Digital transformation - News

Designed for rapid evacuation from fixed and floating offshore assets, VIKING Norsafe free-fall lifeboats are extensively tested to ensure reliable performance in the harshest conditions. Fast-boarding and robust, they enter the water well away from the evacuation point - and with a world record free-fall performance of up to 50 m approved drop height. Full range of the VIKING Norsafe lifeboats VIKING Norsafe GES-model free-fall lifeboats offer all the parts of conventional lifeboats with add...

ABS issued a Type Approval for IACS UR E27 cyber resilience requirements to Hanwha Systems for its cybersecurity solution, SecuAider®. Hanwha Systems’ SecuAider® is a software solution that offers protection to a vessel’s data and networks from advanced cyberattacks, such as ransomware and malware. Range of digitally enabled systems ABS E27 credential is part of ABS Cyber Resilience Program that evaluates a digitally enabled system The ABS E27 certification is part of the...

Gibdock, Gibraltar’s premier shipyard for naval and government vessels, successfully hosted an exclusive Defence Ship Repair Event at the House of Commons last night, bringing together key stakeholders from Government, industry, and the defence sector. The event was hosted by Lord West, the former First Sea Lord, and featured keynote speeches from The Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, Minister for Defence Procurement, Tan Dhesi, Chairman of the House of Commons’ Defence Committee and Alan Donn...

As the supplier of marine coatings, Jotun partners with a broad range of stakeholders working to decarbonise shipping. But is the industry moving fast enough? Jotun’s President and CEO Morten Fon shares his views on how leadership, innovation and collaboration can accelerate the transition to a low carbon future. From his corner office on the seventh floor of Jotun’s Headquarters and R&D Centre, Morten Fon, Jotun’s President and CEO, has stunning views of the marine traffi...

Nexans is a pioneer in the design and manufacturing of cables systems and services, specialising in the offshore wind market and subsea interconnectors. To secure Nexans’ cable deliveries to transmission system operator TenneT's North Sea projects, Eksfin in collaboration with Societe Generale provides a EUR 290 million performance guarantee. Nexans’ legal entity in Norway To support the delivery of subsea power cables for Germany’s renewable energy expansion, Export Finance...

Intellian Technologies Inc., a global technology solutions provider of resilient multi-constellation, feature-rich satellite user terminals and Eutelsat Group. The only GEO-LEO operator in satellite communications, announced today that the new Enterprise Flat Panels are now available exclusively on Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO network. Next-Gen Connectivity Solutions The new series uses Intellian’s innovative antenna technology to deliver enterprise-grade connectivityFeaturing the OW11FM...

Pioneering maritime law firms Hill Dickinson and Alley Maass, both longstanding pioneers in superyacht legal services, have announced a formal alliance to significantly enhance their global capabilities and client services. With headquarters in the UK, Hill Dickinson has a globally renowned maritime law practice, with over 120 specialists across major shipping hubs. Alley Maass, based in Florida, US, has more than 30 years of maritime law experience, advising clients on complex issues related t...

VIKING is a proven and trusted provider of retrofit solutions for both conventional and freefall lifeboat installations. The extensive experience allows them to generate engineering solutions which are manufactured and installed to aggressive timescales. Operators can upgrade or replace obsolete equipment (due to age or out of date compliance) with minimum working impact and confidence that VIKING will meet project objectives. Installations are completed both onshore and offshore, with the site...

To help businesses streamline heavy lifting operations with safer, more efficient, and cost-effective solutions, Hendrik Veder Group UK has strengthened its strategic alliance with Lift-Tex®. This partnership will ensure that industries reliant on heavy lifting across the UK, including maritime, shipping, construction, oil and gas, and renewables, will gain direct access to the Lift-Tex® advanced Extreema® round sling product line, known for its superior strength, flexibility, and e...

Swiss marine power company WinGD has completed shop tests of its groundbreaking variable compression ratio (VCR) technology. The results confirm that methane reductions from new X-DF engines with VCR technology deliver similar ship greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to high-pressure dual-fuel technologies, while delivering a total system cost and fuel cost advantage for several vessel applications. Dual-fuel engines in maritime The reduction is expected to be even greater for engines with a large...

