The New News

VARD announced it has been awarded a contract to design and build a hybrid power Ocean Energy Construction Vessel (OECV) for the Norwegian shipping group Island Offshore. The deal includes options for two more vessels.The vessel, to be named Island Evolution, is of VARD 3 25 design developed in close collaboration between Island Offshore and VARD for work in offshore oil and gas as well as renewables."We are proud to present the next generation OECVs with versatile capabilities that will ensure long-term employment as the energies of the ocean evolve.

American aerospace manufacturer ULA on Wednesday announced it has ordered a new ship to transport rockets from its factory in Decatur, Ala. to launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.ULA said it awarded a contract to build the 356-foot-long roll-on/roll-off vessel to Bollinger Shipyards, who recently started constructing the new ship at its shipyard in Amelia, La. The company has also hired naval architecture and marine engineering firm Bristol Harbor Group, Inc.

Fairfield Chemical Carriers has taken deliver of its latest vessel, Fairchem Pathfinder, a 26,222 DWT IMO 2/3 chemical tanker built by Japan's Fukuoka Shipbuilding.Fairchem Pathfinder is the first in a series of four LNG-dual fuel sister vessels being built by Fukuoka for Fairfield.The 158.4-meter-long (LOA) stainless steel chemical tanker is classed by NK and registered in the Marshall Islands.U.S.-based Fairfield Chemical Carriers has been operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of MOL Chemical Tankers since it was acquired by the Japanese shipping company in March.

U.S.-based classification ABS on Wednesday announced it is expanding its partnership with Singaporean shipbuilding group Seatrium to advance cutting-edge marine and technology projects that target decarbonization and energy transition in the marine and offshore sectors.The newly signed three-year Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) entitled “Accelerating Decarbonization and Energy Transition” is a foundation for further collaboration on a succession of state-of-the-art projects under four broad themes: decarbonization, electrification, new energies and digital transformation, ABS said.

The second in a series of new construction service operation vessels (CSOV) being built for Olympic has entered the outfitting phase.The newbuild was towed from the Crist hull yard in Poland, arriving on Wednesday at Ulstein Verft in Norway where the outfitting phase will now begin. The vessel was towed into the dock hall where the paint work will be performed. Commissioning and testing will take place in the project's concluding months.In 2022, Olympic and Ulstein signed a contract on ship design and construction of two CSOVs of the ULSTEIN SX222 design from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS.

The Chinese state-owned company at the center of a dispute over operations of a megaport it is building on Peru's Pacific coast insisted on Tuesday on terms agreed with the government, as some local officials have sought to backtrack on the deal.Hong Kong-based Cosco Shipping Ports will defend its legal rights to provide services as the exclusive operator of the deepwater Chancay Port Terminal under "terms that were agreed at the beginning of this investment," the firm said in…

Kongsberg Maritime won a contract to supply azimuth thrusters to Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine, to power six new sterndrive tugs for the Tunisian port authority OMMP.The new tugs, of Robert Allan RAstar 2800 series design, are designed for a range of towing and harbor operations in Tunisian ports.Kongsberg Maritime will supply a pair of its US205 FP azimuth thrusters to each of the six 28-m vessels. The thrusters feature 2.8-m, fixed pitch propellers which will deliver efficient operation and enhanced maneuverability…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has hired TMC Compressors (TMC) to supply a complete marine compressed air system to a newbuild cable laying vessel being built for Prysmian.Under the contract, whose value was not disclosed, TMC will deliver a marine compressed air system consisting of control and service air compressors to the vessel.The company will manufacture the equipment in the Nordic region and deliver it to one of Vard’s shipyards in Norway.“This modern cable laying vessel will have a number of innovative features to enable sustainable subsea operations.

Damen Financial Services (DFS) and Siemens Financial Services (SFS) have joined forces to establish a new facility for vessel financing solutions under the name of Damen Ship Lease (DSL).The DSL facility is now one of the funds of Damen Ship Lease Cooperation which is managed by DFS. It is designed to provide current and prospective ship owners with the ability to expand their fleets by enabling them to acquire state-of-the-art vessels using flexible financing options. This strategic…

Bluestone Group, a maritime technical services company, has secured a contract for plan approval and site supervision of two new cutting-edge cable-laying vessels operated by Prysmian.The two new cable-laying vessels, the first of which is under construction and the second under design, will reinforce Prysmian’s submarine project execution capabilities.The first vessel, which will be an evolution of Prysmian’s preceding vessel, Monna Lisa, is being built by the VARD Group, a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group.With a length of approximately 190 meters and a breadth of about 34 meters…

Compagnie Maritime Monegasque (CMM) has secured $94 million in financing from Summit Ridge Capital Partners, which will help the company construct pioneering ethanol-powered fleet of Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) in Brazil.The financing will enable CMM to recompose its shareholder structure and to expand its fleet, the company said. Panorama Capital Partners sourced and advised on the transaction, and participated as a co-investor.As part of this expansion, CMM will construct pioneering ethanol powered PSV fleet in Brazil.

