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Celebrate Oceans Day at UK National Maritime Museum
Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) will celebrate World Oceans Day on June 10 with a free festival at the U.K.’s National Maritime Museum. RMG is working with scientific organizations, conservation charities, artist collectives and community groups to produce a day full of oceanic activities suitable for all ages.
At the heart of the festival is a celebration of the ocean and the vital role it plays in sustaining life on Earth. Over 70 percent of the Blue Planet is covered in water, and the ocean is relied upon for food security, transportation, coastal defenses and much more. It is important to recognize the impact humans are having on the planet’s rivers, lakes and seas. Overfishing, greenhouse gas emissions, chemical and noise pollution, ocean mining, plastic pollution, and transportation all threaten the future of the ocean, but too often these issues are out of sight and out of mind.
This World Oceans Day, RMG wants to bring the ocean into focus and shine a light on what can be done to protect marine environments. Featuring live music, expert talks and demonstrations, craft workshops, face painting, and more, World Oceans Day at the National Maritime Museum will be a fantastic opportunity for families to learn more about contemporary maritime and environmental challenges.
For more information, visit: www.rmg.co.uk/worldoceansday.
Renewable Energy Experimental Vessel to Visit Cape Town
Energy Observer will visit Cape Town, South Africa, June 12 to 20, with a traveling exhibition village open to the public for free June 12 to 18.
Since embarking in 2017 from its home port of Saint-Malo, France, Energy Observer has been sailing around the world on an odyssey that will run until 2024. The vessel has already sailed more than 50,000 nautical mi., a length equivalent to twice around the world; conducted 79 stopovers, including Paris, London, St. Petersburg, the Arctic Circle, Panama, the Galapagos, San Francisco and Singapore; and visited more than 40 countries.
Developed from an award-winning legendary catamaran, Energy Observer is a laboratory for the ecological transition to zero-emission technologies. Renewable energy solutions involving hydrogen, solar power, wind power and hydropower are all being tested and optimized on board.
The vessel is working to accelerate the energy transition by demonstrating that the onboard technologies and energy mix work in extreme environments and can be replicated on a larger scale, both ashore and at sea, in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
New Tanker to Feature CO2 Capture Technology
Spanish engineering firm Sener has completed conceptual design work on a new type of biofuel tanker and bunkering vessel.
The new vessel has been designed to operate in compliance with the energy efficiency and emission reduction requirements of the IMO. The design also includes different technical economic configurations to help shipowners select the best alternative based on their priorities and needs, such as costs, ease of installation on board, or safety.
Sener said the design will allow shipowners to choose from different propulsion alternatives (conventional, diesel-electric, or hybrid), as well as different types of sulfate cleaning systems (open, closed, or mixed) and CO2 capture systems.
The new tanker design features a complete emission reduction and management system made up of a CO2 capture and storage system, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, and a sulfate cleaning system. It is also set up to store the CO2 captured by other vessels in the vicinity, promoting the capture of this compound in the area of operations, and thus helping to reduce emissions locally.
HII Shipbuilding Apprentice School Chosen for Ambassador Program
HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School has been selected for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship Ambassador program.
The program, launched in November 2021, aims to promote and support Registered Apprenticeship opportunities nationwide. This initiative is an effort to modernize, strengthen, diversify and accelerate the use of apprenticeships to advance career pathways and equity in the nation’s economic recovery. The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School is one of 98 organizations selected in the second cohort to serve as an ambassador.
Funded by HII to train and develop the next generation of shipbuilders, the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School offers four- to eight-year, tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight optional advanced programs.
Strategic Merger Yields New Maritime Solutions Company
ACUA Ocean and HydroSurv, two U.K.-based companies specializing in maritime autonomous systems, have announced their intention to merge, combining extensive expertise in the development and operation of unmanned surface vessels and associated technologies for marine surveying and surveillance.
The new company, to be named Blue Ocean Autonomy, will deliver turnkey solutions across a broad spectrum of capabilities, covering the inland, nearshore, and offshore sectors.
“In an evolving market, customer demand is shifting towards a comprehensive solution for trusted and certified USV systems,” said David Hull, founder and CEO of HydroSurv. “In response to this trend, we are excited to announce the intent to merge our two companies with a shared focus on accelerating the availability of these solutions for widespread commercial use, expanding our market presence and providing a better value offer to our customers.”
Blue Ocean Autonomy’s strategy will center around low- and zero-emission vessel operations, with a strong focus on sustainability. It will leverage both companies’ technologies—HydroSurv’s commercially proven electric and battery-hybrid Rapid Environmental Assessment Vessels (REAVs) and ACUA Ocean’s hydrogen-powered H-USV, being developed as part of the U.K. Department for Transport’s flagship Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) program.
The merger will deliver a broad offering of both near-shore and long-endurance vessels. The vessels, ranging from 2.8 meters to 13.5 meters, will be used for ocean data collection, hydrographic, geophysical, and environmental survey and surveillance, and monitoring of critical offshore infrastructure.
“Our emphasis has always been on what is best for our customers,” said Neil Tinmouth, founder and CEO of ACUA Ocean. “This merger represents a natural progression of our vision and values with a company that is a strong cultural, as well as technological, fit. The new entity will undoubtedly be greater than the sum of its parts, establishing one of the most experienced and talented teams in marine autonomy.”
Ship CO2 Management Startup Secures Funding
Founded with the support of Flagship Founders, zero44, an SaaS startup for CO2 management of merchant ships, has announced a successful funding round of €2.5 million. The round is led by early-stage investor Atlantic Labs. In addition, Starthub Ventures and Bernhard Schulte Innoport are investing, as well as several business angels from the logistics and shipping industry.
zero44 was founded in May 2022. The startup helps companies from the shipping industry (shipping companies, charterers and ship managers) to set up the optimal and commercially most sensible CO2 strategy, and to reduce CO2 significantly and quickly.
In particular, zero44 supports its customers’ participation in EU emissions trading, which will become mandatory in the maritime sector from January 2024.
Exxon to Supply Biofuel for Hapag-Lloyd Containerships
U.S. energy producer ExxonMobil has signed a deal with container line Hapag-Lloyd to supply its ships with biofuel bunker blends in Northwest Europe.
The firm has agreed to supply Hapag-Lloyd ships at the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub with B30 blends containing 30% biofuel and the remainder VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil), it said in an emailed statement.
The International Sustainability & Carbon-Certified (ISCC) biofuel component of the fuel is derived from Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) from 2nd generation sources.
“This agreement and delivery marks an important development for both ExxonMobil and our customers,” said Aly Abdelmotaal, regional marine marketing manager at ExxonMobil.
“By boosting our biofuel offer, we can now further support the marine industry’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) stated ambitions. These bunker deliveries follow similar agreements in Singapore in 2022,” he added.
“We aim to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for our entire fleet by 2045 by using alternative fuels,” added Jan Christensen, senior director for global fuel purchasing at Hapag-Lloyd. Further, “Bunkering ExxonMobil’s marine bio fuel oil blend is yet another step towards turning our commitment into a reality.”
Sonardyne Upgrades India’s Tsunami Early Warning System
A network of deepwater acoustic sensors that provides India’s coastal communities with an early warning of tsunami waves is being upgraded by Sonardyne to extend their endurance and capability.
Deployed at key locations in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, the network of Sonardyne’s bottom pressure recorders (BPRs) is owned and operated by India’s National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) as part of the country’s Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS).
The BPRs were first installed in 2007, as part of NIOT’s national tsunami detection system, which was conceived following the deadly Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004.
The BPRs detect the characteristic changes in water pressure (as little as 1 cm in 4,000-m depth) caused by an earthquake in the deep ocean. If a tsunami wave is detected, an alert message is transmitted up to a satellite buoy on the surface. From there, it is relayed to the national Tsunami Warning Centre onshore for comparison with recent seismic activity. If validated, a wide-scale alarm is raised to alert vulnerable communities.
