First Person: Exploring the Nile River
The guidebooks and river cruise itinerary for the Nile River cruise were studied and neatly packed for my trip, but nothing really preparedme for what surely is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to savor firsthand and physically close some of the most striking and memorable scenery andhistory anywhere in the world.As I write this, I’m traveling down the Nile in a flat bottomed, two masted houseboat, a dhahabiya (الدهبية) in Arabic…
CSI Announces 2026 Schedule of Content
Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America has announced its 2026 schedule of content, set to take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 9 - 10 June, 2026. The packed schedule, in partnership with NEWH, is IDCEC-accredited and tightly curated to be the most relevant conference for US-based cruise ship interiors professionals to attend all year.The speaker line-up features industry experts from across Royal Caribbean Cruise Line…
ABS, HD KSOE Collaborate for Digital Shipbuilding, Vessel Intelligence
ABS and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on digital technologies to strengthen safety and performance in shipbuilding.The agreement establishes a framework for the organizations to collaborate on Digital Threads, secure and integrated flows of data, across the entire vessel value chain. Areas of focus will include digital engineering…
Lloyd’s Register Approves Wison’s Internal Turret FPSO Concept
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…
TSS Cruiser CSOV Ready to Support Taiwan's Offshore Wind Projects
Ta San Shang Marine (TSSM), a joint venture between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Taiwan’s Ta Tong Marine, has taken delivery of a new commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV), the TSS Cruiser, which is now ready to support offshore wind farm operations in Taiwan.Built by Damen Shipyards in Ha Long in Vietnam, the TSS Cruiser is the second service operation vessel operated by TSSM following the delivery of the TSS Pioneer in 2022…
UTC Overseas, Transoceanic Launch US Gulf Coast Logistics Joint Venture
UTC Overseas and Transoceanic Development have launched UTC Transoceanic (UTC Transo), a joint venture aimed at supporting the growing logistics needs of energy, power and industrial infrastructure projects along the U.S. Gulf Coast.Headquartered in New Orleans, the venture combines UTC Overseas’ project logistics and customs brokerage operations with Transoceanic Development’s regional infrastructure…
US Container Imports Fall 3.2% in April, Descartes Reports
Descartes Systems Group has released its May Global Shipping Report which found that U.S. container imports decreased by 3.2% in April 2025, as trade uncertainty and geopolitical risks persist.In April 2026, U.S. container import volumes decreased by 3.2% over March to 2,277,965 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). China-origin imports decreased 4.3% month-over-month and 15.3% year-over-year, according…
MISC Names LNG Carrier Vessel Pair
MISC Group (MISC) named two new generation Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers, Seri Dian and Seri Dayang, on May 7, 2026. The addition of these vessels further strengthens its long-standing partnership with SeaRiver Maritime LLC (SRM), a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil.Constructed by Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., the 174,000 CBM LNG carriers are equipped with smart and energy-efficient technologies…
MOL Maintains No-Fee Stance on Hormuz Transit
Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) said on Friday three of its vessels that transited the Strait of Hormuz and exited the Gulf in April did not pay transit fees, sticking to a principle of navigation under international law.Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels passing through the Strait, in its proposals to end the war with Israel and the United States.The Strait is one of the world's most strategically vital maritime routes…
MEPC 84 Advances Underwater Radiated Noise Advice
Last week at MEPC 84, the Committee approved a technical guidance circular on co-optimizing propulsion equipment for energy efficiency and underwater radiated noise at the design and retrofit stage.The circular seeks to clarify potential trade-offs between noise mitigation and conventional propeller design to promote the co-benefits of quiet ship technologies and energy performance.Case studies presented at an earlier workshop demonstrated that retrofits…
Australian Quantum Technology to Support National Defence Strategy
