EnergyPathways, ABP Partner on Energy Storage Project at Port of Barrow
EnergyPathways has signed a collaboration agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP) to evaluate the Port of Barrow in northwest England as a location for onshore facilities linked to its Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project.The AIM-listed company said the MESH project, located in the Irish Sea, is expected to combine compressed air energy storage with natural gas and hydrogen storage using subsea salt caverns.According to EnergyPathways…
Petronas Signs 20-year Charter Deal with MISC for Five LNG Carrier Newbuilds
Petronas LNG (PLL) has signed a 20-year time charter agreement with MISC Group for five newbuild liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers as the Malaysian energy company strengthens long-term LNG supply capacity.The agreement covers five 174,000-cubic meter LNG carriers that will be built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai, China, with charter commencements expected between 2029 and 2030.The vessels will feature XDF2.1 propulsion technology…
Hapag-Lloyd Swings to Loss on Hormuz Disruptions, Weak Freight Rates
German shipping group Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday reported a first-quarter loss, citing the impact of lower freight rates and operational disruptions stemming from severe weather conditions and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz on the back of the Iran war.The group posted a net loss of 219 million euros ($257.00 million) compared to a profit of 446 million euros in the first three months of 2025.Hundreds of commercial vessels and up to 20…
Global Oil Supply to Fall Short of Demand as Iran War Goes On, IEA Says
Global oil supply will not meet total demand this year as the Iran war wreaks havoc on Middle East oil production, the International Energy Agency said in its monthly oil market report on Wednesday."With Hormuz tanker traffic still restricted, cumulative supply losses from Gulf producers already exceed 1 billion barrels with more than 14 million (barrels per day) of oil now shut in, an unprecedented supply shock…
Iraq, Pakistan Secure Oil Shipments via Hormuz with Iran Agreements
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.
South Korea Weighs Phased Role in Hormuz Mission
South Korea is reviewing a phased contribution to efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Wednesday, signaling support steps short of military participation, Yonhap News Agency reported.Ahn told a press conference with South Korean media correspondents in Washington that he had conveyed Seoul’s position at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday."We said at about this level that…
Panama Canal Deputy Administrator Visits Washington
Panama Canal Deputy Administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta has concluded a series of engagements in Washington, D.C., where she met with policy leaders, academics, business representatives, members of the international affairs community and media to discuss the Panama Canal’s role in global trade, sustainability and supply chain resilience.“The Panama Canal remains committed to serving global commerce with reliability…
Vroon to Sell Livestock Carriers to Heytesbury
Vroon Holding has agreed to sell its livestock activities, operated under its subsidiary Livestock Express, to Heytesbury, an Australian agribusiness and shipping group.The transaction marks another important step in the reshaping of Vroon, allowing the company to focus on its key niche markets in energy, liquids, infrastructure and offshore wind.Heytesbury is an established participant in the northern Australian cattle trade…
Hafnia Wins European D&I Award
At a ceremony in Brussels, Danish shipping company Hafnia was selected as the recipient of the Diversity & Inclusion Honours in Maritime 2026.Hafnia won the award for their Hafnia Culture Lab research project conducted in collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark and the Danish Maritime Fund.Initiated in 2023 with independent research by the University of Southern Denmark, the study examined…
NZ Marine Signals Cautious Confidence Amid Economic Pressures
The new executive director of the New Zealand Marine Industry Association (NZ Marine) says that the inherent strengths of the marine industry can help it navigate fuel pressures and challenging economic conditions. Former Coastguard New Zealand CEO Callum Gillespie was named the new executive director of the NZ Marine Industry Association by its board in late April.“New Zealand’s marine industry is resilient…
China and US Agree on Opposing Hormuz Tolls, State Department Says
Senior U.S. and Chinese officials agree that no country can be allowed to exact shipping tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department told Reuters on Tuesday, in a sign that the two countries are trying to find common ground on efforts to pressure Iran to give up control of the vital waterway.The statement by the State Department comes ahead of a high-stakes summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week…
PD Ports Expands Operations with Third Electric Liebherr LPS 550
An LPS 550 fitted with an electric drive from Liebherr’s Baltic-side production facility has been delivered to Middlesbrough to increase PD Ports’ productivity. The new machine will focus on bulk work at Teesport, complementing two sister cranes commissioned in 2023, strengthening hatch coverage and maintaining consistent cycle times.Day-to-day, the Port supports a complex gateway that handles tens of millions of tonnes of cargo each year…
Tech Talk: A Sea Change in Workboat Crew Comms
Crew communications on board workboats in harsh marine environments are subject to a variety of challenges. Background noise from loud engines, shock and vibration pounding through rough water, high wind noise and turbulence at speeds of 55-60 knots, and the highly corrosive nature of the marine environment - can render workboat crew communications all but impossible. Crew members are often reduced to shouting…
Qatari LNG Tanker Headed for Pakistan Successfully Crosses Strait of Hormuz
A second Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker successfully went through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, days after the first such cargo crossed under an arrangement involving Iran and Pakistan, highlighting how cargoes are crossing the waterway on a case-by-case basis amid ongoing conflict risks.The vessel, Mihzem, with capacity of 174,000 cubic metres, departed Ras Laffan on Monday and crossed the strait on Tuesday…
UK to Contribute Mine-Hunting Resources to Strait of Hormuz
Britain said on Tuesday it would contribute autonomous mine-hunting equipment, Typhoon fighter jets and the warship HMS Dragon to a multinational defensive mission aimed at securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.Defence minister John Healey announced the commitment during a virtual summit with more than 40 of his counterparts from other nations involved in the mission, which he said would become operational when conditions allowed."With our allies…
Hope of US-Iran Peace Fade, Oil Prices Continue to Rise
Hopes for a peace deal with Iran dwindled on Tuesday after Donald Trump said a ceasefire was "on life support" as Tehran rejected a U.S. proposal to end the conflict and stuck to a list of demands the U.S. president described as "garbage".Iran has called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, where U.S. ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Tehran also emphasised its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz…
Lithuania Considers Contributing Minesweeping Efforts in Strait of Hormuz
Lithuania could contribute minesweeping capabilities and resources for the headquarters of a potential mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the Baltic country's Chief of Defence General Raimundas Vaiksnoras said on Tuesday."We are mostly focusing on sending minesweeping capabilities and headquarter capabilities.
Nigeria, Morocco to Sign Atlantic Gas Pipeline Deal in Q4 2026
Nigeria and Morocco expect to sign an intergovernmental agreement in the fourth quarter of 2026 to advance a major Atlantic coast gas pipeline project, Nigeria's foreign ministry said.The planned agreement, to be signed by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Morocco's King Mohammed VI, follows preliminary technical studies on the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline.The development was discussed during a telephone call last Friday between Nigeria's Foreign
Trump Urged by US Senators to Remain Steady During Chinese Shipbuilding Talks
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Monday urged President Donald Trump to hold fast to trade remedies proposed by his administration to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding and not offer concessions when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.Democratic Senators Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Mark Kelly of Arizona, as well as Republicans Tim Scott of South Carolina and Todd Young of Indiana, told Trump…
Tech Feature: Electrification of Ferries
Ferries are typically designed to operate very close to population centers, contributing to urban pollution while also creating an ideal opportunity for significant in-harbor emissions reduction.Internationally, the world is seeing an imbalance of efforts to develop and implement sustainable solutions in the maritime industry. More specific to ferry electrification and decarbonization, Europe is at the forefront of the effort…
