Fincantieri and Viking announce the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship

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April 8, 2025

Fincantieri and Viking have announced the first cruise ship in the world to be powered by hydrogen stored onboard for both propulsion and onboard electricity generation, the “Viking Libra”.

With a gross tonnage of approximately 54,300 tons and a length of 239 meters, the “Viking Libra”, will accommodate up to 998 guests in 499 staterooms. Designed with sustainability in mind, the ship will be capable of navigating and operating with zero emissions, allowing it to access even the most environmentally sensitive areas. This marks a new state-of-the-art hydrogen propulsion system that, combined with advanced fuel cell technology, will be capable of producing up to six megawatts of power, and will set a new benchmark for the industry’s decarbonization efforts. Viking’s subsequent ocean ship, the “Viking Astrea”, which is also currently under construction at the Ancona shipyard and scheduled for delivery in 2027, will also be hydrogen-powered.

The success of this joint initiative with Viking is made possible by Fincantieri’s capability to integrate disruptive new technologies on board. A key contributor to this effort is Isotta Fraschini Motori (IFM), Fincantieri’s subsidiary specializing in advanced fuel cell technology, which will provide tailor-made solutions for the “Viking Libra”. The vessel will feature first-of-a-kind solutions to load and store hydrogen directly onboard the ship thanks to a containerized system to overcome supply chain constraints. Hydrogen will power polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells system specifically optimized for cruise operations, designed and produced by IFM. This achievement reinforces IFM’s role as a leader in the adoption of green fuels and cutting-edge energy systems for the maritime and land application sectors.

Fincantieri and Viking also announced that they have signed an agreement for the construction of two new cruise ships for delivery in 2031, plus an option for two additional vessels, based on the successful features of the previous units, which Fincantieri has already built for this shipowner in its Italian yards. The value of this agreement, subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions, is considered as large.

The new ships will be built according to the latest environmental rules and navigation regulations and will be equipped with the most modern safety systems. The new vessels will be placed in the small cruise ship segment, the gross tonnage is about 54,300 tons and they will accommodate 998 passengers on board in 499 cabins.

“With the Viking Libra, we are not only delivering the world’s first cruise ship powered by hydrogen stored on board, but we are also reinforcing our commitment to shaping the future of sustainable maritime transportation”, said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri. “This milestone marks a defining moment in our journey towards net-zero, fully aligned with our Business Plan, and underscores Fincantieri’s role as a catalyst for the industry’s green transition. Beyond shipbuilding, we are driving a systemic evolution by integrating cutting-edge technologies, fostering supply chain innovation, and creating a model for the widespread adoption of hydrogen in the maritime sector. Furthermore, we are thrilled about Viking’s decision to expand its fleet with the order of two additional ships, which reaffirms the strength of our partnership, and the trust placed in our expertise. This new order is a testament to our shared vision for a more sustainable cruise industry, as together we continue to set new standards for innovation and responsible shipbuilding.”

“From the outset, we have designed our river and ocean ships thoughtfully to reduce their fuel consumption, and we are very proud that the Viking Libra and the Viking Astrea, will be even more environmentally friendly,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “Viking made the principled decision to invest in hydrogen, which offers a true zero-emission solution. We look forward to welcoming the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship to our fleet in 2026.”

Saildrone and Thales Australia demonstrate capability for autonomous anti-submarine warfare

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April 8, 2025

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The successful integration of the BlueSentry sonar array with the Saildrone Surveyor marks an important step towards expanding the scope of naval interoperability and autonomous maritime capability developments between AUKUS partners.

Saildrone has successfully demonstrated the integration of the BlueSentry thin-line towed array with the Saildrone Surveyor, creating a groundbreaking system for autonomous long-endurance undersea maritime domain awareness (MDA). The project, funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), marks a significant leap forward in persistent, real-time, undersea surveillance.

Extensive sea trials conducted off the coast of California have demonstrated that this system can effectively detect and classify both underwater and surface threats and report this information to decision makers in real time. During the ONR trial, the Saildrone Surveyor and BlueSentry system operated continuously for 26 days and maintained uptime greater than 96%.

