Vessel Management News

NYK has jointly implemented a crew transfer vessel (CTV) newbuilding project that applies 3D technology as a core platform throughout the design and construction process.This project is being carried out in collaboration with Kosaba Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Smert Design Co., Ltd.CTVs transporting crews to offshore wind farms must meet high standards of safety, operability, and maintenance and inspection efficiency. Consequently, the design and construction phases now demand…

ACUA Ocean has announced the launch of FleetMind, an integrated platform monitoring system for autonomous vessels, filling a gap in the medium and large unmanned surface vehicle (USV) management capability.While existing autonomy software solutions focus on command and control, navigation and collision avoidance, end users are consolidating the number of systems being deployed. This necessitates a modular approach to the C2 software integration layer, allowing focus to be spent on reducing the operating burden of vessel management and maintenance.

ABS has opened the ABS Cruise Center of Excellence, its dedicated global hub for the cruise sector, located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The center expands ABS’ local presence and provides cruise operators with direct access to industry-leading classification, risk management, compliance and performance software and engineering services.The new center brings together local experts specializing in classification, risk consulting, and sustainability, while serving as a strategic connection point to ABS’ worldwide technical resources and deep marine expertise.

NYK convened its third annual Dry Bulk Safety Conference in Athens, Greece, on January 21. The event brought together 150 participants representing 70 Greek shipowners and other companies active in the dry bulk sector. Originally established in 2010 in Japan for domestic shipowners and ship-management companies, the conference first expanded to Greece in 2024.At the conference, we shared with Greek shipowners and related companies case studies of past accidents and incidents, along with countermeasures and measures for crew welfare.

Hydromover 2.0, an all-electric light cargo transfer vessel designed by Incat Crowther for Singapore’s marinEV, a business of Yinson GreenTech, has officially entered service in Singapore.Building on the success of the prototype Hydromover 1.0, Singapore’s first fully electric cargo vessel launched in 2023, the next-generation Hydromover 2.0 is now transporting light cargo to vessels anchored in the Singapore Strait waiting to dock at the Port of Singapore. The launch of Hydromover…

Japan’s NYK has ordered a next-generation car carrier equipped with advanced marine digital-transformation (DX) systems aimed at improving navigational safety, reducing crew workload and enhancing operational efficiency.The vessel, which will measure 199.95 meters in length with a beam of 38 meters, is scheduled for delivery on March 31, 2026, from Shinkai Toyohashi Shipbuilding.NYK said the newbuild will feature an autonomous navigation system, a large-motion mitigation system designed to limit rolling that could shift vehicle cargo…

NYK and NYK Ship management Pte. Ltd. (NYKSM) conducted a drill on October 17 that simulated a response to an accident off the coast of Okinawa Island.The exercise featured a scenario in which a fire broke out in the cargo hold of a car carrier owned and operated by NYK and managed by NYKSM. During firefighting operations, the vessel also collided with a small craft. This drill was part of the "Remember Naka-no-Se" safety promotion campaign and was executed in close cooperation with external stakeholders…

iNav4U, creators of Zora The Operational System for Yachts, has announced a new collaboration with Aqua Map, a  leader in digital marinenavigation. iNav4U is delivering the first fully integrated, end-to-end platform that unifies yacht management, operations, and navigation in one system. By embedding Aqua Map’s advanced marine charts directly into Zora, captains and yacht owners gain real-time situational awareness and advanced vessel management tools, without juggling multiple apps and devices.

Offshore service provider OS Energy has adopted Sonardyne’s SPRINT-Nav DP dynamic positioning (DP) reference system to support its marine renewable energy projects in the North and Baltic Seas. SPRINT-Nav DP will enable OS Energy to maintain DP integrity, even in shallow water and GNSS-compromised environments that are increasingly characteristic of offshore wind construction and maintenance activities. Housed within a single, pre-calibrated unit, the easy to integrate system allows operators ride out GNSS disruption, maintaining safety, accuracy and DP certification.

Norway-based maritime technology business, Shipnet, has announced consistent growth since its launch in 2021 for its dry docking software with project numbers at an all-time high.The technical project management tool which aids businesses create efficiencies while their vessels are in dry dock has seen year-on-year growth since 2021 and has now conducted a total of 486 projects.“We released our dry dock product in 2021 and saw a steady increase in adoption throughout 2022 and 2023 and since then we’ve seen growth of 185 per cent…

Norwegian vessel management and operations services provider Aurora Offshore, pat of Borealis Group, has welcomed the first of three high-end subsea vessels to the fleet as part of vessels transfer agreed with Sea1 Offshore.The transferred ship, Siem Stingray, is a state-of-the-art subsea vessel built in 2014 and has a 250t AHC Crane, 1300 m2 Deck Area and Accommodation for 110 People.The change of management has been completed between the vessel’s work scope, which is on long term contract with Subsea7.Earlier in January, Aurora Offshore welcomed Siem Pearl and Siem Challenger to itsfleet.

