Technology Platforms News

Mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat confirmed commercial service introduction (CSI) of its newest, most powerful geostationary satellite to date. GX5 is the 14th satellite currently in service with Inmarsat and provides additional capacity to Europe and the Middle East on the Fleet Xpress (GX) Ka-band high-speed satellite broadband service designed for the maritime industry.The satellite, launched in November 2019, delivers approximately double the combined capacity of the entire existing GX fleet (GX1-GX4).

Simwave B.V. and Kongsberg Digital have completed the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of one of the largest, most advanced maritime simulation suites ever delivered. The SAT, which took place January 19, means that the new Simwave Maritime Center of Excellence in Barendrecht, Rotterdam is now fully operational. As the sole simulation technology partner in the development of the unique Simwave facility, Kongsberg Digital delivered the full scope of work in accordance with the contract awarded in April 2017, which represented one of its most extensive deliveries to date.

The Prime Minister of India,  Narendra Modi commissioned INS Kalvari (S-21), the first of the six Scorpene class submarines built under Project 75 (Kalvari Class) into the Indian Navy at an impressive ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 14 December 2017. The event marked the formal induction into the Navy of the first of the six submarines being constructed at Mazagon Docks Ltd., in collaboration with the French builder M/s Naval Group. Upon arrival at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, the Prime Minster was received by the Chief of the Naval Staff. The Prime Minster was presented a 100-man Guard of Honour and was introduced to the ship’s officers and other dignitaries present.

To maintain and expand its container fleet, Hapag-Lloyd, a global container line, has purchased 3,700 Star Cool Integrated containers as part of their recent reefer investments from Maersk Container Industry (MCI). Of these, 1,000 Star Cool units will be chilled by the environmentally friendly R513A refrigerant system with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of less than 56 percent of the commonly used R134A refrigerant. Eager to support the market adaptation of more environmentally friendly refrigerants, Hapag-Lloyd is the first carrier to widely deploy the low-GWP R513A refrigerant blend recently introduced by MCI. The R513A charged Star Cool unit is addressing the environmental protection legislation for existing technology platforms introduced with…

When it comes to shipbuilding, the numbers are staggering: hundreds of millions of parts in one aircraft carrier. Billions of dollars proposed for Naval fleet development in the latest NDAA. Hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs in the U.S. alone. A 2015 MARAD report, for example, pegged the total economic impact associate with the industry at 400,000 jobs, $25 billion in labor income, and 37 billion in GDP (based on data from 2013). When the financing, jobs, technological developments and supply chain trade dedicated to shipbuilding around the world are added in…

ABS Chief Operating Officer Tony Nassif shares insights on cyber-related challenges and the role of class at the Connecticut Maritime Association’s annual conference. ABS participated in the 32nd annual CMA Shipping Conference and Exhibition in Stamford, Conn., where ABS Chief Operating Officer Tony Nassif shared his perspective on cyber-related challenges faced by the marine industry. “The main challenge we face is that in our industry not all users of new technology understand the way the software they are using was built…

Barbours Cut Container Terminal (BCT), part of the Port of Houston Authority, has completed its implementation of the Navis N4 terminal operating system (TOS). The go-live is part of a larger effort underway at the Port Authority to update terminal operations to more modern hardware and software technology platforms. The Port of Houston Authority, which operates the Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Bayport Container Terminal, handles about 67 percent of all containerized cargo in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. This represents approximately two million TEUs annually between the two terminals. The Port Authority’s container handling facilities are among the most advanced operations in the nation.

The Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding has positioned the International Register of Shipping (IRS) closer to the higher ranking achievers on its performance list, following the classification society’s success during the 2012-2014 period. IRS achieved a zero excess factor, placing the society just seven places behind IACS member societies on the list of high performing recognized organizations (ROs). In its Annual Report 2014, the Tokyo MoU reported that of the 863 inspections carried out on IRS-classed ships only 1.16% resulted in detentions across the three-year period. The statistics resulted in IRS moving from a 2012 excess factor of 0.25 to zero.

The International Register of Shipping has submitted goal-based new ship construction standards for verification audit by the International Maritime Organisation. IRS is the only Recognized Organisation outside the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to have developed and submitted MSC 296(87)-compliant structural rules for bulk carriers and oil tankers in time to meet the IMO December 2013 deadline. In total, 13 classification societies submitted GBS verification requests. The outcome of the audits will be submitted to the MSC in May 2016 and, if approved, those construction rules will be applied to bulk carriers and oil tankers built on or after July 1, 2016, limiting the survey and certification of these ship types to this group of 13 societies.

GE unveiled today its new GE Marine organization which cumulates several GE businesses and will be led by Tim Schweikert, vice president, GE Marine. The new organization brings together GE’s commercial and technological expertise in the marine sector from gas turbines and diesel engines to motors and generators, variable speed drives and drilling systems to automation and control systems and all the electrical equipment in between. GE Marine combines this with system integration capabilities and a global infrastructure—including training and service facilities.

Broadband Satellite Services Limited (BSS), an investment company based in the North East of England, has completed the acquisition of AND Group & the Satcom Global group of companies. Focused on the satellite communication and telecommunication markets, BSS acquired the two businesses as part of its growth strategy, to expand into all of the key vertical markets within the mobile satellite services sector. The merged group has a geographical footprint covering all of the core markets and revenues of over $100 million. "Combining the network assets of AND Group and Satcom Global fits perfectly within our strategic framework of strengthening our end-to-end solutions capabilities in key areas…

Following the discovery of a potential debris field at Amelia Earhart’s proposed crash site offshore Nikumaroro Island in the Western Pacific, Sonardyne International Ltd is now able to reveal that it’s Ranger 2 USBL tracking system together with a Lodestar GyroUSBL was the acoustic positioning technology of choice for the mission. Provided to Phoenix International, the expedition contractor, Ranger 2 was used to position both the ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) and AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) used in the underwater searches. The U.S.

Acoustic positioning technology from Sonardyne Inc, Houston, was selected to play a key role in a recent expedition aiming to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century. A Bluefin Robotics AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) was equipped with a Sonardyne Ranger 2 underwater target tracking system which was used by The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) to search for the remains of the Lockhead Electra aircraft flown by Amelia Earhart during her failed circumnavigation attempt in 1937.

Orolia announces the acquisition of Boatracs Inc., an information solutions provider for the maritime market. Oriola, a group specialized in positioning, navigation and GPS timing equipment and systems for critical operations has announced the acquisition of Boatracs Inc., a maritime information solutions provider for the commercial marine industry (fishing vessels, dredgers, tugs, barges, training vessels, rescue boats, oil platform service vessels, etc.). The Boatracs acquisition…

The Boatracs acquisition is part of the Orolia group’s strategy to offer more complete business solutions to its customers operating critical infrastructure in remote or harsh environments. These solutions consist of a hardware platform, a communications beacon which allows for wireless data transmission and reception and software which provides a web-based user interface to facilitate effective data communications between ship and shore. Oriola says itsl business model calls for initial hardware sales followed by recurring airtime revenue and SaaS (Software as a Service).