“The acoustic performance of the BlueSentry array, paired with a platform as silent and capable as the Saildrone Surveyor, represents a considerable step forward in undersea observation,” said Richard Jenkins, founder and CEO of Saildrone. “The extreme endurance of the system allows us to put eyes and ears in places that were previously out of reach, at a cost point orders of magnitude below traditional manned surveillance platforms.”

The trials showed that, under wind propulsion, the Surveyor provided a near-zero self-noise environment, significantly improving the detection capabilities of the BlueSentry sonar system. Utilizing Starlink and Iridium satellite communications, the system is capable of persistent, secure data transmission, supporting real-time decision-making from remote locations worldwide.

“This partnership and ready-to-deploy capability set the standard for future intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance at sea, particularly in sensitive and remote regions that have significant operational challenges,” said Jeff Connolly, CEO, Thales Australia and New Zealand. “The integration of Thales Australia’s BlueSentry onto Saildrone’s Surveyor-class, as a core component of its maritime domain awareness solution, paves the way for greater naval interoperability between AUKUS partners and delivers on AUKUS Pillar 2 undersea warfare requirements.”

Saildrone and Thales Australia stand ready to deploy these systems at scale, creating a network of autonomous, self-sustaining surveillance assets to enhance national security. As threats evolve and the demand for persistent undersea awareness increases, the Saildrone-Thales system offers a scalable, low-cost alternative to traditional surveillance platforms.

Offshore wind supply chain and port infrastructure set for £15m boost

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April 8, 2025

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Funding for crucial development of manufacturing facilities and port infrastructure to enable swifter deployment of offshore wind around the UK is the focus of the second round of The Crown Estate’s innovative Supply Chain Accelerator.

Following the success of the initial funding round in 2024 The Crown Estate has allocated £15m for the next round of the programme which seeks to kick-start investments in UK offshore wind-related port infrastructure and supply chain facilities.

The Crown Estate established the £50m Supply Chain Accelerator last year to accelerate and de-risk the early-stage development of UK supply chain projects servicing the offshore wind sector.

It supports existing early-stage projects to scale up into attractive capital investment opportunities, helping to drive demand for new jobs and skills.

Following the passing of The Crown Estate Act 2025, this second round has been expanded to include UK ports and port-related infrastructure to support the construction, assembly, manufacturing, operations & maintenance, and wet storage of fixed and floating offshore wind, as well as supply chain opportunities that support deployment.

Ports are set to play a major role in the UK’s clean energy transition as hubs for the construction, operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms. The Government has set a target of up to 50GW of offshore wind deployed by 2030 and, with 14.7GW of offshore wind currently deployed off the UK’s coasts, greater funding for port infrastructure and facilities will be vital to deliver this ambition.

The Government’s target includes 5GW of floating wind, with The Crown Estate’s current Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 expected to deliver up to 4.5GW in the Celtic Sea. The expanded scope of the Supply Chain Accelerator’s second round to include ports and port-related infrastructure as well as wet storage could support in the delivery of these targets.

In the second funding round businesses can apply for up to £1.5m per eligible project, with The Crown Estate providing 50% matched funding for early-stage development expenditure together with an option to participate in the capital investment phase.

The application process is now open and is due to close at the end of June. Successful projects will be chosen following an application assessment process and announced by the end of the year. The Crown Estate is being supported by professional services firm Grant Thornton.

The Supply Chain Accelerator aims to support UK projects that meet the opportunities identified by the Industrial Growth Plan (IGP), launched by RenewableUK and industry partners, including The Crown Estate, in 2024. It sets out the actions required to triple offshore wind manufacturing capacity over the next ten years. This funding round will align with the priority sub-sectors identified within the IGP as well as the identified need for ports and port-related infrastructure.

In December last year The Crown Estate awarded nearly £5m in funding to 13 businesses following the conclusion of the Supply Chain Accelerator’s initial funding round, which focused on developing a new UK supply chain capability for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.

