Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Congress News

ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki (c) ABS

ABS CEO Wiernicki Emphasizes Sustainable Shipping

Don’t Overlook Shipping’s Critical Role in U.S. Sustainable Transport Future, ABS Chairman and CEO Urges Washington.“Many of our sustainable transportation programs and initiatives tend to become mode-centric, but it is critically important to optimize the overall sustainable freight transportation across modes from origin to destination, which requires a system of systems focus.”That was the message to U.S. transportation industry and Government leaders from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J.

© Alexander Limbach / Adobe Stock

CIMAC Digitalization Strategy Group Publishes New Position Paper

The CIMAC Digitalization Strategy Group has published a new Position Paper titled: On enabling the implementation of a ship-wide data ecosystem. CIMAC is a global non-profit association promoting the development of ship propulsion, train drive and power generationThe position paper aims to identify ways in which the potential of digitalization can be fully exploited for process optimization, develops a vision, and provides recommendations.“The full technical potential of highly integrated…

CIMAC Congress: Call for Papers Launched

More than 700 experts from all over the world attended over 200 presentations given during the CIMAC Congress in 2023. Now, the call for papers for the CIMAC Congress 2025 to take place from May 19-23, 2025, in Zurich has been launched. The organizers of this 31st CIMAC World Congress invite everyone to submit proposals in the fields of power, drives, and propulsion technology.The topic streams are “digitalization”, “towards net zero”, “engine optimization & retrofits”, “basic research and advanced engineering” and “operators perspective”.

(Credit: U.S. Navy)

Greening the U.S. Federal Fleet

The international shipping industry as a whole is responsible for 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and if nothing changes, those will increase by 250% by 2050, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Sobering numbers like these have made reducing emissions across the sector a focus for governments, shipbuilders, environmentalists, vessel owners and technology suppliers alike.The United States federal ship fleet, excluding combat ships, consists of various types of vessels utilized for civilian purposes. This fleet of vessels makes the U.S.

CIMAC World Congress Elects New President, Board

At the 30th CIMAC World Congress, the new president and the new board have been elected. New President is Rick Boom. He follows to Prof. Jin, Donghan who, as past president, remains member of the Board. In a brief inaugural statement, the new president-elect Rick Boom thanked his predecessor Donghan Jin for leading the organization through the difficult period of the pandemic and congratulated him on his successful leadership. Climate change and the associated challenges posed enormous challenges for the large engine industry, which must be met, Rick Boom said.

(Image: U.S. Navy)

MTU Gensets Ordered for US Navy's Second Constellation Class Frigate

The Power Systems division of Rolls-Royce has been selected to supply a further four of its mtu naval generator sets for the USS Congress (FFG-63), the second ship in the U.S. Navy’s Constellation Class Guided-Missile Frigate program, previously known as the FFG(X) program. Rolls-Royce has made significant investment at its production facilities in Aiken, S.C. and Mankato, Minn. to support the program and manufacture the gensets in the US.Rolls-Royce is currently supplying mtu gensets for the lead ship in the Constellation Class program…

© spyrakot/AdobeStock

CIMAC World Congress: The Place Where the Large Engine Industry Meets

Every three years, the large engine industry meets for the CIMAC World Congress. Next year, after Helsinki in 2016 and Vancouver in 2019, Busan in South Korea will host the CIMAC Congress from June 13 -17, 2022. Shipbuilding is dominated by Asia with South Korea as key player for decades. So, there is good reason for the Congress to meet there.But, to first address the question that is currently being asked the most: Against the background of the pandemic, will the congress really take place? No one can know for sure, and there is certainly no guarantee.

(Image: U.S. Navy)

GE to Power the US Navy's Constellation-class Frigates

GE Marine will provide gas turbine engines and associated equipment for the Navy’s Constellation-class frigates being designed and built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin.“GE Marine brings a proven and reliable gas turbine that integrates perfectly in our combined diesel electric and gas turbine (CODLAG) propulsion system,” said Dario Deste, President and CEO of Fincantieri Marine Group. “Fincantieri has a decades-long relationship with GE, and we are proud to have these American-made gas engines on our U.S.

SMM Goes Digital: World's Largest Shipbuilding, Ship Tech Expo Scuttles Plans for Hybrid Event

Citing a spike in second-wave COVID-19 infection numbers SMM, where the world meets in Hamburg every two years for the latest updates on shipbuilding and ship machinery technology, has opted to take the event planned for February 2021 digital.SMM 2020 was originally scheduled to be held live in September 2020, initially postponed to early 2021 as a hybrid live and digital event. But in the face of a rampant second wave of COVID-19 infections and the decision by several governments…

©Hamburg Messe und Congress / Michael Zapf

Trade Fair SMM Preps for 2021 Restart

Today would have been the day that SMM 2020 opened its doors if it hadn't been for the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, organizers of the maritime industry's largest trade fair are preparing for the rescheduled date in February 2021."Of course, the entire SMM team is a bit sad the fair isn't starting today. But increasingly, this regret is giving way to a sense of anticipation of a rather unique SMM in February 2021," says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director – Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC).

