Winners of the Maritime Awards 2018 Excel at Innovation
In Zaandam on 12 November, the winners of the Dutch Maritime Awards 2018 were announced. At the Maritime Awards Gala, an annual exclusive networking event, 1,000 maritime professionals were able to celebrate the successes of the strong capacity for innovation seen in the Dutch maritime sector.
The winners of the five awards are..
Maritime RNLN Van Hengel-Spengler Award 2018
The Maritime RNLN Van Hengel-Spengler Award 2018 was awarded to Kirsten Schmidt for her Augmented Reality Navigation. Kirsten researched how Augmented Reality (AR) marine staff can help with safe navigation. Based on qualitative research and evaluations by operational users, she came up with an AR viewer concept with a prototype of an AR device, which increases the situational awareness and thus provides support for safe navigation. Her research excelled in the following specific assessed criteria: operational relevance, feasibility, degree of innovation, quality and uniqueness. The operational relevance lies in increasing navigational security, where technology does not distract the user from what is happening outside, but rather supports. An extremely mature piece of research whose practical relevance is undisputed.
Maritime Designer Award 2018
The Maritime Designer Award 2018 was awarded to Gijsbert van Marrewijk (Berthan Research) for his study on the application of T-foils under fast ships. His newly developed solution for controlling T-foils will potentially bring back the application of hydrofoils. Developments in the use of water taxis and bicycle ferries, in and between large cities, offer new possibilities to take this solution seriously again. The use of water as an alternative to (public) passenger transport may now become even more competitive since higher speeds can be achieved. Of course, their safety deserves extra attention. This is also recognized by Gijsbert, and forms an important part of the proposed follow-up study.
Maritime Innovation Award 2018
Fleet Cleaner was presented with the Maritime Innovation Award 2018because it is a unique system with hughe commercial potential, which they invented themselves. The jury described Fleet Cleaner as a true maritime innovation. Fleet Cleaner removes the dirt that accumulates on the bottom of a ship, whilst it is loading and unloading in the port, by means of a self-developed robot. Fleet Cleaner is an efficient machine that can operate in a difficult environment, and required the developers to create several different innovations and combine them. The ship-cleaning process is improved drastically by Fleet Cleaner.
Maritime KVNR Shipping Award 2018
The winners of the KVNR Shipping Award 2018 are Multraship & Novatug with their CARROUSEL RAVE TUG. The jury praised Multraship for the successful execution of a ambitious and costly experiment that will also be available to other market parties. Multraship has demonstrated a strong vision for the future based on the creation of the CARROUSEL RAVE TUG. There are advanced plans to set up a leasing company to make the technology available to other shipping companies operating in this market. The added value for this innovation (also considering the environmental successes per ship) is experiencing exponential growth in the Netherlands. In addition to fuel savings, the overall design also results in lower loads on rotating parts, which means that maintenance costs can remain low.
Maritime Award: KNVTS Ship of the Year 2018
Trailing suction hopper dredger Scheldt River designed and built by Royal IHC has been given the Maritime Award KNVTS Ship of the Year 2018. This dredger contains a number of innovations including a two-speed gearbox, the storage of a dredging mixture with very high density, which optimizes the dredging operations even further. However, the application of LNG for the energy supply of such a ship is a worldwide first. Royal IHC and client DEME have thus made a big step towards cleaner dredging, which was highly appreciated by the jury.