Vessel Operator News

KESTO, a joint venture between Denmark’s ESVAGT and South Korea’s KMC Line, has secured its first contracts to provide offshore service logistics for Vestas at the Shinan-Ui offshore wind farm in South Korea.From 2028 and for a minimum period of 10 years, KESTO will provide vessels to support Vestas’ service scope at the Shinan-Ui project. KESTO will begin servicing Vestas during the construction phase and will continue to deliver service operations once the wind farm becomes operational…

The Jones Act at 46 U.S.C. § 55102 forms the basis of U.S. domestic waterborne commerce by limiting the transportation of merchandise between U.S. points to vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, U.S.-crewed, and U.S.-flagged. The Jones Act contains a limited exception known as the “Third Proviso” that permits certain domestic shipments to move through Canada using multimodal transportation without breaching the statute.Purpose and Limits of the Third Proviso.The Third Proviso to 46 U.S.C. § 55102 exempts from Jones Act restrictions the transportation of cargo between U.S.

An EU warship secured the crew of an oil products tanker on Friday after it was attacked by pirates off Somalia, its operator and a European Union naval mission said, as worries grow over a resurgence of piracy after years of calm.Just hours earlier, in a separate incident, another vessel successfully outran a pirate skiff in the same area, maritime sources said.A recent spate of attacks on vessels off the Horn of Africa, including the first involving suspected Somali pirates in a year…

Armed assailants attacked a commercial tanker off the coast of Mogadishu on Monday, firing at the vessel after attempting to board the ship in the first suspected Somali piracy incident of its kind since 2024, maritime sources said.If confirmed, this would be the first Somali piracy attack against a merchant ship since May 2024, raising risks for critical energy and goods transported through the region, maritime sources said.The vessel was sailing some 332 nautical miles (615 km) off the Somali coast when four armed attackers approached in a skiff from the starboard side and opened fire…

Seatrium Limited has announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with Brazilian vessel operator, Posidonia Shipping and Trading Ltda, an unrelated third party, to sell 100% equity interest in its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Guanabara Navegação Ltda (GNL). GNL is a special purpose vehicle that owns two units of platform supply vesselsThe total consideration for the sale of GNL is $59.7 million. This accretive divestment is in line with the Group’s strategic intent to divest non-core assets to enhance capital and operational efficiencies…

Marlink, a specialist in managed services for business-critical ICT solutions, has deployed its Sealink NextGen hybrid network and cyber security solutions across 50 vessels operated by Polish dry bulk carrier Polsteam.The upgrade forms part of Marlink’s ‘possibility platform’ and is designed to support Polsteam’s transition to digitalized shipping operations, enhancing operational safety and efficiency while improving crew connectivity.Under the agreement, Marlink will integrate low Earth orbit (LEO) Starlink internet with traditional VSAT services, managed through its XChange platform.

The Netherlands called on the EU on Wednesday to sanction Yemen's Houthis as a terrorist group, after the organisation claimed responsibility for an attack on the Dutch-flagged general cargo ship Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden.The Iran-aligned group has launched numerous assaults on vessels in the Red Sea since 2023, targeting ships they deem linked to Israel in what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war on Gaza."The Houthis have long posed a serious threat to freedom of navigation," the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement.Countries including the United Stat

The Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht was ablaze and adrift in the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday, a day after being hit by an explosive device, its operator and the EU maritime mission Aspides said.Yemen's Houthi militants claimed responsibility on Wednesday for the attack, saying it was carried out by a cruise missile.The strike injured two sailors and forced a helicopter evacuation of the ship's 19 crew members, according to the EU maritime mission Aspides and the vessel's operator.Amsterdam…

The Dutch-flagged general cargo ship Minervagracht is on fire and drifting in the Gulf of Aden after an attack with an explosive device required the helicopter rescue of its 19 crew, the EU maritime mission Aspides and the vessel's operator said on Monday.It was not immediately clear whether the attack that injured two sailors was carried out by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, who since 2023 have launched numerous assaults on vessels in the Red Sea that they deem to be linked with…

Offshore vessel operator Astro Offshore, an Adani Group company, has acquired five offshore vessels en bloc, raising its fleet size to 49 ships and strengthening its presence in West Africa.The deal includes four platform supply vessels (PSVs), two of which are diesel-electric, and one high-specification 86-meter multipurpose supply vessel (MPSV) equipped with a 160-tonne crane.With the latest additions, Astro now operates 15 DP2 vessels, including five diesel-electric.The strategic expansion builds on the company’s acquisition of two modern PSVs earlier in September…

Offshore vessel operator Astro Offshore, an Adani Group company, has acquired two modern platform supply vessels (PSVs) and entered the West African market, expanding its global footprint.The vessels, Astro Rastaban (built 2020) and Astro Rigel (built 2023), lift the company’s fleet to 44 vessels and mark its first operations in West Africa.The acquisitions complement Astro’s broader fleet growth plans, which include two diesel-electric anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels due for delivery in the coming weeks and two ballastable barges scheduled for completion late in 2025.The company…

Offshore supply vessel operator Havila Shipping ASA delivered stronger results in the second quarter of 2025, supported by high fleet utilization and stable freight revenues.Freight revenues reached NOK 165.5 million in Q2, up NOK 19.5 million from the same period in 2024 and broadly in line with the previous quarter. Total operating income rose to NOK 175 million compared to NOK 152.9 million last year.Operating profit before depreciation increased to NOK 91.3 million (Q2 2024: NOK 78.4 million).

