Powering On with Methanol, or Not
This week, Rolls-Royce announced that it has successfully tested the world’s first high-speed marine engine powered exclusively by methanol on its test bench in Friedrichshafen.Together with its partners in the meOHmare research project, Rolls-Royce says its engineers have therefore reached an important milestone on the road to climate-neutral and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions for shipping.Also this week…
Dean Kamen Shares Insights at Panama Canal Lecture
Renowned inventor and engineer Dean Kamen, creator of the Segway, the iBOT wheelchair, and founder of the organization FIRST Global, delivered a keynote lecture on October 28 at the Ascanio Arosemena Training Center of the Panama Canal. During his presentation, he shared his vision of innovation as a tool to transform societies.Kamen emphasized the importance of inspiring new generations to engage with science and technology.
Port Houston Surpasses Three Million TEUs
Port Houston crossed the three million TEU mark in September, reaching 3,270,595 TEUs year-to-date, the fastest pace in Port Houston’s history. Total container volumes are up 5% year-to-date compared to last year.“Three million TEUs and counting; this is the earliest we’ve ever reached that mark,” said Charlie Jenkins, CEO of Port Houston.For the month of September, Port Houston handled 337,659 TEUs, a 2% increase from the same month in 2024.
Cargo Sailboat Finishes First Transatlantic Voyage
The Neoliner Origin, the world's largest cargo sailboat, completed its maiden transatlantic voyage on Thursday (October 30) despite sustaining damage to its aft sail during the crossing, forcing the crew to rely partially on its motor and remaining intact sail.The 136-meter-long (446 feet) vessel, equipped with two semi-rigid sails, first stopped in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a French overseas territory near Canada…
Trump, Xi Pause Port Fees on Each Other's Vessels
The U.S. and China agreed on Thursday to pause tit-for-tat fees on each other's ships that became a major irritant in the broader trade war between the world's two largest economies and pushed up ocean freight costs.The move provides a 12-month reprieve on an estimated $3.2 billion annually in fees for large Chinese-built vessels sailing to U.S. ports and was among the trade deals reached in South Korea by U.S.
Unifeeder, Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited to Advance Sustainable Coastal Shipping in India
Unifeeder, a DP World company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL), a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to collaborate on developing and scaling commercially sustainable coastal and shortsea shipping services across India.The MoU established a framework for joint action to design and finance coastal shipping corridors that support India’s ambitions to decongest roads…
Damen Shipyards Group Reports Profit, Order Book in 2024 Report
Financially, 2024 was a positive year for Damen Shipyards Group. Revenue remained just above USD$3.47 billion (3 billion euros). Net profit rose from USD$49.8 million (43 million euros) to USD$67.1 million (58 million euros). The order book was filled with a record USD$6.83 billion (5.9 billion euros) in new orders, rising to USD$12 billion (10.4 billion euros). In 2024, Damen delivered no fewer than 146 new vessels to clients. This included the Volta 1 and the Bu Tinah.
HII Reports Q3 2025 Results
HII reported results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025.Highlights:Third quarter revenues were a record $3.2 billionThird quarter net earnings were $145 million or $3.68 diluted earnings per shareCompleted builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128)Completed initial sea trials of Virginia-Class Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) in early OctoberThird quarter 2025 revenues of $3.2 billion were up 16.1% from the third quarter of 2024…
Southampton Marine Services Secures $3.94m German Cruise Contract
Southampton Marine Services Ltd (SMS Group), the UK's largest independent ship repairer, has secured a major USD$3.94 million (£3 million) contract with German cruise company AIDA to refit the first of three ships in Marseilles, thanks in part to a trade loan backed under the Export Working Capital Scheme (EWCS) by UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the government’s export credit agency.The government-backed financing…
Witherbys to Introduce New Oceanographic Research Vessel from 2026
Maritime publishing and digital training group Witherbys has unveiled plans to introduce a new oceanographic research vessel, the MV Sea Ranger, from 2026 to support its technical development, real-world navigational studies and maritime training programs.The MV Sea Ranger will support Witherbys’ mission to enhance maritime knowledge and safety through research directly linked to shipboard operations.It will strengthen the delivery of computer-based training programs…
Maritime Firms Launch PntGuard to Counter GPS Spoofing Surge
Tschudi Shipping Company, NAL Research and Norway-based SGM Technology have launched PntGuard, a maritime navigation system designed to detect and counter increasing cases of GNSS and GPS signal spoofing at sea.The standalone bridge system alerts crews the moment a vessel’s official position is falsified and provides authenticated location data when satellite navigation inputs are compromised.Developers…
Dry Bulk Vessel Market Softens as Coal Shipments Decline
"We estimate that the dry bulk supply/demand balance will strengthen slightly in 2025 and gradually weaken in 2026 and 2027. Cargo demand growth is slowing, as coal shipments decline and iron ore shipments stagnate,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Coal shipments are forecast to decline 4.9% between 2025 and 2027. Demand is falling as electricity generation from renewable sources continues to expand, particularly in China, Europe and India.
Kongsberg to Spin Off Maritime Unit, Combine Defense Businesses in Strategic Split
Kongsberg Gruppen has proposed spinning off its Kongsberg Maritime business in a separate stock market listing and consolidating its Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Discovery units into a single technology and defense company.The group said sustainability and security trends have driven strong growth over the past decade and are expected to continue shaping demand, making focused specialist businesses better positioned for global opportunities.The Norwegian state…
Sanctioned Russian LNG Tanker Makes STS Transfer Off Malaysia
A sanctioned liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker made a ship-to-ship (STS) transfer off the coast of Malaysia after picking up a cargo from a Russian export terminal also under Western restrictions, according to two analytics firms.The operation appears to be the first known STS transfer of sanctioned Russian LNG, despite Western efforts to curb Moscow's energy revenues over its war in Ukraine.The LNG tanker Perle…
