Ship Design News

In business, as in life, after major anniversary milestones like 60 (Diamond) and 75 (Diamond or Sapphire), it seems that every year after that is worth celebrating. However, 90 years is somewhat in the nether regions of celebrations; certainly, a major achievement after say 75, but not quite the centenary either. However, Robert Allan Ltd. has been an active and growing business now for 90 years and we believe that is worth celebrating in a time when it feels, frankly, that there is not a great deal to celebrate.The family lore has always been that my grandfather…

Handling of steel boxes throughout the shipping, ports and logistics supply chain has historically grown exponentially, putting strains on a range of operational procedures and the physical hardware employed to handle the steel boxes, particularly onboard ships. A recent webinar organized by the Thomas Miller managed insurance mutuals, container freight specialist TT Club and protection & indemnity insurer, UK P&I Club, revealed the diverse range of factors important to safe container ship operations and the security of the container stacks they carry.

Press coverage of early commercial marine autonomy projects is remarkably broad given the small number of marine industry professionals engaged in bringing these projects to market. The much larger assembly of industry stakeholders are left wondering what marine autonomy means for them. Regulatory, cost, and technical challenges stand in the way of fielding today’s autonomy technologies for most existing fleets and vessel missions. Autonomy is coming whether you’re prepared or not.

The Netherlands based ship design and engineering company C-Job Naval Architects said it will open an office in Gdansk, Poland this July.The Gdansk office will pursue new markets particularly in the Baltic and Scandinavian region, with a particular focus on functional and detail design as well as retrofits and laser scanning, the company said. The new office will be spearheaded by general manager Slawomir Graban.C-Job currently has seven offices worldwide with its headquarters on the outskirts of Amsterdam.

Environmental concerns are influencing a greater need for renewable and sustainable energy across the world with specialist technologies being at the forefront of new designs and solutions. As maritime industries begin to tackle the climate change issues, ports and shipping companies are looking for carbon-free alternatives by testing potential solutions for vessels. The requirement to make a move toward greener shipping is imminent. As companies start to concentrate their efforts in developing efficient solutions for improving performance and reducing emissions…

The first of two new 70-meter liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled RoPax ferries for Dutch operator Rederij Doeksen has completed sea trials in the Netherlands.The BMT-designed Willem Barentsz, and sister vessel Willem de Vlamingh, were built by Strategic Marine Shipyard in Vietnam while final outfitting and commissioning were completed by Rederij Doeksen.With an operating area within the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the main focus for Rederij Doeksen led by its managing director Paul Melles was on reducing the environmental impact of the vessel operation.

Voith reports it will deliver eight electric Voith Schneider Propellers (eVSP) to the Norwegian shipping company Østensjø, for four offshore wind service operation vessels (SOV) that are being built at the Astilleros Gondán shipyard in Spain for delivery from 2022.Østensjø Group's offshore wind business Edda Wind has signed long term time charter deals with MHI Vestas and Ocean Breeze Energy respectively for two of the four offshore wind vessels ordered from Spanish yards.The…

Wärtsilä said it has been contracted to provide a comprehensive scope of solutions for Dubai-based E-Marine, as the Finnish technology company continues to work closely with the specialist operator of cable layer vessels currently upgrading its fleet to achieve greater efficiencies.Wärtsilä, which notes it previously provided a propulsion upgrade for an E-Marine vessel, will this time supply two controlled pitch propeller (CPP) systems with control and fuel efficiency devices…

Wärtsilä said it has been awarded a contract to design and equip two new zero-emissions ferries that will be built for Norwegian operator Boreal Sjö at Holland Shipyards in the Netherlands.The vessels are expected to commence commercial operations in autumn 2021, serving the Launes – Kvellandstrand – Launes, and Abelnes – Andabeløy – Abelnes routes in Norway.The two ferry designs are not identical. One is for a 30 meters long vessel capable of carrying 10 cars and approximately 100 passengers…

Classification society ABS and the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) have signed a Joint Development Project (JDP) to use 3D Models in an attempt to streamline the class process.The JDP will develop a process for ingesting SDARI 3D models into Class supporting software to allow 3D Model-based Class reviews.“Together, ABS and SDARI are designing the next generation of Classification. We are exploring how to move beyond paper-based models for review into a digital future which not only offers a streamlined process but enhanced safety for the industry…

As shipowners mull ‘the fuel of the future’ and eye ever-stricter emission mandates from the International Maritime Organization, companies throughout the ship design, construction and supply chain continue to innovate to deliver optimum fuel efficiency and emission reduction.Today WinGD unveiled a new technology development to its dual fuel line of engines, a technology designed to significantly cut methane slip, emissions and fuel consumption in its X-DF dual-fuel engines via Intelligent Control by Exhaust Recycling (iCER)…

South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Finnish software firm CADMATIC signed a technical cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of next-generation design systems.Through the MOU signed in April, the two companies will carry out cooperation while maintaining the technology partnership to develop next-generation design systems that will be applied to the latest technologies, such as AI, Big Data analysis, advanced modeling and drawing automation.

Singapore’s first LNG bunkering vessel has hit the water in Keppel Nantong Shipyard in China. The vessel was moved from land to water on May 28, 2020.The news was shared earlier this week by the vessel-owner FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel Offshore & Marine and Shell Eastern Petroleum."Construction of the 7,500m3 LNG bunkering vessel is progressing smoothly and is on schedule to be completed in 4Q2020," FueLNG said in a statement earlier this week.The LNG bunkering vessel…

Naval architecture students in Galati, Romania and Gdansk, Poland, used their technical and soft skills to compete in the final of ShipDX (Ship Design Exercise), the first naval architecture competition in Romania.GLO Marine, the organizer of the competition, looked at current industry trends to propose the theme of this year’s edition: the concept design of a highly autonomous, self-propelled floating house, with a focus on integrating green and sustainable technologies into the smart design.

Designed to meet challenges of long range autonomous ops, the ‘Pentamaran’ design has been optimized to reduce fuel consumption and increase flexibilityBMT recently released details of its next generation ‘Pentamaran’ platform for autonomous applications, vessels that can be custom configured for military, patrol, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and hydrographic survey work.The Pentamaran has been designed to reduce drag as much…

Philly Shipyard won a high-profile contract when TOTE Services awarded the deal to build up to five new ships, the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV). We caught up with Steinar Nerbovik, President & CEO, Philly Shipyard for insights on the deal.While many companies globally fight to stay in business through the COVID-19 pandemic, Philly Shipyard received a huge deal late last month: the contract to build up to five NSMV ships, a contract that has been one of the most closely watched and hotly contested U.S. shipbuilding deals in recent memory.

SEAPLACE, a ship design and offshore engineering company relies on FORAN V80R3.0 for the conceptual, basic and details design of the recently launched tugboat, Caspian Fauna.In late April, the tug was launched at Turkey's Gelibolu Shipyard. It is an ice class 1D tugboat that will operate in the Caspian Sea.SEAPLACE has developed conceptual design, basic engineering and detailed structural engineering. To this end, SEAPLACE has used appropriate modules of the FORAN V80 system.Main…

Schottel will provide a range of propulsion systems for Louis Dreyfus Armateurs's second wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) the Wind of Hope.The new walk-to-work vessel, a sister vessel to the Wind of Change SOV, is currently under construction at Cemre shipyard in Turkey and will enter service operating under a long-term contract with Ørsted.The propulsion system of the vessel designed by Salt Ship Design vessel is powered by four diesel generators, which drive the electric motors of the Schottel propulsion package.

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of its first Zumwalt-class destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) on April 24 following Combat Systems Activation.The ship will transition to the next phase of developmental and integrated at-sea testing. This event marks a major milestone of the dual delivery approach for USS Zumwalt, which achieved Hull Mechanical & Electrical delivery from shipbuilder General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works in May 2016. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems was the prime contractor for the Zumwalt Combat System…

Wärtsilä said it has developed a customized design for up to six new luxury expedition cruise vessels for owner and operator Amundsen Expeditions, targeted primarily at the Chinese market.Wärtsilä, which booked the design order in the third quarter of 2019, said its in-house ship design team worked in close cooperation with Amundsen Expeditions to develop the concept. Each vessel will be capable of carrying 200 passengers.“The ships are designed to operate efficiently in both tropical and polar waters.

Engineering firm BMT has unveiled a new hull-form specifically designed for long range autonomous operations. The Pentamaran design has been optimized to reduce fuel consumption and increase its adaptability across multiple applications.Offering a myriad of applications for defense and commercial innovators, Pentamaran vessels may be custom configured for military, patrol, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and hydrographic survey work.The Pentamaran has been designed to reduce drag as much as possible…

Two dozen small shipyards in the U.S. have received a combined $19.6 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grant Program to help fund upgrades and expansions that often lead to more competitive operations, quality ship construction and improved employee skill.“This $19.6 million federal government investment in the nation’s small shipyards will help maintain the U. S. shipyard infrastructure of our country,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L.

The first two low emission EPA Tier 4 compliant 29-meter passenger ferries, named H401 and Curiosity, have been delivered for the still expanding NYC Ferry by Hornblower, said naval architect Incat Crowther, whose digital ship design package allowed identical vessel to be constructed at independent shipyards; Halimar Shipyard of Morgan City, La and Breaux Brothers Enterprises of Loreauville, La.The new vessels complement the 17 Incat Crowther designed 26-meter vessels and 14 29-meter vessels already been delivered to NYC Ferry.