Navigation Systems News

Founded as the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and renamed Military Sealift Command in 1970, MSC today not only support the Navy, but we are the Department of Defense's provider of all sealift. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently interviewed Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, U.S. Navy, for insights on the service today and it’s needs to grow in the future.What makes MSC so vital to the Navy’s fleet and our military forces around the world?When we  look at the history of contested logistics in World War II…

“Wind Turbines: The Bigger, the Better” -USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, August 24, 2023Last December the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a proposed sale notice regarding new development areas for utility scale wind projects in the central Atlantic Ocean. The notice includes an upfront issue: the need to mitigate conflicts with U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) activities. BOEM explains that in certain areas the Air Force has set an airspace floor of 1,000 feet above sea level and the Air Force asked BOEM to keep structures below that height.

The Norwegian cruise ship MS Maud suffered a power outage after a rogue wave shattered windows on the bridge while it sailed in the North Sea, causing the vessel to lose its ability to navigate, Danish authorities and the ship's owner said on Thursday.The 266 passengers and 131 crew members were safe, according to the Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Centre."There is no power on the ship. The main engine is functioning but the navigation systems and radars are not," a spokesperson for the centre…

Scandlines has contracted Norwegian Electric Systems (NES) to deliver an onshore charging system to the ferry operator’s berth in Puttgarden, Germany.NES will deliver the system and connect the equipment to the power grid of the regional grid operator, Schleswig-Holstein Netz. The required components onshore include a 30MVA grid transformer, medium and low voltage transformers, and switchboards, in addition to control system and data collection system. NES will also deliver additional equipment to the ferry.Scandlines’ new zero direct emissions ferry…

In the vast expanse of the world’s oceans, a transformation is underway.The international shipping sector, made up of thousands of massive cargo ships laden with many of the goods we buy, emits carbon dioxide (CO₂) roughly equivalent to the entire country of Germany.Our research emphasises the need for immediate action. Reducing shipping emissions by 34% by 2030 is necessary to stay on course with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal. But with low-carbon fuel pipelines unlikely to be available at the necessary scale until at least the 2030s…

Saab and GMV are collaborating in ASGARD, an EU-funded project that aims to improve maritime security when using GNSS and OSNMA. The project addresses the growing threat of GNSS spoofing and other cyberattacks on navigation systems used in the maritime industry.The ASGARD project, run by Saab and GMV, is an ambitious European Union (EU) initiative that aims to develop advanced technologies to improve Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) security in maritime environments.

Burger Boat Company and yacht designer Evan K. Marshall have collaborated on the Burger 142 Atrium Motor Yacht, a vessel the companies say combines impeccable design and cutting-edge technology in a stunning 142-foot masterpiece.The inspiration behind the design was to establish an extraordinary centerpiece within the yacht's interior. With the Atrium, Marshall has successfully crafted a multi-story grand entrance that has never been seen on a yacht of this size. This distinctive feature will captivate the owner and their guests…

Spain's GONDAN Shipbuilders announced it held a steel cutting ceremony marking the start of construction on a new vessel it is building for the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB), a non-departmental public body responsible for marine navigation aids around coastal areas for Scotland and the Isle of Man.The NLB, which has been responsible for the management of lights, buoys and beacons in the region since 1786, plays an essential role in safe navigation.The new hybrid-powered vessel…

Anschütz is delivering advanced, customized integrated bridge systems (IBS) to three multi-purpose vessels for the German Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) built by Abeking & Rasmussen (A&R).The vessels will run exclusively on LNG, with sophisticated systems supporting a wide-ranging mission profile.The IBS consists of six Synapsis NX workstations with chart radar, ECDIS and conning, providing advanced features for precise and safe navigation, while using another ECDIS as a planning station.

Construction of Young Endeavour II has officially commenced at the Birdon shipyard in Port Macquarie, Australia.The Australian Commonwealth Government has ordered the vessel to replace the brigantine Sail Training Ship (STS) Young Endeavour. This vessel is now 35 years old and has been delivering sail training voyages in Australia since 1988.The new sail training ship, to be built over the next three years, will be a barquentine rig, with square sails rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft sails rigged on the fore…

Rolls-Royce has acquired Team Italia/Onyx Marine, an Italian group specializing in yacht bridges and marine automation.Having begun to collaborate on joint development projects in 2019, the two companies now agreed that the best way to realize strategic growth plans would be for Team Italia to become part of Rolls-Royce.Team Italia, established in 2000, designs and develops integrated bridges and marine navigation and automation systems – mainly for Italian yacht builders and shipyards positioned prominently on the global yacht market.With this acquisition…

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas—the world's largest cruise ship—has commenced sea trials in the Baltic Sea.The 250,800 GT vessel, the first in Royal Caribbean's new Icon-class, has been under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland since June 2022. The fully assembled ship was floated out in December and is now undergoing final outfitting and testing.This first set of sea trials—which tests the performance of the ship's propulsion systems, navigation systems and other ship features…

