Maritime News

French engineering firm GTT has an order from the shipyard Hanwha Ocean for the tank design of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, on behalf of a European ship-owner.GTT will design the cryogenic tanks of the vessel, offering a total capacity of 174,000 m3.The tanks will be fitted with the NO96 Super+ membrane containment system, a technology developed by GTT.Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the second quarter 2029.

Fincantieri and Teijin Automotive Technologies have signed an agreement to develop non-structural composite bulkheads for maritime vessels, as shipbuilders seek lighter materials and new design solutions for civil and naval ships.Under the memorandum of understanding, Teijin Automotive Technologies, a European unit of Japan’s Teijin, will lead engineering and industrialization activities with support from Italy’s Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilders.The companies…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed its first annual contract for liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering for car carriers at the Port of Vancouver, expanding LNG fuel supply arrangements for its growing fleet of LNG-fueled vessels operating on North American trade routes.The agreement with Canada-based Seaspan Energy follows MOL’s first LNG bunkering operation on the west coast of North America in March 2025, which the company said marked the first such operation by a Japanese…

French engineering firm GTT has been selected by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), on behalf of the ship-owner BW LNG, for the tank design of the world’s first large-scale LNG carriers featuring a three-cargo-tank configuration.This new design will equip four new buildings - two vessels already ordered in November 2025 and two additional vessels ordered in May 2026.The four LNG carriers will be fitted with the GTT Mark III Flex membrane containment system…

INTERCARGO has published the first dedicated ship-to-ship (STS) transfer guidelines for dry bulk carriers, as such operations expand into new trading regions and offshore locations with limited port infrastructure.The ‘Ship to Ship Transfer Guidelines for Bulk Carriers’ establishes a framework for dry bulk STS operations, covering planning, risk assessment, maneuvering, fendering, cargo handling and emergency response procedures.STS transfers are increasingly used in dry bulk shipping where ports cannot accommodate vessel size…

Aqua superPower and Tidal Transit have formed a strategic partnership to support the deployment of electric crew transfer vessels (E-CTVs) for ports and harbors serving offshore infrastructure, including offshore wind projects.Under the agreement, Tidal Transit will build and operate E-CTV vessels and manage offshore charging infrastructure installation, while Aqua superPower will design, build, operate and maintain shore-side charging systems at vessel origin ports.The collaboration aims to simplify deployment of electric vessel operations by combining vessel capability…

A consortium led by Stillstrom by Maersk has secured $5.8 million (€5 million) in funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe program to develop and test offshore charging infrastructure for vessels at anchor in Denmark.The three-year SPARK project will deploy a pilot Offshore Power Zone in Skagen, one of Northern Europe’s busiest anchorage hubs, targeting greenhouse gas emissions from ships running engines while stationary between operations.Stillstrom said the consortium includes Aalborg University…

Belgian tanker company CMB.Tech said on Tuesday its core profit more than tripled in the first quarter, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz curtailed available shipping tonnage, driving a sharp spike in spot freight rates.Shares of the large, diversified maritime company with a fleet of about 250 ships rose more than 5% in early Brussels trading.

U.S. autonomous vessel developer Saronic has entered a strategic partnership with Lloyd’s Register (LR) to support the safe deployment of autonomous maritime systems in the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia.The companies said the collaboration would focus on advancing technical standards, regulatory guidance and classification pathways for autonomous surface vessels.Saronic said it would pursue classification activities for its autonomous vessels with LR as part of the agreement.

Russian drones hit two ships in the Black Sea approaching ports in Ukraine's Odesa region on Monday, including a Chinese-owned cargo vessel, Ukrainian authorities said, after a night of Russian attacks on the area.Ukraine's seaports authority said that the strikes had hit two civilian vessels, one under Marshall Islands flag and another under Guinea-Bissau flag, both of which were heading to ports in the region.The Ukrainian navy reported a strike on the Ksl Deyang, which it described as a Chinese-owned cargo ship sailed by Chinese crew under Marshall Islands flag.

