TKMS Drops Out of Race to Acquire GNYK
German warship builder TKMS said on Tuesday it is no longer interested in acquiring smaller shipyard German Naval Yards, also known as GNYK.That would make German defence group Rheinmetall the only bidder currently in the running to purchase the ship maker, which has about 350 staff.Handelsblatt first reported on TKMS dropping out of the bidding earlier on Tuesday.Europe's naval firms are exploring tie-ups and partnerships amid accelerating consolidation in the booming defence sector, with Rhein
Houthis Threaten Targeted Attacks on Shipping Companies Visiting Saudi Ports
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia told shipping companies not to load or discharge cargo at Saudi Arabian ports or they may be targeted, according to an email the group sent to companies.The Houthis on Monday declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front against the United States in its war with Iran and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf."Vessels are banned from loading or discharging cargo at or from any Saudi ports…
Two Saudi Crude Tankers Turn Around After Houthi Threats
Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia reversed course in the Red Sea on Tuesday after threats from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, as a widening Middle East conflict disrupted shipping through two of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.The diversions came as U.S. forces bombed targets in the south and west of Iran overnight, Tehran targeted U.S. sites in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan and…
Wing Group CEO Andrew Branagh Joins U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Advisory Committee
The Wing Group announced that President and CEO Andrew Branagh has been appointed to serve on the U.S. Department of Commerce's Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small Business (ITAC 9). His four-year term became effective on July 16, 2026.As a member of ITAC 9, Branagh will represent the perspectives of the U.S. small business community. The committee provides industry insights and advice to the U.S.
Hepburn and Sons Invest $18m into Corporate Headquarters in Innovation Park, VA
Hepburn and Sons LLC’s plans to invest $18 million in constructing a three-story, approximately 27,000 square foot corporate headquarters adjacent to NOVA LIVE in Innovation Park, which will support 80 new high-quality jobs. The BOCS approved the land sale of the 1.25 acres of county-owned land along Discovery Boulevard next to NOVA LIVE in June 2026.Hepburn and Sons provides solutions in the realms of naval power systems…
Nakilat Profits Dinged by Region's War
Qatar Gas Transport Company Q.P.S.C. (Nakilat) announced its consolidated financial results for the first half of the year ended 30 June 2026, with a net profit of QAR 857 million compared to QAR 860 million for the corresponding period in 2025.Eng. Abdullah Al-Sulaiti, Nakilat’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “In light of the current situation in the region and its impact on business performance…
Unmanned Vessels Proliferate in today's "Hybrid Navy Extravaganza"
Technology companies and shipyards are vying for attention as the US unmanned navy grows in size and sophistication.No too long ago, US Navy Secretary John Phelan said: “If the last few years of conflict have taught us anything, it is that we will not win the wars of the future with the platforms of the past.” The nation’s ability to deter future conflict or to prevail, if necessary, will benefit from high quantities of low-cost air, surface and subsea unmanned systems.
India Summons Russian Diplomat After Four Indian Seafarers Perish
India said it had summoned a senior Russian diplomat on Tuesday and expressed "grave concerns" after a missile strike killed four Indians on a Black Sea cargo ship that was leaving a Ukrainian port.Ukraine said Russia hit the Golden Leo – a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship manned by a crew from India and Syria – with three cruise missiles on Sunday, killing 10 people, including four Indians.Vladimir Ladanov…
Philippines, China Scrum (again) in the South China Sea
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will summon China's ambassador in Manila, his office said on Tuesday, hours after Manila's envoy in Beijing was similarly summoned following accusations by both sides of provoking tensions in the contested South China Sea.Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed to reporters Marcos had summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan at 5 p.m. (0900 GMT) on Tuesday.
Freedom of Ship Navigation takes Center Stage in International Affairs
The Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own.Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a backdrop of instability since the U.S.
Anemoi Gets Wind in its Sails with Latest Bureau Veritas Certification
Anemoi Marine Technologies has secured design assessment certificates from Bureau Veritas covering several versions of its Rotor Sail wind-assisted propulsion technology, expanding third-party certification of its product range.The approvals cover the company's fixed and rail-deployed 3.5-metre by 24.5-metre Rotor Sails, including explosion-rated (EX-rated) versions and shorter variants designed for vessels operating under air draft restrictions.
Fincantieri Set to Operate Qatari Naval Training Centre
Fincantieri has secured a three-year contract from the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces to operate the navy's Training and Simulation Centre, extending its support role following the delivery of seven naval vessels and associated capabilities.The Training and Simulation Centre, delivered by Fincantieri in 2021, supports the training of Qatari naval personnel through advanced simulation systems that allow officers…
Tanker Crew Abandons Ship After Reported Strike in Hormuz
A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz reported being struck by an unknown projectile, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel and board a lifeboat, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said on Tuesday.UKMTO said it had received multiple reports on Tuesday that a tanker had broadcast over VHF Channel 16 that it had been hit by an unknown projectile. The incident was reported eight nautical…
The End of Predictable Shipping: Supporting Seafarers in an Ocean of Geopolitical Tensions
The US domestic and global maritime industry in 2026 stands at a critical crossroads, caught between structural labor deficits and an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape. Shipping has undergone a transition since Covid-19, moving away from decades of relative stability with defined trade flows toward operating conditions that grow more complex and volatile by the year. Historic energy routes have shifted…
Chick Sexing, Wire Rope and AI
Chick sexing is a core concept for an experienced engineer. Fortunately, maritime engineers do not have to perform chick sexing, but the concept is extremely important and ties into engineering intuition and experience.We all know engineers and mechanics who have an amazing ability to diagnose certain problems that completely elude solution by the rest of the community.It is often called intuition…
Marine Group Boat Works Wins Contract to Build Low-Emissions Catalina Express Ferry
Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW), a boatbuilding and repair company operating a shipyard in Chula Vista, California, has been selected to begin construction of a new low-emissions passenger ferry for Catalina Express. The vessel is expected to be launched and begin sea trials in the third quarter of 2027.Catalina Express is part of the LA MER (Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction) project, a collaborative initiative between CARB and the Port of Los Angeles.
Russian Wheat Export Prices Soar Amidst Escalating Hostilities
Russian wheat export prices surged last week amid difficult shipping conditions in the Black Sea and a new wave of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, analysts said on Monday.Forecasts for July wheat shipments from Russia continued to fall, even as domestic wheat prices declined sharply across all regions this week, they added, noting that weak demand at the Azov Sea and Volga terminals was impacting…
10 Dead in Russian Missile Strike on Corn Ship in Black Sea
A Russian missile strike on a ship carrying corn near Ukraine's southern port of Odesa killed 10 people, Ukrainian officials said on Monday, in the deadliest attack in a weeks-long flare-up of violence in the Black Sea.Russia hit the Golden Leo – a Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship manned by a crew from India and Syria – with three cruise missiles, causing a fire on Sunday, Ukraine's navy wrote on the Telegram…
Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers in Gulf of Oman Slow After Recent Vessel Attacks
Oil transfers between tankers in waters outside the Strait of Hormuz have slowed following a wave of recent attacks on vessels by Iranian forces, according to satellite analysis and sources.Since the start of the Iran war in late February, ship-to-ship (STS) transfers between tankers have helped enable oil to leave the Gulf despite the threats to commercial vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.Under the practice…
Houthis Announce Naval Blocked on Saudi Arabia
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, a move that opens a new front against the United States in its war on Iran and widens the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.The Houthis made their announcement despite signs that Tehran and Washington want to resume diplomacy to halt a worsening cycle of attacks that has all but…
