Skills - News

At the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, DNV awarded Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company (HPWS) three approval in principle (AiP) certificates for their innovative designs of three new ship types.  Three new designs  An ammonia-fueled 43,000 cbm midsize gas carrier (MGC)  An ammonia-fueled SWAN 3,500 TEU container ship, and  A LNG dual-fueled SWAN 1,300 TEU container ship with ice class. New-generation MGC features New-generation MGC features a wider beam compared to typ...

REACH Subsea’s ground-breaking uncrewed surface vessel, REACH REMOTE 1, has received the Skipsrevven Ship of the Year 2024 award at the SMM exhibition in Hamburg. The 24-metre REACH REMOTE 1 is the first of a pair of uncrewed offshore surface vessels designed and delivered by Kongsberg Maritime to Norwegian company REACH SUBSEA ASA. REACH REMOTE USV design Crammed with state-of-the-art KONGSBERG technology, the vessels will initially carry out underwater survey...

At the SMM trade fair in Hamburg, DNV awarded Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. with three Approval in Principle (AiP) certificates and a General Approval for Ship Application (GASA) certificate for the design of innovative vessels. Hudong Zhonghua, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and one of China’s foremost shipbuilders, received these approvals as part of its efforts to address the shifting dynamics in the global energy market.  AiP certificates The AiP...

Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM) has unveiled Iridium Certus GMDSS, a generational advancement in maritime safety, compliance, and communication. Building on the powerful capabilities of Iridium Certus technology, Iridium Certus GMDSS features distress alert, safety voice and Maritime Safety Information (MSI), while integrating additional regulated services, like Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) and Ship Security Alert System (SSAS). Iridium Certus GMDSS The combination of capa...

Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) is pleased to announce that maritime disputes expert - Natalie Jackson has joined the firm as a partner in Athens, Greece. She has over 18 years of contentious experience working at UK shipping law firms based in Piraeus, having trained as a solicitor in London. Natalie Jackson Natalie specialises in maritime law and has an emphasis on dispute resolution arising from charter parties, bills of lading, MoA and shipbuilding disputes, salvage, collisions, ground...

The second Women in Maritime Survey has been launched to gather important baseline data about women’s participation in the maritime and ocean fields. IMO Secretary-General, Mr. Arsenio Dominguez issued a worldwide call to governments, companies, organisations and academic institutions to take part, stating: "Join me in championing diversity and fostering a barrier-free workplace for all by completing the survey, which will allow for a more targeted use of resources and ensure that w...

Vessel performance monitoring is a systematic approach to managing various aspects of a vessel to ensure optimal output and productivity. This process includes monitoring the engine's RPM, fuel consumption per nautical mile, speed, and emissions levels. Using digital tools and information technologies in vessel performance monitoring allows for real-time identification of the ship's onboard status, providing valuable support for continuous improvement and proactive management decision-making....

A collaboration between BERG Propulsion, shipping and logistics group CMA CGM and ship owner Reederei Rambow has proved pivotal in significant efficiency gains for an 868 TEU container vessel, with the 2007-built ship rejuvenated as one of the top performers in its class. In an innovative retrofit project requested by charterer CMA CGM, BERG worked with Rambow on a comprehensive package of efficiency optimisation measures onboard Henneke Rambow to match current and anticipated requirements. Re...

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has announced that global container liner shipping group Hapag-Lloyd is among the first to trial NexusWave, the fully managed service that delivers an unparalleled global service orchestrated by bringing together a multi-orbit, multi-band set of connectivity networks as a single network solution.  The trials align with the Hamburg-headquartered shipping group’s requirement for a robust connectivity solution that is capable of meeting increasing co...

ABS is expanding its footprint in Western Australia, establishing a physical presence in Port Hedland, a key trading zone for dry bulk minerals in the Eastern Hemisphere. The new site joins other ABS locations in Perth, Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. Port Hedland Port Hedland, the world’s largest iron ore export port, is located in northwest Australia's Pilbara region. The area is making substantial investments to support the energy transition to meet net-zero emissions goals....

