0.9 C
New York
Home Blog Page 1317

How to survive in the automation skills market

By
-
0

Work landscape is shifting from human-centric to machine-centric in almos every industry, as long as disruptive technologies are changing the world. Are robots, therefore, poised to replace workers in 2020 and beyond? And if yes, which is the skillset needed to take advantage of that shifting landscape of work?

According to a recent PwC research, new technologies threaten around 40% of existing US jobs, and two-thirds of jobs in the developing world. 

8 Skills to survive the automation skills market 

  1. AI/Machine Learning: Statistical modelling/computer science background, experience in creating models using R or Python. R and Python; the two most popular programming languages used by data analysts and data scientists. A LinkedIn report finds AI skills among the fastest-growing on LinkedIn. Specifically, the number of LinkedIn members adding expertise in areas like neural networks, deep learning, and machine learning increased 190% from 2015-2017. 
  2. RPA (robotic process automation) skills: Experience with any of the popular RPA vendors such as Automation Anywhere, UIPath. RPA takes away mainly physical tasks that don’t need knowledge, understanding, or insight—the tasks that can be done by codifying rules and instructing the computer or the software to act.  
  3. Cloud: Experience in developing applications on the cloud (AWS/google/Azure)  
  4. Vendor Tools & Products: Development or implementation of vendor tools that clients currently use or are talking about (e.g. Mantas, Actimize, SAS, FircoSoft, Pega, Salesforce etc.) 
  5. Management Analysis: Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and potential processes. Robots may acquire analytical and mathematical skills, but leadership and managerial roles cannot be replaced by them; they require human skills.
  6. Complex Problem Solvingand Creativity: According to the World Economic Forum, the ability to see relationships between industries and craft creative solutions to problems that are yet to appear is of high importance. 
  7. Emotional Intelligence: The ability to monitor one's own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior. Emotional intelligence also reflects abilities to join intelligence, empathy and emotions to enhance thought and understanding of interpersonal dynamics. This ability will be essential for hiring the managements of the future. 
  8. Cognitive Flexibility:The ability to switch between different personas to accommodate the emerging challenges.  

Automation offers an abundance of opportunities for people to learn new skills. To benefit and thrive in this era, individuals must be open to possibilities and cultivate the ability to not only accept but also embrace change. 

"If someone gives you an amazing opportunity and you are not sure you can do it, say yes and then learn how to do it later!"- Richard Branson

Source:safety4sea

U.S. inland port city seeks better trade relations with China

By
-
0

Laredo, one of the largest inland ports of the United States, is seeking a stronger trade relationship with China, an official said.

The two-day annual North American Logistic & Manufacturing Symposium closed Thursday in Laredo, a city built up along the border between the United States and Mexico.

At the symposium, Olivia Varela, president and CEO of Laredo Economic Development Corporation, told Xinhua that China is one of the major trading partners of Laredo with the top trading commodities being electronics, textiles and automotive parts.

“One of our major trading partners is China, last year with a 5 percent increase in trade coming in from China into the United States through this port of entry. So we considered China one of our strongest trading partners that is critical to this region.”

Imports and exports worth more than 557 billion U.S. dollars passed through the city in 2017, according to the Laredo Economic Development Corporation. Mexico was the top trading partner of all those goods, and China was the second.

Commenting on the ongoing trade frictions between the United States and China, Varela said she hoped those issues would be resolved as soon as possible.

“We fully expect that once all of these issues are resolved, we will have a much strong relationship and anything that is currently being put on hold will just continue to move forward. We have a very positive outlook for once this is all resolved that we’re going to see probably a much more significant growth than that 5 percent in our trade,” she said.

With the theme of “Supply Chains in the New Global Reality,” this year’s symposium focused on the impact of the rapidly changing political climate on international trade, transportation, and manufacturing sectors in the short and long term.

Around 200 politicians, businessmen and scholars from the United States, Mexico and Canada attended the two-day symposium.

