Bergen, Norway, 8^th October 2021: ECOsubsea, the sustainable robotic end-to-end biofouling solution welcomes the announcement of an innovative hull management tool "intertrac Hullcare" from leading marine coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel.

In this episode of The Maritime Executive's video podcast, editor-in-chief Tony Munoz spoke with Roland Schwarz, Head of Global Service at ABB Turbocharging, about the importance and challenges of customer satisfaction in key service stations during COVID, the advantages of maintaining their own warehouses, and how their product efficiency can help reduce CO2 emissions.

In the lead-up to the UN’s climate conference and the IMO’s next round of meetings on the industry’s efforts to decarbonize, organizations continue to put forth positions. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the latest submitting plans to the IMO detailing what the shipping organizations say are the urgent measures that governments must take to help the industry achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

The shipping sector, like many other parts of the economy, has not been immune to the effects of Brexit and Pandemic. This combined double whammy has led to a shortage of people needed to fill vacant roles and address the huge skills shortage in the sector.  Stena Line believes that if the shipping industry is going to solve its jobs’ crisis, there is a simple solution; it urgently needs to encourage more women to work in careers at sea, in roles that are often still viewed as for men.

Vessel fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in electric cars are ferocious and extremely difficult to control – something that few shipping companies or their crew know about, according to a leading fuels expert.

Crew change specialists are in big demand from shipping companies struggling to get seafarers on or off vessels because of Covid-19 travel restrictions, an industry figure has revealed.

The Connecting Europe Express, which is one of the European Year of Rail’s most prominent initiatives, has passed through Rotterdam yesterday and arrives today in Antwerp. Arriving in major European port-cities, the interdependencies and mutual reinforcement of European ports and rail freight connections come to the forefront. Increasing the share of rail freight will be an important building block of reaching the EU’s Green Deal objectives and therefore should be a central focus of the European Year of Rail.

Yards worldwide are rising to the challenge of sustainable ship recycling in response to stringent new EU regulations but third-party supervision is still needed to ensure compliance with these rules and eliminate reputational risk for the shipowner, according to recycling consultancy Sea Sentinels.

German biogas plant manufacturer WELTEC BIOPOWER are pleased to announce the agreement of a Service Partnership in the USA, with Bristola, based centrally in Des Moines (Iowa). The common goal is to promote the expansion of renewable energies by building and servicing efficient biogas plants. Both companies have over 20 years of experience in the industry. During this time, WELTEC has designed and built over 350 biogas and RNG plants in 25 countries around the world.

Data quality, data sources and the difference between data and information are all closely examined in the latest edition of The Navigator. The free magazine, published by The Nautical Institute and aimed at maritime navigators around the world, rolls off the presses this month.

As the international maritime community celebrates World Maritime Day and considers how seafarers are at the core of shipping's future, leading crew supplier Danica has praised the leadership of Captains who have steered a steady course in supporting their crew members during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Zurich / Bruck an der Mur, September 30, 2021 – The Austrian rail logistics company Innofreight is deploying Nexxiot solutions as of this year. For this purpose, the market leader on alpine railways is gradually equipping 1,000 rail freight cars with Nexxiot devices, the so-called Globehoppers. The increased service quality of Innofreight transports results from the higher interoperability with other partners as well as better data for the maintenance of freight cars. Supplying the complete fleet will strengthen the added value that has already been achieved.

Promoting diversity in shipping will help make the industry more appealing to young adults and adolescents, according to a digital maritime training expert.

Sept, 2021 – Oslo, Norway – Xeneta's Long-Term XSI® Public Indices today revealed yet another monthly hike in long-term ocean freight rates, with global container prices climbing by 3.2%. The development follows a 2.2% increase in August and an unprecedented 28.1% jump in July, leaving rates now standing 91.5% up year-on-year. What's more, comments Oslo-based Xeneta, there is little evidence to suggest a weakening of market fundamentals – meaning there could be more pain in store for shippers, with colossal profits looming for carriers.

Autonomous-sailboat company Saildrone has captured what it believes to be the first video footage taken by an unmanned vessel inside of a hurricane at sea.