Digital transformation - News

Current Senior Vice President Hayato Suga has been appointed as President & CEO as well as Representative Director of ClassNK and current Corporate Officer Fumihiko Higashi has been appointed as Executive Vice President, effective 21 March 2025. Former President & CEO Hiroaki Sakashita has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors, while former Chairman of the Board of Directors Koichi Fujiwara has assumed the position of Advisor to the Society. Challenges and digital transf...

Orca AI, a pioneer in maritime technology, celebrates a major milestone as Seaspan Corporation, a containership powerhouse, integrates its cutting-edge SeaPod digital watchkeeper across its entire fleet, to support significant safety improvements and operational cost savings. Rooted in a robust safety culture As part of its digitalisation strategy, Seaspan began using Orca AI's SeaPod digital watchkeeper on select vessels to enhance situational awareness for navigation. An analysis of Seaspan...

HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Hydrogen, and DNV recently signed a Joint Industry Project (JIP) agreement to develop and validate Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology for carbon capture in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). SOFCs are high-efficiency fuel cells that generate electricity using natural gas, ammonia, or hydrogen as fuel. Maritime carbon emissions As part of this agreement, HD KSOE and its subsidiary HD Hydrogen will explore the integration of PSA-b...

Norway-based maritime technology business, Shipnet has launched Helix AI ahead of attending Sea Asia in Singapore next week, further strengthening its revolutionary Helix product, designed to transform decision-making in the shipping industry through advanced data analysis.  Helix, launched at Posidonia in 2024, provides a digital representation of the shipping business, enabling seamless integration and analysis of data from various sources such as safety, pricing, and procurement. Helix...

Propspeed®, a pioneering innovator in underwater biocide-free, foul-release coatings, announced it has signed an agreement with LUKA Marine Murter d.o.o. to serve as the Company’s new single-entry partner for Croatia and Slovenia. The partnership will kick off with the first national technical training for applicators and resellers in this vital region to prepare Propspeed for the quickly approaching refit season. Propspeed’s coating systems LUKA Marine Murter is a privately o...

BERG Propulsion is offering the shipping industry its first opportunity to select propeller shafts made using the climate neutral GreenForge® production process, in a maritime sector that is highly exposed to anticipated carbon pricing. Three Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) ro-ro vessels due in service from 2026 to carry aircraft parts across the Atlantic are already set to take advantage of sustainable wind power, courtesy of their rotor sails, while their hybrid propulsion, power manag...

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised BNP Paribas, a syndicate of lenders, SACE and SIMEST on the financing of four new cruise vessels for Viking Ocean Cruises. The financing consists of four export credit loan facilities, which are together worth around $2 billion. The facilities are backed by the Italian export credit agency SACE and contain a fixed-rate subsidy offered by SIMEST. Viking Ocean Cruise’s growing fleet The ocean-going passenger cruise vessels are being constr...

Dinnteco America, an established pioneer in lightning protection technology, announced its latest solution for the marine, military, energy, and transportation industries – the Electromagnetic Charge Compensation Device (DDCE). The DDCE is designed to prevent direct lightning strikes by gathering positive charges from its immediate environment, while also gathering negative charges from the clouds and air. Lightning strikes to boat owners The upward path required for lightning can no lo...

Efficient installation and commissioning of onboard equipment is critical in the newbuild construction process. This has been demonstrated with successful sea trials for the first davits installed by Vestdavit on a series of US Navy fleet refuelling vessels being built by General Dynamics NASSCO. Proven performance PLRH-5000 davits excel in trials aboard USNS Robert F. Kennedy, ensuring smooth naval operations and newbuild deliveriesThe pair of high-specification PLRH-5000 rescue boat davits...

ABS and Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI) have successfully completed a landmark collaboration advancing the development of fully autonomous vessels. The Action Planning and Execution System (APExS-auto) maritime autonomy framework from MTI received approval in principle from ABS. The project utilised the System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) method, an innovative hazard analysis technique. System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) method “ABS is leading the industry in forward-th...

