Abb News

ABB will supply the integrated power and propulsion system for Grand Tour, a new 230-meter semi-submersible heavy transport vessel being built by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) for offshore contractor Allseas.Scheduled for delivery in 2028, Grand Tour is designed to transport large offshore wind converter stations from fabrication facilities in Asia and Europe and transfer them directly to Allseas’ heavy construction vessel Pioneering Spirit for offshore installation.Converter stations play a central role in long-distance offshore wind power transmission…

ABB has agreed to acquire UK-based intelligent flow control solutions provider Rotork in a recommended all-cash deal valuing the company at about $5.5 billion, expanding its automation portfolio and strengthening its position in industrial automation.ABB said Rotork's flow control and instrumentation portfolio complements its existing automation business and will strengthen its position at the field-device layer by adding intelligent field devices and software used to monitor…

ABB entered into an agreement to acquire marine automation specialist Høglund AS, headquartered in Tønsberg, Norway. The acquisition is aiming to complement ABB’s existing automation offering to marine customers and support further growth in markets across a wide range of vessel segments. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals, and will cover Høglund’s global operations including more than 80 employees in Norway, Poland, Romania, and China. Høglund is currently owned by Eitzen Group and will be integrated into ABB’s Marine & Ports division.

How well do we really understand the electrical systems powering today’s vessels? Many of us realize how important electricity is to our modern world but may be a bit shaky on the specifics. The Welsh comedian Tommy Cooper once joked, "Electricity is a wonderful thing. Do you realize that if we didn't have electricity, we'd be watching television by candlelight?"For those who have worked on vessels for many years, the increasing complexity may be a sore point, especially for those who have been hands-on in their careers and been zapped a few times.

At the head of the U.S.’ largest ferry system is Steve Nevey, Deputy Secretary, Washington State Ferry (WSF), which is engaged in a historic modernization to a hybrid-electric fleet. Nevey gives a candid look inside problems during the Wenatchee conversion, with insights on the hybrid electric direction and pace for newbuilds at Eastern Shipbuilding.Steve Nevey did not stumble into maritime. He was raised in it, shaped by it, and by most accounts destined for it. Born in the UK, Nevey grew up in a naval household.

ABB has secured a contract from Cochin Shipyard to supply power and propulsion systems for two electric tugs being built under India’s Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP).The vessels, due for delivery to Polestar Maritime in 2027, will operate out of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), India’s largest container port.The tugs form part of the first phase of the GTTP, which aims to transition India’s harbor tug fleet from conventional diesel-powered vessels to greener alternatives in five phases between 2024 and 2040.ABB’s scope of supply includes electrical…

All American Marine (AAM), in partnership with Harbor Breeze Cruises, announced the delivery of a new 108′ x 32.5′ Parallel hybrid passenger vessel, after successful completion of sea trials. El Escudo will now enter deployment in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.Purpose-built to serve harbor tours, whale watch cruises, and special event dining experiences throughout the LA/Long Beach area, the vessel represents a major advancement in low-emissions passenger vessel design.

ABB has introduced Waterside Automation solution, which enables quay cranes to perform a larger share of container handling operations automatically. By automating operations over the vessel and reducing the need for continuous manual control, the solution addresses a key bottleneck in container terminal efficiency and enables a gradual transition toward autonomous quay crane operations.Today, facing ever-increasing pressure on schedule reliability, many container terminals have already automated much of their yard operations.

ABB has secured a contract from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to supply power distribution and propulsion systems for two new coastal hydrographic vessels being built for the Spanish Navy.The vessels, scheduled for delivery by 2028, will be equipped with ABB’s Onboard DC Grid power system, PEMS power and energy management system, transformers, thruster motors and batteries.The systems are designed to improve energy efficiency, operational flexibility and reliability while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.ABB will also oversee engineering…

ABB and maritime cybersecurity company Cydome have teamed up to help shipping companies strengthen operational risk management and maritime safety by integrating voyage optimization and cybersecurity systems.The collaboration combines ABB’s weather routing and voyage optimization data with Cydome’s AI-based cyber risk management platform to provide ship operators with broader visibility across vessel operations and onboard systems.The companies said the integration is designed to help operators assess operational and cybersecurity risks simultaneously…

It’s time to consider the role of “digital watchkeepers” as the become an increasingly complex tool for bridge teams.Releasing its annual report in July 2025, the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch said that significant collisions between merchant vessels show no sign of reducing. The collision between Scot Explorer and Happy Falcon, the fatal collision between Verity and Polesie and the dramatic and tragic collision of the Solong into the anchored Stena Immaculate indicate…

One of North America’s busiest ferry routes is joining the growing trend for U.S.-based operators to make the efficiencies of electrification central when they modernize their fleets, after an integrated hybrid-electric propulsion system from ABB was selected for the new ship ordered by Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA).Shipbuilder Senesco Marine contracted ABB to deliver full propulsion and automation systems for the 75-car passenger and vehicle ferry, which will replace the 45-year-old Cape Henlopen in connecting Lewes, Delaware and Cape May, New Jersey.

