Retrofit News

GLO Marine and VMS Group Denmark have secured a multi-vessel retrofit work for offshore support vessel operator Tidewater, expanding their role in the offshore energy sector.Covering 16 vessels across three continents, including several in U.S. waters, the retrofit program marks an important step in both companies’ strategy to provide fleet-scale retrofit solutions to the international offshore vessels market.The companies are executing a full-scope BWTS retrofit and lifecycle project management plan for Tidewater.To date…

Wärtsilä will upgrade the Wärtsilä RT-flex main engines on two bulk carrier vessels owned by Turkey-based Ulusoy Sealines. The planned engine retrofits and upgrades will extend the vessels’ operational life and improve both performance and fuel efficiency, thereby significantly reducing emissions. The orders were booked by Wärtsilä in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025.With the integration of Wärtsilä Part Load Optimization (WPLO), Intelligence Combustion Control (ICC), and Fuel Actuated Sackless Technology (FAST), a CII improvement of 5% is anticipated, equating to a 2-year extension of the CII rating.

ClassNK has issued an approval in principle (AiP) for retrofitted methanol dual fuel Kamsarmax bulk carrier developed by TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING and Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon ShippingThe AiP is for the design concept of a retrofitted Kamsarmax bulk carrier, converting it from conventional fuel to methanol dual-fuel, jointly developed by TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING and Fonden Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.The certification demonstrates the regulatory feasibility of the ship…

Hoyer, a leader in electric motors and automation solutions, announced the launch of Hoyer ESS (Energy-Saving System) at Sea Asia 2025 in Singapore. Specifically designed for retrofits on operating vessels, Hoyer ESS offers shipowners, operators, and fleet managers a fast-track solution to reduce motor energy consumption by 40-65% while lowering emissions and improving operational efficiency—all without the need for drydocking.With tightening environmental regulations like EEXI…

AET, a member of the MISC Group and owner and operator of maritime transportation assets, has signed an agreement with Fleetzero, a supplier of modular marine batteries for hybrid and electric ships, for the development of the world’s longest-range plug-in hybrid-electric vessel.Under the agreement, one of AET's Lightering Support Vessels (LSV)  will be retrofitted with a plug-in hybrid-electric system.The vessel will operate primarily on battery power, reducing greenhouse gas…

The outcome of MEPC 83 in April could establish the IMO’s mid-term GHG and carbon pricing strategy for achieving net-zero by around 2050. Not everyone is waiting; they have enough confidence in the LNG pathway to order new ships.According to the latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform, 34 new orders for alternative-fueled vessels were placed in February 2025, 33 of them for LNG-fueled container ships.The trend is continuing this week with CSSC subsidiary…

Rocket Lab, a company specializing in launch services and space systems, has acquired a barge which will be modified to specialized ocean landing platform for rockets returning to Earth.Rocket Lab acquired the Oceanus barge from New Orleans-based, private marine transportation company Canal Barge.The barge, renamed Return on Investment, will be customized to serve as an at-sea landing platform with propulsion systems to maintain the platform’s target position and thermal protection…

Norwegian shortsea shipping service provider Lighthouse Ship Management has achieved 33% reduction in fuel costs for one managed general cargo vessel coasters following the installation of a Berg propulsion retrofit package.The Torangsvåg-based fleet manager evaluated Berg’s options for optimizing energy use on board Terneskjaer, an 81m length 2,900 dwt general cargo ship owned by Bio Feeder.The project sought to cut fuel costs and emissions while adding a new competitive edge to a vessel built in 2008.Following a consultative process…

German shipyard Meyer Werft has launched the zero4cruise project with project partners including Freudenberg e-Power Systems and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).The project aims to develop climate-friendly and low emission energy systems for cruise ships, focusing on fuel cell technology powered by green methanol.The hybrid energy system will combine PEM fuel cells with a methanol reformer and battery systems to optimize efficiency and ensure ships can operate carbon-neutral…

Geoquip Marine, a Njord Partners portfolio company, has added a seventh vessel to their fleet, which is being converted from a platform supply vessel (PSV) to the geotechnical services platform for the offshore energy sector.The Geoquip Silvretta vessel, originally built as PSV by Green Yard Kleven (Green Yard), is being converted in Norway.The conversion, scheduled for completion in spring 2025, will include the installation of Geoquip's largest drilling rig, the GMTR150.The rig will ensure a low carbon footprint…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has delivered IT Infinity vessel to I.T. International Telecom Marine (IT), after completing its conversion from Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) to specialized Cable Laying Vessel (CLV).Built at Vard Brattvaag and delivered to Volstad Maritime in 2008 as the Volstad Princess, the vessel has changed ownership several times.SD Standard Drilling acquired the ship in 2017, before it was sold to IT in 2021 and renamed IT Infinity.In 2024, the vessel returned to VARD for an extensive conversion…

Netherlands-based inland shipping company MerlinGroup is starting a conversion project for the Sayonara to retrofit Stage V engines.The Sayonara will be equipped with two DAF MX 13-390 Stage V engines, supplied and fitted by CCM3 from Werkendam. The Sayonara is expected to resume operations on Dutch, Belgian and German rivers in Q4 2023.The retrofit will make it future-ready and able to sail anywhere with minimal emissions of harmful substances.The company, which operates on a participation model of cooperation between company and equal partners…