Following a 10-year life refurbishment in 2017, the BPRs are now being upgraded to Sonardyne’s 6G hardware and Wideband 2 communications standard. The installation of low-power electronics, new lower power consumption pressure sensors and doubled battery capacity of these maxi BPRs will significantly reduce maintenance visits and costs. Additionally, the acoustic telemetry signals used to transmit data to the surface will also now be fully digital, providing greater resilience to noise interference in the water column, as well as increasing bandwidth ten-fold (from 600 to 6,000 bps).
Each BPR is a customized version of Sonardyne’s Compatt transponder, which provides autonomous monitoring and measuring applications for offshore energy, survey and ocean science.
Apply: SUT Mick Cook Marine Site Investigation Award
The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) has announced the new annual Mick Cook Award for Significant Contribution to Marine Site Investigation. The winner will receive a prize of £1,000, a trophy and a certificate.
The award is named after Mick Cook, a long-standing member and former chair of the Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics (OSIG) Committee and a past treasurer and SUT council member.
The award is open to all working in the field of marine site investigations and characterizations globally. Details of the full requirements for nominations or applications are available at: https://sut.org/mick-cook-
All applications/nominations are due by August 14, 2023.
The winner will be presented with the award at SUT’s OSIG Conference “Innovation Geotechnologies for Energy Transition” in September at Imperial College London.
June 2: International Ocean Film Festival, Florida
Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is hosting the 2023 International Ocean Film Festival Friday, June 2.
Jun 6-8: Capitol Hill Ocean Week
Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) will take place June 6 to 8 in Washington, D.C., and virtually. The conference will explore the ocean-climate connection and how to make ocean conservation part of climate strategies and nationally determined contributions to address climate change.
The ocean can be a source of climate solutions. It offers many options to help communities mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change while protecting biodiversity, sustaining productive coastal economies, and building resilient communities and ecosystems. However, the ocean itself is threatened by climate change, urban development and other stressors. Protecting these places means protecting people and our planet.
New Method to Estimate Age of Microplastics
Researchers from Kyushu University and Asahi Kasei Corp. have developed a new way to estimate the age of microplastics found in the upper oceans. Published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, the new method combines plastic oxidation analysis with UV exposure and ambient temperature.
By applying their new method to microplastics found across the North Pacific Ocean, the team found that the age of microplastics in nearshore regions ranged up to five years old, whereas microplastics from offshore regions ranged from one to three years old.
Photo Credit: Kyushu University/Isobe Lab
TrueOcean Integrates Spire Global’s Metocean Data
TrueOcean’s innovative cloud-based Marine Data Platform (MDP) for optimizing offshore wind project development and operations globally has been upgraded to include Spire Global’s metocean data forecasts natively, enabling marine survey, energy company, and offshore contractor end-users to improve quality control of data from diverse marine sensors, such as multibeam echosounders and sub-bottom profilers.
The seamless integration of highly accurate wind, wave and environmental data from Spire Global augments the TrueOcean MDP’s powerful sensor data management capabilities, which are designed to optimize technical workflows in geoinformatics, geotechnics and hydrography, using a single integrated platform built specifically for the offshore wind sector.
Spire Global’s weather forecast already assists surveying and offshore construction contractors, as well as operation and maintenance companies, in planning and preparing for work at sea. The recorded metocean data, in turn, help asset owners, including utilities and cable network operators, in verifying their processes and improving quality when working with survey data.
Seawing Validated on Traction Flights
Airseas has successfully validated Seawing’s traction flights on Louis Dreyfus Armateurs’ vessel Ville de Bordeaux. This demonstrates that the wind propulsion system is working as planned, providing its first tonnes of traction that will help reduce the ship’s fuel consumption and emissions.
With automated take-off and landing also fully functional, the next phases of the sea trials will focus on testing dynamic flying, which allows the kite to maximize its traction power, as well as gathering performance data and fine-tuning the automated flight system.
The validation of traction flights is the latest achievement in the technology’s ongoing sea trials, which are taking place during the Ville de Bordeaux’s commercial operations between Europe and the United States. These trials aim to test the Seawing system, which was developed with expertise on flight control and automation from the aerospace sector, and validate its performance.
The thorough transatlantic trials were conducted by Airseas’ engineers on board, with the support of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, which operates the Ville de Bordeaux, and Airbus, which charters the vessel to transport aircraft components.
The completion of this technical milestone marks an important step towards the industrialization of Seawing, with planning well underway to build a factory in Nantes in 2026. Airseas is scaling up its company to meet demand for the solution, with commitments from major shipping lines such as K Line, with whom Airseas has a 20-year agreement, with options for the Seawing to be installed on up to 51 of its vessels.
Saab ROV Chosen for Naples-Based Archaeology and Offshore Services
The Seaeye Falcon DR will be employed by Deep Sea Technology (DST), a commercial diving business based in Naples, Italy, across its operations supporting offshore energy and maritime archaeological research in both shallow and deep waters. The Falcon package includes a Tritech Super SeaPrince sonar and skid-mounted five-function manipulator and rope cutter.
“The Falcon DR will extend our operational capabilities,” says Alessandro Scuotto, CEO of DST. “It will operate in both single configuration and for diver support, and we plan to further enhance the vehicle with new system options in the future.”
Depth rated to 1,000 m, the Seaeye Falcon has a proven record globally in many marine archaeological missions involving filming, recording, surveying, and delicately recovering artifacts when appropriate.
During diving operations, the Falcon can helpfully preview dive sites, watch over divers, and save time by transporting tools and materials back and forth.
As the world’s most successful robotic vehicle in its class, the Seaeye Falcon has a reliability record covering over a million hours underwater.
Its success comes from having the power and intelligent control to handle a wide range of resources for undertaking numerous intricate and demanding tasks in strong currents and turbulent waters.
Just a meter in size, the Falcon is easily manhandled, and its iCON™ intelligent control architecture, combined with five powerful thrusters, allows precise maneuverability amongst complex structures, whilst loaded with various cameras, sensors, and tooling, typically found on much larger robotic vehicles.
PPE for Maritime Workers
The shipping industry is one of the greatest contributors to the world’s economy, and its workers face the highest workplace risks, including death, on a daily basis. Understanding the reasons behind sea occupational injuries and successfully lowering their frequency benefits both seafarers and shipping companies.
Seafarers have to perform hazardous tasks, such as repairing and patching ships, refloating shipwrecked vessels, and even putting out fires. And they are regularly exposed to airborne particulate matter, biohazards, chemicals, heat and electrical hazards.
A study conducted by a team of researchers from Singapore indicates that the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) for seafarers greatly reduces the daily injuries and risks faced by these workers. The study revealed that 4 percent of the workers that had not received proper training on the use of PPE suffer an injury rate as high as 33 percent. Thus, companies have the responsibility of ensuring that their workers have access to the best quality PPE and receive sufficient training on their use.
The use of personal protective equipment also increases work efficiency. For example, if you are working with chemicals, you can easily handle a huge quantity with confidence if you have the right PPE, which serves as the first line of defense against such risks. Protective gear such as eye goggles provides safety against liquid or chemical splash and fumes from vapors. Gloves protect your hands against heat and corrosive substances. A coverall or overall, a.k.a. “boiler suit,” protects the body against hot water, acid and other chemicals.
Other examples of PPE are: a high-quality helmet with a chin strap to protect against head injuries; steel-toed and non-skid shoes to protect the feet; an ear muff to prevent hearing damage; and a welding shield to protect the body.
When choosing PPE, you should consider these factors: the type and level of protection required, functionality, fit, sustainability of material, and comfort and ergonomics. Choosing the right PPE is necessary for the physical and psychological safety of seafarers. Knowing the risks that workers face is key to finding the right protective gear.
GE and Nedstack Collaborate on Marine Fuel Cell Proposal
Dutch fuel cell manufacturer Nedstack and U.S. power firm GE Power Conversion will extend their working partnership on the latter’s electric ship system that aims to replace diesel engines with fuel cells and oil-derived bunker fuel with hydrogen.
To date, Nedstack and GE have developed a 2-MW hydrogen fuel cell power plant on an expedition cruise vessel with positive results, according to a statement on Nedstack’s website.
“Nedstack’s technology is deployed in commercial shipping, and our new factory will be able to deliver hundreds of megawatts per year to the maritime industry,” declared Jogchum Bruinsma, the company’s chief commercial officer.
