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Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Technology News

12 May 2026

Tech Talk: A Sea Change in Workboat Crew Comms

Image courtesy David Clark Company

Crew communications on board workboats in harsh marine environments are subject to a variety of challenges. Background noise from loud engines, shock and vibration pounding through rough water, high wind noise and turbulence at speeds of 55-60 knots, and the highly corrosive nature of the marine environment - can render workboat crew communications all but impossible. Crew members are often reduced to shouting, creating situations where critical communications pertaining to navigational…

12 May 2026

VADM (Ret) White Named Keynote Speaker for MRS ‘26

Sam Houston State University (SHSU), the Institute for Homeland Security (IHS), and the Organizing Committee of the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026 (MRS2026) announced that U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Retired) T.J. White, Chief of Texas Cyber Command, will deliver a keynote address at this year’s event. MRS2026 will be held at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, U.S.A. (greater Houston-Galveston area).Click here to register for MRS2026Chief White…

12 May 2026

Jensen Tapped as CEO for Gatehouse Maritime

Thomas Scott Jensen, CEO of Gatehouse Maritime. Image courtesy Gatehouse Maritime

Gatehouse Maritime will operate as an independent maritime data technology company, with Thomas Scott Jensen appointed as Chief Executive Officer.The independence follows the restructuring of the Gatehouse Group, including the sale of sister company Gatehouse Satcom to Cobham Satcom earlier this year.Gatehouse Maritime develops software and data services that enable data-driven maritime operations, serving maritime authorities, offshore infrastructure operators and logistics companies across Europe and North America.

12 May 2026

DNV Sees Clean Hydrogen Growing 100-Fold by 2060

(Credit: DNV)

Clean hydrogen production is expected to grow 100-fold by 2060, driven by energy security concerns and large-scale expansion in China, according to a new forecast from classification society DNV.In its latest report, Energy Transition Outlook 2026: Hydrogen to 2060, DNV said global hydrogen volumes are expected to grow by 170% by 2060, supported by cumulative investment of $3.2 trillion.China is forecast to account for 35% of new hydrogen production and demand growth over the period…

12 May 2026

Car Carrier Elder Leader Trials Autonomous Nav System

Image courtesy NYK

NYK-operated car carrier Elder Leader, which is equipped with an autonomous navigation system, made its first call at the port of Singapore on April 29, 2026. On this occasion, NYK, together with the NYK Group company MTI Co., Ltd. and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), conducted a demonstration trial to verify the interoperability between the vessel’s autonomous navigation system and the port systems.The vessel is a next-generation car carrier equipped with marine DX technologies…

11 May 2026

Vicinay Marine, Tecnalia Develop Remote Offshore Mooring Corrosion Sensor

(Credit: Tecnalia)

Vicinay Marine and Spanish applied research center Tecnalia have jointly developed a sensor designed to remotely monitor corrosion on offshore mooring lines, aiming to improve the safety, reliability and service life of offshore systems.The companies said the sensor uses electrical resistance measurements to quantify section loss in mooring components in real time, model degradation trends and predict remaining service life.The technology is targeted at offshore wind farms and other floating offshore systems…

08 May 2026

MISC Names LNG Carrier Vessel Pair

An illustrative image of Seri Dian and Seri Dayang. Image Courtesy MISC

MISC Group (MISC) named two new generation Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers, Seri Dian and Seri Dayang, on May 7, 2026. The addition of these vessels further strengthens its long-standing partnership with SeaRiver Maritime LLC (SRM), a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil.Constructed by Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., the 174,000 CBM LNG carriers are equipped with smart and energy-efficient technologies, including the Intelligent Control by Exhaust Recycling (ICER) system and an…

07 May 2026

OPT Demos Autonomous Offshore Charging for Maritime Drones

(Credit: OPT)

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) has demonstrated autonomous docking, charging and redeployment capabilities for its WAM-V autonomous surface vehicle as part of efforts to support longer-duration offshore operations.The company said the system enables the maritime drone to approach a dock, secure itself, recharge and return to operation without human intervention.OPT is preparing the technology for integration with its PowerBuoy platform to create offshore charging points capable…

