South Africa News

ABB introduces a new operational planner module for its ABB Ability™ OCTOPUS – Marine Advisory System to help offshore fleet managers plan and optimise the maintenance of offshore wind farm operations. Offshore support vessels typically operate close to their shore base with frequent trips to fixed assets, such as wind turbines at sea, which sets specific requirements for their ability to perform in demanding conditions. Moreover, as the vessels perform time-sensitive and deman...

DNV, the risk management and quality assurance provider, will fully acquire Helsinki-headquartered cybersecurity services firm Nixu following a public tender offer that resulted in DNV taking ownership of more than 93% of Nixu’s shares. DNV will combine its cybersecurity businesses with Nixu following a process to acquire the remaining shares in Nixu and de-list the company from the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. The 98-million-euro deal will create one of Europe’s fastest-growing...

The classification society DNV and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), the shipbuilding group, have established a Future Ship Joint Innovation Centre in Shanghai. The Centre will allow both companies to cooperate on the ship and offshore field technical innovation, advance in decarbonisation and digitalisation transformation, and provide technical support and solutions to the maritime industry. Cooperation agreement CSSC’s Vice President Sheng Jigang and DNV Maritime CEO Knut &...

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat business, has reached an agreement with long-standing customer Atlantic Offshore to implement Fleet LTE across the Norwegian offshore service provider’s multifunctional fleet. The commitment will ensure vessels maintain continuous access to high-speed, low-latency connectivity in the North Sea during their offshore supply, seismic support and oil recovery duties. As an all-in-one solution, Fleet LTE will allow the vessels to connect to 4G offshore fibre network...

ABS and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) kicked off a batch of new, funded research projects with the signing of a research agreement at the Zachry Engineering Education Complex on the Texas A&M University campus. Ammonia as fuel, ship electrification, carbon capture, and sequestration, trusted artificial intelligence, and safety of industrial wearable visualisation technologies are just a few of the topics funded by ABS and to be investigated in partnership with TEE...

OceanWise has announced its support for the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) in exploring Anguilla’s marine environment through geospatial data. The OceanWise team proudly undertook an installation recently for the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) in Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. The successful trip formed part of the Marine Environmental Monitoring Systems (MEMS) – A 3-year Framework Agreement that OceanWise have been contracted to complete, which includes...

Cities account for 70 percent of global carbon emissions. Ultimately, the battle against climate change will be won – or lost – in cities. Action is needed urgently to make the changes necessary to enable large-scale decarbonisation. To address this challenge directly, Danfoss is releasing a new whitepaper which sets out a clear, achievable pathway forward to enabling a green transition on a large scale. The paper shows how existing energy efficiency and electrification measures ac...

A.P. Moller – Maersk, the Danish integrated logistics company, has signed a contract with MAN PrimeServ – MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division – for the retrofit of the main engines aboard 11 container vessels equipped with MAN B&W 8G95ME-C9.5 prime movers. These will be retrofitted to dual-fuel MAN B&W 8G95ME-LGIM10.5 types capable of operation on fuel-oil/methanol. The first vessel will be retrofitted in mid-2024. PrimeServ will provide a solutions packag...

Maritime UK National Chair, Robin Mortimer, and UK Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper MP, opened the inaugural meeting of the Maritime Council. The Department for Transport (DfT) set up the Maritime Council in May 2023 to oversee the delivery of recommendations outlined in the Maritime 2050 strategy, which was launched more than four years ago. The Maritime Council The Maritime Council will bring government departments face-to-face with industry stakeholders The Maritime Council w...

The Port of Rotterdam Authority, Invest International, Gasunie and Hyphen and the Namibian Implementation Authority Office, Namport, and Nampower announced that they have signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding). The organisations confirm their intent to work together to develop a cooperation agreement for green hydrogen related infrastructure that will lead to new hydrogen supply chains from Luderiz to Rotterdam and its hinterland. The signing took place during Prime Minister Rutte's visit t...

