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The Volvo Group News

26 Mar 2024

Automakers Reroute Shipments After Baltimore Bridge Collapse

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

U.S. automakers General Motors and Ford will reroute affected shipments after a bridge collapse in the U.S. shuttered the Port of Baltimore, but the companies said on Tuesday the impact will be minimal."We expect the situation to have minimal impact to our operations. We are working to re-route any vehicle shipments to other ports," GM said in a statement.The Port of Baltimore is the busiest U.S. port for car shipments, handling at least 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration.

09 Feb 2023

PowerCell to Establish US Presence

PowerCell has received a multi megawatt fuel cell system order from U.S. based Maritime Partners, worth approximately $3.6 million for delivery during the third quarter of 2023. Maritime Partners plans to launch the world’s first hydrogen-electric towboat, Hydrogen One. (Image: Maritime Partners)

PowerCell announced it is looking to establish a local presence in the U.S. market amid growing demand for its hydrogen electric solutions.The company, founded in 2008 as an industrial spinout from the Volvo Group, develops and produces fuel cell stacks and systems for stationary and mobile applications, including commercial marine vessels. PowerCell currently has a presence in Sweden, Norway and China.“The U.S. is an exciting and important market for us,” said Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell. “In the U.S.

07 Feb 2023

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry Project Moves Forward in Norway

(Image: Norwegian Ship Design)

Sweden-based PowerCell said it has signed a letter of intent to negotiate final terms concerning one of the marine industry’s largest hydrogen fuel cell projects. Headed by Norwegian electrical integrator SEAM, the project comprises a pair of hydrogen fuel cell powered ferries for passenger and cargo transport in northern Norway, scheduled to enter service in 2025.Torghatten Nord in January 2022 won a contract from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration for operation of the ferry routes crossing the Vestfjord between the Lofoten Islands and Bodø in northern Norway.

01 Aug 2022

Svalbard Tour Boat Ushers New Technology—And a New Business Model

(Photo: Volvo Penta)

Tore Hoem, adventures director at Hurtigruten Svalbard, has lived on Svalbard, the remote Norwegian archipelago just a few hundred miles from the North Pole, for more than two decades, long enough to witness the sea ice retreat significantly and more rain creep into the early and late snow season.These alarming effects of climate change are among key drivers behind the Hurtigruten Group’s sustainability efforts, including a new hybrid-electric excursion vessel recently put into service in Longyearbyen, Svalbard’s largest inhabited area.

27 Jun 2022

Interview: Johan Inden, Volvo Penta

Johan Inden (Photo: Volvo Penta)

Johan Inden heads Volvo Penta’s global marine business unit as part of the company’s executive management team. “I have global strategy responsibility, global product responsibility, direct commercial responsibility for everything except North America; we have our own commercial setup with our local president there, Fredrik Högberg. Of course, we collaborate very closely, but we have in our DNA to be very close to customers, so we think we need a dedicated commercial organization in North America as well…

07 Apr 2022

Högberg Named President of Volvo Penta North America

Fredrik Högberg (Photo: Volvo Penta)

Volvo Penta has named Fredrik Högberg president of Volvo Penta North America, replacing Tony Kelleher who has served as acting president since December 2021.A new member of Volvo Penta's executive management group, Högberg will take up the position on May 15. Kelleher will continue his position as head of customer support and training in North America.Högberg joined the Volvo Group in 1994 and has held a broad range of leading positions within the group, including areas such as digital services, retail development, and aftermarket sales.

03 Jun 2021

Volvo Penta Takes Majority Stake in Marine Battery Systems Pioneer ZEM

Image courtesy Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta has announced an exciting new acquisition of ZEM – a company with 12 years of market experience as a supplier of both marine battery systems and complete electric drivelines and a strong track record in Norway.ZEM’s core team has a background in electromobility that dates back to 1993. In 2009, ZEM was founded as an advisor to the maritime and offshore sector to design battery and hybrid solutions. Today, the company has delivered battery solutions to many different applications…

06 Apr 2021

Greenpeace Stages Pacific Ocean Protest Against Deep-sea Mining

© Marten van Dijl / Greenpeace

Greenpeace protested against deep-sea mining in the Pacific on Monday, with the environmental organization’s Rainbow Warrior boat trailing a ship doing research for DeepGreen, a company which plans to mine the seabed for battery metals.Greenpeace activists were pictured in rubber dinghies holding banners reading “Stop Deep Sea Mining!”, with the Maersk Launcher, a ship chartered by DeepGreen, in the background.The protest took place 900 nautical miles (1,036 miles) off Mexico’s western coast…

