Category: News Content Hub

Norway, Equinor open Johan Castberg oil field in Barents Sea Norwegian minister of energy Terje Aasland has officially opened the Johan Castberg oil field in Norway’s Barents Sea Riviera Go to rivieramm

Greece’s Anbros Maritime swoops on four Handysize vessels linked to Costamare Bulkers Anbros Maritime appears to be entering a new growth phase with a high-profile acquisition Georgios Go to rivieramm

Panama demands ‘total traceability’ of ship-to-ship oil cargo transfers A Panamanian government policy from 6 August requires Panama Ship Registry-flagged oil tankers to give 48 hours notice for all STS transfers Jamey Go to rivieramm

Inside India’s green ship recycling empire How the Mehta family built a global standard in integrity, scale, and sustainability Edwin Go to rivieramm

Maran Gas linked to improved short-term charter for modern LNG carrier Maran Gas Kimolos has reportedly been fixed to Repsol at a daily rate in the mid-to-high US$40,000s Georgios Go to rivieramm

Houthis threaten 64 shipowners with attacks on vessels that call in Israel Organisation called Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center linked to Yemen’s rebel militia said ships will be targeted if in range Jamey Go to rivieramm

Latsis’ Marla Dry tied to second bulker sale in two months amid newbuilding push The Latsis family has reportedly offloaded another 2011-built Supramax, accelerating its fleet renewal efforts Georgios Go to rivieramm

Inpex initiates engineering and design for Indonesian LNG project Japan’s Inpex has awarded front end engineering and design contracts for its Abadi LNG project in Indonesia Riviera Go to rivieramm

Dry bulk fleet growth revised upward as deliveries surge and scrapping slows On the demand side, dry bulk commodity trade is expected to slow significantly in 2025 Georgios Go to rivieramm

‘Top-tier’ Asian owner orders Salt-designed energy construction vessels Salt Ship Design reports contract to design two methanol-ready energy construction vessels for construction at a Chinese shipyard John Go to rivieramm

DOF adds US$220M to backlog with two more Brazilian charters Oslo-listed DOF boosts backlog with two more long-term charters of AHTS vessels from Petrobras John Go to rivieramm

GasLog Partners sells LNG carrier to Excelerate amid Q2 loss Methane Alison Victoria, built in 2007, was sold for approximately US$27M Georgios Go to rivieramm

Samskip introduces fast container route from Morocco to the UK, Netherlands Samskip’s new reefer route is targeted at transporting perishable goods and aims to take cargo off congested roads Rebecca Go to rivieramm

Greece’s GS Maritime emerges as new owner of modern bulker after competitive bidding At the time of the sale, sources noted the Japanese-built Handysize vessel attracted offers from at least seven different parties Georgios Go to rivieramm

Report: ‘Grey’ tanker fleet expands by 30 vessels monthly BRS Shipbrokers estimates the average age of the grey tanker fleet is 20 years, compared with just under 15 years for mainstream tonnage Georgios Go to rivieramm

BP beats forecasts, hits oil in Brazil and expands US Gulf production British oil and gas supermajor has made a raft of announcements touting progress after a recent string of relatively, lacklustre performance reports Jamey Go to rivieramm

Deadlock after Hong Kong Convention threatens global ship recycling The maritime industry is caught in a convoluted regulatory web, dominated by three overlapping frameworks governing ship recycling Edwin Go to rivieramm

ADES moves to take over Shelf Drilling in US$379M cash merger ADES International Holdings’ proposed takeover of Shelf Drilling comes at a hefty premium over Shelf Drilling’s stock price Jamey Go to rivieramm

Stamford Shipping linked to four-vessel acquisition of Belships’ Ultramaxes Asian and European shipbrokers estimate the total cost of the reported en bloc deal at approximately US$84M Georgios Go to rivieramm

BSM opens its first methanol bunkering simulator Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement has introduced a simulator for handling methanol fuels in India and will follow this with training facilities in Poland and the Philippines Martyn Go to rivieramm