Hydrogen and Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells are electrochemical reactors in which fuel and an oxidant react to generate electrical power. The reaction produces no emissions other than water while the fuel cells can be scaled to multi-megawatt power ratings.
“Clean maritime technologies are high on the maritime industry’s agenda, and a differentiator for our customers’ vessels to remain competitive,” said Loïc Thiébaut, head of sales at GE Power Conversion.
GE is an established power company listed on the New York stock exchange.
AIMS Gets Australia’s First Permit-Free Marine Tech Test Status
For the first time in Australia, autonomous marine technology developers have a location to safely test autonomous vessels without needing to apply for a permit. The Australian Institute of Marine Science’s ReefWorks inshore test range, near Townsville in north Queensland, has been granted regulatory sandbox approval for uncrewed vessels from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). It’s the first approval issued under a proposed Australian Maritime Regulatory Sandbox advocated by Trusted Autonomous Systems (TAS), AIMS and AMC Search. The five-year agreement allows for permit-free testing and evaluation of vessels up to 12 m in length, traveling up to 20 kt. within the test range.
ReefWorks Project Director Melanie Olsen said the status removes a time-consuming hurdle and uncertainty for developers and helps clear the path to development for Australia’s fledgling autonomous marine technology sector. It also allows ReefWorks to share the lessons it learns with regulators to help reduce risk and drive legislative changes.
AIMS is working closely with TAS to remove the barriers slowing development of Australia’s autonomous marine technology industry. AIMS is also developing a suite of autonomous marine monitoring technology to provide more comprehensive knowledge, faster, to inform sustainable management of Australia’s changing tropical marine environment.
ReefWorks opened its doors to industry, defense and academic innovators in 2022, with support from the Queensland government, to provide one of the world’s first tropical-water marine technology test ranges.
Nautilus Expedition Season Opens
The Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) has announced its plans for the 2023 expedition season aboard Exploration Vessel (EV) Nautilus. The public is invited to join the 10 separate expeditions over the course of eight months at sea that, along with expedition partners, will map and explore deep-sea habitats in the Central and Eastern Pacific, as well as integrate several emerging technologies into at-sea operations. From Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands up to British Columbia and back, EV Nautilus will cover thousands of miles of open ocean.
The 2023 Nautilus expeditions are sponsored by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, with additional support from Ocean Networks Canada, Office of Naval Research, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
OET’s expertise in conducting telepresence-enabled expeditions offers opportunities for scientists, students, educators and the public to participate remotely from shore. Scientists onshore can connect with personnel aboard EV Nautilus via high-speed, satellite-connected streaming and thereby help plan and execute science operations on the ship.
Nautilus’s 2023 expeditions will focus on exploring the geological history of seamounts in the Pacific, deep-sea coral and sponge gardens, and marine protected areas, as well as integrating cutting-edge technologies into at-sea operations.
From May to December 2023, EV Nautilus expeditions will be made available to the public in real time through livestreamed video on NautilusLive.org, a 24-hr. portal. Viewers will be able to ask the at-sea team questions via the website and can also follow expeditions with behind-the-scenes updates on social media. The team of STEM professionals will also connect directly to classrooms via free educational Q&A interactions from the onboard broadcast studio. An ongoing series of live events on social media will also highlight expedition overviews and STEM career features.
Look out for a feature on Nautilus in ST‘s June 2023 issue.
Crowley Awards Maritime Scholarships to College Students
Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program students Jessica Jiang and Ari Quasney have been awarded Crowley scholarships for their academic achievements.
The Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program is a collaboration between Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. The program offers undergraduates from across the U.S. a semester-long experience at sea with opportunities to conduct original research and travel while studying literature, history, policy, and science of the oceans and coasts.
Jiang, of Brooklyn, New York, is a sophomore at Williams College, where she studies English. Her marine education includes marine ecology, marine policy and American maritime history. At Williams-Mystic, she is researching the effects of rising climate temperatures on the feeding rate of an invasive species of crab, as well as the impact of plastic bans on low-income communities.
Quasney, from Munster, Indiana, is also a sophomore at Williams College, and is pursuing a degree in geoscience in addition to a combined degree in art history and studio art. Quasney is a member of the deaf community and serves as the accessibility coordinator for the Williams College of Accessibility. At Williams-Mystic, Quasney is researching the effects of variable tides and wave energy on coastlines and examining how port cities adapt construction in response to natural disaster events.
Since 1984, Crowley has funded more than 1,000 students studying at maritime academies and other select schools in the U.S. mainland, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Central America, totaling more than $3 million dollars.
Resident Underwater Drone System for Asset Monitoring
Hydromea, a Swiss-based autonomous underwater robotics company, has partnered with Unplugged, a Norwegian leader in inductive charging and data transfer technology, to develop a resident underwater drone system for continuous inspection and monitoring of underwater assets. The partnership received €2 million in grant funding from their respective national organizations, and the project will take 30 months to complete.
The partners will develop a robust, resident drone solution, with the initial focus on the aquaculture industry. The system will be designed to remain underwater for months at a time and perform daily data sweeps, providing farmers with up-to-date comprehensive and remote condition monitoring of operations.
Nominate: Maritime SAR Awards
Nominations have opened for this year’s International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) annual awards, which look to recognize volunteer and professional maritime search and rescue (SAR) personnel from around the world.
This year’s awards, which will be the eighth to take place, will also focus on those who have dedicated their lives to developing maritime SAR services, those developing innovative technology and equipment, and those encouraging more women to enter a traditionally male-dominated sector.
This year’s awards will have five categories that are open for nominations:
- Individual: For outstanding individual contribution to maritime SAR operations.
- Team: For outstanding team contribution to maritime SAR operations.
- Innovation & Technology: For innovation and technology in the field of maritime SAR.
- Vladimir Maksimov Award for Lifetime Achievement: For lifetime achievement in the maritime SAR sector. (This award is sponsored by Inmarsat.)
- #WomeninSAR Award: For an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to improving equality of opportunity for women and girls in maritime SAR. (This award is sponsored by HamiltonJet.)
The closing date for nominations is July 31.
The shortlist will be announced September 29. The winners will be announced October 18.
Nominations can be submitted online at: www.international-
S-100 Hydrographic Data Management System
SevenCs has launched the S-100 Data Management System (SDMS), designed to help organizations better manage their S-57/ S-100 data sets and comply with the standards. SDMS is the future of hydrographic data management, especially when S-100 products take center stage.
Manufacturers of electronic navigation charts can apply predefined workflows to ensure that the ENC quality assurance process is as compliant as possible with standards.
The system consists of a core module that controls individual processes, takes care of user rights management and guides workflows.
Additional functional modules take care of individual tasks, including validation, visualization and data import in the current version. Data conversion and data encryption will appear in the next version of SDMS; these modules can currently be added separately to the main module.
SDMS works as a cloud service or in a local network and can be used on a desktop computer. A log provides user activity reporting.
NOAA Partners with Proteus on ‘Underwater Space Station’
NOAA and Proteus Ocean Group have signed an agreement to use the “underwater space station of the ocean,” PROTEUS, to advance marine science, research and education. Together, NOAA and Proteus Ocean Group seek to develop a deeper understanding of the ocean environment and reveal solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing concerns, including those related to climate change.
PROTEUS will be located off the Caribbean island of Curacao. It will serve as an underwater habitat where scientists, innovators, private citizens, the public sector and global customers can live underwater to study the ocean environment for extended periods of time. In addition to state-of-the-art scientific laboratories, living quarters and an underwater garden for food production, PROTEUS will include a full-scale video production facility to provide livestreaming for research and educational programming.
Under the new cooperative research and development agreement, NOAA and Proteus Ocean Group will work together to identify opportunities for research using the unique capabilities of PROTEUS. NOAA will provide access to scientific experts, vessels and other technology, expedition plans, and mission results relevant to PROTEUS activities, as well as access to shore-side facilities and programs throughout the agency’s mission portfolios of the ocean, weather, climate and coastal science. Proteus Ocean Group will share data and insights related to the development phase of the underwater habitat.
