Maritime Safety News Archives

Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70 conducted flag talks with their counterparts from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Fleet Escort Force, aboard the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 5.

During the talks, the staff discussed maritime strategy and best practices for force operations and bi-lateral integration at sea.

“CTF-70 staff’s close relationship with Vice Admiral Fukuda and his team ensures our ability to demonstrate integrated capabilities across multiple domains, strengthens both maritime forces, and enhances our collective defense,” said Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, commander, Task Force 70.

“This visit allowed us to continue to focus on confronting shared challenges and solidifying a relationship that underpins our close alliance–an alliance built on shared interests, shared values, and a commitment to freedom.”

Discussions focused towards potential future exercises, operations, and engagements the 7th Fleet task force will conduct with the JMSDF.

“The unprecedented strong relationship between the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy has contributed to improving the deterrence and coping power of the Japan-U.S. Alliance and strengthening its resilience. It contributes to not only defense of Japan but also to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and world,” said Vice Adm. FUKUDA Tatsuya, commander, Fleet Escort Force.

This was the second flag talks conducted by these two staffs this calendar year, and the third held since November.

CTF 70 has also worked with their JMSDF counterparts from within the Information Warfare (IW) community as well. Over the past year, CTF 70 and JMSDF IW teams have made progress in expanding collective warfighting capabilities through routine exercises and exchanges. In April, CTF 70 and JMSDF IW teams conducted a conference aboard Ronald Reagan where they spoke face to face on topics of information warfare.

“These engagements have been fantastic for both teams, not only in building an improved baseline of knowledge, but also building trust in each other,” said Capt. Kurt Mole, Information Warfare Commander, Task Force 70.

“This is my third tour of duty in Japan, and the IW relationship is stronger today than ever before. I’m confident that we’ll continue to achieve even greater heights in the future.”

In May of this year, units from Carrier Strike Group 5 and JMSDF conducted group sail exercises as well as a cross-deck helicopter exercise involving a JMSDF helicopter.

Also in May, a group of JMSDF Sailors embarked aboard Ronald Reagan where they observed U.S. Navy operations including firefighting and damage control during general quarters, flight operations, watch-standing and navigation events.

The U.S. and Japan Maritime Self-Defense have been partnered in the Indo-Pacific for more than 60 years.

U.S. 7th Fleet exercises operational control of its units through designated Task Forces or Task Groups. These groups are organized along domain and functional lines. CTF 70 is theater strike warfare commander and theater air and missile defense commander.

CTF 70 is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet in the world, and with the help of and network of alliances and partners from 35 other maritime nations, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than 70 years; providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict.

Source:

The world’s largest international maritime exercise concluded Aug. 4 following more than a month of realistic, relevant combined operations training conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, three submarines, nine national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft and over 25,000 personnel participated in the 28th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).

RIMPAC 2022 Combined Task Force Commander, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Michael Boyle expressed that returning to a full-scale exercise, with multiple exercise firsts, has been a success across all domains.

“By coming together as Capable, Adaptive Partners, and in the scale that we are, we are making a statement about our commitment to work together, to foster and sustain those relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of the sea lanes and the security of the world’s interconnected oceans,” Vice Adm. Boyle said.

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Rear Admiral Toshiyuki Hirata filled the role of Vice Commander, and commanded the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) portion of the exercise that operated with local hospital personnel. This year’s RIMPAC included two Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ships and the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Western Army.

Rear Adm. Hirata said that in the current security environment, it is important for the international community to work together. “It is of great significance to deepen and strengthen the relationship of trust.”

For the first time, Republic of Korea Rear Adm. Sangmin An served as the Commander of the exercise’s combined amphibious task force, with the Republic of Singapore Navy Col. Kwan Hon Chuong serving as the amphibious force’s Sea Combat Commander, and Royal Australian Navy Capt. Michael Osborn serving as the Sea Logistics Commander.

RIMPAC’s Deputy Commander, Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Christopher Robinson, said the collaboration and cohesiveness between partner nations enhanced their operations.

“This exercise provides tremendous training value, enabling partners to build skills and refine procedures through working together. Part of this comes from seeing how other partners approach similar scenarios, offering new perspectives”, Robinson said.

