Surveillance & Maritime News for May 2023

Humans have always sought to make life easier. It is almost what defines us as a species. We have always sought ways to avoid mundane tasks, from making a pot stand so it doesn’t have to be held over fire, to having an automatic out-of-office reply on your email. Automation Since the industrial revolution, systems have become more complex, and we have seen more interest in the automatic control of those systems, one of which is the automatic steering of ships.  One problem with s...

Mackay is pleased to announce a featured article, entitled: ‘Mackay Marine South Africa: Dynamic Mackay Positions for a Steady Course of Growth’. Globally renowned seller and installer of communication and navigation equipment for seafaring vessels, Mackay Communications, dba Mackay Marine, has acquired South Africa’s Dynamic Marine Systems (DMS) and is integrating the company to bolster its service portfolio. Mackay Marine South Africa The acquisition of DMS has been very f...

VideoRay, a rapidly growing underwater technology company, announced a $16.1 million order for Mission Specialist Defender underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and related components for the U.S. Navy's Maritime Expeditionary Standoff Response (MESR) programme.  This brings the U.S. Navy's total procurement of Mission Specialist Defender vehicles and accessories to $49 million since they entered into a Production-Other Transaction Agreement (P-OTA) with VideoRay. EOD units With t...

Crowley will launch an end-to-end, integrated ocean and rail service between Mexico and the U.S. Midwest region and into Canada. Featuring Crowley’s new Mexico-U.S. ocean route in the Gulf, the service will leverage the highly efficient inland rail network of Canadian National Railway Company and its U.S. rail subsidiaries (CN). The companies’ combined network provides broad reach across the Midwest and into Canada to increase solutions for global customers in North American markets...

Spire Global, Inc. (“Spire” or “the Company”), a renowned global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, announced the launch of its new Deep Navigation Analytics™ (DNA) Platform, a centralised, space-powered hub that delivers essential insights to maritime stakeholders through three layers: maritime weather data APIs, actionable intelligence APIs, decision support solutions and visualisations. The platform utilises radio occultation (RO) data a...

For the second time, a delegation of pioneering Latvian transport and logistics companies recently visited Hamburg and Lübeck. German-Latvian Port Days in Lübeck were opened by Eglis Levits, President of Latvia. Cultivating partnerships Partnerships need to be cultivated regularly in order to develop intensive contacts and relationships. To this end, a delegation of pioneering Latvian transport and logistics companies, led by Uldis Reimenis, Deputy Undersecretary of the Latvian Mini...

The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) delivered the traditional “socarrat” commemorating the arrival of the cruise ship Norwegian Breakaway to the Port of Valencia. The head of Marketing and Cruises of the PAV, Francesca Antonelli, presented the gift to those responsible for the ship, which has docked for the first time in the Valencian precinct from Malaga. Exploring the city of Valencia The Norwegian Breakaway has arrived with 3,596 passengers on board, with reservations to get...

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and its appointed consultant, DNV Maritime Advisory (DNV) supported by Surbana Jurong (SJ) and the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) at the Singapore Polytechnic (SP), have completed an ammonia bunkering safety study that was commissioned in January 2022.  The risks identified for conducting pilots in the Port of Singapore were found to be low or mitigable, thus paving the way for a pilot project to take place at three identified sites....

SMARTSHOOTER, a world-class designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase small arms' accuracy, lethality, and situational awareness while reducing collateral damage, will present the SMASH family of fire control systems, including the SMASH 3000, SMASH X4, and SMASH Hopper, at the DEFEA exhibition in Greece. Towards the exhibition, the company revealed that it is now in the advanced stages of developing and evaluating a new maritime appli...

Seafaring is often deemed a ‘risky occupation’ when it comes to both physical and mental health, involving highly demanding work alongside long working hours, often poor social support, and extended periods at sea. In the Sailors Society’s recent 2022 Cadet Report, they found 57% of Generation Z, those born between 1996-2010, cadets from around the world had submitted scores suggesting anxiety, and that most believed loneliness would be the main cause of any mental health iss...

