South Africa News

Headquartered in Kolding, Denmark, Tricon produces control panels and electronics for the global market. This calls for wide-ranging and skilled logistics solutions. Currently, Blue Water handles all Tricon’s cross-border shipments to and from Kolding, the company’s factory in Hungary and the rest of the world. Good sparring partner “The employees of Blue Water are always quick to assist if we have questions or challenges," says Director of Tricon, Kenneth Lund, adding ...

The OECS region’s coastal and marine environment is pivotal to the advancement of the region’s sustainable development agenda as well as to the ecological sustainability and holistic development of its Member States.  Although the Blue Economy in the region is fairly nascent and requires a major boost to realise its transformative promises, there is momentum and gradual growth in understanding of the potential of the Blue Economy to position the region to realise its aspiration...

When I recently read about OceanXplorers, Disney Plus' new series about heroic scientists researching the world of the deep, I was excited—not least for my kids—and quietly dismayed. Our society needs to do for the ocean what Carl Sagan and Neil DeGrasse Tyson did for outer space: familiarise ourselves, get excited, engage and connect. That said, NASA's funding is $22.6 billion, and NOAA received roughly one-quarter of that at $5.4 billion. A decent amount of people reading thi...

With COP26 just around the corner and a year on from the announcement of the UK Government’s 10 Point Plan, the need to become more carbon neutral is as prominent as ever and is now underway in numerous industries across the world. Frequent severe weather events It’s no secret that the weather is changing, with severe conditions happening more frequently and at pace, with soaring temperatures, storms, flooding and even volcanic eruptions all making headlines on a regular basis. Ho...

For the first time after the COVID-19 breakout, Blue Water’s Aid & Development Logistics team gathered with a large number of NGOs, the UN, and many of their suppliers for the annual AidEx event and conference in Brussels, Belgium. At the event, government bodies meet with the private sector and the many other professionals working to help the most vulnerable of this world. This year, AidEx could celebrate its tenth jubilee. Sustainability Blue Water was part of the Danish Pavilion....

The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) has given initial consideration to an innovative proposal from the global shipping industry to collectively provide USD 5 billion to accelerate R&D to support its decarbonisation. The world’s governments have agreed to give further consideration to the detail of the concept of an IMO-supervised, industry financed, USD 5 billion programme, to be conducted by a new International Maritime Research and Development Board (IMRB)...

Danfoss China has signed a cooperation agreement with renowned Chinese shipyard, Zhenjiang Shipyard, to quicken the rate of electrification in the Chinese marine industry. The agreement between Danfoss China and Zhenjiang Shipyard is directly aligned with China’s strategy to boost green shipping and will see the two companies partner, in order to further enhance Zhenjiang Shipyard’s hybrid tugboats, the star vessel of the business’ portfolio. Partnership with Zhenjiang Shipya...

The municipality of Aveiro will integrate its first fully electric ferry into its public transportation system in 2022, which will be powered by Danfoss’ Editron division’s electric propulsion system. The vessel will replace the existing diesel-powered ferry operating between Forte da Barra, in Ilhavo, and São Jacinto, in Aveiro. The new electric ferry forms part of the country’s effort to accelerate the transition to emission-free public transport solutions. Increased...

MetOcean Telematics is pleased to announce the official release of the STOKES Iridium tracking drifter. It is available for purchase. The STOKES drifter was designed and tested in technical partnership with Florida State University (FSU). STOKES drifter The STOKES drifter is a compact drifting buoy that tracks water currents at the surface. The small lightweight buoy is equipped with Iridium satellite telemetry, GPS positioning, and a sea surface temperature sensor. Iridium satellite telemet...

On 12th November, the Pakistan Navy commissioned its new Corvette – a Damen OPV 1900 – named PNS Tabuk at the Port of Constanta, Romania. The ship is part of a two-vessel order with Damen, signed by the Pakistan Ministry of Defence in 2017. Both ships are built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. The first vessel, PNS Yarmook, joined the Pakistan Navy’s fleet in February. Multipurpose & highly adaptable platform The Damen OPV 1900 feature 2 DAMEN INBOARD RHIB 1125. Th...