“The value of this collaboration goes further, in that it also enables us to build and foster those relationships and networks that are so incredibly valuable as we operate together in future operations throughout the region.”

A few of the first-time achievements included:

Two U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft embarked in Australian amphibious ship HMAS Canberra for the whole duration of the exercise.
While participating in RIMPAC for the first time, HMNZS Aotearoa conducted numerous Replenishment at Sea operations with partner nations including France, Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the U.S.
Royal Malaysian Ship KD Leskir (F26) conducted their first live missile firing outside Malaysian waters.
First embedded use of the MQ-9A and MQ-9B unmanned aerial vehicles, and the unmanned surface vessels Nomad, Ranger, Sea Hawk and Sea Hunter; with data and knowledge sharing amongst 13 countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Peru, India, France, Chile, Mexico, Singapore and Indonesia.
Nine nations participated in the RIMPAC Amphibious Assault (Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Tonga and U.S.).

This year’s exercise included units and personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/rimpac-2022-worlds-largest-maritime-exercise-concludes/

Brittany Ferries has chosen Wärtsilä Voyage’s Smart Panoramic Edge Camera System (SPECS) to improve the safety and efficiency of its passenger ferry operations.

SPECS will be first installed onboard the Salamanca – the 214.5 metre, 1015 passenger ferry which started operations between Portsmouth and Bilbao in March 2022.

Navigating busy ports and berthing are two of the most challenging aspects of ferry operations. Increased vessel size, introduced in line with ‘safe return to port’ regulations, and challenging weather conditions mean the margin for error during these manoeuvres is tiny. The SPECS super-wide cameras will give the crew a 360° view, from the edge of the hull to the horizon, streamed directly to the bridge in real-time. Live distance indications to objects around the vessel reduce risks of a collision, protecting passengers, crew and the ferry, while improved visibility helps captains navigate rough seas.

With busy schedules to keep, minutes used manoeuvring on each side of a voyage can also quickly increase costs. The efficiencies achieved thanks to the assistance of the SPECS system can maximise trading time and minimise fuel consumption. By saving fuel, Brittany Ferries will also reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Arnaud Le Poulichet, director of engineering and maintenance, Brittany Ferries said: “When the captain is confident in manoeuvring it improves safety, saves time and fuel. This clear and strong return on investment makes adopting SPECS an obvious decision. But there is more to embracing digitalisation. Using the latest technology also plays an important role in attracting high-quality crew. By having innovative technology onboard, we make seafaring attractive to a new generation of seafarers – who we must engage in the industry.”

Sasha Heriot, head of product, assistance systems, Wärtsilä Voyage commented: “SPECS will help the crew of the Salamanca augment their situational awareness whilst also enabling Brittany Ferries to improve operational safety and efficiency. The company’s proactivity in adopting cutting-edge technology is impressive and will ensure it remains one of the leading cross-channel ferry operators.

It is also encouraging that Brittany Ferries shares our vision of a high-tech future for bridge systems and is excited about, not only the benefits SPECS can bring today, but also how technology will advance and develop into the future. SPECS provides the core situational data that will make this vision a reality and we are delighted to be partners with Brittany Ferries on this digital journey.”

SPECS also enables processed data to be exported for use in simulation and training. Brittany Ferries plans to use the data to show other crew how manoeuvring can be performed in specific conditions and ports. Export to simulation facilities can also allow for close investigation into any vessel incidents and thus reduce the risk of similar occurrences.

Source: https://thedigitalship.com/news/electronics-navigation/item/7985-brittany-ferries-chooses-waertsilae-s-360-vision-camera-system-to-enhance-safety

On 22 July 2022, Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations signed the Initiative on the safe export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from Ukrainian ports. The purpose of this Initiative is to facilitate the safe navigation for the export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia from the Ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk (Chornomorsk) and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi) (the Ukrainian ports).

Since the 24 February escalation of the war in Ukraine, the export of foodstuffs and fertilizers from Ukraine has been negatively impacted, something which in turn has threatened supplies to several developing countries desperately reliant on import of food stocks from Ukraine.