ABB has won a contract to deliver a fully integrated electrical power, propulsion and automation system for two hybrid-electric cable repair vessels being built for French shipowner Orange Marine at Colombo Dockyard PLC in Sri Lanka.The vessels, scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029, will support submarine cable maintenance operations across the Atlantic and Indian oceans as well as the Mediterranean, Black and Red seas. Orange Marine is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Orange Group and specializes in the installation and maintenance of subsea telecommunications cables.Under the agreement…

ABB has secured a contract to supply integrated power, propulsion and control solution for BC Ferries’ four new hybrid-electric major vessels.The New Major Vessels have been designed to minimize emissions and underwater radiated noise (URN), with the goal of contributing to quieter and cleaner operations in the Strait of GeorgiaABB will supply a complete package of power, propulsion and control technology for four new double-ended passenger and car ferries operated by British Columbia Ferry Services (BC Ferries).One of the largest ferry operators in the world…

PaxOcean Group and ABB have announced that Singapore’s first fully electric tug completed commissioning, marking a major milestone in the city-state’s harbor craft electrification program.The 50-tonne bollard pull tug, PXO-ACE-1, is expected to be deployed in April 2026 and is the first fully electric tug to be built and operated in Singapore. The vessel was built by PaxOcean Group, a subsidiary of Kuok Maritime Group, and is powered by an integrated electric propulsion system…

ABB has signed contracts with Rotterdam Shore Power (RSP) to engineer and construct what is expected to be the world’s largest shore power system by capacity at the Port of Rotterdam.The system will provide over 100 megavolt-amperes (MVA) of shore power capacity and is set to begin operations in the second half of 2028, serving three deep-sea container terminals.The installations aim to reduce emissions, support compliance with the EU’s FuelEU Maritime Regulation, and improve air quality in Europe’s busiest port.The project…

It’s trite (but true) to say that in the maritime industry’s quest to cut emissions, there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution, rather a series of small step changes that cumulatively add up over time. Maritime Matters: The Marinelink Podcast, recently hosted Giuseppe Gargiulo, Head of Newbuildings, MSC and Daniel Bischofberger, CEO, Accelleron, to specifically discuss the development and delivery of Accelleron’s FITS2 technology, and automation technology built with MSC and premised on Accelleron’s cumulative 100+ years of turbocharger experience.

Corvus Energy, a provider of zero-emission energy solutions for the maritime industry, has received a record order from Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland for the supply of battery systems for seven new fully electric ferries for Scottish Government owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) in Scotland.This marks the largest contract in Corvus Energy’s history, measured in USD value, and represents a milestone in advancing clean, sustainable ferry operations in the UK.The…

In 2010, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) began the process of replacing its research vessel, R/V Western Flyer. With Glosten at their side as vessel designer, MBARI considered three types of ships for their new project. The Western Flyer was a small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH), but the parties agreed on a monohull design for the new vessel. In 2021, Freire Shipyard won the bid to build the vessel, and R/V David Packard came to life.There is no “I” in TeamWill Moon…

ABB and HDF Energy have signed a joint-development agreement (JDA) to develop a high-power fuel cell unit for marine applications.The agreement builds on an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between ABB and HDF Energy in 2020, envisaging the collaboration.Foreseeing pilot installations in 2028 - 2029 and serial production from 2030, the agreement initiates a significant step forward for developing fuel cells as a commercially viable option to support maritime decarbonization.The…

ABB has verified what it calls a major advancement in vessel Dynamic Positioning (DP) technology, following successful Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) proving trials and sea trials on board the new wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) Norse Wind.By integrating ABB Ability Marine Pilot Control - a ship control system that unifies dynamic positioning, maneuvering, and transit functionalities into one intuitive interface - with Azipod propulsion units, the vessel showcases distinctive advantages of system-level synergy.Meeting all performance expectations…

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson selected the $714.5 million bid from Florida-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build three new Washington State Ferries (WSF) vessels earlier this year, and the project is advancing with new contract awards.The hybrid/electric vessels have a length overall of 409’-6” with an 83’-2” beam and a hull depth of 24’-6”. They will be certified to transport 160 standard-sized passenger vehicles and 1500 passengers. With a draft of 16’-6”, the ferries…

Hanwha Ocean has delivered the Wind Mover wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) to offshore wind contractor Cadeler, completing the second vessel in the company’s M-class series about one month ahead of schedule.The vessel was formally signed over on November 28 and sailed away on December 2, following a naming ceremony at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Korea.Wind Mover is the second of two WTIVs ordered by Cadeler in 2021, with the first vessel, Wind Maker, delivered in January 2025.