Control Software News

Any competition requires skill — but when the stakes are high and seas are rough, the right technology can set contenders apart. On the popular National Geographic reality series "Wicked Tuna" and its spinoff, "Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks," commercial fishing crews compete to reel in elusive bluefin tuna. To brave North Atlantic waters off the coast of Gloucester, where the series is set, and bring in fish that are several hundred pounds, it's critical that captains outfit their…

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently caught up with Karl Lander, Director of Regulatory Compliance and Outreach at maritime tech startup Armach Robotics, to hear the latest progress on its unique, small platform, intelligence-driven hull cleaning solution.Companies like Plymouth, MA, headquartered Armach Robotics (Armach) are justifiably convinced that cleaning hulls is set for wider adoption in the coming years, as the principle of coating hulls with substances designed to be noxious to marine life becomes increasingly problematic.

Armach Robotics said on Tuesday that it had reached a major milestone by operating its hull cleaning robot successfully in full over-the-horizon (OTH) mode.In the water in Norfolk, VA, Armach’s hull service robot, was earlier this month monitored and controlled by staff at Armach’s command center in Plymouth, MA, using a 4G modem providing over-the-air connectivity.Once the communications connection was made between Norfolk and Plymouth, the vehicle was able to complete its pre-dive checks on the pier.

Ask the right government department in any G7 state and you’ll find funding to put battery power for your vessel. Beyond funds, new battery makers and system integrators are ironing out safety issues, and a growing number of giga-sized cell factories offer hope that costs will fall for marine energy storage, as ESS choice grows. Efforts are also underway to recycle rare earth elements and to augment or greenify staggeringly high plant electricity inputs. Apart from funding, the drivers of change include constraints on shipping in Emissions Free Areas like the fjords of Norway…

The National Transportation Safety Board issued 10 safety recommendations Tuesday during a public board meeting held to determine the probable cause of the fatal August 21, 2020, hazardous liquid pipeline strike and subsequent explosion and fire aboard the dredging vessel Waymon Boyd.The Waymon Boyd struck a submerged 16-inch hazardous liquid pipeline carrying propane during dredging operations in Corpus Christi, Texas. A geyser of propane gas and water erupted adjacent to the vessel. Shortly thereafter, propane gas engulfed the dredge and an explosion occurred.

Brunswick Corporation, in a move to to build on its ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification & Shared Access) strategy to develop solutions to further improve boater experiences, named Jason Arbuckle to a newly formed role of Marine Autonomy Technology Lead. Arbuckle joined Mercury Marine in 1997 and has since advanced through the company, working to lead some of the company’s many award-winning innovative technology solutions. Throughout his career, Arbuckle has been instrumental…

Geophysical seismic surveys and port security may appear to have little in-common. However, it turns out that managing complex marine seismic operations, where 10km-long seismic streamers have to be deployed harmoniously alongside other offshore marine assets, isn’t that dissimilar to managing – and protecting – port facilities.It's an area that ION Geophysical, more known for seismic data acquisition technology, has recently been proving its expertise in, using its Marlin system for marine operations management.

Intellian launches the latest in its next generation GX range of antennas: the GX60NX, designed specifically and now type approved for use with Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band VSAT network. This 65cm terminal, the smallest in the range, completes Intellian’s GX portfolio. The GX60NX is suited to smaller commercial vessels, and supports customers across all markets, including leisure and fishing.The Below Deck Terminal (BDT), single cable antenna connection and AptusNX control software are identical to those used for the larger GX100NX, which is already approved.

MAN Energy Solutions’ electronic ‘ME’ engine portfolio has reached another milestone with the announcement that its ‘Triton’ platform recently passed its TAT (Type Approval Test) in Japan.Developed at MAN Energy Solutions’ Two-Stroke Business Unit in Copenhagen, Triton is based on the experience accumulated over more than 20 years in the development and production of mission-critical electronics. The TAT was carried out on an engine provided by MAN Energy Solutions’ two-stroke licensee…

A ‘work in progress,’ the North American brown water, shallow draft sectors have experienced a tumultuous year of evolution, changing market conditions, a rapidly shifting regulatory environment and new opportunities. Anything but boring; and within the pages of Maritime Reporter’ & Engineering News’ Annual Yearbook, Joseph Keefe, editor of sister-publication MarineNews, takes a deep dive into the issues driving the domestic waterfront.Workboat EmissionsMore than one year ago, Volkswagon learned the ultimate (and painful) meaning of the iconic U.S. adage of “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time – or at least pay the staggering fine.” And pay it forward, Volkswagen did.

Integrated marine and subsea solutions provider Unique Group has become a major shareholder in exhaust gas scrubber solution provider Kamelia Cleantech. This partnership will offer a full range of end-to-end integrated scrubber solutions for removing sulphur emissions from vessel exhausts for the global shipping industry. Kamelia Cleantech will combine its technical knowledge with Unique Group’s global presence to provide flexible customized solutions for new and old vessels with minimized downtime.The scrubber systems provided by Kamelia Cleantech are modular and can be offered as open loop…

Elbit Systems Ltd. won a contract from Cantiere Navale Vittoria SpA to supply combat suites and perform systems integration for three new patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG). The systems to be supplied and integrated include Electro-Optic payloads, Radars, Navigation Systems, Warship Automatic Identification System (W-AIS) as well as Remote Control Weapon Stations (RCWS) with full integration into a Command and Control software. The combat suit is designed to support future “plug and play” integration of aerial and surface unmanned systems that will enable expansion of the operational envelop of the patrol vessels far beyond line of sight.

