Surveillance & Maritime News for November 2021

The OECS region’s coastal and marine environment is pivotal to the advancement of the region’s sustainable development agenda as well as to the ecological sustainability and holistic development of its Member States.  Although the Blue Economy in the region is fairly nascent and requires a major boost to realise its transformative promises, there is momentum and gradual growth in understanding of the potential of the Blue Economy to position the region to realise its aspiration...

When I recently read about OceanXplorers, Disney Plus' new series about heroic scientists researching the world of the deep, I was excited—not least for my kids—and quietly dismayed. Our society needs to do for the ocean what Carl Sagan and Neil DeGrasse Tyson did for outer space: familiarise ourselves, get excited, engage and connect. That said, NASA's funding is $22.6 billion, and NOAA received roughly one-quarter of that at $5.4 billion. A decent amount of people reading thi...

With COP26 just around the corner and a year on from the announcement of the UK Government’s 10 Point Plan, the need to become more carbon neutral is as prominent as ever and is now underway in numerous industries across the world. Frequent severe weather events It’s no secret that the weather is changing, with severe conditions happening more frequently and at pace, with soaring temperatures, storms, flooding and even volcanic eruptions all making headlines on a regular basis. Ho...

Danfoss China has signed a cooperation agreement with renowned Chinese shipyard, Zhenjiang Shipyard, to quicken the rate of electrification in the Chinese marine industry. The agreement between Danfoss China and Zhenjiang Shipyard is directly aligned with China’s strategy to boost green shipping and will see the two companies partner, in order to further enhance Zhenjiang Shipyard’s hybrid tugboats, the star vessel of the business’ portfolio. Partnership with Zhenjiang Shipya...

The municipality of Aveiro will integrate its first fully electric ferry into its public transportation system in 2022, which will be powered by Danfoss’ Editron division’s electric propulsion system. The vessel will replace the existing diesel-powered ferry operating between Forte da Barra, in Ilhavo, and São Jacinto, in Aveiro. The new electric ferry forms part of the country’s effort to accelerate the transition to emission-free public transport solutions. Increased...

IOTICS is creating a digital twin of Portsmouth International Port as part of an ambitious 1.5m project to demonstrate an achievable modular green hydrogen generation system within the Port. The Shipping, Hydrogen & Port Ecosystems UK (SHAPE UK) project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK. Portsmouth International Port is the UK's largest and most successful municipal port, operated by...

Two pioneers in marine electrification, Volvo Penta, and Danfoss’ Editron division, have worked together to power two of the UK’s first fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs). The vessels have been in operation at an offshore wind farm for a month and are already making a positive environmental impact. A recent announcement from COP26 was the promise of £160 million in new funding to support the building of floating offshore wind farms in Scotland a...

Ports around the UK continuously command media attention, and most recently, the ongoing disruption to supply chains globally has had a great impact on the day-to-day running of our ports. One example is Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, which has been forced to turn away ships from Asia because of a lack of capacity. The severe lack of HGV drivers is adding to the problem too. It has been reported that the amount of time goods spend inside Felixstowe port, known in the indust...

Two globally renowned companies in marine electrification, Volvo Penta and Danfoss’ Editron division, have worked together to power two of the United Kingdom’s first fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs). The two fully integrated hybrid electric crew transfer vessels (CTVs) have been in operation at an offshore wind farm, for a month and are already making a positive environmental impact. Hybrid electric crew transfer vessels A recent announcement from COP2...

Vessul, the most advanced crew travel management tech for marine and energy, has partnered with Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE), a charity dedicated to restoring the ocean to health for everyone, forever. “Vessul’s connection to the ocean and all it provides runs deep, which is why our partnership with BLUE is so incredibly important to us as a company,” said Vessul COO Neil Ruth. Generating revenue “As a corporate partner of BLUE, Vessul is committed to suppor...