The Singapore Maritime Foundation (SMF) has launched a Maritime Workforce Transformation Guidebook, which offers a practical approach for companies in the maritime sector to embark on job redesign to better attract talent to the industry. The Guidebook is distilled from key findings and actionable recommendations of a job redesign pilot conducted in 2022 by SMF, in partnership with Pacific Carriers Limited (PCL) and Pacific International Lines (PIL). The pilot, which focused on the roles of a T...

Oceania Cruises, the world’s renowned culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, has welcomed its newest ship – Vista. Delivered at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa, Italy, Oceania Cruises’ initial Allura Class ship features several firsts in the realms of dining, accommodation and guest experience. This 67,000-tonne, 791-foot-long ship is one of the most anticipated new ships to join the global cruise fleet in 2023. Delivery of new ship - Vista The 1,200-guest Vist...

Tokyo – based classification society, ClassNK has released its new white paper – ‘Towards MASS social implementation’. Regarding the development of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), various efforts gaining momentum worldwide, including the Nippon Foundation MEGURI 2040 Fully Autonomous Ship Program. The push for international rule establishment has been further intensified as the IMO MSC has agreed on a work plan to set forth mandatory requirements effective fro...

ABB has won a large order from Sembcorp Marine Ltd, a global provider of innovative engineering solutions to the offshore, marine and energy industries with headquarters in Singapore, to deliver the complete electrical system automation for a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility for Brazilian oil and gas producer Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras). Financial details of the contract were not disclosed. The P-82 FPSO will be one of the largest vessels to be deployed...

Stena Line celebrates 60th anniversary as a ferry company, having established itself as a trusted link between people, places and societies. When Sten A. Olsson, the founder of Stena Line, opened a shipping service from his hometown Göteborg to Skagen in Denmark in 1962, he did so with 20 years of entrepreneurial experience – as a scrap merchant. Where others saw waste, he saw business opportunities, laying the foundations for what should become one of the most iconic brands in Swede...

The Seafarers’ Charity is celebrating the announcement that Robert Greenwood, trustee of the charity, has been awarded the Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service. Robert was nominated for the Merchant Navy Medal for his considerable dedication over many years to improving safety and welfare in the fishing industry; one of the most dangerous professions in the world. Extensive knowledge Robert Greenwood has been a trustee for The Seafarers’ Charity for five years. During that...

On Monday 29 August, 2022 around 12.30 CEST a fire broke out in the cooling container of a truck on car deck onboard Stena Scandica. The vessel was on its way from Nynäshamn, Sweden to Ventspils, Latvia carrying 241 passengers and 58 crew. The fire was put out by the Stena Line crew, using the extinguishing system on board. The integrity and stability of the vessel was not compromised, but due to the incident the vessel lost power and started to drift slowly off course. “At Stena Li...

Stena Line´s newest addition to the fleet - Stena Estelle - has already sailed around half the world. Departing from its building shipyard in East China in June, the ferry passed through Singapore, India, the Middle East and Gibraltar, before setting course towards the Baltic Sea. Currently Stena Estelle stays at Remontowa shipyard in Gdansk for the final adjustments, so it can take up its regular service on Gdynia-Karlskrona. The first departure is planned for 4 September from Gdynia, and...

Stena Line introduces the second of the two large E-Flexer class vessels to be deployed on the route Karlskrona-Gdynia: In December 2022, the brand new Stena Ebba will join her sister Stena Estelle, which will connect Southern Sweden and Poland from August onwards. The twin ferries are the two largest of the E-Flexer class of Stena Line and have an increased capacity of 50% more cabins, 30% more passengers and 15% more cargo vs existing E-Flexer vessels. “The southern Baltic Sea is a key...

Finnish shipping company ESL Shipping will become the world's first shipping company to start utilizing new low-emission Neste Marine™ 0.1 Co-processed marine fuel in its vessels in Finland and Sweden. The ISCC PLUS certified marine fuel enables up to 80% reduced greenhouse gas emissions over the life cycle compared to fossil fuels without compromising the product quality and performance. ESL Shipping is the carrier of dry bulk cargoes in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Constantly in sear...

