Tag: maritime executive

Strained by War, the Russian Navy is a Shadow of its Former Self   Russia’s Navy is facing huge pressures, primarily as a byproduct of President Putin’s over-ambitious attempts to claim great power status. The most obvious pinch-point is in the Black Sea, where Russia’s fleet has pulled back out of danger and forced into…

Fire Aboard Boxship Wan Hai 503 Under Control at Last   The burned-out boxship Wan Hai 503 is still under tow off the southeastern coast of India, holding position near the Indian EEZ boundary while salvors complete their work to stabilize the situation on board.  The vessel’s burned holds continue to smolder and light smoke…

Windstar Cruises Adds Complimentary All-Inclusive Upgrade For 2025-2026 [By: Windstar Cruises] Windstar Cruises is dialing up the ease and indulgence with its latest “Travel is Better When You’re All In” add-on: a complimentary All-Inclusive upgrade on select voyages through March 31, 2026. Available to book through September 30, 2025, the promotion creates a new way to add value to the travelers’ stay through complimentary perks.   The…

ITF’s London Employees Vote to Go on Strike Against ITF   Unionized employees of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have voted to go on strike against the ITF. Represented by British union Unite, the ITF’s employees are pushing back against a restructuring plan that would reduce ITF’s headcount by one quarter.  The reduction in…

Minister Al-Jasser Lays Foundation Stone for the Logistics Corridor [By: Saudi Ports Authority] HE Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Saudi Ports Authority, laid the foundation stone for the logistics corridor connecting Jeddah Islamic Port to the Al-Khumrah Logistics Park. The ceremony was attended by the President…

Fincantieri Appoints George Moutafis as Chief Executive Officer [By: Fincantieri Marine Group] Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), the U.S. subsidiary of Fincantieri – one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and a global leader in the construction of highly complex vessels – announces the appointment of George A. Moutafis as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2025.…

First Inland Cargo Vessel Launched Capable of Sailing with Solar Power A newly built inland dry goods vessel, Blue Marlin, was named last week in Hamburg, Germany, and became the world’s first hybrid solar-power inland shipping vessel, as well as receiving a designation for remote-controlled operations. The solar system aboard the ship advances on prior…

A Conflict in the Pacific Could Prompt a Fight Over the Strait of Malacca   [By Adam Leong Kok Wey] The strategic relevance of maritime choke points has remained a constant throughout military history. Their control has often defined the outcomes of major conflicts, shaped geopolitical balances, and influenced global economic flows. Exemplifying the enduring value…

Six Dead, 29 Missing in Bali Ferry Sinking   A search and rescue team has located the likely wreck site of the lost ferry KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, which went down in the Bali Strait on Wednesday evening. At about 2300 hours last Wednesday, the bow-ramp ferry Tunu Pratama Jaya got under way from Ketapang, East…

Blast and Leak Reported Aboard LPG Carrier at Ust-Luga, Russia   On Sunday, the Russian Transportation Ministry acknowledged “an incident” at the key Russian energy port of Ust-Luga, resulting in a “minor leak of liquid ammonia.” The event occurred aboard LPG carrier Eco Wizard while it was conducting cargo operations. The crew was evacuated from…

Japan May Give Philippine Navy a Major Boost   Japan is planning further assistance to the armed forces of the Philippines through a transfer of up to six Abukuma-class destroyer escorts, which will be available after their replacement by new Mogami-class frigates beginning in 2027. Japan is also planning to transfer more Beechcraft TC-90 aircraft,…

Op-Ed: Next Two Months are Critical for Stability in the Mideast   The next two months look set to be critical for world stability, offering the prospect of resolution of two global security issues that have caused conflicts and problems for decades. The two issues are linked, and neither looks likely to be solved in…

Fincantieri Marine Group Appoints George Moutafis as Chief Executive Office [By Fincantieri Marine Group] Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), the U.S. subsidiary of Fincantieri – one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and a global leader in the construction of highly complex vessels – announces the appointment of George A. Moutafis as Chief Executive Officer, effective…