Marlink has completed a fleet-wide upgrade of its hybrid network solution for long-time client Simon Møkster Shipping.The upgrade to Marlink’s Sealink Nextgen solution, which includes the Starlink LEO service, enables the company to use standard office software applications including MS-TEAMS as its default collaboration platform and primary voice channel.Simon Møkster Shipping sought a hybrid solution that would optimize its operations around high throughput connectivity and managed networks…

The maritime transportation system, the lifeblood of global trade, is undergoing a digital revolution. Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming how ships operate and cargo moves. However, this increased reliance on technology creates a double-edged sword: while AI offers powerful tools for cybersecurity, it also presents new vulnerabilities to exploit. This article explores the growing threat of adversarial AI (AAI) in maritime cyber security and how the industry…

Grady Hurley, a partner and co-leader of the maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team at Jones Walker LLP, has been elected president of the Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) during the organization’s general meeting held in New York City on May 3, 2024.Hurley is the fourth president elected from New Orleans during the MLA’s 125-year history. He most recently served as the organization’s first vice president.“I am privileged to serve as the…

The ABS-classed Liza Unity has received the first REMOTE-CON notation for an floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) from ABS. The notation demonstrates the vessel’s alignment with remote-control functions and signifies that the design and construction of the offshore asset are assessed against and adhere to the ABS Requirements for Autonomous and Remote Control Functions.The Liza Unity is the second FPSO to be built for ExxonMobil Guyana’s Stabroek Block development and the first delivered under SBM Offshore’s Fast4Ward program.

Bollinger Shipyards announced it has promoted Andrew “Andy” Naquin to lead its sales team as the company's new Vice President of Sales.“Since joining Bollinger, Andy has been an invaluable addition to our team,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “His deep experience and breadth of relationships in the maritime industry are second to none, and I know he’ll continue to deliver our customers the highest level of quality service and solutions that Bollinger has been known for nearly eight decades.”Naquin first joined Bollinger in 2023 as Director of Sales.

Cruise operator Royal Caribbean Group is in discussions with new and existing markets around the world to recruit thousands of workers to staff its ships and private destinations to keep up with record cruise demand.The number of people taking cruises hit a record in 2023, and with the surge in demand and larger vessels, labor needs are growing. Tourism boards and port operators from around the world said Royal Caribbean is looking to hire worldwide and the company confirmed it will hire around 10…

Cambodia plans to cut shipping through Vietnamese ports by 70% as a result of a $1.7 billion China-funded upgrade of a canal connecting the Mekong River basin to the Cambodian coast, the country's deputy prime minister told Reuters.Sun Chanthol downplayed environmental concerns about the Funan Techo canal slated to break ground later this year, and dismissed speculation that it could be used to allow upriver access for Chinese warships as "baseless".The project, to be completed by 2028…

Classification society DNV said it is set to publish its new set of rules and standards for the offshore industry.The new rules, which cover several segments, including underwater systems and installations, offshore units, diving systems, structural design, and drilling systems, will be published in July and enter into force on January 1, 2025. They have been developed with extensive industry feedback, undergoing an external hearing process before their publication and entry into force.“The offshore sector is one of the most innovative in the world…

Maritime software brands Ripple and Marine Learning Systems are joining forces, coming together under a single brand focused on crew training and marine operations.The firms, both acquired by technology holding company Bleecker Street Group in 2023, have merged to become Ripple Operations.Post-merger, the new entity will provide human capital management, crew operations, training, learning and development solutions to maritime operators, supporting hundreds of thousands of mariners and operators across the ferry, cruise, offshore, fishery and tug, tow and barge industries.

Finnlines has turned to a innovative graphene-based hard foul release hull coating to reduce fuel consumption and emissions across its ro-ro and ro-pax fleets.After starting with its first vessel in 2022, the Finnish shipping company has already applied GIT Coatings' XGIT-FUEL low-friction hull coating to four vessels as part of a recently signed fleet agreement, reducing fuel consumption and emissions by around 7% compared to previously used coating.Over the past decade, Finnlines…

Marine towage provider Svitzer announced it has taken delivery of the final tug in a series of six built for its operations in Brazil.Built by Brazilian shipyard Rio Maguari, the new vessel Svitzer Babitonga is an Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugboat from the 2300 Rampart Series, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. These sister vessels boast a top speed of 13 knots, an overall length of 23.2 meters, and a bollard pull of 70 tonnes. Svitzer Babitonga is also equipped with Fifi-1 firefighting…

Malaysia-based offshore services firm Sapura Energy has through its joint venture companies secured $1.8 billion worth of contracts with Brazil’s state-owned energy giant Petrobras for the provision of subsea services and six pipe-laying support vessels (PLSVs).Sapura Energy has through the joint ventures owned by Seabras Sapura Holding and Seabras Sapura Participações, in collaboration with Paratus Energy Services, secured contracts for its full fleet of six multi-purpose PLSVs as part of a competitive tender process run by Petrobras.Sapura Energy…