Ship News

The Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) welcomes the national plan and the central government work report delivered at the opening session of the National People’s Congress, which underlined, once again, the importance of consolidating Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre.Hong Kong’s economic success has its origins in shipping and trade which as promoted Hong Kong’s growth as a global financial hub and a “super-connector” between the East and the West.

The U.S. Coast Guard authenticated the keels for future Coast Guard cutters Allen Thiele, Fred Permenter and Samuel Wilson on Friday in Bayou La Batre, Alabama.The cutters are the first three of 30 future Waterways Commerce Cutters (WCCs) that will replace the Coast Guard’s legacy inland tender fleet. The WCC fleet will play a critical role in controlling, securing, and defending America’s ports and waterways and maintaining the United States’ 12,000-mile marine transportation system.

A Greek‑operated oil tanker has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, ship tracking data showed on Monday, in a sign that some commercial vessels are still attempting to navigate the vital passage despite the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.The Shenlong Suezmax, with a capacity of 1 million barrels, is carrying Saudi Arabian crude loaded at the port of Ras Tanura and is listing its destination as the Indian port of Mumbai, according to analysis from maritime data platforms Kpler, Lloyd’s List Intelligence and MarineTraffic.The tanker last recorded its position inside the strait on March 8…

The global maritime industry has long been the arterial system of the world economy, responsible for over 90% of global trade. For centuries, the primary dangers to a vessel were physical: crushing storms, mechanical failure, or the threat of piracy. However, as we move through 2026, the industry has reached a critical juncture. The rapid digitization of the sector—driven by the need for logistical optimization and fuel efficiency—has fundamentally shifted the threat landscape.

ABS, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HD HSHI) signed a joint development project (JDP) for the “Conceptual Design of a Nuclear-Powered Electric Propulsion System.”Under the agreement, HD KSOE and HD HSHI will develop the basic design, electrical component specifications and arrangement plans for a nuclear-powered electric propulsion system tailored for container ships. The agreement forms a framework to assess the technical…

SAAM closed 2025 with record financial performance, underscoring the continued strength of its harbor towage business across the Americas while positioning the company for further international expansion. For a company that has spent the past several years reshaping its business model and sharpening its strategic focus, the results signal both operational momentum and growing scale in the global tug market.The Chile-based maritime services provider reported net income of $80.4 million for 2025, while EBITDA reached $216.9 million, representing a 15% increase compared to the previous year.

The transition towards digitalisation and automation is speeding up in the maritime industry, and a comprehensive strategy is emerging to turbo-charge efficiency, safety and sustainability. Yet key questions remain about the adoption of technologies and solutions to enhance operational performance, future-proof fleets while remaining commercially competitive, and ultimately realise the zero-emission goal. At Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2026, held from 25–27 March 2026 at Marina Bay Sands…

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation began cutting oil output on Saturday and declared force majeure, adding to earlier oil and gas reductions from Iraq and Qatar as the U.S.-Iran war blocked shipments from the Middle East for the eighth consecutive day.The war has blocked the world's most important oil artery the Strait of Hormuz which is responsible for 20% of global oil and LNG supply. Analysts predict the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will have to also cut output soon as they run out of oil storage.Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) declared force majeure…

AYK Energy has secured a contract to supply the largest battery ever installed on an ice class vessel for Germany’s next generation polar research ship Polarstern.The partnership for the new diesel-electric vessel currently under development for the Alfred Wegener Institute has been signed directly with Wärtsilä.The AYK Energy Pisces+ battery system, with a capacity of 16 megawatt-hours (MWh) and weighing 131 tonnes, will be delivered in 2028. The vessel itself is due to enter…

Amidst a more complex and uncertain operating environment, Singapore’s MPA is charting the long-term direction for Maritime Singapore. This includes developing strategies to seize growth opportunities and strengthen Singapore’s position as a key node in global trade, while continuing to drive innovation, accelerate technology adoption, and develop a future-ready workforce.MPA is developing the Maritime Singapore Master Plan, an industry-wide blueprint to guide the sector’s longer-term development.

GMS, the world’s largest buyer of ships for recycling, has called on the European Commission to approve qualified Indian ship recycling facilities for inclusion on the European List under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR).Despite more than 110 Indian yards holding Hong Kong Convention (HKC) Statements of Compliance issued by IACS member classification societies, over 35 formal applications submitted, and at least 10 Commission-led inspections and audits, not a single Indian yard has been approved in more than a decade.“This is not a failure of standards.