Source:hellenicshippingnews

Babcock ecoSMRT receives LR acknowledgement for ship application

By
-
0

Babcock International has been recognised by LR in completing a critical step towards achieving the LR General Approval for an LNG ship for its innovative ecoSMRT® single mixed refrigeration reliquefaction technology.

Receiving LR Risk Based Design (RBD) process approval at Gastech 2018 in Barcelona, ecoSMRT® has successfully completed extensive hazard identification (HAZID) and hazard and operability study (HAZOP). This certification provides endorsement that Babcock’s ecoSMRT® technology has been developed to the high standards required by LR. RBD is in the final stage of review and certification for equipment ahead of receiving LR General Approval for Ship Application (GApp).

ecoSMRT®, Babcock’s disruptive technology for the LNG sector, delivers significant cost and footprint savings for its global customers in addition to environmental benefits and waste reduction. The system is designed to handle increased volumes of boil off gas (BOG) through a single compressor without the need for external pre-cooling.

Neale Campbell, Babcock LGE Managing Director, said: “Our RBD approval by Lloyd’s Register highlights Babcock’s innovation within the liquefied gas market and ecoSMRT® is a shining example that we are trusted to deliver. We are delighted that this technology has progressed from AiP to design maturity in just 17 months and we look forward to being fully GApp accredited.”

Jose Navarro, LR Global Gas Technology Principal Specialist – Marine & Offshore, said: “Through our Risk Based Design (RBD) appraisal, the engineering solution of Babcock’s ecoSMRT® reliquefaction system has demonstrated its safety, robustness and compliance towards the LR General Approval. Its application onboard LNG Carriers provides an efficient environmental benefit by reducing CO2 and methane emissions.”

Babcock provides a range of liquefied gas solutions to its global customers including ecoSMRT®, Vent Gas Cooler (VGC™), FGSV0™ and SuperCooler™.

Source:hellenicshippingnews

LNG shipping rates spike with no respite seen through 2019

By
-
0

The price of shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) has spiked in September and is likely to remain high next year, buoyed by rising production from new plants and concerns that demand for LNG vessels will outpace supply.

The rate for vessels shipping LNG from the Atlantic Basin to Asia has jumped to $90,000 to $95,000 a day this week from $75,000 a day at the end of August, brokers and traders said.

Rates, which broadly hovered around $30,000 to $40,000 a day from 2015 to 2017, have risen due to longer distances covered to transport LNG from new terminals in the United States and Arctic Russia, surging demand in China and a limited number of ships.

Rates have hit “the highest levels since the last bull market of 2012 … elevating the starting point for another anticipated winter market rally and the next cyclical upturn,” said Jonathan Chappell, analyst with Evercore ISI.

Shipping firms see little sign of them slipping soon, predicting high rates for 2019 or longer, during their earnings calls this month.

Hoegh LNG Chief Executive Sveinung Stohle told investors and analysts he expected rates to “increase on the levels where they are, certainly, for the next two to three years”.

Strong LNG demand has helped drive the shipping rate rise. Japanese and South Korean utilities having been stocking up on LNG for winter, driving prices to a seasonal four-year high. Demand was stronger than usual after a summer heatwave meant reserves were drawn down to power extra air-conditioning.

Despite this week’s pause, Asian buyers are expected to return as the northern hemisphere winter sets in.

This increasing demand for LNG has compounded already rising shipping rates, partly driven by the ramping up of exports at Novatek’s Yamal LNG terminal and at U.S. LNG terminals.

Deliveries of LNG from the Northern Russian Yamal facilities have created extra demand on ships because Arctic-class vessels lifting cargoes transfer the LNG to conventional carriers in Europe for onward journeys.

Deliveries from U.S. terminals to Asia pass through the Panama Canal, taking longer than cargoes from second largest producer in the world, Australia.

Wood Mackenzie estimates it takes 1.9 ships to carry 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG from the U.S. Gulf to Japan compared to 0.7 ships from Australia.

These factors have prompted many shippers to book ships on multi-month or multi-year charters, locking in rates before they rise but cutting the availability of vessels for others.

“If you’re at $85,000 now (for shipping day rates), you could easily see $115,000 to $120,000 in the winter,” said Jefferies energy shipping analyst Randy Giveans.

