Ship Design News

The Hepburn and Sons LLC team welcomed David Rice, CAPT David Bauer, USN (Ret), and Gary Loberg as their newest members. David Rice serves as Senior Consultant, Material Science. David Bauer will serve as the Senior Manager, Material Science. Gary Loberg serves as Senior Manager, Advisory Services.David Rice comes to Hepburn and Sons, LLC after a career spanning 45 years at Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS). During his time at NNS he served as the Manager of Contracted Research & Development and was responsible for Research & Development Programs funded by ONR/ManTech…

As marine operators and euipment manufacturers continue to explore alternative marine fuels as a means to help lower vessel emissions, technology group Wärtsilä said it has initiated combustion trials using ammonia.As part of the tests, ammonia was injected into a combustion research unit to better understand its properties. Based on initial results, the tests will be continued on both dual-fuel and spark-ignited gas engines. These will be followed by field tests in collaboration with ship owners from 2022…

Dubai-based P&O Maritime Logistics (POML) said it recently secured a contract to build two vessels to support Ok Tedi Mining Limited’s (OTML) growing export requirements.The vessels, designed by Wärtsilä Ship Design, will be 5,400 DWT bulk and container carriers built at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Limited in China, and once completed, will operate in Papua New Guinea (PNG) principally between Kiunga in the Western Province and Port Moresby. There is an option for a third vessel to the same design.The 90-meter-long, 5,400 DWT ships will have a nominal container capacity of 229 units.

With social media updates and conference agendas addressing the subjects of climate change, emissions reductions and alternative fuels, it’s a wonder we are not climbing the Himalayans in search of the Jedi Master that will provide us with the magic potion. Yoda’s blessing with a calming breath, “You have chosen wisely.”Government emissions intervention started with a move to reduce energy and fuel consumption measured in greenhouse gas (GHG), at a time when the world and our politicians spoke about global warming.

A real estate development company is looking for a U.S. city to become the new home for one of America's most historic ocean liners.Having reached a deal with the ship’s nonprofit owner last year, RXR Realty has been developing a plan to restore the famed SS United States and this week issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) seeking a permanent waterfront location where America’s Flagship, once restored, will be able to relive its former glory.At the time of its launch in 1952…

A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered survey, wreck-search and research vessel built by German Naval Yards Kiel is currently undergoing installation and finishing works at Fassmer in Berne, Germany prior to being commissioned this spring.Ordered by the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the new research vessel will be homeported in Hamburg, replacing the previous Atair, which entered operation in 1987.At 75 meters long and roughly 17 meters wide, the new Atair will be the largest research vessel in the BSH fleet.

The Korean Register has granted approval in principle (AIP) to verify the suitability of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual fuel propulsion car carrier developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). The AIP covers two pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) vessels with a respective capacity of 7,000 car equivalent units (CEU) and 8,100 CEU.Both vessels are equipped with International Maritime Organization (IMO) type C tanks which are independent self-supporting LNG fuel tanks. The two…

Wärtsilä’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Fuel Supply System (LFSS) has completed full scale testing with a full sized two-stroke marine engine burning LPG as fuel. This was the world’s first such testing protocol, according to Wärtsilä.It was initially decided to retrofit the Wärtsilä LFSS to four very large gas carrier (VLGC) vessels owned by Oslo-listed BW LPG. However, following the tests, in which the performance exceeded expectations, BW LPG decided to exercise their option to retrofit an additional four vessels, making a total of eight ships to benefit from this technology.

Buck Younger, Vice President of Engineering with VT Halter Marine, was named the Marine Engineer/Naval Architect of the Year by the Mobile Area Council of Engineers (MACE). VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), is a company of ST Engineering North America. VT Halter Marine also sponsored the two MACE scholarship winners.In April 2019, VT Halter Marine announced that the U.S. Department of the Navy awarded the company as the prime contractor of a $745,940,860 fixed-price incentive-firm contract for the detail design and construction of the U.S.

Blank Rome’s maritime attorneys have represented clients in some of the largest maritime casualties in the last 20 years, including the Staten Island Ferry allision with a maintenance pier in New York, the blow out and eventual loss of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the sinking of the El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin, and the collision between the Navy Destroyer USS John S. McCain and the tanker ALNIC MC in the Singapore Strait. These casualties have resulted in the catastrophic loss of life…

United Kingdom-based maritime company  Silverstream Technologies has entered into a framework agreement with  European ship design consultancy International Contract Engineering (ICE) group for worldwide installation design services for retrofitting of the Silverstream System.Silverstream System is a patented air lubrication system designed for reduction of friction between ships’ hulls and seawater. The company claimed that it the system has been proven to deliver substantial…

