Surveillance & Maritime News for September 2021

Rolls-Royce North America has been selected to provide the powerplant for the B-52 Stratofortress under the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), further extending a long history of powering the United States Air Force. The decision means the American-made Rolls-Royce F-130 engine will power the B-52 for the next 30 years. The Air Force made the announcement after a vigorous multi-year competition. The F130 and its commercial family of engines have accumulated more than 27 million en...

Rolls-Royce and Sanlorenzo have agreed to deepen their successful cooperation and to give their partnership a new dimension with future technologies in the coming years: Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems will be one of the leading suppliers for Sanlorenzo within the next three years as main propulsion provider for certain yachts of the SL line, delivering mtu 10V, 12V and 16V 2000 yacht engines with a compact IMO 3 solution. Sanlorenzo will also be one of the first builders to equip a...

Babcock, the aerospace, defense and security company, was joined by UK Secretary of State for Defense and Shipbuilding Tsar, Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP to cut the first steel for the first of the Royal Navy’s five new Type 31 frigates, HMS VENTURER. Hosted at Babcock’s facility in Rosyth, Scotland, where the Type 31 Inspiration class ships are being built, representatives from across UK and international industry and public service, witnessed the historic ceremony signaling the officia...

Rolls-Royce and Overmarine are continuing their successful cooperation and will move into the future together with new technologies in the coming years. The two partners signed an agreement to this effect at the Monaco Yacht Show. Rolls-Royce will continue to supply Overmarine with mtu Series 2000 engines for its Mangusta yacht family. In addition, options to supply mtu hybrid propulsion and the state-of-the-art mtu NautIQ Bridge integrated bridge solution are part of the framework agreement...

IMCO Group, a defence provider of comprehensive solutions for air, ground, and naval applications announced the acquisition of the assets and activities of Innocon Ltd., an innovative Israeli developer and manufacturer of Micro, Mini and Tactical unmanned aerial systems as well as mission systems for manned light airplanes. IMCO Group acquires Innocon’s assets and activities through one of its subsidiaries who, among other activities, provides unprecedented aerial and aviation capabilitie...

Over 150 industry leaders and organizations call for decisive government action to enable full decarbonization of international shipping by 2050 - Signatories of the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization urge world leaders to align shipping with the Paris Agreement temperature goal. The private sector is already taking important steps to decarbonize global supply chains. It is indispensable that governments deliver the policies that will supercharge the transition and make zero emissi...

Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has secured a significant new commitment to its Fleet Hotspot internet portal service, following an extension of its Fleet Xpress service agreement with leading liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) transport group Petredec. Fleet Hotspot has been designed by Inmarsat to give crew onboard access to high-speed connectivity with the freedom to use their own devices. As the owner of one of the most modern fleets of specialized...

To provide customers with complete automation solutions from a single trusted source, Rolls-Royce and Sea Machines Robotics announce a new collaboration that will deliver comprehensive remote command, autonomous control and intelligent crew support systems to the marine market and complement Rolls-Royce’s mtu NautIQ marine automation portfolio. As part of this agreement, Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems and Sea Machines, the pioneering developer of remote-vessel command and aut...

NEVA, the International Maritime Exhibition and Conference for Commercial Shipping, Shipbuilding, Offshore Energy, Ports, Inland Waterways and Oceanography is an international shipping, shipbuilding, ports and offshore energy exhibition and the largest maritime forum in Russia. Its aim is to promote the development of the Russian commercial maritime industries and provide a gateway to meet shipping and offshore energy executives under one roof in St. Petersburg, the maritime capital of Russia....

  Based on the latest carbon emissions MRV data published by the EU, it can be seen that cargo vessels using Jotun’s Hull Performance Solutions (HPS) reported a 20% lower carbon intensity on average in operations compared to non-HPS peers in 2019 and 2020.  Cross-checked statistics also indicate lower carbon emissions than from vessels known to be sailing with some “low-friction” foul-release silicone coatings that claim to offer market-leading performance. Only co...

