OCIMF Updates Drug and Alcohol Guidelines
The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has published an updated information paper, Guidelines for the Control of Drugs and Alcohol in the Maritime Industry (2024).The paper aims to provide general guidance and recommendations for the maritime industry (operators of tankers, barges, offshore vessels and terminals associated with the ship-shore interface) in developing and implementing controls for the use of drugs and alcohol.In the guidelines, drug and alcohol use includes the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medicationâŚ
Furuno Unveils TZtouchXL With Risk Visualizer And AI Avoidance Route
Marine electronics manufacturer Furuno introduced the NavNet TZtouchXL series, a suite of Multi Function Displays (MFDs) designed to meet the requirements of workboat operators, including ferries and tugboats.The NavNet TZtouchXL series encompasses three large-sized MFDs: the 16â TZT16X, 22â TZT22X, and 24â TZT24X. These MFDs feature super-wide, all-glass displays with exceptional clarity and brightness. The rugged all-glass design is not only functional but also enhances the durability and functionality of the helm.
Preparing for Change, ABS Enhances the Marine Vessels Rules Book
As maritime faces transcendent changes in regards to decarbonization, digitalization and automation, innovators from inside and outside of the industry will be challenged to deliver new applications and technologies with increased speed and frequency. Sitting at the center of the innovation storm are classification societies, and earlier this year the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) became the first classification society to incorporate goal-based standards throughout major rule sets, enhancing its ability to handle the increasing flow of novel concepts and new technologies.
Orca AI Platform Helped Fleet Cut CO2 Emissions
Maritime technology company Orca AI has calculated that its automated situational awareness platform achieved significant operational gains for clients in 2023, including a 172,716-tonnes reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel savings.The drop was attributed to fewer sharp manoeuvres and speed drops, as well as an overall reduction in the number of potential incidents and collisions avoided.The analysis was carried out on 15 million nautical miles-worth of data collected in open waters by 267 customer vessels â comprising tankersâŚ
Fueltrax Wins Contracts with Southeast Asian Vessel Operators
Fueltrax reports it has won a series of contracts from a group of deep sea and offshore support vessel operators working with a global oil company in Southeast Asia.Of 30 ships that implemented a fuel management system at the urging of their oil company customer to ensure accurate fuel usage transparency and emissions tracking, 28 of them chose the Fueltrax Electronic Fuel Management System (EFMS), the Texas-based company said.The patented Fueltrax EFMS measures direct fuel consumption and transfers on board, enabling vessel operators to reduce operational and fuel costs.
OPINION: Seeing the Ship as a System Changes Everything
Shipping must engage with the decarbonization realities that lie ahead by changing the way it crafts maritime legislation to reflect its place in the interconnected, interdependent world economy, says Eero Lehtovaara, ABB Marine & Ports.ABB Marine & Ports Head of Regulatory & Public Affairs, Eero Lehtovaara has carved out an unusual - and possibly unique - role in the maritime industry over recent years, as a âstakeholderâ simultaneously mindful of the perspectives of owners, seafarersâŚ
Future Ships: Picture Perfect
Big data, advanced computers and AI are allowing vessel designers to prepare models that leave essentially nothing to chance.âLastly, it may be of considerable importance to form from the draught a block model of the vessel from which a still more accurate judgment may be formed of the fitness and beauty of the body. And should any defect be discovered, farther alterations must still be made, till the draught and the model are perfectly approved of. These different alterations and repeated calculations may appear very tediousâŚ
Sea Machines Receives $12 Million in Funding
Boston-based Sea Machines, a developer of autonomous control systems and advanced perception technology for maritime vessels, announced it has secured $12 million from a group of capital investors.The funding round, led by cleantech venture capital specialist Emerald Technology Ventures, was joined by Nabtesco Technology Ventures (NTV), Chevron Technology Ventures, Ingram Industries, RKKVC, Level 2 Ventures and IMC Ventures. This adds to a financing in 2023 led by the Geekdom Fund.The company said the investments will help it to "hone its technological edge and grow its market presence".