MSC Invests in Grand Bahama Shipyard with Carnival and Royal Caribbean   MSC Cruises is set to become a third investor in the Grand Bahama Shipyard as the yard prepares to relaunch full services in 2026 with two new dry docks, which will be among the largest in the Western Hemisphere. It comes as the…

Cetasol Is Releasing Two New iHelm Features: Emission Report 2.0 & Trip Log [By: Cetasol] Cetasol is a Gothenburg-based deep tech/green tech company that develops intelligent solutions to support and accelerate maritime sustainability. The core product, iHelm, is an optimization tool for entire fleets that automatically models operations to save money and fuel while providing…

ABS Develops Industry-Leading EV Battery Fire Simulation Modeling [By: ABS] ABS has developed advanced simulation modeling of thermal runaway in Lithium-ion battery fires, in a critical step forward in tackling one of maritime’s biggest emergent safety risks. The cutting-edge model, which has now been validated with Texas A&M University research, replicates the thermal runaway profile at…

Matt Garner Appointed President of TAI Engineers [By: TAI Engineers] S&B, a leading engineering, procurement and construction company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Garner as President of S&B’s subsidiary TAI Engineers (TAI). Garner succeeds Bill Krewsky, who will retire in September. Garner brings more than 28 years of executive leadership and technical expertise in maritime technology and defense systems. Most recently,…

St. Johns Ship Building Awarded Barge Construction Contract [By: St. Johns Ship Building] St. Johns Ship Building, a leading Jones Act shipyard and a subsidiary of Americraft Marine, is proud to announce it has been awarded a new contract by Southland Contracting, Inc. for the construction of two steel deck barges. This award marks the beginning…

Cruises Urged to Act on MOBs as Father Jumps Overboard to Save Daughter [By: Zelim] The recent fall of a young girl from the fourth deck of the Disney Dream cruise ship has renewed pressure on the cruise industry to adopt lifesaving man overboard (MOB) detection technology that experts say is now both available and proven. The…

Host Acquires Transmarine Creating the U.S.’s Largest Tramp Ship Agency   T. Parker Host, already a leading U.S. maritime agency and terminal services provider, acquired Transmarine Navigation Corporation, a West Coast ship agency. Combined, they report the operations will be the largest tramp ship agency in the United States. Host, which marked its 100th anniversary…

Poland Launches First of Two New “Signal Intelligence” Spy Ships The Polish Navy marked the launch of the first of its two new signal intelligence (SIGINT) ships with fanfare on July 1. While the “spy ship” was ordered in 2022 as an enhancement to the capabilities, it is proving very timely as the focus has…

Offshore Power Agreements Delayed Citing Uncertainties in US Policy For the fourth time in a year, power purchase agreements that were due to be signed for offshore wind farms to serve Massachusetts and Rhode Island have been postponed. While the states remain anxious to pursue clean energy, the developers cite the continuing uncertainties in U.S.…

BlueForge and Palantir to Create “Warp Speed for Warships” With AI   On Wednesday, the nonprofit BlueForge Alliance – a heavily-funded program intended to help revitalize Navy submarine construction – announced that it is now working with leading commercial AI firm Palantir Technologies on a program to accelerate “warship production, fleet readiness, and digital transformation.” …

HMM Plans Expansion of Algeciras Terminal as Transshipment Hub HMM, citing the growing influence of investment companies and carriers in terminals, reports it is looking to expand its role, starting with Spain’s Algeciras. It cites the port’s role as a transshipment hub, which has increased as vessels diverted away from the Red Sea in 2024…

Offshore Wind Projects Continue to Add to U.S.-Flagged Fleet The next offshore service operation vessel (SOV), ECO Liberty, was christened to officially enter the U.S. fleet in support of the offshore wind sector. The vessel, which was completed in May, has been in jeopardy after the Trump administration suspended work on the Empire Wind project,…

