Surveillance & Maritime News for April 2025

Tatham & Co and Sea Green Law, two pioneering specialist maritime law firms in the UK, are merging to create a 22 lawyer practice, and a stronger version of themselves.  The combined entity began operating on 1 April 2025 under the Tatham & Co name, will be jointly led by lead Partners Stephen Askins and James Hickland from Tatham & Co, and Ted Graham from Sea Green Law. Dry shipping and sale of goods Tatham & Co will have the power and abilities to handle a number of lar...

The steel-cutting ceremony of the first of two next-generation FREMM frigates of the “EVOLUTION” version, known as “FREMM EVO”, took place today at the Riva Trigoso (Genoa) shipyard. The ceremony was attended, among others, by the Director of the Naval Armaments Directorate - NAVARM, Admiral Chief Inspector Giuseppe Abbamonte, the CEO of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, Giovanni Sorrentino, Fulvio Palermo, Head of Project Management of the Fin...

CIBC Innovation Banking announced that it has provided $10 million in debt financing to Sedna Communications Ltd, an Insight Partners-backed AI-powered workflow automation platform, which specialises in the global trade and supply chain market. The funding will drive AI innovation, expand platform integrations, and support sustainable growth to better serve Sedna’s customers. Maritime and supply chain Founded in 2017, Sedna helps maritime and supply chain businesses extract important da...

Alfa Laval has completed the acquisition of UK-based NRG Marine, a globally renowned provider of ultrasonic anti-fouling technology for marine, oil-and-gas and industrial applications. This strategic move strengthens Alfa Laval’s capabilities toward enhancing energy efficiency and operational performance, while reducing costs and extending asset lifespan. Expanding footprint CII improvement and evolving regulations are accelerating the shift toward future-proof, eco-friendly innovations...

Kongsberg Maritime is pleased to announce that it has secured a contract to supply an integrated package of equipment for a new Offshore Support Vessel being built for ship owner - DOF. The new 110 metre OSV, with a capacity to accommodate 164 people, is designed by MMC Ship Design and constructed at CRIST shipyard in Gdynia, Poland. Offshore power evolution The vessel will be equipped with a comprehensive range of Kongsberg Maritime systems The vessel will operate offshore Newfoundland, kno...

Kongsberg Discovery is gearing up to make a splash at Ocean Business 2025, with high profile product demonstrations, a new digital innovation launch, and a range of domain experts on hand to help stakeholders navigate a future of ocean opportunity. The company, a global pioneer in advanced underwater robotics and sensor technology, will base itself at booth N1/P2 for the duration of the show, taking place 8-10 April at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK. Multibeam in action Kon...

KR (Korean Register) has released the latest edition of KR-CON, version 23, a comprehensive digital database encompassing nearly all International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments. KR-CON has been widely used by maritime professionals and government agencies worldwide since its launch in 2000, providing easy access to IMO documents on both PC and mobile devices. Its widespread adoption highlights its convenience and technological excellence as one of KR’s flagship services. Future...

Baltic Exchange has launched the maritime industry’s first-ever free Fuel Equivalence Converter, a reliable, easy-to-use digital calculator that helps owners, traders, brokers and charterers to navigate the complexity of the physical properties of the wide variety of marine fuels that are currently available on the market.  The Fuel Equivalence Converter is the latest resource provided by Baltic Exchange to help shipping players understand the cost and commercial implications of gree...

The SEA-CARE working group concluded its third session in February by confirming commitments to share key data to secure common objectives. Highlighting a need to look beyond ‘top-level’ data to pinpoint the root causes of casualties, attendees discussed specific datasets that could enrich findings drawn from Inmarsat’s Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) distress alert data. Crew welfare surveys, for example, offered a precious resource for developing a more ho...

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a five-year Lifecycle Agreement with Finland based Viking Line covering the ferry M/S Viking Glory. The vessel has been supported by an earlier Wärtsilä agreement since its launch in 2021, and this renewal further extends and expands the partnership and benefits provided by the agreement. This latest order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2025. Decarbonisation strategy The agreement is designed to minimise unscheduled maintenance...

