Environmental Propulsion News

Sanmar has signed a contract with major towage and marine services provider Svitzer to build a fully electric tug to be deployed in Scandinavia to provide services between Denmark and Sweden.The Denmark-headquartered global operator has ordered a new ASD, 1,818 kWh, 70-ton bollard pull, tugboat based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2500-SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.Measuring 25.4m LOA, with a 5.6m draft and 12.86m beam, the tug will be able to operate safely and efficiently on electrical power only.

Artemis Technologies, a world leader in commercial efoiling vessels, today released its Future of Sustainable Transit Report.Conducted by accredited third-party research firm, Censuswide, this report features insights from 2,000 Americans on their key grievances regarding public transit and the changes they are hoping to see in their cities when it comes to more sustainable modes of transportation.Data shows that 40% of Americans surveyed said they spend at least an hour on public transit per week but despite its ubiquitousness in daily life…

Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has highlighted several areas high on the agenda of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as it embarks on a busy work schedule for 2025.Speaking at a news conference on 14 January 2025, Mr. Dominguez said that IMO’s 176 Member States continue to work together to find solutions to global challenges impacting the maritime sector.Dark fleetHe addressed rising concerns with the “dark fleet” or “shadow fleet” evading compliance with safety or environmental regulations, avoiding insurance costs or engaging in other illegal activities.Mr.

StormGeo, a provider of maritime technology solutions, announced a partnership with Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (Bureau Veritas), a global provider in testing, inspection, and certification, for more efficient reporting and verification of CO2 emission data.By integrating StormGeo's solutions with Bureau Veritas' advanced emission compliance platform, VeriSTAR Green, the collaboration will streamline the emission reporting and verification process for vessels between 400 and 5,000 gross tonnage (GT), as well as offshore vessels of 400 GT and above.

European Union marine fuel rules, effective from Jan. 1 as part of efforts to cut emissions, will raise shipping costs, although firms with vessels that can run on alternative fuels, such as biodiesel and LNG, will benefit, two shipbrokers said.The policy is the second major EU regulation focused on cutting the shipping industry's carbon emissions in as many years. Shipping transports over 80% of all traded goods and causes nearly 3% of greenhouse gas emissions.The FuelEU Maritime regulation requires commercial ships above 5,000 gross tonnage operating in EU ports to cut emissions from marine fuels, also called bunker fuels, or pay penalties.Biofuels and other alternative fuels for ships are in short supply, and there is competition from aviation and other sectors.

Technology group Wärtsilä has been included as an index component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Europe (DJSI) for the ninth consecutive time.The company was assessed based on its 2023 performance and was ranked within the top four per cent of its peers in the IEQ Machinery and Electrical Equipment sector with a total score of 62/100. The results were announced on 13 December 2024.“Receiving this recognition for the ninth time in a row underlines our holistic approach and long-term commitment to sustainability as a company.

Corvus Energy has been selected as the supplier of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for Statue City Cruises’ ferries servicing the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island routes in New York Harbor.Corvus Energy ESS will be integrated aboard Statue City Cruises’ current fleet of nine ferries and will reduce fuel consumption and emissions along the New York/New Jersey waterfront.Since 2008, Statue City Cruises, which is part of Hornblower’s City Experiences portfolio, has been the…

All American Marine (AAM) has announced a partnership with San Francisco Bay Ferry to build their 150-passenger battery-electric vessels. This landmark project will contribute significantly to advancing sustainable passenger transport in the San Francisco Bay Area while showcasing innovative maritime engineering.The concept vessel was initially developed by Aurora Marine Design, based in San Diego, as part of  SF Bay Ferry’s REEF program. Teknicraft Design of Auckland, New Zealand…

BB ELECTRA, the first fully electric powered tugboat to operate in Europe, has been extremely busy since arriving in Norway on April 8, 2024, to start working for environmentally-friendly operator Buksér og Berging.Built by Sanmar Shipyards in Turkiye to the exclusive to Sanmar ElectRA 2200SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd, this game-changing tug has already completed 81 towage operations during 835 running hours.Part of a project unveiled in 2021, a total of seven ElectRA Series tugs are now in operation in Europe and North America…

Anemoi Marine Technologies has today announced that Clare Urmston has been appointed as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO).After holding a number of executive and non-executive positions within the manufacturing, healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods sectors, Clare Urmston joined Anemoi in March 2020 as its Chief Financial Officer and, in May 2024, became Chief Operating Officer as part of the company’s growth into Asia.She replaces Kim Diederichsen who is stepping…

Global digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther has been commissioned to design an ultra-efficient, all-electric light cargo transfer vessel for Singapore’s marinEV, a business of Yinson GreenTech. The vessel, Hydromover 2.0, will transport light cargo such as stores, food and maintenance items to vessels anchored in the Singapore Strait, waiting to dock at the Port of Singapore. Hydromover 2.0 builds on the success of the prototype Hydromover 1.0.Hydromover 2.0 will feature Incat Crowther’s efficient hull form…

Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has strengthened its collaboration with bound4blue by contracting three 22-meter high eSAIL suction sails. The fully autonomous Wind Assisted Propulsion System (WAPS) will be installed on a newbuild MR Tanker from New Times Shipbuilding in Jiangsu Province, China in late 2025. This agreement follows EPS’s first project with bound4blue earlier this year, which involved retrofitting three eSAILs on Pacific Sentinel, a 50,000dwt vessel, in February.

