Skills - News

After winning a 3-year contract for more than 80 vessels to VSAT, Iridium, and VoIP in 2021, Castor Marine’s connectivity contract has been renewed by Jan De Nul Group and includes a roll-out of Starlink to most Jan De Nul Group vessels. The experts in marine construction, civil engineering, and environmental projects have expressed their continued satisfaction with and need for solid vessel connectivity on a global scale.   Hybrid LEO GEO service With the addition of Starlink...

Opening up the world to a new era of global exploration, Oceania Cruises, the world’s renowned culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, welcomes guests on board its newest ship, Vista, for its highly anticipated inaugural 180-day 2026 Around the World voyage. Having set the standard for extraordinary sailings for over a decade with destination-immersive global journeys, Oceania Cruises sets a new bar with unparalleled comfort and convenience, electing Vista to host this year's circu...

As of the 31st of March 2024, all import containers arriving in the port of Rotterdam from Latin America will only be securely and reliably released via the Secure Chain. The new operational approach creates a closed logistics chain that solely comprises familiar, authorised parties. The Secure Chain is part of a broader approach deployed by the public and private sectors to present a united front against drug crime in the port of Rotterdam. Susceptible to potential abuse In the Secure Chain...

Officials dedicated two new Port of Long Beach fireboat stations that are greatly enhancing the Long Beach Fire Department’s waterside and landside emergency response capabilities, better safeguarding visiting ships, cargo and waterfront workers. The facilities – Fireboat Station 15 and Fireboat Station 20 – are the products of a $109 million Port of Long Beach program to preserve business continuity, security and economic interests. Emergency response capabilities “Th...

Global logistics solutions provider Samskip and market pioneering shipyard Cochin Shipyard Ltd. India, have begun the construction phase of their Next Generation zero-emission shortsea container vessel-“The Samskip SeaShuttle”. Performed at Cochin Shipyard in India, representatives from both companies, government and partners enjoyed the pageantry of the official steel cutting ceremony initiating the first phase of construction of the Samskip SeaShuttle. Zero-emission operations T...

Staying in Scotland, The Scottish Parliament members recently toured Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited, a shipyard grappling with the twin challenges of delayed ferry projects and the uncertainty of securing future contracts. This visit spotlighted the shipyard’s pivotal role in local industry and the significant hurdles it faces in a competitive global market. The shipyard, nationalised in 2019, is at a crossroads, with its future heavily reliant on The Scottish Government‘s...

Civil engineering contractors are being invited to express interest in working on upgrades at the Hunterston Port and Resource Campus (PARC) construction yard in North Ayrshire. The former coal port is being redeveloped by its owner, Peel Ports Group Clydeport. Much of the site is already under option, including for an undersea energy cable factory. Formal procurement process Peel has already begun local statutory consultation processes, including public consultations, before submitting appli...

At a time when rapid advancements in maritime connectivity and shipboard technology are leaving vessel networks increasingly vulnerable to attack, the International Association of Classification Societies’ (IACS) unified requirements (URs) E26 and E27 aim to minimise the frequency and impact of cyber incidents at sea.  Revised E26 and E27 Initially adopted in April 2022, the URs were withdrawn ahead of their planned implementation on 1 January 2024. However, revised versions of E26...

Integrated planning for handling inland container shipping in the port of Rotterdam has now been used for over a year. Nextlogic continuously optimises the planning together with the participants. This ensures greater peace of mind, higher handling reliability and shorter port waiting times. Shorter port waiting times Terminals can make better use of their quays and cranes through Nextlogic. Barge operators spend less time on their planning and participating vessels spend as much as 20% less...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has finalised the basic design for an ammonia fuel supply system for the X-DF-A engine, an ammonia-fueled large, low-speed two-stroke marine engine currently under development by WinGD, a Swiss designer and licensor of large marine engines. Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will continue to conduct technical studies with WinGD aimed at commercialisation of the system. Undertaking technical studies Mitsubishi Shipbuil...