ORPC RivGen Demo for Shell in Mississippi River
ORPC, a marine renewable energy developer whose power systems harness the energy of free-flowing rivers and tides, has signed a contract with Shell Technology – Marine Renewable Program to initiate a Modular RivGen Power System demonstration project in the Lower Mississippi River.
The collaborative project represents an opportunity to showcase how the next generation of ORPC’s proven hydrokinetic technology can provide highly predictable baseload electricity to help decarbonize onshore assets. Once deployed, the system can potentially support the electrification of Shell facilities, including providing power to EV chargers and supporting alternative fuels production.
The initiation of the demonstration project builds off previous work completed by ORPC for Shell. ORPC completed a feasibility study in November 2022 to help identify mutually beneficial applications of ORPC technology by Shell and assess the business case for pursuing pilot projects to demonstrate their use in the field. The report identified three priority use cases where ORPC power systems could contribute toward decarbonizing Shell’s existing operations, the first of which is to provide power for Shell’s onshore facilities.
In early April, ORPC technicians traveled to multiple Shell sites in Louisiana. With support from Louisiana State University, they assessed each location’s viability to support the production of hydrokinetic power generation. Resource characterization at the sites is ongoing, along with stakeholder engagement. This most recent award will focus on acceleration toward a demonstration project, including the selection of a suitable site(s), as well as associated permitting and applications engineering.
The Modular RivGen device uses the proven cross-flow turbine technology of ORPC’s commercially available RivGen Power System, optimized for lower velocity sites and reduced cost. The product is being developed at ORPC’s river test site in Millinocket, Maine, with financial assistance from the Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office. The Modular RivGen system can be stacked vertically or placed side-by-side to integrate into existing or new works.
Access BOEM Ocean Science Research Online
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has made available its Environmental Studies Program (ESP) Hub, a new online platform that will improve public access to BOEM’s collection of ocean science research.
The ESP Hub replaces the previous geoESPIS search tool, ushering in a completely new paradigm for scientific information discovery. Its intuitive user interface and well-organized theme pages will significantly improve accessibility to ESP studies.
Pleuger Warns of Brand Misrepresentation
Pleuger has learned that Flowserve Corp. has been marketing itself as the manufacturer and source of Pleuger products, despite having sold the brand and line of business to Pleuger in 2018. Pleuger has filed a lawsuit against Flowserve in the United States to try to stop these acts of misrepresentation and trademark infringement.
Since 1929, Pleuger Industries has built a reputation for manufacturing highly reliable submersible motors, pumps and dynamic positioning thruster systems in Hamburg, Germany, for the water, marine and offshore, oil and gas, renewable, and mining industries.
Pleuger believes that many customers who have relationships with Flowserve and its representatives are not aware that Pleuger is the owner of the brand and the source for authorized and reliable OEM parts, service, and technical assistance for Pleuger products.
Pleuger claims that Flowserve has created marketplace confusion, and, in doing so, has benefited from contracts with numerous government agencies that were under the mistaken belief that Flowserve is the manufacturer and OEM service provider of Pleuger products.
The consequences of marketplace confusion extend far beyond diminishing Pleuger’s profitability and competitiveness, the company says. These unauthorized activities, including selling generic or outdated parts or carrying out unauthorized or unsupervised modifications, adversely affect the performance and reliability of Pleuger equipment. These acts particularly impact Pleuger’s ability to fully warrant and stand behind its products.
All customers are encouraged to protect themselves by buying directly from Pleuger or an authorized distributor to receive authentic products, full warranty coverage, and cost-effective service.
Seychelles Chooses Satlink to Monitor Fisheries
The Seychelles government has chosen the technology of Spanish company Satlink to digitally monitor the catches of its fishing fleet, with the aim of strengthening and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its activity. This is part of a joint effort with the tuna fleet operating in the Indian Ocean, which advocates for demonstrating transparency and good practices of its crew.
Satlink will provide the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) with one of the most advanced analysis software solutions on the market, in addition to equipping the fishing fleet’s purse seiners with its onboard electronic monitoring solution, Satlink SeaTube.
After a testing period that began in 2021, Seychelles is now strengthening its partnership with Satlink as a technology provider until 2026. The authorities will use the Satlink View Manager (SVM) software to analyze the data obtained on board the vessels and generate reports on the composition of the catches, the destination of the bycatch and the fishing zones, among other information.
Fishing is the main contributor to the the Seychelles’ gross domestic product (20 to 30 percent), and the project aims to reduce the potential impact of unregulated activity.
OSIL Vibrocorer Key in Thames Flood Protection Plan
The OSIL Vibrocorer has been in use on the early works for the River Thames Scheme—a $758 million project to develop two new flood channel sections for the River Thames.
The River Thames Scheme, involving a series of measures, aims to reduce the risk of flooding for approximately 15,000 homes and businesses along the River Thames. These measures include new flood walls and embankments, improvements to existing flood defenses, and flood storage areas and diversion channels to temporarily hold excess water during times of heavy rain.
The OSIL vibrocorer has been used to obtain sediment samples in dense or consolidated sediments to determine the type and thickness of sediment layers present in the riverbed. It has also been used to identify any areas where the riverbed may be unstable or prone to erosion, which can help in selecting suitable locations for the proposed flood defenses and storage areas. This also helps inform the design of the proposed flood defenses.
The OSIL vibrocorer uses high-frequency vibration to penetrate the seabed or riverbed sediment and collect a core sample. It is constructed from modular frame sections surrounding a steel core barrel with a vibrating motor at the top.
The OSIL system can retrieve sediment cores up to 12 m in length, with each frame section measuring 3 m, and can be equipped with additional sensors or tools to measure properties such as sediment density or water content.
Information on the composition of sediments collected by the vibrocorer help in designing appropriate environmental and flood protection measures to implement during the construction phase of the flood defenses.
For further information or sales inquiries please contact: sales@osil.com or call +44 (0) 2392 488 240.
UDT: May 9-11, Rostock, Germany
Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) begins today in Rostock, Germany, and runs through May 11. The largest global event dedicated to the undersea defense industry, UDT is a multi-faceted conference and exhibition that brings together the best expertise this domain has to offer. UDT 2023 provides an invaluable platform to come together, learn, expand networks and explore business opportunities.
Recent events show there are new challenges and threats that defense must face in the undersea domain, and success relies, in part, on bringing together the entirety of the underwater defense community to learn and develop new methods of operation. To this end, UDT brings together researchers, military end-users and professionals spanning the entire supply chain to evaluate developing solutions in one of the harshest environments known to man.
The three-day conference will give attendees, including governments, insight into the progress that has been made across the underwater domain, such as newly enhanced and improved technologies, new programs, and new equipment, many of which will be on display on the show floor, where exhibitors will feature a range of cutting-edge technologies.
Examples of New Tech Displays
Nautel Sonar will showcase its HMS sonar amplifiers and Tonpilz transducers, as well as its HMS transmission chain subsystems, comprising all components from amplifier to transducer array, designed for frigates and corvettes.
Image Soft will present is latest underwater surveillance product, the 3Generation UNWAS system alongside its existing underwater surveillance and maritime navigational simulators. A comprehensive underwater surveillance product based on passive hydrophone sensors and highly advanced software to detect, track, and target any underwater threat, 3Generation UNWAS is designed for undersea pipeline and cable protection, as well as wide area coastal surveillance and harbor protection.
Launched at UDT 2022 to offer a subsea sensing capability to the defense market, Forcys returns to the 2023 event with its solutions from leading technology partners Chelsea Technologies, EIVA, Sonardyne, Voyis and Wavefront. Its solutions include Sentinel, the world’s most deployed intruder detection sonar to protect harbors, ports and ships; IT 6, a secure remote initiation transponder to wirelessly detonate charges underwater for explosive ordnance disposal and mine neutralization; and DiveTrack, a wireless tracking and monitoring tool to manage diving operations of up to eight divers.
Also exhibiting is Anschütz, with a range of systems and solutions that take submarine control, automation and navigation to the next level, offering a multitude of benefits to its customers. It provides both highly customizable and off-the-shelf submarine solutions for newbuild and retrofit projects, and wide ranging and efficient after-sales services.
Register for UDT now at: www.udt-global.com/sea-technology.
