Surveillance & Maritime News for December 2023

The northern German ports are constantly expanding their rail connections. It is set to become the means of transport of the future. In the Port of Hamburg, a good half of all hinterland transport is already carried by rail. Last year, 47.3 million tonnes of cargo weight were transported by rail. At the same time, the importance of rail as a climate-friendly means of transport is also growing in other seaports. The growing demand is increasingly becoming a major challenge for the railways, as c...

Port of Hamburg Beteiligungsgesellschaft SE, a wholly owned subsidiary of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., announces the final result of its voluntary public takeover offer to the shareholders of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft: At the expiry of the acceptance period, which was extended until 7 December 2023 at 24:00 hrs (CET), the takeover offer had been accepted by shareholders holding 7,325,366 Class A shares. This corresponds to 9.74 percent of the share capital. In...

Accelleron and Web Aruba N.V., the public utility and water company for Aruba, have signed a 10 year customised Turbo LifecycleCare™ service agreement. This agreement provides for the maintenance and predictable budgeting of Web Aruba’s 32 turbochargers installed on single and dual fuel stroke engines.   A public signing between the companies took place on November 8th, 2023 with Aruba’s Minister of Labor, Energy and Integration, Glenbert Croes, attending. Power generat...

ABS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer - Christopher J. Wiernicki expressed the thanks of a grateful industry to IMO Secretary-General, Kitack Lim at the official gala dinner to mark the transition to his successor, Arsenio Dominguez.  Speaking to more than 250 assembled pioneers of the shipping industry at COP28, Wiernicki detailed Secretary General Lim’s 'glittering legacy of achievement' and honoured their shared commitment to safety. Greenhouse gas strategy One whose impact w...

Lateral Naval Architects received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS for its new design of a methanol-fuelled, 70-metre superyacht. Lateral’s design focuses on reducing carbon emissions by utilising alternative fuels, specifically green methanol. ABS utilised the ABS Requirements for Methanol and Ethanol Fuelled Vessels to review the design and award the AIP. Lateral Naval Architects receives AIP from ABS “ABS is proud to collaborate with forward-looking companies like Lateral N...

ABB and shipping company - Wallenius Marine have opened the doors of the first OVERSEA Fleet Support Centre, a major milestone in their collaborative strategy to help shipping companies improve environmental, technical and voyage performance. One of the maritime industry’s first digital and fleet support centres to be developed as a service, OVERSEA provides recommendations to help vessels, across all types and fleet sizes, achieve measurable performance improvements, pioneering to...

Technology group - Wärtsilä will supply an integrated hybrid propulsion solution for three new self-discharging cargo vessels being built at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in the Netherlands for Norwegian shipowner - Aasen Shipping. As part of the solution, the ships will feature the latest addition to Wärtsilä’s engine portfolio, the Wärtsilä 25, which was launched in September 2022. The engines and vessel are prepared for operation on sustainable fuels in the f...

Major provider of secure maritime data communications software, GTMaritime, has reported a significant rise in fleet data usage, with a 35% increase in monthly throughput recorded between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023. Increase in data usage Jamie Jones, Operations Director, GTMaritime, said, “Over the last 12 months, we have seen the amount of data used by vessels increase from 7.8 terabits a month to more than 10.6 terabits. This is a massive increase in data usage, and while par...

WEG has developed an innovative coating for use in highly corrosive environments, providing greater durability to assets and increasing the lifespan by up to four times compared to current technologies. This coating technology, already being tested and applied in some offshore platforms, replaces traditional coatings, simplifying equipment and structure maintenance where applied and offering significantly greater resistance compared to currently adopted protective plans. Offshore maintenance...

Neptune Energy and its partners announced a discovery at the Kyrre prospect and confirmed the volumes for the Ofelia appraisal well, both located in the PL 929 licence, close to the Gjøa field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.  Neptune has completed the Ofelia appraisal well, 35/6-4 ST2, in the Agat formation. The estimated recoverable volume is in the range of 16-33 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe). New gas discovery 35/6-4 A side track was drilled into the ove...

