Three years ago coatings giant Jotun was buying up real estate for U.S. market access and location savings. The effort to get closer to its shipping and offshore customer base is still underway with research aimed at protecting client assets in frontier areas like the arctic. An R&D expansion at Flixborough in the U.K. and in the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen aims to make active the fire response of passive surface treatments. There’s a need to address fires in enclosed steel workplaces plus high-temperature hydrocarbon fires.

Seventeen shipping container terminals run by APM Terminals have been hacked, including two in Rotterdam and 15 in other parts of the world, Dutch broadcaster RTV Rijnmond reported on Wednesday. APM Terminals is a subsidiary of shipping giant Maersk , which has confirmed it is suffering from a cyber attack. APM's website was difficult to reach and phones at its headquarters in The Hague and offices in Rotterdam went unanswered. A spokeswoman for the company in Copenhagen confirmed its systems were "impacted" as part of Maersk's IT infrastructure.

Norway has become the first nation to implement maritime broadband communication on ships and planes in public service, enabling exchange of information that can be crucial in limiting damage when accidents occur. Kongsberg Seatex and Radionor have teamed up to develop Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR), which the Norwegian companies say is, in contrast to previous systems, highly stable and has extensive reach. Among other capabilities, MBR also enables streaming of HD-video. MBR does not require an internet connection to connect units in the network…

Shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, which handles one out of seven containers shipped globally, said the Petya cyber attack had caused outages at its computer systems across the world on Tuesday. The attack came as computer servers across Europe and in India were hit by a major ransomware attack. "Global cyber-attack Petya is affecting multiple businesses," Maersk said on Twitter. The breakdown affected all business units at Maersk, including container shipping, port and tug boat operations, oil and gas production, drilling services, and oil tankers, the company said.

Rolls-Royce. The words have been used by many to signify excellence – though not with the company’s permission, of course. Rolls-Royce Marine is taking a leading position in developing and introducing the systems and technologies needed for the running of a successful business in the maritime industry of the 21st century. At a company presentation held in London earlier this year, Mikael Mäkinen, President of Rolls-Royce Marine, outlined the company’s vision for the future and its strategies to put these new systems based on new technologies into place.

In the early hours of June 17, U.S. destroyer the USS Fitzgerald was hit by a containership just off the coast of Shimoda, Japan. The collision claimed the lives of seven U.S. Navy Sailors. In the aftermath, both sides are trying to figure out exactly what happened. The containership, ACX Crystal, and the U.S. Navy initially reported the incident at 2:25 a.m. local time. However, they have since revised the time to 1:30 a.m. Apparently, the ACX Crystal made a U-turn at around 2 a.m. to go back and see what it hit.

Marine propulsion and thrusters manufacturer Thrustmaster of Texas announced that Leonard Hill and Jason Hill have joined its waterjet team, bringing with them more than 65 years of experience in waterjet design, manufacturing and sales. Leonard Hill began his waterjet career at Jacuzzi Brothers waterjet division in 1978, and in 1984 purchased the waterjet product line from Jacuzzi to start North American Marine Jet (NAMJet). Leonard invented and introduced a new style of jet to the market place known as the TRAKTOR JET, which combines all the features of the conventional waterjet with higher thrust, especially at low vessel speeds.

SCHOTTEL has expanded its portfolio with the successful tests of the 5.5 MW SRP 800 U rudderpropeller, which can be installed afloat for vessels that cannot be docked easily due to their size or area of operation. Besides application in larger offshore vessels or rigs, the new and powerful SCHOTTEL thruster is suited for cable laying vessels, offshore construction vessels and crane ships. “As a result of customer requests, SCHOTTEL decided to further develop the robust, well-proven rudderpropeller technology in the power range up to 5.5 MW…

China's imports of shipbuilding parts and equipment produced by South Korean firms surged this year, Yonhap reported. The report quoted Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) saying that China's imports of South Korean shipbuilding parts and equipment reached US$28.3 million in the first four months of the year, sharply up 37.6 percent from a year earlier. During the cited period, China's overall purchase of such parts edged down 0.9 percent on-year to $71.5 million, the report said.

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network has announced the launch of a new service center in Savannah, Georgia, the third largest container port in the United States. The operations in Savannah will be managed by the existing Aegean U.S. team. Under the terms of the agreement with Colonial Terminals, Inc., Aegean will lease tankage from Colonial's oil terminal on the Savannah River. Aegean will acquire and blend a full range of bunker fuel products and has agreed to supply Colonial Oil Industries, Inc. with a range of No. 6 oil products for Colonial's truck delivery business.

Iridium has launched 10 of its Iridium NEXT satellites US aboard a SpaceX rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. This payload of 10 satellites was deployed into low-Earth orbit, approximately one hour after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg, at 1:25pm PDT (20:25 UTC). With this launch complete, there are now 20 Iridium NEXT satellites in orbit, establishing the infrastructure for groundbreaking technologies such as Iridium Certus and Aireon's space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) aircraft tracking and surveillance service.

Indian Minister of Shipping Nitin Gadkari  has said that Cruise Tourism is one of the fastest growing components of the leisure industry worldwide, and  can be a major growth driver for the Indian economy by generating huge employment opportunities. Gadkari was  speaking at the National Workshop on “Action Plan for Development of Cruise Tourism in India”, in New Delhi today. The workshop was also attended by Minister of State for  Culture and Tourism Dr Mahesh Sharma, and representatives…

In 2024, Denmark will be hosting European Maritime Day with more than 1,000 participants. With its maritime surroundings, the city of Svendborg will be the setting of the conference, said a press release from Danish Maritime Authority. European Maritime Day is one of Europe's largest maritime conferences. The Council of the European Union has awarded Denmark the honour of hosting the conference in 2024. Earlier this year, the Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs nominated Svendborg as the Danish candidate city.

Nearly 300 delegates from International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States, international NGOs and intergovernmental organizations have gathered at IMO Headquarters in London for the first meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships (26-30 June). The group, which is meeting in a closed session, will provide a report to next week’s session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) (full preview here).

