Philippines Summons China Diplomat Over 'Aggressive' Actions in South China Sea
The Philippines summoned China's deputy chief of mission in Manila on Tuesday to protest what it called "aggressive actions" by Chinese naval forces against a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed on a South China Sea shoal.Manila's South China Sea task force said Philippine vessels carrying out the routine mission to the Second Thomas Shoal were "harassed (and) blocked" by Chinese maritime militia and coast guard ships on Tuesday.Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannonâŚ
OPINON: Tackling the Houthi Drone Threat with AI
Houthi rebel drone attacks on vessels traversing the Red Sea and Suez Canal route, accounting for 10% of global trade, have exposed the shortcomings of current ship alert systems.The unpredictability and increased frequency of these attacks have created a challenging security environment for ships passing the area via the Bab el Mandeb strait, posing a substantial risk to seafarers and maritime trade by endangering the safety of the crew and cargo.Initially focused on Israel-related ships in solidarity with HamasâŚ
3D Printed Spare Part Cuts Downtime for Wallenius Wilhelmsen's RoRo Vessel
Pelagus 3D said Wednesday it had delivered a Return Oil Standpipe at Kobe, Japan, to be installed on Wallenius Wilhelmsen's RoRo vessel TYSLA. The collaboration involved Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Wilhelmsen Ship Management.Traditionally, the procurement, fabrication, and delivery of specific spare parts has been a time-consuming process, often leading to costly downtime for the maritime and offshore industries. However, with the advent of Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D PrintingâŚ
Clean Technology Lasers: A New Tool to Remove Corrosion and Scale
Laser systems quickly remove corrosion and scale from metal surfaces with less preparation and mess than traditional techniques.In the maritime industry, corrosion and scale (where rust penetrates a metal surface) can quickly become an issue in an outdoor, salt sea spray laden environment. When sea spray evaporates, it leaves salt behind, leading to saltwater staining and accelerated corrosion.So, most shipbuilders as well as those responsible for maintenance and repair understand the value of treating metal surfaces to remove corrosionâŚ
The Need for [U.S. Navy Shipbuilding] Speed
The Navy wants, and needs, more ships; but it canât build them fast enough.While the U.S. Navy aims to achieve a 355-ship fleet, it is decommissioning older (and some not so old) ships at about the same rate it's adding new ones.A Congressional Research Service report stated that, as of April 17, 2023, the Navy included 296 battle force ships. "The Navy projects that under its FY2024 budget submission, the Navy would include 293 battle force ships at the end of FY2024 and 291 battle force ships at the end of FY2028."But there is progressâŚ
Damen to Build Four Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigates for Dutch, Belgian Navies
The Dutch Ministry of Defence, Damen, and Thales have signed the contract for the design, construction, and delivery of four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Frigates; two for the Netherlands and two for Belgium, focused on anti-submarine warfare.The agreement was signed on HNLMS Karel Doorman, the Royal Netherlands Navy's largest ship, by the Dutch Defence State Secretary Christophe van der Maat, Damen Shipyards Group CEO Arnout Damen, Damen Naval Managing Director Roland BrieneâŚ
Remote Survey is the New End-Game
More than remote witnessing, more than remote data analysis, remote survey techniques are now going to aid the shift to full vessel autonomy.The technology that enables a robot to safely navigate an environment it has no prior knowledge of is called Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). âIt is the key to autonomy for any aspiring can-do inspection robot.â Thatâs according to ScoutDI, a participant in the REDHUS project led by DNV which is developing a prototype inspection drone.SLAM is not a specific, copyrighted piece of technology.
Tech File: Repower After Layup at the Thai Marine Department
A well-built, modern vessel can be expected to outlive her original engines. The challenge for those representing the owners, is to choose new engines that match or exceed the capabilities of the original power. Consideration will be given to replicas of the original engines. However, availability and suitability may limit this.These were some of the considerations confronting the Thai Marine Department when they decided to put their 41.85 by 3.9-meter oil response vessel back into service.
Great Ships '22: USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125)
The Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer - The worldâs most successful post-war surface combatantsThe USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class of guided missile destroyers can rightfully be called the most successful class of surface combatants in the post-World War II era. The lead ship was commissioned in 1991, and the Navy is still building them at Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. A total of 89 have been procured through FY2022âŚ
US Says Iranian Military Boat Came Within 150 Yards of US Warships
The U.S. military said on Tuesday that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy boat came within 150 yards of American warships in the Strait of Hormuz, but the situation was de-escalated with the help of audible warnings and non-lethal use of lasers.In a statement, the U.S. military said the incident took place on Dec.
Region in Focus: Norwayâs West Coast Shipping Tech Hub
Two load-bearing pillars of Norwayâs leading maritime industry cluster in Sunmøre on the countryâs west coast â offshore energy and the expedition cruise sector â took severe knocks from plunging energy prices in the 2010s followed by COVID-19. However, a recent tour of the region found the cluster in recovery mode.At the time, the clusterâs diversification strategy was to dive into the emerging expedition cruise sector: small, highly sophisticated ships designed to operate in some of the worldâs most sensitive environments incorporated features including the highest ice-classâŚ
Green Marine: Electrification is the Power behind âFuture-Proofingâ
There's an âelectrification of the seasâ happening for navies around the world.Whether it's to achieve greater military capabilities, operational economics and efficiencies or to be better stewards of the environment.There's a trend moving from direct mechanical drives towards more flexible electrical propulsion systems. Ships can still have the same propellers and engines, but they now have a much more flexible power system architecture that benefits design, operations and sustainment.âWith an electric propulsion system, we can connect to the same gas turbine or diesel.
