Tech Solution News

The MTR100 is a look at the 100 leading companies, technologies and people in the global subsea sector. In the September/October edition, Marine Technology Reporter published the 17th Annual MTR100. Today's spotlight is on Armach Robotics, launched by Greensea Systems Inc.Armach Robotics (Armach) is setting out to revolutionize proactive in-water cleaning of ship hulls by using of small, autonomous robots. Proactive in-water cleaning is the frequent removal of early stage biofouling through gentle means, reducing the problem at its earliest stages.

Belgian offshore installation firm Deme Offshore and Dutch company Barge Master, which specializes in offshore motion compensation systems, have partnered up to further develop a U.S. Jones Act-compliant feeder solution for the upcoming offshore wind projects in the U.S.Last year, DEME Offshore was selected by wind farm developer Vineyard Vind to provide the offshore transport and installation of 62 GE Haliade offshore wind turbines for the Vineyard Wind 1 project, the first large-scale offshore wind installation in the United States.

Subsea technology company Seatools has delivered deep-sea mineral collection equipment for Allseas' Hidden Gem seabed mining ship.Seatools was responsible for the engineering, manufacturing, and qualification of the electronics, instrumentation, and hydraulics for Allseas’ pilot polymetallic nodule collection vehicle. The vehicle will be part of a pilot nodule collection test conducted by Allseas, which is scheduled to take place in 2022 in the Pacific Ocean.Allseas developed…

Yara Birkeland, the world's first electric and self-propelled container ship has set off for its maiden voyage in the Oslo fjord in Norway.No Friday, today, the Norwegian Prime Minister was given a tour by the CEO of Yara, Svein Tore Holsether.Holsether said: "We are proud to be able to showcase the world's first fully electric and self-propelled container ship. It will cut 1,000 tonnes of CO2 and replace 40,000 trips by diesel-powered trucks a year."Friday morning, Holsether welcomed Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy Bjørnar Skjæran on Yara Birkeland…

As the maritime industry faces numerous environmental and efficiency challenges, the future is ship automation and Wärtsilä Voyage is a driver. Sean Fernback, President, and Thomas Pedersen, Director, Automation & Dynamic Positioning, Wärtsilä Voyage discuss the path and the pace with Maritime Reporter TV.Sean, to start, it seems many define “autonomy” differently. How do you define Wärtsilä's smart-autonomy approach?Sean Fernback, President, Wärtsilä VoyageAutonomy is a journey and there is no question that, at some point, various vessels in different classes will be fully autonomous.

A new medical advisory service has been launched to deliver health care services to seafarers, passengers and onsite guests in the maritime industry.OCL Oceanic Catering Ltd, Marine Medical Solutions GmbH and Tritan Software Corporation, in collaboration with Allianz Care, have teamed up to offer SeaMed24, a comprehensive medical advisory service for all types of vessels, from merchant to offshore, leisure and niche expedition cruises.“SeaMed24 has been developed to provide a…

Finnish startup ICEYE launched its global Dark Vessel Detection solution to help governmental maritime security customers monitor their waters for illegal vessel activity.The high-tech solution, which combines synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellite data from ICEYE and automatic identification system (AIS) data from vessels, is used as a source of actionable information for governments monitoring their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), day and night, and even through cloud cover.“Dark…

Wärtsilä will supply its Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) for four bunkering ocean tanker vessels operated by South Korea’s Doorae Shipping. This is the first ever BWMS retrofit contract signed by Wärtsilä in Korea. The order was placed in July by PanStar TechSolution, the main contractor for the project. PanStar TechSolution is a leading Korean engineering and technical company specializing in BWMS and exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) retrofit projects.The equipment is scheduled for delivery commencing in August 2020.

The demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia are plain sailing for MS Viikki, the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier. The solution, built around WE Tech’s variable frequency drive technology WE Drive and The Switch direct drive permanent magnet shaft generator, helps the vessel achieve Ice Class 1A propulsion, while still slashing fuel consumption, costs and emissions. It is a game-changer for ice-class operations.Demanding high standardsESL Shipping is…

GlobalSim has installed a Virtual Reality Crane Simulator Training System at Newport News Shipbuilding. The system provides a high-tech solution for training crane operators without risking personnel or equipment run by novice operators. The VR solution includes laptop computers, a headset and controls – all packaged in travel cases. This order is expected to be one of many simulators as Newport News Shipbuilding works to improve the effectiveness and safety of their crane operations. “Our new Virtual Reality Crane Simulator provides trainees an immersive learning opportunity in a safe environment using challenging interactive scenarios that avoid the cost and risk associated with performing similar training operations on real production cranes.” remarks James Ward…

WE Tech Solutions said it has received an order to deliver its permanent magnet shaft generator solution to two new 18,600 dwt chemical tankers with an option for another two. The tankers are built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Chengxi Shipyard for the Swedish ship owner Ektank AB. WE Tech’s equipment delivery to Hudong Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. will commence in October 2017. WE Tech’s solution is based on variable frequency drive technology (WE Drive) and the direct drive Permanent Magnet Shaft Generator. The solution allows the main engine to run at variable speed while the electrical network is generated by the Shaft Generator. Therefore, there is no need to run the auxiliary engines or generators when sailing.

