Salamanca uses Wärtsilä’s SPECS camera system for more efficient operations

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August 10, 2022

Wärtsilä Voyage, part of the technology group Wärtsilä, announces that its Smart Panoramic Edge Camera System (SPECS) will be used by Brittany Ferries to improve the safety and efficiency of its passenger ferry operations.

SPECS will be first installed onboard the Salamanca – the 214.5 metre, 1015 passenger ferry which started operations between Portsmouth and Bilbao in March 2022.

Navigating busy ports and berthing are two of the most challenging aspects of ferry operations. Increased vessel size, introduced in line with ‘safe return to port’ regulations, and challenging weather conditions mean the margin for error during these manoeuvres is tiny.

The SPECS super-wide cameras will give the crew a 360° view, from the edge of the hull to the horizon, streamed directly to the bridge in real-time. Live distance indications to objects around the vessel reduce risks of a collision, protecting passengers, crew and the ferry, while improved visibility helps captains navigate rough seas.

With busy schedules to keep, minutes used manoeuvring on each side of a voyage can also quickly increase costs. The efficiencies achieved thanks to the assistance of the SPECS system can maximise trading time and minimise fuel consumption. By saving fuel, Brittany Ferries is also reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, advancing the company’s sustainability strategy.

Arnaud Le Poulichet, Director of Engineering and Maintenance, Brittany Ferries said:

“When the captain is confident in manoeuvring it improves safety, saves time and fuel. This clear and strong return on investment makes adopting SPECS an obvious decision. But there is more to embracing digitalisation. Using the latest technology also plays an important role in attracting high-quality crew. By having innovative technology onboard, we make seafaring attractive to a new generation of seafarers – who we must engage in the industry.”

Sasha Heriot, Head of Product, Assistance Systems, Wärtsilä Voyage commented:

“SPECS will help the crew of the Salamanca augment their situational awareness whilst also enabling Brittany Ferries to improve operational safety and efficiency. The company’s proactivity in adopting cutting-edge technology is impressive and will ensure it remains one of the leading cross-channel ferry operators.

ZeroNorth platform to be deployed across X-Press Feeders’ vessels

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August 10, 2022

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Technology company ZeroNorth has signed a new deal with global common carrier X-Press Feeders to deploy the ZeroNorth platform across the carrier’s entire fleet of feeder vessels, the companies have announced today.

The terms of the deal will see the ZeroNorth platform and its suite of vessel, voyage and CII optimisation services used across X-Press Feeders’ more than 100 vessels to improve earnings, bolster decision-making and significantly contribute to the company’s decarbonisation strategy.

Partnering with ZeroNorth will enable X-Press Feeders to benefit from increased transparency and reduced workload across its sea and shore operations, powering up decision-making with actionable insights that will improve profitability and sustainability in tandem with each other.

The partnership will help to propel the continued decarbonisation of X-Press Feeders’ operations. The company has committed to zero emissions by 2050, with a ramping efficiency improvement target through to 2035. ZeroNorth’s platform improves efficiency by providing a clear indicator of vessel and fleet performance and uses a huge repository of data and fuel models to make recommendations on how to cut emissions and maximise CII ratings.

The platform uses vessel and fleet data, combined with the industry’s most authoritative data on market rates, weather, bunker price and availability to make its recommendations. Critically, the depth of ZeroNorth’s vessel data and fuel models allow the platform to make realistic recommendations based on actual conditions a vessel is facing at sea, considerably powering up decision-making for users.

Given the critical role that feeder shipping plays in containerised trade and the global supply chain, any potential optimisation to vessels and voyages is particularly relevant. Feeder vessels often operate on tightly organised routes with strict requirements on arrival times; arrival times that are currently under threat from port congestion and disruption. These challenges and complexities mean that data-based solutions are one of the best near-term ways for the segment to identify areas for improvement in its operations.

Speaking on the announcement, Jesper Bo Hansen, Chief Revenue Office at ZeroNorth, said:

“The feeder container segment plays an absolutely integral role in global trade, and we are delighted to be able to partner with a recognised leader like X-Press Feeders to help propel their decarbonisation strategy and improve profitability across their fleet.”

Alex Hartnoll, Business Transformation, X-Press Feeders, added:

“Decarbonisation and the reduction of GHG emissions from our operations are key strategic pillars for X-Press Feeders, and we are focused on improving the efficiency of our fleet through a variety of operational and technical initiatives. ZeroNorth and its industry-leading platform of technology solutions are an obvious fit for our commercial and environmental strategy because they offer a well-rounded solution that provides tangible and actionable insights to our shoreside staff and crew.

