Manufacturers News

China and Europe face a "slow motion train accident" as a rising tide of protectionism threatens to become a full trade war, the head of a European business lobby group warned on Wednesday, a day after Germany's chancellor conveyed European concerns to Beijing.Jens Eskelund, president of the European Chamber in China, said that while some worries about trade in both countries were legitimate, there was a risk of unproductive decoupling if European and Chinese leaders did not increase…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has signed a multi-year contract with a leading global player in the premium car segment, valued at more than $1 billion.Spanning three years, the contract covers both shipping and logistics services, as well as the use of biofuel.The contract started between January and April 2024 with rates in line with current market levels, and also entails a mutual two-year extension option. “We see manufacturers shifting priorities and increasingly looking for solutions which provide predictability in their supply chains.

Survival technology solutions provider Survitec reports it has become one of the first maritime safety companies to achieve ISO 23678:2022 1-4 certification.The standard was introduced in 2022 to establish the uniform and consistent training of personnel involved in lifeboat inspection, taking into account the mandatory requirements of resolution MSC.402(96).Achieving ISO 23678 certification was also a key factor in Survitec receiving renewed approval for the maintenance, inspection…

More than 700 experts from all over the world attended over 200 presentations given during the CIMAC Congress in 2023. Now, the call for papers for the CIMAC Congress 2025 to take place from May 19-23, 2025, in Zurich has been launched. The organizers of this 31st CIMAC World Congress invite everyone to submit proposals in the fields of power, drives, and propulsion technology.The topic streams are “digitalization”, “towards net zero”, “engine optimization & retrofits”, “basic research and advanced engineering” and “operators perspective”. “For the 2023 congress, we received almost 800 abstracts”, said Jonas Åkermann, one of the two Vice-Presidents Technical Program, “and for 2025, we expect a similarly high number. About 200 will be approved for full presentations.

The Mongla Port Authority in Bangladesh has taken delivery of its new tug, M.T. Joymoni.The newbuild is a RAmparts 3200-CL designed by Canada's Robert Allan Ltd. and built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards, in China.The RAmparts 3200-CL was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. in 2008 exclusively for Cheoy Lee Shipyards, with the first tug, Ocean Pioneer, delivered to Ocean Sparkle in India in 2011. Based on the RAmparts series, the hull form was developed to provide a high performance, multi-function tug in a shallow draft configuration, with bollard pull of up to 85 tonnes, the designer said.M.T.

Iridium Communications has announced Cosco Shipping (CSSC), the world's largest fleet of commercial vessels with 1,417 ships, has begun installation of Iridium® Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) terminals.The recent installation of the Lars Thrane LT-3100S terminal on the Cosco Tengfei is a testament to CSSC always prioritizing the safety of its crew, ships, and cargo, says Iridium.The Cosco Tengfei is a modern pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessel capable of transporting up to 5,000 vehicles.

Norwegian oil companies resumed helicopter flights to offshore oil and gas fields on Friday following Wednesday's deadly crash off the country's west coast, operator Equinor and airports said on Friday.On Thursday helicopter traffic was halted to oil and gas platforms following the crash in which one person died and five were injured. Norway said it was considering grounding Sikorsky's S-92A aircraft model while investigating the accident."Based on dialogue with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)…

The American Bureau of Shipping dominates the global market in the classification of Floating Production. Offshore Engineer recently sat with Matt Tremblay, ABS’ Vice President of Global Offshore Markets, at American Bureau of Shipping HQ in Houston for his insights on market drivers and technical trends in this dynamic market.Matt, big picture, how do you see the Floating Production market developing in the coming years?At a macro level, I think we're going to be supply limited over the next five years.

Attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea have delayed cargo and sent shipping costs higher, but soft demand and ample ship availability are muting the impact on inflation, analysts from Moody's Investor Service said on Thursday.Ships carrying everything from furniture and apparel to food and fuel are being diverted away from the nearby Suez Canal trade shortcut to the longer and more expensive route around Africa. Rerouting takes vessels and crew out of danger from drone and…

DESMI has secured third-party validation for the effectiveness of its aquaculture UV treatment systems from DNV.This development moves beyond the traditional certification provided by the Norwegian Veterinarian Institute (NVI) which verifies UV doses of at least 25 mJ/cm2. With many aquaculture operations requiring higher UV doses, typically ranging from 70 to 200 mJ/cm2, DESMI says its validation from DNV provides a much-needed layer of credibility and assurance.Historically…

