Marine Equipment News

HydroComp launched its new PropCad 2020 software for the geometric design of marine propellers. PropCad automatically prepares 2D drawings, 3D CAD models and much more.All HydroComp 2020 products have been upgraded with a new internal code-and-control set. This has increased the speed and stability of the program across existing Window’s platforms. These changes are largely behind the scenes, but users will notice some visual changes in PropCad and HydroComp’s other programs.The Propeller CAD Import utility includes algorithm revisions to greatly increase the supported file-size…

As an operator of vessels, you understand that lubricants play an important role in helping you achieve your operational objectives. Yet, finding the right one can be overwhelming since there’s an almost unlimited number of different lubricant formulations. An understanding of lubrication chemistry, performance expectations and operational objectives will help you select a lubricant that will improve operations and lower your overall costs.Lubrication benefitsThe basic function of a lubricant is to reduce friction by separating interacting surfaces.

Looking back through articles on autonomous shipping, one could be forgiven for thinking that it’s becoming the nuclear fusion of maritime; always seemingly five or 10 years away but never quite arriving. In 2018, numerous commentators predicted that by 2030, autonomous vessels would be commonplace. With the lifecycle of most ships making this very difficult, barring a massive program of scrappage and new building, this is now looking less likely. As an industry we have undoubtedly learned much from the trials of autonomous ships and the advances in big data that have stemmed from such trials.

PowerCell Sweden AB signed a contract with a European shipyard regarding the development and delivery of a 3MW megawatt marine fuel cell system. The system will be developed and delivered during three years and the total value of the contract for the period amounts to $7.5m.

A newly established consortium is going to develop a network for low Earth orbit satellites delivering ice chart data to ships at sea. A new research project called MARIOT (Maritime IoT) is going to develop a low Earth orbit satellite network based on the new VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) technology. The consortium behind the project is headed by the Danish satellite operator Sternula. The satcom developers GateHouse, Space Inventor, and Satlab as well as Aalborg University…

Inmarsat has formalized a 50% discount for crew voice calling services available for up to 40,000 ships in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on seafarer well-being.The maritime satellite service provider is also ensuring that calls made to the SeafarerHelp service provided by welfare organization ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network) are available free of charge. In addition, Inmarsat is working with crew healthcare specialist Vikand and software platform provider FrontM…

Powerbox has announced the release of a new dual channel power supply for Marine engine control. Based on a ruggedized platform for use in harsh environments, the ENMA500D24/2x27-CC provides two 27V/20A isolated outputs and a total power of 540W. The power supply is housed in a robust IP56 case, it is mechanically designed for efficient conduction cooling, and it complies with DNV/GL standards.From local low power DC/DC converters powering sensors to high power DC generators powering the whole boat…

Following a three-vessel pilot project initiated in 2019, Klaveness Ship Management has opted to expand its contract with DNV GL's Veracity to sign up another eight vessels for the data platform service.The pilot saw Veracity partner with Arundo Analytics (Arundo) to install Arundo Edge Agent software onboard and stream data onto the Veracity data platform. On Veracity, the data is secured, stored, contextualized and combined with other data sources such as position data. This ‘fit-for-purpose’ data is then made available by Arundo and Klaveness for analytics…

Remote vessel and equipment surveys have been available in the maritime world for years, but classification societies are seeing increased demand for these services as more firms turn to digital solutions to continue business during the coronavirus outbreak.Using real-time video communication tools, and even drones and robotics when applicable, surveyors are able to work with stakeholders to perform inspections without having to be on site, which is especially beneficial amid current COVID-19 travel restrictions.ABS…

Greensea introduces a new hull crawler that easily attaches a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to a ship hull without magnetics, allowing the operator to “drive” the ROV and payloads over the hull. Initial hull crawlers are designed to work exclusively with the VideoRay Mission Specialist Defender ROV. The hull crawler represents a milestone in Greensea’s hull robotics program, which is advancing navigation and localization capabilities for a fully autonomous robotic hull inspection and proactive in-water cleaning solution. “VideoRay is a valued Greensea partner with a dynamic and powerful ROV.

Last month a Hydrex team removed a bow thruster from a 170-meter container ship. This was done during a stop in Rotterdam. The unit needed to be overhauled and the operation had to be carried out within a very short window that would fit the schedule available to the vessel’s owner.The team mobilized to the ship’s location using a workboat loaded with all the needed equipment. These workboats are fully equipped as dive support stations with hydraulic cranes, winches, nautical and communication equipment and a dive control room.

BIO-UV Group has received IMO & USCG type approval for its next generation low flow rate ballast water treatment system range.The BIO-SEA L Easy-to-Fit system had to undergo new type approval testing as it incorporates a completely new UV-reactor, designed to meet market demand from the luxury yacht, expedition cruise and offshore vessel segments, where ballast water pump flow rate capacities are often under 100m3/h.Benoît Gillmann, BIO-UV GROUP CEO and Founder said: “We are pleased…

ChartWorld announced the acquisition of Maritime Services Ltd. in Vancouver as the latest addition to the maritime digital navigation group.Steven van de Schootbrugge, ChartWorld’s CEO, commented, “We have seen double-digit growth in the North American region in recent years due to our navigation solutions that cover everything from hardware as a service, SAAS, electronic charts, support and service. Our customers can ensure their ECDIS and digital navigation systems are automatically updated and are always compliant with shore-based oversight…

Navico announced it has signed a five-year agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to provide C-MAP cartography under the USCG’s Small Boat Product Line (SBPL). Navico was selected for a competitive award by the USCG for products that met all of their technical needs. Navico’s C-MAP will deliver cartography cards to 300 different stations across America, twice a year.The SBPL aligns all boat support resources under a single entity with authority and accountability for maintenance and logistics for all boats in the Coast Guard.

