Anchor News

At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway…

In a move that further reshapes the global liner landscape, Hapag-Lloyd has agreed to acquire ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $4.2 billion, the companies announced today.Under the terms of the merger agreement, Hapag-Lloyd will acquire ZIM for $35.00 per share in cash, representing a 58% premium to ZIM’s prior-day closing stock price, a 90% premium to its 90-day VWAP, and a 126% premium to its unaffected share price of $15.50 in August 2025 prior to market speculation.The transaction…

Kongsberg Maritime has unveiled a consolidated Digital Solutions portfolio and introduced KM Performance, a new solution aimed at improving operational efficiency, reducing emissions and supporting regulatory compliance in marine transportation.The Norwegian marine technology group presented the harmonized portfolio at a digital launch event in Oslo, outlining a unified approach to maritime digitalization. The move brings together legacy systems including K-IMS, Vessel Insight…

Two tankers suspected of illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers were detained and more than 512 million ringgit ($129.9 million) worth of crude oil seized 24 nautical miles west of Muka Head, Penang last week, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said on Saturday.The agency did not specify the origin of the oil being transferred.The waters off Malaysia are known as a regular site for illegal ship-to-ship transfers, where oil is shifted between tankers at sea to obscure its origin.

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract to deliver a comprehensive deck machinery package for a new-generation 127-metre Floating Wind Construction Vessel (FWCV) being built for Hana Shipping of Korea.Scheduled for delivery in July 2027, the FWCV represents one of the most advanced vessels ever designed for floating offshore wind operations and marks the first large FWCV order globally in recent years.The vessel, designed by Focal, will operate at the Ulsan Floating Wind Farm Construction, located 70 km off the coast of Ulsan, Korea.

The captain of an oil tanker intercepted by the French navy has been detained under investigations into whether it was operating under a false flag, the Marseille prosecutor’s office said on Sunday.The vessel named Grinch was seized in the Mediterranean on Thursday, then diverted to anchor off the French port city, on suspicion of being part of the shadow fleet that lets Russia export oil despite sanctions.The 58-year-old captain, an Indian national, was detained as part of the preliminary investigations, the prosecutors said in a statement that did not mention Russia.The vessel left the Russi

Dozens of commercial ships have dropped anchor at a distance outside Iran's port limits in recent days, according to data and shipping sources, as tensions with the United States grow.Such movements were precautionary given the tensions amid ongoing protests in Iran, the shipping sources said. Port limits are significant because they run a higher risk of collateral damage in the event of air strikes on nearby infrastructure.The U.S. is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner DDW Offshore, a subsidiary of Akastor, has completed the sale of Skandi Atlantic anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel.The purchase price for the vessel is $22.5 million, Akastor said, without disclosing further details about the buyer.Built in 2012 and featuring STX AH08 design, the Skandi Atlantic is a high powered AHTS vessel designed for operations across a wide range of water depths and environmental conditions.The agreement for the vessel was entered into on Saleform 2012 terms…

A set of amendments to key IMO treaties and Codes have entered into force on January 1, 2026. They include the following: Preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and sexual assaultAmendments to the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code) aim to prevent and respond to violence and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault.The amendments are included in table A-VI/1-4 (Specification of minimum standard of competence in personal safety and social responsibilities) of the STCW Code.

A Russia-bound oil tanker suffered a drone attack in the Black Sea that prompted it to request Turkish coastguard assistance and divert from its course, according to a notice by Lloyd's List Intelligence and a separate maritime security source on Thursday.Maritime data specialist Lloyd's List Intelligence said the Palau-flagged Elbus vessel "experienced an unmanned marine-vehicle and drone attack" on Wednesday targeting its engine room, and that no injuries were reported among the 25 crew, nor any pollution.The security source described it as a drone attack, based on an assessment.

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has extended the previously agree four-year contract with Petrobras for its anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Normand Turquesa.The current Normand Turquesa contract with Petrobras has been extended by one year, and the start of the previously announced four-year contract has been amended from the first quarter of 2026 to the first quarter of 2027.This represents an additional gross value of approximately $15.4 million, according to Solstad Offshore…

Latvian police have found no evidence linking a ship docked in the port of Liepaja to damage to an underwater telecoms cable running in the Baltic Sea from Latvia to Lithuania, but are investigating the incident further, authorities said on Monday.The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the NATO military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones.The latest outage…

Finnish police said on Friday they had made progress in a criminal investigation into damage caused to an undersea telecommunications cable owned by operator Elisa.Police seized the cargo vessel "Fitburg" on Wednesday while it was en route from Russia to Israel on suspicion that it had sabotaged the telecoms cable running across the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki to Estonia.Investigators said on Thursday they had arrested two of the 14 crew members, imposed a travel ban on two others and had begun questioning them.

