W&O Actuated Valve Solution for Vigorous

W&O is one of the partners that supported Vigor in the $40m project to build and deliver the largest floating drydock in the U.S. – Vigor Industrial’s Vigorous –  which was delivered recently to its new home in Portland on the Willamette River.  W&O provided an actuated valve solution for the ballast system of the drydock, and from design specification through initial commissioning, the W&O team provided technical and product support  for the Vigorous ballast system, a system that uses SPACE Gate Valves, EIM Electric Actuators, reach rods and deck stands. David Lamphier, W&O product manager, traveled to Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Qidong Marine Engineering in Jiangsu, China numerous times to provide on-site technical assistance to the drydock builder, including pre-installation technical support and initial commissioning.
 “The Vigorous is an exciting project for the U.S. marine industry as a whole, and for W&O as a partner and supplier on the project,” said Michael Hume, president and CEO of W&O. “The presence of this new, large-scale drydock will be an asset to the industry on the Pacific Coast.”
SPACE valves have been manufactured by W&O since the early 1990s and are ABS and USCG approved. On-site factory inspectors check all stages of manufacturing, stem tolerances, Rockwell hardness of washers and material composition. SPACE valves feature internal stem modifications to eliminate galling with dry cargo, CR13 trim for fuel and cargo applications, and higher grade aluminum bronze materials, as recommended by ABS, for salt-water applications. SPACE valves are used throughout the world on barges, container ships, tankers, offshore rigs, ferries and fishing boats.
SPACE valves are available from stock as OS&Y and NRS Gates, Swing Checks, Globes, Angles and Stop Checks in sizes 2-inch through 24-inch. They can also be produced in sizes up to 54-inch. 
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(As published in the October 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)