Mikkelsen News

Rescuers searching for a missing submersible near the wreck of the Titanic on Wednesday concentrated their efforts on a remote area of the North Atlantic where a series of undersea noises have been detected, though officials cautioned the sounds may not have originated from the vessel.With estimates suggesting the air supply on board the submersible could run out by Thursday morning, an international coalition of rescue teams has swept a vast expanse of the ocean for signs of the Titan…

Norway police on Friday investigated reports of a drone flying over the Kaarstoe [Kårstø] gas plant in southwest Norway on Thursday, while in Arctic Norway a Russian-Israeli citizen was arrested when police found two drones in his car.The Norwegian military Home Guard has been posted at Kaarstoe and other major energy export facilities since authorities boosted security at Norwegian oil and gas installations after the Sept. 26 Nord Stream leaks.At 2130 local time (1930 GMT) on Thursday…

A fully-electric ferry in Denmark has set a new world record for the longest voyage on a single battery charge.The vessel, Ellen, which usually connects the islands of Ærø and Als in Southern Denmark, broke the distance record on June 9 in Sønderborg, Denmark, where leaders from industry, government, and civil society joined the International Energy Agency (IEA) for the 7th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency. On her return from the conference, where participants explored how international ambition on energy efficiency can be translated into faster and stronger real-world progress…

A keel-laying ceremony was held earlier this week for Seaway 7’s new offshore wind turbine installation vessel Seaway Ventus.The ceremony was held on Monday, June 6, at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) Haimen facility, Nantong.The GustoMSC NG-14000XL-G jack-up vessel was originally ordered by OHT, with which Seaway 7 merged in 2021."This is a very important and satisfying milestone for the Seaway Ventus construction project, marking the period where all the fabricated…

Seaway 7, a company specializing in offshore wind installation services, has informed that construction has started for its next-generation Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV) at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) facility in Jiangsu, China. In a statement on Thursday, Seaway 7 said the first steel cutting ceremony marked the first major milestone in bringing its GustoMSC NG-14000XL-G jack-up vessel to the market.This week, Seaway 7 also revealed the new build vessel’s name; Seaway Ventus meaning ‘wind’ in Latin.

Finland-based maritime and offshore engine and equipment maker Wärtsilä has won orders to equip Norwegian firm OHT’s next-generation wind offshore turbine installation vessel being built in China.Wärtsilä will supply an integrated propulsion and dynamic positioning thruster solution, including the engines, a Wärtsilä NOx reducer emission abatement system, as well as steerable and tunnel thrusters to deliver optimum performance for vessel dynamic positioning in this new wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV).

Danish Parliament on Tuesday approved plans to send a naval warship to boost maritime security in one of the world's top piracy hot spots. In the fall of 2021 the European country will deploy its frigate Esbern Snare to the Gulf of Guinea off Africa's west coast where it will contribute to international efforts to curb rampant piracy.As the world’s fifth largest marine nation Denmark said on average 30-40 Danish operated ships sail through the Gulf of Guinea daily, carrying some $1.6 billion in goods annually.In March…

Ferry industry trade group Interferry announced Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu as the new Chair of its board of directors. He was elected at the association’s annual general meeting on October 27 - held virtually due to COVID-19 travel restrictions - in succession to John Steen-Mikkelsen, former CEO of Denmark’s Danske Faerger. The meeting also confirmed the appointment of a new director extending Southeast Asia representation on the board.Mathieu, an Interferry board member since 2010…

Corvus Energy, a provider of energy storage solutions for marine, oil & gas and port applications, announced that DNV GL and Corvus Energy have completed the DNV GL Manufacturer Product Quality Assessment (MPQA) and have signed a Manufacturing Survey Arrangement (MSA), resulting in streamlined quality control processes and faster customer deliveries.Under the terms of the MSA, Corvus Energy has been granted the ability to witness the Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) at its plant in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, without the presence of a DNV GL surveyor.“We are honored to be the first battery or energy storage system manufacturer in the world to be approved for MSA certification…

Copenhagen-based Thorco Projects has selected Navis’ Bluetracker solution to monitor and analyse the fuel consumption and vessel performance of its own and chartered vessels. Navis is a provider of maritime software solutions for efficient and compliant cargo and vessel performance.Bluetracker One’s Charter Monitor module will enable Thorco to monitor the operational speed versus fuel oil consumption in compliance with the agreed terms of the charter party.The specialist in global project shipping operates one of the world’s largest multi-purpose fleets, featuring vessels with lifting capacity to handle unusually large and heavy cargo as well as excellent speed capabilities…

Protecting navigation data from digital attacks is vital in the military marine segment when conducting navy operations. To provide navy vessels with secure and reliable navigation data, Danish supplier of nautical charts Weilbach has developed their digital solutions to offer a complete service.“When navigation software integrations come from different suppliers, the risk of hacking, cyber-attacks and errors can increase. We can ensure navy vessels are able to get up-to-date and reliable data necessary to plan operations from only one supplier…

Interferry, the trade association representing the worldwide ferry industry, has announced that the new chairman of its board of directors is John Steen-Mikkelsen, CEO of Danish ferry operator Danske Faerger.Steen-Mikkelsen was elected together with three new board members at the annual general meeting held last week in Cancun, Mexico, during the association’s 43rd annual conference.The Interferry board is drawn from all types of large and small ferry operations - including ro-pax, ro-ro, cruise ferries, fast ferries and passenger-only ferries - as well as industry suppliers.

