Surveillance & Maritime News for March 2025

Norway-based maritime technology business, Shipnet has launched Helix AI ahead of attending Sea Asia in Singapore next week, further strengthening its revolutionary Helix product, designed to transform decision-making in the shipping industry through advanced data analysis.  Helix, launched at Posidonia in 2024, provides a digital representation of the shipping business, enabling seamless integration and analysis of data from various sources such as safety, pricing, and procurement. Helix...

Propspeed®, a pioneering innovator in underwater biocide-free, foul-release coatings, announced it has signed an agreement with LUKA Marine Murter d.o.o. to serve as the Company’s new single-entry partner for Croatia and Slovenia. The partnership will kick off with the first national technical training for applicators and resellers in this vital region to prepare Propspeed for the quickly approaching refit season. Propspeed’s coating systems LUKA Marine Murter is a privately o...

BERG Propulsion is offering the shipping industry its first opportunity to select propeller shafts made using the climate neutral GreenForge® production process, in a maritime sector that is highly exposed to anticipated carbon pricing. Three Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) ro-ro vessels due in service from 2026 to carry aircraft parts across the Atlantic are already set to take advantage of sustainable wind power, courtesy of their rotor sails, while their hybrid propulsion, power manag...

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised BPER Banca S.p.A. (“BPER”), as agent and financing bank, and Banca Popolare di Sondrio S.p.A. (“BPOS”), as financing bank, on an up to US$50m financing granted to Ignazio Messina & C. S.p.A. (“Ignazio Messina”). This allows Ignazio Messina to finance the renewal of its fleet as part of an investment plan to build full container vessels of greater capacity and size than those it previously deployed....

Alfa Laval has signed its first contract for the ammonia fuel supply system, FCM Ammonia, reinforcing its position as a frontrunner in developing solutions for decarbonizing the maritime industry.  The FCM Ammonia will be installed onboard seven LPG/ammonia carriers for Tianjin Southwest Maritime. Ammonia-powered shipping The FCM Ammonia will be installed on a CSSC Huangpu Wenchong shipyard in ChinaAs a front-runner in enabling the use of ammonia, Alfa Laval has achieved a significant mi...

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised BNP Paribas, a syndicate of lenders, SACE and SIMEST on the financing of four new cruise vessels for Viking Ocean Cruises. The financing consists of four export credit loan facilities, which are together worth around $2 billion. The facilities are backed by the Italian export credit agency SACE and contain a fixed-rate subsidy offered by SIMEST. Viking Ocean Cruise’s growing fleet The ocean-going passenger cruise vessels are being constr...

Dinnteco America, an established pioneer in lightning protection technology, announced its latest solution for the marine, military, energy, and transportation industries – the Electromagnetic Charge Compensation Device (DDCE). The DDCE is designed to prevent direct lightning strikes by gathering positive charges from its immediate environment, while also gathering negative charges from the clouds and air. Lightning strikes to boat owners The upward path required for lightning can no lo...

GOST® (Global Ocean Security Technologies), a pioneer in marine security, satellite tracking, monitoring, and video surveillance, announced a revolution in maritime security with the launch of the GOST Specter Ai security platform.  The GOST Specter Ai platform leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence to provide advanced facial recognition, object identification through machine learning, GPS location tracking, CAN bus data monitoring, and remote viewing of both system data and li...

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised a syndicate of lenders led by BNP Paribas (“BNPP”), SACE SpA and SIMEST SpA on the financing and delivery of the cruise vessel Norwegian Aqua, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. group (“NCLH”) and built at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. Norwegian Aqua is the third of NCLH’s Prima-class vessels and, at approximately 156,000 gt, is the largest vessel to be built at the Marghera shipya...

