Skills - News

The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has elected the Members of its Council for the 2024-2025 biennium. The Council is the executive organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the organisation. Between sessions of the Assembly, the Council performs the functions of the Assembly, except that of making recommendations to Governments on maritime safety and pollution prevention. The Assembly of IMO elects Members of its Council The As...

Babcock has teamed up with PGZ-SW shipyard in Gdynia, Poland to launch a new international apprentice exchange programme. Building on Babcock’s Skills Academy, launched earlier in 2023 to provide learning opportunities and equip our workforce to meet the evolving challenges our customers will face in the future, the Polish programme is set to grow international collaboration and shared learning. Platform design provider Babcock will be maximising the existing relationship with PGZ-SW,...

Ahlsell Sverige AB has entered into an agreement to acquire all shares in Bilco Bilbatterier AB (Batteribolaget), a specialised distributor of batteries, chargers, power supplies and accessories. The company was founded in 1961 and has ten employees with annual sales of approximately 70 MSEK. Acquisition of Batteribolaget Ahlsell’s product range, market presence and extensive offering are available Batteribolaget offers one of the widest product ranges on the market, which includes i...

IMO and the Republic of Korea have signed a suite of agreements to formally establish and boost the IMO-Republic of Korea Sustainable Maritime Transport Cooperation (SMART-C) Programme. The goal of the KRW 25.5 billion (approx. US$20 million) SMART-C Programme is to promote sustainable maritime transport systems and a sustainable marine environment, by building knowledge and developing technical capacity in developing countries via long-term thematic projects. GHG project agreement This Offic...

Mr. Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco has been confirmed as the next Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO Assembly unanimously approved (30 November) the decision of the Council at its 129th session (C129) to appoint him to the role. Mr. Dominguez Velasco will take up the office of Secretary-General on 1 January 2024 for an initial term of four years, ending on 31 December 2027. He becomes the Organisation's 10th elected Secretary-General. Comprehensive b...

Working together with ABS, McAllister Towing, one of the oldest and largest marine towing and transportation companies in the U.S., has released its inaugural sustainability report, showcasing efforts to reduce its environmental impact and highlight its social and governance performance. ABS specialists worked with McAllister’s team to provide greenhouse gas inventory and sustainability reporting services, calculating the operational carbon intensity and benchmarking the performance of th...

Maritime UK has launched Version 7 of the Industry Code of Practice for Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems. The accelerating pace of change in maritime autonomy has required updated guidance for those owning and operating Maritime Autonomous Ship Systems (MASS). Whilst not a legal text, the Code has been used by manufacturers, service providers, and others as part of their day-to-day work. Many manufacturers have reported clients requiring compliance with the Code as a basis for contractual negot...

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF), whose founding members include ABS, DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ClassNK, Japan’s Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Norwegian Maritime Authority, and the U.K.’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, welcomed the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) as an associate member, further strengthening MTF’s collaborative approach to advancing safety and sustainability in the maritime industry. Globa...

ABS is working with Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO), a globally renowned offshore support vessel (OSV) operator with nearly 300 vessels, on its decarbonisation journey with greenhouse gas inventory and sustainability reporting services. ABS specialists have been working with the ECO team since 2022 providing a gap analysis for the ECO Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Framework. This led to a full sustainability reporting project i...

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Commission (EC) have announced a second phase of the Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centres Network (GMN) project, to upscale the work of the five regional centres, with a particular emphasis on pilot demonstrations aimed at achieving quantifiable reductions in GHG emissions. IMO Secretary-General - Kitack Lim and representatives of the European Commission (EC) formalized the agreement at IMO Headquarters (on 29 November), d...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply the Cargo Handling Systems (CHS) for four new medium gas carrier vessels, expected to primarily carry ammonia. The 45,000 m3 capacity ships are under construction at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) yard in Korea for UK and Singapore-based Purus. The order was placed by HMD and booked by Wärtsilä in Q4 2023. HMD is a key customer of Wärtsilä in the region’s medium gas carrier market, and the two companies have co...

ClassNK has released "Guidelines for cyber resilience of on-board systems and equipment". The guidelines expound new IACS Unified Requirements (UR). For supporting the consideration of measures to ensure the cybersecurity of ships. IACS has established UR E26 for ships and UR E27 for on-board systems and equipment as minimum requirements for cyber resilience, which is the capability to reduce the occurrence and mitigate the effects of cyber incidents due to cyber-attacks. The URs will be applie...

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a strategic partnership agreement to provide its Fleet Electrification and Systems Integrator Services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the USA. The fully electric vessels will be built for San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. The project, and several others Wärtsilä will work on under this partnership, are a part of t...

As the world moves to a more sustainable future, the need for lower carbon alternative fuels is required to lower GHG emissions. The offshore wind sector is looking to improve their green footprint by supplying vessels that are powered by greener fuel sources such as, batteries, ammonia, methanol and hydrogen. One such revolutionary project dubbed Project Verdant, supported by the UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK and led by Orkney-based Green Marine, is aiming to retrofit a CT...

STC South Africa (STC Group), in collaboration with VSTEP, is launching a maritime simulation training centre in Cape Town, South Africa, in the first quarter of 2024. VSTEP takes great pride in providing STC South Africa with their state-of-the-art simulator, NAUTIS, to assist in provision of cost-effective training solutions across the African continent. Background Story STC SA is proud to partner up with VSTEP to enable learning by simulation on a larger scale in South Africa STC SA is pr...

Almost a thousand children from the Port of València have started their classes with the help of Aportem- Puerto Solidario València. As every year, these last few months have been particularly intense for the association. The campaign for the start of the school year for the children of the Maritime District has meant a total mobilisation of human and economic resources within this association for the promotion of Social Responsibility. Difficulty accessing clothing The campaig...