IOTICS is creating a digital twin of Portsmouth International Port as part of an ambitious 1.5m project to demonstrate an achievable modular green hydrogen generation system within the Port. The Shipping, Hydrogen & Port Ecosystems UK (SHAPE UK) project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. Portsmouth International Port is the UK's largest and most successful municipal port, operated by...

Two pioneers in marine electrification, Volvo Penta, and Danfoss’ Editron division, have worked together to power two of the UK’s first fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs). The vessels have been in operation at an offshore wind farm for a month and are already making a positive environmental impact. A recent announcement from COP26 was the promise of £160 million in new funding to support the building of floating offshore wind farms in Scotland a...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce it has been awarded contracts to perform Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) for a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel (FPSO) for the Yellowtail development project. The FEED contract award triggers the initial release of funds by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) to begin FEED activities and secure a Fast4Ward® hull. Construct, install, and lease FPSO Following FEED and subject to g...

The EU Innovation Fund has given a positive grant decision of EUR 88 million funding to Neste’s green hydrogen and CO2 capture & storage project, which aims to quickly and efficiently reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Porvoo refinery in Finland. The project introduces carbon capture and storage (CCS) and electrolysis solutions that allow decarbonisation of production at the refinery. The project is currently in the feasibility phase. Climate targets  The project will stron...

The transition to a low-carbon society is reliant upon bringing in new and growing technologies, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to reduce the CO2 emissions to atmosphere, and Norway’s Equinor is a pinoeer in this area. There is a need for reliable consequence models for safety assessments, design of barriers and documentation of CCS safe design. To ensure the highest safety standards, it is critical to have tools that simulate what actually happens if accidents occ...

Ports around the UK continuously command media attention, and most recently, the ongoing disruption to supply chains globally has had a great impact on the day-to-day running of our ports. One example is Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, which has been forced to turn away ships from Asia because of a lack of capacity. The severe lack of HGV drivers is adding to the problem too. It has been reported that the amount of time goods spend inside Felixstowe port, known in the indust...

MetOcean Telematics is pleased to announce it will be exhibiting at the International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, LA from December 1-3, 2021. The International WorkBoat Show is a trade-only conference and expo for commercial vessel owners, operators, and builders as well as the vendors and suppliers that serve them. International WorkBoat Show MetOcean is looking forward to connecting with partners and attendees in the industry and showcasing the latest MetOcean systems and Iridium products...

Neste has been selected in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the 15th consecutive year. Neste is included in both DJSI World and DJSI Europe listing, among the most sustainable companies in the world. Neste’s performance received the industry’s best scores in materiality and environmental and social reporting, contributing to the company’s inclusion among the top performers. Ambitious climate commitments “The recognition in the Dow Jones Sustainability In...

Water and a piece of the iceberg from Greenland were part of the exhibition at the UN’s climate summit in Glasgow. But how to move this gigantic iceberg piece over a 2,500 kilometres sea distance? Through network, Blue Water was contacted with an inquiry about this unusual task that need to be solved within a narrow time frame. Shipping the ice Several operators were already contacted but none were willing to undertake the demanding job. It concerned a piece of the iceberg from Narsaq i...

Two globally renowned companies in marine electrification, Volvo Penta and Danfoss’ Editron division, have worked together to power two of the United Kingdom’s first fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs). The two fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs) have been in operation at an offshore wind farm, for a month and are already making a positive environmental impact. Hybrid electric crew transfer vessels A recent announcement from COP2...