Cat Pushes Forward on Hybrid Electric Solutions, Alternative FuelsAs the maritime industry continues its transformation driven by decarbonization mandates, OEMs like Caterpillar are central to paving the path. Will Watson, Marine Product Manager, Caterpillar, discusses latest efforts by the company to unlock the potential with hybrid electric and alternative fuel solutions.Key Takeaways to Caterpillar Marine’s Hybrid Propulsion•Hybrid Propulsion Systems: Diesel + battery solutions…

Rescuers pulled three more crew members and a security guard alive from the Red Sea on Thursday, maritime security sources said, a day after Houthi militants sank the Greek ship Eternity C and said they were holding some of the crew still missing.It was the second Greek bulk carrier sunk this week by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia, shattering months of relative calm off Yemen's coast, the gateway to the Red Sea and a critical route for oil and commodities to the world.Many shipping companies have suspended voyages due to the fear of attack.

Rescuers pulled six crew members alive from the Red Sea after Houthi militants attacked and sank a second ship this week, while the fate of another 15 was unknown after the Iran-aligned group said they held some of the seafarers.The Houthis claimed responsibility for the assault that maritime officials say killed four of the 25 people aboard the Eternity C before the rest abandoned the cargo ship. Eternity C went down Wednesday morning after attacks on two previous days, sources…

Rescuers pulled six crew members alive from the Red Sea on Wednesday and 15 were still missing from the second of two ships sunk in recent days in attacks claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia after months of calm.Four of the 25 people aboard the Eternity C cargo ship were killed before the rest of the crew abandoned the vessel, which sank on Wednesday morning after being attacked on Monday and Tuesday, sources at security companies involved in a rescue operation said.The six seafarers who were rescued had spent more than 24 hours in the water…

Four seafarers on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Eternity C were killed in a drone and speedboat attack off Yemen, an official with knowledge of the issue said on Tuesday, the second incident in a day after months of calm.The Red Sea, which passes Yemen's coast, has long been a critical waterway for the world's oil and commodities but traffic has dropped since the Iran-aligned Houthi militia began targeting ships in November 2023 in what they said was solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.The deaths on the Eternity C…

GLO Marine and VMS Group Denmark have secured a multi-vessel retrofit work for offshore support vessel operator Tidewater, expanding their role in the offshore energy sector.Covering 16 vessels across three continents, including several in U.S. waters, the retrofit program marks an important step in both companies’ strategy to provide fleet-scale retrofit solutions to the international offshore vessels market.The companies are executing a full-scope BWTS retrofit and lifecycle project management plan for Tidewater.To date…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has renewed logistics contract with one of its long-standing strategic automotive OEM customers.The revenues are estimated to be around $100 million over the contract period of three years.As part of the contract, Wallenius Wilhelmsen will continue to deliver factory vehicle processing services, including end-of-line service, accessory installation, rail loading, and yard management.“We are pleased to renew our contract for three new years with a long-term partner.

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore has confirmed contracts for two of its construction support vessels (CSVs), which will be put to work in South America.The first contract is with Petrobras for the Normand Flower CSV, owned by Solstad Maritime.The contract, valued at $115 million excluding ROV services, was first announced in April 2025, and has now been formally approved and signed.It will begin in January 2026 with a has a duration of four years.The vessel will be on bareboat contracts from Solstad Maritime to Solstad Offshore…

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore has secured multiple contract awards with Petrobras, subject to board approval, for two large Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels and one Construction Support Vessel (CSV).The AHTS vessels have been awarded new contracts with a duration of four years each, whereof one of the contracts includes ROV services.The contracts are set to start in the first quarter of 2026 and will be covered by two AHTSs from the global Solstad Maritime fleet.The CSV Normand Flower…

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore has informed that its two Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessels, hired by Petrobras, have received approvals for work offshore Brazil.Solstad Offshore announced in April that its two AHTS vessels Normand Sigma and Normand Sirius secured contracts with Petrobras, subject to board approvals.The approvals have now been secured and the AHTS vessels have been allocated to the contracts.The contracts, which will start in the first quarter of 2026…

A pilot of a towing vessel on the Mississippi River left the helm unattended for several minutes, leading to a grounding near Thebes, Illinois, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded.While the towing vessel City of Louisville was upbound on the Mississippi River pushing 11 barges on July 29, 2023, it ran aground in a charted shallow and rocky area. The grounding caused fractures to the vessel’s bottom plating underneath the engine room, leading to water flooding into the engine room, machinery and aft accommodation spaces.