Technology Of Working News

Late last year we caught up with Robert Ekse, President, Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), for his take on how the Future Fuels debate is effectively shaping maritime technology development and vessel investment.Most reading these pages know the EBDG name, but can you give us a quick update?Elliott Bay Design Group has been around for a long time, [at first] primarily focused on ferry design and refurbishment. We've branched out over the years in many different directions, including tugs and barges and other workboats.

Volvo Penta on Thursday announced the launch of a new range of variable speed marine generator sets – a key enabler for electric propulsion for marine vessels – as the industry's transformation toward sustainable marine propulsion continues to gain momentum.Now a standard part of the Volvo Penta marine offer, the range of variable speed marine generator sets allows shipyards to install hybrid-electric modular propulsion systems today. According to Volvo Penta, the move toward…

Melding advanced software, intelligence, robotics and navigation, Armach Robotics – a spinoff of Greensea Systems – leads a step change in ship hull cleaning and maintenance with its Robotics as a Service model. Ben Kinnaman, the CEO of Greensea Systems, explains.Ben, to start us off, please give us a background on Armach Robotics? Where did the idea come from and where are we today?Greensea Systems is a software company, well-known for our software platform on ocean robotics. We're also well-known for our unique navigation and autonomy solutions.

At a time when the world has become more aware than ever before about the vital importance of the world’s ocean shipping fleet, which carried supplies, merchandise and much needed personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased risk from a different threat, cyberattacks, presents a set of new challenges. According to Israeli cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome, since February 2020, there has been a 400% increase in attempted hacks on the maritime realm…

British company Windship Technology has unveiled a whole-ship solution to tackle CO2 emissions from ships, launching its emissions-free bulk carrier and tanker designs alongside an investment partnership with classification society DNV.Starting from a clean drawing board, Technical Director Simon Rogers and his design team developed and tested at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton the company’s patented high performance, highly efficient triple-wing rig. The technical team further developed a new diesel electric ship drive system that eliminates CO2…

A group of Swedish technology entrepreneurs and academics joined forces to accelerate the research and development of an AI-based, semi-autonomous system for planning and executing more energy efficient sea voyages.Leading the effort is Lean Marine, aiming to deliver a ground-breaking R&D project to accelerate the tech development, realization, and adoption of AI-powered ship operation support technology by ship crew and management. The Via Kaizen project is funded by the Swedish Transport Administration…

SINGAPORE, March 24 -- From banks of screens and giant phones in the office, energy traders worldwide are adapting to a laptop in the bedroom -- and it's going surprisingly well.Working from home has become the new norm in the oil trading hubs of Singapore, London and New York as governments encourage physical distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus.While some energy companies have long had facilities in place to allow off-site access to trading platforms and other technology…

Wärtsilä is building a new center of research, product development and production, in Vaskiluoto, Vaasa. As of 2020, all of Wärtsilä's functions and personnel in central Vaasa will transfer to the new Smart Technology Hub, along with the logistics and maintenance workshop operations from Runsor.As a part of the project, Wärtsilä will invest 83 million euros in modern testing and production technology for the hub. The total investment in the Smart Technology Hub will be in the region of 200 million euros…

Technology helps maritime companies do more with less. But today, technological advances are outstripping legal developments. As a result, many marine-based businesses operate in a legal limbo with many lawyers and insurance professionals confused about what laws will apply to what claims. While sometimes philosophical, the problem of what law will apply becomes stark and very real when a worker is injured. We live in a golden age of maritime technological development as we learn to use our oceans, lakes, rivers and coastlines in new and unique ways.

Global Maritime Forum, Carbon War Room, the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC), and University College London (UCL) has announced the launch of a Task Force on Decarbonizing Shipping. This industry-led initiative will develop tangible pathways for shipping’s decarbonization through five working groups, each focussed on a key area of the industry. Outcomes of the task force will be presented at the Global Maritime Forum’s inaugural summit in October 2018. The Task Force on Decarbonizing Shipping will bring together leaders and experts from across the maritime industry to develop and mobilize the industry along tangible pathways aligned with ambitious, science-based emission reduction targets.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), a leading global maritime services company, and Babcock International Group, the UK’s leading engineering support services company, are collaborating to develop a ground-breaking Gas Supply Vessel (GSV). The 7,500m³ vessel, which will be used for the LNG fuelling of ships, including ferries, containers, cruise vessels and other shore-based gas consumers in the Baltic Sea, is the first vessel of its kind to utilise Babcock’s market leading FGSV0 technology. BSM and Babcock have developed the patent pending FGSV0 technology to deliver LNG from the GSV into the receiving vessel with zero emissions to the environment during normal operations, greatly minimising environmental impact.

