Technology Improvements News

The economic output of Australia’s marine industry continued to grow despite the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on some sectors, a new report released by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) shows. The AIMS Index of Marine Industry 2023 is the latest assessment of the contribution of Australia’s marine sector to the national economy, using data from the 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years. It reveals that Australia’s marine industry had a total output of A$118.5 billion (US$774 million) and supported 462…

The Biden administration on Monday proposed offshore drilling safety measures that it said would help prevent oil spills and protect workers and the environment.The proposal aims to restore safety provisions put in place by the Obama administration in 2016 following the fatal 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill, the worst in United States history.The Trump administration had revised the rules in 2019 to reduce what the oil and gas industry said was a financial burden.The Interior Department…

My first visit in 2007 to the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE) Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) was an eye-opener. Having built a naval architecture career with frigates, destroyers and other large naval and commercial ships, I was eager to learn of the smaller craft used by the U.S. Navy and other government and military bodies. As my flight into Norfolk, Va. descended over Chesapeake Bay, I gazed in amazement as a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) raced toward Virginia Beach, slowed, glided up the beach and into its shore base.

I recently built a 35 foot Solar Hybrid Electric Wheelchair Accessible Catamaran for my wife who became wheelchair bound a few years ago. (In typing this sentence, I just realized that this vessel can be referred to as a SHEWAC)It is only a 35 foot recreational vessel, but it contains all the propulsion pieces that are found in any other modern hybrid propelled vessel.I have operated the vessel for one summer and have learned a lot of things that I had not considered when I first conceived her.Fortunately…

Hardcore preventative procedures to ensure health, safety, and solid protection from wildly spreading diseases are in the spotlight like never before. For life and work onboard, this means a new set of disease prevention procedures to create, repeat, rehearse, and perfect until they become deeply rooted habits. These procedures must not only apply to the staff and the passengers. They must also include and be followed by temporary workforces like contractors, suppliers, and service personnel.

Crowley Engineering Services announced Monday it has designed the first fully electric U.S. tugboat with autonomous technology, engineered as a zero-emissions, high-performance solution for ship assist and harbor services.The Crowley design, powered by the expertise of recently integrated subsidiary Jensen Maritime, leverages a large battery system and power saving technology to operate in a fully electric mode while producing zero air emissions or greenhouse gases, Crowley said.

By Sverre Alvik, Energy transition program director, DNV GLIt is not too good to be true, it is the economic reality that lies ahead of us. The energy transition facing us in the coming decades is an affordable one. In fact, the future energy system is not only affordable, it is cheaper than the energy system we have today. And this creates an opportunity to invest more to achieve the future we want.Let me be more precise: in just one generation, humanity will be spending a much lower share of its GDP on energy than it does today. The main reason is not energy prices, but energy efficiency. Whether you believe in the phenomenon of peak energy…

The global offshore wind market grew nearly 30% per year between 2010 and 2018, benefiting from rapid technology improvements and about 150 new offshore wind projects are in active development around the world.Europe in particular has fostered the technology’s development, led by the United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark, but China added more capacity than any other country in 2018, says 'Offshore Wind Outlook 2019',  a report funded by the governments of Denmark and Germany.Yet today's offshore wind market doesn't even come close to tapping the full potential – with high-quality resources available in most major markets, offshore wind…

The Port of Palm Beach District announced that Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. upgraded the Port of Palm Beach District senior rating to Baa3 from Ba1, and reported the outlook to be stable. The report, released October 2, 2015, documented the port’s strengths, challenges and recent developments as the agency’s rationale for the ratings upgrade. The upgrade to Baa3 recognizes the port’s sustained financial improvement due to successful contract renewals with its largest customers. The improved margins experienced over the last four fiscal years are expected to continue in the midterm, supported by tenant minimum annual revenue guarantee that improve the port’s cash flow predictability.

As operators ponder the thorny question of dual fuel, LNG or SCR Treatment, GE Transportation’s new medium speed marine diesel engine seemingly simplifies the playing field. The October 2014 news that global oilfield giant Oceaneering had committed to building a ship designed with GE Transportation marine diesel engines was ordinary enough, but the recent keel laying ceremony held at the BAE Systems Shipyard in Mobile, AL held special significance for not only Oceaneeering, but for GE as well. That’s because the first ship to be outfitted with GE Transportation’s newest marine engine offering – ones which meet EPA Tier 4i and IMO Tier III Emissions standards – all without the need for a Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) exhaust gas after-treatment…

Carnival Corporation & plc released a report today detailing its sustainability efforts, including initiatives which enabled the company to meet its corporate goal to reduce its rate of CO2 emissions from shipboard operations by 20 percent, a year ahead of its initial plan. The 2013 Sustainability Report also covers the company’s investments in environmental technology, improvements in ship energy efficiency and reduction in shipboard water consumption. To meet its corporate CO2 sustainability goal…

Second generation of Caterpillar’s gpLink will do more and serve a wider market. It is no secret that Remote Tracking, Monitoring, and Notification Systems for just about anything that floats, is here. In on the ground floor of all of that, more than 18 months ago, was the organization that provides premier power solutions in the medium- and high-speed segments with outputs from 93 to 16,000 kW in main propulsion and 10 to 7,680 kWe in marine generator sets. gplink, the satellite/cellular based tracking, monitoring, and notification system was specifically designed just for Cat engines. That’s about to change, however. Beyond the all-important monitoring of diagnostics and operating parameters – with ten basic features coming standard – the system does so much more.