Norway Provides $76M in Grants to Advance Hydrogen and Ammonia Ships Norway continues to support the advancement of a broad range of new technologies that it points out will both contribute to maritime decarbonization while also creating new industries and jobs for Norway. The Enova program announced its fourth round of grants, providing a total…

GAO Finds Opportunities for Improvement in MARAD’s Shipyard Programs   The Government Accountability Office has completed a review of MARAD’s promotional programs for shipbuilding, and has found room for improvement – primarily in goal-setting and tracking. Ever under-resourced, MARAD carries out its statutorily-mandated programs but does not always have internal goals for what these programs…

Private Equity Firm Takes Control of Louis Dreyfus and Names New CEO   France’s Louis Dreyfus Amateurs, which today is focused on offshore services, cargo and port operations, and logistics, has been sold to private equity investment group InfraVia Capital Partners. The companies had announced in February that the Louis-Dreyfus family was negotiating to sell…

Germany and Sweden Join in Crackdown on Shadow Fleet Vessels in Baltic   The efforts to identify and crack down on shadow fleet vessels breaking maritime regulations are increasing with Germany announcing that along with Sweden it will begin asking passing vessels about insurance coverage. It is joining with other Baltic and Scandinavian countries and…

HMS Prince of Wales Continues Extended Pacific Voyage   The UK-led carrier strike group led by HMS Prince of Wales (R09), has now left Singapore after a week-long port visit, and is heading further east to Indonesia, a series of Australian-led exercises, and then northwards past Taiwan to South Korea and Japan. The multinational group…

U.S. Navy Budget Request Leaves Out Next Constellation-Class Frigate   Each year’s proposed Navy budget gets a lot of attention for what’s in and what’s out, but this year has some big surprises. The next order for a Constellation-class frigate is zeroed out – no frigates are in the budget request. But the Pentagon has…

Denmark Grants Life Extension for Two Pioneering Wind Farms     Two of the pioneering offshore wind farms, which at the time were also the largest in the world, have been granted life extensions by the Danish Energy Agency. This marks the third offshore wind farm that Demarn was licensed for continued operations and represents…

American Maritime Partnership Welcomes Over 1,100 US Maritime Graduates [By American Maritime Partnership]   The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the domestic maritime industry, proudly congratulates the more than 1,100 graduates from America’s maritime academies who make up the Class of 2025. These graduates now join the 650,000 men and women of the…

NTSB Releases First Report on Mexican Navy Training Ship Accident The National Transportation Safety Board has released the preliminary results of its investigation into the allision of the Mexican Navy training vessel Cuauhtémoc with the Brooklyn Bridge last month. The report covers the known facts of the incident, and does not provide any conclusions about…

Huntington Ingalls Tries Out AI to Fight Schedule Delays   Huntington Ingalls Industries’ shipbuilding programs for the U.S. Navy face significant delays, particularly for the Ford-class aircraft carrier program, which is running years behind. To speed up work, HII is working with publicly-listed enterprise AI company C3 AI to put advanced algorithms behind the wheel…

Vessel Rerouting Contributed to Increase in Containers Lost at Sea While the overall trend continues to show improvement in the number of containers going overboard, the World Shipping Council reports that in 2024, rerouting of vessels to avoid the hostilities in the Red Sea directly contributed to an increase in boxes lost at sea. The…

Explosion Reported on Crude Tanker Off the Coast of Libya A Greek-managed crude tanker has suffered an explosion at a position off the coast of Libya, according to maritime security consultancy Vanguard.  In an advisory, Vanguard said that the 158,000 dwt tanker Vilamoura suffered a possible security incident at a position about 80 nautical miles…

Report: China’s Investments in the Arctic are Exaggerated   China’s growing presence in the Arctic has been a source of concern in western policy circles, with some viewing it as a potential geopolitical risk. Primarily, the Chinese ambition to become a major polar power has attracted scrutiny from the Arctic States (excluding Russia), all of…

