Home Blog Page 732

BHP awards LNG supply agreement to Shell for LNG-fuelled iron ore vessels

December 2, 2020

BHP has awarded its first LNG supply agreement for five LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers, which will transport iron ore between Western Australia and China from 2022.

BHP Chief Commercial Officer, Vandita Pant, said:

“The LNG bunkering contract marks a significant step in how BHP is working with our suppliers to reduce emissions across the maritime supply chain. LNG fuelled vessels are forecast to help BHP reduce CO2-e emissions by 30 per cent on a per voyage basis compared to a conventional fuelled voyage between Western Australia and China, and contribute to our 2030 goal to support 40 per cent emissions intensity reduction of BHP-chartered shipping of our products.”

Steve Hill, Executive Vice President, Shell Energy, said:

“I would like to congratulate BHP on reducing emissions in their maritime supply chain with the world’s first LNG-fuelled Newcastlemax bulk carriers. Decarbonisation of the shipping industry must begin today and LNG is the cleanest fuel currently available in meaningful volumes. This LNG bunkering contract strengthens the bunkering market in the region and we look forward to working with BHP and other customers in the maritime sector on their journey to a net-zero emissions future.”

The contract is the result of a tender process that included potential suppliers across several geographies. Technical capability, available infrastructure and cost competitiveness were among the stringent criteria.

LNG bunkering – the process of fuelling ships with LNG – will take place through the first LNG bunker vessel in Singapore, “FueLNG Bellina”. The vessel is operated by FueLNG, a joint venture between Shell Eastern Petroleum and Keppel Offshore & Marine. The bunker vessel will be able to bunker fuel at a rate of 100-1,000 cubic metres per hour.

Ms Pant said:

“The LNG bunkering contract will enable BHP to manage fuel supply risk, build LNG operational capability internally, and also help to strengthen the emerging LNG bunkering market in the region. This contract is expected to form up to 10 per cent of forecasted Asian LNG bunker demand in FY2023.”

Stena Line takes delivery of third new ferry to join Irish Sea fleet in 2020

December 2, 2020

Swedish ferry company Stena Line has officially taken ownership of its newest ferry, Stena Embla, following a handover ceremony in Weihai, China.

The vessel is the third of five new next-generation E-Flexer RoPax vessels that are being constructed at the CMI Jinling Weihai Shipyard, as part of an extensive modernisation of the company’s fleet. It is last of three new vessels due for the Irish Sea, which marks the end of a 7-year development programme totalling a £400m investment in new ferries and port infrastructure in the region.

The vessel will now embark on a six-week journey to the UK and Ireland, where it will begin service in January 2021, joining its sister vessels, the other two new E-Flexer ferries built in Weihai, Stena Estrid and Stena Embla, which started in operation in earlier this year.

Due to the pandemic the handover was a lower key affair than previous vessels with Stena Embla’s Senior Master Neil Whittaker, and his team, taking delivery in China. While Stena Line’s CEO Niclas Mårtensson joined remotely from the firm’s headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The company’s COO Peter Arvidsson, said:

“Today marks the end of 7 years hard work, so we are delighted to take ownership of the third new ship on schedule. With the new crew in place they can start the long journey to the Irish Sea, where Stena Embla will begin serving customers in the UK and Ireland.”

Niclas Mårtensson said the delivery of Stena Embla marks the end of a very difficult year for the firm:

“Taking ownership of Stena Embla is a major milestone for Stena Line, as we look forward to better times ahead. While delivery of the vessel marks the end of a very tough period for us, it also marks the completion of a very significant investment in our Irish Sea operations. It reflects our strong support for the region that will see three of the world’s most modern ferries operating between Britain and Ireland. We recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the relocation of our Northern Ireland operations to Belfast and 25 years since we commenced the Holyhead to Dublin route. Our three new ferries in the region is a sign of our strong commitment to another 25 years on the Irish Sea.”