Finnish police on Wednesday seized a ship sailing from Russia on suspicion of sabotaging an undersea telecoms cable running from Helsinki to Estonia across the Gulf of Finland, an area hit by a string of similar incidents in recent years.The seized cargo vessel "Fitburg" was en route from the Russian port of St Petersburg to Israel at the time of the incident, Finland's Border Guard authority told a press conference in Helsinki."At the moment we suspect aggravated disruption of telecommunications and also aggravated sabotage and attempted aggravated sabotage…

Phoenix's International (Phoenix) recently assisted the Naval Sea System Command (NAVSEA) Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) with the successful recovery of an MH-60R helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. The two aircraft went down within 30 minutes of each other during routine flight operations off the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) in the South China Sea on October 26, 2025. All crew members survived and were rescued.Phoenix personnel traveled to Singapore and…

Norwegian offshore supply vessel owner DOF Group has secured seven new contract extensions with Petrobras for its offshore support vessels (OSVs) in Brazil, valued over $160 million.Five of DOF's Brazilian-flagged anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels, all with ROVs on board, including Skandi Fluminense, Skandi Paraty, Skandi Angra, Skandi Urca and Skandi Iguaçu, have had their current contracts with Petrobras extended until the first quarter of 2027.The new four-year contracts…

German Naval Yards (GNY), Swisship Yacht Projects headed by Andreas Iseli and Kristian Pascoli of Pascoli International have announced their collaboration on a new 93-meter superyacht concept “KOA” aimed at the next generation of large-superyacht owners. With a beam of 14.60 meters, a draft of 4 meters and an internal volume of approximately 3,500 GT, the project balances modern aesthetics, advanced hybrid propulsion and onboard spaces.The partnership draws on GNY’s experience in building technically ambitious yachts…

Dong Fang Offshore (DFO), one of Asia’s largest offshore wind service providers, has signed a major shipbuilding contract with Norwegian yard Westcon for a new subsea and cable lay vessel (CLV), set for delivery in 2027.Westcon will take over and complete construction of a large cable lay vessel already under build.DFO said the order supports its recent growth and replaces installation capacity lost in Taiwan after DeepOcean exercised an option to keep the Orient Adventurer working in Europe until 2028…

A Turkish-owned oil tanker that was damaged near Senegal's coast last week was hit by four external explosions but there were no injuries or pollution, its manager said on Monday.The vessel, Mersin, was at anchor near Dakar when the four explosions occurred at 2345 GMT on November 27, resulting in seawater entering the engine room, Istanbul-based Besiktas Shipping said in a written statement.The cause of the explosions was not clear."The situation was immediately brought under control, and we confirm that all crew members are safe; there are no injuries, no loss of life, and no pollution," the

Two tankers carrying around 1.5 million barrels of Russian Urals crude have dropped anchor at sea on either end of the Suez Canal, in an apparent sign of the difficulty Moscow is having selling oil after Western sanctions were tightened last month.The vessels Sikar and Monte 1 were both loaded with oil from Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk in early October and have remained anchored near the canal for over a week, according to tracking data from LSEG and OilX.The United States and European Union have tightened sanctions against Russia’s oil sector…

Thousands of U.K. jobs and billions in future tax revenue are at risk unless the government reforms the Energy Profits Levy (EPL), industry group Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) said ahead of the Autumn Statement.OEUK said statistical modelling shows that revising the 78% levy in 2026 instead of waiting for its scheduled expiry in 2030 would increase total tax receipts from £32.9 billion ($43.2 billion) to $63.9 billion (£48.6 billion) over the next decade, driven by higher employment…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will issue licenses to supply methanol as marine fuel in the Port of Singapore from January 1, 2026, following the Call for Applications launched in March 2025.Licenses will be awarded to Global Energy Trading, Golden Island, and PetroChina International (Singapore).The three companies were selected from 13 applicants through a comprehensive evaluation process that assessed supply chain reliability, operational readiness, safety systems, and the sustainability certification of the methanol to be supplied.

Solstad Offshore ASA (SOFF) has announced that the company has been awarded a new contract by PETROBRAS for the anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS) Normand Topazio.The contract has a duration of 4 years firm and is scheduled to commence in 1Q 2026. The vessel will support Petrobras operations in Brazil.The total gross value of the contract is approximately $73 million.