Reducing operating costs is one of the main concerns of shipping industry today. "To help ship owners and operators boost the energy efficiency of their vessels, we have since day one strongly focused on Energy and Environmental Efficiency (EEE)," Deltamarin says. By applying Deltamarin’s new smart simulation tool, several items with a significant fuel saving potential (3-6% of total fuel costs) can be found. The “EEE” ship design process includes several dimensions, such as practical design tools for modelling the energy consumption…

Global maritime mobile operator Telenor Maritime said it will expand communications services for longstanding partner DFDS, deploying its connectivity platform with Premium Wi-Fi, Ka VSAT and mobile broadband backhaul for the Northern European shipping company. “We are moving fast forward into the Networked Society, and we are expecting the same experience whether we are at home or at sea when using our mobile devices,” said Frode Støldal, CEO of Telenor Maritime. “Speed and connectivity are crucial for passengers, and even more so in situations where a mobile device is used for business.

Global Maritime, a provider of marine warranty, dynamic positioning and engineering services to the offshore sector, has appointed Oliver Stettner as Country Manager for Indonesia. Stettner will be tasked with growing Global Maritime’s Indonesian business as well as spearheading the company’s renewables efforts across the Asia Pacific. Stettner is an engineer who has extensive experience in hydrodynamic and structural analysis and marine warranty surveying, particularly in the offshore wind industry.

Completing her maiden voyage, the Damen Multi-role Aviation Training Vessel (MATV) MV Sycamore arrived in Sydney harbor early on Monday morning. The 94-meter-long vessel is now less than a month away from deployment as a versatile multi-role vessel and helicopter training platform for the Royal Australian Navy. “It is definitely an impressive sight to see the Sycamore enter Sydney harbor,” said Damen Sales Director Asia Pacific Roland Briene. “The MATV project really highlights what can be achieved with this joint team effort.

MTG has introduced its latest solutions for the dredging market at the Dredging Summit & Expo’17 in Vancouver from June 26-29. For cutter dredgers MTG presented its DMet range, which it said offers solutions for increasing machine protection and productivity. MTG announced it has also started to manufacture its own cutter-heads with the latest equipment to assemble and weld ensuring the highest quality. MTG will offer its cutter-head design and engineering services for all kind of applications: clay, sand and rock.

Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Glosten said it has completed the design of a new passenger-only hybrid ferry for Kitsap Transit, a public transportation agency based in Bremerton, Wash. The new hybrid electric 150-passenger ferry will be the first in Puget Sound, and is expected to carry more than 350,000 passengers annually. The 70-foot-long aluminum hull catamaran will be constructed at Bellingham-based All American Marine. It will feature two BAE HybriDrive propulsion systems driving fixed pitch propellers.

Ron A. Davis has joined Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) as chief information systems officer (CISO). In this new role, he will lead the company’s cyber security program with responsibility for ensuring the early identification of threats and risks and the implementation of controls and other processes and methods to protect information systems for the entire HII enterprise. Davis will work in HII’s Washington, D.C., office and will report to Chris Kastner, executive vice president, business management, and chief financial officer. “Cyber security is a top priority for HII,” Kastner said.

Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam (DSR), part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, said it has completed maintenance and repair works on the newest member of CMV’s fleet, the cruise ship Columbus. The full work scope was concluded within a tight timescale, thus ensuring that the vessel could sail to the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury, U.K. in time for her naming ceremony and inaugural cruise. Several CMV vessels – the Astor, Marco Polo and the Magellan, for example – have made calls at various Damen repair yards in the past.

Lithuania's state-owned gas trader Lietuvos Duju Tiekimas (LDT) said on Monday it had signed a deal to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) directly from the United States for the first time and expects to receive a delivery in the second half of August. The deal is with a unit of Cheniere Energy and is part Lithuania's efforts to diversify its gas suppliers and reduce its reliance on Russia's Gazprom. LDT, part of state-owned energy group Lietuvos Energija, signed a deal last year with Koch Supply & Trading for LNG supplies throughout 2017. Cheniere Energy was expected to supply LNG from a U.S.

Evergreen Line’s Ever Sigma container ship discharged the 9 millionth TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) to pass through the Port of Los Angeles in the span of 12 months, setting a new annual record for the most container throughput of any port in the western hemisphere. "Nine million TEUs is a major milestone for Los Angeles, and it’s only fitting that Evergreen Line, a longstanding customer, discharged the box that set this new Western Hemisphere record," said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority is entering into a partnership with four start-ups for the development of as many innovative projects. Along with six other starters, these companies took part in the port-related accelerator programme PortXL and presented their results during yesterday’s ‘Shakedown’. The ten selected start-ups made amazing progress in the three month long PortXL programme. In fact, nine of them saw their efforts rewarded with a contract with organisations such as Van Oord, Vopak, Boskalis, Alliander and Stena Line.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced an agreement with Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES) to jointly develop next-generation vessel monitoring and support systems for practical applications and commercialization. Based on the real time data, for example from navigation and machinery, acquired by data collecting units (products of MES), the joint development will encompass the next-generation vessel monitoring and support system, utilizing MOL's own operation experience and technologies as well as the experience of MES as a shipbuilder with the latest technologies…

Mexican state oil producer Pemex said on Thursday that it expects to restart operations on July 30 at Salina Cruz, its largest oil refinery, after it was hit last week hit by flooding and subsequent fire that forced a shutdown of the plant. The program contemplates three-way actions: Restarting operations; cleaning and rehabilitation of the affected site and general maintenance, taking advantage of the shutdown of the process. This last activity would allow for the advancement of the maintenance that was scheduled for next April…

Hamburg-based shipping group Reederei Hamburger Lloyd will move its fleet of nine containerships and six bulk carriers to Marlink’s Sealink Plus VSAT package including unlimited L-band backup. Hamburger Lloyd is a long term customer of Telemar Germany and was looking for a communications solution that provides a quality link for downloading ECDIS updates, which is critical to the fleet’s navigational safety. The company also sees that moving from pay-as-you-go L-band communication services to the pay-monthly VSAT model will provide budget predictability and enable it to offer more crew communication facilities. Designed to provide high speed bandwidth at all times…

Viega Group has a history spanning more than 115 years and today is more than 4,000 employees worldwide, a leading manufacturers of pipe installation technology for shipbuilding, industrial, commercial and residential projects. In the U.S., Viega LLC employs nearly 500 people and offers more than 3,000 products, including Viega ProPress for copper and stainless, Viega MegaPress for black iron pipe and Viega PEX Press systems in Zero Lead bronze and high-performance polymer. While the company serves many markets…

McCue Crafted Fit secured a repeat order from Cunard to refit the shops and art gallery on board its luxury liner, Queen Victoria. This follows the remastering of aspects of the Queen Mary 2 (QM2) in Hamburg, Germany in 2016. The £34 million ($43 million) refit comprises of an upgraded and increased choice of staterooms, new Britannia Club dining, a broader and more distinct bar offering, a transformed sun deck, enhanced retail areas and relocated new larger art gallery. On the May 5…

The second half of 2016 brought shockwaves to some ship owners who were still in a state of denial about the need to install ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) onboard their vessels. The ratification of the Ballast Water Management Convention and the announcement of the first U.S. Coast Guard Type Approved BWTS, saw many ship owners rushing to drydock their vessels at the beginning of the year, or deharmonize their IOPP certificates in an attempt to delay fitting a BWTS onboard their ships. Others have already installed a BWTS on board or have decided to install one. Much has been written on the various constraints that are to be faced for selecting and installing a system, but not much has been heard about the systems installed on board. Do they work?

