Marine Equipment News

As a part of initiatives utilizing big data, NYK and MTI Co. Ltd. have developed an advance alarm system (patent pending) that can detect anomalies on a real-time basis caused by water getting in lubricating oil. This alarm has been installed on Haramachi Maru, an NYK-operated vessel, to prevent such troubles and thus realize high-level preventive maintenance for the engine.1. BackgroundControlling the quality and property of lubricating oil is very important for vessel engines to operate stably.

Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. (“ONE”) is has announced that ONE Columbia, with a carrying capacity of 14,000 TEU, has been successfully delivered at Kure Shipyard of Japan Marine United Corporation. The sublet owner is Nippon Yusen Kaisha. This is ONE’s 4th newly built 14,000TEU magenta containership delivered this year, after ONE Stork (delivery date on 12th June 2018), ONE Minato (26th July 2018), and ONE Aquila (7th September 2018). Currently, 3 more vessels in ONE’s order book are in the construction process and expected delivery is in 2019.ONE Columbia…

The Nordic region's most high-profile cruise fleet operator is refitting its ships to make them less polluting, and plans to use a byproduct of rotten fish to help power their new, leaner engines.Norway's Hurtigruten, best known for the ships that ferry tourists along the country's fjords and coastline and up into the Arctic, is investing 7 billion crowns ($826 million) over three years to adapt its 17-strong fleet.Six of its older vessels will be retrofitted to run on a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG)…

VesselsValue's Head of Offshore Charlie Hockless weighs in on the merger between Tidewater and GulfMark."The consolidation between GulfMark and Tidewater is a positive for the market. With Tidewater’s steadfast and unyielding attitude towards the scrapping of non-performing vessels, this is a good chance for the market to reduce some of its oversupply. Hopefully with this new entity taking the lead, other market players might follow suit," said Hockless.Hockless continues, "It…

Color Line and Ulstein Verft marked the construction start-up on the world's largest plug-in hybrid ship, the 'Color Hybrid'. The hull is placed in the dock hall, and several hundred yard workers are now busy with the ship’s completion before hand-over next summer.'Color Hybrid' is a good example of the interaction in the maritime cluster, said Ulstein Verft. Color Line chose Ulstein Verft for this newbuilding project. Furthermore, the yard has contracted the subsuppliers to this project…

Classification society ABS and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) collaborated to develop cyber security requirements for the ABS Cyber Security-Ready (CS-Ready) Notation for marine assets.A release from ABS said that it issued HHI the first-of-its-kind CS-Ready Notation to a large-scale commercial vessel—a VLCC—delivered in November. “As a global leader in marine cyber security, ABS is pleased to work with HHI to ensure the next generation of vessels is better equipped to address increasing levels of cyber risk,” said John Jorgensen, ABS Chief Scientist, Cyber Security.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) celebrated the 50th anniversary for the establishment of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (Thailand).On November 13, it held a party in Bangkok for customers, business partners, and others, marking the event and the centennial anniversary for the opening of liner service to and from Thailand by its predecessor, Osaka Shosen.Around 500 guests attended the event including Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Transport, and Shiro Sadoshima, Japanese Ambassador to Thailand.

Marine Satcom major Inmarsat has introduced two new components to its maritime cyber security service, Fleet Secure, as it continues to develop solutions that combat ever-increasing cyber threats faced by shipowners and ship managers.Accoridng to a press release from the British satellite telecommunications company, vessel operators will benefit from a powerful, multi-layered endpoint security solution, Fleet Secure Endpoint, which is based on industry-leading technology from ESET…

Norway's Bergen Group has appointed Nils Hoff as its new CEO and Morten Riiser as CFO, effective Thursday.Hoff succeeds Torgeir Nærø, who has resigned as CEO to pursue other opportunities. The outgoing cheif executive will take on an advisory position until the end of Q1 2019.Bergen Group ASA board chairman Hans Petter Eikeland considers the change a natural consequence of the upcoming merger with Stavanger-based oil service company Endùr Holding AS (owner of Endùr Fabricom AS).

A new utility automates feature extraction from 3D CAD data.Marine propellers can last a long time – it is not uncommon to find a vessel running on its original set of propellers. Sometimes, these propellers even outlive the companies that produced them. For example, some large volume propeller manufacturers have permanently closed their doors and patterns, molds, and design data have been scattered to unknown corners of the globe. It’s fair to say that while the propeller manufacturing industry has seen growth…

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Tokyo, (hereafter called “K” Line) has announced the delivery of “SHONAI MARU,” a 100,000 DWT-type special coal carrier at Marugame Shipyard of Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Japan on November 15, 2018.SHONAI MARU was jointly developed by Imabari Shipbuilding and “K” Line to maximize transport volume to the discharging port, Chubu Electric Power’s Hekinan Thermal Power Plant, Aichi prefecture in Japan. SHONAI MARU is so-called “Hekinan MAX.”SHONAI…

The Oslo-based feeder tonnage owner MPC Container Ships has committed to buy exhaust gas cleaning systems  (scrubbers) for five of its ships, with an option to buy ten times as many additional scrubber systems.Under the agreement, the scrubbers would be retrofitted on five selected vessels within the company’s fleet prior to the January 1, 2020 implementation date of the new sulphur emission cap regulation, as set forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).Norwegian…

