Automation Solutions News

Rapid technological change, complex regulation and competitive pressures are driving digital transformation in the shipping industry. But navigating a confusing software landscape can be difficult, and sound decision-making is essential to minimize innovation risk, according to OrbitMI.Industry spending has soared in recent years on intelligent process automation solutions geared to boosting efficiency, reducing costs, curbing emissions and improving safety for shipping companies…

A new stern trawler has been delivered to Deutsche Fischfang-Union GMbB & Co KG (DFFU) from Vard Brattvaag.The vessel, named Berlin, was developed by VARD in close cooperation with DFFU, based on the VARD 8 03 trawler design developed by Vard Design in Ålesund.Baldvin Thorsteinsson and Samuel Rodriguez, Managing Directors at DFFU said, "The delivery of Berlin is pivotal for DFFU, and VARD has done an excellent job. Over the years, VARD has built several technologically advanced vessels, consistently meeting the highest standard with their craftsmanship and innovation.

The Romanian-built hull of a new stern trawler being constructed forGermany's Deutsche Fischfang Union GmbH & Co. KG (DFFU) has arrived Vard Brattvaag in Norway for completion.The stern trawler is of VARD 8 03 design and developed in close cooperation with DFFU. The new vessel is 84 meters long with a 16.7-meter beam and accommodation for 34 people on board.The hull was built at Vard Braila in Romania. In Norway, the vessel will now be outfitted with equipment for onboard production and environmentally friendly operations.Vard Electro will deliver a complete SeaQ package…

iconsys, a UK maritime automation solutions provider and systems integrator, announced the appointment of Jordan Tassell as its new Head of Marine and Ports.Tassell, who previously spent eight years at global OEM, ABB, within its marine and ports division, will be spearheading a number of initiatives at iconsys. These include developing key relationships with existing customers and platform partners, and working directly with OEMs and end-users with their decarbonization objectives.

Valmet has opened a new office in Miami, Florida, to strengthen its local presence and improve its services for the global marine industry.“Out of the many Valmet offices in the USA, this new one is solely dedicated to serving our marine customers. Miami is an ideal location for the office as it is home to the world’s largest cruising companies, and many of their ships are equipped with Valmet’s advanced marine automation solutions. Our marine customers now have better access to our automation experts’ know-how as well as our cybersecurity…

The Danish provider of mobile robotic welding and adaptive multi-pass welding technologies, Inrotech has partnered withGullco International, a manufacturer of automated welding and cutting carriages, modular automation, and custom automation solutions.The two companies will use their partnership to strengthen their customer offerings and market position. With this partnership, both companies combine their knowledge together and offer smart, easy-to-use automation solutions equipped with intelligent software and scanning technology for the growing need for welding automation technology…

Shipbuilder VARD announced it has secured a new contract for the design and construction of one stern trawler for Deutsche Fischfang-Union GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. The contract value  is in excess of  NOK 500 million.The stern trawler has been developed by VARD in close cooperation with Deutche Fischfang-Union (DFFU). The new vessel will be the first trawler of VARD’s own design sold to Germany.The VARD 8 03 trawler design is developed to meet the latest demands for fish health management, efficiency, and environmentally friendly operations.

Rolls-Royce's Power Systems business unit, headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Germany, will deliver the automation solutions (in German FüSAS – Führungssystem Automation Schiffstechnik) for the four new F126 frigates for the German Navy.Damen Naval is building the four F126 class frigates together with its partners Blohm+Voss and Thales, after the partners were selected as successful bidders in 2020 following a European tender process spanning several years. The first ship is expected to be delivered to the German Navy in Hamburg in 2028.

Shipbuilder VARD said Friday it had secured a new contract to design and build one stern trawler for Nergård Havfiske, the fishing arm of the Nergård group in Norway. The contract value is in excess of NOK 500 million (~$57,35 million)."The VARD 8 02 trawler design is a well-proven design that VARD has continuously developed to meet the latest demands for fish health management, efficiency, and environmentally friendly operations. With a high focus on quality of catch, safety of crew…

ESVAGT and Ulstein have entered into a contract for the conversion of two platform supply vessels (PSV) to hybrid battery-powered emergency response rescue vessels (ERRV).The two PX121 design PSVs Hermit Fighter and Hermit Prosper, designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, originally built at Ulstein Verft and delivered in 2012, will return to the Norwegian shipyard for a six-week stay to undergo conversion to ERRVs and battery power. The engineering work at Ulstein has commenced…

Finnish welding and production automation company Pemamek said it delivered a new welding robot station to Edison Chouest Offshore's (ECO) LaShip shipyard in Louisiana.The newly commissioned PEMA VRWP-C robot station is a compact solution to automatize micro panel welding, but also other small-to-medium-sized constructions. The system is based on PEMA WeldControl 200 which enables easy weld path creation and robot programming.“The beauty of the PEMA VRWP-C is that it is fast to commission and easy for the customer to learn to use it…

Rolls-Royce has acquired Servowatch Systems, a UK-based international supplier of integrated marine automation solutions for navies, commercial vessels and large yachts.Representatives of Rolls-Royce's Power Systems business unit and the company’s previous owner, the Indian engineering, procurement and construction projects, manufacturing, defense and services group Larsen & Toubro, signed the contracts Wednesday. Commercial terms were not disclosed."Servowatch's modern and sophisticated…

Marine technology provider Høglund Marine Solutions announced it has taken a two-thirds stake in Vindskip AS, a company developing a wind- and liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel concept.Vindskip (which translates to ‘wind ship’ in English) is a vessel design project for a car/truck carrier that combines wind and gas power to achieve the lowest possible emissions in its market segment.With a majority share in Vindskip AS, Høglund will bring the company’s experience and expertise from providing LNG and automation solutions to the Vindskip project.