The technology group Wärtsilä said it has been awarded a DNV GL type-approval certificate and cyber security certification by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for its Translink solution, part of the company’s connected ECDIS concept. The cyber security verification has been issued according to the updated DNV GL rules and the internationally recognized standard for cyber security for bridge and navigation systems, IEC61162-460. Translink is a system that comprises the hardware, router, and software components.

A cruise ship with at least reported 65 cases of coronavirus on board was piloted remotely through the Sueaz Canal.On March 23, a pilotage team aboard two escort tugs remotely piloted Italian passenger ship Costa Diadema during a northbound convoy through the new Suez Canal, while the ship was sailing without passengers from from the United Arab Emirates to Italy. In addition to four senior pilots to guide the vessel on two escorting tugs, one in the front and one astern, radar…

Van den Herik dredger Charlock recently paid a visit to the Royal Niestern Sander shipyard in the Netherlands for various maintenance work executed at the dock location.Among maintenance work, a store crane had been positioned on the fore ship. Also a bulkhead fitted with Hardox wear plates, pins of the suction tube arm were replaced, six new water tight doors have been installed and paintwork on deck has been executed.

Built to guide mariners through safe waters, the Valiant Rock Lighted Whistle Buoy 11 was dangerously adrift in the Long Island Sound.When ferry operators traveling between Orient Point and Fishers Island, New York, first reported the buoy off station on Jan. 17, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oak (WLB-211) was already underway but foul weather kept the cutter from removing it.This was the beginning of a two-week saga that would involve several Coast Guard units. Like the Loch Ness monster of the Long Island Sound, the 35-foot-tall green buoy was occasionally seen but hard to catch.

Kongsberg Maritime announced an integrated strategy to deliver remote, targeted training for its customers. Providing this service through digital platforms reduces travel, cost, time away from home and climate footprint. Three products – Remote Training, e-Learning and K-CAT (Kongsberg Competence Assessment Tool) – combine to ensure that vessel crews can fully benefit from Kongsberg’s expertise from the convenience and safety of their homes or offices.Remote Training is delivered through established virtual classrooms and online training tools.

ABS made a key contribution to the nation’s COVID-19 response effort, helping ensure the readiness of two ABS-classed U.S. Navy hospital ships.ABS surveyors on the U.S. East and West coast helped the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort sail to provide urgently needed hospital beds in New York and Los Angeles.USNS Mercy was in her home port in San Diego making preparations for a large shipyard repair package scheduled to begin in April. Her activation was advanced to support California’s request for the vessel to berth in Los Angeles.

Oily water separators (OWS) have been a common fixture of a ship’s machinery space for many decades. With the amount of experience, research and legislation that has gone into them, it would be easy to think that their use would almost be hassle free. However, going by the amount of OWS violations still being recorded by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) it is evident that many seafarers are still encountering problems while operating them. As concerns about environmental pollution grow, it is likely that the rules governing OWS use will only become stricter.

Wärtsilä announced it will include Japanese-designed gate rudders as part of it propulsion offering for newbuild vessels and retrofit.The Finnish-based firm said it signed a license and cooperation agreement with Kuribayashi Steamship Co for future development, sales and servicing of the gate rudders. As an authorized license holder and partner, Wärtsilä intends to fully integrate gate rudders within its propulsion product designs for all vessel classes and focus on global markets outside Japan.

Fischer Panda UK has introduced the new FP Control, offering enhanced data monitoring capabilities across its generator range.Standardizing the platform with a central system, the advanced control solution will be available with all the latest Fischer Panda gensets.The FP Control, which allows various set-ups as well as the connection to a CAN BUS system, monitors the generator and provides up-to-date operational information via a digital display.As supplied with the newly-launched variable speed hybrid DC VS Series generators…

A 334-meter containership ran aground near mile marker 81 of the Mississippi River, Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard watchstanders in New Orleans received a call at 3:20 a.m. that the Liberian-flagged Belita had run aground near 12-mile point, at mile marker 81 of the Mississippi River.Sector New Orleans vessel traffic service has placed a one-way traffic restriction in the immediate vicinity of the grounded vessel.“Our top priority in this incident is the safe recovery of this vessel, while protecting the marine environment,” said Capt.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is advising vessel operators to exercise extra caution and safe navigation practices after multiple instances of significant GPS interference have been reported over the last year by vessels in port and underway in the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Port of Shanghai, China.The incidents have resulted in lost or inaccurate GPS signals affecting bridge navigation, GPS-based timing, and communications equipment…

Scotland-based Malin Group has introduced a new hatches product range to its current marine offering and has appointed Fraser Gunn as its new business unit manager. Malin Hatches will be based at Malin’s existing Westway Business Park premises on the Clyde at Renfrew, with Fraser Gunn tasked with spearheading the company’s provision of gas and watertight hatches and doors for fixed and floating offshore platforms and marine craft.Gunn brings more than 20 years’ experience in supplying door and hatch products to the marine and offshore sectors…

Greater understanding of what goes on in the ocean is starting to become a reality – thanks to growing use of unmanned surface and underwater vehicles and developments in biological sensing. Elaine Maslin takes a look at what a team at MBARI has been doing.Gathering biological data from the oceans remains a significant challenge for oceanographers. Now, an increasing range of unmanned vehicles that are able to work together is becoming available, as is an ability to collect biological data using them.It sounds straight forward…

