Consortium Forms North Pacific Green Corridor
Global industry leaders from North America, Asia and Europe have announced the formation of the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium (NPGCC) whose members and partners will work together to decarbonize the value chain for commodities between North America and Asia.The NPGCC will apply its collective expertise to develop a corridor for the decarbonized transportation of multiple commodities, including agricultural products, metal concentrates and steelmaking coal.The members of the NPGCC are committed to establishing the consortium as a catalyst for decarbonization effortsâŠ
Trafigura to Deploy GHG Emissions Measuring System on LNG Carrier
Daphne Technology has been selected by Trafigura for its first commercial deployment of PureMetricsâą emissions measuring system, scheduled for the summer of 2024.The system will be deployed aboard an LNG carrier chartered by Trafigura and managed by Latsco LNG LLC.PureMetrics directly measures and accurately reports real-time tonnes of GHG emissions to the environment, eliminating inaccurate reporting based on fuel consumption estimates. The system features a combination of an array of sensorsâŠ
All American Marine to Build Research Vessel for Cal Poly Humboldt
Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) announced it has been awarded a contract to build a new research vessel for the marine sciences program at the California Polytechnical Institute at Humboldt (Cal Poly).The vessel is a 78â x 26.7â semi-displacement aluminum catamaran that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The vessel will be inspected to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter T standards and will operate as a multipurpose research vessel in the Near Coastal Waters of Northern California and Oregon, as well as Offshore on Ocean Routes.
Insights: Jennifer Carpenter, President & CEO, American Waterways Operators
Jennifer Carpenter joined The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry, in August 1990 and became its president and CEO in January 2020. She highlights some of the greatest focus areas for the 80-year-old trade groupâsimultaneously looking at both the present day and the road ahead.The towboat, tug and barge industry is in a period of rapid evolution. How is AWOânow in its 80th yearâŠ
Groke Technologies Unveils Situation Awareness Tool for Fleet Managers
Groke Technologies, the Finnish technology company behind the Groke Pro Situational Awareness System, has introduced a new solution designed to give ship managers shoreside an unparalleled view of the surrounding area of all the vessels in their fleet.Groke Fleet gives ship management teams more detailed information on which to better evaluate, enhance and control the navigational safety and efficiency of their vessels.Unlike traditional fleet awareness solutions, which tend to be based only on periodically updated AIS dataâŠ
Marine Coatings: GIT and WEG Partner
Brazil-based WEG Coatings and Canadian-based GIT Coatings have entered an agreement to strengthen each otherâs marine coating product offerings across international markets.The partnership aims to accelerate market adoption of green solutions in the marine market such as GITâs graphene-based coatings. Both companies will leverage each otherâs strengths and expertise to enhance product offerings and provide tailored solutions to their customers. GIT Coatings CEO, Mo AlGermozi, saidâŠ
NextGeo Taps Frank Koopman as Offshore Wind Strategy Director
Marine geosciences and offshore construction support services company NextGeo has appointed Frank Koopman as Offshore Wind Strategy Director.Koopman is an experienced executive and leader in the offshore energy sector, with over 20 years of experience in leading complex organizations, projects and innovation programs. He was Global Director Offshore Wind and Global Director Marine Site Characterization at Fugro from 2019 to 2023.Giovanni Ranieri, CEO of NextGeo, said, âWe are thrilled to confirm our collaboration with Frank Koopman, who will serve as NextGeo's Offshore Wind Strategy Director.
On Board the eWolf: The First Electric Tugboat in the US
Crowley Maritime Corporation has owned and operated a lot of vessels since its founding in 1892. But the latest vessel to join its fleet is unlike any other that has come before it.Crowleyâs new harbor tug, eWolf, is unique in that it runs 100% powered by batteries, not diesel engines, meaning it produces zero emissions and nearly no noise. Not only is the vessel the first fully electric tug in the Crowley fleet, but it is also the first of its kind in the United States.Faced with stricter regulations and commercial pressure to prioritize environmentalâŠ
Fluid Watercraft Launches New Line of Rescue Boats
Rigid hull inflatable boat (RIB) manufacturer Fluid Watercraft has unveiled its newest line of purpose-built search and rescue boatsFluid Watercraftâs new SAR 26 and SAR 23 RIBs feature a forward-pushed command and piloting console to increase aft deck space for enhanced victim and equipment recovery, and medical treatment capabilities as well as 16- and 10-person capacity respectively. To make the boats mission ready, the SAR 26 comes with two nRoads dome lights, stainless steel bow and aft tow postsâŠ
Americaâs Watershed Initiative: Sustaining a Critical Waterway
Kimberly Lutz and Americaâs Watershed Initiative (AWI) are making every effort to sustain the Mississippi River for generations to come.The Mississippi River is one of the worldâs largest river systems and is arguably Americaâs most critical waterway. Flowing over 2,350 miles, spanning, at points, up to eleven miles, and discharging approximately 593,003 cubic feet of water per second into the Gulf of Mexico, the Mighty Mississippi is awe inspiring in terms of its natural characteristics as well as its commercial impact on both the American and global economies.