06 May 2026

Europe's Offshore Wind Turbine Prices Jump 40-45% as Supply Tightens

© Kruwt / Adobe Stock

Europe's offshore wind expansion is running into a structural supply constraint where the turbine market is becoming increasingly concentrated. GE Vernova, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas have historically anchored Western offshore turbine supply, but with GE Vernova having paused new offshore wind orders following a series of technical and operational setbacks, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas now account for virtually all turbines available to European developers. Rystad Energy’s analysis of the offshore wind market outlines a sharp increase in per-megawatt (MW) costs…

29 Apr 2026

Wilson Sons Pilots Drone Delivery for Offshore Operations

Rio Offshore Support Bases in Guanabara Bay (Credit: Wilson Sons)

Brazilian maritime logistics and port operator Wilson Sons has started testing drone deliveries for offshore logistics operations in Guanabara Bay, aiming to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.The company is conducting its first drone operations to deliver and collect documents for platform supply vessels, with trials underway since April 6 from its offshore support base in Rio.The drones, operated by Speedbird Aero, are being tested under a proof-of-concept phase to assess technical feasibility.Wilson Sons said all required approvals have been obtained from Brazilian authorities…

28 Apr 2026

Dassai Moon Project: Sake Space Shot a Success

Image courtesy Dassai

DASSAI and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries report a successful completion of the first mission of the "DASSAI MOON Project", an initiative aimed at producing sake on the surface of the Moon.In this mission, specialized brewing equipment jointly developed by DASSAI and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, along with sake raw materials, were launched to the International Space Station (ISS).The experiment took place within JAXA's experimental facilities aboard the Japanese experiment module "Kibo…

28 Apr 2026

Wittlin Named CEO of GLO Marine

Image courtesy GLO Marine

GLO Marine appointed Thomas Wittlin as Chief Executive Officer, effective Q2 2026, signaling the start of a structured growth phase in which the company will evolve from a retrofit-led contractor into a production-enabled marine engineering and integration business.Wittlin brings more than 25 years of experience at the intersection of shipyard operations, commercial leadership, and global maritime business development. He spent nearly eleven years as Sales Director at Grand Bahama…

28 Apr 2026

Petrodec’s OBANA Resumes Decom Work with Perenco in North Sea

(Credit: Petrodec)

Petrodec, a specialist in integrated solutions for decommissioning and part of the Dixstone group, has started its second decommissioning project for Perenco UK with its OBANA jack-up platform, moving to the Pickerill field in the UK Southern North Sea.The platform has mobilized from its yard in Vlissingen-Oost in the Netherlands and is now on location to remove the jackets from Pickerill A and Pickerill B.Following this work, OBANA is scheduled to return to the Amethyst field to remove the jacket of Amethyst A1D…

24 Apr 2026

ABS Signs Pact with Fleet Robotics on Maritime Robotics

(Credit: ABS)

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Fleet Robotics have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on autonomous robotic systems for hull cleaning and inspection.The agreement, announced at Singapore Maritime Week, aims to support the deployment of robotic systems for vessel maintenance.“It is an honor to work alongside Fleet Robotics to advance autonomous robotic systems for the industry. This collaboration is about more than innovation, we are working to establish…

22 Apr 2026

NOIA Releases Offshore Energy Excellence Report

Source: NOIA

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) has released its sixth annual Offshore Energy Industry's Innovation & Workforce Excellence Report, a comprehensive publication showcasing how offshore energy companies are leading on environmental performance, workforce development, safety, and corporate responsibility.The 2026 report features case studies and highlights from NOIA member companies and partners, including Danos, Energy Education Foundation, Fugro, Medical Bridges…

21 Apr 2026

Singapore Launches OCEANS-X to Advance Maritime Digital Connectivity

© Travel man / Adobe Stock

Singapore has launched OCEANS-X, a new data and application programming interface (API) eXchange platform developed by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).It enables secure system-to-system connectivity across the maritime ecosystem, allowing maritime companies and government agencies to exchange trusted data directly. This in turn enables integrated digital services for better service delivery, more efficient port operations, smoother trade flows, and stronger…

