Fortnightly maritime news for the industry and PortXL community
Innovation is at the heart of building a sustainable ocean economy
The ocean makes a significant and growing contribution to the world economy. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the size of the ocean economy was an estimated $1.5 trillion (** ~€1.38 trillion) in 2010, equivalent to around 3% of global GDP. By 2030, the ocean’s contribution is forecast to double in size to $3tr (from 2010 levels). Innovation is crucial to both harness the opportunities a sustainable ocean economy can offer and address the risks that ocean degradation poses.
Green hydrogen to overtake blue in energy transition cost race ‘by 2030
Green hydrogen (H2) – generated by renewables-power systems – could be cost competitive with blue H2 – produced from natural gas – by 2030, according to new research from IHS Markit, moving forward the current timeline for commercialisation of the clean-energy version of the fuel seen as a keystone in global decarbonisation.
‘EU needs twenty times more offshore energy’
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on its future offshore renewable energy strategy that is key to its 2030 and 2050 climate ambitions. The strategy will be a crucial part of the European Green Deal, which aims at turning Europe into the first net-zero carbon continent by 2050, and the Next Generation EU recovery package to overcome the economic crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
DP World hails US decision to make hyperloop a reality
Sultan Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World and Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop, said: We are excited to see this revolutionary vision becoming part of the future of transportation, as much as we are confident that Virgin Hyperloop will take a leap forward and deliver on a 21st century transportation solution.
Titan LNG secures EU funding for bio-LNG project
Titan LNG, a Dutch supplier of LNG to the marine and industrial markets, has secured funding EUR11m ($12.6m) funding from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for its bio-LNG project. Titan LNG believes that LNG-fueled ships are future proof, and the EU funding will provide support for overcoming the barriers to scaling up LNG as a fuel.
Ampelmann sets new course with SOV access system
Offshore access specialist Ampelmann has unveiled a new walk-to-work system developed for the fast-growing service operation vessel (SOV) market. The innovative concept integrates the system into a tower that raises the gangway to the required lifting height.
Are smart ports progressing or treading water?
The current escalation of digitalisation and IT development has been given a new lease of life under the new normal resulting from Covid-19. Digital applications are playing an increasingly important role in help control the spread of the virus. Essentially this is being done via Covid tracing applications as well as facilitating business activity through e-commerce and blockchain.
