Evolving Technologies News

Blake Powell, president at JMS Naval Architects, discusses his career, company and latest trends in naval architecture and marine engineering.Please give a brief professional bio, including education, experience and overview of current duties as president of JMS Naval Architects.I earned my degree in Naval Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley where I attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship and was commissioned as a Diving and Salvage Officer after I graduated.

“If we are to state our strategy in one word, it’s decarbonization,” said Juha Kytölä, director of R&D and engineering at Finnish tech company Wärtsilä. “What we are going toward is to supply the market with a portfolio of products that are ready for zero-carbon fuels.”In order to achieve its sustainability goals—including a 2030 target for carbon neutrality in its own operations—Wärtsilä has been taking big strides in research and development, having ramped up its investment on this front in recent years, Kytölä said.

Vessel owners/operators, Maritime Education and Training Institutes and Seafarers are encouraged to participate in the 2023 MarTID survey of maritime training practices.The survey is designed to take only 20 to 30 minutes to complete, but the insights are invaluable in the quest to learn more granular detail on the current focus and future shifts in the way in which seafarer training is delivered, measured and funded globally.Click Here to read the 2021 MarTID ReportThe Maritime…

$2 million for Suffolk County Community College to stimulate workforce training and redevelopment. At a recent meeting of the Corporate Committee of the Long Island Council of the Navy League of the United States, US Navy Command Master Chief Joshua Sturgill who is Command Senior Enlisted Leader for Team Submarines, announced a $2 million grant for Advanced Manufacturing Scholarships supported by the Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base. The $2 million grant was awarded to Suffolk…

A new report from Lloyd’s Register (LR) and maritime innovation consultancy Thetius advocates investment to improve the understanding of AI at all levels within maritime organisations.With digital solutions presenting challenges due to rapidly evolving technologies, such as AI-driven autonomous systems onboard modern vessels, the report calls for clarity around normal and emergency use cases, pointing to the need for traditional assurance measures to become increasingly integrated.The report…

ABS brought together maritime industry leaders to discuss the latest advances in sustainability and digital classification at the annual ABS North America Regional Committee Meeting.“As the industry embraces a new language of shipping, ABS is leading the way in technology, sustainability and digital innovation. In this era where regulations and standards need to move at the same pace as technological breakthroughs, our committees are more important than ever. To keep up with this pace…

Climate change and reliable, clean, low emission fuels are the important factors for ship operators since January 1, 2020. Twelve months into the IMO2020 transition and the climate change debate is increasing as the primary discussion point on the world agenda – from industry events to the board rooms of the global corporations. Relative to this is the reliable supply of fuel since changing marine fuel represents a large investment that requires major changes to a typical ship that has a lifetime of approximately 30 years.

Singapore's port operator PSA Corporation Limited (PSA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to develop a pipeline of talent for the future mega port in Tuas.The MoU is aimed at producing data science, info-communications and engineering professionals for the Tuas port, said a joint statement by PSA and SUTD.The new Tuas Port will harness big data, and leverage automation technologies and smart systems to raise terminal productivity and service quality, it said."To build the competencies required to manage the complex ecosystems in Tuas Port, PSA will contribute port related content to SUTD curriculum, giving students exposure and advancing their knowledge in smart technologies and systems used in port operations.

Almost 80% of large U.S. maritime industry companies surveyed reported that cyberattackers targeted their companies within the past year, according to a new maritime cybersecurity survey.The inaugural Maritime Cybersecurity Survey from New Orleans-based Jones Walker LLP said that rapidly evolving technologies deployed throughout the U.S. maritime industry to increase efficiencies and competitiveness present significant cybersecurity risks, which the industry is unprepared to shoulder.38% of all industry respondents reported that cyber attackers targeted their companies within the past year. 10% of survey respondents reported that the data breach was successful, while 28% reported a thwarted attempt.There is a false sense of preparedness in the U.S. maritime industry, said the survey.

Fugro has been awarded a photogrammetric and LIDAR surveying and mapping contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, Missouri. The agreement is a five-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a ceiling value of $12.5 million. It marks Fugro’s third consecutive mapping contract with the Corps, making this a partnership that has spanned more than 30 years. “Our long-standing collaboration with the USACE has produced a multitude of products utilising numerous evolving technologies and methods over the years,” said David White, senior vice president of Fugro Geospatial. “We look forward to continuing our valued partnership and providing geospatial solutions to the St.

