Navigation, communication and electronics News

HydroPenTM, the unique VIKING Life-saving Equipment container firefighting solution, has secured a first major order from an Asian shipowner, in a deal that also demonstrates that the technique is highly adaptable for all sizes of container vessels.  Singapore-based PIL, the largest container carrier in Southeast Asia, is committing its entire container ship fleet of around 100 vessels to carrying HydroPen™ systems. Drill and Douse The TT Club estimates that a container fire occur...

​​​​​​​Container firefighting duties across 85 CMA CGM ships have been assigned to the HydroPen™ system supplied exclusively by VIKING Life-Saving Equipment for this large order for the innovative drilling and spraying solution. This contract demonstrates that, within 18 months of launch, the HydroPen system is becoming the preferred fire-fighting solution for the largest container ships at sea. Revolutionary firefighting The HydroPen is attached to a conventional hose as a combined dri...

Approximately 9 percent of the world’s goods will, at some point in their journey, be transported by sea. That adds up to about 11 billion tons of cargo every year, making the shipping industry a huge exercise in global, distributed logistics. Even with the efficiencies afforded by containerisation, this a task of considerable complexity to ensure that an entire ship’s cargo is ready to be loaded at the allotted time, that the vessel makes its voyage to arrive punctually at the dest...

In a major push toward decarbonising maritime logistics, President Jae-young Byeon of the Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) and Chief Executive Sun-bae Hong of the Korea Maritime Cooperation Centre (KMC) jointly announced the successful conclusion of the “2nd Forum on the Commercialisation of Biofuels for Maritime Vessels,” held on 23 April at the Caradium Hall of the PJ Hotel in Seoul. The forum, hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and co-organised by UPA and KMC, drew around 3...

Marinetrans, a global pioneer in logistics solutions for the maritime and offshore industries, has been awarded the project logistics contract for two Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) vessel construction projects. The contracts, spanning from 2025 to 2027, have been awarded by  Black & Veatch, a Kansas (USA)-based renowned engineering and construction company specialising in energy infrastructure.  Under the agreement, Marinetrans will provide comprehensive project logistics servi...

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group - Wärtsilä, and Höegh Evi, a pioneer in marine energy infrastructure, have successfully completed development of the world’s first floating ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker. This breakthrough technology enables floating import terminals to produce hydrogen at industrial-scale volumes from transported ammonia, marking a major step in the energy transition. The project was announced in April 2023 and is part of Norway&rsqu...

ABS presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. James S. C. Chao, Founder and Chairman of the Foremost Group. The first ABS award of its kind, the honour was presented by ABS Chairman and CEO - Christopher J. Wiernicki at the 163rd ABS Annual Members Meeting recognising Dr. Chao’s contributions to shipping and his legacy of honour, integrity and dedication to the maritime industry. Legacy of achievement Dr. Chao, who founded Foremost Group with Ruth Mulan Chu Chao in 1964, accepted hi...

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has signed an agreement with Sallaum Lines, a pioneering Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) cargo shipping company, to upgrade to Inmarsat Maritime’s NexusWave fully managed bonded connectivity service, making it an early adopter in region. As Sallaum Lines expands its global presence, NexusWave will provide secure, ultra-fast connectivity with unlimited data, complemented by Inmarsat’s Care Premium programme for 24/7 support and maintenance. IoT sensors a...

On April 17, 2025, the Office of the US Trade Representative (“USTR”) published a notice of action (the “USTR Notice”) implementing its port fee proposal, first announced on February 21, 2025. The rules differ substantially from the February proposal. The calculation of the fees has changed to a net tonnage-based fee (or for certain vessels, based on containers discharged or Car Equivalent Units). LNG transportation and vehicle carriers Specialised rules apply to LNG t...

Alfa Laval, a pioneer in heat transfer & centrifugal separation, is pleased to announce the appointment of ESI Process (UK) Ltd as its new distribution partner for the industrial sector and process industries within the United Kingdom, explicitly for Alfa Laval’s Energy Division. Effective immediately, ESI Process (UK) Ltd will be responsible for the distribution of Alfa Laval's extensive range of products and solutions, including Gasketed, Spiral & Compabloc heat exchangers. This...

