No sign of any slowdown as the yard experiences healthy demand across a wide range of vessel types Gibraltar shipyard Gibdock enjoyed a very positive year in 2023, sustaining the heathy growth in repair and maintenance activity seen the year before. Managing director Richard Beards says: “It was an extremely good year for us […]
A hidden danger that has plagued the maritime industry has once again come into the spotlight. Seemingly innocuous compartments, cargo holds and fuel tanks, vital for storage and operation on board any vessel, have become graveyards for far too many seafarers due to a lack of attention, regulation, and understanding. A recent surge of enclosed […]
The recent sinking of the Belize-flagged bulk carrier Rubymar in the Red Sea has further escalated tensions in the region and raised alarm bells over potential environmental damage. The vessel, carrying approximately 18,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulphate fertiliser, sank after being struck by an Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist anti-ship ballistic missile on 18 February. […]
Class society Lloyd’s Register (LR) and UK-based operator Zodiac Maritime have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) and KEPCO E&C for a joint development project (JDP) to research and develop nuclear-propelled designs for container ships and bulk carriers. According to the press release KSOE (the […]
Commercial shipping’s decarbonisation journey took a further step forward on Monday as the first vessel equipped with WindWings, an innovative wind-assisted propulsion system, began its first voyage following its retrofitting at COSCO’s Shanghai shipyard. Developed by marine engineering consultancy BAR Technologies in partnership with Yara Marine, shipowner Mitsubishi Corporation and operator Cargill, WindWings is a […]
A report released by Intercargo has found that the biggest contributor to loss of life among mariners in the dry bulk sector is cargo liquefaction. The recently published Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2013-2022, which was submitted to the International Maritime Organization in May, has just been made public. The document demonstrates that while overall […]
Japanese shipowner, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Vale International of Brazil have announced a partnership to retrofit a 200,000dwt bulk carrier, currently employed under a mid–term contract for the transportation of iron ore for Vale, with two 35m x 5m rotor sails produced by Norsepower of Finland. The installation of the rotor sails is expected […]
In what marks a relatively new application for Thordon Bearings’ polymer material, Wilson Ship Management has replaced the greased bronze bearings on the hatch cover wheels of some of its dry cargo vessels with self-lubricating ThorPlas-Blue bearings. Wilson, which operates Europe’s largest short sea fleet of about 130 general cargo vessels, has now converted eight […]
South African ship repairers are being kept busy with a wide range of projects, including a major seven-month project from Mercy Ships South Africa’s biggest private ship repair yard operator, Dormac Marine & Engineering, operates facilities along the South African coastline from Richards Bay to Wallis Bay. In total it provides five graving docks, two […]
Classification society DNV has awarded Viridis Bulk Carriers an approval in principle (AiP) for an ammonia-fuelled short-sea bulk carrier design. The certificate was presented during the Nor-Shipping trade fair. The bulk carrier design, developed by Kongsberg Maritime, is for 5,000dwt short-sea vessels that offer a 3,000nm range and safety levels equivalent to conventionally fuelled vessels. […]
Modern wind-assist systems are a major departure from traditional sail systems in that they are not made of canvas and while there may be some systems that can alter their shape, most are made of rigid materials and have automated control systems. Flettner rotors have been the most popular choice of system so far accounting […]
The Naval Architect September 2021
Wilhelmsen’s Smart Ropes system won RINA and Lloyd's Register's Maritime Safety Award earlier this year.