Porti & ambiente — le notizie raccolte

China is trying to solve itswater-consuming, power-draining data centerproblems by moving them under the sea. Shanghai Hailanyun Technology (HiCloud), in collaboration with several government agencies, launched what it's calling the world's first wind-powered underwater data center in May 2026. It sits about 32 feet below the ocean's surface off the coast of Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area, surrounded by a wind farm of more than 50 turbines. It houses about 2,000 servers, which is a small- to average-sized data center. Larger hyperscale data centers can house at least 5,000 servers. At full capacity, HiCloud's facility will operate at 24 megawatts. If running continuously for a year, it would use the same electricity as 20,000 U.S. homes. Engineers hope the $228-million project will solve the three critical data center concerns: electricity, cooling, and land use. Data centers need enormous spaces to house servers, cooling systems, power infrastructure, backup systems, and other infrastructure. Land use is why more than two-thirds of the 1,500 data centers planned for the U.S. are in rural areas. The Lin-gang data center will have a minimal on-land footprint, despite neighboring 31 million people. Because it's in the ocean, the data center will stay cool using minimal fresh water, which is important because anextremely small percentage of the Earth's water is drinkable. Ocean cooling also helps reduce energy use. For comparison, land-based data centers use up to 40% of their energy to keep cool. This potential helps explain why HiCloud recently signed an agreement to work on a new 500 megawatt underwater data center. HiCloud has previous experience with underwater data centers. The company launched a group of modules off the coast of Hainan province in 2023. It's not wind-powered, but it is designed similarly to the new facility to keep humidity and oxygen out of the interior while withstanding underwater pressure. HiCloud says the facility saves about26,000 tons of waterand enough electricity to cut carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking 600 cars off the road for a year. Introducing anything to an underwater ecosystem canhave unexpected effects on wildlife. When seawater cools servers, it carries waste heat into the surrounding water. Relatedstudies showthermal discharge from power plants can alter oxygen and pH levels and sediment composition, ultimately reducing the number and variety of creatures that live nearby. HiCloud is monitoring the water at the Hainan data center. A spokespersontold the People's Dailythat the water temperature has risen less than one degree Celsius around the facility. The company says schools of fish are gathering around the modules, using them for shelter against stronger currents. The founder of HiCloud's parent company, Highlander, was inspired by a Microsoft underwater data center experiment. The software giant launched Project Natick off the coast of Scotland in 2018. Microsoft ran 855 servers without human intervention for more than two years. Only six of the servers broke. At the same time, Microsoft had 135 land-based servers handling the same processing needs and eight of those servers broke. Microsoft's team says the sealed environment reduced temperature swings, kept out oxygen, and eliminated human interference. HiCloud's new facility will face external challenges in the ocean. Seawater can cause faster corrosion of the facility and subsea cabling that powers it. There's also constant pressure, which affects durability and sealing. It will also be harder to maintain and replace hardware. When Microsoft removed Project Natick, the pod wascovered inmarine growth like algae, barnacles, sea anemones, and sea urchins. Microsoft didn't report any issues. The team brought the pod back to shore, then power-washed the exterior. It's unclear how any of China's underwater data centers will be affected by wildlife as they operate for up to 25 years.

ATENE (GRECIA) (XINHUA/ITALPRESS) – L’industria cantieristica cinese sta accelerando la sua transizione verso uno sviluppo più ecologico e intelligente, contribuendo con nuove soluzioni alla trasformazione a basse emissioni di carbonio del settore marittimo globale, secondo un rapporto pubblicato ad Atene. Il rapporto, pubblicato congiuntamente dalla sede di Shanghai del China Economic Information Service, dal China Shipbuilding Economic Research Center e dall’Ufficio regionale per l’Europa dell’Agenzia di stampa Xinhua, è stato diffuso mercoledì scorso durante una serie di eventi organizzati dalla Cina a margine di Posidonia 2026, una delle principali esposizioni marittime al mondo. Il report afferma che la Cina sta avanzando costantemente da maggiore costruttore navale al mondo a leader dell’industria cantieristica globale, trainata da innovazione, sviluppo verde e produzione intelligente. Secondo il documento, i cantieri navali cinesi hanno registrato una forte crescita nel primo trimestre del 2026, con nuovi ordini in aumento di oltre il 190% su base annua. Le imbarcazioni ecologiche hanno rappresentato l’80,2% del totale dei nuovi ordini, riflettendo il crescente impegno dell’industria verso lo sviluppo sostenibile. Il rapporto rileva che la Cina ha creato un ecosistema industriale diversificato per i combustibili marini alternativi, tra cui gas naturale liquefatto, metanolo, ammoniaca e idrogeno, compiendo al tempo stesso progressi significativi nella produzione intelligente attraverso lo sviluppo di fabbriche smart e sistemi produttivi connessi digitalmente. Il rapporto ha inoltre individuato diverse sfide per il settore, tra cui le incertezze sui percorsi globali di decarbonizzazione, l’insufficienza delle infrastrutture di supporto per i combustibili alternativi e i divari nella digitalizzazione tra i fornitori più piccoli. Lo studio afferma che lo sviluppo verde e intelligente resterà il duplice motore della crescita di alta qualità dell’industria cantieristica cinese e ne sosterrà una più profonda integrazione nella catena globale del valore marittimo. – Foto Xinhua – (ITALPRESS).

Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) has launched the first of four 38,000-ton multi-purpose heavy-lift vessels at its Qidong Marine Engineering facility. The ship was built for Chinese-Polish joint venture shipping company Chipolbrok. The company is taking delivery of the four vessels for its fleet serving global heavy-lift and oversized cargo routes. The vessels are intended to transport oversized and heavy cargo, including wind turbine components, large construction machinery and specialized industrial equipment. Each ship is equipped with a 1,000 kW battery system that allows the vessel to run on electric power while in port or at low speeds. A high-voltage shore power connection enables the vessel to draw electricity from port facilities while docked. The propulsion system includes ducted propellers and rudder bulbs that improve fuel efficiency by up to 4% at cruising speed. The vessel measures 597 feet (182 m) in length, 98 feet (30 m) in beam and 56 feet (17 m) in depth. It has a design draft of 32 feet (9.8 m) and a service speed of 14.5 knots. Each ship is equipped with three 350-ton cranes designed and manufactured by ZPMC, with a combined lifting capacity of 700 tons. Each ship also features a full-length open cargo deck and two extra-long cargo holds, the largest measuring 252 feet (76.8 m), providing flexible cargo capacity for a range of heavy-lift transportation requirements. “ZPMC will continue expanding its activities in specialized vessels and offshore engineering equipment while further developing its engineering and manufacturing capabilities and broadening its international shipping partnerships,” the company stated. Source:ZPMC The free webinar sessions from our Spring Virtual Conference are now available to view on-demand. Register for a session below to watch the recording and download the presentation. LOAD MORE SESSIONS

Malaysia’s owner and operator of offshore floating and energy-related maritime solutions and services MISC Group, a member of the Petronas Group of Companies, has struck a multi-year charter with Petronas LNG Ltd. (PLL), a subsidiary of Petronas, for five newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers (LNGCs). PLL has signed a 20-year time charter agreement with MISC for five newbuild 174,000-cbm LNG carriers, which will be constructed in Shanghai, China, with charter commencement expected between 2029 and 2030. This move is perceived to reinforce Petronas’ long-term LNG supply reliability, while supporting customers’ energy transition towards a lower-carbon future. The deal was signed byEzran Mahadzir, Chief Executive Officer of Petronas LNG, andHazrin Hasan, MISC Vice President of Gas Asset and Solutions, following the conclusion of shipbuilding contracts between MISC and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in January and February 2026. These vessels are expected to incorporate modern and efficiency-driven technologies aligned with evolving environmental and operational standards, including the latest XDF2.1 propulsion technology, shaft generators that enhance fuel efficiency during voyages, and an onboard reliquefaction plant to effectively manage boil-off. Datuk Adif Zulkifli, Petronas’ Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer of Gas & Maritime Business, commented:“The addition of these new LNG carriers marks another important milestone as we continue leveraging the collective strengths of our businesses to create long-term value across the LNG value chain. “By aligning our growth ambitions with MISC’s maritime expertise, we are strengthening the integrated capabilities that support Petronas’ position as a trusted and reliable global LNG supplier.” This content is available after accepting the cookies. Petronas tasks MISC with floating production unit for gas project offshore Brunei MISC is set to provide project management services throughout the shipbuilding phase, followed by operation and ship management of the vessels upon delivery, beginning in 2029, to ensure greater operational continuity and reliability from construction to commercial operations. The companies’ collaboration is interpreted to reflect Petronas’ continued focus on strengthening the resilience and reliability of its LNG supply chain through strategic partnerships, while contributing to the advancement of Malaysia’s energy and maritime capabilities. This deal comes shortly after MISC Groupconfirmed the namingof two new-generation LNG vessels, which bolsters its partnership with ExxonMobil’s SeaRiver Maritime (SRM). Take the spotlight and anchor your brand in the heart of the offshore world! Join us for a bigger impact and amplify your presence at the core hub of the offshore energy community!