SHIP DEFICIT
Underpinning the rates is a worry there may not be enough ships in coming years to match rising output, including from U.S. terminals, which are expected to add 84 mtpa by 2023, turning the country into the world’s second largest exporter.

Iain Ross, the chief executive of LNG shipping company Golar LNG, said this month the forecast of a 23 percent rise in LNG production over two years would require 100 extra vessels. But only 66 were scheduled to be delivered in time, he said.

“It’s no longer possible to go out today and order a vessel for delivery before 2021,” he said. “It seems to us (there is) a structural change in the sector that will (be) driving demand.”

But Wood Mackenzie said shipping firms should be wary of ordering too many more vessels now because of the potential for a glut of LNG at some point between 2020 and 2025, as new projects coming onstream may find there are not enough buyers.

“If (ship) ordering activity continues at recent levels there is a high danger that it will be too much too soon,” said Andrew Buckland, Wood Mackenzie’s LNG and shipping analyst.

Source:hellenicshippingnews

Shell Drives Down Deepwater Costs Through Collaboration, Digitalization

By
-
0

As Shell embarks on a journey toward an energy transition, the company is working to keep costs low while embracing digitalization and collaboration.

Continued improvement through upcycles is needed for future success, according to the company.

Despite some recent divestments in Norway and the U.K., where the North Sea is the heartland of Shell’s operations, the company still has interests in 50 fields, 30 production platforms, two FPSOs and 30 subsea installations.

“We have had some tough years, but I’m pleased to say that there are new FIDs [final investment decisions] here,” said Andrew Brown, upstream director for Shell.

Source:epmag

Port Of Antwerp Presents Smart Port Of The Future At Supernova

By
-
0

The port of the future is a smart port. During Supernova, the festival of the future is held in the Eilandje docklands neighbourhood from 27 to 30 September, the port of Antwerp is presenting its vision and its current innovative projects.

For the occasion, Antwerp Port Authority has built a spectacular floating pavilion in the middle of the Bonaparte dock where visitors can discover the port of the future. In the meantime, the latest technological developments will be on display in the MAS Port Pavilion, while the Echodrone autonomous sounding boat will be driving itself around in the Bonaparte dock.

Futuristic water pavilion

What will the port of the future look like? Digitisation and technological innovation will certainly play a leading role. At the Supernova festival of the future dedicated to the world of tomorrow, the port of Antwerp gives visitors a sneak preview and lets them become acquainted with the latest technological developments and surprises. The futuristic water pavilion on a pontoon in the middle of the Bonaparte dock can accommodate up to 350 visitors at a time for an astonishing 360° surround-screen projection featuring the port of tomorrow.

“Technological innovation is essential in order to collaborate ever more effectively, safely and efficiently, and to make the port platform more sustainable, as the main engine of the Belgian economy. Permanent innovation is the lever we need for further growth in employment and added value for the entire region. It will, at the same time, provide solutions for dealing with climate challenges.”, says Port Authority CEO Jacques Vandermeiren.

Watch the making of the spectacular water pavilion in this time-lapse video

MAS Port Pavilion is an innovation hub

One of the developments that are fast becoming a reality concerns self-steering, self-navigating vessels. At Supernova there will be demonstrations with the “Echodrone,” a fully autonomous sounding boat that uses unique, innovative cloud technology. For the occasion, the MAS Port Pavilion will be transformed into an “innovation hub” where the latest practical developments and innovations in the port will be presented.

Smart port with a digital nervous system

“Our 360° surround-screen video presentation in the Water Pavilion is more than just an inspirational vision of the future,” says Erwin Verstraelen, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at Antwerp Port Authority. “On the contrary, many of these developments are already up and running. Our ultimate ambition is to have a digital nervous system covering the entire port so that we can constantly be aware of what is happening and take immediate action in real time. By demonstrating practical, on-the-ground examples at Supernova we want to show the outside world how we are playing a pioneering role in innovation and digitisation.”

