Category Archives: High Seas

Rossinavi just launched what it says is its most innovative project to date.

The zero-emission catamaran, which was first teased in 2021, combines a cutting-edge hybrid propulsion system with next-gen artificial intelligence to ensure more sustainable cruising on the high seas.

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Christened Seawolf X, the new multihull features exterior architecture by Italys Fulvio De Simoni Yacht Design and interiors by New Yorks Meyer Davis Studio. Made entirely of lightweight aluminum, the 140-footer showcases the sleek, sculptural lines and low, streamlined profile of a sports car but runs more like an EV.

We set out to envision the boat of the future, unbound by convention yet grounded in feasibility with cutting-edge technology for minimal environmental impact, designer Fulvio De Simoni said in a statement.

Seawolf X is part of the Italian yards newly launched Blue series. Inspired by the way in which phytoplankton harnesses sunlight for energy, the hybrid-electric Blue cruisers use solar panels to capture clean energy and then stores it in advanced batteries to power the engines and hotel load.

Rossinavi says Seawolf X can cruise in full electric mode 100 percent of the time on one-day trips, 90 percent on multi-day jaunts, and 80 percent on transatlantic crossings. In addition, Hibernation mode reduces power consumption while the vessel is at anchor and any excess energy generated can be given to a quay or private property. In fact, Seawolf X supplies enough energy to charge up an entire villa, Rossinavi claims. The cat is also equipped with two diesel generators that can quickly recharge batteries. Alternatively, the batteries can be fully recharged with shore power in only five hours.

To top it off, Seawolf X is powered by an artificial intelligence system. Described as a brain that can learn from observation and predict the needs of guests on board, Rossinavi AI keeps the environmental impact of the yacht as low as possible by helping the crew to implement more eco-friendly operational changes and monitoring the battery pack to keep it in an ideal range of 20 to 80 percent.

More traditional features include a convivial cockpit centered around a pool, an expansive sundeck, and a plush bow area with a hidden pool and a convertible home theater.

This yacht showcases remarkable technological innovations in both power management and propulsion technologies, marking the beginning of a new chapter in next-generation vessels, adds Rossinavi COO Federico Rossi.

Most innovative project, indeed.

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Watch: This Sporty Hybrid Catamaran Uses AI for Greener Cruising on the High Seas - Yahoo! Voices

Miminat is diving into the marine industry.

The London-based studio, which was founded by Nigerian artist and designer Miminat Shodeinde in 2015, just unveiled its first superyacht concept. Christened simply K, the 131-footer is rooted in Japanese aesthetics and showcases the striking architectural elements for which Miminat is renowned.

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I was very much inspired by Japanese design principles when designing the K yacht which felt like a natural reference point as I looked to envision a floating sanctuary characterized by clean lines, thoughtful wabi-sabi inspired materials, and a serene color palette which evokes a feeling of quiet sophistication, Shodeinde told Robb Report via email.

Having worked on a myriad of residential and hospitality projects over the past few years, Miminat is adept at creating elegant interiors with contemporary decor, sculptural furniture, and statement lighting. K features all of the above and a sleek, stylish exterior. In contrast to the Japanese design influence, the vessel will reportedly display the finest Italian craftsmanship. As the studio puts it, K is not only a vessel for art, but a masterpiece in and of itself.

With an interior volume of approximately 300 GT, K offers a spacious interior with five cabins. The owners suite is positioned on the main deck, while a VIP and three doubles sit on the lower deck. The crew quarters are also located on the lower deck. Back on the main deck lies a salon with a Japanese-inspired lounge, a bar, and a dining area with a 10-seater table. A spiral staircase leads to a spacious upper deck with a helm and alfresco dining area.

K also offers luxurious hangouts forward and aft. The two-level aft deck centers around a singular infinity pool that waterfalls from one level to the next, while the bow is equipped with a plush lounge and firepit.

Miminat says various engine options will give K a maximum speed of 25 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots. It is hard to imagine the yacht will be overly practical in tumultuous watersespecially given her scant hardtop, hull cutouts, and exposed aft deckbut, hey, at least shell look pretty.

Click here to see all the photos of K.

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This New 131-Foot Superyacht Concept Brings High Architecture to the High Seas - Yahoo Lifestyle UK

Were not exactly hurting for pirate games right now. Even ignoring this years forgettable Skull and Bones, anyone looking to live a (much gentler, safer) version of the pirates life can check out games like Return to Monkey Island, Dont Starve: Shipwrecked, Sea of Thieves, Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag, and more. Still, theres plenty of room left to continue working in the genre as evidenced by yesterdays launch of a new pirate RPG called Seablip, which seems to draw on FTL and Terraria for inspiration.

