Science And Technology News

The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) announced it has appointed Chris Goldsworthy as its new chief executive. Goldsworthy replaces Gwynne Lewis who is retiring, having been in the position since 2020.Goldsworthy is a fellow of the IMarEST and former Cyprus branch chair. He embarked on his career as an engineer cadet with P&O Containers, where he spent 16 years at sea, achieving the rank of chief engineer officer. He transitioned to shore-based roles in 2005 as a technical superintendent…

The physicist Max Planck (actually born as Marx Planck) is best known for the development of his universal constant that defines physics at the most basic level. It is an important number, and today it even defines the kilogram and therefore most engineering units. Regardless, in my daily life I have little use for it.Max Planks is less known for his Principle, which, to me, is much more useful and I encounter it almost on a daily basis. Max Planck provided this Principle in his Scientific Autobiography (and Other Papers…

Naval architecture firm Glosten announced it has completed the design for the R/V Thuwal II, KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)’s new research vessel optimized for generalized oceanography and tailored to the Middle East’s hot climate.Once built, it will be the largest and most specialized research vessel based in the Red Sea, supporting everything from biology to geology.The new vessel will replace the existing Thuwal, which is more than 20 years old and has served KAUST scientists for as many as 220 days at sea per year since 2013.

If you think the human element is the only cause of enclosed space deaths, think again.Enclosed space incidents are cited as the largest cause of on-duty fatalities in commercial shipping. The risks can’t simply be engineered out, but there’s a powerful coalition wanting action nonetheless.There’s a tendency to blame failure to follow procedures, they say. Investigations seldom focus on the practicality of those procedures or the influence of the operating environment and vessel design, they say.

Woodside Energy last week announced it would start seismic testing for its Scarborough gas project off Australia’s west coast, before reversing the decision in the face of a legal challenge from Traditional Owners.Seismic testing is highly controversial in marine environments. Australia’s federal regulator (the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority) is currently examining a proposal for seismic testing in the Otway Basin in Bass Strait, which conservationists say has attracted more than 30…

Speakers from the vanguard of maritime digitalization will be joined by the first British astronaut and science communicator Helen Sharman at the Connected Future Conference during London International Shipping Week (LISW) 2023.Moving from smart talk to practical solutions and bringing stakeholders together will be the key themes of an industry event organized by Inmarsat, a Viasat business, in partnership with Smart Maritime Network. Staged at Inmarsat headquarters on September 12…

Shanghai’s local government plans to provide oceanic coverage of 5G networks by 2024.China Daily reports that Shanghai will build an integrated network connecting all land, sea, air and space internet infrastructure platforms. The development of navigation, wind power and offshore engineering will be coordinated so that they are connected.5G technology will be used for marine supervision, science and technology, marine economy and intelligent shipping.Qualcomm describes 5G as…

Bristol, R.I. based naval architecture, marine engineering and consulting firm Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) announced the continued expansion of its naval architecture and marine engineering firm with two new hires: Taylor Althouse and Kasey Kennedy.Althouse joined BHGI as a Naval Architect. Althouse graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Science in Engineering in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. During his time at the University of Michigan, Althouse interned at Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC.

On Feb. 10 last year, the cable ship CS Dependable appeared off the coast of the island of Diego Garcia, an Indian Ocean atoll that’s home to a discreet U.S. naval base.Over the next month, the ship’s crew covertly laid an underwater fiber-optic cable to the military base, an operation code-named “Big Wave,” according to four people with direct knowledge of the mission, as well as a Reuters analysis of satellite imagery and ship tracking data.The new super-fast internet link to Diego Garcia, which has not previously been reported, will boost U.S. military readiness in the Indian Ocean, a region where China has expanded its naval influence over the last decade.The CS Dependable is owned by SubCom…

The world's first self-driving commercial passenger ferry entirely powered by electricity has been launched in Sweden.The Norwegian shipping company Torghatten AS will operate the passenger ferry between the Stockholm islands of Kungsholmen and Södermalm. The aim is to create more sustainable urban mobility.The idea of autonomous urban ferries started at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. Based on the researchers' results, the company Zeabuz was founded…

Yinson GreenTech (YTG), a green tech investment branch of the Malaysian FPSO giant Yinson, has announced its strategic investment in a Norwegian startup specializing in autonomous solutions for the maritime industry called Zeabuz."The investment provides the foundation for YGT to work closely with Zeabuz in the development of autonomous solutions for YGT’s future fleet of electric vesselsm," Yinson said, without sharing info on the size of the investment.Eirik Barclay, Chief Executive Officer of YGT…

An estimated 400 recruiters from 176 organizations, including many from the offshore wind industry, attended the recent Fall Career Fair at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, a public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math and business that blend academics and experiential learning.Students had the opportunity to discover career paths and opportunities, learn about potential future employers, and receive a closer look at the…