Efficient installation and commissioning of onboard equipment is critical in the newbuild construction process. This has been demonstrated with successful sea trials for the first davits installed by Vestdavit on a series of US Navy fleet refuelling vessels being built by General Dynamics NASSCO. Proven performance PLRH-5000 davits excel in trials aboard USNS Robert F. Kennedy, ensuring smooth naval operations and newbuild deliveriesThe pair of high-specification PLRH-5000 rescue boat davits...

ABS and Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI) have successfully completed a landmark collaboration advancing the development of fully autonomous vessels. The Action Planning and Execution System (APExS-auto) maritime autonomy framework from MTI received approval in principle from ABS. The project utilised the System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) method, an innovative hazard analysis technique. System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) method “ABS is leading the industry in forward-th...

OrbitMI, a pioneer provider of maritime SaaS software, announces that Istanbul-based Statu Shipping has deployed its compliance solutions across its fleet of 20 bulk carriers.  Rather than handling compliance as a passive, post-voyage process, Statu Shipping can now monitor and manage compliance outcomes in real time, optimizing efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring regulatory adherence throughout the voyage. Reducing CII Impact Using Orbit’s compliance capabilities operators ca...

The Switch, a pioneer provider of innovative power electronics for the marine industry, has signed a multimillion-euro contract with Ålesund-based Vard Electro. It marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge products for innovative system integrators. Future-proof power systems DC-Hub technology holds its role in next-gen maritime electrification for flexible power solutionsThe Switch will supply its DC-Hub technology to multiple vessels on orde...

The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of four seafarers in the recent attack on a bulk carrier in Odesa on 11 March 2025. INTERCARGO fully supports the statement issued by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez and condemns in the strongest terms any attacks on merchant shipping and the innocent seafarers in its service. International maritime law INTERCARGO emphasises that the safety of seafarers must remain paramount Speak...

Michael was raised in the Midwest, where he raced one-designed yachts extensively and sailed collegiately whilst attending the University of Wisconsin. Upon graduating with a BA in English Literature, he worked his way up from chartering in the Caribbean to racing in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Michael then relocated to San Diego in 1992 to take a job as a service representative for Barient/Sparcraft during the America’s Cup. Prior roles of Michael For the past 25...

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released a report providing recommendations on how to develop and implement a Safety Management System (SMS) for ammonia-fuelled ships. Recognizing the industry's forecasts on the uptake of future fuels with low to zero carbon emissions, ammonia has emerged as one frontrunner. However, it presents new risks, such as toxicity and corrosiveness. To address these challenges, MTF has developed guidelines to close previously identified gaps when implementing...

HarborLab, the Athens-based maritime technology company, has launched a new AI-powered feature designed to optimise Disbursement Account (DA) analysis and streamline port expense management. This latest innovation, known as HL AI, is part of the company’s drive to fully integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its entire platform ecosystem helping shipowners and operators unlock efficiency and major cost savings in daily vessel operations. Advanced digitalisation systems HarborLab,...

As the shipping industry continues its transition to carbon-neutral fuels, ammonia and hydrogen are emerging as possible fuel options, however mandatory regulations governing their use are not yet in place. DNV’s latest white paper, Safe introduction of alternative fuels – Focus on ammonia and hydrogen as ship fuels, provides shipowners with insights and tools to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and safely implement these fuels. Relevant safety challenges Both hydrogen a...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply replacement engines for two inland waterway tug pusher vessels operating in Paraguayan rivers. The vessels are owned by ADM Naviera Chaco (ADM). The vessel modifications and new engine installations will be carried out in Asuncion-Paraguay. The orders were booked by Wärtsilä in Q2 and Q4 2024. The new engines will enable a reduction of the environmental impact and increase the efficiency of the tug pushers. ADM’s stated target is t...

In recent months, several oil majors have begun to turn away from renewables to refocus on fossil fuels. This will likely lead them to increase their capital budgets for developing deep-sea oil and gas reserves, requiring a balance of new (large-scale) floating production units and commercial vessels to transport products. In this article, they look at the differences between the terms on which commercial vessels are designed, constructed and delivered and those for projects for offshore floati...