The new Stena Line E-Flexer ships are amongst the most advanced and fuel-efficient vessels in operation and are much larger than today’s standard RoPax vessels. At 215 metres in length, Stena Embla will provide freight capacity of 3,100 lane metres, meaning a 40% increase in freight tonnage, and the space to carry 120 cars and 1,000 passengers and crew.

The remaining two E-Flexer vessels under construction in China are even larger versions with a total length of 240 metres. The destination of the as-yet-un-named ferries has not yet been revealed.

Tero Marine launches game changing data visualisation tool

December 2, 2020

Tero Marine has launched its TM Insights solution, an interactive visualization tool that converts real-time data into intuitive reports and charts which, when measured against pre-determined KPIs, identify trends and uncover hidden problem areas so remedial action can be taken to improve operational efficiency.

Fully integrated to work with Tero Marine’s TM Master suite, TM Insights works with Microsoft’s Power BI software to give companies a complete and transparent overview of business performance from any desktop or mobile device and in any location.

As well as giving an overview of total fleet performance, users can also drill down into more detail to view data by ship type or even by individual vessel. This makes tracking and identifying key areas of concern extremely easy and keeps costs under control.

Phase one of the TM Insights launch concentrates on two key TM Master modules – Maintenance and Procurement, giving a complete overview of the total number of purchase orders raised, total spend and procurement methods employed. This information can be further broken down into analysis of purchase orders by type, department and order status.

In addition, purchase cycle times can be monitored from the moment a requisition is raised to the time the goods have been received.

Similarly, the component jobs overview and its accompanying history report gives a full breakdown of any maintenance activities. Viewing current and past performance at the same time gives the user the ability to detect and rectify any negative trends before they are picked up as observations by external authorities. This will help ship managers and owners run their fleets more efficiently and ensure regulatory compliance, avoiding costly fines and detentions.

Rune Lyngaas, Tero Marine’s CEO, said:

“I am really pleased with how TM Insights has performed in the pilot with great feedback from key clients like OSM. This has given us the confidence to launch phase one to all TM Master users, as having accurate data analytics in a user-friendly format is vital to benchmark performance, identify trends and highlight problem areas. Phase two will concentrate on human resources and quality assurance and will be released in 2021.”

Tero Marine is part of the Ocean Technologies Group, which is a global learning and operational technology company dedicated to accelerating the potential of innovative companies that serve the maritime industry in the 21st Century. The Group also includes maritime e-learning training providers Seagull, Videotel, Maritime Training Services and leading English language testing company Marlins, plus document and HSEQ solutions provider COEX.

Spike in attacks on ships transiting Singapore Straits

December 2, 2020

Between 1 October to 9 November 2020, nine incidents were reported in this area, comprising three robberies and six attempted attacks.

The attacks took place north of Batam and Bintan in the eastbound lane of the Singapore Strait. The incidents occurred during the hours of darkness during periods where there was minimal illumination from the moon.

IFC state that the perpetrators operate in teams of three to five, may be armed with long knives and target bulk carriers and tankers. In most cases, the perpetrators were sighted in the engine rooms, and have been observed to target ship stores. However, in six of the nine cases, the ships reported that nothing had been stolen. Perpetrators were observed to be non-confrontational, evading soon after detection by crew.

Satcom Global strengthens Aura VSAT network with NSS-6 satellite

December 1, 2020

Satcom Global has added a new satellite to the Ku-band Aura VSAT network, expanding coverage and capacity across the North Pacific.

The addition of NSS-6 will augment the existing satellite footprint in place over the Pacific Ocean, providing enhanced coverage and improved connectivity for Satcom Global customers sailing trans-Pacific trade routes, as well as providing additional line of sight options if they are required.

The unique Aura VSAT network was designed to grow with Satcom Global’s maritime customer base, ensuring optimum service quality for the lifetime of the customer contract. Additional bandwidth is added to the network organically with each customer registration, ensuring that service does not degrade over time and that Committed Information Rates are always fulfilled.

