HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Secures Contract for USNS Alan Shepard
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has secured a contract for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of a U.S. Navy auxiliary ship — marking the first since the Korean government’s “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)” proposal.HD Hyundai Heavy Industries won the scheduled overhaul project for the USNS Alan Shepard, a 41,000-ton dry cargo and ammunition ship assigned to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet.The USNS Alan Shepard…
PIL Celebrates Singapore's Independence Anniversary
Singapore’s Pacific International Lines (PIL) is celebrating the nation’s 60th year of independence with the first SG60 container ship and specially designed containers sponsored for this year’s National Day Parade.Singapore gained independence from Malaysia on August 9, 1965.PIL has unveiled the first container ship to bear the SG60 logo on the hull of its newly built 8,200 TEU LNG dual-fuel vessel, Kota Ocean.
US Container Port Volumes Grow 1.7% YoY While Exports Dwindle
“During the first half of 2025, volumes at the nine largest US container ports grew by 1.7% year-over-year to 16.9 million TEU. Import volumes grew 4.3%, influenced by preloading in anticipation of tariff increases, while export volumes declined by 4.2%,” said Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.The Budget Lab at Yale reported that the effective US tariff rate was 2.4% in January 2025 before subsequent tariff increases raised it to 3.7% in February…
US Imposes Additional 25% Tariff on Indian Goods
U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday imposing an additional 25% tariff on goods from India, saying the country directly or indirectly imported Russian oil.The additional tariffs mean India will face the highest levy along with Brazil, putting it at a significant disadvantage against regional competitors such as Vietnam and Bangladesh.The tariffs are scheduled to kick in 21 days from the date of the executive order.BRIAN JACOBSEN…
Ukraine Reopens Danube Canal After Explosion Closure
Ukraine on Wednesday reopened its Bystre Canal at the mouth of the Danube, which had been closed since a dredger exploded in late July, the Ukrainian state Seaport Authority said.Ukraine had been transporting grain on the Bystre and the Danube as an alternative route for its exports while access to its Black Sea ports was limited in the first year after Russia's invasion in 2022.Since the ports were unblocked in 2023…
Russian, Chinese Navies Practice Maritime Defense After US Subs Move Closer
The Russian and Chinese navies have practiced hunting and destroying an enemy submarine in the Sea of Japan, Russia's defense ministry said on Wednesday, days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had moved two U.S. nuclear subs closer to Russia.Russia said the exercise involved Chinese Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft and Il-38 planes from Russia's Pacific Fleet, as well as helicopter crews."As a result of effective joint actions…
Pacific-Gulf Marine Awarded Ship Manager Contracts
Pacific-Gulf Marine (PGM) has been awarded three 10-year firm contracts with a total value of approximately $621 million, including fixed fees and reimbursables. Of the six ships PGM will manage on behalf of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), two are out ported in the San Francisco Bay Area, two in Newport News, VA, and two in New Orleans, LA. These ships are part of MARAD’s 51-vessel Ready…
NYK: Newly Built LPG Carrier Named “Luna Pathfinder”
On August 5, a naming ceremony took place at the Sakaide Works of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. for a newly built very large gas carrier (VLGC). This vessel marks the sixth dual-fuel LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carrier ordered by NYK, following the delivery of Liberty Pathfinder in October of the previous year. Upon its completion, the ship will be chartered by Astomos Energy Corporation, one of the world's leading LPG companies…
Regal Star Cargo Vessel Changes Hands
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…
US Coast Guard Displayed Ingenuity and Resourcefulness in Titan Response
The catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible that killed five people in 2023 could have been prevented, a US Coast Guard investigative board found on Tuesday, calling the vessel’s safety culture and manager OceanGate's operational practices “critically flawed.”The Titan vanished during a descent to the Titanic wreck on a tourist expedition, losing contact with its support ship. After a tense four-day search…
Höegh Autoliners to Scale Up Ammonia Use
Andreas Enger, CEO of Höegh Autoliners, is sending ammonia demand signals to new fuel producers but doing it in a way that will enable the company to scale use of the fuel gradually.Enger explained how to Øyvind Sekkesæter in a DNV Maritime Impact podcast released late last week.Höegh Autoliners has a fleet of 37 vessels and more vessels under construction including a series of 12 Aurora class multi-fuel vessels anticipated to run on LNG and ammonia.