Retrofit specialist GLO Marine and expert in propulsion systems VMS Group have teamed up to expand their collaboration into comprehensive retrofits and vessel modifications, with a primary focus on decarbonization initiatives.In a strategic move towards advancing sustainable maritime practices, the GLO Marine-VMS Group partnership will prioritize retrofit projects and vessel modifications that align with the latest green technologies.The partnership stems from a series of ‘seamlessly executed’ retrofit project installations…

Around 10 of CMA CGM’s vessels are set to receive modifications and upgrades as part of the agreement the French shipping giant made with Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards, aimed at increasing the efficiency of the ships.The upgrades and modifications will deliver fuel efficiencies of more than 10%, according to Damen.The upgrades will take place at Damen Shiprepair Dunkerque (DSDu) and Damen Shiprepair Amsterdam (DSAm), which between them have some of Europe’s largest dry docks…

Samskip has joined the EU HyEkoTank project and its LNG-fueled vessel Kvitnos will be retrofitted with TECO 2030’s zero-emission technology.Samskip Kvitnos, built in 2015, is a cargo ship which operates in a fixed route on a weekly multipurpose service from Rotterdam, along the Norwegian west coast, to Hammerfest. The project also aims to facilitate long-term hydrogen fuel supply contracts due to the vessel’s fixed route.The HyEkoTank project is the world’s largest ongoing fuel cell retrofit project…

Wärtsilä is now offering carbon capture and storage (CCS) feasibility studies to shipowners and operators. Studies have already been conducted on a range of vessel types including ro-ro and ro-pax vessels, a drill ship, a container vessel and a gas carrier.The process takes four to six months of study and design work. Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment’s experts are involved in ship design at an early stage to conduct engineering work to understand how CCS can be smoothly integrated once…

Skansi Offshore’s platform supply vessel (PSV), Kongsborg, has had a battery hybrid solution installed that is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.SEAM delivered, and was the system integrator of, its hybrid solution, the e-SEAMatic® BLUE. The 1800kVA/620kWh system was installed in a dedicated pre-built deckhouse, complete with necessary auxiliary systems – significantly reducing the installation time onboard the vessel.The objective of this integration was twofold: a significant reduction in fuel emissions…

MAN PrimeServ – the after-sales brand of MAN Energy Solutions – will offer a retrofit package for the conversion of existing conventional MAN four-stroke engines to dual-fuel methanol operation starting in 2025. Customers will initially be able to convert existing MAN 48/60 engines to the latest MAN 51/60DF engine type with methanol capability.According to MAN Energy Solutions, the conversion package has been under development for some time and has been tested at its Augsburg, Germany plant since summer 2024.

MAN Energy Solutions has announced an agreement with Alfa Laval to develop a methanol fuel-supply solution for MAN four-stroke engines and its fuel-injection technology. As a result, the first four-stroke engine types will be capable of retrofit to methanol operation from 2025.MAN Energy Solutions and Alfa Laval previously collaborated on decarbonising shipping in 2014 when the very first methanol solution for two-stroke marine engines was in development. To date, this is still the only such system in use at sea with over 150…

HD Hyundai Marine Solution, HD Hyundai Engineering & Technology, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), and Hyundai Heavy Industries Power Systems have obtained Approval in Principle (AIP) from DNV for their design of an onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) system for retrofits.The retrofit design is applicable to a wide range of vessels, and DNV's AIP confirms that the OCCS technology is both feasible and prepared to meet emerging regulatory requirements.The project was conducted as a Joint Industry Project (JIP) between DNV and the HD Hyundai companies…

BMT and PA Consulting have explored the feasibility of retrofitting medium-sized Ro-Pax ferries with hydrogen propulsion and storage technology.The resulting white paper assesses the economic and technical feasibility of retrofitting existing vessels with hydrogen propulsion systems, presenting three retrofit alternatives with varying complexity, hydrogen demand and costs. These options involve dual-fuel engines with compressed gaseous hydrogen storage, hydrogen fuel cells with…

In its sustainability report, Scandlines committed to ferry operations with zero direct emissions by 2040.In support of this, the ferry company has signed an MoU with Caterpillar Motoren to explore the possibilities of converting the current MaK diesel of the Rostock-Gedser hybrid ferries to run on e-methanol. The use of e-methanol produced from renewable energy sources can reduce CO2 emissions by 95% under ideal circumstances.Scandlines already combines three technologies on the Rostock-Gedser route: traditional diesel operation, battery operation and wind power.

A project assessing the technical feasibility of onboard carbon capture and storage (CCS) has concluded that the technology has the potential to reduce a tanker’s CO2 emissions by as much as 20% per year, with a fuel consumption penalty of just under 10%.The project, Realising Maritime Carbon Capture to Demonstrate the Ability to Lower Emissions (REMARCCABLE), was carried out by the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and Stena Bulk together with ABS…