Energy Management System News

Crowley Maritime Corporation has owned and operated a lot of vessels since its founding in 1892. But the latest vessel to join its fleet is unlike any other that has come before it.Crowley’s new harbor tug, eWolf, is unique in that it runs 100% powered by batteries, not diesel engines, meaning it produces zero emissions and nearly no noise. Not only is the vessel the first fully electric tug in the Crowley fleet, but it is also the first of its kind in the United States.Faced with stricter regulations and commercial pressure to prioritize environmental…

As the offshore oil and gas industry transitions to more sustainable practices, drilling rig operators are faced with demands to implement greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement measures as part of their workload. Being the owner of the first ever drillship that secured DNV’s Abate(P) notation, Scotland-based offshore drilling contractor Stena Drilling discusses everything the company is doing to make its drill-ships ‘greener’.The first step to reducing its carbon footprint for Stena…

30 years ago shaft generators with PTI capability kept container ships sailing at top speed. That purpose gone, PTI/PTO is making a new comeback in more cargo shipping segments, this time for reducing emissions.Retrofitting a shaft generator is not an insignificant undertaking. Around 50 tons of equipment needs to be installed into the engineroom through a hole in the hull. A new section of shaft is usually required.That a few shipowners are undertaking such projects - Klaveness Combination Carriers on the Ballard…

The very first Brunvoll BruCon DP2 dynamic positioning system has passed third party verification onboard the offshore vessel Stril Mar.The BruCon DP2 installation was part of a larger power and energy management system upgrade onboard Stril Mar, delivered by SEAM AS. The upgrade and sea trial took place at Westcon Yards AS, in Ølensvåg. Through supplier SEAM AS, Simon Møkster Shipping AS ordered all batteries, a power management system upgrade, a retrofit to Brunvoll’s BruCon DP2 system…

Built by Rauma Marine Constructions, in Rauma, Finland, and launched in 2021, the 150-meter-long Aurora Botnia boasts a long list of onboard equipment that help it to earn its “green” designation, a label that is confirmed via a Clean Design notation from classification society DNV. The ship is also compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target.Wasaline CEO Peter Ståhlberg describes Aurora Botnia as “a masterpiece of cooperation” and noted that the vessel is over 80% domestic made."I'm really proud of the Aurora Botnia.

Brunvoll has signed a contract with Vard for the delivery of propulsion and maneuvering system for Toyo Construction’s new cable laying vessel.Toyo Construction’s new vessel will have three azimuth propulsion thrusters in the aft of the vessel. The foreship of the vessel will have two tunnel thrusters and a retractable azimuth thruster.Furthermore, the vessel will feature Brunvoll’s control system for propulsion and maneuvering, BruCon PTC.In December 2023, Vard, a Norwegian subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group…

Vard, the Norwegian subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group, signed a contract for $200m to design and build a customized hybrid cable-laying vessel for Japan's Toyo Construction.The hybrid cable vessel will have a design specifically developed for custom needs to meet the growing Japanese offshore wind farm market and will also be able to operate worldwide. It will have an optimal hull design to suit natural and construction conditions in Japan, allowing it to be used in both shallow…

ABB has secured an order with Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia to supply the Spanish Navy’s forthcoming submarine rescue vessel, Poseidon, with high-performance, DC-based power and distribution.Following the delivery scheduled for 2026, the vessel will be the first of its kind equipped with this system. The ship will be responsible for executing and supporting submarine missions, including diving operations, intervention and rescue in accidents and shipwrecks and underwater surveillance…

Finland-based marine technology group Wärtsilä will supply an integrated hybrid propulsion system for two new world’s first methanol-fuelled hybrid RoRo vessels The ships are being built at the China Merchants Jinling shipyard (Weihai) Co., Ltd for the Swedish shipping company Stena RoRo. The ships will operate in the Stena Line Irish Sea system. Each vessel will be equipped with two Wärtsilä 32M multi-fuel engines capable of operating on methanol fuel and with ammonia-ready notation.

Dutch offshore installation contractor Van Oord on Saturday held a christening ceremony in Rotterdam for its new cable laying vessel Calypso."The Calypso is equipped with the latest sustainable technologies and will be a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet," Van Oord said.The vessel was christened by Ms. Inca Cerutti. She is the wife of Niek Hoek, chairman of the Supervisory Board. After the ceremony, the  christening lady and employees and guests had the opportunity to board the vessel for a guided tour.The Calypso Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel.

Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania is setting a record for the largest, lightweight battery electric ship in the world with a new 130-meter (427-foot) ro-pax ferry under construction for South American customer, Buquebús.The aluminum ferry will be the first fully electric vessel in South America when delivered in 2025, operating between Argentina and Uruguay. It will have a capacity for 2,100 passengers and crew and 225 cars and will feature a duty free shop of over 2,000 square meters (21…

Ponant has committed to a unique transoceanic ship design, Swap2Zero, that combines six new energy technologies.The ship is expected to be ready by 2030. Ponant has partnered with naval architect Stirling Design International, and discussions are ongoing to select a shipyard. The sail technology has not yet been decided on, with Ponant considering Ayro Oceanwings or Solid Sail technology.“By 2030, our future ship aims to have zero greenhouse gas emissions when sailing, manoeuvring, in port or at anchor. Her carbon footprint will be reduced throughout her life cycle.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner REM Offshore has selected Vard Electro and its SeaQ solutions to upgrade battery technology onboard one of the company's platform supply vessels.Vard Electro will deliver a complete SeaQ Energy Storage System package for the vessel retrofit as REM Offshore is proactively upgrading its fleet with hybrid power in pursuit of greener and safer operations with lower fuel costs.The SeaQ package includes energy storage system, drives, energy management system…

ABB announced it has secured a contract with Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku to supply an integrated power and propulsion package comprising two Azipod propulsion units and the Onboard DC Grid power system for two new, advanced multi-purpose patrol vessels of the Finnish Border Guard.Due for delivery in 2025 and 2026, the 98-meter ships will replace the outgoing Tursas and Uisko patrol vessels. Alongside the existing Turva, they will guard Finland’s borders, performing maritime rescue operations and helping mitigate environmental impacts.

Climate change, rising sea levels, land reclamation and offshore energy are all factors underpinning business models at Europe’s dredge and marine engineering majors. They are adopting strong sustainability credentials as their operations come under closer environmental, social, governance (ESG) scrutiny and new opportunities open up in the US offshore wind sectorThe relatively small number of global marine engineering and dredge firms face more observation of their business models than ever before.

Finland-based marine engine and technology provider Wärtsilä will supply its hybrid propulsion system for four new heavy lift vessels being built at the Wuhu Shipyard in China. The ships are set to be delivered in 2025, and they will mostly be used to help set up wind farms. The vessels have been contracted by SAL Heavy Lift GmbH, a German heavy lift and project cargo specialist and part of the Harren Group, in cooperation with its joint-venture partner, Netherlands-based Jumbo Shipping.

Norwegian shipping line UECC announced it has taken delivery of its third and final newbuild multi-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) battery hybrid pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) as the company works toward meeting new requirements for low-emission ship operations with the green transformation of its fleet.The latest newbuild, to be named Auto Aspire, was delivered on October 20 at China’s Jiangnan Shipyard and will soon join sister vessels Auto Advance and Auto Achieve plying…

VARD shipyard in Romania launched the hull of the new Van Oord cable layer Calypso earlier this week.Vard Tulcea in Romania is making final preparations before the hull will be towed to Vard Brattvaag. At Vard Brattvaag, the shipbuilder will continue outfitting the vessel, topside equipment installation, commissioning and trials in collaboration with Van Oord and sub-contractors before handing it over to the owner, Dutch offshore installation specialist Van Oord.The vessel will…

ABB won a repeat order with Sefine Shipyard to deliver a power and propulsion system to a second Frøy live-fish carrier, a system that comprises ABB’s Onboard DC Grid and a distribution solution designed specifically for integrating fish-handling equipment and other specialized equipment.The power setup will be managed by ABB's integrated Power and Energy Management System (PEMS).While fish-handling systems have traditionally used AC solutions, ABB’s Onboard DC Grid enables a DC setup.

Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania will work with technology company ABB to explore building an electric ferry with hybrid-electric propulsion which could transition to battery power as shore charging becomes available.Seeking a transitional route to zero-emission operations for the ferry segment, Incat and ABB will evaluate the suitability of the ‘Incat 148E’ - a 148-meter-long roll-on roll-off passenger (RoPax) catamaran for operating in hybrid mode as well as adapting to full battery operation at a later stage.Conceived by Revolution Design…

Dutch shipbuilder Kooiman Marine Group said it has secured a contract from Dutch dredging and marine services firm Van Oord to build two Water Injection Dredgers (WID) for delivery scheduled in the first half of 2024.The order follows the previous deliveries of the WIDs Maas and the Mersey delivered in mid-2021."The new vessels will have the same specifications, supplemented by innovative optimizations. The first of the two vessels will be commissioned in the first half of 2024…

Ask the right government department in any G7 state and you’ll find funding to put battery power for your vessel. Beyond funds, new battery makers and system integrators are ironing out safety issues, and a growing number of giga-sized cell factories offer hope that costs will fall for marine energy storage, as ESS choice grows. Efforts are also underway to recycle rare earth elements and to augment or greenify staggeringly high plant electricity inputs. Apart from funding, the drivers of change include constraints on shipping in Emissions Free Areas like the fjords of Norway…

Wärtsilä and logistics provider CLdN have jointly developed an innovative hybrid design for two new RoRo vessels. The propulsion arrangement is such that the ships can operate as gas/diesel-mechanical vessel now, or in the future as gas/diesel-electric vessel. The vessels are being built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyards in Korea.The Wärtsilä hybrid system includes Energy Storage Systems, two large PTO/PTI generators and electric motors, multidrive converters, and the Wärtsilä Energy Management System that controls and optimizes the hybrid operations.