Barrier News

China is conducting a vast undersea mapping and monitoring operation across the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, building detailed knowledge of marine conditions that naval experts say would be crucial for waging submarine warfare against the United States and its allies.In one example, the Dong Fang Hong 3, a research vessel operated by Ocean University of China, spent 2024 and 2025 sailing back and forth in the seas near Taiwan and the U.S. stronghold of Guam, and around strategic stretches of the Indian Ocean, ship-tracking data reviewed by Reuters shows.

China is conducting a vast undersea mapping and monitoring operation across the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, building detailed knowledge of marine conditions that naval experts say would be crucial for waging submarine warfare against the United States and its allies.In one example, the Dong Fang Hong 3, a research vessel operated by Ocean University of China, spent 2024 and 2025 sailing back and forth in the seas near Taiwan and the U.S. stronghold of Guam, and around strategic stretches of the Indian Ocean, ship-tracking data reviewed by Reuters shows.

A new analysis from WinGD and Envision Energy suggests something the maritime industry has been debating for years ... and likely will be debating for many years to come: the changing economics of zero-emission fuels.For shipowners, the significance is straightforward. The conversation is shifting from if green fuels can compete to when — and in some cases, that answer may already be “now.”On a pure fuel-cost basis, green ammonia still carries a premium, as today, it can run close to three times the cost of very low sulphur fuel oil.

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…

Ferries in port cities like Barcelona, Dublin and Naples are responsible for more toxic air pollution (SOx) than all the cars in those cities, a new study by T&E shows.Promisingly, 60% of Europe’s ferries could be electric by 2035, and over half (52%) would be cheaper to operate than fossil-fueled vessels, the report shows.With the average age of ferries in Europe at 26 years, now is the time for a clean renewal, says T&E.Ferries play a vital role in connecting Europe’s islands with the mainland…

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has concluded a 24‑day response operation to support a vessel in distress in the Coral Sea, Queensland, preventing risk to the Great Barrier Reef, the marine environment and seafarers.On February 1, AMSA received reports that Liberian‑flagged Swift Hangzhou was experiencing engine failure. AMSA immediately initiated response arrangements to coordinate a safe and effective outcome lasting over three weeks due to the complexity of the incident.

GIT Coatings, a leader in sustainable high-performance marine coatings, announced the launch of its graphene-base hard foul-release coating, XGIT-FORCE. With first applications already underway across a global fleet, XGIT-FORCE is engineered to unlock up to 10% fuel savings and provide the highest return on investment of any antifouling coating on the market. XGIT-FORCE is the result of years of research and development, involving testing and trials in different fouling pressure conditions across the globe.

After spending about 3 billion dollars, the Constellation frigate program was shut down with absolutely nothing to show for it.The New York Times produced an Op-Ed titled “America can’t make what the Navy Needs.”That title may indicate the United States does not have the technical ability to build ships for the US Navy. However, the article itself clearly shows that the issue relates to the Navy not being able to figure out what it wants US shipbuilders to build.The Navy wanted US shipbuilders to build a standard design.

Tim Mooney is the third-generation family member at the helm of the iconic Fire Island Ferries. While the company’s primary focus has been moving people to and fro, from the Long Island, NY mainland to the Fire Island barrier communities and beaches, the business has evolved and grown since its start in 1948 via acquisition and organic growth. Mooney discuss the assets, the people and the priorities to safely, efficiently keep his cumulative operation of moving about one million people annually in good order.There are ferry operators…

Captain Steve Jones is President of the Passenger Vessel Association for 2025. As his term comes to a close in February at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2026 in Covington, KY, Captain Jones has achieved several long-sought-after successes during his term and set in motion other important association undertakings intended to deliver noteworthy benefits to PVA members in the coming year and beyond. Captain Jones has been with the Gateway Clipper Fleet since 1987. The Gateway Clipper Fleet…

Indian sub-continent ship recycling markets have been reflecting on what has been escalating on the international stage of late, reports cash buyer GMS. The company notes extremely turbulent effects emanating week after week from these markets — meaning it is becoming increasingly difficult to identify what price can be obtained for which type / LDT of unit and, most importantly, which buyer in which market would be willing to jump for the unit in question.“As we await January’s inflation figures from the various destinations…

Within the margins of the IMO Assembly meetings, on December 2, the World Maritime University (WMU), in collaboration with the 90 North Foundation, announced the release of the 2025 Arctic Report: The Arctic Ocean Region – Biodiversity, Governance & Protective Measures, a comprehensive assessment of one of the planet’s most rapidly changing and geopolitically significant regions.The report warns that the Arctic Ocean—long perceived as remote and inaccessible—is now experiencing profound environmental, economic, and political transformation.