The total gross tonnage of the Danish ship registry recently surpassed 20 million GT for the first time in history.Denmark, which has been steadily climbing the ranks as a shipping nation, is currently the world's 12th largest register.The fleet under Danish flag continues to grow as the country’s government maintains efforts to ensure conditions are attractive for the maritime industry, the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) noted, citing as an example the recent removal of registration fees for ships in Danish registries…

Danish dry bulk carrier Thorco Bulk announced today it has been renamed Trithorn Bulk with immediate effect. “This is a natural development for our company. We wish to further strengthen our corporate identity and position in the market by taking a name that truly expresses what the three of us, the trio from North of Denmark, has built together with Thornico,” Trithorn Bulk management explained on the company’s website. The name change includes no changes to the legal entity or to the ownership, status management and personnel.

Digital nautical charts and better communication at sea are some of the concrete solutions that can boost the development of the maritime sector. Danish Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Brian Mikkelsen, is pleased with the prospects of more digital cooperation across the EU when the results of the digitalization project are being presented at a conference in Copenhagen today and tomorrow. Representatives from the maritime sector are gathered today for the final conference of the digitalization project EfficienSea2. For the last three years, partners across the EU have been working together to find solutions that can bring the digitalization of the maritime world forward.

Denmark's Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Brian Mikkelsen and Mexico’s Secretary of Communications and Transportation, Gerado Ruiz Esparza, have signed a maritime MoU to increase the two countries’ cooperation on maritime topics. Maritime topics such as digitalization and green shipping. The MoU was signed during the visit of the Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs to Mexico. The maritime MoU is part of the strategic partnership agreement that Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and the Mexican president signed in April 2017. The partnership solidifies the economic and political ties between the countries, and with the new MoU there will a further strengthening of the maritime cooperation.

Danish shipping company Thorco Projects said that in less than two months after the establishment of its new dry cargo division,  it expands and adds more manpower to the team from its offices in both Houston and Rio de Janeiro. At the end of 2017, Thorco Projects announced its new division Thorco Projects Dry Cargo. With a wish to explore possible synergies between project and dry cargo, the company added to its line of core services and moved into the segment of 20-35,000 DWT. The newly-established division is off to a good start and expanding the team is already a necessity. “Thorco Projects Dry Cargo has been well-received by the market. Due to an ever-increasing activity, we are required to expand even further.

The Government’s Plan for Growth in the Danish Maritime Sector positions the country to become a global maritime hub by 2025. The plan counts initiatives aimed at making Denmark a global frontrunner within tests of maritime autonomous technologies and maritime digitalisation, creating more work-experience places at sea and increasing the number of applicants admitted to the training programmes for masters and ship officers, as well as ensuring the development of an overall maritime marketing strategy in close cooperation with the industry. The Government’s Plan for Growth is based on the recommendations made by the Maritime Strategy Team. ”With the Plan for Growth in the Danish Maritime Sector, the Government has set the course for Denmark to become a global maritime power hub by 2025.

A conference on autonomous ships hosted by the Danish Maritime Authority zooms in on the potential for using new technology on board ships. Before long, the Danish Maritime Authority can take the next step in its efforts to create a sound and safe framework for utilising new technology in shipping. At the international conference “Zooming in on autonomous ships”, which was held today, and which had been arranged by the Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) in cooperation with Danish Shipping and Danish Maritime, the consultancy company Rambøll and the law firm CORE unveiled a few of the conclusions from a new report. And they included a number…

Boston based Sea Machines Robotics said it will collaborate with Danish boat builder Tuco Marine to offer remote and autonomous control products as factory options in Tuco’s line of ProZero workboats. Last week, the two companies successfully demonstrated the remote command capability of the Sea Machines 300 technology at Danish Maritime Authority's “Zooming into Marine Autonomy Conference” where they gave live remote command of the water craft to Danish Minister of Industry, Brian Mikkelsen.

The Danish Parliament (Folketinget) has adopted a number of new initiatives in the maritime area which will, inter alia, make it easier to keep and ensure growth in Danish maritime activities and boost the pleasure craft business. Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Brian Mikkelsen said: "These initiatives will help ensure that the Danish flag remains attractive in a globalised world. The Danish Parliament has adopted new regulations in four areas. The provisions on foreign owners’ possibility of having ships registered under the Danish flag have been adjusted and clarified. The purpose is to help ensure that Denmark can retain and extend its global position as a major attractive flag State and as a maritime hub.

​Maritime regulation should be made more flexible if it is to support the development of autonomous ships. A new report published by The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) identifies where changes in maritime regulation are needed. The report will be used as a platform for the future effort of The Danish Maritime Authority to develop regulation and make it digitalisation-ready. The Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Brian Mikkelsen, said: ”It is important that Denmark and Danish companies are at the forefront of technology and digitalisation. The development of autonomous ships is fast-moving and we must be at its forefront. However, part of the current regulation is based on traditions dating back to the age of sail. That needs to improve.

The Danish-controlled fleet is increasing. Taking the sixth place on the list of the world’s major shipping nations given as operated tonnage, Denmark has advanced one place. Already from early 2018, Danish shipping has a fair wind and has succeeded in advancing on the list of major shipping nations. This is demonstrated by the most recent overview from IHS Markit (Sea-web). At present, Danish shipping is undergoing positive developments. This is now directly deductible from the ranking list of the world’s major shipping nations. Denmark has overtaken Germany and has, thus, advanced to the sixth place, given as operated tonnage which covers owned or chartered-in ships operated by Danish shipowners.