Major Milestone News

Babcock International Group has confirmed the location for its new Capability Centre in Plymouth - a major milestone in plans to relocate up to 2,000 highly skilled employees into the heart of the city.The new Capability Centre will be based at 40-46 Royal Parade.Establishing this new facility, in addition to the Dockyard, will enable Babcock to free up vital space at its Devonport site, supporting the continued focus on delivering critical and complex Ministry of Defence programs in the South West.Harry Holt…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a new contract with long-standing partner Echo Marine Group to support the delivery of Western Australia’s first fully electric passenger ferries - marking a major milestone for sustainable public transport in Australia.The project, which is a part of the Perth Transport Authority’s (PTA) METRONET Swan River Ferry Service Expansion programme, will see the design and construction of five new battery-electric ferries for operation on Perth’s Swan River.

The McMurdo Docking Pier, constructed by Gunderson Marine & Iron (GM&I) and designed by Glosten for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hassuccessfully arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica following a 9,159 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean.The pier, towed from the Pacific Northwest by TradeWinds Towing, was underway for 69 days, averaging 5.5 knots over the course of its journey. This total includes four days of route adjustments to avoid severe Southern Ocean weather systems.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a Proposed Notice of Sale for the third offshore oil and gas lease sale under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposed lease sale, known as Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 3, or BBG3, is scheduled to take place on Aug. 12, 2026.This sale is the third of 30 Gulf of America oil and gas lease sales required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law No: 119-21). By committing to a predictable sale schedule, the Department is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand American energy production and strengthen U.S. energy dominance.

CMA CGM is preparing to launch an electric inland barge on France’s Fos-Lyon corridor, with an annual potential of nearly 12,000 TEUs.The initiative aims to promote a regular, reliable, competitive and decarbonized logistics solution between the Port of Marseille-Fos, Lyon and the Rhône Valley, to accelerate a modal shift and relieve congestion on the A7 motorway.By 2030, the Group aims to double its multimodal volumes in Lyon, increasing inland waterway transport to 100,000 TEUs per year and rail transport to 60…

In a major milestone for Auckland’s public transport network, the city’s first plug-in hybrid electric fast ferry has performed exceptionally on sea trials and will soon enter service on the busy Auckland to Devonport commuter route. The vessel achieved a top speed of 36 knots on all-electric mode, with the performance of the electric propulsion and onboard systems consistently meeting and surpassing expectations.Designed by Incat Crowther, built by Q-West Boat Builders with systems integration by Hamilton Jet…

Canadian EV shipbuilder Voltari Marine Electric Inc. is expanding its North American manufacturing footprint with the establishment of a new U.S. facility in Bay County, Florida. As part of a strategic growth initiative formerly known as “Project Kilowatt,” Voltari will acquire and transform the Queen Craft Shipyard, operating since 1974, to support increased production capacity for U.S.-based customers while maintaining its Canadian headquarters and core operations.Voltari is a vertically integrated shipbuilder specializing in the design…

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.

PaxOcean Group and ABB have announced that Singapore’s first fully electric tug completed commissioning, marking a major milestone in the city-state’s harbor craft electrification program.The 50-tonne bollard pull tug, PXO-ACE-1, is expected to be deployed in April 2026 and is the first fully electric tug to be built and operated in Singapore. The vessel was built by PaxOcean Group, a subsidiary of Kuok Maritime Group, and is powered by an integrated electric propulsion system…

Master Boat Builders launched the tugboat Jill, marking a major milestone in its ongoing partnership with Gulf LNG Tugs of Port Arthur, LLC , a joint venture comprised of Bay-Houston Management, LLC; Bay Towing, LLC; Moran Towing Corporation; and Suderman & Young Towing Company. Together, the Gulf LNG partners have more than 400 years of experience in ship assist and towage services. Jill is the sixth and final vessel in a Rapport 2800 tugboat series designed by Robert Allan Ltd.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has secured an approval in principle (AiP) from ClassNK for the basic design of specialized vessels to joint and bury subsea power cables.MOL is working with Sumitomo Electric Industries, Furukawa Electric and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) to develop fundamental technologies-including a new type of cable-laying vessel-as part of a project subsidized by the Japanese government's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).One of MOL's roles in this project is to develop technologies for cable jointing and burial vessels…

DNV has granted a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) to CSSC Shanghai Marine Energy Saving Technology (CMES-Tech) for its new 35-meter tilting type wind assisted rotor system.This is the first domestically developed rotor sail system in China to achieve this recognition under DNV’s WAPS rules (ST-0511). With this certification, the system is confirmed ready for installation on DNV classed commercial vessels and marks a major milestone for China’s green-shipping technology industry.As shipping faces mounting pressure from fuel costs and emissions regulations…

DNV has awarded Jiangnan Shipyard an Approval in Principle (AiP) for its Jiangnan Intelligent System JNIS (DATA) under the D-INF(S) class notation. Jiangnan received the recognition for their standardized onboard data platform which is aligned with ISO 19847 and ISO 19848.The accelerating digital transformation of the maritime industry depends on trusted, high-quality data collected systematically from sensors, control systems, and other onboard sources. But as vessels generate increasingly large and complex datasets, the reliability and consistency of this data is critical.

