Fiber Optic News

HikoTerra, a leader in mobile integrated power solutions, officially ushered in the next generation of marine power with the introduction of the H4 Hybrid Power System. The H4 product line is designed as a battery-first system flexible enough to deliver a home-like user experience. Fully integrated, more compact and easier to maintain than traditional onboard power systems centered around a generator, the H4 sets the new standard for onboard energy storage and supply.The H4 Hybrid Power System is comprised of four separate components: a high-efficiency bi-directional inverter…

Cerberus Capital Management has entered a strategic partnership with HD Hyundai to launch a new maritime investment strategy, Cerberus Maritime.Cerberus Maritime is aligned with the U.S. Government’s initiative to revitalize the maritime capabilities of the United States and allied nations. The strategy aims to identify high-impact opportunities that strengthen strategic maritime infrastructure and supply chains, maritime logistics infrastructure, port modernization, and advanced maritime technologies. The strategy will have a particular focus on U.S.

Three Republican House lawmakers on Monday asked the CEOs of Alphabet, Facebook parent Meta, Amazon.com and Microsoft if they have adopted adequate safeguards to address growing national security concerns on submarine communications cables.Washington has been raising alarm about the network of more than 400 subsea cables that handle 99% of international internet traffic and about threats from China and Russia.The letter raised concerns that entities affiliated with China "such as SBSS…

The Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday it plans to adopt rules to bar companies from connecting undersea submarine communication cables to the United States that include Chinese technology or equipment."We have seen submarine cable infrastructure threatened in recent years by foreign adversaries, like China," FCC Chair Brendan Carr said in a statement. "We are therefore taking action here to guard our submarine cables against foreign adversary ownership, and access…

Megamas Resources announced a ship design contract with Norway-based Ulstein Design & Solutions AS to start the engineering phase on a fiber-optic cable-laying vessel (CLV) planned to be built at the Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH.Capt. Tiew Sien Kheng, managing partner at Megamas, disclosed the contract at Ulstein's booth at the Nor-Shipping exhibition this week."Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, together with Lloyd Werft, will contribute its extensive expertise to deliver a high-specification, specialized vessel.

The 30-year-old Washington State Ferries vessel Wenatchee, one of the state’s three largest ferries, has been converted to hybrid-electric power. It is due to be operational again this summer.The work included:• taking out two of the four diesel generators• building two new battery rooms and outfitting them with 864 battery modules• installing new controls• installing thousands of feet of electric and fiber optic cable• painting much of the exterior of the ferry• replacing vinyl on some seats• deep cleaning.Sea trials and crew training are currently underway from Vigor Shipyard.

The same error-prone sensitivity that has slowed down the development of quantum computers is being turned into an advantage for GPS-denied navigation.A new quantum sensing technology from Australia-based Q-CTRL has most recently caught the interest of Lockheed Martin and the US Defense Innovation Unit, but the company is already working with the Australian Department of Defence, the UK Royal Navy, the US Department of Defense and Airbus.These agencies are interested in a quantum-sensing-based navigation system…

Vard has secured a new contract with Taiwanese-based Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) for the design and construction of one Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), a sister vessel to the two CSOVs ordered in May 2024.After sealing the contract for two CSOVs in May 2024, Taiwanese DFO is adding a third vessel of the same design, the VARD 4 39.The design is the result of collaboration between DFO and Vard.The design gives a highly versatile all-round platform for sustainable wind…

YACHT SIGNSAt Yacht Signs, we excel in creating stunning illuminated yacht names and logos, durable stainless steel yacht lettering, and cutting-edge LED and fiber optic solutions. Our comprehensive services also include in-house design and manufacturing of exquisite backlit and custom yacht signs tailored specifically to your vessel.Yacht signs play a critical role in personalizing and enhancing the style of any luxury yacht. These tailor-made nameplates, typically displayed on the transom, not only highlight the yacht's name but also reflect the owner's unique taste and branding vision.

The Arctic, once a remote and isolated frontier, is rapidly transforming into a hub of activity. Increased shipping, resource exploration, and scientific research are reshaping the region, ushering in a new wave of challenges – particularly in the critical domain of cybersecurity. As a maritime cybersecurity expert, I observe unique threats emerging in this icy environment, where fragile infrastructure, escalating geopolitical tensions, constrained communication bandwidth, and…

Australia and Singapore have selected eight projects for funding as part of a A$20 million ($12.6 million) initiative to help reduce emissions in the maritime sector.The Australia-Singapore Initiative on Low Emissions Technologies (ASLET) supports the objectives of the Singapore and Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC), which will help accelerate decarbonization and digitization of shipping routes between Singapore and Australia. It is jointly delivered by the CSIRO…

We are at the one-year since the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge collapsed over the Patapsco River’s Fort McHenry Channel in Baltimore, Maryland. Nearly 100 percent of the wreckage and debris removal was conducted by the Jones Act private sector U.S. maritime industry. The FSK collapsed at about 1:28 a.m. local time on March 26, 2025 after the container ship MV DALI lost power and collided with one of bridge’s support piers. Six construction workers died in the collapse, while two other workers survived the fall into the freezing water.