Swedish based tanker shipping company Stena Bulk will become the latest to run a ship on biofuel as owners and operators explore alternative fuels to help slash emissions.During the coming weeks, Stena Bulk will perform a test running MR tanker Stena Immortal on 100% MR1-100 bio-fuel oil, produced from used cooking oil and supplied by GoodFuels in Rotterdam.The clean fuel made from used cooking oil has been bunkered onto the Stena Immortal and will be used to power the main engine in normal operations to test and prove the technical and operational feasibility…

The world's most powerful semi-submersible crane vessel received the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering ever completed.On Thursday, Titan LNG performed the bunkering of Heerema's Sleipnir, using the Coral Fraseri, Anthony Veder's LNG carrier in the Port of Rotterdam. The total quantity of LNG delivered was almost 3,300 metric tons, making this the largest LNG bunkering to have ever taken place. Sleipnir arrived at the Port of Rotterdam on Sunday, March 22, following a global campaign, and the LNG bunkering delivery took less then 24 hours to complete.

In the midst of uncertainty and significant risk to people’s health, it is clear that the need for robust and accurate screening and testing of Covid-19 is needed now more than ever.The social and health implications of Covid-19 have already been well documented. However, what still remains largely unclear, is how badly Critical National Infrastructure and supply chain is going to suffer and what measures can be put in place to preserve it, especially offshore.It is imperative that workers involved in the energy industry are supported in their efforts to keep operations running.

In a few short months, the mayhem wrought by coronavirus has changed the world. Our response to the epidemic [more than the virus itself] has the potential to permanently alter the balance of the global economy. But it might be the kind of Black Swan event that we need to trigger real change in the shipping industry – and in particular its approach to digitalization of vessel operation.Like the worldview bubbles created by social media algorithms and fake news, the maritime industry is living in its own digitalization fantasyland - one fueled by vendor delusion and media misinformation.

Inmarsat Maritime President Ronald Spithout says providing crews with enhanced levels of connectivity and support is critical at this unprecedented time, and offers an insight into the work already underway with welfare organizations to assist seafarers in need.Given Inmarsat’s position as the leading provider of maritime VSAT and L-Band services at sea, it is hardly surprising that we have been alert to the direct connection between coronavirus and surging demand for crew voice call and data services.

Patterson Manufacturing‘s new davit cranes are designed from the ground up for improved safety, ease of use, durability and reliability. What more could you ask?Patterson Manufacturing has supplied equipment into the marine market for more than 160 years, consistently expanding its lines of winches, rigging and fittings to meet evolving demands along the way, and even engineering custom products when the job requires. Now the Pittsburgh-based manufacturer is adding a new line of davit cranes to the mix.The new cranes…

Current Group Vice President for Hempel South & East Asia, Pernille Lind Olsen, becomes new Group Vice President for Hempel Europe & Africa starting on 1 July 2020. At the same time, current Finance Director for Hempel Middle East Jonathan Mercer will take over Pernille Lind Olsen’s position as Group Vice Presi-dent for Hempel South & East Asia.Olsen has been with Hempel since November 2013. Since then, she has held positions as Group Product Director, Group Product & Portfolio Director and…

Turkey held its first tender on Thursday to prepare to build a huge canal on the edge of Istanbul, a Transport Ministry spokesman said, signaling progress on the project despite widespread criticism over its cost and environmental impact.The tender was for the planning phase of reconstructing two historic bridges located in the area where the 45-km (28 mile) Kanal Istanbul, championed by President Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to run.The canal will connect the Black Sea north of Istanbul with the Marmara Sea to the south and is estimated to cost 75 billion lira ($11.6 billion).

Classification society ABS said it is expanding its remote survey options for vessel owners and extending its remote survey and audit services for equipment and materials manufacturers and other service providers. The move comes as more firms turn to digital solutions to continue business amid the coronavirus outbreak.“As organizations rely more heavily on remote and virtual operations, ABS is making it easier for vessel owners and equipment manufacturers to leverage digital applications by offering even more remote surveys and audit options,” said Christopher J.

Marinfloc has introduced its combined Exhaust Gas Recirculation Bleed Off water treatment system and Bilge water separator. The solution is approved by both DNV GL and MAN Energy Solutions and fulfills the requirements of MEPC 107(49) and MEPC 307(73). The approval means that only one separator is required instead of two. Reducing the amount of equipment needed on a vessel will provide shipyards, engine makers and ship owners with a significant cost saving solution. Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is used to reduce NOx as per the Tier III requirements when use with compliant fuel.

Corvus Energy is moving forward with plans to invest in its Canadian operations by expanding its Richmond, B.C. facility and increasing manufacturing capacity.As reported in early 2018, Corvus Energy is rolling out plans for expanded maritime battery manufacturing facilities in both Bergen, Norway and Richmond, B.C., Canada. A new automated battery factory in Bergen began producing energy storage systems (ESS) in Q4 2019. Corvus has signed a contract for investment in new production line equipment in the Richmond, B.C.

As marine operators and euipment manufacturers continue to explore alternative marine fuels as a means to help lower vessel emissions, technology group Wärtsilä said it has initiated combustion trials using ammonia.As part of the tests, ammonia was injected into a combustion research unit to better understand its properties. Based on initial results, the tests will be continued on both dual-fuel and spark-ignited gas engines. These will be followed by field tests in collaboration with ship owners from 2022…

When it comes to complying with EPA’s Tier 4 emissions regulations, there’s no shortage of creativity emerging from America’s maritime engineering firms. Companies such as Hug Engineering are offering flexible, customized aftertreatment-based control systems that can assemble almost in modular like fashion. Other companies, such as ABB Group, offer battery-hybrid power sources to complement combustion power and avoid threshold diesel emissions. Engine manufacturers, such as Cummins…

Liebherr Container Cranes and DP World Berbera have signed a contract for the supply of eight RTGs for DP World’s terminal in Berbera, Somaliland. The cranes are due to be ready for operation before the end of 2020.The high performance, variable speed diesel RTGs are six containers plus a truck lane wide and will stack one over five containers high. The machines are supplied with DGPS autosteering and stack profiling. Like all Liebherr RTGs, the machines incorporate Liebherr’s eight rope reeving no-sway-system.