ABB has secured an order with Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia to supply the Spanish Navy’s forthcoming submarine rescue vessel, Poseidon, with high-performance, DC-based power and distribution. Following the delivery scheduled for 2026, the vessel will be the first of its kind equipped with this system. The ship will be responsible for executing and supporting submarine missions, including diving operations, intervention and rescue in accidents and shipwrecks and underw...

Impala Terminals Group announces that it has agreed, following an auction process, to purchase the HES Hartel Tank Terminal. Impala is a global infrastructure and logistics company. Under the terms of the purchase, Impala will provide additional investment of between 90 and 100 million euro over the next two years to complete the terminal’s construction. The transaction is expected to complete in the coming days. The HES Hartel Tank Terminal, which will be renamed ‘Impala Energy Inf...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply its EnergoFlow and EnergoProFin solutions for ten Bird Class oil and chemical tankers owned by Hafnia – the Singapore head-quartered global tanker operator. The combination of the two Wärtsilä systems ensures an optimised waterflow over and after the propeller, thereby improving propulsion efficiency considerably. Wärtsilä booked the order in October 2023. EnergoFlow, EnergoProFin EnergoFlow is an innovat...

Babcock has been awarded a new contract to provide in-service support to airfield ground support equipment throughout France’s mainland and overseas military bases. The seven-year contract, awarded by the French Ministry of Defence’s Directorate of Aeronautical Maintenance (DMAé), comprises the management and maintenance of a fleet of more than 2,500 pieces of equipment that are critical to airfield operations, and the provision of 1200 spare parts. The contract covers equipm...

Thordon Bearings’ ThorPlas-Blue grease-free bearings won the annual IBJ Environment Protection (Marine) Award 2023 during a gala dinner last night hosted by British comedian Hugh Dennis and International Bulk Journal publisher Ray Girvan. Thordon Bearings was also nominated in the Innovative Technology Award category for the same product. Designed and developed by Thordon, the polymer deck equipment bearings not only eliminate the risk of pollution from greasing systems, but also offer...

Earlier this week, BluGreens, a sustainable seaweed and harvesting small enterprise, successfully installed seaweed on marine assets within Cattewater Harbour. This pilot study, the first of its kind for the Cattewater, aims to examine how marine assets can be repurposed to provide a new farming solution for seaweed whilst also providing additional functionality during the winter months of, potentially dormant, assets such as mooring chains etc. Providing additional functionality Seaweed is...

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, a global pioneer in maritime safety solutions, is launching an innovative range of lifeboats and davits which set new standards for compact and lightweight lifeboat-based evacuation solutions. By challenging traditional lifeboat design, the 40- and 52-person VIKING Norsafe Totally Enclosed Lifeboats (TELB) respond to a rising tide of industry demand for space- and weight-saving boats for typical crew capacities. ‘VNJY’ range of lifeboats Major shipbui...

Babcock has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hanwha Aerospace to offer enhanced capabilities across land, air and sea domains, by bringing together the companies’ combined skills through a collaborative range of products, services and integrated solutions. Under the agreement, which was signed during the President of Korea’s recent visit to the United Kingdom (UK), the companies will work together to pursue global business development opportunities, with an initial fo...

Regional cluster organisation, Mersey Maritime is pleased to announce the appointment of Marketing and Events Apprentice, Phoebe Martin-Jackson. Phoebe brings her creativity and enthusiasm to Mersey Maritime, contributing to the organisation’s commitment to nurturing talent and embracing the digital evolution within the sector. Mersey Maritime hires new Marketing and Events Apprentice As part of Phoebe's apprenticeship, she will be completing her Level 3 and Level 4 Digital Marketing Di...

Oceania Cruises, the world’s renowned culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, announced that its 1,250-passenger ship, Marina, will undergo an all-encompassing refurbishment in May 2024. The refurbishment will include the addition of three new dining options: Aquamar Kitchen, the new wellness-focused dining venue, which debuted on Vista this year; an expanded poolside ice cream parlour serving milkshakes and smoothies, plus inventive flavours from artisan ice cream company - Humphr...

Malta Inc., a pioneer in long duration energy storage (LDES), announces that its German subsidiary was awarded a grant to support a €9-million effort to accelerate the German energy transition. Malta Hochtemperatur Wärmepumpen Stromspeicher GmbH, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Alfa Laval, and Siemens Energy were awarded funding by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) to support Germany’s efforts to achieve Paris Ag...

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India, has ordered 2 × 2 × MAN 12V175D-MEV variable-speed GenSets in connection with the building of two short-sea feeder container ships for global logistics company, Samskip Group, headquartered in Rotterdam. Known as the SeaShuttle project, the vessels will be among the first of their kind globally to be powered by individual 3.2 MW hydrogen fuel-cell-based energy systems. The MAN GenSets will act as...

The completion of the pilot Single Window for Facilitation of Trade (SWiFT) project has been marked with a ceremony to hand over a newly developed generic Maritime Single Window (MSW) platform to the Port of Lobito in Angola. Maritime Single Window platform The new Maritime Single Window digital system allows the electronic submission, through a single online portal, of all information required by various agencies to ensure efficient clearance of ships during port calls.  The handover ce...

International law firm CJC has appointed Charlotte Ward to the role of Head of Marketing. Based in London, Charlotte will lead the firm's marketing, communications, and events functions. She joins the company with more than 13 years of marketing experience in the maritime and shipping industry, having held senior marketing roles with the Bahamas Maritime Authority, Braemar Shipping Services plc, and the BMT Group. Responsibilities Charlotte will be responsible for elevating the firm's brand p...