the engine room of a 20 year old naturally ventilated cray boat after its been to work for the day? The heat is crippling. If you can't perform well in that environment it should be no surprise the engine won't either.

No fisherman would consider going to sea to fish professionally using an old school sounder and no GPS or radar and expect to achieve a successful catch. To expect your new engine to perform to its advertised specification AND have the piece of mind of your new warranty it is essential to ensure the engine room ventilation meets specification.

Advantages from fitting engine room cooling equipment:

Supporting your warranty but allowing your new engine to operating inside the warranty specs.
Reduce fuel burn and save on running costs and maintenance expenses.
Ensures your boat is available for more hours when you want it.
Prevents salt mist and corrosion damage.
Increase long term vessel value as the equipment remains in prime condition.

While the cost of a full engine room ventilation system can seem daunting, when you look at the advantages and how it helps to assist in the long term quality of your very expensive new equipment, it is something you should consider.

Adding Ventilation Equipment

Please feel free to reach out and chat to us about your upcoming refit. Typically a full engine room ventilation system has a lead time of approximately 4 weeks, so the sooner you contact us, the more chance we have of fitting into your refit schedule.

Give Mark a call on +61 428 301 700

An A-60 Air Damper Set Heads To Norway

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 03:27:10 GMT

Retrofitting A-60 Code Air Dampers

Retrofitting any air dampers is always possible and doesn't have to mean a huge amount of work on either the vessel or engine room.

This Netherlands based client recently inquired to have supplied a set of A-60 Stainless Steel Dampers to retrofit an in-service defence vessel for Norway. Military applications are becoming a large part of our product exports and we will work hand in hand with you on not just new vessel construction, but also should you require larger or better performing engine room ventilation to be installed in a currently operating boat.

This vessel required a new set of air dampers and fans in response to larger power plant (specifically new generators) being fitted. The increased genset size was causing an uptake in heat load and along with new A-60 air dampers, they also needed additional engine room fans to be installed. The new A60 Stainless Steel Air Dampers allow the addition of extra air flow to counteract the heat load increase.

These SS Dampers are fitted with round duct adapters to allow additional ducting to be branched to the required location.

NB: Please be aware that we are experiencing extended lead times due to a challenge obtaining some of the components for these dampers. It could be as much as 6-8 weeks supply time at present.

Please feel free to get in touch should you have any questions, not just about A-60 Stainless Steel dampers, but any of our products. We would love to help out wherever we can.

How To Lower Your Engine Room Temperature

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 03:33:11 GMT

How To Lower The Operating Temperature In Your Engine Room

As a general rule, ideally your engine room operating temperature should try to be maintained at no higher than 10 degrees Celsius above the ambient temperature. So, for example, if its a 32 degree day, in a perfect environment, your engine room temperature should ideally not get above 42 degrees Celsius.

In the real world these parameters can be harder to achieve, however it is possible to take measures that will reduce your engine room temp in a cost effective and easy to manage way.

The cooler air is, the more dense it becomes which by default, offers better operating conditions, which in turn means that you burn less kilograms of fuel per horsepower. Apart from extending the life of your equipment, greater fuel efficiency is a great reason to take steps to bring your engine room temperature into a good operational range.

There are many factors that can increase the operating temp of your engine room such as:

Dry Exhausts, Turbo's & Manifolds
Restricted air flow both in and out of the engine room
Insufficient fan capacity. Size doesn't always equal enough air movement.
Poor circulation - having fans that either aren't efficient or are poorly located.
Increasing the engine room equipment (adding extra generators for example)

While some of these factors aren't easily changed, there are some actions you can take that will help to lower the operating temperature and increase your efficiency.

1. Adding Fans:

By adding engine room fans , you can increase the air movement and create directional air specifically focused on equipment and/or hot spots.

2. Assessing your air paths:

Air is very lazy and just having appropriate sized in and out vents won't necessarily get the best results. You need to ensure your air paths are free and clear which will allow the air to circulate efficiently.

3. Positioning of intake and outlet air vents -

The positioning of your ventilation is critical to its success. Correct placement of both air in and air out grilles will ensure that the air is actually turning over and not just recirculating hot air. The path of the air over your equipment is also crucial in ensuring that the ambient air is in fact changed out regularly. Ideally fresh cool air is supplied low into the ER (engine room) either via ducts or the use of supply air fans discharging the air towards the keel and under the engine sump. Hot air is ideally exited out high and as far opposite the intake as practical.

4. Getting a qualified assessment.

Considering that much of your investment is concentrated in the engine room and frequently monitored via constant data logging by manufacturers for any possible out of warranty issues (like over temperature problems)

It makes sense to get a specialist to visit you on site or assess via a brief interview and calculation. This can usually be achieved over the phone or via email.

We can help to reduce operating costs, improve efficiency and extend the life of your equipment and the stand by availability of your vessel. And also reduce possible out of warranty experiences with your engines manufacturer.