On the Radar

Smart ships promise safer, greener operations, but their success will depend as much on competent seafarers as on the technology

Hydrophones, aircraft, satellites and seabed cameras generate more data than scientists can review by hand. From real-time orca alerts to plankton counts at sea, AI is speeding up the analysis.

Canadian researchers have developed a rating system that measures vessels’ underwater noise during normal operations and compares each ship with others of its type, giving owners a clearer route to quieter shipping.

Onboard carbon capture could help existing ships cut emissions, but fitting it to vessels never designed for it raises hard questions about space, stability, energy and delivery.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating marine system innovation, but its value relies on strong engineering governance, structured data and clear processes

From seabed mapping to whale tracking, research vessels remain key to understanding our oceans

Regulators are catching up as autonomous ship technology continues to advance

Analysis of how marine ecosystems responded during the first year when global temperatures temporarily exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels suggests ocean heat damage is not just a summer issue

New research suggests microplastics may interfere with the growth of microscopic algae involved in the ocean carbon cycle

Extraction industries seeking to reduce their Scope 3 emissions are looking to maritime for help. Could new ethanol-powered Guaibamax vessels play a role?

Aberdeen’s first steam-powered fishing vessel was an unsuccessful experiment. Yet within 15 years, steam had begun to transform the city’s fishing fleet, bringing prosperity to local shipbuilders and changing the way fishermen worked.

Offshore wind, tidal power and wave energy are familiar parts of the renewable-energy landscape. Now a new concept has emerged – autonomous energy-harvesting ships, designed to sail into the open ocean, harvest energy from the wind and return carrying green fuel.

All propulsion systems have their trade-offs, and sometimes waterjets have the edge over propellers

A new survey highlights how the gap between procedures and practice undermines safety at sea, with fatigue management an area of concern

Beer was a staple on ships in the 17th and 18th Centuries. We take a dive into the IMarEST library to find out why

Recent research found that adding data collected by tagged sharks could improve seasonal ocean forecasts by up to 40%

The reality of seafarers’ wellbeing and working conditions in the Strait of Hormuz has often been overlooked, creating a need for more conversation and awareness. IMarEST CEO Chris Goldsworthy shares what companies can do to support seafarers in times of stress

Models for calculating hull wave resistance are often designed for traditional merchant vessels, which may not always be accurate for more specialised vessels, such as PSVs. A new AI tool developed in Norway aims to fix that

The octopus lifestyle of ‘live fast, die young and make lots of babies’ mean their populations respond quickly to a changing environment. How fisheries respond remains to be seen

As Norway experiments with adaptable towing solutions ahead of new SOLAS requirements for emergency towing on non-tankers, we speak to Terje Våge, Lead Naval Architect at Ulstein, about how naval architects can prepare for the new rules