Ingress News

Crew communications on board workboats in harsh marine environments are subject to a variety of challenges. Background noise from loud engines, shock and vibration pounding through rough water, high wind noise and turbulence at speeds of 55-60 knots, and the highly corrosive nature of the marine environment - can render workboat crew communications all but impossible. Crew members are often reduced to shouting, creating situations where critical communications pertaining to navigational…

A common concern of maritime chief engineers, regarding vessel engine damages, is the presence of highly abrasive “catfines” within marine fuel. To fully understand the seriousness of this issue, we first need to understand the source of the problem.Oil refineries use catalysts in their Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units (FCCU) or “Cat Plants” to process crude oils in the production of numerous products from the source crude. These catalysts are high in aluminum silicate (Al+Si) content and over time and repeated use, can breakdown and fragment into smaller particles, or catalytic fines.

NAG Marine, a provider of shipboard automation and fluid control solutions for maritime applications, announced the launch of the Tan Delta Oil Quality Sensor as part of its partnership with Tan Delta Systems, a global innovator in advanced oil condition analysis technologies. The addition of the Tan Delta Oil Quality Sensor expands NAG Marine’s fluid automation portfolio with advanced, real-time oil quality sensing capabilities designed to reduce maintenance costs, extend service intervals, and improve operational reliability across maritime and industrial platforms.

One person was presumed dead and five crew members reported missing on Sunday after a tug boat sank off South Africa's southern coast, a multi-agency maritime body said.The tug vessel LEO transmitted a distress message at 1702 GMT on Saturday, reporting uncontrolled water ingress and requesting immediate assistance, South African Search and Rescue (SASAR) said in a statement.The ship sank in the early hours of Sunday, approximately 80 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay in South Africa's Western Cape province."To date, 13 crew members have been accounted for, consisting of 12 survivors, and one

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) inspectors frequently find immersion suit defects caused by adhesivef ailures between the main zipper and the suit body. These failures, illustrated in the images, compromise watertight integrity and pose serious survival risks from water ingress. Contributing factors to the defects include improper maintenance (e.g., the use of non-approved petroleum based lubricants or scented powders), improper storage, and neglecting to conduct periodic pressure testing. Seam and closure deterioration may not always be detectable during routine visual inspections.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Japan Suiso Energy have signed a contract to build the world’s largest liquefied hydrogen carrier, marking a step toward the commercialization of an international hydrogen supply chain.The vessel will have a cargo capacity of about 40,000 cubic meters and will be built at Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ Sakaide Works in Kagawa Prefecture. Japan Suiso Energy is the project operator for Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) Green Innovation Fund Project…

Castrol, a global leader in lubricants, has launched Castrol BioTrans GB, a new lubricant for use in thrusters, some controllable pitch propeller (CPP) systems and deck machinery.Castrol BioTrans GB is an Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant (EAL) that complies with the current US Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) criteria.Castrol BioTrans GB is an extreme pressure (EP) and demulsifying gear oil range developed with fully saturated synthetic esters and a specially selected additive technology.

Shell Marine has launched a new technical service, Shell Marine Sensor Service (SMSS), an onboard monitoring service that provides real-time insights into oil and equipment condition, helping shipping operators improve vessel uptime and operational resilience.The new service acts as a “digital deckhand,” continuously monitoring oil condition to help crews manage and maintain equipment across a vessel proactively to prevent unplanned downtime.Designed to detect maintenance issues early, SMSS allows crews to act on them before they become critical.

Trafag, a manufacturer of measurement devices, highlights the NAT 8252 Industrial Pressure Transmitter, designed to meet the demands of industrial monitoring and control systems.Engineered with Trafag’s thin-film-on-steel sensing technology, the NAT 8252 ensures stable and precise pressure measurement over time, even in harsh environments. Its long-term stability reduces the need for recalibration, lowering operational costs and maintenance burdens. Its measuring range, from 0 to 700 bar (0 to 10…

MELTRIC announced the official launch of P66 – 660 amps at 1,100 volts alternating current and 1,500 volts direct current, with an 8-aux bundle.MELTRIC announced the launch of P66 – a safe, high-powered, and highly durable electrical connection engineered for mobile electrification in harsh and demanding industrial environments. Rated to deliver up to 660 amps at 1,100 volts alternating current  and 1,500 volts direct current, P66 features IP66/IP67 ingress protection, IK10 impact resistance…

MELTRIC, an American manufacturer of switch-rated and standard-duty plugs and receptacles, announced the official launch of P66–a safe, high-powered, and highly durable electrical connection engineered for mobile electrification in harsh and demanding industrial environments.Rated to deliver up to 660 amps at 1,100 volts alternating current and 1,500 volts direct current, P66 features IP66/IP67 ingress protection, IK10 impact resistance, and multiple built-in safety and control options…

