Maritime Industry Top News
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Delivers Training Ship
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has delivered the Wakashio Maru, a training ship for National Institute of Technology, Toyama College in Japan.This is the first replacement ship for the school since 1995 and the first ship Mitsubishi Shipbuilding has built for the school. The 56-meter vessel can accommodate 60 people.The ship will be utilized for navigation practice, operations, and ocean-related researchâŠ
NYK Group Acquires Saga Welco
NYK Group has reached an agreement with the Norwegian shipping company Westfal- Larsen Group to fully acquire Saga Welco.Saga Welco, a Norwegian shipping operator specializing in transporting cargo via open-hatch vessels, is currently jointly owned by NHE and the Westfal-Larsen Group, with each party holding a 50% stake. The transaction is expected to be finalized within 2026, subject to regulatoryâŠ
US Allows Countries to Buy Russian Oil Stranded at Sea
The United States issued a 30-day license for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea in what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said was a step to stabilize global energy markets roiled by the Iran war.The announcement comes a day after the U.S. Energy Department said that the U.S. would be releasing 172 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserveâŠ
Swedish Coast Guard Boards Second Stateless Ship in a Week
The Swedish coast guard said on Thursday it boarded and took control of a suspected stateless vessel in Swedish waters of the Baltic Sea, in the second such incident in less than a week.The 228-meter-long (250 yards) tanker Sea Owl I was flying the Comorian flag, and the coast guard said it suspected the ship was sailing under a false flag.The ship is also on the sanctions list of several countriesâŠ
Bio-Methanol Gaining Traction as Alternative Fuel
This week, CMA CGM and SIPG Energy successfully completed the bunkering of 3,643 tons of bio-methanol for the CMA CGM Osmium at Yangshan Port in Shanghai. This operation marks CMA CGMâs first bio-methanol bunkering worldwide and sets a new national record for the largest single bio-methanol bunkering operation carried out at a Chinese port.As part of its commitment to achieving Net Zero Carbon by 2050âŠ
FN and Damen to Develop Defense Solutions
Damen Shipyards Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with FN Herstal, laying the foundation for a strategic industrial participation in maritime defense.The two parties aim to collaborate closely on the integration of FN solutions with Damen vessels, and the development of the regional, European and NATO defense eco-systems.The agreement provides for close collaboration in innovation and engineeringâŠ
GTT Receives Tank Order from HD KSOE
GTT has received an order from HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) for the tank design of a new liquefied natural gas carrier.The vessel will be built by the shipyard HD Hyundai Samho on behalf of the shipowner Sonangol. The vesselâs cryogenic tanks, with a total capacity of 174,000 m³, will be fitted with GTTâs Mark III Flex membrane containment system.Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for the second quarter of 2028.
IMO Schedules Extraordinary Council Meeting to Discuss Middle East
The IMO has called an Extraordinary Council meeting to discuss situation in Middle East. The meeting will focus on the impact on shipping and seafarers in the Arabian Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Gulf region, particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz.The session will be held on March 18 to 19 at the IMO headquarters in London, United Kingdom, to be chaired by Victor Jiménez of Spain.The ExtraordinaryâŠ
New First Aid Kits Help Seafarers Prepare for Attacks
Seafarers calling at Ukrainian ports will receive specialist safety kits designed to mitigate the risks posed by missile and drone attacks under a new initiative from maritime charity Stella Maris.The crew safety kits are designed to help seafarers prepare for and respond to emergencies while operating in conflict affected regions.The initiative comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions affecting major shipping routes around the worldâŠ
Union Members Ratify Pay Rise at HIIâs Ingalls Shipbuilding
HII has announced that all five collective bargaining units at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division have ratified new collective bargaining agreements, securing an immediate 18 percent or higher base wage increase for union-represented shipbuilders.This is the largest single wage increase in Ingalls Shipbuilding history and will extend the contract through March 8, 2031.The Ingalls Shipbuilding Collective Bargaining AgreementâŠ
Grimaldi Takes Delivery of Grande Seoul
