Teamwork Required to Thwart Illegal Wildlife Trade
Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California had disrupted several major wildlife trafficking operations, including seizing hundreds of illegal products made from ivory, rhino horn, walrus tusks, suspected bear gall bladders, saiga antelope, and turtle shells.“The international illegal market for these products encourages poaching and threatens global biodiversity — California wants no part of it. We’re using every tool at our disposal to catch and shut down these trafficking rings…
Over 40 Migrants Feared Dead After Boat Capsizes Off Libya
At least 42 migrants are missing and presumed dead after a rubber boat capsized off the coast of Libya, the International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday.Libyan authorities rescued seven survivors who had drifted at sea for six days after the vessel, carrying 49 people, sank near the Al Buri oilfield, an offshore facility north-northwest of the Libyan coast.IOM said the migrants were from Sudan, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Somalia.Libya has become a transit route for migrants…
Operation to Salvage LPG Tanker MV Falcon Underway
An operation was underway on Monday to salvage the liquefied petroleum gas tanker MV Falcon, which remains on fire and adrift in the Gulf of Aden following an October 18 explosion on board, maritime security sources said.The Cameroon-flagged vessel was fully laden when the explosion occurred at 0700 GMT as it was sailing off Yemen, forcing most of its 26 crew members to abandon the vessel.The cause of the blast is unclear, but early indications suggest it was an accident related to its cargo…
LPG-Laden Tanker on Fire Off Yemen
The LPG-laden tanker MV Falcon was on fire and adrift on Saturday off the coast of Yemen, after it reported an explosion that forced members of its crew to abandon the vessel, the European Union's naval force Aspides said in a statement.The cause of the explosion was unclear but most likely an accident, according to initial indications, Aspides said. It added that at least 15% of the Cameroon-flagged vessel was on fire.Due to the risk of further explosions, since the tanker was fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas…
Danish Shipping Launches African Maritime Training Initiative
Danish Shipping has launched an initiative to help build maritime competence and create opportunities for talented African cadets.Danish shipping companies and Danish authorities have a long history of cooperating closely with African partners, especially in the maritime sector.Building on successful partnerships between Danish shipping companies and African maritime institutions, the African Maritime Training Initiative aims to strengthen cooperation and create opportunities…
Argentina’s 30 MMtpa LNG Ambition by 2030 – Is It feasible?
The development Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta share is transforming the nation into a rising energy exporter, with oil and pipeline gas already flowing abroad and an ambitious multi-phase ‘Argentina LNG’ initiative aiming to secure a permanent place in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. While geological resources appear sufficient, the scale and pace of development, however, present challenges.‘Argentina LNG’ is a large-scale LNG scheme designed to massively develop Vaca Muerta's resources to deliver energy to domestic and international market.
Golar LNG Locks In $13.7B FLNG Backlog with Landmark Argentina Deals
Golar LNG Limited cemented its position as one of the most active players in the floating LNG (FLNG) market, announcing Q2 2025 results alongside major long-term contracts that add $13.7 billion to its Adjusted EBITDA backlog. The new deals—both with Argentina’s Southern Energy S.A. (SESA)—cover redeployment of the FLNG Hilli and the company’s under-conversion MKII FLNG, securing 40 years of combined charter commitments.For the quarter ended June 30, 2025, Golar reported net income attributable to the company of $16 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $49 million, and total cash of $891 million.
FLNG Capacity to Jump
Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) terminals are gaining momentum on the global LNG market, with capacity expected to triple by 2030 according to research from Rystad Energy.Once hindered by technical and operational challenges, FLNG projects are now achieving utilization rates comparable to onshore terminals. With LNG demand rising alongside the growing viability of smaller gas fields, FLNG is emerging as a faster, more flexible and cost-effective solution capable of adapting…
Taiwan will Use Navy to Protect Sea Cables
Taiwan will dispatch its navy if needed to help the coast guard respond to any suspicious activity near undersea communication cables, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Thursday, after a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging one.Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, said a ship owned by a Hong Kong company but registered both in Cameroon and Tanzania damaged a cable to the north of the island earlier this month, although it says it has not been able to verify the ship's intentions and was unable to board it due to bad weather.The ship's owner has denied involvement, and
Taiwan Suspects China Linked to Undersea Cable Damage
Taiwan and China traded barbs over what the government in Taipei suspects was a Chinese-linked ship's damage to an undersea communications cable off the island's coast, an incident that has raised alarm bells on the island.The ship owner, speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, said there was no evidence the ship was involved. Taiwan's coast guard suspects the ship damaged the cable off the island's northern coast late last week, but was unable to board it to investigate due to bad weather.The coast guard said it "cannot rule out the possibility" the ship…
Floating LNG Conversion Job Slips Out of Seatrium’s Hands
Golar LNG has decided to call off the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel conversion job with Seatrium, following the sale of a Moss type liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Golar Gandria for demolition.The first two floating liquefaction vessels delivered by Seatrium to Golar LNG are Hilli Episeyo deployed in the Kribi gas field located offshore Cameroon, and Golar Gimi FLNG deployed in the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field located offshore Mauritania and Senegal.Following Golar LNG’s sale of the 1977-built Golar Gandria for demolition in 2023…
Esgian Week 40 Report: TotalEnergies Sanctions New Development
Esgian highlights news from TotalEnergies in its Week 40 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryDrilling Activity and DiscoveriesThe Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has given Aker BP consent to use the 492-ft jackup Noble Invincible for production drilling on the Tambar Øst (East) field offshore Norway.TotalEnergies will resume exploration drilling in the Orange Basin offshore Namibia in the fourth quarter of 2024 with the Tamboti prospect, located in Block 2913B north of the company’s Venus discovery.Aker BP has proven gas in appraisal well 6507/2-7 S in the Norwegian Sea…
Vessel Ballast Water Management: Getting the Numbers Right
It was never going to be realistic to expect treated ballast water to have zero viable organisms on discharge.The G8 guidelines that define the type approval process for ballast water treatment systems were initially agreed at the IMO before any systems had actually been developed.The IMO had already been working on the issue of invasive species being transferred around the world in ballast water for a couple of decades. It was on the radar back in the 1970s. At MEPC 31 in 1991…
Ballast Water Technology: Getting the Numbers Right
It was never going to be realistic to expect treated ballast water to have zero viable organisms on discharge.The G8 guidelines that define the type approval process for ballast water treatment systems were initially agreed at the IMO before any systems had actually been developed.The IMO had already been working on the issue of invasive species being transferred around the world in ballast water for a couple of decades. It was on the radar back in the 1970s. At MEPC 31 in 1991…
Denmark Tops 2023 Paris MoU White List
The Paris MoU Committee has approved the 2023 inspection results and adopted new performance lists for flag States, with Tanzania and Cameroon graded as “very high risk” and Denmark topping the White List.The “White, Grey and Black List” presents the full spectrum, from quality flags to flags with a poor performance that are considered high or very high risk. It is based on the total number of inspections and detentions during a three-year rolling period for flags with at least 30 inspections in that period.The White List represents quality flags with a consistently low detention percentage.