Norway said on Monday it has joined the European Union's Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR), which aims to coordinate work around common challenges, including security aspects.Norway, a non-EU country, will join existing members Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in the EUSBSR."Membership will strengthen Norway's cooperation with the EU in a region that has become central to European and Norwegian security," said Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide.The Baltic Sea region has been on high alert after a string of power cable, telec

Anemoi Marine Technologies’ Rotor Sail wind-assisted propulsion system has completed more than eight years of continuous commercial operation after M/V Afros successfully passed its second intermediate dry dock survey.The survey, conducted by Lloyd’s Register in China in April, confirmed the structural integrity and operational condition of the vessel’s four Rotor Sails, Anemoi said.The 64,000-deadweight-tonne Ultramax bulk carrier Afros became the first bulk carrier fitted with Rotor Sails when the system was installed in 2018.According to Anemoi…

German shipping group Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday reported a first-quarter loss, citing the impact of lower freight rates and operational disruptions stemming from severe weather conditions and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz on the back of the Iran war.The group posted a net loss of 219 million euros ($257.00 million) compared to a profit of 446 million euros in the first three months of 2025.Hundreds of commercial vessels and up to 20,000 seafarers have been unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy-trade waterway that has been virtually closed since the U.S.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has entered a research collaboration with connectivity and cyber security specialist Marlink to study how the maritime industry can better manage increasingly complex digital systems on board ships.Marlink will join LR’s Digital Transformation Research Program, with the initial work focusing on cyber security and connectivity as vessels become more data-driven and connected.The research will examine how responsibilities are shared between shipowners, system…

Clean hydrogen production is expected to grow 100-fold by 2060, driven by energy security concerns and large-scale expansion in China, according to a new forecast from classification society DNV.In its latest report, Energy Transition Outlook 2026: Hydrogen to 2060, DNV said global hydrogen volumes are expected to grow by 170% by 2060, supported by cumulative investment of $3.2 trillion.China is forecast to account for 35% of new hydrogen production and demand growth over the period…

ABB and maritime cybersecurity company Cydome have teamed up to help shipping companies strengthen operational risk management and maritime safety by integrating voyage optimization and cybersecurity systems.The collaboration combines ABB’s weather routing and voyage optimization data with Cydome’s AI-based cyber risk management platform to provide ship operators with broader visibility across vessel operations and onboard systems.The companies said the integration is designed to help operators assess operational and cybersecurity risks simultaneously…

Eni and MSC Cruises have completed a test of Enilive’s HVO biofuel in maritime transport, confirming the technical feasibility of using the renewable diesel in pure form to power cruise ship engines.The trial involved powering one of the engines on the cruise ship MSC Opera for about 2,000 hours using pure HVO without modifications to the engine, while performance and emissions data were monitored.The companies said the test demonstrated that HVO can be used immediately in marine engines validated for its use without requiring technological upgrades…

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has completed an in-orbit demonstration of its AI-based object detection system AIRIS, which identified ships from satellite imagery using a next-generation space-grade microprocessor unit.The AIRIS system, short for Artificial Intelligence Retraining In Space, combines an AI-equipped data processor with an earth observation camera developed by the Tokyo University of Science.MHI said the system operates onboard a satellite using the SOISOC4 space-grade MPU…

Wind propulsion specialist bound4blue has completed the second installation of its suction sail system for Maersk Tankers, fitting four 24-meter eSAIL units on the Maersk Tahiti at a shipyard in China.The installation forms part of a broader agreement to equip five medium-range tankers with a total of 20 units, the company’s largest single contract to date.The Maersk Tahiti installation follows the completion of the first system onboard the Maersk Trieste earlier in 2026.According to bound4blue…

MISC Group (MISC) named two new generation Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers, Seri Dian and Seri Dayang, on May 7, 2026. The addition of these vessels further strengthens its long-standing partnership with SeaRiver Maritime LLC (SRM), a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil.Constructed by Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., the 174,000 CBM LNG carriers are equipped with smart and energy-efficient technologies, including the Intelligent Control by Exhaust Recycling (ICER) system and an…

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) has demonstrated autonomous docking, charging and redeployment capabilities for its WAM-V autonomous surface vehicle as part of efforts to support longer-duration offshore operations.The company said the system enables the maritime drone to approach a dock, secure itself, recharge and return to operation without human intervention.OPT is preparing the technology for integration with its PowerBuoy platform to create offshore charging points capable…

Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) said on Friday three of its vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the Gulf in April did not pay transit fees, sticking to a principle of navigation under international law.Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels passing through the Strait, in its proposals to end the war with Israel and the United States.The Strait is one of the world's most strategically vital maritime routes, with about a fifth of global seaborne crude oil and LNG flows passing through it in normal times.The company does not intend to pay such fees in future…

Brazilian maritime logistics and port operator Wilson Sons has started testing drone deliveries for offshore logistics operations in Guanabara Bay, aiming to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.The company is conducting its first drone operations to deliver and collect documents for platform supply vessels, with trials underway since April 6 from its offshore support base in Rio.The drones, operated by Speedbird Aero, are being tested under a proof-of-concept phase to assess technical feasibility.Wilson Sons said all required approvals have been obtained from Brazilian authorities…