EU Boots Renewable Hydrogen Development
The European Commission has announced the selection of 15 renewable hydrogen production projects for public funding, including three related to providing fuel for ships.The projects, located across five countries, are expected to produce nearly 2.2 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen over 10 years, avoiding more than 15 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The hydrogen will be produced in sectors such as transportation…
Fortescue Green Pioneer: Proving Ground for Ammonia as Maritime Fuel
Fortescue’s Green Pioneer, billed as the world’s first ammonia dual-powered vessel, left Singapore in January of this year on voyage past the Cape of Good Hope en route initially to Southampton, both for Port State Control and to demonstrate the use of ammonia in its engines to the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), and then on to London’s Canary Wharf where is stayed through mid-April, before…
You Want to Save the Planet? Change your Ships Light Bulbs, Keep a Clean Hull
Norwegian shipowners agree: the obsession with new fuels is eliding a valuable discussion of the potential of fuel efficiency. The Aurora-class has enabled Höegh Autoliners to reduce emissions by around 58% per car carried, “before we even use low carbon fuels,” CEO Andreas Enger said. “The debate between energy efficiency and the fuel transition, we consider to be irrelevant and pretty stupid,” he said.
How to Turn International Trade into a Zero Sum Game
Tariffs and trade agreements are a complex subject and going down the rabbit hole can result in endless and ultimately pointless discussions. Strangely, tariffs and trade agreements are simply a game that ideally is beneficial to all and has no true winners and losers. Trade is not a Zero Sum game where a winner takes all and the loser gets nothing. Trade is a Non-Zero Sum game, which means the amount…
UAE Blamed for Port Sudan Drone Attacks
Sudan said the United Arab Emirates was responsible for an attack on Port Sudan this month, accusing the Gulf state for the first time of direct military intervention in a war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.The UAE denied the allegations in a statement and said it condemned the attack."It is deeply regrettable that the Port Sudan authorities continue to perpetrate violence against their own citizens…
Russia Releases Detained Liberia-Flagged Oil Tanker
Russia has released a Greek-owned oil tanker which was detained in Russian waters on Sunday after leaving an Estonian port, and the vessel has resumed its journey towards the Dutch port of Rotterdam, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Tuesday.The detention of the vessel has increased concerns over potential escalation in busy Baltic sea lanes where major oil supplies pass through, after separate…
Baltic Sea Naval Mine Clearance Operation Concludes
A major naval operation concluded in the Baltic Sea on Monday, with warships, divers and underwater drone operators detonating unexploded mines left over from the two World Wars - and taking the chance to check on underwater power cables in the area.Twelve warships and 19 teams of mine clearance divers and underwater drone operators from 13 NATO countries took part in the mission to locate and neutralize…
Update: Mexican Ship Made No Distress Calls Before Crashing into Brooklyn Bridge
The Mexican ship which crashed into New York's Brooklyn Bridge over the weekend did not make distress calls before ramming into the bridge, the head of Mexico's navy said on Tuesday, but rather called for support.Navy chief Raymundo Morales, speaking at Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's morning press conference, said that the port pilot maneuvering the ship did not have much time to try and stop the ship…
A Predicted Stronger US Hurricane Season Could Increase Oil Supply Outages
An expected stronger hurricane season than average raises the risk of weather-related production outages in the U.S. oil industry, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Tuesday.WHY IT MATTERSA large portion of U.S. oil production and the bulk of the country's refineries are in areas prone to hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast.That concentration means more than 1 million barrels per day of U.S. refining capacity, which is roughly 5% of daily U.S.