Spanish shipbuilding and ship repair company Zamakona Yards reached a new milestone with the launching of the first of two new 69-meter reefer vessels to be built for the Greenlandic shipowner Royal Arctic Line A/S. Launching will take place February 4.The vessel will be named as Siuana Arctica and will replace the existing vessel Pajuttaat built in 1979. Conceptual design is being carried out by the Norwegian company Havyard Design & Solutions.The ship is designed to operate in northwest Greenland and have greater capacity than current ship.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) 's Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 7), meeting at IMO Headquarters (3-7 February), is expected to finalize a comprehensive set of interim guidelines on second generation intact stability criteria, including guidelines on vulnerability criteria, direct stability failure assessment and operational measures.According to the UN body the aim is to produce a set of guidelines for trial use. The session will also further develop…

U.S. carrier Matson announced it promoted three executives to the company's senior leadership team, effective immediately.Branton "Bal" Dreyfus, Vice President, Alaska, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Alaska in recognition of Matson's growing scope of operations, continuing investment in and long-term commitment to serving Alaska. Dreyfus will continue to report directly to Matt Cox, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.Capt. John "Jack" Sullivan, Vice President, Vessel Operations and Engineering…

The global LNG bunkering supplier Probunkers has agreed terms with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) for the construction of two firm units of 7,600 m3 LNG Bunker Vessels, signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the South Korean leading yard.The signing of this LOI comes as the product of a long optimization process during which probunkers’ technical team reviewed more than thirty (30) ship design proposals to serve the purpose of the project involving prestigious organizations such as the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)…

Maritime industry partners striving to advance shipping's decarbonization efforts are working to develop an ammonia-fueled tanker, classification society Lloyd's Register (LR) announced.The joint development project (JDP) involving LR and shipping line MISC Berhad, builder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and engine maker MAN Energy Solutions aims to develop commercially viable deep-sea zero-emissions vessels (ZEVs) that would be operational by 2030, ahead of the International Maritime Organization’s 2050 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target.Nick Brown…

Aurora Expeditions, the luxury cruise company that offers services to Antarctica and Arctic,  will build a second expedition ship, the Sylvia Earle, scheduled to debut in October 2021.The 126-passenger vessel  named ‘Sylvia Earle’, to honor the renowned marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer.The order comes shortly after the Australia-based company introduced its first new expedition ship in 2019, the Greg Mortimer, named for the Australian mountaineer and Aurora’s founder.The new ship is one of the vessels in owner, SunStone Ships’, INFINITY class.

The  international accredited registrar and classification society DNV GL awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate to Hudong-Zhonghua for its new gas-fueled 25000TEU Ultra Large Container vessel (ULCS) design.The AiP is for a design that would be the largest containership in the world.Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO DNV GL – Maritime, presented the certificate to Chen Jun, President of Hudong-Zhonghua, at the CSSC booth in Shanghai. The ceremony was witnessed by Chen Jianliang…

ABS joined forces with MAN Energy Solutions (MAN) and the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) to develop an ammonia-fueled feeder vessel.The joint development project aims to produce designs for an ammonia-fueled Chittagongmax container carrier of 2700 TEU capacity.“Ammonia is an energy source with significant potential to help the industry meet IMO 2030 and 2050 emission targets but will require stringent new safety standards to be developed in order to support its adoption,” said Dr.

LR collaborates with DSIC and MAN Energy Solutions for first ammonia-fuelled ULCS in China.Lloyd’s Register (LR) has granted Approval in Principle to Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. (DSIC) and MAN Energy Solutions for an ammonia-fuelled 23,000 TEU Ultra-Large Container Ship (ULCS) concept design, the first ammonia as fuel design of its kind in China.LR facilitated hazard identification (HAZID) workshops to determine potential hazards throughout the design phase, covering areas limited to the ammonia-fueled engine and the external piping systems.

The Norwegian-Canadian designer and manufacturer of energy storage solutions for marine propulsion Corvus Energy announced that it has signed a contract with SEC Marine Ltd, UK to supply the energy storage system (ESS) for the world’s first hybrid surface effect ship (SES) for crew transfer.The development of the 22m hybrid SES for use as a crew transfer vessel is in response to an industry-wide push to develop and deploy innovative technologies that reduce CO2 emissions, while…

Steerprop appointed Riku-Pekka Hägg as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), starting January 2020.Formerly Hägg was Vice President of Ship Design at Wärtsilä. “Steerprop shares my passions and values to ensure efficient and sustainable shipping in the future. Together with Steerprop’s skilled personnel, we have the possibility to make great things to happen for the company, the industry and the environment.” said Hägg.

Dry bulk carrier owner and operator Oldendorff Carriers has signed a research agreement with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) to make its vessels more green and economical.Oldendorff, together with CBA and its campus collaborators including MIT's Sea Grant Program, will investigate disruptive improvements in ship design and propulsion to achieve the IMO 2030/50 requirements.The initial emphasis will be directed at improving hydrodynamic efficiency, which builds on work CBA has been doing with the aerospace and automotive industries.