Continuing his ongoing series looking at some of RINA’s most notable members, resident historian Mark Barton looks at the contribution of Sir John Thornycroft and his daughter Blanche Thornycroft The father and daughter team of Sir John Isaac Thornycroft (1843-1928) and Blanche Thornycroft (1873-1950) both played key roles with the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA). […]
Luxury yacht owners have joined forces with maritime researchers to obtain an accurate overview of ocean colour, to help improve our understanding of the changing ocean. The initiative is being spearheaded by Dr Shubha Sathyendranath of Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and Dr Robert Brewin of the University of Exeter, UK. Typically, scientists rely on satellites […]
Scientists at Aston University in Birmingham, UK believe they may have produced a viable alternative to traditional marine bunker fuels, care of a blend of leftover cooking oil, lamb fat and agricultural waste. The research project – undertaken in cooperation with colleges in Brighton (UK) and Madras and Chennai (India – saw the scientists take […]
To coincide with International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, maritime historian Dr. Jo Stanley looks at the contribution of the Institution’s women members and the challenges faced by women in the profession ‘What’s the use of nosing round seeking out anomalous women in old documents?’ That’s what any responsible historian worries about. Is their […]
In a new move toward sustainable maritime transportation, bound4blue, one of several companies working on wind-assisted propulsion systems, has achieved another landmark by installing the first-ever fixed suction sails on a Roll-on/Roll-off (ro-ro) vessel. The project took place aboard the Ville de Bordeaux, a vessel chartered by Airbus from French shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA). […]
A British company, Submarine Manufacturing and Products (SMP), a manufacturer and supplier of diving and subsea rescue equipment, has been awarded a contract to provide its new submarine rescue system to the Indonesian Navy. The rescue system will be hosted on a mothership designed by independent design and engineering consultancy Houlder and delivered by its Indonesian strategic […]
GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business in the UK has been selected by Team Resolute to provide hybrid propulsion technology for three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships for the UK Ministry of Defence. Team Resolute is a consortium created by Spanish shipbuilder and defence company Navantia, shipbuilder Harland & Wolff and naval architects BMT to deliver […]
In February 2024, the Australian Government announced an increase in the number of warships in the Royal Australian Navy to what will be its largest fleet since the end of World War II. But it is not only investing in more ships: it is also investing in naval shipbuilding and in new technology, in the […]
What is described as a ‘revolutionary’ propeller hub vortex cavitation-eliminating boss cap has successfully completed validation tests at a hydrodynamic research centre in Sweden. The propeller hub – which could provide gains in propulsive efficiency for a wide range of vessels, including warships – will now undergo ship model basin trials to verify the efficiency […]
Kongsberg Maritime to provide design, engineering and equipment on two methanol-ready chemical tankers for Swedish shipping firm In 2010, Sirius Shipping’s chemical tanker Olympus became the first in the world to reduce its NOx emissions by 90% through retrofitting. Today, the vessel sails with pioneering equipment that controls emissions on all engines and saves […]
While the outlook looks good attracting a new workforce will be key, writes Kari Reinikainen The Finnish shipbuilding industry and its wider maritime cluster have a strong track record for innovation and in order to remain in business, they need to remain ahead of the curve in the face of competition from the Far […]
Crew wellbeing behind development of navigation safety solutions Navigating safely at sea is one of the most crucial parts of the safe operation of maritime vessels. Too often accidents have occurred due to negligence, fatigue or poor visibility, sometimes with big consequences for a vessel’s crew, and the environment. Recently, several solutions aided by new […]