Surveillance & Maritime News for August 2023

Global transportation networks are becoming increasingly interconnected, with digital systems playing a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of ports and supply chains. However, this reliance on technology can also create vulnerabilities, as demonstrated by the recent ransomware attack on Nagoya Port. As Japan's busiest shipping hub, the port's operations were brought to a standstill for two days, highlighting the potential for significant disruption to national economies and supply cha...

ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an ammonia fuel supply system for an oil tanker and container ship developed by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI).Ammonia is expected to be used as a ship fuel for decarbonisation since it does not emit CO2 when combusted. Meanwhile, adequate safety measures are imperative as it has been pointed out that ammonia is toxic to humans and corrosive to materials. Zero-emission ships ClassNK accepted out a review of an ideational design of the p...

Swedish firm ScanOcean and Finnish oil refining and marketing company Neste Oyi have unveiled a new lower-emission DMA Gasoil for the shipping sector. Lower-emissions DMA The new lower-emissions DMA is produced by adding renewable raw material into the conventional refining process and by using mass-balance the fuel attains high GHG emissions reducing benefits while maintaining the quality and specifications of the fuel to ISO 8217. The fuel is certified according to ISCC Plus. According to...

Crowley and the Port of San Diego broke ground for the shoreside charging station designed to provide clean energy for the company’s forth-coming zero-emissions tugboat, eWolf. Joined by key partners and community stakeholders, the ceremony marked a significant step forward in the industry’s journey to decarbonisation and reduce emissions in the San Diego community. The charging station is a microgrid charging facility that will allow vessels to recharge quickly while reducing peak...

The Panama Canal Authority places great emphasis on providing world-class, reliable services to all its customers. Amidst current challenges, the authority is taking proactive measures to ensure its competitiveness and operational capacity for today and the future. Chief among these challenges is the critical issue of freshwater availability for both the population’s consumption and the transit of vessels. Water efficiency Since the previous drought in 2019-2020, the Canal has been im...

Brunvoll has received an order for the delivery of propulsion and manoeuvring packages for Purus Wind's new Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV). The delivery is for two vessels, with two additional vessels as an option. Each vessel will be outfitted with two azimuth thrusters for propulsion, and two retractable azimuth thrusters and a tunnel thruster for manoeuvring. The scope of supply features also Brunvoll’s Propulsion and Thruster Control system, BruCon PTC. Latest and gre...

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings has issued a message of advice to those working in the protection of structural steel who are affected by the new Building Safety Act 2022 as the date approaches for it to become enforceable to ensure users understand their obligations. High-risk buildings From October 2023, all buildings must be registered with the newly established Building Safety Regulator (BSR), and those of at least 18 metres in height or with at least seven storeys contai...

Spire Global, Inc., a global provider of space-based data, analytics, and space services, was awarded a Space Services contract by GHGSat, the pioneer in high-resolution greenhouse gas monitoring from space. Under the agreement, Spire will build, launch and operate four additional 16U satellites that will carry GHGSat payloads to monitor greenhouse gas emissions. This builds upon Spire’s initial agreement with GHGSat for three 16U satellites that will launch by the end of 2023. Greenhou...

Nuclear solutions will play an essential role in maritime’s fast-paced journey towards decarbonisation and net zero, said Mikal Bøe, Chairman and CEO of CORE POWER. “It simply will not happen without it,” he stated. Speaking in the first of a series of London Talks video presentations for London International Shipping Week 2023 (LISW23), Mr Bøe highlighted the limitations inherent in current alternative sources of fuel and advised that today’s ‘new&rs...

GTMaritime, pioneering experts in secure maritime data communications solutions, has released a new whitepaper that assesses the impact Low Earth Orbit (LEO) networks are having on the maritime industry and key considerations for wider adoption. Available to download free of charge, Opportunities and Challenges: Introducing New LEO Networks to the Maritime Industry, offers an insightful overview of commercial shipping’s first movers in LEO network service use. It outlines the potential fo...

