Technology Works News

Wärtsilä Water & Waste, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has relaunched the STC0-23 sewage treatment plant, part of its series of Super Trident technologies.The relaunch, which comes after a gap of more than 13 years, sees several improvements to STC0-23, including the smallest and most compact design of any Wärtsilä Water & Waste sewage treatment plant. The technology works with both gravity and vacuum waste collection systems and utilizes an activated sludge system to speed…

Norway/Uruguay-based Pesquera Azul’s has successfully trialed an innovative catch protection cage in whale-rich waters in the southern Indian Ocean. The company says it is a potential game-changer for the longline fishing industry as it grapples with the challenge of whale depredation.The steady increase in the whale population in sub-Antarctic fishing grounds is hampering the longline fishing industry, especially for fatty fish species. Whales have learned to snatch, for example…

Garry Noonan, Director, Innovation, Ardmore Shipping is candid in discussing emerging technologies and their impact on ship fuel and emissions reductions. With a fleet of product and chemical tankers under his guise, Noonan gives insights on technologies that he has seen work, as well as his thoughts on the fuel transition, which he believes won’t become mainstream until we’re well into the 2030s.While Cork, Ireland-based Ardmore Shipping, founded in 2010, is relatively new in shipping circles…

Wave energy converter developer Bombora Wave Power (Bombora) has completed tank testing of a floating foundation system suitable for the InSPIRE solution, where Bombora's mWave technology is combined with a wind turbine onto a single floating offshore platform.An adapted version of the semi-submersible INSPIRE platform, developed in partnership with TechnipFMC, underwent tank testing evaluations to confirm the system loads and dynamics at the FloWave test facility at the University of Edinburgh.Head of Loads and Modelling at Bombora…

Joe Hudspeth is the Director of Business Development for Global Marine at BAE Systems in Endicott, N.Y. BAE Systems offers complete, efficient propulsion and auxiliary power systems utilizing electric technology. Hudspeth has been involved with maritime sales, marketing and product development since 2000. He currently serves as a regional co-chairman for the Passenger Vessel Association, is a judge for the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association student design competition, and frequently speaks and writes on maritime and ferry related issues. Hudspeth lives in Bellingham, Wash.

BAE Systems’ HybriGen technology is creating a path to zero emissions.The rise in planet-warming greenhouse gases is driving a need for cleaner transportation on the ground, in the air and on the water. Leaders in the marine industry are taking note, and vessel operators are making the move to green power and propulsion systems.BAE Systems is creating a path to cleaner harbors and waterways with its HybriGen Power and Propulsion system. The system has three configurations to provide operators with options on their way to zero emissions.

The NEXT GEN Shock Mitigation Solutions Workshop has been rescheduled to October 6, 2020. The program and format will remain the same and the majority of attendees have confirmed their availability for the new date at the Grand Harbour hotel, Southampton UK.Workshop Lead, John Haynes said, “Whilst we are living in challenging times, we believe it is still important to make plans for the future. Our focus is on viable innovation and using people’s time effectively. There is no…

UPDATE [April 23]: This event has been rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will be held October 6, 2020. More information is available here.Devices, apps and digital are coming fast at sea. As simple and cost effective technology solutions become available for boats, the NEXT GEN Shock Mitigation Workshop brings decision makers together to highlight the burning issues today and identify viable solutions for the future.Repetitive Shock and Whole Body Vibration (RS & WBV) has kept scientists busy in recent years.

When the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2019, the maritime world enters a bold new era of emission reduction. With its growing fleet of methanol fueled ship and more than 60,000 hours of operating experience under its belt, Waterfront Shipping Company has a five-year headstart.As a general rule, shipowners are remiss to share insights on their operations, lest their competitors catch wind and leverage the same technology and savings. The case of Waterfront Shipping Company Ltd.

Technology group Wärtsilä, and Silverstream Technologies announced the signing of a Licence and Co-operation Agreement for future sales and servicing of the Silverstream System. As an authorized sales and service partner, Wärtsilä intends to fully integrate Silverstream’s air lubrication system within its propulsion solutions.By offering the Silverstream System as an integral part of Wärtsilä’s propulsion solution for newbuild vessels, compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) will be further improved. Under the agreement, the Silverstream System will also be available through Wärtsilä’s sales channels for retrofit installations on existing vessels where Wärtsilä is a primary solution provider.

