Offshore News

The July/August issue of Offshore Engineer includes an update on patrolling robots. They are increasingly being used for inspection, maintenance and repair, and they are increasingly being operated, human-in-the-loop, in a cyber world that is a detailed digital twin of their offshore environment.Energy Robotics, for example, has built a software platform for operating all available oil and gas ATEX certified robots, including those of ExRobotics, Taurob, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued classification to the Surveyor, a fully autonomous deepwater unmanned surface vehicle (USV), developed by Saildrone.At 20 meters long and capable of unmanned operations across all of the world’s oceans, the Surveyor is the largest class of USVs from Saildrone, a provider of maritime security, ocean mapping, and meteorological and oceanographic data using unmanned autonomous assets.The USV is capable of long-endurance missions in the open ocean…

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued classification to the Surveyor, a fully autonomous deepwater unmanned surface vehicle (USV), developed by Saildrone.At 20 meters long and capable of unmanned operations across all of the world’s oceans, the Surveyor is the largest class of USVs from Saildrone, a provider of maritime security, ocean mapping, and meteorological and oceanographic data using unmanned autonomous assets.The USV is capable of long-endurance missions in the open ocean, collecting deep-ocean bathymetry and performing a wide range of maritime domain awareness tasks.The classification follows the smaller 10-meter Voyager…

Seatrium has secured a contract from Golar Hilli Corporation, a subsidiary of Golar LNG, to perform the upgrading of floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit Hilli Episeyo.Scheduled to enter the yard in the third quarter of 2026, the project involves technical modifications for FLNG Hilli Episeyo’s redeployment.The scope of work includes engineering and procurement of long-lead items, repair and life extension and winterization of the vessel, as well as the installation of a new soft-yoke mooring system.When completed…

South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the world's biggest shipbuilder, said on Wednesday that it plans to merge with its affiliate HD Hyundai Mipo as it targets a bigger slice of the U.S. shipbuilding market.With the merger, the company said it aims to lead U.S.-Korea shipbuilding cooperation projects touted during a recent summit between the leaders of the countries that Seoul has dubbed "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again.""Ahead of the full-scale launch of the MASGA project following the Korea-U.S.

UAL has introduced the UAL Caribbean Shuttle, a fixed nine-day loop service linking Point Lisas in Trinidad & Tobago, Georgetown in Guyana, and Paramaribo in Suriname.The new service responds to increasing demand for reliable, multipurpose shipping options in the Southern Caribbean.The shuttle will be operated by the newly delivered mv UAL Transporter, a landing craft vessel with a shallow 5-meter draft at max loading capacity and a capacity of 387 TEU.Purpose-built for regional conditions…

Italian energy giant Eni has held the sail away ceremony for the Nguya floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit in Shanghai, which is set to depart for Congo LNG project in the Marine XII concession, offshore the Republic of Congo.The Nguya unit, 376 meters long and 60 meters wide, will be moored at a depth of 35 meters and used for liquefied natural gas production.Designed with advanced technologies to ensure a reduced carbon footprint, it stands as a benchmark in the industry.Conceived…

A cargo transfer vessel owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) will be shared by TotalEnergies EP Brasil, which employs the vessel in its operation since 2020, with Shell Brasil Petróleo for crude oil cargos produced in Brazil.The vessel SeaLoader 1, owned by MOL’s subsidiary SeaLoading Holding, is employed by TotalEnergies for transferring crude oil produced by floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units located in the Santos Basin off the coast of Brazil to tankers.The…

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump intends to withdraw federal approval for US Wind’s offshore wind farm off the coast of Maryland, according to a filing submitted by Attorney General Pam Bondi in the U.S. District Court in Delaware on Friday.US Wind is owned by funds managed by Apollo Global Management, an American investment firm, and Renexia SpA, a subsidiary of Italy's Toto Holding SpA. The project is scheduled to begin construction next year.(Reuters)

Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore has secured two contracts for its Normand Turmalina and Normand Superior vessels, with the combined worth of $65 million.The anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Normand Turmalina has received a contract extension from BRAVA Energia in Brazil.The extended contract has a duration of three years, starting immediately after the current contract, securing a firm commitment for the vessel until early 2029.The second contract is related…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with Norway-based Sanco Shipping for the conversion of the seismic research vessel Sanco Sailor into a seismic source vessel.Sanco Shipping contracted PGS Apollo, now renamed Sanco Sailor, earlier in 2025, ahead of conversion job at Vard Langsten.Vard’s scope of work includes significant structural modifications, upgrades to existing seismic equipment, and the installation of a DP2 system for the vessel spanning 106.6 meters in length…

The Trump administration on Friday ordered Denmark's Orsted to stop far-advanced construction on an offshore wind project near Rhode Island, in a move that threatens to exacerbate the company's financial troubles.With construction now frozen at 80% completion, Orsted has no immediate path to revenue generation, heightening pressure on the company as it seeks to shore up finances through a $9.4 billion emergency rights issue.The stop-work order, issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is the administration's latest effort to hinder U.S.

Cadeler announced that it has signed a firm contract with Synera Renewable Energy (SRE) for the transportation and installation (T&I) of 35 Siemens Gamesa 14MW wind turbines at the Formosa 4 Offshore Wind Farm in Taiwan. The project will be executed by one of Cadeler’s next-generation M-class wind turbine installation vessels.The T&I operations are set to commence in March 2028 and will last approximately 150 days. The revenue from this contract to Cadeler is projected to be between…

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday unveiled a comprehensive schedule to hold more than 30 offshore oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska's Cook Inlet over the next 15 years.The plan fulfills a directive in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed last month, and is aligned with his administration's energy dominance agenda to boost domestic fossil fuel production.The schedule marks a significant departure from former President Joe Biden…

In early August 2025, Aesen took delivery of two new Generation 4 Fast Crew Boats (FCBs) — Aesen 107 and Aesen 108 — at a christening ceremony held at Strategic Marine yard. The addition of Aesen 107 and Aesen 108 brings Aesenʼs total new crew vessel acquisitions to 12 over the past two years with at least three more under construction, as part of its ongoing fleet renewal.Built by Strategic Marine in collaboration with Southerly Designs, the 42-metre Generation 4 FCBs are engineered for demanding offshore operations.

Saipem reports it has successfully completed its designated scope of work for the development of the Yellowtail field, operated by ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd., locatedin approximately 1,800m of water within the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.Awarded the contract in 2022, Saipem undertook the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) of the Subsea Umbilical, Riser, andFlowline (SURF) system for the Yellowtail field. The FDS2 J-lay vessel, one of Saipem’s flagship assets, executed the installation of the rigid flowline and steel lazy wave risers in an early 2024 campaign.

The development Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta share is transforming the nation into a rising energy exporter, with oil and pipeline gas already flowing abroad and an ambitious multi-phase ‘Argentina LNG’ initiative aiming to secure a permanent place in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. While geological resources appear sufficient, the scale and pace of development, however, present challenges.‘Argentina LNG’ is a large-scale LNG scheme designed to massively develop Vaca Muerta's resources to deliver energy to domestic and international market.

The United States has everything it needs to lead in offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS), except the rules to make it happen.Nearly four years ago, Congress gave the Department of the Interior authority to oversee offshore carbon sequestration. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 amended the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to authorize competitive leasing and regulation of carbon dioxide injection into subsea formations on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

EnQuest completed the removal of the Heather Alpha topsides on August 11.The Allseas-owned Pioneering Spirit heavy lift vessel removed the 15,300 tonne topsides in a single lift, the largest single lift planned in the North Sea this year.EnQuest Decommissioning Director, John Allan, said: “The Pioneering Spirit completed the lift in around 14 seconds, but that astonishing reality was only made possible by three years of meticulous planning, engineering and preparation works. After almost 50 years of operations in the North Sea…