Seablip looks to be one of the more expansive takes on the pirate game to date especially impressive given its made by lone developer Jardar Solli. It sees players working to make their characters name as a renowned pirate by setting out into a watery open world and amassing a fortune through exploration and combat.

As expected from a pirate game, this involves hiring and upgrading a crew, improving your ship or buying new ones that provide battle abilities like shields, the ability to deploy fire or poison gas, and much more. When on land, the player can also fish, hunt for treasure, and learn how to pick locks to, as the games Steam page puts it, get up to no good. Seablips Steam page also describes a bounty hunting system, explaining that taking down seven different bounty targets forms the main objective in the current Early Access version.

Seablip is available at a 10% discount ($13.49 USD / 11.51) on Steam from now until next Friday May 24 to celebrate its Early Access launch. Grab a copy right here.

Or, if youd rather check out other options, take a look at some of our favorite RPG games and indie games for more.

You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.

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FTL takes to the high seas in new indie pirate RPG game, out now - PCGamesN

Created: May 21, 2024 07:53 AM

Show of support: Greenpeace campaigner Reshima Sharma with Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs (Photograph by Tavish Campbell/Greenpeace)

The Government is backing calls for an ocean sanctuary to be created in the Sargasso Sea.

Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs and Deputy Premier, said he was hopeful that the Global Ocean Treaty which lays out the groundwork for ocean sanctuaries to be developed on the high seas will be ratified by Britain.

A team from conservation group Greenpeace has been based in Bermuda for the past three weeks, documenting wildlife and conducting scientific experiments in the Sargasso Sea, which surrounds the island.

The group launched a petition calling on Britain to approve the treaty and to work with Bermuda and other nations on a proposal to protect the Sargasso Sea.

The letter gained more than 100 signatures from all parts of Bermudian society in its first 48 hours.

Speaking at a workshop on board the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, Mr Roban said: Bermuda is optimistic that the Global Ocean Treaty will be ratified.

Our task today and going forward is to show how high seas marine-protected areas will benefit the work to ensure that our global ocean environment is healthy and safe.

We stand with you and we have argued from the beginning that Bermuda, the ocean and our planet will benefit significantly from what has already been accomplished and from what we seek to accomplish.

The workshop was attended by representatives from the Bermuda Audubon Society, Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce, Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, Bermuda National Trust, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, High Seas Alliance, Marine and Ports Authority and the Sargasso Sea Commission, among others.

Nichola Clark, a marine protected area co-ordinator at the High Seas Alliance, said: We know that there are particularly valuable high seas areas, such as the Sargasso Sea, that would benefit from comprehensive protections such as those enabled in the High Seas Treaty.

Because the health and functioning of the ocean are declining at an alarming rate, the worlds governments must now take bold and urgent action to ensure that the ocean continues to provide the benefits and resources upon which so many of us depend.

The Sargasso Sea spans some four million square kilometres around Bermuda and plays a critical role in the life cycles of many important marine species including humpback whales, green sea turtles and Bermudas national bird, the cahow.

It is also highly vulnerable to industrial fishing fleets from distant nations, shipping, plastic pollution and climate change.

While part of the Sargasso lies inside Bermudas national waters, the vast majority of it is in international waters known as the high seas.

The Global Ocean Treaty provides for the first time a tool to create ocean sanctuaries on the high seas, but so far less than 1 per cent of these areas are fully protected.

Greenpeace is calling on Britain and governments around the world to develop a proposal for an ocean sanctuary in the Sargasso Sea urgently so it can be considered at the first Conference of the Parties to the High Seas Treaty, expected to be in 2026.

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Roban hopeful UK will back calls for ocean sanctuaries - Royal Gazette

The vote is an important signal to the rest of the world that the EU is serious about prioritising greater ocean protection.

The European Union has voted in favour of ratifying the High Seas Treaty.

This treaty aims to protect marine life in areas that are outside of countries maritime borders including the high seas and the seabed.

The decision is a key step in the process of approving the ratification of the High Seas Treaty.

The Parliaments decision will now be formally adopted by the European Council, after which the EU will be ready to deposit its instrument of ratification at the United Nations (UN).