Fuels and lubricants supplier Chevron Marine launched a suite of digital solutions offering ship owners and operators tools with which to analyze, manage and ultimately help to improve their operational performance.Chevron Marine Cloud Solutions, including the customer order management platform OnePort launched last year, were developed under Chevron’s Business Technology Innovation (BTI) initiative as part of an ongoing, multi-year digitization investment program. The solutions are designed to integrate with customers’ processes…

Two decades into the 21st century, we’re seeing a growing and pernicious threat to global information security: ransomware. Even non-technical folk have loosely heard of it, but the broader implications haven’t yet penetrated the public consciousness. In different industries, that general lack of awareness could be a big problem—and the maritime sector is a good example.Ransomware hits at the confluence of two critical trends in modern technology: the ever-increasing integration of IT systems into daily life, and the interconnectedness of those IT systems.

Trading worldwide without electronic tools is no longer an option, young navigators and crew are switched on to digital technology and they want to have this new technology at their fingertips rather than the messy, slow and labour and paper-intensive methods of the past.Tor Svanes, the founder and CEO of NAVTOR, believes that electronic chart and display information systems (ECDIS) is now a must have navigational tool in the modern era.ECDIS has become the modus operandi on all ships…

VIKING Safety Academy has addressed a fast-emerging seafarer training issue brought by coronavirus by delivering a unique e-learning tool that can keep seafarers STCW-compliant until restrictions on movement and social interactions come to an end.With many countries in lockdown, face to face seafarer training is also being suspended and some flag administrations have responded by granting automatic three-month extensions to the STCW Certificates seafarers must update every five years.

Shipowner d’Amico will trial remote inspection ship technology as the marine industry adjusts to the constraints placed on people’s movements imposed by national governments to limit the spread of COVID-19.Italian classification society RINA said its remote technology has been approved the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR) for the inspections of Liberian flagged vessels, and it anticipates that the decision of LISCR could shortly be followed by other Flag Administrations.Alfonso Castillero…

Maritime software, services and data analysis provider NAPA announced the appointment of Mikko Kuosa as Chief Executive Officer. Kuosa assumes the position from Ilmo Kuutti, who served as CEO of NAPA Group for three years. Kuutti continues as an Advisor and a member of the NAPA Board of Directors.Mikko Kuosa, who joined NAPA in 1999, holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. Since joining, Kuosa has taken on various leadership positions at NAPA.

Two platform supply vessels operated by US-based Harvey Gulf International are due to be equipped with Evac Evolution ballast water management systems (BWMS).The Harvey Spirit and Harvey Supplier (85.4 meters overall) will each be fitted with systems with the capacity to treat ballast water at the rate of 250 cubic meters per hour (m3/hr).“We have seen a steady rise in orders and enquiries since achieving U.S. Coast Guard Type Approval last year and there is every sign that this will continue as more operators approach their compliance deadlines…

Total Lubmarine’s Talusia Universal (BN57) has received a No Objection Letter (NOL) from WinGD for all fuels (liquid and gas) with a sulphur content 0.00%S - 1.50%S.The NOL was awarded with no restrictions following the successful completion of two rigorous tests carried out on two different vessels fitted with W6X72 engines.The tests were conducted on split engines comparing Talusia Universal with a BN40 reference Cylinder Lube Oil (CLO). One test carried out with compliant VLSFO <0.5%S, the other one with compliant ULSFO <0.1%S for 2350 and 2000 running hours respectively.“Following both tests, Talusia Universal performed significantly better than the reference CLO for deposit control and general piston cleanliness…

The technology group Wärtsilä has delivered a navigation simulator and specific mathematical models to the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) in the city of Rauma, Finland. These will be used as an essential enabler in the Intelligent Shipping Technology Test Laboratory (ISTLAB) project, which aims at creating a technically precise testing environment for remotely controlled, autonomous vessels. The contract with Wärtsilä was signed in the 4th quarter of 2019.The test laboratory project is the first of its kind in the world…

The search for the Argentinian submarine was like hunting for the proverbial needle in a hay stack, except that it was a piece of straw. Elaine Maslin reports. At 7.19am, local time, on November 15, 2017, the last message was received from the San Juan submarine. She belonged to the Argentinian navy and was on a routine mission from Ushuaia in the Patagonia region to Mar del Plata in Buenos Aires province when she lost contact with the military. Fifteen days later, neither the submarine nor any debris had been found and the crew of 44 sailors were presumed dead.

Low-sulphur fuels accounted for 84% of total February sales in Singapore, slightly up from 83% in January. The sale of low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) made up the largest component at 71.5%, with marine gas oil (MGO) accounting for 12.5%, BIMCO reports.Total bunker sales in February fell 16% to 3.9 million metric tons compared with January, reflecting lower demand for shipping as the coronavirus paralyzed intra-Asian supply chains.Now that both the sulphur cap and the non-compliant fuel oil carriage ban have come into force…

German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL said it has been selected to equip a newly built harbor tugboat for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) with medium-sized azimuth thrusters. The vessel is under construction at the U.S. shipyard Washburn & Doughty in Maine. The HT-60, the smallest in the harbor tug series developed by the Seattle-based naval architecture firm Glosten, is scheduled for delivery in 2021.Craig Middlebrook, Deputy Administrator of the SLSDC, said, “This new vessel will be used to carry out a variety of construction and maintenance duties for the U.S.