Since coming into force, the IMO Polar Code has had a positive effect on maritime operations in polar waters, write Dan Oldford and Ed Moakler, ABS HETC, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.What is the Polar Code, When and Why did it come into force?Polar regions have many unique hazards compared to warmer waters around the world. Since the earliest explorers sought to explore the Arctic and Antarctic by ship, many vessels have been lost due to sea ice, cold air temperatures and ice accretion.Prior to the Polar Code coming into force there were no international regulations…

A fire broke out onboard a Maersk container vessel off the coast of Liberia on Wednesday and the crew was still battling to put out the flames a day later, the Danish shipping group said on Thursday."The crew of the Marie Maersk detected smoke coming from containers onboard the vessel en route from Rotterdam, The Netherlands to Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia," Maersk said.The crew was safe while it attempted to keep the situation under control. Two tugboats with firefighting equipment reached the ship late on Wednesday, Maersk said.(Reuters)

Germany's biggest power producer RWE posted lower-than-expected core profit for the first half on Thursday, citing weak wind conditions as well as a muted trading business.First-half adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization fell by more than a quarter to 2.14 billion euros ($2.50 billion), missing the 2.24 billion average estimate in an analyst poll provided by the company.The group, which is also the world's second-biggest developer of offshore wind projects, still confirmed its outlook for 2025, as well as its mid-term guidance for earnings per share for 2027 and

The First Steel Cutting ceremony took place at Saipem’s Karimun fabrication yard, marking the official start of construction activities for the Tangguh UCC project, awarded by bp Indonesia.The event was attended by representatives of the client, local and national government bodies, together with key members of Saipem’s management team gathered to celebrate this significant milestone achievement.The Tangguh UCC project, located in Papua Barat province, Indonesia, is a national strategic project that includes the development of the Ubadari gas field…

The German government has adopted a new bill amending its Carbon Dioxide Storage Act to lay the legal groundwork for the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and utilization (CCU) and cross-border transport of CO2.The draft law enables the transport, storage and use of CO2. It enables the construction of CO2 storage facilities for commercial use on an industrial scale within the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Marine protected areas…

Shares in Orsted  plunged to a record low on Monday as the wind farm developer asked shareholders for $9.4 billion to help fund a U.S. project, after potential partners were put off by U.S. President Donald Trump's hostility to wind power.The 60 billion crowns ($9.4 billion) rights issue is worth around half of the Danish company's market value as of Friday's close.Struggling in recent years with soaring inflation and logistical problems that sent costs soaring, the offshore wind…

Vantage Drilling International completed the sale of the Tungsten Explorer to TEVA Ship Charter LLC, the joint venture entity owned 25% by the Ccompany and 75% by TotalEnergies. In line with previous announcements Vantage will continue to manage the Tungsten Explorer for a ten year term with the option to extend for an additional five years.Ihab Toma, CEO of Vantage Drilling, commented: “We are delighted to have completed the sale of the Tungsten Explorer. We now look forward to a productive and mutually beneficial relationship for the joint venture with our esteemed client and partner TotalEnergies.”

Ørsted’s Board of Directors has approved the interim report for the first half of 2025, with Rasmus Errboe, Group President and CEO, saying he is satisfied with the company’s strong operational performance which saw earnings of DKK 13.9 billion ($2.2 billion).The figure supports Ørsted’s full-year EBITDA guidance of DKK 25-28 billion.The company has however altered the outlook for the offshore division, changing the directional guidance for offshore from 'Higher' to 'Neutral'…

Asia-Pacific region offshore wind developer Synera Renewable Energy (SRE) has awarded a 15-year service contract to Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) for the provision of a service operations vessel (SOV) to support the operations and maintenance (O&M) of SRE’s offshore wind assets.Under the contract, DFO will provide a newly built, Taiwan-flagged SOV to support Formosa 4 offshore wind project from the construction phase onward.Custom-designed for Taiwan’s offshore conditions, the vessel…

