South Africa News

Previous suggestions had put the cost of the project at €200m but that has now been increased. The Irish Government has increased the budget for a new naval ship, which will be the largest in the State’s history, to €300m. Last week the Journal reported that the Department of Defence was set to release documents associated with the tender process for the new Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) which will allow the Irish Naval Service respond to large-scale humanitarian crises. Large-scale...

The crucial importance of the maritime industry to the Liverpool City Region was the focus of a full day tour for the Shadow Maritime Minister, Mike Kane MP, when he visited the area on Thursday 15th February 2024. Hosted by Mersey Maritime, alongside some of its key partners, he was given a detailed update by the regional cluster organisation for the industry in the North West before embarking on a visit to Cammell Laird and the Port of Liverpool in the afternoon. During lunch, Mr Kane also v...

ABB has been selected by the Astilleros y Servicios Navales S.A. (ASENAV) shipyard based in Chile to provide a power and propulsion system for Antarctica21’s newbuild boutique expedition ship Magellan Discoverer. Due for delivery in 2026, the vessel is the first hybrid-electric polar cruise ship featuring Azipod® propulsion to be built in the Americas. Accommodating up to 96 passengers and 67 crew members, the vessel will be operating in the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia an...

Developer of maritime battery systems EST-Floattech receives an investment of 4 million euros from the Energy Transition Fund Rotterdam and existing shareholders Rotterdam Port Fund, PDENH, Ponooc, and Yard Energy. This was announced by Chantal Zeegers, the Alderman for Climate, Building, and Housing in Rotterdam. The ‘Energietransitiefonds Rotterdam’ is the investment fund of the municipality of Rotterdam.  Lithium-ion battery systems EST-Floattech develops and produces...

Tasmania is poised to chart a new course in maritime innovation with the arrival of Ocean Infinity, a global pioneer in marine robotics. Thanks to support from the Government of Tasmania, the Australian island state is on the brink of entering a new era in safer, more environmentally sustainable marine operations.   Ocean Infinity, renowned for its groundbreaking ocean exploration and marine robotics solutions, is set to transform maritime operations across sectors including governmen...

Chemship commissioned its first ship with wind-assisted ship propulsion. This makes the MT Chemical Challenger the first chemical tanker in the world to be equipped with sustainable wind technology. The ship will serve on shipping company Chemship’s Trans-Atlantic route between the East Coast of the United States and the Mediterranean. This week four 16-metre-high aluminium wind sails were installed on board the 134-metre-long vessel. The VentoFoils from Econowind create a direct wind sur...

Team Electric Group has earmarked Romania as a focal point for collaboration with domestic and regional shipyards, and as a new source of highly skilled electrical specialists to serve its continuing global expansion. The European turnkey engineering group recently formalised the basis for its activities in Romania by establishing Team Electric (Romania), with head offices in Galati. The new company brings together some well-known marine engineering professionals based in Romania, headed by Man...

METIS Cyberspace Technology is expanding its portfolio of Data Acquisition, Real-Time Performance Monitoring, and Intelligent Analytics solutions to include the needs of Service Operation Vessels (SOV). The move follows a collaborative project covering fleet performance optimisation with an offshore service provider for wind/oil & gas industries, ESVAGT. Service Operation Vessels (SOV) The SOV fulfills multiple roles - as a transport ship, accommodation vessel, warehouse, and workshop - p...

Unifeeder Group has completed a long-term charter agreement for two additional methanol-capable container feeder vessels. This follows the agreement for two initial vessels announced in October 2023, underscoring the group’s commitment to greener shipping solutions.   1250 twenty-foot TEU vessels The latest agreement is in partnership with German-based ship-owning group Elbdeich Reederei and Norwegian shipowner MPC Container Ships (MPCC), who are responsible for one vessel each...

The World Shipping Council (WSC) expressed gratitude to EUNAVFOR for the launch of Operation ASPIDES, a defencive maritime security operation to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and adjacent international waters.  The Red Sea and the Suez Canal are critical arteries for EU trade, and Operation ASPIDES is expected to play a key role in defending seafarers, and commercial and security interests in the region. Operation ATALANTA WSC strongly appreciates the com...

