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Port of Rotterdam tests automation with floating lab

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In order to prepare for the arrival of autonomous navigation, the Port of Rotterdam has converted a patrol vessel into a floating lab that collects data, including about the vessel’s operation and power.

These data will enable further research for the introduction of autonomous navigation and the Port of Rotterdam. The first partnership for data exchange from the floating lab has now been signed with Captain AI. They are adding artificial intelligence to the data, enabling computers to be trained as artificial captains to navigate independently through the port.

In addition, the Port has equipped a former patrol vessel (RPA3), the so-called floating lab, with cameras, sensors and measurement equipment. In this way data can be obtained about weather and water conditions and about the vessel’s operation, power and engine.

The floating lab will also test other applications. The use of cameras will be tested, for example for automatic inspection of quay walls or detection of objects in the water. By combining sensors on the water with land-based sensors, a network and smart infrastructure can be created.

Ronald Paul, Port of Rotterdam Authority COO, commented:"We expect the arrival of autonomous navigation to further increase the safety and accessibility of the Port of Rotterdam and, moreover, it will be an effective aid for skippers and shipping traffic controllers."

Source:safety4sea

US approves ‘Icebreaker’ offshore wind farm in Lake Erie

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US Department of Energy (DOE) proposed to provide funding to Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) to construct and operate a 20.7 MW offshore wind project (Project Icebreaker), approximately 8 miles offshore of Cleveland, Ohio in Lake Erie.

US DOE concluded to this decision after a federal review of the project that spanned more than two years.

Namely, DOE has published a final Environmental Assessment (EA) for Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation's Project Icebreaker, after the review found no significant environmental impacts of the project. Specifically, the report states that the project would not significantly affect migratory birds.

In fact, based on the analysis presented in the final EA, DOE has determined that providing federal funding to Lake Erie Economic Development Corporation in support of Project Icebreaker 'would not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment'.

As a result, DOE also issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed action. An environmental impact statement will not be prepared.

Icebreaker Wind will be a 6 turbine, 20.7 megawatt offshore wind demonstration project 8 miles from downtown Cleveland in Lake Erie. It will be the first freshwater offshore wind project in North America.

Source:safety4sea

Wärtsilä to provide equipment to UK’s largest marine simulation training centre

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Wärtsilä will provide a full scope of marine simulators for a new training facility at Solent University’s Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering, located in Southampton, England. This will be the largest marine simulation training centre in the U.K. The training facility is expected to complete in spring 2019.

The simulator will provide decision support, analysis, and training based on live data received from ships and ports. The Wärtsilä scope includes navigational bridges, engine room, liquid cargo handling, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), and crane operation simulators.

The digital technology used aligns with Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine initiatives, said Joonas Makkonen, Vice President, Voyage Solutions, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

In fact, during the summer, the Finnish technology group announced that it is building the Smart Technology Hub, a new centre of research, product development and production, in Vaskiluoto, Vaasa.

The centre will invite other operators in the sectors and researchers to collaborate. The vision is to create a partners' campus where research and product development take place together with customers and suppliers, start-ups in the sector and universities.

Commenting on the simulator, Syamantak Bhattacharya, Dean of Solent University’s Warsash School of Maritime, Science and Engineering, noted that this centre will play a key role in the school's maritime education, training and research programme.

Source:safety4sea

Port of Hull expands container connections with Antwerp

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British Port of Hull announced a new container service to connect the port with Antwerp, Belgium’s largest port. Global logistics company, Samskip, has opened up the twice-weekly route which will officially arrive at the Port of Hull for the first time on 14 October, with a vessel holding over 500 TEU containers.

Over the year, around 15,000 extra containers are expected to be handled at the Hull Container Terminal. This complements the existing Samskip short sea services, including Hull to Rotterdam 5 times per week and the recent addition of the three times weekly Amsterdam to Hull service.

Associated British Ports' Humber Director, Simon Bird, stated:"It’s fantastic news that Samskip has selected the Port of Hull once again as their premier short-sea departure destination. ABP has continued to drive substantial investments in its Hull Container Terminal, increasing container storage space and acquiring state-of-the-art equipment. We also make continual advancements in training our operational staff to ensure the best possible service."

Last year, ABP invested £14 million to upgrade and expand the Port of Hull’s Container Terminal, which has driven further growth, with three new sailings from Iceland, Amsterdam and Ghent all coming in to Hull as a result.

Last year, the Humber container terminals – Hull and Immingham – grew by 9% in a single year. The growth is, in part, due to the rise in the number of regional distribution centres across the M1/M62 corridor, which already look to the Humber Ports as their gateway to trade.