In addition, Satcom Global is committed to ongoing technological development of the Aura network, proactively adding new assets to the footprint to support emerging requirements for coverage and bandwidth in key geographies. iDirect Velocity, the platform on which Aura operates, was specifically designed to enable VSAT service providers like Satcom Global to deploy managed HTS and multi-spot beam architectures, consisting of increasingly more beams, frequencies, and throughput. The scalable, cutting edge platform provides enhanced network support and control functionality, capable of supporting the growing connectivity needs of customers long into the future.

NSS-6 sits in geostationary orbit with 60 high-power Ku-band transponders which can be flexibly allocated to its 6 Ku-band broad beams. The satellite, which also has 12 super-high-gain Ka-band spot beams is owned and operated by SES S.A., Satcom Global’s primary network supplier for the Aura service. This latest network enhancement follows the addition of SES-14 and SES-15 HTS beams to Satcom Global’s flagship VSAT network in early 2020.

VIDEO: Odyssey of the Seas leaves MEYER WERFT’s building dock

December 1, 2020

On November 28, the Odyssey of the Seas left MEYER WERFT’s covered building dock II (hall 6).

At MEYER WERFT’s outfitting pier the interior work on the Odyssey of the Seas will be completed in the coming months. The ship will then be conveyed down the river Ems to complete the technical and nautical sea trials.

The 169,000 GT cruise ship has an overall length of 347.1 meters, is 41.4 meters wide and can accommodate more than 5000 passengers.

Manta Shipping selects Marlink to provide Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service

December 1, 2020

Migration to tailored Fleet Xpress package enables bulk carrier operator to move to global VSAT to take advantage of high throughput data and a choice of voice services

Leading Turkish shipping services provider Manta Denizcilik Nakliyat ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti. (Manta Shipping) has selected Marlink to provide Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service on eight of its vessels. The agreement was signed through Marlink’s local partner Ozsay Satellite to support Manta Shipping’s drive towards digitalised shipping operations and increased connectivity for crew.

Marlink will provide the high-throughput Ka-band VSAT with a bundled L-Band back-up solution, both of which will benefit from Marlink’s enhanced network transparency, which provides users and shore staff with immediate information on which network is in use for specific tasks.

This tool enables ship and shore staff to analyse usage and prioritise data intensive downloads when in the areas of strongest VSAT coverage. Applications such as remote diagnostics security updates or software updates can be planned and scheduled according to which carrier is active. Over time, users can monitor coverage in different regions, prioritising enterprise or crew usage based on the active carrier.

Marlink will also provide its own high quality voice service, configured to provide local Turkish telephone numbers for the ships, which provides added flexibility of two voice communications options, allowing the ship to focus on cost efficiency or highest quality. To complete the package, Manta Shipping will benefit from a Virtual Private Network connection via the XChange platform and Marlink’s SkyFile email service.

Manta Shipping provides a complete range of shipping services, including brokerage, supplying high quality transport solutions to a portfolio of clients, having established its reputation as one of the most reliable names in domestic and international marine transportation.

The company operates in the highly competitive Handy/Supra and Kamsarmax bulk carrier market, where operational efficiency and access to the latest market information can be critical to securing employment and sailing with maximum efficiency. By migrating from L-Band to Fleet Xpress provided by Marlink, Manta Shipping will benefit from high throughput and global coverage, keeping crew and operations connected wherever its vessels sail and maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance.

Mr Mecit Mert Çetinkaya, Director of Manta Shipping, says:

“Manta Shipping is a company with a long history that also has to change and adapt as the shipping industry moves into a phase of increased regulation, greater demand for fuel efficiency and higher environmental performance. Fleet Xpress from Marlink will enable us to optimise our communications, keeping our ships and crews connected, updated and compliant so we are able to best focus on the needs of our customers.”

Tore Morten Olsen, President, Maritime, Marlink, said:

“Marlink’s tailored Fleet Xpress package delivers the kind of high bandwidth that the shipping industry is embracing as the drive towards digitalisation speeds up, enabling faster and easier data transfer and access to new applications. Working with our local partner Ozsay Satellite puts us in an excellent position to understand the needs of Turkish owners and consistently meet those needs with innovative solutions.”

