Artificial intelligence and drone technology are redefining offshore asset inspection. Combining YOLOv8n object detection, XGBoost classification, CNNs, and GAN-generated training data, the approach identifies corrosion, cracks, and marine growth with enhanced accuracy. The result is safer, lower-cost monitoring that reduces human exposure while advancing predictive maintenance for critical infrastructure worldwide.

A century-old steam tug in British Columbia exposes the challenges facing maritime preservation in Canada. Fragmented policies, inconsistent heritage designation criteria, and limited government support complicate restoration efforts. Through the story of Master, the broader need for a coherent national framework emerges, highlighting risks, opportunities, and urgent conservation priorities today.

The Blue Mermaid project demonstrates how traditional maritime design can be reimagined for modern needs. Recreating a 1930 engineless Thames Sailing Barge required innovative engineering, regulatory navigation, and operational insight. The vessel’s revival highlights emerging sail cargo opportunities, offering lessons in sustainable transport, heritage preservation, and resilience for future generations.

Advanced simulation techniques are improving confidence in the design and operation of moored offshore structures. By coupling OpenFOAM CFD modelling with the MoorDyn mooring system, engineers accurately captured nonlinear barge responses to wave loading. Validation against established datasets highlights a powerful methodology for predicting performance, enhancing reliability, and reducing engineering risk.

Isogeometric Analysis is emerging as a promising alternative to conventional finite element methods for ship structures. By applying IGA to laminated composite stiffened plates, researchers achieved accurate structural and vibration predictions with lower computational demands. The work highlights opportunities to improve design efficiency, particularly for complex geometries, while advancing next-generation marine engineering analysis.

India’s inland waterways expansion faces a critical challenge: balancing vessel movement along the Ganges with essential cross-river traffic at numerous pontoon bridges. An innovative engineering solution aims to minimise delays for barges and communities alike, improving navigation efficiency while supporting trade, connectivity, and the broader economic potential of sustainable inland transport.

New insights into submarine manoeuvrability are helping refine the complex hydrodynamic models that underpin underwater operations. Focusing on nonlinear motion behaviour and force coupling during extreme manoeuvres, the research identifies a streamlined set of coefficients capable of representing six-degree-of-freedom dynamics, offering potential improvements in simulation accuracy, design, and operational performance.

Bangladesh’s growing fleet of FRP composite boats highlights both opportunity and risk. An assessment of local boatbuilding practices revealed critical structural shortcomings, outdated manufacturing methods, and weak compliance with industry standards. The findings underscore an urgent need for improved engineering oversight, modern production techniques, and stronger regulation to enhance vessel safety and industry resilience.

Advanced modelling is unlocking new possibilities for multi-alloy marine structures. Using molecular dynamics simulations of friction stir welding between steel and aluminium, researchers examined atomic interactions, material flow, and defect formation to optimise joint performance. The findings provide valuable insight into stronger, lighter vessel designs and the challenges of dissimilar-metal fabrication.

Advanced CFD techniques are improving the accuracy of high-speed craft performance prediction. By applying a modified High-Resolution Interface Capturing method to better model air-water interactions during planing, researchers reduced resistance estimation errors. Validated against experimental data, the approach offers valuable guidance for propulsion design, efficiency optimisation, and next-generation vessel development.

PID-based anti-sway control is improving crane safety and performance during load handling operations. By combining structural analysis, dynamic modelling, and controller optimisation, researchers significantly reduced lateral oscillations and settling times. The approach offers practical insights for safer cargo movement, enhanced operational stability, and smarter automation across industrial lifting environments today.

Advanced simulation is enhancing understanding of ship slamming loads and impact dynamics. Using an incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics model with fluid-structure coupling, researchers accurately captured pressure peaks, hydrodynamic forces, and flow behaviour while reducing numerical noise. The methodology offers a powerful tool for predicting structural loads and improving vessel design.