As companies globally are increasingly shifting to remote working to help stop the spread of Coronavirus, Hanseaticsoft has put together a series of tips to help shipping companies keep their business and workforce agile.Some of the biggest companies in the world including Oracle, Apple, Google and Amazon have already restricted travel and asked employees to work remotely[i]. With the situation changing daily shipping companies need to prepare as much as they can to minimize business disruption.

With social media updates and conference agendas addressing the subjects of climate change, emissions reductions and alternative fuels, it’s a wonder we are not climbing the Himalayans in search of the Jedi Master that will provide us with the magic potion. Yoda’s blessing with a calming breath, “You have chosen wisely.”Government emissions intervention started with a move to reduce energy and fuel consumption measured in greenhouse gas (GHG), at a time when the world and our politicians spoke about global warming.

Wärtsilä said it will install its Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) solution at Peru's main harbor, one of Latin America’s most important ports.Dense fog and haze are a consistent challenge for Callao’s port operations, often making shipping conditions dangerous. Wärtsilä said its VTS solution will provide the technology needed to ensure uninterrupted port operations, while increasing safety levels and facilitating arrival, docking and departures for visiting ships.The technologies to be deployed by Wärtsilä includes solid-state IALA Advanced radar…

Seatronx, manufacturer, distributor and designer of rugged electronics catering specifically to the military, maritime and industrial markets, launched of the sunlight-readable RRD-19T River Radar Display designed for river-based commercial vessels.The RRD-19T features a 19-inch display with portrait orientation designed specifically for river radar systems. The portrait format allows operators to see further down the river, while highlighting traffic, weather and markers in narrow channels.

Damen Marine Components has won an order to supply three sets of steering and rudder systems for three dual-fueled trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) currently being built at Keppel Offshore & Marine’s shipyard in Singapore for Van Oord.The vessels will be 138-meters in length and have a hopper capacity of 10,500 cubic meters. They will represent the very latest in sustainable, energy-efficient dredging and are due for delivery in 2021. The third will be handed over the…

Inspecting fuel and ballast tanks. Sand-blasting old paint coatings and applying new ones. Removing corrosion on ships, submarines, aircraft and other vehicles.These are some of the unpleasant jobs in naval shipyards and maintenance facilities that could be made safer by pairing human workers with robots. Experts say this could improve the speed and efficiency with which the U.S. Navy sustains its assets—and expand the career paths of current workers (and create new jobs) by teaching them to operate…

Shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) is building a new cruise vessel for owner Changjiang Cruise Overseas Travel.The CSC-designed vessel is intended for operation on the Yangtze River, the largest river in China, and is scheduled to enter service in September 2021.The 150-meter-long long and 23-meter-wide vessel will reach an operating cruise speed of 14 knots. It will accommodate 600 guests served by 150 international crew members.German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL said it has been awarded a contract to provide azimuth thrusters for the newbuild…

SeaQuest Shipmanagement announced that a client’s handysize bulk carrier completed her second special survey, dry-dock and Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) retrofit two days ahead of schedule and 7% below budget, despite the COVID-19 delays impacting many of China’s repair shipyards.The MV San Felice completed her retrofit on 5th March at COSCO Nantong under the supervision of a SeaQuest team, it said.According to a press release, the work list included: routine dry-dock works…

Japanese shipping giant NYK unveiled what it claims to be the world’s first onboard use of digital currency through the MarCoPay fintech platform, which is operated by NYK and the Philippine-owned Transnational Diversified Group (TDG).Using MarCoPay, onboard purchases of daily necessities have been successfully performed digitally and hassle-free on a number of vessels, including those operated by other companies, and even in an unstable onboard communication environment.NYK and TDG will continue to prepare for a full launch…

Navimag Ferries’ newest vessel, Esperanza, has been delivered.The 150-meter-long vessel can carry up to 274 passengers and has 1,800 vehicle lane meters. It will operate exclusively in Chile, sailing between Puerto Montt and Puerto Natales, and providing a transportation link with Chile's south, in addition to ferry cruising in the Patagonian fjords.The newbuild's propulsion system includes two Wärtsilä 20 main engines, two Wärtsilä controlled pitch propellers (CPP) and two Wärtsilä gearboxes.

High in the Arctic Circle lies the Northern Sea Route, one of the planet’s vital shipping arteries. It cuts a journey by almost a third compared to the southern route but it is passing through waters which are mostly frozen.The northern route connects east and west, allowing cargo to be transferred from northern Europe to northeast Asia, via the Bering Strait. It’s a 30% faster passage than the southern Europe-Asia alternative via the Suez Canal and is attractive to shipping companies, thanks to considerable fuel and emission savings.

Contracts for the design of the Main Storage Batteries Stages 1 and 2 for the Attack Class submarines have been awarded. PMB Defence, based in Adelaide and Sunlight, based in Greece have been contracted to provide design, prototyping and qualification activities for the Main Storage Batteries. Both organizations will provide shipbuilder Naval Group with the data necessary to select one as the preferred MSB design for the Attack Class program in 2022.The Main Storage Batteries are responsible for supplying power to the propulsion system of the submarine and to other equipment on-board the ship.