Nokia, ABB and Kalmar, part of Cargotec,  have successfully conducted industrial trials that leverage the low latency capabilities of 5G to support time-critical applications and enhance protection and efficiency in a smart electricity grid and in harbor automation.In a joint press release the companies said that the trials, conducted as part of the Wireless for Verticals (WIVE) research project, represent one of the first real-world applications of time-critical 5G applications…

Five container shipping companies - MSC, A.P. Moller – Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and Ocean Network Express -  intend to create an association with the purpose of paving the way for digitalization, standardization and interoperability in the container shipping industry.IT executives from the shipping groups are currently discussing the creation of common information technology standards which shall be openly available and free of charge for all stakeholders of the wider container shipping industry.“It’s in the customers' and all stakeholders’ best interest…

GONDAN Shipyard in Figueras, at high tide, has launched a new hybrid-powered icebreaking escort tug designed by Robert Allan Ltd for Port of Luleå (Sweden).This is an important step for GONDAN Shipbuilders in unique compact icebreaker development. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the new vessel is a TundRA 3600-H class icebreaker tug which reflects the generations of experience in the design of ice-class vessels by Robert Allan Ltd.The new tug is a RAL TundRA 3600-H class icebreaking design fully customized for the Port of Luleå operational requirements.

Belgium Naval & Robotics has launched an industrial offer anchored in Belgium to respond to a call for tenders issued by the Belgian and Dutch navies for the supply of 12 mine hunters.Belgium Naval & Robotics offers the Belgian Navy a solution whose prime contractor is in Brussels and involves many local players spread throughout the country."This partnership with FSR illustrates our strong relationship with the Belgian Defense Technological and Industrial Base and our desire to build a long-term relationship with the Belgian and Dutch Navies…

Slovenia-based supplier of blockchain solutions for logistics, CargoX has  launched the CargoX latform to become the first open, neutral, and accessible blockchain platform in the shipping industry.The company said that the platform can be used by businesses of any size, and it was recently selected as the winning innovation at the IRU World Congress among 77 startups after a presentation in front of over 1000 attendees from more than 60 countries."Shipping, freight forwarding…

As a part of the NYK Group’s medium-term management plan “Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalization and Green,” a new future concept ship has been designed by incorporating innovative technologies that will result in an emission-free vessel — the “NYK Super Eco Ship 2050.”BackgroundThe NYK Group’s mission of “Bringing value to life” and the company’s basic philosophy of “contributing to the betterment of societies” has inspired the group to positively address the tough issues that challenge our society.In fact…

Langh Tech has secured a large deal in Greece for the delivery of 10 shipset scrubber systems for Bulk Carriers and Product Tankers.Shipping companies Marmaras Navigation and Delta Tankers, owned by Mr. Diamantides, one of the most reputable Greek shipowners, have selected Langh Tech’s systems for their continuing fleet upgrade program.Marmaras and Delta Tankers belong to the first movers among the Greek ship owners, that have selected during early 2018 to entrust scrubber technology…

ABB has won its first marine automation system contract for a cruise ferry in China, after the technology package for Chinese-built Viking Line vessel has been extended to include the ABB Ability System 800xA.ABB Ability System 800xA integrates power, propulsion and vessel management systems into one platform, enabling both crew and onshore teams to get a comprehensive overview of all the information needed to operate the vessel in the safest and most efficient manner. Adding marine automation to the technology package will improve project management…

Poynting has recently released their latest Cellular LTE/5G Ready omni-directional antennas that can be used to improve your internet speed whether you are working in the city or require connectivity at sea.Poynting’s new OMNI-402 and the OMNI-600 MIMO omni antennas are based on the very popular marine antenna (OMNI-291), already used by boat owners worldwide. These antennas all share the same physical radiation elements within the antenna enclosure, which result in similar performance…

Marine Safety Center issues 13th Ballast Water Management System Type Approval certificate.The Marine Safety Center issued the 13th U.S. Coast Guard Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate to JFE Engineering Corporation after a detailed review of the manufacturer’s type approval application determined the system met the requirements of 46 CFR 162.060.The treatment principle of the BallastAce BWMS consists of filtration with chemical injection during uptake and neutralization during discharge.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced funding for three clean diesel projects totaling $4.7 million to reduce air pollution from aging diesel engines in the Mid-Atlantic region.The funding will go to the Maryland Environmental Service (MES), the Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association, (MARAMA) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (WashCOG).“Taking steps to reduce emissions from older diesel engines rates among some of the most cost-effective measures we can take to improve the air we all breathe…

Inauguration of Tycho Brahe and Aurora marks successful completion of a high-profile conversion project with ABB’s technology at its heart.The largest emission-free ferries in the world have been officially welcomed into service after guests boarded Tycho Brahe in Helsingborg, Sweden and Helsingør, Denmark on November 9 for a special inauguration ceremony marking completion of an all-electric conversion.“We are delighted that the entire system is in place to support the emissions-free operations we envisaged from the outset,” said Johan Röstin, CEO, ForSea.

A consortium, led by Bowman Power Group Ltd (Bowman), has successfully created a new, marine-capable system to increase engine efficiency and reduce emissions.Just months after the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), reached an agreement to cut carbon emissions from the global shipping industry by at least half by 2050, this technology is ideally timed with the needs of the market.The project was part-funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, and a leading research and innovation hub.

