To Find Solutions News

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has shared the Organization’s plans and focus areas for the next four years.Speaking at a press conference at IMO Headquarters in London, Dominguez outlined four strategic priorities:• IMO’s work to regulate international shipping;• its support to Member States – particularly Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries;• enhancing public awareness and image; and• relations with people and stakeholders. He said: “As a global industry that is responsible for transporting over 80% of trade around the world, shipping is indispensable.

The New Zealand Shipping Federation (NZSF) has become a full member of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).Launched in 1906, the New Zealand Shipping Federation is the key representative body for New Zealand’s coastal operators. The NZSF works with decision-makers to achieve policies that benefit all New Zealanders, including safe, secure and clean shipping.The ICS already enjoys a strong and collaborative relationship with the NZSF, through the Federation’s affiliate membership to ICS.

Despite the negative headlines around the longer-term prospects for the U.S. offshore wind segment, business intelligence company Intelatus Global Partners sees continued efforts by the federal government and, in particular, the East Coast states to find solutions to the challenges faced by the industry as whole, which can be grouped under three headings: high inflation, supply chain development and high interest rates.On the side of the federal government, offshore wind leasing and permitting is being prioritized over oil and gas development.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has announced the inauguration of a new ICS Representative Office in Shanghai.This strategic move follows the admission of the China Shipowners’ Association as a full ICS member in January 2023 and extends the presence of the ICS China Liaison Office which will continue to have a presence in the Hong Kong SAR.The new ICS office, within the offices of the China P&I Club, is located in the North Bund area of Hongkou District, Shanghai…

The Association of Panamanian Shipowners (ARPA) has become an associate member of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).Launched in 2020, ARPA was created by shipowners and operators of vessels to strengthen Panama’s shipping industry by offering quality support, professionalism, credibility, and active contribution to the social economic and environmental improvement of the country.This membership will build on the relationships across the maritime sector as the industry continues to work together to find solutions to collective issues including piracy…

In the maritime industry, seafarer safety and professionalism are critical to ensuring smooth operations and minimizing risks. As technical advancements continue to reshape every industry including ours, large language models like ChatGPT and Bard have the potential to directly assist seafarers in performing their duties more safely and professionally. So, how can a seafarer leverage these tools to enhance their onboard performance? Let’s look at some examples.One example is in providing instant, human-readable access to regulations and guidelines.

South Africa has granted Turkey's Karpowership access to the three ports of Ngqura, Durban and Saldanha Bay for a period of 20 years, the transport ministry said on Thursday, as it tries to find solutions to the country's power crisis.Karpowership aims to generate power on its floating gas ships and distribute it through South Africa's electricity grid. The plan received a boost from President Cyril Ramaphosa last week after he told lawmakers the ships would help ease the prolonged…

A.P. Moller - Maersk’s towage operator Svitzer has signed an agreement with engine manufacturer Caterpillar to utilize methanol fuel across its fleet as part of the company's decarbonization strategy.Under a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU), Svitzer will work with caterpillar Marine to implement dual-fuel methanol engines aboard its new tugs as well as conversions of existing Cat powered tugs, which comprise the majority of Svitzer's fleet. Following the recent Cat 3500-E series methanol-readiness announcement in September 2022…

Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) said it has awarded approval in principle (AIP) to Rotoboost, a Nordic hydrogen production company, for its pre-combustion Carbon Capture System (CCS) Rotobox. Rotobox uses thermocatalytic decomposition process (TCD) onboard marine vessels, where part of the natural gas fuel supply is converted into hydrogen and graphite with a liquid catalyst.The TCD process significantly reduces CO2 emissions, particulate matter and methane slip by producing hydrogen while capturing carbon in its solid form.

With the creation of a full-fledged U.S. offshore wind industry undoubtedly comes many opportunities for those that own, operate, build and service relevant vessels as developers work toward the nation’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030.But for every opportunity there are at least a handful of challenges, many of which have recently been amplified by supply chain volatility, inflation pressures and other unwelcome factors that have spurred cost increases for…

Seafarer happiness levels are trending upward after reaching a record low last quarter, according to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index report published by The Mission to Seafarers.The survey, undertaken with the support of the Standard Club and Idwal, reports on Q2 2022 and shows that the influx of industry solutions to tackle seafarer wellbeing has finally begun to lift morale and the mindset onboard. With more vaccinations, more frequent crew changes, wage rises and new amendments to the Maritime Labor Convention (MLC), there has been a knock-on effect for seafarer optimism.