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the premier shipbuilding and ship repair company in India, delivered the 13th Electric Hybrid 100 Pax Water Metro Ferry BY 137 to Kochi Water Metro. The occasion was marked by the Delivery Protocol Signing ceremony held at CSL, in the presence of directors of KMRL and CSL, along with senior officials from KMRL, CSL, DNV, and IRS.  Shri. Harikrishnan S, Chief General Manager CSL, and Shri. Shaji P Jananardhanan, Chief General Manager KMRL, signed the protocol...

Prysmian, the pioneer in the energy transition and digital transformation, launches, in collaboration with Interbrand—a pioneering brand consultancy for nearly 50 years—the group's new brand: a crucial asset that aims to support and amplify Prysmian’s new business strategy. This is a true brand evolution that shapes the Company's direction towards a new era, as part of the strategy “Connect, to Lead,” presented on 5 October 2023 during the Capital Markets Day held...

Previous suggestions had put the cost of the project at €200m but that has now been increased. The Irish Government has increased the budget for a new naval ship, which will be the largest in the State’s history, to €300m. Last week the Journal reported that the Department of Defence was set to release documents associated with the tender process for the new Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) which will allow the Irish Naval Service respond to large-scale humanitarian crises. Large-scale...

The crucial importance of the maritime industry to the Liverpool City Region was the focus of a full day tour for the Shadow Maritime Minister, Mike Kane MP, when he visited the area on Thursday 15th February 2024. Hosted by Mersey Maritime, alongside some of its key partners, he was given a detailed update by the regional cluster organisation for the industry in the North West before embarking on a visit to Cammell Laird and the Port of Liverpool in the afternoon. During lunch, Mr Kane also v...

ABB has been selected by the Astilleros y Servicios Navales S.A. (ASENAV) shipyard based in Chile to provide a power and propulsion system for Antarctica21’s newbuild boutique expedition ship Magellan Discoverer. Due for delivery in 2026, the vessel is the first hybrid-electric polar cruise ship featuring Azipod® propulsion to be built in the Americas. Accommodating up to 96 passengers and 67 crew members, the vessel will be operating in the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia an...

Tasmania is poised to chart a new course in maritime innovation with the arrival of Ocean Infinity, a global pioneer in marine robotics. Thanks to support from the Government of Tasmania, the Australian island state is on the brink of entering a new era in safer, more environmentally sustainable marine operations.   Ocean Infinity, renowned for its groundbreaking ocean exploration and marine robotics solutions, is set to transform maritime operations across sectors including governmen...

Chemship commissioned its first ship with wind-assisted ship propulsion. This makes the MT Chemical Challenger the first chemical tanker in the world to be equipped with sustainable wind technology. The ship will serve on shipping company Chemship’s Trans-Atlantic route between the East Coast of the United States and the Mediterranean. This week four 16-metre-high aluminium wind sails were installed on board the 134-metre-long vessel. The VentoFoils from Econowind create a direct wind sur...

The organising committee of the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2024) has announced Fincantieri as the ‘Diamond Sponsor’ for its eighth edition, taking place from 4 to 6 March 2024 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, DIMDEX 2024 is proudly hosted and organised by the Qatar Armed Forces and will be held in 2024 under the theme “Igniting t...

Light Structures’ SENSFIB Hull Stress Monitoring System received the ABS SMART(SHM) Tier 3 Product Design Assessment (PDA) certificate. The SENSFIB Tier 3 Smart Structural Health Monitoring system employs an industry-pioneering, fibre optic, sensor-based approach for structural health assessment and prediction, calibrated and verified using high-fidelity data for improved accuracy and reliability. SENSFIB system Vessels fitted with the SENSFIB system will be eligible to receive the ABS...

ABS sets its sights on the vessels that will support the next step in the path of decarbonisation with its latest publication: Requirements for Liquefied Carbon Dioxide Carriers. This is the first publication available in the maritime industry dedicated to the design, construction, and classification of LCO2 carriers where liquefied CO2 is carried as cargo. Part of a decarbonisation strategy As more industries adopt carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies a...