A message from Frank Coles, CEO of Transas on the International Day of the Seafarer. On this day of recognition, I would like to celebrate the women and men who commit their careers and their lives to being at sea for extended periods of time. The future facing the maritime industry today is a very different one from when I first went to sea in 1977. Back then the sextant was King. Today the people working at sea are aided by countless new technologies and digital innovations which have had a huge impact, improving both operations and safety.

The GMN maritime technology project, run by International Maritime Organization (IMO) and funded by the European Union, has issued a call for expressions of interest from individuals within specified organizations to become members of the GMN Project’s Global Stakeholder Committee (GSC). The GMN project has established a network of five regional Maritime Technologies Cooperation Centres (MTCCs). Together, they are promoting technologies and operations to improve energy efficiency in the maritime sector and help navigate shipping into a low-carbon future.

U.S. shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said the structure of nuclear-powered aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) is now 50 percent complete. The second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier CVN 79 grew about 70 feet in length with the addition of the lower stern, which was recently lifted into place at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. Like Ford, which was delivered to the Navy earlier this month, Kennedy is being built using modular construction, a process where smaller sections of the ship are welded together to form larger structural units (called “superlifts”)…

The tube bending machine manufacturer Schwarze-Robitec is expanding its branch office in the USA. The North American service and distribution team moves to Grand Rapids. Mich. In addition to its new premises, Schwarze-Robitec operates a spare parts warehouse for its high-quality bending machines. Customers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico benefit now from faster delivery times as well as first-class services. Due to the continuing increase of customers, Schwarze-Robitec moves into an office and a warehouse space in Michigan only two years after the opening of the US office.

Marine electronics manufacturer Navico, parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad and B&G brands, announced it has finalized an agreement to acquire marine monitoring and control systems provider Naviop. Providing the integration framework to capture data from all boating systems, Naviop creates a digital ecosystem on boats outfitted with Simrad, Lowrance and B&G marine electronics, with the multifunction display serving as the hub for complete system control and information. “For years, auto manufacturers have provided consumers with a complete integration solution at their fingertips, and we, as a marine industry have fallen behind the curve to provide the same level of convenience and control,” said Leif Ottosson, Navico CEO.

Export Development Canada (EDC) has announced the closing of a CAD$6.5 million (US$4.9 million) contract financing credit facility for Corvus Energy Inc., a Richmond, BC-based  designer, developer and manufactureer of energy storage systems (ESS) and lithium-ion battery solutions for hybrid and electric marine applications. The financing will allow Corvus to fulfill various export contracts, primarily for hybrid ferries in Europe, EDC said. “The electrification of the maritime industry in Europe is accelerating and the award-winning Orca ESS from Corvus Energy is facilitating that transition,” said Andrew Morden, President and CEO of Corvus Energy.

Statoil ASA and petroleum and chemical tanker owners and operator AET are extending their partnership in the North Sea shuttle tanker sector. Statoil has, awarded a long-term contract to AET, a subsidiary of Malaysian energy shipping group, MISC Berhad, to operate two specialist DP2 offshore loading shuttle tankers (OLSTs) on long-term charter. These new vessels will be in addition to the two AET DP2 ships currently on charter, in the same area, for Statoil. These new vessels are in addition to the two AET DP2 ships currently on charter in the same area for Statoil.

The transportation of pharmaceutical products in reefer equipment is subject to the particularly strict guidelines of the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) scheme. Hamburg Süd will be meeting the requirements with regard to calibration processes as of July and therefore be able to respond flexibly to corresponding customer wishes. The guidelines for GDP are specified by the World Health Organization as well as the European Commission. They stipulate that the temperature-regulating sensors of the reefer machinery not only monitor each other automatically…

The newly established GMN project on maritime technology cooperation, run by IMO and funded by the European Union, has held its first ever national workshop in Mombasa, Kenya (19-20 June). The event brought together 67 participants to discuss ways to bring shipping into a low carbon future. The GMN maritime technology project, run by IMO and funded by the European Union, has issued a call for expressions of interest from individuals within specified organizations to become members of the GMN Project’s Global Stakeholder Committee (GSC).

Facing incoming Tropical Storm Cindy, offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico have begun evacuating platforms and rigs as the storm moves north-westward toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. Data from offshore operator reports submitted to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) as of 11:30 CDT today indicate that personnel have been evacuated from a total of 40 production platforms, or 5.43 percent of the 737 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Personnel have been evacuated from one rig non-dynamically positioned (DP) rig…

Jamie Hyneman, best known as a co-host on Mythbusters, was recently in Finland to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). While in Lappeenranta, Hyneman also had an opportunity to visit several of the region’s top technology companies with origins at LUT, including electrical drive train technology specialist The Switch, who says it has an installed base of over 13 GW of megawatt-class permanent magnet machine and power converter packages within the wind, marine and special industrial sectors.

Step into MPT’s new state-of-the-art S.M.A.R.T. simulation center in Fort Lauderdale and Captain Ted Morley lights up. While the center is packed with the very latest in maritime simulation software and hardware, his eagerness to usher us through the new building transcends any new technology, because at MPT mariner training is personal; it always has been, and if Captain Morley has his way it always will be. It is clear to see that MPT’s new simulation center in Fort Lauderdale is a source of pride for Captain Ted Morley.

