It Technologies News

The ABS-classed Liza Unity has received the first REMOTE-CON notation for an floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) from ABS. The notation demonstrates the vessel’s alignment with remote-control functions and signifies that the design and construction of the offshore asset are assessed against and adhere to the ABS Requirements for Autonomous and Remote Control Functions.The Liza Unity is the second FPSO to be built for ExxonMobil Guyana’s Stabroek Block development and the first delivered under SBM Offshore’s Fast4Ward program.

Classification society DNV said it is set to publish its new set of rules and standards for the offshore industry.The new rules, which cover several segments, including underwater systems and installations, offshore units, diving systems, structural design, and drilling systems, will be published in July and enter into force on January 1, 2025. They have been developed with extensive industry feedback, undergoing an external hearing process before their publication and entry into force.“The offshore sector is one of the most innovative in the world…

Maritime software brands Ripple and Marine Learning Systems are joining forces, coming together under a single brand focused on crew training and marine operations.The firms, both acquired by technology holding company Bleecker Street Group in 2023, have merged to become Ripple Operations.Post-merger, the new entity will provide human capital management, crew operations, training, learning and development solutions to maritime operators, supporting hundreds of thousands of mariners and operators across the ferry, cruise, offshore, fishery and tug, tow and barge industries.

Finnlines has turned to a innovative graphene-based hard foul release hull coating to reduce fuel consumption and emissions across its ro-ro and ro-pax fleets.After starting with its first vessel in 2022, the Finnish shipping company has already applied GIT Coatings' XGIT-FUEL low-friction hull coating to four vessels as part of a recently signed fleet agreement, reducing fuel consumption and emissions by around 7% compared to previously used coating.Over the past decade, Finnlines…

The U.S. Navy's efforts to build a fleet of unmanned vessels are faltering because the Pentagon remains wedded to big shipbuilding projects, according to some officials and company executives, exposing a weakness as sea drones reshape naval warfare.The lethal effectiveness of sea drones has been demonstrated in the Black Sea where Ukraine has deployed remote-controlled speed boats packed with explosives to sink Russian frigates and minesweepers since late 2022.Yemeni-backed Houthi rebels have employed similar vessels against commercial shipping in the Red Sea in recent months…

When Bertrand Charrier worked with Jacques Cousteau four decades ago on the development of a revolutionary sail for the maritime industry, the time for widescale adoption of wind power wasn’t right. Now, he argues, there’s simply no time to waste.“Sometimes the best discoveries are rediscoveries.”Bertrand Charrier is a champion of simplicity. Sitting in a comfortable chair overlooking the rolling fields of rural France, he delivers frank observations backed by a blend of common sense and scientific expertise.The maritime industry…

The developer of an innovative towboat engineered to run on hydrogen generator technology has signed a Design Basis Agreement (DBA) with the U.S. Coast Guard, helping to clear the regulatory path toward the vessel's eventual entry into service.The first-of-its-kind vessel, Hydrogen One, is being produced by Maritime Partners, the Metairie, La.-based maritime financing company that unveiled plans for the groundbreaking towboat in 2021.Designed by Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group…

Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NEOM to collaborate on the development of legislation, regulations and technology in marine tourism.The partnership will facilitate the sharing of expertise with the aim of delivering innovation and improving the visitor experience for tourists in Saudi Arabia’s existing, emerging and future Red Sea coastal destinations.NEOM is a region in northwest Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea being built from the ground up as a living laboratory.

In the heart of maritime excellence in Oslo, Norway, the stage is set for the Nordic Maritime Forum 2024 to bring together industry leaders, ranging from shipowners, ship managers, ports, regulators, and classification societies to technology companies and suppliers, for two days of dynamic discourse and collaboration. With dates fixed for June 18th and 19th, this eagerly anticipated event will serve as a foundational platform for delving into the key themes shaping the maritime…

Tristar Eships, the maritime logistics division of the Dubai-based Tristar Group, has selected technology group Wärtsilä’s Decarbonization Services to support its decarbonizing operations.Wärtsilä’s Decarbonization Services will initially be applied to two tankers in the company’s fleet and is tailored to create a significant reduction in their carbon emissions.The analysis to be undertaken for the first two Tristar Eships vessels, includes Wärtsilä’s EnergoFlow, EnergoProFin…

Sunil Krishnakumar, Senior Technical Manager at the International Chamber of Shipping, provides his key insights on the newly released Engine Room Procedures Guide, Second Edition, by ICS.The shipping industry has embarked on a transformative journey, actively working towards a sustainable future and a safer environment. With a strong commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the industry is actively seeking the uptake and safe use of new low-GHG technologies and alternatives…