India’s Mazagon Shipbuilders to Acquire Colombo Dockyard   India’s state-owned Mazagon Shipbuilders has revealed its proposed acquisition of a controlling stake in Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard. If successful, this will become the first international acquisition by an Indian yard, at a time the country is intensifying efforts to capture a bigger share of the global…

Iran’s Naval Forces Suffered Casualties From Israeli Airstrikes   Iranian naval forces did not escape unscathed in the recent 12-day Israeli aerial assault on Iran which began on June 12. In the first two days of the Israeli attack, regular Iranian Navy (Nedaja) vessels largely remained in port. As naval vessels are at their most…

Alberta is Gearing Up for a New Oil Pipeline to Prince Rupert   Alberta’s top provincial leader believes that now that Canada has a growing national consensus on the need to fast-track seaborne oil exports, a privately-backed proposal to build a new oil pipeline from Alberta’s tar sands fields to the port of Prince Rupert…

Med Marine’s TRAktor 2600-Z Tug to Advance Svitzer’s Operational Excellence [By: Med Marine] MED MARINE proudly marks the successful launch of a state-of-the-art TRAktor 2600-Z tugboat for SVITZER. Launched on May 13th at MED MARINE’s EREGLI SHIPYARD, this next-generation vessel is poised to elevate SVITZER’s operational capacity—combining high bollard pull performance with superior hydrodynamic efficiency,…

Kongsberg Maritime Provides Propulsion System for Colombian Navy Frigates [By: Kongsberg Maritime] Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with Damen Naval to supply twin Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) and shaftlines as part of a contract with the Colombian Navy for a new frigate. In September 2022, the Colombian Ministry of Defence announced that COTECMAR and…

bound4blue with Third-Party Assessed Average Daily Fuel Savings of 1.7 Tons [By: bound4blue] bound4blue has underlined the business case for adopting eSAIL® wind propulsion technology, with today’s release of BVS assessed operational fuel savings on the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) owned Ville de Bordeaux ro-ro.   The vessel, chartered by Airbus, had three 22-meter bound4blue suction…

ABS Expands Network of Learning Hubs with New Hellenic Ship Safety Center [By: ABS] ABS opened the doors on its latest training center, the Hellenic Ship Safety Center in Athens, harnessing the power of new immersive training techniques, game-based learning and virtual reality environments for the Greek shipping community. Greek shipping leaders joined ABS executives…

Elomatic Secures a Major Delivery Contract with Carnival Corporation [By: Elomatic] Elomatic, an international consulting and engineering company, has today announced the signing of a major delivery contract with Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest cruise company, for the installation of its innovative Elogrid™ tunnel thruster technology on Carnival Corporation’s…

BAE Systems Boosts Shipbuilding Capacity for Frigates with Massive New Hall Defense contractor BAE Systems is expanding on Scotland’s rich tradition of shipbuilding and advancing the future of the industry by opening a new assembly and outfit hall in Glasgow. The unique facility will contribute to ensuring the timely delivery of the next generation of…

Fincantieri Delivers 12th Ocean Cruise Ship to Viking The partnership between Fincantieri and Viking for the construction of ocean cruise ships has passed its 10th anniversary and is scheduled to continue for at least six more years. Viking took delivery on June 26 of the 12th ocean cruise ship built by the Italian shipyard and…

Hegseth Says Renaming USNS Harvey Milk “Takes Politics Out” of Ship Names   Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed in a video posted on social media on June 27 that the Navy has renamed the fleet oiler USNS Harvey Milk for a Navy Chief and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Oscar V. Petersen. The controversial…

Regional Ban on Scrubber Wash Among Environmental Steps Adopted by OSPAR Representatives from 16 countries meeting in Virgo, Spain, announced today, June 27, that they had adopted the first regional ban on the discharge of scrubber wash water among a series of new environmental actions. NGOs hailed the action, which expands on localized bans, but…

