One of the most significant shifts in the maritime sector has been the consideration of nuclear energy as a potential fuel for commercial vessels. In just six to seven years, this idea has transformed from an unlikely prospect to one gaining considerable support in various circles. A fuel energy comparison produced by class society Lloyd’s […]
Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) says it plans to use Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service as a tool to accelerate licensing processes for nuclear in maritime applications. The idea is to use the Azure OpenAI platform to analyse historic nuclear licensing data, which should help licensing engineers to draft new permit documents far more quickly, LR […]
As something of a stellar year for ship production, 2024 saw a 38% year-on-year increase in orders for alternative-fuelled newbuilds, totalling 515 ships, according to data released by DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform. The AFI data suggests that container ship orders led the charge, with 69% of these orders opting for alt-fuels, predominantly (67%) […]
Manufacturers of wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) are reporting a surge of interest in their products in the wake of new greenhouse gas policies and the industry’s wider decarbonisation efforts. As well as supplying newbuilds, these manufacturers are noting an upswing in retrofit orders. One such WAPS manufacturer is BAR Technologies, whose CEO, John Cooper, says: […]
Dutch builder Thecla Bodewes Shipyards has delivered the first vessel in its new SALMO multipurpose vessel series to Appingedam-headquartered short-sea shipping operator Transtal Shipping. Christened MV Iana, the vessel features a hybrid diesel-electric powertrain but has also been future-proofed for the addition of e-fuels including hydrogen, ammonia and methanol. MV Iana was designed in-house by Thecla […]
Stena RoRo has taken delivery of the 12th vessel in its 15-strong E-Flexer class, a series distinguished by the inclusion of multi-fuel, battery-hybrid propulsion. Constructed by Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai), this latest delivery, christened Guillaume de Normandie, has been placed on a 10-year charter with French operator Brittany Ferries, and will enter service on […]
Swiss marine power specialist WinGD reports that it has concluded trials of the first commercial version of its 10X92DF-M engine – part of its new methanol-compatible X-DF-M engine series. The 10X92DF-M was run at full load, on more than 95% methanol fuel, on a testbed at CSSC-MES Diesel (CMD) in Shanghai in mid-December. Sebastian Hensel, […]
February 2025 should see ‘Project Orion’, the working name for the hybrid-powered motor yacht launched this month by Heesen Yachts, commence a round of intensive sea trials in the North Sea, prior to its planned debut cruise in spring. “Engineered for both style and security”, as Dutch boatbuilder Heesen puts it, the newbuild has restricted […]
Incat Crowther has been commissioned to design an all-electric light cargo vessel for marinEV, a division of Yinson GreenTech specialising in zero-emissions cargo and crew transfers. The vessel, Hydromover 2.0, will be used to transport stores, food and spare parts to ships anchored in the Singapore Strait and preparing to dock at the Port of […]
Swedish tanker operator Sirius Shipping has confirmed an order for four hybrid-powered oil/chemical tankers at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard. The newbuilds will feature energy-efficient propulsion systems, and will be future-proofed for impending environmental regulations. Each tanker in the Evolution 8K series features a length of 119.9m, a breadth of 19.4m, a draught of 7.23m and […]
Naval architect and designer BMT has acquired Melbourne-based naval design and marine engineering consultancy Australian Maritime Technologies (AMT), in a move expected to increase BMT’s footprint within the Asia-Pacific (APAC) market, in both the commercial and defence segments. Founded in 1987, AMT has built up experience in the design of various combatant, auxiliary and specialist […]
As Svitzer CEO Kasper Nilaus underlines, there is no “one-size-fits-all solution” to meet the company’s decarbonisation targets: the way forward must lie in tailored design, writes Stevie Knight. That’s certainly true of Gothenburg’s new battery-methanol tug, as it has to meet both the port’s and the operator’s agendas. And, it seems, a changing remit. Slated […]