Italian shipping firm Grimaldi Group has welcomed the second ammonia-ready pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), Grande Tianjin, from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC).The delivery of a 9,000-car capacity PTCT built for Grimaldi Group also marks SWS's 600th vessel or offshore platform since its inaugural delivery, the 150,000-ton Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit Hai Yang Shi You 111, in 2003.The Grande Tianjin is compatible with electric vehicles…

Southern Energy S.A. (SESA), a company formed to enable LNG exports from Argentina, has reached final investment decision (FID) for the charter of 3.5MTPA MK II floating LNG (FLNG) from Golar LNG.The key commercial terms for the 20-year charter agreement include net charter hire to Golar of $400 million per year, plus a commodity linked tariff component of 25% of FOB prices in excess of $8/mmbtu.The FLNG, currently under conversion in China, will sail to Argentina following her redelivery…

Tallink Grupp’s subsidiary, Tallinn–Helsinki Lin, has sold the cargo vessel Regal Star to the Turkish company Ams Line Shipping.The vessel was officially handed over to its new owner on August 6, 2025, and the details of the transaction have not been disclosed.In April, following the sale of passenger vessel Star I, the Paldiski - Kapellskär route began operating with Superfast IX, which returned from long-term charter service in Canada.Regal Star previously served on the same route mainly as a cargo vessel…

Germany’s largest utility RWE and U.K.’s largest shipowner-operator North Start have signed long-term agreements for next-generation service operation vessels (SOVs) to maintain RWE’s growing offshore wind fleet.The companies have agreed that RWE will charter two SOVs, the Grampian Eagle and the Grampian Kestrel, from North Star, both capable of using alternative low-emission fuels.Full marine services will be delivered by North Star as part of the charters.RWE and North Star have also signed reservation agreements for two newbuild vessels delivered by the Norwegian Vard Group.

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced a direct final rule rescinding a section of its regulations that outlined the renewable energy lease sale schedule.Under the rescinded regulation, BOEM required the Secretary of the Interior to publish a five-year schedule of anticipated offshore renewable energy lease sales at least every two years.After reviewing this regulation, the Department of the Interior has determined this provision is not mandated under the…

Wind Multiplikator, a subsidiary of Danish company Semco Maritime, has signed a long-term charter agreement with Norwegian shipping company Norwind Offshore for a Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), set for deployment at an offshore wind farm in German North Sea.The newly built vessel Norwind Maestro is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2026, with a sister ship of the same design available from the fourth quarter of 2025.Both CSOVs will operate directly out of Emden…

Norwegian offshore supply vessel owner DOF Group has secured a contract with Petrobras for two of its anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels.The two contracts, with a combined value of more than $220 million, are for Skandi Fluminense, a 2007 Brazilian-built AHTS vessel with 211t bollard pull, and Skandi Lifter, a foreign-flagged 250t AHTS built in 2009.The contracts for both vessels will run for four years.The agreements follow the same competitive AHTS tender process for Petrobras that resulted in the contracts of Skandi Logger…

The orders for the new alternative-fueled vessels have continued to grow in July 2025, in line with the steady pace of activity seen in the first half of the year, according to the latest figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform.A total of 28 new orders for alternative-fueled vessels were placed in July 2025, AFI’s latest report has revealed.LNG remains the dominant fuel choice, accounting for 22 of the 28 orders. The majority of these orders were concentrated in the container segment with 19 on record…

French subsea power cable maker and services provider Nexans has formed partnership with Crowley Wind Services to develop and operate a Jones Act compliant cable lay barge. The cable lay barge will be dedicated to supporting the installation of subsea transmission lines necessary for offshore wind energy, telecommunications and other major industrial applications.The 300-foot, U.S.-flagged vessel, built in Louisiana and tested in the U.S. Gulf to Nexans specifications, will be…

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has rescinded all designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).BOEM says the action is being taken in accordance with Secretary’s Order 3437 - Ending Preferential Treatment for Unreliable, Foreign Controlled Energy Sources in Department Decision-Making – and the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025 – Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the OCS from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects.