However, on 22 Jul 2022, Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine together with the United Nations signed the Initiative on the safe export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, from Ukrainian ports. The purpose of this Initiative is to facilitate the safe navigation for the export of foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia from the Ports of Odesa, Chernomorsk (Chornomorsk) and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi) (the Ukrainian ports).

International coordination

The operational execution of the initiative will be coordinated by a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul where representatives of Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations will oversee and coordinate the operation. The warring parties have agreed not to attack any of the merchant ships taking part in this initiative.

A set of procedures for merchant vessels taking part in the initiative have been developed, a copy of which can be found via the link below. The procedures must be followed by all ships taking part in the initiative.

A high-risk operation

The initiation of exports from Ukraine-controlled ports is a welcome development but there is no question that the resumption of shipping operations is a high-risk endeavour. While both Russia and Ukraine have publicly promised not to attack ships involved in the initiative, there have been several sightings of mine-like objects in the area, and the risk of a rogue mine detonating against a ship is still present. Add to this that the perceived mine threat provides for plausible deniability for any malign actor with a motive to disrupt global food supplies, especially by means of underwater weapons such as limpet mines or torpedoes. The resultant security situation amounts to something which by any measure will be a high-risk operation.

Ship protection measures

Ships getting involved in this initiative are encouraged to perform a voyage-specific risk assessment and consider the relevant self-protection measures described in chapter 4 incl. annexes in the NATO publication Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) – Guide to Owners, Operators, Masters and Officers.

It should be noted that the NATO procedures for passage coordination etc. described in this NATO publication DO NOT apply to this scenario. Instead, the procedures outlined in the specific guidance developed by Türkiye, Russia, and Ukraine together with the United Nations should be applied. However, the section in the NATO publication about how to mitigate against underwater threats (mines, submarines, underwater sabotage) would seem particularly relevant to the scenario ships are faced with when participating in the described initiative.

Source: https://www.bimco.org/insights-and-information/ukraine/20220809-ukraine-grain-security

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is organising the 9th run of the International Safety@Sea Week from 29th of August to the 2nd of September 2022. This is an annual platform for MPA to engage members of the international maritime community and top practitioners to raise awareness and exchange views on maritime safety. As part of MPA’s commitment to promoting safety at sea, registration for this event is free.

Winners for the annual International Safety@Sea Awards, which recognizes outstanding efforts of organizations and individuals who have played a significant part in ensuring safety at sea, will also receive their awards then.

This year’s International Safety@Sea Conference will adopt a hybrid format with option for either online or in-person participation to cater to the event’s growing international audience. The opening session on 30 August 2022 focuses on this year’s theme “Riding the Waves for Maritime Safety”.

Two plenary sessions on 31 August 2022 will discuss:
·Dovetailing Seafarers’ Health & Wellbeing with a Good Safety Culture
·Proactive Use of Data for Maritime Safety

Source: https://www.xindemarinenews.com/m/view.php?aid=40833

There’s an old Greek shipping saying that goes: “Ninety-eight tankers and 101 cargoes, boom. Ninety-eight cargoes and 101 tankers, bust.” This doesn’t translate so well into modern-day container shipping because the consolidated liner sector manages the number of ships in service a lot better than the fragmented tanker business.

Tanker spot rates can plunge violently lower when supply exceeds demand. One of the big questions for container shipping has been: Will spot rates plunge precipitously after demand pulls back, as it has in the past in bulk commodity shipping? Or will there be a gradual decline toward a soft landing?

So far, it looks gradual. Trans-Pacific rates have steadied in July and early August. In fact, some indexes show spot rates ticking higher again.

Spot rates are at least temporarily plateauing because U.S. import demand remains above pre-COVID levels, some U.S. ports remain extremely congested, and ocean carriers are “blanking” or “voiding” (i.e., canceling) sailings, both because their ships are stuck in port queues and because they’re matching vessel supply with cargo demand to avert the fate of Greek tanker owners.

“Void sailings are still the go-to options for carriers at this point to try and stymie the fall in rates,” said George Griffiths, managing editor of global container freight at S&P Global Commodities.

“Congestion is still the buzzword for East Coast ports, with Savannah currently feeling the full force of loaded imports and associated delays,” he told American Shipper.

