Maersk Launches Major Retrofit Program for its Time-Chartered Fleet
A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk), in close collaboration with the owners, is retrofitting around 200 vessels in its time-chartered fleet as part of a large-scale program involving 50 different shipowners.The main aim of the program is to reduce the slot cost by improving fuel efficiency and cargo-carrying capacity leading to a decrease in both cost and greenhouse gas emissions.Maersk has set the target…
ABS Greenlights HD KSOE’s LNG and Ethane Cargo Handling Systems
ABS has granted two approvals in principle (AIP) for advanced cargo handling systems designed for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and ethane carriers, developed by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE).The subcooling refrigeration system is a key advancement in cargo temperature management for LNG carriers.Unlike conventional systems that rely on a single gaseous refrigerant, the subcooling system utilizes a mixed refrigerant of both gas and liquid…
NYK, Stolt JV Orders Two Chemical Tankers from Chinese Shipyard
NYK Stolt Tankers, a joint venture between NYK and Stolt Tankers, has signed a contract with Nantong Xiangyu Shipyard in China to build two parcel chemical tankers.Scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029, the vessels will join the chemical tanker pool operated by Stolt Tankers.This order brings the total number of chemical tankers under construction to eight, including the six vessels ordered from…
GTT to Design Tanks for American Shipowner’s New LNG Carrier
French engineering firm GTT has received an order from the Hanwha Ocean shipyard for the tank design of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, on behalf of a North America-based ship-owner.As part of this order, GTT will design the tanks of the vessel, which will offer a total capacity of 174,000 m3.The tanks will be fitted with the NO96 L03+ membrane containment system developed by GTT.Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.
Israel Intercepts and Stops 14 Gaza Aid Boats
Israeli forces stopped 14 boats carrying foreign activists and aid bound for Gaza, flotilla organisers said on Thursday, but 23 boats are continuing to sail towards the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave, according to the flotilla's tracking system.A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla's passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg…
Norway Invests in Emergency Preparedness Research
Twelve new research projects will strengthen Norway’s ability to prevent and handle serious incidents that threaten life, health, and critical infrastructure.Topics include handling hybrid threats in Norwegian sea areas, early warning systems for critical underwater infrastructure, security management for renewable energy systems, natural hazards, societal vulnerability, and citizen involvement in…
Animal Welfare NGOs Protest Calf Shipments
The EU Commissioner for Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi has responded to a letter from animal welfare NGOs about the plight of calves transported by truck on ferries from Ireland to the EU.The letter detailed three separate studies which found that the calves were negatively impacted, suffering from dehydration, muscle fatigue, low energy, and hypoglycaemia.The Commissioner invited the NGOs to a meeting…
Everllence, ABB, and OceanWings Partner on Sustainable Propulsion Concepts
At GasTech 2025 in Milan, Everllence signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ABB and OceanWings to jointly develop an optimized propulsion concept that builds upon Everllence’s and ABB’s existing DFE+ (Diesel-Electric with variable speed) concept.The concept enables high engine efficiency, even at partial loads; operational flexibility through multiple engines; and future integration of sustainable…
ABS Approves Ammonia Vent Gas Treatment System Design
An advanced design of an ammonia vent treatment system from HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) received approval in principle (AIP) from ABS and the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR).The ammonia vent treatment system integrates compact scrubbers to treat ammonia fuel, which can escape during the purging process, to maintain safe concentration levels before discharge through the vent mast. HD KSOE says this design also minimizes wastewater production.
China Holds Ceremony Near Atoll Claimed by Philippines
China's coast guard held a National Day flag-raising ceremony on a ship in the waters off the disputed Scarborough Shoal, vowing to "stand guard" over the atoll, a major flashpoint for diplomatic flare-ups and maritime clashes with the Philippines.Both countries claim the triangular feature in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, but it is effectively under Beijing's control.