Carbon Clean has achieved a fabrication milestone on Ørsted’s FlagshipONE project, Europe’s largest commercial-scale e-methanol facility under construction. The first equipment has been mounted on the structural steel of the first module, marking the start of the module assembly process.Once operational, Carbon Clean’s technology will be capable of capturing 70,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2 per year for Ørsted’s facility in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.Carbon Clean’s CaptureX semi-modular technology for this project is being fabricated at Schwartz Hautmont’s site at the Port of Tarragona in Vila-seca…

Matson Navigation Company’s new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered containerships will feature a comprehensive range of integrated technologies from Kongsberg Maritime to optimize energy use and reduce emissions.The Norwegian company announced Tuesday that it will supply hybrid electrical systems, controlled and operated by its Energy Management System, for a series of three 3,600 TEU vessels that are being built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.-based shipowner. The Kongsberg Maritime scope of supply includes a Shaft Generator System…

Bibby Marine has signed a shipbuilding contract with Gondan Shipbuilders to construct what is said to be the world’s first zero-emission, electric commissioning service operation vessel (eCSOV).The eCSOV will be built in Gondan’s Asturias shipyard in Spain and is scheduled to be delivered in 2026.Designed in collaboration with UK-based ship designers Longitude, the eCSOV, will feature a powerful battery system, complemented by dual-fuel methanol engines for emissions-free operations.

Today’s evolving maritime security risks pose all-too-familiar threats to international shipping, and as just one of the many causes of fatigue, they add to the cognitive burden already faced by watchkeepers. But Groke Technologies can boost safety onboard, says co-founder and CEO Juha Rokka.Life at sea is already physically and mentally demanding. Crewing levels are tight, work hours are long and irregular, watchkeepers are required to perform administrative tasks while on the bridge…

Cobham Satcom and China TranTech Technologies have signed a contract which includes the largest delivery of SAILOR XTR Ku VSAT antennas to the Chinese market so far, supported by an extensive training and global service program.China TranTech is a subsidiary of China Transport Telecommunication Information Group Company Limited (CTTIC) and the only maritime satellite safety communication provider in China.SAILOR 1000 XTR Ku antennas deliver dependable, high-speed connectivity that vessel crews need to optimize remote marine operations at sea.

The last plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg has adopted a new law which aims to scale up industrial capacity for green technologies in Europe.European shipowners strongly welcome the inclusion of clean fuels for shipping, including advanced biofuels and e-fuels, in the list of net-zero technologies adopted under the Net-Zero Industry Act. The new law introduces a benchmark for the Commission and the EU Member States to match 40% of the deployment needs for clean fuels for shipping with production capacity.

Shipping must engage with the decarbonization realities that lie ahead by changing the way it crafts maritime legislation to reflect its place in the interconnected, interdependent world economy, says Eero Lehtovaara, Head of Regulatory & Public Affairs, ABB Marine & Ports.ABB Marine & Ports Head of Regulatory & Public Affairs, Eero Lehtovaara has carved out an unusual - and possibly unique - role in the maritime industry over recent years, as a ‘stakeholder’ simultaneously mindful of the perspectives of owners…

UK-based small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplier Avenir LNG has entered into a shipbuilding contract with Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering in China, a subsidiary of CIMC Enric, for two new LNG bunker and supply vessels.The two 20,000 cbm LNG bunker and supply vessels are scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027.The newbuildings will feature new Type C tank designs, lower boil off rates, the latest engine technologies…

Simulation-based training has its whole-of-ship/whole-of-team scenarios, but zooming in, the industry is now working on more specific targets.We have a close relationship with technology, evidenced by, for example, the phones we are estimated to unlock around 50-80 times a day. It has changed us. Half the people surveyed in a 2022 King’s College London study said that they feel like their attention span is shorter than it used to be. They are wrong, though, if they think that the average attention span of adults today is just eight seconds, one second less than goldfish.

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Publications has launched the fifth edition of Shipping and the Environment: A Guide to Environmental Compliance.This latest edition offers comprehensive updates and expanded insights into the intricate relationship between shipping operations and environmental protection.The fifth edition is a definitive guide, providing a holistic introduction to companies and crew members navigating this complex subject matter. Recognising the need for accessibility…

The Maritime International Advisory Panel (IAP) held its third annual meeting on April 16, 2024, during the Singapore Maritime Week 2024. This year, the Maritime IAP held in-depth discussions on the key developments in the maritime sector, including decarbonization, green financing, digitalization and cybersecurity.Established in 2022 by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Maritime IAP aims to seek international perspectives on key long-term trends and developments that will shape the maritime industry.

Imoto Lines and Marindows have outlined plans to build the next generation zero-emission domestic container ship capable of hybrid operation using Japan's first exchangeable container batteries, alongside onboard batteries and generators.The joint project between the companies aims to address three major challenges of the maritime industry - decarbonization, crew shortage, and safe navigation.The three-year project is supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of…