Technology Giant News

Norwegian maritime equipment and technology giant Kongsberg Maritime has received Approval in Principle from Bureau Veritas for its Dynamic Positioning Digital Survey (DPDS) application.Kongsberg says that its DPDS application digitizes all the data derived from the DP Annual tests, carried out in accordance with IMO MSC Circ 1580 guidelines and IMCA M 190, to verify the performance and redundancy of the vessel-specific DP system. This encompasses the complete installation necessary for dynamically positioning a vessel…

Autonomous vessel technology developer Sea Machines Robotics announced Wednesday it has closed a new $15 million financing round with significant participation by America's largest military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII).The Boston-based tech company said it expects the investment and associated partnership with HII will accelerate the deployment of self-piloting technologies for unmanned naval boats and ships as the defense shipbuilding and technology giant continues…

Swiss-based technology giant ABB will provide electrical, control, and telecommunication solutions for Malaysia-based Yinson's new FPSO - Anna Nery. Once delivered, the FPSO will be deployed at Petrobras' Marlim 2 oil field offshore Brazil."Leveraging its ABB Ability System 800xA control system with Select Input/Output (IO), ABB will take responsibility for integration engineering in the project, integrating all the production modules onboard the vessel into a combined Integrated Safety and Control System (ICSS)…

European technology giant Wärtsilä will be supplying hybrid scrubber system packages for Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.According to a press note from Wärtsilä, the scrubber systems have been ‘specially customized to meet the specific needs’ of the two cruise ships – which included adapting ‘to meet the ships’ restricted space availability’.The scrubber systems will enable the 325 meters long cruise vessels to be in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) sulfur restriction legislation while operating on heavy fuel oil (HFO). The legislation became effective in January 2020.

International technology giant IBM has joined a global consortium of partners, led by marine research organisation ProMare, that are building an unmanned, fully-autonomous ship that will cross the Atlantic on the fourth centenary of the original Mayflower voyage in September 2020.A new Mayflower will set sail 400 years after the historic voyage, this time using AI and other advanced technologies, the American IT major said.The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) will use IBM’s AI, advanced servers, cloud and edge computing technologies to navigate autonomously and avoid ocean hazards as it makes its way from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts.

GE Renewable Energy, the renewable energy arm of US industrial technology giant General Electric, announced its plan to make 100 percent of its operations carbon neutral by the end of 2020.GE Renewable Energy will reach carbon neutrality by reducing emissions through operational efficiencies, securing renewable electricity supply to all GE Renewable Energy sites throughout its operations for wind, offshore wind, hydropower, energy storage and grid businesses – and balancing remaining emissions with the purchase of carbon offsets to achieve a net-zero footprint.Jérôme Pécresse, CEO, GE Renewable Energy said, “This is a decision that makes business sense. Energy efficiency, waste reduction, and renewable power sources will ultimately combine to lower the operating costs of our business.

Microsoft will purchase 90 MW from the massive 731.5 MW offshore wind project, Borssele III/IV, from Dutch sustainable energy company and wind farm developer Eneco.Eneco will provide Microsoft’s datacenters with green power for 15 years starting in 2022, said a press release from the technology giant."This is Microsoft’s second purchase of wind energy in the Netherlands in a year, which brings its total wind energy purchases to 270 MW in the Netherlands — one of the largest corporate renewable energy portfolios in the country," it said.“Tech companies are facing the challenge to reduce their carbon footprints, mostly due to the vast energy consumption of their datacenters…

Finnish technology giant in the marine and energy markets Wärtsilä Oyj announced that it has recently been awarded a number of contracts to supply its Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) to global shipping operators.According to the provider of smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions, the systems will enable the vessels to be compliant with the Ballast Water Management Convention regulations that entered into force in September 2017 for all new build vessels.The contracts cover in total 13 systems, the orders for which were all booked in quarter four 2018, said a press release."The work is being carried out for ships being built at yards in China. The orders cover installations in a RoRo ferry, two RoPax, six tankers and four container vessels.

