Automation Technology News

Seaspan Shipyards has announced a $5 million investment in Novarc Technologies Inc., a North Vancouver-based full-stack AI robotics company specializing in the design and manufacturing of automated welding solutions.The funding will fuel product development and commercialization of AI-driven solutions which promise to increase industrial productivity.Seaspan has been a strategic partner and early adopter of Novarc’s welding automation technology since 2017, when it invested $500…

Starting March 1, 2025, ocean common carriers of containerized cargo are expected to file documented export strategies with the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on an annual basis.The increased obligation is one of several notable developments on the horizon for the ocean shipping industry in 2025, says the Venable LLP international trade team.As Venable explains in its latest advisory on expected trade laws in 2025, these expected changes will impact operations across a wide range of stakeholders…

The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) announced in an historic development for U.S. maritime industry that they had reached a tentative agreement which officially ends the longshoremen strike that had significantly disrupted East and Gulf Coast ports. After weeks of negotiation, the ILA secured a 62% wage increase over six years for its 47,000 members over this resolution; ending labor unrest that had brought critical U.S.

Labor talks at U.S. ports on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico are a looming risk for retailers, manufacturers and other shippers already grappling with longer transit times and higher costs.The International Longshoremen's Association contract covering 45,000 dockworkers at three dozen ports stretching from Maine to Texas expires on Sept. 30. If there is no deal by then, the union could call a strike that would hit during the vital holiday container shipping season and labor-friendly U.S.

Automation technology and software company Emerson announced it has invested in Frugal Technologies, a Danish-based company that offers fuel optimization technologies that reduce energy use and emissions in shipping fleets.Frugal’s cloud-based propulsion optimization software uses AI technology to collect data related to dynamic conditions such as weather, cargo load and propulsion and develop optimal engine models for ships. Frugal estimates its propulsion solutions generate savings of up to 15% in fuel consumption…

ABB has won a contract to deliver a power, propulsion, and automation system for two new-built short-sea container ships for Rotterdam-based global logistics company Samskip Group.According to ABB, the vessels will be among the world’s first of their kind to use hydrogen as a fuel. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed. Built by India-based Cochin Shipyard, the 135-meter ships are due for delivery in Q3 and Q4 of 2025, respectively. Both vessels will be operating between Oslo Fjord and Rotterdam, a distance of approximately 700 nautical miles.

Unions hope a $30 million grant to electrify tractors in a Long Beach, California, port terminal's final push to become the world's first zero-emissions facility will serve as a bulwark against lost jobs in an era of energy transition and increasing automation. The money from U.S. President Joe Biden's administration for Long Beach Container Terminal's purchase of 60 electric yard tractors that haul shipping containers from stacks to waiting trains comes with strings attached…

ABB said Monday it had secured a large order from Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore Ltd., to deliver an integrated bridge-to-propeller technology for Havfram Wind’s two new NG20000X-HF Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs). The vessels will be able to install offshore wind turbines with a rotor diameter of more than 300 meters, as well as XXL monopiles weighing up to 3,000 tons at water depths of up to 70 meters.ABB scope comprises four Azipod electric main propulsion units with a total propulsion power of 17 MW…

Rarely does a vessel come along with the potential to radically change the way an industry operates, but one such vessel is set to hit the water in 2023.This new vessel, a towboat named Hydrogen One, is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the largest lessor of marine equipment in the U.S. It will be the first of its kind globally to run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology—no diesel propulsion on board—as the maritime industry continues…

Jeffersonville, Ind.-headquartered marine transportation company American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) is expected to operate Hydrogen One, a first-of-its-kind towboat that will run on emissions-reducing methanol-to-hydrogen generator technology—without diesel propulsion.The groundbreaking vessel is being developed by Louisiana-based Maritime Partners, the U.S.' largest lessor of marine equipment, and will be built by Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, La. for launch in 2023 as…

The Danish provider of mobile robotic welding and adaptive multi-pass welding technologies, Inrotech has partnered withGullco International, a manufacturer of automated welding and cutting carriages, modular automation, and custom automation solutions.The two companies will use their partnership to strengthen their customer offerings and market position. With this partnership, both companies combine their knowledge together and offer smart, easy-to-use automation solutions equipped with intelligent software and scanning technology for the growing need for welding automation technology…

U.S.-based classification society ABS and South Korean shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will work together on a series of projects aiming to advance and integrate autonomous vessel technologies.ABS specialists will work with HHI’s Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and its autonomous navigation subsidiary, Avikus, to integrate autonomous and remote-control functions into vessels. The work will be carried out in compliance with requirements outlined in the ABS Guide for Autonomous and Remote Control Functions.

