Marine Equipment News

The U.S. Navy has many assets other than its seaborn vessels to care for, and recently it adopted new standards to protect those that are fuel-related. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) contracted with Master Painter Institute (MPI) services to establish product standards for interior carbon-steel fuel pipes, interior welded fuel tanks, exterior steel systems and waterfront steel structures. These new standards, known as the MPI 500 Series Standards, are for use in numerous aspects of work involving specialized Department of Defense (DoD) petroleum…

In mid-September, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center issued the 35th USCG Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate after a detailed review of Seattle-based manufacturer oneTank, LLC’s type approval application determined its system met the requirements of 46 CFR 162.060.The recent U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Approval, which follows the DNV GL Certificate of Approval awarded on behalf of the Norwegian Maritime Authority in compliance with the International Maritime Organization BWMS Code in July 2020…

Tip #4: Oil Temperature - Assume that "running hot" is normalDuring warm summer months, with reasonable certainty, high machine temperatures will follow. This is especially true if using air oil heat exchangers. Dismissing this expectation may allow operators to prevent down time, as heat generation is a leading indicator of a failing part. Knowing how to recognize the difference can be the difference between reactive and preventative maintenance.Learn more about the importance…

Industries are adapting to an increasingly digitalized landscape. The floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) industry is no different. As concerted efforts are made to improve project economics Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore, discusses how digitalization can increase safety, reduce costs, and build robust technical and operational capabilities.No one could have predicted what a challenging year 2020 would become. Offshore production activity fluctuated dramatically with changing market economics and a global pandemic…

Today the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) and Royal IHC (IHC) launched cutter suction dredger (CSD) Hussein Tantawy at IHC’s shipyard in The Netherlands.Hussein Tantawy is one of two vessels currently under construction at IHC for SCA. Its sister vessel, Mohab Mameesh, was launched in May and is expected to go on sea trials at the end of this year. They are among the largest vessels of their kind and were both specifically designed by IHC in close cooperation with SCA.Like Mohab Mameesh…

A design for the world’s first large liquefied hydrogen carrier has been granted approval in principle (AIP) from the classification society Korean Register and flag state Liberian Registry.The 20,000 cubic meters class vessel was developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries Group and Hyundai Glovis in partnership with the Korean Register and the Liberian Registry, and HHI Group’s Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) announced they have received the AIP on Thursday.Alfonso Castillero…

Innovation Fund Denmark, the Danish investment entity, has announced the establishment of a consortium to develop a two-stroke, ammonia-fueled engine for maritime shipping. It aims to specify and demonstrate an entire, marine-propulsion system that will pave the way for the first commercial order for an ammonia-fueled vessel.MAN Energy Solutions will lead the consortium that also numbers: Eltronic FuelTech, the Danish fuel-system supplier; the Technical University of Denmark (DTU); and DNV GL, the leading classification society.

A  1,600-horsepower towboat delivered to Harvey, La.-based operator L&L Marine Transportation in June is now operational with a full range of Thordon oil-free and grease-free bearings.Designed by Entech, the 65-foot twin-screw towboat Amelia Ray is purpose-built by Rodriquez Shipbuilding in Coden, Ala. for the transportation of petrochemicals along all inland and coastal waters in the southern states of the U.S.In addition to newest towboat addition, L&L Marine operates the 2,000-horsepower Melissa Lee and three 1,200-horsepower vessels Angela Rae, Myrna Ann and Madeleine Michelle.

Finnish tech company Wärtsilä revealed Thursday that it booked an order in Q1 2020 to supply engines for British ferry operator P&O Ferries' two new hybrid electric ferries on order at China's Guangzhou Shipyard International.P&OF has stated that the new hybrid-electric vessels, to be powered by powered by the Wärtsilä 31 four-stroke diesel engines, “will be the most sustainable ships ever to sail the English Channel, setting new standards for reliability and cost efficiency.”The double-ended RoPax ferries will operate between England and France.

Fire safety has become a major concern in the container shipping industry, in particular, with vessels of 20,000-TEU and more entering the market. A fire in just one container can have catastrophic implications for the whole of the cargo. The very nature of container shipping means that the cargoes are in general finished goods of high value. Insurer Allianz gives the example of a March 2018 fire onboard the Maersk Honam southeast of Oman. At the time the ship was carrying 7,860 containers, corresponding to 12,416 TEU.

“All the business of war, and indeed all the business of life, is to endeavour to find out what you don’t know by what you do”Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonIt is hard to get past headlines painting the portrait of a world besieged physically and economically by a medical crisis on a global scale and a nation that has turned the national spotlight onto the fundamentals of its constitutional democracy, including the persistence of racism, the right to protest and the character of local and national security forces in the United States.

Royston has won a multimillion pound contract to support and maintain small diesel engines onboard amphibious assault ships, mine hunters and other Royal Navy vessels, the marine engineering and propulsion specialist said Wednesday.The £5.5 million ($7.2 million) five-year Ministry of Defense (MOD) contract will see U.K.-based Royston responsible for providing diesel engine spares and technical support alongside repair and refurbishment of engines when required.This will include various Caterpillar…

Tip #3: Oil Cleanliness - Don't add regular filter changes to your maintenance scheduleMost filters have switches indicating when the element is full, and sometimes waiting for that may be too late. Changing filters on a regular service interval is a simple way to check the contamination level of a hydraulic system.The human body's organs and blood could be compared to individual components and the fluid within hydraulic/lubrication system. If the blood is dirty, organs will start shutting down and we will physically show that we are sick.

