Car Use News

The second week of February brought on a really confusing spin to the markets, with fundamentals across the board performing bizarrely (compared to last week’s performance), reports cash buyer GMS.“After a volatile beginning to the month, the Baltic Exchange Dry Index and even oil futures found steady ground this week, while even the U.S. Dollar firmed against all ship recycling nation currencies except India (ain’t that a switch), as did local steel plate prices, which also saw India slip the car into reverse and backpedal nearly all of its recent gains.”In an expanded view…

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…

Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) Commission awarded a contract for the construction and outfitting of a new 75-car passenger/vehicle ferry to SENESCO Marine LLC of North Kingstown, RI. The project low bid was $78.6 million.The new ferry will eventually replace the MV Cape Henlopen, an over 40-year-old diesel engine ferry that currently serves passengers who travel between Lewes, Delaware, and Cape May, New Jersey. DRBA Executive Director Joel Coppadge realizes the historical…

Global operator of roll-on/roll-off carriers Sallaum Lines has taken delivery of the MV Ocean Legacy, a pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) that has joined its Ocean Class fleet.The delivery follows the recent entry into service of the MV Ocean Explorer and forms part of Sallaum Lines’ Ocean Class program, which focuses on fleet renewal, operational efficiency and lower-emission maritime operations.The vessel was built at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Jiangsu) and measures about 199.9 meters in length and 37.7 meters in breadth.

Tim Mooney is the third-generation family member at the helm of the iconic Fire Island Ferries. While the company’s primary focus has been moving people to and fro, from the Long Island, NY mainland to the Fire Island barrier communities and beaches, the business has evolved and grown since its start in 1948 via acquisition and organic growth. Mooney discuss the assets, the people and the priorities to safely, efficiently keep his cumulative operation of moving about one million people annually in good order.There are ferry operators…

The first two vessels in the Sleipner concept – Way Forward and Future Way – have, after just over a year in operation, demonstrated high performance, low fuel consumption and CII values far below current requirement levels. This means they emit less CO2 per transported unit than the average for comparable vessels, placing them in the highest energy efficiency class (A) according to the IMO’s international classification. The Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) measures a vessel’s…

Japan is emerging as an early adopter of advanced fire detection systems on RoRo vessels, according to inspection data from Idwal, a global vessel condition specialist.While fire safety on RoRo vessels has come under increasing scrutiny, particularly as electric vehicles enter the cargo mix in greater numbers, Idwal’s inspections show that adoption of advanced fire detection technology across the global fleet remains uneven. Japanese owned and operated tonnage is increasingly standing out as an early mover…

Mosaic tiles, crane parts, buses, expensive fabric and 'vegetable spring rolls'. These are just some of the elaborate concealment methods criminals have used to try to smuggle drugs into Australia.In the 2025 calendar year, Australian Border Force (ABF) intercepted varied air, mail and sea cargo consignments of illicit substances and precursors destined for Australian shores and, with the AFP, seized:• 9.2 tonnes of methamphetamine, which had an estimated street value of $5.5 billion…

Major shipping companies are devising strategies for a return to the Suez Canal after more than two years of disruptions due to security risks in the Red Sea.They have been rerouting vessels via longer, costlier routes around Africa since November 2023, following attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi forces, reportedly in solidarity with Palestinians during warfare in Gaza.A ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025 led some companies to explore resumption plans, though U.S. President Donald Trump's warnings of possible U.S.

Major shipping companies are devising strategies for a return to the Suez Canal after more than two years of disruptions due to security risks in the Red Sea.They have been rerouting vessels via longer, costlier routes around Africa since November 2023, following attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi forces, reportedly in solidarity with Palestinians during warfare in Gaza.A ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025 has led some companies to explore resumption plans, although security remains a key concern.

Finnish–Swedish ferry operator Wasaline reported a strong performance in 2025, delivering passenger growth, higher revenues and a major reduction in emissions, despite a more challenging freight market.Passenger volumes rose by 2.6% to 259,769, even though the company’s ROPAX vessel Aurora Botnia was out of service during the final week of December for scheduled dry-docking. Freight volumes declined slightly year-on-year, reflecting the broader economic downturn in the region, postponed construction projects, reduced paper trade and the bankruptcy of battery manufacturer Northvolt.

