Europe News

Anemoi Marine Technologies’ Rotor Sail wind-assisted propulsion system has completed more than eight years of continuous commercial operation after M/V Afros successfully passed its second intermediate dry dock survey.The survey, conducted by Lloyd’s Register in China in April, confirmed the structural integrity and operational condition of the vessel’s four Rotor Sails, Anemoi said.The 64,000-deadweight-tonne Ultramax bulk carrier Afros became the first bulk carrier fitted with Rotor Sails when the system was installed in 2018.According to Anemoi…

Belgian offshore contractor DEME has officially named its new jack-up offshore transport and installation vessel, Norse Energi, strengthening its offshore wind installation fleet alongside sister vessel Norse Wind.Norse Energi wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) is soon expected to begin operations in the Baltic Sea and North Sea.The initial assignments include Iberdrola’s Windanker offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea from June 2026 and Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 project in…

EnergyPathways has signed a collaboration agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP) to evaluate the Port of Barrow in northwest England as a location for onshore facilities linked to its Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project.The AIM-listed company said the MESH project, located in the Irish Sea, is expected to combine compressed air energy storage with natural gas and hydrogen storage using subsea salt caverns.According to EnergyPathways, the project has the potential to support up to 60 subsurface salt caverns and is targeted to begin operations in 2031…

German shipping group Hapag-Lloyd on Wednesday reported a first-quarter loss, citing the impact of lower freight rates and operational disruptions stemming from severe weather conditions and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz on the back of the Iran war.The group posted a net loss of 219 million euros ($257.00 million) compared to a profit of 446 million euros in the first three months of 2025.Hundreds of commercial vessels and up to 20,000 seafarers have been unable to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy-trade waterway that has been virtually closed since the U.S.

Global oil supply will not meet total demand this year as the Iran war wreaks havoc on Middle East oil production, the International Energy Agency said in its monthly oil market report on Wednesday."With Hormuz tanker traffic still restricted, cumulative supply losses from Gulf producers already exceed 1 billion barrels with more than 14 million (barrels per day) of oil now shut in, an unprecedented supply shock," the agency said.Its base-case forecast is for a gradual resumption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz from the third quarter onwards…

Dutch non-destructive testing specialist Ned Marine has launched drone and remotely operated vehicle (ROV)-based inspection services aimed at vessels, offshore installations and industrial assets.The company said the new services combine aerial drones and subsea ROVs with existing non-destructive testing (NDT) capabilities, including visual inspections and ultrasonic thickness measurements.Ned Marine said drone-based inspections would allow surveys of confined spaces, offshore and onshore wind turbines…

Offshore infrastructure services provider North Star has secured a multi-million-dollar pipeline of emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) contracts covering 17 vessels operating in the North Sea.The awards, comprising new contracts and extensions, represent around 50 years of combined contract duration, the company said.North Star said the contracts were secured through competitive tenders and renewals with offshore energy operators across the UK Continental Shelf.The company…

Clean hydrogen production is expected to grow 100-fold by 2060, driven by energy security concerns and large-scale expansion in China, according to a new forecast from classification society DNV.In its latest report, Energy Transition Outlook 2026: Hydrogen to 2060, DNV said global hydrogen volumes are expected to grow by 170% by 2060, supported by cumulative investment of $3.2 trillion.China is forecast to account for 35% of new hydrogen production and demand growth over the period…

The Metals Company (TMC) has signed a commercial agreement with offshore contractor Allseas for the development and operation of what the companies said would be the first commercial deep-sea nodule recovery system.The agreement covers the development, commissioning and operation of a nodule collection system in preparation for offshore recovery operations in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean.The commercial production system is designed for a nameplate production…

Italian offshore services provider Next Geosolutions (NextGeo) has been awarded a contract worth about $11.7 million (€10 million) for geophysical survey and unexploded ordnance (UXO) activities linked to a subsea energy infrastructure project in the Central Mediterranean.The contract was awarded by an international client operating in the subsea power cable sector, the company said.The project will involve offshore and nearshore operations using multiple vessels to conduct geophysical…

Equinor-operated Gullfaks field in the North Sea has delivered its 5,000th oil cargo, underscoring the continued role of mature Norwegian offshore fields in supplying energy to Europe.Production at Gullfaks began in 1986 and the field has since produced around 2.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent, nearly double the original estimate, the company said.The field currently exports oil to refineries in countries including Sweden, the United Kingdom and Poland, while also serving as an export hub for production from the Snorre and Visund fields and nearby subsea developments.“Reaching 5…

Vicinay Marine and Spanish applied research center Tecnalia have jointly developed a sensor designed to remotely monitor corrosion on offshore mooring lines, aiming to improve the safety, reliability and service life of offshore systems.The companies said the sensor uses electrical resistance measurements to quantify section loss in mooring components in real time, model degradation trends and predict remaining service life.The technology is targeted at offshore wind farms and other floating offshore systems…