Gregory Darling and Applied Satellite Technology (AST) works with shipowners to help them use their bandwidth more efficiently for ship business and crew needs.When Gregory Darling, Group MD, AST, worked in the marine industry in the 1980s with a marine survey company, he needed to get word to one of his ships off of West Africa to recalibrate its course and head off to a new job. But the ship had left port, and radio calls to the ship went unanswered, resulting in two days of lost time and revenue.“That was frustrating and costly…

ABB Marine & Ports has installed shore connection technology aboard the passenger ferry Viking XPRS, which operates daily between Helsinki and Tallinn.The high-speed ferry, built in 2008, is deployed on the 2.5-hour route across the Baltic Sea between Tallinn, Estonia, and Helsinki, Finland, typically docking in the Estonian city twice a day. ABB said that shore connection technology would ensure that Viking XPRS' calls in Estonia’s Port of Tallinn are made "quietly, efficiently…

BW LPG said the week-long sea and gas trials have kicked off for very large gas carrier (VLGC) BW Gemini, which has been retrofitted with pioneering liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dual-fuel propulsion technology. The shipowner said the 2015-built BW Gemini achieved "a historic milestone" as the world’s first VLGC to be fueled by LPG, after its main engine was retrofitted from a MAN B&W 6G60ME-C9.2 type to a MAN B&W 6G60ME- LGIP dual-fuel type capable of operating on both LPG and traditional fuel oil."The retrofitting process at Yiu Lian Dockyard in Shenzhen…

MacArtney completed its order of a launch and recovery (LARS) system for Taiwan National University, the fifth Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) in the Asia Pacific region to date. MacArtney Asia Pacific provided the full launch and recovery system solution for the new vessel R/V New Ocean Researcher 1 (ORV 1), including slip rings, cables and docking heads. The 1,000 GT RV was completed on July 21, 2020.Behind ORV 1 is the CSBC Corporation, which built the ship for end-user Taiwan National University. CSBC, owning two shipyards, is the largest shipbuilding company in Taiwan.

Tankers were entering and leaving Cheniere Energy Inc's Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas export plant in Louisiana despite draft limitations in the Sabine-Neches Waterway after a rig ran aground in the channel over the weekend.The U.S. Coast Guard said a large semi-submersible rig, called the Jasminia, drifted into and ran aground in the Sabine Bank Channel, limiting vessels entering the waterway to those with a maximum draft of 36 feet (11 meters).The waterway sits on the Texas…

The BioBarrier MarineMBR series of Type II sewage treatment plant (STP) from marine sewage and water treatment specialist Scienco/FAST is engineered to help meet the increasingly stringent needs of U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) water quality standards and is ideal for water reuse applications, its manufacturer says.With its decades-long history providing adaptable and proven marine sewage devices, environmentally-friendly cleaners and other industrial water management technologies…

Singaporean-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) said it will trial biofuel bunkers aboard its 2010-built 47,377 dwt MR tanker Pacific Beryl.EPS, which has said it aims to test various alternative marine fuels in an effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, has appointed Dutch-based GoodFuels to supply the biofuel bunkers."Alternative marine fuels are essential transitional fuels that will pave the way towards industry-wide decarbonization and the preservation of the environment for future generations," EPS said in a statement. The bunkering took place in Dutch waters on October 9.

Tip #2: Fluid Selection - Using the wrong fluid at the right timeFluid selection plays a critical role in machine life, and it is easy to take the convenient path, which is use what is already available from other equipment. When matched with the right component, the right fluid will promote uptime, or induce failures and unplanned outages. Understanding the type of hydraulic technology, in conjunction with the proper fluid, will extend life and ensure full efficiency is achieved.Learn…

WE Tech Solutions said Tuesday it has been awarded a contract to equip six additional newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers that will be chartered to Shell.The Finnish firm said it will deliver six shipsets of its Solution One for the 174,000m³ capacity LNG carriers, which are chartered to energy major Shell LNG via the owners Knutsen OAS Shipping, J.P.Morgan Asset Management and Korea Line Corporation. The order is an option to the earlier eight contracted in March, now also added with a second option for another six more.The vessels are being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co.…

Hydrogen or battery technologies? Strict regulations force shipowners to consider alternative energy sourcesThere are more than 60,000 ships in the world, which engines emit almost 2.5% of the world's greenhouse gases. The automotive industry has made rapid progress towards electrification and there is more and more talk of hydrogen solutions for trains, at the same time the transition to non-fossil fuels has been slower in the shipping industry.Energy for moving ships can originate from a wide variety of sources. Ships have been sailing powered by wind for millenniums.

A new fishery inspection vessel ordered by the governmental Danish Fisheries Agency and under construction at the Hvide Sande Shipyard in Denmark will be equipped with propulsion systems from German manufacturer SCHOTTEL.The new vessel will be driven by two SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 360 CP (1,500 kW each) featuring a propeller diameter of 2.3 meters. Latter ones will be driven by electric motors. According to SCHOTTEL, the thrusters allow economical operation of the newly built…

If you truly want to unlock the value of data you have to adopt a joined-up approach, says Tor Svanes, CEO NAVTOR. Fail in that, he argues, and you’ll fail to get the competitive advantage your business needs.If you go for a full check-up at the doctor’s they won’t just measure your weight.They’ll look at your blood pressure, listen to your heart, consider blood tests, assess cholesterol and, above all, ask questions that monitor your day-to-day performance. How are you feeling? Are you exercising? Sleeping okay? The list goes on.

