Navigation, communication and electronics News

Classification Society DNV has published updates to its rules for the classification of ships and offshore structures. In addition to rules supporting the development and deployment of decarbonization technologies, the new in-operation class notations seek to bring clarity to the responsibilities of class customers for notations that have a mix of design and operational requirements. Challenges and opportunities “One of the most striking aspects of the maritime industry today, is the hu...

Berge Bulk’s Berge Neblina, a 388,000 dwt Valemax Ore Carrier, is currently completing its voyage to Brazil following the successful installation of four 5x35m Rotor Sails from Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd (“Anemoi”).  Rotor sails The installation, which took place during the vessel’s scheduled dry docking, was completed at Yiu Lian Dockyards (Shekou) Ltd in China.  The selected Rotor Sails have been installed on Anemoi’s bespoke folding deployment sy...

Swiss marine power company WinGD has completed type approval and factory acceptance testing for its X52‑S2.0 engine, bringing a new option to shipowners in need of compact, medium-bore two-stroke engines. The tests at Yuchai Marine Power Co (YCMP) confirmed the engine’s performance and compliance, while the prototype project validated its ease of assembly and maintenance. X‑S series The X‑S series succeeds the well-established RT‑flex50 and RT‑flex58 engines and is available in 52cm and...

The Valencia Containerised Freight Index (VCFI) for the month of June decreases slightly in a scenario in which the activity of the maritime sector is marked by the geopolitical situation, but in which an improvement in the world economy is observed.  Thus, in the sixth month of the year, this price index, which is based on export prices recorded by the Port of València in 13 geographical areas around the world, stood at 1,585.67 points, representing a monthly decrease of -1.30% and...

Columbia Group (Columbia Ship Management) and Crowley have signed a strategic cooperation agreement that broadens both companies’ ship management solutions for customers, leveraging their extensive, industry-renowned expertise across the maritime, logistics and energy sectors. Under the alliance, customers will be able to capitalise on the capabilities of both organisations for more efficient and greater scale of international management services. Columbia and Crowley form strategic alli...

Say goodbye to scribbled handwriting, disjointed data sources and a huge administrative burden, and hello to simple mobile solutions. NAVTOR continues its drive to “make life easy” for vessel crews, management teams and shipowners with the next generation of digital logbooks. Amitabh Sankranti, Shipping Analytics Director at NAVTOR, explains.  Logbooks. One word with a million associations; and most of them far from positive. Essential tools for compliance, treasure troves...

In a few weeks from now, Fender Innovations will be travelling Eastwards again to participate in SMM Hamburg 2024. Taking place from September 3 to 6, 2024, the port city of Hamburg will be hosting this amazing international exhibition for maritime innovation again and they’re looking forward to meet everyone there! Fender Innovations at SMM Hamburg 2024 Visitors can find the Fender Innovations Group in Hall B7, at Stand 718 for a personal update about the company’s latest develop...

Spire Global, Inc. (‘Spire’ or ‘the Company’), a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, was awarded a CA $1.41 million contract by the Government of Canada (GoC) for the provision of global automatic identification system (AIS) ship tracking data. The one-year contract includes options for two additional years, extending the total potential contract value to nearly CA $4.23 million. Spire Global secures contract for ship tracking data &ldquo...

A collaboration between ABB and Arkitech has brought significant efficiency gains for the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system on board MSC Magnifica. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse data from over 1,500 sensors on the MSC Cruises ship, this technology enables up to 12 percent increase in chiller efficiency to achieve monthly energy savings of 100 MW by the 15-year-old ship, while maintaining optimal air-handling unit performance. Energy effici...

The CO2 Efficient Transport via Ocean (CETO) joint industry project (JiP) concluded recently with the release of a report setting out the findings of the Technology Qualification performed in the study. The project partners, which included Equinor, Gassco, Shell, TotalEnergies, and DNV, have found that there are no technological showstoppers to a low-pressure CO2 ship transport chain. CETO was funded by the project partners and Gassonova through the CLIMIT-Demo programme. Carbon Capture and St...

