The Naval Architect – News

Viking steps up to the EV firefighting challenge

Viking steps up to the EV firefighting challenge

Special project on electric vehicle fires leads company to sign distribution agreements for innovations in marine fire safety Fires onboard vessels at sea have become increasingly common in recent times. Many of these are allegedly associated with the carrying of electric vehicles (EVs). The most recent and prominent incident made headlines in July when the […]

Dutch look to a floating future

Dutch look to a floating future

Netherlands project integrates technology, governance and ecology for new perspectives on climate-proof, large-scale floating structures The UN estimates that two out of every five people in the world live within 100km of the coast, and that 90% of megacities worldwide are vulnerable to rising sea levels due to climate change. With nowhere to expand, rapid […]

WinGD ammonia engine secures industry-first AiP from Lloyd’s Register

WinGD ammonia engine secures industry-first AiP from Lloyd’s Register

Swiss-headquartered engine manufacturer WinGD has been awarded the first ever approval in principle (AiP) for a two-stroke engine fuelled by ammonia by classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR).  The AiP is for WinGD’s X-DF-A dual-fuel range, with the first engine in the series, the 52-bore X52DF-A, due for delivery in the final quarter of 2024. Under […]

Subsea startup DEEP targets ‘permanent human presence on the ocean floor’

Subsea startup DEEP targets ‘permanent human presence on the ocean floor’

It’s a familiar refrain, but the world’s oceans and its ecosystems remain largely unknown and unmapped by mankind. According to scientific estimates, 91% of ocean species have yet to be classified and at the current rate of progress it would take several millennia to achieve knowledge comparable with our current understanding of the Amazon rain […]

Editorial Comment: Deeper waters, stronger winds

Editorial Comment: Deeper waters, stronger winds

The energy transition is without doubt one of the most complex issues of our time. An accelerated growth of renewable energy is needed to meet the challenge and floating offshore wind promises to play a significant role in the required move towards clean energy. Approximately 80% of the ocean’s wind resource potential is found in […]

P&O Pioneer: an English Channel game changer

P&O Pioneer: an English Channel game changer

By Philippe Holthof, Correspondent True to its name, the Guangzhou Shipyard International-built P&O Pioneer introduces many firsts on the English Channel. Besides being the first double-ended ferry on the Dover-Calais route, P&O Ferries’ new flagship also pioneers the hybrid element. This, together with the double-ender design and a long list of energy-saving technologies, guarantees a […]

Optimarin takes BWTS manufacturing to China

Optimarin takes BWTS manufacturing to China

With an eye on the post-retrofit ballast water treatment system (BWTS) market, Norwegian BWTS supplier Optimarin is in the process of establishing a manufacturing base in China to boost the availability of its systems for the Asian shipbuilding market. The company is currently pursuing partnerships with several Chinese suppliers to focus on high-quality production of […]

COSCO launches battery-powered container ship, with second in production

COSCO launches battery-powered container ship, with second in production

Chinese shipping company COSCO Shipping Development continued its move to invest in renewable technology with the launch of the first of two 700teu electric vessels. The first vessel, currently known as Hull N997, was launched at the COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry yard in Yangzhou, China, in July. Powered by portable container-sized batteries, the 10,000dwt NN997 […]

Superintendent retention a growing problem in ship management – report

Superintendent retention a growing problem in ship management – report

A survey commissioned by maritime recruitment agency Faststream has highlighted the growing difficulty faced by ship managers and operators to retain talent. The Superintendent Report 2023, which has just been published by the Southampton, UK, based firm, notes the growing pressure on businesses to improve salaries and benefits while accommodating flexible working patterns.  Surveying marine […]

Incat Tasmania building world’s largest battery electric ship

Incat Tasmania building world’s largest battery electric ship

130m-long vessel to be fitted with a 40MWh battery energy storage system that will power a series of electric propulsion system and waterjets In a  significant change to earlier plans, Australian shipyard Incat Tasmania has announced that the 130m lightweight inland ro-pax ordered by Uruguayan operator Buquebús, first announced in 2019 and already under construction, […]

Norwegian startup offers a new approach to cleaner hulls

Norwegian startup offers a new approach to cleaner hulls

Norsjór’s advanced laser system provides innovative solution to the problem of biofouling Biofouling is a problem that has long plagued the maritime world but is often overlooked in the wider scope of the industry when it comes to innovation. Organisms, such as marine species and algae, can have a substantial impact on vessel performance and […]