Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by Brian Gicheru Kinyua

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published Aug 4, 2022 8:51 PM by The Maritime Executive

UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography has picked Glosten to design a unique green-fuel powered research vessel. The new vessel will have a first-of-its-kind hydrogen-hybrid propulsion system. 

Scripps and Glosten have a history dating back more than 60 years, when Glosten provided the unique design of Scripps' Floating Instrument Platform, the curious vessel also known as FLIP. Glosten was also involved in the midlife refit of RV Roger Revelle, Scripps' largest ship.

"Fundamentally, our ships have to be reliable and capable in order to support the innovative research our scientists conduct at sea. On top of that, the ship we envision needs to demonstrate that zero-emission power systems work effectively under demanding real-world conditions," said Bruce Appelgate, associate director and head of ship operations at Scripps Oceanography. "It's the job of the naval architect to provide the necessary engineering, design, and integration skills needed for this project to succeed on every level."

A feasibility study on the hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion technology for the vessel was completed in 2020 by Sandia National Laboratories, Glosten and Scripps, with funding from MARAD. California's state legislature allocated $35 million for the design and construction last summer. 

When completed, the vessel will support research in California's waters, covering marine fisheries, algal blooms, El Niño storm patterns, atmospheric rivers, ocean acidification and other topics of regional concern. The new vessel will also carry up to 45 students and teachers at a time on day trips for at-sea instruction. It will replace the research vessel RV Robert Gordon Sproul, which has been in operation for four decades and is nearing the end of its useful life.

The new vessel will feature a hybrid propulsion system that integrates hydrogen fuel cells with a conventional diesel-electric power plant, enabling zero-emission operations. The design is scaled so the ship will be able to operate 75 percent of its missions entirely using hydrogen. For longer missions, extra power will be provided by diesel generators. 

As a research vessel, it will also have advanced lab space and a suite of instrumentation, including acoustic Doppler current profilers, seafloor mapping systems and fishery imaging systems. 

Published Aug 19, 2022 8:38 PM by The Maritime Executive

Maersk is continuing to pursue the expand its terminal business as part of the efforts to create a full-service logistics company. After the record performance of the company and with the expectation that 2022 will generate an additional $24 billion or more in free cash flow, the company is in a strong position to execute its plan to acquire possibly a few terminals each year. APM announced that it has been named the winner in a bidding contest for the...

Published Aug 19, 2022 7:32 PM by Brian Gicheru Kinyua

In June, President Joe Biden spoke by phone to several traders and farmers highlighting the impact of rising shipping costs and how they were affecting businesses. Biden went on to castigate shipping companies for hiking prices and promised to take an action, aimed at reducing the cost of inflation.  Biden was only the latest in a growing number of critics citing the staggering profits of the large shipping companies over the past two years. With companies such as Maersk reporting...

Published Aug 19, 2022 6:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

Reports from Croatia indicate that the start-up company Storylines has entered into a formal construction contract with Brodosplit for its planned resident ship. The value of the newbuild is set at $1.5 billion with a delivery date of 2025. The company reported previously that it had selected Brodosplit for the construction of what they promise will be a revolutionary approach to the residential cruise ship concept. The ship, known as the Narrative, has been in engineering and development for the...

Published Aug 19, 2022 4:10 PM by The Maritime Executive

The UK’s Royal Navy, which is already grappling with accusations of operating too many "elderly vessels” in a security environment that is becoming less stable, has begun an effort to keep its oldest frigates in service. Commissioned in 1991, HMS Argyll is the longest-serving Type 23 frigate in the fleet, and now the vessel is undergoing her second life-extension overhaul. She had been scheduled to retire in 2023. Defense contractor Babcock International has started what is being called a post-life...

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