The organising committee of the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024) has announced Fincantieri as the ‘Diamond Sponsor’ for its eighth edition, taking place from 4 to 6 March 2024 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, DIMDEX 2024 is proudly hosted and organised by the Qatar Armed Forces and will be held in 2024 under the theme “Igniting t...

Mersey Maritime, in collaboration with WISTA UK, successfully marked the first regional event for WISTA UK in 2024 with the conclusion of their ‘Diversity in Maritime’ networking evening held on 15th February 2024, at HMS Eaglet in Liverpool. Event features and contributions The gathering brought together industry leaders and professionals for a networking and knowledge-sharing session. As part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations, WISTA UK will continue to host various regional...

The Port of Rotterdam Authority will continue using clean fuel and energy for its vessels and emergency power facilities, such as radar stations. To this end, CEO and ad interim COO Boudewijn Siemons signed a new agreement with VARO Energy Group. In the Port Authority’s tender process for the cleanest usable energy carrier, VARO’s products came out best. Since 2018, the port of Rotterdam has been using VARO’s HVO100 (100% Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) for its fleet. This biofuel...

Total decarbonisation is the essential goal for Valenciaport. This was the main message conveyed by representatives of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) to the professionals present at the eMobility World Congress, the international mobility fair hosted by Feria Valencia from 13 to 15 February. In their speeches, Raúl Cascajo, head of Environmental Policies of the PAV, and Juan Manuel Díez Orejas, head of Innovation of the PAV, described the infrastructures and projects underwa...

Light Structures’ SENSFIB Hull Stress Monitoring System received the ABS SMART(SHM) Tier 3 Product Design Assessment (PDA) certificate. The SENSFIB Tier 3 Smart Structural Health Monitoring system employs an industry-pioneering, fibre optic, sensor-based approach for structural health assessment and prediction, calibrated and verified using high-fidelity data for improved accuracy and reliability. SENSFIB system Vessels fitted with the SENSFIB system will be eligible to receive the ABS...

ABS sets its sights on the vessels that will support the next step in the path of decarbonisation with its latest publication: Requirements for Liquefied Carbon Dioxide Carriers. This is the first publication available in the maritime industry dedicated to the design, construction, and classification of LCO2 carriers where liquefied CO2 is carried as cargo. Part of a decarbonisation strategy As more industries adopt carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies a...

The global shipping regulator, the UN International Maritime Organisation, has set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for the industry, and now needs to develop climate regulations by 2025 that make it possible to reach that target. A core challenge is how to craft a global greenhouse gas pricing regulation that can bridge the price gap between the cleanest fuels and fossil fuels, driving investments in green fuels, without imposing an outsized cost on the global economy. As member...

The Maritime Academy of Toledo has extended their support contract with VSTEP for another 2 years. The customer’s steadfast dedication to VSTEP’s solutions underscores their trust in VSTEP’s ability to continue delivering exceptional service and aid the Academy in reaching their objectives. At VSTEP, they consider it a privilege to maintain a long-standing partnership with the Maritime Academy of Toledo. Having first purchased their NAUTIS simulator in 2012, they have remained...

Tokyo - ClassNK has released 'Environmental Guidelines (Edition 4.1).' The guidelines newly specify the class notations related to green steel products and microplastics collecting systems. In response to environmental challenges such as climate change and marine pollution, the introduction of various environmental technologies to ships, beyond compliance with regulations, is promoted. For evaluating these efforts, ClassNK has issued its ‘Environmental Guidelines’ which set out crit...

Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. will be exhibiting at the Miami International Boat Show, an annual boat show held in the city of Miami, Florida. The show is the world's largest boat and yacht show, featuring the latest boating products and showcasing over 1,000 boats on display. Furuno will be unveiling its new generation of NavNet MFDs, the TZtouchXL Series, which uses industry-first features for breathtaking performance. Unveiling the NavNet TZtouchXL Series Furuno has historically set the b...