FBX trans-Pac rates up 3% from recent lows
Different spot indexes give different rate assessments but generally show the same trends. The Freightos Baltic Daily Index (FBX) Asia-West Coast assessment was at $6,692 per forty-foot equivalent unit on Friday.

The good news for shippers booking spot cargo: That’s just one-third of the all-time peak this index reached in September. The bad news: Friday’s assessment is up 2.7% from the low of $6,519 per FEU hit on Aug. 2, and it’s still 4.5 times higher than the rate at this time of year in 2019, pre-COVID.

The FBX Asia-East Coast spot rate assessment was at $9,978 per FEU on Friday, less than half the record high in September. However, it was up 3.5% from the recent low of $9,640 on Aug. 2 and still 3.6 times higher than 2019 levels.

Drewry indexes show gradual slide
The weekly index from Drewry portrays a gentler descent than the FBX, because Drewry did not include premium charges in its spot assessments at the peak.
Unlike the FBX, Drewry’s Shanghai-Los Angeles assessment does not show a recent uptick. It was at $6,985 per FEU for the week announced last Thursday, its lowest point since June 2021. It was down 44% from its all-time high in late November 2021, albeit still 4.2 times higher than rates at this time of year in 2019.

Drewry’s weekly Shanghai-New York assessment was at $9,774 per FEU on Friday. Rates were relatively stable over the past two week, yet the latest reading is the lowest since June 2021 and down 40% from the peak in mid-September.

Drewry’s Shanghai-New York assessment on this route is still 3.5 times pre-COVID levels.

S&P Global: East Coast rates 50% higher than West Coast
Daily assessments from S&P Global Commodities (formerly Platts) show a widening divergence between North Asia-West Coast and North Asia-East Coast Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates.

S&P Global assessed Friday’s North Asia-East Coast FAK rate at $9,750 per FEU, up 2.6% from the recent low hit on July 29. Spot rates on this route have roughly plateaued since late April, according to this index.

S&P Global put Friday’s North Asia-West Coast rate at $6,500 per FEU, still gradually falling and at the lowest point since late June 2021. The gap with East Coast assessments has been widening since May, with the East Coast rates now 50% higher than West Coast rates.

Port congestion still very high
Matthew Cox, CEO of ocean carrier Matson (NYSE: MATX) explained on his company’s quarterly call earlier this month: “In fall of last year, we saw over 100 vessels waiting at anchor or offshore waiting to get into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. We still have 100 ships waiting. But a lot of that congestion has moved into different ports. We [have] the same number of ships but just more distributed to different places.”

The number of ships waiting off all North American ports topped 150 in late July, according to an American Shipper survey of ship-position data from MarineTraffic and queue lists for Los Angeles/Long Beach and Oakland, California.

The count fluctuates by the day (and by the hour as ships enter and leave queues) and is now down 15% from its peak — but still historically high. As of Monday morning, there were 130 ships waiting offshore. East and Gulf Coast ports accounted for 71% of the total, with the West Coast share falling to just 29%.

The queue off Savannah, Georgia, was the largest at 39 ships on Monday morning. It was considerably higher just a few days earlier. According to Hapag-Lloyd, there were 48 container vessels off Savannah on Friday, with wait times of 14-18 days.

The queue off Los Angeles/Long Beach has now virtually vanished. On Monday morning, it was down to just 11 container vessels, according to the queue list from the Marine Exchange of Southern California. It hasn’t been that low since November 2020. It hit a high of 109 ships on Jan. 9.

Spot rate easing expected to continue
On last Wednesday’s quarterly call by ocean carrier Maersk, CFO Patrick Jany said port congestion preempted a steeper drop in spot rates. Even with support from congestion, he predicted short-term rates will decline further in the months ahead.

“We have seen an erosion of short-term rates in the past few months that has been stopped here and there by renewed or new disruptions,” Jany said. “The erosion of the short-term rates will continue. It won’t be a one-day drop but a progressive erosion toward a lower level of short-term rates in the fourth quarter.”

Jany predicted that when rates stop falling, they “will stabilize at a higher level than they were in the past [pre-COVID] and higher than our cost level.”

During the latest quarterly call by logistics provider Kuehne + Nagel, CEO Detlef Trefzger predicted rates would ultimately settle at levels two to three times pre-COVID rates. A Seko Logistics executive made the same prediction during a recent briefing.

