Vega Reederei Picks Inmarsatās NexusWave for Newbuild Fleet
Inmarsat Maritime, part of Viasat, has secured a contract with Vega Reederei to equip 10 new diesel-electric coaster vessels with its NexusWave bonded connectivity service.The agreement covers installation of NexusWave on the 89-meter, 3,800-deadweight-tonne short-sea general cargo ships, scheduled for delivery by July 2026. The deal also includes Fleet Secure Unified Threat Management (UTM) and Fleetā¦
Kongsberg Maritime to Equip LS Marineās Ultra-Large Cable Lay Vessel
Kongsberg Maritime has been selected to supply a fully integrated equipment package for a next-generation ultra-large cable laying (CLV) vessel being built for LS Marine Solution at Tersan Shipyard in Türkiye.The vessel, designed to support growing global demand for subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and optical cable installation, will be 148.4 meters long and 31 meters wide, with a cable carrying capacity of 13ā¦
Shell, METLEN Sign LNG Supply and Trading Deal
Shell and Greeceās METLEN have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for cooperation in the supply and trading of liquefied natural gas (LNG).Under the agreement, the two companies plan to supply and trade approximately 0.5 to 1.0 billion cubic metres (bcm) of LNG per year over the five-year period from 2027 to 2031.Deliveries are expected to be made to the Greek LNG regasificationā¦
ABS Opens U.S. Cruise Center of Excellence
ABS has opened the ABS Cruise Center of Excellence, its dedicated global hub for the cruise sector, located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The center expands ABSā local presence and provides cruise operators with direct access to industry-leading classification, risk management, compliance and performance software and engineering services.The new center brings together local experts specializing in classificationā¦
Opinion: Shipping Will Need More Self-Regulation
Shipping will have no choice but to boost self-regulation as well as choosing the right āsafe havenā partners if it is to deal with the huge pressures the fast-changing political, trade and regulatory landscapes will inflict on the industry, according to Mark OāNeil, President and CEO of the Columbia Group.There are many spheres of influence that will result from the breakdown of the international rule-based orderā¦
Global Treaty on Fishing Vessel Safety Triggered
The 2012 Cape Town Agreement has met the requirements for entry into force and will enter into force in February 2027, closing a longstanding gap in the global maritime safety framework. The Agreement sets out mandatory safety standards for more than 45,000 fishing vessels of 24 meters in length and over, according to FAO data, helping to prevent casualties, improve working conditions for fishers, enhance competitiveness and protect the marine environment.Welcoming the milestoneā¦
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority Elects Governor Tate Reeves as 2026 Chairman
The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority has elected Governor Tate Reeves of Mississippi to serve as Chairman for 2026. Governor Reeves will lead the four-state interstate compact as it advances economic development, freight mobility, and recreation along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and the broader M-65 Marine Highway corridor.The M-65 Marine Highway is a federally designated inland waterway corridor extending from Paducahā¦
Brim Explorer Orders Two Battery-Powered Trimarans
Tourism and technology company Brim Explorer has signed contracts for the construction of two efficient, battery-powered passenger vessels. The high-speed trimarans are scheduled for delivery in spring 2027.The two new trimarans have been developed by Brim Tech, Brim Explorer's in-house technology division, following the principle of "electric by design." This means the vessels are engineered from the ground up for electric propulsionā¦
Jotun-Coated Vessels See 11.8m Tons of Avoided COā Emissions
Jotun, a leading manufacturer of marine coatings, reported an estimated 11.8 million tons of avoided COā emissions for vessels coated with its products in 2025, an increase from 11.1 million tons from the year before. The result is verified based on an independent technical evaluation conducted by DNV.The verified avoided emissions is based on the average speed loss of the vessels included in the evaluation, compared to an industry benchmark referenced in ISO 19030.
Shipbuilder CEO Calls for a Sector Transition Towards Data-Driven Operations
Geert Schouten, CEO & owner of Shipbuilder:Why does more than half of all maritime projects run into trouble sooner or later? Documents, folders, version numbersā¦in our sector we still struggle with them every day. At countless shipyards and design offices, teams stumble over folder structures, endless searches for the right version, and long email chains. Is that real organization? It is organized chaos. And it costs us time, quality, and energy every single day.