Brownell Boat Stands & Equipment, manufacturer of the highest-quality, safest boat storage equipment on the market, now celebrating more than 70 years of operation, announced the opening of its new manufacturing facility. After breaking ground in 2023, Brownell officially moved into its new facility this spring. Brownell’s continued commitment The new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, located in Dartmouth, Mass., is 10% larger than Brownell’s original factory, which h...

GOST® (Global Ocean Security Technologies), a world pioneer in marine security, tracking, monitoring and video surveillance systems, announced strategic company restructuring and leadership changes to better serve its customers and further expand the company’s reach around the world. GOST Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Brian Kane will now lead the company as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. This new appointment comes as Jay Keenan transitions to the...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) is pleased to announce the relocation of its Kakinada Site Office to a new and improved facility. This move forms part of IRS’s ongoing efforts to enhance its presence in the region and offer superior services to the local maritime community. Inauguration ceremony The inauguration ceremony of the new office was marked by the presence of key stakeholders from across the maritime and oil & gas sectors.  The event witnessed enthusiastic participa...

Strategic Marine has achieved another successful delivery to Truth Maritime Services (TMS), strengthening a partnership that has been evolving since 2022. This latest milestone further cements the ongoing collaboration between Strategic Marine, Prima Marine Group, and TMS, as they work together to provide innovative and efficient vessels tailored to the demands of the offshore sector in Thailand and beyond. Needs of TMS’s clients Following the successful handover of the first two G...

Sustainable shipping and successes in diversity took centre stage at the inaugural WISTA India ExCo Conference in Mumbai, which coincided with the first WISTA International Mid-Term Meeting to take place in India. With WISTA International membership exceeding 6,000 this month, the Executive Committee (ExCo) met over two days to discuss topics that included the professional training programmes available to members and the upcoming report following the IMO/WISTA Women in Maritime Survey. How to...

Hanwha Ocean has received the ABS SMART (SHM) Tier 3 approval in principle (AIP) for its advanced hull monitoring system. The system from Hanwha Ocean is designed to estimate structural damage to ships and offshore assets during operation, which can support decision-making for the optimal maintenance timing to maintain safety. ABS SMART(SHM) Tier 3 ABS SMART(SHM) Tier 3 recognises systems that employ hull sensors combined with additional algorithms to generate structural health insights at cr...

Swiss marine power company - WinGD is to integrate hybrid power and energy systems on four 113,600 DWT, wind-assisted tankers under construction for Union Maritime Limited (UML). The agreement marks the first time that WinGD’s X-EL Integrated Energy solution will be deployed with wind-assisted propulsion systems, ensuring optimal use of power generated by the main engine and the sails onboard. WinGD X-EL energy management system The vessels are also the first on which WinGD will apply i...

Technology group - Wärtsilä will upgrade the Wärtsilä RT-flex main engines on two bulk carrier vessels owned by Turkey-based Ulusoy Sealines. The planned engine retrofits and upgrades will extend the vessels’ operational life and improve both performance and fuel efficiency, thereby significantly reducing emissions. The orders were booked by Wärtsilä in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. Initial delivery of vessels The aim of the upgrade is to align the engines’ pe...

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) advised NAI Int Malta Ltd. (“NAI”) on the bareboat charterparty and subsequent sale of the M/v Aethalia to TSL Panama SA, a company owned by Peru’s Transgas Shipping Lines SAC (“Transgas Shipping”). The M/v Aethalia, a motor tanker built at Soli Deniz Cilik Ltd. shipyard in Istanbul in 2008, is currently registered with the Malta Ships Registry. Its sale and charter align with both NAI and Transgas Shipping’s s...

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has announced Caribe Tankers USA, Inc (CTU) will trial Inmarsat’s fully managed bonded connectivity service, NexusWave, on board the chemical tankers Caribe Maria and Caribe Luna: as the US-based company seeks an ultra-reliable solution to best serve operational and crew connectivity. By combining multiple network underlays in one fully managed, bonded solution, Inmarsat’s NexusWave enables applications to leverage the aggregate capacity of all a...