Drydocks World signed an agreement today with Petrofac to build the BorWin3 high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter platform in the North Sea, named BorWin gamma. When completed, this will provide an essential renewable offshore resource to meet increasing energy demands. Drydocks World has successfully secured the contract for the fabrication, commissioning and load out of the BorWin3 platform, which will transmit electricity from the connected offshore wind farms to the mainland of Germany. Scheduled to go online in 2019, the platform will be installed nearly 100km off the German coast in the North Sea, at a water depth of approximately 40m. The Dutch-German transmission system operator TenneT ordered the HVDC link BorWin3 from a consortium comprising Petrofac and Siemens.

Shock Mitigation and the RIB & HSC Directory are official sponsors and media partners with the Solar1 event in Monte Carlo. Solar powered boats from all over the world are set to battle it out over two days in the first truly green solar powered boat world championship. From July 10-12, 2014 the historic Yacht Club de Monaco is hosting the Solar1 event, competing for the Monte Carlo Cup. Developed by universities all over the world and driven by young students, this race is destined to be a significant future facing sport.

Human Systems Integration (HSI) is a recognized requirement for many organizations. This is rapidly becoming more important as the professional RHIB and high speed craft sector are required to perform increasingly complex tasks. The objective is for marine units to deal with new scenarios, make fast decisions and implement them using high speed craft and specialist equipment to achieve successful outcomes. Crew-Systems Integration (CSI) brings together all these elements for the fast boat sector.

OilCareers.com has  released statistics suggesting that staff roles offered by employers in the Gulf of Mexico have increased almost sixteenfold in the last three years. Statistics show that the margin between contract and staff positions that reflected an equal split in 2009 now reveal a shift to five times as many staff than contract roles equating to 80% of job types currently registered on OilCareers.com. This comes as part of a move towards longer term recruitment strategies to encourage experienced personnel to the area as highlighted by Pauline Redpath…

FRC International is running the first program of ‘Back To Back’ Whole Boat Vibration (WBV) courses in Canada this April. The lead for these courses is Canadian Coast Guard and Canadian Navy. These courses are part of improving sea safety and are open to all interested parties. The object is to include all organizations operating RHIBs and planing craft. Both venues also enable boat builders, equipment manufacturers and industry to attend. The first two days of ‘Back To Back’ courses are in Ottawa at the Convention Center.

FRC International is running the first programme of ‘Back To Back’ Whole Boat Vibration (WBV) courses in Canada this April. The lead for these courses is the Canadian Coast Guard and the Canadian Navy, being part of a move to improve sea safety. Attendance is open to all organisations operating RHIBs & planing craft, as well as builders, equipment manufacturers and others in this industry. Whole Boat Vibration on RHIBs and planing craft is a global problem that affects the health of crew and passengers.

Pictured is the LCS concept from Austal. For anyone attending both the Surface Navy Association's 16th Annual National Symposium and the National Defense Industrial Association's "Navy-Industry International Dialogue-Littoral Combat Ship" (both on Jan. 14), the message came through loud and clear that the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in on its way and will be ready to take its place in America's Fleet of tomorrow. No fewer than a dozen senior Naval officers, program managers and…

WASHINGTON -- Vice Adm. Phillip Balisle, Commander Naval Sea Systems Command, outlined prerequisites for acquiring a sea base during a panel discussion Wednesday at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Expo. The discussion, entitled "Ensuring Access Through Focused Acquisition," also featured comments by The Honorable John J. Young, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition; Vice Adm. Walter B. Massenburg, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command; and Brig. Gen. William D. Catto, Commanding General, Marine Corps Systems Command. The first prerequisite he identified was thoroughly articulating the requirement.

The strong and sustained rebound in the price per barrel of oil, coupled with the economic recovery in Asia has offshore production related companies planning for a big 2000. Following is a synopsis of a report generated by Washington, D.C.-based International Maritime Associates Inc. which assesses the market outlook for FPSO vessels, production semis, TLPs and spars. There are currently 107 floating production systems in operation worldwide, which is an increase of nearly 67 percent over the inventory reported in International Maritime Associates' report dated September 1996. In real terms, the increase means the addition of 49 units, broken down as such: 3 TLPs, 2 mini TLPs, 33 FPSO vessels, 9 production semis and 2 production spars.

The strong and sustained rebound in the price per barrel of oil, coupled with the economic recovery in Asia has offshore production related companies planning for a big 2000. Following is a synopsis of a report generated by Washington, D.C.-based International Maritime Associates Inc. which assesses the market outlook for FPSO vessels, production semis, TLPs and spars. There are currently 107 floating production systems in operation worldwide, which is an increase of nearly 67 percent over the inventory reported in International Maritime Associates' report dated September 1996. In real terms, the increase means the addition of 49 units, broken down as such: 3 TLPs, 2 mini TLPs, 33 FPSO vessels, 9 production semis and 2 production spars.