Specific Equipment News

Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.

Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.

Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled a new ship design based on modern defense and security requirements. The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy, the vessel’s launching customer. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks, including auxiliary roles.Damen has begun construction of the first vessel of this new design.

Zero emission is a nice idea, but who’s going to pay for it? The U.S. EPA is readying big money for zero emission ports.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working on two high-profile port initiatives that it hopes will move the needle in a big way towards U.S. ports’ zero emissions (ZE) operations and clean air goals.The first initiative started last May when EPA published a request for information and comments that would help the Agency develop Guidance it could use to evaluate funding requests for projects for zero-emission vehicles, port equipment and related infrastructure.

A maritime industry safety group is calling for the total reinvention of lifeboats on board cargo vessels amid frequent injuries among seafarers.“Lifeboats are an essential part of crew safety onboard every vessel, but seafarers are way too often getting injured when launching the lifeboat,” the Container Ship Safety Forum e.V. (CSSF) said. “Over the years, many seafarers have been injured – some of them fatally – while launching the lifeboat during evacuations or evacuation drills.

We’ve all been hearing so incredibly much about ChatGPT - its abilities, limitations, potential, promise and risks. So, let’s talk about it as it relates to maritime training.ChatGPT is an application developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text. It uses deep learning algorithms to understand and generate text and can be fine-tuned to specific tasks such as language translation, question answering, and text summarization. It can be used to generate a wide variety of text-based content, including articles, stories, and instructional materials.What does this mean for training content?

With the creation of a full-fledged U.S. offshore wind industry undoubtedly comes many opportunities for those that own, operate, build and service relevant vessels as developers work toward the nation’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030.But for every opportunity there are at least a handful of challenges, many of which have recently been amplified by supply chain volatility, inflation pressures and other unwelcome factors that have spurred cost increases for…

Italian boat builder High Tech Marine (HTM) is constructing a new firefighting and rescue patrol boat for operation in the harbor waters and along the Monaco coastline.Commissioned by the Monaco Government, the vessel will be delivered by September 2022 and enter service immediately, enabling the region’s Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers to provide firefighting and rescue services in the Principality's ports and along a coastal zone which may include the surrounding French territorial…

KVH Industries, Inc. announced that Tile Marine, a marine services company in India and the Middle East, is now a KVH Watch Solution Partner and will offer KVH Watch connectivity to augment its extensive maritime solutions. Tile Marine’s services cover a wide range of electrical, electronic, and mechanical work for shipowners and shipyards including installation, maintenance, and repair of communications equipment, integrated bridge systems, and other critical maritime equipment.“With KVH Watch connectivity…

Offshore lifting hoists and chains solutions provider William Hackett has published an industry report aiming to help minimize the risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE) and Stress Induced Corrosion Cracking (SICC). The report includes guidance on material choices used in topside and subsea lifts.Ben Burgess, Director of William Hackett Lifting Products, said, “There is a real concern across industry regarding the impact of HE and SICC on chains and links used in lift and hoist projects across offshore environments.”Peer-reviewed by a number of organizations and authorities…

SPI Servicios Portuarios Integrados for Mar del Plata port in Argentina has acquired a DOP Dredger component package from Damen Shipyards Group. The Argentinian shipyard will build major components and assemble the dredger. The DOP Dredger 250 will be used to dredge underneath a floating dock, which the shipyards wants to keep operational full-time. The trick is that the dock will remain in place during the dredging activities.The Argentinian ship builder SPI has an extensive yard in the bay of Mar del Plata, located on the South Atlantic Ocean.

Incat Crowther announced the delivery of Shadow Cat HODOR, significant in that it is the first in the Shadow Cat range which for Incat Crowther.Design and naval architecture was by Incat Crowther, project management and technical consultation by Robert Smith of YCTS and construction by Astilleros Armón at their Burela shipyard in Spain.HODOR was customized to carry the specific equipment and supplies to support and enhance the owner’s mothership capabilities, and the design uses engineering of hulls proven in offshore platform service…

Dutch shipbuilder and charter fleet operator Neptune Marine has added a new pontoon to its already extensive fleet. Built by Neptune Marine, the NP 459 is a versatile, multi-purpose pontoon of 82.5 metres in length, a beam of 27 metres and a depth of six metres. Its size and specification make it ideal for a wide range of offshore as well as coastal projects.Among its many potential uses, the NP 459’s technical excellence, stability and high QHSE rating make it perfect for use as an accommodation barge. SPS-classed, air-conditioned accommodation for up to 60 people plus four offices and a mess room is available. This can be upgraded…

Norsafe has carried out extensive research and development in the last few years to develop a new range of robust and safe boats for the Military and Professional market. Using the experience gained from the closed cabin 1200 and S1200 in the Munin range, an open version is now ready for sea trials and will be launched at Seawork International on July 3-5 in Southampton, UK. The latest boat has already been tested by Norsafe’s engineers together with user groups representing the coast guard, maritime police, customs and special forces. The overall feedback has been very positive.

