Esa News

The European Space Agency (ESA) has signedon to help the One Sea Association in a callaborative effort promoting the development of new space-enabled services which will support the maritime sector’s transition towards autonomous shipping.Satellite communications and satellite navigation play a key role in the adoption of autonomous shipping technologies and operations. During offshore passages, ships are often further from land than satellites which can offer invaluable secure and resilient communication channels for monitoring, command, and control of autonomous ships.

Giampiero Soncini, former officer of the Italian Navy and a retired leader in the maritime IT sector, returns to the helm via his appointment as MD of Oceanly, a new company established in December by Esa Group, following its acquisition from Arribatec of a business unit, formerly of IB srl, which develops and supports "Performance", a software dedicated to the monitoring of ship performance and the control of related emissions.To fuel the growth, Oceanly will have two MDs; alongside Soncini…

Thailand's military mobilised helicopters, warships and unmanned drones off its central coast on Tuesday as rescue teams raced against time to find survivors after a navy corvette sank at the weekend in choppy waters.One marine was rescued alive on Tuesday from the waters of the Gulf of Thailand, the navy said, among dozens who were forced to abandon the HTMS Sukhothai late on Sunday after it was knocked over by four-metre (13 ft) waves and strong winds. Five were found dead.There were 24 marines still unaccounted for by Tuesday evening.

Classification society DNV has awarded type approval to NAPA’s new onboard stability software for the passenger sector – NAPA Stability, a new onboard stability solution that will replace NAPA Loading Computer, the stability management solution for passenger ships.This type approval establishes that the software meets DNV’s requirements for the assessment of ship stability in both intact and damaged conditions, and the relevant IACS requirements to enable Safe Return to Port (IACS UR L5 Type 4 requirements)…

Modern space technology and artificial intelligence have combined to enhance the conservation of marine animals: the new service, “SPACEWHALE”, developed by a team of creative scientists in Germany and the UK, detects whales from space. Supported by funding from the European Space Agency (ESA) Space Solutions program, this research enables whales and other large marine megafauna to be surveyed at an unprecedented scale. Earth Observation from satellites is developing fast and within a few years, space technology companies aim to provide daily high-resolution images of the whole globe.

U.S. commercial fishing practices must change to prevent the extinction of North Atlantic right whales, the administration of President Joe Biden said on Thursday, as it prepares a list of new regulations to prevent whale entanglements in lobster and crab gear.The scientific assessment from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries unit is a milestone in finalizing a handful of proposed reforms of commercial fishermen mainly intended to reduce the amount of vertical rope in whale habitat.The lobster industry…

Environmental groups urged the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on Tuesday to establish a year-round speed limit for ships in areas of the Gulf of Mexico, home to one of the most endangered whales worldwide, to prevent deadly collisions.The Natural Resource Defense Council and other groups asked the NMFS in a petition to limit the speed of vessels that navigate Gulf waters off the Florida panhandle to 10 knots. The area is home to the endangered Gulf of Mexico whale of which only about 50 survive.

Research scientist and entrepreneur Sverre Dokken believes laser-based remote sensing has big potential in the maritime domain. But what is LADAR, who’s it for and what are the key benefits?“Our mission is to be the world leader in innovative maritime sensor products that enhance the safety and security of shipping and all manner of offshore activity,” says Ladar Ltd (LDR) principal Sverre Dokken.In the sensor vanguardEssentially a laser-based navigational aid, LADAR (Laser Detection and Ranging) combines long-distance object detection with high-accuracy measurement…

CYSEC SA, a cybersecurity company from Switzerland, has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a solution mitigating the cyber risks related to ship tracking using satellite communications.The digital revolution also impacts the shipping industry by integrating automated navigation, cargo-tracking systems and digital platforms which facilitate operations, trade and the exchange of data. To achieve this transformation, the mitigation of cyber security…

Freight carriers are struggling to deliver goods by land, sea or air as the coronavirus pandemic forces Western governments to impose lockdowns, threatening supplies of vital products including medicines into the most affected areas, such as Italy.While China's draconian steps to stop the spread of the virus are now allowing its economy slowly to come back online, supply chains are backing up in other parts of the world.Problems ranging from finding enough truck drivers to restrictions on seafarers and a lack of air freight are hitting the smooth flow of goods…

The maritime software, services and data analysis provider NAPA has announced the signing of a new contract with the northernmost year-round ferry, Wasaline, for its newbuilding Aurora Botnia.When it launches in 2021 the Aurora Botnia will be the world’s first LNG/LBG battery ship with pods under the vehicle deck, as well as the world’s most environmentally friendly RoPax vessel.Under the agreement, NAPA will provide Wasaline with its industry benchmark software applications, NAPA Emergency Computer, which delivers unmatched integrated emergency decision support, and NAPA Loading Computer, which optimizes vessel load while minimizing stress and safety risk.NAPA Loading Computer and NAPA Emergency Computer have been approved by all major classification societies.Peter Ståhlberg…

July brought news about offshore wind. There was something for everyone: optimism, disappointment, and construction, too.Finally, starting with Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project, a joint venture with Danish wind developer Orsted is underway. True, this is a small project – just two wind turbines to be installed 27 miles east of Virginia Beach. But considering all the preceding hurdles, news about Dominion blew in as proverbial, hopeful fresh air. Surely…

