Four Seasons Yachts Luxury Cruise Ship Launched
Fincantieri and Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, Joint Owner/Operator of Four Seasons Yachts, celebrated the launch of "Four Seasons I" at the Ancona shipyard, the first ultra-luxury ship under construction for Four Seasons Yachts, which will be delivered to end of this year and which will set sail in January 2026. The launching ceremony was attended by Fincantieri's President, Biagio Mazzotta, the CEO and General Manager…
Rubio to visit Panama, source says
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Panama during his first overseas trip in the post, a source told Reuters on Thursday, as President Donald Trump makes a push for the United States to take back the Panama Canal that has angered the Central American country.Rubio is expected to depart on Jan. 31 and travel during the first week of February, making additional stops in Guatemala, Dominican Republic…
$5B India Submarine Deal Clears Hurdle
German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp and its Indian partner have cleared field trials for building six advanced conventional submarines for the Indian Navy, according to an exchange filing, emerging as the sole contender for the $5 billion project.Their potential rival, Spanish state-held shipbuilder Navantia, which partnered with India's Larsen & Toubro (L&T), could not meet the navy's requirements in trials held in 2024 for testing key technologies…
Dearth of Tanker Vessels Sets Russian Oil Freight Rates Soaring
Freight rates for Russian ESPO Blend oil loading from the Far Eastern port of Kozmino have jumped fivefold amid a lack of vessels after fresh U.S. sanctions cut availability of tankers, three traders said and data showed.Higher freight costs cut Russian oil sellers' revenues that are already under pressure from U.S. sanctions and complicated logistics, while a lack of vessels in the region during the winter season may lead to loading disruptions, traders said.On Jan. 10 the U.S.
Marine Equipment: Free Software Update for SAILOR VHF Radio
Cobham Satcom released what it calls a significant software update for its flagship SAILOR 7222 VHF DSC Class A radio, an update that introduces new features to improve safety and simplify operation while exceeding the IMO’s Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) standards.The software delivers enhancements to improve overall functionality and reliability. With the new software installed…
Kongsberg to Equip Indonesian Navy's New Fast Attack Crafts
Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply advanced propulsion and maneuvering technology for two new KCR-70 Fast Attack Craft for the Indonesian Navy.The vessels are currently under construction at the Sefine Shipyard in Türkiye.The Kongsberg Maritime equipment package includes propulsion system that combines twin controllable pitch propeller (CPP) Promas systems for high efficiency at patrol…
Addressing the M/V Dali Incident: Infrastructure, Trade and the Future of U.S. Maritime Policy
On March 26, 2024, the M/V Dali, a massive Neopanamax (the terms for the size limits for ships travelling through the Panama Canal, 1201 ft. long and 168 ft. wide) container ship, collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge,an incident that highlights the growing tension between U.S. maritime infrastructure and modern shipping practices. This accident is poised to create ripple effects across infrastructure…
US Stands by Philippines, Rubio Classifies China's Actions 'Dangerous'
New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed China's "dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea" with his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday and underscored the "ironclad" U.S. defense commitment to Manila."Secretary Rubio conveyed that (China's) behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law," the U.S. State Department said in a statement…
AIRCAT 35 Crewliner Vessels Delivered to Service TotalEnergies Angola
AIRCAT Vessels, in collaboration with ESNA, delivered the first three AIRCAT 35 Crewliners. Designed to meet the demanding needs of the oil and gas sector, the 35-m vessels, based on SES (Surface Effect Ship) technology, achieve speeds of more than 50 knots, even in challenging maritime conditions. Each vessel has a capacity of 80 passengers with a cabin designed to business class standards. In addition…
Huisman to Deliver Crane to Asia-Pacific Offshore Support Vessels Owner
Huisman has signed a contract with Zhenjiang Jiangsu Shipyard for the delivery of a 100 mt Pedestal Mounted Crane to Eastern Navigation, a provider of maritime support fleets in the Asian-Pacific offshore energy industry.This marks the fifth Pedestal Mounted Crane Huisman will supply for Eastern Navigation's fleet.It follows the delivery of 300 mt and 100 mt cranes over several years, as well as the addition of another 100 mt crane currently under construction…