Maritime services group Global Navigation Solutions (GNS) has appointed Kent Lee as Chief Executive Officer with effect from January 15,  2020. Kent’s appointment follows the acquisition of GNS by the Cornes Group in November 2019. He succeeds Paul Stanley, who led GNS from 2014 until its acquisition by Cornes.During the last 25 years, Kent has held a number of senior executive positions in the information technology industry with wide international exposure. In 2012, he co-founded CloudRadigm…

Looking back through articles on autonomous shipping, one could be forgiven for thinking that it’s becoming the nuclear fusion of maritime; always seemingly five or 10 years away but never quite arriving. In 2018, numerous commentators predicted that by 2030, autonomous vessels would be commonplace. With the lifecycle of most ships making this very difficult, barring a massive program of scrappage and new building, this is now looking less likely. As an industry we have undoubtedly learned much from the trials of autonomous ships and the advances in big data that have stemmed from such trials.

Franco-American oil services firm TechnipFMC Plc is putting on hold plans to split itself into two due to turbulence in financial markets linked to the coronavirus outbreak, it said on Sunday.The group, created three years ago via the merger of Technip and FMC, had been planning to separate its engineering and construction activities from its upstream oil services business in the first half of this year."Market conditions have changed materially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sharp decline in commodity prices, and the heightened volatility in global equity markets," TechnipFMC said in a sta

Offshore Technology Conference 2020, one of the world's largest conferences and exhibitions dedicated to the offshore energy industry, will be postponed this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.The OTC 2020 organizers said on Friday that the conference, originally scheduled for May 4-7, 2020, would be delayed.“The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) recognizes the unprecedented global challenge associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic. The health and safety of our partners…

As the cruise industry continues to prosper, so too does Survitec, a specialist in marine evacuation systems (MES). Survitec has a history of more than 160 years, with 2020 marking the centenary since RFD, now part of Survitec, was founded.The story of RFD’s technology dates back to 1920 with the introduction of an aircraft flotation product, essentially an inflatable ring, to prevent planes sinking when ditched. This technology quickly evolved to become dual purpose also providing a means to rescue aircrew in an emergency.As technologies and methodologies became more sophisticated…

The azimuth tugs SAAM Huasteca and SAAM Valparaíso, both owned by SAAM Towage, reached the ports of Veracruz and Colón, respectively, and will soon complete the process of registering and being licensed to operate.SAAM Huasteca is designed to perform escort functions, as required for large container ships to best enter the recently inaugurated northern area at the port of Veracruz, Mexico. It was built in Vietnam at the DAMEN SONGCAM shipyard, part of  the Dutch Damen Shipyards Group…

A 27-meter harbor tug equipped with autonomous navigation capabilities has been put through its paces at the Port of Singapore, demonstrating functions such as smart navigation and collision avoidance which are key to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) goal to enable autonomous ship operations within the world’s busiest transshipment hub.The IntelliTug project, led by technology provider Wärtsilä and marine services firm PSA Marine, is a collaboration with classification society Lloyd’s Register…

Hong Kong-based ship management company Anglo-Eastern Group has completed the successful roll-out of Navigator Port to its fleet of more than 600 vessels.DNV GL’s port clearance software is used daily onboard several thousand ships worldwide for management of port documentation, assisting seafarers in navigating the administrative and regulatory complexity of port clearance and passage through controlled waters.“One of the most time-consuming tasks onboard is preparing port documentation,” says Captain Pradeep Chawla, Managing Director, QHSE and Training at Anglo-Eastern.

With the IMO 2020 sulfur cap in effect from the beginning of this year, the need to measure lighter marine fuels has grown, and Japan-based SEMCO has a tool for the job. In complying with the new regulations, there will be an increasing number of cases in which high transparency and low viscosity compatible fuels such as MGO are supplemented, and in these instances, there has been concern with conventional scales due to past experiences in which it was difficult to get an accurate sounding measurement of tank contents, SEMCO said.

When it come to ship efficiency and emission reduction, the next frontier is devising better means to keep hulls clean from biofouling in the five years between dry dockings. Finding best solutions on hull coating and cleaning is major point of focus among shipping majors globally.Last month in a feature interview in Maritime Reporter & Engineering News with Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL) Anshul Tuteja, Associate VP Global Fleet Optimization, it was made clear that coatings used on the RCCL fleet is a point of intense focus…

With the Standard 22 NX, Raytheon Anschütz has introduced a gyro compass combining proven sensor technology with the advantages of latest interface and networking standards.Raytheon Anschütz has designed the new gyro compass Standard 22 NX which aims to improve accuracy, reliability and robustness even in harsh conditions.Raytheon Anschütz has started the series production of Standard 22 NX in January, with a delivery start planned from March onwards. The Standard 22 NX and its…

Reygar announced that its BareFLEET remote monitoring system is now in use on 100 vessels worldwide. The growth is in step with a general migration to digital solutions across the maritime sector, and the milestone is punctuated as Reygar expands its control system capabilities across dynamic positioning, autonomous vessels and consultancy, with two new engineering hires and a larger premises in Bristol: James Cook and Richard Crowder. Cook joins the business from Rolls Royce…

Operational trials of unmanned equipment in Norway offered a glimpse of the UK Royal Navy's autonomous future. Royal Marines small boat specialists 47 Commando have been working alongside HMS Albion, the Royal Navy’s autonomous accelerator NavyX and the Office for the Chief Technology Officer to see how the kit can be put to use in real world situations.Exercise Autonomous Advance Force put unmanned boat Mast 13, heavy lift drone from Malloy, remotely-piloted air system Puma and…

Risk Intelligence provides security data, information, analysis and assessment to enable safe navigation in areas of risk in an increasingly uncertain worldSince its founding in 2001, Denmark-headquartered security information specialist Risk Intelligence has developed a fully integrated risk assessment and planning tool that provides valid, actionable intelligence to any fleet, on land, in port or at sea, 24/7/365. The company has three information and intelligence products that together assess security risks at sea…

