Technology Skills News

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards announced it is collaborating with BC Tech to support the association’s Digital Lift program aiming to provide skilled individuals, including those from under-represented groups, with reskilling and hands-on internship experiences.Seaspan said its three-year, $75,000 investment in BC Tech’s Digital Lift program will help grow and diversify the pool of tech talent in BC to meet the rising demand for technology skills across multiple sectors…

Global container terminals are expected to embrace automated decision making powered by artificial intelligence (AI) as they pursue ways to improve operational consistencies and enhance equipment utilization.According to  TechValidate customer survey by Navis, 88% of respondents indicated that automated decision making will be very if not extremely important for the future of innovation at terminals.Further, 83% plan to increase their AI investments over the next one-to-three years, signaling growing confidence in the use of innovative technologies to improve terminal efficiencies and gain competitive advantages, said the survey.Nearly 60 Navis customers participated in the survey…

It is not business as usual in the world where we do business. Things are changing. Even regulations themselves are changing from less prescriptive in nature to more performance-based. As Chairman, President and CEO of a global classification and technology-centric company that operates in 70 countries with 5,000 employees, I am continually assessing the impact of these changes on the capabilities ABS needs to fulfill its mission and maintain its leadership position in the maritime, offshore and government industries it serves. To know where we are heading, we have to know where we began.

Rolls-Royce and VTT Technical Research Center of Finland Ltd have announced a strategic partnership to design, test and validate the first generation of remote and autonomous ships. The new partnership will combine and integrate the two company’s unique expertise to make such vessels a commercial reality. Rolls-Royce is pioneering the development of remote controlled and autonomous ships and believes a remote controlled ship will be in commercial use by the end of the decade. The company is applying technology, skills and experience from across its businesses to this development.

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) introduced a new port security system valued at more than $53 million to safeguard customer cargo, port users, as well as Transnet’s own port assets, staff and contractors. Phumuzi Sigasa, head of TNPA’s Port Security Portfolio added: “In conformance with regulations and our own Integrated Security Management Systems - Security Strategy Plan, we are rolling out an upgraded security system across our eight South African commercial ports and our head office in Johannesburg.

Drydocks World, an international provider of maritime and offshore services to the shipping, oil, gas and energy sectors, completed major repair and refurbishment of National Drilling Company’s (NDC) self-elevated crane vessel Al Ghweifat at its Dubai-based shipyard. The 165 ft x 140 ft x 15 ft self-elevated crane vessel has undergone extensive maintenance related repair and refurbishment. Extensive maintenance performed on the three Truss type 260-feet long legs including the spud can, which would enable the vessel to attain peak performance at 157 feet of water.

The Korean Register – an IACS member classification society – has obtained a patent on its “Smart Fleet” app which was launched earlier this year. This unique and world leading app delivers up-to-the-minute information on vessels, fleets, surveys, audits, port state control and more direct to a smart phone or tablet. Surveyors and others working in the field are now able to access this vital survey and technical information rapidly and without fuss while on the move. Jung Dong-jae, general manager of KR’s information technology team and in charge of developing this application, said: The “Smart Fleet” app is a great tool that is already making efficiency improvements to shipping companies.

MTN Satellite Communications launched MTN Nexus, a next-generation comms network billed as a hybrid that integrates it with new terrestrial wireless technologies as well as sophisticated computing, powerful processing and specialized optimization. Targeting the high volume cruise sector, MR thought an apt time to sit down with CEO Errol Olivier to discuss Nexus and its relevance to communications at sea. We understand you are a maritime satcom industry veteran. Can you give our readers a briefing on your background serving this market?

Decom North Sea (DNS), the offshore oil & gas decommissioning forum, has commissioned research into the future labour and skills requirements for the growing decommissioning sector to try to alleviate predicted skills shortages in future. With more than £1billion a year of decommissioning expenditure forecast for the UK North Sea by 2015 and only 7% of projects completed to date, DNS will make its findings available to training bodies to help ensure appropriately skilled people are available.

The inaugural 2011 OTC Brasil technical conference will present addresses from industry leaders and experts on issues facing the Brazilian and global offshore oil and gas industry. Organized by the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), OTC Brasil will be held October 4-6 in Rio de Janeiro and is expected to attract a large audience. “OTC Brasil will offer a wide range of important topics, with speakers and panelists from Brazilian and international companies presenting their views. Speakers continue to be added for a series of special sessions...in addition to the 200 technical papers from 19 countries that will be presented,” said OTC Brasil Program Committee Co-Chair Ricardo Juiniti Bernardo, OGX Petroleo & Gas.