With increasing digitalisation in maritime comes an explosion in the volume of data being captured. LR Horizons asks LR’s new Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Chakib Abi-saab how data can be harnessed as a force to build better businesses.

New LR Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Chakib Abi-saab believes that “recognition of the importance of data as the key to better decision making, creating new efficiencies and scalable operational models” represents the single most significant technology change he has witnessed during his 25-year career in maritime.

“In the past, people thought of digitalisation as the simple task to move from analog to digital, like moving from paper sheets to Excel,” he says. “With this ‘discovery’ of data decision making by the maritime industry, the investment in technology has significantly accelerated, and with that, the number of potential partners and the innovation ecosystem of the entire industry has taken off and continues to grow”.

Abi-saab knows his subject, having led teams in both maritime and oil & gas sectors, across Latin America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and the Caspian – including stints as CTO for ship operators and owners like Bumi Armada in Malaysia, OSM Maritime Group in Singapore, and most recently Bahri, the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia. A dual Venezuelan-US national of Lebanese descent, he prides himself on bridging the worlds of technology and business. He’s also a successful published author with a book on management theory.

The maritime industry still has a struggle on its hands, however, in fully embracing digitalisation, he believes – both in terms of committing to the cost of the technology involved and understanding where to focus its investment.

“With so many potential data inputs, it is a complex task to differentiate between distractive and constructive data sources,” he says. “This requires technology leadership that understands the business and can help position technology as a means to create efficiencies and new revenue streams”.

Nevertheless, “I believe there is recognition among most experts and leadership that digitalisation is one of the fundamentals to a better, safer, and more sustainable environment,” he continues. “Collecting data for trends that create knowledge is the new normal. Some companies now use artificial intelligence (AI) for full predictive environments”.

“That said, data sharing has been a challenge in the past because many organisations viewed their data as their competitive advantage, and therefore, they were unwilling to share it. However, that mindset is beginning to change. I expect we will soon see a ‘digital’ highway for the industry, which will enable the collection and processing of vast amounts of data, and generate incredible insights and new revenue streams for those willing to share their data”.

Abi-saab identifies the take-up of cloud-based applications as the area of technology where the maritime and logistics industries have seen the most significant acceleration of late. IoT and remote sensing considerations are key here, he adds, together with predictive analytics that can enable preventative maintenance and increase safety.

However, “major fragmentation of technology offerings with different systems used by different vendors” remains a significant barrier to a proper predictive environment at present, he feels, which is why he hopes for the above-mentioned “base platform to connect the entire value chain”.

Overall, he feels that maritime can learn useful lessons from the oil and gas industry, which he sees as being much further ahead in its use of data for remote monitoring of rigs and operations, while sharing many of the same issues, such as remote locations and connectivity requirements.
One of the biggest drivers of maritime’s use of digital in the decade ahead is likely to be competition. “The development of new generation of technologies has enabled a few elite players to create a competitive advantage,” he says. “The rest all face the same problems: high costs, small margins, and high expectations of seamless customer experience from their clients. Therefore, those who can successfully adopt the right technology will be the ones that will succeed”.

Therefore, it is “private large companies that have understood the advantages data can bring them” that are currently most engaged with digitalisation, he concludes, adding: “Unfortunately however, they will need support from governments and other organisations like LR to help provide a level of data large enough to provide a holistic view that can transform the way they operate, and the industry in general”.

And it is here that that Chakib Abi-saab particularly relishes the opportunities that joining Lloyd’s Register presents. “Make no mistake,” he says, “digital transformation is happening over the next few years and it is one of the reasons why I’m joining LR. Here, we have the opportunity to be part of and help drive the transformation of not just one company but the whole industry – in everything from cleaner energy sources to daily operational efficiencies and increased safety”.
Source: Lloyd’s Register

The project will address challenges to adopting new reactor technology in commercial maritime applications. ABS will develop models of different advanced reactor technologies for maritime applications and develop an industry advisory on the commercial use of modern nuclear power.

The contract was awarded by the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy last year and formally contracted through its U.S. Industry Opportunities for Advanced Nuclear Technology Development funding opportunity.

Support will be provided by the Department of Energy’s National Reactor Innovation Centre (NRIC), based at Idaho National Laboratory. NRIC will provide the advanced reactor framework to help propose how a maritime nuclear demonstration could take place.

In a separate, smaller award, the DOE has also contracted ABS to support research into molten salt reactors being carried out by the University of Texas.

“Modern nuclear technologies are increasingly suggested as a potential solution to shipping’s decarbonisation challenge. The technology certainly has potential both in terms of its contribution to emissions reduction and for U.S. shipyards and their supply chains to leverage national investment in terrestrial nuclear energy development. Nevertheless, many questions need to be answered and it is critical the industry is able to evaluate these technologies with a laser focus on safety. ABS is up to the challenge to support the DOE in these efforts,” said Patrick Ryan, ABS senior vice president, global engineering and technology.

“The national lab system has powerful capabilities – when we partner with industry, we can jointly apply those to our energy challenges, and NRIC was created to make that happen faster,” said NRIC director Ashley Finan. “There’s a tremendous opportunity to reduce emissions in shipping, as well as growing interest from both the maritime and advanced nuclear sectors, and we’re pleased to be a part of this important work.”

