Europe News

Exmar has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore for a concept to convert an existing membrane-type LNG carrier into a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit for offshore gas developments.The FLNG concept would use a membrane-type LNG carrier with an effective LNG storage capacity of about 170,000 cubic meters and a design life of 25 years.Designed for operation in mild environments, the converted vessel would provide offshore gas processing…

INEOS Energy has started commercial operations at the Greensand project in the Danish North Sea, opening what it describes as the European Union's first full-scale carbon dioxide storage site, with initial capacity of up to 400,000 tonnes per year.Denmark's King Frederik X officially opened the facility on September 18 at the Port of Esbjerg. The project is led by INEOS Energy alongside Harbour Energy and the Danish North Sea Fund, or Nordsøfonden.Greensand is designed to scale up to between 4 million and 8 million tonnes of CO2 storage annually as demand grows.In the first commercial phase…

Argentina's government has presented a bill to crack down on companies operating in the Falkland Islands, potentially escalating tensions with the United Kingdom over the territory that is controlled by Britain but claimed by Argentina.The proposal introduced on Thursday toughens sanctions on companies and people who unlawfully participate in activities in the Falklands and in Argentina's maritime spaces and continental shelf in "any type of activity aimed at the utilization of…

A Russian frigate fired two flares towards a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark on Monday, narrowly missing the aircraft, the Nordic NATO member's military said.The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after incidents involving gas pipeline outages, airspace violations and drone sightings since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, all of which have increased tensions between Moscow and the West.The Fennec military helicopter had been on a routine mission to photograph the Russian frigate…

XRG, ADNOC and SEFE have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore wider cooperation across the natural gas and LNG value chain, including supply, infrastructure and shipping opportunities aimed at Germany and the wider European market.The agreement covers potential cooperation in four areas: security of supply, market development and growth, supply chain resilience, and portfolio and shipping optimization.The companies will explore combining ADNOC's UAE-based supply and XRG's international supply sources with SEFE's market presence…

Spanish shipyard GONDAN Shipbuilders has launched a 120-metre Ocean Energy Support Vessel (OESV) for Østensjø Rederi, the largest vessel built by the shipyard to date.The C513 OESV was launched at GONDAN's Figueras facility and will now undergo final outfitting and sea trials ahead of scheduled delivery in late 2027.Designed by Salt Ship Design, the vessel has a beam of 23 meters and is intended for operations including walk-to-work personnel transfers, commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) support for offshore wind…

Boskalis’ recently commissioned Windpiper subsea rock installation vessel has started its maiden project at the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, placing its first rocks to protect the projects’ export cables.The 227-meter-long vessel loaded nearly 45,000 tons of rock in Norway following its christening in July before sailing for the installation campaign.Boskalis said the load represents a record cargo, with no single subsea rock installation vessel…

Golden Energy Offshore Services (GEOS) said Peterson has exercised a further well option for the platform supply vessel (PSV) Energy Paradise, extending its firm employment into early 2027.The option has an anticipated duration of about 100 days and an estimated contract value of $3.4 million.Energy Paradise is currently working under an existing well program expected to finish around mid-October 2026. The new option will start immediately afterwards, securing firm employment…

Hapag-Lloyd is working with the Israeli government on improvements to its proposed $4.2 billion cash purchase of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, the German shipping group said on Monday.The proposed deal has faced heavy opposition in Israel, including ZIM's workers, Defence Minister Israel Katz and other government officials, who argue that it undermines national security by transferring Israel's shipping to a foreign company."We are now developing an improved proposal designed to further strengthen Israel's maritime security and independence…

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has secured Cyber Security Type Approval from Bureau Veritas (BV) for its NexusWave multi-network maritime connectivity service, following an assessment against the International Association of Classification Societies' (IACS) Unified Requirement E27.The approval follows a ClassNK Cyber Security Type Approval against the same IACS requirement earlier in 2026, adding another independent assessment of the security controls incorporated into NexusWave.Bureau Veritas assessed the service's onboard ICT architecture…

Kongsberg Maritime has entered into an agreement to acquire Finnish azimuth propulsion specialist Steerprop, strengthening its position in the Arctic and high ice-class vessel market.Steerprop designs and manufactures azimuth propulsion systems for icebreakers, polar research vessels, offshore support vessels and other demanding applications. It has an installed base of more than 400 vessels globally and a significant order backlog, with the majority linked to Arctic and ice-class…

Windward Offshore has taken delivery of the Windward Hamburg, completing its four-vessel series of purpose-built commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) ordered from shipbuilder Vard.The delivery brings the Windward Hamburg into the fleet alongside sister vessels Windward Athens, Windward Paris and Windward Munich, providing capacity to support offshore wind projects during construction, commissioning and long-term operations.Based on VARD's 4 19 design, the Windward Hamburg is 87.5 meters long and 19.5 meters wide and can accommodate up to 120 people.