Two new critical incident helicopters, that will conduct lifesaving aeromedical evacuations, will be operational across the Torres Strait within a matter of months, after successfully arriving in Queensland, Australia. Leonardo AW139 helicopters Babcock officially handed over the Leonardo AW139 helicopters to Queensland Health in Cairns, where they are being custom-fitted with specialist medical equipment before heading to the Torres Strait. The new aircraft can fly faster and further than...

Reaching shipping’s 2030 decarbonisation goal of 20% emission reductions, set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), will not happen without significant energy savings, according to DNV's latest Maritime Forecast to 2050. The report stresses that, until carbon-neutral fuels become viable, prioritising the development and use of technologies that reduce energy consumption is crucial for lowering shipping’s emissions. 2030 decarbonisation goals IMO’s 2030 decarbonis...

Technology group - Wärtsilä has signed a contract with Norwegian shipowner - Eidesvik to supply the equipment for the conversion of an offshore platform supply vessel (PSV) to operate with ammonia fuel. The vessel, ‘Viking Energy’, which is on contract to energy major - Equinor, is scheduled for conversion in early 2026 and is expected to start operating on ammonia in the first half of 2026, becoming the world’s first ammonia-fuelled in-service ship.  In additio...

Kongsberg Maritime’s rim-drive azimuth thruster has achieved Silent-E notation from DNV, the first of its kind to receive this prestigious certification.  Installed on the new Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) Norwind Hurricane and its sister vessels, the thruster demonstrated exceptional performance in reducing underwater noise pollution during a recent trial. New industry benchmark Kongsberg Maritime is at the fore of developing innovative propulsion keys to handle th...

X-Press Feeders, the world’s largest independent common carrier, announced the launch of its second green methanol-powered route, the Green Baltic X-PRESS (GBX). It is part of Europe’s first scheduled feeder network powered by green methanol. This expansion follows the successful launch of the Green Finland X-PRESS (GFX) in July and marks another significant milestone in the company’s commitment to sustainable shipping. The Green Baltic X-PRESS (GBX) will commen...

Kongsberg Maritime is to begin a trial of Eutelsat OneWeb’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet service on an autonomous barge operation across the Oslo Fjord. In a collaborative project with the help of Norwegian telecommunications provider Telenor Maritime, a zero-emission, electric barge, owned and operated by grocery distributor ASKO, will be equipped with Eutelsat OneWeb’s latest Kymeta Peregrine u8 flat panel antenna system for the duration of the trial. LEO connectivity...

After more than ten years of work and four diplomatic conferences, the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) is proud to announce that, effective August 22, 2024, they will officially change the status from a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO). Based on a Convention ratified or acceded to by 34 States to date, the new status represents a significant victory for multilateralism and ocean governance, ma...

Environments with the presence of an explosive atmosphere, known as hazardous areas, require special care in the construction, installation and selection of electrical equipment to avoid the risk of explosion.  Electric motors may become a source of ignition when operating in a hazardous environment. In order to prevent such risk, they must be designed with some specific characteristics that enable them to operate safely. The correct selection of the equipment, respecting the classificatio...

ClassNK has classed the ammonia-fuelled tugboat “Sakigake” completed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) and IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. as an ammonia-fuelled vessel. This is the world's first ammonia-fueled vessel for commercial use (as of August 23, 2024, according to research by NYK). The NYK Group company Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha will employ the vessel in tugboat operations in Tokyo Bay over a three-month demonstration period. This vessel was a Green Innovation Fund Project...

A significant milestone in the history of Atlas Copco Group. The Group's employee-driven global initiative, Water for All, celebrates its 40th anniversary, an anniversary that represents four decades of unwavering commitment to making clean and safe water universally available. With the belief that access to water is not a privilege but a fundamental human right, Water for All emerged amidst a global water crisis manifested through events in Peru in 1984. Aimed with the conviction that wat...