Emuge Corp. a manufacturer of high performance taps, drills, end mills and other rotary tools, announced it has established a partnership with Open Mind Technologies AG, a developer of CAM/CAD software solutions worldwide. Recently the companies, which have had a history of collaborating to influence their respective cutting tool and CAM software developments, formally agreed to partner. Both companies will continue to share technical data and best practices on machining applications and programs…

Great Lakes Shipyard said it was awarded a contract for drydocking and repairs by Geo Gradel & Co. for tug George Gradel  and barge Moby Dick. The contract for the 2,400 HP tug George Gradel includes steel repairs, keel cooler repairs, underwater hull inspections and repairs as well as painting and replacing fuel tanks. Work is planned to be completed by the end of June 2017. Worked completed for the 120' x 33' x 10.5' deck barge with 875-ton capacity included surveys, inspections and repairs for load line renewal. Work was completed on June 5, 2017.

The U.S. Navy’s 10th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Gabrielle Giffords was commissioned at the Port of Galveston, Texas, on Saturday, June 10, becoming the 16th ship to be named for a woman and only the 13th ship to be named for a living person since 1850. The ship’s homeport will be San Diego. “This is the fifth such LCS in a 10-ship Independence–variant ship program with Austal USA that uses our LM2500. The two LM2500 engines are arranged in a combined diesel and gas turbine or CODAG configuration with two diesel engines…

Igor Sechin, the head of Russian oil major Rosneft, said on Wednesday that his company would return to a government proposal for state-owned companies to pay out 50 percent of their profit in dividends for Rosneft's 2017 results. (Reporting by Denis Dyomkin; Writing by Jack Stubbs)

A brand-new antifouling product containing the bio-repellent ingredient Selektope has been launched onto the global market. The increasing diversification in the range of Selektope-containing products available to ship owners suitable for different vessel requirements demonstrates the unrivalled versatility of the antifouling ingredient. It also demonstrates a growing commitment to the technology as demand from ship owners for antifouling coatings comprising Selektope intensifies. SEA GRANDPRIX 880HS PLUS is the third product Chugoku Marine Paints (CMP) has launched that contains Selektope.

“As the energy mix shifts and global demand for gas increases, concepts like this will reshape how energy is supplied,” said ABS Vice President for Global Gas Solutions, Patrick Janssens. This concept offers a new approach to delivering new sources of power to remote areas of the world. The conceptual design is based on existing LNG carriers which are converted into floating power plants with small (~72 MW) to medium (~400 MW) scale power generation capabilities. In reviewing Chiyoda’s floating LNG power plant concept, ABS said it applied its relevant Rules and Guides to confirm that the conceptual design meets the intent of applicable class requirements.

Already with a solid foothold within the Norwegian maritime sector, OCS HR has now been launched by Mintra Group as a cloud-based service (SaaS – Software as a Service). This means new advantages for customers and makes the software solution immediately available internationally to other key sectors. Mintra said it hopes this has particular relevance for the oil and gas sector, where OCS HR is already used by many companies. “Efficiency, productivity and maximizing savings are widely regarded as priority for the oil and gas and maritime sectors, particularly during this turbulent time.

A new-look product line for 2017 from U.K. marine specialist Flynn Refrigeration aims to provide customers with an even broader offering of refrigeration and air conditioning products. Continually expanding its offering to the marine and industrial markets, the Birkenhead-based company said the latest relaunch is geared toward clearly defining its main product lines. Flynn Refrigeration's range has now been grouped into 18 core product categories sourced from more than 45 manufacturers including Bitzer, Danfoss, Compair and Ingersoll Rand.

Perkins marine diesel auxiliary engines have been supplied to four RAmparts 3200-CL tugs built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd, Hong Kong for operations in Australia and Indonesia. Multico Power Drive Pte Ltd, the distributor for Perkins marine engines in Singapore, has supplied two Perkins 6TWGM engines to each of the following tugs: Hawksbill, Flatback, Loggerhead and Limin ASD 55. Each tug is 32m L.O.A. and built to Lloyds’ requirements with special notations. The Perkins 6TWGM is part of the 1006 Series.

Wärtsilä said it has been contracted to supply the engines, propellers and fuel supply systems for four new tanker vessels. The ships will run on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel, and are being built at the Scheepswerf Ferus Smit yard in the Netherlands for Sweden based Erik Thun AB. The order with Wärtsilä was booked in the first quarter of 2017. In 2014, the Scheepswerf Ferus Smit yard built two cement carriers on behalf of Erik Thun AB. These are now operated by JT Cement; a joint venture company with Norway based KG Jebsen Cement.

LNG Gorskaya, a privately-owned Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer, has launched a 340 million euro ($379 million) project to become the first LNG exporter from Russia's European coast, its CEO told Reuters. Russia expects to send LNG to Europe by the end of 2017 from its distant Arctic peninsula of Yamal but a plant on its Baltic coast could establish the country as a more immediate supplier of LNG in a region already dependent on piped Russian gas. The company will build a floating LNG plant off the port of Gorskaya, not far from Saint Petersburg, which will be fed by a 12 km pipeline from Gazprom. The LNG will then be shipped to seven Baltic ports outside Russia using three tankers already on order from Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation.

A new 36-meter monohull passenger ferry Mary D Seven has been delivered for Mary D Cruises in New Caledonia. Designed by Incat Crowther and built by Strategic Marine, the vessel will operate with yacht-like style on the route between Noumea and Amedee Island during the day, and as a dinner cruise vessel in the evenings, returning greater utilization of the asset. The main deck is arranged to support the transit operation by day and dinner cruises in the evening. The deck features 108 passenger seats primarily in booth seating with tables…

A contract to upgrade the ‘nerve center’ for shipping at the Barrow Island port proves the resources sector is continuing to fuel big opportunities for Australian firms. Australian Maritime Systems Group (AMSG) has been awarded a contract by Chevron Australia to design and install a new Vessel Tracking Service (VTS) system to manage shipping to and from the Chevron-operated Gorgon Project on Barrow Island, 60km off the north-west coast of Western Australia. AMSG Managing Director John Sugarman said the new Vessel Tracking System will utilize state-of-the-art radar and software systems.

Maritime industry technology specialists Martek Marine say it is setting the bar high when it comes to offshore gas safety. The company has developed a first-of-its-kind gas sampling system for a new moored floating production unit, which forms part of the Jangkrik Complex gas fields development in Indonesia. The system has been developed to dramatically improve offshore crew safety through the use of advanced gas sampling technology. The worst offshore disaster in history, the Piper disaster on July 6…

Earlier this year in Copenhagen Harbor, the 28-meter-long tug Svitzer Hermod berthed alongside the quay, undocked, turned 360 degrees and sailed back to Svitzer headquarters before docking again, all under remote operation while the captain was stationed quayside at the vessel’s remote base at Svitzer HQ. Though a captain and crew remained on board throughout to ensure safe operation in the event of a system failure, the remotely controlled maneuvers demonstrated a “world first” for a commercial vessel, according to project partners Rolls-Royce and global towage operator Svitzer.