It was frequently predicted that the UK fishing industry would benefit from Brexit, both in the run-up to the 2016 referendum and the UK’s official departure from the EU. However, industry members have said that the reality has proved to be very different. Their words form the basis of the new report, “Brexit: Voices of the UK Fishing Industry”. A Parliamentary debate Alistair Carmichael MP, Vice Chair of the APPG, suggested that the APPG compile the report following a Parli...

In 2021, Wrist further consolidated its position and increased operating profit as the supplier of marine provisions, stores, and spare parts logistics to the ship and offshore industry not least through a strategic transition and substantial investments in the development of customised digital solutions. Increasing business and revenue  Wrist succeeded in increasing business volume and revenue, improving the underlying operating profit. Several major, global customer frame agreements we...

Classification society - DNV has issued a verification statement allowing global survival technology specialist - Survitec to use its game-changing fire foam testing process onboard maritime vessels or offshore structures. Survitec’s new Produced Foam Live Test method uses ultrasound technology to verify the effectiveness of fire-fighting foam, according to the mandatory requirements set out in IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 9.2.4. The ruling applies to any vessel or offshore structure that has a de...

Markku Korvenranta, M.Sc. (Eng), has been appointed as Executive Vice President of the Oil Products business unit and a member of the Neste Executive Committee. He will join Neste in January 2022, at the latest, and will report to President and CEO Peter Vanacker. Korvenranta will transfer to Neste from Marquard & Bahls, Germany, and will be based in Finland. Strategy execution “I am pleased to welcome Markku to lead our Oil Products business unit and strengthen our Executive Commit...

Neste, the provider of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), has set up a supply of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ at Cologne Bonn Airport. By doing so, Neste is helping to meet increasing levels of demand from air freight and corporate customers at Cologne Bonn Airport. AFS, Germany's provider of aviation fueling services, supports Neste in serving this market. The first flight fuelled with Neste MY SAF was a cargo flight in early June operated by ASL Airlines on behalf of Amazon. SAF f...

The Seafarers’ Charity, in partnership with researchers at the University of Nottingham, released a new survey to better understand the reality of working conditions for fishing crew across the UK. The 20-minute research survey covers subjects including contracts and crew accommodation, facilities, and fishers' welfare. Crew members are encouraged to anonymously share their experiences of working life on fishing vessels. Financial challenges Catherine Spencer, CEO of The S...

Together with its partner - ScanOcean AB, Neste is broadening the sales and distribution of low-sulphur marine fuels in the Swedish market. At the end of June 2021, ScanOcean will add Neste MGO DMA from the Neste Marine™ 0.1 product range to their product offering, alongside the Neste MDO DMB. Both bunker grades will be available at the Södertälje ex-pipe bunker station that serves vessels also in transit into Lake Mälaren. Compatibility features We are working...

DNV, the classification society, has launched Compliance Planner, a new digital tool that enables DNV customers to easily track the requirements and deadlines of legislation for both individual vessels and entire fleets. As both the number and complexity of international shipping regulations continue to grow, navigating the timelines and requirements has become an increasing burden on ship owners and operators. Compliance Planner presents a full overview of the requirements facing any v...

Neste and ITOCHU Corporation has announced that they are joining forces to deliver renewable diesel to the Japanese market. In this collaboration, ITOCHU Corporation will be the first company in Japan to sell and distribute renewable diesel from Neste. In addition, FamilyMart, which is owned by ITOCHU Corporation and is one of the largest convenience store chains in Japan, will start to use renewable diesel in some of the delivery vehicles at their distribution centre in Yokohama City. Thi...

FESCO Transportation Group and Internship Navigation (member of Hartmann Group) have agreed to cooperate in the technical management of vessels. The agreement was signed by the parties at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. According to the agreement, FESCO is planning to use the experiences and competence of Hartmann Group to perform the dock and general repairs and further maintenance of the Group’s vessels. Moreover, the parties are planning to cooperate in the realm of...