Long Term News

Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst:“The recent tariff ruling by the US Supreme Court will have knock-on impacts for ocean container shipping, but this will be nuanced and unlikely to cause a huge increase in frontloading demand, even though tariffs on some Chinese manufactured goods are lower today than a week ago.“The court ruling and political fallout actually increase uncertainty for many shippers. The TPM industry conference taking place in Long Beach next week is traditionally when long term freight contracts are negotiated…

The McMurdo Docking Pier, constructed by Gunderson Marine & Iron (GM&I) and designed by Glosten for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hassuccessfully arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica following a 9,159 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean.The pier, towed from the Pacific Northwest by TradeWinds Towing, was underway for 69 days, averaging 5.5 knots over the course of its journey. This total includes four days of route adjustments to avoid severe Southern Ocean weather systems.

A research-engine test bench at Everllence’s Augsburg site has been upgraded to enable hydrogen combustion.The new development occurred under the umbrella of the HydroPoLEn project, an Everllence partnership with industry leaders and research institutes. The project is supported by funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the framework of the Maritime Research Programme.HydroPoLEn is focused on creating sustainable propulsion solutions for the maritime sector, addressing the urgent need for environmentally-friendly technologies in global shipping.

Germany’s Ernst Russ has acquired two multi-purpose vessels, MV Ronnie and MV Charlie, as part of its long-term fleet strategy to expand exposure to the project cargo segment and strengthen predictable earnings.The Hamburg-based shipowner said both vessels have been fixed on seven-year charters to dship Carriers, a globally operating European company specialized in project cargo, providing long-term employment and improved cash flow visibility.The vessels, scheduled for handover in the first quarter of 2026…

CMB Tech reported fourth-quarter core earnings above market expectations on Thursday as robust tanker and dry-bulk markets allowed the Belgian shipping group to lock in charter contracts and sell older ships at high prices.The tanker group said market conditions remain supportive into early 2026, though a potential crude supply surplus later in the year could pressure oil prices and curb transport demand if producers cut output.Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation came in at $322 million for the quarter ended in December…

Intermoor, Acteon’s Moorings and Anchors business been awarded a new contract by Petrobras for the provision of stack-up mooring system services in Brazil.This work will support light-workover interventions and abandonment operations on installed subsea Christmas trees across both anchored and dynamically positioned mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) and well intervention vessels (WIVs). The assets are located in water depths from 80 to 600 metres.A key strength of this award…

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.

Hartman Seatrade has selected the LS 250 heavy-duty ship crane to outfit its latest vessels. The cranes, supplied by Liebherr, are configured for tandem operations, allowing combined lifts of up to 500 tons for project cargo. Engineered for versatile cargo handling, the LS 250 delivers dependable lifting performance even in demanding maritime conditions. The cranes offer a lifting capacity of up to 250 tons with a maximum outreach of 36 meters. Their low deadweight of just 150 tons enhances the vessel’s stability and cargo-handling efficiency.Complementing the crane capability…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy announced a Record of Decision reaffirming its prior decisions regarding Gulf of America’s Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales 259 and 261. This ROD supports BOEM’s continued commitment to responsible offshore energy development while strengthening environmental safeguards and legal compliance.This decision follows the August 29, 2025, publication of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Gulf of America Regional OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales and Post-Lease Activities.

Hoyer VMS Group, a global partner for power and motion solutions at sea, is expanding its Asian headquarters in Ningbo, China. The 3,800 square meters warehouse and workshop expansion enhances Hoyer VMS capabilities in supporting shipowners, fleet managers, shipyards and OEM customers across Asia. Asia remains a strategic growth region for the maritime industry, with many of the world’s largest shipowners, fleet operators and shipyards located in the region. By strengthening its local presence in China…

V., the global ship manager and marine services provider, has announced a new partnership with Greek shipowner Silk Searoad Maritime S.A for the technical management of their bulk and tanker fleet of eight vessels. Through the partnership, Silk Searoad will benefit from access to V.’s integrated marine services, global scale, expertise and data-driven platforms.V. will oversee the long-term management and performance of Silk Searoad’s fleet, currently comprising of five bulk carriers and three tankers.Support from V.

