Vessel Owners News

Shipping companies can now harvest data on enhanced fuel performance as verified CO₂ reductions that they convert into Gold Standard carbon credits using Aderco’s ‘measure-as-you-go’ program, 2055G+, writes Gérald Baiwir, Head of Environment, Aderco.Looking beyond compliance with environmental regulations, shipping companies are discovering that savings from onboard energy-efficiency measures can be converted into valuable, Gold Standard-backed carbon credits, allowing them to benefit financially while reducing emissions.Until very recently…

In 2019, an investigation of a marine casualty aboard a towing vessel led to the publication of Marine Safety Alert 13-19 titled An Important Safety Consideration - Hazards of Retractable Pilot Houses on Towboats. Since its release, further clarification has been necessary regarding safety regulations to prevent similar future incidents, specifically as it applies to Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Subchapter M - Towing Vessels.The original Safety Alert stated: "Retractable pilothouses are not specifically addressed in 46 CFR Subchapter M…

A tragic marine casualty involving an inspected passenger vessel serves as a critical warning that even routine embarkation equipment can become deadly if it is not properly maintained, inspected, and secured. During a recent passenger disembarkation, the gangway’s connection point on a vessel suffered a catastrophic failure. As a result, the gangway separated from the vessel and fell, causing severe injuries to several passengers and a tragic loss of life. Investigations into similar casualties point to a dangerous lack of gangway inspection…

Global oil trading firms Vitol and Trafigura are pushing for steeper discounts on Venezuelan crude oil as rising freight rates shrink their margins, five sources familiar with the matter said.The two merchant houses have been among the biggest winners in a race to control Venezuela's crude flows since the US captured then-President Nicolas Maduro in January and began pushing to reactivate the country's oil sector.They now sell and ship more than half of the OPEC member's exports…

Lumitec, a designer and manufacturer of environment LED lighting solutions, has announced a new enhancement to its Poco Digital Lighting Control system, the Channel Expander Feature.This latest addition expands system flexibility and scalability, empowering boat builders, integrators, and vessel owners to manage more complex lighting configurations with ease.At the core of this update is the ability for Poco modules to communicate over a NMEA 2000-based network, unlocking new system architecture possibilities.

Rather than pinning its decarbonization hopes on future tonnage, shipping can pursue its goals today by retrofitting available technology to existing, conventionally fueled vessels, explains David Sakandelidze, Business Manager for Energy and Efficiency, Berg Propulsion.The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) target for net-zero emissions from ships by around 2050 is now only 24 years away—less than the average lifetime of a commercial ship. Today, 112,000 active vessels emit approximately 1.05 billion metric tons of combined annual emissions.

As the market moves toward the end of the summer season in the northern hemisphere, several offshore support vessels are expected to roll off their contracts over the coming months. Shipowners are thus already positioning tonnage for the winter and next summer season. The CSOV market has remained tight over the past three months with multiple spot fixtures above EUR 60,000 per day.Throughout the season the market has also seen nine newbuilds delivered since early May, but the market has absorbed the additional tonnage without difficulty.

MacGregor has secured a series of offshore load handling modernization and upgrade contracts during the first half of 2026, strengthening its position in the offshore services market.The contracts, booked in the company's first- and second-quarter 2026 order intake, cover engineering, upgrades and modernization projects aimed at improving the performance and extending the operational life of offshore cranes and other load handling equipment.Among the projects is the complete replacement of crane control systems with MacGregor's latest technology…

Caterpillar announced new alcohol-based fuel conversion solutions for MaK engines. The dual-fuel conversion, for M 43 engines, is engineered to operate on up to 95% methanol or ethanol by volume which lowers greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to 80%. The fuel-blending conversion allows operators to blend up to 35% methanol or ethanol with marine diesel oil (MDO), marine gas oil or biofuel equivalents to deliver GHG emissions reductions up to 20% for M 20 to VM 43 engines[i]. Both…

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has reminded vessel owners and operators of the significant risks associated with underwater ship husbandry (UWSH) operations as activity in the Strait of Hormuz increases.As vessels begin returning to service following extended periods at anchor, demand for hull cleaning, inspection, and maintenance has risen sharply. These activities, commonly grouped under UWSH, play a critical role in restoring vessel efficiency by removing marine growth and biofouling.Bloomberg has reported that orders for crews to clean ship hulls fouled by algae…

Vessel electrification is no longer a future concept for offshore wind and policy and regulatory alignment is now the main barrier to uptake, a cross-industry panel hosted by Bibby Marine told an audience during Global Offshore Wind on Wednesday.Speakers from RenewableUK, Corvus Energy, Stillstrom, Tidal Transit and Kongsberg Maritime said rapid progress in vessel and charging technology means electrified vessels now represent an increasingly credible commercial proposition. They…

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) identified a safety concern after a prototype component used in a mechanical shaft-seal system failed onboard a USCG inspected deep draft vessel.On February 19, 2025, a U.S. flagged crude-oil tanker transiting near Delaware Bay experienced simultaneous failures of its port and starboard shaft seals, resulting in substantial seawater ingress.The crew deployed emergency collars supplied by the seal manufacturer and used the vessel’s emergency bilge system…

Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz to most commercial shipping in late February 2026, an estimated 1,550 vessels, carrying approximately 20,000 seafarers, have been unable to transit, or have chosen to remain at anchor in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and approaches. Traffic through the Strait, which normally averages around 138 vessels per day, has fallen to near-zero on most days. The conflict began on February 28, 2026, resulting in vessels being idle for approximately 90 days.

