Line News

Royal Caribbean cut its annual earnings forecast on Thursday, even after reporting a better-than-expected quarterly profit, as surging fuel costs linked to the Iran war weighed on the cruise operator.Still, its shares jumped 6% as demand for its vacation destinations remained resilient. Bookings for high-margin Mediterranean itineraries, which had softened due to geopolitical tensions, have now rebounded and are running at a higher pace than the same time last year, the company said.Royal Caribbean's efforts of investing in diverse offerings such as private islands and new cruise itineraries…

Ukraine struck what it said was an oil pumping station 1,500 km (900 miles) into Russia near the Ural Mountains with drones overnight, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv would keep increasing the range of its strikes.Kyiv has stepped up its attacks inside Russia in recent weeks, aiming to knock out oil refineries, depots and ports and cripple Moscow's biggest source of funding for its war in Ukraine, as global prices have risen due to the Iran war.Zelenskiy said Ukraine's security service had reported a successful strike deep inside Russia…

RINA has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to ST Engineering Marine for a retrofit concept involving a hydrogen-powered fuel cell system on a fast passenger ferry.The approval covers the replacement of one auxiliary diesel generator on the Asean Raider I ferry with a hydrogen fuel cell system supported by lithium-ion batteries.The concept is designed to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining safety, performance and regulatory compliance, RINA said.The assessment was conducted…

Following the BlueRights International Conference on the Protection of Health at Sea in March, organiser Prof. Dr Senka Šekularac-Ivošević is calling for holistic solutions to the current gaps in ensuring seafarers’ human rights are met.Frequent cases of crew abandonment, non-payment of wages, poor living conditions, and serious consequences for seafarers’ mental health demonstrate that the gap between regulations and reality remains significant. “Physical health, mental health…

Not every risk at sea can be measured, but in shipping a route still has to be chosen.Behind every route recommendation is a human judgement call. While weather and performance can be calculated with precision, other risks exist beyond the reach of data, forcing decisions to be made in an unavoidable grey area.In recent weeks, routing decisions in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea have carried a different kind of weight. A route that appears optimal on paper can also place a vessel closer to areas of geopolitical tension.

Shearwater Geoservices has agreed to sell the vessel SW Baret to an undisclosed buyer for conversion into a dedicated source vessel.The agreed sales price exceeds the vessel’s carrying book value and is expected to result in a gain in Shearwater’s accounts, as well as a positive impact on liquidity, the company said.Completion of the transaction is expected late in the second quarter of 2026.The vessel, built in 2012, has been in lay-up since 2021 and will undergo modifications following the sale…

The shipping industry is getting ahead of discussions at MEPC 84 next week by reaffirming their commitment to the IMO.BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERFERRY, INTERTANKO and WSC, representing the global commercial shipping fleet, issued a statement saying they remain committed to pursuing the ambition established within the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, having invested and committed billions of dollars to trial and implement the use of alternative…

Security is all too often treated as a purely compliance-driven exercise. This isn’t advisable in any industry, but it is particularly damaging for those that fall under critical infrastructure frameworks. Ports, and, by extension, the dredging operations that maintain and expand shipping lanes, are the backbone of global trade, underpinning essential supply lines. Security threats and workplace distributions therefore carry repercussions that extend far beyond any individual location, and facilitate a response that goes beyond passive monitoring and reactive measures.

Wärtsilä has signed a long-term overhaul agreement with Sweden’s Erik Thun Group, covering maintenance and technical support across its fleet.The agreement, developed with fleet management partner MF Shipping Group, includes overhaul services, field and technical services, workshop support and spare parts supply.The work is aimed at supporting the performance and lifespan of engines, propulsion systems and shaft line equipment across the fleet.Wärtsilä will provide maintenance and field services to reduce downtime…

IACS, the membership organization for the world’s leading classification societies, has published a Recommendation to improve safety standards for lifting appliances, in line with SOLAS regulations covering both new and existing lifting appliances.Lifting appliances play a vital role in cargo handling and ship operations, yet their limited structural redundancy has long posed safety risks for crews and vessels. To address these hazards, the IMO has introduced new mandatory requirements for the design…

The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday.Washington has imposed a blockade on Iran's trade by sea while Iran has fired on ships to prevent them sailing through the Strait of Hormuz waterway at the entrance to the Middle East Gulf. Nearly two months after the U.S. and Israel began their war on Iran…

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) announced the launch of the sixth edition of its benchmark publication, the Tanker Safety Guide (Chemicals). First published in 1971, the Tanker Safety Guide (Chemicals) is an industry reference for the safe operation of chemical tankers. This new edition provides up‑to‑date, practical guidance for those serving on board ships carrying hazardous and noxious liquid substances in bulk under MARPOL Annex II, supporting safe, compliant and pollution‑free operations.The sixth edition incorporates substantial updates to reflect evolving industry practice…