Source:marineinsight

TGE Marine Gas Engineering Signs Contract For One Of The World’s First Small Scale LNG-FSRU

By
-
0

End of July, TGE Marine Gas Engineering signed the contract for one of the world’s first floating storage and regasification units (FSRU) for the design and supply of the cargo handling system and tank material package with Jiangnan Shipyard group.

The 28,000 m3 capacity barge type FRU was ordered by TEMA LNG which is backed by Helios Investment from London and shall be located in Ghana.

In close co-operation with the owner and the shipyard, TGE Marine has participated in the development of this new flexible design working in parallel with a larger floating storage unit (FSU). The barge is a 2 tank version with an individual cylindrical tank size of 14,000 m3 . Five modular compact regas skids will provide a peak send-out rate of 335 t/h or approx. 2,9 mio. tons per year at a send-out pressure of 65 bar.

TGE Marine has worked for quite some years on several concepts for small scale LNG regas units for island supply or areas which have no pipeline access. With more than 20 large LNG-FSRU’s in service, TGE considers this order as a breakthrough for the small scale LNG market especially for the supply of natural gas for power plants.

Source:marineinsight

 

Pipelay vessel to become Subsea 7’s bright star

By
-
0

Once delivered, Royal IHC’s Seven Vega will become Subsea 7’s first vessel equipped with a pipelay system

Scheduled for delivery from Royal IHC in early 2020, Seven Vega is the ninth to be designed, engineered and built by the Dutch shipyard for Sutton, UK-based Subsea 7. However, it is the first Subsea 7 vessel to be equipped with a pipelay system, also designed, engineered and built by Royal IHC.

Royal IHC is aiming to provide a relatively compact vessel, facilitated by the positioning of the three enginerooms and main reel, efficient use of the vessel’s superstructure and a low-profile pipelay ramp. The vessel will measure 149.2 m, have a breadth of 33 m, a draught of 8.3 m and dwt of 10,900.

Dynamic positioning (DP) capability is provided by Kongsberg, giving the vessel a class of DP3. This includes three differential GPS units, two high-precision acoustic positioning units, a taut-wire sensor, a hydroacoustic position reference system and a RADius relative position reference system.

It will have six engines in total, with three 3,500 kW units and three 4,000 kW units. Propulsion comes in the form of a package from Wärtsilä comprising three 3,200 kW stern-mounted azimuth thrusters, two 2,400 kW retractable bow-mounted azimuth thrusters and two 2,200 kW bow-mounted tunnel thrusters. Hyundai will provide the main diesel generator sets. The vessel will have a service speed of approximately 13 knots and a maximum bollard pull of 100 tonnes in DP3 failure mode.

The vessel will be fitted with two permanently installed side-launching work-class Perry XLX-EVO ROV systems, from Houston, Texas-based Forum energy Technologies, rated to operate in depths down to 3,000 m. The XLX-EVO is a fully integrated survey system capable of interfacing with all modern survey equipment, including sub-bottom profilers and multibeam sonars.

Rotterdam-based Croonwolter&dros and Sliedrecht-based Bakker Sliedrecht have been contracted to produce and fit the integrated electrical and nautical systems for the vessel, with Croonwolter&dros focusing on the low-voltage installations and Bakker Sliedrecht focusing on high-voltage installations and drive systems. The scope of the contract includes three 6.6 kv main switchboards, three 440 v auxiliary switchboards, seven water-cooled electrical drive systems for the thruster system, motors for the thruster system, DP design in accordance with Lloyds AAA notation requirements, alarm, monitoring and control systems, navigation and communication equipment, main power supply for all mission equipment, complete lighting installation and complete cable installation and connection.

This contract marks the ninth occasion on which Subsea 7 has opted to use Croonwolter&dros and Bakker Sliedricht for electrical installations, with all of the vessels having been designed and built by Royal IHC.

Main lifting capacity comes from a 250-tonne active-heave compensated crane, to be manufactured and installed by Huisman. Alongside this, the vessel will be fitted with an active-heave compensated auxiliary crane with a 50-tonne capacity, another auxiliary crane with a 15-tonne capacity and a ramp-top crane with a 20-tonne capacity. All auxiliary cranes, as well as the main crane’s whipline, are certified for man-riding operations.