The Ministry of Defense (MOD) has awarded BAE Systems a £85m contract to support early design and concept work on the Royal Navy's next generation of submarines. The contract will enable the Company's Submarines business to progress the early stages of a program to deliver a replacement for the Astute class, helping to sustain the UK's future underwater military capability and support 250 highly-skilled jobs in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defense,...

Lynette Jackson (49) has been appointed as the new head of global communications at Siemens. She will report to Roland Busch, President and CEO of Siemens AG, effective October 1. Jackson takes over from Judith Wiese, member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG responsible for HR, Sustainability and Global Business Services, who has been acting as interim head of communications since April. “We are very pleased to announce Lynette Jackson as our new head of...

BAE Systems is working with Dell Technologies on delivering innovative digital capability for the new City Class Type 26 frigates. The first three frigates in this class include HMS Glasgow, a cutting-edge UK-designed ship currently being built on the Clyde in Glasgow.    The collaboration will deliver a Shared Infrastructure to host the ship’s essential systems, including a number provided by third parties, on a single, reliable digital platform. It will take full a...

BAE Systems, in collaboration with other maritime industry leaders, has secured funding from the UK Department of Transport to design, develop, and demonstrate exciting new power and propulsion technologies for London, with the potential to reduce emissions across global waterways.  Working across two separate projects in the city with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, a ferry operator, and Cory, a waste to energy management company, BAE Systems will use its expertise in providing inte...

A £110 million contract has been awarded to deliver the new Defense Strategic Radio Service (DSRS) to critical military operations. DSRS uses the Earth’s ionosphere, part of the upper atmosphere, to allow radio signals to be sent and received across thousands of kilometers. This allows communications to be rapidly delivered across a variety of domains to service personnel, regardless of whether they are on land, in the air or at sea. The new communications service removes the tra...

Babcock the aerospace, defense and security company has secured the first export contract for its Arrowhead 140 (AH140) frigate through a design license agreement with PT PAL Indonesia (Persero), a state-owned enterprise that builds and maintains ships for military and commercial use from its facilities in Surabaya, Indonesia.   The breakthrough deal comes two years since Babcock’s AH140 design was first announced as the preferred bidder for the UK Type 31 frigate program at D...

Where winters are harshest, the toughest technology is required for marine operations to continue uninterrupted during the frozen months. For 30 years, Azipod® propulsion has proven to be up to the task, keeping harbours open and moving goods and people through the most challenging sea ice conditions on the planet. A revolution from the start, Azipod® technology has continued to break new ground, or ice, throughout its lifetime. More than 90 ice-going vessels equipped with Azipod® p...

The hybrid-electric exploration cruise vessel Le Commandant Charcot became the first vessel of its kind to reach the geographic North Pole on September 6, 2021, as it was completing the sea trials in preparation for welcoming guests for the maiden voyage later this year. Equipped with Azipod® propulsion technology, the luxury cruise ship produces minimal noise and vibrations to provide a comfortable passenger experience. Moreover, the ship’s energy storage system, supplied and integra...

If the ocean were a national economy, it would be the seventh largest in the world. Contributions of the oceans to energy production, transport and sustainable food production are essential to the global economy. In the global ‘blue economy,’ environmental protection and economic growth are intrinsically linked, especially in the maritime industry. The European Union has detailed a realistic agenda for the blue economy to play a major role to achieve the objectives of the European...

Two new hybrid crew transfer vessels (CTVs) –MHO Asgard and MHO Apollo – arrived at MHO-Co’s headquarters in Esbjerg, Denmark, after making the 12,000 nautical mile journey from China’s AFAI Southern Shipyard. Measuring 34.4 meters in length and with an 11-meter beam, these vessels will be run by operator MHO-Co and service the Hornsea Project 2 offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Sustainable operations The vessels’ power system is the result of a collabora...

