Operation and maintenance News

Pioneering marine and protective coatings brand International®, part of AkzoNobel, celebrated its 35th year anniversary in China during an event in Shanghai in October 2024. First registered and founded in 1989 in partnership with Shanghai Huayi Fine Chemicals and China State Shipbuilding Equipment & Materials Corporation Ltd, International Paint of Shanghai Co., Ltd. has since established three production facilities in China, 17 distribution centres, and employs over 100 technical serv...

Propspeed, a globally renowned innovator of underwater foul-release coatings, announced it has appointed Nautilus Yacht Equipment as its single-entry point for all Propspeed existing and future partners in Greece and Cyprus, effective January 1st, 2025. Focusing on yachting and light-commercial customers, Nautilus will act as importer, local warehouse, and a training and service centre for Propspeed in this growing market.  Nautilus's commitment Nautilus has been a trusted Propspeed part...

PPG has announced its 50th order for the electrostatic application of marine fouling control coatings. The project will be carried out on the VLCC SIDR, a 336-metre oil tanker operated by Bahri Ship Management at the Asyad Drydock Company shipyard in Oman, using PPG NEXEON™ 810 antifouling coating on the hull.  Electrostatic coating applications Leveraging decades of experience in the aerospace and automotive industries, PPG introduced electrostatic coating applications to the ship...

Chevron Marine Lubricants, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, has further extended its global supply capacity to include Port Elizabeth, South Africa. This expansion notably enhances the company’s ability to serve vessels taking the longer route to avoid current conflict areas. It also represents a strategically important addition to Chevron’s distribution network in the southern region. Customer service and supply The expansion has been made possible through close collaboration...

LENOL and FUCHS LUBRICANTS GERMANY GMBH are pleased to announce the successful anniversary of their two-year collaboration.  "FUCHS has been a strong partner, providing unwavering support and strategic partnership right from the start," said Jan Thiedeitz, CEO at LENOL DMCC. Marine lubricant brand Stefan Knapp, CEO of FUCHS LUBRICANTS GERMANY GmbH, expressed his confidence in the joint efforts, stating: "Our past achievements in marine have laid a solid foundation. Now, as we embark on t...

AkzoNobel’s International® marine coatings brand has announced a series of updates to Intertrac® Vision, a revolutionary digital forecasting tool. The latest enhancements include CII rating prediction, EU ETS cost impact and detailed breakdowns of cost savings across multiple dry-dockings, all designed to further support data-driven decision making on fouling control coatings for global vessel operators. Intertrac® Vision Intertrac® Vision analyses in...

Marine pump specialist Svanehøj is expanding its product portfolio for the emerging green ammonia market. At SMM in Hamburg, Germany, the company launches the world’s first high-pressure centrifugal pump for ammonia fuel applications. HP NH3 Fuel Pump A growing interest in alternative fuels for maritime transport is driving a surge in demand for specialised critical components capable of handling highly corrosive and toxic carbon-free liquids safely and efficiently. Drawing on e...

AkzoNobel’s International® marine coatings brand has announced a series of updates to Intertrac® Vision, a digital forecasting tool designed to enable data-driven decision-making on fouling control coatings for global vessel operators. Intertrac® Vision analyses proprietary International® performance data across 200,000 drydocks and now with the addition of 10,000 vessel operators.  Intertrac® Vision Harnessing the predictive capability of Artificial Intell...

Armacell, a global pioneer in flexible foam for the equipment insulation market and a provider of engineered foams, will present its comprehensive range of thermal and acoustic insulation solutions for the first time at the SMM (Shipbuilding, Machinery, and Marine Technology) trade show. The event, known as the world's major trade fair for the maritime industry, will be held on 3-6 Sept. 2024 in Hamburg, Germany. Armacell will showcase its innovative insulation and firestop solutions in Hall B5...

Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) has announced that it signed an equity investment agreement worth US$17.6 million with Hyundai Oil Terminal Corporation on 1 August 2024, to establish Korea’s alternative marine fuel supply chain centred on Ulsan Port. The investment is a follow-up to the 'Plan to Establish an Alternative Marine Fuel Supply Chain' announced at the government's emergency economic ministerial meeting in November 2023, with UPA taking the lead to strengthen the competitiveness of K...

Brunvoll has signed a contract with Tersan Shipyard for the delivery of propulsion and manoeuvring systems for two stainless steel chemical product tankers. Tune Chemical Tankers (TCT), which also is a part of Tersan Group will be the owner of the vessels. The contract also includes an option for two additional vessels. Brunvoll’s delivery for the vessels consists of a complete shaft line solution with a reduction gearbox and a controllable pitch propeller, a tunnel thruster, and Brunvoll...

Easy Filtration SRL (Easy Filtration), an Italian company that distributes process filters and associated services, will become part of Atlas Copco Group. Easy Filtration Easy Filtration, located in Milan, was founded in 2013. The company has 9 employees and provides filter cartridges for air, gas, and process liquids, filter housings, and clean-in-place systems.  The main customer groups are present within the industrial coatings, chemical, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors. Op...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply a fully integrated, mechanical drive, propulsion package for new 6000 dwt LNG-fuelled tankers being built for British fleet operator, James Fisher Everard Ltd., part of the James Fisher group of companies. The ships are under construction by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng Co. in cooperation with design consultant FKAB Marine Design. The integrated package includes the high-performance Wärtsilä 25DF dual-fuel main en...

Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity has been selected as the International Maritime Organisation's World Maritime Day theme for 2025, which will culminate in the celebration of World Maritime Day on 25 September 2025. The IMO Council, meeting for its 132nd session, endorsed the theme following a proposal by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez. Management of ocean resources The theme reflects the ocean’s vital role in the world economy, with more than 80% of glo...

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...

International®, AkzoNobel’s marine coatings brand has announced that a new cable-laying vessel, the Monna Lisa, owned by Prysmian, is to be coated in the Intergard® 7500 primer and Intersmooth® 7465Si antifouling solution. This decision is estimated to reduce the vessel’s carbon emissions (CO2) by 672 tonnes over the dry docking period and lower Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) by more than 11 tonnes during construction. By utilising Intergard 7500, a high-solids un...

The performance of Hempel’s cutting-edge silicone-based hull coating solution, Hempaguard X7, and its ability to accelerate decarbonisation efforts in the maritime industry are now third-party validated by DNV. Since its launch in 2013, Hempaguard has provided vessels around the world with significant energy efficiency compared to the industry average and contributed to substantial reductions in carbon emissions. With this external validation by DNV, Hempel is now better able to demonstra...

Future newbuild ships of all types should be built without a sterntube and with a seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearing arrangement, according to Blue Ocean Alliance’s Chris Leontopoulos. Speaking at a recent maritime industry forum in Hamburg, Mr. Leontopoulos said the sterntubeless ship design – jointly developed by Blue Ocean Alliance members ABS, Thordon Bearings, Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI), Wärtsilä, and the National Technical...

PPG announced a collaboration with RightShip, a digital maritime sustainability platform, as part of Rightship’s Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program. The initiative aims to foster the development and adoption of innovative solutions to promote a more sustainable future in the maritime industry. PPG’s revolutionary PPG SIGMAGLIDE® 2390 biocide-free silicone fouling release is the only hull coating to be approved by RightShip’s rigorous product review process for the Zero...

Stolt Tankers is expanding implementation of Shipshave’s In-Transit Cleaning of Hulls (ITCH) solution across its fleet after seeing significant fuel savings of over 10% from initial trials of the innovative technology to boost energy efficiency, reduce its carbon footprint and cut emission costs. Fleet sustainability As the world’s largest operator of chemical tankers, Stolt Tankers is adopting a range of technologies to enhance the sustainability of its fleet towards the goal of r...