SBM Offshore is pleased to announce that during the Annual General Meeting to be held on April 6, 2022 (AGM) it will be proposed to appoint Hilary Mercer as member of the Supervisory Board as per that date. In the interim, Hilary Mercer will act as an advisor to the Supervisory Board. Hilary Mercer Hilary Mercer is a Senior Vice President in Shell Chemicals and leads the Shell Polymers business, which includes its Pennsylvania Chemicals facility in the U.S. Hilary has over 34 years of experi...

Vessul, the most advanced crew travel management tech for marine and energy, has partnered with Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE), a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health for everyone, forever. “Vessul’s connection to the ocean and all it provides runs deep, which is why our partnership with BLUE is so incredibly important to us as a company,” said Vessul COO Neil Ruth. Generating revenue “As a corporate partner of BLUE, Vessul is committed to suppor...

Wan Hai Lines Ltd. is pleased to announce its plan to expand its existing service network between China to Southeast Asia, by launching a new weekly service from Central China to Cambodia & Thailand, on 1st December 2020. China to Cambodia/Thailand (CT5) Service The China to Cambodia/Thailand Service, named CT5 will be operated with 3 vessels, with an intake of 1,200 TEU. Wan Hai Lines will deploy 1 vessel, while its partners - Yang Ming Lines and Sealand Maersk Asia will operate the two v...

BAE Systems has announced that it is extending its partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful to become the primary supporter of the charity’s Upstream Battle® campaign on the River Clyde and its tributaries. The partnership, which has already seen the creation of two new Community Clean Up Hubs in Scotstoun and Govan, will continue to raise awareness of the problem of marine litter from source to sea and inspire action to improve waterways throughout the Clyde Valley. Funding BAE Sys...

Urban areas account for over 70 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions, with heating and cooling representing the largest share of energy consumption, so delivering sustainable and affordable heating and cooling to cities is a priority in the fight against climate change. ABB will deploy its complete electrical, instrumentation, and control (EIC) package, motors and variable speed drives for the powerhouse of the heat pump, which will be the world’s largest seawater heat pum...

The Seafarers' Charity, the largest grant-awarding maritime charity, has unveiled its new website, making it easier to apply for grants and explaining the complete network of support provided. The Seafarers’ Charity works with delivery partners to support seafarers across the world, reflecting the global nature of seafaring. Support and care for seafarers Their diverse work over 2020 has included the COVID-19-focused Seafarers International Relief Fund, as well as their continued...

Global Survival Technology solutions company, Survitec has completed the acquisition of Blue Anchor Fire & Safety Ltd, one of Scotland’s major providers of survival solutions providers to the fisheries, maritime and offshore energy industries. The investment, part of Survitec’s expansion strategy, follows the acquisition in May of Norway’s Hansen Protection, a renowned provider of personal protective equipment. Acquisition of Blue Anchor Fire & Safety Ltd Baba Devani...

An exceptional operation was carried out in the Aabenraa Inlet. In a planned operation, a large semi-submersible freighter slowly submerged to prepare for the float-off of 'Magnor', the world’s biggest backhoe dredger. The purpose-built freighter is constructed for this specific type of assignment and can carry vessels that are unable to manoeuvre under their power.  Float-off operation For performing the float-off operation, the semi-submersible vessel ballasted to submerge its ce...

Satcom Direct (SD), the business aviation solutions provider, has inked a preferred supplier agreement with Slovenia-headquartered aviation services company - Elit’Avia. Voice, data, connectivity, and flight deck communication functionality, along with customer support and training, is now enabling Elit’Avia to optimise the full range of SD connectivity services for its mixed fleet.  Demonstrating the value of the SD Xperience portfolio, which enables customisation of bundled p...

MetOcean Telematics is pleased to announce we will be exhibiting at Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle, WA, from November 18-20, 2021.  Pacific Marine Expo is the largest commercial marine trade show on the West Coast, serving commercial mariners from Alaska to California.  Pacific Marine Expo 2021 MetOcean Telematics is looking forward to connecting with attendees and showcasing the latest MetOcean systems and Iridium products and technology. Visit the MetOcean Telematics team at booth...