Main Engines News

Sanmar celebrated the delivery of a second tugboat to Ultratug, a leading operator in the Americas, at a special ceremony held at its Altinova Shipyard on August 11, 2026.The tug, UT AMAZONAS, will operate in Colombia and is the sister vessel to UT PATZCUARO, the first tug that Sanmar built for Ultratug, which was delivered just a few months ago and is now operating in Mexico.Guests of honor from Ultratug Colombia at the ceremony were Silvia Herrera, Country Manager of Ultratug Colombia; Cristian Franco, Fleet and Operations Manager, Colombia; and José Morales, Maintenance Engineer, Colombia.

C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the M/V Mimsy H. Lindner to Canal Barge Company, completing a four-boat series of 2,600-horsepower inland towboats for the New Orleans-based operator. The Mimsy H. Lindner follows the M/V Al Sloss, M/V Deborah H. Valentine and M/V Cabby H. Boone, all built by C&C's Belle Chasse shipyard since January.The M/V Mimsy H. Lindner measures 87' x 33'-8" x 11'-3" inches and is outfitted for Subchapter M service on inland rivers, canals and intracoastal waterways.

Marine fuel buyers entered 2026 facing a perfect storm, suffering some of the highest bunker prices ever experienced, paired with a sharp and concerning decline in fuel quality. Across the traditional marine fossil fuel supply chain, VPS has seen a marked rise in fuel quality issues, with the Middle East conflict playing a major role in driving both price volatility and quality deterioration. For ship owners/operators, the message is clear, today’s fuel market is not only more expensive, it is also becoming more complex and unpredictable, with a higher degree of operational risk.

Danish shortsea operator Baltic Shipping Company has added two new Damen-built hybrid coasters equipped with wind-assisted propulsion and battery systems to its fleet.The 3,550-dwt sister vessels Baltic Iron and Baltic Timber are each fitted with two Econowind VentoFoils, which are expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 12% by harnessing wind to generate supplementary propulsion.The VentoFoils generate aerodynamic thrust that reduces the propulsion power required from the vessels' main engines, cutting both fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions.

C&C Marine and Repair has delivered a new 160-foot idler barge to Orion Marine Construction, Inc. Designed by The Shearer Group, Inc., the unmanned steel barge will support Orion Marine's dredging operations by connecting with new and existing dredges in the company's fleet.The barge features an integrated walking-spud system designed to advance the combined dredge and idler-barge unit in increments of approximately 30 feet. The system incorporates a traveling spud carrier, a fixed stern spud, dedicated spud towers and electrically driven hoisting winches.

A wave of new investment in dedicated shuttle tankers has been spurred by the age profile of the existing fleet coupled with surging developments in the Brazilian offshore market.Constituting a specialized asset class, dynamic positioning (DP) shuttle tankers are a flexible and cost effective way of lifting and transporting oil from offshore fields, where subsea pipelines are not a practical or economically viable option.Production platforms or floating units are increasingly located in deepwater areas prone to challenging weather and hydrological conditions…

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered a new Bogaçay Class tugboat to SAAM Towage, increasing the number of SANMAR-built vessels operating within the company's fleet to 16.Renamed SAAM HUNABKU, the new tug is based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKIl design developed exclusively for SANMAR by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. Following her handover at Sanmar Shipyards on July 14, 2026, the vessel will begin operations at Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. The closing for the sale of SAAM HUNABKU was completed at Sanmar Shipyards…

Fairfield Maritime Japan Ltd. (FMJ) signed a long-term charter contract with Neste enabling FMJ to fund and manage the construction of two Ice Class 1A medium range (MR) oil and chemical tankers for Neste's transports to and from its refinery in Porvoo, Finland. The two new ships will each have the capacity to ship 50,000 deadweight tons (DWT) and will be built by HD Hyundai Co., Ltd. of South Korea and delivered in the first and second quarters of 2029.As Ice Class 1A certified ships…

For much of the maritime industry, the energy transition has been discussed in terms of alternative fuels – primarily LNG, methanol, ammonia, or hydrogen. Batteries have often been treated as a narrow tool for limited-purpose vessels, such as water taxis and harbor craft. That view is becoming too constrained.The importance of batteries comes not from technology enthusiasm alone. Global shipping accounts for roughly 3% of planet-warming emissions. Meanwhile, International Maritime…

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered two tugboats to SAAM Towage, a pair of IMO Tier Ill-compliant vessels were recently handed over to SAAM Towage representatives at Sanmar Shipyards' Altinova facilities in Türkiye following sea trials. Renamed SAAM CARANCHO and SAAM KANAN, the tugboats will be deployed in Chile and Mexico respectively.With these latest deliveries, the number of Sanmar-built tugboats operating within the SAAM Towage fleet has increased to 15.SAAM CARANCHO is a Bigaçay Class escort tug based on the RAstar 2900SX design developed for Sanmar by Robert Allan Ltd.

