Maritime Industry News

Sustainable, energy-efficient working practices and environmental regulatory compliance are among the hot-button topics driving the spread of maritime digitalization.The benefits of a digital strategy for companies working within the maritime industry soon stack up. In addition to providing operational/logistical streamlining, data-based insights, a competitive edge and a reputational leg-up, connecting operational systems and consolidating interfaces also drives the levels of…

Semtech, Wilhelmsen and The Things Industries (TTI) have formed a partnership to use Semtech’s LoRa devices to help deliver what they describe as cost-effective, robust and proven IoT solutions to the maritime shipping industry.Wilhelmsen is a global maritime industry group founded in 1861. Semtech Corporation is a  supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms.Wilhelmsen has selected Semtech’s LoRa devices as the foundation for its new global 2.4GHz maritime IoT network to deliver an ecosystem of cost-effective…

Amsterdam IJmuiden Offshore Ports (AYOP), a networking organization, has appointed Sylvia Boer as director effective from 1 February 2020. In this new position within the association for offshore companies in the North Sea Canal Area, Boer acts as a link between the members, government and stakeholders.AYOP sees great opportunities for the offshore wind, but certainly also for oil & gas, in the region and wants to take full advantage of this with the arrival of Boer.Boer has been working for Damen Shipyards Group over the past eight years…

Watson Farley & Williams, international law firm based in London, advised Ridgebury Tankers and Tufton Oceanic on the acquisition of two Suezmax tankers in a 50%-50% joint venture with Euronav NV who also provided secured debt to the joint venture companies for the purposes of the acquisitions.Last month, Belgium's tanker shipping company Euronav has acquired two Suezmax tankers through a joint venture formed with affiliates of Ridgebury Tankers and clients of Tufton Oceanic.The  two Suezmax tankers fetch a combined consideration of US$40.6m.

The largest shipbuilding group in the world, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has entered into a new strategic partnership with DNV GL, the international accredited registrar and classification society headquartered in Høvik, Norway.A framework agreement between both parties was signed by Qian Jianping, Vice President of CSSC, and Norbert Kray, Regional Manager for Greater China at DNV GL – Maritime. The ceremony was witnessed by Remi Eriksen, Group President & CEO of DNV GL…

The offshore wind industry in the United States is growing exponentially, with multiple projects in the development stages off of the Atlantic coast. The total megawatt capacity of U.S. offshore wind farms is anticipated to reach 22,000 by 2030 and 43,000 by 2050. To support this growth, U.S. Department of Energy reports estimate over 40,000 new jobs will be created by 2030.The new jobs anticipated to support the offshore wind industry include a wide range of types, including engineers, trade workers, surveyors, scientists, technicians, managers, and seafarers.

Finnish provider of auxiliary wind propulsion systems for ships Norsepower has completed a joint project with China’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) for the development of an energy-efficient dual-fuel 300,000 dwt very large crude carrier (VLCC) design.The design has already received an approval in principle (AiP) from classification societies Lloyd’s Register and ABS.Under the agreement, Rotor Sails were implemented in the VLCC design for improving the fuel efficiency and reducing emissions…

Classification society DNV GL has developed new class rules and a class notation ‘Gas Fuelled LPG’ for using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel in anticipation of growing industry interest ahead of IMO 2020 and overall decarbonization of the shipping industry.The Norway-based international accredited registrar and classification society said that the “Gas fueled LPG” for using LPG as fuel comes as a way of bridging the gaps present in international regulations for such fuels…

Technology group Wärtsilä, and Silverstream Technologies announced the signing of a Licence and Co-operation Agreement for future sales and servicing of the Silverstream System. As an authorized sales and service partner, Wärtsilä intends to fully integrate Silverstream’s air lubrication system within its propulsion solutions.By offering the Silverstream System as an integral part of Wärtsilä’s propulsion solution for newbuild vessels, compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) will be further improved. Under the agreement, the Silverstream System will also be available through Wärtsilä’s sales channels for retrofit installations on existing vessels where Wärtsilä is a primary solution provider.

A group of world leading shipping companies including NYK, Sovcomflot, Knutsen OAS and Ardmore, ship builders, including DSME and the mining company Vale, have therefore teamed up with Denmark based Maritime Development Center to develop such an on-board carbon capture and storage solution in a project named decarbonICE.DecarbonICE is based on two new main ideas for the capture and storage part, respectively. The CO2 and other GHG's in the ship exhaust are captured on board in…

The vast majority of ships in the German fleet will run on the new sulfur-reduced fuel (Low Sulfur Fuel Oil, LSFO) from 1 January at the latest. This is one of the findings of a survey conducted by the German Shipowners’ Association (Verband Deutscher Reeder, VDR) among its member companies.While the body of data obtained through the survey is not representative of the German shipping industry as a whole, it does reflect views that can certainly be extrapolated since the respondents include shipping companies from every sector of the German shipping industry.

