Products & services

Woolpert acquires Bermello Ajamil & Partners

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 25 January 2024 25 January 2024

Woolpert has acquired Bermello Ajamil & Partners (BA), a full-service architecture, engineering, planning, and landscape architecture firm that specializes in services for the maritime, aviation, health care, commercial, and municipal markets. Among the largest AE firms in South Florida, BA has more than 160 staff members, is headquartered in Miami, has additional offices throughout Florida, and has an office in New York.

BA has grown through a 30-year partnership between Chairman of the Board and Principal in Charge Willy Bermello, a leading architect in South Florida, and President and CEO Luis Ajamil, a planner and professional engineer known for his expertise in the maritime industry. Bermello and Ajamil came together through a shared goal to meet client needs by integrating innovative design and technologies to produce functional, intelligent, and sustainable solutions. This partnership has yielded more than 200 awards for design excellence and project wins across six continents.

BA is known internationally for the planning and design of cruise line and port terminals. The combination of Woolpert and BA creates an ecosystem of integrated maritime solutions that leverages architecture, marine engineering, modeling, strategic consulting, and geospatial services. These include acquiring topographic, bathymetric, and hydrographic data and imagery along coastlines and the near-shore environment.

Bermello said BA chose to join Woolpert to deepen its AE services and to successfully tap into new and adjacent industries with Woolpert’s geospatial and strategic consulting capabilities.

“Woolpert provides BA with the opportunity to expand and integrate technologies across markets, accelerate our growth in geospatial technologies and artificial intelligence, increase our geographic footprint, and enrich what our talented staff can provide our clients,” Bermello said. “Together with Woolpert, we will be able to develop and deliver comprehensive and potentially trailblazing services to coastal zones worldwide. Additionally, the combination will allow us to accelerate the growth of our aviation, health care, commercial, and municipal markets.”

Woolpert Vice President and Buildings Sector Leader Suzette Stoler said this merger enhances Woolpert’s ability to provide full architecture, engineering, and interior design services with an emphasis on strengthening design capabilities and expertise across a multitude of markets servicing both private industry and public development.

“BA is a progressive and high-performing firm that embodies our core values,” Stoler said. “Gaining bench strength and adding geospatial solutions to their architecture, engineering, and interior design capabilities will expand our collective ability to advance the built environment—whether we’re talking about ports and airports, health care facilities, educational facilities, municipal parks, hotels, etc. This combination makes us all stronger.”

Neil Churman, Woolpert chief corporate development officer, said he looks forward to working with this outstanding new team of architects and engineers.

“Willy and Luis have built BA with the same philosophy as Woolpert: To create a culture that is rooted in deep industry leadership and is continually motivated to drive innovation to benefit each client and the industry as a whole,” Churman said. “We are very excited to welcome BA into our Woolpert family.”

VIKING expands marine evacuation portfolio with ‘Undertun’ acquisition

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 09 January 2024 09 January 2024

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment, a global leader in maritime safety solutions, has acquired rights to manufacture and supply ‘Undertun’ marine evacuation systems (MES). The solution commands a leading position in part of the small ferry market due to its easy installation and use.

Catering for up to 150 persons, Undertun MES are especially appealing when installation heights and crew numbers are low. The VIKING acquisition has been agreed with Sverre Undertun, whose Norway-based company offers solutions which include its well-known Undertun ship gangways.

VIKING has been the exclusive distributer of compact Undertun MES for several years, where its expertise and support have proved key to market penetration in Norway’s small ferry segment. Following the deal, the acquired will be rebranded VIKING Undertun MES, extending VIKING’s owned portfolio of marine safety products and complementing its current activities in the specialized evacuation systems market.

“The VIKING Undertun MES is a world beater in small vessel safety and we are delighted to acquire this unique system at a time when its capabilities are increasingly significant for passenger ships,” said Benny Carlsen, Senior Vice President Sales & Service, VIKING. “Easily installed onboard ships with height restrictions, the system is especially popular with commuter ferry owners. It’s a perfect match for its market and has potential for strong uptake by owners with similar needs worldwide.”

Carlsen added that the shift by Norway’s small ferry operators towards electric propulsion, more automation and smaller crew complements over recent years may also be prophetic. “The VIKING Undertun MES is highly compatible with unmanned ships or scenarios where passengers need to deploy the system,” he said.