Swiss marine engine designer WinGD has secured an order to supply main engines for 12 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) being built at China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for Greek tanker owner Dynacom.Each vessel will be fitted with a WinGD 6X82-2.0 low-speed engine, alongside exhaust gas scrubbers and high-pressure selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to meet current International Maritime Organization emissions requirements.The order comes as tanker owners continue to invest in modern…

Parker Towing Company has completed the repower of the M/V Syble Fay at Verret Shipyard, replacing the vessel's Cummins QK38 main engines with two Mitsubishi S12R Tier 3 engines supplied by Laborde Products. Each engine is rated at 1,100 horsepower at 1,600 RPM, providing a total of 2,200 horsepower for the vessel's continued service on the inland waterways.The MV Syble Fay is a 78-foot by 34-foot twin-screw towboat with a depth of 10 feet. Originally powered by Cummins QSK38 engines…

Twenty-five years after she was launched by Feadship as Northern Light, the 46.90-m has emerged from one of the most comprehensive rebuild programs undertaken by Feadship Refit & Services in recent years.Arriving at Kaag in May 2025, the yacht was originally scheduled for a substantial refit focused on a redesigned stern arrangement, a complete repaint and a series of technical upgrades. As work progressed, it became clear that bringing a Feadship launched in 2001 back to proper standards would require a broader scope of work…

Another vessel has moved through construction for Hines Furlong Line, Inc., with the M/V Bob Nienhuis built at Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, Louisiana as part of the company's ongoing 11-boat program.The 2,400 horsepower vessel measuring 78' x 34' x 10' is configured with a triple-screw propulsion system powered by three Mitsubishi S62 Tier 3 engines, each rated at 803 horsepower at 1,400 RPM. The build also includes two Laborde-supplied generator sets, each rated at 65 kW…

Acta Marine has taken delivery of the Acta Gemini, a new walk-to-work DP2 construction service operation vessel (CSOV) that is set to begin a long-term charter supporting operations at the Sofia offshore wind farm in the UK.The vessel, built by Tersan Shipyard in Turkey, is the third in a series of four newbuild CSOVs ordered by the Dutch offshore vessel operator.Following mobilization, Acta Gemini will start work at the 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm on Dogger Bank, operating…

As a vessel construction manager with extended building experience in both the U.S. and South Korea, more than several opportunities have landed on our desks as Private Equity and Venture Capital analyze tanker tonnage and construction in the domestic trades. With the understanding these requests are based upon the current Persian Gulf and Venezuela issues driving that market we should also pay attention to the 2027 Maritime budget that allocates $1.5 trillion dollars for overall National Security and $65.8 billion set aside for U.S. Navy Shipbuilding.

Laborde Products powered the newbuild M/V Larry Gravely, constructed by Diversified Marine in Houma, Louisiana.The twin-screw towboat is equipped with a pair of Mitsubishi Tier 3 S6R2 main engines, each rated at 803 horsepower at 1,400 RPM. The engines were applied to support the vessel’s operating profile and the steady, day-to-day demands of aggregate service on the inland waterways.Built at Diversified Marine, the Larry Gravely was designed for consistent service, with propulsion decisions centered on durability, operating speed, and long-term serviceability.

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft has introduced a concept for what it says would be the world’s first fully battery-electric cruise ship exceeding 80,000 gross tons, signaling a bold step forward in the industry’s push toward decarbonization.The concept, dubbed “Vision,” was unveiled at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami. According to the yard, the 275-meter vessel would accommodate 1,856 passengers and deliver up to a 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional cruise ships.The design leans heavily on existing battery technology rather than speculative future solutions.

Holland Shipyards Group announced the successful delivery of Men Skey, the third and final Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) in a series of three built for Dixstone. Following the delivery of Men Cren and Men Goe earlier in 2025, this milestone marks the completion of the offshore newbuild program.With Men Cren already delivered as the first vessel in the series and both sister vessels currently operating successfully along the coast of West Africa, Men Skey will soon join them to further strengthen Dixstone’s offshore support activities in the region.The three shallow draft (max.

Turkish tugboat builder Sanmar Shipyards has further reinforced its partnership with SAAM Towage through the delivery of a Boğaçay-Class tug that will operate in Latin America.The vessel, which has been named SAAM GUANAY, is based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd and becomes the 13th Sanmar-built tug in the SAAM Towage fleet.Designed for optimum performance in ship-handling operations, the tug measures 24.4m in length, with a 12m beam, 4.5m molded depth, and a 5.45m draft.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a long-term charter agreement with India’s state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for two newbuilding very large ethane carriers (VLECs) to be constructed by Samsung Heavy Industries.MOL established two joint ventures with ONGC, with the joint ventures and ONGC signing a 15-year charter contract for the vessels.The two vessels, each with a cargo capacity of 100,000 cubic metres, will be built at Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje shipyard in South Korea.

The formerly retired tugboat Polar King is back on the water thanks to the hard work of the Alaska Marine Lines team and many others throughout the Lynden companies. The 50-year-old tugboat was completely overhauled earlier this year and is now back in the fleet and will be towing barges between Seattle, Hawaii, and Western Alaska ports. The 120- by 34-ft. tug was built in 1974 at McDermott Shipyard, one of eight built that year. Four of those vessels ended up towing barges at AML.

C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the M/V Al Sloss to Canal Barge Company, completing the first vessel in a four-boat newbuild series currently under construction for the New Orleans-based operator.The 2,600-horsepower, 87- x 34-ft. towboat was designed by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering team and constructed on an accelerated schedule, with delivery completed in approximately six months.Delivery of the remaining three vessels in the series is scheduled to follow at two- to three-month intervals.The M/V Al Sloss is powered by two Mitsubishi S12-R main engines…