Singapore Alliance Building Electric Tug and Supply Boat
The Coastal Sustainability Alliance (CSA), an industry collaborative effort led by Kuok Maritime Group (KMG), has announced the start of construction of its first fully electric PXO-series tug (e-tug) and supply boat (e-supply boat) by PaxOcean Group.The zero-emissions vessels are among the first and largest local electric harbour craft designed for operation in Singapore’s coastal waters. They are targeted for deployment in 2025, ahead of the nation’s goal for all new coastal…
Fueltrax Opens Vessel Operations Center in Kuala Lumpur
Electronic Fuel Management Systems (EFMS) company Fueltrax reports it has opened a Vessel Operations Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.This is Fueltrax’s second such center and the first outside of the company’s headquarters in the U.S. It provides closer-to-region coverage for Asia-Pacific customers.Ruben DeLeon, Fueltrax’s Vice President of Product Support, drew on his seven-year tenure at NASA's Mission Control Center in driving the establishment of the Kuala Lumpur facility.As DeLeon explains…
Techcross to Launch New Products at Sea Japan
Ballast water management systems (BWMS) manufacturer Techcross said it plans to roll out a variety of eco-friendly shipbuilding equipment lineups in addition to the existing BWMS at the Sea Japan 2024 maritime trade show."The optimal solutions provided, based on extensive engineering and installation experience, are expected to not only reduce costs for customers but also contribute to the protection of the Earth’s environment," the South Korean-based company said.Techcross said it will also officially begin sales of HYCHLOR 2.0, a non-filter type indirect electrolysis BWMS that received U.S.
Techcross Opens Training Center in Greece
Techcross recently opened the doors for its new training center in Athens, Greece, its 7th training center opened globally in major shipping hubs that offers training on actual equipment.An opening ceremony for the Greece training center, designated as a hub for training in Europe region, was held recently at the newly relocated ARGO NAVIS building. The ceremony was attended by nine representatives, including Park Seog-won, CEO of Techcross, and Ioannis Alevropoulos and Maximous-Ioannis Katsidimas…
ABB to Deliver Shore Connection Solution for Portsmouth International Port
ABB has secured an order with Portsmouth International Port to supply a shore connection solution for visiting ferries and cruise ships as part of the UK port’s Sea Change project.Shore connection allows visiting ferries and cruise ships to avoid emissions by connecting to the shoreside electrical grid while in port, supporting the Portsmouth’s port aim to be the first in the UK to be zero emissions by 2030.The initiative is part of the port’s Sea Change project to design, build…
Many Different Vessels but One Goal – Passenger Safety
Because there are so many different kinds of passenger vessels, the critical topic of passenger safety can sometimes appear as a set of niche topics, each one just distantly connected to another. After all, passengers aboard a cruise ship in the Caribbean face safety issues that are much different than a commuter going from Jersey City to Manhattan or a tourist crossing from the Mukilteo, Wash. ferry terminal to Whidbey Island or a family on a fishing vessel in Miami.Importantly, though, for passenger vessel operators, a commitment to safety is not siloed.
DNV Merges Its Cyber Security Arms
DNV announced it has merged its existing cyber security business with two recently acquired companies, Nixu and Applied Risk.The merger brings together more than 500 cyber security experts to safeguard IT and industrial control system environments across multiple industries, including maritime and offshore energy. It follows DNV’s acquisition of Amsterdam-based industrial cyber security specialist Applied Risk in 2021, and the conclusion of DNV’s acquisition of Helsinki-headquartered cyber security services leader Nixu in December 2023.“Cyber security is a defining risk for the coming decade.
The Digital Revolution & US Shipbuilding
The competitive landscape in shipbuilding has changed dramatically, as ‘Industry 4.0’ capabilities driven by the digital revolution have given the edge to those that scout and adopt solutions that deliver on the promise of increasing efficiency while cutting costs. Juan Prieto discusses the CADMATIC suite of solutions for North American shipyards seeking to capture the competitive edge.Digital technologies are evolving at breakneck speed, unlocking tremendous efficiency gains for shipbuilders.
Brunvoll DP2 System Passed Sea Trial
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…
USCG Approves ABS Wavesight eLogs for US-flagged Vessels
ABS Wavesight on Thursday announced its eLogs software has received formal approval from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for use by U.S.-flagged ships. The ABS-affiliated software-as-a-service company is now one of three maritime software providers to receive such approval on the basis of the USCG’s guidance under USCG NVIC 01-23."The maritime industry is entering an era of rapid digitalization,” said Gurinder Singh, Director of Solutions Engineering at ABS Wavesight. “We are proud to be at the forefront of that transformation, and the fact that our eLogs software meets all of the U.S.
IACS Launches New Piping Recommendation
The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has launched a new recommendation, 177, to enhance the quality of machinery piping systems in shipbuilding.Piping systems convey different fluids at various temperatures and pressures to all parts of the ship, including to nearly every enclosed space on a vessel. As such, and because these systems are a means through which many of a ship’s control systems operate, it is crucial that these systems are designed to…
Collision Between Containership and Fishing Vessel Caused by Failure to Keep Watch
A fishing vessel mate not maintaining a proper lookout and conducting maintenance on critical equipment while underway led to the collision of a containership and fishing vessel, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Wednesday. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vessels was estimated at $6.25 million.On October 28, 2022, while the containership MSC Rita was transiting southbound in the Atlantic Ocean, the fishing vessel Tremont was transiting north-northeast in the same area.