Kongsberg Maritime has secured its latest upgrade project to convert the double-ended car ferry MF Hamlet to emission-free battery-powered operation. The ferry, operated by Öresundlinjen, on the route between Helsingør, Denmark, and Helsingborg, Sweden, will see a major upgrade including installation of large battery packs and new permanent magnet motors for the azimuth thrusters. Primary goals of the project The primary goals of the project include achieving zero emissions, enabl...

Cummins Inc. has received Approval in Principle (AIP) from DNV for its methanol-ready QSK60 IMO II and IMO III engines, available in power ratings from 2000 to 2700 hp (1491-2013 kW). The approval, granted in June 2024, validates Cummins' retrofittable methanol dual-fuel solution for the global marine market, ensuring compliance with the highest standards of safety and performance. Integrated with battery technology Following extensive field testing, Cummins plans to launch the retrofit kits...

At AET, they believe they all have a responsibility to address climate change as individuals and as organisations. That’s why they have been at the forefront of investments in modern, energy-efficient assets to operate their business responsibly and efficiently while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a member of the MISC Group, they have made commitments to achieve net-zero emissions across all scopes by 2050. Their future strategic pathway is focused on reducing the fleet&rsquo...

Scheduled for February 18-19, 2025, at the AC Bella Sky Convention Centre in Copenhagen, the World Maritime Forum 2025 will gather industry pioneers, policymakers, and innovators to explore the future of global shipping.  Recognised as a premier event in the maritime sector, the forum is dedicated to tackling critical challenges, while fostering collaboration and industry growth. Maritime trends and long-term prospects The conference will focus on essential topics like decarbonisation an...

Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative (MAMII) announced Royal Caribbean Group, a vacation industry pioneer with a global fleet, has become the latest member to join the cross-sectoral methane abatement initiative. The company is expected to provide valuable insights and support MAMII's ongoing efforts to develop and implement effective methane emission reduction strategies across the maritime industry. Reduction of methane emissions Addressing methane emissions is a key priority...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has been awarded a contract to deliver a 100T AHC crane for a Dive Support Vessel owned by Jana Marine Service Company. The contract, which was booked in the fourth quarter 2024, is not reported as part of Cargotec’s orders received, as MacGregor is reported as part of discontinued operations. The crane delivery to the Guangzhou Salvage shipyard is scheduled in the second quarter 2026, with vessel delivery later that year. MacGregor's local sales team M...

Marcura, the pioneer in digital maritime solutions, has acquired Shipster, a start-up specialising in AI-driven document intelligence. The acquisition further strengthens Marcura’s AI-powered automation roadmap, enabling it to accelerate in line with evolving customer needs and scale to support the growing complexity of maritime workflows. AI-powered automation Shipster’s expertise in agile AI experimentation will help Marcura further refine data extraction Marcura has already em...

With increasing regulatory pressure and rising fuel costs, the shipping industry must accelerate decarbonisation while ensuring operational and economic viability. Energy-efficiency measures can play a crucial role in reducing fuel consumption and facilitating the transition to alternative fuels as they become available. To help shipowners identify the best solutions for their fleet, DNV has published a report offering a comprehensive overview of currently available energy-efficiency measures a...

A new deep water bulk berth has been opened at the Port of Liverpool which will give a major boost to the port’s cargo handling operations. The first deep water bulk berth to be opened at the port in 40 years is located at Peel Ports Group’s Alexandra Complex, and represents an investment of £2 million by Peel Ports as part of its ongoing development of the Alexandra Complex. Bulk storage and handling requirements The new addition will increase the vessel handling capacity o...

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, will supply the cargo handling systems for three 45,000 m3 capacity gas carrier vessels being built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) in Korea. The order was placed by HMD and booked by Wärtsilä in Q1, 2025. Two of the ships have been contracted by Singapore and Hong Kong headquartered ship owner/operator Purus, and the third by Pasco Gas, based in Istanbul, Turkey. Both owners have previously or...