Panama to stop flagging tankers and bulkers more than 15 years old The Panama Ship Registry said it is acting to prevent entry of vessels from the ’ghost fleet’, also known as the dark fleet or shadow fleet Jamey Go to rivieramm

Saipem completes Equinor Irpa pipeline installation Equinor moves another step closer to starting production from the Irpa field in the Norwegian Sea after the main pipeline is installed Martyn Go to rivieramm

GTT completes Danelec acquisition, restructures digital division GTT has combined three digital development specialists into one division, then split that in two Martyn Go to rivieramm

Global trade braces for structural friction under updated US tariffs The situation remains fluid, and the tariffs may still change depending on the outcome of ongoing bilateral negotiations Georgios Go to rivieramm

Newbuild ASD tug enhances towage, reduces emissions Portland Port on England’s south coast acquired an ASD 2111 design tugboat from Damen with SCRs to cut NOx emissions during harbour towage Martyn Go to rivieramm

Compliance pressure pushes India away from Russian crude Mounting pressure from the EU and US on Russian seaborne oil and product trade is beginning to disrupt flows to Moscow’s largest buyer, India Georgios Go to rivieramm

Cybercriminals and bad actors roam on the high seas Shipping is being targeted with an unprecedented level of cyberattacks, as hackers use AI-enhanced tools to launch phishing schemes, GPS jamming and spoofing and malware attacks John Go to rivieramm

CMA CGM shows interest in CK Hutchison port terminals The French shipping giant emerged in the discussions after exclusive talks between CK Hutchison and the BlackRock-MSC consortium expired Georgios Go to rivieramm

Wintermar expands fleet with newbuilds, reactivations  Indonesian OSV owner has reported higher earnings, profits and margins from its fleet modernisation programme Martyn Go to rivieramm

US targets Iranian ‘shipping empire’ in largest sanctions package since 2018 The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated 62 vessels Georgios Go to rivieramm

Costamare re-enters newbuilding market with four-vessel deal in China Market and shipbroking sources told Riviera the container vessels will be built at Zhoushan Changhong Georgios Go to rivieramm

Green light for Berwick Bank paves way for world’s largest offshore windfarm  Scottish government grants consent order for SSE’s 4.1-GW project David Go to rivieramm

H-Line Shipping signs contract for LNG bunker vessel with HJSC LNG bunker vessel orders have resumed after a brief pause in recent weeks Georgios Go to rivieramm

Seatrium finalises settlement deal in Brazil’s ‘Operation Car Wash’ bribery scandal The Singapore-based shipyard group is paying pentalties to both Brazilian and Singaporean authorities Jamey Go to rivieramm

Interferry calls on EU not to jeopardise essential ferry services Interferry demands EU harmonisation with IMO’s global greenhouse gas regulations to prevent double taxation and protect critical ferry services Rebecca Go to rivieramm

COSCO launches 14-vessel newbuilding programme covering bulkers and tankers The highlight of the recent newbuilding bonanza is a deal for 10 Newcastlemax bulkers Georgios Go to rivieramm

Will US$550Bn Japanese trade deal boost American shipbuilding? For years the top country in foreign direct investment in the US, Japan would be a valuable ally in rebuilding American shipbuilding as part of a new trade deal John Go to rivieramm

Shipbuilding heavyweights team to build USCG icebreaking security cutters Bollinger Shipyards, Rauma Shipyards, Aker Arctic and Seaspan Shipyards join forces in strategic alliance in bid for Coast Guard’s multi-billion-dollar Arctic security cutter programme John Go to rivieramm

NATO calls for ports to co-operate on cyber security Rising state-backed and criminal cyber threats are affecting ports implementing digitalisation without improving their resilience Martyn Go to rivieramm

Eternity C shipmanagers respond to Houthi video of captive survivors Houthi military release a heavily edited video purported to be ’testimonies’ from crewmembers who survived the militia’s attack on a civilian merchant vessel Jamey Go to rivieramm