Netherlands Calls on EU to Sanction Houthis
The Netherlands called on the EU on Wednesday to sanction Yemen's Houthis as a terrorist group, after the organisation claimed responsibility for an attack on the Dutch-flagged general cargo ship Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden.The Iran-aligned group has launched numerous assaults on vessels in the Red Sea since 2023, targeting ships they deem linked to Israel in what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war on Gaza."The Houthis have long posed a serious threat to freedo
US LNG Exports Hit Record High
U.S. LNG exports hit a record in September at 9.4 million metric tons, beating their previous record of 9.3 million MT in August, according to preliminary data from financial firm LSEG.The increase was fueled by strong sales to Europe and Asia, and came despite unplanned shutdowns at the country's largest facility, Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass plant in Texas, and a planned outage at Berkshire Hathaway's Cove Point plant, according to LSEG data.The U.S.
French Military Board Suspected Shadow Tanker
French military personnel have boarded the oil tanker Boracay, which is suspected of belonging to the so-called shadow fleet involved in the Russian oil trade, French media reported on Wednesday.French authorities have been tight-lipped about the vessel, which is currently at anchor near the western city of Saint Nazaire. The Brest prosecutor said on Tuesday that a probe had been opened after the crew failed to provide proof of the vessel's nationality and failed to comply with orders…
PhilaPort Buys Coveted Mustin Yard in Expansion Push
The Port of Philadelphia - PhilaPort has acquired the Mustin Yard from Norfolk Southern Corporation, deemed as one of the critical assets for the port’s future growth.Located adjacent to PhilaPort’s SouthPort Marine Terminal, the 152-acre Mustin Yard represents the last available land at the nexus of deep water, rail, and highway access.The acquisition of Mustin Yard, which was originally part of the former Philadelphia Navy Yard…
Sofar Ocean Launches Wayfinder Voyage Simulator for Fleet Planning
Sofar Ocean has launched Wayfinder Voyage Simulator, a voyage planning tool that lets operators, commercial teams and chartering desks generate and compare unlimited voyage scenarios in seconds, aiming to improve fleet efficiency and profitability.Part of Sofar’s Wayfinder platform, the simulator incorporates the company’s marine weather forecasts, informed by what Sofar says is the largest private real-time ocean sensor network and ‘outperform traditional models by up to 50%’…
Sanlorenzo Builds its Largest Yacht to Date
Italian yacht builder Sanlorenzo has unveiled the first 74Steel, the company’s largest yacht built to date, ahead of its launch in La Spezia.At 74 meters and around 1,900 GT, the 74Steel is Sanlorenzo’s largest yacht ever crafted, with steel and aluminum construction and propelled by diesel-electric system.According to the company, three hulls for the model have so far been sold and a fourth under negotiation before launch.Aside from other amenities…
Fincantieri Moves Beyond Steel with Composites Deal for Naval Shipbuilding
Italy’s Fincantieri has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Aeronautical Service, a small and medium-sized enterprise specializing in aerospace solutions, to advance the use of carbon-based composite materials in naval shipbuilding.The agreement aims to introduce composite technologies across civil and military platforms, reducing reliance on steel and extending Fincantieri’s technological…
Gaza Flotilla Boats Boarded by Israeli Military
Israeli forces boarded boats with foreign activists carrying aid to Gaza and took them to an Israeli port, disrupting a protest that had become one of most high-profile symbols of opposition to Israel's blockade of the enclave.A video from the Israeli foreign ministry verified by Reuters showed the most prominent of the flotilla's passengers, Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, sitting on a…
Vard Delivers Windward Offshore’s First CSOV
Windward Offshore has taken delivery of its first Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), Windward Athens, built by Norwegian shipbuilder Vard.The vessel represents a major milestone on Windward Offshore’s growth path and marks the company’s entry into operations with its dedicated CSOV fleet.The Windward Athens is designed to support installation, commissioning, and maintenance activities in offshore wind farms.Measuring 87.5 meters in length with a 19.5-meter beam…
ClassNK Grants Approval for SRC Group’s Methanol Superstorage Tank
ClassNK has issued an approval in principle (AiP) for a methanol fuel tank design concept developed by SRC Group, which uses a Sandwich Plate System (SPS) technology to almost double shipboard storage capacity for both methanol and ethanol.The certification demonstrates its feasibility from regulatory and safety perspectives.With the growing adoption of alternative fuels such as methanol in the maritime industry…