Leslie Controls, part of the Thermal Fluid Division of Circor International,  has been awarded a $5.65 million-dollar contract to provide valves to the United States Navy for ten Block V Virginia-class submarines.The a worldwide manufacturer of valves for the power generation, industrial, marine and oil and gas markets for over a century said that with authorization to begin material acquisition immediately, the schedule calls for delivering two shipsets worth of equipment each…

APM Terminals Poti, Georgia,  has commissioned a new, state-of-the-art, revolving spreader to load copper concentrate into bulk vessels. The spreaders are designed to improve efficiency and minimise the impact on the environment during bulk cargo loading operations.In traditional operations, product is loaded from a pile on the ground into the holds of the vessel. During this process product is lost due to the wind blowing and rain washing it away. Even with careful sweeping it is difficult to collect everything after it has been lying on the ground.

International Chamber of Shipping (ISC) Chairman Esben Poulsson has warned of the threats facing the global economy as US trade sanctions against China and other countries risk damaging long-term development.Speaking on behalf of the global trade association for ship owners in Tokyo on 13 November, Poulsson said that the shipping industry had little power to change the geopolitical and trade policies pursued by governments.Esben Poulsson, highlighted serious concerns about the…

Oil price reporting agency Argus has launched five new price assessments for low-sulphur marine fuels, ahead of new global rules capping the amount of sulphur in marine fuels, also known as bunkers.International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations will cut the limit for sulphur in bunker fuels globally from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent from the start of 2020."Argus is pleased to be taking the lead in bringing price transparency that enables this large and emerging oil market to advance trading in preparation for the IMO 2020 required fuels…

Global consulting firm AlixPartners, in a new paper entitled, “Too many ships, too few rigs: why recovery is still a distant dream for the OSV sector,” warns that companies counting on a quick return to stability in the OSV sector are in for a rude awakening.The September report goes on to say that OSV companies continue to face pressure due to a radically changed oil industry and must take quick and decisive action in order to survive in what should be considered the ‘new normal.’Separately…

A Norwegian navy frigate that collided with an oil tanker last week was almost completely submerged on Tuesday despite efforts to salvage the sinking vessel, pictures taken by the Norwegian Coastal Administration showed.The ship's plight off the Norwegian coast is, however, not disrupting the nearby Sture crude oil export terminal. "We are in normal operations," said a spokeswoman for the plant's operator, Equinor.The Norwegian military has been working since Thursday to salvage the ship by tethering it with several cables to the shore.

Nordic marine technology company Kongsberg Maritime has selected Swiss battery maker  Leclanché, one of the world’s leading storage solutions companies, as its battery partner and supplier of customised marine energy storage solutions.The partnership contributes to Kongsberg's new generation of hybrid power solutions, which are set to deliver game-changing efficiencies and reduce the environmental impact of transportation with cutting-edge autonomous and crewed vessel newbuilds.Leclanché’s batteries will be an integral part of Kongsberg’s hybrid solutions.

Kirby Corporation has announced the signing of an agreement to acquire substantially all of CGBM 100, LLC's inland marine tank barge fleet for an undisclosed amount.Under the terms of the agreement, Kirby will acquire 27 of CGBM's 10,000 barrel inland marine tank barges which have a total capacity of approximately 270,000 barrels. The closing of the acquisition is expected to occur in the 2018 fourth quarter and is subject to customary closing conditions.Kirby Corporation, based in Houston…

Will your vessel be honored as a “Great Workboat of 2018” in the December 2018 edition of Marine News?Every year, Marine News profiles the most outstanding vessels built in shipyards in North America, recognizing builders, owners and designers as leaders in their field. This edition — the much anticipated end-of-the-year edition — generates much excitement, as your work is profiled and delivered to the largest audited b2b maritime industry audience in this genre.The only way to…

On November 10, Royal IHC successfully launched the Spartacus, a 44,180kW self-propelled cutter suction dredger (CSD) designed and built for DEME. The ceremony took place at IHC's shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands. It was performed by Mrs Fabienne Ackermans, the spouse of Mr Luc Bertrand (chairman of the Board of Directors of Ackermans & van Haaren, owner of DEME).Spartacus is reportedly the world’s largest CSD and the first to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The four main engines can run on LNG, marine diesel oil (MDO) and heavy fuel oil (HFO).

UniSea AS, a software developer and consultancy specializing in solutions for the shipping industry, has been selected by Tidewater Inc. as its partner in the digitalizing and standardizing of Tidewater’s business processes related to health, safety, environment and quality (HSEQ) and operations. The UniSea software suite will be implemented on all Tidewater vessels and in all offices in one of the largest contract’s in UniSea’s 21-year history.Tidewater Inc., headquartered in Houston…

The Danish yard Karstensens Skibsværft is set build and design two new vessels for trawl and purse seine fishing ordered by two Icelandic ship-owning companies. Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine has been selected to deliver an extensive package of ship equipment to both ships.The two fishing vessels of 88 meters will be outfitted with engines, propulsion, steering gear, rudders and winches together with connected control systems from Rolls-Royce. The equipment will be delivered from four of the company’s eight production facilities in the Nordic countries…

ClassNK and TÜV Rheinland have concluded a worldwide partnership agreement for cybersecurity services.ClassNK is a classification society which carries out surveys to help ensure the safety of vessels and marine structures, and has many achievements involving the certification of ship equipment. TÜV Rheinland is a leader in testing, inspection and certification services providing digital services for safety, cybersecurity and privacy. Earlier, ClassNK and TÜV Rheinland built a…

Among the most important considerations in outfitting any fast attack craft is the critical nature of crew-to-crew communications. With David Clark, MetalCraft has long had that box ‘checked.’There are many obstacles facing boat manufacturers involved in the design and outfitting of patrol interceptor type vessels. This workboat segment is characterized by incessant demands for advanced design and new technology to accommodate the requirements of high performance and increasingly complex mission protocols.

