Set Sail News

Two Mexican-flagged ships loaded with humanitarian aid entered Havana Harbor early on Thursday, a Reuters witness said, as Cuba's long-time ally made good on a promise to assist after Washington threatened tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba.One of the ships, the Papaloapan, carried large quantities of white-wrapped pallets on its deck as it passed beside the El Morro castle before entering the quiet waters of the harbor.The shipment from Mexico arrives just days after the island's communist-run government announced increasingly strict rationing measures to confront U.S.

At least two supertankers, not under sanctions, were departing Venezuelan waters on Monday carrying crude, according to monitoring service Tankertrackers.com and shipping records from state-run company PDVSA seen by Reuters.Venezuela's oil exports had remained at an almost complete standstill since mid-December, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all sanctioned vessels going in and out the OPEC country's waters.U.S. forces intercepted and seized five Venezuela-linked vessels as a way to pressure the government…

An oil tanker chartered by U.S. Chevron carrying some 300,000 barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude bound for the U.S. Gulf Coast departed on Monday from the OPEC country's waters, shipping data showed, after a four-day pause in the company's exports of Venezuelan oil.Chevron is the only company currently authorized by Washington to export Venezuelan crude amid an oil embargo that U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday remained in full force after the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.But amid U.S.

A sanctioned tanker carrying some 300,000 barrels of naphtha from Russia entered Venezuelan waters late on Thursday, while three others also under sanctions either stopped navigation or began redirecting course in the Atlantic Ocean, ship tracking data showed, a sign of last-minute decisions by ship owners amid U.S. President Donald Trump's "blockade" of all oil tankers under sanctions bound for the OPEC country.Trump on Tuesday ordered a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers to and from the South American country…

Venezuela on Thursday authorized two very large crude carriers (VLCC) to set sail for China, according to two sources familiar with Venezuela's oil export operations, which would be only the second and third supertankers to depart the country since the U.S. seized a ship carrying Venezuelan oil last week.The U.S. has said it would not allow vessels under sanction to leave Venezuelan waters. The departing tankers, each carrying around 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey heavy crude according to internal documents from state company PDVSA, are not on the U.S.

Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA on Wednesday was resuming oil cargo deliveries at its terminals following a cyberattack that affected its centralized administrative systems, according to the company and sources.PDVSA, which is grappling with the U.S. announcement on Tuesday of a blockade of all sanctioned tankers approaching or planning to leave Venezuelan waters, was able to isolate oilfields, refineries, ports and other facilities from its central system to resume work…

On October 23, Damen Shipyards Group delivered an ASD Tug 2111 to WUZ Port and Maritime Services in the Port of Rotterdam. The vessel Argo is the eighth Damen tug to set sail in the WUZ Port and Maritime Services fleet. The company is growing its fleet in order to support the development of the Port of Gdansk, Poland. As a result of this expansion over the years the company has become Poland’s largest towage company and now operates eighteen vessels and a range of different Damen tug models.The ASD 2111 is one of the latest models in Damen’s Compact Tugs series.

Stena Line’s newest vessel, Stena Connecta, was officially named at the CMI Shipyard in Weihai, China on October 16, and will soon begin her maiden voyage to her new home port on the Irish Sea. Alongside Stena Futura, which entered service in September, these two new freight ferries will boost freight capacity by 40 percent on the Belfast–Heysham route.Attending the ceremony were Stena Line CEO Niclas Mårtensson, members of the company’s executive team, and Stena AB owner Dan Sten Olsson.Stena Connecta is a New Max RoRo ship built for maximized freight capacity…

The Israeli military intercepted the last boat in an aid flotilla attempting to reach blockaded Gaza on Friday, a day after stopping most of the vessels and detaining some 450 activists including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg.The organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla said the Marinette was intercepted some 42.5 nautical miles (79 km) from Gaza. Israeli army radio said the navy had taken control of the last ship in the flotilla, detained those aboard and that the vessel was being led to Ashdod port in Israel.In a statement…

Dutch offshore services provider Boskalis has engaged its heavy transport vessel Blue Marlin to move a recently converted floating production unit (FPU) to Angola, ahead of its deployment at Congo’s first natural gas liquefaction project.The cargo, formerly one of the largest semi-submersible drilling rigs of its generation, has been converted into an FPU is currently en route to Angola on Blue Marlin vessel.Even though the 80-by-68-meter, 41,000-ton structure is five meters wider than the 63-meter-wide deck of the Blue Marlin, the colossal FPU stands rock-solid on deck, according to Boskalis.

