Prime movers News

Atlas Copco has completed the acquisition of the cryopump service and distribution business of ZEUS Co., Ltd. The business provides service and sales distribution for the Vacuum Technique business area’s CTI and Polycold products in South Korea. The seller of the business, ZEUS Co., Ltd (ZEUS), is a company listed on the KOSDAQ Korea Exchange. The business unit that Atlas Copco is acquiring from ZEUS is located in Gyeonggi-do, south of Seoul, and has 59 employees. In 2021, the business h...

Babcock’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Cavendish Nuclear, and Joint Venture partners - Amentum and Fluor, have been awarded the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Decontamination and Decommissioning Contract in Piketon, Ohio, USA. In addition to demolishing and disposing of gaseous diffusion plant facilities, the team will deploy mature, proven technologies to address water treatment and soil remediation. The contract was awarded to Southern Ohio Cleanup Company, a Limited Liability Company (...

Babcock International Group (Babcock) and Zero Petroleum (Zero) have signed an agreement on the opening day of the Royal International Air Tattoo, to advance the testing and development of Zero® synthetic, 100% drop-in liquid fuels, which are made from just air and water. The partnership between Babcock and Zero will explore how synthetic fuels can be used to power a range of addressable platforms including infrastructure and powertrains so as to achieve net zero targets. Sustainable energ...

The Port of Hamburg remains a permanent fixture on the shipping lines' routes for the Megamax class. On Saturday, July 15th, the ‘ONE Innovation’, the first 24,000 TEU vessel of the ONE shipping company, will come to Hamburg. With a length of 400 m and a width of 61.40 m, it has a capacity of 24,136 TEU. This makes it one of the few container ships that have so far exceeded the magic capacity limit. Minimising fuel consumption "The shipping company's decision to call at the Port...

Energy market analytics company - Aurora says that Britain is not on track to meet the UK government’s renewables targets without innovation. Aurora’s report echoes recent analysis from the Climate Change Committee, whose Chair - Lord Deben said that ‘the government is failing in much of its implementation’ of its targets. The Public Accounts Committee also recently said it is ‘sceptical’ over whether expansion plans for nuclear, solar and wind is credible....

The UK government announced a series of steps for the coming years to expand its Emission Trading Scheme, including for the first time bringing domestic shipping into the program. Experts highlight that it is another example of individual countries taking steps to reduce emissions in the lack of international agreements for industries, such as shipping that reach beyond domestic borders. The announcement that shipping will be required to participate in the program starting in 2026 comes as the...

The 175 member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have unanimously agreed on an ambition to reach net-zero GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from international shipping close to 2050. The previous strategy aimed for a 50% reduction in emissions by 2050. However, the new one is far more ambitious. The IMO is now targeting at least a 20% reduction by 2030 and 70% by 2040, compared to 2008 emission levels. The new strategy also includes striving for even higher reductions than th...

Babcock and the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) have signed an initial contract for the multi-year refit of the second of the UK’s Vanguard Class nuclear submarines, HMS Victorious. The initial full cost recovery agreement, which will be replaced with a contract on the same terms for the full programme before the end of the year, enables Babcock to begin deep maintenance of the complex submarine at its facility at Devonport. Truly collaborative effort HMS Victorious plays a vital role i...

The Port of Rotterdam Authority welcomes the ambition of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to be climate-neutral by 2050. The Port of Rotterdam Authority views the new agreements set out by the 175 IMO Member States as an important foundation for climate-proofing the shipping sector. Reduction of GHG emissions The Port of Rotterdam Authority is hereby responding to the amendment of the ‘Greenhouse Gas (GHG) strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships’, which the...

The maritime sector has just become one step closer to clean, emission-free shipping, thanks to collaboration between FincoEnergies and the Port of Amsterdam, which has resulted in a permit for FincoEnergies to supply bio-methanol to maritime consumers within the Amsterdam port area. FincoEnergies is the first operational supplier of this specific product in The Netherlands. Thanks to a fully sustainable production process (well-to-wheel), a certified CO2 reduction of no less than 92.4% can be...

In efforts to support Germany’s energy transition agenda, P&O Maritime Logistics will use its Multi Carrying Vessels (MCVs) to transport modular units for offshore wind power stations, which will be used to build the new Wind Farm in North Sea, Germany. Expected to commence power production in 2025, the 900-megawatt wind farm will be a key contributor to achieving Germany’s energy transition goals of fulfilling 80% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. Multi...

In a pioneering safety development, ABS is using advanced modelling and simulation technologies to develop emergency response methods to assist ports and crew in responding to ammonia leaks or spills. It is the first step towards a comprehensive and fast ammonia release response system, capable of predicting the behaviour of an ammonia plume and directing emergency mitigation services accordingly. Significant operational challenges Thanks to its potential for zero-carbon emissions, ammonia is...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group company based in Yokohama, held a christening and launch ceremony for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessel, the first to operate in western Japan, built under contract for KEYS Bunkering West Japan Co., Ltd. The ceremony, conducted in the presence of representatives from the companies involved, took place at the Enoura Plant at MHI's Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The new...

Global satellite communications provider, Satcom Global is delighted to share that renowned international subsea and offshore services company, Mermaid Maritime, has installed AuraNow VSAT on board an accommodation vessel to enable flexible bandwidth for business efficiency and crew communications. AuraNow VSAT The innovative maritime satellite communications solution, AuraNow VSAT, enables unlimited bandwidth changes, with no hidden fees or penalties, making it the ideal solution for offshore...

When a 9,280hp workboat returned to service following extensive repairs at the James Marine Paducah River Service yard in Kentucky, U.S.A., it marked the first application of Thordon’s new seal-embedded bearing to an articulating rudder. Articulating rudders Articulating rudders are unlike conventional rudders and can be more costly to repair, when things go wrong. They are more susceptible to wear and tear, due to the higher operating pressures and abrasives, and as a result, require a...

