Subsystems News

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has announced that it is currently developing the Mitsubishi Ammonia Supply and Safety System (MAmmoSS®), an ammonia handling system to support the utilization of ammonia as marine fuel.As part of this development project, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has begun demonstration testing of the Ammonia Gas Abatement System (AGAS), a subsystem of MAmmoSS to safely treat surplus ammonia.Using the AGAS demonstration facility at the Nagasaki District MHI Research & Innovation Center…

Three marine industry partners are working to develop a concept for a high-speed internal combustion engine for ships that can run on green methanol in a CO2-neutral manner.Rolls-Royce, Woodward L’Orange and WTZ Roßlau have been working since the beginning of 2023 on the new joint project “MeOHmare”, which is receiving eight million euros in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection.Dr. Daniel Chatterjee, responsible for technology strategy and sustainability at alliance coordinator Rolls-Royce Power Systems…

Holland Shipyards Group (HSG) and AYK Energy have signed a deal for AYK Energy to make batteries for the zero-emission container ship FPS Waal.AYK Energy founder Chris Kruger said the company was increasing production at its factory in Zhuhai, China, to supply the retrofit project at HSG's shipyard in Werkendam. Under the contract, AYK will supply two high-density DNV-approved Aries 88 lithium batteries to the vessel. Kruger confirmed the 125-watt hour/kilogram (Wh/kg) batteries will be installed on Future Proof Shipping’s FPS Waal…

Shipbuilder VARD has received 4,95 million Norwegian crowns (currently around $2,66 million) from the Norwegian Research Council to research the possibility of digitalized heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These systems will contribute to obtain zero-emissons for Service Operation Vessels at offshore wind farms."The urgent demand for renewable energy production has resulted in many offshore wind projects. To build and operate offshore wind parks in a sustainable way…

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor launched the first in a series of modernized landing craft for the U.S. Army at its  fabrication facility in Vancouver, Wash.The Maneuver Support Vessel (Light), or MSV(L), will replace the Landing Craft Mechanized-8, (LCM-8,) a Vietnam-era watercraft that is unable to transport some of today's equipment due to the weight of modern combat vehicles. Designed with increased payload capability, increased speed and maneuverability, and improved draft, the MSV(L) will improve the speed and effectiveness of the Army’s dynamic force repositioning in inter-coastal areas…

Rarely does a vessel come along with the potential to radically change the way an industry operates, but one such vessel is set to hit the water in 2023.This new vessel, a towboat named Hydrogen One, is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the largest lessor of marine equipment in the U.S. It will be the first of its kind globally to run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology—no diesel propulsion on board—as the maritime industry continues…

As a rudderless U.S. Navy debates maritime strategy, fleet futures and platform performance, America’s naval shipbuilding industry can look forward to another year of relative stasis.Barring a major geopolitical incident or unexpected maritime provocation, government shipbuilding isn’t going to change course. With Admiral Michael Gilday approaching the final “lame duck” year of his four-year term as Chief of Naval Operations and the 2024 election season looming, the prospect for major changes in the Navy’s demand signal seems limited.Aside from the U.S.

North Vancouver, B.C. shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards on Tuesday announced it has launched a new facility to develop, integrate, test and demonstrate new digital twin capabilities in an effort to transform how ships are built, constructed and maintained.Modern shipbuilding and through-life support are rapidly evolving with integrated use of digital technology and digital twins. Effective use of digital information is critical for shipbuilders and ship owners/operators and forms the foundation for connected products and services that can result in more efficient…

Volvo Penta has secured a contract to provide quad IPS propulsion systems for the four new offshore wind farm crew transfer vessels (CTVs) that will be built at Blount Boats for American Offshore Services (AOS). The new 30-meter (99-ft.) twin-hull CTVs will be powered by four IPS900 propulsion drives, two in each hull. The fully integrated system will also include Volvo Penta’s GPS-based Dynamic Positioning System and integrated joystick controls, allowing for convenient and easy maneuverability even in conditions of strong currents and high waves.

The United States, Britain and Australia will establish a security partnership for the Indo-Pacific that will involve helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines, senior U.S. officials said on Wednesday, as Chinese influence over the region grows.Under the partnership, to be announced on Wednesday by President Joe Biden, British Prime Minster Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the United States will provide Australia with the technology and capability to deploy nuclear-powered submarines…

Responding to growing demand for new technologies that enable low- and zero-emissions vessel operations, ABB has developed a containerized energy storage system (ESS) that integrates sustainable battery power for existing ships.The complete, plug-in solution allows shipowners to install sustainable marine energy storage at scale, housed in a standard 20-foot high-cube ISO container and ready to integrate with the vessel’s main power distribution system. All batteries, converters…

In the United States, it is a frustrating time to be in the government shipbuilding business. Even though America depends upon maritime commerce and faces growing security risks at sea, shipbuilding is just not a major national focus.Up to now, shipbuilders have had it pretty good. For the past several years, big naval shipbuilders have enjoyed steady growth and strong performance. In 2020, Huntington Ingalls Industries enjoyed record revenue of $9.4 billion, an 8.5% margin and gave a quarter billion back to shareholders in dividends and stock buybacks.