MX-Scrubber installation now up and running in full scale test facility by Marine Exhaust Technology, a dedicated Danish supplier of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems for SOx and NOx. As per December 1, 2013 a closed loop Scrubber installation designed for marine applications has been up and running successfully at the Marine Exhaust Technology test facility in Frederikshavn, Denmark. Thus, Marine Exhaust Technology becomes the first supplier in Denmark and among the top three suppliers world wide of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems with operational full scale Scrubber and SCR test facilities…

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has signed contracts to build some of the world’s largest and greenest container ships, and all will be classed by DNV. Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea (HHI) is to build the five 18,000 TEU ships. In addition, there will be an option for one more. The contracts between UASC and HHI also include 5 + 6 ships of 14,000 TEU, also to DNV class. “I’m pleased and proud that DNV has been selected as the preferred class for these huge and advanced ships,” says Henrik O. Madsen, DNV Group CEO. “We have actively supported the owner and yard up to the contract signing.

A plant system that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from flue gas emissions developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 39th Outstanding Environmental Systems Awards hosted by the Japan Society of Industrial Machinery Manufacturers (JSIM). The system was highly evaluated for its superlative reliability and economy achieved through ongoing technology improvements carried out over many years, for its abundant delivery track record in commercial applications…

The Duke University Center on Globalization, Governance and Competitiveness (CGGC) recently completed a study on ocean technologies, including remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), for a consortium led by Nova Scotia’s Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism (ERDT). Excerpts from the report on the market and technology trends in ROVs and AUVs are provided in this article. Global ROV vehicle sales in 2010 totaled approximately $850 million.

Cargotec has signed its first contract for MacRack, an electric-drive innovation for MacGregor side-rolling hatch covers which combines two operations, raising a cover, and moving it sideways to open or close the hatch, and which generated great interest at Marintec China exhibition. Zhenghe Shipyard has ordered Cargotec’s all-electric MacRack system to open and close side-rolling hatch covers on a 47,000 dwt bulk carrier being built for a Chinese owner and scheduled for delivery in July 2012.

MarineNews spoke with Rick Biben, Chief Executive and President of Gibbs and Cox, Inc., about his background in the industry, the state of the naval design market, how his company is investing for the future and technological and design advancements in the field. What is your background in the industry? After college (Bryant University, 1972, BS Management) I went into the U.S. Peace Corps (Ecuador, 1972 – 1975) for about three years. I left the government and entered the contractor community in 1979. I was with Syscon Corporation from 1981 through late in 1999.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that a team led by senior officials in the Department of the Interior, including Interior’s Inspector General, have completed a review of offshore oil and gas oversight and regulation and have delivered a set of recommendations that reinforce and expand on ongoing reforms being carried out by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich. The report of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Safety Oversight Board, which Secretary Salazar established immediately following the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig, provides recommendations to strengthen permitting, inspections, enforcement and environmental stewardship.

community. This next-generation fleet management product is the culmination of nearly 20 years of experience. Evan Michaelides, ABS Nautical Systems’ Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, led the development of NS 5 with the goals of providing a revamped look and support for the latest technology standards, while retaining and building on the core functionality that has made ABS NS’s product suite so popular with users. “The SafeNet product line has lived a long and productive life, but it was built with a technology set that is no longer considered cutting-edge,” said Michaelides. “With the introduction of NS 5, we have established a platform that we can build upon for years to come.” From a user standpoint…

With a snip of the scissors Oct. 25, Naval Submarine School (SubScol) welcomed the latest addition to its attack center trainer inventory, the Submarine Multi-Mission Team Trainer Phase (SMMTT) 3. SMMTT3 is a shore-based trainer for submarine combat control and sonar systems, and the latest version of attack centers to allow submarine crews to rehearse and execute tactical, at-sea missions, in a training environment. “SMMTT3 is a significant step forward in shore-based training," said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Haldeman, operations officer for SubScol’s Advanced Tactical Employment Training Department. Phase 3 of the Submarine Multi-Mission Team Trainer is the result of previous system evolution and technology improvements with a wide range of organizations partnering to make it a reality.

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGS) has announced that it has signed an agreement of main commercial terms to build a new third generation Ramform vessel at Aker Yards, Langsten, to be delivered in 2008. The agreement is subject to satisfactory completion of a final contract and board approval in Aker Yards. The new Ramform is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter 2008, in time for the North Sea season. PGS will also have an option of building a sister vessel at the same yard. Aker Yards has previously constructed all of the PGS' six current Ramform vessels, demonstrating a strong track record for timely and cost effective construction of this advanced design, according to the company. This is the first PGS new build since the delivery of Ramform Vanguard in 1999.

Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGS) announced that it has signed an agreement of main commercial terms to build a new third generation Ramform vessel at Aker Yards, Langsten. The new and improved Ramform class seismic vessel has a cost of NOK 562 million. The agreement is subject to satisfactory completion of a final contract and board approval in Aker Yards. The new Ramform is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter 2008, in time for the North Sea season. PGS will also have an option of building a sister vessel at the same yard. Aker Yards has previously constructed all of the PGS' six current Ramform vessels, demonstrating a strong track record for timely and cost effective construction of this advanced design.