School pupils across Inverclyde are to be given the chance to name two new £17m ship-to-shore cranes ahead of their arrival at Greenock Ocean Terminal later this year. Clydeport – part of the Peel Ports Group – is launching a competition in partnership with Inverclyde Council to find the most imaginative and creative names for the two cranes, which will become a vital piece of city infrastructure. Pupils from schools across the area are being invited to enter the competition a...

The UK government announces a substantial commitment of £34 million in funding to support the maritime sector's development of innovative solutions and new technologies. The funding forms part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), a vital initiative that aims to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and low-carbon maritime sector while promoting economic growth. With the launch of this fourth round of funding, the total investment through the CMDC programme has now...

At MEPC 80, IMO member nations met the shipping industry’s call for action on climate, setting a target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and interim targets for 2030 and 2040. Most importantly, the updated GHG strategy now sets a clear timeline for the development of the lifecycle-based global fuel standard and economic instrument, to be agreed by 2025 and ready for implementation in 2027. Robust regulatory framework “This marks a new beginning for shipping’s energy transi...

After a rigorous and competitive process KOTUG Canada has selected Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards to build two RAsalvor 4400-DFM dual fuel methanol escort tugs – Robert Allan Ltd. design – to service the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP). These tugs will escort tankers from the harbour limits of the Port of Vancouver to the open Pacific Ocean through the commercial shipping lanes of the Salish Sea. To provide this service, KOTUG Canada has partnered with Sc’ianew...

The ‘zero emissions’ port stay is getting closer and closer in the city of Valencia. Valenciaport has put out to tender the construction of the first of the two planned electrical substations which will enable the ships berthed at the Valencian docks to switch off their engines and connect to the electricity grid, thus ceasing to consume fossil fuels and, therefore, to emit CO2 into the atmosphere. Furthermore, this infrastructure will make the Valencian port even more efficient as...

In 2013, PD Ports introduced Safety Champions across their sites with the aim of maintaining an excellent health and safety culture, and to keep their working environments as safe as possible at all times. This initiative involves teams from across the business working together to keep their respective areas safe, as well as sharing ideas and possibilities for improvement. For them, involving their employees in health and safety is of the upmost importance, and it’s an integral part of co...

In the presence of H.E. Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, the Minister of Hydrocarbons for the Republic of Congo, Wison (Wison Marine & Offshore) and Eni held the ‘Marine XIl Offshore FLNG Project Topsides’ ceremony at the Zhoushan yard in China, on July 3, 2023. This ceremony marks the start of the topsides fabrication, a major milestone in the construction of the Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG). ‘Marine XIl Offshore FLNG Project Topsides’ ceremony More than 200 peo...

International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopts revised strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping. Member States of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), meeting at the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80), have adopted the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, with enhanced targets to tackle harmful emissions. Revised IMO GHG Strategy The revised IMO GHG Strategy includes an enhanced common ambition to reach net...

Bernhard Schulte Offshore returns to Ulstein Verft for the design and construction of two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) of the ULSTEIN SX222 design. The contract includes options for four additional vessels.  The vessels, which utilise the TWIN X-STERN design, feature two sterns and main propellers located at both fore and aft, making them an ideal choice for dynamic positioning (DP) operations. Regardless of whether the vessels are facing towards or away from the we...

MPC Container Ships ASA (‘MPCC’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce the sale of two joint venture-owned vessels, Cimbria and Cardonia, for a total price of USD 42.5 million. The vessels, with a capacity of 2,800 TEU, were built in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Both vessels are currently on time-charter contracts, expiring at the earliest in July 2025 (Cardonia) and in October 2025 (Cimbria). MPC Container Ships sells its two JV-owned vessels This sale represents th...

MAN Energy Solutions has signed a Conversion Commitment Agreement with Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan), a globally renowned company in containership ownership and management, in collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd, one of the major global liner shipping companies. Under the terms of the Agreement, MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division, will deliver 15 engine retrofit solutions for conversion of vessels powered by individual MAN B&W S90-type fuel-oil-powered engines from t...

ERMA FIRST, a pioneer sustainable maritime solutions provider, has launched a new energy saving device (ESD) that promises reduced fuel consumption and emissions in line with CII and EEXI requirements. With ship owners seeking practical and cost-effective tools to facilitate compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Carbon Intensity Index (CII) and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), a new solution from ERMA FIRST promises to boost CII and EEXI performance...

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat business, will connect Wärtsilä ANCS’s new floating laboratory, AHTI, and its shore operations, to support the data exchange for advanced technology testing and the ship’s day-to-day operations. Inmarsat Maritime’s award-winning Fleet Xpress connectivity will be packaged with unlimited backup from FleetBroadband to meet all the demonstrator’s needs. High-speed and reliable connectivity AHTI uses seamless, high-speed, and relia...

Maritime technology company Yara Marine Technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) application developers Molflow, and the Chalmers University of Technology and social science specialists from Halmstad University and Gothenburg University have collaborated for over 3 years to develop and trial an AI-based semi-autonomous voyage planning system. Initiated in August 2020, the Via Kaizen project explores how AI and machine learning can enable more energy-efficient voyage planning for ship operator...

Babcock has successfully completed maintenance works for the Royal Research Ship (RRS) Sir David Attenborough at their Rosyth facilities. They welcomed the RRS Sir David Attenborough (SDA) to Rosyth in early June with works to the ship including upgrades to the vessel’s gas detection system, helideck netting, draft sensor vent pipework as well as assistance with planned maintenance, defect rectification and general logistics support. Maintenance works on RRS Sir David Attenborough The m...