South Africa News

Watson Farley & Williams advised long-standing client TUI Cruises GmbH on the delivery of Mein Schiff 7, its seventh ship in the Mein Schiff series built at Meyer Turku’s shipyard in Finland.  At ca. 112,000 GT, the 315 metres long, MEIN SCHIFF 7 is a showcase for modern, sustainable shipping. It has been fitted with cutting-edge technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and is also equipped with methanol capability and a shore power connection. Representation of TUI Cruises...

Hanwha and Accelleron have performed an engine part load optimisation (EPLO) for Höegh Autoliners supporting long-term energy efficiency for its 7,850 CEU (Car Equivalent Units) car carrier Höegh Detroit. The success of the project to improve the vessel’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating has led to an order for EPLOs on a further seven vessels owned or operated by Höegh. At a recent sea trial, EPLO demonstrated a fuel saving of 10g/kWh, equivalent to 5% of total fuel...

WEG has just released its Integrated Annual Report, highlighting its financial results, commitment to sustainability and innovation strategies in 2023. The company ended the period with around 40 thousand employees distributed across 52 manufacturing sites in 15 different countries. Achieved net revenue of 32.5 billion, reporting a solid year with consistent revenue growth. Reducing carbon emissions In the document, the company highlights its growing quest to maintain sustainability aligned w...

Safe and efficient DESMI mag-drive centrifugal pumps enable leakage-free methanol fuel systems for ships, reducing vessel carbon emissions and climate impact. With every year that passes, emission regulations tighten in the shipping industry. Ship owners who want to stay in business need to look for ways of reducing carbon emissions to comply with the targets defined in the IMO GHG Strategy and other regulations. A promising but toxic alternative Running on alternative fuels is one of the mos...

In a pioneering achievement, DESMI has secured third-party validation for the effectiveness of its aquaculture UV treatment systems from DNV, a global major in quality assurance and risk management. This marks a significant advancement in the aquaculture industry, ensuring greater transparency and trust in UV treatment technologies. On February 16th, 2024, DESMI achieved a milestone by receiving DNV validation for the UV doses applied by its UV treatment systems, specifically designed for aquac...

Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM), a renowned provider of global voice and data satellite communications, has announced expanded commercial availability of its Satellite Time and Location (STL) service, the leading alternative positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solution. Driven by increased commercial demand, Iridium partners are now authorised to sell the service in parts of Europe and Asia Pacific, helping to protect locally relied upon GNSS systems, like GPS and Galileo, with a signa...

International®, AkzoNobel’s marine coatings brand has announced that a new cable-laying vessel, the Monna Lisa, owned by Prysmian, is to be coated in the Intergard® 7500 primer and Intersmooth® 7465Si antifouling solution. This decision is estimated to reduce the vessel’s carbon emissions (CO2) by 672 tonnes over the dry docking period and lower Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) by more than 11 tonnes during construction. By utilising Intergard 7500, a high-solids un...

The performance of Hempel’s cutting-edge silicone-based hull coating solution, Hempaguard X7, and its ability to accelerate decarbonisation efforts in the maritime industry are now third-party validated by DNV. Since its launch in 2013, Hempaguard has provided vessels around the world with significant energy efficiency compared to the industry average and contributed to substantial reductions in carbon emissions. With this external validation by DNV, Hempel is now better able to demonstra...

Ingeteam’s first project for an electrolyser manufacturer’s test bench has been a great success. The project was the first 100% renewable hydrogen production facility to which the Basque technology company supplied capital equipment in mid-2022. Following system commissioning and several months of operation, its success constituted a green light for further projects with the same customer to generate hydrogen for their mobility solutions. Test bench project Such test bench project...

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the lenders, led by Citi, on the financing and subsequent delivery of Royal Caribbean’s latest flagship vessel, “Utopia of the Seas”. The Norton Rose Fulbright team advised on all aspects of the transaction, including the original financing arrangements and, most recently, the delivery of the vessel. The vessel is the latest Royal Caribbean vessel financed under a French ECA-supported receivable purchase financing and post-deli...

Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-founder of maritime technology start-up Orca AI champions the rapid – but responsible – deployment of smart, cost-effective digital tools to tackle climate challenges in the shipping industry. Leveraging machine learning and data insights, AI solutions are a vital front line in reducing fuel consumption and emissions. AI solutions "AI solutions are crucial for squeezing every last drop of efficiency out of the existing fleet amid increasing pressure to dec...

North, a pioneering provider of smart integrated solutions, has been awarded contracts to the value of £1 million by the Port of Aberdeen to improve the safety, connectivity and sustainability of Scotland’s largest berthing port. The contract includes the upgrade and expansion of the port’s CCTV and security systems and the deployment of private 5G, public Wi-Fi and IoT networks to support a range of solutions to improve operations and customer experience. Marine infrastructu...

The shipping community is appalled and deeply saddened with the tragic news that, yet another seafarer seems certain to have been killed in a drone boat strike on Wednesday 12 June while on board the MV Tutor in the Red Sea. They utterly condemn these assaults which directly contravene the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation. Thoughts and condolences go to the family and loved ones of the seafarer who tragically lost their life. It is deplorable that innocent seafarer...

Oceania Cruises, the world's pioneering culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, has revealed the next chapter in its culinary story as it highlights new Relaxed Yet Refined dining venues aboard its eight small, luxurious ships. New sushi and Indian cuisine offerings at Terrace Café and a revamped poolside lunch menu at Waves Grill are in the spotlight as the line redefines The Finest Cuisine at Sea. Winning specialty restaurants Frank A. Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises, co...

Pioneer shipowner Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN), which has been a publicly-listed maritime company for more than 30 years, has given its backing to the highly anticipated Headline Conference of London International Shipping Week 2025 (LISW25). The LISW25 Headline Conference will once again be held at the prestigious London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization and will be attended by some of the world’s most prominent shipping and government leaders. There will be much...

Defence giants HII and Babcock have formed a ground-breaking new joint venture and entity – H&B Defence – to accelerate the development of critical sovereign capability for the once-in-a-generation AUKUS conventional armed, nuclear-powered submarine program. H&B Defence combines nuclear submarine and shipbuilding experience from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to support the nation’s inaugural nuclear-powered submarine program under AUKUS. Skilled...

As part of a CEF Study project co-funded by the European Union, Port of Rotterdam, in collaboration with the municipality of Rotterdam and various partners in the port of Rotterdam, is conducting four feasibility studies for shore power. This takes place at four large terminals in the port of Rotterdam; the ECT (Amazonehaven), APMT2 (Amaliahaven), VOPAK (Vlaardingen) and the Cruise terminal (Wilhelminakade). The studies consist of different parts; detailed technical studies, environmental and s...

The marine tech company Frugal Technologies is advancing its class-approved Frugal Propulsion, a cost-, fuel-, and emissions-saving system for large vessels. The solution also shows temperature, pressure - and vibration deviations, helping engineers and shipowners make smarter decisions. AI-based control system With an artificial intelligence-based control system, Frugal Technologies has helped shipping companies such as Uni-Tankers, Christiania Shipping, and Royal Arctic Line reduce fuel con...

SRC Group and GREEN MARINE have signed a collaborative agreement that brings two of the strongest advocates of methanol as a marine fuel together to develop and deliver Methanol Superstorage to market. SPS Technology The cooperation aims to realise the benefits available to SRC’s Methanol Superstorage solution, which has been turning heads among owners, builders, repairers, class societies, and insurers since its launch. Using the SPS Technology Sandwich Plate System instead of traditio...

From June 10-13, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partnered with the Government of Indonesia under the U.S. Department of State International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and U.S. Department of Defence Threat Reduction Agency programmes to enhance the security and resilience of the international maritime transportation system. Cybersecurity and incident response This reflects a joint commitment by both nations to strengthen cybersecurity collaboration and protect maritime crit...

