Computer Software News

Captain Morgan McManus will serve as the Ship’s Master on the Empire State VII, the first in a series of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), which at press time was getting its post-sea trial finishing touches at Philly Shipyard. The project to design, build and deliver the NSMV series is one of the most exciting shipbuilding programs in the U.S. – a government shipbuilding project leveraging commercial shipbuilding efficiencies. For insights, we visited with Captain McManus to discuss the ship, it’s technology suite and its role in helping to educate a new generation of U.S.

Highlighted in Marine Technology Reporter's MTR100 is the work and technology ongoing in the halls of academia. The most recent report released by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasized our warming planet, an expected announcement for many in the scientific community. Faced with the confirmation that human activities have caused an increase in global temperatures, research has turned to seeking answers in the planet’s natural systems. How does each part of the global carbon cycle work and how may it be impacted by the changing climate?

Maritime software, services, and data analysis provider NAPA said it has been awarded type approval by DNV GL for its latest loading computer, the NAPA Loading Computer Type 4 and Loading Computer System Damage Control, LCS(DC). The type approval, which is the first of its kind to be awarded by DNV GL, is significant in enabling further adoption of a new generation of loading computers, which assess damage in real time with increased accuracy, allowing crew to make essential decisions on ship stability.According to NAPA…

Assessing the health of coral reefs in the Kingdom of TongaHealthy coral reefs provide critical ecosystem services for millions of people globally, but with climate change and anthropogenic stressors, the landscape of these habitats is regularly shifting. The science and conservation community has realized the importance of baseline studies to help track how these precious reef ecosystems are changing. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation launched the Global Reef Expedition…

Columbia Shipmanagement, an organization with over 40 years of experience providing world-class ship management and maritime services to our clients and partners,  announced the launch of its own eLearning Management System (LMS) in partnership with Adobe Systems."For the first time in shipping, a Web and App-based eLearning platform enables seafarers to access and complete their training assingments at their own pace, whereever they are and even withouth having network connectivty," claimed a press release from the company."This has become a reality thanks to the ambitious schemes to embrace a digital transformation which has led Columbia…

Naval Dome has called on marine insurers to revoke the controversial Clause CL 380 and implement policies that insure against the risk of cyber-attacks on ship systems.Speaking in Cape Town, South Africa, today during the International Union of Marine Insurance’s (IUMI) annual conference, Naval Dome CEO Itai Sela said that with the maritime industry increasingly moving towards connected, cloud-based technologies and autonomous operation, a 15-year-old Clause that excludes damage to computer systems…

The sinking of the U.S. freighter El Faro in 2015 with the loss of 33 lives came after an overconfident captain set the ship and its poorly trained crew on a collision course with a hurricane, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its final report on Tuesday. It was the worst U.S. maritime disaster in 30 years. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt said at the end of a day-long hearing that tracking the loss of the ill-fated ship on Oct. 1, 2015, was like watching a brewing storm.

IMO/adopted guidelines for the mandatory carriage of damage stability verification instruments (software, computers, etc.) onboard all (new and existing) tankers beginning in January 2016. IMO has adopted guidelines and applicable IMO Code amendments for the mandatory carriage of damage stability verification instruments onboard new and existing tankers. Amendments to MARPOL Annex I, BCH Code, IBC Code, IGC Code and to the Survey Guidelines under HSSC to mandate the provision of a computer program capable of calculating the applicable damage stability requirements were agreed.

Marine safety products manufacturer Vesper Marine has released a new Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS), the XB-6000. The black box transponder includes a built-in NMEA 2000 gateway and GPS antenna that integrates AIS, GPS and NMEA instrument data to display vital safety information on any AIS-compatible chartplotter, multifunction display (MFD) or personal computer. The Vesper Marine XB-6000 offers convenient access to AIS safety information instantaneously while on the water.

Roxtec provided its waterproof sealing solution to what is called  the largest and most powerful tidal turbine in the world. Roxtec UK managing director Graham O’Hare said the deal with Scotrenewables Tidal Power Limited involved Roxtec supplying the new SR2000 2MW floating turbine which is 65m long, 3m diameter and weighs 550 tons. “The turbine was built in Orkney and at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, and Roxtec provided support at both locations throughout the project,” O’Hare said.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s reengineered Columbia, built from the original design plans of the classic 1923 Essex-built schooner, will be on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, October 30-November 3, 2014. The original Columbia, a 141’ classic Gloucester Fishing Schooner designed by William Starling Burgess, built at the historic A.D. Story shipyard of Essex, Massachusetts and launched April 17, 1923, was bred for speed, challenging – and nearly defeating – Canada’s legendary Bluenose schooner in the International Fishermen’s Cup Races in Halifax.

Hoffer Flow Controls, Inc. recently received a new contract from the U. S. Navy Sea Systems Command to supply fuel flow measurement systems as a part of the U.S. Navy’s Energy Dashboard Program. Hoffer fuel measurement systems are currently incorporated into the “Energy Dashboard Proof-of-Concept System” aboard several of the US Navy DDG51 class ships. The new contract will expand significantly the number of ships equipped with these systems. The “Energy Dashboard” uses an integrated condition assessment system…

Herbert-ABS Software Solutions LLC, a company in marine regulatory, load management, salvage and ship design software, said it has opened an office in Busan to reinforce support for Korean-based shipyards, as well as improve the quality of service to this key market. Herbert-ABS also has an office in Shanghai and earlier this year expanded into Singapore. The Busan office will be led by Arnold (Woo-Sung) Cho, Marketing and Sales Manager, whose primary focus will be to strengthen relationships with the Korean yards. Cho's activities will also consist of representing Herbert-ABS at industry conferences, to include Gastech, 24-27 March in South Korea at stand G360.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced today that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has awarded nearly $108,000 in grants for 25 different projects from schools and educational organizations in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The grants, which were requested by all of the organizations, will be used for projects associated with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This is the sixth year for Ingalls' STEM program. The company has awarded more than $500,000 for STEM-related projects during that period.