BAE Systems Awarded US Navy C4I Support Contract
BAE Systems has been awarded a contract by U.S. Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, to engineer command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) services on surface ships. The total value of the eight-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract is $537 million. BAE Systems is one of three companies that will compete for work on the program.
C4I systems are critical to the operation of surface ships, providing the ability to communicate, control, and coordinate operations across the fleet.
“We have a rich history of supporting the Navy’s missions to advance security across the globe,” said Lisa Hand, vice president and general manager, BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions.
“As a leader in systems integration, we are known for not only providing exceptional quality and production support, but also for developing creative solutions for the Navy’s toughest C4I problems,” she added.
Under the new ID/IQ contract, BAE Systems will provide C4I services and data deliverables throughout the five phases of shipboard integration. The company will perform work in Alabama, California, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.
BAE Systems is a global defense, aerospace, and security company with a long history of providing advanced technology solutions to the U.S. military.
NOIA Safety in Seas Awards Winners
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) has announced that Halliburton and Oil States International are the winners of the 2023 NOIA Safety in Seas Awards competition. Halliburton is the 2023 NOIA Safety in Seas Safety Practice Award winner, and Oil States is the 2023 NOIA Safety in Seas Culture of Safety Award winner.
The Safety Practice Award recognizes specific technologies, approaches, methods, or projects with direct and demonstrable impacts on improving safety. The Culture of Safety Award honors overall organizational immersion in and commitment to safety, which has resulted in remarkable, measurable and sustained safety performance over a prolonged period of time.
Halliburton is recognized for its Risk Management and 5 Checks to Go programs, which are part of Halliburton’s “Journey to ZERO” vision of achieving zero safety incidents, zero environmental incidents and zero nonproductive time. Using a digital delivery platform and the 5 Checks to Go program to standardize safety processes, Halliburton reduced its HSE lost-time injury rate from the previous year and improved service quality, achieving a historical best nonproductive time performance. Halliburton has shared its Risk Management and 5 Checks to Go programs with other companies during several energy industry forums.
Oil States is recognized for its overlapping suite of processes designed to improve safety performance across the company’s global operations. These processes include: executive commitment and monitoring; clear communication of vision; development and implementation of structured management systems (including training, surveillance, reporting and analytical safety tools); and the consistently applied commitment of each employee to protect themselves and others. Since 2013, Oil States has achieved dramatic reductions in the number of injuries and lost-time events across its workforce.
The Safety in Seas Awards are sponsored by Compass Publications, the publisher of Sea Technology.
Holland Shipyards Group Retrofits Vessel for Hydrogen Fuel
Future Proof Shipping’s Waal is in the final phase of its retrofit. The 110-m long Waal follows a pre-paved path towards zero-emissions shipping as Holland Shipyards Group previously retrofitted a sister ship, the inland vessel Maas, to run using a zero-emissions hydrogen propulsion system.
The long-lead components such as the six Ballard FC WAVE fuel cells, AYK batteries, and electric propulsion motor are ordered, and steel cutting for the new technical space will start soon. Waal is expected to enter service within five months of arriving at the Holland Shipyards Group yard.
Like its sister vessel, the FPS Waal will have a complete retrofit. The internal combustion technology will be replaced with hydrogen technology, removing the main engine with a reduction gearbox.
The diesel engine driving the bow thruster and the diesel generators will be replaced by a new modular propulsion system. This consists of electric motors, hydrogen tanks, a PEM fuel cell system for converting hydrogen into electric power, and a battery system.
With six fuel cell modules, FPS Waal will have a fuel cell capacity of 1.2 MW.
Waal will feature an innovative cooling and ventilation system, thanks to a subsidy from the Netherlands’ Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
Following the retrofit, the vessel will have a cargo capacity of 200 TEU. Provisions will be made for an additional push barge. Upon completion, FPS Waal will operate on the Rotterdam–Duisburg route on the Rhine, one of Europe’s busiest waterways.
Ocean Census to Discover 100,000+ Marine Species
Ocean Census, the largest program in history to discover life in the ocean, has been launched, with an ambitious target of finding at least 100,000 new marine species in the first decade. Knowledge gathered will revolutionize our understanding of life on Earth and how to protect the ocean.
Scientists believe little more than 10 percent of what lives in our seas has been found, and there are about 2 million species still undiscovered. The endeavor builds on previous major programs, including the Challenger Expeditions (1872 to 1876, the birth of modern marine science) and the Census of Marine Life (2000 to 2010).
Ocean Census is a global collaborative initiative; an open network of science, business, media and civil society organizations joining forces. It has been founded by The Nippon Foundation, the largest nonprofit in Japan that focuses on philanthropy through social innovation, and Nekton, a U.K.-based marine science and conservation institute. The aggregated, open-source data will from the project will be added to a network of data centers globally and made freely accessible to scientists, decision makers, and the public.
Over the coming years, scientists from around the world will embark on dozens of expeditions to the ocean’s biodiversity hotspots to find new life from the surface to full ocean depth. Combining vessels from the philanthropic, government and commercial fleets, they will be deploying a combination of advanced subsea technologies with divers, submarines and deep-sea robots.
Species discovered on expeditions will be sent for high-resolution imaging and DNA sequencing to biodiversity centers to be established in nations around the world. Networks of taxonomists will connect virtually to complete species descriptions.
Building the World’s Tallest Floating Wind Farm
Floating offshore wind will be key to delivering cost-effective renewable energy to consumers. Equinor is leading the way in developing this technology with Hywind Tampen, the largest floating wind farm to date.
A critical challenge was assembling the 8.6-MW turbines–including tower sections, nacelles and blades–onto huge 107-m spar buoys that lie mainly underwater. This needed to be performed in the controlled environment of a port, where the whole system could be kept as static as possible, before the completed turbines were towed out to their installation site. Weather conditions also posed a challenge.
A spacer barge between the quay and spar foundation was needed to ensure adequate clearance between the base of the foundation and the seabed. Turbine components needed to be lifted over the quay edge, over the spacer barge, then onto the foundations themselves: a distance of about 143 m.
Following its experience during the deployment of the world’s first floating wind farm, Hywind Scotland (also operated by Equinor), Mammoet was engaged to undertake turbine assembly and associated port-handling work.
2023 Ocean Awards Gala Honorees
The U.S. National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will honor Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Solomon Pili Kahoʻohalahala and William J. Ailā Jr. at the 2023 Ocean Awards Gala on June 8 as part of Capitol Hill Ocean Week.
The Ocean Awards Gala will take place this year in Washington, D.C., in the Ronald Reagan Building atrium on the evening of World Ocean Day. The gala annually recognizes champions of marine and Great Lakes stewardship. Previous honorees include presidents, members of Congress, and world-renowned scientists and conservationists.
Leadership Awards will be given to Grijalva and Case. This award honors political leaders who demonstrate a commitment to ocean, coastal and Great Lakes stewardship. Through their work on policy and governance, Leadership Award honorees elevate attention of the marine and Great Lakes environment through support of sound science and conservation. They champion change and action to protect these environments and their natural and cultural resources for future generations.
The Sanctuary Wavemaker Awards will be given to Kahoʻohalahala and Ailā. This award celebrates dedicated citizens who conduct critical work that benefits national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments and are active advocates and ambassadors for national marine sanctuaries.
Hydrothermal Vent Fields Discovered in Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Scientists have discovered three new hydrothermal vent fields over a 434-mi.-long stretch of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge during the first scientific expedition aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s new RV Falkor (too).
The multidisciplinary science team representing 11 institutions from the United States, Canada and France used AUVs and ROVs to map 65 sq. mi. (170 sq. km) of seafloor at 1-m-scale resolution.
The discovery of the active hydrothermal vents is the first on this section of the world’s longest underwater mountain range, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, in more than 40 years. One of the discovered vent fields was located at the Puy des Folles volcano and has five active sites over 6.95 sq. mi. (18 sq. km). High-temperature “black smoker” vents were also found at the Grappe Deux vent system and Kane Fracture Zone.
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a target area for deep-sea mining and exists in international waters. All mineral resources-related activities in the area are regulated by the International Seabed Authority, established by the United Nations, which is currently considering whether to allow deep-sea mining.