Oceania Cruises, the culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, is offering a captivating array of 100 sailings in the Caribbean and Tahiti in 2024 and 2025, charting lesser-known coastlines and taking travellers to boutique ports and off-the-beaten-track islands thanks to the line's small, luxurious ships. Caribbean season highlights include Castries on the island of St. Lucia; Puerto Limon in Costa Rica; Gatun Lake in Panama; and Colombia's magnificent colonial city of Cartagena. Meanwhi...

Maritime sectors must work together to enable the shipping industry to meet the challenges it faces over the coming years and to develop a greener and more sustainable future. Speaking in the first of a series of video interviews for London International Shipping Week 2023 (LISW23), Pino Spadafora, Senior Director, Global Marine Commercial & Strategy, for classification society - RINA, pointed out that LISW23 provides ‘an incredible platform’ for shipping executives to share exp...

Maritime UK, the collective voice for the UK's maritime industries, announces the departure of Janet Fallon, Commercial Director and recent Interim CEO. Janet leaves Maritime UK after a successful tenure, and they would like to take the opportunity to thank her for time and dedication. Appreciating Janet’s contributions Commenting on Ms. Fallon’s departure, Robin Mortimer, Chair of Maritime UK, said: "We extend our appreciation to Janet for her contributions to Maritime UK, both...

Babcock is pleased to launch the Babcock Skills Academy, to enhance their growing workforce’s capabilities and ensure they are equipped to meet the evolving challenges the customers will face in the future. The Skills Academy uses a hybrid teaching model that combines cutting-edge digital resources and hands on training, to rapidly get their people ready to deliver the critical capabilities their customers need. Open to all employees and new recruits, the Skills Academy will operate in pa...

Rodman Polyships S.A.U., a Rodman Group Shipyard specialised in the construction of all types of GRP (Glass fibre Reinforced Polyester) boats and vessels, is building 3 new Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Surveillance Service of the Spanish Tax Agency. The signing of this new contract took place in January and after a few months of initial design and project planning; Rodman is now in the construction stage of the first units. These days the initial stage of the lamination process for the first...

Crowley has entered into its fourth long-term charter for its newest Tier IV ship assist tug, Artemis, with Brusco Tug & Barge. The powerful, state-of-the-art vessel reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainability while providing high performance. The 77-foot tug will deliver 7,000 horsepower with a bollard pull of 96 tons using two Caterpillar Marine 3516 Tier IV-compliant engines, meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission standards. Artemis will also feature advanc...

Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (WUST), a renowned institution of higher education, is testing the adoption of NAUTIS Home maritime simulation software for their courseware. This decision comes as part of the university’s commitment to providing students with a practical, hands-on learning experience. The integration of VSTEP’s NAUTIS Home maritime simulation is a progressive step towards modernising the curriculum. It would be the first time that simulation training w...

Dutch energy storage systems provider EST-Floattech-Energy Storage Solutions is contracted to provide battery systems for the world’s first fully electric carbon-neutral event vessel, the Oceandiva London, which enters service on the River Thames later in 2023 or early 2024. Green Orca system The 86 meters long and 17 metres wide vessel batteries are charged by both green fast-charging shore power and onboard solar panels, with a biofuel generator as a backup for longer excursions.&nbs...

OceanWise team undertook an installation in July 2023 for the UK Hydrographic Office 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 has been contracted to complete by the UK Hydrographic Office, which includes a variety of installations, provision of a data platform, shore control, and GNSS surveys, as well as local training and mentoring. ...

Akiem, a renowned European rolling stock leasing company, has ordered an additional 15 Vectron AC and Vectron MS locomotives from Siemens Mobility. The order was placed as part of a framework agreement for the purchase of locomotives that was signed in December 2021. Locomotives from this new call will be delivered between 2025 and 2027. Akiem previously ordered 20 Vectron locomotives from Siemens Mobility in December 2021 and an additional 65 units last August. Akiem order for Vectron locomot...

