Documentation News

Both Iraq and Pakistan have cut deals with Iran to ship oil and liquefied natural gas from the Gulf, according to five sources with knowledge of the matter, in a demonstration of Tehran's ability to control energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has slashed energy exports from a region that normally supplies 20% of the world's crude oil and LNG. The U.S. has blockaded Iranian ports in recent weeks. And though Iran initially sought to halt traffic through the strait…

Robustel’s MG460 Gateway and MG460 Forwarder have received ClassNK Type Approval as a Computer-Based System (CBS) under IACS UR E27. Issued under Approval No. 26CY029, the approval is valid until 23 April 2031.Robustel is a global provider of industrial connectivity and edge computing solutions, headquartered in Guangzhou, China. Founded in 2010, the company develops routers, modems, edge computing gateways, and purpose-built networking products for industrial and maritime applications.Robustel's maritime product portfolio is engineered for regulated and safety-critical environments…

Today’s headlines bring constant news of international shipping hubs across the global supply chain experiencing major volatility and disruption – from Iran sending shockwaves through global energy markets by forcefully obstructing vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz; to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen signaling intent to restart attacks on shipping  in the Red Sea; to China detaining Panama-flagged vessels in an escalation of ongoing disputes over the Panama Canal; and beyond.By contrast, the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry continues to move our nation’s cargo on U.S.

Medics were working on Monday to evacuate two people with symptoms of the deadly hantavirus after a suspected outbreak on a luxury cruise ship held off West Africa carrying mostly British, American and Spanish passengers, officials said.Around 150 people were still stuck on the vessel after three people - a Dutch couple and a German national - died, and others fell ill, including a Briton who left the vessel and was being treated in South Africa, authorities added.Hantavirus, which can cause fatal respiratory illness, can be spread when particles from rodent droppings or urine become airborne.

Ukraine has asked Israel to seize a vessel carrying grain it says was stolen from areas occupied by Russia, its top prosecutor said on Wednesday, amid a diplomatic tussle between the two countries over the shipment.Ukraine and Israel traded accusations on Tuesday, with Ukraine saying it had repeatedly urged Israel via diplomatic channels to take measures regarding the vessel. Israel accused Kyiv of "Twitter diplomacy".Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said on the Telegram app that the vessel…

Security is all too often treated as a purely compliance-driven exercise. This isn’t advisable in any industry, but it is particularly damaging for those that fall under critical infrastructure frameworks. Ports, and, by extension, the dredging operations that maintain and expand shipping lanes, are the backbone of global trade, underpinning essential supply lines. Security threats and workplace distributions therefore carry repercussions that extend far beyond any individual location, and facilitate a response that goes beyond passive monitoring and reactive measures.

IACS, the membership organization for the world’s leading classification societies, has published a Recommendation to improve safety standards for lifting appliances, in line with SOLAS regulations covering both new and existing lifting appliances.Lifting appliances play a vital role in cargo handling and ship operations, yet their limited structural redundancy has long posed safety risks for crews and vessels. To address these hazards, the IMO has introduced new mandatory requirements for the design…

The IMO’s Legal Committee has approved a new set of guidelines to improve transparency and due diligence in ship registration, as well as prevent fraudulent registrations and misuse of flags. The guidelines help to close a key regulatory gap for the maritime industry, given there is currently no binding international framework to regulate the registration of ships. The newly approved Guidelines will assist new and existing flag State ship registries by providing practical measures to strengthen verification and due diligence…

Gotland Horizon X is a 130-meter, 18,300-gt, 1,500-passenger, 400-car, 30-knot catamaran now under construction at Austal for delivery in summer 2028. Positioned as hydrogen-ready from day one, the vessel is not a technology demonstrator. It is a frontline Ro-Pax ferry designed to maintain timetable integrity while opening a credible pathway toward hydrogen. For ports and fuel suppliers, that distinction matters. Horizon X is less about a single vessel and more about what it signals: future-fuel ships are coming that will demand corresponding evolution ashore.Jonas Moberg…

NYK has jointly implemented a crew transfer vessel (CTV) newbuilding project that applies 3D technology as a core platform throughout the design and construction process.This project is being carried out in collaboration with Kosaba Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Smert Design Co., Ltd.CTVs transporting crews to offshore wind farms must meet high standards of safety, operability, and maintenance and inspection efficiency. Consequently, the design and construction phases now demand…

Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, is deepening its collaboration with Microsoft to help make it easier for industrial companies to modernize their operations, break free from proprietary legacy systems and deploy AI-powered automation at scale.A Collaboration Built to End Legacy DragThe Schneider Electric collaboration with Microsoft combines Schneider Electric’s role as a global energy technology partner and pioneer of open, software‑defined automation with Microsoft Azure cloud, AI, and edge infrastructure.