The Grimaldi Group has taken delivery of the new PCTC Grande Seoul.Built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Limited (SWS) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) â both part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) â the vessel is the Italian groupâs ninth ammonia-ready unit.With a length of 200 meters, a beam of 38 meters, and a gross tonnage of approximately 77,500 tonnes, the Grande Seoul has been designed for the efficient transport of vehicles (carsâŠ
Report: LNG and Methanol Divert Investment from Decarbonization Pathway
LNG and methanol create path dependencies that divert investments from shippingâs long-term decarbonization pathway, a new study by UCL academics finds.While LNG and methanol use as alternative fuels generate some knowledge spillovers and procedural regulatory learning useful for green ammonia, the main scalable zero emission shipping fuel, these benefits are likely outweighed by capital lock-in and the entrenchment of fossil fuel infrastructureâŠ
Los Angeles Largely Insulated from Iran war Disruptions
The busiest U.S. container seaport in Los Angeles is mostly insulated from supply chain upheaval sparked by U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran that have spiraled into a regional conflict, its executive director Gene Seroka said on Thursday.The Iran war has snarled container shipping in the Middle East, sending up costs, stranding ships and cargoes, threatening fuel shortages and endangering vessels and the lives of seafarers."WeâŠ
Trump Administration Considers Jones Act Waiver
The Trump administration is considering waiving the century-old Jones Act for a limited period to ensure energy and agricultural shipments can move freely between U.S. ports, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday, in a bid to combat Iran-related supply disruptions."In the interest of national defense, the White House is considering waiving the Jones Act for a limited period of time to ensure vital energy products and agricultural necessities are flowing freely to U.S.
Iran Changes Messaging on Strait of Hormuz
Iran's U.N. Ambassador said on Thursday Tehran was not going to close the Strait of Hormuz, but added that it was Iran's right to preserve the security of the key shipping route.Amir Saeid Iravani made his comments to reporters at the United Nations when asked about remarks by new Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who said on Thursday that the "lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.""We are not going to close the Strait of Hormuz," Iravani said.
MSC Group Inks Agreement for Snake Island Port
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) signed a 45-year sub-concession agreement with Nigerdock to develop, operate, and maintain an exclusive container terminal spanning 30 hectares within Snake Island Port (SIP), Lagos.The new container terminal will be completed by 2028 with a 910-m quay, six Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, two ship berths, three barge berths, and up to 18 meters of draft.âWe are thrilledâŠ
Exmar Deploys NexusWave Across Fleet
Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, is rolling out NexusWave across Exmarâs growing fleet of gas carriers to meet the Belgian shipping companyâs evolving commercial and crew connectivity demands.With the tech adoption, Exmar is seeking to close the gap between its ship- and shore-based teams while enhancing seafarer welfare on board its vessels. NexusWave fully managed connectivity service intelligently bonds multiple network underlays (GX Ka-bandâŠ
New ISO Vessel Hull Cleaning Standard Published
Yesterday, a new ISO standard was published to help port authorities, shipowners and operators navigate rules on how ships should be cleaned in an environmentally sound way. Hull cleaning is gaining traction among shipowners, while countries are increasingly introducing regulationsâbut many ports still lack practical guidance on how to manage it. âBiofouling on shipsâ hulls can spread invasive aquatic species and damage ecosystems.
ILO, BIMCO Work on Injury Scheme for Ship Recycling Workers
The International Labor Organization (ILO) launched a pilot Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) in collaboration with BIMCO to strengthen the protection and rights of workers at ship recycling yards in Bangladesh, the worldâs biggest ship recycling nation.The scheme works as a social insurance where the risk is pooled and shared by the industry. By paying into the EIS, sellers of end-of-life ships can help ensure that workers and their families receive adequate and timely compensationâŠ
Thordon Bearings, SNAME Debut Scholarship
Thordon Bearings Inc. has partnered with the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) to launch the Thordon Bearings Graduate Scholarship, an annual award that will support exceptional postgraduate students developing solutions to reduce the marine industryâs environmental footprint.Made possible through a significant contribution from Thordon founder George A. âSandyâ Thomson, the scholarship is intended to inspire the design of greener, cleaner, and more efficient vessels.