British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat plc and the provider of electric, digital and connected solutions for the marine industry ABB Marine & Ports have signed a master supply agreement aimed at tackling an obstacle identified by ship owners which has stopped them using IoT (Internet of Things) technology.A recent 2018 Inmarsat survey of 125 owners found 51% identifying an inability to get data off ships in real-time as their obstacle to IoT adoption.The agreement recognises ABB as a certified application provider to work with Fleet Data…

Ecochlor to represent NanoVapor in the maritime industry. The NanoVapor technology improves crew safety while significantly reducing time and any environmental pollution related to gas-freeing VOCs from cargo or bunker tanks. A single application can continue to suppress VOCs for days. The NanoVapor degassing process is more cost effective than traditional methods of cleaning these types of tanks.A NanoVapor unit consists of two components: a nano-suppressant liquid, TankSafe and a portable delivery unit, Model ST-1000.

Rutter, the solutions provider for radar image processing for the maritime industry, unveiled an innovative complement to its sigma S6 product line, WaveVision,  developed to optimize safety and operational efficiency of fishing and workboat operations.WaveVision is a revolutionary tool that works with navigational x-band radar to give operators visibility into wave fields within a 1km range of the vessel.When a large, obstructive or dangerous wave is detected the system alerts the operator, allowing time to make adjustment to speed or heading – or to allow time to warn deck personnel to seek

A new partnership between World Ocean Council (WOC) and WISTA International will advance women’s leadership in the sustainable blue economy.The WOC and WISTA is initiating a partnership to advance women’s leadership in the ocean and coastal business community and the Sustainable Blue Economy, said a press note.WISTA is a global organization connecting female executives and professionals from all sectors of the maritime industry. With more than 3,000 members in 49 countries, WISTA…

Boriana Farrar is a familiar face in maritime circles, the Vice President and Counsel and a Senior Claims Executive and Business Development Director for the Americas at the Ship Owners Claims Bureau, Inc. managers of the American P&I Club. We met with her in her NYC office to discuss her path from her native Bulgaria to a top maritime professional position.When Boriana Farrar moved from her native Bulgaria to the United States in 2001, she did so to be close to family, her mother and her sister who had already established a life in the U.S., some 5,000 miles from her homeland.

Make a Profit with a Safety Management System (SMS).Organizations in the maritime industry act no differently than any other successful global business unit. Major decisions are made with a certain underlying commitment – a commitment to customers, stakeholders and employees. That commitment can be oversimplified by stating the obvious, to generate revenue, but more specifically generate profits. Without profits, the company will not only fail to thrive, but will fail to survive.

SQLearn and Prevention at Sea (PAS) have launched the new innovative e-learning course “IMO 2020 Sulfur Cap”The Greek e-learning solutions provider said: "This is the one-time stop to learn everything that IMO requires to achieve compliance with the IMO 2020 Sulfur Cap Legislation."The e-learning course covers all the aspects of the IMO 2020 Sulfur Cap Regulations and gives you the deepest knowledge on the upcoming maritime changes defined by IMO and strictly implemented on January 1st…

South Korean shipping giant Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) has joined the Getting to Zero Coalition, a new alliance that aims to accelerate international shipping’s decarbonization.Getting to Zero Coalition is a powerful alliance of nearly 100 organizations within various industrial sectors to achieve significant reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in the maritime industry.“Climate change is a defining issue of our time and the scale of the environmental regulation we are facing is unprecedented.

Diverse and conveniently located, St. Johns Ship Building has quickly developed into a reliable partner for its many repeat customers. Today, and as a direct result, a lot more people know exactly where Palatka, Florida is located.On the St Johns River, just 60 miles south of Jacksonville, lies the sleepy town of Palatka, Florida. Founded as a trading post in 1821, its location on the highly navigable river made the area attractive to orange growers and timber men alike.In its heyday between 1875 and 1900…

The offshore wind industry in the United States is growing exponentially, with multiple projects in the development stages off of the Atlantic coast. The total megawatt capacity of U.S. offshore wind farms is anticipated to reach 22,000 by 2030 and 43,000 by 2050. To support this growth, U.S. Department of Energy reports estimate over 40,000 new jobs will be created by 2030.The new jobs anticipated to support the offshore wind industry include a wide range of types, including engineers, trade workers, surveyors, scientists, technicians, managers, and seafarers.

Global downstream gas and LNG logistics company Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) has made a strategic equity investment in Norway-based Kanfer Shipping.Kanfer is a developer of small-scale LNG sea transportation, maritime break-bulk solutions, floating storage facilities as well as LNG bunkering. Together, Kanfer and AG&P will make LNG more accessible and commercially viable for downstream customers in new and growing natural gas markets."Kanfer has captured the attention of the global LNG maritime infrastructure industry with its patented…

“The decrease in state spending on higher education is what keeps me awake at night” is how RADM Michael Alfultis, President, SUNY Maritime College, neatly summarized the biggest challenge he faces as the leader of one of the U.S.’ leading maritime universities. “With a small student body (about 1700), the numbers simply don’t work,” noting that while state funding 15 years ago covered two-thirds of the college’s operating expenses, that percentage hovers at or below 30% today.The…