Ampelmann, the global leader in offshore access solutions, has opened its second office in the Middle East in a move to further expand its presence in the region. The office in Dubai (UAE) will be manned by Tim Mulders as Business Developer.Together with the team in the already established office in Doha, Qatar, Mr. Mulders will be strengthening Ampelmann’s position in the regional market.“This newly-manned UAE office will give clients the chance to meet face-to-face with Tim on short notice and at their convenience…

Kalmar's new all-electric terminal tractor is helping the Port of Long Beach (POLB) meet its eco-efficiency objectives while satisfying the commercial demands of the users of the second-busiest container seaport in the US.According to a press release from Kalmar, a part of Cargotec Corporation, POLB  in California handles trade worth in excess of $180bn from 175 shipping lines connecting to 217 seaports around the world. In 2017, more than 7.5 million container units passed through…

Day Tourist Tax for cruise passengers will apply to sea cruise and river cruise passengers effective 1 January 2019 in Amsterdam.According to a release from the Port of Amsterdam, the rate for 2019 has been set at EUR8 per period of 24 hours or less. Note that the tax will not apply to cruise passengers who embark or disembark in Amsterdam (turnaround passengers), but solely to transit passengers.The tax rate is confirmed in November and the tax will be collected by Port of Amsterdam on behalf of the City of Amsterdam.

Danish shipping company TORM has established a joint venture with scrubber manufacturer ME Production and Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI).The joint venture, ME Production China, will manufacture and install scrubbers in China and deliver them to a range of maritime industry customers for both newbuildings and retrofitted vessels, said a press release from the carriers of refined oil products. TORM holds an ownership stake of 27.5% in the new joint venture. GSI is part of…

Swedish HH Ferries Group has inaugurated the two ferries Aurora and Tycho Brahe as the world’s largest battery-powered passenger ferries on the route between Helsingborg, Sweden and Helsingör, Denmark.A press release from the owner of the ferry route which is marketed under the trademark Scandlines Helsingborg-Helsingör quoted Johan Röstin, CEO as saying: “Today’s official inauguration marks a milestone for HH Ferries Group’s green strategy. The ambitious project reduces the company’s total emissions of CO2…

As a member of the President’s Advisory Council – Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), Bob Wetta attended the September 26, 2018 Fact-Finding Trip Report meeting in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and 13 other U.S. Government officials. Their purpose was to deliberate and adopt the final report of the 2016-2018 term of the PAC-DBIA. Prepared by IBM’s Takreem El-Tohamy, but unfortunately unable to attend the meeting, Bob Wetta presented the Ghana information…

The 5th Annual Ferry Safety and Technology conference will be held in Bangkok Thailand on February 20‐22, 2019. The conference is designed to showcase the best practical technologies to improve safety particularly‐ but not solely, for the developing world.The conference is co‐hosted by the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association (WFSA) and the famed Chao Phraya River Boat Co. The conference features good news on multiple fronts: new high‐quality ferry systems; new development of inland waterways making them safe for ferries in India and Bangladesh (in a presentation by the World Bank)…

Japanese logistics major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced the introduction of the Vessel View VR, a virtual reality system that allows for virtual visits on the VLCC Suzukasan (delivered on October 12, 2018).This is the second vessel, following the car carrier Beluga Ace (Note 1) to feature this innovative technology. "Vessel View VR" combines "VR Solution," developed by NURVE, with 360oC degree photos and videos taken at various areas onboard.The Suzukasan can transport about 300,000 tons of crude oil in a single voyage.

Foss Maritime of Seattle has entered into contract with Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) of Freeland, Wash. for the construction of four new 90-ton bollard pull tractor tugs, with an option for six additional tugs to follow. The contract marks the first between Foss Maritime and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders.Foss has selected a design by Jensen Maritime Consultants of Seattle. The 100’ x 40’ Z-Drive tractor tugs will be built to United States Coast Guard Subchapter “M” regulatory standards, with ABS loadline certification, and UWILD notation.

Philadelphia design firm Sharrow Engineering, LLC  announced that the company’s propeller design has been awarded patents in the U.S., Japan, Canada, and European Union with further domestic and international patents pending. Additionally, the final phase of testing on its core propeller product has been completed.Over the past six years, Sharrow Engineering has analyzed extensive testing data collected at the University of Michigan’s Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory and implemented a rigorous in-water test program using manned vessels in lakes, rivers, and bays.

Henriksen Hooks of Tønsberg, Norway, believes that the maritime world is becoming a little safer thanks to the take-up of its hook inspection training courses. In February, Henriksen introduced an online training course that enables customers to perform their own annual product inspections. Since then, the company has been surprised by the number of individuals who have completed the course, thereby ensuring that their Henriksen boat lifting hooks remain safe for use.In what is believed to be a first for SOLAS regulated lifting gear…

Announcement also includes new membership policies and enrollment procedures.The Offshore Service Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA) is now accepting Individual and Corporate Membership Applications for the 2019 calendar year.Membership provides individuals and companies involved in the dynamic positioning industry the ability to advise the OSVDPA on the content and requirements of the OSVDPA DPO Certification Scheme. Specifically, members elect two representatives to the OSVDPA Technical Advisory Council (TAC).

The global marine and offshore vessel management and support services provider V.Group  has announced that it will unveil a new app for seafarers as well as an upgraded training centre in Manila as progress accelerates on Project Embark.Project Embark is a programme designed to transform the way the leading supplier of independent ship management and related marine services handles crewing for its pool of 44,000 seafarers.A press release from the provider of marine support services said that The app will enhance the seafarers’ experience…

Kongsberg Digital has been selected to deliver and support a suite of sophisticated K-Sim Navigation ready ship’s bridge simulators for the Royal Austalian Navy. The contract will enable the Royal Australian to significantly increase its training capacity and reduce costs associated with qualifying bridge watch keepers and other staff before going to sea.The simulators will be delivered for installation in a new training facility at HMAS Stirling in Perth starting May 2019, with existing bridge simulators at HMAS Watson in Sydney being upgraded from December 2018.

Spanish shipbuilder Freire is constructing a new oceanographic research vessel for Belgium. The IMO polar code compliant vessel will be designed to carry out research and survey tasks in the North Sea and its adjacent sea areas, but also in the Mediterranean and more northern areas.The research vessel will cater for the requirements of the Belgian marine scientific community when performing advanced marine research and education at sea – today and in the coming years. This will include research within the fields of geology and sedimentology…

LA based C&C Marine and Repair has announced the opening of their new indoor, climate controlled, Paint and Blast Facility. The 83,350 square foot facility can accommodate barges up to 320’x75’x20’ and will be able to blast and paint a standard 30,000 Barrel Tank Barge or two 10,000 Barrel Tank Barges in 7-10 days. The fully enclosed, climate-controlled facility is unaffected by inclement weather and allows for uninterrupted operation year round. “We modified technology that was being used to blast rail cars and containers and have successfully adapted the process to blast barges…

Italian refiner Saras is constructing a ship-refueling terminal at its Sardinia plant and will market a new, cleaner marine fuel ahead of a major regulatory change in 2020, its chief executive told Reuters.From January 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will ban ships from using fuels with a sulphur content above 0.5 percent, compared with 3.5 percent now, in one of the biggest changes in the oil market in decades.Refineries around the world have been gearing up for the switch by reducing output of high-sulphur fuel and upgrading plants to maximize production of the cleaner…

In another significant move towards commercial release of the EnergySail, Eco Marine Power (EMP) announced that it has begun collaboration with ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) to confirm design requirements and issues related to sea trials.According to a press release from the renewable energy tech company, the goal is to pave the way to the full commercial production of the EnergySail and thus complete the preparation of technologies required for the release of EMP’s Aquarius Marine…

Loader crane manufacturer Hiab, part of Cargotec, has completed the acquisition of  Effer loader cranes business from the CTE group.According to a press release from Hiab, the signing of the transaction was announced on 31 July 2018. For Hiab as the global leader in on-road load handling solutions, this acquisition means a significant advancement in its ambition to be leader in cranes and preferred partner for its customers.Effer, headquartered in Minerbio, Italy, and with approximately 400 employees, is a renowned premium knuckle-boom crane manufacturer.

Product and chemical tanker operator Ardmore Shipping has chosen SEDNA as its new email management and team collaboration platform for their global commercial desks, including operations, chartering and commercial finance teams.According to Ha Eun Ruppelt, Ardmore Shipping’s Commercial Project Manager, the decision to choose SEDNA began with the organization’s commitment to achieving the same high standards of efficiency and operational performance in its commercial activities…

Nine leading ocean carriers and terminal operators today signed a formal statement of intent for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a consortium to develop the Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN), an open digital platform based on distributed ledger technology.According to a statement, the participants include COSCO Shipping Lines, CMA CGM, Evergreen Marine, OOCL, Yang Ming, DP World, Hutchison Ports, PSA International and Shanghai International Port, as well as software…

U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Tuesday that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $197 million modification to a previously awarded contract from General Dynamics Electric Boat to provide long-lead-time material and advance construction activities for the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine.The advance procurement funds will be used to purchase major components and commodity material and to begin advance construction on Columbia (SSBN 826). Newport News is a major subcontractor for the construction of the new class of ballistic-missile submarines, which are being designed…

While the technology to facilitate autonomous shipping matures, many questions remain, led by the size, shape and role of the Future Mariner. The MarTID 2019 Survey aims to shed some light.The Maritime Training Insights Database steering group has announced the upcoming launch of the 2019 MarTID survey, which this year focuses on the trend toward autonomous vessel operations and its impact on training current and future mariners. MarTID is a non-commercial, joint initiative of the World Maritime University, Marine Learning Systems and New Wave Media.

Bureau Veritas, Naval Group and Dassault Systèmes has announced that a 3D classification process has been applied to a significant naval vessel for the first time. This marks a major step forward in the design review and calculation modelling required for class approvals in the design and construction of new ships, as well as in the digital transformation of the marine industry.The collaborative project to develop the concept of 3D classification combines the expertise of Bureau Veritas in testing…

Trelleborg’s oil & marine hose operation has launched the KLELINE STS oil transfer solution, which is set to upgrade safety and operability standards in ship-to-ship (STS) oil transfer around the world. This solution sets a new benchmark for safe and efficient ship-to-ship oil transfer, inspired by unique floating hose design, qualified to GMPHOM 2009 standard.STS transfer is becoming an increasingly popular option among ship operators and managers, as it allows vessels carrying liquid cargo to transfer offshore.

