Skills - News

KR held the 19th KR European Committee (KREC) meeting in London, UK, on July 1st. The KREC, established in 2004, includes members from major international maritime organisations and key European KR customers as follows: Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) In...

Watson Farley & Williams advised ABN AMRO BANK N.V. and ING BANK N.V. on a US$245m term loan facility granted to Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited for the financing of a fleet of tanker vessels. WFW acted as lead counsel on the transaction and assisted ABN and ING throughout the life cycle of the transaction, from the negotiation and execution of the facility to the delivery of each vessel. Transportation services TEN is a world-pioneering tanker operator, listed on the New York...

The last of the 18 ‘Training of Trainers’ workshops given by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) since 2008, the year of the creation of the Spanish-speaking Network for the port training programme, closed on July 12, 2024, at Valenciaport. In these 16 years, more than 260 instructors have participated, 72 of them women, to be trained in the key management skills of port management. ‘Train For Trade’ programme Twenty-one students of seven...

Babcock and the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia, Poland, have announced that they are set to collaborate on an exciting new programme of professional internships following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Cooperation Agreement. The MoU outlines the intent for Babcock to work in cooperation with the Polish Naval Academy to facilitate future academic collaboration, underpinning Babcock’s global commitment to skills development. Future academic collaboration This summe...

Seatrium announced that it has awarded the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) a Classification contract for the newbuild floating production storage and offloading vessels (FPSO) platforms P-84 and P-85 with the final delivery expected in 2029. These are the first FPSOs to be awarded following ABS and Seatrium’s Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA), which aims to promote increased decarbonisation, digitalisation and innovation in the offshore industry. Efficient power generation Both...

EV Maritime, New Zealand’s pioneering electric ferry design and technology company, announced it has been commissioned by Angel Island Tiburon Ferry (AITF) to design an all-new hybrid electric vessel for the fleet. The progressive project, which will see the electrification of two existing vessels and the construction of a third new plug-in hybrid vessel, has been funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The hybrid vessel will be designed and engineered by EV Maritime with el...

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. and Amogy, a provider of mature, scalable, and efficient ammonia-to-power solutions, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to integrate Amogy’s advanced ammonia-cracking technology into Yanmar’s hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2ICE). This collaboration seeks to pioneer a solution for decarbonising marine power generation. The partnership will focus on combining Amogy’s technology with Yanmar’s H2ICE to provide low-cost...

Thordon Bearings has secured an order from French shipbuilding giant Chantiers de l'Atlantique to supply its award-winning COMPAC seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearings for installation to a pair of wind-assisted passenger ships operated by luxury travel operator Accor. When the first 220m (722 ft) long, 22,300 gt vessel is delivered in 2026, Orient Express Corinthian will be the world’s largest contemporary sailship. The contract marks Thordon’s first reference aboard a Chant...

Oceania Cruises®, the world's pioneering culinary- and destination-focused cruise line is delighted to announce its new collaboration with the American Cancer Society (ACS), bringing the ACS Relay For Life at Sea program to the cruise line's esteemed guests, crew and team members, fostering a community of support and raising vital funds for cancer research, patient support services, and advocacy efforts. The program was just launched on Oceania Cruises' newest ship, Vista, as well as aboard...

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...

Satcom Global Inc. has secured a new five-year GSA (General Services Administration) Contract, which permits the supply of satellite airtime and equipment to US Government departments and agencies. Contract #47QTCA24D00BA extends Satcom Global’s experience of supplying the federal, state, local, and Indigenous governments with commercial satellite communications services for over 25 years. Satcom Global Inc. is honoured to be among a select group of pre-approved suppliers offering product...

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) emergency towing vessel (ETV), Ievoli Black, is carrying out a training exercise in Scapa Flow, on Wednesday 10 July 2024. Exercise Stromness, which involves the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) vessel Pole Star, is supported by Orkney Islands Council’s Marine Services. MCA, ETV and NLB personnel Exercise Controller Paul Tunstall, MCA Counter Pollution and Salvage Officer, Scottish Islands and Northern Ireland, said: "The nature of this...

Wilhelmsen Ships Service is pleased to announce its participation to RightShip’s Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program. As a pioneering maritime solution provider, the participation in this program exemplifies the commitment to safer mooring practices.  RightShip is a pioneering global Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) focused digital maritime platform with the mission to drive operational improvements in the global shipping industry and improve overall maritime safe...

SBM Offshore and Ocean-Power are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the intent to collaborate on a floating power generation hub with CO2 capture and storage. The purpose of the partnership is to assess the technical feasibility and commercial readiness to collaborate on the concept, exclusive to the Norwegian Continental Shelf and United Kingdom Continental Shelf. Bi-directional transmission structure The offshore power hub will apply Ocean-Power’s...

Vigor, a Titan company, has completed a docking selected restricted available (DSRA) on USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, at the company’s Harbor Island shipyard in Seattle. The ship departed Harbor Island earlier this year and has been undergoing sea trials prior to returning to full service. Originally a $131-million contract, the 18-month project supported more than 600 family wage jobs. Underwater hull preservation “Our skilled emp...