Esgian Week 21 Report: Tender Opportunities Emerging in Africa
Esgian provides an update on new commitments confirmed for Odfjell Drilling and Borr Drilling rigs and new tender opportunities emerging in Africa in its Week 21 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsEquinor has exercised an option to extend the use of Odfjell Drilling’s 10,000-ft Deepsea Aberdeen for a batch of eight wells on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. With this, Odfjell Drilling’s owned fleet of four semisubs has a firm backlog until at least mid-2026.Borr Drilling has confirmed new work for its 400-ft jackup Prospector 1 in the UK and the Netherlands…
World Maritime University Graduates Class of '23
On 28 October, the maritime leaders of tomorrow - World Maritime University (WMU) class of 2023 - graduated. The WMU 2023 graduating class includes 283 graduates from 71 countries, including a record of 99 women graduates.WMU President, Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., delivered welcome remarks. As a WMU graduate himself, President Mejia reflected on the power of the WMU experience and how it affects the way one thinks, works, plans, and interacts. “You have acquired information that you did not possess before you enrolled here," he said.
Indonesia Seizes Iranian-Flagged Supertanker Suspected of Illegal Oil Transfer
Indonesia's coast guard said on Tuesday it seized an Iranian-flagged supertanker suspected of involvement in the illegal transshipment of crude oil, and vowed to toughen maritime patrols.The MT Arman 114 was carrying 272,569 metric tons of light crude oil, valued at 4.6 trillion rupiah ($304 million), when it was seized last week, the Indonesian authorities said.The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) was suspected of transferring oil to another vessel without a permit on Friday, the Southeast Asian nation's maritime security agency said.The vessel was captured after being spotted in Indonesia's North Natuna Sea, carrying out a ship-to-ship oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos, the agency's chief, Aan Kurnia, said.
Nigeria Will Destroy a Vessel it Intercepted Carrying Stolen Crude
Nigeria's state-owned oil firm NNPC Ltd said on Monday an 800,000-liter (211,338-U.S. gallon) vessel carrying stolen crude had been intercepted offshore while heading to Cameroon and would be destroyed as a deterrent to oil theft.Crude theft from pipelines and wells in the Niger Delta has hobbled the country's output in recent years and is one of the biggest challenges to confront new President Bola Tinubu.NNPC said the oil was stolen from a well in south western Ondo state.
Denmark Tops Paris MoU White List
The Paris MoU Committee has approved the 2022 inspection results and adopted new performance lists for flag States and Recognized Organizations (ROs), with Denmark topping the White List and Cameroon at the bottom of the Black List.The White List represents quality flags with a consistently low detention record. Calculations are based on the number of inspections and detentions during a three-year rolling period for flags with at least 30 inspections over that period. In this period…
Ports in China's Oil Hub Shandong Scrutinizing Old Tankers
Ports in China's Shandong province are demanding more detailed information about oil tankers that are more than 15 years old that call at their terminals, sources with knowledge of the matter said, potentially delaying the unloading of crude shipments in the world's biggest oil importer.Last week, the maritime safety administrations at Qingdao and Rizhao, which covers the oil terminals at the port of Lanshan, notified shipping agencies to submit details on their ships' age, where a ship is flagged…
MODEC Confirms Its First FPSO Order in Guyana
Japan's MODEC said Monday it would proceed with engineering, procurement, and construction on the Uaru FPSO vessel following a final investment decision on the Uaru offshore oil project by ExxonMobil in Guyana last month.The Uaru FPSO is named ‘Errea Wittu’, which means ‘abundance,’ and will be the fifth offshore FPSO in Guyana and the first to be supplied by MODEC. The first four, two of which are now in production in the Stabroek block off Guyana, were/will be delivered by SBM Offshore.Apart from supplying the Errea Wittu FPSO…
Golar LNG Buys NFE's Stake in FLNG Hilli
Golar LNG has acquired New Fortress Energy's (NFE) stake in FLNG Hilli - also known as Hilli Episeyo. "In return for NFE’s 50% Common Unit holding in Golar Hilli LLC, Golar has transferred its remaining 4.1 million NFE shares to NFE, paid NFE $100 million in cash, and assumed approximately $323 million of FLNG Hilli debt," Golar LNG said. FLNG Hilli (Hilli Episeyo) is currently located offshore Kribi, Cameroon. Its customers are oil and gas company Perenco and Cameroon’s national oil firm, Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH).