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Sunday, September 27, 2026

Shipbuilders News

17 Sep 2026

“This is a Different Maritime Revival” says MarAd's Carmel

MarAd's Stephen Carmel calls the inland waterways “the absolute arteries of American commerce,” but argues that their condition remains unacceptable. “We need some serious investment in the inland arteries that sustain the lifeblood of America. That’s our ports and locks and inland waterways system. It does no good at all to build out this robust seacoast stuff if we’ve let the interior of the country fall apart.”
Image courtesy MarAd

Stephen M. Carmel & MarAd are aiming to make this U.S. Maritime Rebuild StickFor anyone who has spent a career in the U.S. maritime industry, the past two years have been unusual by any metric. Maritime has moved from the far margins of federal policy discussions to center stage, with rebuilding American shipbuilding, the Merchant Marine and the maritime industrial base elevated a national priority. Action to shore up the big ship, military portion of the equation has been rapid and measurable.

16 Sep 2026

New Leadership for SCA's Industry Partners Committee Announced

© Shipbuilders Council of America

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, announced the incoming chairs of its Industry Partners Committee, which represents SCA’s supplier and manufacturer members across the country.John Rhatigan, Chairman of the Marine Machinery Association, is ascending from Vice Chairman to Chairman of the Industry Partners Committee, assuming the position from Mark Haller, President and Owner of Tri-Tec Manufacturing, LLC. This will be Mr.

15 Sep 2026

How Physical AI Will Rebuild America's Maritime Industrial Base

Image courtesy Path Robotics

The first thing that stands out when you walk through a modern shipyard isn't the technology – it's the sheer scale of the work and the size of the parts going into these massive ships the size of city blocks. I recently visited a Korean shipyard watching teams of workers join two 50-foot-tall, 100,000-pound hull sections into place. This particular shipyard does this every day, building up to 40 ships a year.Seeing that kind of scale firsthand puts into perspective just how much coordination, labor, and industrial capacity it takes to keep a yard operating at full speed.

14 Sep 2026

MacGregor to Deliver Deck, Scientific Machinery to Four Research Vessels

© MacGregor

MacGregor has secured orders to deliver deck cranes, handling equipment, and deck machinery for four new oceanographic research vessels. The orders were booked into MacGregor’s second and third quarter 2026 order intake, with equipment deliveries starting in 2027 and scheduled to complete by the third quarter of 2029 at the latest. Two of the vessels will be built at the GONDAN Shipbuilders in Spain for the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). The remaining two…

11 Sep 2026

GONDAN Launches Its Largest-Ever Vessel Built for Østensjø Rederi

(Credit: GONDAN)

Spanish shipyard GONDAN Shipbuilders has launched a 120-metre Ocean Energy Support Vessel (OESV) for Østensjø Rederi, the largest vessel built by the shipyard to date.The C513 OESV was launched at GONDAN's Figueras facility and will now undergo final outfitting and sea trials ahead of scheduled delivery in late 2027.Designed by Salt Ship Design, the vessel has a beam of 23 meters and is intended for operations including walk-to-work personnel transfers, commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) support for offshore wind…

11 Sep 2026

Deadly Cargo Ship Fire Kills 25 at China Shipyard

(Credit: Screenshot/Video on X)

Twenty-five people died in a fire aboard a foreign cargo vessel undergoing repairs at a state-owned shipyard in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on Thursday, state media reported.The fire broke out at about 11:15 a.m. (0315 GMT) at the Qingdao Beihai shipyard during repair and inspection works, state-run Xinhua said. Of the 42 people onboard, 12 were evacuated safely and five were injured and hospitalised.The blaze was extinguished by early afternoon, state media said.A picture of the scene released by Xinhua showed the vessel involved to be the Ocean Melody.

03 Sep 2026

Fraser Shipyards: 138 Years In, Building for What Comes Next

Photo Courtesy of David Schauer | Fraser Shipyard

Part of a group of companies that make up Fraser Industries, Fraser Shipyard is a 138-year-old on Lake Superior, an organization which makes equal revenue from newbuild and ship repair, able to work in both steel and aluminum. Recently it signed a collaboration agreement with HD Hyundai to help migrate process and technology from one of the world’s biggest and best shipyard to the shores of Lake Superior. Patrick Kelly, CEO, Fraser Shipyard, discussed the importance of this agreement…

