Towing Vessel Runs Aground Despite Hazard Visible on Chart
A towing vessel grounded on a submerged jetty last year after the captain maneuvered too close to a bank of the Ohio River, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded in its analysis of the incident.The towing vessel Tom Frazier was pushing 15 empty hopper barges near Portsmouth, Ohio, on Feb. 10, 2024, when the vessel grounded, damaging the vessel’s hull plating, framing and bulkheads and flooding several spaces. The nine-person crew was safely evacuated to shore.
More Women Reporting Sexual Harassment
As the industry comes together this week to celebrate Day of the Seafarer and promote the theme #MyHarassmentFreeShip, mental health support provider MHSS reports a rise in the number of women reporting sexual harassment onboard.This reported increase follows participation in a mentorship program run by MHSS, member of OneCare Group, specifically designed for women cadets in the maritime industry.
Hong Kong Convention Enters into Force
The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships enters into force on 26 June 2025, establishing mandatory regulations to govern the way ships are recycled. Most ships are recycled when they are taken out of operation, with almost all materials and equipment from the ship being re-used or recycled. The Hong Kong Convention addresses key environmental…
International Day of the Seafarer #MyHarassmentFreeShip
On 25 June, the IMO leads the global celebration of the Day of the Seafarer – a day designated by the United Nations to recognize the critical role seafarers play in global trade, security and the flow of essential goods.This year, the theme #MyHarassmentFreeShip calls attention to the urgent need to eliminate bullying and harassment in the maritime industry and to foster a culture of dignity, safety…
Scientists Replicate Prehistoric Seafaring with Primitive Canoe
Humans arose in Africa roughly 300,000 years ago and later trekked worldwide, eventually reaching some of Earth's most remote places. In doing so, they surmounted geographic barriers including treacherous ocean expanses. But how did they do that with only rudimentary technology available to them?Scientists now have undertaken an experimental voyage across a stretch of the East China Sea, paddling from…
US Allows Ethane to be Shipped to China, But Not Unloaded
The U.S. sent letters to Enterprise Products and Energy Transfer on Wednesday informing the companies they could load ethane on vessels destined for China but could not unload the ethane in China without authorization, according to a person familiar with the matter and copy of one letter.The letters from the U.S. Department of Commerce follow a licensing requirement imposed several weeks ago on the companies' exports of ethane to China…
bound4blue Receives Third-Party Assessed Average Daily Fuel Savings Consistent With Projections
bound4blue has underlined the business case for adopting eSAIL wind propulsion technology, with today’s release of BVS assessed operational fuel savings on the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) owned Ville de Bordeaux Ro-Ro.The vessel, chartered by Airbus, had three 22-meter bound4blue suction sail units installed in 2024. BVS assessed the savings over a year, showing an average daily fuel saving of 1.7 metric tons…
Maersk Files Lawsuit Over Brazil Port Bid
Global shipping groups are looking to Brazil's courts to overturn competition rules that bar them from participating in the first round of bidding on a major new container terminal at Latin America's largest port, due to take place later this year.Danish shipping group Maersk filed a lawsuit on Monday in Sao Paulo against Brazil's marine transport authority (Antaq), and its general director, according to a document seen by Reuters.
US Announces Policy Changes to Accelerate Offshore Mineral Development
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday announced policy changes it said would speed up the search and development of offshore critical minerals.The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement are updating policies across all stages of development to "reduce delays, improve coordination and provide greater certainty for industry", the U.S.
BOEM Looks to Open 80 million Acres for Oil and Gas Lease Sale
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced the publication of a Proposed Notice of Sale (PNOS) for an oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of America.As directed by Secretary of the Interior and outlined in the PNOS, Lease Sale 262 will offer approximately 15,000 unleased blocks located 3 to 231 miles offshore across the Gulf’s Western, Central, and Eastern Planning Areas. Covering roughly 80 million acres…
Stena Line Hybrid Ferry Successfully Completes Sea Trials
Stena Line has announced that Stena Futura, the first of its new hybrid ferries destined for the Irish Sea, has successfully completed its sea trials.The completion of the sea trials is a milestone in the build Stena Futura and the vessel is on schedule to enter service on the Belfast-Heysham route in late summer.Sea trials are designed to test the vessel at sea to demonstrate the proper function of the ship to ensure that all systems are fully operational and in line with agreed specifications.
