Skills - News

Dutch company Econowind, based in Zeewolde, has secured €1 million in development capital from Invest International to advance and test its VentoFoil XL, a 24-30 metre high steel wind sail inspired by aviation technology. Similar to aeroplane wings, these innovative sails are designed for large vessels, harnessing wind power to reduce fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions by up to 15%.  Introduction of the XL model The first of two XL prototypes is expected to be fully developed a...

Marcura unveils a bold new look and new AI capabilities, part of a broader transformation to connect its industry-pioneering solutions and drive greater efficiency for customers. Marcura powers some of the most trusted solutions in maritime, including DA-Desk, ShipServ, MarTrust, ClaimsHub, and PortLog. Collectively, the pioneer in digital maritime solutions handles 200,000 port calls annually, manage over 6 million SOF events, facilitate $21.6 billion in payments and pay 36,000 crew digitally....

A host of expert speakers have been confirmed for the TMS Ship Finance and Trade Conference, which takes place on Tuesday, 18th February, at the Taj Exotica Resort, the Palm Dubai. The Conference, which has the theme of Financing Green Shipping Solutions, is the seventh conference in this series and looks set to be the best one yet. Development of shipping Nawal Al-Maghafi, an award-winning journalist and documentary maker, will moderate this session Keynote addresses will be made by Dr Ibr...

Sirius Insight announces that the Rt Hon Lord Reid of Cardowan has joined the company’s Advisory Board. In this role, Lord Reid will support Sirius Insight as the business seeks opportunities in international markets to deploy its transformative maritime domain awareness technology. Range of security-related portfolios Lord Reid was a Member of Parliament for over twenty years, during which time he served in Government Lord Reid was a Member of Parliament for over twenty years, during...

Frequentis marks the debut of its LifeX3020 solution in Southeast Asia, improving emergency call handling and response coordination across three major centres and nationwide blue light agencies. This effort supports Malaysia’s Next Generation Emergency Services 999 (NG999) project, an upgrade designed to replace the current Malaysian Emergency Response System (MERS999). The initiative underscores Malaysia’s strong commitment to enhancing public safety across the nation. Responses f...

Watson Farley & Williams advised long-standing client TUI Cruises GmbH on the delivery of the Mein Schiff Relax, the eighth ship in the Mein Schiff series and TUI Cruises’ first to be built at Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard. The Mein Schiff Relax is the first of two InTUItion-class ships being built at Fincantieri for TUI Cruises. The vessel marks a new era for the Mein Schiff experience, setting new standards in terms of comfort, exclusivity and feel-good atmospher...

Ocean Network Express and Yusen Logistics Co., Ltd are pleased to announce a new agreement for sustainable shipping solutions through ONE's green shipping service, ONE LEAF+.  This collaboration demonstrates how the industry can advance sustainable supply chain practices and marine transportation to deliver environmental benefits. Scope 3 GHG emissions As a freight forwarder, Yusen Logistics will offer this green shipping option to customers Under this agreement, ONE will use susta...

The world needs greener energy, but high costs are a barrier. Raw material and equipment prices have more than doubled, halting many projects. Can they reduce the financial risk of developing offshore wind farms and make walk-to-work (W2W) operations more affordable? Offshore wind turbines SOVs are the most efficient and preferred solution now for servicing offshore wind turbines, outperforming CTVs in safety, availability, and comfort. However, rising shipbuilding costs and new-build delive...

Ocean Network Express is pleased to announce a significant milestone in its corporate history with the naming of ONE Sparkle, the company's first owned and operated new building container vessel. Says Jeremy Nixon, CEO, "The naming of ONE Sparkle represents another important milestone for ONE. This vessel is our first owned newbuilding, and it also showcases our commitment to sustainable shipping with its innovative design and alternative fuel capabilities. As we expand our owned fleet, these a...