Active hydrothermal vents are rich in metal sulfide deposits; mineral ore often affiliated with copper and zinc. In exploring the vents for the first time, scientists found rich biological communities. The vents were teeming with marine life, including massive swarms of vent shrimp and a rare sighting of bigfin squid. Many species found on vents live off chemical energy (chemosynthesis) instead of energy from sunlight, which doesn’t reach those depths.
Scientists are still learning about how these ecosystems function and the role they play for cycling carbon on our planet. The impacts deep-sea mining would have on hydrothermal vent ecosystems is unknown, and the discovery of active marine life underscores the need for more research to understand the effects.
RV Falkor (too) began its next expedition April 17, exploring deep-sea coral.
Use AccessAIS to Spot Ocean Space Conflicts
For more than a decade, people with a big stake in offshore wind energy plans have visited MarineCadastre.gov to gain instant access to vessel traffic data that they can filter, map, and share with those on the front lines of siting decisions. Now, a new tool featuring most U.S. coastal areas—AccessAIS—makes it even easier for users to access these data, as well as ocean data on birds, economics, boundaries, federal regulations and more. The raw data comes from the U.S. Coast Guard’s AIS, and the tool was made possible by NOAA and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
Because of AccessAIS, what used to take hours or days of data downloading and processing can now be ordered and delivered in minutes. All users need to do to gain access to this huge information resource is to draw a box around their geographic area of interest and select a time range from 2017 to 2022. New AIS data are added regularly, and tool uses are growing each month.
Applications thus far include:
–Partners in the Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study used the data to ensure that emerging renewable energy plans did not conflict with the ship traffic and navigational safety of port users.
-Fishing vessel owners in southeastern New England used AccessAIS to identify their trawl widths, paths and turns, so they could communicate potential conflicts with wind turbine placement.
-Partners that include California’s Port of Los Angeles and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries used the data to visualize shipping lane changes that could reduce whale fatalities from ship strikes.
-The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Massachusetts researched how noise from large commercial vessels could negatively affect marine mammals.
-NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science analyzed the potential pluses and minuses of a mussel aquaculture operation along the U.S. northeastern coast.
-Coastal zone managers in many states use AccessAIS to develop ocean plans that protect ecosystems and local economies.
-Cruise ship personnel used the data to compare cruise traffic patterns against historical hurricane paths.
-When a maritime “hit and run” damaged a bridge, users of the tool’s historical data filtered a subset of potential vessels, which helped identify the offending vessel.
-Users have analyzed the risks of buried submarine cable to area fishing and trawling vessels.
-U.S. researchers have used the data to model the potential destructiveness of a vessel collision with an offshore liquefied natural gas port facility.
Certificate of Approval for Offshore OTEC Platform
An important milestone on the way to building the first commercial ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) platform has been achieved by Global OTEC Resources. The U.K.-based company received its first certificate of approval for the methodology of installation of a cold-water riser, for the purposes of an offshore OTEC platform. The certificate was issued by the marine warranty surveyor company ABL Group. This forms a crucial step in the design process, using standards already tested and applied to the oil and gas industry for implementation in OTEC deployments.
Global OTEC has designed what will be the first commercial-scale OTEC system, the 1.5-MW floating platform named “Dominique.” Set to be installed in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2025, this will be an example of how diesel fuel imports can be replaced with clean energy from the ocean.
Generating power from the temperature difference naturally present in the tropical areas of the ocean, OTEC uses warm surface seawater to evaporate a fluid, which produces a vapor that spins a turbine. Cold water from deep in the ocean is then used to cool the vapor and condense it back into a liquid so the cycle can continue all year round.
Octopus Battery Management System
EST-Floattech has launched the Octopus Series, an advanced modular battery management system (BMS) developed to configure a variety of batteries. The BMS provides a user-friendly interface and can integrate a range of battery configurations and chemistries, making it adaptable to diverse applications. The BMS is an integral part of the safety management of the batteries and offers remote monitoring, diagnostics and service. It has received DNV type approval.
The Octopus Series currently offers two main types of battery modules: high energy and high power. The high-energy batteries are designed for long-duration and large-scale battery installations, making them ideal for medium- and large-size ships that sail electrically and charge during the night, for example. The high-power modules deliver a lot of power (kW), combined with limited energy storage (kWh), which, in practical terms, means a short (dis-)charging time. This can be used in fast-charging ferries that make short trips and need to charge during stops.
In addition, the company is at an advanced stage with the development of a Lite and Lite XL version of the Octopus. Secondly, modules based on LFP (lithium ferrophosphate) are also under development.
In addition to a fixed configuration (placing the system in a dedicated battery room), the Octopus Series battery system is available as a containerized solution that can be placed on different types of vessels and offers a lot of flexibility. The Octopus containerized solution is available in a 10- and 20-ft. container.
Digital Booking for Underwater Hull Cleaning
Danish company CleanQuote, part of the GateHouse Group, has created a digital platform for the booking of underwater hull cleaning (UWC) from connected service providers in more than 400 ports. The new service has been added to the company’s existing digital platform, providing access to cleaning services for ships’ cargo holds.
“With rising fuel prices and stricter climate requirements, UWC becomes more important to the shipping companies, and this creates a new business opportunity for us,” explains Lasse Ekdahl, CPO of CleanQuote.
“Just as we have had great success in digitalizing the business processes for cleaning ships’ cargo holds, we are now making it just as easy to order efficient and reasonably priced UWC,” he added.
He continued, “Our solution also makes it much easier to maintain an overview of the rules for UWC in different ports as they can vary a lot. One of our customers had previously ordered UWC in a specific port and then discovered that the hull had been cleaned down only to eight meters below the waterline, because that was the port’s maximum-allowed depth. So, the ship had to sail on with a ‘half’ cleaning – which was a waste of money. We can ensure that such misunderstandings do not happen again.”
CleanQuote says it has already established agreements with service providers for the cleaning of cargo holds in over 1,000 ports and aims to include UWC ordering in 800 of those ports by the end of 2023.
Youth Art Contest: ‘Wind Ship – The Future’
The International Windship Association (IWSA), in partnership with Nantes Saint Nazaire Développement and Association Wind Ship, have launched a new youth poster design contest with the theme “Wind Ship – The Future” to encourage young artists to create a poster or a short animated video depicting a future where all commercial ships are powered by the wind.
The competition is free to enter and is open to budding artists worldwide between two and 17 years old across four age categories: two to five years, six to 11 years, 12 to 15 years and 16 to 17 years.
Twelve winners will be chosen in total in three rounds of judging by a jury of maritime and environmental leaders, a public vote, and by IWSA members.
The deadline for entries is May 12.
Each participant can submit up to two entries. Digital entries can be submitted as a scanned or digital image of the artwork to: poster@wind-ship.org.
All submissions should be accompanied by a title and a short caption (maximum 30 words) describing the artwork. The original title and caption can be submitted in any language. However, for non-English language titles and captions, a translation in English must be provided.
Winners will be announced during a hybrid in-person/virtual event at the Wind for Goods conference in Saint Nazaire, France, June 1 to 2.
All submitted entries will be permanently hosted in a virtual gallery. Winning and runners-up artwork will be displayed at IWSA events all around the world.
New Director of Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies
Jason Goldsworthy has joined the Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies (COAST) as executive director. An experienced leader with a background in ocean technology, Goldsworthy will continue to build COAST’s reputation and international capability as Pacific Canada’s hub for the sustainable blue economy.
Goldsworthy was most recently general manager of Australia’s Westside Group of Companies, leading its corporate restructuring while maintaining an annual revenue of more than $40 million during the pandemic. Prior to this, he served as operations manager, Vancouver Island, for environmental consulting firm Pinchin and as CEO of Victoria-based Accumulated Ocean Energy (AOE) Inc. He holds a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Adelaide and is registered as a professional engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia.
Spearheaded in 2021 by South Island Prosperity Partnership, COAST is a direct response to calls from the local ocean and marine sector to develop British Columbia’s capacity to compete effectively in the $3 trillion global blue economy.