Leadership Profile: Tor Svanes and NAVTOR's Quest to Transform Shipping
Compliance, performance, profitability, sustainability; take the biggest âpain pointsâ for almost any shipping company and watch NAVTORâs digital ecosystem work wonders. Here Tor Svanes, Founder and CEO, explains how NAVTOR has grown to lead the smart shipping world, why the recent merger with Voyager Worldwide was so critical, and how he hopes to help steer the industry towards brighter, simpler, and more intelligent horizons.âThe morning of the announcement I got a text from the boss of one of our biggest competitorsâŠ
Roll Group Cuts Steel on Roll Barge One
Roll Group has cut steel for its latest addition, Roll Barge One, in Batam, Indonesia. Scheduled for delivery by ASL Yards in the third quarter of 2024, this marks Roll Group's entry into the barge market with its own assets."This is a new milestone in the history of our company," said Peter Rondhuis, CEO of Roll Group. "By entering the barge market with our own assets, where we have been servicing our clients so far with rented barges, we're aligning with our strategic vision. Roll Barge One represents the first of many we plan to build.
US Dredging: Plenty of Issues, New WRDA on the Way
2024 marks another year for development of a biennial WRDA billâWater Resources Development Act, critical legislation for the Nationâs waterways, ports and harbors. WRDA encompasses a range of issues, from environmental regs to energy use to agriculture and, of course, a focus on projects critical for economic growth.Because these are dynamic and timely issues, Congress and the maritime sector like to keep WRDA on a two-year reauthorization timeline. Indeed, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, December and January, held three WRDA information hearings.
Groke to Deliver Situational Awareness Tech for Ships with BARTech WindWings
Finland-headquartered maritime tech company Groke Technologies (Groke) is working with BAR Technolgoes (BARTech) design and develop of situational awareness systems for the U.K. marine engineering consultancyâs WindWings wind propulsion technology.The companies have signed a partnership agreement following the debut installation of two 37.5 m (123 ft) tall WindWings sails on board MC Shipping-owned and Cargill-operated Kamsarmax bulker Pyxis Ocean. Grokeâs camera and imaging solutions were also installed.Groke Technologiesâ CEO Juha Rokka saidâŠ
HaiSea Unveils New Operations Facility for Its Green Tug Fleet
HaiSea Marine, majority owned by Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan ULC, is celebrating the official naming and blessing of its new floating operations facility â which will be the home base for its fleet of three full-electric and two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled tugboats.The new facility, named Zewén, is a floating operations and maintenance building purpose-built and designed to withstand the extreme tidal range in the Kitimat region. It features a large workshopâŠ
Electric Hydrofoil Ferries Set to Hit the Water in Abu Dhabi
Candela, manufacturer of zero-emission, electric hydrofoil boats, and Al Seer Marine, a global maritime organization headquartered in Abu Dhabi, announced a partnership to revolutionize waterborne public transportation within the emirate.The partners will work together to introduce Candela's electric hydrofoil boats for public transport use. They will also establish a sales and service network within Abu Dhabi and explore further collaboration opportunities to develop and implement innovative and sustainable public waterborne transport solutions for Abu Dhabi's needs."At Al Seer MarineâŠ
Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam: Three Years of Independence
Three years ago in March, Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam gained full independence, and since then, the company has taken strategic steps to chart its own course and strengthen its independent position within the maritime sector.After the closure of the Vuyk shipyard in Capelle aan den IJssel in 1979, marking the end of all shipbuilding activities, former employees established a new company: Vuyk Engineering and Trading. Founded on the principles of technical know-how combined with experience in cost calculationâŠ
US Invests Another $3 Billion into Clean Ports
The Biden-Harris Administration has unveiled a $3 billion initiative to fund clean ports, aimed at reducing emissions and advancing environmental justice. Announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Clean Ports Program will support the transition to zero-emission operations at ports across the country.The program, part of President Bidenâs Investing in America agenda, includes two grant competitions. The first, the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition, will allocate nearly $2.8 billion to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure.
Damen, Portuguese Navy Co-Develop Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS)
Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled a new ship design based on modern defense and security requirements. The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy, the vesselâs launching customer. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks, including auxiliary roles.Damen has begun construction of the first vessel of this new design.
New Agreement to Kickstart Salem Offshore Wind Terminal
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), Crowley Wind Services and the City of Salem announced the transfer of ownership and an agreement for site improvements and ongoing operations for the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal.The agreement will kickstart the transformation of the site into the second port built specifically to support the construction of offshore wind farms in Massachusetts. The Salem Offshore Wind Terminal will also support the construction and installationâŠ
Xeneta Appoints Chief Product Officer
Fabio Brocca after being appointed Chief Product Officer at ocean and air freight rate benchmarking platform, Xeneta.Brocca was previously Head of Product for Global Transportation Technology at Amazon.âAmazon showed me the importance of working backwards from the customer and how a best-in-class tech company is run.âWhen you are transforming an industry, you must think long term. What we think is needed today may not be whatâs needed tomorrow, so it is a continuous pursuit of innovation.âThere is a beautiful quote from Jeff Bezos where he saysâŠ
Virtual Marine: Simulator Training is the Real Deal
In the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, effective training practices are an absolute must. While hands-on, in-the-field learning will always be a vital component of any marinerâs training, marine simulation has become a welcome enhancement to the education process. And in some cases, itâs seen as a safer alternative to traditional survival craft and rescue boat training.A leader in this space is Virtual Marine, based in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Orca AI Platform Helped Fleet Cut CO2 Emissions
Maritime technology company Orca AI has calculated that its automated situational awareness platform achieved significant operational gains for clients in 2023, including a 172,716-tonnes reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel savings.The drop was attributed to fewer sharp manoeuvres and speed drops, as well as an overall reduction in the number of potential incidents and collisions avoided.The analysis was carried out on 15 million nautical miles-worth of data collected in open waters by 267 customer vessels â comprising tankersâŠ