The University of Osaka (President: Atsushi Kumanogoh), in collaboration with Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (President: Yukito Higaki, 'Imabari Shipbuilding'), Japan Marine United Corporation (President: Takashi Hirose, 'JMU'), Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (President & CEO: Hayato Suga, 'ClassNK'), and MTI Co., Ltd. (President: Hideki Suzuki, 'MTI') will establish the Open Collaboration Laboratory for Enabling Advanced Marine Systems (OCEANS) at the Techno Alliance Building within the Graduate Schoo...

Increasing demand from shipowners for ABS services in Singapore has prompted ABS to invest in an expanded regional head office housing industry-pioneering research and development capabilities. The opening ceremony was prefaced by a traditional lion dance and reception, which saw ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki cut the ribbon on a facility that is home to the ABS Singapore Innovation and Research Centre, the ABS Global Electrification Centre and one of five ABS Global Sustain...

Eni, an energy company, Fincantieri, a world pioneer in complex shipbuilding, and RINA, a multinational group specialising in engineering consultancy, certification, and inspection, presented the “Sustainable Maritime Transport Outlook” in Rome — in the presence of the Minister for the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. The study, focused on the maritime sector, was developed with the technical support of Bain & Company Italy. Net Zero target for 2...

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry’s long-term and consistent commitment to high-quality shipping continues to be recognised by the international community. At INTERTANKO’s North America panel meeting held in Stamford, Connecticut, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) presented QUALSHIP 21 qualifying jurisdictions for this year. For the 21st consecutive year, the RMI remains a qualifying jurisdiction. The RMI is the only of the world’s three largest registries...

Zero USV, the company behind the Oceanus12 fleet, providing the first global network of over-the-horizon, high-endurance uncrewed fully autonomous surface vessels (USVs) for charter, has officially welcomed Leeway Marine onboard as its first global operations partner. This partnership represents a landmark step in expanding Zero USV’s worldwide presence, with Leeway Marine now set to offer the company’s Oceanus12 USV for charter throughout Canada and the wider North American region....

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Singapore Maritime Week to advance innovations in applied research in maritime technology and enhance talent development within the global maritime and offshore industries. The collaboration advances applied research in next-generation vessel system design, including ship power simulations with hardware-in-the-loop, shore-to-ship charging technologies, and augmented an...

The world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fueled vessel, Sakigake, has successfully completed a three-month demonstration voyage, during which the vessel engaged in tugboat operations in Tokyo Bay and achieved a GHG-emission reduction of up to approximately 95%. The vessel was completed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha and IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd., in cooperation with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai as part of a Green Innovation Fund Project under Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology...

Fincantieri and TUI AG signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the design and construction of two new cruise ships for the Marella Cruises brand. The value of this agreement, subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions, is considered as very important. This agreement represents a major step for Marella Cruises, which is venturing into newbuilding for the first time and has chosen Fincantieri as its strategic partner for this transformation....

Achilles, a pioneer in supply chain risk management solutions, and Procureship, the world’s pioneering e-procurement platform, have agreed on a long-term partnership to enhance the ESG capabilities of the shipping industry’s procurement processes.  The latest agreement will bring efficiencies to the supply chain assessment and purchasing process for Procureship members. Procureship provides streamlined purchasing for more than 100 fleet owners and operators, including BW LNG, A...

The Industry Associations of BIMCO, ICS, IMCA, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO & OCIMF, supported by over forty maritime stakeholders, have released a consolidated and enhanced publication, Best Management Practices (BMP) for Maritime Security (MS). As an interactive online publication, BMP Maritime Security consolidates previously published regional publications into a single, comprehensive publication with actionable insights and advice. It focuses on providing a threat and risk management pr...