The first electric tugs of the SAAM Towage's fleet, built by SANMAR Shipyards, have reached the Port of Vancouver in Canada. The vessels are named Saam Volta and Chief Dan George."We continue to make progress on this milestone for SAAM Towage, which is part of our strategy to drive innovation and development for increasingly sustainable operations. These tugs, which are the result our alliance with Teck and Neptune Terminals, show our commitment to seek alternatives in our industry to reduce the carbon footprint and support the fight against global climate change…

In the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, effective training practices are an absolute must. While hands-on, in-the-field learning will always be a vital component of any mariner’s training, marine simulation has become a welcome enhancement to the education process. And in some cases, it’s seen as a safer alternative to traditional survival craft and rescue boat training.A leader in this space is Virtual Marine, based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

President Biden on Wednesday signed an Executive Order aiming to strengthen cybersecurity at U.S. ports amid growing threats to America's vital maritime supply chains.The directive bolsters the Department of Homeland Security’s authority to address maritime cyber threats, including through the creation of new standards to ensure the security of networks and systems throughout the nation’s marine transportation system (MTS), which supports $5.4 trillion in economic activity each year."Most critical infrastructure owners and operators have a list of safety regulations they have to comply with…

The Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonization Hub is collaborating with five leading shipowners as founding members in the establishment of a not-for-profit Athens-based global Maritime Emissions Reduction Center (M-ERC) that will focus on optimizing the efficiency of the existing fleet.The M-ERC is being created with the goal of removing technical, investment and community barriers for the uptake of solutions to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the existing global fleet…

As zero carbon cargo efforts are progressing, it is becoming more apparent that the lowest hanging fruit is in the last few miles. This is where a large amount of carbon is expended in delivering small parcels to stores and consumers’ doors.This is particularly apparent in dense pack cities like New York City, where delivery vans clog streets and water crossings. The NYC Economic Development Commission recently issued a Request For Expression of Interest in waterborne micro cargo delivery.

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 ‘stakeholder’ simultaneously mindful of the perspectives of owners, seafarers…

CMA CGM has lined up several of its existing containerships for conversion to dual-fuel methanol propulsion.The French ocean carrier has signed contracts with China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s (CSC) Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding to carry out the conversions starting from mid-2025. The program will reportedly include one or two 9,300 TEU vessels but could grow to up to 10 ships if successful.CMA CGM joins a growing list of container shipping companies that have moved to convert ships to run on methanol…

On April 16th and 17th, maritime stakeholders from around the globe will converge in the historic Altona Fischauktionshalle for the highly anticipated 3rd Hamburg Maritime Forum. This prestigious event promises two days of insightful discussions, innovative solutions, and collaborative initiatives aimed at shaping the future of the maritime industry.Attendees representing a diverse spectrum of the maritime sector will grace the forum with their presence. Among them are shipowners…

When discussing ship design, the maritime industry has been tossing around a number of new terms and definitions. Sustainability, alternative fuel “ready”, digitization and lifecycle are a few of the terms becoming more commonplace amid the industry’s search for zero emissions solutions. As IMO MEPC 80 meetings push emissions reduction to meet “well to wake” requirements, we will learn much of the challenge is tied to energy and infrastructure ashore. Electrification and the development…

Late last year Japanese maritime leaders – Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), Japan Engine Corporation, IHI Power Systems Co., and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. – signed a series of contracts to buid the world's first ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) equipped with Japan-make engines. The target is a completed ship by November 2026.While the project is significant, hurdles remain, namely:While development work is underway, today there is not yet a dual-fuel ammonia engine on the market…

Italian cargo handling systems company Gas and Heat has signed an agreement with RINA for the development of a cargo and fuel gas system for an ammonia fueled bunker vessel.Gas and Heat will develop the basic design of the system, and RINA will carry out the compliance assessment of the design as part of the wider approval in principle process.The ammonia combustion process has been extensively researched by the leading engine manufacturers and the delivery of ammonia fueled engines to shipbuilding is likely to happen within this year.Giuseppe Zagaria…

For Chinese businessman Han Changming, disruptions to Red Sea freight are threatening the survival of his trading company in the eastern province of Fujian.Han, who exports Chinese-made cars to Africa and imports off-road vehicles from Europe, told Reuters the cost of shipping a container to Europe had surged to roughly $7,000 from $3,000 in December, when Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement escalated attacks on shipping."The disruptions have wiped out our already thin profits…

Automakers Tesla and Geely-owned Volvo Car said they were suspending some production in Europe due to a shortage of components, the first clear sign that attacks on shipping in the Red Sea are hitting manufacturers in the region.The United States and Britain launched a series of strikes on Yemen on Thursday, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia whose attacks on international shipping have disrupted one of the world's most important shipping routes.Container shipping rates jumped…