25 Aug 2026

Whitepaper Demonstrates Benefits of Thordon Bearings T-BOSS Shaftline Solution

© Thordon Bearings

An evaluation study based on reference data from a Suezmax crude oil tanker has demonstrated the benefits of using Thordon Bearings’ T-BOSS shaftline solution instead of a conventional oil lubricated sterntube system.The study assessed the CAPEX for a sterntubeless T-BOSS (Thordon - Blue Ocean Stern Space) system installed on a 274m (899ft.)-long tanker, assuming a shaft diameter of 670mm (26”) as the baseline. The study established that the T-BOSS provides benefits for ship designers and shipbuilders…

24 Aug 2026

IWSA Releases SMM Wind Propulsion Route to Highlight Decarbonization Solutions

© Adobe Stock/I am from Mykolayiv

Wind propulsion will have its largest-ever presence at the Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology (SMM) trade fair in September, underlining the rapid commercial expansion of one of shipping's fastest-growing decarbonization technology sectors.As shipowners seek practical solutions to reduce fuel consumption and comply with tightening emissions regulations, wind-assisted and primary wind propulsion technologies will be showcased across the exhibition halls in greater numbers than at any previous edition of the Hamburg-based maritime trade fair.Held September 1-4…

20 Aug 2026

Lehmann Marine Secures first AQUBE Order

Source: Lehmann Marine

Lehmann Marine has secured the debut commercial order for its newly developed AQUBE liquid-cooled battery system.The high-power energy storage platform AQUBE has been selected by shipbuilder Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven to power a research vessel built for the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany’s national research center for aeronautics, space, energy, and transport.Set for delivery in 2027, a new 48-meter-long, 11.5-meter-wide DLR seagoing technology platform will serve as an ocean-going…

21 Aug 2026

World Maritime Forum 2027 to Address Shipping’s Investment Choices in Copenhagen

Credit: IGGS group

The two-day maritime conference will take place at Copenhagen’s AC Bella Sky Convention Center on 23-24 February 2027.World Maritime Forum 2027 will bring the international maritime community back to Copenhagen for a two-day event at the AC Bella Sky Convention Center. Organised by IGGS Group, the forum is intended for shipowners, ship managers, shipbuilders, ports, authorities, maritime suppliers and service providers. It will take place as the industry considers increasingly important decisions around fleet investment…

19 Aug 2026

Bollinger Shipyards Launches “NextGen Shipbuilders” Program

© Bollinger Shipyards

Bollinger Shipyards, a designer and builder of high-performance military and commercial vessels, announced a new partnership with the Gulfport School District to launch "Bollinger NextGen Shipbuilders," a work-based learning program designed to introduce high school students to the skills, trades and career pathways that support the Gulf Coast’s shipbuilding industry.Through the initiative, Gulfport High School students will gain hands-on exposure to five core maritime manufacturing disciplines: welding, pipefitting, marine electrical, maritime carpentry, and rigging and fitting.

18 Aug 2026

JLL Advises, Provides Brokerage Services for Mare Island Maritime Campus

© JLL

JLL announced that it has been exclusively retained to provide strategic advisory and brokerage services for Mare Island Maritime Campus, a maritime industrial property with two million square feet of existing buildings and four operational dry docks. Located in Vallejo, California, the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard represents an opportunity as federal mandates and bipartisan legislation drive the largest maritime industrial mobilization since World War II.JLL is advising The Nimitz Group…

14 Aug 2026

Trump Orders Carriers to Retrofit Aircraft Carriers, Return to Steam Catapults

An F/A-18 Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, and an EA-18G Growler, attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 141, prepare to launch off the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the South China Sea, August 7, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kiah Nesbitt)

U.S. President Donald Trump has allowed the Navy to build ships overseas and ordered it to abandon a complex system for launching jet fighters from its aircraft carriers and instead return to using steam catapults, the White House said on Thursday.Trump signed a national security memorandum directing the change, which would require the fourth vessel in the Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carriers to abandon the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) used on the first three vessels.

13 Aug 2026

Trump Orders Navy to Return to Steam Catapults, Allows Overseas Shipbuilding

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

U.S. President Donald Trump has allowed the Navy to build ships overseas and ordered it to abandon a complex system for launching jet fighters from its aircraft carriers and instead return to using steam catapults, the White House said on Thursday.Trump signed a national security memorandum directing the change, which would require the fourth vessel in the Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carriers to abandon the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) used on the first three vessels.

11 Aug 2026

US Officials Work to Close Supply Chain Gaps as Foreign Investment Grows

Credit: Philly Shipyard, Inc.

