Products & services

Bureau Veritas Introduces CHART, a Cyber Health Check Report Tool

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 29 March 2023 29 March 2023

Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification, has launched its new Cyber Health Analysis Report Tool (CHART) to help shipowners gain a better understanding of their ships’ digital architecture (OT/IT), specific vulnerabilities and level of preparedness to potential cyber threats.

The aim is to offer a comprehensive technical assessment of a vessel’s cyber resilience at specific moments in its lifetime, responding to the need to constantly review, maintain and update systems in the face of evolving cyber threats.

The tool provides a comprehensive audit of the vessel’s equipment, networks, security mechanisms and interconnections, to ensure that these systems are fully known to the owner and validate their compliance with cybersecurity standards, including recent regulations from, IACS and flag states. The analysis delivered provides a “cybersecurity health check report”, together with recommended mitigation measures.

CHART by BV was developed to help shipowners evaluate and increase the cyber resilience of their vessels, which is a core priority as connected systems have become a common feature of modern ships.

Paul Delouche, Strategy & Advanced Services Director at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “The monitoring and remote management of connected and even hyper-connected systems, as well as cloud-based web applications, have become instrumental to improve ships’ performance and efficiency. While their benefits are undeniable, these systems also increase the surface for potential cyber-attacks. Such incidents could compromise valuable cargo and entire fleet operations, as well as the safety of the ship and crew. Therefore, cybersecurity must be taken into consideration during the whole lifecycle of a vessel.

“Our role at BV is to support companies with our technical expertise on the cyber security ecosystem, and our knowledge of the highest industry standards, to help them progress in their digital resilience journey with the confidence that the right safeguards are in place to protect their systems and critical data. Our goal is to enable shipowners to protect their assets, define expectations for shipyards and equipment manufacturers, and support compliance with flag authority, IACS and IMO regulations.”

The new tool can validate a ship’s compliance with upcoming IACS Cyber Resilience Unified Requirements UR E26, which will require the implementation of stringent cybersecurity protections and will be mandatory from 1 January 2024. The correct implementation of these standards can be validated by auditing networks and equipment to confirm compliance, and if not, the path towards it.

CHART by BV complements BV’s rules and notations on cybersecurity, providing the industry with a tool that ensures OT/IT architectures are correctly identified and protected from vulnerabilities.

ALMACO finishes catering modernization project onboard Westerdam

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 18 March 2023 18 March 2023

Westerdam is a part of the Holland America Line fleet and her sister ships are Oosterdam, Zuiderdam, and Noordam. In January, Westerdam set sail from Sydney, Australia, to Singapore for a drydock. ALMACO had been awarded the turnkey contract to modernize some galley areas during the drydock. The scope of work included adding flight-type and rack-type dishwashers in the deck 9 lido pot wash area as well as replacing various equipment across the vessel. To access the pot washing area a hole needed to be cut in the bulkhead, which meant that the project also consisted of the removal and replacement of the interior in the passenger dining room which was on the other side of the bulkhead.

Herve Touzard, ALMACO’s Deputy President of the Lifecycle division says: “The collaboration between Holland America Line and ALMACO made this project a success. The project went smoothly and according to plan, we at ALMACO would be happy to continue the collaboration and have future projects with Holland America Line.”

ALMACO deliveres laundry and catering areas for MSC World Europa

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 17 February 2023 17 February 2023

The project on MSC World Europa represents an important milestone for ALMACO as it is the first laundry delivery and the biggest catering area delivery in the history of the company. The work took place at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, and on October 24, 2022, the 215,000 gross ton ship was delivered to the owner, MSC Cruises.

In December 2018, ALMACO was contracted by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and MSC Cruises to equip the newbuild MSC World Europa (W34) with state-of-the-art catering and laundry solutions. The work started in January 2021 and was completed on October 24, 2022.

MCS World Europa W34 is the first ship of the World-class series. The World-class LNG-powered ships are the largest ships built for a European owner at Chantiers de l’Atlantique and can host about 8,900 passengers and crew members each.

The ships all feature a large number of outstanding technologies for meeting high sustainability standards and for creating a renewed guest experience onboard. A big portion of the public areas are located outdoors, and guests can enjoy the stunning view and delicious cuisine prepared by some of the best chefs in the world right under the stars.

Largest catering area delivery in ALMACO’s history

The project on MSC World Europa at Chantiers de l’Atlantique is historical for ALMACO. It represents the largest catering and laundry scope the company has ever had.

The catering area scope entails delivery of all equipment to all catering areas consisting of 12 galleys and 58 pantries, a total of more than 5,000 m2. The catering scope also includes providing equipment for 46 provision stores totaling 2,150 m2.

Semi-automatic laundry system onboard

The laundry area scope given to ALMACO consisted of planning, equipment delivery, installation, and commissioning of all laundry equipment and areas. The laundry system, provided by Spanish Girbau, is based on the latest technology, and has a high degree of automatization. The laundry system is integrated to the ship’s innovative water recycling technology to purify the wastewater.