When coupled with match funding this will contribute to a combined development investment of over £9m which, if the opportunities successfully conclude their respective development stages, could lead to more than £400m of capital investment.

Established through an Act of Parliament, The Crown Estate recently announced a modernising of its legislation (The Crown Estate Act 2025) which grants borrowing and new investment powers to future proof the organisation. These new powers will enable The Crown Estate to have a greater flexibility for investment which will create long-term impact on decarbonisation and energy security, nature recovery, creating inclusive communities and economic growth.

Developing the offshore wind industry’s domestic supply chain through collaboration with industry and government partners forms a vital component of these ambitions.

Ben Brinded, Head of Investment at The Crown Estate, said: “The ambition behind our Supply Chain Accelerator is to accelerate and derisk the offshore wind supply chain in support of the UK’s clean energy transition, boosting economic growth through new jobs and skills opportunity around the country.

“Following the success of the initial funding round and the recent modernising of our investment powers through The Crown Estate Act 2025, we’ve expanded the ambition and scope for the second round of the Accelerator to include fixed and floating supply chain opportunities, together with ports and their associated facilities. The application window is open until the end of June, and we are looking forward to hearing from applicants with UK projects we could support to get investment ready.”

Gus Jaspert, Managing Director, Marine at The Crown Estate, said: “The energy transition isn’t just about clean power; it also offers huge opportunities for new jobs, skills and regeneration across the country. With one of the world’s largest offshore wind industries and growing ambitions, we want to support the UK’s supply chains and infrastructure to be as successful as our deployed offshore wind.

“Ports are vital national assets which are key to unlocking the huge potential of our exciting clean energy transition. Providing funding for port infrastructure and supply chain facilities is an obvious and important next move for our Supply Chain Accelerator. It will help the UK’s offshore wind sector to retain its global attractiveness to developers and investors, providing confidence we can increase our rate of deployment whilst also ensuring activity offshore is creating value for onshore communities up and down the country.”

Balmoral Comtec backs renewables with million-pound wave and current simulation facility

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April 8, 2025

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The purpose-built facility simulates surface, subsea and seabed conditions, making it suitable for evaluating offshore wind, solar and other subsea systems under dynamic water conditions.

Supported by partial funding from the Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) Ltd of £74,000, this innovative facility highlights Balmoral Comtec’s ongoing commitment to advancing renewable energy solutions and supporting the energy transition.

The facility will be instrumental in enhancing the performance and design validation of HexDefence – a scour protection product launched in 2023. The state-of-the-art facility allows Balmoral to replicate offshore wave and current scenarios, providing operators and developers with an additional layer of assurance as they transition from traditional methods such as rock dumping. This investment builds on the approximately £2 million already dedicated to the development of HexDefence, including prototypes, design and testing.

The facility’s capabilities also go beyond renewable energy, supporting applications in the oil and gas sector and other marine industries requiring reliable simulation environments. Furthermore, Balmoral Comtec will be able to invite third parties to use the new test facility, opening further revenue streams for the business.

Fraser Milne, Projects and Engineering Director at Balmoral Comtec, commented: “The launch of the Wave and Current Simulation Facility marks a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to delivering sustainable energy solutions and advancing renewable technology. This cutting-edge resource allows us to provide unmatched testing capabilities that will benefit not only our HexDefence projects but also the wider offshore energy sector.

“Beyond the benefits to Balmoral, we believe that the facility will play a key role in strengthening Aberdeen’s position as a leader in renewable energy. As the city transitions to a sustainable energy future, we are poised to contribute significantly to the development of innovative solutions for the North Sea and beyond.”

Freda Miller, Supply Chain Programme Manager at ETZ Ltd, said: “This region is creating an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurial support for firms building the energy system of tomorrow. As part of that effort, this simulation facility will play a valued role in helping to test and de-risk technologies before coming to market for wide scale deployment in areas including offshore wind.