Swiss marine power company WinGD has confirmed key parameters for its X-DF-A ammonia-fuelled engine design after full-load testing at its Engine Research and Innovation Centre in Winterthur, Switzerland. The performance and emission measurements deliver timely assurance as the first users prepare their vessels and auxiliary systems for ammonia fuel. NOx emissions for operation Emissions data was also urging, with ammonia emissions below 10ppm and N2O below 3ppm The tests confirm engine perfo...

Fincantieri and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the pioneer in innovative cruise travel, celebrated the delivery at the Marghera (Venice) shipyard of Norwegian Aqua, the first ship of the expanded Prima Plus Class that Fincantieri is building for the cruise line. The ceremony was attended by Biagio Mazzotta and Pierroberto Folgiero, respectively Chairman, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, and by Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of the Fincantier...

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a significant contract for the design of two multipurpose subsea vessels. The UT7623 SEV (Sustainable Energy Vessel) vessels will be methanol-ready and feature battery hybrid technology. These vessels are the first references for Kongsberg Maritime’s latest subsea construction vessel designs and will feature a fully integrated package of technology including rim-drive propulsion, hybrid power and winch systems. UT7623 SEV vessels UT7623 SEV vessels are...

DNV has awarded a detailed Approval in Principle (AiP) to Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited and Brevik Engineering for their design of a 74,000 cubic metres (cbm) liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier. The vessel is specifically designed for the Asia Pacific market to enable cost competitive transport of CO2. Development of larger vessels CCS is set to play a key role in decarbonisation of industry in Asia Pacific Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is set to play a key ro...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has won the GREEN4SEA Sustainability Award 2025, in recognition of the contribution its digital Carbon Calculator tool makes to maritime decarbonisation. Available free of charge on the MacGregor website, Carbon Calculator allows container shipping companies to estimate the carbon dioxide emissions. They can eliminate from their operations by upgrading their onboard container cargo system. Sustainable cargo operations Maximising cargo-carrying capacity increases r...

OrbitMI, a pioneer provider of maritime SaaS software, announces that it has been selected by Nisshin Shipping Co., Ltd. A global pioneer in bulk and chemical cargo transportation, to provide vessel reporting and compliance solutions across its fleet. Scaling smart shipping Nisshin Shipping initially engaged with OrbitMI through a pilot program on a newly built vesselNisshin Shipping initially engaged with OrbitMI through a pilot program on a newly built vessel, evaluating its effectiveness i...

Maritime and offshore energy pioneers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and throughout South America came together for the first meeting of the ABS South America Regional Committee. ABS is the pioneering classification society among South American and Brazilian shipowners and is the recognised class-of-choice for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units in the region. Maritime and offshore industries Kroustallis reported that ABS has continued to hold the number one position in glo...

Uncertainty about the scale and nature of the IMO’s proposed carbon levy is holding back investment in shipping. That was the message from Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO, during an appearance at the CERAWeek energy conference. Lack of carbon pricing “A carbon levy is a wild card. It will all depend on how it is implemented and enforced. There’s a huge question mark over whether this will deliver for the industry and there is much still to be decided,” s...

President Donald Trump has already made plenty of headlines since taking up his second term in the White House, including with the announcement of numerous new tariffs on imports. The 47th United States President issued three executive orders on February 1st 2025, just days after his inauguration, which directed the US to impose an additional 25 percent ad valorem rate of duty on imports from Canada and Mexico, as well as ten percent on imports from China. How Trump’s 2nd term...

ABS issued a Type Approval for IACS UR E27 cyber resilience requirements to Hanwha Systems for its cybersecurity solution, SecuAider®. Hanwha Systems’ SecuAider® is a software solution that offers protection to a vessel’s data and networks from advanced cyberattacks, such as ransomware and malware. Range of digitally enabled systems ABS E27 credential is part of ABS Cyber Resilience Program that evaluates a digitally enabled system The ABS E27 certification is part of the...