Norwegian Cruise Line® (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel, has open for sale additional cruises for its 2026 spring/summer season with more port-immersive Europe sailings across Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Greek Isles across eight ships, providing cruisers a variety of sailing lengths and embarkation ports to plan their dream European vacation; in addition to bucket-list itineraries through the South Pacific, warm weather summer voyages through the Western Caribbean, jo...

Iridium Communications announces that Thomas J. Fitzpatrick, 66, the Company's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Administrative Officer and Bryan J. Hartin, 60, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, plan to retire at year-end. Mr. Fitzpatrick will continue to serve on the Company's Board of Directors after his retirement as CFO. The Company named Vincent O'Neill as its new Chief Financial Officer and Timothy Last as the new Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, each to b...

Cammell Laird is delighted to announce it has received the prestigious Gold Award under the MoD’s Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS). Signing the Armed Forces Covenant, organisations pledge to honour two main principles which are: no member of the armed forces community should face disadvantage at work or in the community compared to other citizens and, in some circumstances, special consideration is appropriate for those who have given most, such as the injured or bereaved. Outstanding s...

Okeanus Science & Technology, LLC (Okeanus), an international provider of specialised ocean equipment and marine engineering services, announces the addition of a newly designed and manufactured 20-Ton A-Frame and 125HP HPU to its lineup of specialised launch and recovery equipment. This turnkey A-Frame and HPU package is available both for preorder and as part of Okeanus’ expanding rental portfolio of subsea survey solutions. Designed and built at Okeanus’ engineering and manuf...

WEG has different laboratories in its structure for testing and evaluating the products it develops. WEG's electrical testing laboratory for motors within the power range from 0.10 kW to 400 kW and voltage up to 1000 V in Jaraguá do Sul/SC is one of them, annually audited by globally recognised organisations such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and the Underwriter Laboratories (UL). This laboratory recently achieved accreditation under the ISO 17025 standard from the INMETRO...

Oceania Cruises, the world’s renowned culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, is spotlighting a selection of its 2025 Grand Voyages, offering the most elegant way to enjoy extended travel, with bucket list trips to the most incredible locations across the globe. The diverse array of voyages affords guests the chance to discover world wonders such as Borobudur in Indonesia, the world's largest Buddhist monument, or Mount Fuji in Japan, with immersive itineraries on board Oceania Cru...

VSTEP is proud to announce its growing presence in France as Le CFANI, an esteemed institution in Tremblay-sur-Mauldre, has chosen to integrate their state-of-the-art NAUTIS simulators into their training programs. This strategic move marks a significant step in extending VSTEP’s influence in the French maritime education sector. Revolutionising Training with Simulation Technology Le CFANI has invested in two CESNI Vessel Handling simulators and an instructor/debriefing station, reinfor...

The world’s first accreditation for “Machinery Room Safety for Ammonia” (MRS) will be granted by ClassNK for the ammonia-fueled medium gas carrier (AFMGC) currently being developed by a consortium that includes Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. (NSY). MRS is Class notation demonstrating a ship is equipped with excellent ammonia safety measures for the machinery room. MRS also confirms the vessel meets the highest safety measures under the guideli...

On the eve of India’s Independence Day, the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) hosted the first of a series of commemorative events to celebrate its Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of rendering excellent service to the maritime industry. The event, held on 14th August 2024 in New Delhi, was graced by the presence of Chief of the Naval Staff, Adm. Dinesh K Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, as Chief Guest. Other attendees included senior officers of the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guar...

Brunvoll, Sølvtrans, and Aas Mek. Verksted, comes together once more to construct two live fish carriers, marking vessels No. 21 and 22 in their collaboration. The new vessels will feature complete propulsion and manoeuvring systems from Brunvoll. The propulsion and manoeuvring systems for the vessels consist of three tunnel thrusters, a controllable pitch propeller connected to a reduction gearbox, Brunvoll’s Propulsion and ThrusterControl system (BruCon PTC), and Brunvoll&rs...