Marine Link
Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Technology News

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.

08 Apr 2026

Technip Energies Continues EPC Work on Commonwealth LNG Ahead of FID

(Credit: Commonwealth LNG)

Technip Energies has received a substantial authorization to continue work on the Commonwealth LNG project in Louisiana, as the development moves toward a final investment decision.The authorization, awarded by Commonwealth LNG, allows the company to proceed with key engineering, procurement and construction activities under an existing EPC contract.Technip Energies said the award supports ongoing project execution and follows an earlier authorization covering long-lead equipment orders.The proposed facility…

08 Apr 2026

From Experience to Insight: Klaveness Facilitates Shipping’s Digital Move

Ingrid Kylstad, Managing Director Klaveness Digital
Image courtesy Klaveness Digital

For much of its modern history, shipping has relied on experience, instinct and relationships as much as data. Decisions were – and in many cases still are – informed by spreadsheets, phone calls, intuition and experience built over decades. Today, that foundation is being reshaped by digital tools designed to bring clarity, visibility and confidence to some of the industry’s most complex challenges.Few companies sit more squarely at the intersection of shipping expertise and digital innovation than Klaveness Digital, part of the Torvald Klaveness Group.

07 Apr 2026

Green Tech: Rise of the [Hull Clening] Robots

Late last year, the U.S. Army put Greensea IQ’s Everclean to the test. What did it find? A hull cleaning operation that would have taken a week with diver’s in the water was reduced to six hours.
Image courtesy U.S. Army Colonel Rachael Hoagland

For centuries, shipowners have fought a persistent enemy beneath the waterline: biofouling. Barnacles, algae, slime and other marine organisms attach themselves to hull surfaces, increasing hydrodynamic drag and reducing vessel efficiency. Traditionally, the fight against fouling relied on antifouling coatings, diver cleaning teams, and periodic drydock maintenance. But in the last decade, a new class of underwater robotics has begun to change that equation.Robotic hull-cleaning systems…

07 Apr 2026

LEO Satellite Networks: Supporting Maritime Safety, Efficiency and Innovation

S-100 is the new data framework being developed by the International Hydrographic Organization to underpin the next generation of navigational technologies. Image courtesy UKHO

Across the maritime sector, the availability of data has never been higher. Supported by new data collection technologies and advanced analytics, mariners are gaining access to increasingly detailed information on the marine environment. Smart sensors are also becoming more widespread, enabling real-time monitoring of on-board equipment and cargo. Combined, these insights have the potential to provide both mariners and shore-based teams with greater situational and operational awareness throughout voyages.However…

07 Apr 2026

Tech Talk: Time to Rethink Watchkeeping

Robosys Automation’s VOYAGER AI platform has continued to evolve, with enhancements in fully autonomous navigation, COLREGs-compliant collision avoidance, dynamic path planning and remote operation functionality. Image courtesy Robosys

It’s time to consider the role of “digital watchkeepers” as the become an increasingly complex tool for bridge teams.Releasing its annual report in July 2025, the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch said that significant collisions between merchant vessels show no sign of reducing. The collision between Scot Explorer and Happy Falcon, the fatal collision between Verity and Polesie and the dramatic and tragic collision of the Solong into the anchored Stena Immaculate indicate…

07 Apr 2026

Insights: When the Climate Becomes a Cargo Risk

Escorted cargo ship travels between two oceans through Panama Canal waterway
Copyright helivideo/AdobeStock

Rising temperatures and humidity are increasingly compromising cargo integrity during transit, making prevention essential for operational resilience.Climate change is no longer a distant concern for shipping. Across Southeast Asia, rising temperatures and humidity, and more volatile weather patterns are increasingly affecting cargo integrity during transit.The past decade has been the hottest on record, with global temperatures rising by around 1.1ºC since 1880. At sea, this warming is amplified.

01 Apr 2026

Shale Oil Components Detected in Marine Fuels, says VPS

Copyright Darunrat/AdobeStock

VPS has seen an increase in the levels of shale oil components in marine fuels bunkered recently in Singapore. Although we have received no reports of problems, from vessels using these fuels, we do recommend caution as detailed below:Over the course of February and March 2026, VPS  testing identified 90,000mt of delivered VLSFO bunkers containing compounds consistent with an Estonian Shale Oil derived stream. Estonian Shale Oil has and is, often used as a blend component in bunker fuel…

31 Mar 2026

IMO Facilitation Committee Approves Digitalization Strategy

Source: IMO

The IMO Facilitation Committee (FAL) has approved a global strategy for maritime digitalization as well as cybersecurity measures for maritime single windows.Meeting in London for its 50th session (23 - 27 March), the Committee approved the IMO Strategy on Maritime Digitalization which emphasizes interoperability, system standardization, data-sharing and effective data governance across organizations and jurisdictions.The Strategy establishes maritime digitalization as an overarching IMO policy…

31 Mar 2026

Chiyoda, NYK, KNCC Target Global CCS Value Chain Development

© Creative mind / Adobe Stock

Chiyoda Corporation, NYK Line and Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers (KNCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects globally.Under the agreement, the companies will work together to expand CCS business opportunities in Japan and overseas, including optimizing transportation methods for liquefied carbon dioxide.The collaboration will cover multiple stages of project development, including concept studies, feasibility studies…

30 Mar 2026

MOL, Hitachi to Develop Floating Data Centers from Used Ships

(Credit: MOL)

Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Hitachi and Hitachi Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop floating data centers by converting second-hand vessels, aiming to meet growing demand driven by artificial intelligence.Under the agreement, the companies will conduct feasibility studies, including demand verification, technical specifications and operational procedures, with a view to starting operations from 2027 or later.The initiative targets Japan as the primary market…

27 Mar 2026

Baker Hughes to Supply Tech for Offshore LNG Project in Texas

Illustration (Credti: ST LNG)

Baker Hughes has secured a contract to supply gas compression and power generation technology for ST LNG’s proposed 8.4 million tonnes per annum liquefied natural gas export terminal offshore Matagorda in Texas.Under the agreement, Baker Hughes will provide two LM6000PF gas turbine-driven centrifugal compressor trains and three NovaLT16 gas turbine generator packages for the first phase of the project, which is expected to deliver 2.1 MTPA as part of a planned four-phase development.The project, located in U.S.