"With the current Brexit uncertainty, we believe that our spread of dedicated short sea services can offer robust options for companies wanting to de-risk their supply chain in preparing for Brexit,"…added Samskip UK & Ireland Regional Director, Richard Beales.

Meanwhile, in a recent statement, the Port of Antwerp said that it increases continuously traffic flows with the hinterland market in Hungary and Austria and will attempt to further expand the hinterland connections by rail.

Source:safety4sea

 

Seven Key Trends Shaping Maritime Transport

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Seaborne trade expanded by four percent in 2017, the fastest growth in five years, and UNCTAD forecasts similar growth this year, according to its Review of Maritime Transport 2018. Volumes across all segments are set to grow in 2018, with containerized and dry bulk commodities expected to record the fastest growth at the expense of tanker volumes. UNCTAD projects an average annual growth rate in total volumes of 3.8 percent up to 2023.
 
After five years of decelerating growth, 2017 saw a small pick-up in world fleet expansion. During the year, a total of 42 million gross tons were added to global tonnage, equivalent to a 3.3 percent growth rate.
 
UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2018 identifies seven key trends that are currently redefining the maritime transport landscape and shaping the sector’s outlook:

1) Protectionism

On the demand side, the uncertainty arising from wide-ranging geopolitical, economic and trade policy risks as well as some structural shifts, constitutes a drag on maritime trade. An immediate concern are the inward-looking policies and rising protectionist sentiment that could undermine global economic growth, restrict flows and shift trade patterns.

2) Digitalization, e-commerce and the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative

The unfolding effects of technological advances and China’s ambitious reordering of global trade infrastructure will entail important implications for shipping and maritime trade. The Belt and Road Initiative and growing e-commerce have the potential to boost seaborne trade volumes, while the digitalization of maritime transport will help the industry respond to the increased demand with enhanced efficiency. 

3) Excessive new capacity

From the supply-side perspective, overly optimistic carriers competing for market share may order excessive new capacity, leading to worsened shipping market conditions. This, in turn, will upset the supply and demand balance and have repercussions on freight-rate levels and volatility, transport costs as well as earnings.

4) Consolidation

Liner shipping consolidation through mergers and alliances has been on the rise over recent years in response to lower demand levels and oversupplied shipping capacity dominated by mega container vessels. The way this affects competition, and the potential for market power abuse by large shipping lines as well as the related impact on smaller players, remains a concern. 

5) The relationship between ports and container shipping lines

Alliance restructuring, and larger vessel deployment is also redefining the relationship between ports and container shipping lines. Competition authorities and maritime transport regulators should also analyze the impact of market concentration and alliance deployment on the relationship between ports and carriers. Areas of interest span the selection of ports-of-call, the configuration of liner shipping networks, the distribution of costs and benefits between container shipping and ports, and approaches to container terminal concessions. 

6) Scale

The value of shipping can no longer be determined by scale alone. The ability of the sector to leverage relevant technological advances is as increasingly important. 

7) Climate change

Efforts to curb the carbon footprint and improve the environmental performance of international shipping remain high on the international agenda. The initial strategy adopted in April 2018 by the IMO to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions from ships by at least 50 percent by 2050, compared to 2008, is a particularly important development. On the issue of air pollution, the global limit of 0.5 percent on sulfur in fuel oil will come into effect on January 1, 2020. To ensure consistent implementation of the global cap on sulfur, it will be important for shipowners and operators to continue to consider and adopt various strategies, including installing scrubbers and switching to liquefied natural gas and other low-sulfur fuels.

Source:maritime-executive

First Steel Cut for Australia’s Offshore Patrol Vessels

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First steel was cut for the first of Australia’s 12 offshore patrol vessels at Civmec’s facility in Western Australia on Wednesday. The lead vessel is planned to planned to enter service in 2021.

The new vessels will have a displacement of 1,700 tons, length of 80 meters and speed of 22 knots. They will undertake maritime patrol and response duties, and will accommodate up to 60 personnel, including a crew of around 40 Navy personnel. Along with the ability to accept modular mission packs such as unmanned aerial systems, command and communication systems on board will allow the vessels to operate alongside Australian Border Force vessels, other Australian Defence Force units and other regional partners. They will replace Australia’s current Armidale class and Cape class patrol boats, Huon class coastal minehunters and Leeuwin class survey ships.