Acciona Energia, the biggest global operator exclusively in renewable energies,  received the first ever prototype certificate for a grid-scale energy storage solution by DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification body. The handover of the certificate took place at the American Wind Energy Association’s 2018 Windpower Conference in Chicago. To explore the possibilities of grid-scale storage, Acciona Energia started up a hybrid plant for storing electricity in batteries as part of its grid-connected wind farm at Barasoain in Navarra, northern Spain. The plant in Barásoain is equipped with a storage…

Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time – or at least pay the staggering fine. And pay it forward, Volkwagen will. The auto manufacturer got caught using software to trick emissions control software during testing on some cars – nearly 500,000 2.0 liter and 83,000 3.0 liter diesel vehicles – in order to get a passing grade, after which the cars operated in violation of the Clean Air Act. The years of cheating on vehicles from model years 2009 to 2016 sold and leased in the U.S., resulted in emissions of up to 40 times the permitted level of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter.

Pemamek Ltd. is delivering high-tech PEMA welding automation to Mississippi-based Ingalls Shipbuilding’s Pascagoula shipyard. The extensive and technologically advanced automation solutions provide Ingalls improved panel production and enhanced work flow. Mississippi-based Ingalls Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of the Huntington Ingalls Industries, kicked off its “Shipyard of the Future” initiative in 2014. The multiyear initiative includes investments in modern infrastructure and manufacturing equipment, as well as technologically advanced procedure and processes.

An upgraded vessel control software package is delivering measurable operational efficiency gains to Stena Line for the freight ferry Stena Scotia within a month of commissioning, says ABB, whose DEGO IV advanced speed governor and actuation system onboard has been enhanced so that control over the vessel’s propulsion system minimizes roll and rudder movements, delivering a new way of saving fuel while also improving crew comfort. ABB’s fourth generation DEGO software collates data from sensors monitoring 60 shipboard parameters in real time…

Sea Machines is bringing autonomous self-driving systems to the world of workboats. At an impressive virtual reality demonstration seen late last year and then again at a frigid, late winter visit to the Boston waterfront, the future of workboat technology became all too evident for this writer. The late George Allen, former head coach of the Washington Redskins football team perhaps said it best when he coined the phrase, “The future is now.” If so, then Michael Johnson, the founder of Sea Machines Robotics has brought that reality to the marine industry. The technology company targets the emerging market of autonomous marine vessels. That’s not some sort of futuristic vision; those capabilities are here, now.

CMR Group’s chief technical officer, Patrice Flot, considers the current approach to sensing exhaust gas temperature (EGT) on high horsepower engine platforms and the capabilities provided by new digital technology. An EGT sensor measures the temperature of the engine exhaust gas to prevent damage to critical components such as the after treatment system, turbines and cylinder head exhaust valves. It can also be used inside the combustion chambers where hot gases are generated.

Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB) announced today that it has closed its merger with Cameron International Corporation. As previously announced, each Cameron stockholder is entitled to receive 0.716 shares of Schlumberger common stock and $14.44 in cash, in exchange for each Cameron share. Schlumberger has issued approximately 138 million shares pursuant to the merger. As a result, former Cameron stockholders own approximately 10% of Schlumberger’s outstanding shares of common stock. The transaction combines two complementary technology portfolios into a pore-to-pipeline products and services offering to the global oil and gas industry.

ABB will modernize a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker, installing the latest hardware and software onboard the 38 year old Pierre Radisson. As part of the complete upgrade to the ship’s power distribution system, eight new drives will also be installed. The contract includes the option to modernize the other two Coast Guard ships, Des Groseilliers and Amundsen, both of which have clocked up more than 30 years of service. By attaching sensors to onboard equipment, ABB’s expert engineers can help diagnose problems on the vessel from shore.

Integrated ship control systems supplier Servowatch said it will use SMM to launch its new automation and control software, WINMON 9. WINMON 9 is a singular, end-to-end software solution which offers several new features, according to the developer. The software provides continuous and secure operation of vessel machinery and subsystems through its single development environment for simple yet flexible programming. Among the systems powered by WINMON 9 is ServoFusion, a turnkey…

Inmarsat, the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services and Intellian, a global leader in satellite communication antenna systems, have announced a significant deal with EUKOR Car Carriers. The deal will enable EUKOR, one of the world’s largest shipping companies specialising in the transportation of cars and other rolling cargo, to take advantage of the latest technology offered by Intellian and Inmarsat’s new high-speed broadband Global Xpress (GX) network. EUKOR has selected Intellian’s latest GX100 terminals to equip its 27 vessels with regional connectivity powered by GX in the Indian Ocean Region. Once all three GX satellites are live and operational EUKOR will be able to harness the Fleet Xpress service on a global basis.

Tenneco, a leading global supplier of Clean Air after-treatment technologies, has been awarded two approved in principle (AIP) certificates for its high horsepower selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system from DNV GL, one of the world’s leading classification societies and a recognized advisor for the maritime industry. The certificates cover key components of the system, including the complete dosing and control system, injectors, load sensors and the human machine interface (HMI) remote monitor, as well as catalyst and reactor hardware configurations for IMO Tier III applications. “We’re pleased to receive this important classification.