Total losses in global commercial shipping hit a record low in 2022, according to the annual safety and shipping review published by insurance provider Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). Worldwide, 38 ships were lost last year, 35.6% fewer than the 59 vessels lost in 2021. This is the lowest level of loss in 12 […]
The Viking LifeCraft system is due to be installed on its first series of newbuild vessels. The system will serve as the main evacuation solution onboard the new diesel electric hybrid Interislander ferry fleet operated by KiwiRail to connect the two main islands of New Zealand KiwiRail ferries has provided a connection for 800,000 annual […]
Failure to eradicate injuries and fatalities from lifeboat launches is prompting demand for a drastic rethink, writes The Naval Architect‘s editor Daniel Johnson The potential dangers of lifeboat drills are in the news once again, following an intervention last month from the Container Ship Safety Forum (CSSF) calling for “a reinvention” of lifeboats onboard cargo […]
Danish vehicle deck simulation testing offers new insight into lithium-ion fires The Danish Institute of Fire and Security Technology (DBI) has conducted extensive testing of the effects of electric vehicle (EV) fires on ferry vehicle decks, to build up knowledge of how to bring these blazes under control. And, encouragingly, the result would appear to be an optimistic […]
A contract has been awarded for ongoing support of the NATO Submarine Rescue System as other countries also invest in submarine rescue capability In December 2022, UK-based JFD was awarded a further contract in support of the NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS). The NSRS ‘Third In-Service Support’ (3ISS) contract is a five-year contract that is […]
In July, the IMO Council will convene for the election of a new Secretary General. Needless to say the pending appointment will come at a critical time for the organisation, particularly with regard to the growing outside pressure to adopt binding and robust instruments to tackle shipping’s carbon emissions. As befits one of maritime’s most […]
February saw the launch of the report Safety of Domestic Ferries – A Scoping Study of 7 Countries, based on research conducted by World Maritime University representatives including Anish Hebbar, Serdar Yildiz, Nadhir Kahlouche and Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs. The team’s research was funded by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and supported by Interferry, the Worldwide Ferry Safety […]
The vast majority of ships continue to be broken under conditions that pollute and expose workers to immense risk. In 2021, of the 763 ocean-going commercial ships and floating offshore units sold for scrap, 583 of the largest tankers, bulkers, floating platforms, cargo- and passenger ships ended up on the beaches of Bangladesh, India, and […]
The Naval Architect June 2022
As shipyards strive to develop the greener ships they must make the most of a new asset: real-life operational data, says Olli Puustinen of NAPA Design Solutions.
It’s unlikely that many readers of the first issue of Ship & Boat International, published in 1947, could have envisaged a world of solar-powered ferries, unmanned tugs and offshore wind farms capable of powering tens of thousands of homes. Similarly, the abilities to conduct virtual reality walkthroughs of vessel plans, prior to construction, and to pay […]
At first glance, ballast tanks might not seem the most obvious fit for RIBs and powerboats, typically being the preserve of larger, ocean-going vessels. However, switch the ballast tank’s key role from guaranteeing hydrostatic stability to preventing slamming at high speeds, and its utilisation aboard smaller craft makes a lot more sense. Excessive slamming […]
With a UK ban on internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered cars set to enter force in 2030, ro-ro ferry operators can expect electric vehicle (EV) carriage to become the norm. However, while EVs running on lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries could lower emissions by up to 69% compared to petrol-fuelled cars, according to a 2021 study by […]