Next Generation Shipyards (NGS) in Lauwersoog has taken a major step toward modernizing its production line with the installation of a new state-of-the-art robotic welding system, technology that the yard says will boost efficiency, improve weld quality, and strengthen its competitive position in the specialized workboat market.The nature of shipbuilding has historically limited the usefulness of welding robots, which are typically designed for repetitive, standardized production environments.

Steelpaint GmbH has reported strong growth in orders for corrosion protection coatings on Germany’s inland waterways, with a succession of new contracts awarded by local authorities and hydraulic engineering contractors throughout 2025.Among the raft of new projects is the work WSA Main is carrying out on the Main River at Viereth-Trunstadt. The Main is a major tributary of the Rhine forming one of Europe’s most important inland transport routes between the North Sea and the Black…

Marilyn Hubalde still remembers the first time she heard the thunderous chop of military helicopters swooping over this northernmost outpost of the Philippines, less than 90 miles from Taiwan. It was April 2023, when Filipino and American troops descended on the cluster of 10 emerald green islands of Batanes province for amphibious warfare drills.“We were terrified,” the 65-year-old Hubalde recalled. “We thought China might attack when they learned there were military exercises in Batanes.” Hubalde’s helper…

Where does true value lie in maritime digitalization? How are shipowners leveraging improvements in data quality and how can a single source of truth support and inform decision-making? To kick-off London International Shipping Week, ABS Wavesight assembled a panel of industry leaders to seek out the answers, with CEO Staci Satterwhite asking the questions.The panel - made up of Robert Gaina, SVP, Commercial at Ardmore Shipping, Niraj Nanda, Chief Commercial Officer at Anglo-Eastern and Robert Desai, Chief Executive Officer at V.

The Saab-led MANGROVE consortium has been selected by NATO to lead the Allied Underwater Battlespace Mission Network project (AUWB-MN), aimed at improving interoperability for maritime uncrewed systems and conventional platforms between allied naval forces.The project, which formally started earlier in September, is designing a Reference Architecture and a Test and Reference Environment for a mission network that leverages both crewed and uncrewed systems, above, on and below the water.The mission network will facilitate rapid and secure information exchange…

Scientists have detected the DNA of an invasive marine species in Arctic Canada suggesting the region’s waters are no longer cold enough to be a natural barrier.The study, published in Global Change Biology by researchers at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), provides the first evidence of a non-native invasive barnacle species.Climate change is warming the Arctic nearly four times faster than anywhere else on Earth. As a result, Canada’s Arctic waters are losing their thermal barrier against invasive species.

While political winds in the U.S. have significantly tampered many ‘green’ projects, Curtin Maritime is domiciled in California, which is globally known for its strict environmental initiatives. To that end, Curtin Maritime inked a contract recently to invest $160m for eight new hybrid-electric tugboats, vessels being built by Snow & Co. and featuring vertically integrated electric powertrains from Arc with Schottel propulsion. Maritime Reporter TV interviewed Martin Curtin, CEO…

Metal Shark has announced the delivery of a new 40’ x 12’ welded aluminum monohull pilothouse fireboat to Tampa Fire Rescue. Designed in-house by Metal Shark and built at the company’s Jeanerette, Louisiana production facility, the new vessel is the first of two next-generation 38 Defiant NXT fireboats being built for the Department.Powered by triple 300 hp Yamaha outboards with HelmMaster controls and joystick operational capability, the new 38 Defiant NXT combines proven high-speed performance with exceptional maneuverability.

As there is currently a shortage of mariners, the U.S. Coast Guard has considered the barrier to mariner career progression presented by Title 46 CFR 11.211(d), Service on Articulated Tug Barges (ATB) and Integrated Tug Barges (ITB). This regulation limits the crediting of sea service based on the aggregate tonnage of the ATB or ITB to a two-for-one basis up to only 50% of the required service.The inability to receive sea service credit for the aggregate tonnage of the ATB or ITB limits career progression and is unnecessarily burdensome for mariners holding unlimited tonnage endorsements…

Britain urged closer international cooperation to improve energy security on Thursday, telling dozens of other governments and business leaders that they would otherwise be vulnerable to those who were willing to weaponise supplies.Security of energy supply shot up the agenda of countries around the world after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 drove up global prices and pushed the EU to curb its reliance on Russian fuels."Energy security is national security...

RWE has deployed a bubble curtain technology in the U.K. for the first time to protect marine life from the construction noise at its Sofia offshore wind farm.RWE has been working with Hydrotechnik Offshore to introduce an innovative underwater noise-abatement technology, known as a bubble curtain, for offshore wind farm construction in the U.K.The deployment at the Sofia offshore wind farm, located 195km off the coast of England, represents a significant step in protecting marine life from underwater noise generated during piling activities.The bubble curtain…