Urban areas account for over 70 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions, with heating and cooling representing the largest share of energy consumption, so delivering sustainable and affordable heating and cooling to cities is a priority in the fight against climate change. ABB will deploy its complete electrical, instrumentation, and control (EIC) package, motors and variable speed drives for the powerhouse of the heat pump, which will be the world’s largest seawater heat pum...

We are pleased to inform you that Unifeeder has launched a new service via the Hub port of Southampton to/from the ports of Cork, Belfast and Dublin. The new service to the Irish Sea is further expanding Unifeeder’s presence in Northern Europe and will allow us to offer our customers an even more extensive outport coverage. First sailings are already successfully completed, and will, going forward, run as a weekly fixed-weekday service. Service highlights Reliable service with fi...

ClassNK is committed to providing comprehensive services to support the industry’s efforts for the transition to zero-emission of shipping business. In support of measures for GHG emissions reduction, ClassNK has released 'Guidelines for Ships Using Alternative Fuels'. They are the updates with safety requirements for ships using ammonia as fuel on previously issued 'Guidelines for Ships Using Low-Flashpoint Fuels' covering LPG/Methanol/Ethanol, and provide comprehensive information o...

Inmarsat, the pioneer in global, mobile satellite communications, has expanded its agreement to deliver maritime broadband to Hapag-Lloyd, after the global transport group renewed its Fleet Xpress contract for a further five years and committed 33 more ships to the very small aperture terminal (VSAT) service. Under the extended agreement, which now covers 77 ships, the Fleet Xpress hybrid of Ka-band and continuous L-band back-up service replaces Ku-band systems onboard ships merged into...

As the global maritime industry looks back on a hugely challenging year for seafarers, four major maritime charities will come together at Inmarsat, to explore how technology will shape the future for seafarers’ welfare. The Mission to Seafarers, in collaboration with The Seafarers’ Charity, Stella Maris and Sailors’ Society, will be fielding their CEOs, on each of the four panels. Promoting Seafarers welfare This half-day afternoon conference, ‘Meeting the needs of se...

In July 2020, two fully functional Maersk containers were skillfully painted with a rainbow to join Maersk’s fleet, and in March this year, they embarked on their first World Tour.   The first part of the journey for the 40 and 20-foot rainbow containers was aboard the Maersk Edmonton from APM Terminals Pier 400 in Los Angeles to Yokohama. The containers have stopped at several locations across Asia and Europe, before finally ending their tour in Denmark for Copenhagen Pride 2021....

The biggest lesson over the past year is that curveballs can come from anywhere and disrupt even the best-laid plans. Global logistics has to evolve and become more agile to swing more effectively. Smart digitalisation can help build resilience, increase end-to-end visibility and ultimately optimise global supply chains. Technological innovations allow logistics to not only move business, but to shape it. When done right, it enables new solutions that elevate opportunities and make logistics...

Maersk’s investment will enable WasteFuel to develop biorefineries that utilise the most effective technologies available to produce sustainable fuels from unrecoverable waste that would otherwise degrade, and release methane and other harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Promising fuels of the future Maersk is confident that green bio-methanol is one of the promising fuels of the future as it can be scaled up and play an important role in decarbonising supply chains within the next...

Pak Elektron Limited (also known as PEL), Pakistan’s local manufacturing giant of major home appliances and electrical equipment, is a top household brand and has been operating for more than 7 decades in the country. Competing with global companies, PEL is constantly looking for pockets of opportunities to optimise its operations while keeping an eye on the philosophy of innovation and advancement. Challenges in global supply chains PEL had to handle huge import volumes with multiple...

Kongsberg Digital (Kongsberg) and Shell International Exploration & Production (Shell Marine) have announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership agreement. Hege Skryseth, President of Kongsberg Digital and Executive Vice President (EVP) at Kongsberg, said “We are very excited to enter into this new strategic partnership agreement with Shell International and enable the digital transformation of their Wells business unit.” Digital transformation Hege Skryseth ad...