For an unprecedented fourth time in a row, GAC will be The Ocean Race’s Official Logistics Partner, extending a successful collaboration that has been in place since 2014. For the first time, GAC will support all three major events on The Ocean Race calendar: The Ocean Race Europe 2025, The Ocean Race Atlantic in 2026, and the flagship around the world race starting from Alicante, Spain, in 2027. Comprehensive logistics support Services provided will include a raft of total logistics su...

RightShip, the digital maritime platform providing expertise in safety, sustainability and social responsibility practices, has announced a strategic partnership with marine technology company Mapsea to integrate RightShip’s Safety Score and GHG Rating directly into Mapsea’s advanced navigation and voyage optimisation platform. This collaboration empowers both onshore decision-makers and crew onboard vessels to access real-time safety insights, enhancing operational safety and effic...

Designed for rapid evacuation from fixed and floating offshore assets, VIKING Norsafe free-fall lifeboats are extensively tested to ensure reliable performance in the harshest conditions. Fast-boarding and robust, they enter the water well away from the evacuation point - and with a world record free-fall performance of up to 50 m approved drop height. Full range of the VIKING Norsafe lifeboats VIKING Norsafe GES-model free-fall lifeboats offer all the parts of conventional lifeboats with add...

VIKING is a proven and trusted provider of retrofit solutions for both conventional and freefall lifeboat installations. The extensive experience allows them to generate engineering solutions which are manufactured and installed to aggressive timescales. Operators can upgrade or replace obsolete equipment (due to age or out of date compliance) with minimum working impact and confidence that VIKING will meet project objectives. Installations are completed both onshore and offshore, with the site...

VIKING uses a test tower facility to perform onshore full scale testing of free-fall lifeboats, as required by DNVGL-ST-E406. This avoids the complexity and risk of testing from offshore installations. And the approach is recognised by classification societies and national authorities. Onshore testing to offshore activities Regulators are also insisting that the periodic free-fall testing is completed The onshore tower facility is increasingly engaged by construction yards who wish to rece...

VIKING Norsafe rescue boats are used every day by thousands of operators in the oil and gas industry as well as the renewable energy sector. The design and construction of these boats showcase all of VIKING Norsafe's ability and experience. The rescue boats and fast rescue boats provide great maneuverability with low maintenance standby and operation providing the means for effective search and recovery for people at sea. VIKING Norsafe rescue boat MERLIN-615 R and MAKO-655 are available as a...

The liferaft features a self-righting ability, meaning that no matter how it lands in the water, it will always deploy facing the right way up - ready for boarding. It has the capacity to evacuate 25 people and is certified by DNV in accordance with SOLAS/MED. The liferaft is delivered complete with emergency kit SOLAS A pack or B pack. Made from natural rubber and high-grade canvas materials, a liferaft like this one has an expected lifespan of 15-20 years and is available with either a 12 mon...

Concordia Damen is proud to announce that it has been awarded a contract by ‘Koninklijke Van der Wees Transporten’ for the construction and delivery of an innovative RoRo pontoon, to be named Lastdrager 29.  In addition, the Werkendam-based shipyard will build two coupling pontoons for Van der Wees. This project marks another milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Concordia Damen and Van der Wees, following the successful delivery of the Pieter van der Wees five y...

At AET, they believe they all have a responsibility to address climate change as individuals and as organisations. That’s why they have been at the forefront of investments in modern, energy-efficient assets to operate their business responsibly and efficiently while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a member of the MISC Group, they have made commitments to achieve net-zero emissions across all scopes by 2050. Their future strategic pathway is focused on reducing the fleet&rsquo...

The Polar Code brought rigour to rules covering ships operating in extreme temperatures, but misunderstandings remain over what qualifies a liferaft as suitable for the poles. Rising global temperatures underlie rapid growth in commercial opportunities for ice-capped expedition cruising and Northern Sea Route cargo moves but safety is the dominant issue for ships operating in the realities of severe weather, low temperatures, and ice. IMO-defined boundaries The response me...