Expert BWTS Team Secures Grant from Transport Canada
Mouawad Consulting, Boll & Kirch, bestUV, KraftPowercon and Lower Lakes Towing, have received CAD 5 million from Transport Canada towards a project aimed at addressing technical challenges surrounding the installation, operation, and maintenance of ballast water management systems (BWMS) on vessels operating within the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River (GLSLR) region."The significance of this grant cannot be overstated. Through our partnership with Mouawad Consulting, Boll & Kirch…
Navico Invests to Boost Manufacturing Capabilities
Navico Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation, announced a multimillion-dollar investment in its Lowell, Mich. facility to create two Centers of Excellence in metal fabrication and electrification. The investment is intended to increase quality, capacity and efficiency, as well as improve product manufacturing capabilities, the company said.“Navico Group is committed to being a leader in metal fabrication and electrification for the industries we serve, and this investment is a testament to that” said Brett Dibkey, Navico Group President.
NTSB Recommends Pipeline Operators Implement Safety Management Systems
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending new notification alarms and procedures for potential incursions on pipelines and a change to an anchorage off the California coast following a crude oil release in 2021 caused by ship anchors damaging an underwater pipeline.NTSB investigators determined that the oil leak, which began on October 1, 2021, in San Pedro Bay, resulted from an anchor strike on the pipeline that occurred eight months earlier, when anchors…
Study Calls for 'Liberation of Data' in Shipping Shift for Decarbonization
Siloed data systems represent a “recipe for duplicative and multiplicative cost inside a company and across companies”, an OrbitMI-hosted panel at the recent Shipping Insight event in the US was told, as a Bureau Veritas-backed study highlighted this as a big barrier to data collaboration for digitalization of shipping to cut emissions.Vast amounts of data are generated from ship operations - such as from sensors onboard or vessel performance management systems - as well as from…
Sea Forrest's Marine Battery System Earns BV Approval
Sea Forrest (SF), a provider of specialist marine electric propulsion and energy management solutions, has been awarded type approval from Bureau Veritas (BV) for its SEAGEN 11 modularized marine propulsion battery module system.SEAGEN 11 is the first marinized lithium-ion battery system for marine propulsion to be designed, built and assembled in Singapore. Together with the battery management system, which was also designed, built and programmed in Singapore in collaboration with GenPlus Pte Ltd…
1993-built Passenger Vessel Sees 23% CO2 Emission Reduction after Eco-Makeover by Kongsberg
Kongsberg Maritime, a Norwegian maritime equipment and technology specialist, announced a 23% reduction in CO2 emissions on the 121-meter passenger vessel MS Richard With, which is owned by Hurtigruten, a coastal ship operator and adventure travel company.The vessel finished an extensive refit last summer using Kongsberg Maritime engineering and technology and has now completed its first year back in service.Last year, Kongsberg Maritime partnered with Myklebust Verft shipyard to convert three Hurtigruten ships to hybrid technology, promising reduced emissions and quieter operations.
Techcross Expands Environmental Solutions Portfolio
Techcross, a comprehensive environmental company, will participate in the 2023 Kormarine.Techcross, known for its performance and sales in electrolysis-type ballast water management systems (BWMS), will showcase its expansion into new business areas alongside its existing BWMS at the 2023 Kormarine.As regulations have become more stringent for achieving net-zero and environmental protection goals, Techcross has diversified its lineup of ESD (Energy Saving Device) aimed at improving ship operation efficiency as well as focusing on AMP system.
Captain McManus Preps to Take the Helm of Empire State VII
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.
Naval Architect Mitchell Levi Joins The Shearer Group
The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) announced Mitchell Levi has joined its naval architecture, marine engineering, and marine surveying firm as a naval architect. He holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan. For his undergraduate research, Levi examined the highly coupled relationships between propulsion loads and cooling systems.While studying at the University of Michigan, Levi completed internships at TSGI, the American Bureau of Shipping and Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
NTSB Renews Call for US Coast Guard to Strengthen Passenger Vessel Safety
Four years after the fire aboard the Conception dive boat claimed 34 lives, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) renewed its call for the U.S. Coast Guard to require safety management systems (SMS) for passenger vessels. The recommendation, which the NTSB reissued following its investigation of the September 2, 2019, fire aboard the Conception, remains open.NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy sent a letter to the Coast Guard Commandant today emphasizing the need to issue the…
Shipyard Capacity: A Brake on Decarbonization?
The IMO’s latest crunch meeting in early July may not have aligned global shipping with mid-century targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, its 2023 Strategy indicates a clear direction of travel. Energy supplies by sea are essential for many countries and therefore ships have a key role in supporting the world’s energy transition – not only on their own account, but at a global level.As world shipping accounts for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, its environmental importance attracts wide attention. And plenty of criticism.