Jumbo Offshore has recently been awarded a contract by Yunnneg Wind Power Co., Ltd. (YWPC) for the removal of monopiles at the Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm. The contract award represents an expansion of the company’s existing scope, which has involved transport and installation of the project’s transition pieces. Under the amendment, some monopiles, which were installed during an earlier project phase, are to be removed approximately 3 m below the mean seabed level. To undertake this...

ABS has inaugurated the ABS Global LNG Academy, a cutting-edge training centre dedicated to using the latest techniques to educate mariners in modern LNG vessel operations. Located in Doha and supported by QatarEnergy, the Academy is a coordinated effort with industry partners, who are working together to make the ABS LNG Academy the global epicentre for LNG-related training and development. Establishing the training centre is also a key part of ABS’ support of Qatar’s National Vis...

The latest addition to Amer Shipping's fleet in Raamsdonksveer is the dry-cargo vessel 'Adriana Maria', a multi-purpose ship, even at low water levels. This is thanks to the innovative 'CDS 110' hull design by Concordia Damen and based on the Parsifal tankers previously developed by the yard. The 110-metre vessel can also carry 200 tonnes more cargo compared to similar vessels.  'CDS 110' hull design During the official sea trial on 8 February, the high expectations were met: the hull de...

ABB has secured an order with Norwegian shipyard Ulstein Verft to supply an advanced power and propulsion system for a forthcoming cable-laying vessel (CLV) of Nexans, a global player in energy transition headquartered in Paris, France. On delivery in 2026, the vessel will join Nexans Skagerrak and sister ship Nexans Aurora–also equipped with ABB technology–as the third and most advanced CLV in the Nexans fleet. Onboard energy storage system An integrated system comprising main po...

Tokyo / Vancouver Island ClassNK and Lovoy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate with development and implementation of more user-friendly Safety Management Systems (SMS). Lovoy has highlighted that many SMSs have grown so complex that they lose sight of the end user – the seafarer. If procedures are user-friendly, people will use them more with reduced risk of mistakes. The industry faces many new requirements making user-friendly SMS design even more critical. Int...

Trade moving through the Port of Long Beach rose in January as retailers stocked up ahead of the Lunar New Year when East Asian factories typically close for up to two weeks.Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 674,015 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in January 2024, up 17.5% from January 2023. Imports increased 23.5% to 325,339 TEUs and exports were down 18.1% to 86,525 TEUs. Empty containers moved through the Port increased 28% to 262,151 TEUs. Additional warehouse stocking “Re...

Regional cluster organisation, Mersey Maritime, are delighted to announce the appointment of Phil Waterhouse as their new Chairman. The Group Corporate Affairs Director for APCL, and former Royal Navy Regional Commander for Northern England, has stepped up from Board Member to Chairman following the departure of former Chair, John Hulmes. Service and logistics expertise With an illustrious career background, Phil brings unparalleled experience and leadership to the helm With an illustrious...

The purchase of the Irish Navy’s biggest ship in its history, which will respond to humanitarian crisis, is set to move a step forward as information documents are to be issued across an EU platform. The project has been in planning in the Department of Defence for many years, but stepped up a gear with the recent Commission on the Defence Forces. Sources have said the ship is anticipated to have a helicopter landing area on board, as well as other possible facilities, such as a roll-on-r...

International Marine Contractors, Leask Marine Ltd have taken ownership of their latest new vessel, MV ‘C-HORIZON’, a Neptune Marine built DP 1 EuroCarrier 2611. The vessel is 26 m long, 11 m wide and is a Tier III compliant vessel specifically designed for a diverse range of roles supporting the offshore marine renewable sector. Leask Marine acquires DP 1 EuroCarrier 2611 vessel Douglas Leask, Managing Director of Leask Marine Ltd said “We are particularly pleased to have p...

In a joint effort between the United Kingdom and the United States, the UK Ministry of Defence’s Salvage and Marine Operations, or SALMO, the unit successfully conducted a survey of the historic World War One wreck of USS Jacob Jones (DD-61). The operation carried out at the behest of Naval History and Heritage Command, or NHHC, and with pivotal support from the U.S. Embassy in London, led to the recovery of a key artefact—the ship's bell. USS Jacob Jones, sunk by German submarine&n...