Inmarsat announced that the Global Xpress (GX) and FleetBroadband terminals manufactured by Intellian, are now approved for use with FleetBroadband Xtra. Designed to enable maritime customers to benefit from high-speed broadband connectivity, Fleet Xpress is an-integrated Ka-band and L-band solution that utilizes capacity from the first GX satellite in commercial service, 1-5 F1, and Inmarsat’s existing Inmarsat-4 fleet. A key Inmarsat terminal manufacturing partner, Intellian continues to support Inmarsat’s GX network services. The recently unveiled Intellian 65cm GX60 and 1m GX100 are both approved for use, along with Intellian’s FB250 and FB500 for FleetBroadband Xtra.

General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics is continuing work on an Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) solution for the U.S. Marine Corps. The recently awarded five-month contract extension, valued at $7 million, continues General Dynamics' ongoing work to determine the best option for developing an affordable, survivable and high water speed ACV platform for the Marine Corps. The effort includes flexibility and modularity analysis of the requirements, concept refinement and experimentation planning, which will help the Marine Corps understand the risks and determine the best approach for developing the ACV. The work will be completed by existing employees in Sterling Heights.

As Royal Caribbean designed its new Quantum Class cruise ships, a key initiative was to enhance onboard entertainment and amenities. Consequently, the Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas ships currently under construction include such “firsts at seas” as a 300ft skydiving simulator, a large sports and recreation complex with bumper cars and a roller rink, and virtual balconies with real-time ocean views on all interior staterooms. The signature venue on each ship, however…

DNV GL is relocating its oil and gas head office in Norway from Høvik to Stavanger in order to be even closer to its customers, the company said. Local delivery capacity will be expanded in Stavanger and Bergen and operations will continue in Høvik, Sandefjord, Trondheim and Harstad. DNV GL’s operations in Norway are led by Regional Manager Marianne Hauso. “The oil and gas industry is facing rapid changes, increasing costs and growing public scrutiny on its safety and environmental performance.

Washington ship builder Penn Cove Shellfish (DBA Everest Marine) has chosen Arkansas-based NAMJet to provide propulsion solutions for its newest oyster harvest vessel, Kumo Express. Designed to harvest oysters grown on intertidal longlines in Humboldt Bay, California, the Traktor Jet-powered Kumo Express provides exceptional maneuverability and power in the shallow, windy working conditions common across the Pacific Northwest. Powered by twin 300-horsepower (hp) John Deere engines…

UK based, oil and gas technology company Brinker is celebrating a year of zero failures as its game-changing Platelet barrier technology redefines working practices in the global well integrity market. It is estimated at any one moment, across the world, between 20 and 30% of existing wells do not operate due to integrity issues. Brinker’s Platelet technology enables operators to bring shut-in wells or wells producing under dispensation back online in a matter of hours. More than 30 workover jobs have been carried out in the last year from the Arctic ice cap to the deserts of the Middle East, in temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius to plus 50 degrees Celsius - all completed with a 100% success rate.

Port Everglades Towing in January celebrated its 43rd year of service to Port Everglades and Broward County. The company is a division of Hvide Marine, Inc., which was recently renamed Seabulk International, Inc. Founded on Jan. 23, 1958 by the late Hans Hvide and three partners, Port Everglades Towing began its franchised operation with two tugs. At the time, there were fewer than a thousand ship calls a year (fewer than three a day) at Port Everglades, and the port's annual revenues had just topped $1 million. Today, by comparison, Port Everglades receives nearly 6,000 ship calls a year (about 16 a day); has annual revenues of more than $75 million, and services nearly three million cruise passengers annually.

The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center, headquartered at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California, is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded partnership of organizations concerned with marine science and technology education. The MATE Center coordinates and facilitates the development of educational programs in marine science and technology involving grades 9-16, with an emphasis on community colleges. In the Monterey Bay region, MATE and Monterey Peninsula College have developed a new Marine Science and Technology Associate Degree and Certificate Program that begins this Fall 1999 semester with courses geared to prepare students for careers in marine science and technology.