Japan’s Imabari Consolidates Shipbuilding for Lower Costs and Competition In what is seen as a strategic move aimed at strengthening Japan’s shipbuilding industry, its largest builder, Imabari Shipbuilding, will consolidate JMU (Japan Marine United) to become a fully-controlled subsidiary. Japan has been losing market share as a builder for more than two decades and now…

Sanctions on Russia’s Ice-Class LNG Carriers Could Halt its LNG Exports Russia’s Yamal LNG plant in the Siberian Arctic is one of the country’s last remaining sources of energy sales to European markets. Last year, Yamal LNG sent about 16.6 million tonnes to Europe, supplying fully 20 percent of the bloc’s imported liquefied natural gas…

Carnival Cruise Ship Changes Dry Dock During Refit Due to Strike   A strike by metalworkers in Spain caused Carnival Cruise Line to take the unusual step of switching dry docks in the middle of a refurbishment project as it sought to maintain the schedule for the overhaul. However, according to media reports, the unions…

Norway Awards $15M in Grants for Nine Port Improvement Projects   The Norwegian government is committed to strengthening the country’s coast and maritime transport system. This year, it has selected nine port projects from a long list of proposals, which will receive government support, while it also plans future programs focusing on the green transition.…

Maersk Sues as Controversy Emerges Over Bidding for Santos’ New Terminal   While the final rules are still being reviewed and contested for what stands to be Brazil’s largest ever port auction, controversy is swirling around the auction, which is due to launch late this year. Reuters is reporting that Maersk’s AMP Terminals has taken…

Constant GPS Jamming Disrupts Navigation in Strait of Hormuz   With a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran in effect, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has returned to near-normal levels, including a revival of westbound transits into the Arabian Gulf. But the intense levels of GPS jamming in the region remain an issue, and…

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy Departs Seattle for 2025 Arctic Deployment   The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy is again underway for its annual mission to the Arctic as one of only two large icebreakers currently operational for the United States. She departed her homeport of Seattle, Washington, on June 19 for what the USCG…

NTSB: Experienced Captain Caused Towboat Grounding on Ohio River   The National Transportation Safety Board has concluded that a grounding on the Ohio River last year occurred because an experienced captain made a navigational error.  On February 10, the towboat Tom Frazier was under way on the Ohio, upbound with 15 empty hopper barges. The…

Watch Officer From Grounded Turkish Bulker Charged With Negligence   A deck officer from the bulker Ali Aykin has been charged with gross negligence in connection with the vessel’s grounding off Sweden last month. Prosecutors allege that he was using his cell phone in the runup to the grounding and was navigating without an operable…

Shanghai Demonstrates Ship-to-Ship Transfer for Captured CO2 The Port of Shanghai was the location for the first demonstration of a ship-to-ship transfer of CO2 captured from a large Evergreen containership during its operations. According to the Chinese officials, it was a key advancement in the efforts to develop CO2 capture for in-service vessels to meet…

ClassNK Opens New Survey Office in Jacksonville, U.S.A. [By: ClassNK] ClassNK has opened a new exclusive survey office in Jacksonville, U.S.A. Located in northeastern Florida, Jacksonville serves as the state’s largest container port and ranks among the nation’s leading vehicle-handling ports, playing a vital role as a logistics hub. ClassNK has taken the initiative to…

Crowley Expands with Inaugural Route Connecting U.S & Central America [By: Crowley] Crowley, an international leader in logistics, marine and energy solutions, has announced a significant expansion of ocean shipping services with its first-ever route between the U.S. Northeast and Central America. Utilizing Crowley’s new, state-of-the-art Avance Class vessels, the five-day transit between the Port of…

Glamox Says, “It’s Morse Code… But Not as We Know It” [By: Glamox] Just when you thought secure satellite communication was the only method for Navy ships to communicate securely, an innovation from Glamox, a world leader in lighting, is making waves by enabling encrypted communications through light. The new lighting platform, already in use…