Newport Shipping, the global dry-docking, retrofit repair and vessel conversion specialist, has signed up to London International Shipping Week 2021 (LISW21) as a Bronze Sponsor, showcasing its support for one of the industry’s biggest events. "LISW is one of the must-attend events for the shipping industry, so we’re honored to be a sponsor,” said Lianghui Xia, Managing Director, Newport Shipping. “We really appreciate this chance to showcase Newport’s unique value...

Digital shipping platform provider Sea/ has signed up as a Bronze Sponsor of London International Shipping Week 2021 (LISW21). The company, which digitalises workflows to enable traders, charterers, operators, analysts, owners and brokers to manage freight transactions, has committed to supporting one of the shipping industry’s biggest global events. Responsibility As a bronze sponsor, Sea/ will have a brand presence across LISW21, which takes place from 13–17 September. Company r...

Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) announces the relocation of its joint venture, Diana Wilhelmsen Management Limited (DWM) from Cyprus to Athens. The relocation is part of WSM's growth strategy poised to increase its fleet in crew and technical ship management. "We have seen an increase in the appetite for third-party ship management in the Greek market. With the new strategic location, we are in a better position to strengthen our relationship with current owners and potential clients," says...

As a globally renowned company in shipping and logistics, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is constantly developing its service offering, through investments in cargo-related business activities worldwide. MSC is pleased to announce the launch of a new, direct rail service, connecting Trieste, in Italy and Ludwigshafen, in Germany, which will be available from September 10, 2021. This new rail service is designed to improve rail capacity and reduce transit time between Turkey and Germany, t...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has been granted Approval in Principle (AIP) from the French Classification Society Bureau Veritas (BV) for a cargo tank system to be mounted in a liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier. MHI Group is pursuing a range of strategic measures to strengthen businesses related to the energy transition, and establishing a CO2 ecosystem is a key part of that effort. Further, Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilisation, and Storage...

Hyundai’s Ship-Building Division, HHI-SBD, has ordered 8 × MAN B&W 8G95ME-LGIM (Liquid Gas Injection Methanol) engines, in connection with the building of 8 × 16,000-teu container ships for A.P. Moller – Maersk, the global integrator of container logistics. Hyundai Engine & Machinery Division, HHI-EMD, will build the engines. The order contains an option for a further four engines, with the first of the confirmed vessels due to enter service in Q1, 2024. Methano...

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a globally renowned transportation and logistics company, welcomes initiatives, such as Belgium’s efforts to vaccinate all seafarers, who visit Belgian ports. Antwerp is a strategic location for MSC and seafarers on many MSC ships will now be able to take advantage of the programme. COVID-19 vaccination campaign Following a successful COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which was aimed at Belgian seafarers, Belgium is now extending its vaccination program...

Shabnum Hanif, Ocean Infinity’s Offshore Business Line Director discusses how Digital Twin technology can enhance offshore Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR). It’s become commonplace to see more and more digital visualisation tools being used in many industries. The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) itself is almost used in the vocabulary, as much as ‘milk and two sugars’. Thinking about all these newly available technologies (from robot dogs to driverless cars), f...

Five months after the launch of MSC eBL, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) will be taking to the stage at the Swiss Supply Chain & Logistics Conference 2021 (SCLC) to explain what this digital solution means for customers and the industry. Held in Geneva, the home of MSC’s headquarters, the Swiss Supply Chain & Logistics Conference (SCLC) is expected to attract around 150 participants and feature more than 30 speakers. Swiss Supply Chain & Logistics Conference The aim of...

Ocean Infinity, the marine robotics company, is excited to announce that it has acquired marine geo-technics expert company, Geowynd. Based in the United Kingdom and serving clients all over Europe, Geowynd’s team of geo-technical engineers provide consultancy services, to aid the safe and optimal development of offshore renewable energy projects. Geo-technical analysis services major Geowynd’s market renowned geo-technical analysis services include developing smart site investiga...