University Of Southampton News

A consortium led by UK unmanned vessel developer ACUA Ocean has secured government support to develop a new 145-foot uncrewed offshore support vessel, aiming to scale up autonomous operations for offshore energy, logistics and surveillance.The Project MROS consortium, which includes Houlder, Ad Hoc Marine Designs, Trident Marine and the University of Southampton, received funding earlier this year under the UK Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.

Lloyd’s Register (LR), in collaboration with COSCO Shipping Group, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Southampton, has established the International Maritime Future Technologies Innovation Center.The new virtual center aims to advance research and development in low- and zero-carbon maritime technologies, intelligent ship systems and digital innovation.The center will serve as a global platform for collaboration between industry and academia, supporting the sector’s transition towards a smarter and more sustainable future.

Compute Maritime, a London-based deep tech company and the developer of the world’s first generative AI tool for ship design, has taken charge of the U.K.-funded GenDSOM project to develop the next generation crew transfer vessel (CTV) with generative AI and additive manufacturing.The $940,000 (£700,000) project is funded by the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition program, and aside from Compute Maritime, brings together Siemens Digital Industries Software…

ACUA Ocean's hydrogen-powered unmanned surface vessel (USV) PIONEER has successfully completed the world's first continuous, remote 24-hour offshore operation on zero emissions, marking a breakthrough in the decarbonization of the global maritime sector.The sea trials demonstrate the commercial potential of hydrogen power for maritime operations while supporting the UK's ambition to become a world leader in clean maritime innovation.During the trial, PIONEER sailed to the Eddystone Lighthouse…

Hydrogen fuel cell power plants for ships face the challenge of hydrogen’s low volumetric energy density at normal temperature and pressure and its low electricity-to-electricity energy conversion efficiency compared to batteries.The justification for persevering with hydrogen as a marine fuel, though, is that other leading candidates for future fuels (such as e-methanol and e-ammonia) require a hydrogen feedstock for production. Therefore, hydrogen will always be less energy…

Houlder, a design and engineering consultancy, has entered into collaboration with Siem Shipping UK and the University of Southampton on the COMLink Design Tool project, which aims to improve predictions of wave resistance in early-stage ship design to deliver more efficient vessel operations. The Conceptual, Operational, Modelling Linked (COMLink) Design Tool project has been established to tackle the challenge of accurately predicting the added power needed for ships to operate effectively in waves.

MSE International has won funding from TRIG 2024 to lead a new project, PRIMET; Port Recharging Infrastructure for Maritime Energy Transition.The project will accelerate the roll-out of port and harbor infrastructure needed to support the rapid expansion in vessel recharging and shore-powering facilities which are essential to realize the government’s Clean Maritime Plan. PRIMET will develop outline solutions for supplying energy to shore power/recharging facilities in three ports/harbors using in-port flow batteries to reduce the peak grid load and optimize utilization of in-port renewable energy, thereby strengthening the case for investment.

An international study has found whale sharks and ships are more likely to collide by the end of the century due to climate change.The researchers used global climate models and satellite-tracking data of 348 tagged whale sharks from 2005 to 2019 and combined it with shipping traffic models and habitat suitability estimates to predict the risk of interaction.Whale sharks are highly mobile marine megafauna that can travel hundreds or thousands of kilometers annually. The species…

Marine electronics company Raymarine announced Michelle Hildyard as the Vice President of Operations, responsible for managing supply chain, engineering, product management and operational functionsHildyard brings to the position 19 years of experience in the marine industry, all within Raymarine and FLIR. Her previous roles within the company include Supply Chain Manager, Commercial Director, Vice President of Customer Service, and most recently, Vice President of Product Management…

The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) announced that Dr. Ahmed AlAbri has been appointed the new chief executive officer (CEO) of the shipyard, effective August 2024.AlAbri has more than 25 years of experience in the field, having served a variety of executive roles in the regional maritime industry. He holds a PhD in operational and environmental management of shipyards and ports from the University of Portsmouth – UK in addition to a master’s degree in maritime engineering sciences from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom…

Maritime air lubrication company Silverstream Technologies has opened its new Global Operations Center in Southampton, U.K., in an effort to enhance its operational capabilities and support the existing fleet. The new hub, which accommodates more than 40 employees, is also equipped for further R&D on Silverstream’s Control and Monitoring System (CMS) solutions.Founded in 2010, Silverstream completed its first installation in 2014 and today has 80 systems installed on board ships.