It has been classified as a mixed agreement by the EU, which means it needs to be ratified at both the EU and at EU member state level.

The EU was a significant player during Treaty negotiations, so its ratification is a pivotal moment in the race to ratify, says Chris Thorne, Greenpeace campaigner for Protect the Oceans.

This vote is the first by a regional organisation and must trigger a wave of ratifications. The 27 EU governments must follow the EU's lead and fast-track ratification before the 2025 UN Oceans Conference in Nice.

The High Seas Alliance, a group of organisations pushing for the conservation of the High Seas, welcomed the European Parliament vote.

This progress provides a big boost to EU countries to accelerate the ratification of this important Treaty at a member state level, and sends an important signal to the rest of the world that the EU is serious about prioritising greater ocean protection with international law as a matter of urgency, says Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance.

For the High Seas Treaty to come into force, at least 60 countries will need to sign and ratify it. So far, 89 countries have signed it and four have formally ratified it at the UN: Palau, Chile, Belize and Seychelles.

Though the EU itself doesnt count as an additional party, when it and the 27 member states officially submit their ratification it will have a significant impact on progress towards the treaty coming into force.

It could also help more countries to complete the process and bring the total up to 60 countries before the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France in June 2025.

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EU votes to ratify landmark High Seas Treaty - Euronews

Its full steam ahead for the cruise ship industry after Royal Caribbean hiked its full-year profit guidance on Thursday, saying it expects 60% growth from last year following record bookings during the first quarter.

Travelers are paying record ticket prices, according to Royal Caribbean despite a recent spate of high-sea deaths and missing passengers reports, including a Florida 20-year-old who jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise this month.

Soaring demand for vacations at sea has given cruise operators ample room to raise ticket prices as the industry looks to close the pricing gap between more expensive land-based holidays and give their profits a lift.

Royal Caribbean, which operates the Celebrity Cruises, now expects annual profits of between $10.70 and $10.90 per share, compared with its earlier forecast of $9.90 to $10.10.

Our existing fleet along with our new ships continue to perform exceptionally well, highlighted by the market response to the launch of Icon of the Seas, CEO Jason Liberty said.

Royal Caribbeans shares which have spiked 126% in the past year, were up 2% on Thursday morning, to $139.32.

I remember owning the stock in 2022 and every client was giving me grief about it, said Peter Ahluwalia, manager at Belinvest Global Equity Fund that holdsRoyalCaribbean stocks and chief investment officer at Swiss Partners Group. Were turning almost 45% return on equity at the moment, which is quite incredible.

Overall, the industry which was among the hardest hit during the pandemic, is expected to grow to 39.4 million passengers in 2027 from 31.7 million last year, according to Statista.

The surge in demand comes amid major publicity blows from incidents at sea involving passengers who have gone missing, including the Florida man who jumped overboard on April 4 in front of his brother and father after a night of drinking.

Last December, a 41-year-old Royal Caribbean passenger went overboard on a cruise to the Bahamas. That followed an incident last August involving a 64 year-old woman sailing fromSingapore to Malaysia on Royal Caribbean who is presumed to have jumped to her death.

On average, 19 people go overboard on cruise ships every year and of those, only about four are rescued, according to a 2020 study commissioned by the industry trade group Cruise Lines International Association.

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Cruise ship industry is booming despite spate of high-seas deaths - New York Post

This week Louis Vuitton unveiled a nautical-inspired campaign to mark the first release of Pharells premier Pre-Fall collection. Steeped in maritime imagery and bohemian splendour, the collection draws on the idea of travel as a connective force as the brand explores various subcultures from Hawaii to Hong Kong.

Split into two drops (the other to be announced in the coming weeks), the collection debuted on the runway last November, when the French fashion house transported the global fashion crowd to Hong Kong for Pharrells first-ever Pre-Fall collection for Louis Vuitton.

The show emphasised the importance of Pharrells community, inviting a mix of Hawaiian surfers, local models and friends of the brand to model the collection, a theme that carries through to the campaign. Lensed by photographer Leslie Zhang and set on a vast boat under a grey sky, the campaign features a range of models including Ayden Williams, Carlisle Aikens, Joey Lanham, Martial Crum, and Yuhi Miyahara, each doubling as skateboarders, surfers and designers.