GTT Finds Chinese Partner to Build Its Membrane Containment Systems
GTT has signed a technical assistance and license agreement with the Chinese shipyard Hengli Shipbuilding (Dalian), part of the Hengli Group, to build its membrane containment systems for various types of vessels.This agreement strengthens GTT's presence in China, enabling the broader deployment of its advanced technologies across the region.It will enable Hengli to offer advanced solutions using GTT’s membrane containment systems…
Houthis Free Galaxy Leader’s Crew After More Than One Year
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized their Bahamas-flagged vessel off the Yemeni Red Sea coast, Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV reported on Wednesday.It said the crew were handed to Oman "in coordination" with the three-day-old ceasefire in Gaza's war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas."The release of the Galaxy Leader…
Four Rescued from Life Raft in Atlantic Ocean
US Coast Guard aircrew, the crew of the Crowley container ship El Coquí and fishermen from the fishing vessel Bonanza rescued four men from a life raft in Atlantic Ocean’s Silver Bank waters north of the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.The men were forced to abandon the sailing vessel Mariposa after the vessel reportedly struck a submerged rock and was then overtaken by a wave which caused the vessel to roll on its port side.
Trump Designates Houthis a “Foreign Terrorist Organization”
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday re-designated Yemen's Houthi movement, known formally as Ansar Allah, as a "foreign terrorist organization", the White House said.The move will impose harsher economic penalties than the Biden administration had applied to the Iran-aligned group in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against U.S. warships defending the critical maritime chokepoint.Proponents of the move say it is overdue…
Ships with Missile Propellant Ingredient Depart China
Two Iranian cargo vessels carrying an ingredient for missile propellant will sail from China to Iran in the next few weeks, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing intelligence from security officials in two Western countries.The reported transactions could make the Chinese entities involved subject to U.S. sanctions aimed at curbing Iran's weapons programs, as the two Iranian vessels are already under U.S.
CO2 Electrolyzer Development Aims to Promote Green e-Fuel Production
The ECO2Fuel project is testing a prototype direct, electrochemical CO2 conversion system that produces sustainable liquid e-fuels and chemicals such as methanol and ethanol.The aim is to scale the system up to achieve the world’s first low-temperature 1MW CO2 electrolyzer in 2026.The ECO2Fuel system works by directly reducing CO2 through electrocatalytic conversion in a single-step process. This process uses water and renewable electricity, without the need for hydrogen.
Baltic Index sags as all vessel sectors disappoint
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell to its lowest level in 23 months on Wednesday, as rates dipped across all vessel segments.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, dropped 35 points to 893 points, hitting its lowest since February 2023.The capesize index slipped 48 points to 1,236 points, dropping to a near two-week low.
Texas ports begin resuming operations after winter storm
Several Texas ports began to resume operations on Wednesday, after winter storm Enzo moved out of the state, according to ports and a shipping notice seen by Reuters.The port of Freeport had resumed vessel operations on Wednesday morning, while the ports of Houston and Galveston were planning to reopen to vessel traffic later in the day.The storm brought several inches of snow to Texas, Louisiana and Florida, where extreme winter conditions are rare.
Lyondell to begin closure of Houston Refinery this weekend
LyondellBasell Industries will begin the permanent closure of its 263,776 barrel-per-day Houston refinery this coming weekend, said people familiar with plant operations.Layoffs of up to 400 employees at the refinery are scheduled to begin two months after the shutdown begins, the sources said.A Lyondell spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment.Lyondell plans to convert existing…
NAWE Urges Quick Confirmation of Sean Duffy to Lead DoT
The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE), the leading organization representing U.S. marine terminal operators and stevedores, has expressed its support for the confirmation of Sean Duffy as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).In a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), NAWE emphasized the importance of experienced leadership at DOT to ensure the vitality and efficiency of the nation’s transportation infrastructure. “Mr.