MAN Energy Solutions has won the order to supply the engines for a newbuild shuttle ferry for Estonian shipping company Tallink Grupp. A diesel-electric plant comprising five MAN 51/60DF dual-fuel main engines – with liquefied natural gas (LNG) as primary fuel – will power the MyStar, which Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) will construct at its yard in Finland. Delivery to the customer is scheduled for early 2022. Upon entering service, the vessel will serve the Tallinn-Helsinki route.Jyrki Heinimaa…

A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered survey, wreck-search and research vessel built by German Naval Yards Kiel is currently undergoing installation and finishing works at Fassmer in Berne, Germany prior to being commissioned this spring.Ordered by the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the new research vessel will be homeported in Hamburg, replacing the previous Atair, which entered operation in 1987.At 75 meters long and roughly 17 meters wide, the new Atair will be the largest research vessel in the BSH fleet.

Motor-Services Hugo Stamp, Inc. (MSHS) a provider of diesel engine products and services, has entered into a definitive acquisition agreement with TurboUSA, Inc., a provider of maintenance and repair services for turbochargers. The acquisition became effective on February 20, 2020.Under the acquisition, leadership and staff of TurboUSA, Inc. will join the MSHS team and the TurboUSA brand will be retired.Are Friesecke, President of Motor-Services Hugo Stamp said: “This is an exciting event for MSHS and TurboUSA…

Taking technology from academia to market is a well-worn tradition across the maritime and subsea sectors. In this case the ‘innovative’ adhesive technology is actually born from the sea. There is a new underwater adhesive technology based on a glue used naturally by marine creatures. Mussel Polymers Inc. (MPI) – a startup created by Wardenclyffe Chemicals Inc., a technology development company – licensed this patented adhesive technology from the Purdue Research Foundation. The technology was created by Jonathan Wilker…

AecorLink has been granted a new patent on its company's communication platform. The patented technology will further enhance the capacity for shore-ship communication via microwave links. The salient advantage with the patent allows the networks to further improve the capability providing high-speed and stable data connections.AecorLink AB a Swedish internet service provider targeting the maritime industry. A leader in providing microwave shore to ship connectivity, the company is operating techniques stretching from Wi-Fi, LTE4G to different satellite solutions.

Ribcraft announced that the United States Navy (USN) has awarded a five-year indefinite quantity contract worth up to $43 million to build and deliver an estimated 48 of the 11-Meter Expeditionary Mine Counter Measure Boat. Ribcraft has also been providing the U.S. Navy with 7-Meter shipboard RIBs since 2014.The 11-Meter RIBs will serve to support explosive ordinance disposal mine counter measure platoons in both shallow and deep water operations. To achieve this, Ribcraft will build two configurations for mine counter measure operations…

DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS signs contract with Logimatic for SERTICA Fleet Management. With DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS joining the family, Logimatic adds another Norwegian company to their customer database. SERTICA is a technical Fleet Management Software providing an overview of an entire fleet. It is designed to secure a stable communication and data management between the main office and the vessels. It aims to optimize internal processes in relation to maintenance, procurement, HSQE and performance.DESS Aquaculture Shipping AS has a total fleet of 12 AQUA Vessels.

Konecranes and Chantiers de l’Atlantique, a shipyard in St. Nazaire, France, have signed a contract for the delivery of a Konecranes Goliath gantry crane. It will handle large ship blocks and panels over the dry dock, playing a leading role in ship assembly at the shipyard. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2019.The Konecranes Goliath crane will be delivered with the cooperation of both parties. It will be manufactured in Europe by Konecranes in its entirety. The crane assembly on-site and the erection work will be done in cooperation between the shipyard and Konecranes.

While owners have long recognized the link between clean hulls and lower fuel costs, lack of reliable data has slowed investments in optimizing hull performance. But with improved sensor technologies and data analysis tools, hull performance is getting a second look. Owners seeking to lower fuel costs and comply with pending regulations on emissions and invasive species often look to equipment manufacturers to meet their needs. From new efficient engine designs to alternative fuels, scrubbers to ballast water treatments systems, owners face some expensive decisions.

ABB will equip Japan-built self-elevating wind turbine installation vessel with its power and control technologies.The company said Tuesday that the 28,000-GT jack-up unit on order from builder Japan Marine United Corp, and due for delivery to Shimizu Corp. in 2022, will feature ABB's closed ring configuration for the vessel’s dynamic positioning (DP) operations This will enable safe and predictable performance with high tolerance in the event of the power plant fault."Whether applied to newbuilds or retrofits…

Japanese technology company Eco Marine Power (EMP) has announced that the EnergySail, a sail-assisted propulsion and solar power device for ships, is ready for demonstration and evaluation testing in Japan.EnergySail, which is unveiled at the Onomichi Marine Tech Test Centre (MTTC) in Japan, is an upgrade of the pre-production unit and represents one of the smaller types of EnergySail that will be put into commercial service.It was manufactured by EMP’s strategic partner Teramoto Iron Works Co., Ltd.

Alewijnse reports it has been awarded a contract to perform the complete electrical installation on board what will be the world’s newest and largest offshore diamond recovery vessel. Designated an additional mining vessel (AMV) by its owner De Beers Marine Namibia (Pty) Ltd, the ship will be the seventh member of the fleet of operator Debmarine Namibia.Alewijnse said it is once again working with the Damen Shipyards Group, this time at Damen Shipyard Mangalia in Romania. The first steel was cut for the vessel in May 2019 and now Alewijnse is preparing to start work on board.