The new qualitative study from the Global Maritime Forum and the All Aboard Alliance contains a wide spectrum of perspectives from women seafarers who address the challenges they experience at sea, from ill-fitting safety gear to slower career progression, and harassment. 15 key pain points From the anonymous interviews, the All Aboard Alliance has identified 15 key pain points which fall into four broad categories: Difficult for women to succeed professionally at sea. Challenging social r...

The latest Neptune Indicator research shows that the number of seafarers onboard vessels beyond the expiry of their contract has decreased slightly to 4.2% from 4.3% in the last month, while the number of seafarers onboard vessels for over 11 months has remained stable at 0.3%. For the eighth consecutive month, Global Maritime Forum observe little change in the numbers reported, as it confirm the entry into a ‘new normal’. The Neptune Indicator also reports a 2.8 percentage point in...

The latest Indicator shows that the number of seafarers onboard vessels beyond the expiry of their contract has decreased slightly to 4.3% from 4.5% in the last month, while the number of seafarers onboard vessels for over 11 months has remained stable at 0.3%. These numbers remain very close to what has been reported since December 2021, confirming a stabilisation of the situation. Neptune Indicator The Neptune Indicator also reports a 2.8 percentage point increase in seafarer vaccines, from...

The May Crew Change Indicator records a tiny increase in seafarers onboard vessels beyond their contract expiry since April, but overall does not indicate that the fears of a re-escalation of the crew change crisis due to the war in Ukraine have been fulfilled. May Indicator The latest Indicator shows that the number of seafarers onboard vessels beyond the expiry of their contract has increased slightly from 4.2% to 4.5% in the last month, while the number of seafarers onboard vessels for over...

A brand-new transport solution from Narvik in Northern Norway will ensure fresher fish for all of Europe. Accompanied by Norwegian CargoNet and Nor-log Thermo, Blue Water Shipping has tailored a solution shortening the transport time by up to 40%. This Sunday, the first train arrived at Padborg’s cargo transport terminal. After unloading of the train, the trailers were transported to Blue Water’s reefer terminal, which is neighbouring to the cargo terminal in Padborg. Blue Water han...

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 ...

Global survival and safety solutions provider, Survitec has announced that it has completed a £27.5 million Super Senior Revolving Capital Facility (RCF) with Santander UK. This new facility is in addition to the recently finalised £270 million refinancing announced by the company in April 2021. Both agreements support Survitec’s growth plans for its survival technology products and services. New RCF complemented by a foreign exchange facility The new RCF is complemented by...

HMM has announced that the company transported 23 TEU of containers, carrying medical oxygen supplies, since it started delivering COVID-related medical devices to India, on May 12, 2021. The medical oxygen supplies mainly include medical grade oxygen, oxygen tanks, oxygen bottles, oxygen concentrators, steel pipes to manufacture oxygen cylinders, and associated equipment. Medical equipment supply for India As part of collaboration efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection in India,...

The Japanese propeller manufacturer - Nakashima Propeller Co. Ltd. and the German shipbuilding firm - Becker Marine Systems are further expanding their strategic partnership, after decades of cooperation. The combined product portfolio of both companies creates a strong hydrodynamic system provider for propulsion and maneuvering of ships of all sizes, for shipyards and shipping companies worldwide. Product portfolios that complement each other Together, they can make good use of the product p...

Golden Ocean Group Limited Ltd announces that Marius Hermansen has resigned as a Director of the Company. Mr. Hermansen has served as a Director since September 2019. The Board would like to thank Mr. Hermansen for his contribution and wishes him well in his future pursuits. Larsen’s experience The Board is pleased to announce that Mr. Bjørn Tore Larsen will replace Mr. Hermansen. Mr. Larsen is currently the Chairman of the OSM Maritime Group, a world-leading ship management comp...