PPG announced that EDR Antwerp shipyard achieved a 40 percent reduction in overspray with the electrostatic application of PPG SIGMAGLIDE® 2390 fouling release coating. The project was carried out on the underwater hull of the RoRo passenger vessel Stena Transporter from Stena Line and is the second successful electrostatic application project for EDR. PPG Sigmaglide coating Electrostatic application has increased transfer efficiency compared to airless spraying Electrostatic application...

ICEX Spain Export and Investment is firmly committed to companies working in the field of logistics and supply chain and, as part of its internationalisation strategy, is organising a ‘Conference on Technological Solutions for Global Value Chains’, with the collaboration of the Port Authority of València (PAV). The conference, which is being held today 30 May in València, is the third in a series of travelling sessions throughout Spain that began last year in Madrid an...

Valenciaport has participated in the III International Forum on Marine Litter and Circular Economy – MARLICE 2024, held in the Veles e Vents building in the city of València, from 22 to 24 May 2024. Specifically, the participation of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) has focused on the session ‘Tourism and marine litter: strategies for a positive impact’. In it, the need to train and raise awareness among employees of tourism companies – shipping and hotel comp...

Oceania Cruises, the culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, announces its newest ship Allura will enter service one week earlier than scheduled. Due to join the fleet in summer 2025, her inaugural sailing will now depart Trieste, Italy, on July 18, 2025, cruising six days to Athens, Greece, calling at gems in the Eastern Mediterranean including Rijeka, Croatia; Ravenna, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Kotor, Montenegro. The line is also opening for sale a one-of-a-kind four day voyage s...

Brunvoll has signed two contracts with Karstensen Shipyard for the delivery of propulsion and manoeuvring equipment for three vessels. Two of the vessels are for the ship owner, Faroe Origin, and Brunvoll will supply the main propulsion. The third vessel is for an undisclosed owner and the contract consists of two tunnel thrusters. The vessels will be Karstensens Shipyard newbuild No. 486 and 487. Brunvoll are delivering the main propulsion system with BruCon PTC, Brunvoll’s Propulsion an...

Gelose Marine Services Ltd. has joined Thordon Bearings’ extensive network of authorised distributors to further the ‘greening’ of Nigeria’s fleet of domestic and international vessels with more sustainable bearing solutions. Based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, Gelose has a diverse services portfolio, ranging from maritime security and vessel management to technical support, ship repair, and dry dockings with its own 400t ship lift capability shipyard. The com...

ClassNK has commenced joint research with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to establish an evaluation method for the compatibility of ship materials with liquefied oxygen (LOX). The aim is to contribute to suppressing fire accidents on ships handling liquefied hydrogen, where LOX could be generated, and to reasonable material selection. Liquefied hydrogen carriers To construct a supply chain for hydrogen, which is expected to be a clean energy source in a decarbonised society, th...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has signed a strategic agreement with HeliService USA, ensuring that the helicopter service provider has a single and continuous source of fully certified personal protective equipment to uphold offshore wind industry safety standards along the U.S. East Coast. Building on enduring relations between the companies, the agreement includes personal protective equipment (PPE) for the aircrews and service technicians who support turbine installation and maintenance. ETS...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two elemental technologies of ‘CMP-MAP’, ‘Performance estimation method of ships based on hull roughness and fouling condition’ and ‘Performance and operational analysis solutions’, provided by Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. (CMP). ‘Performance estimation method of ships based on hull roughness and fouling condition’ is a technology that estimates the impact of each antif...

SAFE Boats International and Hefring Marine have announced a formal partnership between the companies, combining SAFE Boats’ focus on durability, safety and performance with Hefring Marine’s intelligent tools for crew welfare, efficiency and vessel lifecycle management.  With over 1,000 nautical miles of Hefring Marine IMAS (Intelligent Marine Assistance System) data recorded through various trials and demonstrations on the SAFE 35 MMI (Multi-Mission Interceptor), the companies...