Vestdavit won a frame agreement to provide service, support and spares for the variety of marine davits it has supplied to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).NOAA operates a fleet of research and survey vessels that conduct a wide variety of missions, including oceanographic research, marine life studies and hydrographic surveys. Davits are needed to handle RHIBS of different sizes and 30ft Hydrographic Survey Launches, depending on the NOAA mission.The all-embracing five-year contract is valued at up to US$2.5 million and aligns with U.S.

Kongsberg Maritime, under a contract with maritime services and solutions provider MacGregor, will deliver a Pile Gripper Guidance System (PGGS) for OHT's offshore wind foundation installation vessel Alfa Lift.The Alfa Lift will be the world’s largest custom-built offshore wind foundation installation vessel, equipped with a 3,000t main crane. The ship’s 10,000+ m² ‘smart’ deck will carry up to 14 XL monopiles per voyage and will also be fully submersible to a depth of 14.66m.

A pair of hybrid-electric crew transfer vessels (CTV) being built for Danish operator MHO&Co will be powered by propulsion systems manufacturer Volvo Penta and electrification specialist Danfoss Editron.The 35-meter CTVs were designed by MHO&Co in cooperation with Incat Crowther in the U.K. and Australia and are being constructed at the Afai Southern Shipyard in China for delivery in 2021.Volvo Penta marine gensets will help power these vessels – the electric propulsion power for the driveline will come from five variable speed Volvo D8 gensets.

Tip #1: Tribology - Assume All Hydraulic Components are Designed EquallyBelieve it or not, maintenance begins during the design phase. Moving parts create friction, and friction can lead to wear, ending in premature failure, especially when tribology is ignored. In order to have a long-lasting hydraulic system, it is critical to specify operating conditions and environment during the project start. When all conditions are considered, it is possible to select the right component…

Power solutions provider Fairbanks Morse said it has named James "Jay" McFadyen as Vice President and General Manager of Aftermarket.McFadyen has more than 30 years of experience in the marine, defense and aerospace industries with leading global companies including Rolls-Royce, GE, and most recently as Vice President for Leonardo DRS-Naval Power Systems. Recognized as an innovator, McFadyen twice won GE’s award for Engineering Accomplishment of the Year and formed the first business unit at Rolls-Royce to be recognized as an Innovation Center of Excellence.

Nippon Paint Marine said it has enhanced its existing hull condition monitoring software by adding the XSHIP Performance tool to its established KP Analysis fuel saving system.While Nippon Paint Marine’s in-house KP Analysis Team’s service has been offered to verify the fuel and power saving of its low-friction LF-Sea antifouling range since 2006, the introduction of the ISO 19030 standard in 2016 has been widely accepted by the industry as a means of verifying the performance of hull coatings.According to the coatings manufacturer…

Maritime compliance and navigation services firm OneOcean announced the launch of LogCentral, a secure, easy-to-apply digital tool that aims to make collecting and sharing vessel data quick and simple.“LogCentral is a genuine breakthrough, not just for optimizing the usage of electronic logbooks but also for driving fleet-wide efficiencies,” says Martin Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of OneOcean. “Data goes through comprehensive validation at point of entry to massively improve accuracy.

Viega LLC said it is introducing three marine pipe pressing systems in metric sizes to the North American market.Now carrying more than 400 marine metric products in North America, Viega said it aims to make construction, maintenance and repairs easier for customers working on vessels which use metric piping. These Viega metric products have proven themselves in Europe and other markets for decades and carry certifications from the U.S. Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping…

Singapore has suspended the licenses to sell ship fuel held by a subsidiary of defunct oil trader Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd since it could no longer meet the licensing requirements, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Monday.The MPA suspended the licenses for Hin Leong's subsidiary Ocean Bunkering Services Pte Ltd (OBS), an agency spokesperson said in an emailed response to questions from Reuters sent on Oct. 12.MPA typically issues licenses to supply bunker…

L3Harris Technologies said it has received a contract from Eastern Shipbuilding Group to provide the integrated communications system for the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC).The Coast Guard has said that the OPC program is the highest acquisition priority in the Coast Guard, providing the capability bridge between the National Security Cutter and Fast Response Cutter.The initial award to L3Harris includes the design, development and production of the first two ship systems with options for up to as many as four OPC systems.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has been granted approval in principle (AIP) by Bureau Veritas (BV) for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel gas supply system (FGSS) for marine four-stroke dual fuel engines. The approval was confirmed in a presentation ceremony at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding’s Headquarters in Yokohama.The FGSS comprises an LNG fuel tank, gas supply unit, control systems and other relevant equipment. The system was developed mainly to be installed on coastal ferries and small to mid-sized cargo ships.Claude Maillot…

Alibaba Group Holdings and Israeli shipping group Zim have entered a strategic cooperation agreement for the direct purchase of sea freight, which will improve logistic services to merchants selling on Alibaba, Zim said on Monday.Zim said it will provide sea freight and services through a direct interface with the e-commerce giant’s logistics platform.The companies have been cooperating since earlier this year, the shipper said in a statement.Zim is 32% owned by Kenon Holdings.(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Tova Cohen)

U.S. offshore support vessel company Harvey Gulf International has ordered Wärtsilä's energy storage system for four of its platform supply vessels.The order comes just after Harvey said in September it had completed an upgrade of its platform supply vessel Harvey Energy, making it the first "tri-fuel" PSV in the U.S. The upgrade included a Wärtsilä battery-power system on the PSV which was already a dual-fuel vessel capable of fully operating on LNG or diesel.Now, the company will have five offshore vessels capable of full tri-fuel operation…