A new quantum clock technology developed in Australia has now been deployed in space.Developed by QuantX Labs, TEMPO delivers up to 10 times the performance of current GNSS-based timing systems. In space, that translates to more resilient communications, more accurate navigation and harder-to-disrupt synchronization between satellites and ground systems – capabilities that matter when GPS is jammed…
South Korea Could Be Asia’s Green Ammonia Hub
It was March that South Korea’s LOTTE Fine Chemical announced that it has successfully completed the world’s first commercial cross-border import of green ammonia. Then on April 23, the Ulsan Port Authority announced the successful completion of the world’s first ammonia bunkering operation involving a gas carrier at the port – a world first port-to-ship ammonia bunkering operation.This milestone builds on Ulsan Port’s earlier achievements…
US Says It Carried Out Retaliatory Strikes Against Iran
The U.S. military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday, targeting sites it said were responsible for attacking U.S. forces in what it called unprovoked hostilities by Tehran.Earlier, Iran's top joint military command said the U.S. had violated a ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship entering the Strait of Hormuz, and by striking civilian areas."U.S. Central…
Captain Rick Iuliucci Retires from Vane Brothers
Vane Brothers has announced the retirement of Captain Rick Iuliucci, Vice President of Operations, effective July 1.An official Change of Command takes place on June 1. At that time, Brendan MacGillivray assumes the role of Vane Brothers’ Chief Operating Officer at the head of a team that includes Captain Brian Rau in the new position of Vice President, Operations–East, and John Shkor as Vice President…
ABS, HD Hyundai and Anduril Industries to Advance Autonomous Surface Vessels
ABS, HD Hyundai and Anduril Industries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore autonomous maritime capabilities.The MoU establishes a framework for the organizations to enable end-to-end solutions encompassing vessel design, production, autonomy and classification for autonomous surface vessels.The collaboration brings together HD Hyundai’s shipbuilding capabilities with ABS’ classification…
ABS Acquires RMC Global to Strengthen Cybersecurity, Risk Management Capabilities
ABS, through its affiliate ABSG Consulting Inc. (ABS Consulting), has announced the acquisition of RMC Global (RMC), a provider of industrial cybersecurity, risk management and resiliency solutions.The acquisition strengthens ABS Consulting’s capabilities and market position, bringing together two organizations with complementary expertise, shared values and a common mission. Combining RMC’s capabilities with ABS Consulting’s scale…
Damen Shipyards to Delivery of Two Tugs to Albayrak Group
Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Türkiye's Albayrak Group for the delivery of an ASD Tug 2111 and ASD Tug 2813. This is the first contract between the two companies.The Albayrak Group is one of the largest businesses in Türkiye and is active in the construction, industrial, and logistics sectors. The latter includes the management of Alsancak Port, Izmir;Trabzon Port, Türkiye; Conakry Port…
Rheinmetall Submits Non-Binding Bid for GNYK Shipyard
German defence group Rheinmetall has entered the race to buy shipyard German Naval Yards Kiel with a non-binding bid, a move that would deepen its push into naval defence and pits it against rival warship maker Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).Rheinmetall disclosed the bid as it released its first‑quarter results on Thursday but said it would not provide information regarding its size.CEO Armin Papperger said Rheinmetall has already begun the due diligence process and expects results in the ne
Iran Reduces Oil Production by 400,000 bpd, Further Cut Back Expected
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday that Iran appears to have cut back oil production by 400,000 barrels per day and is likely to reduce it more as its storage units fill."It looks like they've likely already cut back their production, maybe by 400,000 barrels a day. They'll likely continue to ramp down their production as their storage fills and their inability to export oil," Wright said in an interview with Fox News.A U.S.
Spain Seizes 30 Tons of Cocaine, Detains 23 Crew Members
Spanish police have seized 30 tons of cocaine from a ship off the Canary Islands and detained its 23-member crew without bail in Europe's largest-ever bust of the drug, the High Court said on Thursday, more than doubling Spain's previous record.The Comoro Island-flagged Arconian was intercepted by the Guardia Civil police force on May 1, with a cargo the court valued at more than 812 million euros…
