United States of America (USA) maritime industry review

Technology advancements have accelerated into the maritime ecosystem at breakneck speed over the past ten years fuelled by a glut of new money, eager to enter the maritime sector. From a time of on-premise solutions that enabled only a select number of users to interact with closed proprietary solutions with defined inputs and outputs, to where a plethora of companion applications have come onto the market. They’re designed to provide narrow answers to the big problems operators face, whe...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has secured an order to supply cargo access equipment for 12 Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), with an option for eight additional vessels. The vessels will be built at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. (CMHI) for CIDO Shipping. The order was booked into Cargotec's third quarter 2024 order intake, with deliveries planned to begin in the second quarter of 2026 and to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2029. MacGregor's track record The s...

ABS and Hanwha Ocean Co., LTD, have agreed to explore cutting-edge technology projects together with the signing of an Offshore Technology Collaboration Agreement (OTCA) at Gastech 2024. The agreement is the foundation for collaboration on a succession of state-of-the-art projects leveraging each company’s core competencies under three broad themes: sustainability, digitalisation and artificial intelligence and operational technology cybersecurity. Clean energy solutions The agreement a...

An ammonia fuel supply system that can be retrofitted to existing vessels or installed on new builds has earned approval in principle (AIP) from ABS. The ammonia fuel supply system from Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases, part of Nikkiso Co., Ltd.’s Industrial Division, features high-efficiency pumps and an integrated fuel management system. ABS completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements. New fuel supply system “The ability to retrofit is significa...

Hartnell Taylor Cook has announced that following a competitive tender, it has been re-appointed to manage the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Estate Management Services contract.  The new contract period commenced in April, for up to a 5-year period, building on a long-standing relationship spanning over two decades. The contract was procured under the Crown Commercial Services framework (RM6168), where Hartnell Taylor Cook is appointed under a number of “Lots”....

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...

The launch of 'Star Princess', the second LNG (liquefied natural gas) cruise ship that Fincantieri is building for Princess Cruises, took place at the Monfalcone shipyard. The ceremony was attended, among others, by John Padgett, President of Princess Cruises, and Cristiano Bazzara, Director of the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone. LNG-powered cruise ship Godmothers of the ceremony Chiara del Vecchio, 3rd Engineer aboard the 'Sun Princess', and Francesca Maraventano, executive assistant at...

Teledyne Marine, the global pioneer in marine scientific instrumentation and solutions, announced that iOne Resources Inc. is the new official distributor in the Philippines for several Teledyne Marine product lines.  This is another milestone for Teledyne Marine’s expansion in Southeast Asia, iOne Resources Inc. will represent several key Teledyne Marine brands, including RESON, PDS, ODOM Hydrographic, Bowtech, Gavia, Oceanscience, RD Instruments, TSS, and BlueView. Teledyne Marine...

The event, organised by the industry’s regional cluster organisation, and hosted by CEO, Ruth Wood, in collaboration with Peel Ports Group and Connected Places Catapult, was hosted in the iconic location of the Liverpool City Region’s Combined Authority at Mann Island. Maritime Minister, Mike Kane MP, gave the keynote address, his first major speech in his new role at the Department for Transport, and panellist contributions were received from Stephen Carr, Chief Commercial Officer...

As the maritime industry accelerates its journey toward decarbonisation, the focus on alternative fuels has intensified. E-methane E-methane, a synthetic gas produced using renewable electricity and carbon capture, is emerging as a promising substitute for conventional natural gas. This innovative fuel offers a way to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while leveraging existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure. For maritime professionals, the potential benefits of e-metha...

The maritime industry, steeped in tradition, is now riding the wave of digital transformation, with big data playing a pivotal role in driving innovation and efficiency. For maritime professionals, the question isn’t whether to embrace big data, but how to maximise its practical benefits. Whether it’s a ship owner, port operator, or related to supply chain logistics, big data has the potential to streamline operations, enhance safety, reduce costs, and bolster profitability. This a...

Aiming to establish minimum requirements for the cyber-resilience of newbuild vessels and their connected systems, IACS unified requirements (URs) E26 and E27 provide a new benchmark for shipping’s response to its growing exposure to cyber-attacks. Officially in force from 1 July 2024 and broadly welcomed by industry, the new URs represent another step forward in strengthening Maritime's resilience to the evolving cyber threat. However, according to a thought-provoking discussion recently...

Demand for ammonia is being transformed by the energy transition. Until recently used as an input for fertiliser and chemical products, new markets for green and blue ammonia are emerging, replacing fossil energy in power generation, steel production and marine fuel. Today some 200m tonnes per annum of ammonia is produced worldwide with 20m tpa transported in LPG carriers. The scale of the emerging and potential demand will see these figures rise; how quickly this can be achieved will determine...

FuelEU Maritime regulations, which will take effect in 2025, will help to encourage investment in research and development (R&D) for the maritime industry. The European Union initiative is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships operating within EU waters.  Adopting cleaner alternative fuels By setting increasingly stringent limits on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, FuelEU Maritime makes it clear to the industry that traditional high-emission fuels are not sustainable...

Offshore wind farms are a major component of the future of clean energy, and the share of electricity generated by offshore wind turbines will increase as the global community works to minimise carbon emissions to achieve net zero by 2050. Current expectations for the vast expansion of energy production from offshore wind farms may lead to environmental impacts and ecological risks to marine ecosystems. Maritime consequences The increase in offshore wind farms will also have broad conse...