The Department of Defense award Metron Inc. a contract for development of a large displacement unmanned undersea vehicle (LDUUV). Metron, Inc., of Reston, Va.,is being awarded a $7,287,619 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract  to include in-lab integration and testing of autonomy and mission planning software with bench test hardware selected for deployment on the LDUUV. This one-year contract includes two, one-year options which, if exercised, would bring the potential, cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $18,317,018. Work will be performed in Reston, Va., (80 percent), and Alameda, Calif.(20 percent), and work is expected to be completed March 26, 2014. If options are exercised work will continue through March 2016.

“Safety and environmental protection is our greatest priority and OCIMF members see fatigue as a significant contributory factor to many incidents that occur within the shipping industry” explained OCIMF Director, Captain David Cotterell. “These recommendations set out our minimum expectations, which we hope that shipping companies will take into account to achieve compliance with IMO and ILO rules, prevent fatigue and reduce fatigue related incidents,” David Cotterell added. The Recommendations have been developed in cooperation with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF), who represent maritime employers during the negotiations at IMO and ILO on seafarers’ work and rest hours.

Tokyo, Japan, is the Newest Global Location for the Middletown, RI-Based Technology Company. KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI) has opened an office in Tokyo to further strengthen KVH's position in the market and to provide additional support to its Japanese partners. The opening of the KVH Industries Japan Co., Ltd., office reflects the growing market in Japan for KVH's maritime satellite communications solutions, which include the mini-VSAT Broadband(SM) service -- the world's leading maritime VSAT choice -- and the award-winning TracPhone(R) satellite communications systems. KVH Industries' Japanese partners include SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation, which provides the mini-VSAT Broadband service under the OceanBB brand name, as well as Furuno Electric Co., Ltd., and Japan Radio Co.

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) installed the Energy Dashboard proof-of-concept system in USS Kidd (DDG 100), April 2. Energy Dashboard is one of several shipboard energy efficiency initiatives that provides Sailors with a real-time assessment of energy usage and recommended actions to reduce fuel and electrical power consumption."Energy Dashboard is similar to the systems in today's newer vehicles that show drivers their instantaneous miles per gallon, allowing drivers to modify their driving behaviors to maximize fuel efficiency," said Glen Sturtevant, Team Ships director for Science and Technology. In addition to Kidd, NAVSEA has installed the Energy Dashboard on board USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Sampson (DDG 102) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). USS Wayne E.

Two significant new financial management tools were recently unveiled by the Federal government in one highly visible piece of legislation, and each can significantly change the way that you do business. Both have the promise to stimulate business growth while adding to a company’s bottom line. Each has both friends and foes in the commercial marine industry. The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 was signed into law on February 13, 2008. It provides, among other economic stimuli…

Marine e-commerce enabler e4marine and leading marine computer software supplier Xantic have co-operated in the development of a technical interface linking Xantic?s popular AMOS M&P planned maintenance and purchase system with e4marine?s e-commerce services. The new agreement between both parties brings the relationship between e4marine and Xantic even closer, establishing Xantic as a partner to e4marine with regards to installation, implementation and support for customers that use AMOS software towards e4marine?s services. By using Xantic, e4marine?s customers are assured of the best possible implementation and support service. As part of the new agreement between e4marine and Xantic, the partners have jointly developed an ?installation and implementation?

cooperation partner Esab. opened a new era in the shipbuilding process. times have been reduced to zero and no CAD models are needed. technology allows even unmanned production (in night shift). record level arc and utility time ratios have been achieved. resulted in improved and stable quality and productivity. structures, not only for those of cruise ships. Automation Group Oy and Lappeenranta University of Technology. National Technology Agency of Finland. instead of off-line or pre-programmed systems. input from machine vision. components. high productivity and high return on investment. fabrication and sub-assembly.

"It's all about information and how you use that information, "said Michael Thibodaux, founder and CEO of Information Technology Systems, LLC (ITS) of Luling, La. Founded in 1997, ITS was established to develop advanced software solutions for the marine transportation industry. Thibodaux, a veteran with National Marine (purchased by ACBL), and his staff of 13 have developed a spectrum of software products for the inland waterways industry that includes barge tracking, fleet management and vessel support. "Our software systems are of significant value to both barge operations and barge management sides of the business," Thibodaux added. " Helping a barge company to increase their fleet utilization is one of the main advantages of our information products," Thibodaux said.

The advent of software solutions has infiltrated nearly every sector of the maritime market - from propulsion performance monitoring packages to personnel. It arguably has had no greater impact, though, than in the design and construction of new vessels. CAD/CAM/CAE programs are invaluable assets to the designer, builder and operator of vessels of all sizes and dimensions. Not only do advanced programs allow for the creation of the an efficient and cost effective ship structure and outfitting, they provide for enhanced manufacturing practices and techniques, and increasingly help devise a life-cycle maintenance and care plan which can tack profitable years onto a vessel's life.