The car carrier Morning Midas sank on June 23 following the fire that broke out on board on June 3.The fire was no longer active, but the vessel sank while awaiting the arrival of a tug with long-distance towing capability.“Damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the Morning Midas to sink at around 16.35 local time zone (UTC -9) on 23 June, in waters approximately 5,000 meters deep and 360 nautical miles from land,” said ship manager Zodiac Maritime.The vessel reportedly had 350 metric tons of marine gas oil and 1…

Finland's Steerprop expanded its range of retractable thrusters with its biggest unit to date. Designed for offshore vessels and workboats that need high-performance station-keeping or thrust boost capabilities, the SP 45 R will be introduced on several offshore, renewables and special purpose vessels.Working with vessel operators and designers, Steerprop identified that the sealing and locking mechanisms are often a weak point for retractable designs. The R series minimizes downtime…

Fort Lauderdale – Resolve Academy, a provider of maritime training, hosted its 19th annual Damage Control Olympics on April 29. The spirited competition of shipboard firefighting and vessel flooding exercises were designed for officers and crews from U.S. Navy and U.S Coast Guard visiting Port Everglades during Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale. Crews from the USS New Hampshire, USS New York, USCGC Tampa and USS Cole participated. Resolve Marine and its training arm, Resolve Academy…

Malta's government said on Tuesday it would carry out repairs in international waters on a humanitarian aid ship which was reportedly bombed by two drones early on Friday.The "Conscience" is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international NGO which says it wants to use the ship to break the siege of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid.The drone attack happened as the ship waited to board an international group of activists just outside Malta's waters, causing a loss of power and communications…

DNV has completed the technology qualification (TQ) of Subtera’s passive terahertz sensor technology designed to detect corrosion under insulation (CUI) and the trapped moisture that causes it, a pervasive challenge in industrial plants.CUI is a leading cause of asset failure in industries such as oil and gas and chemicals. It has contributed to over 20% of major oil and gas accidents in the EU in the past 35 years, posing significant safety, environmental, and financial risks.Developed over a decade by Subtera…

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its preliminary assessment of the grounding of the bulk carrier Indian Partnership on April 23, 2023, and implicated voyage optimization planning.The UK-registered bulk carrier ran aground at 0409 off the coast of Misool Island while transiting the Indonesian archipelago. The grounding caused significant breaches to the hull, leading to water ingress into the duct keel and five ballast water tanks.Indian Partnership had set sail from Skardon River…

A container vessel that was hit by Houthi militants off Yemen on Saturday in the first such attack in two weeks, has arrived safely in Djibouti and the strike caused no injuries or water ingress, its Greek manager said on Monday.Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Sunday that they targeted the Liberia-flagged MV Groton in the Gulf of Aden with ballistic missiles, claiming their first attack on shipping lanes since Israel carried out a retaliatory airstrike in Hodeidah port on July 20.The MV Groton was hit by a missile 60 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen…

The Iranian Navy frigate Sahand entirely sank in shallow waters on Tuesday in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, Nournews agency said, after it was briefly repositioned following its initial capsizing on Sunday."The Sahand warship, which was rebalanced on the water with great difficulty on Monday, has now sunk after the rope holding the ship broke," said Nournews, a news agency affiliated to the Supreme National Security Council.On Sunday, state media said the ship had capsized during repairs at a wharf due to water ingress and that efforts were being made to rebalance it.The Iranian-built ste

The Iranian navy frigate Sahand capsized during repairs in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, Iranian state media reported on Sunday."As Sahand was being repaired at the wharf, it lost its balance due to water ingress. Fortunately ...the vessel is being returned to balance quickly," the official news agency IRNA reported, citing a navy statement.It did not specify when the accident occurred. State media carried a picture of a capsized ship and said several people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.(Reuters - Reporting by Dubai Newsroom)

Menzel Elektromotoren reports it has manufactured two electric motors for marine applications for an Italian shipbuilder, complete with approval by RINA, the Italian naval registration company. The squirrel-cage motors will power the bow thrusters on a new seagoing coast guard vessel and a logistic support ship for the petroleum industry.According to Menzel, its modular approach enables flexible, application-specific motor designs and feature options. The motor for the new ship was implemented with IC 81W cooling…

Yemen's Houthis are sending drone boats packed with explosives into the Red Sea as they intensify their attacks on merchant ships that have little defense against the "sophisticated shift" in tactic, maritime security sources say.Iran-aligned Houthi militants first launched aerial drone and missile strikes on the trade route in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.In recent weeks…

Responders are working to salvage Fiji's brand new naval patrol boat, which ran aground during its maiden voyage last week.The vessel, RFNS Puamau, is a Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) built by Austal for the Australian Department of Defence, which gifted the vessel to the Republic of Fiji Navy.Just months after the vessel's official handover in March, it hit a reef on Fiji's remote Lau group of islands on June 10, during its first patrol.Now salvors are working to recover the stricken vessel while minimizing environmental impacts, including a potential oil spill.