The hull of the Nexans Electra cable laying vessel (CLV) was launched from the dock hall at Ulstein Verft, marking a major milestone in the vessel’s journey towards completion.The hull has been constructed in a roofed, controlled environment at the Norwegian yard, enabling optimal conditions for precision painting and work quality.With the launch, which took place on November 13, 2025, the vessel moves from the dock hall to the outfitting quay, progressing toward its role in supporting…

The United States dredging industry stands as one of the most competitive, efficient, and strategically vital sectors of the maritime economy. As part of the Jones Act fleet—the original Build America, Buy America industry — it not only strengthens our ports and waterways but also anchors thousands of middle-class jobs, spurs shipbuilding across the Gulf and East Coasts, and delivers exceptional value for taxpayers.The last several years have ushered in a quiet renaissance. Dredging firms large and small are modernizing their fleets, expanding capacity, and deepening critical U.S.

Maritime intelligence company Pole Star Global has launched three new products — Meridia, Meridia IQ, and Insights Data Products — forming a unified ecosystem that integrates maritime analytics, generative AI, and data delivery.Together, these solutions empower shipping companies, governments, and financial institutions to act on trusted intelligence in real time — improving safety, compliance, and operational performance across global maritime domains, says Pole Star Global.Meridia: A maritime analytics platform that consolidates port, zone, and vessel analytics into one environment.

The construction of Captain Arctic, a 69-meter near-zero-emission exploration vessel designed for sustainable cruising in polar waters, has reached a major milestone as its hull was completed by Goltens Dubai, marking the start of final outfitting and integration work.The vessel, owned by French company SELAR and built in collaboration with Chantier Naval de l’Océan Indien (CNOI) and Goltens Dubai, represents a major step in the integration of renewable energy systems into modern…

Windward Offshore has taken delivery of its first Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), Windward Athens, built by Norwegian shipbuilder Vard.The vessel represents a major milestone on Windward Offshore’s growth path and marks the company’s entry into operations with its dedicated CSOV fleet.The Windward Athens is designed to support installation, commissioning, and maintenance activities in offshore wind farms.Measuring 87.5 meters in length with a 19.5-meter beam, she offers accommodation for up to 120 people and is equipped with the latest technology for safe…

Scotland’s largest Energy Transition Skills Hub, a $13.3 million facility featuring a welding academy, advanced manufacturing zone and digital training suites, was officially opened in Aberdeen on Monday by First Minister John Swinney.The Hub is the anchor project of the Skills Campus in the city’s Energy Transition Zone and will support 1,000 people into jobs focused on energy transition in its first five years.The facility has been handed over from ETZ Ltd, which led its delivery, to North East Scotland College (NESCol).

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division successfully completed builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128), marking a major milestone in the construction of the second Flight III destroyer built at Ingalls.The trials were conducted over several days in the Gulf of America, and tested the ship’s engineering, navigation, and combat systems to ensure readiness for the future acceptance trials and eventual delivery to the U.S. Navy.During builder’s trials, the Ingalls test and trials team completed a full range of hull…

Amrize has launched the MV Tamarack, a 12,500dwt carrier with a capacity of over 10,000 cubic meters of cement.The vessel was delivered by Holland Shipyard in The Netherlands and is managed by CSL’s Canadian division, Canada Steamship Lines.The MV Tamarack replaces two older ships with a single, streamlined, high-performance vessel. Equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, advanced manuvrability systems, shore-power compatibility, noise insulation and energy-saving cargo handling…

OceanWings has received a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) from DNV, marking a major milestone in the industrial validation of the company’s automated wingsail propulsion system.The certificate confirms that the design of the rigid OceanWings system, in both its tiltable and fixed configurations, meets DNV’s rigorous technical and regulatory standards for safety, reliability, and operation.The system is designed to support shipping’s transition toward cleaner energy and…

Yara Clean Ammonia, together with Yara International, CMB.TECH and North Sea Container Line, has marked the official start of construction on Yara Eyde, the world’s first container ship powered by renewable ammonia.The steel cutting ceremony, held earlier in September, represents a major milestone in efforts to decarbonize short-sea shipping and demonstrate the viability of ammonia as a low-emission fuel.Set to operate on the Oslo–Porsgrunn–Bremerhaven–Rotterdam route, the 1,200 TEU vessel will connect industrial clusters in Northern Europe with sustainable logistics solutions.