With the support of RWE, the Dutch-Norwegian company SolarDuck, has installed its offshore floating solar (OFPV) project, Merganser. The pilot project aims to test and demonstrate the structural, mooring, and electrical designs and acquire knowledge about manufacturing, assembly, offshore installation, and maintenance methodologies required for large-scale commercial deployment of OFPV.  Merganser Merganser has a capacity of 0.5 megawatt peak (MWp) and is located in the Dutch North Sea,...

ClassNK has issued its first type of approval certificate under new IACS cyber resilience measures. The new certificates have been issued to the following products: Applicants Products Rosemount Tank Radar AB(an Emerson company) Rosemount CMS System Kongsberg Maritime AS K-Chief & K-Safe Kongsberg Maritime AS AutoChief 600& K-Steering Unified Requirements (UR) IACS has established two Unified Requirements (UR), UR E26 for ships and UR E27 for on-board s...

Small Hydroelectric Plants (SHPPs) are considered excellent renewable energy resources and represent around 3% of the Brazilian electricity matrix, representing 6.7 GW, according to the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL). In this important segment, WEG supplied two 5,226 kW Francis turbines and two 5,550 kVA generators. The equipment was installed at the Macacos SHPP, in Jaguariaíva, in the state of Paraná, Brazil, and operated by Pesqueiro Energia S.A. Turbines and generato...

Port of Rotterdam Authority will contribute to the redevelopment of the lands owned by the state-owned company Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK). In addition to traditional uses, these lands will be used for several new future-proof sustainable economic activities. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is seconding a manager for this purpose on request of RdK. He will lead the team responsible for redevelopment and attracting new business.  Sustainable industry In 2023, the Council of Ministers...

Seven nationalities, twenty-one students, twelve days and more than seventy hours of training. These are the figures of the course hosted by the Port of Valencia in the framework of the ‘Train For Trade’ programme, organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Under the name ‘Training of Trainers' workshop. Course on modern port management’, its content -developed by experts from Valenciaport and the port community of Valencia- focuses on...

The business of Mont-Tech Ltd. (Mont-Tech), a Czech engineering company offering customised engineering solutions for assembly automation, has become part of Atlas Copco Group. The company is headquartered in Brno, Czech Republic and has 27 employees. During 2023 Mont-Techs revenues amounted to 3.5 MEUR (40 MSEK). Mont-Tech business "With this acquisition, we will further strengthen our competence and know-how of assembly automation and better serve our customers in this area an...

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a six-year Lifecycle Agreement with Malaysia-based Nautica Ship Management. The agreement covers two vessels, the MTT Saisunee & MTT Senari, and is designed to ensure that the ships’ exhaust gas treatment systems operate at maximum efficiency. The vessels are feeder container vessels and are fitted with Wärtsilä hybrid scrubber systems. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q2 2024. Sustainable operations "It...

ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control. The report is prepared to enhance awareness of the present state of PSC and improve future onboard maintenance and inspections as well as Safety Management Systems. Statistics and data analysis The report includes statistics and data analysis on ships detained by PSC, as well as typical defective photos. In 2023, 419 PSC detentions were reported for 398 ships classed by ClassNK. ‘Fire safety deficiencies’ such as &lsquo...

Oceania Cruises, the world’s renowned culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, is offering up to 40% off 50 global voyages in its Annual Summer Sale, which runs through August 26. The promotion offers travelers ultimate value along with the chance to explore some of the most sought-after and idyllic parts of the world aboard the line's eight ultra-premium small ships, which are perfectly sized to call on off-the-beaten-path ports, as well as landmark cities across six continents. O...

The 2024 edition of The Future of Maritime Safety Report from Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, reveals that Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) distress calls decreased by 7.6% in 2023 over the previous year. Despite this decline, the service was still triggered on 788 occasions and remains close to the six-year average of 799 calls per year. This statistic underscores the ongoing challenges in maritime safety and the need for real improvements. Overcoming operational c...