ClassNK Issues Guidelines for Ship Wind Propulsion Systems
ClassNK has released “Guidelines for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems for Ships (Edition 2.0),” which specifies requirements for ensuring the safety of ships equipped with wind-assisted propulsion systems based on the latest insights obtained from involvements in actual installation projects.
As a solution for responding to the Energy Efficiency eXisting ship Index (EEXI) regulations and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating as well as fuel costs reduction, the implementation of wind-assisted propulsion systems is progressing. When such systems are installed on board ships, it is expected to be effective in reducing CO2 emissions, etc., by the use of wind forces. However, depending on the scale and specifications, they also pose risks to ships’ structures, the crew on board, and the surrounding environment.
To provide safety guidance for addressing these risks appropriately, ClassNK published the first edition of “Guidelines for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems for Ships” in 2019 as a standard for wind-assisted propulsion systems and ships equipped with the systems and has performed plan approvals and surveys related to the actual installation projects.
The guidelines reflect the insights obtained from involvement in the actual installation projects and output of the latest R&D. The guidelines are updated significantly in the second edition.
The overall structure of the guidelines has been revised and organized into three parts: “Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems,” “Base Ships,” and “Surveys,” and requirements have been refined and clarified.
The guidelines now provide a comprehensive overview of the points to be considered in designing wind-assisted propulsion systems and their installation on ships.
Furthermore, earlier this year, ClassNK released other guidelines to enhance the safety and operational efficiency of containers. In particular, the classification society issued guidelines for container stowage and parametric roll countermeasures.
Cellular Micro-Modem for Robot Fleet Management
Cloud Ground Control, developed by Advanced Navigation, has launched its cellular micro-modem CGConnect. Using 4G/5G networks, CGConnect links any uncrewed vehicle to Cloud Ground Control’s cloud-based drone fleet management platform, enabling livestreaming, command and control from a web browser.
Cloud Ground Control is an SaaS platform that supports multi-user and multi-vehicle operations, making it ideal for robotic enterprises with a myriad of fleets for emergency, security, construction, asset inspection, agriculture and environmental purposes. The technology applies to marine surface vehicles, and CGConnect has highly scalable architecture that can be adapted to various platforms and robotic operating systems, including underwater vehicles.
Exail Launches New Subsea Navigation System
Exail, a global leader in high-performance subsea inertial navigation systems (INS), has launched a new all-in-one system that combines the best of inertial navigation and Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) technologies: the Rovins 9 DVL.
With this new, tightly integrated system, Exail provides subsea vehicle manufacturers with highly accurate and reliable subsea navigation.
Highly compact for easy vehicle integration, the Rovins 9 DVL all-in-one design combines Exail’s advanced fiber optic-based INS with a Nortek DVL in a single housing. Its tight integration of raw sensor data from both INS and DVL provides operators with highly accurate position, velocity, and attitude information even in challenging subsea environments.
This new all-in-one system is perfectly suited for subsea companies looking to maximize efficiency and allows for higher levels of reliability. The Rovins 9 DVL delivers a position accuracy of up to 0.02%TD and a heading accuracy of up to 0.01°RMS.
“By merging the INS and DVL complementary measurements, the resulting navigation data becomes much more precise and accurate than either system used alone. The ability to connect external sensors such as pressure sensors through the satellite connectors available on the system provides even greater accuracy,” says Maxime Le Roy, INS product manager at Exail.
“The Rovins 9 DVL greatly simplifies the work of subsea operators in the field. The system can be easily integrated into a variety of subsea vehicles, including ROVs, AUVs, and tow fishes, thanks to its unique compact horizontal design and plug-and-play feature.”
The Rovins 9 DVL is an ideal choice for AUV manufacturers and e-ROV operators seeking to save watts without compromising on data processing power. It operates on low power consumption and is highly resistant to high pressure and harsh environments and can be deployed down to 6,000 meters.
Exail’s new all-in-one system is ready for immediate deployment and will help subsea operators save significant time and money, enabling fast in-motion self-alignment and not requiring on-the-field calibration.
Apply: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary seeks applicants for 10 primary and 11 alternate seats on its advisory council. The council ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.
The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following seats: at large (one primary and one alternate); business industry (one primary and one alternate); conservation (two primary and one alternate); education (two alternate); fixed-gear commercial fishing (one primary and one alternate); marine transportation (one primary and one alternate); maritime heritage (one primary and one alternate); mobile gear commercial fishing (one primary and one alternate); recreational fishing (one primary); whale watch (one alternate); and youth (one primary and one alternate).
Applications are due by May 1.
To receive an application or for further information, contact Elizabeth Stokes: Elizabeth.Stokes@noaa.gov; 781-546-6004; 175 Edward Foster Road, Scituate, MA 02066.
Applications can also be downloaded at: https://stellwagen.noaa.gov.
Applicants accepted as members should expect to serve either a two-year or three-year term. The advisory council comprises 36 primary and alternate members representing a variety of public interest groups. It also includes seven seats representing other federal and state government agencies.
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s Advisory Council actively recruits for new members and alternates when positions are available. Check https://stellwagen.noaa.gov frequently for updates on how you can help manage New England’s only national marine sanctuary.
Wayfinder for Voyage Optimization, Emissions Reduction
Star Bulk and Eagle Bulk, two of the largest dry bulk carriers in the world, will use Sofar Ocean’s Wayfinder platform to optimize voyages and reduce emissions across their fleets.
Wayfinder customers and others across the maritime shipping industry are more eager than ever to operationalize strategies that drive decarbonization in the immediate term. This sense of urgency is in part driven by new regulations issued by the International Maritime Organization—namely, the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)—that aim to decrease the shipping industry’s emissions by as much as 70 percent by 2050.
An optimized route can decrease a vessel’s exposure to inclement weather, reduce its fuel consumption, and lower its emissions output. Wayfinder customers see an average of 3 to 5 percent fuel and time savings per voyage and annual fleet-wide emissions reductions of tens of thousands of metric tonnes of CO2.
Sofar’s highly accurate weather forecasts enable Wayfinder to predict the conditions along a vessel’s route. To predict how a particular vessel will behave in those conditions, Wayfinder uses its vessel performance model, AdaptiveVPM. These predictions, coupled with highly accurate weather forecasts, power Wayfinder’s optimization engine.
NOIA Annual Meeting April 26-28, DC
The NOIA Annual Meeting will take place April 26 to 28 in Washington, D.C. NOIA will be joined by leading, nationally known experts to speak on key topics affecting the offshore energy industry, including energy policy, politics, markets, legislative and regulatory matters, workforce development, industry safety, and sustainability.
To view an agenda and learn more details about the event, visit the meeting webpage here.
Machine Learning for Ship ID System
Charles River Analytics has received a $1.8 million contract to classify and identify ships and other vessels at sea. The Automatic Text Extraction for Awareness in the Maritime (A-TEAM) system works with existing labeled image data sets and banks of unannotated maritime images to enable automated systems to recognize text on ships at sea.
Knowing the ship’s name and International Maritime Organization (IMO) number will help the U.S. Navy identify threat actors more easily and conduct efficient surveillance on water. The ability to go beyond just detecting and classifying to actually identifying the ships is an extension of the Awarion product that Charles River Analytics has been developing in parallel.
Charles River’s Awarion maritime perception tool can already detect and classify ships. By integrating this text recognition capability, it can now identify specific ships at sea to track longer-term behavior and build models to determine when a ship is behaving in an unusual manner.
A-TEAM will eventually incorporate multi-sensor data—from radar and cameras, for example—to build an even more cohesive picture for identification.
Read about Charles River Analytics’ tech in the April issue of ST.
Eco Wave Power Moves Closer to Israel Grid Connection
Eco Wave Power Global AB has entered into an official power purchase agreement with the Israeli National Electric Co., based on the official feed-in tariff that was set for the company’s newly installed wave energy project, the EWP-EDF One Project, at the Port of Jaffa in Tel Aviv, Israel, by Israel’s Electric Authority.
With the power purchase agreement in place, a private examiner has successfully approved the technology’s grid synchronization in accordance with the accepted grid connection standards.
