Technology Concepts News

Volvo Penta has announced that it is to complete a feasibility study together with ABB in Sweden and Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg to evaluate technology concepts that can meet the challenge of providing fast charging of electric vessels.“While all-electric boating remains in its infancy, for this exciting new transport system to be a success and grow, a network of fast charging stations needs to be developed,” says Niklas Thulin, Director Electromobility, Volvo Penta.

The Norwegian aquaculture and fishing industry has joined the green shipping wave with a number of pioneering electric fleet initiatives. In 2015, the Norwegian maritime industry launched the DNV GL-led public private initiative, the Green Coastal Shipping Program. The idea was to encourage research and development of green technology concepts in the country’s shipping sector. Together with 25 partners from the Norwegian maritime industry and authorities, they presented five pilot projects, mostly within oil and gas and cargo transport. However, one of the pilots targets the aquaculture segment with an environmentally friendly fish farm support vessel.

KONGSBERG said it has signed a Research & Innovation (R&I) contract with technology acceleration organization PILOT-E for the development of zero emission, full-electric, autonomous ferry concepts. The overall vision for the PILOT-E Autonomous Ferry concept is to develop a state-of-the-art ferry as an integrated, zero emission aspect of a total national transportation plan. The PILOT-E program, a collaboration between the Norwegian Research Council, Innovasjon Norge and Enova…

Dometic has appointed 18-year company veteran Paul Hickinbotham as its Product Manager EMEA Marine. In this newly created role, Hickinbotham is tasked with helping to drive product innovation and customer responsiveness by channeling the latest consumer feedback and market intelligence for each specific region in both the OEM and after-market sectors through to Dometic’s product development and sales teams. Previously EMEA Director - Sales and Administrations & Commercial Division at Dometic, Hickinbotham will lead a dedicated team from his U.K.

Five pilot projects have been cohsen to be pursued as part of Norway’s Green Coastal Shipping Program aiming to encourage research and implementation of green technology concepts in the country’s shipping sector. The pilot projects, presented by DNV GL and 25 partners from the Norwegian maritime industry and the Norwegian authorities, include several different ship types, and infrastructure with an emphasis on alternative fuel concepts. "When we launched the Green Coastal Shipping Program, we said we wanted to make Norway a world showcase for green coastal shipping.

SMM was another full success. With more than 2,100 exhibitors from all around the world, including 150 first-timers, with 50,000 industry visitors and roughly 90,000 square metres of exhibition space, SMM has demonstrated once again what it means to be the leading international trade fair of the maritime industry. After four days brimming with activity, the 26th SMM came to a close today. "We set new records this year," said Bernd Aufderheide, CEO and President of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. "The excellent turnout not only showed that companies are ready to meet the current challenges with determination, but it also revealed a growing appreciation for collaboration," he added.

Imtech Marine’s Venteville supplies new, environment friendly ballast water treatment system SiCure. Venteville, part of Imtech Marine, supplies systems for ballast water treatment and is agent for the new SiCure® system developed by Siemens Water Technologies. This is an environmentally friendly solution to prevent harmful foreign organisms from entering national waters via ballast water of ships. This ties in with the Ballast Water Treaty, which (in a phased manner and by 2016 at the latest) requires ships to have a system to purify water of harmful organisms.

Tognum is conducting research on diesel and gas engines of the future at its `SKL Motor´ subsidiary in Magdeburg. Saxony-Anhalt‘s Minister-President Dr. Reiner Haseloff presided over a symbolic ceremony at which four new single-cylinder test stands went into operation. The facilities will be used by the company’s specialists to develop new combustion processes, fuels and combustion chamber geometries for the development of engines at the Friedrichshafen location of the Tognum brand MTU.

In recent years the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) business has rapidly grown and is now at the forefront of offshore industry focus. The second edition of this major report, by energy analysts Douglas-Westwood, brings together in one document a clear review of the current and future prospects, technology concepts and markets forecasts for expenditure in the FLNG sector. The report addresses both the floating regasification and the floating liquefaction vessel markets and quantifies the size of the opportunity in volume and value. The business is poised for substantial growth, particularly within the liquefaction sector, and is forecast to be worth $7.4b by 2016. The IEA forecasts annual growth in natural gas supply will average 1.6% from 2006 to 2030.

The Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) business is now rapidly developing into a sector of major significance and will be worth $8.5b by 2015, according to a new study published by energy business analysts Douglas-Westwood. The World FLNG Market Report 2009-2015 considers the market for both floating liquefaction and regasification and identifies the desire to monetize stranded gas deposits. Escalating construction costs and high local opposition to onshore LNG facilities coupled with geopolitical issues are the key drivers of the sector at present. Announcing the new study at the recent Global Floating Production Systems Conference…