Information And Tools News

Engines manufacturer Fairbanks Morse said it has been awarded a six-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The agreement, worth approximately $53 million, enables Fairbanks Morse to maximize and improve engine lifecycle support for the USCG’s 270-foot WMEC Famous Class Cutters.As part of the USCG 270-foot WMEC Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), Fairbanks Morse was awarded this contract to provide services, personnel, facilities…

NOAA’s effort to recapitalize its aging fleet of research ships took a major step forward today with the U.S. Navy’s award of a $178,082,877 contract to Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors LLC, Houma, La., for the detailed design and construction of two new oceanographic ships.NOAA is acquiring the vessels through an agreement with the Naval Sea Systems Command, a leader in building, providing and procuring large research ships for the nation's research fleet.The first ship, to be named Oceanographer, will be homeported in Honolulu.

Earlier this year, The U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a new advisory to provide those engaged or involved in trade in the maritime industry with further information and tools to counter illicit shipping and sanctions evasion.The advisory is representative of the U.S. Government’s increasingly detailed efforts towards addressing these issues, as illustrated by OFAC’s recent sanctions actions which show a trend of incremental but clear extension of oversight.

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Finnish software firm CADMATIC signed a technical cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of next-generation design systems.Through the MOU signed in April, the two companies will carry out cooperation while maintaining the technology partnership to develop next-generation design systems that will be applied to the latest technologies, such as AI, Big Data analysis, advanced modeling and drawing automation.

The Sally Ride, a Neil Armstrong Class Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (AGOR) vessel, dry docked at Bay Ship and Yacht on April 15, 2017, to carry out modifications to superstructure and to perform general vessel maintenance. Named for the late astronaut Sally Ride, the ship is 238 feet long and incorporates the latest technologies, including high-efficiency diesel engines, emissions controls for stack gases, and new information technology tools both for monitoring shipboard systems and for communicating with the world.

The U.S. Navy's new Auxiliary General Purpose Oceanographic Research Vessel (AGOR), R/V Sally Ride (AGOR 28), has completed builder's trials, February 21, off the coast of Anacortes, Wash. Builder's trials for Sally Ride tested various shipboard systems and ensured readiness prior to conducting acceptance trials with the U.S. Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey. The propulsion system, mission-over-the-side handling equipment, anchor handling system and work/rescue boat launch system were among the systems successfully demonstrated.

Regulations Now in Final Stage of Administration Review. The American Waterways Operators, the national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, hailed the Department of Homeland Security’s approval of the U.S. Coast Guard’s rule to establish an inspection regime for towing vessels at 46 CFR Subchapter M. The Subchapter M rule is now under review at the White House Office of Management and Budget, which is the final stage in the Administration review process and typically takes about 90 days. This means the rule, which will take safety in the towing industry to a new and historic level, could be published in the Federal Register by the end of June.

Strategically located Spain, linking countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas, along with a dynamic coast line dotted with number of highly proactive ports have bolstered its progress helping it to become a global leader in the ‘ship’ repairs and conversion. Spearheading the ship design and construction operations in Europe, the sector is witnessing an unusual boom with an annual volume of about €400 million. One can find 13 shipyards competing in this ship repair/conversion market. The smaller ones being able to repair vessels of up to 100 meters in length and the bigger ones – considered to be the biggest shipyards in Europe in terms of docking facilities – have dry docks that service vessels of up to 400 meters.

A three-year EU-funded project, CASCADe, has developed new methodologies in which information is shared and displayed on a ship’s bridge, helping to improve efficiency on board and contribute toward the prevention of accidents at sea. Drawing directly from the experience of seafarers, CASCADe has developed a new adaptive bridge design methodology that treats both human agents and electronic equipment as parts of a cooperative system. This allows for the sharing of information to be optimized. In addition, CASCADe has developed a set of adaptive bridge displays.

At SMM in Hamburg, Germany this week, Global Navigation Solutions (GNS), the maritime services group announces the launch of (i) its new free Essentials package, as well as (ii) an upgrade to the Voyager Planning Station dashboard, and (iii) a new bundle purchasing option. With effect from 1 October 2014, GNS customers will be able to use its new Voyager Essentials Package free of charge. This will enable vessels to benefit from GNS’s navigational purchasing and information management tools irrespective of whether they are using chart updating and other added value services on board. Vessel’s using the Voyager Essentials package can…

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus named the 'R/V Sally Ride' to honor the memory of Sally Ride, a scientist, innovator and educator. Ride was the first American woman and the youngest person in space. She later served as director of NASA’s Office of Exploration as well as the California Space Institute at University of California San Diego. “The christening of this ship is not only a celebration of the hard work and dedication of the men and women who have brought this vessel from an idea to a reality, but also of the spirit of exploration and discovery shared by Sally Ride and the United States Navy,” said Mabus. The Neil Armstrong-class…

Practical results from the SUPPORT (Security UPgrade for PORTS) project, coordinated by BMT Group Ltd. and part-funded by the European Commission’s FP7 Security Research Program will be demonstrated to key stakeholders at Stena Line’s ferry terminals starting at Masthuggskajen in the Port of Gothenburg on May 7-8, 2014. Comprising a collaboration of 21 European organizations, SUPPORT integrates legacy port systems with new surveillance and information management systems. It efficiently supports the complexity of a real port environment through a more integrated, holistic approach.

