Emsa News

Spire Global, Inc., a provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, reports it has been awarded two framework contracts by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) with a maximum overall budget of €8.4 million. Concurrent with the framework award, Spire received two specific awards that total multi-million euros under the framework contracts. Under the contracts, Spire will provide space-based automatic identification system (SAT-AIS) data services for ship tracking over a four-year period, including real-time, standard and high-density backup SAT-AIS.

ABS has claimed a first with the publication of an expansive set of requirements to guide the industry in the use of hydrogen-fueled vessels.The ABS Requirements for Hydrogen Fueled Vessels offers the industry a risk assessment framework for introducing hydrogen as marine fuel to their fleet.The publication is a continuation of ABS' attention to the alternative fuel, building upon projects such as the ABS-classed, Glosten-designed hydrogen-fueled research vessel for the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

ICEYE announced the start of a multi-year framework contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to support their efforts in managing various aspects of maritime operations with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data.Among its many missions, EMSA, a European Union agency, provides technical expertise and operational assistance in reducing the risk of maritime accidents and assisting in response and recovery from marine pollution from ships and oil installations. The agency…

An ABS-led consortium, including CE Delft and Arcsilea, published two of up to six reports studying alternative fuels and decarbonization technologies for the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).ABS offered a 360-degree view of biofuels and ammonia, the first two fuels to be published by the consortium. Each fuel was analyzed using various criteria such as greenhouse gas (GHG) impact, sustainability, fuel availability, fuel scalability and human needs.“These two reports are the result of one year of intense activity with our collaborators…

A refurbished high-spec oil spill response vessel for the Aegean Sea has entered service under a four-year contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), a contract with an option for four additional years.Dubbed AKTEA II, the OSRV will be able to reach anywhere in the Aegean within 24 hours and can collect and carry up to 4,500 tonnes of oil.Based in Piraeus, Greece AKTEA II OSRV (IMO 9327516) has onboard capacity of 4,486 cu. m. for recovered oil and is equipped with…

A fleet of high-tech specialized aerial drones will be deployed to monitor emissions from commercial ships in the Baltic Sea.Scheduled to kick off later this month, the large-scale campaign is being led by Germany's the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, together with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).Over a three-month period, specially equipped remotely piloted aircraft will take off from the German Armed Forces' Staberhuk site on the east coast of Fehmarn and…

A consortium led by the Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology (DBI) will deliver a Formal Safety Assessment study on containership fires to the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The project aims to identify cost-effective risk control options for cargo fires on board container vessels.Considering the constant increase in containership sizes and the frequency of fire originating in containers, the study will quantitatively assess the fire risks on board containerships…

Remotely piloted aircraft are assisting Spanish authorities in actively monitoring sulphur emissions from ships transiting one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.Over the summer the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA) aerial drones have been monitoring the level of sulphur oxides released by ships transiting the Strait of Gibraltar. The operation carried out by the Spanish General Directorate of Merchant Marine  – under the direction of the Spanish Ministry of Transport…

Oslo-listed drone company Nordic Unmanned has received a conditional letter of award from the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for a contract worth up to 20 million euros ($23,75 million).The letter of award is related to fixed-wing RPAS (drone) services carrying out long-range general maritime surveillanceThe official value of the framework contract is EUR 20 million over a period of up to 2+1+1 years. Nordic Unmanned is the contractual partner with EMSA. Nordic Unmanned will utilize Textron Systems' Aerosonde as its drone platform and two complete systems…

Aiming to test the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in enhancing the maritime awareness picture in the French Mediterranean Sea, Secrétariat Général de la Mer requested the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) set up a multipurpose maritime surveillance operation, having the Navy (Marine Nationale) and customs (Douanes) as the operation's strategic and tactical leaders.Operational missions started on September 23 for an initial period of three months. The RPAS…

Switzerland-based MSC Cruises announced Monday that it will resume "full-experience" cruise operations on select ships in the Mediterranean starting from mid-August.The cruise lines flagship MSC Grandiosa will sail in the West Mediterranean from August 16 and MSC Magnifica in the West Mediterranean from August 29. The ships will be the first to implement a new health and safety protocol that has been approved by the relevant national authorities along the ships’ itineraries.Pierfrancesco Vago…

A new aerial drone is being tested to monitor vessel emissions in the Great Belt, a busy shipping lane between the islands of Zealand and Funen in Denmark.Having previously been used for various surveillance tasks, the drone is being provided by the European Maritime Safety Agency to operate over the next four months in a specific area north of the Great Belt, which connects the Baltic Sea to the Kattegat strait and Atlantic Ocean.The drone will fly into ships' exhaust gas plumes and use its so-called “sniffer technology” to register the sulphur content in the fuel.