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore has launched the latest addition to its end-to-end and integrated platform of digital tools and services, Approval Explorer, a free web application allowing maritime stakeholders to identify, locate and contact Bureau Veritas approved service suppliers or manufacturers, as well as search for certified products and materials, all around the world.Approval Explorer will support the designer searching for specific equipment; the shipyard looking for the latest certified products…

A series of mishaps at sea has prompted the U.S. Navy to examine the way it conducts business. The accidents shared some similar contributing causes such as fundamental watchstanding and seamanship, and each of these incidents were preventable. The four incidents involved surface combatants in the Seventh Fleet area of responsibility. • On January 31, 2017, the Yokosuka-based Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Antietam, while anchored in high winds, dragged anchor and ran aground in Tokyo Bay. 1,100 gallons of hydraulic fluid spilled into Tokyo Bay.

Raytheon Anschütz has launched its next generation naval navigation and bridge system SYNAPSIS NAVAL. The new technology leverages Raytheon Anschütz’s SYNAPSIS Integrated Navigation System and integrates various military system capabilities including: radar video merging and other tactical radar features, integrated situational awareness, ship self-defense capabilities, military surveillance radars, and cyber security solutions. Andreas Weidner, director of Business Development for Raytheon Anschütz…

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has won comprehensive equipment package contracts for a variety of seven specialist support vessels that will operate in the Middle East region. MacGregor will deliver deck cranes and a range of deck machinery to each vessel. The order is booked into the third quarter 2016 order intake. "These orders are a good demonstration of MacGregor's ability to deliver a one-stop-shop solution, using products from across our range of market-leading brands. All backed-up by good global aftersales and service support," says Esko Karvonen, Head of Smart Ocean Technology division, MacGregor. MacGregor will deliver: a deck crane and deck machinery…

The Society for Gas and Marine Fuel (SGMF) recently interviewed members with Sean Andersen and Tony Haston of Dixon Valve & Coupling, who weighed in on their company, its products, operations and place within the marine fuels industry. Dixon Valve & Coupling - who are you and what do you do? What products/services do you provide? Dixon, founded in 1916, is a premier global manufacturer and supplier of hose couplings, valves, dry disconnects, swivels and other fluid transfer and control products. Dixon provides a wide range of products for numerous industries including petroleum exploration, refining, transportation, chemical processing, food and beverage, steel, fire protection, construction, mining and manufacturing. What does Dixon hope to achieve in the next five years?

ASRY and Babcock have signed a long term support facility agreement to provide ongoing services to the U.K. ASRY (Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard), a shipyard in the Arabian Gulf, has signed a long-term collaborative enabling agreement with U.K. engineering support services company Babcock to undertake maintenance work on U.K. Royal Navy warships in the Gulf. The agreement will cover work from general maintenance to specific projects such as the changing of diesel generators under the Sandown Volvo Generator Program.

Hydrex has an in-house Research & Development department that can take care of the engineering aspects of an operation. In this way turnkey solutions can be offered for complex hull and other repairs that require the construction of specific equipment. All the projects are engineered and carried out in close cooperation with the customer and any third party suppliers. R&D evaluates the feasibility of an underwater repair, continue through design and construction of customized equipment and go all the way through to successful execution of the repair or replacement and subsequent follow-up.

Profitability in shipping goes up and down in waves. 2012 wasn’t too bad, with annual operating costs shrinking by 1.8% on average versus 2011, when average costs rose 2.1%, but 2013 weighed anchor in the losses column for many. And 2014? So far the waters are choppy, with the overall mood up in May but dipping down in the quarter that ended in August, according to Moore Stephen’s quarterly Shipping Confidence Survey. Much of what worries the industry concerns issues over which it has little to no control – oversupply…

Dramatic changes to the global oil and gas landscape over the last decade have led the industry to encounter increasingly challenging and remote environments including emerging yet largely unexplored new provinces and more complex deepwater territories. But true to its industrious and adventurous spirit, the sector is turning these challenges into opportunities and underpinning this shift to new frontiers is adding significant tangible value to the way in which hydrocarbons are recovered.