Research Council Of Norway News

Leadership Profile: Tor Svanes and NAVTOR's Quest to Transform Shipping

Compliance, performance, profitability, sustainability; take the biggest ‘pain points’ for almost any shipping company and watch NAVTOR’s 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.“The morning of the announcement I got a text from the boss of one of our biggest competitors…

DNV Gives Thumbs Up to Moss Maritime's LH2 Ship Transport Solution

Moss Maritime, Norwegian company specializing in design and engineering services to the offshore energy industry as well as other ocean-based sectors and a subsidiary of Italy's Saipem,  has secured an Approval in Principle (AIP) from the classification society DNV for a containment system for ship transport of liquefied hydrogen (LH2).Ship transport of liquefied hydrogen is seen as one of the key technical challenges in realizing the energy transition to a carbon-free future…

ABS Qualifying Subsea Ammonia Storage

ABS is providing new technology qualification services for subsea ammonia storage technology from NOV Subsea Production Systems.The 200-cubic-meter prototype subsea storage unit is en route to NOV’s testing facility in Norway where large-scale product validation tests are planned for later this summer.The subsea storage system is part of a Joint Development Project that includes ABS, NOV Subsea Production Systems, Equinor, The Research Council of Norway and The Net Zero Technology…

New Research on Combined Use of Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Batteries in Vessel Propulsion

Corvus Energy announced it has been selected to lead an IPN project – a program funded by the Research Council of Norway to promote innovation in the industry. Corvus Energy joins forces with research institute NORCE and other partners for the project which has been awarded 13,9 million NOK in funding.The industrial project, titled “Optimized Hydrogen Powered Maritime Mobility” or “OptHyMob” for short, will improve operations of hydrogen-driven marine vessels in order to reduce costs and extend the lifetime of both the hydrogen fuel cells and the batteries in hybrid configurations.

Corvus' Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Gets AIP from DNV

Corvus Energy announced its hydrogen fuel cell system developed through the H2NOR project has received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society DNV for its safety solution enabling simplified placement of the system inside a ship’s hull.According to Corvus, the fuel cell system (FCS) is the first designed to be inherently gas safe, meaning that the surrounding machinery space will be considered gas safe under all conditions. This design reduces the number of requirements for the safety and ventilation support systems…

DNV Grants AIP for Ammonia-fueled Zero-emissions Bulker

Classification society DNV has awarded approval in principle (AIP) for the ZeroCoaster ammonia fueled cargo ship, confirming an independent assessment that the ship's design is feasible and there are no obstacles to the design being commercially realized.The ZeroCoaster Consortium, led by Vard Engineering Brevik AS in partnership with ABB, Trosvik Maritime, AFC Energy, SINTEF Ocean and HK Shipping and is sponsored by the Norwegian Government, aims to design next generation coastal cargo ships to accelerate the transition to zero-emission shipping solutions.AFC Energy…

The Value of Friends in “High-Latitude” Places

Who do you call when you need a job done on short notice, in total darkness, under 100-percent ice cover, thousands of meters at the bottom of the sea? In the case of the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), you call your friends in Norway.That is exactly what the Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Lorin C. Selby did when he enlisted the help of the Norwegian Coast Guard icebreaker and offshore patrol vessel, the CGV Svalbard, to retrieve oceanographic moorings containing irreplaceable data.

New Roadmap for Smart and Autonomous Vessels

A new roadmap developed by leading maritime research institutes in Norway and Singapore examines the path ahead for smart and autonomous sea transport systems.Unveiled at the SMI Forum in Singapore on October 22, by Senior Minister of State for Transport and Foreign Affairs, Chee Hong Tat, and the Ambassador of Norway to Singapore, Anita Nergaard, the roadmap has been developed by SINTEF Ocean in Norway and Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), with input from Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI)…