Source: https://maritime-professionals.com/research-nuclear-power-for-ships/

The maritime sector is looking for new ways to cut emissions to meet future climate targets, but Finnish cruise ferry operator Viking Line reports that it has already made a significant dent. Viking reports that it has cut its fleet’s CO2 per mile by nearly a third over the span of the past 15 years, thanks in large part to investments in “the Baltic Sea’s most climate-smart vessels.”

The reduction is nearly enough to meet the midterm IMO climate goal – to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport by 40 per cent from 2008 levels by 2030.

In port, Viking’s vessels have started to be supplied with green shore power. Fuel efficiency is now taken into account when Viking’s timetables and routes are planned. But according to the company, the measures that have had the greatest impact are the $450 million investment in the LNG/rotor sail powered Viking Grace, which made its maiden voyage in 2013, and the slightly larger Viking Glory, which entered service in March.

“On board Viking Grace alone, the intelligent, need-based ventilation system saves the same amount of energy that all of our offices and warehouses use in one year. And that is just the case of a single technological innovation on one vessel,” says Dani Lindberg, Viking’s sustainability manager. “The Grace and Glory are already equipped to start using biogas or synthetic fuels produced from renewable energy when they become available in the future. That is the next big step towards carbon-neutral maritime traffic.”

These carbon reductions will be helpful when the European Union’s new maritime transport carbon emission rules begin to take effect. The European Parliament and European Council are negotiating the final legislative text of new regulations to bring maritime transport into the EU Emissions Trading System, with significant implications for shipping between EU ports. The final draft is expected as early as the fourth quarter of the year.

In addition, the arrival of the EEXI and CII energy efficiency regulations next year will require continual reductions in carbon intensity – much like the steps Viking has already taken over the past decade.

Shell and unions representing workers at its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility have reached a wage deal to end a long-running strike and restart production at the site off northwest Australia, they said on Wednesday.

Shell shut the 3.6 million-tonnes-a-year Prelude facility in July and told customers it would be unable to supply LNG for the duration of the protected industrial action, or strikes approved by Australia’s Fair Work Commission, over a wage dispute.

“Shell is pleased to confirm an in-principle Enterprise Agreement has been reached with the Australian Workers’ Union and Electrical Trades Union in relation to the Prelude FLNG facility,” the company said in an emailed statement.

“The process to formally lift the work bans in place under the Protected Industrial Actions is expected to be completed shortly, which will enable the facility to commence the process to prepare for a hydrocarbon restart,” it said.

A Shell spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on how soon the company would be able to resume LNG shipments.

The Offshore Alliance, which combines the Australian Workers’ Union and Maritime Union of Australia, said workers would vote on the enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) later this week.

“76 days of lawful Protected Industrial Action to secure an EBA which prevents jobs being outsourced to low-wage labor hire contracts is a fight worth having,” the Offshore Alliance said on its Facebook site.

Source: https://www.marinelink.com/news/shell-unions-reach-deal-end-strike-498955

A group of French entrepreneurs has acquired one of the former Holland America Line cruise ships sold during the pandemic with plans to revive their effort for a cruise line marketed to France. The former Holland America Line Maasdam recently adopted the new name of Renaissance and Compagnie Française de Croisières (CFC) based in Marseille plans to announce in September its new cruises.

Reports indicate the CFC is being started up by partners Clément Mousset and Cédric Rivoire Perrochat. Both of the executives had been working with UK-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages with plans to launch the dedicated French cruise operation. CMV had marketed cruises starting in 2016 to France and in late 2019 announced plans for these executives to launch a French division of the company. They were to start cruising year-round in May 2021. CMV reported it would refit the cruise line’s vessel Astor and rename her Jules Verne. The plan, however, did not proceed due to the suspension of cruising in March 2020 and the financial collapse of CMV later that summer.

The executives are deferring details of their new effort until the September press conference. However, they are being linked to the sale of the former Holland America Maasdam, which has been laid up in Greece since the summer of 2020. Greek investors which also own Seajets a Greek ferry operator purchased a series of cruise ships mostly from Carnival Corporation as the company sought to accelerate the disposal of older ships during the pandemic-related industry pause. Maasdam was renamed Aegean Myth but remained idled while it was believed Seajets sought a buyer or long-term charter.

Built in 1993, the 55,500 gross ton cruise ship was the second in a new class of vessels built for Holland America Line by Fincantieri shortly after the line was acquired by Carnival. Accommodating 1,200 passengers, the cruise ship was a key part of Carnival’s expansion and modernization of Holland America. In later years, she had been replaced by larger cruise ships while Holland America placed the Maasdam on longer cruises and sending her to exotic destinations. She along with her sister ship Veendam and two other sisters that were operating for P&O Australia were all sold by Carnival in 2020. Three of the ships were acquired by Seajets which offered them for resale while the fourth ship was acquired by Portuguese investors and now operating on charter to Nico Cruises.

CFC’s efforts to launch a French-speaking cruise line are not the first recent effort at developing the market. Before CMV’s plans for France, Spain’s Pullmantur tried to develop the French cruise market. In 2008, working with Royal Caribbean which had acquired Pullmantur, they launched Croisières de France, a new cruise brand using the 1981-built Europa renamed Bleu de France. The cruise ship was sold in 2011 but they replaced her with other ships from Pullmantur before disbanding the brand in 2016.

Other cruise lines including Ponant are based in France but market their ships internationally. The new cruise line will be predominately marketed in France and the on-board operations will be French-speaking. Details on the first cruise and the itineraries are expected to be announced on September 6.