The Dynamic Positioning Digital Survey (DPDS) from Kongsberg Marine has received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS. The DPDS application from Kongsberg continuously gathers data from a vessel’s dynamic positioning (DP) system, allowing annual DP surveys to move from in-person assessments on the vessel in a fixed timeframe to remote analysis onshore across a wider, more flexible timeframe. Evolution of digital solutions Per Kongsberg, the DPDS app contributes to reduced vessel downtim...

The impact of carbon capture and digital technologies as well as IMO Mid-Term Measures and FuelEU on the cost of compliance led the discussion at the ABS Middle East Regional Committee Meeting. The committee welcomed Khalid Alhammad, President of Bahri Ship Management, who started his term as chairman of the ABS Middle East Regional Committee. Environmental sustainability and excellence Alhammad said: “This forum has an important role in fostering collaboration among industry pione...

Watson Farley & Williams (“WFW”) is advising InfraVia Capital Partners (“InfraVia”), through its InfraVia European Fund VI, on its acquisition of a majority stake in Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (“LDA”), the French family-owned group specialising in high value-added industrial marine services. Expected to be completed in H1 2025, the transaction is subject to prior consultation with employee representative bodies and the usual regulatory approvals. New modes...

COLI Shipping & Transport (Guyana) Inc., part of COLI Group, has successfully completed its first major logistics projects, marking a significant milestone for the company’s operations in the region. With Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy and growing Oil & Gas sector, COLI Guyana is positioning itself as a trusted logistics provider for project cargo, heavy-lift, and specialised transport solutions. Terrain crane-with XPD Global The crane measured 16.19 metres in length a...

CIBC Innovation Banking announces that it has provided a $20 million USD debt financing to ZeroNorth, a technology company focused on the maritime industry. ZeroNorth will use the funding to fuel its growth strategy through mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with the goal of enhancing access to data, acquiring innovative technologies, and expanding market share. Maritime digital transformation ZeroNorth’s customers have optimised 1.5 million voyages through the company’s platform...

ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an ammonia-fuelled ammonia bunkering vessel. This vessel is jointly developed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) and LMG Marin AS (a member of the Seatrium Group). As ammonia fuel utilization is expected in shipping for decarbonization, bunkering vessels that supply fuel to ships and related equipment will play an essential role in the supply chain. Fuel engines from IHI Power Systems Additionally, a safety verification was conduc...

Under Zero-Emission Accelerating Ship Finance (the Program), which is jointly operated by Development Bank of Japan Inc. (DBJ) and ClassNK, ClassNK evaluated the LNG-fueled car carrier ‘OCEANUS HIGHWAY’ (IMO No. 1046049), owned by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" LINE). DBJ provided financing to "K" LINE. In the shipping industry, where environmental regulations are becoming stricter as the industry moves towards decarbonisation, ClassNK evaluates ships based on a comprehensive scor...

ABS approved the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) documents for a deep water floating offshore wind platform design from ECO TLP, Inc. and MOCEAN-Offshore BV. The unique design supports the largest wind turbines on the market and utilises slip-formed cylindrical concrete hulls and a variety of anchor types. Challenges to renewable energy ABS completed design reviews based on class and supporting offshore standards When combined with a hybrid spar tension-leg mooring system, the unit has a...

Norsepower, the provider of wind propulsion systems, announces a new collaboration with Climate Tech start-up Syroco. Together, the two companies are delivering innovative energy efficiency solutions for merchant vessels, reducing fuel consumption, minimising carbon emissions, and accurately measuring the savings enabled by Norsepower Rotor Sails™. The joint deployment of Norsepower and Syroco onboard Socatra’s tanker Alcyone demonstrates how combining wind propulsion with cutting-e...

Fleet safety and efficiency improvements see Turkiye's pioneer shipowner sign a new three-year contract for global weather intelligence provider's comprehensive performance monitoring platform.  Yasa has subscribed to Weathernews' market-pioneer SeaNavigator platform for the past two years and will continue with its premium package that includes route optimization, accurate vessel performance monitoring, and full environmental support covering CII (Carbon Intensity Index), EU ETS, CO2 Emis...