Software Engineers News

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…

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance to help state and local jurisdictions and the private sector identify and manage their essential workforce while responding to COVID-19.The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) helped the federal government develop this first-of-a-kind guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.“This is why Government Coordinating Councils and Sector Coordinating Councils are so important.

With a goal of creating more artificial intelligence (AI) led solutions for the oil and gas sector, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC)  has signed a deal with compatriot technology company Group 42 (G42) to create a new joint venture.The JV will be tasked with developing and commercializing market-leading AI products for the energy sector.The agreement was signed at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) by Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Director, Executive Office Directorate, ADNOC, and Peng Xiao, CEO of G42. The signing of the agreement was witnessed by His Excellency Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO.Dr Al Jaber said: “As we prepare for the opportunities and challenges the 4th industrial age will present…

Navis, the provider of maritime software solutions for cargo and vessel performance and compliance,  announced that its MACS3 loading computer will be installed on two newbuilding series of container vessels owned and operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine Corporation.Navis, a part of Cargotec Corporation, said that due to the owner’s decision to have this loading computer installed, they are moving to support safer and more effective onboard cargo handling.The newbuildings are currently being built at two different Chinese shipyards. The Jiangnan shipyard is currently building four container ships with a capacity of 2,500 TEU, which will be delivered between February and November 2020.Two other 1…

Initial reports show that the towing industry is adjusting well to the new normal on inland rivers. In fact, it is business as usual for most.July 20, 2018 was a critical date for tow boat operators. That was the deadline for all U.S.-flag towing vessels – over 26 feet, or less if used to assist with transport of oil or hazardous materials – to be in compliance with Subchapter M, the U.S. Coast Guard’s towing vessel safety regulations. It’s been a long time coming. As a regulatory program…

When the owners of Norwegian oil firm Aker BP decided to digitise its assets and operations, they searched high and low for the right software company. But they failed to find a suitable one.So instead they set up their own, Cognite, to create digital maps of Aker BP's oil industry assets, integrating data from equipment such as pumps, heat and pressure sensors, maintenance records and even staff rotas to improve efficiency and safety.Less than two years later, Cognite is selling its software to Aker BP's rivals and one competitor, Sweden's Lundin Petroleum, has even agreed to share its real-time oilfield data with Aker in what they say is an industry first."This will be the first time two different operators…

Shipping technology startup CargoMate has closed a GBP 500,000 seed investment round. The investment allows the company to continue the development of their port call optimisation platform for container ships and expand the number of shipping companies they work with. CargoMate, who have been piloting their technology with a major ship operator since December 2017, reduce turnaround time for container ships in port by providing real-time port productivity analytics to vessels and fleet management departments. The CargoMate platform gives vessel operators full visibility of cargo operations and predicts the earliest time a ship can leave port. Because it is deployed to the ship, it doesn’t rely on any terminal infrastructure so works in every port worldwide.

The technology group Wärtsilä announces that its acquisition of Transas, a global company headquartered in the U.K., has now been finalized. Control of the company will be transferred to Wärtsilä effective from 4 May, 2018. The acquisition, which was announced in March 2018, has a transaction value of MEUR 210 (enterprise value). Transas is a global market leader in marine navigation solutions that include complete bridge systems, digital products and electronic charts. It is also a leader in professional training and simulation services, as well as ship traffic control systems. In acquiring Transas, Wärtsilä takes a big step forward in achieving its mission of enabling sustainable societies with smart technology.

Swiss Climate EcoCare is the first native German Company to enter a strategic agreement with the Liberian Registry with regards to the emissions guidelines, referring to EU-MRV and IMO DCS. Swiss Climate is a longtime expert in emission related topics. For more than 10 years, Swiss Climate has provided consultancy services to companies and organisations in setting up holistic climate strategies and sustainability concepts. In 2010, the company established its first so called “carbon footprint” for a cargo vessel. Based on ISO 14064 and greenhouse gas protocol, it was already fulfilling the EU and Global-MRV regulation requirements at that time.

Perhaps one the most obscure skill sets in today’s rapidly emerging workboat landscape is also arguably its most important. Kongsberg today remains at the cutting edge of DP training and credentialing efforts. Not lost in last month’s Offshore Service Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA) announcement that Kongsberg Maritime’s Houston training center had been accredited to conduct OSVDPA dynamic positioning operator (DPO) training courses and assessments was the fact that Kongsberg has been offering DP training for many years. This wasn’t Kongsberg first DP training accreditation and probably won’t be its last. But, Kongsberg…

Classification services provider to the global marine and offshore industries ABS has expanded its captive delivery center in Pune, India with a move to the new Tech Park One location in order to accommodate the addition of professional software developers who will expedite product development. According to Anindya Talukdar, ABS Managing Director in Pune, ABS has built a knowledge base and leadership in Pune, where software engineers not only code and support earlier versions of the software, but are developing web and mobile versions of NS Enterprise using newer tools and technologies. “We are excited about our local growth and the opportunity to recruit top technology personnel to support our innovation…