Malaysia-based offshore support vessel (OSV) builder Nam Cheong has secured shipbuilding contracts worth $64.5 million from a UAE-based global energy maritime logistics company for the construction of four offshore support vessels, marking its first newbuild contract win in over a decade.The order comprises two dive support vessels (DSVs) and two 60-meter remote operated landing crafts (ROLC), with deliveries scheduled between the second half of 2027 and early 2028. All four vessels will be constructed at Nam Cheong’s Miri Yard in Sarawak…

Seatrium has put in motion a series of non-core asset divestments set to complete by early 2026, targeting over $40 million (S$50 million) in annualized operational cost savings.The Singapore-based offshore and marine group said the savings will follow recent divestments of the AmFELS yard in Texas and the GNL Platform Supply Vessels disclosed in 2025, alongside additional transactions earlier.The company said the divestments form part of its strategy to rationalize non-core assets…

Arctic Gateway Group (AGG) has partnered with Canadian shipping company Fednav to examine the operational requirements that would be necessary to support year-round shipping from the Port of Churchill.The work for this review is underway and is expected to be completed this summer.Fednav’s work with AGG will focus on understanding the practical operational considerations of navigating ice-covered waters in Hudson Bay. This work is intended to inform Arctic Gateway’s long-term business planning…

Norwegian ship designer and builder VARD has secured on order from France’s Orange Marine for two additional cable laying and repair vessels of the VARD 9 03 design, to be built at Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka.The vessels will be based on the same design as CS Sophie Germain, delivered to Orange Marine in July 2023.The order continues a long-standing collaboration between VARD and Orange Marine that began in 2012, when VARD was selected to design and construct the fiber optic cable laying and repair vessel Pierre de Fermat…

Hanwha Ocean and Ontario Shipyards have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the return of large-scale shipbuilding in Ontario and to strengthen Canada's ability to deliver future naval programs.In parallel, Hanwha Ocean, Ontario Shipyards and Mohawk College have entered into a Letter of Intent (LoI) to establish an embedded shipbuilding training hub at Ontario Shipyards' Hamilton facility, aligned with the sector's long-term workforce requirements.Together…

A new insight brief by the UCL Shipping and Oceans Research Group for the Getting to Zero coalition, titled "Uncertainty at the IMO: Three scenarios and their consequences for shipping’s transition”, concludes that of those options only the ‘as is’ (Net Zero Framework as agreed in principle in April 2025) has the potential to provide a credible, stable demand signal and revenue stream to support early and mass-market uptake of scalable zero-emission fuels.Weaker alternatives risk delaying scalable zero-emission fuel availability into the 2040s…

Boksa Marine Design (BMD), a full-service naval architecture and marine engineering firm based in Tampa, announced a strategic leadership transition and the opening of a new Fort Lauderdale, FL, office.After more than 20 years as Founder and President, Nick Boksa will transition into the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Senior Engineer. In this capacity, Boksa will focus on technical leadership, complex engineering initiatives, and guiding the firm’s long-term direction.Jeff Kuenning has been appointed President of BMD.

Often debated and long-awaited, The White House released its long-anticipated America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP), a 40+ page blueprint aimed at what it calls a new “Maritime Golden Age” for the United States.The document, developed under Executive Order 14269, lays out a four-pillar strategy to rebuild domestic shipbuilding capacity, expand the U.S.-flag fleet, reform maritime workforce development, and strengthen industrial resilience. For U.S. shipbuilders, vessel owners and maritime suppliers…

MacGregor has been selected to supply cargo access solutions and deck machinery for four new major vessels under BC Ferries’ fleet renewal program.The next-generation vessels, to be built at China Merchants Industry (CMI) Weihai Shipyard, are designed as diesel-battery hybrid, all-electric ready ships intended for BC Ferries’ busiest routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland in Canada.MacGregor will provide the cargo access equipment along with a dedicated Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) package.

Teledyne Valeport has announced a year-long sponsorship of UK-registered charity Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT), which protects, conserves, and restores rivers across the South West.The funding, from the manufacturer of oceanographic and hydrographic instruments, will be used to deliver educational workshops, field-based conservation sessions, and career-focused engagement opportunities in the environmental sector.Building on more than five decades in environmental measurement…

In December of 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard announced the award of two contracts to build up to six Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) icebreakers. The announcement declaring the vessels would be built between the United States and Finland in a major step forward for America’s national security in the Arctic region. The decision process encompassed more than the security of the Arctic passage. It announces a major shift in the U.S. Shipbuilding process. A second round of contracts were approved February 11…

The 34-year-old livestock carrier ship Blue Ocean A, flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, has been detained at the Italian Port of Cagliari after a port state control inspection found 54 irregularities, 30 of which were considered serious.The vessel nearly ran aground on January 29 off San Pietro Island due to a main engine failure while carrying 33 crew members.The inspection revealed problems with firefighting and life-saving equipment, bridge systems, crew emergency training…