Roll Group Expands U.S. Presence with New Office and Yard in Louisiana [By: Roll Group] Roll Group proudly announces the opening of its newest Americas Project office and yard in Saint Gabriel, Louisiana. This strategic expansion solidifies Roll Group’s commitment to serving the Gulf Coast region with localized expertise and fully integrated engineered heavy lift and…

Weathernews Partners with SailTimer [By: Weathernews] Weathernews Inc. (WNI), the world’s largest private weather intelligence provider, is proud to announce a major new partnership with SailTimer, a pioneering Canadian wireless marine electronics and big data company. Together, they will bring advanced marine weather forecasting and navigation tools to mariners across the globe, with new weather…

Carnival Corp. Post Results Reaching Highest Levels in Two Decades Carnival Corporation, which bills itself as the largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel companies, reported strong results, beating analyst estimates and providing a further demonstration of the strength of the cruise market. It was a quarter filled with superlatives contributing to…

Saudi Global Ports Group Awarded Four 20-Year Concession Agreements [By: Saudi Global Ports Group] Saudi Global Ports Group (together with its subsidiaries, “SGP”), through its subsidiary, Modern Port Services Company Limited (SGP Multipurpose Terminals, “SGPMP”), has been awarded four 20-year concession agreements by the Saudi Ports Authority (“Mawani”) to operate multipurpose terminals along the Eastern Coast…

Parlevliet & Van der Plas Group Addresses Fisheries’ Connectivity Needs [By: Inmarsat Maritime] Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, and Parlevliet & van der Plas (PP) Group have signed an agreement to install Inmarsat NexusWave on 12 PP Group factory trawlers. NexusWave will serve evolving crew and operational connectivity needs across PP Group’s entire fleet of fish…

Ferry Grounds Off Bali, Prompting Mass Evacuation   On Sunday, a ferry with more than 70 passengers aboard went aground just off its pier near Gilimanuk, Bali, prompting a mass evacuation.  At about 0500 hours on Sunday morning, the interisland ferry Gerbang Samudra 2 was arriving at the ferry terminal at Gilimanuk, West Bali on…

Norway and France Agree to Cross-Border CO2 Transport and Storage   Norway and France completed an agreement paving the way for transporting CO2 from French industrial emission sources to Norway for storage beneath the North Sea. It is a key step in expanding the fledgling carbon capture and storage industry and comes as Norway officially…

UECC Celebrates Voyage of Sustainability with 35th Anniversary [By: United European Car Carriers] The illustrious sailing ship Christian Radich cut an impressive sight on a cruise 11.06.2025 to celebrate United European Car Carriers’ (UECC) 35th anniversary as it carved an imperious path through the shimmering waters of the Oslofjord. And it was a fitting voyage for…

Scammers Try Out “Safe Passage” Extortion Scheme for Strait of Hormuz   Calamities are a golden opportunity for unscrupulous scammers, who often try to trick unwitting survivors out of their money by pretending to be a government agency. It appears that the same scam has been tried in shipping, according to EOS Risk Group’s Martin Kelly:…

Sail-Assisted Ro-Ro Demonstrates Fuel Savings in Two Years of Service   Two years after its launch, Canopée, the first cargo vessel equipped with four automated OceanWings rigid sails, has demonstrated the potential of wind-assisted propulsion according to the joint venture between Jifmar and Zéphyr & Borée, which operates the vessel for the Ariane rocket program.…

Fremantle and Other Western Australia Ports to Receive State Investments   The government of the Australian state of Western Australia announced plans for major investments in the state’s ports as part of its 2025-2026 State Budget. According to the officials, the critical infrastructure improvements will enhance the business position and contribute to the country’s economy…

Global Offshore Outlook: Shoring Up Safety in an Era of Renewal   Offshore exploration and production is rebounding in 2025, driven by a dynamic mix of regulatory developments and technological advancements. With the world’s energy demand rising, the industry is accelerating innovations that support the energy transition — with digital and energy-efficiency solutions underpinning future…

