Specializing in International Freight Forwarding, by way of ocean, air, rail and truck freight-RISINGSUN

The shipping industry is sometimes accused of being irredeemably conservative, which is an untruth and ought to be refuted more energetically by those who know differently. Anyone who might think that innovation is unrecognised in our industry ought to consult maritime history over the past few decades, which will reveal an enormous catalogues of clever ideas which the industry has embraced with enthusiasm.

And anyone still unconvinced should make an effort to attend some of the big industry shows that still manage to prosper, whatever the prevailing economics of the maritime markets. The recent SMM 2014 exhibition in Hamburg was a perfect example, a living illustration of innovation in action, with all sorts of clever ideas and exciting equipment presented to an industry that has never been hesitant about buying such things.

There is no doubt that adversity tends to sharpen the minds of the innovators and a market suffering over-capacity in most sectors in 2014 seems to be no exception to this rule. SMM is traditionally an exhibition of maritime technology and the technologists had plenty to make potential customers interested. More economical machinery is being offered, following a fierce period of fuel-price increases. Reactions to the impending regulatory straitjackets of emission controls and ballast management have prompted research and development programmes in both fields, which have produced a large number of different solutions.

Virtually all of the ideas which, some years ago were proposed to make ships greener and more efficient have come to pass, in new hullforms, with radical ideas for the forebody and after parts of ships, better sea-keeping possibilities and advances in propeller design. Resistance has been reduced in several different ways, from air-bubbling along the bottom of the hull to “slippery” and technically advanced coatings smoothing the passage through the water. There has been a great effort to reduce and employ hitherto wasted heat from exhausts, saving both fuel and emissions.

Interestingly, there is now a great deal that can be done to retrofit efficiency-making equipment to ships with plenty of life in them, rather than focusing on newbuilding. There is equipment available that will “optimise” a ship’s performance to its draught and cargo disposition, trimming the vessel to produce the most favourable consumption and speed. We have seen how new bulbous forebodies to suit the particular service speed can produce a speedy payback, and there are practitioners available who will prescribe the appropriate surgery.

SMM 2014 also demonstrated its share of radical ideas, with announcements of projects that may attract the rather more adventurous ship owner. Those who cautioned that the onset of LNG as a marine fuel may be confined to the short seas might have raised their eyebrows at several schemes that will see LNG used as fuel on large container ships, long-haul tankers and even bulk carriers. It could be that the infrastructure that will make this possible may be put in place rather faster than some have suggested. And short-sea owners may well have been enthused by the introduction of a “concept” battery driven, unmanned coaster! Innovation still lives, without a doubt.

Shipping: Innovation afloat