Innovez One and Aventra Group have signed a strategic partnership to develop an advanced and innovative analytics dashboard that will enhance digital Port Management Information Systems (PMIS), giving ports better visibility on their operations and supporting strategic decision-making.

The joint platform, Port Management Insights (PMIn-sightsTM), will use historical and real-time data (coming from sensor-based IoT technology) to improve the operational efficiency of port, towage and pilotage operations, building on both companies’ expertise with machine learning automation and artificial intelligence (AI). An analytics dashboard will integrate data from several sources and applications, facilitating data sharing and enabling managers to see all information in one place.

Moreover, this partnership will enable the two companies to develop a data library of use cases, and create tailored advanced solutions to support port management.

Grant Ingram, CEO of Innovez One for the UK and Europe, commented:

“We are excited to partner with Aventra Group to help deliver state-of-the-art digital solutions for more ports around the world. As a growing number of ports embrace digitalisation as the foundation for their sustainable future, we are proud to be delivering even more value through user-friendly solutions that help them improve efficiency, make robust decisions, and reduce their emissions.”

Juan Jose Gil, CEO & Executive Director of Aventra Digital, said:

“We are very excited to be joining forces with Innovez-One to contribute to the acceleration of Ports’ Digital Transformation. The digital era is the era of collaboration where leading companies bring in their best strengths to build unprecedented value. This partnership will equip ports to run smoother with an in-depth understanding of their operations while uncovering all the potential for improvement.”

Source: https://seawanderer.org/innovez-one-aventra-group-sign-partnership-on-integrated-analytics-for-enhanced-pmis

The technology group Wärtsilä will supply the propulsion machinery for four new fishing vessels being built at Karstensens Shipyard in Denmark. These orders emphasise Wärtsilä’s leading position in delivering propulsion solutions for the fishing sector, and strengthen even further the company’s close relationship with the Karstensens yard. The orders were placed in March 2022.

The 75 metre-long purser/trawler vessels are being built for different owners. Two are for Icelandic fishing and processing companies, namely Skinney-Thinganes and Gjögur, while the other two are for Norwegian owners, Veibust Fiskeriselskap and Ronald Ervik.

Each of these vessels will operate with the highly efficient Wärtsilä 31 main engine. Wärtsilä will also supply the gearbox fitted with ‘take-me-home’ functionality, the controllable pitch propeller (CPP), the propulsion shaft lines including seals and bearings, the shaft generator, and Wärtsilä’s ProTouch propulsion control system.

The Wärtsilä 31 has been recognised by Guinness World Records as being the world’s most efficient 4-stroke diesel engine. Its output power has been increased to 5200 kW, thus enhancing its performance even further.

“We are very familiar with Wärtsilä’s propulsion offering and have opted for their products on many of our newbuild projects. In particular, the Wärtsilä 31’s efficiency and reliability is ideally suited for fishing vessels operating in these challenging North Atlantic waters,” says Kent Damgaard, Director, Karstensens Shipyard.

“Wärtsilä has a long-standing relationship with Karstensens Shipyard and we are proud and pleased to be again selected as the propulsion provider for this series of modern purser/trawlers. Repeat orders are always a good indicator of customer satisfaction, and are a validation of our focus on efficiency, reliability, and environmental sustainability,” adds Jens Karlsson, GM Sales, Large Projects, Wärtsilä Marine Power.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery to the yard during 2023, and the vessels are expected to be ready for delivery in 2024.

Reference: Wärtsilä

A VLCC in ballast was approaching port for anchoring. The pilot was confirmed for 10:00. Weather conditions were good with a northerly wind of about 10 knots, good visibility and slight sea conditions. A tidal stream was running in the WSW direction at about 1.8 knots. The engine was put to dead slow ahead to drop off speed and adjust vessel’s arrival at the pilot boarding area for the prearranged time.

At 09:37, the Master asked the OOW if he had established a visual contact with the pilot boat. The OOW responded positively. The bridge team was confident that the pilot boat would be at the designated position before their vessel, so no action to further slow or stop the vessel was taken. Several minutes later, with the vessel steering 300 degrees and with a speed of 5.8 knots, the remaining distance to the pilot station was about 1.2nm.

At 09:50, the vessel was heading 315 degrees at a speed of about 5.3 knots and the distance from the pilot station was now only about 0.7nm. The Master stopped the engine. The vessel continued to slow and the heading now increased slowly to starboard. The vessel was closing on a buoy. At 10:00 the speed was about 4 knots and the pilot boat had not yet arrived. The Master ordered hard starboard and set the main engine to dead slow ahead in order to avoid the buoy but to no avail; they struck the buoy about four minutes later on the port side near midships. The buoy slid down the vessel’s port side and cleared the stern with only minor damage.

But now, as the vessel drifted with a Speed Over Ground (SOG) of 3.4 knots, their trajectory was towards a nearby anchored vessel. The Master attempted to stop the vessel but the distance to the anchored vessel was now only 0.5 nm. The Master quickly concluded that it was not feasible to stop the vessel. Instead, by putting “Full Ahead” on the engine in combination with a succession of wheel alterations (hard to starboard and then hard to port) they managed to avoid contact with the anchored vessel.

About 20 minutes later, the pilot boarded and subsequently safely anchored the vessel in the anchorage area.

The company report found, among others that;

• The passage plan lacked the appropriate precautions and contingency arrangements. Specifically, the speed of approach and the waiting area for the approach were not adequately planned.
• The large drift angle and the proximity of navigational hazards was not determined at an early stage.
• The current’s effect on vessel’s drift was not effectively monitored and assessed. As result, the bridge team did not adjust the vessel’s course and speed in a timely manner while approaching the pilot boarding station.
• BRM was less than adequate. The Master did not explicitly inform the ship’s bridge team about his intentions related to approaching and manoeuvring. As the ship progressed, the OOW’s comprehension of the situation did not trigger any actions for clarification or corrective action.
• The OOW did not provide sufficient information related to the pilot boat approaching. Instead, he confirmed that the pilot boat was approaching without informing the Master of the actual distance from the vessel and the required time to arrive alongside. As a result, the Master wrongly assumed that the pilot boat was closer than it actually was, so he continued on instead of stopping.

Source: https://www.marineinsight.com/case-studies/real-life-incident-contact-with-a-buoy-and-near-collision/