Successful engine-retrofit of Very Large Container Vessel ‘Maersk Halifax’ to dual-fuel ME-LGIM unit. MAN Energy Solutions has announced the successful retrofit of the main engine of the ‘Maersk Halifax’ to a dual-fuel MAN B&W ME-LGIM unit. MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, carried out the work, the first such project globally involving a VLCV (Very Large Container Vessel).The 15,000 teu vessel entered service in 2017 and was originally powered by an MAN B&W 8G95ME-C9.5 prime mover.

Thordon Bearings has delivered COMPAC water-lubricated propeller shaft and SXL rudder bearings to replace oil- and grease- lubricated bearings onboard McKeil Marine’s bulk carrier Northern Venture as part of a major refurbishment project.Established in 1956, Canada-based McKeil Marine provides marine transportation along the St. Lawrence Seaway, the East Coast, and Canadian Arctic with its diversified fleet of tugs, barges, workboats and vessels, including bunkers, cement carriers, and tankers.The shipowner acquired the 155m (508.5ft), 19,651dwt Northern Venture in 2022.

Seaspan Energy (Seaspan) has successfully completed its first LNG ship-to-ship transfer to a containership in the Port of Long Beach.This operation marks the beginning of Seaspan’s service offering on the West Coast of North America with two LNG bunkering vessels to soon serve both the Long Beach and Vancouver markets. “Our first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering has been five years in the making and our team is so proud of this milestone especially as this represents the first ship-to-ship bunkering on the West Coast of North America,” said Harly Penner, Senior Vice President, Seaspan Energy.

At the Sanmar shipyard, located in Tuzla Bay, Istanbul, Latin American's first electric tug was launched.The vessel is scheduled to arrive in Chile per the service agreement signed in January this year between Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (Enap) and SAAM. This advance reaffirms both companies’ commitment to the energy transition, since the tug's electric propulsion structure does not emit greenhouse gases and reduces environmental and underwater noise.After this first launch stage…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group has delivered of the M/V Jaden Pasentine (Hull 200). The 70th 90’x 32’x 10’ Inland Towboat built by Eastern for Florida Marine Transporters, LLC of Mandeville, LA. In 2018, Florida Marine Transporters, LLC signed four more additional towboats, bringing the total to seventy (70) vessels contracted over the last 14 years. The M/V Jaden Pasentine  was constructed at Eastern’s Allanton Facility and designed by Gilbert Associates, Inc. of Boston, MA.The M/V Jaden Pasentine  for Florida Marine is powered by two (2) Caterpillar 3512C Tier 3 diesel engines rated at 1…

High Speed Transfers goes global with BareFLEET, as the firm commits to monitoring and reporting best practice proven across European operations.High Speed Transfers (HST), a Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) operator supporting the offshore wind energy and oil and gas industries, is adopting BareFLEET, Reygar’s advanced remote monitoring system, across the entirety of its fleet as the business looks to replicate its European successes in the U.S. and Taiwanese markets.Offshore energy is an increasingly global sector…

Schottel, a manufacturer of propulsion and steering systems for ships and offshore applications, said that the new diving bell ship from the Duisburg waterway and shipping authority (WSA Duisburg) is equipped with its propulsion units.Two rudder-propellers and a pump jet enable maximum maneuverability in narrow waterways, said a press release.The special vessel is being built at the Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Gorinchem. The order was placed by FMSW Koblenz for the federal waterways and shipping administration.The diving bell ship is powered by a total of three azimuth thrusters, two rudder-propellers and a pump jet. All systems are driven by electric motors.Both rudder-propellers type SRP 150 FP (330 kW each) have a ducted propeller diameter of 1.10 m…

Thordon Bearings has received an order to supply a water-lubricated propeller shaft bearing solution to Fincantieri’s Monfalcone shipyard for installation to MSC Seashore, the third Seaside Class cruiseship to which Thordon’s COMPAC system has been specified.As part of a scope of environmentally-sustainable technology to feature aboard the 339m long, twin screw vessel – the first of two enriched Seaside Evo Class ships scheduled to enter services in 2021 – Thordon will supply two 628mm (24.7in) diameter COMPAC propeller shaft bearings…

AET, a petroleum tanker owner and operator, has named its newest vessels, two of the world's first LNG Dual-Fuel Dynamic Positioning Shuttle Tankers (DPSTs). The vessels, the cleanest DPSTs ever built, will emit 40-48% less carbon than equivalent vessels built in 2008, meeting the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) target of reducing carbon (CO2) emissions by 40% against 2008 baselines by 2030, and halving CO2 emissions by 2050.These LNG Dual-Fuel DPSTs also emit 85% less SOx…

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies will act as a technology partner in the Pa-X-ell2 project. The goal is to develop a new generation of fuel cells for use on seagoing vessels. For the future project on sustainable, CO2-free mobility at sea, the largest shipyard for the construction of cruise ships – Meyer Werft in Papenburg – and the global technology specialist Freudenberg Sealing Technologies intend to equip future generations of cruise ships with fuel cell propulsion. Besides Meyer Werft…

Videotel has announced that it is offering the maritime industry free access to its new training package called: “The 2020 Sulphur Regulations – Achieving Compliance”.As the first January 2020 is rapidly approaching, this free awareness video clearly sets out the new regulations, where and how they apply, how they are to be enforced and what crews and owners need to do to be compliant.In essence there are three main ways to achieve compliance:Burn compliant fuelsUse alternative…