According to Cox at Matson, spot rates “are adjusting slowly. There’s no falling off a cliff. The word we use is ‘orderly.’ We’re seeing rates decline from their peak, but … we expect an orderly marketplace for the remainder of the year, with our vessels continuing to operate at or near capacity.”
Source: Freight Waves by Greg Miller, https://www.freightwaves.com/news/no-precipitous-plunge-in-container-shipping-rates-just-orderly-decline

LNG is the best fuel option for owners considering how to extend vessel life and secure CII compliance through retrofit, according to SEA-LNG, the multi-sector industry coalition established to demonstrate the beneﬁts of the LNG fuel pathway for shipping decarbonisation. In a piece of analysis released today, the coalition finds significant benefits to a business choosing an LNG retrofit over fuelling with VLSFO or retrofitting an HFO vessel with scrubbers, based on a ten-year payback period.

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations will drive down the CII grades for existing ships and will have a detrimental effect on charter rates for those powered using fuel oil. The financial viability of vessels that are just a few years old will be under severe threat if significant action to reduce emissions is not taken, such as an alternative fuel retrofit.

SEA-LNG’s latest analysis looks at the investment performance of three 2-stroke propulsion options. These were evaluated to compare the most cost-effective solutions available for ship owners: a current VLCC sailing on VLSFO; a retrofitted VLCC sailing with scrubbers on HFO; a retrofitted VLCC sailing on LNG. The simple tool allows users a “Readers’ Choice” to compare fuel prices which generate the same investment returns for each possible investment decision.

“The climate emergency we face is a stock problem, and a flow problem. By choosing to retrofit their existing vessels, owners will be able to reduce GHG emissions now and over the remaining lifetime of the vessel, keeping GHGs from entering the atmosphere,” said Adi Aggarwal, General Manager at SEA-LNG. “Retrofitting vessels provides a faster and cheaper route to the lower emission fuels that are essential to reduce shipping emissions. As alternative fuels and regulations progress, it’s important that we re-evaluate previous investments. LNG retrofits now have a strong business case.”

The chart displays the IMO CII grade ratings for VLCC retrofit alternatives: HFO scrubber, VLSFO and LNG fuel.

Retrofitting vessels to use LNG fuel helps to future proof vessels, reducing costs and improving returns. For owners, modernising a ship through retrofit can be carried out more quickly than building a new vessel. New vessels typically take around two years to build. Accessing and scheduling work with a retrofit yard is often easier, as they have more capacity than newbuild yards. Retrofitting can also be arranged as part of a scheduled drydock call for a VLCC, meaning out of service time is reduced across the entire project.

Adopting LNG fuel on a VLCC improves CII ratings substantially, giving and maintaining a one to two grade improvement over alternatives throughout the remaining lifetime of the vessel. The gap in ratings between LNG and HFO scrubber or VLSFO retrofit options provides a commercial chartering financial advantage to owners who choose the LNG pathway.

LNG is a safe, mature, commercially viable marine fuel offering superior emissions performance, significant Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction benefits and a pragmatic pathway to a zero-emissions shipping industry. With drop in bio-LNG or synthetic LNG, the LNG-fuelled vessels are future proofed, enabling compliance with GHG reduction targets as the shipping industry moves towards its 2050 emissions goal.
Source: SEA-LNG

Back in April, we announced that we would be the first shipping company in the world to outfit all of its standard containers with technology for real-time data transmission. This will soon allow us to track our containers around the globe and collect data from them – to boost transparency for us and our customers.

Once the devices are permanently installed on our containers, they will be able to transmit data in real time and thereby make supply chains more transparent and efficient. For example, they will provide GPS-based location data, measure temperatures, and monitor sudden vibrations of the container. In the coming weeks, we will start to equip our container fleet with devices from the well-known TradeTech company Nexxiot AG and, as of the end of the year, as well with devices from ORBCOMM, a leading global provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.

Real-Time Tracking Of Standard Containers — Credits: Hapag Lloyd

The mass installation of tracking devices in our depots worldwide will begin at the end of August 2022. Our Hapag-Lloyd LIVE product will become available for customers of standard containers in early 2023.Then, by end of 2023, we will be able to track our entire dry container fleet and thereby continue to advance the digitalisation of container shipping.