04 Feb 2021

Stena Line Plans to Launch 'Fossil-free' Ships Before 2030

Stena Line aims to launch a fully battery powered vessel before 2030. Stena Elektra is a lightweight battery powered vessel with capacity to run approximately 50 nautical miles on batteries only, i.e. between Gothenburg or Fredrikshaven. (Image: Peter Mild / Stena Line)

Swedish ferry company Stena Line said it plans to put two battery-powered vessels into service by 2030. The new RoPax ferries, which will operate without the use of fossil fuels, are part of the company's wider effort to reduce its environmental footprint.The news was revealed in Gothenburg on Thursday by Stena Lines CEO Niclas Mårtensson during a press conference announcing the Tranzero Initiative, a collaborative project aiming to accelerate the transition to fossil-free fuels in the transport sector.

19 Jan 2021

Wärtsilä Names Håkan Agnevall as President and CEO

Håkan Agnevall (Photo: Wärtsilä)

Finland-based marine engine and technology provider Wärtsilä has appointed Håkan Agnevall as its next president and CEO.Agnevall, who is currently president of Volvo's bus division, will start in his role no later than in April 2021, succeeding Jaakko Eskola, who will continue with the company as a senior advisor and executive until he retires on June 30, 2021, after 22 years with the group.Agnevall has been with the Volvo Group  since 2013. In the decade prior to that he held various leadership positions in Bombardier and in ABB…

07 Aug 2020

Volvo Penta Navigating an Emerging Landscape

Volvo Penta led a completely remote installation of quad IPS units to repower Northern Offshore Services (NOS) vessel, the M/V Traveller, for operation in the North Sea. (Photo: Volvo Penta)

The past few months have been full of uncertainties and even as we look ahead, we don’t know exactly what the future will hold. But we do know that as an industry, we’ll need to prioritize and plan differently. Within the Volvo Penta organization, the team is working hard to understand how to adapt our business as the world around us continues to adjust to a changing economic and societal landscape.As I reflect on what’s transpired since the start of the pandemic, I’m proud of the professionalism and creativity shown by our Volvo Penta team in rising to the challenges.I’ll give you an example.

03 Aug 2020

Lindström Joins Hempel as COO

Katarina Lindström (Photo: Hempel)

Hempel's new Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Katarina Lindström officially stepped into her new role on August 1.As a member of the company’s Executive Management Board, Lindström will play a central role in driving Hempel’s strategy. The company has an ambition to double in size in the next five years, and Lindström will lead Hempel’s strategic agenda within operational excellence, innovation and sustainability.“The company’s growth strategy is very ambitious, but also realistic and Hempel has a strong desire to lead sustainability in the coatings industry,” she says.

09 Jun 2020

Mellquist Tapped as Next President at Volvo Penta

Heléne Mellquist has been appointed as President Volvo Penta and new member of Volvo Group Management. She will replace Björn Ingemanson, who is retiring. Mellquist, born in 1964, currently holds the position as President for the European Division at Volvo Trucks. Her career at the Volvo Group began in 1988 and she has held many senior positions at the company. She has also held the position as CEO at TransAtlantic 2012-2015. Mellquist will join Volvo Penta on July 1, 2020 and take up her new position on September 1, 2020.

27 Feb 2020

Hempel Taps Lindström as COO

Katarina Lindström (Photo: Hempel)

Katarina Lindström will join Hempel as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer from August 1, 2020 as the coatings manufacturer aims to double in size.As Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer (COO), Katarina Lindström will be a member of Hempel’s Executive Management Board.As part of its long-term growth strategy, Hempel is making significant investments in innovation and sustainability, while strengthening its supply chain and manufacturing footprint, particularly in Asia-Pacific.

02 Dec 2019

Volvo Penta Powers Hybrid Scandinavian Ferries

Photo: Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta to power three hybrid and hybrid-ready ferries currently being built at GS Marine Production AS. GS Marine is currently building a new ferry for Faroe Island operator, Standfaraskip Landsins. This ferry will have a speed of 20 knots and be powered by two of Volvo Penta’s engines. The D13-700 IMO III engines have a power output of 515kW at 2,250 rpm and will be coupled with a Brunvoll hybrid control system – allowing the vessel to run on the engines or electric alone, and even both in unison.