Berg Propulsion has secured a contract to supply propulsion systems and electrical integration technology for two all-electric harbor tugs being built under India’s Green Tug Transition Program.The vessels are under construction by Mumbai-based KMEW Group on behalf of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and are expected to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval.The program aims to deploy 50 green tugs across India’s major ports…

Fugro has been awarded a major geotechnical survey contract by SSE for the Berwick Bank B offshore wind development in the North Sea off Scotland.Berwick Bank B forms part of the wider 4.1 GW Berwick Bank offshore wind project, which is being developed in three phases and could become the world’s largest offshore wind farm if completed at full scale.The Dutch geodata specialist said the contract covers a full geotechnical investigation campaign to support foundation design for fixed-bottom turbines planned at the Berwick Bank B site…

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has granted an Approval in Principle (AiP) to Wison New Energies for a harsh-environment floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) design featuring an internal turret mooring system.The FPSO concept is aimed at offshore developments in demanding metocean conditions, where internal turret systems are commonly used but involve complex integration between hull, mooring, risers and topside systems.LR said the concept-stage review helps reduce technical…

German marine propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL has been selected to supply rudder propellers for two liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering vessels being built for Shanghai International Port Group in China.The vessels, each with a loading capacity of 20,000 cubic meters, are under construction at Jiangnan Shipyard and are scheduled for delivery in April 2027.SCHOTTEL said the ships will each be equipped with two SRP 460 LE rudder propeller units as part of a fully electric propulsion system.The company said the LE Drive configuration integrates the electric drive motor vertically…

Solstad Offshore has signed a letter of intent with an international subsea contractor for the charter of construction support vessel (CSV) Normand Maximus.The contract is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and run through the first quarter of 2029, with an option to extend it to the first quarter of 2030.Under the agreement, Normand Maximus will support worldwide operations for the client, Solstad said.The company added that it will provide two work-class remotely operated vehicles…

The Iran war has already led to a loss of about 120 billion cubic metres of global liquefied natural gas supply over the 2026 to 2030 period, Gergely Molnar, an analyst from the International Energy Agency, said on Thursday.Speaking at the Budapest LNG Summit, Molnar said the conflict was reshaping the medium-term gas outlook, with tighter market conditions likely to persist longer than previously expected.He said the crisis had cut LNG supply by around 15%, but a strong increase in new liquefaction capacity was expected to offset lost volumes from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.Iranian at

Baleària’s new dual-fuel Ro-Pax fast ferry Mercedes Pinto achieved a top speed of 38 knots during sea trials ahead of its planned deployment in the Canary Islands, ship designer Incat Crowther informed.The 123-metre vessel, built by Spain’s Astilleros Armon shipyard in Gijon, is the third Incat Crowther-designed Ro-Pax fast ferry delivered to the Spanish operator.Mercedes Pinto can carry up to 1,200 passengers and 425 vehicles and features dual-fuel natural gas engines capable of operating on biomethane or hydrogen blends of up to 25%…

Europe's offshore wind expansion is running into a structural supply constraint where the turbine market is becoming increasingly concentrated. GE Vernova, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas have historically anchored Western offshore turbine supply, but with GE Vernova having paused new offshore wind orders following a series of technical and operational setbacks, Siemens Gamesa and Vestas now account for virtually all turbines available to European developers. Rystad Energy’s analysis of the offshore wind market outlines a sharp increase in per-megawatt (MW) costs…

French engineering firm GTT has secured an order from the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding shipyard for the tank design of five new liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers on behalf of MISC, the ship-owner.GTT will design the cryogenic tanks of the vessels, which will each offer a total capacity of 174,000 m3.The tanks will be fitted with the NO96 Super+ membrane containment system developed by GTT.Delivery of the vessels is expected between 2029 and 2030.

DOF Group has secured four 12-year charter and services contracts in Brazil following a competitive tender process, supporting Petrobras’ deepwater subsea inspection, maintenance and repair operations.The contracts will lead to the construction of four new remotely operated vehicle support vessels (RSVs), with operations expected to begin from 2030, DOF said.The vessels are expected to be built by Brazil’s Navship yard, with delivery of the first two planned within four years of contract signing.The newbuilds will be DP2-class vessels designed for deepwater operations…

Tug Network Team has appointed Felipe Gouvêa as executive director as the towage alliance moves to strengthen coordination and expand its international operations.The alliance, launched in the Americas in 2024 and recently expanded into Europe, connects operators across 113 ports in 13 countries with a combined fleet of more than 200 tugs.Gouvêa previously served as chief executive of Brazilian towage operator Sulnorte and has held senior roles across shipping, chartering, port…