Onboard Systems News

Robert Allan Ltd. in conjunction with Indústria Naval Catarinense Ltda. (INC), has announced the development of a new pushboat design. The vessels will support Transpetro’s bunkering operations at terminals in Brazil and form part of a newbuild program for pushboats and barges serving the fuel logistics market.This project marks Robert Allan Ltd.’s first vessels designed for Transpetro, part of Brazilian Oil and Gas major, Petrobras. The program represents a step in Transpetro’s expansion into barge-based fuel transportation…

C&C Marine & Repair has delivered CTOW 330, a new double-hull tank barge designed for bunker service and built to support modern fuel-handling requirements across lakes, bays, and sounds service routes to Colonial Towing.Measuring approximately 297'06" x 54'00" x 16'00", CTOW 330 has a nominal cargo capacity of about 28,000 U.S. barrels and features a flush deck extending the full length and breadth of the vessel. The barge is designed for U.S. Coast Guard authorization for Subchapter “D” cargoes…

On March 25, Damen Shipyards Group delivered the second of four Combi Freighters (CF) 3850 to Reederei Bernd Sibum following successful sea trials in Shanghai. The vessels are being constructed at Damen Yichang Shipyard in China. The first vessel, delivered at the beginning of February, is currently on its maiden voyage, bound for Norway with a project cargo.The new generation CF 3850 vessels are designed for high efficiency. In their standard form the vessels are able to sail on 100% biofuel and are prepared for hybrid propulsion.

Leveraging the advancements in connectivity and augmented reality (AR) technology, Alfa Laval is strengthening its remote service offering to help crews troubleshoot, maintain compliance and optimize equipment performance in real time directly from vessels at sea. Building on successful trials in partnership with shipowners and ship managers, the company is now developing scalable remote support solutions that give crews continuous access to expert assistance, improving uptime…

Anschütz cleared a key milestone on the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigate program, successfully completing the Critical Design Review (CDR) for its Warship Integrated Navigation and Bridge Systems (WINBS).The CDR confirms that the system design meets all technical and operational requirements, allowing the program to move into the production and integration phase. For a mission-critical system like WINBS, the milestone provides assurance that the navigation and bridge…

ABB has won a contract to deliver a fully integrated electrical power, propulsion and automation system for two hybrid-electric cable repair vessels being built for French shipowner Orange Marine at Colombo Dockyard PLC in Sri Lanka.The vessels, scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029, will support submarine cable maintenance operations across the Atlantic and Indian oceans as well as the Mediterranean, Black and Red seas. Orange Marine is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Orange Group and specializes in the installation and maintenance of subsea telecommunications cables.Under the agreement…

Island Marine Electric has appointed marine technology sales veteran Doug Bennis as Vice President of Sales & Marketing.Bennis brings experience in the maritime and satellite communications industries, where he has led global sales initiatives, developed strategic channel partnerships, and driven revenue growth across commercial and recreational marine markets. With a career rooted in marine connectivity and technology solutions, he has built a reputation for aligning evolving onboard systems with customer and vessel requirements in an increasingly connected marine environment.In his new role…

In a major milestone for Auckland’s public transport network, the city’s first plug-in hybrid electric fast ferry has performed exceptionally on sea trials and will soon enter service on the busy Auckland to Devonport commuter route. The vessel achieved a top speed of 36 knots on all-electric mode, with the performance of the electric propulsion and onboard systems consistently meeting and surpassing expectations.Designed by Incat Crowther, built by Q-West Boat Builders with systems integration by Hamilton Jet…

Specialist provider of crew transfer solutions to the offshore wind industry Tidal Transit has unveiled the latest addition to its growing fleet of purpose-build crew transfer vessels (CTVs).The new 24-passenger CTV, Emilia Jane, is the latest WindFlex-27 with quad-IPS propulsion, designed by Incat Crowther UK and built by Penguin International.Expected to arrive in the UK in March 2026, Emilia Jane will provide essential service and maintenance support to offshore wind operations in the North Sea.Building on her predecessors’ designs (Arabella Jane…

Fincantieri has signed new contracts with the Italian Navy to enhance the cyber resilience of modern naval units, strengthening protection against cyber threats to onboard systems and mission security.The contracts, signed through e-phors, a subsidiary of Fincantieri NexTech, cover the deployment of an integrated solution designed to monitor and counter cyber threats targeting ships’ onboard Ship Management System networks. The program is aimed at reinforcing platform protection…

For the last few decades, the U.S. maritime industry has faced a slow-burning situation: few ships, an aging mariner workforce and too little visibility into what it takes to sustain both. In the aftermath of COVID-19, that challenge grew more urgent. Globally, ships that once had their pick of licensed officers suddenly found themselves short-crewed and companies like American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) had to rethink what retention and recruitment meant in practice as a matter of national capability.ARC operates the largest U.S.-flag roll-on/roll-off fleet in international trade…

Breaux’s Bay Craft delivered its latest aluminum pilot vessel for the Houston Pilots. The first of two, M/V San Jacinto, is the newest addition to the fleet of high-performance pilot boats,designed for  precision, built for strength, and finished with a striking red, white, and blue color scheme that reflects the Gulf Coast heritage of the Houston Pilots.Measuring 80 x 21 feet wide, the San Jacinto is built with a new-generation inverted deep-V bottom hull, exceeds the rigorous operational demands of one of the busiest pilotage services in the U.S.