LNG-fueled container ships helped sustain the share of alternative fuels in the global shipbuilding orderbook in 2025, even as overall newbuilding activity slowed sharply following a record year, according to data from classification society DNV.Annual figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight platform show that while total newbuild orders fell to 2,403 vessels in 2025 from 4,405 a year earlier, alternative-fueled ships retained a 38% share of total gross tonnage, supported…

ABB has secured a contract to supply integrated power, propulsion and control solution for BC Ferries’ four new hybrid-electric major vessels.The New Major Vessels have been designed to minimize emissions and underwater radiated noise (URN), with the goal of contributing to quieter and cleaner operations in the Strait of GeorgiaABB will supply a complete package of power, propulsion and control technology for four new double-ended passenger and car ferries operated by British Columbia Ferry Services (BC Ferries).One of the largest ferry operators in the world…

Sallaum Lines accepted its latest Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessel, MV Ocean Explorer as part of its Ocean Class fleet. The newbuilding’s arrival represents a major milestone in the company’s ongoing fleet expansion strategy and its commitment to advancing sustainable and energy-efficient maritime operations.“With the delivery of MV Ocean Explorer, we are proud to take another bold step toward a more sustainable future for maritime transport,” said Mr. Hasan Sallaum – Sallaum Lines Managing Director.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has extended an olive branch to U.S. President Donald Trump, proposing serious talks on combating drug trafficking and offering U.S. companies ready access to Venezuelan oil.Maduro said Venezuela was a "brother country" to the United States and a friendly government. He noted that when he and Trump last spoke in November, the U.S. president had acknowledged his authority by addressing him as "Mr. President."The longtime Venezuelan strongman…

On Yonges Island, South Carolina, just up the Wadmalaw River from Charleston, the fourth-generation maritime company Stevens Towing Company continues to rewrite its own history. Long known for its towing and barge work, its ship repair business is growing at light speed, transforming what began decades ago as an internal maintenance yard into a dynamic commercial shipyard serving tugs, barges, OSVs, and dredge vessels from Florida to Virginia. At the center of this evolution is Kurt Olsen…

Corvus Energy, a provider of zero-emission energy solutions for the maritime industry, has received a record order from Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland for the supply of battery systems for seven new fully electric ferries for Scottish Government owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) in Scotland.This marks the largest contract in Corvus Energy’s history, measured in USD value, and represents a milestone in advancing clean, sustainable ferry operations in the UK.The…

To help metal fabricators improve productivity, quality and workforce needs, ESAB has launched its new Tracfinder Rail and Tracfinder Wheel series of battery-powered welding tractors and unveiled its newly branded ROBBI Mobile cobot welding system. ROBBI is now available with the Aristo Edge 500R power source and RoboFeed Edge robotic wire feeder, which offer next-generation capabilities. Compared to manual welding, these automation solutions can typically increase output per…

Japan’s NYK has ordered a next-generation car carrier equipped with advanced marine digital-transformation (DX) systems aimed at improving navigational safety, reducing crew workload and enhancing operational efficiency.The vessel, which will measure 199.95 meters in length with a beam of 38 meters, is scheduled for delivery on March 31, 2026, from Shinkai Toyohashi Shipbuilding.NYK said the newbuild will feature an autonomous navigation system, a large-motion mitigation system designed to limit rolling that could shift vehicle cargo…

Orca AI has signed a multi-year agreement with Gram Car Carriers (GCC), the world’s third-largest tonnage provider of Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs) and part of the MSC Group, to deploy its AI-powered navigational safety and fleet analytics platform across GCC's global fleet of 22 owned vessels.Building on the success of Orca AI’s existing collaboration with MSC, the partnership marks an expansion of the group’s digital transformation roadmap and reinforces GCC’s commitment to operational safety, compliance and efficiency.

IMO has kicked the can of sustainability down the road by delaying the Net Zero Framework. It was a strange retreat.It looked like there would be a useable Framework to reduce emissions, but at the meeting the US fought its implementation tooth and nail and threatened other states if they accepted it. Some countries buckled under and, with the loss of US support, the oil majors saw their chance to jump ship too.Then ABS expressed doubt about the Framework, and DNV also mumbled…

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published a report into the uncontrolled launch of a fast rescue craft during a training exercise.At 1645 on August 23, 2025, the crew of the passenger/car ferry Lord of the Isles were carrying out an exercise involving the launch of the vessel’s fast rescue craft (FRC) using stored power. The FRC fell 9m to the water on launching. There were no injuries, but the FRC was damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced.At 1558, Lord of the Isles departed Lochboisdale, South Uist, Scotland on a scheduled service to Mallaig on the mainland.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding delivered the large car ferry KEYAKI, built for Shin Nihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd. and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT), at the Enoura Plant of MHI's Shimonoseki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture on the November 11, 2025. The new ferry will serve on a shipping route between the cities of Otaru in Hokkaido and Maizuru in Kyoto Prefecture.KEYAKI is the first ferry in Japan to adopt the latest energy-saving hull form, including a Katana Bow and buttock-flow stern hull with ducktail.