Imabari Shipbuilding eyes US tech collaboration, advances discussions on next-gen vessels Imabari’s management team highlighted potential opportunities for collaboration in advanced fields, including humanoid robotics development Georgios Go to rivieramm

As new LNG carriers roll-out, Nakilat secures Korean ship financing Nakilat and KEXIM launch US$1.2Bn financing tranche, and Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding launches another LNG carrier Craig Go to rivieramm

Malaysian PSV undergoes milestone methanol transport refit Singapore-listed Nam Cheong completes milestone conversion of DP2-class platform supply vessel for methanol transport John Go to rivieramm

EU–US trade deal seen as damage limitation, with mixed impact on shipping The most prominent aspect of the deal is a baseline 15% tariff on the vast majority of EU exports to the US Georgios Go to rivieramm

Danaos expands orderbook with additional vessel in China The Greek container vessel specialist has exercised an option for a 6,000-TEU vessel Georgios Go to rivieramm

CIMC SOE starts work on Avenir LNG bunker vessel Steel cutting has taken place for the fifth of six LNG bunker vessels ordered by UK-based Avenir LNG Jamey Go to rivieramm

MPCC continues fleet renewal with dual-fuel ready newbuild orders MPC Container Ships has placed a US$228M order for four 4,500-TEU container vessels with secured three-year charters, and divested older tonnage Rebecca Go to rivieramm

OSPAR scrubber discharge ban to reshape compliance strategy Northwest Europe to ban open-loop scrubber discharges from July 2027, with full discharge ban by 2029 Craig Go to rivieramm

Kotug helps develop smart planning for green inland shipping OptiPort and the Metropolitan Hub System will test a prototype in the Netherlands ready for commercial launch in Q4 2025 Martyn Go to rivieramm

Passenger ships: enter new-generation MES solutions Third-generation MES systems, new solutions for shortsea and smaller ferries and advancements on a revolutionary hybrid system are some of the recent developments within the passenger ship safety sector Rebecca Go to rivieramm

LNG flows hold through Hormuz, despite threats Legal, logistical and geopolitical concerns converge as LNG trades continue through a volatile Gulf Craig Go to rivieramm

Sinarmas expands fleet with Malaysian newbuilds Indonesian shipowner has taken delivery of its first new tug of 2025 and watched the launch of two more Martyn Go to rivieramm

Capital said to expand box ship orderbook with two-vessel deal in Korea Hyundai Mipo disclosed a new contract for two 2,800-TEU container ships, valued at approximately US$114M Georgios Go to rivieramm

Capesize bulls return as Brazil and Guinea drive market to 2025 highs The Baltic Capesize Index surged to its highest level of the year, with average daily spot rates climbing to US$31,429 Georgios Go to rivieramm

Tsakos sheds ageing tankers amid growing orderbook Since the beginning of 2023, TEN has sold 14 vessels totalling 1.2M dwt, with an average age of 17.3 years Georgios Go to rivieramm

Galveston LNG aims to become first to provide e-LNG in North America Texas’ Galveston LNG Bunker Port and Loa Carbon have signed a letter of intent to supply e-LNG bunkering fuel to ships calling at the Houston-Galveston port complex Jamey Go to rivieramm

LNG still leads Greek owners’ gradual shift to alternative fuels More than half of the tonnage in the Greek orderbook is designed to run on alternative fuels Georgios Go to rivieramm

Guyana adds newbuild Damen tug to boost harbour operations Ministry of Public Works’ Maritime Administration Department in Guyana is modernising its fleet of marine service vessels Martyn Go to rivieramm

TotalEnergies, CMA CGA join on Rotterdam LNG bunker venture The companies say they will jointly deploy a new 20,000-m3 LNG bunker vessel by 2028 Riviera Go to rivieramm

Three submissions received for Malta’s first offshore wind concession PQQ stage for 300-MW floating windfarm draws submissions from domestic and international players David Go to rivieramm

Isle of Islay battery-hybrid ferry completes second sea trials Under construction in Turkey for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, Isle of Islay will eventually join CalMac Ferry’s fleet on the west coast of Scotland Jamey Go to rivieramm

Monaco’s Marfin Management expands fleet with Taylor Maritime bulker pair Shipbrokers reported earlier this year that the pair was sold to undisclosed European buyers for an en bloc price of US$43M Georgios Go to rivieramm

Canadian government invests in Ocean Group in management buyout Ocean Group will be reinvigorated with new investment ready for another phase of strategic growth Martyn Go to rivieramm

Chevron and Hess merger to go ahead after protracted arbitration Chevron’s proposed US$55Bn acquisition of Hess and merger of the two companies, first proposed in 2023, has cleared a legal hurdle led by ExxonMobil Jamey Go to rivieramm

Coal vs LNG: the global energy mix is shifting, and dry bulk is watching closely Although coal continues to play a leading role in the global energy mix, LNG is emerging as a competitive alternative Georgios Go to rivieramm

Teekay adds second modern tanker this year with Suezmax purchase The US-listed owner has acquired a 2017-built Suezmax which was previously reported as sold to Greek interests – in a deal that ultimately fell through Georgios Go to rivieramm

Molslinjen orders two, possibly three ‘giant’ battery-powered catamarans Danish company says the ferries, destined for use in the Kattegat Sea, represent the ’world’s largest electrification project at sea’ Jamey Go to rivieramm

Shuttle tanker sector faces retrofit hurdles, charterer disconnect Vesops, Lloyd’s Register and Maran Shuttle Tankers unpack retrofit viability, GHG compliance and charterer collaboration in shuttle tanker decarbonisation Craig Go to rivieramm

Dutch agency seeks newbuild emissions-free ERTVs Rijkswaterstaat will work with partners to deploy five offshore charging stations and three towage vessels with onboard batteries and green-methanol generators Martyn Go to rivieramm

Greek owner New Shipping tied to fresh Suezmax order in China The Adam Polemis-led shipping company has reportedly signed a contract for up to four Suezmax tankers Georgios Go to rivieramm

Winch design becomes crucial to towage safety  In close-quarter ship escorting, having flexibility in the towing angle reduces the probability of an accident, while electric winches have environmental benefits over hydraulic winches Martyn Go to rivieramm

Cameron LNG exports 1,000th LNG cargo Cameron LNG celebrates 1, 000th LNG cargo with partners Sempra, TotalEnergies, Mitsui & Co and a Mitsubishi/NYK joint venture Craig Go to rivieramm

EU’s 18th sanctions package targets flag registry and ‘shadow fleet’, cuts oil price cap Slovakia has withdrawn its opposition to the package following assurances from the EU Georgios Go to rivieramm

CMB.TECH, Golden Ocean merger expected to close in August Golden Ocean will hold a special general meeting on 19 August to vote on the merger agreement Georgios Go to rivieramm

Kuok subsidiary launches Singapore’s first electric tug Coastal Sustainability Alliance witnessed the lift-launch of a battery-powered tugboat and began operating its first electric harbour supply vessel Martyn Go to rivieramm

Cadeler takes delivery of Wind Keeper, locks-in three years of utilisation New unit is able to undertake O&M work, transport and install turbines and will start work for Vestas in Q1 2026 David Go to rivieramm

Hayfin builds on Capesize strategy with new fleet addition The London-headquartered alternative asset manager has emerged as the new owner of a 2011-built vessel Georgios Go to rivieramm

ECSA: EU must ‘harmonise’ fuel and emissions policy with IMO Net-Zero Framework The European Community Shipowners’ Associations says the EU Commission needs to prioritise a review of FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS when IMO adopts the Net-Zero Framework Jamey Go to rivieramm

Houthis cause 18M tonnes of added emissions The Red Sea crisis has led to a “staggering” increase in container ship CO2 emissions Rebecca Go to rivieramm

Eni signs 20-year LNG SPA deal with Venture Global Venture Global will supply two million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its third export project, CP2 LNG Jamey Go to rivieramm

Greece-based Naftomar swoops on six modern MR tankers The Zein family led company had previously been linked to a deal involving six MR tankers from BP Georgios Go to rivieramm

20 GW of offshore wind eligible to bid in next CfD auction Government introduces changes to Contract for Difference scheme to boost capacity that can help reach Clean Power 2030 target David Go to rivieramm

New Fortress Energy to deploy FSRU to Egypt Five-year charter of Energos Winter FSRU to Damietta will be the company’s second unit in Egypt Jamey Go to rivieramm

ClassNK unveils fleet GHG cost simulation, calculator Newly launched digital tool enables shipowners to calculate the cost of complying with tightening greenhouse gas emissions regulations Martyn Go to rivieramm

Explora Journeys’ fleet construction moves full steam ahead MSC celebrates Explora III’s launch, Explora IV’s coin ceremony and Explora V’s steel cutting Rebecca Go to rivieramm

Fredriksen’s Seatankers said to continue bulker divestment with fresh double sale Market sources note the private owner is consistently viewed as a ’potential seller’ in the secondhand market Georgios Go to rivieramm

IACS to incorporate ESG principles into its governance IACS’ meeting discussed its progress producing technical guidance for new fuels, technologies Martyn Go to rivieramm

Engage expands Australian fleet and towage operations   Three newbuild ASD tugs and an upgraded secondhand vessel have joined the fleet Martyn Go to rivieramm

China, India and the ‘shadow fleet’: how Trump’s proposed secondary tariffs could impact shipping Shipping experts believe implementing secondary tariffs on Russia would be highly complex due to the current geopolitical landscape Georgios Go to rivieramm

Guyana and Suriname: the new offshore oil frontiers Oil giants ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies and others are fast-tracking billions of dollars of upstream investments to develop deepwater offshore blocks in South American countries John Go to rivieramm

SAAM, Enap introduce Latin America’s first electric tug  Trapananda’s arrival in Puerto Montt, Chile, helps SAAM move towards cleaner, more efficient and environmentally friendly operations Martyn Go to rivieramm

OEUK urges action to help UK reach Clean Power 2030 target Reform proposed to accelerate offshore wind generation, including greater funding for floating windfarms David Go to rivieramm

Martinos-led Eastmed acquires modern Ultramax pair This marks Eastmed’s return to the bulk carrier secondhand purchase market since 2023 Georgios Go to rivieramm

BP-Eni JV reports ‘significant’ gas find offshore Angola Azule Energy, a joint venture between BP and Eni, estimated resources of as much as 1Tn ft3 of gas and 100M barrels of condensate from the find Riviera Go to rivieramm

Oceania Allura delivered with Oceania Cruises in expansion phase Oceania Cruises’ newbuild stands out for its high level of innovation, designed with sustainability in mind Rebecca Go to rivieramm

Rimorchiatori Napoletani restarts fleet renewal with newbuild tug  Italian tugboat owner is investing in up to four newbuild harbour tugs to reduce emissions and improve shiphandling in Italian ports Martyn Go to rivieramm

Golden Union resumes acquisitions with Japanese post Panamax This marks Golden Union’s second acquisition in recent months, following a series of profitable disposals Georgios Go to rivieramm

Klaipėda LNG Terminal to launch virtual biomethane liquefaction service Lithuania’s terminal will be one of the first in Europe to offer this type of service Georgios Go to rivieramm

Tug sinks after collision with container ship in Spanish port An investigation has started into how a tugboat sank in the port of Barcelona, Spain after a collision with a MSC container ship at the end of June Martyn Go to rivieramm

Greek owner sells second VLCC in three months amid active S&P market According to the latest shipbroking reports, at least eight VLCCs changed hands in June Georgios Go to rivieramm