Defense and technologies company HII announced on Monday that Todd Borkey has been promoted to executive vice president and chief technology officer, effective immediately and reporting directly to HII President and CEO Chris Kastner.The move comes during a time of technological advancement for HII and expands the scope of responsibilities for Borkey, who has served as chief technology officer of HII’s Mission Technologies division since 2021. In his new role, Borkey will oversee the company’s technology strategy…

A race is being run by nuclear scientists and ship designers. The prize? “Decarbonization’s” holy grail — believed to be a “small” thorium-fueled, molten-salt rector’s unlimited power to propel sea trade. At the same time, a recently revived discussion among leading marine-nuclear thinkers revolves now around how to put an ultra-modern, as-yet non-existent marine reactor aboard a modern commercial vessel. As with nuclear power generally, shipborne reactors produce national discussion first, then discovery.

A Chinese military survey ship that docked at Sri Lanka's Chinese-built port of Hambantota despite opposition from neighboring India left on Monday after a week-long stay, the port company told Reuters.Analysts say the Yuan Wang 5 is among a group of Chinese ships that monitor satellite, rocket and intercontinental ballistic missile launches. India, Sri Lanka's northern neighbor, fears China could use the port as a military base.Sri Lanka, facing its worst economic crisis in decades and in need of financial support from both China and India, had delayed the ship's arrival after India raised its concerns but gave in to Chinese demands later.The ship has now left the southern Sri Lankan port…

Singapore's Ministry of Transport announced that Teo Eng Dih will take over as chief executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), succeeding Quah Ley Hoon, who will step down on September 5, 2022.Teo Eng Dih, currently Deputy Secretary (Policy) of the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF), is responsible for MINDEF’s defense policy and diplomacy, strategic and public communications, and Total Defense. He oversaw the expansion of defense cooperation with international partners and strengthening of collaborations at the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) platform.

America’s marine economy contributed about $361 billion of the nation’s gross domestic product in 2020. That is according to the most current results of the annual Marine Economy Satellite Account released today by two Department of Commerce agencies, NOAA and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).These numbers are from the first year of the coronavirus pandemic and represent a 5.8%, or $23 billion, reduction in real terms (adjusted for inflation) from 2019, outpacing the general…

Hydrogen as fuel was in the spotlight during the last two weeks. The Senate's Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on February 10 looking at H challenges in the transportation, utility, industrial, commercial, and residential sectors.A week later, the US House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology held a hearing titled "H2Success: Research and Development to Advance a Clean Hydrogen Future."Also, of note, the US Department of Energy published two hydrogen RFIs - "requests for information." One on "Clean Hydrogen Manufacturing…

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) selected Glosten to design a new ship with advanced capabilities for Red Sea research.The new oceanographic research vessel (RV) will replace the existing RV Thuwal, designed to bring advanced research capabilities for work in both shallow reef and deepwater environments with a reconfigurable deck for multipurpose jobs and equipment and weather hardy traits for managing the unique conditions of the Red Sea.The existing ship for KAUST is nearly 22-years-old…

Ulstein today unveiled a vessel concept that it claims is capable of making the vision of zero emission cruise operations a reality. Dubbed Ulstein Thor, the 149m 3R (Replenishment, Research and Rescue) design will feature a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) to generate vast amounts of clean, safe electricity. This enables the vessel to operate as a mobile power/charging station for a new breed of battery driven cruise ships.Ulstein believes Thor may be the missing piece of the zero emissions puzzle for a broad range of maritime and ocean industry applications.

As the Second Global Ocean Conference opens today in Lisbon, governments in Asia and the Pacific must seize the opportunity to enhance cooperation and solidarity to address a host of challenges that endanger what is a lifeline for millions of people in the region.If done right ocean action will also be climate action but this will require working in concert on a few fronts.First, we must invest in and support science and technology to produce key solutions. Strengthening science…

“We're not tinkering. We're building enhanced maritime domain awareness.”The U.S. Navy’s Task Force 59, based in Bahrain as part of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and U.S. Fifth Fleet, is advancing the operational employment and integration of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence in fleet operations.According to Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, the fleet commander, unmanned systems and artificial intelligence are helping to accelerate innovation, especially in such a vast area of responsibility (AOR)“It's 5…

Shipbuilder and designer Ulstein is looking to take its revolutionary Thorium powered vessel concept from the drawing board to the deep blue sea. Is this the solution that industry, and society, have been searching for to enable a truly sustainable maritime future?Everything about the launch of ULSTEIN THOR was unexpected.The vessel concept, a 149m 3R (Replenishment, Research and Rescue) design with a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (MSR), took the industry, and wider society, by surprise.