BW Opal FPSO Vessel set for Work off Australia
Seatrium delivered the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), BW Opal, to BW Offshore."We would like to express our appreciation to BW Offshore for entrusting Seatrium with their projects over the years," said Marlin Khiew, EVP, Energy (Americas), Seatrium. "The successful completion and delivery of BW Opal marks our 18th FPSO for BW Offshore."Seatrium’s scope of work included installation and integration works of topside modules…
ULA 'SpaceShip' Vessel Gets Propulsion Package
Schottel will equip a new RoRo cargo vessel for U.S.-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) being built by Bollinger Shipyards in Amelia, Louisiana. The vessel, to be named SpaceShip, will transport Vulcan rockets from the factory in Decatur, Alabama, to the launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It will be equipped with three Schottel RudderPropellers SRP 460 LE and two Schottel TransverseThrusters STT 1.
China (again) Flexes Naval Muscle
China has flexed its muscles this month by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters, according to security documents and officials, in moves that have unnerved regional capitals.Since early May, China deployed fleets larger than usual, including navy, coast guard and other ships near Taiwan, the southern Japanese islands and the East and South China Seas…
First Battery-Electric Ferries in U.S. Selects its Propulsion Package
Wärtsilä will supply the electric propulsion system for three fully battery-electric, high-speed ferries that will operate in the San Francisco Bay area, the first full-electric high-speed ferries to operate and be built in the USA. The order with Wärtsilä has been placed by the shipyard All American Marine (AAM), on behalf of San Francisco Bay Ferry, California’s largest public ferry operator. The…
Steerprop Launches Largest Retractable Thruster
Finland's Steerprop expanded its range of retractable thrusters with its biggest unit to date. Designed for offshore vessels and workboats that need high-performance station-keeping or thrust boost capabilities, the SP 45 R will be introduced on several offshore, renewables and special purpose vessels.Working with vessel operators and designers, Steerprop identified that the sealing and locking mechanisms are often a weak point for retractable designs.
Woodside to run North West Shelf LNG Plant to 2070
Australia conditionally approved on Wednesday a request by Woodside Energy to extend until 2070 the life of its North West Shelf gas plant, following a six-year review dogged by delays, appeals and backlash from green groups.The facility on the Burrup peninsula in Western Australia is the country's oldest and largest liquefied natural gas plant and a key supplier to Asian markets, but concerns that its emissions could imperil ancient rock art held up a decision.In a statement…
NYK Unveils Japan’s First Fully Battery-Driven Work Vessel
NYK has unveiled Japan’s first fully battery-driven work vessel, e-Crea (pronounced “éclair” for its visual resemblance to the French pastry).Keihin Dock Co., an NYK Group company, built the vessel at its Koyasu Shipyard.Designed without an onboard diesel generator, e-Crea will support the docking and undocking of tugboats at the Koyasu Shipyard.Powered solely by batteries charged from shore facilities at Keihin Dock’s Koyasu Shipyard…
Report: Gas Investments in Australia Stalling
Australia is losing its competitive edge in attracting investment in natural gas exploration and production, threatening the nation’s energy security, economic growth and emissions reduction targets, a new report by Wood Mackenzie has found.The ‘Australia’s Natural Gas Investment Competitiveness’ report found that while global investment in gas exploration has grown by nearly 30% in the past five years, investment in Australia is lagging with just 15% growth recorded over the same period.
Global Ro-Ro Community Develops GHG Calculation Guidelines
The Global Ro-Ro Community including Eastern Car Liner, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, Wallenius Wilhelmsen and ClassNK have developed guidelines for calculating GHG emission intensity for ro-ro ships in conjunction with the international non-profit organization Smart Freight Centre.The guidelines introduce a common calculation method, enabling shippers to…
Machine Learning Tool Developed for Arctic Shipping
As shipping activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans increases with reductions in sea ice because of climate change, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is working to improve the safety of vessel operations and decrease the environmental impacts of shipping.In collaboration with Memorial University, the NRC through its Ocean program has created a computer modelling tool to aid in planning safe and efficient routes for Arctic voyages.