Shom, the French national hydrographic and oceanographic office selected SBG Systems’ inertial navigation sytems to renew their whole fleet of INS. They chose Navsight Apogee INS for their speedboats and survey vessels for both shallow and deep-water real-time bathymetric surveys and Qinertia PPK software for post-processing tasks.Shom has 3 major objectives: national hydrography and cartography, defense support in hydro-oceanographic fields, and support in maritime geospatial products and services for public policies on the sea and the coast.

The century-old Amsterdam canal boat Gerarda Johanna looks like a classic with wood paneling, but beneath its floorboards lies a high-tech underbelly: rows of lithium ion batteries, 66 in all, with an electric drive train powering its propeller.The boat is part of a push by Amsterdam’s new Green Party mayor to ban diesel engines from the center’s ancient canals by 2025, helping the city’s efforts to combat climate change.The transition among commercial vessels is well underway…

Classifaction society ClassNK released new guidelines that explain the revised rules for using condition based maintenance (CBM) in class surveys to promote the use of CBM technology.Condition based maintenance, a method for monitoring the operating state of equipment, diagnosing the state of said equipment based upon the information obtained from such monitoring, and then performing necessary maintenance and inspections, has been attracting attention in recent years. ClassNK first introduced the concept of the CBM in its class rules in 1994.

A new passenger ferry built by Dongara Marine has been introduced to the public transport system in Perth, Western Australia. MV Tricia  - named after Perth Zoo's popular 62-year-old Asian Elephant - is the third ferry in the Transperth fleet, joining two other low-wash catamarans introduced in 1997 and 2009. Operating across the Swan River between Elizabeth Quay and South Perth, the 23.7-m aluminium catamaran can carry up to 148 passengers and has a loaded top speed in excess of 16 knots.With two ferries each providing departures every 15 minutes in peak periods…

Korean Register (KR) has completed a comprehensive cyber security survey of the chemical/oil tanker SONGA HAWK and has certified the ship to be fully compliant in all areas, the very first ship to achieve the certification.Songa Ship management manages and operates 18 chemical/oil tankers and five semi-submersible vessels. The company signed a cyber security contract (valid for five years) with KR in 2018, covering its fleet of 23 vessels.KR conducted a cyber security audit of Songa Ship management and certified the company to be fully compliant in all areas in 2019…

Short sea ro-ro operator UECC and marine biofuel company GoodFuels have launched a joint trial of GoodFuels Bio-Fuel Oil (MR1-100 or BFO) on UECC’s ro-ro vessel M/V Autosky, the companies announced Thursday.The three month trial will test 3,000 metric tons of sustainable biofuel on the 140m, 2,080 vehicle carrier – a step in advancing marine biofuel for the ro-ro segment. The biobunkering, which will take place in the Port of Rotterdam, will be the first in a series of bunkering operations between March and May 2020.

SCHOTTEL has won a contract from Ada Shipyard in Turkey to supply propulsion units for two double-ended Ro-Pax ferries. As part of the deal, the German propulsion manufacturer will provide a total of four SCHOTTEL Rudder EcoPellers (SRE) for the LMG 60 DE design vessels ordered recently by Norwegian ferry operator Norled.The ferries’ main propulsion consists of two SCHOTTEL EcoPellers type SRE 270 (810 kW each) with 1.85 m diameter fixed pitch propellers (one at each end of the ferry). Each of the azimuth thrusters is driven by two bio-diesel engines through a twin-in-single-out gearbox.

Wärtsilä announced it will reorganize its marine business into three independent entities, with the objective to accelerate strategy execution and simplify the business structure.The new businesses, consisting of Marine Power, Marine Systems and Marine Voyage, will be operational as of July 1, 2020.The organizational structure change is a continuation to the shifts made in 2019, whereby Wärtsilä's equipment and service businesses were integrated to strengthen the focus on complete lifecycle solutions…

A large passenger vessel has become the industry’s first to achieve system compliance under classification society DNV GL’s framework for integrated cybersecurity.Today's vessels are increasingly fitted with integrated automation systems and digital solutions. And as vessels’ systems gorw more connected than ever before, new security threats areise, driving the need for closer and earlier collaboration on cybersecurity between all key stakeholders in the newbuilding process.ABB…

French supply chain data services company Traxens has joined the new European DataPorts project, aimed at creating a data platform for cognitive ports of the future.DataPorts is an EU-funded, three-year project with a budget of $7.3 million (€6.7 million). It is coordinated by the Technological Institute of Informatics (ITI) in Spain.According to a press release from the Container IoT company, today, only three per cent of container terminals are automated. However, the future…

Fairbanks Morse received a purchase order from Lockheed Martin – the U.S. Navy’s prime contractor on Littoral Combat Ship’s (LCS) Freedom variant – to build and deliver the main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE's) for the 16th ship of the class, USS Cleveland (LCS-31).USS Cleveland (LCS 31) will receive a pair of 16-cylinder FM Colt-Pielstick PA6B Sequentially Turbo Charged (STC) diesel engines; together providing more than 12 MW of propulsion power. The USS Cleveland (LCS 31) will rely on the Fairbanks Morse engines for its low speed cruising and mid-range speed propulsion demands.

When designing and constructing a new blast and paint facility at its yard in Belle Chasse, La., C&C Marine and Repair set out to create a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly worksite that would deliver a high-quality product.Fifteen months and 131 barges later, C&C Marine has nearly doubled its capacity as the facility and its robotic blasting technology continually meet and exceed expectations, says Tony Cibilich, president and owner of C&C Marine and Repair, who sees a long list of benefits for customers…