Technology group Wärtsilä and international consulting and engineering company Elomatic have signed a licencing and cooperation agreement covering the intellectual property rights, technology, and use of the trademark of Elomatic’s unique Elogrid solution. Elogrid is a transverse thruster grid technology, which is designed to reduce vessels’ fuel consumption while also enhancing thrusters’ performance. This technology improves both the water flow along the hull lines...

“New nuclear technology is a global decarbonisation solution and a commercial shipping disruptor. There is no net zero by 2050 without nuclear.” That was the view from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki, speaking at the Core Power New Nuclear for Maritime Houston Summit. Operation of vessels “New nuclear is a transformational technology. It disrupts the commercial model, the economics of shipping, as well as the operation of vessels and of course their d...

With the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) set to take effect this year, shipowners should ensure compliance with regulatory controls and inspections governing ship recycling for their vessels. DNV’s latest guidance paper “Safe and Green Recycling for Ship Owners” outlines how they can work in line with both existing EU Ship Recycling Regulations (EU SRR) and the HKC, coming into effect on June 26, 2025. Ship recycling process Ships often contain hazardous materials that can pose s...

INEOS, the global pioneering petrochemicals company, has selected ITT’s Svanehøj to supply CO2 pumps for the onshore facility and the first LCO2 carrier for Project Greensand in the Danish North Sea. This strategically significant order further strengthens Svanehøj’s position in carbon capture and storage (CCS), reinforcing its track record as a trusted specialist in critical equipment for liquefied gas. Cargo pumps for the new vessel INEOS has selected Svanehø...

Next Ocean, a pioneer in Vessel Motion Radar technology, has secured Seed Investment from Arches Capital to drive its expansion and enhance maritime safety worldwide. This funding will accelerate Next Ocean’s growth, enabling the company to scale production, expand into new markets, and further develop its predictive radar technology. Efficient offshore operations Over the past years, Next Ocean has successfully delivered numerous Vessel Motion Radar systems to pioneering companies in...

Pioneering marine conservation charity, GreenSeas Trust, is proud to announce, three bilingual BinsForGreenSeas have been installed on Pearl Island in Qatar to reduce litter and stop plastics from entering the sea. Located off the coast of Doha, Pearl Island is a popular tourist destination boasting sophistication and luxury. The GreenSeas Trust bins have been positioned at key waterfront locations in the island’s marina, an area popular with tourists and the yachting community. Mar...

The International Maritime Cyber Security Organisation (IMCSO), an independent maritime standards organisation, has released its cybersecurity testing methodology for those maritime vessels looking to assess their risk and join the Cyber Risk Registry, a risk register database maintained by the IMCSO. The methodology aims to provide IMCSO-accredited cyber consultants and the senior maritime personnel they will be assessing with standardised testing by outlining test scope and the language...

IRClass Academy, the training arm of the Indian Register of Shipping, successfully conducted a one-day training programme on the Recruitment and Placement Services Licence (RPSL) and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) exclusively for Zodiac Maritime Agencies (India) Pvt. Ltd. The training, held on 6th February 2025, was in line with the requirements outlined in the RPSL gazette notification by the Government of India, which mandates RPSL holders to ensure regular training for their personnel....

Avikus, HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation technology developer, announced that it has joined forces with cartography innovator Savvy Navvy to add powerful functionality to its recently released NEUBOAT Dock II. Designed for yachts over 40-feet such as sportfishing vessels, power catamarans, centre consoles and sailing vessels, NEUBOAT Dock II gives boaters a bird’s eye view for easy docking, single or multiple camera views, object detection and a docking assist path. As part of the partn...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment is strengthening its position in boat manufacturing by investing in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Arendal, Norway. The new building covers 3,400 sqm and is designed to meet requirements for high-end freefall boats in the offshore segment and for special boats in the defense segment. Boat manufacturing facilities As the market pioneer in lifeboats and fast rescue boats for the commercial shipping, offshore, and defense segments, VIKING has existi...

A. P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk), one of the world’s largest containership operators, and Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, have signed an agreement to upgrade Inmarsat satellite communications services across Maersk’s global fleet of approximately 340 container ships. The agreement will see bandwidth enhancements rolled out across Maersk’s entire fleet of owned container ships between 2025 and 2026. Floating office These upgrades are part of Maersk’s strategic roadmap...

Fincantieri is pleased to announce that the Letter of Intent signed with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) on April 8, 2024, has been successfully converted into a firm order for the construction of four new cruise ships for the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) brand. This significant agreement, subject to financing and other customary conditions, represents a contract valued at over €2 billion. Comfort, technology, and sustainability With a gross tonnage of approximately 226,000 ton...

Offshore wind farms are currently serviced using Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) or helicopters for day operations, and Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) for extended periods. What if there were a CAPEX-smart design that reduces building costs by over 50% compared to an SOV and supplements the SOVs on most tasks? Greener energy The world needs greener energy, but high costs are a barrier. Raw material and equipment prices have more than doubled, halting many projects. Can users reduce the financ...

Ocean Network Express (ONE) and LX Pantos are pleased to announce the successful completion of their joint venture, Boxlinks LLC (Boxlinks). This strategic partnership will leverage the combined strengths of ONE and LX Pantos to provide end-to-end domestic intermodal transportation services, utilising both companies’ partnerships with major rail carriers and trucking companies to provide efficient and timely delivery of cargo in the United States. Customised service Hiroki Tsujii, Globa...

The World Shipping Council welcomes the balance between sustainability and competitiveness struck in the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass released that will form the basis for the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal.  WSC, however, called on the Commission to recognise that liner shipping is investing in Europe and urged the Commission to support the sector on its path to decarbonise supply chains, fostering open trade and protecting critical sea lanes...

Kongsberg Maritime is proud to announce its selection as the lead integrator for a significant green upgrade of the Norwegian Coastal Administration's (NCA) hybrid vessel, OV Bøkfjord. The project will include the installation of Kongsberg Maritime's electric Rim-Drive azimuth thrusters, together with an upgrade of hybrid capacity. Pilotage and navigation technology The NCA is a national agency under the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Fisheries, responsible for coastal mana...

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, working in conjunction with pioneering Spanish law firm Uría Menéndez, has advised Bibby Marine on a financing package with HSBC UK to support the development of its previously announced zero-emission electric Commissioning Service Operation Vessel for servicing offshore wind farms. The multi-million euro financing made available by HSBC UK is backed by Cesce, the Spanish Export Credit Agency. HSBC acted as sole ECA coordinator, mandated lead...

A new design for an ammonia floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit that features onboard carbon capture technology for blue ammonia production has received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS. The design comes from MODEC, Inc. (MODEC), in collaboration with Toyo Engineering Corporation (TOYO). ABS completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements. Emissions of offshore operations It is produced by combining hydrogen, which is derived as a byproduct of carbon...

The long-term environmental impact of the Sounion vessel disaster, both of the vessel and the Red Sea, were at the forefront of the critical salvage operation, noted Ambipar Response, the emergency response division of Ambipar Group, who led the spill response and pollution prevention effort for the stricken 164,000 dwt tanker (IMO: 9312145) in August 2024. After being struck by multiple missiles from Houthi rebels during a routine transit through the Red Sea, Sounion was left stranded and abla...

DNV has appointed Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria as Chief Operating Officer, with effect from 1 January 2025.  "The maritime industry is navigating growing complexities, from its operating environment to the expanding network of diverse stakeholders it serves and interacts with,” says Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO, DNV Maritime. “To address these challenges and seize new opportunities, the addition of a COO strengthens our leadership team, ensuring we are well-positioned to me...

Pioneering bunker trading firm, Glander International Bunkering, has introduced a tool to help users calculate key data for compliance with FuelEU Maritime, which came into effect on January 1, 2025. FuelEU Maritime aims to reduce carbon emissions in the shipping sector by incentivising the use of alternative fuels and imposing penalties for non-compliance. FuelEU Maritime guidelines With the new Compliance Calculator, Glander International Bunkering helps users understand potential penalties...