NOAA Fisheries announced proposed changes to vessel speed regulations to further protect North Atlantic right whales from death and serious injuries resulting from collisions — part of a multifaceted approach to stabilize and recover this endangered population. The changes would expand the current mandatory seasonal speed restrictions of 10 knots or less in designated areas of the ocean and extend to most vessels measuring 35 to 65 feet in length.In addition, the agency is releasing a draft “roadmap” for public comment about on-demand…

A fire smoldering for days at Beirut port has revived painful memories of the explosion that devastated the Lebanese capital in 2020, with the government struggling to find a way to extinguish it as the second anniversary of the blast approaches.The fire has been burning slowly in the ruins of the port's grain silos, giving off an orange glow visible at night from neighborhoods that were most badly damaged by the Aug. 4, 2020, chemical explosion that killed more than 215 people.The authorities say it is the result of summer heat igniting fermenting grain left in the silos since the blast…

A group of academic and industrial partners were awarded a $6.7 million grant by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to accelerate understanding, technologies and policies relating to the use of ammonia as a sustainable fuel. The project begins in June 2022 and will run for 5 years.Entitled Decarbonized Clean Marine: Green Ammonia Thermal Propulsion (MariNH3), the project brings together academics from Nottingham, Birmingham, Brighton, Cardiff and STFC…

Echandia, a developer of heavy-duty energy storage solutions (ESS) for maritime and industrial applications, has received an initial order for battery systems in the naval segment. The order, which comes from major system supplier in the maritime sector, amounts to €5 million and is Echandia’s first foray into military applications.As the maritime transportation industry shipping continues its energy transition, the defense sector is also starting its transition toward renewable energy sources and increasing its focus on energy efficiency it needs to find solutions that live up to the highest possible quality requirements and safety demands.

Pressed into emergency service by the blockade of Ukraine's seaports by Russian invaders, neighboring Romania is racing against time to move Ukrainian grain to global markets before the next harvest triggers bottlenecks.Ukraine, the world's fourth largest grain exporter, has been forced by Russia's invasion to re-route shipments by train via its western border into neighboring Poland, Slovakia and Romania or on barges through its small Danube river ports.But Ukraine needs to move…

Will Roberts joined Seattle-based Foss Maritime in 2017 as chief commercial officer, and in 2018 he was named chief operating officer. Prior to joining Foss, Roberts held a number of leadership roles for marine systems and services provider Rolls-Royce, rising to senior vice president, customer and services–Americas. A U.S. Navy veteran, Roberts served as a qualified deck and engineering officer aboard the fast attack submarine USS Honolulu. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in ocean engineering and holds a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University.

Supply chain issues tied to liner shipping have been front page news throughout 2021; just about everyone agrees that there’s a problem. The underlying cause is right out of Economics 101: a surge in demand for moving containerized cargo, in the face of “inelastic” throughput capacity (which includes vessels and their landside interfaces to surface transportation, trucks and rail) that could not handle the swell, attributable to re-stocking of containerized cargo as economic activity recovered from the pandemic induced jolts.

French shipping startup NEOLINE confirmed it has chosen NEOPOLIA Mobility and signed an LOI for the construction of its first 136-meter sailing cargo ship following a new international tender.The project is now in the financial closure phase with the objective of starting construction this Summer, aiming for a commissioning in the first half of 2024, NEOLINE said.NEOLINE's decision to select the offer of the Loire-based company Neopolia Mobility comes at the end of a second international…

As Survitec continues to grow with the recent acquisition of Hansen Protection, Baba Devani, CEO Marine, discusses the strategic important of the acquisition to the overall strategy of Survitec as well as the path ahead.Baba, to start, can you give our readers a “by the numbers” look at Survitec today.We're an organization with about 3,000 colleagues. We operate ourselves in 30 different countries with a presence across 2000 ports. We work in the Marine business with roughly 350 service partners who also serve our customers…

Sabrina Chao has been named the 45th president of international shipping association BIMCO, taking over from Şadan Kaptanoğlu, managing director of Kaptanoglu Shipping, who has completed her two-year term.Chao has been in the shipping industry since 2001 and joined the family business Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Limited in 2002. Chao held the position as chairman of the group from 2013 until August 2019 and from 2016, she served a two-year term as chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association.

Danish offshore support vessel operator Maersk Supply Service will continue providing marine support to The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit engineering and environmental organization working to rid oceans of plastic pollution.The Ocean Cleanup’s mission is to develop advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. To achieve this goal, the company's aim to stop the inflow via rivers and clean up what has already accumulated in the ocean. Its ultimate goal is reaching a…

From weather predicting apps to using artificial intelligence to monitor the fish they catch, small-scale fishermen and coastal communities are increasingly turning to digital tools to help them be more sustainable and tackle climate change.Overfishing and illegal fishing by commercial vessels inflict significant damage on fisheries and the environment, and take food and jobs from millions of people in coastal communities who rely on fishing, environmental groups say.In addition…