Brunvoll DP2 System Passed Sea Trial
The very first Brunvoll BruCon DP2 dynamic positioning system has passed third party verification onboard the offshore vessel Stril Mar.The BruCon DP2 installation was part of a larger power and energy management system upgrade onboard Stril Mar, delivered by SEAM AS. The upgrade and sea trial took place at Westcon Yards AS, in Ølensvåg. Through supplier SEAM AS, Simon Møkster Shipping AS ordered all batteries, a power management system upgrade, a retrofit to Brunvollâs BruCon DP2 systemâŚ
MAN Propulsion Package to Power GTS' Tanker Newbuilds
Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding and Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry in China have ordered four MAN 10L32/44CR main engines in connection with the construction of a quartet of 41,000 dwt oil-and-chemical tankers for Bremen-based German Tanker Shipping (GTS).The construction of the 199-meter Swedish Fartygskonstruktioner AB-designed newbuildings is set to start at Xiamen Shipbuilding with delivery scheduled from mid-2025 onward. The order includes options for an additional two vessels.EachâŚ
HD Hyundai Goes for Accelleronâs Digital Turbocharger Tool for Vessels
Accelleron has signed an agreement with HD Hyundai Marine Solution (HD HMS) that simplifies access to its digital turbocharger optimization solutions for vessels built or serviced by the worldâs biggest shipbuilder, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering.As part of the agreement, Accelleronâs Turbo Insights performance analytics platform will be integrated into HD HMSâs Integrated Smartship System (ISS), with further digital solutions also deliverable through ISS on demand.TheâŚ
NAVTOR Revamps Passage Planning Module
NAVTOR announced a breakthrough revamp of its Passage Planning module. Featured in the latest release of NAVTORâs NavStation planning software (version 6.3), the new module offers expanded automation and auto-calculations, effectively slashing both administration time and the potential for human errors, compliance with the very latest industry standards, enhanced data utilisation, the ability to revise and update plans (rather than creating new ones after voyage deviations/changes)âŚ
The Curious Case of the 1,200 MW Transmission Size âLimitâ in New England
How the Maximum Contingency of 2,200 MW Was Recast to a 1,200 MW CeilingAs policy makers and energy developers look to develop and interconnect large offshore wind projects in the most economically efficient and least environmentally impactful way, an issue has developed. A relatively recent limit, set in place by the grid operator in New England in a planning process document, states that no single system loss of energy, or âcontingencyâ, can be larger than 1,200 megawatts (MW). This 2016 addition to ISO New Englandâs (ISO-NE) Planning Procedure No.
ABB Supplies Charging System for Aucklandâs New Electric Ferries
ABB has secured a contract with Auckland Transport (AT) to deliver the maritime worldâs first megawatt charging system (MCS) to recharge electric ferries using the same interface as trucks and airplanes. Lowering the barrier to entry, the standardized and highly adaptable system is expected to improve electric vessel competitiveness against fossil-fueled counterparts.As part of its Mission Electric initiative, AT has ordered two 200-seat all-electric ferries and two 300-passengerâŚ
New Wave Data Underpins Ship Structural Integrity
The loss of the Stellar Daisy in 2017 was a tragic reminder of the importance of wave data to ship design and operation. The vessel sank in the South Atlantic Ocean, with 22 of 24 crewmembers lost. The structural failure of the vessel was attributed to several factors including material fatigue and the forces imposed on the hull as a result of the weather conditions.Survey requirements for some vessel types have since been tightened, but even before this tragedy, work was underway to evaluate the wave data used to determine ship structural integrity requirements.