30 Oct 2019

Changes to Volvo Penta Executive Group Announced

Ron Huibers, President Volvo Penta Americas

After 26 years with Volvo and 7 as President of Volvo Penta Americas, Ron Huibers has decided to retire from his current role and move to another role within Volvo Penta. Succeeding Ron will be Martin Bjuve, currently CFO and SVP Business Office Volvo Penta. Planned transition date will be January 1, 2020. Bjorn Ingemanson, President and CEO Volvo Penta, today announced that Ron Huibers, President Volvo Penta Americas, has decided to retire from his current role and take up a new role within the company. "The team, customers and industries we serve here have been exciting and rewarding.

27 Jun 2019

Volvo Penta, ABB, Chalmers Collaborate on Fast Charging-at-Sea

Photo: Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta has announced that it is to complete a feasibility study together with ABB in Sweden and Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg to evaluate technology concepts that can meet the challenge of providing fast charging of electric vessels.“While all-electric boating remains in its infancy, for this exciting new transport system to be a success and grow, a network of fast charging stations needs to be developed,” says Niklas Thulin, Director Electromobility, Volvo Penta.

25 Mar 2019

Gasum Appoints Torbjörn Holmström as Director

The Annual General Meeting of Gasum Ltd elected Torbjörn Holmström as a new member to the Board of Directors.The new member of the Board, Torbjörn Holmström (b. 1955, M.Sc Mechanical Engineering) has over 30 years' experience in the Swedish commercial vehicle industry, a press note from the integrated gas company located in Espoo, Finland said.Holmström is Senior Advisor of Volvo Group, Research & Technology since 2017 and before that he has held several high-level executive positions, including CTO, within Volvo Group which he has been with since 1979.The Board's current members Juha Rantanen, Stein Dale, Elina Engman, Päivi Pesola, Elisabet Salander Björklund and Jarmo Väisänen were re-elected.Juha Rantanen was re-elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

20 Dec 2018

Interview: Volvo Penta’s ‘Full Charge’ into Electric & Hybrid

Ron Huibers, President and CEO, Volvo Penta of the Americas.

Voices: Ron Huibers, President and CEO, Volvo Penta of the AmericasVolvo Penta has a reputation for pioneering innovations in marine propulsion. To learn more about what the company has on its drawing boards we talked with Ron Huibers, president and CEO of Volvo Penta of the Americas.Please give us a snapshot of your commercial marine business in North America?Our marine commercial business in the Americas has seen great growth, and it now represents a significant portion of our business, along with our leisure marine and industrial engine segments.

14 Aug 2018

Granqvist Joins Volvo Penta Executive Team

Peter Granqvist (Photo: Volvo Penta)

Peter Granqvist will take up the position of Senior Vice President for Product Development, Planning and Purchasing, replacing Johan Inden, effective September 1.Granqvist is joining Volvo Penta from DENSO Corporation where he currently is the President and Managing Director for Sweden. He brings to the role a background in industrial engineering, business management and higher education.As of July 1, Inden took up the role of President Region Europe, replacing Stefan Carlsson.

27 Jun 2018

Volvo Penta Unveils Hybrid Marine Propulsion Concept

Photo: Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta unveiled a hybrid concept for its IPS propulsion system with an electric-only mode that allows entry into environmentally sensitive zones, as well as offering enhanced onboard comfort and boat handling characteristics.This closely follows the company's announcement that it will provide electrified power solutions for both land and sea by 2021The IPS hybrid variant will allow boats to operate in the low-and-zero emission zones that are expected to be introduced in the coming years…

11 Jun 2018

Volvo Penta Going Full Charge into Hybrid & All-electric Drivelines

Volvo Penta’s chief technology officer, Johan Carlsson, and system engineer, Karin Åkman, discuss innovation for electromobility at the company’s new development-and-test laboratory in Gothenburg. (Photo: Volvo Penta)

Aiming to become a driving force in sustainable power solutions, Volvo Penta says it is going full charge into hybrid and all-electric drivelines, offering electrified solutions in both its marine and industrial segments by 2021.Volvo Penta’s chief technology officer, Johan Carlsson, and system engineer, Karin Åkman, discussed innovation for electromobility at the company’s new development-and-test laboratory in Gothenburg.By 2021, Volvo Penta will provide electrified power solutions for both its land and sea-based business segment…

23 May 2018

Interview: Volvo Penta's Ron Huibers

Ron Huibers, President, Volvo Penta of the Americas. Photo: Ron Huibers

As Volvo Penta continues its strategic penetration of the commercial maritime sector, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News checks in with Ron Huibers, President, Volvo Penta of the Americas. When we first met with you a few years ago, Volvo Penta was in the early stages of a strategic move into the commercial maritime sector in North America. Please update your progress. Historically, we have been strong in the marine commercial markets outside of North America. Five years ago…