Industry News

SolarDuck’s offshore floating solar pilot receives prototype certification from Bureau Veritas


SolarDuck’s offshore floating solar pilot receives prototype certification from Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas (BV) has awarded renewable energy company SolarDuck the world’s first prototype certification for a floating offshore solar technology, as applied in SolarDuck’s 0.5MW pilot, Merganser.

The Merganser project

The Merganser project, developed by SolarDuck and supported by RWE, features an offshore floating solar pilot with a capacity of 520kWp. Comprising six interconnected platforms, the solution is designed to withstand challenging offshore conditions, including high waves, strong winds and corrosive environments. The design has been certified to withstand a maximum wave height of 11.6m (with a directional 10-year return period) at a water depth of 21.5m (MSL) at the North Sea Farmers test site.

Continue reading SolarDuck’s offshore floating solar pilot receives prototype certification from Bureau Veritas at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


Ocean Infinity to open robotic ship operations center in Australia


Ocean Infinity to open robotic ship operations center in Australia

With support from the government of Tasmania, marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will open a robotic ship operations center in Tasmania, Australia.

Australian expansion

The Australian operations center is the latest step in the company’s growth, with centers already operational in the UK and Sweden, and planned for Singapore and another Asian location yet to be announced. Ocean Infinity will soon embark on the search for suitable premises in Hobart in Australia.

Ocean Infinity plans to operate the first in its fleet of 36m Armada ships from the Australian operations center. According to the company, these ships are suited to large-scale hydrography work, enabling the work to be conducted with fewer people at sea and with fewer emissions than a conventional ship.

Continue reading Ocean Infinity to open robotic ship operations center in Australia at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


GE Vernova to supply full electric propulsion systems for Singapore’s six multi-role combat vessels


GE Vernova to supply full electric propulsion systems for Singapore’s six multi-role combat vessels

GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business has been awarded a contract by Singapore shipbuilder ST Engineering Marine Limited to supply its Ship’s Electric Grid with integrated full electric propulsion (IFEP) equipment for the Republic of Singapore Navy’s six-ship multi-role combat vessel (MRCV) program.

Electric propulsion systems

Delivery of the electric propulsion systems is planned over the next 10 years. The six MRCVs will reportedly be the first IFEP-powered vessels for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and will replace its fleet of mechanical-drive Victory-class missile corvettes, which have been in service since 1989.

GE Vernova’s Ship’s Electric Grid includes all generators, medium-voltage switchboards, transformers, propulsion variable-frequency drives (VFDs), electric propulsion motors, thruster motors, soft starters, a shore power connection, power management system (PMS) and the propulsion control system (PCS).

Continue reading GE Vernova to supply full electric propulsion systems for Singapore’s six multi-role combat vessels at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


General Dynamics Electric Boat christens nuclear-powered submarine


General Dynamics Electric Boat christens nuclear-powered submarine

General Dynamics Electric Boat has christened the Virginia-class submarine Idaho (SSN 799) at its shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.

Electric Boat and its partner Newport News Shipbuilding share construction of the Virginia class in a teaming agreement. The vessel has been designed for the full range of 21st-century mission requirements, including anti-submarine and surface ship warfare and special operations support.

Virginia-class submarine

The term ‘Virginia class’ refers to a specific type of nuclear-powered submarine that is currently used by the United States Navy. Idaho is the 26th submarine in the Virginia class, and the 13th submarine in the class to be delivered by Electric Boat.

Continue reading General Dynamics Electric Boat christens nuclear-powered submarine at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


FEATURE: How important are technical regulatory details to accelerate the decarbonization of marine fuels and reach net zero by 2050?


FEATURE: How important are technical regulatory details to accelerate the decarbonization of marine fuels and reach net zero by 2050?

The International Maritime Organization’s action (IMO) to regulate emissions from fuel production and to consider all types of greenhouse gases (GHGs) – not just CO2 – is moving slowly and not receiving much attention. But these regulatory details are probably more important than the headline-grabbing move to target net zero GHG emissions by 2050. Here’s why.

A growing proportion of global GHG emissions – 3% and climbing – come from the global shipping industry. The majority of those pollutants come from large ocean-going container ships, tankers and bulk carriers that move finished goods, raw materials, minerals and food all over the globe.

Continue reading FEATURE: How important are technical regulatory details to accelerate the decarbonization of marine fuels and reach net zero by 2050? at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


Lloyd’s Register releases ammonia safety and supply report


Lloyd’s Register releases ammonia safety and supply report

A Lloyd’s Register report, named Fuel for thought: Ammonia, has highlighted the need for an industry-wide understanding of the operational and safety challenges surrounding the use of ammonia as a marine fuel, for its adoption as part of the maritime energy transition.

Challenges and opportunities

The report found that although the technology for ammonia as a marine fuel is developing rapidly, gaps in the regulatory framework around its use need to be addressed, alongside resolving the challenges in the production and supply of zero- or near-zero-emissions ammonia.

The report identified that by taking steps to develop a framework today, the industry can avoid delays and build on the strong technology case for ammonia adoption.

Continue reading Lloyd’s Register releases ammonia safety and supply report at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


Hapag-Lloyd publishes 2023 sustainability report


Hapag-Lloyd publishes 2023 sustainability report

Hapag-Lloyd has published its Sustainability Report 2023, which outlines the company’s various sustainability measures and proactive initiatives throughout the year.

Fueling greener shipping

In line with its ambitious goal to operate a net zero fleet by 2045, Hapag-Lloyd reduced the absolute greenhouse gas emissions of its fleet by 0.8 million tons in 2023 compared with the previous year. As one of the measures, the carrier significantly increased the amount of bunkered biofuel blend to more than 200,000 tons.

The year 2023 also saw the successful deployment of three of the company’s 12 dual-fuel vessels, which can run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and future alternative fuels.

Continue reading Hapag-Lloyd publishes 2023 sustainability report at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.


Candela closes record funding round of €24.5m for electric hydrofoil ferry production


Candela closes record funding round of €24.5m for electric hydrofoil ferry production

Candela has closed the largest funding round in its history with €24.5m (US$26.6) to expand production of its P-12 ferry.

Green boating investment

A key partner in the funding round was boat maker Groupe Beneteau. Other backers in the round include longtime investors EQT Ventures, Ocean Zero and Kan Dela. The new investment brings total funding since Candela’s inception to over €70m (US$75m).

The new investment round will help to scale up production to meet demand for the recently launched Candela P-12, the world’s first electric hydrofoil ferry.

Electric hydrofoil P-12

Candela’s computer-stabilized hydrofoil craft “flies” above the friction of water, using 80% less energy than other ships and boats, achieving long-range and high speed on battery power.

Continue reading Candela closes record funding round of €24.5m for electric hydrofoil ferry production at Electric Hybrid Marine Technology.