MAN Energy Solutions has announced that its MAN B&W ME-GA engine – the latest addition to its dual-fuel portfolio – has landed 40 orders since its market unveiling in March 2021.   The company attributes the order surge to the market’s demand for the latest generation of Otto-cycle, two-stroke engines and the low levels of methane slip it can unlock. Authority Comments Bjarne Foldager, Senior Vice President and Head of Two-Stroke Business, MAN Energy Solutions,...

With its dedicated customer portal, AuraNow is the first maritime VSAT solution of its kind, empowering vessel and fleet managers to control their communications on-demand.  Through the easy-to-use portal, customers can monitor their communications and make changes at the touch of a button to support varying data requirements. This one-stop-shop enables direct access to our communications management platform in order to make any required connectivity changes quickly, eliminating lead times...

Maersk. has appointed Mohit Bhatia as Senior Vice President and Head of Maersk Global Service Centres (GSC) effective 1st August 2021. Mohit previously held the position of Joint Managing Director, Maersk GSC, with responsibility for Finance before taking over the overall leadership including commercial and operations functions. Experience An industry stalwart, Mohit brings strong expertise of over 30 years in transforming and managing large companies across IT, banking and food & snackin...

The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project and Kongsberg Maritime have entered a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the global initiative to produce the complete map of the ocean floor. Under the terms of the MOU, the two parties will work together to advance the understanding of ocean bathymetry. The effort complements the goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Collaborative Project Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between The Nippo...

Forbes has recognised BAE Systems, Inc. as one of “America’s Best Employers for Women” for 2021, one of only 300 companies selected. Forbes and its partner, statistics portal and industry ranking provider Statista, evaluated the companies through an independent survey of 50,000 employees across two dozen industries, including more than 30,000 women. Out of the 14 current members of the BAE Systems, Inc.’s Senior Leadership Team, eight are women. Foster gender parity &...

As of August 1st, 2021, Wilhelmsen will begin to take over sales, logistics and consulting for Klüber Lubrication’s maritime portfolio for its sea-going vessels. Initially within European countries and Southeast Asia, followed by the rest of the world from October onwards.  Kjell André Engen, Executive Vice President of Marine Products, Wilhelmsen says, “This exclusive partnership pairs Klüber Lubrication’s market-leading marine lubricants with our unriva...

MPC Container Ships ASA (“MPCC” or the “Company”) announces that it has completed its acquisition of Songa Container AS ("Songa") pursuant to the share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Songa for a total value of USD 210.25 million on a debt and cash-free basis, as entered into and announced on 22 June 2021. The consideration is paid partly in cash and partly in new shares, and in total 49,795,250 new shares are being issued in relation to the transacti...

Rolls-Royce has signed an agreement to sell its Bergen Engines medium speed liquid fuel and gas engines business to global engineering group Langley Holdings plc for an enterprise value of €63m. Langley is funding the deal, together with working capital requirements for the Bergen business going forward, from existing cash reserves. Investment-grade credit profile The agreed sale of Bergen Engines is a part of the ongoing portfolio management to create a more focused group and follows a...

A.P. Moller - Maersk introduces strategic changes that will further improve customer experience and end-to-end service delivery. As part of this, the Safmarine brand will be integrated into Maersk to enhance customers’ access to the global integrated offering.   In addition, the Damco brand’s Air and LCL (Less than Container Load) offering will be combined with Maersk’s logistics and services products to complement its end-to-end offering. Also, a more simplified...

  A.P. Moller - Maersk announces that it has reached an agreement with Bridgepoint Development Capital to acquire KGH Customs Services (KGH), a Sweden-based specialist in trade and customs management services in Europe. This will further enhance Maersk’s capabilities as an integrated container logistics company, offering end-to-end supply chain solutions to its customers. Seamless customer experience With its specialised expertise across freight modes (air, ocean, land) and...