Due to the positioning of the enginerooms, main reel and superstructure space usage, the vessel has a large main deck of approximately 800 m2, with a strength of 10 tonnes per m2.

Storage tanks can hold 2,900 m3 of marine gasoil, 725 m3 of potable water, 3,900 m3 of ballast water, 1,680 m3of fresh water and 1,200 m3 of heeling/stabiliser tank capacity.

To carry out pipelaying duties, the vessel will be fitted with two reels. The main reel has a maximum storage capacity of 5,600 tonnes and will be capable of stowing products ranging from 4” to 20” in diameter. The secondary reel has a storage capacity of 1,600 tonnes. The upper tensioner has a 162-tonne capacity, the lower tensioner a 318-tonne capacity and the back tension is 130 tonnes, making for a total maximum dynamic top tension of 600 tonnes.

The vessel is also fitted with two 325-tonne abandonment and recovery winches, which can be used in a combined mode to recover a catenary weight of 650 tonnes. Other features include a ramp angle of 45-95°, capability for piggyback direct electric heating and rigid systems, flexible pipe top tension of 210 tonnes, a 21 m aligner diameter, a 75-tonne spooling-on tensioner, a twin-level workstation and 14” by 18” pipe-in-pipe straightening capability. The system will also be able to deploy pipeline end terminals measuring 5 m by 5 m by 10 m.

The reel-lay system is designed to focus on operational efficiency, flexibility and crew safety. The twin-tensioner pipelay ramp’s tilt allows installation to range from shallow waters to depths of up to 3,000 m. The multi-level workstation makes for more efficient operations in and around the firing line, and the auxiliary reel, which is fixed into a recess in the main deck, allows for payload flexibility.

Provision is made to accommodate 120 people, with four suites, 42 single cabins and 37 double cabins. Seven Vega’s helideck will be approved for usage by Airbus Helicopters’ H225 Super Puma and Sikorsky’s S61N, S76 and S92 helicopters. It will incorporate a Kongsberg HMS 100 helideck monitoring system, which analyses helideck motion during landing operations to increase safety in rough weather, tracking helideck attitude and vertical velocity, wind speed and direction, air temperature and barometric pressure.

Lloyd’s Register has been chosen as the vessel’s classification society and has awarded notations including crew accommodation comfort of CAC(3), Winterisation H and D, covering materials for hull construction and direct design of -30, and an Ice Class of 1D. It also holds the ECO notation, meaning that its construction and operation exceed current statutory environmental requirements in the maritime sector.

It will be compliant with IMO’s Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships, which recommends design criteria, construction standards and other safety measures for so-called special purpose vessels, ie vessels that carry more than 12 persons in addition to the crew, that are not passenger craft, and exceed 500 gt.

The signing of the Letter of Intent for the vessel was announced in September 2017, with Royal IHC the likely builder. At the time, Subsea 7 chief executive Jean Cahuzac explained the decision to order the new vessel saying: “We are committed to having the right fleet size and specification to meet the needs of our clients. We achieve this through a combination of owned high-specification vessels and leased vessels, having strict regard to capital discipline. We have removed three owned vessels from our fleet during the last two years and will continue to actively manage our fleet composition.”

“The expected gradual recovery of market activity and application of new cost-effective technology supports this investment decision, which will enable Subsea 7 to participate in new prospects that are already visible in the market.”

New standards in offshore pipelay

Royal IHC was formally contracted to design, engineer and construct the vessel in October 2017, with Royal IHC chief executive Dave Vander Heyde saying at the time: “We are very proud of the confidence that Subsea 7 has placed in IHC. Our integrated approach to vessel design will give Subsea 7 an industry-leading asset that sets a new standard in offshore pipelay. Based on the ratio between top pipe tension and payload to displacement, this will be one of the most cost-effective vessels to enter the market.”

