Generations

When Sadan Kaptanoglu took the helm as president of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) in May of 2019, she knew full well that the shipping industry was headed into uncharted waters.

Asked to provide his definition of autonomy, Pierre Sames, Group Technology and Research Director at DNV GL, one of the global bastions of technical knowledge, politely declines.

The key to establishing an economy based on renewable energy, according to sustainable development advocate Rachel Kyte, is a commitment to structural investments: “Unless a green infrastructure is put in place soon, we won’t make the transition in time.”

This infographic presents an overview of the energy sources, carriers and converters that will help the maritime industry achieve emissions goals, both current and future.

Much like a filling station by the roadside, a new concept may allow ships to bunker on the go, with clean, green fuel created using the power of nature.

Short-travel, sustainable products are gaining traction with consumers everywhere. Now the Dutch startup WeSpark is building up an ecosystem for locally produced and consumed electric power. The concept is catching on, with economic and ecological benefits for both customers and communities.

Proving that a vessel of modest power and proportions could navigate the extremes of the Earth, the Norwegian Coast Guard’s KV Svalbard carried an international team of climate researchers to the North Pole in August of 2019, aided by the operational capabilities of ABB Azipod® propulsion.

Assigned with shipping gas from the Arctic port of Sabetta to the Far East and Europe, energy transport major Teekay was faced with new challenges in the Yamal LNG project. Through an innovative training program, ABB is helping them to safely tackle the demanding task.

RAMLAB at the Port of Rotterdam wowed the world when they presented the very first metal printed certified propeller. That milestone silenced doubters and signaled the arrival of 3D printing as a viable challenger to traditional marine parts manufacturing.

Speculation on the impact of 3D printing on the maritime industry has been running for nearly two decades. Now the first contours of a commercial 3D printing venture are emerging, with Wilhelmsen and six of its customers teaming up to shape a more sustainable future. 

It’s possible to have too much of a good thing. While advances in engineering and technology have made piloting a modern ship safer and more efficient, information overload and an excess of options can hinder as much as help bridge officers in doing their job.

Vestre outdoor furniture brightens urban spaces around the world, from Oslo’s Aker Brygge to New York’s Times Square. CEO Jan Christian Vestre wants to turn the Nordic company into the most sustainable furniture brand in the world – and he is right on track.

Fuel cells have emerged as the best mobility solution to enable deep exploration of the surface of the Moon, and eventually Mars. ABB spoke to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) about its pioneering project to make the next generation of manned rovers a reality, in tandem with automotive giant Toyota.

Waterborne public transit is a natural solution for cities built around rivers, lakes and harbours. Add electricity and autonomy to the picture and you have Zeabuz, an on-demand aquatic bus system designed for operation on compact urban routes.

Electric flight is coming. The first commercial electric flights are anticipated as soon 2030, and this would appear to be one of those enthusiastic forecasts that is likely to come true.

Batteries are being deployed at full speed across all segments of the consumer and industrial markets. To get a perspective on the big picture for battery footprint, Generations spoke with Hans Eric Melin, Managing Director of Circular Energy Storage.

The shipping industry is on a mission to phase out fossil fuels. Against this backdrop, leading voices from the North American maritime community discuss the rules and rewards that can be applied to help and hurry industry stakeholders along the way to a zero-carbon future.

Ships will continue to carry the bulk of global trade into the foreseeable future, but traditional fuels must be phased to meet strict sustainability goals. Maritime industry leaders gathered to reflect on future solutions for the ships that fuel the global economy.

Stakeholders now generally agree that autonomy will not be implemented in a grand sweep, but rather by increments. Then the question becomes one of priorities: what should be the first benefits realized through the stepwise implementation of autonomous technologies?

Seeking a sustainable platform for their next generation of tourist ferries, Maid of the Mist found a natural solution in the all-electric option. President Christopher Glynn shares their reasons for going electric.

On January 14 2020, Peter Bryn, Technical Solutions Manager in ABB Marine & Ports North America, testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Here you will find a synopsis of his testimony.

ABB’s latest fleet support and troubleshooting advance sees engineers ‘training’ machine-learning algorithms to deliver faster, more reliable remote services to customers.

In today’s complex, hyper-connected and increasingly globalized world, engineers, operations managers, and successful business leaders need accurate, real-time operational data to support better decision making.

Combining the right data science with scalable IT solutions brings benefits to traditional marine engineering.

ABB has conducted a study to show how an energy storage system could help improve the overall power efficiency of icebreakers, saving fuel and reducing emissions.

Icebreaking allows the nations of the North to maintain a vital, continuous supply of goods and raw materials through the cold season.

The Xue Long 2 (XL2) polar research ship (H2560) is the first independently built polar research icebreaker in China. It is one of the most advanced polar research icebreakers in the world.

Mounting pressure from regulatory bodies and the general public to cut emissions in ports has driven shipping to consider shore power connection.

Offering a wide range of power and system configuration options, the first delivery of ABB Onboard DC Grid™ took place in 2013. It has since proven to be a highly effective solution, providing enhanced performance, improved efficiency and a high level of system safety.

This article presents the achievements of ABB shaft generator solutions and the outlook for advanced applications of shaft generators.

This paper discusses three main mega-age drivers for container terminal change and different strategies for implementing transformation.

This paper examines the way Tianjin Five Continents International Container Terminal Co. Ltd. (FICT) in China resolved the ‘mega-age’ yard challenge by modernizing and automating its existing manual RMGs.

Lookout requirements for Bridge Zero (B0) – a conditionally and periodically unattended bridge – can be met by technology

This paper focuses on the design of a robust model predictive control (MPC) law for dynamic positioning (DP) of marine vessels in the presence of actuator saturation and environmental disturbances.

For future autonomous marine vessels, better understanding of the ship’s behavior and control performance will be essentia

Autonomous shipping is an emerging field where it will be important to operate a ship without manual intervention