MarEx

Articles posted by the international team of staff writers at The Maritime Executive.

Watch: MHI Demonstrates Autonomous Fire-Fighting Robots

By MarEx 2019-03-25 02:42:28

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has developed two firefighting robots: the "Water Cannon Robot" and the "Hose Extension Robot." As a team they are designed for situations too hazardous for firefighting crews, such as fires at petrochemical plants. The Water Cannon Robot can extinguish and cool fires where human intervention is difficult, while the Hose Extension Robot automatically lays out up to 300 meters of fire hose to supply water to the Water Cannon Robot. Also part of the system is a...

LAVLE Developing Marine Solid Electrolyte Battery Energy Storage

By MarEx 2019-03-24 17:05:34

LAVLE USA Inc. has announced that the company is developing the world's first, large scale, Solid Electrolyte Battery (SEB) Energy Storage System (ESS) for the marine market. The company's marine solution will utilize SEB cells supplied from its Japanese joint venture partner, 3DOM and application engineering expertise from its American joint venture partner, Ockerman Automation. LAVLE holds the exclusive rights to the 3DOM SEB technology for application in the marine, defense, oil & gas, and renewables markets. The 3DOM...

Simon Tiedeman, Business Manager (left) and Peter Watchorn, Senior Surveyor (right) receive the award from Iain Gray, Business and Growth Partnership Manager at MSC R&D. Picture: Sam & Steve Photography

Innovation Award Recognizes Cutting-Edge ARC-Boat

By MarEx 2019-03-24 16:51:12

HR Wallingford has been presented with an innovation award at a ceremony for the South and Vale Business Awards held at the Williams F1 Conference Centre in Grove on Friday March 15, 2019. The MSC R&D Award for Established Innovation celebrates businesses that have developed new ideas, products and methods that can benefit society, and which are actively selling an innovative product or service. The judges highlighted HR Wallingford’s expertise and innovation in flood and water management and, in particular,...

MOST and Absortech Group in Partnership to Tackle Moisture Damage

By MarEx 2019-03-24 16:40:51

MOST (Mobile Sensory Technologies Sweden AB), a leading company within 'real time monitoring,' and Absortech Group, a leading company within moisture prevention in shipping containers, have entered into a partnership. MOST's superior real time monitoring solution gives customers insight into what happens to the cargo while in transit. The customer gets alerts via email or SMS when there is a deviation from the preferred levels on temperature, humidity and shock. The solution also detects intrusions and tracks the position of...

Contact: Harbor Master and Pilot Unaware of Fender Issue

By MarEx 2019-03-24 01:45:12

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its investigation into the contact with wharf by livestock carrier Angus Express at the port of Broome, Western Australia, saying it highlights the challenging situations that marine pilots may encounter, and why it is important that local knowledge is captured and shared. On April 20, 2018, the Angus Express had just completed a voyage from Singapore and was expected to load cattle. As the vessel came into berth, the weight of the...

Seafood Industry Stepping Up to Tackle Lost Fishing Nets

By MarEx 2019-03-23 21:00:40

The world’s 25 leading seafood companies are making progress in stopping their lost fishing gear, according to a new report from World Animal Protection. The 2019 report, Ghosts beneath the waves: 2nd edition, ranks 25 seafood companies in Tiers 1 (setting best practice) to 5 (not engaged) on their ability to address the problem of ghost gear. Ghost gear – lost or abandoned fishing equipment - is one of the biggest threats to marine animals. 640,000 tons of ghost gear...

Shipping Confidence Up Despite Ongoing Geopolitical Uncertainty

By MarEx 2019-03-23 20:16:11

Confidence in the shipping industry has risen in the last three months despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, according to the latest Shipping Confidence Survey from leading shipping adviser and accountant BDO. The average confidence level rose to 6.2 out of maximum score of 10.0 this quarter compared to 6.0 in Q4 2018. Confidence was up in Europe, from 6.1 to 6.3, and in North America, from 5.2 to 5.6. In Asia, meanwhile, there was a drop in overall confidence levels to...

Alan McCulla: Proactive on Fishing Crews' Human Rights

By MarEx 2019-03-23 19:49:59

Alan McCulla OBE Chief Executive of the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation/Sea Source and Chair of the Fishermen’s Welfare Alliance speaks about his background and upbringing into the Northern Irish fishing community, his drive for better working conditions and business transparency in the fishing industry, and his organization’s relationship with Human Rights at Sea over the past three years: "People sometimes ask how long I’ve been involved in the fishing industry. My answer is 51 years – since birth. My...

The Charles W. Morgan is the last of an American whaling fleet that once numbered more than 2,700 vessels. Ships like the Morgan often used routes defined by the trade winds to navigate the oceans.

Fast Facts: What are the Trade Winds?

By MarEx 2019-03-23 19:37:02

Early commerce to the Americas relied on the trade winds - the prevailing easterly winds that circle the Earth near the equator. Known to sailors around the world, the trade winds and associated ocean currents helped early sailing ships from European and African ports make their journeys to the Americas. Likewise, the trade winds also drive sailing vessels from the Americas toward Asia. Even now, commercial ships use "the trades" and the currents the winds produce to hasten their oceanic...

Uber Freight Starts Up in Europe

By MarEx 2019-03-23 19:16:53

Uber Freight has expanded into Europe after being launching in the U.S. two years ago. The Uber Freight app connects trucking companies of any size with loads to haul, giving drivers upfront pricing, fast payment and the ability to book a load with the touch of a button. Uber Freight also provides shippers with access to a network of carriers and real-time visibility into the status of their freight. The system's European launch starts initially in the Netherlands. The European...