A Memorandum of Intent covering future collaboration has been signed by the organization orchestrating space programmes for 22 European countries and the coordinators of One Sea, the industry alliance bringing together exponents of autonomous ship technology.The agreement, between One Sea coordinator DIMECC and the European Space Agency (ESA), sets out common objectives to encourage the development of space-based applications to analyse, enable and implement maritime digitalization…

The French shipping company, Compagnie Maritime Nantaise, initiates the process of implementing SERTICA for Maintenance, Procurement and HSQE.As of today, the first vessel has been converted to SERTICA. Compagnie Maritime Nantaise is implementing SERTICA Fleet Management for 7 vessels operating from Nantes and for 6 passenger vessels operating from Brest. The company mainly involves in the business of industrial and specialized sea transportation. They are shipping ESA Ariane launcher components between Europe and French Guiana…

The world's largest privately held cruise company MSC Cruises has today announced a new partnership with renowned German chef Harald Wohlfahrt.Voted one of the Top 10 Chefs in the World, and the only German chef to hold a three Michelin Star rating for 25 years in a row, Chef Wohlfahrt represents the best of Germany’s cuisine and embodies MSC Cruises’ commitment to offering new and exciting food options for its guests. Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The world-class expertise of Chef Wohlfahrt brings an exciting new chapter to our onboard dining experience. Working with partners who embody excellence and innovation…

Imperial Logistics is joining a new industrial initiative as one of its founding members. The consortium is called +D (plusdecentral) and aims to build a cross-company transaction protocol bringing automation and new business models to the Supply Chain.With this new decentralised infrastructure, it will be possible to digitize and automatically manage tasks such as transport contracts, insurance policies, tracking consignments, editing documents, settling damage claims and payment transactions.The protocol follows an open-source approach and is designed to guarantee a smooth exchange of information and value between all the participants in the supply chain. Main technologies are Blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence.

While much of the maritime world slumps, the cruise sector is enjoying its most vibrant growth in a generation. Carnival Corporation, in particular, is doing very well as its financial performance is stronger than ever, with 2016 delivering the best year of earnings in company history. The company’s adjusted earnings for 2016 of $2.6 billion is the best annual financial performance in its 44-year history. With that, Hans Hederstrom, Managing Director give overview of CSMART, one of the newest and richly appointed simulation centers on the planet.

Software solution provider for ship design and operation NAPA Group (Napa Ltd.) has appointed Ilmo Kuutti as its new President. Kuutti assumes the position from Juha Heikinheimo, who served as President of NAPA Group for five and a half years. Kuutti holds a master’s degree in naval architecture from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. He started his career in shipyards, where he undertook various roles throughout the 1980s. Since joining NAPA in 1991, he has been taken on various leadership positions…

Esa Jokioinen leads Rolls-Royce Marine’s Blue Ocean Team, a team that looks five to 10 years into the future to evaluate evolving technology trends, helping to determine where the company will invest. Jokioinen sat in Maritime Reporter & Engineering News’ New York City headquarters to discuss the look of maritime’s future: All arrows point toward digitalization. When Esa Jokioinen and his Rolls-Royce Blue Ocean Team look at future technology trajectory, he admits that there are some things related to energy storage (batteries), new fuel and exhaust cleaning that hold promise.

Ship connectivity, smart data and cybersecurity will be central themes on the agenda at the fifth SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference & Exhibition. The annual maritime technology forum and trade show will take place at the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa in Stamford, Conn., October 18-19. “The confluence of high-capacity satellite bandwidth and new ship analytics programs is enabling unprecedented capabilities for actively managing ships at sea to improve efficiencies in operation and reduce costs,” said SHIPPINGInsight co-director Jim Rhodes. “Ship managers are now able to extract actionable data from ship sensors and systems to identify trends and anomalies and make smarter business decisions for optimizing their assets.

Carnival Corporation & plc today announced the official opening of its Arison Maritime Center, a world-class facility dedicated to providing safety training for its bridge and engineering officers responsible for the navigation and operation of the company’s fleet of cruise ships. Located in Almere, Netherlands just outside Amsterdam, the new 75-million-euro facility features some of industry’s most advanced simulators and training equipment to provide annual training to more than 6,500 bridge and engineering officers from Carnival’s 10 global cruise line brands.

SHIPPINGInsight announced the agenda and identified keynote speakers for the fifth Fleet Optimization Conference & Exhibition. The annual event will take place October 18-19, 2016, at the Stamford Marriott Hotel and Spa in Stamford, Conn. Capt. Michael Wilson, president & COO of Laurin Maritime (America), will serve as conference chairman. John D. (Jack) Noonan, COO of Chembulk Tankers, and Capt. Norbert Aschmann, CEO of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, will deliver the keynote addresses on Days One and Two.

The AR5 Life Ray UAS, developed by TEKEVER, has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to demonstrate the first European maritime surveillance system where drones are integral to operations. The first demonstration will be performed this summer over the Maltese waters of the Mediterranean sea, said Pedro Sinogas, TEKEVER CEO, at the AUVSI Xponential show in New Orleans, La. Maritime operations have been brought into focus in Europe by the unprecedented migrant crisis.