Dressed head-to-toe in pieces from the Pre-Fall 2024 collection, each model exudes the nautical, preppy and bohemian surfer sensibilities that define the collection. The campaign features two distinctly branded varsity jackets, a tailored pinstripe suit, a full linen set with a matching sailor hat, softly held leather pieces and more. An original track titled Airplane Tickets by Pharrell Williams, Swae Lee and Rauw Alejandro makes a grand return following its debut at the runway show in Hong Kong. Check out the campaign video here.

The first drop of the Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall 2024 collection is available in stores now.

Visit louisvuitton.com

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Pharrell Takes To The High Seas For Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall 2024 | Fashion - Clash Magazine

A global effort by seabird researchers, including those from NIWA, has resulted in the first assessment of where the worlds most threatened seabirds spend their time.

The movements of almost 6000 seabirds, collected from tagging data from around the world, have been collated to find out how much time albatrosses and large petrels spend on the high seas, outside the jurisdiction of any single country.

Albatrosses and their close relatives, the large petrels, are among the worlds most-threatened animals, with over half of the species at risk of extinction.

Approximately 168 seabird taxa have been recorded in New Zealand waters, many of which breed nowhere else. In fact, New Zealand hosts the largest number of breeding species of seabirds anywhere in the world, including 25 species of albatrosses and large petrels.

This new research, published today in Science Advances, shows the birds spend almost 40% of their time on the high seas which the authors say highlights the need for international co-operation to ensure their survival.

NIWA seabird ecologist Dr David Thompson says while seabird tracking research has not been carried out for all albatrosses and large petrels in New Zealand, we know that several species also spend time in Chile and Peru, in Japan and the USA in the north Pacific Ocean, while others visit Namibia and South Africa.

For some species we simply dont know.

Martin Beal, the Portugal-based lead author of the research, described albatrosses as the ultimate globetrotters.

However, this incredible lifestyle makes them vulnerable to threats in places where legal protection is inadequate, he said.

The researchers tracked the movements of 5775 individual birds belonging to 39 species using miniature electronic tags. The tracked birds were tagged at 87 breeding sites in 17 countries.

The results showed that all species regularly cross into the waters of other countries, meaning that no single nation can adequately ensure their conservation. Furthermore, all species depended on the high seas, which are areas of international waters covering half of the worlds oceans and a third of the earths surface.

The researchers revealed the extent to which seabirds connect countries to one another, as well as to the high seas. The study comes as the United Nations is discussing a global treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in international waters. Our study unequivocally shows that albatrosses and large petrels need reliable protection that extends beyond the borders of any single country, Mr Beal said.

While at sea, albatrosses and large petrels face a number of threats, primarily from interactions with commercial fishing vessels and pollution.

Dr Thompson says hundreds of seabirds are killed in New Zealand waters each year caught on longlines or in trawl nets near to the surface.

However, he says that New Zealand is ahead of the game in attempting to quantify the risk to all New Zealand seabird species from commercial fishing. This means that decisions can be made that target resources in order to produce the best conservation outcomes for seabirds.

Dr Thompson says he hopes the research will highlight how little control countries have over seabirds when they are using the high seas.

A very large proportion of seabird tracking researchers globally were involved in this work, which has quantified for the first time the extent to which albatrosses and large petrels use Exclusive Economic Zones of different countries and the high seas."

Its hugely important because now we have a comprehensive international framework that allows different countries to collaborate on the conservation issues facing this group of seabirds, and for all countries that have breeding populations of these species to take collective responsibility for their conservation in the high seas. This type of research could not have been produced any other way.

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Seabirds spend nearly 40% of their time on high seas, study finds - NIWA

In the 2013 movie Captain Philips, Tom Hanks playing the role of Captain Richard Phillips says If the pirates find you, remember, you know the ship. They dont. Themovie showcased to the world the standoff and negotiations between the pirates and the United States Navy, and the risks faced by seafarers navigating treacherous waters.

Based on the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, the movie evinces the urgent need to strengthen maritime security laws. Today, piracy is a serious threat to maritime transportation, trade, security, and the freedom of the seas.The International Maritime Bureaus annualreportrecorded120 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2023 compared to 115 in 2022.

During the progressive development of international law post World War I, the 1926 Draft of the Convention on the Combat with Piracy was presented as one of the 13 commentaries in the 1930 League of Nations Codification Conference. The draft never saw the light of the day. During the first UN Conference on the Law of the Sea, the 1958 Convention on the High Seas was adopted with Article 14 providing for obligations of all States to fully cooperate in the repression of piracy.

