Technology News

On July 11, 2024, Dutch students from the TU Delft Hydro Motion Team arrived in Ramsgate with their self-built hydrogen boat, becoming the first to cross from the Netherlands to England with a fully hydrogen-powered vessel, making the nearly 169-km journey across the North Sea on a single tank.Read more about the future of Hydrogen in the maritime space in our inteview with Roy Campe, CTO, CMB.TECH in the January 2024 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News.The teams first attempt to make the crossing on July 9…

KR announced the successful installation of an onboard carbon capture system (OCCS) with purely domestic technology, and it will soon undergo internal verification testing.The project began in April 2023 as a collaborative effort with HMM, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and PANASIA. As a result of this collaboration, the system was installed on the 2,200 teu container ship, HMM Mongla. KR conducted the risk assessment and application of relevant regulations in this OCCS project.The OCCS applies a technology that captures…

Sydrogen Energy Pte. Ltd. (Sydrogen), a Singapore-based fuel cell components and systems company, announced its entry into the maritime market with a 250 kW fuel cell power module. Developed in a collaboration signed with Shanghai Hydrogen Propulsion Technology Co., Ltd. (SHPT), this system aims to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen technology in the shipping industry, supporting Singapore's maritime decarbonization goals."Through a slew of initiatives both on shore, and at sea…

Fratelli Cosulich Group placed an order for two 7,999 dwt IMO2 chemical bunkering tankers at Taizhou Maple Leaf Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., with options to build two more units.The delivery of the first of these methanol-ready vessels will be in the first half of 2026.The newbuild vessels are designed to carry a range of cargoes, including fuel oil, biofuels, and methanol in their cargo tanks, enhancing their utility and market potential.The company's twin small-scale LNG bunker vessels, Alice Cosulich and Paolina Cosulich, are now fully operational, meeting the growing demand from LNG-fueled vessels. In addition, the company is diversifying our fleet because it believes in a multi-fuel future.

Nordic Fender has entered a strategic partnership with SkyLab IoT for the development and expansion of smart fender and buoy solutions that provide real-time data worldwide.Nordic Fender products can now benefit from live monitoring of critical parameters such as air pressure, temperature, humidity, acceleration, angle and rotation (X, Y, Z), and location services based on GPS, GNSS, geolocation, and WiFi/MAC addresses. In addition to the standard data, it is also possible to monitor other environmental…

A fleet of Jones Act compliant crew transfer vessels is growing in stride with the United States’ burgeoning offshore wind industry.When the United Sates’ first purpose-built crew transfer vessel (CTV), Atlantic Pioneer, was delivered in 2016, the country’s offshore wind industry was just getting off the ground. In the years that followed, the industry has been building up—perhaps slower than expected at times—but today is moving forward in earnest.Coinciding with this build-up is the growth of a fleet of Jones Act qualified vessels…

Kongsberg Maritime has introduced a new size of underwater mountable azimuth thruster with a 3.7 meter propeller and 4.2-megawatt power output model joining the range. Suited to a range of vessels including drill ships, windfarm vessels and production vessels, the UUC PM 355 features a permanent magnet (PM) motor, delivering 81 tons of bollard pull.The UUC PM 355, has a compact design with less space required in the machine room thanks to the integrated PM motor. Other features include low noise operation…

Examining similarities and differences between the deepwater oil & gas and the emerging floating wind segment.There has been much excitement around the potential for the offshore wind industry to access deeper water sites through the deployment of floating wind technology.Further, there has been much discussion around the development and deployment of disruptive technologies to leverage the opportunity of floating wind. However, in the short- to medium-term, there is insufficient…

KVH Industries, Inc. announced an expanded relationship with Starlink through a newly signed bulk data distribution agreement. The agreement offers KVH increased flexibility in the development and sales of custom, cost-effective airtime plans using Starlink’s mobile priority service. Under the agreement, KVH prepaid for access to a large block of Starlink data at favorable rates over a period of more than a year. In addition, KVH has added the Starlink Standard flat-panel terminals…

A new partnership between container carrier Hapag-Lloyd and tech company ZeroNorth will aim to develop and launch a new bunker procurement and planning solution for the maritime industry.The partners said on Wednesday that they will set out to create a new digital solution that enables Hapag-Lloyd to effectively navigate the energy transition, reduce fuel spend, and cut cost to serve.Jan Christensen, Senior Director Global Fuel Purchasing, Hapag-Lloyd, said, “We have a clear strategic direction to advance decarbonization across our fleet and across our business.

Training Tips for Ships [#60]Last month’s Training Tips for Ships discussed the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the future of maritime training. My thoughts on this were triggered by the recent headline in the Financial Times: “Andreessen Horowitz raises $7.2bn and sets sights on AI start-ups“. Andreessen Horowitz is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms and they are seeing fit to deeply invest in the burgeoning AI revolution. Typically, this means change is upon us on a timescale that is now very meaningful to us.

