MEST P/F

A commercial vessel owned by an Israeli firm was attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in Gulf waters, pro-Iran media and an Israeli television channel said on Tuesday.Israel’s top-rated Channel 12 TV quoted unnamed Israeli officials as blaming arch-foe Iran for the assault and said there were no casualties.Two maritime security sources told Reuters that an Israeli ship was hit near the UAE’s Fujairah port resulting in an explosion but that there were no casualties.An Israeli Transportation Ministry spokesman said he was aware of the media reports but that he could not confirm them. There was no immediate confirmation from the UAE.

Evidence mounts that vessel safety will benefit with technology enhancing the bridge lookout.Maritime safety regulations have – and for valid reasons – traditionally been strict and have often developed in ways that could hold up innovation. Almost two decades after the remedy of ‘goal-based’ standards and ‘technical equivalence’ arrived at the IMO, rules based on risk assessment and functionality continue to face an uphill battle to redefine a safety culture based on ‘dos and don’ts’. The use of predictive algorithms to automate or semi-automate aspects of ship operations is already accepted as a way of enhancing safety, as well as operational efficiency.

Ukrainian shipping company PJSC Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company (UDP) signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Belgian engine manufacturer Anglo-Belgian Corporation NV (ABC) to modernize its pushboat fleet.The LOI signed under the auspices of the Embassy of Belgium in Ukraine provides UDP with the possibility to install hybrid engines with equipment provided by ABC for up to 33 UDP pushboats. The fleet modernization would enable UDP to prolong the life of outdated fixed assets and, in the meantime, expand its business operations to the higher Danube, and possibly the Rhein.The ABC hybrid engines offer the possibility to use both traditional diesel fuel and other fuels (methanol, hydrogen).

ABS has joined an industry-leading joint development project (JDP) to accelerate development of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology with Alfa Laval, DTU Energy, Haldor Topsoe, Svitzer and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.Funded by a grant from Danish EUDP (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program), the partners will pursue a high-efficiency solution with the scalability to support marine industry decarbonization.ABS, a founding member of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, said it will focus on safety

French engineering firm GTT said it has received an order from Chinese shipyard Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co. Ltd. for the tank design of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.The vessel is expected to be delivered to Chinese shipowner ShenZhen Gas Corporation Ltd. in January 2023.GTT will design the tanks of the vessel which will offer a cargo capacity 79,960 cubic meters and will be fitted with the NO96 L03+  membrane containment system, a technology developed by GTT.