Image courtesy of Maid of the Mist Corp.

Maritime's 'Path to Zero': The Case for Ferries

Ferries have pioneered zero-emission technology deployment for good reason. Short routes and regular port visits provide opportunities for shipboard stored energy technology, and it is the commercial case that is turning the tide towards zero emissions where the ferry market is concerned. Supported by shoreside charging infrastructure, a fully charged battery pack can be used to propel a ship along a predictable route at relatively low operating cost and little wear and tear,…

Logo: CIMAC

CIMAC World Congress Tackles the Future of Engines

The CIMAC World Congress, held every three years, is arguably the most technically sophisticated meeting of literal 'power players'., The organization recently concluded its latest meeting, held June 10-14, 2019 in Vancouver, Canada, a meeting which was themed  “Meeting the Future of Combustion Engines.”CIMAC is not maritime specific, rather open to the power market in total, and in total more than 800 participants, exhibitors, and speakers from all parts of the world came to Vancouver for CIMAC’s congress.

CIMAC Calls for Cross-sector Cooperation to Reduce Pollution

The IMO decision of April 2018, calling the international shipping industry to decarbonize and at least halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 was an important milestone and was largely welcomed by the global engine builders’ community. Although some parties found that the IMO target could have been even more ambitious, it clearly marked a paradigm shift: improvements in existing technologies will not be enough. Only through cross-sector cooperation and an increased focus on R&D in carbon-neutral technologies (such as batteries…

VT Halter in Pascagoula, MS, won a $746m contract to build the U.S. Coast Guard's lead Polar Security Cutter. Photo: VT Halter.

VT Halter Wins Historic $746m CG Contract

VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula, MS has emerged the victor in one of the most prized and coveted shipbuilding contracts in recent memory, a $746m deal to build the Coast Guard's lead Polar Security Cutter. If two additional ship options are exercised, the total deal could approach $2B.The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, through an Integrated Program Office (IPO), awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a fixed price incentive (firm) contract for the Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) of the Coast Guard’s lead Polar Security Cutter (PSC).

Photo: Baleària

Baleària Builds World's First Gas Engine-Powered High-Speed Catamaran

The shipping line Baleària, a pioneer in the application of liquefied natural gas in sea transportation, has marked another milestone with the construction of the world's first passenger and cargo fast ferry powered by dual LNG engines. The fast ferry is being built at the Armon shipyard in Gijón, as announced yesterday by Baleària President Adolfo Utor at the inaugural conference of the 57th Naval Engineering and Maritime Industry Congress currently being held in Valencia.Capacity and investmentWith a length of 125 meters and a beam of 28 meters…

Photo: SMM

SMM Launches with High-Profile Guest Speakers

At today’s opening press conference of the international maritime trade fair in Hamburg, political and business leaders discussed current challenges facing the shipping industry. The focus of the debate was on the 0.5 percent sulphur limit for ship fuels which will take effect on January 1,  2020, and the industry's goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping in half by the year 2050. Roughly 2,300 exhibitors and the extensive conference program accompanying the trade fair will deliver answers to the industry's complex questions. Roughly 50,000 visitors are expected to attend.

Photo: SMM

Green Shipping: Toward a Clean Future

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has announced its targets of cutting greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping in half by the year 2050, and to make ships entirely CO2-neutral before 2100. But long before that, the so-called sulphur cap will take effect: From 2020 all oceangoing ships must run on fuel that contains no more than 0.5 per cent of sulphur. According to estimates by classification society DNV GL, up to 70,000 ships will be subject to this requirement.

LM2500  (Photo: GE Marine Solutions)

GE Gas Turbines to Power US Navy's DDG Destroyers

GE’s Marine Solutions has announced that its LM2500 marine gas turbines have been selected to power the United States Navy’s new DDG 126 and 127 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. These new destroyers are being built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. “Each of these sophisticated new surface combatants relies on four powerful GE LM2500 marine gas turbines in a combined gas and gas turbine -- or COGAG -- propulsion arrangement,” said GE’s Brien Bolsinger, Vice President, Marine Operations. “We are honored that this reliable gas turbine assists with our country’s national security.