What are the barriers to implementing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations to cut emissions from ships and how can these be overcome?These were key questions explored during an IMO regional workshop on effective ratification and implementation of MARPOL Annex VI and the  initial IMO strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships, held in Viña del Mar, Chile (30 September-2 October).Participants identified existing barriers preventing ratification of MARPOL Annex VI, such as concerns about associated costs for the refinery industry and ship owners, and identified ways to overcome these barriers, building on the…

This week, the Danish Maritime Authority is hosting the 6th annual meeting for international sulphur experts who will combine forces to cooperate on further developing effective enforcement.The purpose of the meeting is to exchange knowledge and best practice for surveillance and enforcement. Many of the experts have experience from enforcing local sulphur regulations, particularly the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA). The discussions will further develop these learnings…

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains why the global trade association is poised to take its work to the next level.While I respect the mantra of cautious optimism, I can’t help feeling genuinely excited that 2019 could prove to be a milestone year in the continuing growth of Interferry’s influence as the global voice of the ferry industry. We’ve come a long way since our US origins in 1976 as what was essentially a networking movement, but developments in recent months already suggest we are on course for yet more enhancement of our present-day worldwide networking and lobbying relationships.

Ms. Maja Markovčić Kostelac is taking over as new executive director of the European Maritime Safety Authority's (EMSA).The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has issued a statement congratulating Kostelac, for taking over.Ms Markovčić Kostelac, who has served as the Croatian State Secretary for the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, will take up her five-year term at the beginning of 2019.She has been an Administrative Board member of EMSA since January 2017. In 2008, she obtained her LL.M. in maritime law and law of the sea at the Faculty of Law, University of Split, with the topic Implementation of the International Convention on Ballast Water 2004 in closed and semi-enclosed seas…

The European Union and the Global Maritime Crime Programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC GMCP) have a long and effective relation in building capacities to tackle maritime crimes.The EU and the Global Maritime Crime Programme of UNODC started partnering in 2010 to support Eastern African states (Kenya, Seychelles, Mauritius and Tanzania) prosecuting piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia.Currently, the EU and UNODC GMCP are jointly working on  capacity building support in Somalia, including training and mentoring of the Mogadishu Maritime Police Unit.The Global Maritime Crime Programme is currently preparing…

The European Shipping industry welcomes the European Commission’s current inspections of ship recycling facilities in order to enlarge the list of approved facilities that will ensure safe and environmentally sound ship recycling.When non EU facilities such as Indian facilities are found to be compliant with the requirements, they should be included in the EU list, as it will facilitate and encourage further positive developments taking place in South Asia and worldwide.By 31st December 2018 all ships flying a European flag have to be recycled in a facility which is included in the European list. “A lot has been written lately on whether…

UK Chamber of Shipping said that no deal could limit the opportunities for UK seafarers. A no-deal Brexit would also potentially inconvenience operators of UK-flagged ships, the UK Chamber says.On Thursday, the UK Government published another 28 technical notices, which advise on how potential disruption from a no-deal exit from the European Union can be minimised. The latest batch includes two important shipping-related notices: one on seafarer certification and one on maritime security.The UK Chamber’s immediate concerns are focused on how seafarer employment would be affected by a no-deal Brexit.The technical notice on seafarer certification identifies the basis for seafarer employment in STCW…

With the rise in transport by sea of chemicals and gases, in bulk and containerized, adequate preparedness for response to potential spill incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) is increasingly important. The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) is hosting a regional workshop on response to such incidents, in Valletta, Malta (20-21 June). Regional cooperation on oil and HNS spill response and contingency planning is an efficient and cost-effective way of preparing for possible spills – through the sharing of information, knowledge and/or response equipment. A recent example of cooperation in this field was an agreement signed between Cyprus, Greece and Israel following support from REMPEC.

Stena Oil has signed an agreement to create a new marine fuel terminal in the Port of Frederikshavn. The facility will be fully adapted for the new Sulphur Directive 2020 and its location will reduce the distances travelled by bunkering vessels. The oil terminal will be the largest of its kind in Scandinavia, with a capacity of 75 000 cubic metres. "We are delighted to be developing our business in Frederikshavn. We will create a state-of-the-art terminal that can handle all fuel types that meet the IMO’s global sulphur directive, which comes into effect in 2020. In combination with our Gothenburg terminal, we will have the capability to serve our customers even better. We are also investing in a new bunkering vessel.

The Administrative Board of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) finished up its 50th meeting held in Lisbon. As newly elected Chair of the Board, Director-General, Danish Maritime Authority, Andreas Nordseth led the meeting for the first time. The Danish alternate member of the Board, Deputy Director-General Jakob Ejlers, covered the Danish chair during the meeting. One of the main issues of the meeting was a detailed discussion of the activities in next years’ work programme. The Board also approved an action plan for the follow up on the recommendations stemming from the recently finalized external evaluation of EMSA. This will ensure a continuous improvement of the activities of EMSA in the years to come.

Around 360 cruise vessels are operating on the ocean today, transporting thousands of passengers to both new and established locations across the world. The Cruise Boom relishing the industry in recent years has driven growth and advancement with 93 new vessels now under construction showcasing the latest technology available today. Now, the rising popularity of remote and adventurous routes such as the Polar Regions and UNESCO heritage sights has raised concerns about the impacts on marine environments and coastlines. The stakeholders continue to wait for environmental legislation to be set that will determine the green strategies adopted by different operators. Here, we take a brief look at some of the most promising technology available to the cruise industry today.