Saudi Arabia's national oil company Saudi Aramco has signed a memorandum of understanding with energy industry construction and installation firm McDermott to explore the use of McDermott's SAFIRA fabrication yard for construction services for Saudi Aramco's upstream and downstream projects.McDermott's SAFIRA fabrication yard is being developed within Saudi Aramco's King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services in Ras Al-Khair. Once fully functional, the yard will have the capability to fabricate and assemble offshore platforms and jackets…

DP World Antwerp Gateway has ordered a fleet of 34 Automated Stacking Cranes for its container terminal in Antwerp, Belgium. The Konecranes Gottwald ARMGs will be an expansion to the current fleet of 20 currently in operation. The first batch will be delivered in Q2 2022, the last batch by 2026. This order was booked in December 2020.DP World Antwerp Gateway was very motivated to continue their current operating concept, using their current ASC system delivered by Gottwald in 2006.

A new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-hybrid tug—said to be the world's first—will be equipped with two mtu 16V 4000 M55RN gas engines from manufacturer Rolls-Royce.The harbor tug will be built by Sembcorp Marine Integrated Yard and operated in Singapore by Jurong Marine Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Marine. The new LNG-hybrid tug is the first of 12 tugs that Sembcorp Marine plans to design and build to replace the existing diesel-powered ones between now and 2025.LNG as a fuel virtually eliminates sulphur oxide emissions…

Marine technology provider Høglund Marine Solutions announced it has taken a two-thirds stake in Vindskip AS, a company developing a wind- and liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel concept.Vindskip (which translates to ‘wind ship’ in English) is a vessel design project for a car/truck carrier that combines wind and gas power to achieve the lowest possible emissions in its market segment.With a majority share in Vindskip AS, Høglund will bring the company’s experience and expertise from providing LNG and automation solutions to the Vindskip project.

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.

Dr. Dirk Jürgens heads R&D at Voith Turbo Marine, a part of the family owned Voith conglomerate which employs more than 19,000 people in 60 countries. Voith Rudderpropellers were chosen as the propulsion system for the three new Staten Island Ferry vessels, and Dr. Jürgens discusses the evolution of the system.The ‘Voith’ name is a well-known one in the maritime industry, but to start please provide an overview of the product and service you offer to the maritime industry.The…

Sembcorp Marine subsidiary Jurong Marine Services has ordered a hybrid tug for delivery from the Sembcorp Marine shipyard by the end of 2020.The tug, which will operate in Singapore harbor, will be equipped with ABB’s electric propulsion, power, energy storage, control and automation technology, making it the first tug in South Asia capable of switching between low emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines and zero-emission battery power, ABB said.LNG as a fuel virtually eliminates sulphur oxide emissions…

Kalmar, the provider of cargo-handling solutions and services to ports and terminals, has concluded a comprehensive software maintenance and support agreement with Australian terminal operator Patrick Terminals.The agreement, which covers the equipment automation systems at the company’s Brisbane and Sydney AutoStrad terminals, was booked in Cargotec's 2019 Q4 order intake, with the agreement coming into effect from November 2019, said the Cargotec unit.Patrick Terminals is Australia's leading container terminal operator, handling over three million TEU annually. The company operates some of Australia's most technologically advanced terminals at four strategically located ports: Brisbane AutoStrad Terminal…

The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership hosted Capitol Day in St. Paul, Minnesota yesterday to meet with Governor Tim Walz and other key legislators to share insights on the critical role of the Great Lakes Seaway system in maintaining a vibrant regional, national and global economy.“Commercial navigation on the Great Lakes Seaway system is an economic driver — both broadly in the United States and Canada — but, especially, in Minnesota. More cargo moves in-and-out through Minnesota ports than any other Great Lakes state and supports over 6…

Maritime autonomous surface ship (“MASS”) technology continues to advance at a rapid pace around the globe. Although it’s not being embraced as quickly in the United States commercial market as other parts of the world, U.S. industry professionals and regulators look forward to continued development and implementation as a means to improve efficiency and safety.OpportunitiesThe U.S. Maritime Administration (“MARAD”) hosted “Achieving Critical MASS: Spotlight on the U.S. Vessel Automation Industry” July 22 and 23, 2019, encouraging discussion between U.S.

Saudi Arabia’s Rawabi Vallianz Offshore Services  (RVOS) has contracted Netherlands-based Praxis Automation Technology to deliver dynamic positioning systems for its fleet of offshore support vessels (OSVs) operating out of the country. RVOS, joint venture company between Rawabi Holding and Vallianz Holdings Limited of Singapore, said that the contract includes the retrofit of 14 ships with a Praxis Automation Class 2 Dynamic Positioning (DP) system, including the integration to the ship’s power distribution system and control systems.Jerome Lin, Commercial Director at Praxis Automation Far East in Singapore said that Praxis DP system is designed to be an accurate…