Make no mistake, the commercial maritime industry will always revolve around heavy duty machinery and mega-machines designed to weather some of the toughest operating conditions on earth. But in recent years a proliferation of Software Solutions has evolved to help the machines operate more efficiently and cost effectively. MR editors report on latest developments in maritime specific Software Solutions. Kværner Verdal AS selected AVEVA Bocad Steel and AVEVA Bocad Offshore for use at its design and fabrication yard in Verdal…

Users of the Voyager Planning Station, developed by Global Navigation Solutions, the maritime services group, can now plot their route directly onto the official ENCs on board their vessel. Visitors to this year’s Marintec China exhibition will have the opportunity to see a demonstration of this new feature. Providing a single all inclusive back of bridge solution, Voyager Planning Station enables the navigator to passage plan using live data. A route can be plotted directly onto Voyager’s enhanced ENC display…

Singapore's Terra Weather say that Offshore planners and asset managers will now be able to plan critical offshore activities with greater confidence and accuracy, by taking advantage of a first ever cloud-based weather planning tool that allows users to get real-time, instant weather information any time, anywhere. An internet connectio is all that's needed. TerraWaves is a global online weather service that uses advanced multi-modeling statistical tools to provide time-critical weather information to businesses operating in the offshore industry…

EFC Group, a leading designer and manufacturer of instrumentation, monitoring, handling and control systems for the global oil and gas industry, has announced plans to recruit up to 50 people in the Highlands as part of its rapid expansion in the area. The recruitment drive follows an acceleration of EFC’s growth strategy in Forres, with the launch of a second base in Enterprise Park in May this year representing a £100,000 investment by the firm. A satellite office was previously opened in the same business park in September 2012.

EFC Group, a designer and manufacturer of instrumentation, monitoring, handling and control systems for the global oil and gas industry, announced the launch of a new manufacturing plant in Moray. The base in Enterprise Park, Forres marks the Group’s second phase of expansion in the area and a £100,000 investment. This follows the opening of a new satellite office in the same business park in September 2012. The new 4,000-square-foot plant has been opened six months ahead of schedule, demonstrating how EFC Group is driving forward its aggressive growth strategy.

Drew Stephens Leads GIS for Ocean and Coastal Environments Industry. Esri has hired Drew Stephens to expand the market for GIS within the ocean industry. Esri, the world leader in GIS, has accelerated the development of its ocean technologies via the Esri Ocean GIS Initiative. As Esri's industry manager for ocean and coastal environments, Stephens will play a key role in this effort through his diverse background and GIS experience. "Stephens has worked with Esri for many years promoting the use of GIS to design sustainable practices for land and sea," Esri chief scientist Dr.

Drew Stephens to lead Esri's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Ocean and Coastal Environments Industry. Esri has hired Drew Stephens to expand the market for GIS within the ocean industry. Esri, the world leader in GIS, has accelerated the development of its ocean technologies via the Esri Ocean GIS Initiative. As Esri's industry manager for ocean and coastal environments , Stephens will play a key role in this effort through his diverse background and GIS experience. "Stephens has worked with Esri for many years promoting the use of GIS to design sustainable practices for land and sea…

Irving Shipbuilding’s successful C$25 billion bid for the combatant portion of the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) illustrates the strength of Nova Scotia shipbuilding industry. Under the program, Irving Shipbuilding, Inc. (ISI) will build six to eight Arctic/Offshore Patrol Ships and 15 Canadian Surface Combatants for the Department of National Defense (DND) over the next 20-30 years. The NSPS contract is in addition to ISI’s contract to build nine mid-shore patrol vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard…

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) and Virtek Communications AS announced that they have entered into an agreement for KVH to acquire the software company. Virtek specializes in the development and deployment of software known as “middleware” that helps commercial fleets and vessel owners manage the data transmitted to and from their vessels over different satellite communications services, such as KVH’s own mini-VSAT Broadbandsm or Inmarsat FleetBroadband. “Virtek, its talented team of software engineers, and its proven middleware applications are an excellent fit with KVH and our rapidly expanding satellite communication business, most notably in the commercial marine market,” explained Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH’s chief executive officer.

Athens Group, an independent consulting company that specializes in software-related risk mitigation and problem remediation for drilling and rig control systems, announced a 66% increase in year-over-year sales during 2008 and a significant increase in booked business for 2009. New customers included Stena Drilling, Ocean Rig, Eni/Saipem, Total Nigeria, Encana, Anadarko and Nexen Energy. Repeat customers included Transocean, BP, Maersk Drilling, Total, Parker Drilling, Ensco, Repsol and Hydril. This customer activity indicates a strong understanding of the benefits of Drilling Technology AssuranceSM Services (DTA). “Drilling contractors and operators are too often forced to take rigs before they are really ready,” said Mike Haney, CEO at Athens Group.