Op-Ed: Estonia Prepares the Next Phase of Growth for EST Flag
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…
Four Shipowners Order Four VINGA Product Tankers
Four shipowners from Sweden, Norway and Canada have ordered four new VINGA product tankers for delivery in 2028 and 2029, expanding the Furetank-developed vessel series to 26 ships.Two of the vessels will be owned by FureBear, a joint venture between Sweden's Furetank and Canada's Algoma Central Corporation, while Norway's O.H. Meling and Sweden's Älvtank will each take one.The order marks O.H. Meling's first investment in the VINGA series…
Hormuz Crisis Accelerates Gulf Pipeline and Port Expansion
The Iran war's redrawing of the global trade map is forcing Gulf nations to retool their investment play book, ploughing capital into infrastructure, from energy pipelines to ports, to weather the fallout from the conflict.The war has highlighted the Gulf's overreliance on the Strait of Hormuz, previously a chokepoint for 20% of global oil flows but also subject for decades to Iranian threats of disruption.With the strait virtually blocked for much of the past six months…
Iran Outlines Terms for Restoring Hormuz Shipping
Iran is preparing a list of conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after mediators asked Tehran to set them out, said Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, adding that ending the regional war was among them.Rezaei said Iran had agreed with Oman on a shipping corridor through the strait, with parts of the route in Omani waters and parts in Iranian waters. Ships would use a designated central channel if the U.S.
Bollinger taps Steerprop by USCG Iceabreaker Propulsion
Finland's Steerprop won an order to supply complete propulsion packages for four Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs) being built for the US Coast Guard by Bollinger Shipyards. Each vessel will be equipped with two Steerprop Contra-Rotating Propellers (CRP) azimuth propulsors and two tunnel thrusters. The vessels will be built to an existing Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design. During the selection process…
Sanmar Shipyards Delivers Second Tugboat to Ultratug
Sanmar celebrated the delivery of a second tugboat to Ultratug, a leading operator in the Americas, at a special ceremony held at its Altinova Shipyard on August 11, 2026.The tug, UT AMAZONAS, will operate in Colombia and is the sister vessel to UT PATZCUARO, the first tug that Sanmar built for Ultratug, which was delivered just a few months ago and is now operating in Mexico.Guests of honor from Ultratug Colombia at the ceremony were Silvia Herrera…
Russia Focuses Strikes on Ukrainian Ports, Industrial Sites, Distribution Facilities
Russia hammered Ukrainian ports, industrial sites and retailers' distribution facilities with missiles and drones in an hours-long attack on Kyiv and other cities that was partly repelled, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.Commuters went to work in the capital to the boom of air defences firing at waves of drones after an overnight barrage that Ukraine's military said included an unspecified number of ballistic missiles and 258 drones."Overnight…
Turkey Increases Diesel Imports From US, India
Turkey increased its imports of diesel from the United States and India in August to record levels, shipping data showed, as a Russian ban on diesel exports and wider disruption caused by the Iran war prompted its importers to diversify their sources of supply.So far this month, Turkey has imported more than 120,000 barrels per day of Indian diesel, while its imports from the U.S. reached 90,000 bpd…
SHIPPINGInsight Names U.S. Maritime Administrator Captain Stephen Carmel Opening Keynote Speaker for PROJECT 2027- Catalyzing the US Maritime Industry into Action Conference
SHIPPINGInsight confirmed that Captain Stephen Carmel, U.S. Maritime Administrator, will deliver the opening keynote address at SHIPPINGInsight’s PROJECT 2027: Catalyzing the U.S. Maritime Industry into Action, powered by AMIC (American Maritime Industrial Coalition), to be held October 13, 2026, in Houston, Texas. His remarks, entitled “State of Play for U.S. Maritime,” will assess the current condition…
Corvus Energy Introduces Blue Whale NxtGen Power Energy Storage System
Corvus Energy AS, a provider of marine energy storage solutions, introduced Blue Whale NxtGen Power, a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) energy storage system developed together with BYD Energy Storage.Blue Whale NxtGen Power is the first product to come out of the strategic cooperation between Corvus Energy and BYD Energy Storage, announced in December 2025.BYD Energy Storage supplies battery cell technology and cell stack manufacturing…
JE Dunn, Alberici Place Final Beam in $300m Saronic Expansion
JE Dunn Construction and Alberici Constructors, Inc. celebrated placing the final structural beam of Saronic Technologies’ $300 million shipyard expansion project. Saronic will use the expanded Franklin shipyard to increase production capacity for its fleet of Marauders, the company’s 180-foot fully autonomous ships.The project broke ground in November 2025 and is expected to be completed in early 2027.