21 Apr 2026

Maersk’s Stillstrom Unveils Standalone Offshore Charging Solutions for Vessels

Illustration of Power Hub (Credit: Stillstrom)

Stillstrom, a unit of A.P. Moller - Maersk, has launched two offshore charging systems aimed at supporting vessel electrification in the offshore wind sector.The new solutions, Power Hub and Power Tower, are designed as standalone systems that can be deployed independently of wind turbine infrastructure, enabling flexible charging options for vessels operating at sea.The systems are based on monopile designs and target one of the key challenges in offshore wind operations - the reliable supply of electric power for service vessels used in installation…

16 Apr 2026

How the MV Estonia Disaster Reshaped Passenger Ship Safety

Copyright Mr Doomits/AdobeStock

Maritime safety regulations are often shaped by hard lessons. Few accidents demonstrate this more clearly than the loss of the ferry MV Estonia in September 1994.Maritime safety regulations are often shaped by hard lessons. Few accidents demonstrate this more clearly than the loss of the ferry MV Estonia in September 1994.More than 30 years later, the incident is still a touchstone for passenger vessel safety. Many of the stability and survivability questions it raised are influencing…

15 Apr 2026

Exmar Launches FSRU Conversion Work for Dutch LNG Terminal

(Credit: Exmar)

Exmar said it has launched conversion works for a new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to support the expansion of the EemsEnergyTerminal in the Netherlands.The move follows the signing of a conditional charter agreement covering both the extension of the existing Eemshaven LNG FSRU and a newly converted unit, with EemsEnergyTerminal expected to take a conditional final investment decision in the first half of 2026.Exmar said it has secured a dual-fuel diesel electric membrane LNG carrier for the conversion and has begun engineering activities…

13 Apr 2026

Carga Releases Upgrade to Cargo Management Platform

Source: Carga

Maritime software company Carga has released OceanSMART 2.0, a powerful upgrade to its flagship bulk liquid cargo management platform.The release delivers dramatically faster performance, a modernized user interface and a suite of reliability improvements designed to support operational teams working in maritime logistics.OceanSMART users have reported saving as much as $1 million in demurrage costs in a single month, a testament to what the platform’s nomination-to-discharge capabilities make possible.

13 Apr 2026

Econowind Transitions into Deepsea Market with 5-Series VentoFoil

© Econowind

Dutch wind-assisted ship propulsion specialist Econowind is moving into the deepsea market with the launch of its new 5-series VentoFoil, a larger steel suction wing system for oceangoing vessels. Unveiled last week in Heeg, the 30-meter model is based on the same principles as the company’s successful 3-series wing.The 5-series targets deepsea owners and operators looking for practical ways to cut fuel consumption and improve regulatory compliance. The launch is the next step for Econowind, after selling more than 150 suction wings across a broad range of vessel types and trades.

13 Apr 2026

Vineyard Wind Sues GE Vernova to Block Offshore Wind Project Exit

A GE Haliade-X Turbine Stands in the Vineyard Wind 1 Project Area (Credit: Worldview Films / Vineyard Wind)

Vineyard Wind has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a wind turbine-supplying unit of GE Vernova  from terminating agreements and abandoning work on a $4.5 billion offshore wind farm in Massachusetts on the eve of completion.Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Spain's Iberdrola IBE.MC and Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, filed a lawsuit this week in a state court in Boston accusing the GE Vernova subsidiary of wrongly trying to terminate their contract at the wind…

09 Apr 2026

Van Oord Completes Low-Noise Monopile Installation

Source: Van Oord

Van Oord has installed three monopile foundations using GBM Works' jetting solution in combination with CAPE’s vibro lifting tool for the first time at commercial scale, a milestone in silent offshore installation.Designed to reduce underwater noise and minimise impact on marine life, the method was deployed at Ecowende's Hollandse Kust West wind farm using Van Oord's new offshore wind installation vessel Boreas.GBM Works' VibroJet® technology combines vibrations with controlled water jets inside the monopile to fluidise the soil and reduce resistance.

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