The William E. Moran has entered service in New York, bringing enhanced capability and performance to Moran’s evolving fleet. As the first vessel in the company’s next-generation class, it is purpose-built to meet the demands of modern port operations, support evolving customer needs, and advance Moran’s goals for safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. These next-generation tugs will be among the largest in the fleet, underscoring Moran’s continued focus on delivering safe…

Dutch maritime solar company Wattlab has delivered a solar energy system for globally operating shipping, trading, and maritime services company Vertom.The recently delivered Vertom Tula is a 7,280dwt diesel-electric multipurpose cargo vessel. The solar system represents a major technical milestone and a step forward for sustainable shipping. Wattlab has delivered and installed 44 Solar Flatracks that will provide power to onboard systems, reducing 20% of the hotel load. Vertom operates a fleet of over 100 vessels…

ClassNK has released "Guidelines for Onboard CO2 Capture and Storage Systems (Edition 2.0)", which assesses onboard CO2 capture systems (OCCS) using membrane separation. The guidelines can be used to support the safe development, manufacturing, and installation of a relevant system.CO2 capture from ship exhaust gas is growing in popularity as a way to reduce GHG emissions, and the development of onboard systems for capturing and storing CO2 is being undertaken. In 2023, ClassNK published the first edition of the "Guidelines for Onboard CO2 Capture and Storage Systems…

The construction of Captain Arctic, a 69-meter near-zero-emission exploration vessel designed for sustainable cruising in polar waters, has reached a major milestone as its hull was completed by Goltens Dubai, marking the start of final outfitting and integration work.The vessel, owned by French company SELAR and built in collaboration with Chantier Naval de l’Océan Indien (CNOI) and Goltens Dubai, represents a major step in the integration of renewable energy systems into modern…

BIO-UV Group has completed the first commercial deployment of its containerized BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system (BWTS) at Port-la-Nouvelle in southern France, supporting the installation of the pioneering EFGL floating offshore wind project in the Mediterranean.The landmark project, operated by Eoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) – a project owned by Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires, marks the first floating offshore wind development in Occitanie region (French…

Robosys Automation, a leader in maritime autonomy, vessel control systems, and smart shipping solutions, has announced that it has secured a new contract to retrofit a 26-meter Damen 2610 Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) Twin Axe High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV), with its flagship VOYAGER AI advanced maritime autonomy software.The vessel, built in 2015 to Lloyd’s Register classification standards, is powered by twin Caterpillar C32 engines with direct drives and is equipped with an Alphatron autopilot…

The Switch, a supplier of permanent magnet shaft generators, celebrates its 500th shaft generator order. This milestone underscores the company’s pivotal role in supporting the maritime industry’s transition to cleaner, more efficient shipping.Shaft generators harness the main engine’s power to produce electricity for a vessel’s onboard systems, reducing reliance on auxiliary diesel generators that run with lower fuel efficiency. Permanent magnet shaft generators improve fuel efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions…

Wallem Group has launched a suite of support and consultancy services to protect IT systems onboard its clients’ vessels from disruption.Its new Vessel IT Security and Management Services (VITS) have been developed with a ship's entire digital ecosystem in mind – from its business networks to the Internet of Things (IoT) systems on which operations and humans rely. It includes six management and security services to help keep vessel IT systems up and running, and minimise cyber threats.Wallem VITS offer continuous Servicedesk Support to customers from experts in vessel IT.

During a U.S. naval test off the California coast last month, which was designed to showcase the Pentagon’s top autonomous drone boats, one vessel stalled unexpectedly.As officials scrambled to fix a software glitch, another drone vessel smashed into the idling boat’s starboard side, vaulted over the deck, and crashed back into the water – an incident captured in videos obtained by Reuters.The previously unreported episode, which involved two vessels built by U.S. defense tech rivals Saronic and BlackSea Technologies…

The Ancona shipyard hosted the latest stage of the "Open Shipyards, a View of the Future" roadshow on July 28, 2025, an initiative promoted by Fincantieri that opens the doors of the Group's Italian facilities to institutions and stakeholders. The event focused on dialogue on industrial innovation, organizational transformation, and sustainability challenges, with particular attention to the strategic value of the Marche region in the national production system.The meeting opened with greetings from Biagio Mazzotta…

The latest addition to Tidal Transit’s fleet of purpose-built crew transfer vessels (CTVs), Imogen Rose, was officially christened at Equinor’s pontoon in Great Yarmouth.The ceremony formed part of a wider event, hosted by multinational energy company Equinor, to celebrate completion of an ongoing modification project at its 317 MW Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm.Imogen Rose is an Incat Crowther UK-designed WindFlex 27 model, outfitted with Volvo Penta Quad-IPS, and built by Singapore-based Penguin International.Her first charter was to energy services supplier Stowen Group…