Vincent Querard, ALMACO’s Project Manager at the site says, “We have had excellent co-operation with Chantiers de L’Atlantique for many years. Although we have had galley and refrigeration machinery projects together before, most of our projects have consisted of provision store areas. So, we are thrilled to have the privilege to work with them on a full catering and laundry area scope this time. As expected, the work and collaboration were successful throughout the project.”

The project, including all catering and laundry areas have been delivered and MSC World Europa welcomed its first guests in November 2022. Sailing out of Dubai, guests can explore the modern metropolis of Abu Dhabi, the wildlife on Sir Bani Yas Island, and Al Ahsa Oasis in the Persian Gulf. For summer 2023, MSC World Europa will return to Europe where she will offer 7-day cruises on the Mediterranean Sea visiting ports in Italy, Malta, Spain, and France.

YSA Design’s Fabiana Vale Dornelas and Trond Sigurdsen to lead new Sustainability division

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 10 March 2023 10 March 2023

YSA Design has appointed Fabiana Vale Dornelas and Trond Sigurdsen as Head of Sustainability & Implementation and Head of Sustainability & Technology, respectively. In the newly created roles, Dornelas, Senior Interior Architect, and Sigurdsen, Senior Architect & Partner, will jointly coordinate YSA’s efforts to advance sustainability throughout its own organisation and across every aspect of its cruise ship interior design work.

“The creation of a Sustainability department reflects our commitment to achieving the highest environmental standards in our design work as well as in our internal processes,” said Jan Krefting, YSA Design Chairman, Partner and Senior Architect. “Fabiana and Trond’s experience working on cruise projects with a focus on sustainability made them the ideal candidates to lead this new and important company division.”

As a design studio that counts environmental responsibility among its core values, YSA Design already takes a painstaking approach to materials selection that places as much emphasis on sustainability as it does on style and function. In addition, the company only uses wood from managed forests and, where possible, sources materials locally to minimise transport emissions.

With Dornelas’s input, YSA has increasingly favoured lightweight, durable products that are manufactured using sustainable methods and can be recycled or disposed of responsibly at the end of their service life. Sigurdsen, meanwhile, specialises in state-of-the-art design solutions that can help shipowners to save space and minimise weight on board their vessels for optimal efficiency.

“I am proud and excited to have been appointed YSA Design Head of Sustainability & Implementation,” commented Dornelas. “While environmental concerns have been part of the company’s motivation from the beginning, there is always room for improvement. With this new division, we aim to set new standards in the sustainability of our design processes and materials selection as well as in the running of our office. I look forward to working with Trond and the rest of the team towards a greener future for YSA.”

“Having recently stepped down as YSA Design Chairman, I have been able to dedicate more of my time to the cutting-edge design and project work for which the company is renowned,” said Sigurdsen. “Now, as heads of the new Sustainability division, Fabiana and I will combine our expertise to frame and implement sustainable strategies relating to our materials selection, architectural processes, use of technology, office procedures – even the planning of our social events. I can’t wait to get started.”

YSA Design has proposed advanced eco-friendly solutions such as photovoltaic technology on vessels to capture energy that would otherwise be lost and solar panelling on penthouse suite roofs to encourage premium guests to pay a supplement for greener accommodation. In a recent project, a YSA team led by Sigurdsen and Dornelas completed extensive design work on board MSC World Europa, a modern, first-in-class, LNG-powered vessel featuring cutting-edge sustainable technology such as a solid oxide fuel cell demonstrator and a ‘Baltic standard’ advanced wastewater system.

ALMACO refurbishes cabins and suites onboard Artania

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 16 February 2023 16 February 2023

In April, 2022, ALMACO was awarded the contract to refurbish cabins and suites onboard Phoenix Reisen’s cruise ship Artania. The work took place in Marseille, France when the ship was on drydock in November 2022 and has now been delivered to the company.

Artania is a cruise ship of German-based tour operator Phoenix Reisen, which is operating an ocean and river cruise ship fleet. In November 2022, an ALMACO refurbishment team consisting of 180 skilled experts boarded Artania as she arrived in Marseille, France for an 4-week-long drydock. The team undertook the assignment to upgrade Artania’s guest cabins and suites.

ALMACO’s scope of work onboard Artania consisted of refurbishing several cabins and suites. ALMACO refurbished 255 cabins covering an area of about 3060 m2 on three different decks onboard the vessel. The scope also included the refurbishment of 64 suites of which 52 were junior suites and 12 were gold suites located on decks seven and eight. The scope of work for both the suites and the cabins included new carpets, furniture, and fabrics, as well as electrical work and wall modifications.

“The project was a success and went according to plans thanks to the great teamwork we experienced with Phoenix Reisen,” says Jean-Pierre Lepage, ALMACO’s Vice President of Modernization Accommodation Systems. Eric Guiot, Project Manager at ALMACO, adds “ALMACO’s expertise and long experience in cabin refurbishment was of great importance in making the project run smoothly. Both Phoenix Reisen and ALMACO are very proud of our refurbishment team and the work performed onboard Artania.”