U.S.-based subsea services and technology firm Oceaneering has completed a major upgrade of its Ocean Intervention II oceanographic research vessel, equipping it to perform simultaneous autonomous offshore survey missions.The retrofit, carried out in early 2025 on the 25-year-old vessel, has made it capable of launching and recovering both uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).The vessel, originally launched in 2000 for geophysical and geotechnical survey work…

Global Energy Group (GEG) has reached an agreement on the sale of three of its group companies, including The Port of Nigg, to long term investor, Mitsui & Co. Europe (Mitsui) a subsidiary of Mitsui & Co, together with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).The acquisition includes The Port of Nigg, a multi-sector energy port and green freeport, Global Energy (Fabrication), a multi-site fabrication and manufacturing business, and Global Energy Services, which provide scaffold and access teams.Post acquisition…

Floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) terminals are gaining momentum on the global LNG market, with capacity expected to triple by 2030 according to research from Rystad Energy.Once hindered by technical and operational challenges, FLNG projects are now achieving utilization rates comparable to onshore terminals. With LNG demand rising alongside the growing viability of smaller gas fields, FLNG is emerging as a faster, more flexible and cost-effective solution capable of adapting…

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a development program framework agreement with Noble Corporation, marking a key step forward in the co-development of advanced marine technologies for the offshore drilling sector.The long-term strategic partnership will focus on the joint development, piloting, and commercialization of innovative solutions aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, risk assessment, and sustainability in offshore operations.The first pilot project under this agreement will be launched later in 2025 on the drillship Noble Sam Croft…

The 50-50 consortium between Allseas and Boskalis has been awarded a large contract by CPC Corporation Taiwan for the second offshore gas pipeline from Yongan to Tongxiao (YT2) in Taiwan.Under the contract, the consortium will design, construct, install and pre-commission the new YT2 36-inch offshore natural gas pipeline, which will run approximately 232 kilometers parallel to the existing YT1 pipeline, connecting the Yongan LNG terminal in the Southwest with the Tongxiao transfer station in the Northwest.The comprehensive scope of work includes trenching…

Analysts question feasibility as framework trade deal outpaces current U.S. export capacityThe European Union’s commitment to purchase $250 billion in U.S. energy supplies annually under a new trade framework with Washington faces significant market challenges, according to analysts and industry observers.The agreement, announced Sunday, includes 15% U.S. tariffs on most EU goods and a pledge by the EU to dramatically scale up imports of U.S. oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG),…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) for its next-generation 210,000 DWT Newcastlemax bulk carrier design.The innovative design features flexibility for multiple fuel types, including conventional fuels, LNG, ammonia, and methanol, enabling shipowners to adapt to current and emerging environmental regulations and future fuel availability.The vessel design incorporates advanced smart navigation systems…

French offshore vessel services firm Bourbon has signed a five-year charter agreement with Eni Congo for six next-generation crewboats to support operations on Eni’s offshore fields in the Central Africa country.The agreement includes the deployment of six newly built S200X-G2 crewboats, scheduled for delivery between June and December 2026.Pending delivery, six existing vessels will be temporarily mobilized to ensure operational continuity.The 20-meter vessels are designed to meet Eni’s operational and environmental requirements…

Inyanga Marine Energy Group has assumed operational management of the newly built hybrid utility vessel Tor Boreas, in partnership with Turkey’s Tor Group, targeting the offshore wind sector.Tor Boreas is 26.95 meters long, with a breadth of 11 meters, depth of 4.35 meters and a maximum draught of 3.5 meters.The vessel features an offshore crane and a 5 tonne hydraulic A- frame, as well as towing capability, with a 25 tonne electric aft winch and a 17 tonne bollard pull.It was designed by Macduff Ship Design and built in Turkiye by Tor Marine…