The Evac Evolution ballast water management system (BWMS), designed and manufactured by Cathelco, has been added to the pending list for U.S. Coast Guard Type Approval under the Cathelco name.When Finnish-based Evac acquired Cathelco earlier this year, the latter were already well on the way to USCG Type Approval having completed all the stages of the land and sea-based testing programs. For this reason, the system appears on the pending list under Cathelco’s name.With a turnover of 160 million euros in 2018…

Ingeteam, a leading supplier of electrical conversion equipment, has announced that it received DNV GL’s certification for its IngeconWind stator-equipped 2MW DFIG converter. With this latest achievement, Ingeteam completes the range of its products covered under DNV GL certification, such as the medium voltage full power converters and the statorless DFIG converters; and demonstrates its ability to consistently meet DNV GL’s quality and safety requirements across multiple drive-train topologies.

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. announced Tuesday that it has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as the New York listed marine fuel supplier is being investigated to determine whether there was $200 million fraud involving fake transactions with brass-plate companies.Aegean said it has financial support of Swiss strategic partner Mercuria Energy Group Ltd., one of the world’s largest independent energy and commodity companies. Mercuria has pledged more than $532 million in postpetition financing to fund the chapter 11 process and the Aegean’s working capital needs…

Not all towing vessel companies are choosing Third Party Organizations (TPOs) for their Subchapter M compliance option. One size does not fit all.Under Subchapter M, towing vessel companies may opt to use TPOs to conduct their audits and surveys instead of inspections by the Coast Guard. While many companies are going the TPO route, many are opting for traditional Coast Guard inspections.As a retired Coast Guard marine inspector, I have always advocated the Coast Guard option to our clients.

The first commercial Low Pressure SCR system (LP-SCR)system from Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) has entered service onboard a major Singaporean container lines, PDL International’s 600TEU container vessel, M/V Southern Pearl.The system has supplied to a 6UEC33LSE-C2 engine, manufactured by J-ENG’s Chinese licensee, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation Diesel Engine Co., Ltd. (CSE) and the vessel was built by Taizhou Kouan Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.Since J-ENG’s SCR system is compactly designed…

Recognizing the appeal of virtual reality (VR) for engaging seafarers who need training as they enter and advance through the maritime industry, KVH Videotel and OMS-VR has announced a letter of intent to enter into an exclusive agreement to produce and distribute VR maritime training. Coinciding with the announcement, KVH Videotel will be providing a demo of VR training during the CrewConnect Global Conference in Manila tomorrow and Wednesday, November 6-7.KVH Videotel’s maritime training programs include more than 950 titles related to the Standards of Training…

Dutch company RH Marine has started a three-year research in order to let ships sail autonomously in a safe way. The study aims to develop algorithms which enable unmanned self-propelled vessels to sail efficiently from A to B, which recognize dangerous situations and learn to avoid these dangers.The research is part of the larger European project Safer Autonomous Systems (SAS) under the direction of the KU Leuven (BE), in which the safety of various autonomous systems is being researched.

A heavily corroded 180-foot ship to shore crane was demolished last week in a rare crane toppling event  in San Juan."The crane needed to be demolished as it was heavily corroded and SSA International (a stakeholder of the port in San Juan) decided that the quickest way for this to happen would be to go down the unusual demolition route of toppling, rather than the more conventional; taken apart piece by piece," said a press release from Global Rigging and Transport (GRT)."To bring down a crane of this magnitude down requires careful planning.

The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) announced that Globalstar is the latest company to join SIA. Globalstar operates a low-earth-orbit (LEO) constellation of satellites and provides mobile satellite voice and data products and service packages to government, industry and consumer customers around the world. The Company’s products include mobile and fixed satellite telephones, the Sat-Fi satellite hotspot, Simplex and Duplex satellite data modems, tracking devices plus its subsidiary SPOT LLC family of consumer satellite products.

Maritime UK has confirmed the appointment of Sarah Kenny as Vice Chair. Kenny is CEO at BMT Global.Maritime UK is the sector’s umbrella body, bringing together the shipping, ports, services, engineering and leisure marine industries to drive growth by promoting the sector, influencing government and fostering collaboration. The sector supports just under 1 million jobs and contributes around GBP40bn to GDP.Kenny will start her two-year terms on 1 December. Current Chair, David Dingle has served since 2015.Dingle…

Scanship has announced a new contract with Carnival Cruise Line to retrofit an advanced wastewater purification (AWP) system onboard."Scanship Holding ASA, with its subsidiary Scanship AS, has entered into a contract with Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line, a part of Carnival Corporation & PLC, to support the line's ongoing commitment to advanced watewater purification systems in accordance with the IMO MARPOL MEPC 227(64)," said a press release from Scanship."We at Scanship are…

The global marine environmental science consulting firm  CSA Ocean Sciences (CSA) announced the completion of a survey to collect data for hydrodynamic model calibration and verification in Nassau Sound, located north of Jacksonville, Florida.The CSA team measured inshore and offshore water level, tides, current and waves to calibrate and validate a hydrodynamic model. The team installed water level recorders and a wave-enabled Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) and conducted an estuarine water discharge survey to gather the needed data.Morgan & Eklund, Inc.