The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the NATO military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones.Several investigations are under way but no suspects have been brought to trial.FEBRUARY 2025: FINLAND-GERMANY TELECOM CABLESwedish and Finnish police said on February 21 they were investigating a suspected case of sabotage of an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea…

As global reliance on subsea infrastructure grows, so do the risks. Discover how safeguarding undersea assets opens new frontiers for innovation and investment.Importance of Subsea InfrastructureSubsea infrastructure plays a critical role in maintaining the operational continuity of the modern society and the global economy. This vast network includes subsea data and communication cables, pipelines for energy transportation, electricity cables, and resource extraction systems.

The domestic passenger vessel answers the call for cleaner and more efficient platforms. It is truly an electric time to be a part of this niche industry.In the shadow of a rapidly changing political landscape, the domestic passenger ferry sector is nevertheless seeing an increasing number of newbuild vessel orders. Older fleet vessels, some approaching financial and operational obsolescence – also environmentally undesirable on a waterfront that more than ever demands cleaner carbon signatures – are going the way of the dinosaur.

A pair of telecomm cables appeared to have been torn apart by a strong external force, Finland's Elisa said today, adding that they had now been repaired. The cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea on Dec. 25, 2024.Finnish police seized the Eagle S tanker carrying Russian oil on Dec. 26 and said they suspected that the vessel had damaged the Finnish-Estonian Estlink 2 power line and four telecoms cables on Christmas Day by dragging its anchor across the seabed."The current suspicion is that the external force has been caused by an anchor…

The Executive Control Board of the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) selected 13 panel projects for award as part of the program's mission to reduce costs and expand capability for U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair. These new projects, valued at over $2.55M in government funding, were among those proposed in response to the Panel Project Solicitation issued in June 2024. Abbreviated descriptions follow; prime contractors are listed first and noted in bold text:Laser…

The Federal Communications Commission voted 5-0 to propose new rules governing undersea internet cables in the face of growing security concerns in the wake of two fiber-optic undersea telecommunication cables being severed in the Baltic Sea this week, which is suspected to be sabotage.The FCC eyes new rules to address the national security concerns over the global network of more than 400 subsea cables that handle more than 98% of international internet traffic."With the expansion of data centers…

China indicated it is willing to maintain communication with relevant parties and to jointly safeguard the security of international submarine infrastructure, its foreign ministry said.Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks when asked about a Chinese ship in Danish waters, and Finland and Sweden's investigation into the two severed fiber-optic data telecommunication cables in the Baltic Sea. Lin said he was not aware of the details of the ship.The Danish military said on Wednesday that it was staying close to Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 currently sitting idle in a strait between Denmark and Sweden, but did not mention the cable breaches or say why it was staying with the ship.(Reuters)

APM Terminals has awarded civil works and electrification contract for Maasvlakte II container terminal expansion in Rotterdam to CareGo, a consortium of ABB, Dura Vermeer and GMB.The expansion will cover a 51-hectare container yard, which will double the capacity of the terminal, making it one of the most advanced fully automated terminals in the world.The 51 hectares will consist of 31 additional yard blocks, quay area, truck and rail areas, and associated infrastructure.The Rotterdam Port Authority has already constructed 1,000 meters of new deep-sea quay for the expansion of the facility.

Greensea IQ announced an extension to its prototype (Other Transaction Agreement) with the Defense Innovation Unit and U.S. Navy following the successful completion to Phase 3 of the Autonomous Expeditionary Maritime Response Vehicle (AEMRV) prototype last fall.The objective of this contract modification is to demonstrate a production-ready edge processing configuration of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Workspace, called EOD Edge, deployed in Greensea’s IQNS, with the autonomy and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) components.

Vard has launched the cable laying vessel (CLV) being built for Danish offshore services firm NCT Offshore, ahead of delivery planned later in 2024.The newbuild CLV, named Freja, has been launched at Vard Shipyards in Tulcea, Romania.The vessel features VARD 9 01 design, and is especially equipped for subsea cable laying operations and developed in close collaboration with NCT Offshore.According to Vard, the vessel has high focus on sea-keeping capabilities, excellent station keeping performances and low fuel consumption.The cable layer…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with an undisclosed Taiwanese customer for the design and construction of two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs).The customer has appointed VARD to design and construct two CSOVs’ of VARD 4 39 design.This is a new design from VARD, said to be highly versatile all-round platform for sustainable windfarm support operations both as a service vessel for the wind farms and for the building and installation phase.The first vessel will be built…