Sperry Marine has secured the contract to deliver complete navigation systems including its VisionMaster Net bridge, NAVIGAT gyrocompass, and NAVIPILOT 4500N autopilot for four vessels under construction for SAL Heavy Lift at WuHu shipyard, China. Sperry Marine’s VM Net bridge system provides connected navigation and can be supported remotely, reducing the requirement for in-person service calls, the company said.According to Sperry Marine, VM Net is designed for simplified deployment and increased system availability…

Kongsberg Maritime said Friday it had completed a live trial of autonomous shipping technology in Bornem, Belgium, demonstrating the company's progress in fully autonomous systems.The test vessel, Zulu 4, an inland waterway barge owned by Blue Line Logistics NV, is equipped for remote-operated and autonomous transport demonstrations for the AUTOSHIP project, which is part of Horizon 2020, an EU research program.As part of the test, Zulu 4 maneuvered and navigated on unrestricted waterways, and it demonstrated berthing and unberthing capability.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has tapped Exail to replace obsolete gyrocompass systems on the 175-foot WLM Keeper Class Buoy Tenders. The $2,244,009 contract awarded to Exail includes Octans gyrocompasses and Netans Navigation Data Distribution Systems (NDDS) and covers a base year and nine options over a 10-year performance period.This upgrade will provide the USCG Keeper Class Buoy Tenders with more precise and dependable navigation capabilities. Built on Exail’s Fiber-Optic Gyroscope (FOG) technology…

Norway's Kongsberg Maritime said Friday it had successfully demonstrated a range of remote and autonomous technologies on a cargo vessel operating off the coast of Norway.The test cruise has been named one of the most complex autonomous journeys at sea so far, Kongsberg Maritime said.The Eidsvaag Pioner is one of the two vessels that are equipped for remote-operated and autonomous transport demonstrations for the AUTOSHIP project, which is part of Horizon 2020, an EU research program.Owned by the Eidsvaag shipping company…

Norway's HAV Group ASA has agreed to acquire Undheim Systems AS, a provider of dynamic positioning (DP) systems for vessels."The planned technology acquisition is a strategic move that accelerates HAV Group's plans to offer digital functionality that meets the global maritime market's needs for decision support tools and autonomous ship operations," HAV Group said.“HAV Group already provides digital decision support systems to vessels in order to cut operating expenditure and emissions to air.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley returned to homeport at Coast Guard Base Kodiak, Alaska, on Thursday, following an extended seven-month dry dock maintenance period in Seattle.While in dry dock, the crew and contractors successfully completed more than $6 million worth of repairs.The engineering department oversaw 76 work items including major overhauls on the cutter’s controllable pitch propeller system, speed reducers, rudders, and boilers, along with inspections of fuel, sewage, and water tanks.

ABS’ support for the development of autonomous technology at sea took another step forward with the granting of approval in principle (AIP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries Group (HHI Group) for four areas of autonomous functions: navigation, machinery health management, fire fighting management and network infrastructure.“ABS is leading the industry in supporting autonomous projects and assisting pioneers like HHI Group. ABS understands that autonomous technologies are not stand-alone…

Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract award with Polish shipbuilder Remontowa Shipbuilding SA (RSB) to supply three shipsets of Kongsberg Hugin Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) systems and related HiPAP positioning and communication systems for three newbuild warships for the Polish Navy.The total contract value exceeds €10 million, with the Kongsberg equipment planned for the next three ships in the Kormoran II Mine-Countermeasures (MCM) vessel program (#4, #5, and #6).These three ships will be delivered between 2026 and 2027.

Korean Register (KR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ship management company KLCSM and shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to jointly research and approve the application of autonomous navigation systems for mid- to large-sized vessels.The agreement, which was signed on June 23 at this year’s Korea Ocean Expo in Incheon, Korea, aims to accelerate the commercialization and international competitiveness of domestic autonomous ship equipment and technology…

DNV signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Hyundi Heavy Industries (HHI), AVIKUS and Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR) to collaborate on autonomous ship technology developments.The Hyundai intelligent Navigation Assistant System (HiNAS 2.0) is an AI-based navigation solution that covers all steps for voyage from detection to situation analysis, planning and control. The system assists in safe navigation by displaying AR (augmented reality) images of detected ships and navigation information.

Global container shipping line MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has signed a contract with classification society DNV that aims to address a growing problem within the maritime industry: lost containers at sea.The deal, signed Wednesday at the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, will see MSC implement DNV's new Anti-Roll Assist system and ARCS (Anti-Roll for Containerships) class notation in some 100 vessels, making it the first global liner company to install the application and…