Paul Cooke, President and CEO of Bosch Rexroth North America, based in Charlotte, NC, USA, will retire on December 31, 2020 after 38 years of service in various international positions within Bosch Rexroth. His successor as of December 1, 2020 will be Greg Gumbs, most recently Vice President & General Manager Electrical Automation Solutions at EATON Corporation. Gumbs will join Bosch Rexroth effective September 1, 2020 in preparation for his future responsibility and will be based at Bosch Rexroth North American headquarters in Charlotte…

Wärtsilä said it has developed a customized design for up to six new luxury expedition cruise vessels for owner and operator Amundsen Expeditions, targeted primarily at the Chinese market.Wärtsilä, which booked the design order in the third quarter of 2019, said its in-house ship design team worked in close cooperation with Amundsen Expeditions to develop the concept. Each vessel will be capable of carrying 200 passengers.“The ships are designed to operate efficiently in both tropical and polar waters.

Valmet will supply automation and information systems for two luxury expedition vessels being built by Helsinki Shipyard Oy in Finland for Russia’s largest river cruise company Vodohod Ltd.The 113-meter-long and 20.2-meter-wide vessels will have an ice class of PC5 and a passenger capacity of 157 persons. Their draught is 5.7 meters, and cruising speed is 14 knots. The newbuilds will operate both in the Arctic and Antarctic waters as well as in the tropical waters during the spring and autumn seasons.Valmet’s delivery includes a Valmet DNA automation system…

Norwegean global marine automation and system integration expert Høglund Marine Solutions (HMS) will supply Fuel Gas Supply Systems (FGSS) to Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) for Tallink Grupp’s newest LNG powered ferry, MySTAR.Høglund will work with Finnish tank manufacturer West Welding to design and supply the systems that will handle LNG onboard MySTAR, constructed by Rauma Marine Constructions. MySTAR will sail on Tallink's Tallinn - Helsinki route.The design and engineering of FGSS solutions is a key challenge for the future development of LNG powered shipping, particularly for passenger vessels. The process must take into account complex safety concerns stemming from impacts on the engine cooling system…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and United Arab Emirates electronic firm Marakeb Technologies, have agreed to form a global partnership in the field of autonomous technology.The agreement was signed by Basel Shuhaiber, Chief Executive Officer of Marakeb Technologies, and Giuseppe Giordo, General Manager of Fincantieri Naval Business at the 2020 Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi.The agreement is intended to initiate a cross-evaluation of Fincantieri’s current automation solutions and Marakeb Technologies’ patented unmanned technology, as well as to jointly develop applications on various vessel types in Fincantieri’s portfolio.The global partnership aspires to establish future commercial opportunities in regional and international markets…

Kalmar, a provider of cargo-handling solutions and services to ports, introduces Kalmar One, the first open automation system for container terminals.Kalmar One is a modular and scalable system that provides a robust foundation for automating container handling operations regardless of the vendor, equipment type, operation mode or automation level at the terminal."Kalmar One is the next step on our journey to promote openness in our industry. We want to speed up the industry transformation by offering a standardised system that allows customers to change the automation level of their operations at a pace that suits their business," says Antti Kaunonen…

At the very cutting edge of clean, modern and ultra-efficient propulsion and automation solutions, ABB takes its rightful place amongst MarineNews' prestigious 2019 MN100 winners.The Case:ABB believes that modern ships will be built on the foundation of electricity. This expands their range of viable energy sources beyond traditional fuel to for instance batteries and fuel cells. The electrical backbone, integrated with automation and control systems, will also transform the industry…

Valmet and Seastema have entered a value-added reseller (VAR) agreement for marine automation to strengthen their foothold on the marine industry market. By joining forces both companies will be able to make their automation solutions better known and more attractive in this industry sector.“We have seen the expertise that Valmet has in automation systems for the marine industry. Valmet continuously develops its solutions to better meet the challenging environments on many types of vessels.

Kalmar Automation Solutions said that the share of automated terminals will grow rapidly  in Asia, given the terminal operators’ interest and activity level towards automation.Container terminal automation in Asia is in an early stage, except for Australia. First automated mega-terminals are in operation and future growth depends on many external issues. In general, Rubber-Tyred Gantry crane (RTG) is the main handling system for containers globally, and that applies in Asia as well.RTG is used in 60% of the main container handling systems for 420 main terminals in Asia. However, when counting the number of container moves completed in different terminals, RMGs/ASCs dominate. This is because the big container terminals use RMGs/ASCs but in general, they are a minority.

Emerson and Repsol announced they have established a strategic alliance to deliver advanced subsurface geophysical technologies to reduce the time to prospect and produce first oil.Emerson, a global engineering and technology company,  will work collaboratively with Spanish energy company Repsol to implement and deploy advanced subsurface imaging technologies, with core technologies developed by Repsol as part of Kaleidoscope, its 10-year innovation project."These advances will be used by a broad range of the geoscience community within Repsol and in all oil and gas companies that choose to license the technologies. The solution combines the latest in high-end visualization…