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Jaggers, an aviation survival technician assigned to Air Station Astoria, Oregon, passed away the evening of March 5, 2026, as a result of critical injuries suffered during the rescue of a distressed mariner from a commercial ship offshore of Oregon on February 27.As part of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Jaggers was injured while responding to a medical emergency aboard the commercial motor vessel Momi Arrow…

Seafarers must not be targets, says Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident six nautical miles north of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. Media reports indicate the deaths occurred onboard a tug assisting the container ship Safeen Prestige.Dominguez said: “I am alarmed and deeply saddened to hear of a deadly attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on 6 March 2026, in which at least four seafarers have reportedly lost their lives and three severely injured.

The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has disrupted oil and natural gas exports from the Middle East and forced production stoppages from Qatar to Iraq, with Kuwait announcing cuts over the weekend.Analysts predict that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will also have to cut output soon as they run out of oil storage.Below are the main energy disruptions so far:PRODUCTION SHUTDOWNSIraqi output collapses: the country's oil production from its main southern oilfields has fallen by 70% to just 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) from 4.3 million barrels per day (bpd) before the war…

The U.S. is pressing Sri Lanka not to repatriate the survivors from an Iranian warship it sank this week or the crew of a second Iranian ship that is in Sri Lankan custody, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.A U.S. submarine sank the frigate Dena in the Indian Ocean about 19 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's southern port city of Galle on Wednesday, killing dozens of sailors and dramatically widening Washington's pursuit of the Iranian navy.On Thursday…

The Swedish coast guard said it boarded and took control of a suspected stateless vessel in Swedish waters of the Baltic Sea on Friday, and it was carrying out investigations on the ship."At 3:50 p.m. today, the Coast Guard took control of a vessel with unclear flag status and thus suspected of being a stateless vessel," it said in a statement, adding that the boarding had taken place off the coast of the southern Swedish town Trelleborg.The ship Caffa was sailing under a Guinean flag…

As the conflict in the Gulf widens, maritime insurance premiums for war coverage are surging -- in some cases by more than 1000% -- dramatically driving up the cost of moving energy through a critical maritime corridor.The conflagration sparked by Saturday's Israeli-U.S. air strikes against Tehran has paralyzed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping chokepoint. Iran on Monday said it would fire on any ship trying to pass, and at least nine vessels have suffered…

At this year’s annual Legislative Summit, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) proudly named U.S. Representative Mike Ezell (MS-04) as the 2026 Port Person of the Year for his commitment to the seaport and maritime industry. AAPA celebrates his leadership as a champion of many port industry priorities, including his advocacy for the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and his efforts to incentivize the reshoring of port crane manufacturing to the U.S."It is…

GTT announces that it has received, in the first quarter of 2026, an order from the shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries for the tank design of one new Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier (LNGC) on behalf of a European ship-owner.GTT will design the cryogenic tanks of the vessel, which will provide a total capacity of 180,000 m³. The tanks will be fitted with GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system.Delivery of the vessel is expected in 2028.

China is in talks with Iran to allow crude oil and Qatari liquefied natural gas vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Israeli war on Tehran intensifies, three diplomatic sources told Reuters.The war, which entered its sixth day on Thursday, has left the critical shipping passageway all-but shut, with countries around the world cut off from a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.China, which has friendly relations with Iran and relies heavily on Middle Eastern supplies…

In the February issue of Maritime Reporter magazine Nirav Patel, Nuclear Navy Segment Director at Fairbanks Morse Defense, takes a look at the cobots (cooperative robots) that are being used for welding in the ship repair industry.He explains: “As a long-time principal supplier of propulsion systems for the U.S. nuclear navy, FMD is responsible for sustainment of a fleet of diesel engines that provide emergency backup power to onboard nuclear reactors. These 30–35-year-old engines pose a unique welding challenge.

Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt (DO) has started construction of a new fleet of construction commissioning service operation vessels (C-CSOVs), with the first steel cut for the lead vessel DO Joule at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China.The vessel is the first in a series of four ships ordered by Schoeller Holdings, with all vessels to be built to identical specifications.Columbia Shipmanagement will provide technical management of the vessels, while DO will act as developer…

Owning and operating a quiet boat offers many benefits, from crew comfort and retention to efficient, safe operations. While the benefits are clear, it’s generally not the first line of design and concern for most vessel owners.Noise is a funny thing in the marine world: it’s invisible, it sneaks up on you, and it’s usually not the headline item on a newbuild spec sheet, until you’re standing in the pilothouse, trying to talk over the machinery, thinking, “oh my gosh, I can’t stand this thing.”That’s the moment Jesse Spence…