Argentine President Javier Milei said on Thursday he would tighten sanctions on companies involved in oil projects around the Falkland Islands, boost defense resources in the country's south and send Congress a bill aimed at strengthening Argentina's response to what he called violations of its sovereignty.In a televised address, Milei said he would sign a decree to speed sanctions under Argentine law against companies participating in oil and gas extraction in territory Argentina…

From Canada to Argentina, oil producers across the Americas have enjoyed a windfall during the Iran war by capturing market share lost by Middle Eastern exporters. The renewed focus on energy security globally could transform this emergency response into a lasting structural change.Oil production in the Americas has become a viable alternative to the Middle East's vast hydrocarbon resources since the outbreak of the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz six months ago, which disrupted roughly a fifth of global oil supplies.

The following article is an op-ed piece from Andrei Barotov and Kristiina Peterson, Chief Specialists of Maritime Competitiveness at the Estonian Transport AdministrationLeveraging its ‘e-Estonia’ digital society initiative, the government of Estonia is preparing to extend the digital reach of EST Flag ship registration services, while also expanding its tonnage eligibility. Andrei Barotov and Kristiina Peterson, Chief Specialists of Maritime Competitiveness at the Estonian Transport Administration…

Kongsberg Maritime has expanded its Rim-Drive Tunnel Thruster range with two larger models designed for vessels requiring higher thrust and enhanced dynamic positioning (DP) capability.The new RD-TT 2300 and RD-TT 2600 models have propeller diameters of 2,300 mm and 2,600 mm and are rated at 2,100 kW and 2,700 kW, respectively.The models extend the upper end of Kongsberg Maritime's existing Rim-Drive range and are aimed at applications including offshore construction, subsea and renewable energy operations…

Petrobras has signed a two-year contract for the Normand Valiant construction support vessel (CSV), owned by Solstad Maritime (SOMA).The contract is expected to start in fourth quarter 2026 in direct continuation of the current agreement and subsequent class renewal.The vessel will provide accommodation services to support production activities on the Brazilian continental shelf.The Normand Valiant is a 2008-built smaller CSV mobilized with a walk to work gangway system and has…

MacGregor has expanded its offshore technology portfolio with a certified floating-to-floating personnel transfer capability for its Horizon gangway and a new bow transfer system designed for direct ship-to-well transfer of LCO2.The Horizon gangway has received DNV certification under DNV-ST-0358 for floating-to-floating personnel transfers following a successful sea acceptance test. The certification enables motion-compensated connections between two vessels moving independently…

Warship manufacturer TKMS on Wednesday raised its outlook for the second time in six months, expecting higher demand for surface vessels such as frigates as well as for its sensors and mine-sweeping technology.TKMS has been one of the main beneficiaries of Europe's push to build up its defenses in light of dwindling U.S. support, scoring several landmark deals in recent months, including one for Germany's navy as well as a submarine agreement with Canada."Our recent successes confirm our outstanding positioning as a maritime powerhouse - both nationally and internationally…

SLB and Equinor have signed a multi-year agreement for advanced reservoir stimulation services across the Norwegian Continental Shelf, including a major upgrade of the well stimulation vessel MV Island Captain.The agreement provides dedicated stimulation capacity to support the development of tight offshore reservoirs and help maximize recovery from future wells.As part of the contract, MV Island Captain will be converted into a fully proppant-capable stimulation vessel.Planned upgrades include expanded proppant storage…

Saipem and Subsea7 have cleared a key U.S. regulatory hurdle for their planned merger after the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 expired, allowing the transaction to close in the United States once all remaining conditions are met.The companies said all applicable waiting periods under the U.S. antitrust law have expired, while noting that the proposed merger remains subject to certain regulatory approvals outside the United States.The merger was agreed under a binding agreement signed in July 2025…

Dutch lifting equipment specialist Huisman has secured a contract from CIMC Raffles Offshore to supply lifting and handling systems for a next-generation deepwater offshore installation vessel being built for a joint venture between Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.The contract covers an integrated equipment package comprising a 350-tonne A-frame, a 500-tonne knuckle boom crane, a 20-tonne auxiliary crane, and a 2,500-tonne basket for the storage of flexibles, fiber ropes and…

Record low water levels in Europe's major rivers have curtailed the transport of goods, reduced electricity output and shrunk company earnings, stoking fears about the economic impact of searing heat and erratic rainfall.As Europe experiences the fastest warming of any continent and record-breaking heatwaves, drought has exposed the need to reconsider business practices.From the bustling port of Rotterdam to hydropower plants in Serbia, waterways have become a less reliable way to transport goods such as grains and oil…