The new technology will offer us the advantages of being able to create visibility, detect delays earlier, automatically inform any affected customers, and initiate the appropriate countermeasures.

Reference; Hapag Lloyd

The quickest electrical ship of the world is prepared to set sail in Stockholm subsequent a year, slicing commuting occasions between some of the archipelagos in half.

The Candela P-12 is a “flying ferry” that has the capacity to host 30 passengers. The vessel has the ability to attain speeds of 30 knots. Even higher, the vessel is alleged to be the most energy efficient.

Candela has loved funding and aid from authorities in Sweden, with the agency collaborating with Stockholm for a nine-month passenger trial in the coming year.

The vessel boasts three carbon-fiber wings or hydrofoils, which allow it to rise out of the water when going at speeds beyond 18 knots.

As soon as airborne, the P-12 will be capable to have excessive speeds and journey lengthy distances owing to vital discounts in drag that come with flying above the water.

Candela’s technology is designed to lower energy per passenger kilometer by 95% compared to that of current vessels. The company has to say that the ship is going to be more energy efficient than even a hybrid bus. Besides, it will be able to recharge batteries in only an hour.

Candela collaborated with the Swedish National Traffic Agency, which has funded almost half of the vessel, with the firm funding the remaining half.

Slashing commuter times and environmental impacts

Stockholm is the ideal launch pad for P-12 owing to its multiple archipelagos and exclusive waterways. The City of Stockholm and Candela plan on deploying the vessel to connect the evolving suburb of Ekerö as well as the city center.

Residents of Ekerö residents have to take an almost one-hour trip via buses, subways, or conventional ferries. The Candela P-12 Shuttle is expected to cover the 15km route in about 25 minutes, saving almost 50 minutes daily.

The P-12’s flying abilities and lack of wake have permitted it to gain exemptions from Stockholm’s 12-knot river speed limit.

The near-zero wake is going to prevent wave impairment to sensitive shorelines, the environment, and other vessels, with P-12 producing less wake when at throttle than a traditional passenger vessel traveling at slow speeds.
As an added advantage, seasickness should not be an issue for P-12 passengers. Thanks to the computerized flight controller of the boat, its hydrofoils will get auto-adjusted up to 100 times every second to ensure that the ferry’s flying level is maintained.

How Stockholm aims to make maritime travel more mainstream

Maritime traffic is Stockholm’s most popular mode of public transport, but it is served by a fleet of more than 70 inefficient diesel-operated boats.

Gustav Hemming, VP of Regional Executive Board in Stockholm, responsible for sea-bound public transport, refers to the P-12 as a path breaker compared to the existing options. He mentions that the requirement is for new technology that’s more useful for commuter ferries

The City of Stockholm’s County Council is keen to help as it decided on playing a more active role in supporting and testing new public transport technologies.

Candela has to say that in Stockholm, passenger vessels have on average a 17% occupancy rate indicating that a 300-passenger vessel carries 50 people mostly.

They believe that the smaller vessels operating on more frequent schedules will be able to better serve residents than these larger ones that depart less often.

On the Stockholm-Ekerö channel, Candela proposes to replace the pair of 200-person diesel vessels with five P-12 Shuttles. Instead of two departures daily, there would be a P-12 Shuttle that sets sail every 11 minutes.

Candela predicts that the plan is likely to result in a 60% reduction in costs compared to the current vessels, even though it claims that this is a conservative estimate.

Mikael Mahlberg, Candela’s head of communications, mentions that national and local politicians have championed the assignment.

He observes the irony that waterways are the oldest infrastructure in several cities, yet they are not being used effectively now, something he strongly believes that his firm can transform.

Could other countries get ‘flying ferries’?

While the P-12 will make its debut in Stockholm, it has plans to produce hundreds of vessels each year for international distribution.

Candela says more than 600 cities, vessel operators, municipalities, and urban developers have expressed interest in the shuttle.

While converting interests to orders is the ultimate test, the P-12 may bring about a green revolution in the world of maritime commuter travel.