Norsepower Oy Ltd. in partnership with Maersk Tankers, The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), and Shell Shipping & Maritime, have announced that it will install and trial Flettner rotor sails onboard a Maersk Tankers-owned vessel. The project will be the first installation of wind-powered energy technology on a product tanker vessel, and will provide insights into fuel savings and operational experience. The rotor sails will be fitted during the first half of 2018, before undergoing testing and data analysis at sea until the end of 2019.

Norsepower Oy Ltd., the leading provider of low maintenance, software operated, and data verified auxiliary wind propulsion systems, has been selected to receive €2.6 million in funding to further its research and development of the Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution technology. The new models of the technology will include the world’s largest ever Flettner rotor. Awarded by the European Commission and the Finnish Government’s funding agency for Innovation, Tekes, the funding will be used by Norsepower to optimize its Rotor Sail Solution to deliver greater fuel savings and enhanced ROI.

Norsepower Oy Ltd., the developer of the world’s first renewable energy-powered vessel technology, has received the ‘Innovation of the Year’ accolade at the 2016 Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards’ ceremony, which took place at Electric and Hybrid Marine World Expo in Amsterdam. Now in its third year, the Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards recognizes and honors the world’s finest manufacturers, suppliers, engineers, innovations and products, in electric and hybrid marine propulsion.

Gazprom was announced the winner of the All-Russian Green Development – Evolution Awards 2016 in the Best Green Tech Solution category. The award was presented by competition committee chairman Sergey Donskoy, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation. The Company was awarded for developing and introducing technologies that ensure high energy efficiency and reduce specific greenhouse gas emissions. These technologies include the use of mobile compressor stations without venting gas to the atmosphere from the gas pipeline section under repair. Another gas saving technology is hot tapping, which allows for making a connection to an operating gas pipeline without shutting the system down or venting gas.

Safe water management onboard any ship is a challenge, a challenge magnified exponentially onboard the world’s largest cruise ships with thousands of passengers and crew in close quarters. Just last month it again made global headlines as Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of Seas was forced to cut its 10-day cruise short due to an estimated 700 passengers dropping ill with a with a gastrointestinal illness. Keeping quality water flowing, passengers and crew healthy is a priority for the cruise lines…

The Liberian Registry has launched a unique Internet-based vessel inspection application based on technology developed by the Wallem Group. The Internet-based inspection application will allow inspectors to compile inspection reports during annual safety inspections and will create a historical database of the vessel's condition. This secure database will be confidential to the registry and the relevant shipowner. Owners will however be offered the option of providing the vessel's condition history to Port State Control authorities, underwriters, charterers, and other interested parties. Yoram Cohen, chief executive of LISCR, which manages the Liberian Registry…

Hatteland Display's Naval Multi Display (NMD), has been chosen for the US Navy Freedom Class LCS by Navantia, Spanish military ship building contractor. The Navantia system is an Electro-Optical (E-O) solution for the fire control system of the Freedom Class. It is a high-tech solution that is also selected by the American company Lockheed Martin. "We have worked closely with the Navantia R&D team in southern Spain, which has led to participation in various ship and submarine programs for local and export contracts," said Mehdi Bounoua, Manager Region South Europe, Hatteland Display. The new NMD meets the requirements of MIL-S-901D, Grade A, Class I shock, eliminating the need for shock isolation in the rack or console, as well as Mil-Std-167-1, Mil-Std-461E, and Mil-Std-810F.

A Scottish company has launched onto the global shipping market the first comprehensive software product designed to combat the increasing problem of modern-day piracy at sea. •    The cost of piracy in 2011 is estimated at $7 billion / £4.46 billion (including increased security spend and ransom payments). •    The numbers of hostages and size of individual ransom demands also increased over the same period. Marine MTS, based in Aberdeen, has developed Sentinel, which tracks user vessels remotely. As well as helping the user plot a safe route through problem areas, the software will automatically alert emergency or military services should something unusual happen on board.