How to take the industry’s ‘ultimate planning tool’ and improve it? Giving users what they need, often before they know they need it, and staying ahead of evolving trends and regulations? Timo Essers, e-Navigation Director at NAVTOR, explains the philosophy driving the continual evolution of NavStation, while outlining the headline updates to the soon-to-be released NavStation 6.4. Navigators and shipping businesses "When you have products and services onboard over 18,000 ve...

Thetius, the globally renowned specialist maritime technology research firm, has partnered with specialist marketing and communications agency - Wake Media to deliver a unique service offering to its clients. The partnership creates an integrated, end-to-end research and communications service built on Thetius’ renowned expertise in market intelligence and Wake Media’s proven track record in powerful multi-channel campaign strategy and execution. Thetius and Wake Media partnership...

ClassNK has issued an approval in principle (AiP) for an Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage system (OCCS) developed by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding. The certification confirms its feasibility from regulatory and safety perspectives. Interest in CO2 capture the method from exhaust gases is growing alongside fuel conversion as part of efforts to reduce GHG emissions from ships. In response, the development of OCCS is progressing. Safety requirements for OCCS ClassNK will often strive to contribute t...

Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd. (Yanmar PT), a subsidiary of Yanmar Holdings, has received an Approval in Principle (AiP) for its GH320FC Maritime Hydrogen Fuel Cell System from the classification society, DNV. The GH320FC is designed as a next-generation power source for marine applications with an innovative design that facilitates easy installation on various types of vessels. The system also allows for multiple units to be connected in parallel and offers flexibility in the number of hydr...

Collaboration between countries and sectors needs to strengthen as the North Sea undergoes a period of diversification, according to a new report from DNV.  North Sea Forecast: Ocean’s Future to 2050 estimates that offshore wind will claim 9% of the North Sea space by 2050, and policies to promote cross-industry collaboration are required to ease spatial planning pressure. The North Sea hosts Europe’s busiest ports, produces most of Europe’s offshore energy, and is the ar...

Technology group - Wärtsilä is set to expand its state-of-the-art technology centre - Sustainable Technology Hub in Vaasa, Finland, with a €50 million total investment.  Expanding the R&D testing capabilities and facilities will enhance Wärtsilä’s ability to meet the growing demand for developing and delivering sustainable technologies in marine and energy and to support fuel applications needed in the future. Smarter engine development Wärtsil&aum...

HEMEXPO, a pioneer marine equipment manufacturers and exporters association for the international shipping industry, has joined the EU HORIZON Innovation Action project entitled 'Sustainable Emission Abatement Strategies & Technologies for Advanced Revolution Ships'. Maritime decarbonisation drive SEASTARS will provide shipowners with market-ready solutions for retrofitting and newbuildsThe groundbreaking initiative aims to achieve a minimum 30% reduction in well-to-wake greenhouse ga...

Kongsberg Discovery, a pioneer in underwater robotics and sensor technologies, has unveiled Geomatics, a new digital product designed to transform how ocean data is captured, managed, and accessed. Vessels and shore-based teams Launched at Ocean Business 2025, the solution enables both traditional and uncrewed vessel operators to streamline data operations, unlock operational insights, and improve global collaboration between vessels and shore-based teams. Geomatics is the latest additio...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to the confined space drone with ultrasonic thickness measurement attachment 'Elios 3 UT Payload' developed by Flyability. In order to promote the spread and development of innovative technologies, ClassNK has offered Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions. ClassNK supports the deployment of products and services through third-party certification for equipment and software technology with innovative functio...

Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a pioneer in maritime data, insights, and analytics, is pleased to announce its partnership with Dataloy Systems, a pioneering provider of voyage management solutions, marking a significant milestone in advancing compliance and decision-making processes within the maritime industry. This collaboration integrates Lloyd’s List Intelligence Risk and Compliance data into Dataloy’s Voyage Management System (VMS) via Dataloy Widgets, providing maritime pro...