Sempra Seeks Permits for Major LNG Expansion Project in Texas
Sempra Energy's unit Port Arthur LNG has started the federal permitting process for a major expansion of its liquefied natural gas export operations in Southeast Texas, according to a regulatory filing made on Wednesday.The proposed Port Arthur LNG North Project would add four liquefaction trains capable of producing up to 27 million metric tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG, significantly expanding the company's export footprint on the U.S.
Strait of Hormuz Shipping Marks Slight Rise
Shipping traffic at the Strait of Hormuz rose slightly even as a standoff persisted between the United States and Iran, data showed on Thursday, while the market monitored Iran-Oman talks about the waterway.Visible commodity vessel transits at Hormuz totalled 10 on Wednesday, up slightly from eight on Tuesday, data from Kpler showed.
Iran, Oman Working on Strait of Hormuz Agreement
Iran and Oman are still working on the details of an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source said on Wednesday, after Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the two countries had agreed how to share the waterway and its revenues.The elite force's spokesperson, echoing Tehran's official stance, also said the strait would not open unless the U.S. met Tehran's conditions under an interim ceasefire agreement that was struck in June before unravelling.
Seventy Vessels Wait to Load Grain Near Sulina Canal
Up to 70 vessels are waiting near the Danube's Sulina Canal for access to Ukrainian ports to load grain for export, traders and analysts said on Wednesday, with a shortage of pilots and priority given to other cargoes creating long delays.After Russian attacks effectively blocked Ukraine's Black Sea ports, which had handled 90% of the country's grain exports, some shipments were rerouted through Danube river ports…
TDI-Brooks Completes Subsea Cable Survey Project Offshore Alaska
TDI-Brooks recently completed a third-party geotechnical project offshore Alaska, supporting a short cable route survey for Woolpert utilizing their Gravity CPT Stinger (gCPT) system. The project consisted of a geophysical and geotechnical survey for a marine cable route in the Valdez Arm.Designed for rapid deployment in remote and challenging environments, the gCPT tool enables efficient in-situ soil characterization without the need for conventional drilling.
Saltchuk Tanker Companies Ordered by NLRB to Bargain With Licensed Deck Officers
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ordered both Alaska Tanker Company (ATC) and Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG), Saltchuk Resources subsidiaries, to immediately recognize the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P) and bargain in good faith with more than 125 Licensed Deck Officers.The officers voted decisively for MM&P representation in separate NLRB-certified elections in 2024, winning 70% at OSG and 80% at ATC.
Installation of 35-Ton Propeller Sets the Stage for SMM 2026
The giant ship propeller supplied by Mecklenburger Metallguss (MMG) will once again take its place in front of the Hamburg exhibition halls. On Thursday, August 27, the maritime heavyweight will return to the exhibition grounds, providing a visible signal that SMM 2026 is about to begin. Just a few days later, from September 1-4, the international maritime industry will gather in Hamburg.The propeller weights around 35.5 tons, measuring 7.8 meters in diameter and with five blades.
Cadmatic Expands US Presence With Local Specialists
Marine design software company Cadmatic is expanding its US presence by hiring more local specialists to serve its rapidly growing customer base in the key US shipbuilding market. With demand driven by fleet renewal, naval procurement programs, and capacity investment, American shipyards are looking for tools that reduce manual workload, improve production planning accuracy, and keep complex projects on schedule. Cadmatic's portfolio addresses each of these directly.
Kongsberg Maritime Expands Tunnel Thruster Range with Larger Models
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…