In February 2018 it was announced model testing for resistance and propulsion, along with seakeeping performance validation, had been successfully completed at the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands

In July this year, the keel-laying ceremony took place at Royal IHC’s Krimpen aan den Ijssel yard in the Netherlands. Speaking at the ceremony, Subsea 7 vice president of strategy and commercial Stuart Fitzgerald said: “The vessel marks an important investment for the future. When delivered, Seven Vega will be one of the most capable and cost-effective reel-lay vessels in the market and a global enabler for Subsea 7. It has been designed to deliver economical technologies that address the growing market trend towards longer tie-back developments.”

“The vessel’s cutting-edge pipelay system focuses on crew safety, operational efficiency and flexibility. This system will be capable of installing complex rigid flowlines, including pipe-in-pipe systems and electrically heat-traced flowlines in water depths up to 3000 m.”

The first three sections of the vessel to be built will make up the lowest part of the main reel recess and one of the three enginerooms.

At the same time, the new vessel’s name, Seven Vega, was announced. The name was provided by a Subsea 7 employee, who competed with 1,700 of his colleagues for the honour. Mr Fitzgerald said: “It was important for us to involve our employees in the journey of our newbuild vessel.”

“We chose Seven Vega because Vega is one of the brightest stars in the northern sky and will become the North Star in the future. We look forward to welcoming the winner of the competition to the naming ceremony and to Seven Vega joining the fleet in the first half of 2020.”

Mr Vander Heyde added: “We are proud to have reached this important milestone for the fully integrated reel-lay vessel. We think the name suits this prestigious vessel and are looking forward to progressing the building process and seeing Seven Vega taking shape on the slipway.”

Source:osjonline

Point Resources contracts Simon Møkster PSV

By
-
0

Simon Møkster Shipping-owned PSV Stril Luna has been chartered by Point Resources for one year.

The vessel will replace Strilmøy, another Simon Møkster PSV, which has provided ERRV and logistics services to Point Resources for nearly 13 years.

Capable of carrying out supply, rescue and service duties, Stril Luna was built in 2014 by Spanish yard Astilleros Gondan to a Rolls-Royce Marine UT 776 WP design. It holds a Clean (Design) notation from DNV GL, has an Ice class of 1C and a dynamic positioning class of DP2.

The vessel measures 9.8 m in length by 20 m in breadth and has a dwt of 5,000. Powered by four Bergen diesel 1,843-kW main generators and a 600-kW harbour auxiliary generator, its Rolls-Royce Marine propulsion system comprises two Azipull 120 2,500-kW azimuth thrusters aft, one swing-up 800-kW TCNS thruster forward and two 883-kW forward-mounted TT  tunnel thrusters. It has accommodation for 25 people, including a hospital, and is arranged and equipped for 150 survivors when providing rescue services in accordance with Norwegian Maritime Directorate rules.

Point Resources is in the process of merging with Eni Norge, with the merged entity to be known as Vår Energi.

Source:osjonline

K Line to use various measures to comply with 2020 sulphur cap

By
-
0

In its report for 2018, K Line describes its plan to comply with the 2020 sulphur cap regulation. The company said that it will proceed by a ship-by-ship basis, as it plans to use a range of compliance methods.

As K Line specifically said in the report:"We will use low-sulfur fuel, install SOX removal equipment, convert fuel to LNG and otherwise proceed with optimal measures on a ship-by-ship basis."

Currently, rules regarding sulphur concentration in marine fuel are attracting particular attention, and there are various way to comply with them, the company noted. These methods include the use of low-sulfur fuel oil, installation of scrubbers and conversion to LNG and other alternative fuels.

We will proceed on a ship-by-ship basis, aware that we cannot limit ourselves to one particular measure. In April 2018, the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions including CO2 emissions from international shipping were decided, then the concrete measures to achieve will be discussed.

In addition, K Line mentioned that implementing environmental measures will entail large costs, 'but it is important to take action without delay by sharing the burden fairly among beneficiaries'.

Source:safety4sea

1...1,3161,3171,318...1,329Page 1,317 of 1,329
Premium Content

© 2025 SeaWanderer. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Maritime.Studio