19 Mar 2026

PERC Leads Fuel Conversation at Port of the Future Conference

Image courtesy Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) will showcase how propane and renewable propane can support reliable, lower-carbon port operations at the Port of the Future Conference at Hilton University of Houston on March 24-25.As a Gold Sponsor of the event, PERC will spotlight how propane helps ports reduce emissions while maintaining continuous operations. Jim Bunsey, senior manager of business development at PERC, will join industry leaders in two sessions focused on propane’s…

19 Mar 2026

Echo Marine Group to Deliver Western Australia’s First Electric Ferry Fleet

Image courtesy Echo Marine Group/LR

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a new contract with long-standing partner Echo Marine Group to support the delivery of Western Australia’s first fully electric passenger ferries - marking a major milestone for sustainable public transport in Australia.The project, which is a part of the Perth Transport Authority’s (PTA) METRONET Swan River Ferry Service Expansion programme, will see the design and construction of five new battery-electric ferries for operation on Perth’s Swan River.

18 Mar 2026

Econavis Launches Fuel Savings Calculator

Eco Boos Cap being retrofitted in China. © EcoNavis

EcoNavis has launched a new online savings calculator to help shipowners and operators make an initial assessment of the fuel-saving potential of an Eco Boss Cap retrofit.Available on the EcoNavis website (econavis.co.uk), the Eco Boss Cap Savings Estimator allows users to enter basic vessel information – ship type, dimensions, engine power and fuel price – to generate an indicative estimate of annual fuel and cost savings from the novel propeller hub. The tool is intended as…

18 Mar 2026

Bridging the Data Divide: How AI Will Rewire Maritime, Port Ops

“Everyone wants the new shiny thing,” Ponce said. “But the biggest blocker is always the same, you don’t understand what you already have.”
That mindset traces back even further to his time at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), a school he describes with a mix of pride and candor.
“If you know RPI, you know we’re a bunch of nerds that are basically told, ‘Why not change the world?’” he said. “That stuck with me.” 
Image courtesy AI Strategic Solutions

With the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence, it’s fair to say there is more misunderstood than understood, particularly in conservative markets like maritime and ports. Adalberto ‘Berto’ Ponce, Co-Founder and CEO Of AI Strategic Solutions discusses with Maritime Reporter TV his organization’s experiences in working with ports and port facilities to help make operations more efficient and diversify revenue. With AI Strategic Solutions, it’s not about replace people or jobs…

18 Mar 2026

America’s Ports, Harbors, and Waterways: Dredging, Resolve and the Will to Build

On January 27, 2026, Manson Construction’s newest hopper dredge, the FREDERICK PAUP, departed the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, bound for Mobile, Alabama. It is the largest self-propelled hopper dredge ever constructed in the U.S.
Image courtesy Manson Construction

America’s maritime infrastructure is measured in draft depth, vessel clearance, sediment management, and days available to dredge. If the United States is serious about competing in a century defined by supply chains, energy exports, and sealift readiness, then ports, harbors, and waterways must move from being in the background to becoming part of the national strategy.The Dredging industry and it importance to the U.S. Port infrastructure will be discussed in depth at the Port of the Future Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for March 23-25 in Houston.

17 Mar 2026

Tampnet Connectivity for First CO₂ Injection Platform Offshore Netherlands

Image courtesy Tampnet

Tampnet won a contract with Porthos CO2 Transport and Storage C.V. to deliver communications infrastructure for what will be the first CO₂ injection platform on the Dutch Continental Shelf.The project centers on Platform P18-A, a former gas production asset being converted into an unmanned installation for carbon storage as part of the broader Porthos CCS Project. The development is a cornerstone of Europe’s push to scale offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS).Under the contract…

16 Mar 2026

ClassNK SOF for ‘Seawing’ Automated Kite System

Right: Mr. Shingo Ikeda, Managing Corporate Officer, “K” LINE    
Left: Mr. Masaki Matsunaga, Executive Vice President, ClassNK

ClassNK confirmed the validity of the performance analysis evaluation for the automated kite system ‘Seawing’, which is being developed by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and its French subsidiary OCEANICWING S.A.S., and issued a Statement of Fact (SOF). In response to environmental regulations and as a solution for reducing fuel costs, the implementation and installation planning of wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), including kite systems, have been progressing. As standards for wind-assisted propulsion systems and ships equipped with such systems…

12 Mar 2026

Exmar Deploys NexusWave Across Fleet

Image courtesy Exmar

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, is rolling out NexusWave across Exmar’s growing fleet of gas carriers to meet the Belgian shipping company’s evolving commercial and crew connectivity demands.With the tech adoption, Exmar is seeking to close the gap between its ship- and shore-based teams while enhancing seafarer welfare on board its vessels. NexusWave fully managed connectivity service intelligently bonds multiple network underlays (GX Ka-band, LEO, LTE and L-band) to help ensure a consistent uninterrupted connection.