Australia’s first 100% electrically driven passenger ferry, a collaboration between Aus Ships and Volvo Penta, aims to validate scalable electric marine propulsion with the overall aim of decarbonising the country’s waterways.

Can diagonal deflector strakes solve the classic deep-vee compromise? Petestep’s hull technology is promising faster planing, lower slamming loads and efficiency gains across the fast craft market.

Battery specialist Corvus Energy discusses how it is working on large-scale battery integration projects that reshape weight distribution and stability design in high capacity ferries and fast craft.

A new era in offshore power has seen the development of the first Energy Islands off European coasts. The first will be the six-hectare Princess Elisabeth Island, which is under construction 45km off the coast of Belgium and is due to be completed in 2028.

The first wind turbines to be deployed are reaching the end of their operational life. The question is, should the sites be re-used or retired?

A clear path to decarbonisation is not yet available but MEPC 84 has given a clear direction of travel. While attempts to sink the NZF have apparently failed, putting its proponents in the driving seat, technical discussions – unlike the political debate – carry on regardless.

The conflict in Iran has seen some unintended consequences, driving up fossil fuel costs and making alternative fuels viable. At the same time, it is fuelling interest in vessel efficiency and raising the prospects of more fuels in the mix.

Supercritical CO₂ turbines are not new, but CNNC has tested a 15MW sCO₂ turbine, which offers a power-dense power plant with claimed efficiencies of up to 40%. Retrofitting a sCO₂ turbine is comparatively easy. Is this an interim answer to green shipping?

The Royal Australian Navy's Anzac Class Designer Support Contract, DSC-West, will see BMT provide specialist engineering support. BMT's 2024 acquisition of Australian Maritime Technologies preserves an unbroken design lineage from the original build programme. 

BAE Systems' Herne extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle is set to be the first platform of its kind certified under Lloyd's Register's Unmanned Marine Systems Code. The milestone establishes recognised assurance standards for large uncrewed submersibles, with significant implications for naval architects and the defence maritime sector.

The UK Government has committed £50 million to Plymouth's National Centre for Marine Autonomy, targeting UUV and USV development. Smart Sound Plymouth offers more than 1,000km² of deconflicted water space and 75m offshore depths, while proximity to HM Naval Base Devonport adds operational credibility for autonomous systems validation.

Brazil’s emerging offshore industry offers an alternative challenge for naval architects. The region’s shallow water will require redesigned vessels that will work in very different conditions to those experienced in Europe’s North Sea. Brazil’s offshore ships will look quite different from the platform supply vessels (PSVs) and anchor handlers (AHTS) currently in use there.