U.S. officials on Monday said they are working closely with foreign investors to identify gaps in the U.S. manufacturing supply chain and to help small- and medium-sized businesses scale up to meet rising demand as foreign investments surge.Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Chris Pilkerton and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler told Reuters that U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on foreign imports and deregulation were fueling foreign investments in manufacturing…

10 Aug 2026

Trump’s Revised Jones Act Waiver Gets Mixed Reception

© IanDewarPhotography / Adobe Stock

President Donald Trump has extended for 90 days a waiver allowing foreign-flagged ships to transport oil and other commodities between U.S. ports, but imposed new limits after shipbuilders and their allies in Congress argued the policy was undermining the domestic maritime industry, the White House said.The extension, finalized on Monday, comes as the war with Iran disrupts global crude flows and pushes up fuel costs, increasing pressure on the administration to find ways to ease…

10 Aug 2026

Hamworthy Returns with Renewed Focus on the Future of Marine Water & Waste

Images courtesy Hamworthy

Marking a new chapter for British marine water and waste specialist Hamworthy, CEO Fraser Scott reflects on how environmental systems have evolved from check-box auxiliary equipment into essential infrastructure at the heart of modern shipping.When we reintroduced the Hamworthy name to the maritime industry in June, I found myself reflecting on everything that has changed during our 14 years as the water and waste systems division of the Wärtsilä Group. Hamworthy and Serck Como have been part of the marine environmental systems industry for decades…

07 Aug 2026

TOTE Services Hosts Medium Landing Ship (LSM) Industry Day

Rendering of the Medium Land Ship (LSM). Credit: TOTE Services

TOTE Services, LLC, a leading U.S. maritime services company specializing in vessel construction management and ship management, hosted more than 30 commercial shipbuilders, equipment manufacturers, marine suppliers, and defense contractors from over a dozen states across the country for its Medium Landing Ship (LSM) Industry Day.The Industry Day serves as the foundational step in assembling a reliable, nationwide supply chain to support multi-yard construction and ensure cost and schedule discipline.Attendees learned about the project timeline…

03 Aug 2026

U.S. Dredging Policy: Jones Act Waiver(s), Outdated Environmental Restrictions Hamper an Industry

The Frederick Paup, built for Manson Construction.
Copyright Marine News | MarineLink.com

The American maritime industry depends on policy that supports economic growth and investment and protects national security; however, recent policy decisions have too often relied on broad administrative actions and outdated assumptions rather than modern, data-driven approaches. The extension of the Jones Act waiver and the continued use of rigid seasonal dredging windows illustrate this trend. Though distinct issues, both carry significant consequences for maritime investment, operational efficiency, and the long-term strength of the maritime industry.

24 Jul 2026

ABS Deepens South Korea-US Shipbuilding Collaboration

(Credit: ABS)

ABS has signed two agreements with South Korean shipbuilding organizations aimed at advancing software-defined vessel technology and strengthening workforce development for the U.S. and Korean shipbuilding industries.The first agreement will see ABS Consulting and affiliate ABS Wavesight support HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) in developing its software-defined vessel (SDV) platform by providing software quality assurance advisory, verification and validation support.The collaboration is intended to help establish a framework for software quality…

23 Jul 2026

South Korean, U.S. Shipbuilders Deepen Ties

Kim Jung-Kwan, Republic of Korea Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy; Yoonjong Chun, Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology President; Jin Kim, Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering Vice President; Rodney Bowersox, Texas A&M University Senior Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering; Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer; and Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Image courtesy ABS

The quest to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding capability quickly is premised on partnering with existing shipbuilding powers outside of China, with several recent announcements today solidifying the connection between the two allies.Four separate partnerships were recently announced, three today, underscoring a growing bilateral effort to rebuild America's maritime industrial base through investments in shipbuilding capacity, workforce development and advanced manufacturing technologies.The announcements, made in conjunction with the launch of the Korea-U.S.

22 Jul 2026

For the U.S. Navy, Biggest isn’t always Best

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer is widely regarded as one of the most successful ship programs in U.S. Navy history. Pictured is USS Mahan (DDG 72) operating with Guyana Defense Force Defiant-class patrol vessel GDFS Shahous (1039) in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Guyana.. (U.S. Navy photo)

If the Navy can’t successfully introduce smaller ship classes of ships, why does it think it can succeed with the largest surface combatants since World War II?The Navy has announced a new class of guided missile battleships, the USS Defiant [BBG(X)] or the Trump-class, as the centerpiece of a new “Golden Fleet.”  BBG(X)s would be 840 to 880 feet long and have a full load displacement of more than 35,000 tons. They would be the largest surface combatants built since World War II, and cost an estimated $17.5 to $22 billion each. The Navy wants 15 of them.