Technology and engineering company Emerson has announced the release of Roxar Tempest 8.3, its integrated reservoir engineering suite that offers tools for advanced reservoir management and flow simulation.The latest release takes automation a step further and focuses on increasing user productivity, for a superior understanding of the reservoir and its potential for return on investment.The new product suite strengthens Emerson’s end-to-end Exploration & Production (E&P) software portfolio…

Norwegian Sintef Ocean and ABB Marine will use two 30kW hydrogen fuel cells, set up in laboratory to model the operation and control of a complete marine power system in a megawatt-scale propulsion plant."ABB and Sintef Ocean are undertaking groundbreaking research to test the viability of fuel cells as an energy source for main ship propulsion. The new research project seeks to provide the answers required for fuel cell technology to be delivered at the scale needed to power commercial and passenger ships…

As the Offshore Service Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority’s new dynamic positioning operator (DPO) certification body evolves, its pathway to training and certification gives mariners options, and a seat at the table.The other day I was thinking about what makes me a captain. What I came up with as the relevant points were the ability to handle the vessel and read the environmental conditions, leadership abilities, risk detection and mitigation, managing peers, and mentoring my crew.

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Center received its twenty-first application for Ballast Water Management System type approval for the Cathelco Evolution Ballast Water Management System manufactured by Cathelco Ltd.MSC will review the application for compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations in 46 CFR 162.060. Once it has been determined that the application meets the requirements, the MSC will issue a type approval certificate.BWMS type approval applications and approval certificates are posted on MSC’s website.

The world's biggest oil traders are gearing up to cash in on big disruptions that could hit the shipping fuel market in just over a year due to new U.N.-mandated environmental rules.International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations will cut the limit for sulphur in marine fuels globally from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent from the start of 2020."We're going to hopefully facilitate the new rules in 2020 by helping out the industry and the participants in general to have a reasonably smooth transition…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, a family-owned and operated shipbuilder that is involved in both government and commercial vessel construction and repair, resumed operations at both of its two main shipbuilding facilities just two weeks after Hurricane Michael devastated Panama City Florida and the surrounding communities.The most powerful storm to ever make landfall in the Florida Panhandle, Hurricane Michael currently stands as the third most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the United States…

Chinese enterprise blockchain company VeChain announced a deal for a liquified natural gas (LNG) management solution that will leverage the VeChainThor Blockchain.The partners are two of the leading Chinese energy and gas companies, ENN Energy Holdings and state-owned Shanghai Gas.In the introduced solution, ENN Energy Holdings Limited is responsible for the design and system construction of LNG-related business scenarios and is providing the necessary vehicles/equipment.In the pilot rollout of this solution…

Lineage Logistics  and Dreisbach Enterprises announced the official opening of Lineage Cool Port Oakland, the world’s latest next-generation cold storage and logistics facility.Set on 25 acres at the Port of Oakland’s waterfront, Cool Port will serve as the newest hub for temperature-controlled cargo transitioning through Northern California.Cool Port is a collaboration between warehousing and logistics industry leaders Lineage and Dreisbach, with additional funding and support from the Port of Oakland and the State of California.

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has divested its pumps business to Solix Group, a Scandinavian investment company with offices in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden.According to a press release from the marine technology giant, Wärtsilä Pumps has belonged to the Wärtsilä Marine Solutions organisation and became part of the company along with the acquisition of Hamworthy in 2012. The Wärtsilä Pumps business recorded sales of approximately 50 MEUR in 2017.The divestment will enable Wärtsilä to devote greater focus to its Smart Marine vision.

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), a government agency has contributed to a new UK government-funded study on navigational requirements for autonomous maritime vessels.According to UKHO, it worked together with partner organisations L3 ASV and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to identify the future data requirements for autonomous shipping, and explore how navigational and wider geospatial data can be used to enable the safe navigation of smart and unmanned autonomous vessels.The study…

Will your vessel be honored as a “Great Workboat of 2018” in the December 2018 edition of Marine News?Every year, Marine News profiles the most outstanding vessels built in shipyards in North America, recognizing builders, owners and designers as leaders in their field. This edition — the much anticipated end-of-the-year edition — generates much excitement, as your work is profiled and delivered to the largest audited b2b maritime industry audience in this genre.The only way to…

A primer on the quickly evolving topic of on board battery technology.Energy storage itself is actually old news. Since the sails were taken down for good, merchant vessels have crossed the oceans using some kind of energy safely stored on board. Be it Coal, Diesel, Gasoline or Natural Gas, and regardless of energy type, safe storage onboard has been vital for safety and completion of the planned trip. On the other hand, active use of batteries in propulsion systems is relatively new.

The following information was released by the Port of Los Angeles:Because our facilitation of a safe and secure supply chain is top priority at the Port of Los Angeles, the incident involving an export-bound shipping container that exploded inside a marine terminal storage area here on October 30 is of paramount concern to the Los Angeles Harbor Department and Los Angeles Port Police. Preliminary analysis by the Los Angeles Port Police Hazardous Materials Unit, Los Angeles Police…

Shipbuilder Austal Ltd said on Thursday its Australian business had detected and responded to a data breach in which some staff email addresses and mobile phone numbers were accessed.The breach, which affected the company's data management systems, has had no impact on Austal's ongoing operations, it said in a statement.The attacker tried to sell certain materials on the internet and engage in extortion. However, the company does not intend to respond to such threats, Austal said."There…

Babcock International is celebrating the completion of its ‘first of its kind’ and the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker supply vessel, M.V. Kairos, as it is delivered to Babcock Schulte Energy (BSE).BSE is a 50:50 joint venture between Babcock and Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM)."This achievement follows the success in meeting a series of critical programme milestones after initial ship award in December 2016 and highlights the strength of the relationship between the two organisations…