Höegh Autoliners ordered from Kongsberg Digital a K-Sim Navigation and K-Sim Engine simulator models, specifically designed for training crew on environmentally friendly Höegh's Aurora Class vessels.Höegh’s new vessels will be the largest and most environmentally friendly Pure Car and Truck Carriers ever built and will accelerate their decarbonization efforts and set a new standard for more sustainable deep-sea transportation. Kongsberg Digital will develop a customized bridge…

There are more than 4,000 harbor craft vessels in the U.S. deemed highly suited for zero-emissions operations, according to a recent report produced by CALSTART in partnership with Intelatus Global Partners.The report - “Sizing the U.S. and California Harbor Craft Market” - looked at the U.S. commercial harbor craft and inland and nearshore vessels above 600 kilowatts (kW) or 805 brake horsepower. Approximately 10,000 vessels were counted in total, including crew and supply boats…

When envisioning the future of vessel design, considerations for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) may not always take precedence. Yet, the significance of proper HVAC systems cannot be overstated, particularly when it comes to ensuring optimal passenger experience. Among the critical aspects of HVAC, ventilation and air circulation onboard vessels stand out as pivotal factors in maintaining healthy and clean air environments.In this paper, we delve into the key role that Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis plays in optimizing vessel ventilation systems.

Denmark-based Danelec reports it has become the first Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) manufacturer to receive new DNV Cyber Security Type Approval for IACS UR E27, for its advanced DM100 VDR platform.The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has introduced the new IACS Unified Requirements E27 to enhance cyber safety and protect maritime assets from cyber threats, which is now mandatory for all classed ships contracted for construction from July 1, 2024. Covering both operational and information technology systems on ships…

Technologies are mature and ready to support maritime work towards 2050 net-zero goals but regulations around systems development require further work.The complex decarbonized systems of the future will require autonomous management systems for viable exploitation. These were among some of the key insights shared with delegates at a one-day Automation Summit, part of Singapore Maritime Week, led by The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Lloyd’s Register.Potential efficiency…

Proman Stena Bulk, the joint venture between Stena Bulk and Proman, christened Stena Prosperous today during a ceremony at the Marina Bay Cruise Center in Singapore. After the ceremony, the 49,900 DWT IMOIIMeMAX vessel will be bunkered with a 20/80 green/conventional methanol blend, which delivers CO2e savings of 31% compared to the same voyage operated on Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), while making additional particulate matter (PM), sulphur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) savings.

Survitec launched a new energy containment safety device designed to reduce the risks associated with catastrophic value actuator failures.The concept of the safety device was developed due to issues identified in the North Sea oil and gas sector, oil rigs, platforms, and floating installations, such as FPSOs and FSRUs. The Survitec Gauntlet can be applied to any facility that operates actuator valves and where risks need to be mitigated.Severe injury or death can be caused by the explosive forces released if a high-pressure spring-loaded actuator device fails…

CIMAC welcomes Charlotte Røjgaard, Bureau Veritas, as a new Board member. She will act as Vice President Working Groups. Røjgaard succeeds Marko Dekena who recently decided to leave the CIMAC Board after many years in various roles.Røjgaard is the Global Marine Fuels Director at Bureau Veritas. She holds a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark and an executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics from Copenhagen Business School. She has already been an active member in CIMAC Working Groups for most of her career.

Australia’s NSW Government has put the first of seven new Parramatta Class ferries designed by Incat Crowther into service.The fleet of new ferries, which will service the busy Parramatta River commuter route, are being constructed in Tasmania, Australia by Richardson Devine Marine.Watch the latest video from Incat Crowther and Zero Emission FerriesA second vessel has begun sea trials and three more are already under construction, with the full fleet expected to enter passenger…

Torghatten, a Norwegian ferry operator, and Kongsberg Maritime have entered into a contract for the development of a system for self-driving ferries on the Flakk-Rørvik route.The car ferry service operation is part of the Norwegian highway network – County Road 715 - and connects the city of Trondheim with communities on the Fosen peninsula.The project will see Kongsberg Maritime technologies installed on the ferries, including its auto docking, auto crossing, collision avoidance and situational awareness capabilities.

As companies approach the exploitation phase of Deep Sea Mining, one critical factor is the transportation of mineral ores from the mine site location to onshore refineries While this may appear to be a relatively simple step, involving conventional bulk ore carriers and standard procedures, the nuances and practical limits of operating in the deep ocean mean that this step becomes increasingly complex and challenging. This article will explore the STARS concept, the likely regulatory requirements, and the complexities of this new vessel type.

Tianjin Port has held a naming ceremony for its two latest RAmparts 3500 ASD tugs, Jingang Lun 36 and Jingang Lun 37, designed by Robert Allan Ltd.During a six-day extensive sea trial, Jingang Lun 36 and Jingang Lun 37 completed comprehensive self-control auto navigation tests which included automatic searching, approaching, and accompanying a target vessel at sea.The tugs were designed and constructed to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of CCS. This is reportedly…