Air New Zealand said its Gas Turbines business unit has been awarded four contracts from the U.S. Navy worth up to $42 million to service its fleet’s gas turbine engines. The contracts will see the Auckland based Gas Turbines team carry out maintenance and overhaul work of the General Electric LM2500 gas turbines that power much of the U.S. Navy fleet for the next few years. Air New Zealand Chief Operations Officer Bruce Parton said the contracts are an important win for the airline, and the company participated in aa competitive bidding process to secure the work. Air New Zealand Gas Turbines is a business unit of Air New Zealand, providing gas turbine overhaul and repair services to clients across a range of industries.

L3 Maritime Systems said it has received an $11 million contract from VSE Corporation to upgrade the Machinery Control Systems (MCS) on two minehunting ships for the Egyptian Navy. These ships were formerly U.S. Navy Osprey-class vessels, and L3 supplied the legacy control systems. L3 Maritime Systems’ MCS solutions provide advanced automation and control of the ships’ propulsion, electrical, ventilation and other systems. They will be implemented using ruggedized industrial control system equipment to enhance supportability by the Egyptian Navy. Robert Gaylord, president of L3 Maritime Systems, said, “L3 has a broad and significant installed base across the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, as well as foreign allied navy platforms.

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News caught up with Frank Coles, the ubiquitous leader of Transas, fresh from his company’s user’s conference in Malta. In typical candor, Coles paints his picture of maritime and shipping’s future. With a captive audience of more than 400 clients in scenic Malta for several days earlier this year, one might be surprised when Frank Coles admits that the meeting was not all about Transas. “I wanted something completely different. I didn’t want to talk about Transas, I wanted to talk about the industry and what we can learn from aviation.

According to SENER, FORAN has been widely used in Norway for some time now, making this biennial event a great opportunity not just to meet new companies interested in FORAN – from Norway and other countries – but also to touch base with a lot of its clients and more particularly with users of this system. FORAN V80R2.0 is a development within the new generation of CAD/CAM/CAE systems for the design and production of ships and offshore platforms. FORAN has introduced improvements such as the possibility of managing series of ships…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the new U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8). Ingalls was awarded the original long-lead material contract for the third ship in the America (LHA 6) class on June 30, 2016. “Our shipbuilders do an outstanding job building large-deck amphibious warships,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2018, and delivery is expected in 2024.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has urged the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to back a proposal from a broad coalition of governments concerning the implementation dates for installing new ballast water treatment systems. “If this pragmatic proposal is agreed, this would allow shipping companies to identify and invest in far more robust technology to the benefit of the marine environment,” said ICS Secretary General, Peter Hinchliffe. ICS says that this IMO decision on dates…

Norwegian operator Knutsen OAS Shipping has ordered four MAN B&W 5G70ME-GI engines with EGR systems in connection with the construction of two 180,000 m3 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker newbuildings. Upon delivery in 2020, the vessels will transport cargoes worldwide for two Spanish utility companies. According to the engine’s manufacturer MAN Diesel & Turbo, the order follows the increasingly popular path initiated by Gas Natural Fenosa, the multinational Spanish group that was the pioneer in adopting ME-GI technology in an order for four LNG tankers in 2013.

Sea Machines is bringing autonomous self-driving systems to the world of workboats. At an impressive virtual reality demonstration seen late last year and then again at a frigid, late winter visit to the Boston waterfront, the future of workboat technology became all too evident for this writer. The late George Allen, former head coach of the Washington Redskins football team perhaps said it best when he coined the phrase, “The future is now.” If so, then Michael Johnson, the founder of Sea Machines Robotics has brought that reality to the marine industry.

An improved and upgraded version of the Miko Marine ShipArrestor system has been delivered to the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA). The system has been developed to give nations the ability to protect their coastlines from the danger of ships that have lost engine power and from the pollution that can result when they run aground. The ShipArrestor system uses a specially designed parachute-shaped sea anchor that is connected to a drifting ship by helicopter and secured without any need for crew involvement.

VTT Technical Research Center of Finland said it is developing steering for the remote-monitored and controlled autonomous ships of the future. The new technology has been developed for navigation systems and ship autopilots, which steer ships automatically. “VTT has deep knowledge of autonomous ship research concerning especially reliability and safety topics. Such special expertise has now led to the development of navigation systems for autonomous ships,” says Jussi Martio, a Senior Scientist at VTT.

The EU funded EfficienSea2 project, which aims to implement innovative and smart solutions to increase efficient, safe and sustainable traffic at sea, has finished a full-scale simulation of a wide variety of e-Navigation solutions. The simulations, which involved 8 navigators and took a total of four days, were conducted at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and focused on the human factors in e-Navigation. Multiple services, ranging from a digitalised form of Navigational Warnings to an interactive VTS-reporting system…

European Shortsea Network (ESN) meeting was held in Malta with representatives from 11 European countries at the head office of Malta Freeport Terminals, says a report in Times of Malta. The presidency of the European Shortsea Network is currently held by Malta which also hosts the official registration of the European Shortsea Network as a legal entity. The European Shortsea Network is an association made up of 28 European countries with their main objective being that of promoting shortsea shipping in Europe.

USD 100 per barrel oil  is but a “pipe dream,” Wells Fargo said in a new investor note, reports MarketWatch. The report quoted Wells Fargo’s John LaForge saying that he’s doesn’t expect oil prices to climb anywhere near $100 a barrel over the next few years. Barrels price will bounce between $30 and $60 in the coming years, according to top bank’s diagnosis. “We continue to hear that big cutbacks are on the cusp of happening,” he said. “The evidence, however, implies otherwise. Shale production has caused American output to stand higher than it did in 2014, before the oil price crisis began.

Noble Corporation has been awarded new contracts for one of its drillships under which the unit will operate in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and later Suriname. The 2013-built drillship Noble Bob Douglas has been awarded a contract with Murphy Oil, which will last from early to late July. The rig’s dayrate has not been disclosed. After completion of the project, the ship will start a contract with Tullow Oil offshore Suriname from early October 2017 to early November 2017 again at an undisclosed rate.