Approved to perform in significant wave heights up to 3.0 m, the Undertun MES is available in versions to evacuate 101 or 153 persons within 30 minutes, depending on requirements. It includes its own power source, with deployment triggered by a single user from the bridge or a control unit on deck. DNV-certified for SOLAS/MED and relevant flag states, its walkway is accumulator-controlled to absorb motions between ship and liferaft. Walkway surfaces are also divided - with ‘walking grip’ for low evacuation angles and a smooth surface for sliding into the raft.

Supplied in a stowage unit integrated in the shipside, Carlsen said the VIKING Undertun MES arrives “ready to go”. “This acquisition strengthens VIKING’s comprehensive safety solutions portfolio, also reaffirming our commitment to innovation in maritime safety and growth opportunities.” The move wholly aligned with VIKING’s ‘BP25 strategy’ to grow its presence in passenger ship safety, building on its established market leading position, added Carlsen.

Toyota’s Woven Capital invests in Corvus Energy to expand zero-emissions energy and international reach for maritime industry

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 19 January 2024 19 January 2024

Corvus Energy, the world leader in zero-emissions energy solutions for maritime, offshore and port applications, announced today it has secured an investment from Woven Capital, Toyota’s growth fund, to accelerate the development of its growing product portfolio in battery storage and hydrogen fuel cells, and to support expansion into new geographies. Woven Capital invests alongside leading strategic investors including BW Group, Equinor Ventures, Hydro and Shell Ventures.

“Hydrogen is a fast-growing sector with established applications in many industries and is playing a pivotal part in decarbonizing shipping, energy, transportation and heavy industry,” said Nicole LeBlanc, partner at Woven Capital. “With major maritime players embracing clean energy commitments and technologies, the market is growing rapidly. Our investment and strategic support are well-positioned to help Corvus expand its reach and solutions to continue leading the zero-emission maritime market.”

“We are very excited about this strategic investment from Woven Capital, which validates our leading position in a fast-growing market,” said CFO of Corvus Energy, Mette Rokne Hanestad. “Woven Capital and Toyota will bring valuable expertise from green mobility, in both fuel cells and batteries. With new key partners, we are strengthening our Asian presence which will be one of the most important markets going forward. Having strong and active owners will continue to be important for our future success. Woven Capital makes the shareholder group even stronger.”

Corvus and Toyota have collaborated since 2021 to develop safer and more advanced marine fuel cell systems in the industry. Corvus has engaged in more than 1000 projects so far, and more than 50 percent of the world’s vessels with zero-emission technology now run on Corvus systems. This investment will provide Corvus with even fuller access to Toyota’s cutting-edge expertise in both fuel cells and battery technology, strengthening Corvus’s ability to bring innovations to a rapidly evolving industry.

Paf to deliver the gaming experience on Gotland Alandia Cruises' Birka Gotland

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Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä

Category: Products & services Products & services

Published: 02 January 2024 02 January 2024

Paf will deliver the gaming entertainment onboard the Birka Gotland. The cruise ship belongs to the newly founded cruise line Gotland Alandia Cruises. The ship will offer its first cruises in the spring of 2024.

The shipping companies Viking Line and Gotlandsbolaget have embarked on a joint investment in cruise traffic between Stockholm, Mariehamn and Visby. Together they have founded a new shipping company Gotland Alandia Cruises AB, which owns the cruise ship Birka Gotland. Paf will deliver the gaming entertainment to the shipping company.

“We are really looking forward to starting our cooperation straight away. We want to contribute with a good concept for the games onboard. It will be an exciting challenge to get all the new gaming machines and table games in place in the coming months,” says Jannik Svahnström, Head of New Sales at Paf.

The entertainment offer onboard Birka Gotland will include a variety of restaurants, shopping, spa and entertainment. Paf will manage the slot machines and table games onboard which will be part of the overall passenger experience.

“Paf is a well-established company and a natural partner for us. We are convinced that Paf can deliver a good package for the gaming experience onboard,” says Susanne Kaarnimo-Knight, CEO of Gotland Alandia Cruises AB.

The company will start the cruise traffic between Stockholm and Mariehamn at the end of March 2024. Thereafter, the ship will also operate via Visby on Gotland, and include popular destinations such as Härnösand and Ystad in Sweden, Bornholm in Denmark and Riga in Latvia.