Steering Control News

A fabricated image of characters from the animated television series The Simpsons viewing a collapsed bridge and a large ship has been widely shared on social media with the false suggestion that the show predicted the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.The image shows signs of having been made with AI and an executive producer for the series told Reuters that the image is fake as the show never had an episode where a container ship hits a bridge.The Francis Key Scott bridge…

Anschütz completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) of its Warship Integrated Navigation and Bridge System (WINBS) for the first ship of the new Type 31 Inspiration Class for the UK Royal Navy. Anschütz, as part of the Thales led T31 Missions Systems team, is delivering the first Integrated Bridge and Navigation System for the Babcock Type 31 Arrowhead 140 frigates in the New Year.The FAT was carried out by Anschuetz UK Ltd., who are responsible for the integration, testing and commissioning of the Type 31 WINBS.

Any competition requires skill — but when the stakes are high and seas are rough, the right technology can set contenders apart. On the popular National Geographic reality series "Wicked Tuna" and its spinoff, "Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks," commercial fishing crews compete to reel in elusive bluefin tuna. To brave North Atlantic waters off the coast of Gloucester, where the series is set, and bring in fish that are several hundred pounds, it's critical that captains outfit their…

Anschütz, a brand with more than a century history (since 1905), has a new owner and is part of DMB Dr. Dieter Murmann Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, meaning that Raytheon Anschütz GmbH is to be renamed Anschütz GmbH once the entry in the commercial register has been made.DMB takes over the entire Anschütz Group with its headquarters in Kiel and international subsidiaries in Panama City, Portsmouth (United Kingdom), Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai and Singapore. Anschütz returns to a…

Raytheon Anschütz launched NautoPilot 5000NX, a new autopilot for ships which the company says combines unique algorithms for precise steering performance with a wide range of fuel-saving features. NautoPilot 5000NX displays all navigational information on a 7-inch graphical touchscreen.“Years of experience in the field has shown that autopilots can also help save significantly on fuel,” said Olav Denker, product manager for autopilots and steering control systems at Anschütz.

An electrical generator set (genset) failure and subsequent loss of steering led to the grounding of a towing vessel near Greenville, Miss., the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.The towing vessel Marquette Warrior was pushing 35 loaded dry cargo barges down the Lower Mississippi River on Nov. 21, 2021, when several barges grounded on the riverbank. Four barges were damaged, including a hopper barge with bean cargo that partially sank. None of the nine people on board the Marquette Warrior were injured.

A software flaw combined with the captain’s failure to use back-up controls led to the grounding of a passenger ferry last year in New York City, the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.The high-speed passenger ferry Commodore, owned and operated by Seastreak, was transiting northbound on the East River on June 5, 2021, when the catamaran lost primary steering and speed control to both of its port hull water jets and then grounded. One minor injury was reported among the seven crewmembers and 107 passengers on board.

A vessel’s loss of steering led to an estimated $6 million in damages when it contacted a barge near New Orleans, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday.On July 12, 2021, the bulk carrier Jalma Topic was transiting upriver on the Lower Mississippi River when it lost steering and struck a stationary barge that was being used for office space. No injuries were reported.During the voyage, the rudder became stuck at port 10 degrees. According to the report,…

Like every sector of cargo and passenger shipping, “digitalization”—where computerized processes are replacing onboard routines previously handled manually— is an ongoing trend coastwise, on the waterways and harbors. Regulatory compliance, especially with Subchapter M for towing vessels, has also driven choices of onboard equipment with digital interfaces to software and online platforms for record-keeping and for generating inputs for forms and documents.Improved performance has also shaped the capabilities of equipment in the wheelhouse and the view from the bridge.

The Los Angeles Pilot Service has taken delivery of two new pilot boats equipped with full suites of quality Furuno marine electronics. The 56-foot Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator have been outfitted with complete integrated helm suites designed to assist in their mission of piloting ships in and out of Los Angeles Harbor, the busiest seaport in the western hemisphere. The pair of Camarc-designed boats were built by Vigor Industrial in Vancouver, Wash., and have made their way to their homeport in Los Angeles.The helm suites aboard the Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator feature a Furuno black box NavNet TZtouch2 TZT2BB multi function display connected to both 19” and 24” multi-touch displays, the MU195T and MU245T.

Furuno has acquired Danish company EMRI A/S, founded in 1972 and specializing in autopilots, steering control, joystick dynamic positioning and maneuvering systems.Based in Herlev, a suburb to Copenhagen, EMRI is a provider of steering control systems, autopilots and track control systems. Their autopilots have been well accepted for almost 2 decades, worldwide, and are today in operation onboard 1000+ vessels. Steering control systems have also been a key focus of EMRI’s for many years.

A new 16m uncrewed fire-fighting vessel in Robert Allan Ltd, the RALamander series is designed to attack fires quickly & powerfully in busy ports without risking crews.With high speed capability and pumping capacity rivalling larger fireboats, RALamander 1600 can be brought into action quickly with water and foam to suppress a fire and establish a defensive line while fire crews remain safely outside the danger zone.Like its larger RALamander 2000 cousin, it can be operated from another vessel of opportunity or from a shore-based position. Sophisticated automatic piloting and station-keeping features leave the operator free to focus on fire-fighting.Without crew on board…

Insufficient Training, Inadequate Bridge Operating Procedures, Lack of Operational Oversight Led to Fatal Ship Collision. The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday that the Aug. 21, 2017, collision between the USS John S McCain and the tanker Alnic MC was caused by insufficient training, inadequate bridge operating procedures and a lack of operational oversight.Ten sailors aboard the John S McCain died in the accident and 48 were injured when the ships collided in the Middle Channel passage of the Singapore Strait Traffic Separation Scheme.