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) revealed it has entered into three major supply contracts worth over €100 million ($117.4 million) in total for the main equipment of Pohjanmaa Class multi-purpose corvettes commissioned by the Finnish Defense Forces.The most crucial contracts for the supply of critical main equipment with long delivery times were signed during spring and summer in highly unusual circumstances, the shipbuilder said, adding that the coronavirus pandemic has posed significant challenges to numerous businesses…

Today’s desalination plants are rugged, durable and highly automated to meet the demands of operators and the crew, enabling them to meet schedule and mission with ample potable water production.In the days of old, marine distilling plants – then mostly steam – relied on archaic flash evaporators, which used steam to heat, power an air ejector, and ultimately create a vacuum whereby seawater would flash or boil and ultimately be distilled. The process would often occur over two stages and what did not flash would be pumped overboard as brine. Times have changed.

Ship tracking and maritime information service MarineTraffic has extended its contract through the end of 2023 for ORBCOMM’s satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) data.MarineTraffic, which has been an ORBCOMM partner since 2013, uses ORBCOMM’s satellite AIS data to track real-time and historical movements of ships as well as their arrivals and departures in harbors and ports around the world. MarineTraffic combines ORBCOMM’s AIS data with positional data from its network…

ABB has won a contract to equip KNOT's shuttle tankers with battery technology and other electric solutions, with the aim of making the vessels fuel-efficient and reducing emissions. Once complete, the shuttle tankers will go on a charter with Norwegian oil company Var Energi.Under the contract awarded by the South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, ABB Marine & Ports will deliver the power and control technology for the two new KNOT shuttle tankers.ABB’s scope of supply will also include the shaft generator system…

The Los Angeles Pilot Service has taken delivery of two customized 56-foot Camarc Design pilot boats built by Vigor Industrial at its Vancouver, Wash. facility, located on the northern side of the Columbia River. The Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator were handed over to the LA Pilot Service at Vigor’s shipyard on Swan Island in Portland, Ore. in early October.Camarc designs are optimized to function in the most extreme climates in the world. The UK firm's pilot boat designs are deployed throughout Europe…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on Tuesday it has identified three obstructions from Hurricane Delta that have to be removed before it can reopen the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Louisiana to deep draft vessels.The Army Corps, however, said it needs more data before it can estimate how long it will take to dredge the channel.That channel allows tankers to access the Cameron liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant, the Lake Charles refineries owned by Citgo Petroleum Corp and…

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., recently installed a Marine Travelift HTC 150D Hydraulic Hatch Crane on the Michigan Trader self-unloading barge delivered to VanEnkevort Tug & Barge.The Michigan Trader features an overall length of 740 ft X 78 ft beam X 45 ft depth. Once in service, it will serve the Great Lakes region by hauling bulk commodities including iron ore, stone and more.“It was nice to partner with a local supplier, Marine Travelift, to provide the lifting solutions for the Michigan Trader…

Kongsberg Maritime said it has signed a contract with Turkish shipbuilder Tersan Shipyard to equip an 86-meter stern trawler with a large winch package for Faroe Islands fishing fleet operator JFK.The package will include four EasyDRIVE electric trawl winches with SmartPΩWER Permanent Magnet (PM) motors. This use of direct drive PM motors, instead of the gearbox arrangements customarily used for trawl winches, improves reliability considerably, the manufacturer said.According to Kongsberg…

CMA CGM, the world’s fourth-largest container shipping group, said it has restored its online business services after a cyber attack last month paralyzed activity.France-based CMA CGM first reported the incident on September 28, saying it had shut down access to its online services after malware targeted its peripheral servers.“The CMA CGM Group’s e-commerce sites are once again live with all their main functionalities up and running,” the company said in a statement on Sunday. “Applications and essential functionalities are now operational and secured.”In a separate incident, U.N.

A new electrics case for yachts and work boats featuring a central electronics unit, bridge displays and a throttle lever is now available from MAN Engines under the iSea name, with all components designed  to simplify processes and operating procedures.An open system, they also provide a high degree of connectivity with other components that are commonly available on the market.The new electrics case records all of the engine data and compares it with pre-determined target values.

A great deal of research related to student learning styles has emerged in recent years. Through that research strong arguments have been made that more kinesthetic learning methods, such as hands-on or experiential learning, are more effective than more traditional methods like the lecture. In the maritime field, technology such as simulation, has provided us with tools to harness the power of experiential learning; however, those tools alone cannot ensure students are learning…

FPSO specialist Bluewater and classification company DNV GL have teamed up in a pilot project aimed at testing how hybrid digital twin technology can predict and analyze fatigue in the hull of an FPSO in the North Sea, increase safety, and reduce operational costs and time by optimizing inspections.The project aims to validate and quantify the benefits of creating a virtual replica of the FPSO to optimize the structural safety of the vessel and enhance risk-based inspection (RBI)…

Industry stakeholders at PortPIC stressed the importance of more innovation, collaboration and aligned initiatives to shape sustainable solutions for in-water cleaning.This was the main message from the inaugural In-Port Inspection & Cleaning Conference (PortPIC) held last week, organized by Jotun and DNV GL.In his opening address, Geir Axel Oftedahl, business development director, Jotun Marine Coatings raised the issue of biofouling and emphasized, “There’s an increasing focus…