“Collaboration is integral if we – and the industry as a whole – are to meet our goals. ZeroNorth is a recognised and leading brand that is driving maritime sustainability forward and partnering with them is a real signal of ambition to the market. We are looking forward to working with their team to achieve our target and who we know are passionate about our goals of greater fleet transparency, better vessel performance and lower GHG emissions.”

QatarEnergy awards McDermott FEED contract for the NFS offshore pipelines project

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August 10, 2022

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McDermott International has been awarded a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract by QatarEnergy for the North Field South (NFS) Offshore Pipelines and Power/FO cables Project. The new contract is in addition to the awards received by McDermott this year for the NFS Jackets and Topsides and Pipelines for the North Field Expansion Project (NFXP).

The NFS infrastructure is part of the NFXP development and is designed to supply feed gas for two additional LNG trains and help increase total LNG production in the State of Qatar from the current 77 million tons per annum (MTPA) to 126 MTPA.

Tareq Kawash, McDermott’s Senior Vice President, Offshore Middle East, said:

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with QatarEnergy to contribute to the development of this strategic offshore development.”

Neil Gunnion, McDermott Qatar Country Manager and Vice President Operations, said:

“McDermott has decades of experience delivering projects in Qatar, a historically strategic market, and is significantly increasing localization efforts with the Tawteen In-Country Value (ICV) program. McDermott is uniquely positioned to combine its EPC expertise with FEED and ensure that our design is practical, safe, and commercially viable.”

The scope of the contract comprises developing FEED studies for offshore and onshore pipelines, cables, and associated facilities. The project will be managed from the McDermott Doha office with support from Chennai.

BMSG implements MarTrust’s E-Wallet solution to pay their seafarers

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August 10, 2022

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Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar has chosen MarTrust’s E-Wallet solution to digitally transform the way it manages crew payments. Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar is the manning affiliate of the Bourbon Group, one of the world’s leading offshore marine services companies.

MarTrust’s E-Wallet and pre-paid card optimises the payment process for ship owners and operators, enabling crews to receive funds quicker compared to traditional banking routes, and provides them with complete control of their funds and online purchases, with reduced risk and lower transaction costs. They also have the ability to quickly transfer money to anyone at any time, meaning they can send much-needed financial support to their families.

Commenting on the development, Suraj Maharaj, Managing Director, Bourbon Marine Services Greenmar, said:

“We recently introduced an attractive pension scheme for our seafarers, as well as a digital signature platform for employment agreements, and now the E-Wallet is the latest digital development to ensure that they receive their wages safely and securely, and with the freedom and ability to do with it what they choose.”

The E-Wallet can be accessed anywhere and at any time online or via a mobile app. From there, funds can be transferred directly to crew to pay whatever is required, be it salaries, bonuses, overtime or cash advances. The E-Wallet and card also reduce the need for seafarers to manage or store significant amounts of cash, providing increased security.

NYK concludes contract for modification of LNG-fueled tugboat to ammonia fuel

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August 10, 2022

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Sakigake, a tugboat currently fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and operated in Tokyo Bay by NYK Group company Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha Corporation will be converted to operate on ammonia fuel by a target completion year of 2024.

This initiative is part of the development of vessels equipped with a domestically produced ammonia-fueled engine, which was initiated in October 2021 by NYK and IHI Power Systems Co., Ltd. (IPS) as part of the Green Innovation Fund Project of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Since carbon dioxide (CO2) is not emitted when ammonia is combusted, ammonia is viewed to have promise as a next-generation fuel that could mitigate shipping’s impact on global warming. In addition, it is said that zero emissions can be realized throughout the fuel life cycle by utilizing CO2-free hydrogen** as a raw material for ammonia.

By using ammonia as a fuel for ships, it will be possible to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during voyages. Therefore, NYK and IPS are proceeding with research and development aiming for early social implementation.

In the development process, there were various design challenges in using ammonia as fuel, but the two companies overcame these challenges without changing the size of the conventional tugboat and received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) in July 2022.

NYK will begin modification in fiscal 2023 with the aim of realizing demonstration operations in the port of Yokohama in fiscal 2024.

Drydocks World-Dubai partners with Silverstream to drive maritime decarbonisation

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August 10, 2022

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Drydocks World-Dubai has announced the signing of a strategic agreement with maritime technology company Silverstream Technologies to promote the use of market-leading air lubrication technology for the vessels that enter the busy shipyard each year.

