First Phase News

One of North America’s busiest ferry routes is joining the growing trend for U.S.-based operators to make the efficiencies of electrification central when they modernize their fleets, after an integrated hybrid-electric propulsion system from ABB was selected for the new ship ordered by Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA).Shipbuilder Senesco Marine contracted ABB to deliver full propulsion and automation systems for the 75-car passenger and vehicle ferry, which will replace the 45-year-old Cape Henlopen in connecting Lewes, Delaware and Cape May, New Jersey.

Baker Hughes has secured a contract to supply gas compression and power generation technology for ST LNG’s proposed 8.4 million tonnes per annum liquefied natural gas export terminal offshore Matagorda in Texas.Under the agreement, Baker Hughes will provide two LM6000PF gas turbine-driven centrifugal compressor trains and three NovaLT16 gas turbine generator packages for the first phase of the project, which is expected to deliver 2.1 MTPA as part of a planned four-phase development.The project, located in U.S.

Manufacturing company Hadrian has opened a new facility in Cherokee, Alabama dedicated to the U.S. Navy's Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs.Known as Factory 4, the Cherokee facility is an advanced, highly automated manufacturing plant that will mass-produce components needed for submarine construction, including parts, assemblies, and finished products.These products have been identified by the industry as the largest drivers of submarine schedules, so increasing…

2025 was a year of recalibration, continuing the softness experienced since the fourth quarter of 2024. Rather than a slowdown, this period can be better described as a collective deep breath as the industry prepares for the next upcycle in the Asian Pacific region.Compared to 2024, the composite dayrates, calculated as a weighted average across size categories, declined by approximately 16% for PSVs and 14% for AHTS vessels. In tandem, utilization also softened, with the number of working vessels down 19% and 8% respectively…

Italy’s Fincantieri and Spain’s Navantia have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly coordinate and execute the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) program, strengthening industrial cooperation under one of Europe’s most ambitious defense initiatives.The two shipbuilders plan to create a joint venture to manage and execute the program. The vehicle will be open to participation from other project partners, with incorporation subject to the finalization of transaction documents…

Wind propulsion specialist bound4blue has completed the first installation under its agreement with Maersk Tankers, fitting four 24-meter eSAIL suction sails on the medium-range tanker Maersk Trieste as part of a wider fleet retrofit program.The installation marks the first phase of a contract agreed in December 2024 covering 20 eSAIL units across five Maersk Tankers MR vessels, representing bound4blue’s largest order to date.The four eSAIL units were installed at EDR Shipyard in Belgium following preparatory work carried out at Yiu Lian Shipyard in Shenzhen, China.

WiseTech Global and Tailwind Shipping Lines, a subsidiary of Lidl, one of Europe’s largest retailers, have announced direct data integration to enable freight forwarders to plan, book, confirm and manage shipments in real-time from within the CargoWise logistics execution platform.Tailwind Shipping Lines operates three liner services which connect key regions across the world: the Panda Express Service (PAX) between China and the Mediterranean; the Tiger Express Service (TEX) between Bangladesh…

Brazil's Federal Audit Court (TCU) on Monday voted six to three to recommend that operators of existing container terminals at the Santos port be barred from participating in the first phase of bidding for a planned mega terminal, citing concerns over market concentration.The decision deals a blow to companies such as Danish shipping group Maersk, MSC and others already operating container terminals in Latin America's largest port, as these companies will only be able to enter a second phase of the auction if the first does not attract valid bids.The two-phase model, proposed by port regulator

The Digitally Enabled Efficient Propeller (D.E.E.P) project, led by industry consortium and funded by Innovate UK, has been launched to investigate the development of a new generation of marine propellers produced using advanced additive manufacturing (AM) processes, integrated with digital twin technology.The innovation is set to transform propellers from passive hardware into smart, cyber-physical systems capable of monitoring their performance throughout their operational life.The D.E.E.P concept has secured funding from Innovate UK…

Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) unveiled an innovative solar energy project that it says embodies the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to build a future based on sustainability and innovation.The ASRY solar energy project is touted as the largest of its kind in the world in the ship repair and shipbuilding sector, in partnership with Kanoo CleanMax Renewables.The total capacity of the solar power plant is 22.5MW in the first phase, plus 22MW in the second.

At Gastech 2025, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI) received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS for its concept design of a 16,000 TEU container ship with an electric propulsion system.ABS completed design reviews based on class requirements, analyzing the power system including key elements such as power generation, power conversion and propulsion motors.“ABS, HD KSOE and HHI share a commitment to leveraging our combined resources and expertise to advance electrical applications in the maritime industry.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Facilities Design and Construction Center completed a contract modification with The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company Aug. 25 to remove up to 100 submerged concrete piles under the old Pier November at Base Charleston in North Charleston, South Carolina. The modification, with a potential value of approximately $14.8 million, includes work that is necessary to complete construction of new, modernized piers to provide support and logistics for up to five…

The development Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta share is transforming the nation into a rising energy exporter, with oil and pipeline gas already flowing abroad and an ambitious multi-phase ‘Argentina LNG’ initiative aiming to secure a permanent place in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. While geological resources appear sufficient, the scale and pace of development, however, present challenges.‘Argentina LNG’ is a large-scale LNG scheme designed to massively develop Vaca Muerta's resources to deliver energy to domestic and international market.