Audit: Coast Guard is Only Catching One-Fifth of IUU Fishing Suspects The Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog agency reports that the U.S. Coast Guard is letting lots of illegal fishing perpetrators go about their business without interdiction, stymied by a lack of available resources. The problem is almost entirely a Texas issue: 94 percent…

Study: Life At Sea is the Most Dangerous Way to Earn a Living   Working on or near the sea is the most dangerous way to make a living, according to new survey results from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Gallup. People that the survey categorized as “ocean workers” – a broad group containing “those…

As Kremlin Promotes Ties With S. Africa, FESCO Launches New Durban Service   As part of its global expansion drive, Russia’s top container line FESCO has launched a new service linking key ports with Durban, South Africa. The launch of the service was revealed last week by German Maslov, FESCO’s Vice President for the Liner and…

After U.S. Attack on Iran, Shipping Continues to Use Strait of Hormuz   While shipping watches closely for Iran to make a decision on a full-scale closure of the Strait of Hormuz, shipping associations and government advisory agencies are urging caution for ships passing through areas within reach of Iran’s military capabilities – including the…

Limited Use of Diego Garcia Reflects its Diminished Value After Handover   Both before and after the devastating US attack on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, US deployments of aircraft to the Naval Support Base airfield on Diego Garcia are illustrating the flaws in the agreement which the United Kingdom and…

U.S. Mounted Huge Forward Deployment for Attack on Iran   The United States mounted an enormous deployment of aircraft and naval vessels into the Central Command area of responsibility in preparation for its attack on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Little of this massive deployment was disguised, with multiple recordings of…

What is a “Bunker Buster”?   [By James Dwyer] Early on Sunday morning, local time, the United States carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, marking its open participation in the conflict between Iran and Israel. The US says it fired 30 submarine-launched missiles at the sites in Natanz…

Austal USA Launches First Steel Ship Marking Expansion from Aluminum   Austal USA marked a key milestone in its shipbuilding operation recently with the rollout and launch of its first steel ship, the future USNS Billy Frank Jr. (T-ATS 11). The company is best known for its large aluminum vessels and the Independence-class Littoral Combat…

RINA Acquires Finland’s Foreship, Strengthening Marine Consulting [By RINA] RINA, the multinational engineering consultancy, inspection and certification group, has acquired the entire share capital of Foreship, a renowned Finnish company specialising in naval architecture and marine engineering, from Vaaka Partners and company’s managers. The acquisition marks a further expansion of RINA’s marine engineering consulting offering…

World’s Largest Sail Yacht Cruise Ship Floated Out in France What promises to be one of the unique entrants into the growing luxury segment of the cruise market, Orient Express Corinthian (26,200 gross tons) was floated out this week. At 727 feet (220 meters) in length and accommodations for 110 passengers, it will be the…

Vigor Marine Group Launches as Unified Maritime Leader [By Vigor Marine Group] Five leading marine and industrial service companies — Vigor, Continental Maritime of San Diego, MHI Ship Repair & Services, Seaward Marine Services, and Accurate Marine Environmental — today announced their unification under a single name: Vigor Marine Group. As a full-service prime contractor,…

Ukraine Seeks Auctioneer to Sell Seized Turkish Cargo Ship   Ukraine’s National Agency for Tracing and Asset Management (ARMA) is calling for proposals to manage the sale of a Turkish cargo ship it seized in 2024 on charges that it looted grain from Crimea. It is the latest step in efforts by Ukraine to sell…

Poland Succeeds After Eight Years to Dispose of Abandoned Russian Tanker   Polish officials were on hand to witness a Russian-registered product tanker towed from the Port of Gdynia after languishing for eight years and becoming a political liability. After months of efforts, the tanker Khatanga was towed away on Thursday, June 19, with Poland’s…