“This is an important investment towards ETZ Ltd’s goal to position North-East Scotland as the net zero capital of Europe, and another testament to this area’s world-class subsea innovators driving the transition.”

Fincantieri signs agreement with Carnival Corporation for two cruise ships for Aida Cruises

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April 8, 2025

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Fincantieri has signed an agreement with Carnival Corporation & plc for the design and construction of two new cruise ships for AIDA Cruises, the leading cruise line in the German-speaking cruise market. The value of the agreement for the two ships, subject to financing and other typical terms and conditions, is considered as very important.

This marks the first time that Fincantieri will build cruise ships for AIDA Cruises, thus reinforcing its strategic partnership with Carnival Corporation. The units are scheduled for delivery in early 2030 and late 2031. Each will feature approximately 2,100 guest cabins and will be equipped with multi-fuel engines, capable of operating LNG, Bio-diesel, and future sustainable fuels, in line with the industry’s decarbonization goals.

Fincantieri has delivered throughout its history a total of 75 cruise ships to Carnival Corporation across its portfolio of cruise lines, further strengthening the long-standing collaboration between the two companies.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri, commented: “We are honored that our long-standing partner Carnival Corporation has selected Fincantieri to build ships for AIDA Cruises for the first time in our history. This milestone confirms our ability to serve the entire Carnival Corporation portfolio, while ensuring long-term term visibility for our shipyards. These new ships will embody the most advanced technologies for sustainability and efficiency, further strengthening Fincantieri’s and Carnival Corporation’s roles as leaders in cruise industry innovation.”

NOC ocean robot finds long lost Loch Ness monster camera trap

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April 8, 2025

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An ocean robot developed and operated by the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has made a chance encounter of a Nessie kind during engineering trials in Scotland’s famous Loch Ness.

During a test mission, the advanced underwater vehicle, designed for discovering the secrets of our global ocean, accidentally found an underwater camera system – thought to be one of the first attempts to catch the Loch Ness monster on film.

It is believed that the camera, discovered around 180m deep in the loch, had been placed in the water in 1970, by Professor Roy Mackal, of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau and the University of Chicago.

Remarkably, despite having been submerged in the 23-mile-long loch for 55 years, the camera was still in good condition and the film able to be developed by a NOC engineer, but the loch’s famous inhabitant does not appear to have made an appearance.

Adrian Shine, who set up The Loch Ness Project in the mid 1970s to investigate Loch Ness and its world-famous inhabitant, helped to identify the camera and says it was one of six deployed by Professor Mackal, with three of them lost in a gale that same year.

“It was an ingenious camera trap consisting of a clockwork Instamatic camera with an inbuilt flash cube, enabling four pictures to be taken when a bait line was taken,” he says. “It is remarkable that the housing has kept the camera dry for the past 55 years, lying around 180m deep in Loch Ness.”

NOC has been trialling its underwater robotics, including running multi-day, 24-hour, endurance tests, in Loch Ness for nearly a decade, but this is the closest the team – or its underwater robots – have come to encountering Nessie.

Sam Smith, ALR operations engineer, from NOC’s Marine Autonomous Robotics Systems (MARS) group, says: “At 230m deep, Loch Ness is an ideal location to testing our robotics, their sensors and systems, before they’re deployed in the deep ocean to help answer the big questions we have.

“While this wasn’t a find we expected to make, but we’re happy that this piece of Nessie hunting history can be shared and perhaps at least the mystery of who left it in the loch can be solved.”

The film, camera and its housing have now been handed to The Loch Ness Centre, in Drumnadrochit, near to where it was found, to allow it to be put on display as a part of the loch’s rich Nessie hunting history.

TGS selects Exail Gaps M7 USBL system to optimize offshore geophysical surveys

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April 8, 2025

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The Gaps M7 is a pre-calibrated USBL positioning system with an integrated Inertial Navigation System (INS), delivering precise subsea positioning from ultra-shallow waters to depths of 7,000 meters.