Both subsea compression trains at Statoil’s Åsgard field have achieved more than 25,000 operation hours with an availability close to 100 percent. The world’s first subsea gas compression facility features two MAN Diesel & Turbo HOFIM motor-compressor units. The Åsgard subsea compression system has officially reached the highest Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 with both trains surpassing 10,000 operating hours. The subsea facility demonstrated an availability close to 100 percent - the very few interruptions were caused by failure of the power supply from the vessel. “MAN Diesel & Turbo’s persistence in driving technology solutions…

All bets would have been lost if one was to predict that I would never find one of the most advanced and modern workboats in the heart of the Norwegian Fjordlands. Sure enough, if you make the trek to Flam through nearly 50 tunnels in between the prominent towns of Bergen and Oslo, you will behold such a craft. The 40 meter Vision of the Fjords was recently constructed by Brødrene Aa shipyard in Norway and delivered to The Fjords AD earlier this year in June. The vessel is simply striking…

MARAD released an Energy Efficiency White Paper. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced the availability of the Energy Efficiency White Paper that provides marine vessel owners and operators information on how to evaluate potential investments in efficiency measures and technologies. The white paper outlines the latest energy efficiency measures currently available for marine vessels, including how the technology works, potential fuel savings, applicability to various vessels types, and lifecycle costs. If implemented, these types of energy efficiency measures may also assist owners of vessels undergoing a major conversion to comply with the Energy Efficiency for Ships Regulations contained in Chapter 4 of MARPOL Annex VI.

Drones could cut time and costs for deliveries and inspections across the Maersk Group – but they must be reliable and absolutely safe. Maersk Tankers is testing delivery to vessels on drones that have been certified for explosive environments. Markus Kuhn peers out through the fog and spots the Maersk Edgar waiting across the chilly Danish waters. Drone operator Thierry Bauer, dressed against the winter cold after a long journey from his centre of operations in Southern France, carefully attaches the cargo of Maersk cookies to its transport.

It’s no shock that decking, seating and other related equipment for ‘fast boats’ is a critical ingredient for maritime security personnel. A  shock mitigation strategy is essential for all craft that undertake open sea transits or operate in rough water. The definition of shock mitigation is, ‘to make a violent collision or impact less intense.’ The search for shock mitigation has created a range of solutions. Before that, however, criminal organizations capable of buying fast boats were most likely running something, or someone, illegal in from offshore.

The U.S. Energy Department on Wednesday unveiled a plan for up to $4 billion in loan aid for renewable energy companies to help rejuvenate a program that faced harsh political attacks over past failures of federally subsidized projects. The Obama administration's draft plan would provide loan guarantees for innovative projects that limit or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. It will specifically focus on advanced electric grid technology and storage, biofuels for conventional vehicles, energy from waste products and energy efficiency.

The Danish company Bawat A / S has developed an in- tank system to treat ballast water on ships where the treatment is conducted while the ship is under way, unlike the existing in-line systems where processing is carried out when the ship is in port. " We decided to develop a system that is competitive on all parameters – especially on price – which has now been achieved . The current operation is easy , and there is almost no maintenance," says Kim Diederichsen, director of Bawat A / S. There are no filters, UV radiation or chemicals in the operation. Maintenance is minimal.

Exelis' Signal Sentry 1000 device detected and located GPS interference sources in 3-D by using longitude, latitude and altitude, during recent field tests at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden. Taking advantage of the range’s remote location, Exelis was able to conduct tests of its Signal Sentry 1000 product using controlled jamming. The test was conducted without disrupting the GPS signal relied upon by civilian and military operations outside of the test range location. The test employed eight sensors positioned in an array pattern and showed that Signal Sentry was able to successfully detect and locate the jamming source. Having demonstrating interference detection and location capability…

Company Setting Industry Standards of Quality, Reliability and Performance with More Powerful Engine. Honda Marine introduces the all-new BF250 horsepower (hp) four-stroke engine, the most powerful outboard to join the Honda Marine lineup – and now the company’s flagship model. The Honda BF250 marine outboard engine incorporates a host of Honda-exclusive technologies that provide increased value and benefit to consumers. The styling concept of the new Honda BF250, a departure from previously introduced Honda Marine outboards, incorporates a sleeker and slimmer aesthetic design.

In March this year, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposal to designate waters off the North American coasts as an Emission Control Area was adopted by IMO, the International Maritime Organization. The North American ECA is a key part of a comprehensive EPA program to address harmful emissions from large ships. Which are the time schedules of upcoming emission regulations? How are marine engine manufacturers preparing for the tighter air emission limits being adopted? Henrik Segercrantz explores.

An Australian technology company plans to build a system off the northeast coast of Maui that will use energy generated by ocean waves to create electricity, according to a report on www.bizjournals.com. Oceanlinx Ltd., state officials and utility company executives announced the $20-million project at the State Capitol on Monday and said it will be capable of providing up to 2.7 megawatts of power to Maui Electric Co. The company's patented turbine technology works by harnessing air generated by rising and falling sea swells. The air flow turns the turbine's blades, which generates electricity. Power is then brought ashore through underwater cables to a utility substation. Oceanlinx has similar projects planned in Australia, Oregon and Rhode Island.

Albacore Research Ltd. (ARL) is putting the final touches on its new ShipConstructor 2006, scheduled for release towards the end of 2005. According the software developer, ShipConstructor 2006 represents a quantum leap in CAD/CAM with the introduction of the Database Driven Relational Object Model (DDROM) technology, as well as an Application Programming Interface (API). While DDROM will provide ShipConstructor users with a ‘better-than-parametric’ technology, the API will make it easier for users and third-party developers to tie into the ShipConstructor product model database. DDROM and other new features will be presented at the SNAME Annual Meeting in Houston – at the booth as well as during the Innovation Sessions.