OrbitMI, a pioneer provider of maritime SaaS software, announces that Istanbul-based Statu Shipping has deployed its compliance solutions across its fleet of 20 bulk carriers.  Rather than handling compliance as a passive, post-voyage process, Statu Shipping can now monitor and manage compliance outcomes in real time, optimizing efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring regulatory adherence throughout the voyage. Reducing CII Impact Using Orbit’s compliance capabilities operators ca...

The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of four seafarers in the recent attack on a bulk carrier in Odesa on 11 March 2025. INTERCARGO fully supports the statement issued by IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez and condemns in the strongest terms any attacks on merchant shipping and the innocent seafarers in its service. International maritime law INTERCARGO emphasises that the safety of seafarers must remain paramount Speak...

HarborLab, the Athens-based maritime technology company, has launched a new AI-powered feature designed to optimise Disbursement Account (DA) analysis and streamline port expense management. This latest innovation, known as HL AI, is part of the company’s drive to fully integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its entire platform ecosystem helping shipowners and operators unlock efficiency and major cost savings in daily vessel operations. Advanced digitalisation systems HarborLab,...

In recent months, several oil majors have begun to turn away from renewables to refocus on fossil fuels. This will likely lead them to increase their capital budgets for developing deep-sea oil and gas reserves, requiring a balance of new (large-scale) floating production units and commercial vessels to transport products. In this article, they look at the differences between the terms on which commercial vessels are designed, constructed and delivered and those for projects for offshore floati...

Swiss marine power company WinGD has confirmed key parameters for its X-DF-A ammonia-fuelled engine design after full-load testing at its Engine Research and Innovation Centre in Winterthur, Switzerland. The performance and emission measurements deliver timely assurance as the first users prepare their vessels and auxiliary systems for ammonia fuel. NOx emissions for operation Emissions data was also urging, with ammonia emissions below 10ppm and N2O below 3ppm The tests confirm engine perfo...

Fincantieri and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the pioneer in innovative cruise travel, celebrated the delivery at the Marghera (Venice) shipyard of Norwegian Aqua, the first ship of the expanded Prima Plus Class that Fincantieri is building for the cruise line. The ceremony was attended by Biagio Mazzotta and Pierroberto Folgiero, respectively Chairman, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, and by Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of the Fincantier...

DNV has awarded a detailed Approval in Principle (AiP) to Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited and Brevik Engineering for their design of a 74,000 cubic metres (cbm) liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) carrier. The vessel is specifically designed for the Asia Pacific market to enable cost competitive transport of CO2. Development of larger vessels CCS is set to play a key role in decarbonisation of industry in Asia Pacific Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is set to play a key ro...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has won the GREEN4SEA Sustainability Award 2025, in recognition of the contribution its digital Carbon Calculator tool makes to maritime decarbonisation. Available free of charge on the MacGregor website, Carbon Calculator allows container shipping companies to estimate the carbon dioxide emissions. They can eliminate from their operations by upgrading their onboard container cargo system. Sustainable cargo operations Maximising cargo-carrying capacity increases r...

Maritime and offshore energy pioneers from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and throughout South America came together for the first meeting of the ABS South America Regional Committee. ABS is the pioneering classification society among South American and Brazilian shipowners and is the recognised class-of-choice for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units in the region. Maritime and offshore industries Kroustallis reported that ABS has continued to hold the number one position in glo...

Uncertainty about the scale and nature of the IMO’s proposed carbon levy is holding back investment in shipping. That was the message from Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO, during an appearance at the CERAWeek energy conference. Lack of carbon pricing “A carbon levy is a wild card. It will all depend on how it is implemented and enforced. There’s a huge question mark over whether this will deliver for the industry and there is much still to be decided,” s...

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...

Battery power and a clean environmental conscience go hand in hand, but the performance, availability and lower maintenance costs of E GES free-fall lifeboats are making a new and powerful safety case for all-electric propulsion. Part of a rig upgrade for the Equinor platform Njord A operating in the Norwegian North Sea initiated in 2017, three new 70-person VIKING Norsafe free-fall lifeboats have been an eye-opener for those seeking to extend the life of assets. Norsok R-002 performance stand...

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...