Høglund Marine Solutions and Veracity by DNV GL have signed a collaboration agreement to explore how the combined strengths of Høglund’s onboard integration and data capture capabilities, and Veracity’s platform architecture and eco-system can help shipowners accelerate their digital initiatives.Høglund is a well-established provider of advanced marine technology to the global shipping industry, specializing in integrated automation and energy solutions. By collaborating with the independent data platform provider Veracity…

Yanmar Europe BV said it has signed an agreement with the Danish independent service provider VMS Group A/S as a new service agent for commercial marine engines and spare parts. As of today, VMS Group is a registered agent to service Yanmar medium and high commercial marine engines.Kim Rasmussen, CCO of VMS Group, sees great opportunities and good potential in the wide range of marine engines that Yanmar offers. “Due to our many years of experience in the marine business we know Yanmar as a manufacturer of efficient, strong and reliable engines. This is also what ship owners tell us as feedback on Yanmar engines. Furthermore, we find that the innovative technology behind the Yanmar engines plays an important role in the future…

With methane slip regulations looming as a possibility on the horizon, Sweden-based Alfa Laval and global Swiss engine developer WinGD say they have already cooperated on a solution. The Alfa Laval PureCool system is the main component in WinGD’s iCER technology, an option for next-generation WinGD X-DF engines that slashes methane slip and boosts fuel and energy efficiency.As a growing number of vessels turn to liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel to meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) emissions reduction targets…

Japanese engine manufacturer Yanmar said it received an order from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (MOL) for dual fuel 8EY26LDF engines that will be used to power generators on board Japan’s first two liquefied natural gas (LNG) ferries. The ferries, provisionally named Sunflower Kurenai and Sunflower Murasaki, are to be built at Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.’s Shimonoseki Shipyard.Ferry Sunflower (a group company of MOL) will charter the ferries after delivery and launch them on its Osaka-Beppu route from the end of 2022 through the first half of 2023…

MAN Energy Solutions announced the successful conclusion of the Type Approval Test (TAT) for its dual-fuel retrofit kit for its MAN 32/40 engine type. The TAT took place at the company’s Augsburg, Germany works from September 15-18, 2020 with the participation of the three classification societies: DNV GL, American Bureau of Shipping, and Lloyd’s Register.The TAT confirmed the suitability of the retrofit kit for converting the company’s field-proven MAN 32/40 engine into a dual-fuel unit – a so-called MAN 32/40R-DF type – that can now run on fossil and renewable…

Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has signed a deal with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) to deliver a propulsion and maneuvering system for two 230 meters roll-on, roll-off passenger (RoPax) vessels being built for Baltic Sea-focused operator Finnlines. The two Finnlines' flagship Superstar RoPax vessels, vessels, equipped with sustainable technologies for green operation, will each have a capacity for 1,212 passengers. Under construction in China, the vessels are expected to be delivered for deployment in the Baltic Sea by 2023.For Kongsberg Maritime…

Predictive Maritime Intelligence company Windward said it has partnered with The Maritime Analysis and Operations Center-Narcotics (MAOC (N)), an EU Law Enforcement unit created to respond to the threat of illicit drug trafficking by maritime and air conveyances. With air traffic down due to COVID-19, drug smugglers are relying heavily on maritime shipping to transport illegal contraband around the world, and Windward said its maritime intelligence platform will give MAOC(N) and…

Vessel modernization projects are known for being fast-paced and deadline-sensitive, and delays due to materials with long lead times are not uncommon. But there are ways to work around them and minimize the risk and damage.Ship modernization projects are typically extremely hectic from the moment when we hear about a potential project. A typical newbuilding project has project phases in the following order: sales and quotation, initiation, planning and preparation, executing, and closing.

Mercy Ships' new hospital ship Global Mercy, nearing completion at the Tianjin Xingang shipyard in China, will be powered by four Wärtsilä 32 engines.When completed, the philanthropic organization's Global Mercy will be the world’s largest vessel of its kind, providing essential healthcare to patients in developing countries. Mercy Ships expects to take delivery in 2021, and the ship’s maiden voyage is planned later in the year to Africa where crew will provide vital surgical care at no cost.Wärtsilä…

Container shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) counts biofuels and hydrogen-based fuels among options worth studying to potentially help the shipping industry meet decarbonization targets, one of the company's executive told an industry conference in Switzerland on Monday.“There’s no one single solution to decarbonize shipping. We need a range of alternative fuels at scale and we need them urgently,” said Bud Darr, MSC Group's Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy & Government Affairs…

Engine manufacturer Scania USA said it has appointed Laborde Products as its new distributor for Scania Marine products for the Gulf Coast and inland waterways regions, effective November 1.The Covington, La. headquartered engine and power systems distributor will take on sales, service and dealer development for Scania marine engines, ranging from 220 to 1,150 horsepower, for Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Southern Illinois, Southern Indiana, Southern Ohio…

A design for an ammonia-fueled 23,000 TEU ultra-large containership has received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR), marking a key milestone in a joint development project (JDP) with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions to develop ammonia propulsion ships.As part of the JDP launched earlier this year, DSME generated the basic design of the ammonia propulsion…

One of the world's largest maritime classification societies American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) on Tuesday launched a web-based digital platform that "delivers real-time data-driven insights to improve fleet efficiency, reduce costs and help manage risks," for marine and offshore operators.The platform, called My DigitalFleet, is, according to ABS, a significant step forward for the digitalization of the maritime industry.Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President, and CEO, said, "Digitalization is the key enabler for asset management, sustainability and regulatory compliance strategies.