February 22 marked the launch of Neil Armstrong, the first of two Navy oceanographic research vessels to be launched with Siemens Blue multi-drive low voltage system. Neil Armstrong was launched in Anacortes, Washington. Siemens said the use of Siemens Blue improves the vessels reliability due to failsafe features that help the vessel owner lower maintenance costs, increase efficiency and improve operational ease for the vessel and crew. The ship’s advance design decreases fuel consumption, resulting in reduced emission of harmful greenhouse gases. Siemens provided the main generators, main propulsion and thruster motors, switchboards, power management system and automation system for alarm, monitoring and control functions.

NetSuite Inc., provider of cloud-based financials/ERP and omnichannel commerce software suites, announced that Victoria's Port of Portland has gone live with NetSuite. Port of Portland replaced its existiny systems for financial; shipping, accounts payable and receivable; payroll and maintenance, projects and operations, with a single instance of NetSuite for financials, payroll, project management, asset management and shipping. Port of Portland said it was able to improve the efficiencies of its financials and project management capabilities with NetSuite, as well as streamline its ship scheduling process to support its growing customer base of exporters.

While the Integrated Bridge increasingly plays a bigger role in various shipbuilding programs, in many cases the degree of integration can be limited and does not allows a fully functional integration of different navigation systems or further ship systems on the bridge. In tandem there has been an increasing demand for higher level integrated bridge systems, which was reasonably driven by more sophisticated and safety-sensitive vessels such as cruise ships, specialized vessels and few oil tankers.

Almost 80% of collisions and groundings occur due to a failure of bridge systems and their usage. A new three-year European research project, part funded by the EU has been launched to help increase safety onboard vessels. CASCADe, (model-based Cooperative and Adaptive ship-based Context Aware Design) aims to address the lack of symbiosis which exists between current bridge design, operational procedures and the end user. In the maritime environment there is a proliferation of increasingly complex technology. Studies have shown that the use of instruments with a range of different user interfaces or the provision of too much information can lead to errors and a reduction in performance.

The FY 2014 President's Budget Request for the National Ocean Service (NOS) amounts to $529.2M. The National Ocean Service (NOS) observes, measures, assesses and manages coastal, ocean and Great Lakes areas and provides science-based services to inform decision making, thereby positioning America's coastal communities, economies and ecosystems for the future. This budget request represents a critical step toward reestablishing balance across investments in NOAA's missions. By emphasizing science…

Siemens Industry, Inc. (NYSE: SI) wona contract to equip two U.S. Navy Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (AGOR) vessels with its unique diesel electric propulsion solution at Dakota Creek Industries Inc. (DCI), located in Anacortes, Wash. Seattle-based Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering firm Guido Perla & Associates, Inc. (GPA) will design the ships. The total order value is more than $10 million. "Siemens' dedication to supporting Dakota Creek Industries exemplifies…

With Sailors and Marines increasingly relying upon networked data and apps, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) demonstrated to Department of the Navy officials how a new suite of information technology tools could improve fleet operations during experiments Dec. 14 in Dahlgren, Va. "We're trying to take our prototypes and have them work in the actual environment they'll have to operate in aboard a ship," said Wayne Perras, the ONR project officer overseeing the two-week experiment at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren. The technology tools are being tested in a special laboratory containing shipboard combat systems and networks. The…

The Coast Guard’s top officer discussed plans to adopt social-media practices to modernize the Coast Guard and increase the organization’s transparency in a teleconference yesterday with bloggers and online journalists. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad W. Allen spoke about ways the Coast Guard plans to use social-media tools to get the broadest representation of the Coast Guard to the public. “We’re going to be moving from ( Web ) 1.0 to 1.2 to 2.0 to 2.5, and … the challenge and the problem is we shouldn’t take the status quo as an acceptable position,” Allen said. Making the organization more transparent comes at a crucial time, especially during hurricane season, when communication is extremely vital.

With the installation of Warship Automatic Identification System (W-AIS) on HMS Illustrious, the current Fleet Flag Ship of the Royal Navy, Offshore Systems Ltd. meets a major milestone of the first major platform fit of this capability. W-AIS provides the Royal Navy with exciting new capabilities that enhance situational awareness for bridge teams through the overlay of AIS contact data onto Warship Electronic Chart Display Information System (WECDIS), whilst providing the military user with a broad source of information and tools that help to extract military advantage from any AIS message including a comprehensive Recognized Maritime Picture. HMS Illustrious is the twelfth Royal Navy platform to receive this capability.

The 2002 edition of the BIMCO Holiday Calendar has now been released. First published in 1913, the BIMCO Holiday Calendar provides specific information on general holidays in 157 countries. In addition, the publication includes local holidays and working hours in more than 630 ports worldwide. and weekdays working hours are also included in the country-by-country listing. definition". It is indispensable to those negotiating charter parties, planning voyages or computing laytime. BIMCO Members receive one complimentary copy of the BIMCO Holiday Calendar as a part of their membership. Additional copies are available from BIMCO Publications A/S at a cost of $62.00 for BIMCO members and $93.00 for non-members, including airmail postage. improve decision-making and fixture negotiations.

CSX Lines announced today its decision to deploy the Task Assistant™ Quality and Safety package from Ulysses Systems on all 17 vessels and in land-based offices. A detailed review of all major Safety Management Systems (SMS) available to the maritime industry found that Task Assistant was not only the most effective, but could also provide the most significant cost and time savings. "We chose Task Assistant primarily because of its potential to reduce confusion and help focus our crews on the critical, task-specific instructions contained in our Safety Management System," explains Michael Bohlman, Director Marine Services, CSX Lines. CSX Lines currently publish their SMS in pdf format.