Innovation Lab News

BAE Systems announced construction has begun on a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy at its Scotstoun shipyard on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow, as the company bolsters its efforts to develop future talent.Designed to support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices to senior leaders, the Academy will comprise of a Modern Trade Hall and a Flexible Learning Hub. It will also serve to upskill the existing workforce while attracting new talent.A historic industrial building will be retrofitted to become the Modern Trade Hall…

Six giants in the global maritime industry have joined forces to address diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues.The Maritime Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Innovation Lab 2022, launched by Thome Group, Hafnia, Anglo American, RightShip, Rio Tinto, and Wilhelmsen, is an open competition for interested participants (individuals, institutions, companies, students etc.) to submit their ideas on addressing DEI in the maritime industry.Shortlisted teams will participate in the innovation lab to hone their pitches in preparation for a ‘Dragon’s Den’ session with industry leaders.

Ocean Craft Marine, a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) builder and maritime solution provider, will invest more than a quarter billion dollars over the next 10 years to establish the an independent maritime innovation laboratory, the company announced on Wednesday.The goal of the laboratory, called the Accelerator for Innovation in the Maritime Ecosystem (AIME), will be to enable ideation, collaboration, cross-pollination and integration among and between maritime industry peers in order to accelerate industry innovation especially within…

Classification society ABS has awarded Approval in Principle (AIP) to technology in an autonomous tug project from ST Engineering, POSH, and M1 Limited.The Smart Maritime Autonomous Vessel (SMAV) project saw successful sea trials carried out in 2020 and has now received ABS AIP for its autonomous navigation and collision detection and collision avoidance (CDCA) technology.The POSH Harvest harbor tug was retrofitted with autonomous navigation and CDCA functions. These functions…

A tugboat in the busy Port of Singapore has become the first in South Asia to operate under remote joystick control, in a trial demonstrating the increased safety and efficiency of operations utilizing advanced digital solutions already available today.The harbor tug was controlled from a shore command center located at the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Maritime Innovation Lab in April 2021.The 32-meter harbor tugboat Maju 510, which is owned and operated by Keppel O&M’s joint-venture company Keppel Smit Towage…

Abu Dhabi Ports subsidiary Maqta Gateway said that it is to carry out its first testing of international blockchain solution Silsal with a maritime operator in partnership with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, a global leader in shipping and logistics.Silsal provides a seamless and secure link between stakeholders across the trade community using the electronic ledger system.As a major carrier, MSC will provide vital information and feedback on the international pilot project, which will test the capabilities of the technology to exchange, identify, and acknowledge cargo documents and certificates between Abu Dhabi Ports and other ports.Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi…

The Port of Rotterdam is pioneering a new technology it says will make the port smarter: a water drone. Ever since the 'insane' plan of Pieter Caland to build the Nieuwe Waterweg, new solutions that make the port of Rotterdam smarter, more efficient, better and more sustainable are thought up constantly. One of the latest developments is the water drone. “Innovation flows through Rotterdam, like the water through the Maas,” a poetic entrepreneur once said. That is definitely true. Not because it is 'nice to have', but because it is a necessary step towards a successful future. Therefore, the Port Authority is fully committed to all possible ways of innovation, says Allard Castelein, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. Allard added: “Innovation cannot be forced.

Wärtsilä launches an innovation contest, Wärtsilä Marine Mastermind, aimed at start-up companies and entrepreneurs, in connection with the start-up event Slush. The purpose of the contest is to find new and unique digital services for the marine industry. The contest is open for existing companies as well as for aspiring entrepreneurs. The winner of the contest will get to further develop the idea together with Wärtsilä's experts and Shift Actions, specialised in agile concept and product development. Wärtsilä is a globally known pioneer in the utilisation of digital technologies in the marine and energy industries. With the innovation contest…

Eco Marine Power’s (EMP) Aquarius Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) System, a wind and solar power solution for ships, has been granted a patent in Japan, paving way for commercial production. The Aquarius MRE System is an integrated system of rigid sails, solar panels, energy storage modules and marine computer platforms that will enable ships to tap into renewable energy by harnessing the power provided by the wind and sun. The rigid sails that will be used by the Aquarius MRE System are based on EMP's EnergySail technology (Patent Pending).

Eco Marine Power is pleased to announce that it has been named as a finalist in two categories of the inaugural Ship Efficiency Awards 2014. The Ship Efficiency Awards 2014, hosted by Lloyd's Register and organised by Fathom, will recognise and celebrate the organisations and individuals within the maritime sector that excel in efficient operations, implement fresh thinking, offer proven efficiency benefits and technological innovation. Eco Marine Power has been short-listed in the Initiative of the Year category for the Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project and the One to Watch category for the Aquarius MRE System Project.

KEI System Ltd (KEI) and Eco Marine Power (EMP) have jointly established the Aquarius Innovation Lab in Osaka, Japan, which includes an indoor test centre plus an outdoor area for evaluating the performance of hardware such as solar panels, rigid sails & wind power devices. The Aquarius Innovation Lab will conduct research & design plus product development activities related to marine renewable energy systems and fuel saving technologies. Ongoing projects include the development of the Aquarius MRE System and EnergySail, both of which are to be tested in the facility.

GE’s Power Conversion business debuted its latest Dynamic Positioning (DP) system at OTC. It is more energy efficient, better integrated and—most importantly—more mariner friendly, GE said. Since they were introduced some 50 years ago, DP systems have become increasingly complex in their configurations and in their operation. Sensors have become more sophisticated, there are more of them and the same level of increased complexity applies to the electrical and propulsion systems.