Kongsberg to Test Autonomous Ship Technology

Norwegian technology firm Kongsberg announced it will install and test autonomous ship technologies on two vessels in Europe's inland waterways and short sea coastal shipping routes.The AUTOSHIP project will aim to test and further develop key technology linked to fully autonomous navigation systems, intelligent machinery systems, self-diagnostics, prognostics and operation scheduling, as well as communication technology enabling a prominent level of cyber security and integrating the vessels into upgraded e-infrastructure…

Ferry Tech: Retractable Bow Foils for M/F Teistin

Innovation in the world of marine design and propulsion continues to move forward at record speed, driven by new emissions regulation and the push toward emission free ships. In September 2019 an innovative new technology from Wavefoil AS of Trondheim, Norway was installed on the Faroese ferry M/F Teistin, the first ship in the world with retractable bow foils that are designed not only for ship stability but also to convert wave energy directly into propulsive thrust.The foils are designed to both help in saving fuel and improving comfort on board.

Martime Propulsion: New Solutions Meet New Emission Demands

Marine propulsion manufacturers are not just responding to but are anticipating tighter performance demands from the U.S. EPA  and the IMO by introducing both new and upgraded systems based on state-of-the-art propulsion technologies. Tom Mulligan reviews the latest engine product launches.AIP for MAN cryo Liquid Hydrogen Fuel-Gas systemMAN Cryo, a subsidiary of MAN Energy Solutions, has developed a marine fuel-gas system for liquefied hydrogen in cooperation with Fjord1 and Multi Maritime 0f Norway.

Rolls-Royce Launches Battery System for Ships

Rolls-Royce has been delivering energy storage systems for ships since 2010, but the actual energy storage units were previously supplied by an external party. The company announced today it is launching its own lithium-ion based energy storage system.Energy storage can be a major green investment for a ship owner, with maximized returns when the system is correctly dimensioned for the specific ship, and includes intelligent power control.Rolls-Royce said its new SAVe Energy liquid cooled battery system is cost competitive…

Partners Launch Zero Emissions Ferry Project

By combining existing technologies in a new way, it is possible to build ferries that represent a quantum leap for the environment. That is the idea behind a new R&D project involving four major players in the maritime sector: Rolls-Royce, Color Line, Norled and the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The project has now received a NOK 5.9 million grant from the Research Council of Norway’s ENERGIX program. The ‘Zero Emission Ferry’ project is intended to result in a new electrical system that not only provides more efficient power output and stable operations…

Singapore Strengthens Maritime Ties with Norway

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), represented by Chief Executive, Andrew Tan, signed a Joint Statement with the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries on October 10 during the State Visit by President Tony Tan Keng Yam to Norway. Norway’s signatory was State Secretary Dilek Ayhan. The signing was witnessed by President Tony Tan and His Majesty King, Harald V of Norway. Besides substantial commercial and industrial cooperation between the maritime clusters of Singapore and Norway, both countries also have extensive cooperation in research and development in maritime environment, sustainable energy technology, offshore and marine engineering, maritime operations and info-communications technology.

Carbon War Room Launches Shipping Efficiency Advisory Board

Six leaders and influencers from across the shipping industry will join global NGO Carbon War Room’s (CWR’s) Shipping Operation Advisory Board. Their backgrounds span the shipowning, chartering, technical analysis, finance, and academic worlds. The board will lend extensive industry insight and support CWR’s mission to profitably decarbonise the international shipping industry. Galen Hon, Manager, Shipping Operation, Carbon War Room, commented: "Following UNFCCC in Paris, the industry has an obligation to find new and innovative ways to reduce carbon while remaining competitive. With expertise spanning finance, ship operation, classification, data analysis, technology, and software, these individuals are perfectly positioned to identify and evaluate opportunities for innovation and growth.

CWR Launches Shipping Efficiency Advisory Board

Six leaders and influencers from across the shipping industry will join global NGO Carbon War Room’s (CWR’s) Shipping Operation Advisory Board. Their backgrounds span the shipowning, chartering, technical analysis, finance, and academic worlds. The board will lend extensive industry insight and support CWR’s mission to profitably decarbonise the international shipping industry. Galen Hon, Manager, Shipping Operation, Carbon War Room, commented: "We are thrilled to have gathered a group with so much knowledge and experience in shipping. Following UNFCCC in Paris, the industry has an obligation to find new and innovative ways to reduce carbon while remaining competitive.

