Maritime Industry Top News
UK Companies Achieve Bidirectional Charging for Electric Vessels
Aqua superPower unveiled its bidirectional charging technology at the University of Plymouth, marking their demonstration debut of Virtual Bunkering for Electric Vessels (VBEV). This pioneering showcase represented an important step towards the wide scale adoption of electric boats, supported by Vessel-to-Grid infrastructure.Bidirectional charging not only enables electric boats to charge efficiently…
Seafarers Stranded Off Yemen After US-Houthi Ceasefire Deal
Some 200 seafarers aboard more than 15 ships stuck for weeks off Yemen's port of Ras Isa are preparing to offload cargoes and leave thanks to a ceasefire deal between Houthi militia and the U.S., maritime and labour union sources said on Thursday.Still, threat levels for shipping remained high given the Houthis' confirmation that Israeli-related assets remained open to attack and the attendant risks to broader shipping, maritime officials said.
New IMO Designation for the Mediterranean Sea Helps Bring More Doba Crude to Europe
Dutch and German oil refineries have snapped up all four cargoes of Chadian Doba crude in April to profit from soaring demand for cleaner marine fuel in Europe from shipping companies including Maersk, according to shipping data and trade sources.Asia was the main destination of Doba cargoes prior to April, as China and Malaysia received several cargoes, according to Kpler.In May, the International Maritime Organization designated the Mediterranean Sea as an Emission Control Area…
ABS Publishes Industry-First Guide for Modifying Tank Entry Surveys
In an industry first, ABS has published guidance to enable internal examination of tanks beyond the typical five-year requirements to once every 10 years with options to have additional expanded survey intervals.The new guidance has the potential to maximize operational uptime for site-dependent assets such as floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), floating production and storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs)…
Saronic Co-Founders Step Into New Executive Roles
Saronic has announced the transitions of two of its co-founders into expanded leadership roles. Doug Lambert has been named Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Vib Altekar has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO). These appointments recognize the critical role each has played in Saronic’s growth.Doug and Vib’s new roles reflect Saronic's technical and operational expertise and will be instrumental as the company continues to scale…
Potential Return of Container Ships to Red Sea Following US-Houthi Ceasefire Could Collapse Freight Rates
The prospect of a large scale return of container ships to the Red Sea following the announcement of a ceasefire between the US and Houthi militia in Yemen would flood the market with shipping capacity and cause a global collapse in freight rates, but the situation remains far from certain.Data released by Xeneta, an ocean and air freight intelligence platform, shows global TEU-mile demand would decrease…
Seafarers Happiness Index Steadies, Although Safety and Health Concerns Remain
The Mission to Seafarers' latest edition of its quarterly Seafarers Happiness Index has revealed a steadying in seafarer satisfaction, marking a small rise as the survey enters its 10th year.The Q1 report shows an overall rise in seafarer happiness to 6.98 out of 10, up from 6.91 in Q4 2024. Despite positives, some key concerns were raised in the survey such as the increasing pressures faced by crew aboard older vessels…
Industry Partners Showcase Next-Gen Nuclear Reactor for Maritime Decarbonization
Fincantieri, newcleo and Pininfarina have unveiled the look of the next-generation sustainable nuclear generator for maritime applications.The look of newcleo’s fourth-generation lead-cooled fast reactor has been revelated at International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.Combining technological vision, industrial expertise, and cutting-edge design, the three companies have collaborated to redefine the image of nuclear energy.
Newbuild USV Challenger Getting Ready for Remote-Controlled Subsea Work
Ocean services provider DeepOcean, with its joint venture partners Solstad Offshore and Østensjø Rederi, has taken delivery of a newbuild uncrewed surface vessel (USV), which will be used for subsea survey, inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) work across offshore energy industries.The vessel - named USV Challenger - will shortly arrive at DeepOcean’s subsea base at Killingøy in Norway, where it…
Swire Shipping Bans Carriage of Donkey Skins
On World Donkey Day (May 8), international animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, acknowledges Swire Shipping as the first global shipping line to commit publicly to a ‘No Donkey Skins Carriage policy’.In February last year, African Heads of State and Governments endorsed a continent-wide moratorium on the slaughter of donkeys for their skins at the 37th African Union Summit. The agreement was…
MarineShift360 Unveils First Impact Accelerator Cohort
MarineShift360 has unveiled the first cohort of its Impact Accelerator Program, selecting three pioneering organizations to advance sustainability across the marine industry.Following a competitive selection process, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI, United Kingdom and Ireland), Secfuel (Sweden), and BAR Technologies (United Kingdom) were chosen for their potential to drive measurable…
Odfjell Announces “Resilient” Financial Result
Odfjell SE has reported its results for the first quarter of 2025, showing a resilient financial result despite the increased market uncertainty due to the initial U.S. trade tariffs announcement.The Odfjell Group is one of the leading players in the global market for seaborne transportation and storage of chemicals and other specialty bulk liquids.Time charter earnings ended at $168 million, compared to $183 million in 4Q24.