CEFC China Energy was awarded a licence by Zhoushan Free Trade Zone for supply  marine bunker fuel off the east coast of China to vessels on international voyages, reports Reuters. The report quoted two CEFC officials saying that the license is to supply bunker fuel from bonded storage to vessels that call at the Zhoushan area. The Zhoushan Free Trade Zone is in the coastal province of Zhejiang and is a new free trade zone the Chinese government approved earlier this year to boost commodities trade.

Now, the International Maritime Organization (IMO)  Maritime Safety Committee will start to establish a new international legal framework for the safe operation of autonomous ships, says a statement from Danish Maritime Authority. Together with a number of countries, Denmark, has taken the initiative to include autonomous shipping on the IMO agenda. United Nations' IMO is in line with the proposal and will now start mapping how existing international regulation can be applied to autonomous ships and maritime technologies; technologies that are developing rapidly these years.

Inspired by the European program for Air Traffic Managemen, the Sea Traffic Management (STM) methodology has been developed by the Swedish Maritime Administration MonaLisa project to define a set of systems and procedures to guide and monitor maritime traffic. The STM Validation project co-financed by the European Union has made the first operational tests with the shore center manufacturers. The key to the interoperability between different systems is the robust underlying infrastructure.

SSI announced the recent sale of more ShipConstructor software to the Vietnamese office of Steinsvik, the major Norwegian aquaculture firm. Steinsvik Vietnam Co. Ltd. has upgraded its ShipConstructor design/engineering software to the latest version to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. The company has also expanded its SSI software investment to accommodate increased work. Among the many products and services that the global firm Steinsvik provides is the development and construction of feed barges for all types of fish farming. Robust and reliable platforms are essential in the rough conditions faced by modern aquaculture and Steinsvik prides itself on developing reliable and functional solutions that contribute to efficient operations and safe and comfortable working conditions.

Going out on the sea is fun and is one of the most favored recreational pastimes. With a pleasant day in mind, only few people are willing to consider the risks and hazards linked to this activity. This explains why most aquatic accidents happen in calm weather, close to the shore, probably even in the view of other people. Therefore, it should be easy to be rescued within a reasonable lapse of time. A person going overboard will not yet have drifted too far off even in strong currents. However, this picture may have a flaw. In the U.S., there are 10 “unintentional drownings” a day.

The Nautican Research and Development manufacturing facility in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, said it is now ready to ship the facility's first Integrated Propulsion Unit (IPU) to a client in Alaska. “Nautican is another excellent example of an emerging advanced marine technology company finding success right here on Prince Edward Island,” said PEI Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Heath MacDonald, who was on site with Nautican representatives to review the Ocean Series Class 200 IPU system prior to shipment.

Classification society ClassNK released a new longitudinal strength assessments software “PrimeShip-HULL(Rules)/PartC15” as part of its prescriptive calculation suite “PrimeShip-HULL(Rules)”. For ensuring further safety and streamlining structural design of ships, ClassNK issued amendments for Chapter 15, Part C of its Rules for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships relevant to the longitudinal strength in June 2017. The amendments included clearer standard for transverse members at the buckling strength assessments.

Rolls-Royce announced that it received an order for four B33:45L diesel engines to power the world’s largest hybrid ferry being built for the Norwegian cruise and transport company Color Line. The ferry, designed by Fosen and to be built at Ulstein Verft in Norway, is due for completion by the summer of 2019 and is scheduled to operate on the crossing between Sandefjord in Norway and Strømstad in Sweden. The new Color Line ferry will be a plug-in hybrid combining diesel and electrical power.

European seafarers and shipowners highlight the importance that shipping is urgently better served by smart digital solutions to finally decrease the administrative burden they face. European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) and European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) call on the European Commission to prioritise this matter as part of its Digital Agenda and Better Regulation Initiative and to propose a revision in time for it to be completed during this legislature. They call upon the European Parliament and Member States to fully support and prioritise such a revision.

Jens Bering has been appointed to the executive team of Volvo Penta of the Americas as vice president, marine sales, the company announced. Bering, who has 20 years of experience with Volvo Penta, will provide strategic direction for the company’s North America marine sales segment, with responsibility for commercial and leisure marine sales in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. “Jens brings the breadth of experience to the role, having worked in engineering…

EMI, a division of W&O, said it has expanded its efforts to support the inland boat sector by opening a new location in Houston.   Craig Cabiro, COO of EMI, said the new location will offer service capabilities and inventory locally for the Southeast Texas market.   “Our expansion into Houston is the first of several strategic locations EMI will be adding to provide quicker response times and local support where our customers need us most,” Cabiro added.   The new EMI location will be in the same building as the W&O Houston branch and will host a service technician.  

The scrubber from Langh Tech received the Baltic Sea Clean Maritime Award at the Baltic Sea Forum in Berlin. The third-place award was handed to Langh Group’s Chairman of the Board, Maritime Counsellor Hans Langh by Professor Kurt Bodewig, European Coordinator Baltic-Adriatic. The Forum was organized in connection with the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) Annual Forum. The Baltic Sea Clean Maritime Award is awarded to innovative and environmentally friendly solutions and ideas, which promote the well-being of the Baltic Sea.

Technology ‘Disruption’ is the name of the game in ocean technology in 2017, and in-step with Marine Technology Reporter’s 12th Annual “MTR100”, the editors this year will single out the 20 top “Disruptors” of 2017. If you believe your company has a technology or system that should be featured in this special ocean technology focus, skip the online MTR100 application process and email editorial director Greg Trauthwein (trauthwein@marinelink.com) or Managing Editor Eric Haun (haun@marinelink.com) directly.

Inmarsat (LSE: ISAT.L) has responded to demand for its ground-breaking Fleet Xpress service by boosting from six to 33 the number of ports where a complete service installation with a flat fee is available. Fleet Xpress installation will now be available at 12 Asia Pacific ports, 11 in the Europe Middle-East and Africa region, and 10 ports in the Americas, with all work undertaken by Inmarsat-certified engineers. Inmarsat’s enhancement of its installation capabilities is part of the company’s strategy to support the rapid global adoption of the unique Fleet Xpress service…

Norwegian integrated energy player Statoil ASA intends to more than triple its oil and gas production in Brazil by 2030, reports Reuters. Statoil has also approved the Peregrino phase 2 development, which is expected to add 250 million barrels of reserves at a break-even price of below $45 a barrel, down from an original estimate of $70 a barrel. Statoil invested about $10 billion in Brazil and is currently the largest foreign offshore operator in the country. The company operates the Peregrino field in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil with a 60% stake.