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have emerged as significant priorities within the maritime industry's pursuit of sustainability. However, the industry's genuine commitment to embracing diversity, particularly concerning sexuality and gender, remains a topic of exploration. LGBTQ+: Beyond acronyms The LGBTQ+ community, comprising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer individuals and many other inclusive identities, has long fought for societal acceptance. Historical taboos, social s...

Technology group - Wärtsilä announced it will supply its EnergoFlow and EnergoProFin propulsion solutions to four medium-range ('MR') tankers in the International Seaways fleet.  The devices will be used to upgrade the ships’ existing Wärtsilä controllable pitch propeller system resulting in an estimated five percent (5%) in fuel savings. These will be the first Ice Class 1A FS vessels to be fitted with the EnergoFlow solution. The order was booked by Wärtsil...

Norway-based maritime technology business, Shipnet, has collaborated with Source2Sea in an initiative to drive data-based and transparent catalogue ordering within the maritime supply industry. The PunchOut integration allows Shipnet users to access Source2Sea’s marketplace without leaving Shipnet, optimising the ordering processes onboard and the building and maintenance of procurement product data and assortments. Linking procurement systems Linking procurement systems with supplier c...

It is the launch of the International Maritime Cyber Security Organisation (IMCSO), an organisation that aims to raise the standard of cybersecurity risk assessment across the maritime industry. IMCSO The IMCSO has devised a certification programme for security consultants and a professional register, helping shipping organisations to confidently select experienced personnel. Alongside this, the IMCSO will also validate report outputs to ensure consistency with those reports then held on a ce...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has received orders from Toyofuji Shipping Co., Ltd. (Aichi Prefecture) and Fukuju Shipping Co., Ltd. Shizuoka Prefecture) for Japan's first methanol-fueled roll-on/roll-off (RORO) cargo ships. The two ships will be built at the Enoura Plant of MHI's Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture, with scheduled completion and delivery by the end of fiscal 2027. The ships will be approximat...

Watson Farley & Williams advised Crédit Mutuel Impact and Atlante Gestion on their equity investment in SO TOWT to finance the construction of six new sailing cargo ships for TOWT TransOceanic Wind Transport (“TOWT”), the pioneering French low-carbon shipping company. The six new vessels are being built in Brittany’s Piriou shipyards for delivery in 2027. Once operational they will join the first two vessels of TOWT’s fleet, which are expected to enter commerc...

Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division is expanding its mtu engine programme for military land vehicles to include a hybrid powerpack for special tactical requirements and a 10-cylinder, over 1.100 kW power output, version of the mtu Series 199 which has been extremely successful with NATO forces. Both concepts will celebrate their premiere at the Eurosatory defence trade fair, which takes place in Paris from 17 to 21 June. Rolls-Royce's strategic initiatives Dr Jörg Stratmann, CEO o...

FuelEU Maritime regulations, which will take effect in 2025, will help to encourage investment in research and development (R&D) for the maritime industry. The European Union initiative is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships operating within EU waters.  Adopting cleaner alternative fuels By setting increasingly stringent limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, FuelEU Maritime makes it clear to the industry that traditional high-emission fuels are not sustainable...

FuelEU Maritime, an EU regulation aimed at promoting the decarbonisation of fuels used on board ships, has entered into force and will apply to all ships above 5,000 gross tonnages calling at EU ports from January 1, 2025. FAQs on the FuelEU maritime In this 'FAQs on the FuelEU Maritime (2nd Edition)', the explanation regarding the responsible entities under the regulation and the necessary regulatory compliance timeline for shipping companies have been added, and the contents have been update...

It was destroyed in an explosion during the Blitz, hosted Cunard liners during the 1960s, and was a key link for trade in everything from sugar to second-hand appliances. Now an industrial site on the Mersey docklands is looking for a new occupier to continue the story of the extraordinary site. The rare lot of land at Huskisson Dock, owned by the UK’s second largest port operator, Peel Ports, will serve as an ideal hub for companies working in the distribution, manufacturing, and sp...