The vessels will be built in Australia by German shipbuilder, Lürssen's subsidiary, Luerssen Australia partnering with Australian shipbuilder, Civmec in the joint venture, Australian Maritime Shipbuilding & Export Group (AMSEG). The vessels are based on the PV80 design, with the first two vessels to be built at ASC's Osborne shipyard in South Australia before production moves to Civmec's Henderson ship yard in Western Australia. 

The contract with Lürssen to lead the design and build is worth at least A$3 billion ($2.1 billion) for the 12 vessels. The vessels will be delivered by Australian workers, in Australian shipyards using Australian steel. The project will create around 1,000 jobs – 400 direct and a further 600 in the supply chain. 

Source:maritime-executive

Passenger Ships Leading on Environmental Responsibility

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When new maritime rules enter into force, the first to face phase-in are generally passenger ship owners. The scheduling reflects the special pressures these owners come under to uphold safety and protect the environment and, in a market where reputation can mean everything, their greater willingness to change. 

Watchers of merchant shipping are now doubtful that IMO’s 2020 fuel sulfur cap will meet widespread compliance, also asking whether the IMO’s commitment to halve CO2 emissions by 2050 will amount to more than an aspiration. However, for cruise and ferry owners crossing sensitive waters, inaction is not acceptable. Norwegian authorities expect the fjords to be emissions-free by 2026, for example, meaning tourist vessels running on combustion engines will simply have to keep out.

Cruise and ferry owners have been the prime movers in cultivating the design and installation expertise that can build or convert ships for new fuels, retrofit exhaust gas scrubbers or cultivate local emissions-free batteries and fuel cells. 

Specialist consultancy Foreship has recently made a number of moves to address these growing requirements, in line with its claim to have the longest newbuild and conversion reference list in the cruise business. “We are responding to customer requests for new technology and project management services,” says Lauri Haavisto, Foreship Managing Director.  

In September, the company appointed Viktor Gingsjo as Head of Project Management Services – a newly created post reflecting demand for the complexities of this hands-on aspect of the company’s activities to be formalized. Based in Mariehamn, off Finland, he heads a team of consultants focusing on installations based on alternatives to fuel oil, optimized waste heat management systems and other technical retrofit and consultancy services.

Gingsjo transitioned to consultancy after an onboard career in roles up to Chief Engineer at sea and as an owner’s new building superintendent, and his background is surely unusual: he is one of very few who can claim experience on an LNG fueled installation on behalf of the owner (the ship Viking Grace).  

“Once I had been involved in an intriguing project like that, it became difficult to envisage going back to a sailing career,” says Gingsjo. Instead, he moved to a project manager role ashore, working on eight scrubber installations on one cruise vessel and five ROROs, before joining Foreship three years ago. 

Currently, Gingsjo is working on two newbuilding projects for municipal commuter ferries in Finland with a hybrid propulsion solution that includes battery power, where Foreship has been stepping up its knowledge-base in response to customer needs. This is another area where Foreship has established new leadership, bringing in Jan-Erik Räsänen in 2017 as Head of New Technologies, in an appointment to what was also a newly created role. 

Räsänen draws on a 20-year track-record at ABB, which included extensive managerial experience in newbuilding and retrofits, ultimately leading to a position as Head of New Technologies for the group’s Marine Service business. In his new position, his insights have expanded the company’s energy-saving consulting services, as well as positioning it as a central cruise ship resource for expertise in hybrid, battery and fuel cell technologies.  

Batteries are already in use as main propulsion on a number of end-to-end ferries and as auxiliary power for hybrid propulsion solutions. “The basic technologies we have in our hands today will be around for the coming five to 10 years,” says Räsänen. “However, costs are likely to fall, and energy density to increase over the next two to three years. This is a decisive moment for alternative energy sources in shipping.”

The situation concerning fuel cells is more nebulous, with Räsänen saying that he is aware of numerous projects and up to three different technologies that promise viability. 

Foreship also recently strengthened its offering to the distinct set of cruise and ferry owners based along the West Coast of North America by transferring company co-founder Marcus Höglund to its Seattle office. In the newly created post, Head of Operations North America, Foreship LLC, he leads a team comprised of existing staff in Seattle and Fort Lauderdale offices. 

“Owners throughout the cruise industry know Foreship well, but they may not be so aware of our latest work on operability analysis, energy saving, fuel consumption optimization and waste heat recovery, let alone LNG, battery power and fuel cells,” says Höglund. “With ship emissions under scrutiny as never before, cruise and ferry owners are taking responsibility for seeking efficiencies wherever they can, and it is our job to ensure that they find them.”