Houthi Ceasefire Deal Excludes Israel
A ceasefire deal between Yemen's Houthis and the U.S. does not include sparing Israel, the group said on Wednesday, suggesting its shipping attacks that have disrupted global trade and challenged world powers will not come to a complete halt.President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. would stop bombing the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, saying that the group had agreed to stop attacking U.S.
US Companies Seek Exemption from Trump LNG Plan
U.S. energy groups are asking President Donald Trump's administration to exempt liquefied natural gas tankers from a new rule that will require producers to move an increasing percentage of their exports on U.S.-built vessels as part of a broader push to revive domestic shipbuilding.The U.S. is the world's No. 1 LNG exporter at $34 billion annually and the Trump administration has been a supporter of the industry in his push for energy dominance.In a move that shocked the industry, the U.S.
US to Seek UN Sanctions on Ships Taking North Korean Coal to China
The United States said on Wednesday it plans to call for U.N. sanctions against vessels identified as taking part in circumvention of United Nations resolutions to combat North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.The British-based Open Source Center issued a report on Wednesday saying that in the past year it had tracked a number of non-Korean flagged vessels transporting North Korean coal and iron ore to ports in China, in violation of U.N. sanctions.Speaking at a meeting of the U.N.
Salvage to Begin in Italy for Mike Lynch's Yacht After Fatal Sinking
The recovery of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht from the waters of northern Sicily is expected to begin in the coming weeks to help shed light on how a supposedly unsinkable vessel disappeared into the sea last August.The 56-metre-long (184-foot) Bayesian, with its majestic single 72-metre mast, was moored off the small port of Porticello when it was likely hit by a downburst, a very strong downward wind…
Uruguay's Ancap to Launch Bidding for Natural Hydrogen Exploration by Year-End
Uruguay's state-run energy firm Ancap plans to launch a bidding round for natural hydrogen exploration and development by the end of the year, with offers expected in 2026, executives said on Wednesday.Ancap is also exploring a bidding round for carbon capture investment, to be launched potentially in 2027, the firm's representatives said at a conference in Houston.Uruguay is considered a promising region by geologists for natural hydrogen exploration due to the significant presence of the eleme
Inchcape Shipping Services, Symmetry Group Announce Partnership in Guyana
Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) and Symmetry Group Inc. (SGI) have announced a strategic joint venture in Guyana, marking a significant milestone in the maritime and logistics sectors. This partnership aligns with Guyana's Local Content requirements, combining the strengths of both companies to offer an integrated suite of services tailored to the needs of the country's burgeoning oil and gas industry.Symmetry Group Inc.
Resolve Academy Holds 19th Annual Damage Control Olympics
Fort Lauderdale – Resolve Academy, a provider of maritime training, hosted its 19th annual Damage Control Olympics on April 29. The spirited competition of shipboard firefighting and vessel flooding exercises were designed for officers and crews from U.S. Navy and U.S Coast Guard visiting Port Everglades during Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale. Crews from the USS New Hampshire, USS New York, USCGC Tampa and USS Cole participated.
Israel Aerospace Industries to Sell Autonomous Submarines to Greek Navy
State-run Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said on Wednesday it signed a deal to sell its BlueWhale autonomous submarine system to the Greek Navy.IAI did not disclose financial details.BlueWhale is a large uncrewed underwater vehicle weighing 5.5 tons and can perform a wide range of covert maritime missions, including intelligence-gathering above the sea surface, submarine and underwater target detection, acoustic intelligence collection and searching for and detecting naval mines on the seabed