Singapore’s annual liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering capacity is expected to hit 1 million tonnes by 2021, as the world’s largest marine refueling hub transitions toward cleaner shipping fuels, a senior minister of state said on Tuesday.The push is part of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) aim to halve the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from 2008 levels.“As the maritime community continues the search for low or zero carbon fuels to meet the IMO’s 2050 goal, LNG is a viable transitional fuel to mitigate CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions from ships,” said Chee Hong Tat,

Applied Satellite Technology (AST) Marine Sciences said it has been awarded a three-year contract with the Welsh government to supply an advanced inshore vessel monitoring solution (iVMS) for the Welsh inshore fleet of 400 under-12-meter fishing vessels.The Welsh government are proactively future proofing their fleet in preparation for the upcoming legislation that will soon require all inshore fleets and fishers to have this technology on board.AST’s Group Managing Director, Gregory Darling said…

Australian Pump, an Australian designer and manufacturer of high-pressure cleaning equipment, was chosen to design and build 4,000 psi high pressure water blasters for Sydney’s Garden Island Dockyard. The machines, called the Aussie Atlas, feature an all stainless steel construction and produce a 4,000 psi 16 liter per minute performance. Designed for working on a wide range of vessels in the dry dock, the machines offer fast and efficient cleaning.With up to 30 machines working at any one time in the dock, safety is key.

Inmarsat has equipped four Paraná River push boats operated by Impala Paraguay with Fleet Xpress connectivity, in what the mobile satellite communications company is calling a breakthrough for maritime broadband inland along one of South America’s longest waterways.The prime mover vessels are used by Impala Paraguay to steer its fleet of 30 double-hulled barges along the waterway system to move gas oil, jet fuel, gasoline and naphtha products from Argentina onward to Paraguay and Bolivia, exporting soya bean oil in the other direction.

Pangaea Logistics Solutions Ltd., a bulk carrier and ice class vessel owner/operator headquartered in Newport, R.I., expanded its partnership with Nautilus Labs to include a large part of Pangaea’s fleet of bulk carriers.Pangaea and Nautilus began their initial collaboration in October 2018 and have since committed to expanding it to 12 vessels in Pangaea’s fleet, as Pangaea seeks a solution that allows reliable capture of high frequency vessel data, analysis of fleet performance in real-time, and sending of operating recommendations to ships and operators to optimize each voyage’s outcome.

Finland-based technology group Wärtsilä said it has divested 100% of its shares in Wärtsilä Valves Ltd to an affiliate of Evergreen Capital L.P., based in New York. The transaction was closed Thursday.“Wärtsilä is focusing on creating a stronger and simpler core whilst making sure the non-core businesses get an opportunity under a new ownership to be able to drive their business success and better serve their customers,” said Tamara de Gruyter, President, Wärtsilä Marine Systems and Head of Portfolio business.

Three years ago, an Ecospeed hull coating was applied on Antarctic, a shallow draft anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel owned by Ark Shipping Company. The success of this application led the vessel's owner to order the same protection for its next two shallow draught AHTS vessels: Polar and Polus. Building of these vessels will start in 2021 and will again take place at the Atlas Shipyard in Kocaeli, Turkey.Ark Shipping is a Russian river and sea shipping company that has been operating in the transport and logistics market since 1992.

Finnish engineering firm Konecranes and cargo handling machinery maker Cargotec plan to merge to help speed up innovation and reap savings, they said on Thursday, sending both of their shares sharply higher.The boards of the companies, which provide road and sea-cargo handling machinery and services to industries, factories, ports and terminals, said they had signed a plan under which Konecranes would be folded into Cargotec in a merger of equals.Cargotec shares jumped around 25%, while Konecranes stock was up around 17%, giving a combined market value of around 4.5 billion euros ($5.3 billion

CMA CGM suspects a cyber attack affecting its servers led to a data breach, the global shipping line said on Wednesday as it continued to restore online services."We suspect a data breach and are doing everything possible to assess its potential volume and nature," it said in a statement.CMA CGM, the world's fourth-largest container shipping company, first reported the incident on Monday, saying it had shut down access to its online services after malware targeted its peripheral servers.The group's e-business website remained unavailable, with customers directed to alternative channels, but ba

Dometic’s Vancouver facility has received RINA Approval and Certification for its Optimus 5000 Electronic Power Steering System (EPS), opening the door for growth in yachting and commercial marine markets.The Dometic Optimus 5000 EPS is engineered for inboard vessels ranging from 40 to 100-plus feet in length. Its manufacturer believes the Type Approval from the Italian classification group on the Optimus 5000 EPS for both pleasure and commercial vessels under 500 metric tons will positively impact on its marine business globally.

Finland-based marine engine and technology provider Wärtsilä has appointed Håkan Agnevall as its next president and CEO.Agnevall, who currently president of Volvo's bus division, will start in his role no later than in April 2021, succeeding Jaakko Eskola, who will continue with the company as a senior advisor and executive until he retires on June 30, 2021, after 22 years with the group.Agnevall has been with the Volvo Group  since 2013. In the decade prior to that he held various leadership positions in Bombardier and in ABB…

Japanese engine manufacturer Yanmar said it will soon open a new parts warehouse at its Middle East Branch, located in the United Arab Emirates, near Dubai Airport.The Middle East Branch began operation in January of 2019 in the Dubai Airport Free Zone providing sales, service support and training to dealers in Yanmar’s middle east territory. The new site, which serves both Yanmar’s marine pleasure and marine commercial engines business in the Middle East region, is operated by Yanmar subsidiary and Asia regional headquarters…

Danish offshore vessel specialist Maersk Supply Service and its compatriot offshore wind developer Ørsted have teamed up to test a prototype offshore charging buoy.The buoy will act as a safe mooring point and a charging station for vessels, potentially displacing a significant amount of marine fuel with "green" electricity. The prototype buoy has been developed by Maersk Supply Service while Ørsted is responsible for the buoy’s integration with the electrical grid at the offshore wind farm.