Royal Canadian Navy Orders New Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
The Government of Canada has awarded two contracts to MDA Space to equip the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)’s Halifax-class ships with up to six uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).The initial acquisition contract for two UAS is valued at approximately $39 million (including taxes) and the initial in-service support contract has an estimated value of $27 million (including taxes) for a period of five years…
SASHA Coalition and ZESTAs Unite on Green Solutions
Industry coalitions ZESTAs and the SASHA Coalition have announced a partnership to drive policy and industry action on green shipping technologies.The two coalitions, collectively representing 70 leading companies, have committed to combining their efforts to advocate for policy supporting absolute zero emission solutions combining hydrogen, battery-electric and wind propulsion technologies. Aurelia Leeuw…
Inadequate Design, Certification and Maintenance Led to Titan Disaster
The catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible that killed five people in 2023 could have been prevented, a U.S. Coast Guard investigative board found on Tuesday, calling the vessel’s safety culture and operational practices “critically flawed.”The Titan vanished during a descent to the Titanic wreck on a tourist expedition, losing contact with its support ship.After a tense four-day search, its shattered remains were discovered strewn across the seabed 1…
Expeditors Shares Q2 Results Above Estimates Helped by Higher Freight Volumes
Global freight forwarder Expeditors International of Washington reported second-quarter profit and revenue above Wall Street estimates on Tuesday, helped by higher airfreight and ocean container volumes and bigger custom fees.Airfreight tonnage and ocean container volume increased 7% each year-over-year for the quarter ended June 30, as companies rushed to import before new U.S. tariffs kick in.The…
Japan Clinches $6.5b Deal To Build Australian Warships
Japan clinched a landmark A$10 billion ($6.5 billion) deal on Tuesday to build warships for Australia, marking Tokyo's most consequential defence sale since ending a military export ban in 2014 as it steps away from postwar pacifism to counter China.Under the agreement, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 7011.T will supply the Royal Australian Navy with three, upgraded Mogami-class multi-role frigates built in Japan from 2029.
The Shearer Group, Inc. Welcomes New Team Member
The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) has announced a new addition to its naval architecture, marine engineering, and marine surveying firm, Luke Strawson. Luke holds a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Texas A&M University.While studying at Texas A&M, Luke collaborated with team members to design and build an electric boat for competition in the Promoting Electric Propulsion race held by ASNE. He is experienced in various areas, including structural design and 3DCAD software.
Guice Offshore Sets Up Business Unit for Heavy Deck Equipment Leasing
Guice Offshore, U.S.-based operator of dynamically positioned mini supply and multi-purpose vessels for the offshore maritime market, has launched GO Asset Leasing to meet the growing demand for lease-ready maritime vessel heavy deck equipment.GO Asset Leasing offers flexible lease terms on a variety of field-tested, well-maintained inventory of A-frames, hydraulic winches, deck cranes, hydraulic power units (HPUs), Yokohama fenders and even speedboats. Centrally located on the U.S.
North Star Orders Two New Hybrid SOVs from Vard
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has secured an order from U.K.’s largest shipowner and operator North Star for the construction of two hybrid Service Operation Vessels (SOVs).The contract represents the ninth and tenth vessel ordered by North Star from VARD, following previous orders for four SOVs, two Construction Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs), and two Vard Design vessels built at an external shipyard.The new vessels will be developed by Vard Design in Ålesund…
RWE, North Star Ink Long-Term SOV Charter Agreements
Germany’s largest utility RWE and U.K.’s largest shipowner-operator North Star 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…