The port of Singapore recorded its first year-on-year decline in bunker sales of 2017 during the month of May, according to preliminary estimates released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). According to Reuters report, Sale of marine fuels in Singapore in May fell to 4.181 million tonnes, down 4.2 percent from the same period last year, the second lowest monthly sale by volumes this year. The May volumes were also down 1.7 percent from April, the data showed. The last time monthly sales were lower this year was in February.

The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) and the Chinese Bureau of Water Transport met June 14 to discuss the two countries' cooperation in the maritime field as well as the general challenges faced by maritime transport. “Chinese and Danish ship owners are among the world's largest carriers at sea, and as maritime nations we share many common interests,” said DMA Director General, Andreas Nordseth. “China and Denmark meet regularly to exchange views, ideas and experiences on maritime issues,” Nordseth said.

Live network testing conducted by Marlink over the newest Intelsat EpicNG High Throughput Ku-band satellite demonstrates that the v65 system will enable users to achieve high throughput connectivity for vessels of all sizes. Maritime satellite antenna systems provider Intellian Technologies said its v65 Ku/Ka band convertible satellite communications system has been independently tested by satellite communications service provider Marlink and exceeds all expectations in terms of performance efficiency on the company’s newly launched 60cm global network.

Japanese shipbuilders Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. have reached a basic agreement to form an alliance in the commercial ship business. Together the two companies will seek business synergy and target sustainable growth to strengthen global competitiveness, while also respecting mutual independence, MHI said. The shipbuilders will also work toward establishing a technical alliance to focus on development of new ship designs and technologies, standardization of design and construction, as well as efficient shared use of tools and equipment. The alliance with Oshima follows on MHI’s agreement reached at the end of March with Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Namura Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

TechnipFMC’s Andersen discusses the way forward now that “super-profit oil” is over. Ann Kristen Andersen heads up oilfield projects as offshore services and equipment supplier TechnipFMC’s managing director for Norway and Russia. She started her job on the first day of February 2017, a month after a merger that changed the company and has already partly changed an industry beginning to ramp up activity with the oil price buoyant at $55 per barrel. How has the merger that created TechnipFMC — which answered calls for lower offshore costs in tough times — changed the way you do things?

The bunkering vessel ENGIE Zeebrugge performed in the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, its first deliveries of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel to M/V Auto Eco and M/V Auto Energy, the two new gas-propelled pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) of UECC. The LNG bunkering operations were conducted simultaneously while cargo operations for PCTCs were taking place. ENGIE Zeebrugge, which is the world’s first purpose-built LNG bunkering vessel, arrived in Zeebrugge at the beginning of April after delivery from Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co.

Devon Grennan, president and CEO of Global Diving & Salvage, and president of the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) asks the tough questions. What are the biggest challenges the spill response industry faces in light of the current political and economic climate in the United States? And what is SCAA doing to meet these challenges? I see the primary challenge that the spill response industry – as well as SCAA’s membership – currently has is to manage expectations and competing interests at a unique point in our nation’s energy renaissance.

Further digitalization of established technologies such as condition monitoring and smart sensors could have a revolutionary effect on manufacturing, said Bernie van Leeuwen, Director Product Management Digitalization at SKF. Digitalization, most apparent in the consumer market, where music downloads, online shopping and on-demand TV are hailed as marvels of the digital age, is also having a huge effect on manufacturing. Sweden based SKF is at the forefront of using digitalization to improve its business in the service of its customers.

The Canadian Great Lakes Pilotage Authority (GLPA) and the Great Lakes Pilotage Division of the U.S. Coast Guard have opened the 2017 shipping season using an upgraded Great Lakes Pilot Management System based on the latest version of Saab’s KleinPilot. The new system went live on schedule with the season opening. It is being used by the two organizations and the U.S. Great Lakes pilotage associations to manage the rostering and dispatch of the more than 100 marine pilots on the Great Lakes and automatically generate billing in accordance with the applicable tariffs.

Gulf Petrochem Group, the UAE based global bunker supplier, said it is now officially offering physical supply of Gasoil on the River Thames, U.K. The group’s deliveries will be carried out using a barge on an exclusive long-term charter named the Conveyer. The move will allow Gulf Petrochem Group to supply ISO compliant Gasoil to its customers at all ports and wharfs along the Thames and Medway. Further, the group’s Rotterdam operations have added to its current fleet with the time charter of The Melbourne.

Over a period of four months, MAN Diesel & Turbo has won contracts for four Chinese dredger newbuildings. Chinese outfits CHECD, Jiangsu Haixin and Huanghua Port Bureau recently chose MAN medium-speed engines for trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) newbuildings. CHEC Dredging Company Ltd. (CHECD) – a subsidiary of CCCC Shanghai Dredging Company Ltd., a branch of CCCC Dredging Company Ltd. (CDC), one of the leading dredging companies in the world and the largest in China – chose complete propulsion packages from MAN Diesel & Turbo for their new 2 × 6,500 m3 TSHDs.

DNV GL informs it has opened two digital fleet performance centers in Hamburg and Singapore to support its ECO Insight customers in monitoring and optimizing their fleets. Expert systems at the fleet performance centers are able to check incoming vessel data from customers using the ECO Insight platform, providing quality control of the data and offering suggestions on potential improvement levers for both individual vessels and fleets, such as identifying speed loitering and over-usage of auxiliary engines or boilers, DNV GL said.

Active Shipping is teaming up with Marlink and its regional partner Ozsay Satellite Communications to move into the world of high-speed maritime broadband and ship digitalization. By installing Marlink’s Sealink Global VSAT service combined with the XChange digital solutions platform, the Istanbul, Turkey-based ship manager will experience a significant boost to its operational capabilities on its vessels, which comprise oil tankers and bulk carriers. Active shipping will run…

The Global Small Scale LNG Market is expected to grow over the CAGR of around 2.5% during the period 2014 to 2022, says a report by Market Research Future. The growth of the Small Scale LNG Market is majorly driven by increased demand for energy in the Asia-Pacific region. The government initiatives that focus on providing cleaner fuel, is driving the market, especially in countries such as India and China. The market is further driven by the growing adoption of LNG for heavy duty transportation purposes in the Europe and North American regions.