Commodities trader Trafigura on Friday proposed a carbon levy of $250-$300 per tonne of carbon-dioxide (CO2) equivalent on shipping fuels to make zero and low carbon fuels more economically viable and competitive.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) wants to halve the sector's greenhouse gas output by 2050 against 2008 levels.

The maritime sector keeps talking enthusiastically about it: artificial intelligence (AI). But what is it really? What is the role of technology in the maritime sector at this moment, and what does it mean for the future? Yves de Vos, Project Manager and Artificial Intelligence Expert at Shipbuilder, explains.“The term Artificial Intelligence is often misused because a lot of tools are not intelligent at all. If you use genuine AI in your maritime projects, the possibilities and benefits are huge…

Speaking at the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) annual conference, IUMI Data and Digitalization Forum Chair, Patrizia Kern discussed big data, the use of digital technologies, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has put digitalization on the fast track.“Digitalization is not an option anymore - it is here to stay - and the marine insurance sector needs to keep pace," said Kern. "For some time now, the shipping industry has been seeking cost-effective ways to operate and key logistics players have already begun to partner and digitalize the global marine supply chain.

Harvey Gulf International Marine announced Thursday it will install 10 battery systems on board eight of its vessels as the U.S.

An ammonia-fueled tanker design developed by South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has received approval in principle (AIP) from classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR).The project to develop the novel, emissions-slashing aframax tanker was announced in January as maritime stakeholders consider cleaner-burning ammonia and other zero-carbon options to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target to halve shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2008 levels by 2050.Together…

Finland's Wärtsilä reports it has won a contract for the delivery and integration engineering of two retractable thrusters and a dynamic positioning (DP) system for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) icebreaker CCGS Amundsen.Wärtsilä, which booked the order in July, said it was able to meet the CCG’s requirements to fit the equipment in the existing space of the 98-meter-long Arctic Class 3 Medium Icebreaker, the only vessel in its class to be fitted with retractable thrusters and DP. The new thrusters will be integrated with the existing bow thruster, which is also a Wärtsilä product.

It is “pre-COVID ” April of 2018, and 174 member states of IMO adopt a new strategy to reduce greenhouse gases from shipping. The meetings are considered “urgent” and the target is to reduce carbon emissions in half by 2050. Prior to those “targets” shipping dealt with regulations to address SOx and NOx reductions. Most of which have resulted in limited success due to infrastructure problems and a consideration as a temporary fix.The technical world has responded with low sulfur fuels, LNG, and methanol to work towards the target.

As the maritime industry searches for the means to meet ever tightening emission regulations, battery power sits at the center of future paths to decarbonization. Sterling PBES launched CanPower, an all-encompassing ESS microgrid. The CanPower 'Microgrid in a Box' promises to add energy storage to virtually any vessel, without the need for complex design and build times.According to Sterline PBES, two of the main hurdles facing shipowners wishing to install ESS’ are the physical footprints of the systems and the complexity of the installation.

Global mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat plans to extend its Fleet LTE coverage for offshore service vessels to the Gulf of Mexico.Inmarsat said that the decision to expand in the Gulf of Mexico followed successful trials with V.Ships Offshore in the North Sea area in early 2020."In conjunction with Inmarsat’s service provider One Net, the North Sea trials were undertaken with ship management company V.Ships Offshore at the beginning of 2020, delivering hybrid connectivity via 4G cellular plus satellite coverage on VSAT Ka-band and L-band…

oneTank, LLC has been granted a U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Approval (162.060/35/0), completing the suite of international approvals required for its ballast water treatment system.The oneTank ballast system is a simple, low-cost treatment option intended for vessels that do not need a complex solution. The system was developed to simplify the installation and treatment of the tanker aftpeak tank, an ideal “one or a few tanks” application. With an arrangement footprint of just two square-feet…

Mackay Marine announced Wednesday it has opened its newest marine electronics sales and service center in Cape Town, South Africa, following the acquisition of Dynamic Marine Systems (DMS) (Pty) Ltd.Specializing in nav/comm electronics, dynamic positioning systems (DP), and automation equipment, DMS serves high-seas, oil and gas, coastal, commercial fishing and naval customers. DMS’ staff have more than 100 years collective maritime and naval experience.“Expanding our global network to include South Africa has been a long-term goal for Mackay Marine” said Jeff Schlacks, President of Mackay.