With a 200° acoustic aperture, it enables true horizontal tracking for high-accuracy positioning, making it ideal for TGS’s demanding offshore surveys. Lightweight and pre-calibrated, the Gaps M7 ensures fast deployment, minimizing downtime and streamlining survey workflows. Its rugged design guarantees stable performance in harsh offshore conditions, supporting TGS in acquiring high-quality geophysical data while reducing project costs.

“We needed a solution that would provide reliable, precise and high elevation tracking of our magnetometer and sidescan sonar,” said Anders Landbø, Director Maritime Performance and Projects at TGS. “After testing other USBL system without satisfaction, we tried Gaps and then decided to invest in this solution as it exceeded our expectations, offering ease of use and exceptional performance. Its pre-calibrated setup and high accuracy in shallow waters have significantly improved the efficiency and reliability of our offshore operations, and we are confident it will continue to enhance our geophysical surveys.”

“We are excited to support TGS with the Gaps M7 USBL system,” said Carl Trollet, Regional Sales Manager at Exail. “This collaboration reinforces Exail’s position as a trusted partner for offshore operations. Delivering the precision, reliability, and efficiency needed to meet the complex challenges of subsea tracking, Gaps M7 will help TGS continue to push the boundaries of geophysical surveys in the most demanding environments.”

DFO contracts VARD for one offshore subsea construction vessel

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April 7, 2025

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Dong Fang Offshore has appointed VARD to design and construct an Offshore Subsea Construction Vessel of VARD 3 39 design.

This is the third vessel VARD is building for DFO, with the first two being Commissioning Service Operations Vessels, contracted in May 2024.

The vessel contracted is a highly versatile platform designed and equipped for subsea operation duties, offshore wind operations & maintenance activities, as well as cable installation and repair scopes in the offshore wind and telecoms sectors. With its highly optimized hull form together with a powerful propulsion configuration, the vessel will have particularly good sea-keeping capabilities, including reduced motions and accelerations and excellent station keeping performance.

The design has focused on the environmental footprint with an efficient machinery and propulsion set-up for high station keeping capabilities including battery hybrid propulsion, delivering improved workability and operational reliability.

The vessel is fitted with a 250 MT active heave compensated offshore crane which enables the vessel to perform advanced subsea operations, a 1,200 m2 work deck prepared for a cable repair or cable lay spread, and ROV hangars prepared for built-in ROVs on both sides.

The large design flexibility allows the vessel to accommodate future operational demands. The vessel is prepared for the installation of a motion compensated gangway, an under-deck carousel, the installation of a large trencher and is in addition prepared for helideck installation.

The vessel has 90 cabins to accommodate 130 people on board. Operational centers such as offices, briefing rooms, conference room/cinema and dayrooms have been designed to meet a high standard in the market, and furnishings will be completed to a premium standard by Vard interiors.

Polin Chen, CEO in DFO, says:

“We are pleased to return to VARD with a new order for a Offshore Subsea Construction Vessel to support our growing international client base. The order complements the two SOV’s we have ordered against long-term contracts and opens the door for DFO to expand its service offering in the offshore wind, energy and telecoms markets.

Furthermore, this new order together with the option(s) attached to this agreement ensures that DFO continues to build fleet scale and latitude to continue to deliver a one-stop solution to our customers. The choice of Norway as a build country for our first ever newbuild OSCV also ensures that we continue to deliver on our promise of on-time, high quality, reliable services to our valued customers, as well as delivering a safe and comfortable work environment for our crew and clients staying on board.”

Plastic pollution along Australian coastlines decreases by 39 per cent

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April 7, 2025

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Research across six metropolitan regions in Australia shows a significant decrease in plastic waste. Despite this, polystyrene and cigarette butts are some of the most found items in the environment.

Plastic pollution littering Australian coastlines has dropped by more than a third over the last decade, according to research by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.

Researchers surveyed inland, riverine, and coastal habitats across six metropolitan regions across Australia including Hobart in Tasmania, Newcastle in New South Wales, Perth in Western Australia, Port Augusta in South Australia, Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Dr Denise Hardesty, Senior Research Scientist from CSIRO and co-author, said with up to 53 million metric tonnes of plastic waste estimated to enter aquatic ecosystems by 2030, it was heartening to see a significant decrease in plastic pollution on Australian beaches and coasts.