Singapore-based marine services provider PACC Offshore Services Holdings (POSH) has been selected by Wison New Energies to tow the Nguya floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility from China to the Republic of Congo.The FLNG unit will be deployed as part of Phase 2 of the Eni’s Congo LNG project in the Marine XII concession.The unit will be positioned approximately 50 kilometers offshore from Pointe-Noire, in water depth of about 33 meters.Ngyua FLNG’s nominal nameplate capacity is 2.4 million tonnes of LNG per annum…

Tunisia said on Wednesday the "assault" on a ship at Sidi Bou Said port was "orchestrated," after the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), preparing to deliver aid to Gaza, reported one of its boats was attacked by a drone in the second such strike in two days.GSF is set to sail for Gaza in an effort to break Israel's naval blockade, following two nights of drone attacks on key vessels in the convoy which organisers described as deliberate attempts by Israel to disrupt the mission.The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment.There were no injuries…

Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg joined a flotilla of boats loaded with aid for Gaza as they set sail from Barcelona on Sunday, aiming to break Israel's naval blockade and deliver food and other humanitarian supplies to the shattered enclave.Thousands of supporters gathered at Barcelona's port to see off the boats, many of them waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free Palestine" and "It's not a war, it's a genocide"."This is a mission to challenge the extremely violent, business-as-usual international system that is failing to uphold international law…

Italian energy giant Eni has held the sail away ceremony for the Nguya floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit in Shanghai, which is set to depart for Congo LNG project in the Marine XII concession, offshore the Republic of Congo.The Nguya unit, 376 meters long and 60 meters wide, will be moored at a depth of 35 meters and used for liquefied natural gas production.Designed with advanced technologies to ensure a reduced carbon footprint, it stands as a benchmark in the industry.Conceived…

Around 50 vessels have operated on hydrogen as fuel since the pioneering ferry Hydra set sail in 2000.Whether it’s used in fuel cells or combustion engines, its capex and opex are still much higher than an equivalent diesel system, and it’s expected to stay that way until at least 2040.But the real problem with using hydrogen as a fuel is that it takes more energy to make, compress/liquify, transport and store than it provides to a ship.The expectation is that technology will come to the rescue.

Two tankers chartered by Chevron carrying Venezuelan crude reached U.S. waters on Thursday, marking the first U.S. imports of the South American country's oil following a new license granted by Washington, vessel tracking data showed.The U.S. Treasury Department last month issued a restricted license to Chevron allowing the U.S. company to operate in the OPEC country and export its oil after a three-month pause triggered by more strict policies towards sanctioned Venezuela.The…

President Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' earmarks more than $8.6 billion to increase the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker fleet in the Arctic, where Washington hopes to counter rising Russian and Chinese dominance.The funding includes $4.3 billion for up to three new heavy Coast Guard Polar Security Cutters, $3.5 billion for medium Arctic Security Cutters, and $816 million for procurement of additional light and medium icebreaking cutters.President Trump has been pushing to revive U.S. shipbuilding to counter China's growing strength in maritime manufacturing and naval dominance.

Real-life measurements, collected by the Cleanship project, will provide insights into the actual effect of wind-assisted sails on commercial vessels. Uni-Tankers’ M/T Jutlandia Swan has been equipped with four wing sails, known as VentoFoils. This marks a milestone in the Danish Cleanship project, funded by the Danish EPA’s MUDP program, which aims to collect new and more precise data on the practical effect of wingsails. The goal is to provide the shipping industry with a stronger foundation for reducing both fuel consumption and emissions.With the installation of the four sails…

The newly launched electric ferry Nerthus has set sail, featuring Danfoss Drives’ latest iC7 series as a key part of its all-electric propulsion system.Danfoss provided essential components for the ferry’s electric drivetrain and parts of the shoreside charging infrastructure.Molslinjen, Denmark’s largest domestic ferry operator, invited key partners and guests to celebrate Denmark’s newest e-ferry on Friday June 20, 2025, when Nerthus officially was put into service. Jørgen Mads Clausen…

International nonprofit organisation Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said one of its vessels left the Italian port of Catania on Sunday, heading for Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid, after a previous attempt failed due to a drone attack on a separate ship in the Mediterranean.The crew of volunteers, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and Irish actor Liam Cunningham, set sail on the Madleen, carrying barrels of what the group called "limited amounts, though symbolic" of relief supplies.Another vessel operated by the group…

A replica of Christopher Columbus's flagship Nao Santa Maria opened to public at London's St. Katharine Docks Marina on Thursday (May 29).The original ship was one of the three used by Columbus's crew in 1492 when he discovered territories in the Caribbean and the Americas.The 93 feet replica carries the Spanish flag as the Italian explorer's voyage was sponsored by Spanish monarchs. A smaller Union Jack also hangs on the mast, marking the replica's British pitstop.The Nao Santra Maria replica was built under the Nao Victoria Foundation…

Cheoy Lee Shipyards recently delivered two RAstar 3200-CL tugs bound for Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. CMM Azteca and CMM Mexico will sail on their own bottom all the way from Hong Kong and begin operations in Mexico as part of Compania Maritima Mexicana SA DE CV’s fleet (an affiliate company of Boluda Towage).These two tugs are the latest deliveries in the RAstar 3200-CL series, which Cheoy Lee has been building since 2013. In 12 years Cheoy Lee has built and delivered 29 tugs to this design.Particulars of the RAstar 3200-CL series escort tugs are:Length overall: 32.0 mBeam…

Technology group Wärtsilä has made its carbon capture solution (CCS) commercially available to the global maritime industry, aimed at accelerating the decarbonization of shipping.According to Wärtsilä’s tests, the new ‘Wärtsilä Carbon capture solution’ is proven to reduce vessel CO2 emissions by up to 70%, providing ship owners with an immediate solution to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations.The ability to capture CO2 from ship exhaust systems will have a major impact on the industry’s efforts to reduce GHG emissions…