Shell CEO: Bar for Potential Deals With BP is High
Shell shareholders on Tuesday re-elected Chair Andrew Mackenzie and CEO Wael Sawan, who said when asked about a potential deal for rival BP that the bar for mergers and acquisitions was very high.Media reports earlier this month suggested Shell was working with advisers to evaluate a potential acquisition of BP, whose shares have lost around 26% of their value in the past year versus Shell's drop of…
Ukraine: G7 Price Cap on Russian Oil Should be Lowered
Ukraine wants the Group of Seven advanced economies to reduce its price cap on Russian seaborne oil to $30 per barrel, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said on Tuesday.The current G7 price cap, imposed over Russia's war in Ukraine, is $60 per barrel."The oil price cap, from our point of view, our position (is the) reasonable price cap (is) 30 dollars," Sybiha told reporters in English during a visit…
$5B Empire Wind Project Back On: Trump Administration Ends Federal Halt Amid Energy Compromise
The Trump administration lifted an official stop-work order that had been in place for an entire month on Empire Wind. The project is a $5 billion offshore wind…
Russian Fuel Oil and Vacuum Gasoil Exports Rise in April
Russia's seaborne fuel oil and vacuum gasoil exports rose 8.5% in April from the previous month to around 4.0 million metric tons on rising production, trade and shipping data showed.Russia's offline primary oil refining capacity totalled 2.91 million tons last month, down 21% from March, leading to increasing fuel supplies.Since the European Union's full embargo on Russian oil products went into effect in February 2023, Asian countries became the main destination for Russia's fuel oil and VGO s
Orsted Shares Rise After Equinor Wind Project Gets Green Light
Shares of offshore wind developer Orsted rose 15% on Tuesday after the U.S. administration revoked an order to halt work on a project by peer Equinor, easing concerns over the Danish company's U.S. projects under development.Late on Monday Equinor said the Trump administration had lifted a month-old stop-work order on its Empire Wind offshore wind project in New York, offering a reprieve for the Norwegian company and U.S.
Houthis Announce "Maritime Blockade" on Haifa Port
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis announced on Monday what they called a "maritime blockade" on Israel's Haifa port in response to Israel's ongoing conflict in Gaza."All companies with ships present in or heading to this port are hereby notified that, as of the time of this announcement, the aforementioned port has been included in the list of targets," the group's spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised…
FLANQ Debuts USV for Maritime Surveillance, Special Forces Ops
FLANQ, a German-based maritime defense solutions provider, launched Q-RECON, a European designed and built uncrewed surface vessel (USV) for operations in the littoral domain.Developed in response to an urgent operational requirement from a European customer, Q-RECON is a lightweight, two-meter long, two-man portable USV purpose-built for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and tactical interdiction.A 30 kg internal payload bay supports a range of sensors…
Hefring Marine Introduces IMAS as a Solution to Whole Body Vibrations at Sea
For maritime personnel operating high-speed vessels, crew transfer vehicles, and small working boats, whole body vibrations (WBV) are more than just an uncomfortable part of the job, they represent a significant occupational hazard with both immediate and long-term health implications. These vibrations, transmitted through the hull, deck, seat, or floor to the crew, can lead to chronic health issues…
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 for performance for the 2024 calendar year.Recognized for its ongoing efforts to enhance workplace safety, Conrad Shipyard is one of 14 shipyards…
Foreship Supports Dual Chemistry Battery System Retrofit for Wasaline
Naval architecture and engineering consultancy Foreship is supporting Wasaline in delivering a battery upgrade on MV Aurora Botnia that will see the ferry’s energy storage capacity increase nearly sixfold. The retrofit will combine two battery chemistries in a hybrid solution that is expected to cut annual CO₂ emissions by up to 23%.Building on a long-standing relationship with Wasaline that began during the vessel’s initial design phase…
Kongsberg Maritime Launches New Electric Towing Winch
Kongsberg Maritime announced the launch of a new electric towing winch, expanding its winch product portfolio to better serve the tug market. The new winch is powered by a frequency converter-driven electric motor, delivering enhanced operational efficiency and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional hydraulic systems.An advantage of the new electric towing winch is the reduction in hydraulic systems on board, minimizing the risks related to oil on deck.