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provides a legal framework to regulate piracy under Articles 100 to 107 and 110. The 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and the 1988 Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts are other international documents that provide a framework for the repression of piracy under international law.

The recent capture of pirates in India has renewed the discussions on maritime security and the complexity of the international law regime against piracy. On December 14, pirates hijacked the Bulgarian merchant vesselMV Ruenand demanded a ransom of $60 million to release the crew and the ship.INS Kolkata, Indias Navy warship, during an anti-piracy operation that lasted for over 40 hours managed to take the pirates under their custody while the 17 crew members were rescued without injury. The 35 Somalian pirates were handed over to the Mumbai Police on March 23, and were produced before court on March 25.

Interestingly eight of them claimed that they were minors. The court sent the pirates for medical examination. It was revealed in their ossification tests that two of the eight accused are 21-years-old, while the rest are aged between 19 and 20. An ossification test is an age-determination test that is based on the assessment of the bone framework. They have been booked under relevant sections of kidnapping, extortion, and illegal assembly under the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act.This will also be the first case under Indias new Maritime Anti-Piracy Act 2022.

The claim of pirates that they were minors is a perfect example of the post-arrest modus operandi of pirates. Due to poverty and low human development plaguing Somalia, their teeth and bones do not have robust growth. An adult would bear a resemblance to a minor because of developmental disorders. The benefit of claiming to be minor is that over the years states have used a catch and release approach to child pirates as opposed to prosecution and large sentences.

Ascertaining the age of the malnourished child pirates in Somalia can prove to be very difficult for prosecuting courts. Courts often rely on ossification techniques like dental examinations and skeletal x-rays to make an age determination. The 1990 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Childobligatesthat in all actions concerning children in courts of law, the best interests of the child shall be the primary consideration. In genuine cases where child pirates are caught and scientifically ascertained as minors, the State must ensure it does so in accordance with juvenile justice standards.

There are fundamental gaps in the definition of piracy. The financiers and kingpins of piracy often forcibly recruit childrenen massewhile many join voluntarily to escape poverty and hunger. There is a need to develop the definition of pirates to include even the people who are off the field operating from land to also be included within its ambit. Kingpins and financiers should be held accountable by criminal courts.

Countries that monitor the waterways are hesitant to prosecute pirates because of the expenses and challenges related to prosecution. States that capture pirates frequently use a catch-and-release strategy for adults also. There is no effective international legal system for the trial and punishment of captured pirates. National laws in many countries are frequently insufficient to handle the complexity of jurisdictional concerns.

The issues of piracy demand institutional responses at the international and regional levels. There is a need to increase anti-piracy funding to finance maritime security programmes aimed at mitigating maritime crimes. The larger solution to this problem lies in strengthening and building institutions to address significant problems of poor governance, unemployment, and poverty in regions like Somalia.

Adithya Variath teaches at Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai, and is a Fellow at ISLC, University of Milan, Italy.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.

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When it comes to fighting sea pirates, bones don't lie - Deccan Herald

A cruise ship taking cover from a major Atlantic storm is in Portland this week and some passengers may not be happy about it.

The MSC Meraviglia, which had been scheduled for a cruise to the Bahamas, rerouted its trip to New England.

On Wednesday morning, the ship was tying up in Portland, where the cruise season typically ends by early November.TheMSC Meraviglia is1,037feet long and has a capacity of up to 5,386 passengers.

The NBC "Today Show" reported that passengers who packed for a Bahamas cruise were not happy with beingdiverted to chilly New England.

"We thought we were being punked. But its just like Bahamas, Boston its a huge difference, passenger Val Montgomery told NBC.

The ship departed New York City on Dec. 16 and spent the worst days of the storm in port in Boston.

The MSC Meraviglia was scheduled to depart Portland late Wednesday afternoon and headnext to Saint John, New Brunswick, in Canada.

Besides "Today," the ship's detour was featured in coverage by ABC, CBS, Fox News, the New York Post and the Boston Globe.

I did not want to pay $5,000 [for the family] to come to Boston, one passenger told the Globe. This was supposed to be our Christmas vacation.

The MSC Meraviglia already visited Maine during the regular cruise ship season, calling twice on Portland and Bar Harbor. Now the vessel's unexpected return may result in a spurt of holiday business for OldPort retailers.

In any case, the ship is scheduled to visitPortland again in May 2024.

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High seas drama: Cruise ship bound for Bahamas is diverted to Portland - Mainebiz