The P-12’s green credentials are expected to be clearer if more places follow Stockholm in powering vessels from renewable sources.

References: Euronews, CompleteTips 24 h, Archynetys

27 Per cent of vessels fail to arrive within 24 hours of their published estimated time of arrival but a new analytics tool from Lloyd’s List Intelligence is expected to change this.

A current lack of accurate AIS-based data puts pressure on ports, hampers logistics and pushes up costs. Lloyd’s List Intelligence’s Predictive Fleet Analytics is the first ever ‘air traffic control’ for the commercial shipping fleet. It combines near-real-time data collected from 3000 sources, resulting in over 327 million AIS vessel positions monthly across the global fleet. Specially designed advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning transform this data into accurate estimated times of arrival into port (ETA), arrival times at berth (ETB), and times of departure (ETD) for key active commercial vessels, along with current and future estimates of port congestion.

Currently, over a third (36 per cent) of Automatic Identification System (AIS) messages are missing ETA data, while another 27 per cent of vessels fail to arrive within a day of their published ETA. Even destination data is unreliable, with 63 per cent of vessels publishing one port destination but ending up at another (source: Lloyd’s List Intelligence 2020 AIS message analysis).

Destination and ETA data gaps represent one of the most severe business challenges to the supply chain – impacting the ability of businesses to work efficiently, effectively and profitably:

· Financial losses: like demurrage charges, additional waiting and handling fees and invalid pricing

· Damaged customer relationships: from delivery misjudgements, schedule changes and reassignments

· Loss of sales: from a lack of visibility, reactive service delivery which have a negative impact on customer experience

Informed by over 100 customer and stakeholder interviews across companies and government organisations, Predictive Fleet Analytics has been built in response to these widespread industry challenges.

Delivered as API data and integrated into the Seasearcher platform, Predictive Fleet Analytics helps customers gain greater certainty around estimated destination, arrival, berthing, and departure times, along with port congestion status and waiting times. This greater level of insight is key to more efficient voyages and port operations and the optimal use of vessels, fuel, port facilities and services, and the teams that operate them all, resulting in time and cost savings.

With analytics powerhouse partner SAS, a leader in AI, data mining, modelling and forecasting, Lloyd’s List Intelligence have developed this new method of calculating, predicting, and learning from vessel movements and behaviours in ways that were not possible before.

The AI and machine learning models predict destinations with an accuracy of 70 per cent, ETA to port within +/- 10 hours, and ETB to within 1-2 hours, catering for key vessel types in the commercial fleet operating to both fixed and non-fixed schedules.

“Predictive Fleet Analytics allows our customers to let decisions on scheduling and routes be driven by the best quality data, so that shipping companies can save on resources and costs,” said Parvin Conners, vice president of product and data for Lloyd’s List Intelligence. “This new level of prediction around destinations and arrivals helps ports to optimise their services and facilities and for maritime servicing businesses to run more smoothly. All of this is possible thanks to the strength of our data and analytics and how we use AI and machine learning.”

Source: https://thedigitalship.com/news/maritime-software/item/7987-lloyd-s-list-intelligence-launches-predictive-fleet-analytics

Older Posts

Maritime Safety News Archives - SHIP IP LTD

Japan, U.S. Navies Conduct Flag Talks

RIMPAC 2022: World’s Largest Maritime Exercise Concludes

Brittany Ferries chooses Wärtsilä’s 360° vision camera system to enhance safety

Procedures for safe export of foodstuffs etc. from Ukrainian ports

International coordination

A high-risk operation

Ship protection measures

The 9th International Safety@Sea Week 2022

No precipitous plunge in container shipping rates, just ‘orderly’ decline

LNG retrofits will rate higher under CII than HFO/scrubber or Vlsfo alternatives

Hapag-Lloyd To Be The First Shipping Company To Install Devices For Real-Time Tracking Of Standard Containers

The Fastest Electric Vessel In The World Is About To Take Flight On Stockholm’s Waterways

Lloyd’s List Intelligence launches Predictive Fleet Analytics

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Joint concentrated inspection campaign on STCW

Maritime Loss Prevention: Hatch Covers Claims Vs Maintenance

Empties Lift Port of Long Beach to New July Record as Imports Fall

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