Consort Bunkers Pte. Ltd., ClassNK, Yanmar Asia (Singapore) Corporation Pte Ltd, and Taiko Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate towards introduction of more bunkering ships capable of handling alternative fuels. Biofuel/methanol bunkering tankers Singapore-based Consort Bunkers placed an order with COSCO SHIPPING Heavy Industry (Guandong) Co., Ltd. to construct four 7,999 DWT IMO Type 2 tankers, ready for biofuel and methanol bunkering. Incorpor...

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions (WGS), part of the technology group Wärtsilä, will deliver the fuel supply and cargo handling systems for two new gas carriers that will operate with ammonia fuel. The ships are being built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) in Korea for ship owner EXMAR LPG, a joint venture between EXMAR, a multi-disciplinary maritime and offshore solutions provider, and Seapeak, one of the largest independent owner-operators of liquefied natural gas vessel...

Manta Marine Technologies (MMT) has unlocked further fuel and emissions savings from its popular FuelOpt™ system with the addition of the trim optimisation advisory system - TrimSense™. Available as a simple added feature to existing FuelOpt™ installations, TrimSense™ has the potential to deliver fuel savings of 1-4%. TrimSense™ also comes with the additional benefit of no commercial downtime during installations. The system integrates easily and assists with...

Strengthening trade relations and promoting collaboration between Valenciaport and China. This is the objective with which the Port Authority of València has traveled to China to participate in the 8th edition of the Maritime Silk Road Port International Cooperation Forum 2024, held from June 26 to 28, 2024 in Ningbo (China). The value proposition of the Valencian enclosure as a green, intelligent and innovative HUB of the Mediterranean has been the common thread of the presentation of t...

ClassNK has granted its first software security certifications to ship management solution - 'MACK', developed by SVM Solutions and Technologies Pte. Ltd. (Solverminds). ClassNK has summarised its basic approach to ensuring onboard cyber security for ships in the 'ClassNK Cyber Security Approach'. Furthermore, to support the '5. Development of shipboard products with reduced cyber risks' referred to in this approach, ClassNK has issued the 'Guidelines for Software Security'. ClassNK issues the...

Amogy, a provider of mature, scalable, and efficient ammonia-to-power solutions, and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MSB), a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, have completed the feasibility study of collaboration concept designs of onboard hydrogen production and utilisation with Amogy's ammonia-cracking technology and Mitsubishi Ammonia Supply and Safety System (MAmmoSS®). Amogy and MSB concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake feasibility studi...

The Panama Canal celebrated the eighth anniversary of its expansion program by announcing an increase to its draft and daily transits, all while continuing to manage the impact of climate variability and the challenge of securing water for the future. Through an Advisory to Shipping, the Panama Canal announced that the maximum authorised draft was raised today from 46 to 47 feet (14.33 metres), and will increase to 48 feet (14.063 metres) on July 11. Additionally, a new booking slot for the Neo...

The ABB-powered all-electric tug eWolf has been christened this week at the Port of San Diego, California, marking a new chapter in vessel electrification in the United States. Owned and operated by Crowley, eWolf features an end-to-end electric propulsion system from ABB including a 6.2-megawatt-hour energy storage system (ESS). This allows the vessel to achieve 70 short tons of bollard pull with zero emissions and complete a full day of work on a single charge. Given electricity is cheaper t...

ABS and FibreMax signed a pioneering agreement to collaborate on stiffness-driven mooring tendons for the offshore wind market. The collaboration, which is principally focused on floating offshore wind assets, will see ABS provide qualification of FibreMax’s fibre and small rope testing. ABS will evaluate test methods for accuracy in predicting the parameters needed to perform representative analysis, focusing on stiffness. FibreMax will provide expertise on stiffness, based on its p...

Vard Marine Inc. (VARD), a Fincantieri company, has proudly launched VIGILANCE, as their solution to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Kingston Class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDV) under Pillar Two of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). In conjunction with Team Vigilance partner companies - Thales Canada, Ontario Shipyards, SH Defence, and Fincantieri, VIGILANCE will provide the RCN with a lightweight and operationally flexible military asset that is highly...