Shipbuilding: Fincantieri Marine Group Invests Mightily to Deliver for the US Navy
When he served as the commander of NWSC Carderock, Mark Vandroff woke every morning knowing that his counterpart in China had just gone to bed and had spent that day trying to make Chinaâs Navy superior. His job, he figured, was to âget cracking and work to make our Navy even better.â Now the CEO at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), Vandroff brings that passion for navy shipbuilding â and delivering on the new USN Constellation-class frigates contract â to work every day.Introducing a new class of warship usually comes with a heaping helping of pain, from cost overruns to technical glitches.
U.S. Navy: DDG(X) is a Large Surface Combatant with Room to Grow
âDDG-51 hull form is maxed out in nearly every mission area. Meanwhile, the threat marches on.âRear Adm. Paul Schlise, director for surface warfareThe U.S. Navyâs highly successful USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) surface combatant program is still going strong and growing in capability. Nearly 40 years later, new ships are still being built. But, the navy said, the ship cannot support the systems of tomorrow needed to meet the future threat.âDDG 51 has been in production for over 40 years with basically the same hull we started with in 1985âŚ
U.S. Navy: Constellation-class Brings Frigates Back to the U.S. Fleet
Introducing a new class of warship can be fraught with pain, and the first ship is always the hardest â almost always behind schedule and over budget. And trying something new and transformational is even harder.The U.S. Navy knows this from experience. Thatâs one reason why the Navy is opting for a lower risk design for its next class of guided missile frigates (FFGs).Just about every new class has experienced a rough start. Although the USS Arleigh Burke-class of guided missile destroyers (DDGs) today represent the largest and most successful class of warshipsâŚ
Shed the Satellite: Quantum Sensors hold Promise for Future GPS-Free Navigation
Donât let the titanium metal walls or the sapphire windows fool you. Itâs whatâs on the inside of this small, curious device that could someday kick off a new era of navigation.For more than a year, the avocado-sized vacuum chamber has contained a cloud of atoms at the right conditions for precise navigational measurements. It is the first device that is small, energy-efficient and reliable enough to potentially move quantum sensors â sensors that use quantum mechanics to outperform conventional technologies â from the lab into commercial useâŚ
US, UK Tighten Navy Partnership
The United Kingdomâs Royal Navy and the United States Navy announced a new partnership to accelerate the adoption of novel ideas and technologies, marking a unique chapter in the historic relationship between the two nations.A newly established London Tech Bridgeâwith both nations as full partnersâwill serve as a command post for innovation for the two Navies as they work toward interchangeability in everything from technology development to deployment and operations.Royal Navy Second Sea Lord Vice Adm. Nick Hine, and the Hon. James âHondoâ Geurts, U.S.
Gibbs & Cox: Historic Ship Designer Turns 90
Hindsight, they say is 20/20, and in this regard renowned design house Gibbs & Cox has nine decades in the rear view mirror on which to lean. We recently caught up with Chris Deegan, President and CEO of Gibbs & Cox, celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2019, to discuss the organizationâs rich history and promising future.When you took the top spot at Gibbs & Cox in 2016, what were your goals for the organization?As a company that designs everything from yachts to work boats to destroyers, I wanted to reassert G&C as the global leader in the naval architecture and marine engineering industry.
US Navy: Our 'Running Fix' Has Us Firmly in the Channel
An interview with Rear Admiral Ronald A. Boxall, Director, Surface Warfare (N96), conducted by Capt. Edward Lundquist, U. S. Navy (Ret.)The theme of the recent SNA West Coast Symposium was âTake a Running Fix.â So whatâs your âfixâ right now about where we are regarding surface warfare?The SWO Boss is thinking about that from a man/train/equip standpoint, and being able to ensure that weâre trained to the best we can, that weâre manned properly, and have the equipment we need.
New Strategies to Guard Against Future Security Threats
The international conference on maritime security and defense (MS&D), held for the seventh time in Hamburg during the SMM maritime trade fair, focused on current and future challenges to maritime security and defense. Twenty naval, industrial and science experts discussed topics such as how to protect international ocean trading routes, when and how to deploy naval forces on crisis missions, as well as cyber security issues.The welcome address opened the event with somber words as Rear Admiral Thorsten KählerâŚ
Kongsberg's Unveils New Integrated Bridge System
New technology from Kongsbergâs autonomous vessels program will contribute to improving the operational and safety performance of manned vessels with the launch of a new generation of Integrated Bridge System (IBS), which is being presented for the first time at SMM 2018 in Hamburg this week.Through its work on new autonomous vessels such as YARA Birkeland, the worldâs first all-electric, zero emissions and autonomous container ship, Kongsberg Maritime has developed a cutting-edgeâŚ
NYK, Toyokoh to Address Steel Corrosion on Ships
NYK has signed a memorandum of understanding with Toyokoh Inc. to examine a joint business development utilizing Toyokohâs "CoolLaser" technology in the maritime field.NYK aims to reduce the maintenance workload of crew on deck, in addition to dry-dock costs for repairs, and will discuss development of a business to provide a more efficient and environment-friendly maintenance method using Toyokohâs epoch-making laser technology.Steel used on a shipâs deck is always susceptible to rust due to the harsh outdoor ocean environment that can lead to corrosion arising from severe salinity, temperatures, humidity, and ultraviolet rays, all exacerbated by scratches resulting from wear from cargo loadingâŚ
US Navy: 355-Ship Fleet is the Mandate, Funding It is Fuzzy
As Congress wrestles with the budget, there is at least a bipartisan consensus that defense spending should grow, and that includes growing the Navyâs fleet. The current goal is 355 ships, an admirable goal, but an objective that faces many cost hurdles. The surface fleet (which excludes submarines and aircraft carriers) needs to grow in capability and capacity. The numbers of ships being procured or envisions would increase as the total n umber of ships increases, but the number in this story represents current program status.