Captain Ian Finley, Permanent Representative of the Cook Islands to IMO, has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2023. The decision was made by the IMO Council at its 132nd session (8 to 12 July 2024). Captain Finley was nominated for the award by the Government of the Cook Islands. As a delegate to IMO, representing Panama and latterly the Cook Islands, he has been an active participant in the development of virtually all safety, environmental and...

RightShip, a global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) focused digital maritime platform, welcomes Wilhelmsen Ships Service (Wilhelmsen), a leader in maritime solutions, to its Zero Harm Innovation Partners programme (ZHIP). As part of this collaboration, Wilhelmsen will highlight its cutting-edge products, the Timm Snap Back Arrestor (SBA™) rope and the Line Management Plan (LMP™), both of which exemplify its commitment to safer mooring practice. Zero-harm maritime The Z...

Syroco, the Climate Tech startup that supports the energy transition of maritime transport, announced that Compagnie Maritime Nantaise - MN, a subsidiary of SOGESTRAN Group, has deployed the Syroco platform on the MN Pelican in order to reduce her fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This deployment is part of a global approach which includes the optimisation of the routing and efficiency of the vessel but also better speed management and improvement of hull performance. The MN Pelican, a 155-me...

X-Press Feeders has launched their Matadi Shuttle X-Press service (MSX), an innovative and efficient addition to their network of feeder services. This 10-day rolling schedule service will provide 2 direct shuttles between Pointe Noire and Matadi. This new route is designed to meet the growing demand for efficient and timely transportation of goods between these strategic ports. The service rotation is: Pointe Noire - Matadi - Pointe Noire. Network of feeder services At X-Press Feeders, their...

AF Theriault & Son Ltd., one of Canada’s largest privately-owned commercial shipyards, announced an exclusive partnership with New Zealand’s pioneering electric ferry design and technology company, EV Maritime. This partnership has been formed in relation to Halifax Regional Municipality’s (HRM) upcoming procurement of electric ferries serving the community of Bedford, Nova Scotia. Expected to be completed in the 2027-2028 fiscal year, the entire project is estimated at CA...

IRCLASS Academy, the training arm of the Indian Register of Shipping, has successfully concluded the first-ever Port Facility Security Internal Auditor training program at the Rashtriya Raksha University, School of Integrated Coastal and Maritime Security Studies in Ahmedabad. This program also included comprehensive training for Port Facility Security Officers. The inaugural ceremony was graced by Dr. Prabhakaran Paleri, Emeritus Resource Faculty and Former Director General of the Indian Coast...

Technology group Wärtsilä has supplied its new dual-fuel engine simulator technology for Wavelink Maritime Institute (WMI), the maritime training arm of the Singapore Maritime Officer’s Union (SMOU). The navigational and technological simulators are a central feature of the simulation suite at WMI, which was recently inaugurated by H.E. Ms. Grace FU Hai Yien, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations of the Republic of Si...

PD Ports has made its largest-ever donation through its employee charity and community fund, in support of a member of the team and his family who use the services of Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice. The grant of £7,500 for the purchase of a specialist bed was made following a request by Mike Lee, a business development analyst, who made an application to PD Ports’ Find It Fund It initiative after seeing the impact of the work done by Zoe’s Place as they support his daughter,...

On July 5th, ClassNK received report from Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine and IMEX that improper rewriting of data concerning fuel consumption rate had been conducted during the shop trial of marine engines manufactured by them. According to these companies, 950 engines from Hitachi Zosen Marine Engine and 414 engines from IMEX had improper rewriting, and about 60% of these engines had been installed to vessels under ClassNK registry. Data concerning fuel consumption rate This inappropriate condu...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at advancing maritime safety through the development of a ship trajectory prediction tool. The trajectory prediction of disabled ships is a critical aspect of maritime safety, facilitating early warnings and rescue operation planning. Understanding and predicting the movement of disabled ships and floating objects drifting in the open sea, under the...

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...

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...

The company has started producing medium voltage (MV) soft starters at one of its facilities in South Africa, reducing delivery times for customers and boosting local manufacturing. The SSW7000 soft starters are produced at WEG's manufacturing unit in South Africa, with high-efficiency standards. The SSW7000 line is well recognised in the market and widely used in pump and fan applications in the mining segment. WEG's soft starters With the growing demand for WEG's medium voltage soft start...

Sir Keir Starmer has been appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after the Labour Party secured a majority in the House of Commons in yesterday’s general election. Maritime UK’s Chief Executive, Chris Shirling-Rooke has shared his congratulations and also urged the newly appointed Prime Minister to prioritise the interests and economic prosperity of coastal communities in the Government's upcoming plans and agenda. In the Maritime Manifesto 2024, Maritime UK outlined its a...

IMO’s Technical Cooperation Committee has made headway towards finalising a streamlined, comprehensive strategy for the organisation’s technical support for Member States. Meeting in London from 24 to 28 June, the Committee finalised a revised draft of the IMO Capacity-Development Strategy, aimed at enhancing the maritime capabilities of IMO's Member States, particularly Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.  Revised draft strategy Addressing the Mem...