Source:maritime-executive

Stena Line expands traffic to Denmark from the Port of Gothenburg

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A new ferry has been introduced on the Denmark route, departing from Masthuggskajen in Gothenburg. The latest addition, Stena Vinga, will together with Stena Danica and Stena Jutlandica operate on the Stena Line route between Gothenburg and Frederikshavn. Stena Vinga replaces Stena Gothica, which previously departed from the Stena terminal at Majnabbehamnen, the company said in its press release.

Stena Line ferries have been a familiar sight in Gothenburg for decades, and the people of the city are about to see even more of them. On Sunday, yet another vessel was introduced on the Gothenburg-Frederikshavn route.

The newcomer, Stena Vinga, replaces Stena Gothica, which previously operated on the same route although from Majnabbehamnen. The three ferries now sailing between Masthuggskajen and Frederikshavn are Stena Danica, Stena Jutlandica and Stena Vinga.

In addition to carrying trucks and trailers, as was the case with Stena Gothica, Stena Vinga will also carry cars and passengers. With its increased capacity, Stena Vinga will become an integral part of the Stena Line growth strategy for traffic between Sweden and Denmark.

Stena Gothica will be redeployed to the Baltic Sea and the Travemünde-Liepaja route between Germany and Latvia, where she will operate alongside her sister ship M/V Urd.

Fact file: Stena Vinga
Built: 2005
Length: 130 metres
Beam: 23 metres
Draught: 5.6 metres
Capacity: 200 vehicles, 400 passengers, 1,538 linear metres

Source:portnews

Drewry: 2020 sulphur cap reveals concerns about fuel cost transparency

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According to a survey conducted by Drewry, there is a significant concern among global shippers/BCOs (Beneficial Cargo Owners) and freight forwarders ahead of the IMO’s 2020 global emissions regulations, which will enter into force on 1 January 2020.

Particular concern was expressed about carriers’ methods of fuel cost recovery with 56% stating that they did not consider their service providers’ existing approaches as either fair or transparent.

In addition, 4 in every 5 of the shippers/BCOs participating in the survey stated that they had yet to receive clarity from their providers regarding the future fuel costs.

However, despite the significance of the change, 33% of respondents admitted to having poor or very poor awareness and understanding of the new regulation.

Philip Damas, Head of Drewry Supply Chain Advisors, highlighted:"Given the scale of the extra costs triggered by the new regulation and the carriers’ expectations that their pricing and fuel charge mechanism with customers must be restructured, there is a need for carriers to address the transparency concerns expressed by their customers."

In order to mitigate some of these problems, Drewry is working on an IMO low-sulphur rule ‘cost impact tool’ based on robust market data. Fuel surcharges are one of the largest components of container freight costs and, according to Drewry Benchmarking Club data, typically average $150/teu on the major routes from Asia today.

In summary, Drewry's survey found the following:

Poor awareness and understanding

  • 33% of respondents expressed poor awareness and understanding of the new regulation.
  • More than half of all respondents had not received formal guidance on the pending changes from either the IMO or their national administration/transport ministry

Lack of preparation

  • 52% feel either ‘not prepared’ or ‘not at all prepared’ for the impact of the new IMO emissions regulations.
  • Only 14% of respondents have conducted an impact assessment, only 1 in 10 of shippers (importers/exporters) responding to the survey have conducted such an assessment

Cost impact concerns and considerable uncertainty

22% of all respondents believe the cost impact to their organisation from the new regulation will be either significant (16%) or extremely significant (6%)

Lack of transparency in fuel cost recovery methods

  • 56% do not believe the current methods of fuel cost recovery are sufficiently fair and transparent
  • 76% of respondents had not received clarification or information from their provider as to how they intend covering potential cost increases from the regulation.
  • 4 in every 5 of the shipper/BCO respondents had not received such clarity from their providers.

Source:safety4sea

Berlin boosts clean power sales

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Germany’s coalition government has agreed to pass a law later this month to allow auctioning of an additional 4GW each of onshore wind and solar power, and an as yet unspecified volume of offshore wind capacity.

According to a statement issued by the leaders of the coalition government, the auctions should be “effective” in equal shares in 2019 and 2020.

The extra clean power capacity will help the country save between 8 million and 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

The coalition further agreed that the share of renewable energy in Germany’s electricity mix should rise to 65% by 2030, from around 36% in the first half of 2018.

Industry groups have been calling for an auction of at least 1.6 GW of additional offshore wind capacity.

In the German North Sea, there is about 660MW of unused grid capacity available at the 900MW DolWin 6 grid hub, while one additional 750-900MW grid hub could go live in the German part of the Baltic Sea up to 2025, TSO 50Hertz has said.

Source:renews

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