Mine News

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Tuesday, as renewed Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates heightened concerns about the worsening outlook for global supply if there is no quick resolution to U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, now in its third week.Brent crude futures gained $1.33, or 1.3%, to $101.53 a barrel by 1515 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude advanced $1.21, or 1.3%, to $94.71.The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran shows no signs of abating. While oil futures have not repeated the brief surge to nearly $120 a barrel from earlier in the month…

The U.S. Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on Iran, saying the risk of attacks is too high for now, according to sources familiar with the matter.The Navy's assessments spell continued disruption to Middle East oil exports and reflect a divergence from President Donald Trump’s statements that the U.S. is prepared to provide naval escorts whenever needed to restart regular…

The number of ships operating in the Arctic reached a record high in 2025, according to new data from the Arctic Council Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME). The Working Group has been tracking Arctic shipping traffic trends since 2013 utilizing its Arctic Ship Traffic Data (ASTD) System.In 2025, 1812 unique ships entered the Arctic Polar Code area. This is a 40% increase from 2013 when data collection began. (Each ship is only counted once…

Teledyne Gavia, a leader in modular autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), announced the successful delivery of the first four GAVIA AUV systems to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).The newly delivered GAVIA Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) system forms part of a multi-year framework agreement between Teledyne Marine and FMV, under which GAVIA AUVs will support fleet modernization initiatives for the Swedish Armed Forces by enhancing underwater surveillance…

In his 2026 goal setting message, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez noted that all eyes will be on the finalization of the autonomous ships code.The MASS Code is a framework for the safe, secure, and environmentally friendly operation of remotely operated and autonomous ships.Maj. Joseph DeFlorio, U.S. Army 8th Theater Sustainment Command, National Security Law Team, highlighted in a December piece on the Indo Pacific Defense Forum that there is a lot to be gained from autonomous shipping.Autonomous systems can monitor hazards and respond with precision…

The December issue of Maritime Reporter magazine includes a feature story on Australian mining company Fortescue’s pioneering ammonia fuel trial on the platform supply vessel Green Pioneer.The Green Pioneer was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025.The conversion journey of its diesel-electric power system to dual-fuel ammonia started in 2022, on land, when Fortescue converted a four-stroke Cummins engine at is Perth testing facility in Western Australia.“The Fortescue Green Pioneer is proof that safe, technical solutions for ammonia power engines exist” said Dr.

HII executives toured Breaux Brothers Enterprises in Loreauville, Louisiana, and announced that construction of a prototype of ROMULUS, the company’s new unmanned surface vessel (USV) family, has reached 30% completion. The vessel remains on schedule for sea trials in the fourth quarter of 2026.During the visit, HII leaders toured the shipyard with build partners Breaux Brothers and Incat Crowther, and reviewed progress on hull construction, integration of the HII’s Odyssey Autonomous Control System (ACS)…

Schottel is supplying propulsion systems and a unique control concept for barges and tugs serving at Mineral Resources’ (MinRes) Onslow Iron project.All seven barges and two of the project's seven tugs are newbuilds being constructed by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry in Zhoushan and Guangdong, China. Five barges have already commenced operations at the Port of Ashburton (Western Australia), with the final units scheduled for delivery in 2026. The two tugs are also scheduled to be delivered in 2026.Jeff Weber…

Navantia and Thales have signed a partnership agreement to support the modernization of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), including the supply of three Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems for two Pattani-class offshore patrol vessels and the HTMS Chang landing platform dock.The upgrade work will be carried out by Navantia and marks the first cooperation between the Spanish shipbuilder and Thales in Thailand. The IFF equipment will integrate with existing surveillance radars and…

A Canadian anti-whaling activist who has dodged arrest in Japan for more than a decade vowed at COP30 in Brazil to continue fighting for marine protection – taking aim in particular at deep-sea mining and Norway’s krill industry.Paul Watson urged delegates this week at the U.N. climate summit in the Amazon city of Belem to look beyond the world’s forests and remember that oceans also help to limit climate change, with phytoplankton producing much of the oxygen that we breathe.These photosynthetic organisms along with many ocean creatures are under threat…

Odyssey Marine Exploration said on Friday it has sought U.S.

Columbia River Pilots is an association of independent pilots, a unique organization that uses a network of pilots and independent boats to manage a long stretch of river in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Capt. Jeremy Nielsen serves as President, Columbia River Pilots, and in addressing the challenges his organization faces, leading the list are the maritime megatrend that sees vessel size outpacing infrastructure along the river, from bridge clearance to dockage; as well as the maritime industry's legislated drive for decarbonization…

U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical minerals agreement aimed at countering China on Monday at a meeting marked by Trump's jab at Australia's envoy to the United States over past criticism.China loomed large at the first White House summit between Trump and Albanese, with the U.S. president also backing a strategic nuclear-powered submarine deal with Australia to bolster security in the Indo-Pacific.While Trump and Albanese greeted each other warmly, the U.S. president expressed ire about past criticism of him by Australia's U.S.