“Three-quarters of the rubbish we find on our beaches is plastic, and flexible plastics, such as food packaging, are the most harmful to wildlife,” Dr Hardesty said.

“Along with a 39 per cent reduction in plastic waste in coastal areas, we also saw a 16 per cent increase in areas we surveyed with no plastic debris at all.

“Decreases of plastic pollution in the coastal environment were observed in Newcastle, Perth, and the Sunshine Coast, with increases in Hobart and Port Augusta.

“Although there are still areas for concern, it’s exciting to see a significant decrease in plastic pollution as people around the country are becoming more aware of the harmful effects of plastic waste on people, communities and wildlife.”

A total of 8383 debris items were recorded across 1907 surveys within a 100-kilometre radius of each city.

Polystyrene (24 per cent) and cigarette butts (20 per cent) were the most found items, followed by food wrappers, bottle lids and caps. Plastic fragments were also commonly recorded.

The most prevalent items in each region were:

Alice Springs: beverage cans
Hobart: beverage bottles
Newcastle: cigarette butts
Perth: cigarette butts
Port Augusta: food wrappers/labels
Sunshine Coast: cigarette butts

Dr Steph Brodie, CSIRO Research Scientist and co-author, said the surveys help to identify debris hotspots, understand how land use influences debris in the environment, and how waste ends up on our coastlines.

“We found that areas with intensive land use and socio-economically disadvantaged areas tended to have higher levels of debris,” Dr Brodie said.

“Understanding the types and amount of plastic pollution in our environment provides critical data to develop strategies to stop it ending up there in the first place.

“These results will help to inform waste management and can be used to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of plastic waste policies, practices and education campaigns to reduce debris in metropolitan regions.”

The paper, “Drivers of environmental debris in metropolitan areas: a continental scale assessment,” published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, compares data from surveys conducted a decade ago and builds on previous work that showed a 29 per cent reduction in plastic waste across all of Australia.

It is part of CSIRO’s research to end plastic waste, with a goal of an 80 per cent reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2030.

DeepOcean engaged by Vattenfall for subsea cable support

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April 7, 2025

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Ocean services provider DeepOcean has been awarded framework agreements by Vattenfall for the provision of subsea cable Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services, now valid for Vattenfall’s operational European offshore wind portfolio.

The framework agreements are valid for a period of four years and apply to Vattenfall’s offshore wind farms in Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

“We welcome the opportunity to support Vattenfall’s generation of renewable energy through this framework agreements. We have over 25 years’ experience in subsea installation and Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) work. We look forward to applying our specialist expertise to Vattenfall’s subsea infrastructure,” says Øyvind Mikaelsen, CEO of DeepOcean.

Under the framework agreements, DeepOcean will provide project management, engineering, pre-installation surveys, offshore transportation of cables, trenching, cable installation and jointing, termination and testing, post-installation surveys, plus recovery and disposal of damaged cables. The scope is specific to Vattenfall’s operating assets, which introduces additional requirements in terms of response time and technical ingenuity. DeepOcean will utilize its personnel in Norway and the UK, to conduct project management and engineering work for call-off orders under the framework agreement.

“We are excited to enter this collaboration with DeepOcean, an experienced and versatile provider of subsea services. With a substantial asset base in offshore wind and a promising long-term project pipeline, we have historically enjoyed strong relationships with our suppliers and industry. This partnership with DeepOcean aligns with our mission to deliver reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions while never compromising our high health and safety standards,” says Pavlo Malyshenko, Head of Generation at Vattenfall.

A first call-off under the frame agreement structure has been executed for an O&M work scope at a European offshore wind farm. DeepOcean mobilized the subsea vessel Olympic Ares, which was converted with cable lay equipment and a jet trencher onboard, for the scope and future offshore renewables assignments.