The global shipping regulator, the UN International Maritime Organisation, has set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for the industry, and now needs to develop climate regulations by 2025 that make it possible to reach that target. A core challenge is how to craft a global greenhouse gas pricing regulation that can bridge the price gap between the cleanest fuels and fossil fuels, driving investments in green fuels, without imposing an outsized cost on the global economy. As member...

Tokyo - ClassNK has released 'Environmental Guidelines (Edition 4.1).' The guidelines newly specify the class notations related to green steel products and microplastics collecting systems. In response to environmental challenges such as climate change and marine pollution, the introduction of various environmental technologies to ships, beyond compliance with regulations, is promoted. For evaluating these efforts, ClassNK has issued its ‘Environmental Guidelines’ which set out crit...

Jumbo Offshore has recently been awarded a contract by Yunnneg Wind Power Co., Ltd. (YWPC) for the removal of monopiles at the Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm. The contract award represents an expansion of the company’s existing scope, which has involved transport and installation of the project’s transition pieces. Under the amendment, some monopiles, which were installed during an earlier project phase, are to be removed approximately 3 m below the mean seabed level. To undertake this...

ABS has inaugurated the ABS Global LNG Academy, a cutting-edge training centre dedicated to using the latest techniques to educate mariners in modern LNG vessel operations. Located in Doha and supported by QatarEnergy, the Academy is a coordinated effort with industry partners, who are working together to make the ABS LNG Academy the global epicentre for LNG-related training and development. Establishing the training centre is also a key part of ABS’ support of Qatar’s National Vis...

ABB has secured an order with Norwegian shipyard Ulstein Verft to supply an advanced power and propulsion system for a forthcoming cable-laying vessel (CLV) of Nexans, a global player in energy transition headquartered in Paris, France. On delivery in 2026, the vessel will join Nexans Skagerrak and sister ship Nexans Aurora–also equipped with ABB technology–as the third and most advanced CLV in the Nexans fleet. Onboard energy storage system An integrated system comprising main po...

Tokyo / Vancouver Island ClassNK and Lovoy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate with development and implementation of more user-friendly Safety Management Systems (SMS). Lovoy has highlighted that many SMSs have grown so complex that they lose sight of the end user – the seafarer. If procedures are user-friendly, people will use them more with reduced risk of mistakes. The industry faces many new requirements making user-friendly SMS design even more critical. Int...

Regional cluster organisation, Mersey Maritime, are delighted to announce the appointment of Phil Waterhouse as their new Chairman. The Group Corporate Affairs Director for APCL, and former Royal Navy Regional Commander for Northern England, has stepped up from Board Member to Chairman following the departure of former Chair, John Hulmes. Service and logistics expertise With an illustrious career background, Phil brings unparalleled experience and leadership to the helm With an illustrious...

The purchase of the Irish Navy’s biggest ship in its history, which will respond to humanitarian crisis, is set to move a step forward as information documents are to be issued across an EU platform. The project has been in planning in the Department of Defence for many years, but stepped up a gear with the recent Commission on the Defence Forces. Sources have said the ship is anticipated to have a helicopter landing area on board, as well as other possible facilities, such as a roll-on-r...

In a joint effort between the United Kingdom and the United States, the UK Ministry of Defence’s Salvage and Marine Operations, or SALMO, the unit successfully conducted a survey of the historic World War One wreck of USS Jacob Jones (DD-61). The operation carried out at the behest of Naval History and Heritage Command, or NHHC, and with pivotal support from the U.S. Embassy in London, led to the recovery of a key artefact—the ship's bell. USS Jacob Jones, sunk by German submarine&n...

Todd Weatherby (58) has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Siemens Advanta, leading the professional services and consultancy business as of March 1, 2024. Todd has held leadership roles in product management, business development and sales with several technology companies including Oracle, Microsoft and Amazon. He launched Amazon Web Services ProServe and led its impressive growth for a decade from 2012. Deep expertise in the professional services space Cedrik Neike, CEO Si...