Norway's Aker Solutions has forged an alliance with the German technology giant Siemens to further develop digital offerings in engineering, operations and services.The global engineering company based in Oslo said that the collaboration focuses on the creation of software applications and joint service offerings including the development of industrial digital twins that will drive efficiency throughout the entire plant lifecycle.In addition, the companies will further develop specific offerings for the oil and gas sector based on Siemens' Comos engineering platform. These solutions will help customers to reduce engineering and operational cost and enable improved decision making…

Global financial and technology giant BGC Partners has completed the acquisition of Poten & Partners, a ship brokerage, consulting and business intelligence firm specializing in LNG, tanker and LPG markets.Under the terms of the agreement, BGC acquired 100 percent of Poten, which includes operations in New York, London, Singapore, Houston, Athens, Guangzhou and Perth, the company said in a statement.Founded over 80 years ago and with 170 employees worldwide, Poten provides its clients with valuable insight into the international oil, gas and shipping markets. Shaun D. Lynn, President of BGC Partners said: "The addition of physical LNG, LPG and tanker brokerage, and energy consulting capabilities will allow BGC to expand its operations in the oil, gas and shipping sectors.

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has divested its pumps business to Solix Group, a Scandinavian investment company with offices in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmö, Sweden.According to a press release from the marine technology giant, Wärtsilä Pumps has belonged to the Wärtsilä Marine Solutions organisation and became part of the company along with the acquisition of Hamworthy in 2012. The Wärtsilä Pumps business recorded sales of approximately 50 MEUR in 2017.The divestment will enable Wärtsilä to devote greater focus to its Smart Marine vision. This is based on the rapid introduction of new technologies, which are creating unprecedented levels of efficiency and cost savings.

Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL), port operator PSA International, and technology giant IBM Singapore have concluded a successful blockchain trial, having signed a memorandum of understanding in August 2017. Following the signing of the MOU, the companies worked on a Proof Of Concept (POC) exercise, built on IBM Blockchain Platform, applying and then testing a blockchain-based supply chain platform to track and trace cargo movement from Chongqing to Singapore via the Southern Transport Corridor. The trial successfully achieved the following objectives: Transparent and trustworthy execution of multimodal logistics capacity booking…

Autonomous ships, smart on-board systems: At the Maritime Future Summit on September 5, industry leaders will discuss the future of shipping. For the first time SMM hosts a conference dedicated to digital shipping. Cyber Ships: What may sound like a word from a science fiction novel to some is a hot topic in the maritime business world today. Low-crew and no-crew concepts are buzzwords in the shipping sector, and some initial trials with unmanned ships are already being undertaken. “Visionary ideas drive the evolution of humanity, and the maritime industry is no exception.

With the towering bridges that span the Bosphorus choked by traffic, a new boat service from Uber aims to capitalise on Istanbul's infamous road congestion. In partnership with local sea transport company Navette the Uber Boat venture is unlikely to net a significant chunk of the company's Turkey revenue, but it is further evidence of the strategy underpinning its offerings - making it easier to transport anything, in any way, by first booking a pickup through a mobile app. "If we can get you a car in five minutes…

APL Logistics has received the best supplier award from global manufacturing technology giant Emerson’s Rosemount business unit for the second year in a row. Tom Moser, President of Emerson Process Management, handed out the 2010 Supplier of the Year award to the global third party logistics provider in Rosemount’s annual strategic supplier summit held at Minneapolis, Minnesota, last month. “It’s an honor for APL Logistics to be recognized by Emerson Rosemount two years in a row,” said Tony Zasimovich, APL Logistics’ Vice President for International Logistics Services. Last year, a program designed and implemented by APL Logistics enabled…

Defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. on Monday said it agreed to acquire a division of wireless technology giant Motorola Inc. for $825 million, in a move to strengthen its communications and information technology operations. The deal, which is expected to close in 60 days, would enhance General Dynamics' earnings immediately, the Falls Church, Va.-based company said. It is buying Motorola's Integrated Information Systems Group (IISG) based in Scottsdale, Ariz., which provides defense and other government customers with technologies, products and systems for secure communications and integrated communication systems. The business would become part of General Dynamics' Information Systems and Technology group.