Transneft Cuts Crude Oil Intake After Ukrainian Drone Attack
Russia's oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has cut crude intake into its system by some 250,000 barrels per day after a Ukrainian drone attack on its Kaleykino pumping station on Monday, two sources familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.The cuts mostly affected shipments from Tatarstan producer Tatneft, one of the sources said.Ukrainian drones hit the major Kaleykino station, which serves the Druzhba pipeline carrying Moscow's crude to Eastern Europe and to Russia's main western portsā¦
First Venezuela Oil Cargoes Chartered Since US Supply Deal
Trading houses and buyers of Venezuelan oil have chartered the first very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to export from the South American country since a Caracas-Washington supply deal began, which is set to speed up shipments starting in March while boosting deliveries to India, according to four sources and data.Trading firms Vitol and Trafigura have been exporting Venezuelan crude and fuel since January as part of a $2 billion deal between the U.S.
US Seizes Third Indian Ocean Oil Tanker
U.S. military forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from Caribbean waters, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, adding that it was the third such interdiction in that region.After capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military raid last month in Caracas, Washington has escalated its blockade on vessels that are under sanctions and going to and from the South American country, a member of the OPEC oil producers' group.In a post on X, the U.S.
Panama Canal Port Workers Threatened with Prosecution After Contract Anulments
Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday Panama authorities had threatened its employees with criminal prosecution if they refused to leave two strategic canal ports at the centre of a legal battle that has embroiled Beijing and Washington.CK Hutchison said Panama's decision to cancel key port contracts and grant temporary licences to Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) was 'unlawful'ā¦
UK Sanctions Maritime Mutual Insurer After Exposed by Reuters for Russian Oil Trade
Britain on Tuesday sanctioned Maritime Mutual, the New Zealand-based marine insurer that was the subject of a Reuters special report into how it had helped in the trade of tens of billions of dollars of Iranian and Russian oil."(Maritime Mutual) is or has been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia by carrying on business in a sector of strategic significance to the Government of Russiaā¦
Argentina Accedes Cape Town Agreement, Entry into Force February 2027
Argentina accedes to the Cape Town Agreement, triggering its entry into force in 12 months.The 2012 Cape Town Agreement has met the requirements for entry into force and will enter into force in February 2027, closing a longstanding gap in the global maritime safety framework. The Agreement sets out mandatory safety standards for more than 45,000 fishing vessels of 24 meters in length and over, according to FAO dataā¦
Minke Marine Air Lubrication System Receives Second ClassNK AiP
US West Coast-based maritime company Minke Marine A.L. LLC has secured its second class society Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for its air lubrication sector (ALS) with a new patented design.The ClassNK AiP follows a similar AiP secured by Minke with DNV. The latest AiP comes as Minke Marine began receiving verified data from its first installation on a 55,000 DWT DNV-classed, Norwegian-owned general cargo vessel.
Applications Open for IFCHOR Galbraiths' 2026 Training Program
Applications are now open for the 2026 edition of the IG Shipping Course, a two-week, residential training program run by shipbroker IFCHOR Galbraiths. Now in its sixth decade, the IG Shipping Course has trained more than 1,000 professionals from across the maritime sector. The course is designed not only for new entrants to shipping, but also professionals transitioning from adjacent sectors such as financeā¦
BOEM Reaffirms Gulf Lease Sales 259 and 261
The Bureau of Ocean Energy announced a Record of Decision reaffirming its prior decisions regarding Gulf of Americaās Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales 259 and 261. This ROD supports BOEMās continued commitment to responsible offshore energy development while strengthening environmental safeguards and legal compliance.This decision follows the August 29, 2025, publication of the Finalā¦
Hoyer VMS Group Strengthens Chinese Presence with Headquarters Expansion
Hoyer VMS Group, a global partner for power and motion solutions at sea, is expanding its Asian headquarters in Ningbo, China. The 3,800 square meters warehouse and workshop expansion enhances Hoyer VMS capabilities in supporting shipowners, fleet managers, shipyards and OEM customers across Asia. Asia remains a strategic growth region for the maritime industry, with many of the worldās largest shipowners, fleet operators and shipyards located in the region.