Taihan’s cable laying vessel (CLV), PALOS, has successfully completed the installation of export cables for the 364.8 MW Yeonggwang Nakwol offshore wind farm in South Korea.The project, being developed Nakwol Blue Heart, is located near Songido, is a large-scale initiative to develop a 364.8MW wind power complex.With a total project cost of $1.6 billion, the facility will generate enough electricity to power approximately 250,000 households year-round upon completion. The overall…

Vessel operators must embed cybersecurity into their operational procedures to meet USCG 33 CFR Part 104, writes Nicolas Furgé, President, Cyber, MarlinkAs cyber threats continue to grow in both scale and complexity, maritime stakeholders, from shipowners and operators to port facilities are facing new regulatory demands to improve cyber resilience.The latest cybersecurity rules from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), amending parts 101, 104, 105 and 106 of 33 CFR Sub-chapter F, represent a major shift in how cybersecurity is addressed by U.S.-flagged vessels and U.S.

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation successfully completed the world’s first maritime pilot demonstrating the full value chain of onboard captured carbon dioxide (CO2) in China.The pilot encompassed two phases. In the first phase, Shanghai Qiyao Environmental Technology (SMDERI-QET) conducted a ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of 25.44 metric tons (MT) of captured CO2 from the container vessel MV Ever Top to the receiving vessel Dejin 26. The CO2 was subsequently offloaded from Dejin 26 to a tank truck at a jetty in Zhoushan…

Global shipping groups are looking to Brazil's courts to overturn competition rules that bar them from participating in the first round of bidding on a major new container terminal at Latin America's largest port, due to take place later this year.Danish shipping group Maersk filed a lawsuit on Monday in Sao Paulo against Brazil's marine transport authority (Antaq), and its general director, according to a document seen by Reuters. The lawsuit called for "procedural corrections to ensure a fair process" to assign the Tecon 10 terminal at the Port of Santos.The bidding rules…

Domestic U.S. shipping interests are closely monitoring a United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) proposal for import and export trades involving Chinese vessels. There is an ongoing Section 301 investigation prompted by domestic industry concerns about China’s industrial ambitions in sectors that are critical to U.S. economic and national security. The outsized role of China in international ocean shipping is greater than many would expect. China’s global tonnage of the shipbuilding market share grew from less than 5% in 1999 to over 50% in 2023.

ADNOC Gas said on Tuesday it had taken a final investment decision on the first phase of its Rich Gas Development (RGD) Project, awarding $5 billion in contracts to expand and improve efficiency at the project.The contracts involve expanding processing units to boost throughput and improve operational efficiency across its Asab, Buhasa, Habshan onshore facilities and its offshore Das Island liquefaction facility, the company said in a statement.The contracts were awarded to British oilfield services firms Wood Group and Petrofac, and to Kent.ADNOC Gas, a subsidiary of the United Arab Emirates'

Retrofit specialist GLO Marine has secured hydraulic system upgrade job on Bluewater’s Haewene Brim floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit, following the successful delivery of the project’s first phase.The contract builds on the collaboration between GLO Marine and Bluewater in  Phase 1 of the FPSO upgrade program, where GLO Marine delivered the full feasibility and engineering scope, including detailed technical analysis, prototype validation, and a complete set of engineering deliverables.Aa part of the second phase…

Dutch offshore installation firm Van Oord has started scour protection works at RWE Nordseecluster offshore wind farm, kicking off the offshore construction for the first phase of the 1.6GW project.The scour protection provides full protection for the monopiles that will be installed later this year.The works are being executed by Van Oord’s flexible fallpipe vessel Stornes, which is equipped with a dynamic positioning system, a flexible fallpipe, and in-house developed ROV technology.“This allows us to install the scour protection with high precision and efficiency…

HX Expeditions has launched an excursion program in Arctic Canada developed in partnership with Inuit Elders, local residents and community-born staff.It marks the first time a global cruise company has introduced a community-led program of this scale in the region. Launching in summer 2025, the community-led excursions will be offered on HX’s 25-day Northwest Passage sailings: westbound from Greenland to Alaska aboard MS Fridtjof Nansen, HX’s newest hybrid-powered vessel, and eastbound from Alaska to Greenland aboard MS Roald Amundsen…

A joint venture project developing the first marine fuel facility for liquefied natural gas in the U.S. Gulf Coast has secured final permits and construction is expected to begin later this year, executives involved said on Monday.The global shipping industry has been looking for fuel solutions to cut carbon emissions, with LNG seen as a cleaner alternative.U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to expand LNG exports to help reduce Europe's dependency on Russian gas after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine three years ago.U.S. LNG can be used as a marine fuel in U.S.