Drydocks World-Dubai, a subsidiary of DP World, is the largest centre in the Middle East for ship repair, conversion, new builds, rigs and MRO projects, with a particular focus on renewables and energy efficiency projects.

Air lubrication is an approved technology under the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for newbuilds, as well as the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirements, which come into effect in 2023. The agreement with Silverstream will see Drydocks World-Dubai become an approved installation provider of Silverstream’s technology on a wide variety of retrofit projects, which will support owners in meeting pressing efficiency regulations.

The partners will work together to promote the Silverstream® System, closely sharing knowledge on both the technical and commercial aspects of its installation procedures. The partnership marks another step in Silverstream’s global expansion, collaborating with the very best yards and supply chain partners around the world to utilise their local relationships and expertise.

Capt. Rado Antolovic PhD, CEO of Drydocks World said:

“We are pleased to sign this partnership with Silverstream, an innovative provider of clean technology, as part of our commitment to enhancing the environmental performance of shipping. Together, we intend to share technical expertise and promote a proven efficiency solution to minimise the maritime industry’s carbon footprint.”

Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said:

“We are proud to announce our collaboration with Drydocks World-Dubai, a global leader in ship repair, conversion and newbuilding services. As a highly respected yard with decades of experience, it will help boost adoption of our proven Silverstream® System, strengthen the reliability and integrity of our supply chain, and raise awareness of our technology’s capacity to improve ship efficiency and operational flexibility.”

EMAR buys two Damen Fast Crew Suppliers 2206

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August 9, 2022

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EMAR Offshore Services BV, the independent maritime services company based in Raamsdonksveer, the Netherlands, has bought two Damen Fast Crew Suppliers (FCS) 2206.

With both vessels already in stock one, named E-Six, has already begun operations in Angola supporting the local oil and gas industry, and will be joined by E-Seven shortly.

The 22-metre Damen FCS 2206 is a robust design with a 25m² cargo deck and the capacity to carry up to 42 personnel plus two crew at speeds of up to 32 knots. This is thanks in part to its Axe-bow design that enables it to cut through the waves. Built in aluminium, it has a range of up to 315nm at maximum speed in its standard configuration but, with the addition of the optional extra fuel tank, E-Six and E-Seven have a range of 350nm and will be able to reach even the most remote oil and gas platforms.

Additional optional extras specified by EMAR include fire-fighting capability, secondary gensets for redundancy and an auto pilot and night vision package. Both vessels were built at Damen Shipyards Antalya, Turkey, Damen Shipyards’ specialist aluminium shipbuilding facility.

EMAR Offshore Services is a longstanding and valued client of the Damen Shipyards Group, operating both new and second-hand Damen vessels with Damen support. This latest purchase was facilitated not only by the fast delivery times enabled by the group’s policy of building for stock – the contract was signed on the 30th of March – but also the quality of the build and fit-out, and the ease of operability with only two crew required.

Joost van der Weiden, Sales Manager Benelux at Damen Shipyards, said:

“We are very pleased to be able to further strengthen our partnership with EMAR and that they have again put their trust in Damen to deliver these two vessels. Damen is fully committed to providing full support to EMAR and will ensure that their new FCS 2206s provide many years of efficient and economical service to them and their clients.

Johan van Beek, Managing Director of EMAR, said:

“EMAR Offshore Services is very pleased with these two Damen additions to her fast crew vessel division. Damen has vessels in stock which are almost finished and this suits our clients who want to start soonest after a tender award. Besides our fleet of tugs and workboats, EMAR Offshore Services also operates four Damen Fast Crew and Supply vessels in West Africa.”

ONE launches Marine Safety and Quality Campaign 2022

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August 9, 2022

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Ocean Network Express (ONE) launches its Marine Safety and Quality Campaign to raise safety awareness and to mitigate marine accidents.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect global shipping operations over the long term, ONE continues to face difficulties in conducting ONE’s Vessel Quality Standard (ONE-VQS) physical inspections on board operated vessels all around the world. As such, over the past two years, self-inspection campaigns have comprised thorough checks by crew to mitigate risk of accidents in identified critical areas, supplementing the ONE-VQS.

Following the success of last year’s rigorous self-inspection campaign, this year’s campaign highlights recurring observation items from previous years and draws on good practices from ONE’s own inspection database. By sharing this information with all ONE-operated vessels, the campaign endeavours to further enhance the safety and quality of the vessels.