The French Navy seized an oil tanker on Friday in the Western Mediterranean that President Emmanuel Macron said belonged to Russia's shadow fleet, a network of vessels that enables Moscow to export oil despite Western sanctions.Local officials told Reuters earlier on Friday that the navy had boarded a Mozambique-flagged oil tanker named Deyna that was suspected of flying a false flag. The ship had been sailing from the Russian port of Murmansk.Western sanctions imposed on Russia…

An ATSB preliminary investigation report details the circumstances leading up to the brief grounding of the Australian research vessel Nuyina off Heard Island, 4,000 km south-west of Perth, October 13 last year.The grounding occurred while Nuyina, the Australian Antarctic Division’s research and supply vessel, was conducting drone survey operations over the shore of Heard Island, close to an area of uncharted seafloor.On board the vessel were 37 marine crew and 85 expeditioners.“Nuyina had several scientific instruments installed on a retractable drop keel…

U.S.–Venezuela relations have entered a consequential phase for ocean transportation, energy markets, and trade compliance. Sanctions targeting Venezuela’s oil sector and maritime networks now combine escalated enforcement, including tanker seizures, vessel interdictions, and intensified scrutiny of shipping structures, with narrowly-tailored licenses permitting specific oil exports, diluent shipments, and related maritime services. This has blurred traditional lines between operational risk, trade compliance, and risk transfer strategies.

Yesterday, a new ISO standard was published to help port authorities, shipowners and operators navigate rules on how ships should be cleaned in an environmentally sound way. Hull cleaning is gaining traction among shipowners, while countries are increasingly introducing regulations—but many ports still lack practical guidance on how to manage it. “Biofouling on ships’ hulls can spread invasive aquatic species and damage ecosystems. It also increases drag, reducing a vessel’s efficiency and leading to higher fuel consumption and increased greenhouse gas emissions…

India’s decision to introduce additional documentation checks before end-of-life vessels are cleared could prevent the practice of fake documents among the dark fleet, says leading vessel cash buyer Wirana Shipping Corporation.The recent decision taken by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) to introduce an additional process of documentation checks will act as a deterrent to ships being sent for recycling with fake documents, says Wirana Shipping, the world’s…

Korean Register (KR) has launched an upgraded version of its technical software platform, "SeaTrust Software Hub," introducing an AI-integrated system designed to enhance user accessibility and strengthen customer support.SeaTrust Software Hub provides a more intuitive and structured interface for KR’s suite of technical software. It also enables users to manage the entire workflow, from software downloads and technical inquiries to feedback submission and improvement requests…

NorthStandard has published a new white paper focusing on the accelerating adoption of biofuels in commercial shipping. ‘Biofuels – Driving the green transition’ brings together insights from NorthStandard, supplier World Fuel and leading testing agency Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS), in a unique discussion document outlining biofuel uptake, potential issues and loss prevention measures. Many owner-operators who seek a drop-in solution to drive maritime decarbonization choose biofuel blends.

Results from last year’s Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on ballast water management has revealed a change in regulatory compliance failures, which now include the actual performance, operation, and maintenance of installed ballast water treatment systems.According to Charlène Ceresola, BWT Project Manager and Regulatory expert at BIO-UV Group, Port State Control (PSC) data show that while documentation and record-keeping issues remain widespread, the most serious non-compliances are technical in nature.“When you look at the total number of compliance failures…

Energy and marine consultancy ABL has been appointed to provide marine warranty survey (MWS) services to support the offshore construction for the Phase 4 development of the Kamose offshore gas field development in the Mediterranean Sea for North Sinai Petroleum Company (NOSPCO).The Kamose Phase 4 development, which is located at the Eastern flank of the Nile Delta, envisages the construction and installation of three new offshore production platforms monopods, named Hoor-1&2…

India has seized three U.S.-sanctioned tanker ships linked to Iran this month and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday.India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the source added.The seizures and heightened surveillance follow an improvement in U.S.-India relations. Washington earlier this month announced it will cut import tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%…

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) announced the renewal of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that reaffirms a shared commitment between the chemical industry and the U.S. tugboat, towboat, and barge industry to enhance safety, environmental protection, and security through Responsible Care and AWO’s Responsible Carrier Program (RCP).The agreement renews a streamlined approach that enables Responsible Care Partner companies in the marine…

DOF Group has entered into an agreement to purchase the very high-end AHTS vessels Aurora Saltfjord and Aurora Sandefjord.The vessels are 2011-built and feature a bollard pull of almost 400 metric tonnes, making them among the most powerful AHTS vessels globally.The vessels are among the most recently built in their segment (AHTS >300mt bollard pull), a segment which sees no newbuilding activity due to prohibitive newbuilding costs. DOF sees a very strong market outlook for projects that require high-end AHTS vessels in the years to come…