James Fisher and Sons has ordered four new LNG dual-fuel tankers from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng as part of its ‘fleet of the future’ business strategy.The new tankers, which will carry oil products and IMO Class II chemicals, will have LNG dual-fuel propulsion capability, expected to help to reduce operational CO2 emissions and associated environmental impact over the long-term.A number of features that will add to the overall sustainability of the new builds have been carried over from recent additions to the company’s fleet…

Canada is removing a trio of "problem" vessels that have been abandoned in Nova Scotia's Port of Bridgewater.The three vessels—Hannah Atlantic, Cape Rouge and Rupert Brand VI—all showing signs of disrepair, have been moored at a privately owned wharf on the LaHave River for a number of years, posing a threat to the marine environment.The Canadian Coast Guard's Marine Environmental and Hazards Response team is leading a six-month operation to remove, deconstruct and dispose of the derelict vessels.

Maritime technology companies Helm Operations and Spinergie announced they are teaming up to create a fully integrated fleet optimization platform and centralized source of record keeping.The partnership will integrate vessel management system data from Helm Operations' Helm CONNECT into Spinergie's Smart Fleet Management, including logbook entries, engine room readings, and other essential sources. When combined with Spinergie’s data streams, including AIS, GPS, custom GIS Maps…

NAVTOR, an e-Navigation and performance technology provider to the maritime industry, and Voyager Worldwide, a provider of maritime technology solutions, have agreed to merge.The combined company will deliver products and solutions to approximately 18,000 vessels globally. The transaction is expected to close by December 2023.Both companies provide maritime technology solutions that enable shipping companies to improve safety, efficiency, compliance, and operational performance…

ClassNK is taking a leading role in the implementation of safe and efficient maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) through a program of research, rule-development, technology trials and certification.While the regulatory framework covering MASS remains a work in progress, it is clear that autonomous ship technologies are already having a transformative effect on shipping.By autonomously executing certain functions that would typically be performed by crew – especially tasks…

There's a new player in the Jones Act crew transfer vessel (CTV) market: Blue Ocean Transfers (BOT), based on Long Island, N.Y.The McQuilling-Partners-owned company is planning to build a fleet of CTVs to support the U.S. offshore wind industry as it ramps up to meet the Biden administration's goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030. "BOT is a marine logistics equipment manager, whose equipment is chartered and deployed by wind field developers and their suppliers," the company said in a statement.

HD Hyundai Global Service, a ship service subsidiary of HD Hyundai Group, has announced that it has signed contracts with Cool Company (CoolCo), an owner and operator of LNG vessels, to retrofit five LNG carriers with reliquefaction units.The contract value is approximately US$10 million per vessel.A reliquefaction unit is a device used to re-liquefy the boiled off gas (BOG) generated during the operation of LNG cargo tanks, either returning the gas to the cargo tank or preventing natural evaporation using sub-cooled LNG.

The Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) Hull Stress Monitoring System has received the ABS SMART Tier 2 approval in principle (AiP) for structural health monitoring (SHM).Recognized with a certificate presentation at Nor-Shipping 2023, the AiP is part of a larger joint development project (JDP) between SHI and ABS that aims to enhance hull safety with smart ship technology.The AiP verifies that the design is feasible for the intended application and, in principle, complies with the ABS requirements that include vessel-specific loads and operations monitoring…

NYK agreed to obtain all the shares of Mitsubishi Ore Transport Co., Ltd. (MOT) from Mitsubishi Corp. (MC), Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (Tokio Marine & Nichido), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), making MOT its wholly-owned subsidiary.MOT is a joint company of NYK, which owns a 40.28% stake, MC, Tokio Marine & Nichido, and MHI, mainly operating vessel management and ship-owning businesses with 17 ships consisting of bulkers, pure car and truck carriers, and wood-chip carriers.

Alice Cosulich, the first of two Small Scale & Bunker Vessels for Fratelli Cosulich Group was recently christened and luanced at the CIMC SOE shipyard in China.Giulia Cosulich, ESG Corporate Director at Fratelli Cosulich Group, acted as the godmother of the vessel.Alice Cosulich and will sail under the Italian flag with Captain Vincenzo Scotto at the helm.The vessel, which has a 5,300 DWT and can carry 8,200 m3 of LNG and 500 m3 of MGO, will be fitted with Wartsila’s Dual Fuel technology.

2022 closed with significant developments to advance offshore wind (OSW) and the necessary, related work required at U.S. ports – on the east and west coasts and the Great Lakes. Some of these developments included:Funding – MARAD’s Port Improvement Development Project (PIDP) grants provided over $100 million for wind at four ports.Corporate leadership – Marine giants Foss and Crowley stepped up to lead development projects in California and Massachusetts.New industry focus – The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) started a program called POWERS – “Port Opportunities With Energy…

Marlink and ABS Wavesight signed an agreement to collaborate on using optimized connectivity to support efficient delivery of sustainability services and data to clients’ vessels. The agreement connects Marlink’s blended network with the voyage optimization and vessel management services provided by ABS Wavesight.