Berg Propulsion to Provide Systems Integration for Hybrid Tug
Berg Propulsion has been selected to provide control and propulsion technology for what will be one of the largest hybrid tugs ever delivered, after owner Buksér og Berging AS (BuBe) agreed specifications with Turkeyâs Uzmar Shipyard for its latest newbuild.Berg has been contracted to provide the full electrical power and control package for the Robert Allan-designed Rampage 4100BB-H tug, which will join BuBeâs North Sea operations in December 2024. Supply will include the electric motorsâŚ
Kongsberg Digital Unveils Vessel Performance Merchant Application
Kongsberg Digital has launched an application called Vessel Performance Merchant, to meet the merchant fleet's need for optimised voyage decision-making.The application is designed for the merchant fleet to enhance fuel efficiency and optimise the overall performance of both the vessel and its crew."By collecting and contextualising data from the vessel's onboard sensors, automation systems, and manually reported data through the vessel-to-cloud cloud infrastructure Vessel InsightâŚ
EverClean Launches EverClean IQ
EverCleanâs âAlways Cleanâ hull management service, which is designed to deliver maximum hull performance for commercial vessel owners, announced the launch of EverClean IQ.EverClean IQ provides EverClean customers with insights into their vesselsâ condition below the waterline by harnessing data collected during the cleaning operations. Using multiple sensors and cameras the cutting-edge robot accumulates valuable data on the ships while they are being serviced. The robots also have a system for recording brush pressure feedbackâŚ
Anschütz Delivers Navigation Systems to Multi-Purpose Vessels
Anschütz is delivering advanced, customized integrated bridge systems (IBS) to three multi-purpose vessels for the German Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) built by Abeking & Rasmussen (A&R).The vessels will run exclusively on LNG, with sophisticated systems supporting a wide-ranging mission profile.The IBS consists of six Synapsis NX workstations with chart radar, ECDIS and conning, providing advanced features for precise and safe navigation, while using another ECDIS as a planning station.
Tugdock and Salamander Offshore Wind Team Up to Accelerate Floating Wind Energy Development
UK-based company Tugdock has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Salamander floating offshore wind farm to collaborate on innovation for floating offshore wind energy in Scotland.Tugdock, based in Cornwall, UK, has patented marine buoyancy technology that enables heavy marine structures to be built or assembled and loaded-out in ports with water depth or space restrictions.Salamander Offshore Wind is a joint venture development project between Simply Blue Group, Ørsted and Subsea7, which is developing a floiating wind farm to be located offshore from Peterhead in North-East Scotland.
US Navy-owned FLIP Research Platform Retired from Service
A dynamic era in naval oceanography recently ended as the iconic Floating Instrument Platform â popularly known as FLIP â was officially retired from service.Built in 1962 with funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), FLIP helped generations of scientists and oceanographers better understand the mysteries of the sea, including internal waves, air-sea interaction and long-range sound propagation. Sadly, age and exorbitant life-extension costs resulted in the platform being disestablished.On Aug.
Oceanco Connects Yacht Building with Digitalization
Yacht building and digitalization are strongly interconnected at Oceanco. For the Alblasserdam-based company it is even a precondition to continue to perform at top level."Our ambition is to build the ownerâs perfect yacht and realize all their wishes, no matter how complex they may be. During the entire term of a project - from contract to delivery - the owner can still propose changes. To make that possible, you need an advanced system that helps with these processes," said Hans BinkâŚ
SCHOTTEL to Propel Orca Class Heavy-lift Vessels
The new Orca Class heavy-lift vessels being built at China's Wuhu Shipyard for the Jumbo-SAL-Alliance will be propelled by SCHOTTEL ControllablePropellers (SCP).The four-bladed controllable pitch propellers type SCP 129 will feature an input power of up to 8,810 kW and a propeller diameter of six meters.Jumbo-SAL-Alliance is a commercial joint venture between German shipping company SAL Heavy Lift and Netherlands-based Jumbo Shipping. Their new Orca Class, which includes four firm and two optional vesselsâŚ