Kongsberg launches new cloud-based simulation service for maritime radar training

December 1, 2020

Kongsberg Digital is delighted to announce the launch of a new cloud-based simulation service for maritime radar training. Used as an advanced eLearning tool, it enables instructors to manage and control exercises with realistic radar simulations to students, who now can practice and prepare for their exams anytime, anywhere and at their own pace.

The new K-Sim Navigation radar application introduces a new line of navigation instruments based on IMO performance standards, leveraging the market-leading K-Sim Navigation functionality and cutting-edge cloud technology.

Designed to be compliant with the IMO Model Courses 1.07 and 1.08, it assists in delivery of learning objectives such as marine radar operational principles; radar navigation and plotting; use of radar in Search and Rescue (SAR); and use of ARPA.

The radar simulation application is the first in a line of training applications to be released on K-Sim Connect as part of the K-Sim Navigation portfolio. Within the next few months the radar application will be supplemented with ECDIS, followed by increased functionality for the complete cloud-based K-Sim Navigation, which will be compliant with all the requirements for ship officer training as stated in the STCW convention.

Andreas Jagtøyen, Executive Vice President, Kongsberg Digital, says:

“The next-generation digital training tools are flexible, adaptable to changing training needs and specifically designed to enhance knowledge, safety and sustainability in the evolving maritime industry. Our legacy in simulation excellence, combined with our state-of-the art cloud technology, puts us in a unique position of setting a new standard in maritime training”.

The new radar application consolidates the example set by the previously launched K-Sim Cargo and K-Sim Engine cloud-simulation solutions, which have been favorably received by instructors and students worldwide, with more than 15,000 simulations carried out in eLearning sessions since March this year.

METIS lands Neptune Lines fleet deal for AI-powered analytics

December 1, 2020

METIS Cyberspace Technology S.A. has secured a fleet-wide contract from Neptune Lines to implement its data acquisition and advanced analytics platform in a first commitment to deploy the power of AI in vessel management by a Pure Car & Truck Carrier operator.

Neptune Lines PCTCs feature METIS Ship Connect – the automated data acquisition solution whose accuracy is approved by Lloyds Register.

The METIS platform uses a network of Wireless Intelligent Collectors to harvest machinery, navigation and operational data regardless of equipment supplier. Its ship performance analysis also integrates AIS data, data fetched from vessels’ daily / arrival / departure regular reporting and weather forecasts to provide services such as automated noon reporting, analysis of technical and operational domains and weather-related reporting.

Outputs include live dashboards showing the condition of main engines, diesel generators, ballast water treatment systems and other machinery as well as power and fuel consumption. However, the METIS platform also allows Neptune Lines management to visualize KPIs such as power vs speed under the full ship speed range and in all weathers using machine learning models and run ‘what if’ routing scenarios to weigh up consequences for fuel and arrival times. Managers can even measure performance against Charter Party Agreements.

Nikos Paterakis, Neptune’s Chief Operating Officer, says:

“As a leading finished vehicle logistics provider active across more than 40 ports, Neptune Lines forms an integral part of the automotive industry’s downstream supply chain. Over the past few years, IoT devices and NLP technology through the data they collect became key drivers of higher operational efficiency which at the end leads to better performance for the customers for the logistics industry. It is time for shipping to quickly adapt to the changes, enwrap the new technologies and get to the next performance level with the sophistication and service quality demanded in our times.”

Neptune Lines will benefit from additional customized functionality from METIS including continuous speed profile optimization across its Mediterranean, North Europe and Black Sea routes, emissions indicator monitoring and antifouling coatings performance assessment. Generator operations in port will also be scrutinized to minimize power consumption and emissions.