Warship builder TKMS rode a global defence boom to reach a valuation of 6.3 billion euros ($7.35 billion) in its blockbuster stock market debut on Monday, surpassing that of parent and main shareholder Thyssenkrupp.The listing of TKMS is the German conglomerate's latest move to simplify its structure and take advantage of growing demand for defence assets.Shares in Thyssenkrupp, which will keep a 51% stake in TKMS after the spin-off, were down 19% at 1109 GMT, reflecting the transfer of the stake in the naval vessel business…

German navigation systems specialist Anschütz has officially unveiled ‘Anschütz Autonomics’, a new line of solutions aimed at enabling autonomous navigation and mission automation for commercial, defense and security vessels.The launch follows a series of successful demonstrations with partners in Germany and France, as well as trials with the German Navy.The system is built on certified and operationally proven components, providing safe and precise autonomous navigation and…

Zeabuz announced the launch of its defense and security autonomy platform, unveiled together with Damen Shipyards Group during the Damen Maritime Festival.As part of this launch, Zeabuz has integrated its autonomy system on the ZeaFalcon, a 7-meter Damen HDPE Uncrewed Surface Vessel optimized for defense and security applications. The system comprises a full suite of operational capabilities including autonomous navigation, collision avoidance, remote command and control, autodocking, and connectivity-denied operations.

TKMS, the defence business that German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp aims to spin off this autumn, plans to raise its profit margin to more than 7% to close a gap with rivals, banking on soaring military demand amid fears of Russian aggression.TKMS, which makes submarines, frigates as well as sensor and mine-hunting technology, has more than tripled its order backlog in five years. It now stands at 18.6 billion euros ($21.8 billion) as governments around the world beef up warship fleets.In the medium term…

Bahrain has sponsored deep-sea mining firm Impossible Metals' application for a mining permit with the International Seabed Authority, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to throw its support behind the fledgling industry as part of an economic diversification push.Privately-held Impossible Metals last Friday filed a 170-page application with the Jamaica-based ISA for a permit to mine part of the Pacific Ocean known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone that contains polymetallic nodules filled with manganese…

HII and Thales announced the successful integration and field exercise of the Thales SAMDIS 600 sonar with HII’s next generation REMUS 620 medium unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).The integration demonstrates the compatibility of Thales’ multi-aspect synthetic aperture SAMDIS 600 sonar with HII’s modular, long-endurance REMUS 620 UUV. Together, the systems deliver advanced autonomous mine detection, classification, and imaging, offering naval forces and partners around the world enhanced capability for undersea security…

Dating back to the year 1786, Thomas Jefferson wrote to a member of the Continental Congress on the importance of free press keeping government in check. He was quoted as saying if he had a choice between “a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to choose the latter.”The basis of the statement being that the government is the opinion of the people. It is not in the current U.S. shipping reporting.The first “newspaper” shipbuilding announcements consisted of new legislation capable of delivering us back to our former maritime dominance.

Between January and August 2025, Brazilian iron ore shipments are expected to rise 4% y/y, supported by stronger mining activity. Shipments to China have increased despite weaker demand, replacing shipments from Australia, Peru and India, says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Brazil is the world’s second-largest exporter of iron ore, accounting for 23% of global shipments, while Australia leads with 54% of cargoes. Out of global shipments, 73% are destined for China while an additional 11% go to other East Asian countries.

Houston-headquartered defense company Eureka Naval Craft is ramping up production of its AIRCAT BENGAL MC warship in Asia after signing an MOU with Singapore shipbuilder Strategic Marine (S) Pte Ltd.Eureka Naval Craft CEO Bo Jardine said the aim of the partnership is to bring a highly advanced Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) to the US Navy and allied navies quickly at a time of increased threat. The versatile catamaran vessel design can further be retooled for the commercial…

Ukraine on Wednesday reopened its Bystre Canal at the mouth of the Danube, which had been closed since a dredger exploded in late July, the Ukrainian state Seaport Authority said.Ukraine had been transporting grain on the Bystre and the Danube as an alternative route for its exports while access to its Black Sea ports was limited in the first year after Russia's invasion in 2022.Since the ports were unblocked in 2023, Ukraine's use of the Danube has declined sharply."Shipping is permitted for vessels with a draught of up to 4.5 metres…