Siemens Smart Infrastructure is expanding its fire safety offering on Building X through newly launched applications and an application programming interface (API) to increase transparency, decrease response time in case of incidents, and enhance maintenance processes for service providers. Building X Building X is a digital building platform that supports customers to digitalise, manage, and optimise their building operations. This leads to an enhanced user experience, increased performance...

Hempel A/S is a first mover within the paints and coatings industry, sharing carbon footprint data on its Product Data Sheets. Hempel provides Sustainability Product Scorecards to support customers in delivering on their sustainability commitments. Hempel is committed to supporting its customers on their sustainability journeys, and as part of its Double Impact strategy, aims to hold sustainability leadership positions in its chosen segments. By providing sustainability data alongside its solut...

Each year, Siemens presents the Inventors of the Year award to outstanding inventors in six categories: Newcomers, Open Innovation, Outstanding Invention, Lifetime Achievement, Design and User Experience and the recently added PhD Award. In addition to helping explain artificial intelligence (AI), the prize-winning inventions also make power grids more sustainable, railcar axles more stable and charging stations for electric vehicles more universal. The 2023 award will be presented today to twe...

ClassNK has released the latest ‘ClassNK Technical Journal’, which has been published for contributing to the advancement of technology and society through the outcome of R&D and technical activities. The latest issue, ‘ClassNK Technical Journal No.8 2023 (II)’ features “Trends and Initiatives toward Reduction of GHG”. ‘ClassNK Technical Journal’ The new issue, ‘ClassNK Technical Journal’ covers an overview of IMO/EU GHG related...

MAN Energy Solutions has announced an agreement with Alfa Laval, the Swedish industrial concern, to develop a methanol fuel-supply solution for MAN four-stroke engines and its fuel-injection technology. As a result, the first four-stroke engine types will be capable of retrofit to methanol operation from 2025. MAN Energy Solutions and Alfa Laval previously collaborated on decarbonising shipping in 2014 when the very first methanol solution for two-stroke marine engines was in development. To da...

At Scheveningen Harbour in the coastal city of The Hague in the Netherlands, an AI-based video security system from Bosch Building Technologies is now ensuring that every single ship or boat entering or leaving the harbour is logged. The customised solution developed by Bosch together with its partner BrainCreators automatically registers and classifies shipping traffic. Intelligent security solution Until now, employees at the port control centre had to keep an eye on shipping traffic around...

Technology group Wärtsilä introduces EvoTube, a revolutionary and patented advancement in Shaft Line technology for marine propulsion systems, reducing risk and simplifying operations. While based on a conventional stern tube, the EvoTube is a significantly simplified system with fewer components than a conventional stern tube system.  The inboard seal is mounted directly on the aft bearing housing, and the forward bearing is replaced with a standalone bearing inside the eng...

A major programme of repairs is underway at the iconic breakwater at South Gare after the structure suffered serious damage in the face of extraordinary sea conditions during Storm Babet. Concrete slabs weighing up to 50 tonnes were ‘tossed about like pebbles’ during Storm Babet in October, as the breakwater took the brunt of fierce winds and waves which reached several metres high. PD Ports, as Statutory Harbour Authority for Teesport and the Port of Hartlepool, with responsib...

Brunvoll has recently signed a contract with Westcon Yards for the delivery of a wide array of products to the new fishing vessel for owner - M.V. Quantus Limited and Peter & J. Johnstone Limited, based in Peterhead, United Kingdom (UK). Included is the Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster, on its way to becoming an industry standard for fishing vessels. The vessel is designed by Salt Ship Design and will be delivered from the yard by the end of 2025. Brunvoll delivery components The Brunvo...

