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European Space Agency News

11 Apr 2023

European Space Agency to Support Uptake of Autonomous Shipping

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signedon to help the One Sea Association in a callaborative effort promoting the development of new space-enabled services which will support the maritime sector’s transition towards autonomous shipping.Satellite communications and satellite navigation play a key role in the adoption of autonomous shipping technologies and operations. During offshore passages, ships are often further from land than satellites which can offer invaluable secure and resilient communication channels for monitoring, command, and control of autonomous ships.

07 Mar 2023

Debunking Four Myths that Stand in the Way of Wind-powered Cargo Ships

(Image: Oceanbird)

Sailing cargo ships are making a genuine comeback.Japanese bulk carrier MOL is operating a wind-assisted ship. American food giant Cargill is working with Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie to deploy WindWings on its routes. Swedish shipping company Wallenius is aiming for Oceanbird to cut emissions by up to 90%. The French start-up Zephyr & Borée has built the Canopée, which will transport parts of European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 rocket this year.I researched the decarbonisation of the shipping industry.

24 Nov 2021

SEA-KIT's USV Equipped with Innovative Connectivity Solution by Inmarsat

Credit: Inmarsat

Maritime and offshore mobile satellite communications specialist Inmarsat has installed a new connectivity solution on SEA-KIT's uncrewed surface vessel (USV) Maxlimer using virtualized networks that the company says will establish higher standards for over-the-horizon uncrewed vessel control.The installation connects the USV Maxlimer to the best available network at all times by switching as necessary between Fleet LTE, Global Xpress (GX) and FleetBroadband satellite services when out of range…

03 Aug 2021

SPACEWHALE: Space Tech, AI meet to Monitor Whales from the Heavans

Two Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from aerial view in the arctic (photo: Michael Schauer)

Modern space technology and artificial intelligence have combined to enhance the conservation of marine animals: the new service, “SPACEWHALE”, developed by a team of creative scientists in Germany and the UK, detects whales from space. Supported by funding from the European Space Agency (ESA) Space Solutions program, this research enables whales and other large marine megafauna to be surveyed at an unprecedented scale. Earth Observation from satellites is developing fast and within a few years, space technology companies aim to provide daily high-resolution images of the whole globe.

06 May 2021

Seismic Data Firm CGG Launches Pollution Monitoring Solution

Credit; CGG

French firm CGG, best known for its seismic data services for oil and gas exploration, has now launched a maritime pollution monitoring solution named SeaScope."Combining expertise in remote sensing science, Earth observation data, machine learning and high-performance computing, SeaScope provides critical sea surface slick intelligence for a range of industries to strengthen situational awareness of the interaction between offshore assets, coastal facilities, local vessel activity and the natural marine environment…

24 Sep 2020

'Oil Spot' Reported Near Decaying Tanker off Yemen

Satellite image Š2020 Maxar Technologies.

Saudi Arabia warned the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that an "oil spot" had been seen in a shipping transit area 31 miles (50 km) west of a decaying tanker that is threatening to spill 1.1 million barrels of crude oil off the coast of Yemen.The Safer tanker has been stranded off Yemen's Red Sea oil terminal of Ras Issa for more than five years. The United Nations has warned that the Safer could spill four times as much oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.In a letter to the 15-member body, reviewed by Reuters, Saudi Arabia's U.N.

12 Jun 2020

How China Got Venezuelan Oil Despite US Sanctions

Last year, China replaced the United States as the No. 1 importer of oil from Venezuela, yet another front in the heated rivalry between Washington and Beijing.The United States had imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company as part of a bid to topple that country’s socialist president, Nicolas Maduro. U.S. refineries stopped buying Venezuelan crude. Caracas’ ally China, long a major customer, suddenly found itself the top purchaser. Through the first six months of 2019, it imported an average of 350,000 barrels per day of crude from Venezuela.But in August, Washington tightened its sanctions on Venezuela, warning that any foreign entity that continued to do business with the South American country’s government could find itself subject to sanctions.

27 May 2020

LADAR: Laser Sensor Technology for the Maritime Industry

Using a blue-green laser, LADAR penetrates the ocean water mass enabling detection of submerged objects and debris, like containers, fishing nets, small barges, humans, ice floes, oil spills in the water column, plastic and much more (Photo: LADAR Ltd)

Research scientist and entrepreneur Sverre Dokken believes laser-based remote sensing has big potential in the maritime domain. But what is LADAR, who’s it for and what are the key benefits?“Our mission is to be the world leader in innovative maritime sensor products that enhance the safety and security of shipping and all manner of offshore activity,” says Ladar Ltd (LDR) principal Sverre Dokken.In the sensor vanguardEssentially a laser-based navigational aid, LADAR (Laser Detection and Ranging) combines long-distance object detection with high-accuracy measurement…

22 Apr 2020

CYSEC SA Wins Maritime Cyber Security Contract

Photo: ESA

CYSEC SA, a cybersecurity company from Switzerland, has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a solution mitigating the cyber risks related to ship tracking using satellite communications.The digital revolution also impacts the shipping industry by integrating automated navigation, cargo-tracking systems and digital platforms which facilitate operations, trade and the exchange of data. To achieve this transformation, the mitigation of cyber security…

02 Jul 2019

ESA to Partner with One Sea Alliance

Jukka Merenluoto (Photo: One Sea)

A Memorandum of Intent covering future collaboration has been signed by the organization orchestrating space programmes for 22 European countries and the coordinators of One Sea, the industry alliance bringing together exponents of autonomous ship technology.The agreement, between One Sea coordinator DIMECC and the European Space Agency (ESA), sets out common objectives to encourage the development of space-based applications to analyse, enable and implement maritime digitalization…

23 Dec 2018

MSC Cruises Partners with Top German Chef

The world's largest privately held cruise company MSC Cruises has today announced a new partnership with renowned German chef Harald Wohlfahrt.Voted one of the Top 10 Chefs in the World, and the only German chef to hold a three Michelin Star rating for 25 years in a row, Chef Wohlfahrt represents the best of Germany’s cuisine and embodies MSC Cruises’ commitment to offering new and exciting food options for its guests. Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The world-class expertise of Chef Wohlfahrt brings an exciting new chapter to our onboard dining experience. Working with partners who embody excellence and innovation…

17 Jul 2018

Maritime Tech Trends Digital

JÜrgen Strandberg, Captain, General Manager of ANC Advanced Technology Electrical & Automation at Wärtsilä SAM Electronics.

With digitalization technologies sweeping through maritime, Henrik Segercrantz, Maritime Reporter’s correspondent in Helsinki, explores latest developments in the quest to harness the power of 'big data.'Wärtsilä's Smart Marine EcosystemWärtsilä continues to build its leadership resume in marine and energy markets, boasting net sales of $5.7 billion last year, supported by 18,000 employees with operations in more than 80 countries. Increasingly Wärtsilä is using ‘smart’ technologies in its growing scope of products for the maritime industry…

14 Jul 2017

Microsatellites Launched for Maritime Monitoring, Comms and Science

NORsat-1 in EMC test at SFL. Two AIS antennas may be seen at the top, and four Langmuir probes off to the sides. The solar wings of the satellite are at the bottom. (Photo: Space Flight Laboratory)

The Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) announced the successful launch of two Norwegian microsatellites developed and built by SFL for the Norwegian Space Centre with support from the Norwegian Coastal Authority, Space Norway and the European Space Agency. The Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying the satellites into orbit launched from Baikonur at 06:36:49 UTC Friday, July 14, 2017. Shortly after launch both satellites were contacted from ground stations in Svalbard and Vardo, Norway. Both satellites are healthy based on initial telemetry, and commissioning is underway.

12 Jul 2017

Giant Iceberg Breaks off Antarctica

One of the biggest icebergs on record has broken away from Antarctica, scientists said on Wednesday, creating an extra hazard for ships around the continent as it breaks up. The one trillion tonne iceberg, measuring 5,800 square km, calved away from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica sometime between July 10 and 12, said scientists at the University of Swansea and the British Antarctic Survey. The iceberg, which is roughly the size of the U.S. state of Delaware or the Indonesian island of Bali, has been close to breaking off for a few months. Throughout the Antarctic winter, scientists monitored the progress of the rift in the ice shelf using the European Space Agency satellites.

21 Feb 2017

De Boer Remorquage SARL Orders Custom Tugs from Damen

Photo courtesy of Damen Shipyards

Baggerbedrijf De Boer B.V. (Dutch Dredging B.V.) has ordered two custom, special-purpose tugs to be built at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands through the subsidiairy De Boer Remorquage SARL. The tugs are for a 10-year contract with Grand Port Maritime de Guyane in the ports of Cayenne and Kourou in French Guyana. Their primary functions will be assisting vessels entering and leaving port, and rendering help in the event of emergencies including fire-fighting. An important secondary role for both vessels will be assisting with maintenance dredging operations in both ports.

20 May 2016

Human Remains and Belongings Found from Plane Crash at Sea

Egypt said on Friday its navy had found human remains, wreckage and the personal belongings of passengers floating in the Mediterranean, confirmation that an EgyptAir jet had plunged into the sea with 66 people on board. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi offered condolences for those on board, amounting to Egypt's official acknowledgement of their deaths, although there was still no explanation of why the Airbus had crashed. "The Egyptian navy was able to retrieve more debris from the plane, some of the passengers' belongings, human remains, and plane seats," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement. The navy was searching an area about 290 km (180 miles) north of the port city of Alexandria, just south of where the signal from the plane was lost early on Thursday.

04 May 2016

Maritime Surveillance Drone Testing to Begin this Summer

Photo: TEKEVER

The AR5 Life Ray UAS, developed by TEKEVER, has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to demonstrate the first European maritime surveillance system where drones are integral to operations. The first demonstration will be performed this summer over the Maltese waters of the Mediterranean sea, said Pedro Sinogas, TEKEVER CEO, at the AUVSI Xponential show in New Orleans, La. Maritime operations have been brought into focus in Europe by the unprecedented migrant crisis.

12 Oct 2015

‘VoyagOR’ Project Seeks Shipping Participants

Shipping companies are being sought to assist the ‘VoyagOR’ project, which aims use route optimization systems to make shipping operations more cost-effective. The VoyagOR project team is keen to engage with businesses that stand to benefit from improved route Optimization. A better understanding of such companies will help the project develop VoyagOR to best meet user requirements. VoyagOR utilizes a cloud-based voyage optimization system to provide a support tool to achieve fuel and emissions savings on short sea routes as well as improved scheduling.

28 Feb 2015

Satellite Images Reveal Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification can now be seen from space, highlighting an ongoing danger of climate change and revealing the regions most at risk. Pioneering techniques that use satellites to monitor ocean acidification are set to revolutionize the way that marine biologists and climate scientists study the ocean. This new approach offers remote monitoring of large swathes of inaccessible ocean from satellites that orbit the Earth some 700 km above our heads. Seawater absorbs about a quarter of the carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that humans release into the atmosphere each year, mostly from the burning of fossil fuels, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

08 Aug 2014

New Data Safety Service for Inmarsat FleetBroadband

Supported by European Space Agency (ESA) funding, Inmarsat’s forthcoming Maritime Safety Data Service (MSDS) for FleetBroadband, delivers an increased data capability over the Inmarsat-4 network, including the Alphasat satellite, providing global coverage and the same reliability of over 99.9 per cent associated with the Inmarsat network. MSDS will continue to offer distress alerting, priority messaging and SafetyNET safety information broadcasts, but also deliver greater data capability than is currently available with Inmarsat C safety services. *All data accessed over MSDS to be captured and stored at new servers. Peter Blackhurst…

21 May 2015

Navy Space-Based Orbital Debris Sensor Gets Patent

Small orbital debris objects can threaten vital space-based assets. The Navy's patented compact debris detection device can detect debris in near real-time and provide essential trajectory data for future use. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Geospace Science and Technology Branch, received U.S. patent (#8976245), March 10, for the Optical Orbital Debris Spotter - a compact, low power, low cost, local space debris detection concept that can be integrated into larger satellite designs, or flown independently on-board nano-satellite platforms. Man-made debris orbiting the Earth continues to increase at an alarming rate - with objects smaller than one centimeter (cm) exceeding 100 million.

26 May 2015

Threats to Global Navigation Satellite Systems

Location and coverage of proposed Phase 1 South Korean eLoran transmitter					 (Inside GNSS News January 2015

Originally developed to guide Allied convoys safely across the Atlantic, the use of synchronized low frequency radio signals as a navigational aid revolutionized modern maritime navigation in the 1940s. Faced with operating ships and aircraft over vast areas, researchers pioneered the use of radio signals to aid navigation in regions where poor weather conditions made traditional methods—such as dead reckoning and celestial navigation—exceptionally difficult. This system was eventually named LORAN.

25 Aug 2014

GPS Satellites Launched, Stray Off Course

Following an announcement made by Arianespace on the anomalies of the orbit injection of the Galileo satellites, the teams of industries and agencies involved in the early operations of the satellites are investigating the potential implications on the mission, says the European Space Agency (ESA). Both satellites have been acquired and are safely controlled and operated from ESOC, ESA’s Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. Further information on the status of the satellites will be made available after the preliminary analysis of the situation. On August 22, 2014, at 9:27 am local time in French Guiana, a Soyuz ST rocket lifted off with the first two satellites in the Galileo constellation.