Risk Intelligence has signed an agreement with an unnamed European maritime authority for the provision of its Risk Intelligence System and intelligence reports.The client is a national maritime authority responsible for supervising vessel and seafarer safety and security within its flag state registry, as well as overseeing foreign-flagged vessels calling at the country's ports.Under the agreement, the authority will gain access to the Risk Intelligence System and intelligence reports to support monitoring of security risks affecting vessels registered under its flag.

Classification societies have always occupied a unique position in maritime: technical arbiters, rule makers, certifiers, and, increasingly, strategic advisors helping shipowners navigate some of the most consequential decisions in shipping’s and shipbuilding’s history. As maritime grapples with decarbonization mandates, digital transformation, automation, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, that role is becoming both broader and more complex.For ClassNK, one of the world’s largest and leading classification societies…

GustoMSC, NOV’s offshore design and engineering business, has developed a new asymmetrical rack-and-pinion technology designed to increase the jacking capacity of offshore wind installation vessels without increasing vessel size, weight or system complexity.The patent-pending asymmetrical rack-and-pinion (ASYM R&P) technology builds on the company’s existing rack-and-pinion jacking systems and is designed to improve load distribution within the existing system architecture, allowing…

Yiulian Dockyard Hong Kong is open for business following a major facility upgrade and workforce expansion, with on-site digital twin pipe fabrication adopted in cooperation with Irwin Limited.As the only dockyard in China that accepts vessels alongside laden, the yard targets unplanned dockings for vessels working southern China container ports (Hong Kong, Yantian, Shekou, Nansha) and the Pearl River Delta.General Manager Zhong Ying said: “To enter any other dockyard in China, you would be required to discharge your cargo first. In Hong Kong, you can come alongside laden.

How Electrostatic Technology Moves from Experiment to Reality Shipyards face mounting pressure to align with the maritime industry’s decarbonization goals. As vessel owners and operators explore alternative fuels, better hull designs and route optimization to cut emissions, shipyards reevaluate their own practices to keep pace. One area of focus includes the coatings application. Among emerging innovations, electrostatic spraying is now gaining traction in global marine projects.Unlike traditional airless spraying…

Today’s headlines bring constant news of international shipping hubs across the global supply chain experiencing major volatility and disruption – from Iran sending shockwaves through global energy markets by forcefully obstructing vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz; to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen signaling intent to restart attacks on shipping  in the Red Sea; to China detaining Panama-flagged vessels in an escalation of ongoing disputes over the Panama Canal; and beyond.By contrast, the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry continues to move our nation’s cargo on U.S.

In February 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a major decision that caught the attention of shipowners, bunker suppliers, charterers, and maritime lawyers around the world. The case – Three Fifty Markets, Ltd. v. M/V ARGOS M, et al. – is a masterclass in how maritime liens, bunker supply chains, and “no lien” clauses collide in modern shipping commerce, often in disputes where fuel is delivered, used, and never paid for.At its core, the dispute reflects the complexity of today’s bunker supply chains.

Vessel owners of every size, shape and locale today face a mounting opportunity and challenge: effectively utilizing all of the data coming from their vessels, their fleets, and putting that information to work to make maritime operations more efficient and profitable.At “The Business of Shipping” panel on Day 1 of the Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping 2026 conference, a senior executive from a leading gas carrier operator put it plainly: “Our ships produce massive amounts…

Jones Walker LLP has welcomed Kelly Haas as partner and associate Hayley Stancil as members of the Maritime Practice Group in the firm’s Houston office. Kelly represents vessel owners, charters, shipyards, offshore operators, and energy clients regarding collisions, property damage, personal injury, pollution, environmental, cargo, insurance, construction, and contract claims related to the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, OPA 90, Limitation of Liability, COGSA, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

GT Wings has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zunsion Technology in China to establish a strategic manufacturing partnership for its AirWing Jet Sail wind propulsion system.The agreement creates a framework for industrial scale production of AirWing units in China, combining GT Wings’ wind propulsion technology expertise with Zunsion’s automation manufacturing capabilities.The MoU establishes the foundation for a long-term industrial collaboration aimed at accelerating…