Accelleron welcomed the 100th customer for its running hours-based service agreement for four-stroke engine turbochargers, Turbo LifecycleCare in November 2023. More than 2,000 turbochargers supporting main or auxiliary engines across maritime and land-based power generation applications are covered by the unique agreement structure, which was established in 2017 to deliver predictable maintenance costs and reduced risk for operators. Turbo LifecycleCare agreement Turbo LifecycleCare agreemen...

International Marine Contractors, Leask Marine Ltd. achieves another “World First”. The company has announced that it has successfully installed its first offshore grouted pile with its revolutionary Raptor Submersible Drilling Rig (SDR) technology.    This marks the final commercialisation phase of the Raptor SDR, from concept, design, manufactured, and full testing programme complete with third-party verification. Characteristics of Raptor SDR design The main characte...

Waves Group is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the first phase of the decommissioning works for the iconic Royal Sovereign Lighthouse. The lighthouse represented cutting-edge maritime civil engineering technology for its time and was the only offshore lighthouse in the UK built directly on top of the seabed. Waves Group are Client Representative and Technical Consultant to Trinity House for the project. The team navigated the complex processes involved, to ensure the removal of...

Potable water is a fundamental resource for humans, but it still poses a challenge to reach every location. For this process, lifting pumping stations play an important role in ensuring the raw water is delivered to the water treatment plants. Water and wastewater services Since 1971, Compesa (Companhia Pernambucana de Saneamento) has been working to provide water and wastewater services to the residents of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The company is involved in various projects coveri...

ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for the “Advanced Maneouvering Assistant System”, the core technology for the autonomous navigation system, developed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, Ltd., Japan Radio Co., Ltd. and YDK Technologies Co., Ltd. Advanced Maneouvering Assistant The Advanced Maneuvering Assistant System automatically generates some routes for avoiding a collision with other ships on a monitored route when a collision with an...

As technology progresses in maritime operations and communications, especially in the realm of data transmission, the adoption of hybrid connectivity is proving critical. Pledging a smooth blend of various network technologies, it aspires to deliver improved reliability, flexibility, and performance. Yet, more thorough scrutiny reveals that what is often perceived as hybrid connectivity may not genuinely embody its core principles. Tristan Wood, managing director of Livewire Digital, a company...

Erik Thun Group has selected Berg Propulsion’s Dynamic Drive technology to optimise efficiency on board all 10 of its latest newbuildings. The Swedish owner confirmed its decision after pilot installations exceeded energy efficiency gain expectations, with the integrated drive solution helping to save 10% of fuel, rising to 20% in some operational conditions. Rolling fleet renewal strategy As part of Erik Thun’s rolling fleet renewal strategy, the owner recently expanded its newbu...

Babcock teamed with BAE Systems and RBSL to develop the ARCHER wheeled mobile artillery system for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) as the replacement for the British Army’s legacy AS90. From Babcock production facilities in Devonport and Walsall, it will use significant vehicle manufacturing and maintenance capabilities to consolidate the Archer superstructure and ammunition resupply system. System integration Chris Spicer, Managing Director of Engineering & Systems Integration a...

Export freight rates from the Port of València are growing again and in the last month recorded an increase of +0.09%, the first increase since August 2022. This is reflected in the València Containerised Freight Index (VCFI) which measures the trend and evolution of the freight rates of the Valencian enclosure and which in November stands at 1,184.76 points remaining at similar levels to those recorded during the year 2020. The VCFI has accumulated growth since the beginning of...

Damen Naval – the Dutch shipyard based in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, and part of the Damen Group has contracted MAN Energy Solutions to supply the propulsion engines and GenSets for four newbuilding Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Frigates. The order consists of 8 × MAN 20V28/33D STC marine engines and 16 × variable-speed MAN 16V175D-MEV naval generator sets with sound enclosures and plant auxiliaries. Engines and generator sets The agreement also provides for Integrated...

The organising committee announced that the eighth edition of the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024) will take place from 4 to 6 March 2024 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). The event is already primed for major success, having received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from exhibitors and participants, both domestically and internationally. Maritime defence exhibition Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir...