Watch: MAIB Releases Findings on Girting and Capsize of Tug
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report into the girting and capsize of tug Biter with the loss of two lives while assisting passenger vessel Hebridean Princess off Greenock, Scotland.At about 1527 on 24 February 2023, the twin screw conventional tug Biter girted and capsized off Greenock, Scotland while attached to the stern of the passenger vessel Hebridean Princess, which was making its approach to James Watt Dock. Biter’s two crew were unable…
Jan De Nul’s Fleeming Jenkin CLV to Get Dedicated Training Simulator
Tree C, a Dutch virtual and augmented reality specialist for the offshore and remote handling industry, has announced it will develop a training simulator for Fleeming Jenkin, described as the world’s largest cable laying vessel (CLV), owned by Jan De Nul.The simulator is intended to allow inexperienced crew members to become familiar with onboard equipment, practice procedures and operate systems before deployment offshore.It will feature an integrated control system designed to replicate the vessel’s onboard experience…
SIT, Seatrium Launch Offshore and Marine Digital Learning Lab
The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and offshore and marine engineering group Seatrium have launched an Offshore & Marine Digital Learning Lab at SIT’s Punggol Campus, aimed at accelerating maritime digitalization and supporting the energy transition.The lab builds on a 2024 memorandum of understanding between the two organizations and is supported by cash investments from Seatrium. It is designed as a joint industry-academia platform for applied learning, workforce development and industry-driven innovation in shipyard and offshore operations.Over the next three years…
SAMS Hosts Training Course for the Era of Environmental Robotics
As the use of robotics in data collection increases, the Scientific Robotics Academy, based at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban, will host two courses this March: "Environmental monitoring using autonomous platforms" and "Applied photogrammetry for environmental monitoring."The courses come amid the rapid expansion of twin technologies of AI and robotics, which are transforming the way tasks such as survey work and species identification can be completed.Based at beginner to intermediate level and intermediate to advanced level…
Precision Shaft Alignment: A Sustainable Advantage in Modern Engineering
Sustainability has become a defining priority across industrial and maritime operations. While much of the discussion centers on alternative fuels and emerging technologies, one of the most immediate and cost-effective opportunities to reduce energy consumption and emissions is often overlooked: precision shaft alignment.AME sees firsthand how precision shaft alignment services improve equipment reliability, reduce vibration, and support long-term sustainability across both marine and industrial environments.The Hidden Energy Fee of Shaft MisalignmentMisalignment in rotating equipment…
Training the Shore to Think Like the Ship
In many maritime organizations, the most effective people in shore-based leadership roles are those who have spent meaningful time onboard. Designated Persons Ashore and Port Captains often earn their positions not because of spreadsheets or policy expertise, but because they understand the realities of life at sea. They know how decisions made ashore ripple through watch schedules, maintenance routines, weather windows, and crew fatigue. That onboard experience is precisely what makes them so valuable to management.
Count down to CMA Shipping 2026
The count down is on for this year’s CMA Shipping 2026 conference and exhibition taking place from 10–12 March 2026 at the Hilton Stamford Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. Organised by the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) and Informa Markets, this flagship event is set to bring together the most influential voices in the maritime industry for three days of industry networking, knowledge sharing, and innovation.CMA Shipping 2026 features a robust conference agenda designed to address the most pressing issues facing the maritime sector.
Insights: Captain Steve Jones, Gateway Clipper Fleet, President of PVA (2025)
Captain Steve Jones is President of the Passenger Vessel Association for 2025. As his term comes to a close in February at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2026 in Covington, KY, Captain Jones has achieved several long-sought-after successes during his term and set in motion other important association undertakings intended to deliver noteworthy benefits to PVA members in the coming year and beyond. Captain Jones has been with the Gateway Clipper Fleet since 1987. The Gateway Clipper Fleet…
Teamwork Required to Thwart Illegal Wildlife Trade
Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California had disrupted several major wildlife trafficking operations, including seizing hundreds of illegal products made from ivory, rhino horn, walrus tusks, suspected bear gall bladders, saiga antelope, and turtle shells.“The international illegal market for these products encourages poaching and threatens global biodiversity — California wants no part of it. We’re using every tool at our disposal to catch and shut down these trafficking rings…
New Coast Guard Portal for Mariner Credentialing
The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a new, easier-to-use online system that allows mariners to submit and track credential applications faster and more securely. The Application Submission and Additional Information Portal, known as ASAP, lets mariners apply for Merchant Mariner Credentials and Medical Certificates, upload documents and monitor application status in one place. The system is now the primary way to submit applications to the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center. The redesigned portal features simpler navigation, clearer instructions and improved document uploads.
ICS Launches New Deck Procedures Guide
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) released its new Deck Procedures Guide, a vital addition to ICS’s suite of shipboard operational guidance. ICS says the publication addresses a critical gap in maritime safety guidance by providing the industry's first comprehensive resource dedicated specifically to deck operations. Together with the widely used Bridge Procedures Guide and Engine Room Procedures Guide, this new publication completes a trilogy of core resources designed to harmonise best practice across all shipboard departments.Covering the full spectrum of deck-side activities…