Gov. González-Colon, Crowley Celebrate Puerto Rico’s US-Flagged LNG Carrier   [By Crowley] Crowley, a U.S.-owned shipping and logistics company, alongside Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón, celebrated the successful operation of American Energy, during an event Wednesday, June 18 at Crowley’s LNG Loading Terminal in Peñuelas. American Energy is the first U.S.-flagged liquefied natural gas (LNG)…

With Flights Disrupted, Cruise Ship Creates Lifeline for Israeli Travelers   With most international flights to Tel Aviv disrupted due to the conflict between Israel and Iran, a cruise ship has become a lifeline for those who want to get in and out of the country. The Israeli-operated Crown Iris recently delivered more than a…

UK Completes First Round for Float Wind Power in the Celtic Sea   The UK completed its fifth round process for selecting projects with this effort focusing on the development of pioneering projects in the Celtic Sea. The Crown Estate which manages the offshore property is calling the contracts for projects among the largest of…

Kerala High Court Orders Arrest of an MSC Boxship Over Elsa 3 Sinking   Drifts of miniscule plastic nurdles are washing ashore in Kovalam, Kerala after the sinking of the container ship MSC Elsa 3, which took on a list and sank off the coast on May 25. As the environmental damage from the casualty…

Samsung Terminates $3.5B in Orders from Russia’s Zvezda and Plans Lawsuit   The fight between Samsung Heavy Industries and Russia’s Zvezda shipbuilding is continuing with the South Koreans now saying they have terminated the contracts and plan to seek compensation. The dispute has been developing as Western sanctions mounted against Russia including Zvezda and ends…

Recycling Firm Buys Astoria, Famous 77-Year-Old Liner Turned Cruise Ship   A Belgium recycling firm confirmed that it was the sole bidder at the June 17 auction for the famed liner Stockholm which spent its final years operating as the cruise ship Astoria (15,000 gross tons). The ship which earned a place in history for…

Birdon Begins Construction on First Waterways Commerce Cutter [By: Birdon] Today, Birdon announced it has started construction on the first new Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC), a critical milestone in achieving the U.S. Coast Guard’s goal to recapitalize the aging Inland Waterways fleet. Birdon has made significant proactive investments in engineering, design, facilities, equipment, and workforce…

Maritime NZ Charges KiwiRail Over Ro/Ro Grounding   New Zealand’s inter-island ro/ro ferry operator KiwiRail is facing charges following accusations of endangering the safety of passengers after one of its ferries grounded in June last year. Maritime NZ said it has filed two charges against KiwiRail after completing investigations on the grounding of ro/ro ferry Aratere north of…

The Swedish Club Puts People First: Crew Wellbeing Takes Centre Stage [By: The Swedish Club] At its 153rd Annual General Meeting (AGM), The Swedish Club reaffirmed its commitment to crew wellbeing, placing it firmly at the core of its message. The Club underscored the need for a holistic approach to care — one that addresses…

BAE Systems Ordered to Improve Fire Safety at Nuclear-Sub Shipyard   The defense and security contractor building the next-generation nuclear submarines for the Royal Navy has been ordered to improve its safety measures after a fire broke out at its Barrow-in-Furness shipyard in October last year. BAE Systems Marine, which is building the UK’s largest…

Kongsberg Secures Thruster Contracts from Sanmar Shipyards for 17 Tugs [By: Kongsberg Maritime] Kongsberg Maritime will supply 17 shipsets of its US range of azimuth thrusters to Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyards for a range of international tug projects. The US azimuth thrusters will be supplied across a range of power outputs between 1765kW and 2525kW with…

RINA Acquires Foreship, Strengthening Global Position in Marine Consulting [By: RINA] RINA, the multinational engineering consultancy, inspection and certification group, has acquired the entire share capital of Foreship, a renowned Finnish company specialising in naval architecture and marine engineering, from Vaaka Partners and company’s managers. The acquisition marks a further expansion of RINA’s marine engineering…