Gibraltar ship repair yard Gibdock announced the appointment of John Barnard as its new Commercial Director.Barnard brings to the role over 15 years of experience in the shipbuilding and repair business, with a career marked by diverse roles, encompassing technical, commercial and production functions across both defense and commercial markets.A graduate from the University of Southampton with a Masters in Ship Science in 2008, Barnard began his career as a naval architect at Cammell Laird in the U.K.

If the global commercial fleet reduced its speed by 10%, it would reduce underwater radiated noise by 40%, but nothing’s ever that simple.The main thing holding the shipping industry back from reducing its underwater radiated noise (URN) is not a lack of appropriate technology. It’s argued that many of the technologies being implemented today to reduce fuel consumption also reduce noise. So, the noise reductions could essentially come at no net cost to the shipowner, but there’s a lack of regulation and a lack of targeted incentives…

Shipping and asset finance lawyer, Harry Theochari OBE, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Belfast Maritime Consortium.Theochari holds the position of Senior Consultant at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP. He is also current Chair Emeritus of Maritime UK, Chair of Maritime London, and esteemed member of the Institute of Maritime Law Advisory Board at the University of Southampton, and brings with him over thirty seven years’ experience in the maritime sector and…

Britannia P&I and its Exclusive Correspondent in the US, B Americas P&I, announce the recruitment of Marcela Pizzaro. She joined B Americas P&I on 3 January 2022.Pizzaro worked for many years at one of the major international container lines, where she was Director of Corporate Insurance Risk Management with oversight and responsibility for the company’s risk, insurance and claims in North America. Prior to this, she was Vice President of Shipping Legal Affairs for a shipowner based in Chile.

Ocean Infinity won The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, enabling it and its partners to build a Marine Propulsion Test facility, with an integrated Ammonia Marine Propulsion System (AMPS). The test facility is intended to demonstrate clean-fueled technology eventually capable of powering Ocean Infinity’s Armada fleet, using an innovative ammonia based fuel cell system.“Winning The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition is a significant step forward in the delivery of a zero emissions marine propulsion system," said Dan Hook, Ocean Infinity’s CTO.

Windship Technology said its Zero Emissions solution for shipping has been independently assessed by classification society DNV. By using data provided by Windship Technology – a British innovation company – DNV has performed an independent computer-based analysis of the concept’s emissions abatement potential.Simon Rogers, Technical Director of Windship Technology, said, “Today everything changes. The world now has a True Zero Emission solution for the shipping industry with technologies that are available today and a commercial case rooted in economic sustainability.

U.K.-based Windship Technology said its board of directors has confirmed the appointment of Graham Harvey as chief executive officer. Harvey's remit will be to convert the progress that has been made in the overall Windship Technology auxiliary wind power system and to commercialize the proposition, the company said.Harvey has spent a lifetime in and around the marine industry having studied ship science at the University of Southampton. A member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects…

British company Windship Technology has unveiled a whole-ship solution to tackle CO2 emissions from ships, launching its emissions-free bulk carrier and tanker designs alongside an investment partnership with classification society DNV.Starting from a clean drawing board, Technical Director Simon Rogers and his design team developed and tested at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton the company’s patented high performance, highly efficient triple-wing rig. The technical team further developed a new diesel electric ship drive system that eliminates CO2…

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…

Engineering X – an international collaboration founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation – has awarded nearly £1 million ($1.2 million) in grants to six projects in the U.K. and overseas aimed at tackling the complex social, environmental and engineering challenges of decommissioning ships and offshore structures.From training to improve worker safety in ship recycling facilities in Bangladesh, to assessing the risks of structural failure of decommissioned offshore structures…

The NEXT GEN Shock Mitigation Solutions Workshop has been rescheduled to October 6, 2020. The program and format will remain the same and the majority of attendees have confirmed their availability for the new date at the Grand Harbour hotel, Southampton UK.Workshop Lead, John Haynes said, “Whilst we are living in challenging times, we believe it is still important to make plans for the future. Our focus is on viable innovation and using people’s time effectively. There is no…

A consortium of maritime industry and academic partners have been awarded EU funding for a project aimed at reducing fuel consumption and lowering emission levels for shipping.The SeaTech project consortium, led by technology group Wärtsilä, has been formed to develop two symbiotic ship engine and propulsion innovations that when combined, could lead to a 30% reduction in fuel consumption. At the same time, the project envisions 99% reductions in emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)…