Two 35m tall and 5m wide rotor sails are to be installed by Norsepower on the SC Connector, a 12,251 gross tonne Roll-on/Roll-off cargo vessel operating in the North Sea. The routes involve navigating under bridges and other obstructions which require the Rotor Sails to have a tilting function, bringing down their total height from 35m as needed.

The rotor sails can be installed on new vessels or retrofitted on existing ships, and represent a modern iteration of the Flettner rotor, a spinning cylinder that uses the Magnus effect to harness wind power to thrust a ship. Installation of the new design is scheduled for Q4 2020.

The Norsepower Rotor Sail is the first third-party verified and commercially operational auxiliary wind propulsion technology for the global maritime industry. The solution is fully automated and detects whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel and emission savings, at which point the Rotor Sails start automatically.

 

https://freightweek.org/index.php/en/latest-news/5181-norsepower-heralds-installations-of-world-s-first-tiltable-rotor

Posted on - 2020-07-01

Fiji Ships and Heavy Industries Ltd. has begun discussions with the Government of the Marshall Islands regarding the repair and maintenance services it may provide to the Marshallese government fleet. 80% of the fleet is currently out of operation due to trade and travel restrictions imposed as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The opportunity to conduct repairs and bring the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation vessels back into service is underway.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fiji-ships-and-heavy-industries-ltd-reaches-out-to-assist/

Posted on - 2020-07-01

In this week's Fiji Sun Shipping Section, Dr. Nuttall has published another piece concerning why the maritime sector should be a key candidate for any long-term investment into the region. Economic recovery from the pandemic is going to be ever more closely linked to domestic economies moving in a safe manner and expanding the ‘Bula bubble’ to trading with our regional neighbours.

The manner in which aid is delivered to the Pacific demands immense consideration, as the economic constraints upon the amount of Official Development Assistance mean funds will be stretched thin across a broader base of needs. How does this aid financing enable sustainability and self-sufficiency by Fiji and the Pacific Island Countries to take care of their domestic and intra-regional needs?

 

https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/07/01/shipping-is-a-necessity-regardless-of-crisis/

Posted on - 2020-07-01