Next, the Israeli Electric Co. (IEC) will perform its own synchronization test and then will officially connect the EWP-EDF One wave energy project to Israel’s energy grid.
Once connected, the EWP-EDF One Project will represent the first time in the country’s history that electricity produced by the power of waves will be transmitted to Israel’s national electric grid.
ABS News Brief: Maritime FuelEU Regulation
In 2021, the European Commission adopted a series of legislative proposals known as the “Fit for 55” package, aiming to reduce its net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. One of the proposals that will affect the maritime industry is the FuelEU Maritime Regulation.
The European Council and Parliament came to an informal agreement on March 23, 2023 that the FuelEU Maritime will come into force from January 1, 2025.
ABS has released a regulatory news brief that provides a preliminary introduction to the Maritime FuelEU Regulation. Download it here.
Textron Awarded US Navy Mine Sweep System Contract
Textron Systems was awarded an initial $20.8 million award for the design, development, and integration of the U.S. Navy’s next-generation mine sweep system for use on board the Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSV) platform.
Designated as the Magnetic and Acoustic Generation Next Unmanned Superconducting Sweep (MAGNUSS), this system supports the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the U.S. Navy’s transition from traditional legacy towed mine-sweep systems.
As the prime contractor, Textron Systems will work with General Dynamics-Applied Physical Sciences Corporation and American Superconductor on the future capabilities development effort for ONR.
Utilizing a robust magnet developed by American Superconductor and an underwater acoustic system developed by General Dynamics-Applied Physical Sciences Corporation, MAGNUSS will be designed to rapidly perform mine sweep missions without utilizing a towed system.
Having the payload fully integrated onboard the CUSV platform allows mines to be neutralized safely and efficiently, effectively minimizing risk and harm to sailors.
Textron Systems Vice President of Sea Systems, Ryan Schaffernocker, commented: “Coming off of big wins in 2022, including achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) and supporting Navy for Mine Countermeasure Mission Package Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E), this award is strong evidence of the Navy’s continued trust in the Textron Systems USV team to develop, integrate, and make deployment- ready, next-generation technologies. We are excited to continue our work ensuring that our sailors remain safe as they protect our nation.”
Additional testing and further development of this technology will continue as part of this 36-month contract.
May 10-12: Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Conference
Co-organized by the Sea Innovation Cluster Pôle Mer Méditerranée and the French Wind Energy Association (France Energie Eolienne), co-founded by CCIAMP, the 10th edition of the FOWT Conference will bring together the sector’s leading experts, researchers and industry leaders to exchange views on the latest technological innovation and research in floating offshore wind energy.
FOWT will take place at La Cité Nantes Congress Centre in Nantes, Pays de la Loire, France, May 10 to 12. The event comprises two days of conferences and one academic day around the central theme: “a global commitment.”
The past few years have seen the confirmation of the worldwide acceleration of the floating wind industry. FOWT supports countries in meeting their renewable energy goals and offers a space for industry players to demonstrate their new technologies. We have seen a number of strong commitments from countries such as Australia, the United States, South Korea and Japan. Beyond the worldwide race to implement commercial floating farms, we are also seeing a commitment from a diversity of stakeholders and industries.
Sessions
Stakeholders must also take a holistic approach to floating offshore wind objectives, not only focusing on gigawatt output but also on environmental, financial, and political concerns. This theme will be addressed through a series of highly technical and academic sessions, as well as through the plenary sessions:
– Reindustrialization through local added value
– Open to outsiders: Translating neighboring industry knowledge and innovations to floating offshore wind development
– O&M and decommissioning
– Consolidation of floating technologies to satisfy non-recourse project financing criteria
– Minimizing carbon footprint
International Networking
FOWT is a truly international event. Over 50 percent of foreign attendance is expected. Many foreign delegations and companies have already confirmed they will be present.
Networking is a fundamental part of this event, with more than 1,200 attendees expected, physically and virtually. There will be structured meet-the-buyer and B2B meetings for registered participants: a matchmaking platform to connect suppliers and top international buyers from pilot farms and future commercial parks. An exhibition space will feature sponsors offering their products/services. Networking time can be arranged between panels and during cocktails.
A Market Accelerating Approach
The objective of FOWT is to further the advancement of floating wind and to accelerate its implementation into the global renewable energy mix. This event is meant to promote constructive discussions between all actors and stakeholders of this emerging industry. Hence, the affordable registration fee and the “no pay to speak policy” implemented by the organization committee.
Discover the complete program and book your pass now at: www.fowt-conferences.com.
Maersk Divestment to Further Offshore Solutions
A.P. Moller – Maersk has reached an agreement with A.P. Moller Holding, the parent company of the A.P. Moller Group, for an intended divestment of Maersk Supply Service (MSS), a leading provider of global offshore marine services and project solutions for the energy sector.
“We are very pleased to see Maersk Supply Service will be able to continue to further develop new solutions for the green transition of the offshore sector under a new long-term ownership. This transaction validates the excellent work done by the team in the last years. At the same time, it marks the completion of our initial decision to divest all energy- related activities and focus on truly integrated logistics,” stated A.P. Moller – Maersk CFO Patrick Jany.
In 2016, Maersk adopted its new strategy around integrated logistics, and a separation of the existing energy-related activities was initiated. Maersk Tankers, Maersk Oil & Gas, and Maersk Drilling were divested in the 2017-2019 period. Now with the intended sale of Maersk Supply Service, the final divestment of all energy-related activities will be completed.
A.P. Moller Holding CFO Martin Larsen declared, “The capabilities and vessels Maersk Supply Service have built over more than 50 years supporting the oil and gas energy industry are much needed within offshore renewable energy, especially in the wind industry.”
“As new owners, we will drive a transition of Maersk Supply Service to over time become a leading offshore marine company servicing the offshore wind industry. At the same time, we are pleased that this concludes the separation of energy-related activities from A.P. Moller – Maersk as initiated in 2016,” he continued.
Maersk Supply Service will continue trading under its current name and will be using the Maersk seven-pointed star logo as part of its brand.
The transaction includes a pioneering wind installation vessel, which when finalized will establish Maersk Supply Service as a leading offshore wind contractor.
As the transaction is between related parties, a fairness opinion has been obtained from DNB Bank ASA. The fairness opinion confirms that the transaction value is fair from a financial point of view.
MIND Technology Obtains MA-X™ Technology Patent
MIND Technology, Inc. has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has granted a patent for their MA-X™ technology. MA-X was engineered and designed by MIND’s Klein Marine Systems unit and represents the industry’s first integrated single-beam side scan and gap-filler sonar.
MA-X provides imaging of the nadir zone, or “gap,” with the same interpretive characteristics of side scan sonar, thereby improving survey times by up to 40%. The Company believes that the superior image quality, combined with an increase in efficiency, provides an unmatched value proposition to the industry and creates a clear differentiation from other side scan sonar systems.
Klein’s first product incorporating this technology is the MA-X VIEW 600. This system delivers focused 600-kHz imagery (which is comparable to 900-kHz resolution) with 100% bottom coverage. The superior image quality and long-range performance, combined with the nadir gap filler, increases survey efficiency for complex survey operations, such as renewable energy products and unexploded ordinance. These sonars have been used for USV mine countermeasure operations.
The MA-X VIEW 600 is designed to provide portability, submergence, and optimal stability at all depths to a maximum of 300 meters. This system incorporates Klein BLUE TECHNOLOGY™, representing innovations in transducer, signal conditioning, and processing design.
Commenting on the announcement, Klein’s General Manager, Michael Williams, stated, “We are pleased that the USPTO has recognized our MA-X technology as both novel and complex. The Company’s investment in this innovative technology provides our customers with significant competitive advantages in survey area coverage rate (“ACR”) by helping ensure that mission critical objects are not missed in the sonar nadir.”
June 1: CCS Symposium, Houston
NOIA and OOC will hold their second annual CCS Symposium at the Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston on June 1.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is widely recognized to be an essential tool for addressing the climate challenge. The symposium will bring together the experts in the field for the purposes of learning and collaborating on the opportunities and challenges for CCS along the U.S. coasts. Attendees will include industry, government and academia.
Learn more about the symposium here.