In an important milestone in the build of the Antarctic Supply Research Vessel (ASRV) Nuyina for the Australian government’s Antarctic Division, Damen Marine Components (DMC) has completed the supply and installation of a number of critical systems. These had to be fabricated to exceptionally high standards to cope with the ice that the vessel will encounter in the Southern Ocean. DMC, under its Van der Velden Marine Systems brand, is responsible for the detail engineering and manufacturing of the rudder and steering gear system.The rudders in particular are unique.

The sole prime contractor for the entire mid-life refit of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, Naval Group, said it has returned the vessel to the French Navy. The vessel will now start ramping up its systems before returning to its operational cycle.Designed and built by Naval Group and entering service in 2001, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, further to its modernization, has now entered the technological era of the 21st century. This mid-life refit included unprecedented renovations and a density of work that gave the project a level of complexity unseen until now.

Norway has been forced to close the Sture Oil Terminal near Bergen and has started closing down the nearby Kollsness gas-and-condensate terminal — a lifeline of heating gas to Europe — after an early morning collision between a $440-million frigate and an oil tanker.The frigate Helge Ingstad, now listing heavily to its port side, is loaded with torpedoes and weapons systems said to be unstable as a result of the collision. Eight navy personnel are said to be injured, including two flown to regional hospital…

The tanker “Gahraman Asadov”, which belongs to the Transportation fleet of the Azerbaijan Caspian Marine Shipping has been repaired.Within the framework of the renovation, carried out at “Zigh” Ship Repair and Construction Yard, the tanker’s draft and its surface, anchor chains and Kingston boxes were cleaned and dyed. Paddle shafts, steering control, head and auxiliary engines and pumps have been repaired.Furthermore, the control system of the floating vehicle was adjusted. Corps-welding works, piping and electric installation works were conducted.After renovation works, the tanker has been put into operation again.The length of the tanker “Gahraman Asadov” is 125.06…

A variety of U.S. Coast Guard-approved maritime training courses are being offered this spring at the San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training Center on the Maritime Campus in La Porte, Texas. These courses are open for companies looking to update their crews’ training and licensing and for individual mariners. The Center offers a comprehensive professional mariner program and an associate degree in maritime transportation. It is located at 3700 Old Highway 146 in La Porte, Texas. Feb. Feb. Feb. Basic Fire Fighting (BST Pt. Feb. Feb. Feb. First Aid and CPR (BST Pt. Feb. Feb. Feb.

Gulf Island Shipyards, LLC recently delivered the second of a three-vessel new build program for Marquette Transportation Company of Paducah Kentucky. The M/V Loree Eckstein, named after John Eckstein’s wife, was delivered on February 18, 2016 at Gulf Island Shipyards’ Houma (South) yard. This vessel is 180 ft. x 48 ft. x 11.5 ft. and is powered by twin EMD 20-710 G7C Tier 3, low emission diesel engines capable of producing over 10,000 horsepower via Lufkin gearboxes. Pushing the vessel are a pair of ducted, stainless steel, five-bladed propellers 10 ft. in diameter.

The Fairplay fleet in Rotterdam welcomes two new members: The hybrid tractor tugs Fairplay IX and Fairplay XI, each equipped with a SCHOTTEL hybrid propulsion system including two SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers SRP 4000 with hybrid gearboxes, two electric motors and an integrated steering control system, specialized for hybrid propulsion. Tugs are required to fulfill a variety of daily tasks, covering the full power spectrum, from stand by periods to towing operations. The installed hybrid propulsion concept enables the Fairplay tugs to operate with an optimal power output, SCHOTTEL said.

The German navigation system manufacturer Raytheon Anschütz announced new contracts for the delivery of Synapsis Integrated Navigation Systems (INS) to five 14,500TEU Container Vessels built at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co.Ltd. The new vessels will be owned by Shanghai-based COSCO Container Lines Co.Ltd. and are planned to enter operation from September 2016 to December 2017. Raytheon Anschütz has won the contracts through its Shanghai Representative Office. Each ship set will consist of X- and S-band radars and seven Synapsis NX Multifunctional Workstations in various configurations.

L-3 Marine Systems International (L-3 MSI) has been awarded a contract to provide its NACOS Platinum navigation system, including an integrated dynamic positioning system, for the third ship in Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI) Oasis class, built by STX France at its shipyard in Saint-Nazaire. The 362-meter-long, 227,700-gross-ton ship, with a capacity of 6,360 passengers and a crew of 2,100, will be among the world’s largest cruise liners, together with its sister vessels, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas, and is slated for delivery in spring 2016.

L-3 Marine Systems International (L-3 MSI) announced today that it has been awarded a contract to provide a range of navigation, lighting and communication systems for the third ship in Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum class. Built by Meyer Werft at its Papenburg shipyard in northern Germany, the 348-metre-long, 158,000-gross-ton ship is the sister vessel to Quantum of the Seassm, due to be delivered this year, and Anthem of the Seassm, to be launched in 2015, both of which have been similarly outfitted with L-3 equipment. “The three-ship project marks the next step in L-3’s growing support of the world’s premier cruise ship fleets with proven, cutting-edge shipboard system solutions,” said Ulrich Weinreuter, president of L-3 Marine Systems International.