Insurer Tokio Marine Launches Green Unit
Japanese insurer Tokio Marine 8766.T has set up a unit to insure activities linked to the low-carbon transition such as green hydrogen, shipping and cement and is targeting $1 billion in revenues by the end of the decade, its chair told Reuters.The new unit, Tokio Marine GX, will provide advisory and risk transfer services to companies across a range of sectors looking to decarbonise, and build on the existing work of its GCube renewable energy team…
Guinea Bauxite Sockpile Nears 2 Million Tons as Export Suspension Continues
Emirates Global Aluminium's (EGA) subsidiary in Guinea has accumulated a stockpile of nearly two million metric tonnes of bauxite since the suspension of its operations last year, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.EGA, equally owned by Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, and Dubai sovereign wealth fund the Investment Corporation of Dubai, operates one of the largest bauxite mines in Guinea through its Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC) subsidiary.The standoff wit
Tallink Charters Cruise Ship to Algeria
AS Tallink Grupp has signed a charter agreement with Algeria’s state-owned company Madar Maritime Company for the cruise ship Romantika.Romantika will be chartered along with its technical crew for nine months starting Saturday, May 31. The agreement includes an option to extend the charter for two additional periods of six months each.Romantika has previously operated in the Baltic Sea on routes to Helsinki, Stockholm, and Riga.
Jacobs Chooses Fugro to Conduct Investigation for New US Infrastructure on Wake Island
Fugro has been chosen by Jacobs to conduct a nearshore site investigation on Wake Island, a remote US territory located in the central Pacific between Hawaii and Guam. The isolated coral atoll serves as a key logistical and transport hub for the US Navy’s activities in the Indo-Pacific. Fugro’s efforts will equip Jacobs with the essential ground engineering data needed to plan and design a new mooring system on the island…
Kongsberg Maritime Launches the TTH Tunnel Thruster Series
Kongsberg Maritime announced the launch of its new Tunnel Thruster type TTH, the Harmonised series, setting new standards in performance and reliability with a compact, modular design that allows for flexible installation and optimal integration into a wide range of vessel types.Key innovations include:Compact thruster design for easier hull integration and reduced installation footprintModular design…
Shipyard Officials Detained after North Korean Vessel Launch Fiasco
North Korea has detained shipyard officials responsible for a recent major accident during the launch of a new warship, state media said over the weekend.The failed launch that crippled the 5,000-tonne warship was witnessed by leader Kim Jong Un who said the accident damaged the country's dignity and vowed to punish those found responsible.The mishap likely occurred in front of a large crowd at the northeastern port of Chongjin…
Orders For US-Manufactured Goods Drop In Light of Tariff Uncertainty
New orders for key U.S.-manufactured capital goods plunged by the most in six months in April amid mounting uncertainty over the economy because of tariffs, suggesting business spending on equipment weakened at the start of the second quarter.The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday also showed shipments of these goods falling last month. Economists said President Donald Trump's flip-flopping on import duties was making it difficult for businesses to plan ahead.
River Cruise Vessel delivered to Swiss shipping company Twerenbold Reisen
A CDS River Cruise 135 type cruise vessel, the Excellence Crown, to Swiss shipping company Twerenbold Reisen Group, which christened the vessel in May 2025 in Basel. The 135-m ship features hybrid propulsion and was designed and built by the Concordia Damen shipyard in Werkendam, the Netherlands. It is the tenth ship in the fleet of Swiss Excellence River Cruise, part of Twerenbold, and the first to…
Conrad Industries Receives SCA’s Excellence in Safety Award
The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair industry, announced that Conrad Industries, Inc., parent company of Conrad Shipyard, received SCA’s annual “Excellence in Safety” Award, which is given for performance for the 2024 calendar year, honoring the shipyard for its enhancement of operations and promotion of safety and accident prevention.Recognized for its ongoing efforts to enhance workplace safety…
Finnish Ferry Refit with ABB Propulsion Drive
The passenger ferry M/S Suomenlinna II has become the first ship to be retrofitted with ABB’s new-generation ACS880LC drive. The drive technology will enhance vessel efficiency and help to secure smooth and reliable operations for many years to come.As one of three ferries operated by Helsinki City Transport subsidiary Suomenlinnan Liikenne Oy, the 33.8-meter-long Suomenlinna II serves the Market Square–Suomenlinna route year-round.