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, is to deliver two rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) to EUROGATE, Europe's leading shipping line-independent container terminal operator, for use in their Tanger S.A. terminal in Morocco.The order was booked in Cargotec's 2018 Q3 order intake, with delivery scheduled to take place during Q3 of 2019. The EUROGATE Tanger container terminal is conveniently located on the Strait of Gibraltar in Morocco, making it the ideal transhipment hub for the western Mediterranean…

PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group)'s large-capacity  LNG-fueled Aframax tanker Lomonosov Prospect has successfully completed its first commercial voyage along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to deliver a cargo of petroleum products from the Republic of Korea to Northern Europe.The high-latitude voyage from Cape Dezhnev at Chukotka to Cape Zhelaniya of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago took the Arc4 vessel 7.8 days to complete, during which the tanker covered a distance of 2194 nautical miles.During the voyage…

Ghana's liquefied natural gas (LNG) import project is finally under construction, years after its original inception, with two vessels contracted to store and regasify the fuel by the second quarter of 2020, a project partner said on Wednesday.China Harbour Engineering Company has already begun construction work on a marina with a Floating Regasification unit (FRU) to be provided by the CSSC Jiangnan shipyard and a Floating Storage Unit by Gasfin, Gasfin's chief executive Roland Fisher said.Ghana has been trying to get an LNG import project off the ground for years…

The Seaway Pilots Inc. in Cape Vincent, NY has ordered a Chesapeake Class pilot boat from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. Delivery of the new 53-footer is scheduled for early 2020.The Seaway pilots navigate ships in and out of the ports and harbors of the St. Lawrence Seaway between St. Regis, NY and Port Weller on Lake Ontario.With a length overall of 53.6’, a beam of 17.8’, and a draft of 4.8’, the all-aluminum pilot boat features the Ray Hunt Design Deep V hull.

Corrosion starts from the inside out. The alkali that neutralizes acid water - and the acid water produced in a gas scrubbing system - are corrosive. Containment surfaces resistant to both alkali, acid water and their combination provide a safer ship with less expensive maintenance. While selecting metal alloys as more resistant to either acid or to alkali, facing all conditions simultaneously is problematic, as temperature plays an important role in pitting corrosion.Ultimately…

Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. entered into commercial agreements for the installation of exhaust gas cleaning systems on five of its capesize bulk carriers -- M/V Partnership, M/V Lordship, M/V Premiership, M/V Squireship and M/V Championship -- before the January 1, 2020 implementation date of the IMO sulfur emission cap regulations. The company secured the scrubber equipment from Hyundai Materials, a  Korean manufacturer, and and will re-fit the ships in China. The total investment, to be covered by the charterers, is expected to exceed $12.5 million, including equipment and installation costs.“We are very excited to announce these commercial agreements which should result in approximately $12.5 million accretion in our NAV," said Stamatis Tsantanis, Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp.

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI),  unveiled the TracPhone V3-HTS at the Fort Lauderdale (FL) International Boat Show. Measuring just 37 cm (14.5 inches) diameter and weighing 11 kg (25 lbs.), the TracPhone V3-HTS is smaller in physical size than any other Ku-band marine satellite communications antenna on the market and is designed to provide faster data speeds (5 Mbps download/2 Mbps upload) than larger marine satellite antennas.The TracPhone V3-HTS’s fast data speeds, combined with its diminutive size…

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Center received its 20th application for Ballast Water Management System type approval for the Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management System manufactured by Wärtsilä Water Systems Ltd.MSC will review the application for compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations in 46 CFR 162.060. Once it has been determined that the application meets the requirements, the MSC will issue a type approval certificate.BWMS type approval applications and approval certificates are posted on MSC’s website.

Epoxyamine Coating Extends Tank Maintenance Intervals: A Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings Case Study.A commercial fishing vessel that shows up at a seafood processing facility with its catch housed in rusty fish hold tanks is flirting with potential disaster. The processor may refuse the vessel’s entire haul if it sees rusty water or floating paint chips inside the holds. And when your vessel can hold more than $3 million of value at dock prices, you certainly don’t want to run the risk of corrosion eating away at your profits.“If we don’t have good fish holds…

SCHOTTEL has signed a contract with Damen Shipyards to equip the first fully-electric vessels to operate in Canada.The new Amherst Island and Wolfe Island ferries will be propelled by four SCHOTTEL Twin Propellers STP 260 FP, each with an input power of up to 550 kW. The main propulsion is provided by batteries with a diesel engine as backup to ensure mobility. The propulsion concept implies a power intake increase up to 650 kW due to an enhanced draught provided by the batteries. In accordance with their field of operation in the Lake Ontario/St.

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has signed a contract to supply a fully electric Kalmar Ottawa T2e electric terminal tractor to Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) for a six-month demonstration period. The order was booked in Cargotec's 2018 third-quarter order intake with delivery scheduled for Q1 of 2019. A press release from the cargo handling solutions and services provider the Port of Long Beach, California, is the second-busiest container seaport in the U.S. and handles trade…

Leading Greek shipping industry stakeholders joined ABS, a global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, for a workshop on drafting 2020 sulfur limit Ship Implementation Plans (SIP).Intended to help shipping companies and crew ready their vessels for compliance with the required sulfur content limit of 0.50% by 1 January 2020, the ABS workshop identified risks associated with design and operations of vessels in relation to the IMO regulation, including a HAZID study.