Mike Konstantinidis, CEO, METIS, says:

“Neptune Lines is a new customer and the PCTC sector is a new vessel type for METIS, but the ability of AI to empower shipping companies in their journey towards digital transformation is fully applicable to all kinds of vessel. Round the clock data acquisition from all available sources provides a rich, high-resolution picture of ship performance rather than a patchwork of inconsistent datasets. As the industry’s only end-to-end platform powered by AI, the true value of the METIS solution is cumulative; applied fleet-wide its benefits add up to more than the sum of its individual technical, operational and cost gains.”

Three years after launch, METIS data acquisition and analytics has been implemented on nearly 250 ships and is measuring 2.5 billion performance data points monthly.METIS Cyberspace Technology S.A. has launched a new software module to tackle the huge challenges shipping companies face in monitoring vessel performance effectively to meet Charter Party Agreement (CPA) reporting needs. The new module, announced today, addresses the challenge with functionality that will greatly enhance the productivity of both operations and chartering departments.

The new module allows operators to monitor and track their vessel’s CPA performance at a glance through the online METIS platform using a set of visually rich dashboards. Once all CPA terms are imported into the system the user can monitor all vessels concerned and identify potential deviations to specified consumption and speed terms. In addition, the system provides automated notifications in case the speed consumption curve exceeds certain predefined limits.

Mike Konstantinidis, CEO, METIS Cyberspace Technology, says:

“Monitoring performance to match CPA expectations is one of the biggest challenges a vessel owner can face. The CPA module means the right information is always available during the voyage to take corrective actions and at the end of every voyage for performance evaluation and to address any potential claims.”

Konstantinidis adds that the analysis used is based solely on data collected automatically through METIS Ship Connect, the data acquisition system developed by METIS whose accuracy is approved by Lloyds Register.

GCT investment advances capability at Vanterm terminal

November 30, 2020

On November 27, 2020, GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. accepted the delivery of two modern 14,000 TEU capable ship-to-shore cranes at GCT Vanterm in Burrard Inlet in the Vancouver Harbour. After travelling roughly 9,200 km or 5,000 nautical miles from Shanghai, the two cranes passed safely under the Lions Gate Bridge and arrived at GCT Vanterm.

This advancement is part of GCT’s previously announced $160-million-dollar private sector investment to modernize and densify operations at GCT Vanterm. The arrival of the two cranes demonstrates GCT’s ongoing commitment to enabling smart capacity in the Vancouver gateway and Western Trade Corridor through British Columbia.

GCT Vanterm’s two newly arrived ship-to-shore cranes will be among the most advanced in North America. Electrically powered, they feature regenerative drives that can provide power back into the grid and high-efficiency LED lighting. The cranes will reduce glare and light pollution along with features intended to reduce operational noise. The cranes have also been painted cloud-white colour to mitigate daytime skyline visibility.

The cranes, along with other equipment upgrades and process improvements, will improve safety for the workforce, increase terminal capability, and reduce equipment emissions by 55% – all within the same footprint.

Doron Grosman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Global Container Terminals Inc., says:

“The delivery of these two modern cranes is one of many steps we are taking to increase capability and customer service in the most sustainable way possible to support BC’s climate objectives while creating well-paid jobs. Global Container Terminals will continue to make private sector investments to ensure that Vancouver remains the port of choice and continues to be a competitive jurisdiction for transpacific trade.”

B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, Ravi Kahlon, says:

“As our government focuses on getting people through the pandemic and building a recovery that works for everyone, I’m pleased to see investments like this helping create new jobs and opportunities for people in a lower-carbon economy. By supporting good local jobs and reducing emissions, GCT is showing how industry can align with our CleanBC plan to grow their business and help build a cleaner, brighter future.”

Kennedy Stewart, Mayor of Vancouver, says:

“We are thrilled to see this type of investment move forward in Vancouver. Ensuring that we have a strong supply chain is important now more than ever to deliver the necessary, and often life saving, goods that families and businesses in Vancouver – and all across Canada – rely on.”

1...731732733...1,345 Page 732 of 1,345