Project Studies Collision Avoidance for Advanced Ships

The Department of Engineering Cybernetics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is leading a new Knowledge-Building Project for Industry that will study collision avoidance for advanced ships. The AUTOSEA project is sponsored by the Research Council of Norway with DNV GL, Kongsberg Maritime and Maritime Robotics as industry partners. The Maritime industry has seen an increasing focus on safety and reliability over many decades. Still the accident and casualty rates are high compared to other industries and numerous studies indicate that the majority of these accidents are caused by human errors. Recent advances…

Rolls-Royce Builds on Decade of Marine Research Collaboration

Ten years ago, Rolls-Royce partnered with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Marintek Research Centre to create a unique research centre in Norway. The partners have renewed their agreement in Trondheim, Norway, pledging to continue to develop high-tech solutions for the maritime sector, focusing on improving ship performance in rough seas. The research centre follows a model that Rolls-Royce has developed with universities worldwide: the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC).

Kongsberg Launches SESAME Straits Project

Kongsberg Norcontrol IT said it will lead a three-year project called SESAME Straits (Secure, Efficient and Safe maritime traffic Management in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore), which aims to create solutions to significantly improve the safety and efficiency of ship navigation across the world. An important test-bed for IMO’s e-Navigation implementation strategy, the objective of the SESAME Straits Project is to develop and validate a revolutionary concept for a next generation Ship Traffic Management System (STMS) in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).

DNV GL's CEO Madsen Appointed UN Global Compact Board Member

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Dr Henrik O. Madsen, Group President & Chief Executive Officer of DNV GL, as a new board member to the UN Global Compact board, the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. As a Board member, Dr Madsen will join other leaders from business, labour and civil society, and serve as a champion of the UN Global Compact and its mission. He will act in a personal and honorary capacity for a period of three years, starting from 1 June 2015. More than 8,500 companies in over 160 countries participate in the UN Global Compact, along with additional stakeholders. Participating firms align their operations with universally agreed principles of human rights…

First Havyard WE Design Delivered to Fafnir Offshore

Havyard Ship Technology's build 120 'Polarsyssel', a Havyard 832 L WE design, was delivered to Fafnir Offshore yesterday. It will go straight on assignment for the Governor of Svalbard In March 2013, Havyard signed a contract with Icelandic shipping company Fafnir Offshore for the building of a Havyard 832 L  WE platform supply vessel (PSV). A month later, Fafnir had secured a long-term contract for the vessel, which will operate six months a year for the Governor of Svalbard for a period of six years. 'Polarsyssel' is a Havyard 832 L WE design that, in principle, is equipped as a normal PSV. Havyard Design & Solutions' WE design has been specially developed with a view to ensuring comfortable, safe and economical operation in demanding weather conditions and in Arctic waters.

OSV 'Test Lab' Targets Safety and Efficiency Gains

At the Greener Shipping Summit – Ships of the Future conference held in Athens yesterday, Dr. Nikolaos Kakalis, Head of DNV GL Strategic Research & Innovation in Greece, showed how the Viking Lady, an offshore supply vessel (OSV) in daily operation in the North Sea and full-scale test laboratory, could lead the way to improvements in the safety and efficiency of high-risk operations. Dr. Kakalis presented the specific battery hybrid propulsion system and its benefits for Viking Lady to the Greek shipping community.

Madsen to Chair Norway’s Research Council Executive Board

Henrik O. DNV GL president and CEO Henrik O. Madsen was appointed as chairman of the executive board of the Research Council of Norway. The executive board is the Research Council’s highest authority, and the newly appointed board will commence Jan 1. 2015. The main functions of the Research Council of Norway is to provide strategic policy input, administer research funding and serve as a meeting place for the development of research policy and dissemination of knowledge in Norway.