Teekay Tankers has signed agreements to equip 25 additional tankers with Yara Marine’s propulsion optimisation technology FuelOpt. The order follows the installation and evaluation of FuelOpt onboard Zenith Spirit in 2021, followed by a further three vessels in 2022. Teekay placed the new orders in Q1 and Q2 2023 after having confirmed that the use of FuelOpt onboard four of their vessels, operating with steady shaft power, resulted in fuel savings and emissions reductions of 3-...

Green shipping corridors – specific routes between major port hubs where the feasibility of zero-emission shipping is catalysed by a combination of public and private actions – are essential for shipping’s race to zero. The study, ‘Green shipping corridors in and out of Spain: Assessing route-based opportunities’, by the Global Maritime Forum aims to put Spain on the map of green shipping corridors by identifying international routes with high potential and facilit...

The Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, OFR, has restated the Agency’s commitment to issuing appropriate certification to qualified men of the Nigerian Navy, who undergo requisite trainings at the Nigerian Naval Training Command, NAVTRAC. Dr. Jamoh who stated this when a delegation from NAVTRAC led by the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Patrick Nwatu paid a working visit to the Agency, noted the need for collabor...

The All Aboard Alliance releases its first-ever annual report detailing the diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of 27 member companies within the maritime industry. The Insights report, based on a binding commitment to submit annual self-assessments, found that while many companies are still starting on their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) journeys, there are encouraging signs that the member companies are working to address some of the well-known problems in this area, s...

Ports of Stockholm is building six new rooftop solar cell systems that will increase the company's own solar electricity production by 55 percent. This is fully aligned with the company’s and the City of Stockholm’s goals and strategies. Ports of Stockholm has taken an investment decision in June to increase the company's own production of solar electricity. This decision means expanding the number of solar cell system installations to increase internal solar electricity produc...

FPSO Sepetiba, SBM Offshore’s third Fast4Ward® FPSO, sailed away on June 16, 2023, from the BOMESC shipyard, China, after the successful completion of the topsides integration and onshore commissioning phases. The FPSO has commenced its transit to the Mero field in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil, located 180 kilometres offshore of Rio de Janeiro. SBM Offshore has a contract with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) for the 22.5 years lease and operation of FPSO Sepetiba....

Furuno, a provider of the most accurate timing devices, is pleased to announce that the multi-GNSS receiver chip, eRideOPUS 9 (Model: ePV9000B), has been awarded the Technology Innovation Award of the Year 2022 by Alps Alpine. This award is given annually to a company that has made significant contributions to the technological advancement of Alps Alpine. The ePV9000B is highly rated by the business prospects with sub-meter level accuracy, as well as the contributions to the development of busi...

Following the completion of the investment screening process, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) and COSCO Shipping Ports Limited (CSPL) have signed the agreement for CSPL’s minority shareholding in Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT). This agreement provides CSPL with an interest of 24.99% in HHLA’s Container Terminal Tollerort in Hamburg. CTT will now be developed into a preferred handling location for HHLA’s long-term customer COSCO, where freight flows between Asia an...

SmartLoC, a pioneering German start-up specialising in B2B payment solutions based on IoT data derived from direct monitoring of shipments, is thrilled to announce its recent victory in winning the highly esteemed 2023 Physical Internet Start-up Award. This accolade recognises SmartLoC's groundbreaking contributions to the field of supply chain innovation, solidifying its position as a trailblazer in revolutionising the B2B payment sector. The Physical Internet Start-up Award, bestowed annually...

After the summer, the consortium Hakkers, Van Oord and De Klerk will start construction of the tugboat quay in the Yangtzekanaal. To this end, contracts were signed with the Port of Rotterdam Authority. It involves 500 metres of quay wall, offering twelve berths. The construction of the tugboat quay is part of the "Widening Yangtzekanaal" programme. Completion is scheduled for spring 2025.   The choice of this consortium is in line with the Port Authority’s commitment to s...

Nauti-Craft, a pioneering company in marine technology, is proud to announce its partnership with Wavecalmer, a pioneering innovator in the boating industry. This partnership marks an exciting milestone as Wavecalmer becomes the first to licence and utilise Nauti-Craft’s revolutionary technology for its boats in North America. The first boat of its kind, built by Nauti-Craft for Wavecalmer, is set to be shipped from Dunsborough, Australia, to America, heralding a new era for the North Ame...

In October 2022, to save costs and enhance training opportunities for tug operators, Boluda Mexico began collaborating with VSTEP to revitalise the NAUTIS 360-degree tug simulator. The simulator had remained unused for two years until Boluda Mexico recognised the value of reviving the simulator. Reviving NAUTIS: A cost-efficient choice for Boluda Mexico  Despite the NAUTIS simulator’s two-year period of inactivity, the VSTEP team of professionals successfully revitalised an...

Global law firm - Norton Rose Fulbright has advised a committee of secured creditors on the first-of-its-kind restructuring of international shipping company - Vroon, which was completed on 12 June 2023. Parallel restructuring  This was the first restructuring to be carried out using a parallel English scheme of arrangement and the Dutch WHOA plan. This restructuring involved certain lenders receiving participations in a new syndicated secured facility, while other lenders had their faci...

WE Tech Solutions, a renowned provider of energy efficiency solutions for the global shipping industry, has announced a new partnership with Marine 2-Stroke Consultant and Service GmbH (MTCS), who will represent WE Tech Solutions in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. This strategic agreement is aimed at expanding WE Tech Solutions’ market reach in the region and accelerating the advancement of environmental sustainability in the shipping industry. WE Tech Solutions and MTCS partnersh...

HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark officially opened the underground storage of CO2 in Denmark, following speeches by such figures as Lars Aagaard, Denmark’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. Later in the day, representatives from DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, appeared onstage at the First Carbon Storage event in Esbjerg to present the Statement of Conformity to Project Greensand....

The 33 Signatories, which disclose the climate alignment of their chartering activity for 2022, account for more than 17% of total bulk cargo transported by sea over the year. Their average reporting rate has increased since last year to 90%. It is important to highlight, that it is not possible to compare the scores of individual Signatories to one another for several reasons: Signatories have different portfolios, different ship types and different numbers of voyages. Furthermore, the Signato...

Italdraghe SpA announced that the company will be presenting at the Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo 2023, the world’s renowned technology expo for marine electrification, decarbonisation, future fuels and hybridisation. Visitors can interact with the Italdraghe SpA team, who will be present at Stand 1309, Hall 8, at RAI Amsterdam, located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from June 20 to June 22, 2023.

Peel Ports Group has invested £10 million in new outer lock gates at the Port of Liverpool as it further enhances its resilience. The new gates will play a key role in enabling the safe navigation of local vessels, increasing reliability, and improving operational efficiencies for port users. Gladstone Dock has been serving vessels for more than 95 years, with original works completed in 1927. New gate installation Several iconic ships have passed through the dock since then including a...

WE Tech has successfully concluded a remarkable week at Nor-Shipping 2023, the renowned international maritime event. The event served as a platform for WE Tech to showcase its cutting-edge solutions and foster collaboration within the industry. Sustainable shipping practices Throughout the week, WE Tech’s presence at the exhibition garnered significant attention, reaffirming the company’s commitment to driving sustainable shipping practices. The highlights of the event include...

Ecomar Propulsion has agreed to their third partnership agreement at Nor-Shipping 2023 - with Swiss hydrogen fuel cell specialists - EH Group Engineering AG. The partnership will see the partners integrating a series of new innovations into 200 kW+ marinised fuel cells. The partners aim to rationalise complexity and use a new series of control strategies for the seamless integration of fuel cells into Ecomar Propulsion’s zero-emission marine powertrains. Transition to clean propulsion P...