ONE is confident that this year’s campaign will help in building a safer working environment and increase safety consciousness on ONE-operated vessels. The campaign will also assist in assuring customers that ONE constantly provides safe and reliable services.

The focus of this year’s campaign will be on:

Sharing good practices highlighted during past vessel inspections on ONE operated vessels
Reaching out to the vessels to share any good practices from ship’s side
Sharing recurring observations that were pointed out during past vessel inspections

All vessels under ONE’s operation will be requested to reflect on the above items and their valuable responses will be analysed by ONE.

ONE will then share the analysis and feedback with the whole fleet after formal completion of the campaign.

ScottishPower to build £150m green hydrogen plant at Port of Felixstowe

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August 9, 2022

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The energy company has drawn up proposals for a 100megawatt plant at the Suffolk port which will provide enough fuel to power 1300 hydrogen trucks from 2026.

The company, owned by €63bn Spanish utilities giant Iberdrola, said demand for the green fuel had stepped up since petrol and diesel prices began to soar last year, emboldening the firm to invest.

It has submitted an application to the government’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, which provides state backing to develop low-carbon hydrogen projects for the next three years. ScottishPower estimated the whole project could cost between £100m and £150m.

ScottishPower plans to build the facility, which will be around the size of a football pitch, on brownfield land within the port, which is one of the busiest in the UK and a trade hub.

ScottishPower plans to supply hydrogen to the vehicles and machinery used by the Port of Felixstowe, which is owned by Hutchison Ports, part of Hong Kong based multinational CK Hutchison.

About 6,000 heavy goods vehicles a year use the port and logistics providers are increasingly studying hydrogen as an option to cut fuel bills and carbon emissions. The hydrogen will also be used to power trains used for rail freight into the port and shipping vessels.

Barry Carruthers, the hydrogen director at ScottishPower, told the Guardian:

“The strength of demand from the port itself, logistics and distribution companies and rail freight companies has given use the confidence to press ahead with this facility. This is a big, industrial scale project that we’re doing at pace.

“The cost of hydrogen is now comparable with diesel so this can be cheaper and cleaner for customers. The market has given us a really good glide path.”

ScottishPower is already in the process of developing a smaller hydrogen facility at Whitelee, the UK’s largest onshore windfarm near Glasgow, in partnership with Sheffield’s ITM Power. The 20MW electrolyser, which is due to produce hydrogen by next year, is expected to make up to 8 tonnes of green hydrogen a day, roughly equivalent to fuelling 550 buses to travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back again each day.

Source: The Guardian

Japanese companies join forces to build a co-operative simulation platform

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August 8, 2022

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University of Tokyo, NYK, MTI, JMU, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Furuno, Japan Radio, BEMAC, ClassNK and NAPA join forces to build a co-operative simulation platform, focusing on decarbonization technology, autonomous operations and shipyard efficiency

A group of Japanese technology leaders have come together to establish a cooperation program called “Maritime and Ocean Digital Engineering” (MODE), at the University of Tokyo from the 1st of October. The program aims to promote and enhance digital engineering technology and skills for the maritime sector by building cooperative simulation platforms.

Japan’s maritime industry is facing challenges, such as developing and implementing new technologies in the context of global decarbonization, maintaining shipping services by integrating autonomous ships to assist seafarers and improve safety, and ensuring high productivity among increasing complexity in ship design and manufacturing processes.

MODE aims to address these challenges by using model-based development (MBD) and model-based systems engineering (MBSE), which are increasingly being introduced in the automobile industry.

MBD and MBSE approach problems by examining the functions of products and components as computer models, and then checking their behaviors through simulations. MBD and MBSE enable not only the optimization of complex system designs, but also the creation of a collaborative development process (“Maritime and Ocean Digital Engineering”) involving a wide range of stakeholders, including shippers and operators.

The program for research and education on MBD and MBSE for the maritime field will be established by a forming broad network between the Graduate Schools of Frontier Sciences and Engineering at the University of Tokyo and other universities and research institutes around the world that are promoting advanced engineering initiatives, and relevant experts from other industries such as automobiles, aerospace and aviation.

The program aims to develop, implement, and upskill users in the deployment of new technologies. It is also expected to expand into maritime fields such as offshore wind power generation and subsea resource development.

An inaugural symposium is scheduled for the afternoon of October 4, 2022, in Ito Hall at the University of Tokyo. MODE is committed to supporting the development of next-generation technologies and skills in Japan’s maritime sector, and to act as a platform for collaboration between industry, academia and government.