Swiss-based ABB said it has been awarded a contract from Guangzhou Shipyard International to supply electric, digital and connected solutions for two new vessels the Chinese shipyard is building for British operator P&O Ferries.The hybrid propulsion solution, using electric power from 8.8MWh batteries and diesel generators, will cut fuel consumption on P&O Ferries’ Dover-Calais route by 40%, ABB said. The batteries will provide full power for harbor maneuvering and stay in port…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is building a new hub for unmanned systems prototyping, production and testing to meet growing demand from the U.S. Navy for autonomous and uncrewed systems.The purpose-built Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence will include two buildings totaling over 150,000 square feet constructed on a 20-acre campus in Hampton, Va., the U.S.'s largest military shipbuilder said in announcing the center's groundbreaking on Tuesday.“With U.S. Navy’s increasing demand for UUVs and USVs…

Fuel choice is the essential decision as shipping charts a generational path to decarbonization, says DNV GL in its latest maritime forecast report.The industry is at the beginning of a transition phase, with many potential options emerging alongside conventional fuels. This increasingly diverse fuel environment means that engine and fuel choice now represent potential risks that could lead to a stranded asset. Factoring in the impacts of availability, prices and policy, on different fuels…

On September 30, JRC/Alphatron Marine will roll out its online learning management system, allowing distributors to follow training courses from anywhere in the world. Instead of traveling to a JRC/Alphatron Marine Center of Excellence or other training locations, users can now log in via the Global Training Academy (GTA)-portal on your mobile, tablet, or computer to ensure skills are up-to-date.JRC/Alphatron Marine said the starting point in the development of the Online Training…

German propulsion specialist SCHOTTEL's management board approved the acquisition of a 3,000-square-meter plot of land in Saint Petersburg, Russia, paving way for the construction of a new service center to strengthen OOO SCHOTTEL’s market position in the region.The company said it expects to plan and build an administration building with repair workshop and warehouse site on the purchased property within the next two years.Founded in 2011, OOO SCHOTTEL has equipped a number of inland waterways vessels with propulsion systems, especially in the cargo and passenger transport segments.

A new Mayflower has been launched in Plymouth, 400 years after its historic namesake set sail from southwest England to America.The new vessel won't be carrying pilgrim settlers across the Atlantic. In fact, it won't hold any crew or passengers at all. The sleek AI- and solar-powered trimaran is autonomy level five, meaning it can operate independently with no human intervention. Next year, it will embark on the famous ocean voyage from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Mass. completely autonomously…

CR OCEAN ENGINEERING L.L.C. (CROE) and Oberlin Filter Company are partnering to provide an automatic, low-maintenance washwater filtration system to supplement CROE’s closed loop and hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems (also known as scrubbers). The Oberlin filter is a cleaning system that cleans the closed loop washwater and removes the sludge in a dry/solid form, allowing for reduction in volume and lower disposal cost. For clients requiring wet/pumpable sludge disposal, CROE…

Ocean mapping at scale is the target of a new unmanned systems player started by two ex-US Navy SEALS. They have big ambitions, from new building unmanned vehicles to creating the intelligence that will drive them to changing how accessible ocean data is. Elaine Maslin learned more. The pace of change in the ocean mapping space has been fast in recent years. New entrants have come into the scene offering “force multiplier” mapping using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

I don’t remember when I discovered that the first application of lightbulbs occurred at sea rather than ashore. But when I dug a little deeper into the subject recently, I came across an interesting set of coincidences that shows how innovation often relies on simply doing, rather than endlessly talking about it. After Thomas Edison managed to make sufficient improvements to the lightbulb concept to have it show commercial viability in late 1879, he ended up in a chicken and egg conundrum.The lightbulb might be great, but to get it to work would require an electrical power plant.

Maersk Training in the UK announced the launch of its upgraded Training Management Solution (TMS) with the aim to improve the training management for companies dealing with fewer headcount and remote working, amid the coronavirus pandemic.The software is divided into two parts, a mobile app aimed at delegates and a web-based application for the administrators and training facilitators. The mobile app provides a full overview of the employee’s individual training requirements, from training due to expire to current courses due to be completed…

Marine fuels services provider KPI OceanConnect announced Tuesday it has appointed industry expert Boris Gronenberg as Managing Director of its Hamburg operations.KPI OceanConnect’s Hamburg office is located at the heart of Hamburg’s shipping community and is one of 16 in the recently merged group.“Joining KPI OceanConnect at this time is very exciting,” Gronenberg said. “The recent merger of KPI Bridge Oil and OceanConnect Marine has created one of the largest and most experienced independent marine fuels service and solutions providers in the world.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad has signed a cooperation deal with Westcon Power & Automation, a provider of hybrid- and fully electric solutions, to develop environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies, with the final aim to make the company carbon neutral by 2050.Solstad, providing support vessels for offshore oil and gas, and as of recently, the offshore wind industry, has said that it has in past years installed green battery hybrid packages onboard seven…

South Korean shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries' Floating LNG to Power solution - Hi-FL2P - has been granted an approval in principle certificate by the global classification society Bureau Veritas.‘Hi-FL2P’ has been described as an ‘All-in-One Type’ Floating LNG Power Plant where all equipment and systems that are required for the power generation and transmission including LNG containment, gas supply system, and power plant are installed in one unit to function as a stand-alone power plant.The ‘Hi-FL2P’ was developed in a Joint Development Project with  Bureau Veritas.

Australian manufacturer and designer of high pressure cleaning equipment Australian Pump said it was chosen to design and build 4,000 psi high pressure water blasters for Sydney’s Garden Island Dockyard applications.Designed for working on a wide range of vessels in the dry dock, the machines, called the Aussie Atlas, feature an all stainless steel construction and produce a 4,000 psi, 16 liter per minute performance.With up to 30 machines working at any one time in the dock, safety is a key issue.

Davit supplier Vestdavit said its U.S. operation has won a contract to deliver boat launch-and-recovery systems to two U.S. Navy Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels currently being built by global shipbuilder Austal at its yard in Mobile, Ala.Vestdavit Inc. will supply a 2TDB-7000 davit system to each of EPF 13 and EPF 14, the latest vessels to be commissioned as part of the U.S. Navy’s EPF program. With EPF 13 due for delivery in late 2021, both ships will be deployed in the high-speed…