Harnessing the power of the tides is not for the squeamish, with the roster of trials and failures long and distinguished. Jason Hayman and his Sustainable Marine Energy crew are putting their tech to the test in one of the harshest spots on the planet, the Bay of Fundy, as his discussed with Marine Technology TV.Jason, to start, how did you come to a career in the offshore renewable energy field?I suppose my interest got piqued back in about 2003. I went to a lecture at the University of Newcastle and they had a wave energy crowd there and a tidal energy developer.

ABB said it has secured a contract with Haemin Heavy Industries shipyard to provide a complete power and propulsion solution for Busan Port Authority’s first all-electric passenger ferry.Due for delivery in 2022, the new ferry represents the first commitment by South Korean authorities to a plan which will see 140 state-owned conventionally powered vessels replaced with those operating on cleaner alternatives by 2030, in line with South Korea’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.As the first system integrator chosen to support this initiative…

Two Canadian firms are partnering to develop and commercialize 3D digital twin capabilities with hopes of making Canada more globally competitive, driving export opportunities and creating jobs in the marine sector.The the $3 million-plus Digital Ship In-Service Support Project comes from Canada’s Ocean Supercluster’s (OSC) Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program. Led by British Columbia-based Seaspan Shipyards together with partner and Newfoundland and Labrador-based, Genoa Design International…

Press coverage of early commercial marine autonomy projects is remarkably broad given the small number of marine industry professionals engaged in bringing these projects to market. The much larger assembly of industry stakeholders are left wondering what marine autonomy means for them. Regulatory, cost, and technical challenges stand in the way of fielding today’s autonomy technologies for most existing fleets and vessel missions. Autonomy is coming whether you’re prepared or not.

MARIN and Royal IHC completed the dynamic positioning (DP) assessment tests for the autonomous-enabled T60-18 service operation vessel (SOV) at MARIN’s basins in Wageningen, The Netherlands.For the project, which is part-funded by a subsidy from TKI Wind Op Zee, shipbuilder IHC has developed technology that will allow one of its SOVs to navigate safely through an offshore wind farm and provide access to the turbines. The operations will be executed by the vessel’s autonomous software while under the supervision of the duty officer at the wheelhouse.Following the powering and seakeeping tests…

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies will act as a technology partner in the Pa-X-ell2 project. The goal is to develop a new generation of fuel cells for use on seagoing vessels. For the future project on sustainable, CO2-free mobility at sea, the largest shipyard for the construction of cruise ships – Meyer Werft in Papenburg – and the global technology specialist Freudenberg Sealing Technologies intend to equip future generations of cruise ships with fuel cell propulsion. Besides Meyer Werft…

The technology group Wärtsilä has successfully completed the installation and operational staff training for its Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) solution in the ports of Lisbon and Setúbal / Sesimbra in Portugal.The systems will increase the efficiency of these ports by reducing waiting time for vessels and allowing just-in-time pilotage. The state-of-the-art solution has been developed and supplied by Transas, a Wärtsilä company. The project was booked in July 2018 and completed in January 2019.The complex project comprised…

ABS has announced it has issued the managed pressure drilling notation ABS MPD to Seadrill for the ABS-classed West Capricorn, a 6th generation ultra-deep water semi-submersible operating in the Gulf of Mexico.This notation demonstrates system compliance with the ABS Guide for Classification and Certification of Managed Pressure Drilling Systems (MPD Guide).Seadrill’s West Capricorn is the first Column Stabilized Drilling Unit to receive the ABS MPD notation complete with the Maltese Cross, which denotes survey attendance throughout the process, from vendor fabrication to on-board installation.“As the industry drills in more complex…

The Carbon Trust's Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA)  issued a Request for Information (RFI)  on the potential to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in offshore vessels. OWA plans to start a new industry competition next month.The RFI is the first stage in the competition that will have an estimated funding envelope of circa GBP 400,000.The results from the RFI will help gauge the current interest and development levels, and assist efforts to tailor the competition to best suit industry needs.The initial focus will be on systems, subsystems and technology that support the operation of Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV), however the industry’s…

CorPower and Sustainable Marine Energy join forces for a wave and tidal developer collaboration to develop and demonstrate generic foundation mooring solution to reduce cost and improve O&M methods.The 35-month UMACK (Universal Mooring, Anchor & Connectivity Kit Demonstration) project will address ocean energy affordability, survivability, reliability and installation through the demonstration of a generic anchor-foundation-mooring-connectivity system which aims to reduce capital and installation costs by up to 50%.UMACK is being funded by Scottish Enterprise and the Swedish Energy Agency with co-funding from the OCEANERA-NET COFUND (via the European Commission under Horizon 2020).UMACK brings together leading wave and tidal energy developers…

The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) located in Alexandria, Virginia is looking for a highly qualified Executive Director.ASNE is a non-profit and the leading professional engineering society for engineers, scientists and allied professionals who conceive, design, develop, test, construct, outfit, operate and maintain complex naval and maritime ships, submarines and aircraft and their associated systems and subsystems.  Society activities provide support for the U.S. Navy; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Marine Corps; U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. Army.”  Please click here for the Executive Director Job Description.  If interested in this position, please send your resume to: [email protected]