BIMCO: Stable Demand Outlook For Container Shipping
BIMCO forecasts a stable demand outlook for the container shipping sector, aligned with previous reports, despite recent uncertainties in US trade policies. "We expect the supply/demand balance to weaken only slightly in 2025 and 2026, as our ship demand growth forecast now excludes a return to normal Red Sea and Suez Canal routings,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.The macroeconomic environment remains uncertain…
Ferrari Enters Sailing World With Unveiling of Hypersail Project
Ferrari announced its entry into the world of sailing on Wednesday with a Hypersail project led by Italian yachtsman Giovanni Soldini that it said would blend racing tradition with technological innovation.The world's first 100-foot monohull ocean racing yacht with a foil on the keel has been designed by French naval architect Guillaume Verdier and is being built at an undisclosed location in Italy with a launch scheduled for 2026."It perfectly aligns with Ferrari’s tradition…
Kongsberg Maritime to Provide Propulsion System For Colombian Navy Frigate
Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with Damen Naval to supply twin Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP) and shaftlines as part of a contract with the Colombian Navy for a new frigate.In September 2022, the Colombian Ministry of Defence announced that COTECMAR and Damen Naval will develop the new frigate. Construction is to begin at the end of 2025, with commissioning expected at the end of 2029…
ESL Enters U.S. Market with Direct Vessel Service from SE Asia to Seattle
Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) enters the US market with the launch of the Sun Chief Express (SCX).The Sun Chief Express (SCX) will directly connect Seattle, WA with Ho Chi Minh, and Shekou, while also providing wider coverage of Southeast Asia via these ports. ESL will leverage its intermodal solutions within the US market, to provide inland connectivity via Seattle to locations across the US including, but not limited to Portland, OR, St.
Solstad Renews Marlink Partnership to Fuel its Digital Transformation
Marlink concluded an agreement to provide Solstad with next generation connectivity until the end of 2028.Solstad adopted Marlink’s SealinkNextGen network solution, combining Starlink LEO as primary connectivity channel, together with guaranteed GEO-VSAT connectivity and MSS back-up solutions.The agreement includes• High throughput, low latency LEO communications enable the use of advanced applications including video and cloud computing…
All in the Family: The SunStone Maritime Group CEO Torch Passes to Carsten Lund
cut685bdfb8b3c6622a5fe1f2da_Lund Family1SunStone Maritime Group A/S takes next step in previously announced leadership transition.After 35 years as Chief Executive Officer, founder Niels-Erik Lund is retiring as CEO on June 30, 2025. Niels-Erik will remain involved in the group as a member of the Board of Directors.As of July 1st, Carsten Lund will assume the role of CEO of the Group. He previously served as SunStone’s Chief Commercial Officer…
First Russian-Built Ice-Class LNG Tanker to Enter Operations This Year
The first Russian-built ice-class tanker for liquefied natural gas is expected to go into operation in the second half of this year at the Arctic LNG 2 plant, Interfax news agency quoted tanker group Sovcomflot as saying on Wednesday.International sanctions over Ukraine have led to a shortage of tankers in Russia that can cut through thick ice, preventing Arctic LNG 2 from exporting cargo since the first stage of the plant started operation at the end of 2023.The tanker…
LNG Carrier Rescues Fishers in Atlantic Ocean
An LNG carrier managed by NYK LNG Shipmanagement rescued 11 Portuguese fishers in the Atlantic Ocean on June 22.While en route to the port of Dunkirk in France, the vessel received a distress call from a fishing boat that had sustained hull damage. The LNG carrier immediately headed to the scene and rescued all 11 individuals on board.They are reported to be in good health and are scheduled to disembark at Dunkirk port around June 26.
Global Maritime Organizations Unite to Accelerate Electrification
Four leading maritime associations have jointly launched the Global Alliance for Maritime Electrification (GAME), a coalition of nonprofit organizations dedicated to accelerating the electrification of maritime transportation.The four founding members, IEMA – International Electric Marine Association, ZESTAs – Zero Emission Ship Technology Association, MBF – Maritime Battery Forum, and EOPSA – European Onshore Power Supply Association…