China’s Sinochem International Logistics, a leading chemical tanker owner and operator with 80 vessels, is implementing DNV GL’s data smart fleet management system ShipManager on the entire fleet, optimizing operations and improving performance and efficiency. The contract was signed in April at the opening of DNV GL’s newbuilt near-zero-emission Green Office Centre in Shanghai, with the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in attendance, in addition to two of her cabinet members.

Maersk Container Industry is introducing an energy meter with its Star Cool refrigerated containers. Star Cool refrigerated containers are now fitted with a new embedded digital feature that offers visibility and precise knowledge of actual energy consumption. To provide transparency into actual energy consumption throughout the transportation window, over land and sea, Maersk Container Industry (MCI) is introducing an energy meter feature integrated into all new Star Cool refrigerated containers.

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s Marine Safety Committee (MSC) adopted amendments to SOLAS2020 that raise the damage stability requirements for passenger vessels in the event of flooding caused by a collision. These changes used as a basis a series of EU and European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) funded cooperative research projects conducted by academics, shipyards, ship operators, owners, classification societies and ship design consultants over several decades. “To their great credit…

The SejlSikkert (SailSafely ) campaign enjoys fair winds and is now backed by more than 300 ambassadors, says a statement from Danish Maritime Authority (DMA). Nautical warnings are now updated daily in the SejlSikkert App (SailSafely App), it said. Six deaths, 516 reported incidents and almost 3,000 unreported incidents speak for themselves – it is still necessary to pay full attention to safety at sea. For two years, the Danish foundation TrygFonden and the Danish Pleasure Craft Safety Board have focused fully on the safety of fishermen and yachtsmen…

Rapp Marine informs it will supply a complete electric deck machinery package for a new 130-meter-long krill vessel under construction for Aker BioMarine at Vard Group AS in Norway. The total contract value is 1 billion NOK (Approximately US$118.5 million). “This is our first delivery to a krill vessel,” said Tor-Idar Øye, Rapp Marine VP Sales. All plans and specifications for the new vessel have been developed in cooperation with fishermen from Aker BioMarine and engineers from Vard Group AS, according to Aker BioMarine.

Qatar Petroleum and Shell signed a framework agreement to develop global LNG bunkering facilities on Tuesday, Qatar Petroleum said.   "We view LNG bunkering as a promising opportunity for LNG to further grow as a clean energy source," Qatar Petroleum CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi was quoted as saying.   "LNG demand for bunkering is expected to increase significantly over the coming years and we believe there is real potential for such demand to reach up to 50 million tons per annum by 2030," he said.   LNG bunkering provides the shipping industry with a new fuel that helps to meet the industry’s environmental and economic targets. (Reporting By Reem Shamseddine and Noah Browning. Editing by Jane Merriman)

Wärtsilä said it has booked an order in April 2017 to provide its Wärtsilä 31 main engine, the propulsion machinery and the auxiliary engines for a new state-of-the-art pelagic trawler under construction at a Norwegian shipyard. The vessel has been ordered by Research Fishing Co based in Lerwick, Shetland Islands. There is an option for a second vessel. In specifying the Wärtsilä solutions, the customer cited the need for the latest technologies in order to optimize the total efficiency of the vessel.

Innovative new ontainer scanning technology is being developed for the CORE (Consistently Optimized REsilient Secure Global Supply-Chains) European Research Project by Smiths Detection, a leader in detecting weapons, biohazards, radioactive material, narcotics and contraband. Smiths Detection is designing both hardware and software for the next generation of container scanners, which will speed-up throughput and improve detection. The aim is to verify as quickly and accurately as possible whether a container holds only its declared legal cargo and is not harboring contraband…

Supertankers entering the Port of Long Beach will use ABB’s marine software to produce real-time data of the keel-to-seabed clearance, improving the safety and efficiency of the operations. Sensors fitted to Tesoro vessels will send information to a Portable Surveyor Box (PSB), carried by the pilot, which will verify their route to the dock. In this specific case, the system is used to continuously validate (and improve) pre-calculated motions from the online decision support system PROTIDE, which is used to calculate safe transit time windows for large oil tankers to enter the port.

Lloyd's Register (LR) has launched the LR Unmanned Marine Systems Code, a goal-based code that takes a structured approach to the assessment of unmanned marine systems (UMS) against a set of safety and operational performance requirements. With current and expected developments in autonomous and remote systems LR envisages that, within the near future, UMS will enter into widespread use through many sectors of the maritime industry. LR has been active in understanding how it can support the industry to demonstrate safe design and quality manufacture of critical aspects for unmanned systems. The LR Unmanned Marine Systems Code provides an assurance process in order to certify the safe design…

In combination with the VOSSRing preassembly studs, VOSSRing also meets the demands placed on assembly reliability and leak prevention, as confirmed by a series of certifications such as the recent permit for gas applications. The cutting ring had already been granted certificates for the marine and offshore sectors from all major international classification societies. It is now seamlessly integrated into the fluid specialist’s complete range of couplings: they are mostly approved for both the marine and offshore sectors as well as for gas applications.

Nicole Foss, the final of Foss’ three new state-of-the-art Arctic Class tugs designed to operate in the extreme conditions of the far north, was christened last week at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. The vessel was built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. shipyard and will enter service this summer. Foss president and CEO John Parrott made opening remarks, praising the hard work and dedication of the people, designers, and customers that made the project possible. Scott Merritt, chief operating officer of Foss also spoke, praising the team at the Rainier Shipyard.

Optimarin informs it has signed an agreement with Goltens Green Technologies giving the Norwegian-headquartered ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist a global network of spare parts warehousing and service engineers. The framework agreement, negotiated at this month’s Nor-Shipping, will enable Optimarin to use facilities in Asia, North America and the Middle East to provide its worldwide customer base with local lead times for the commissioning and maintenance of its market proven Optimarin Ballast System (OBS). “We know Goltens very well,” said Optimarin CEO, Tore Andersen.

A tanker collides with an unknown ship off the Ivorian coast, causing a major oil spill. This was the scenario of an oil spill training exercise that took place in Abidjan and Assinie, Côte d’Ivoire (8-9 June). The deployment exercise involved more than 100 participants from various public institutions and the private sector, working together to fight the simulated spill, first at sea and then ashore. The event tested Côte d’Ivoire’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, which has been developed over recent years with support from the Global Initiative for West…