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Equipment Co., Ltd. (MHI-MME) and Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., both part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, have obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) for the basic design of a methane oxidation catalyst system for marine LNG-fueled engines, jointly developed with Daihatsu Infinearth Mfg. Co., Ltd. A presentation ceremony was held today at Sea Japan 2026, an international maritime exhibition being held at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto-ku…

Iran said it had captured two container ships seeking to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after firing on them and another vessel, in its first seizures since its war with the United States and Israel began in February.Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the seizures and added its Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy had warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a "red line."The seizure of one of the ships, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca…

Saildrone has announced its newest platform, Spectre. At 52 meters (170 feet) long, weighing 250 tonnes, and capable of up to 30 knots, Spectre is a high-endurance USV designed to deliver multi-mission effects above and below the surface. Spectre’s design is engineered from the keel up for long-range, quiet, persistent operations.Spectre is Saildrone’s largest, fastest, and most capable platform to date.The US Navy is facing unprecedented challenges in maintaining maritime superiority across numerous regional hotspots simultaneously, says the company.

The Iranian-flagged container ship Touska, which was boarded and seized by U.S. forces on Sunday, is likely to have what Washington deems dual-use items that could be used by the military onboard, maritime security sources said on Monday.The small container ship, which is part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) group that has been hit with U.S. sanctions, was boarded on Sunday off the coast of Iran's Chabahar port in the Gulf of Oman and last reported its position at 1308 GMT, according to ship-tracking data on the Marine Traffic platform.The U.S.

C&C Marine and Repair held a keel laying ceremony at its Belle Chasse shipyard, marking a milestone in a new series of four hybrid escort tugs being built for Green Tug Towing (GTT). The vessels will support LNG carrier operations at Woodside Energy's Louisiana LNG terminal in Calcasieu Parish.The GTT series joins a separate series of four hybrid escort tugs already under construction at C&C, bringing the shipyard's active tugboat program to a total of eight vessels. Together…

NYK Bulkship (Asia), Golden Island and Yara Clean Ammonia Norge have concluded a non-binding Term Sheet that paves the way towards a partnership to supply low-carbon ammonia as a marine fuel in Singapore.The companies began discussions in the beginning of 2024 to explore the launch of the business, aiming to commence operations within this decade.NYK group operates a fleet of more than 900 vessels. “With its potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, ammonia is expected to play an important role in the future marine fuel mix.

New U.S.-Flag coastwise registered tonnage was delivered into service April 18, 2026 by Alternative Marine Technologies (AMTECH) as Vessel Construction Managers. The ATB MAM 141 & Tug Battery Park departed Gulf Marine Repair of Tampa, Florida after completing a major conversion and reconstruction to chemical and petroleum service. The barge was refitted with a full stainless steel cargo system and cargo tanks coated with Advanced Polymer Coatings Marine Line 784. The coating application was reportedly the first job with the polymer completed in the United States…

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening port security in line with international standards, as the United States Coast Guard (USCG) continues to provide technical support for improved compliance with provisions of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code.A delegation from the USCG, led by the Chief of International Port Security Operations, Mr. Bryan Ullmer, was in Nigeria on a five-day assessment visit to key port facilities in Lagos…

Italy’s Fincantieri and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) have launched the cruise ship Norwegian Aura at the Monfalcone shipyard, marking the start of the vessel’s final outfitting phase ahead of delivery scheduled for spring 2027.With a gross tonnage of about 170,000 tonnes and a length of 344 metres, Norwegian Aura is around 10% larger than previous Prima Plus-class ships Norwegian Aqua and Norwegian Luna.The vessel features 1,976 cabins and can accommodate approximately 3,880 passengers.

The Panama Canal Authority on Thursday downplayed a report that an LPG vessel paid $4 million to jump the transit queue, saying the result reflected temporary market conditions rather than a fee set by the waterway, as the Iran war drives more traffic to the canal."The recent outcome of an auction awarded to an LPG vessel reflects temporary market shifts and is not the result of a rate set by the Panama Canal," the authority said in a statement, without confirming how much was paid out in the auction.It said auction values are driven by factors including customers' urgency…

Maritime safety regulations are often shaped by hard lessons. Few accidents demonstrate this more clearly than the loss of the ferry MV Estonia in September 1994.Maritime safety regulations are often shaped by hard lessons. Few accidents demonstrate this more clearly than the loss of the ferry MV Estonia in September 1994.More than 30 years later, the incident is still a touchstone for passenger vessel safety. Many of the stability and survivability questions it raised are influencing…