Evacuation Plan Underway for Vessel Stranded in Strait of Hormuz
An evacuation plan to enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf to sail through the Strait of Hormuz is underway after Iran and the U.S.
Concordia Damen Delivers Century Star Cruise Ship, First for the European Market
Dutch specialized shipbuilder Concordia Damen has delivered the Century Star to Century Cruises. The vessel is the first river cruise ship that the China-based cruise line has had built specifically for the European market and marks the start of a series of three sister ships. The Century Star will sail on the Danube from September 2026, with itineraries on the Rhine to follow at a later date.The vessel was built in collaboration with United Waterways…
Sailors' Society to Roll Out Seafarer Wellbeing Program
Global maritime charity Sailors' Society has announced a partnership with insurance giant NorthStandard to roll out its Sea Mate training to the P&I club's Members. The partnership prompts a sea change in seafarer care with a dramatic increase in the number of Wellbeing Officers on board ships.Sea Mate is an interactive training program that equips seafarers with a specialist set of skills. They serve as key support figures…
Caterpillar’s C32B: Six Years on the River Proves the Point
For inland towboat operators, engine selection is rarely about chasing the newest technology. Reliability, uptime, serviceability and lifecycle cost remain the metrics that matter most. Caterpillar Marine's new C32B engine is a 1,000-hp platform designed specifically with the demands of continuous-duty commercial operations in mind.While the C32B’ss origins can be traced to Caterpillar's pursuit of higher power density in the yacht and sportfishing markets…
Marlink Expands Partnership with Oldendorff through Starlink Deployment
Maritime connectivity provider Marlink has expanded its long-standing partnership with dry bulk shipping company Oldendorff Carriers by integrating Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) connectivity across the company's owned vessels.The agreement extends Marlink's connectivity services across more than 80 Oldendorff-owned ships, integrating Starlink LEO services with existing geostationary (GEO) VSAT and mobile satellite services (MSS) backup systems.Under the expanded arrangement…
How the U.S. Coast Guard is Shaping the Future of Maritime Nuclear Power
Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s. Verne was writing about “electricity” from batteries using seawater which he created…
Saipem Mobilizes for GranMorgu Oil Development off Suriname
Italian energy services company Saipem has launched operations for the GranMorgu offshore project in Suriname with the arrival of the multi-purpose construction vessel Normand Navigator at the Jules Sedney Harbour commercial port in Paramaribo.The vessel is berthed and ready to begin preliminary activities for the project, which is located in Block 58 around 150 km offshore and is scheduled to start production in 2028.GranMorgu is operated by TotalEnergies…
ASCO Sets Up Shop in Qatar to Drive Middle East Expansion
Logistics and materials management company ASCO has opened its first office in the Middle East, establishing a presence in Qatar as it looks to expand its regional operations and support growing demand for logistics and environmental services.The new office in Doha will support ASCO's clients across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as well as the wider Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions…
ABL Expands Asset Integrity Services in Brazil
Energy and marine consultancy ABL has opened a new office in Salvador, Brazil, expanding its presence in the country and strengthening its asset integrity management offering for the oil and gas, maritime and industrial sectors.The new office will support asset integrity management projects in Brazil and across the wider Americas region, while also serving as a platform to expand ABL's broader portfolio of maritime…
Svanehoj Appoints Larsen President
Morten Christian Larsen will succeed Søren Kringelholt Nielsen as President of Svanehoj. Svanehoj, a specialist in marine pumps and safety equipment for liquefied gases, will have a new President as of July 1, 2026. After seven successful years as President, Søren Kringelholt Nielsen will take over the role as President of ITT Nutrition & Health Solutions. He will be succeeded by Morten Christian Larsen, currently Managing Director of Svanehoj Singapore.
Washington State Ferries Builds a Hybrid Electric Future
At the head of the U.S.’ largest ferry system is Steve Nevey, Deputy Secretary, Washington State Ferry (WSF), which is engaged in a historic modernization to a hybrid-electric fleet. Nevey gives a candid look inside problems during the Wenatchee conversion, with insights on the hybrid electric direction and pace for newbuilds at Eastern Shipbuilding.Steve Nevey did not stumble into maritime. He was raised in it, shaped by it, and by most accounts destined for it.
The Jones Act Waiver of 2026: Implications for American Shipping, Energy, and National Security
On March 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security took the extraordinary step of issuing a sweeping waiver of the Jones Act at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense. The waiver, one of the broadest in the history of the nation’s cabotage laws, opened U.S. domestic waterways to foreign-flagged and foreign-built vessels carrying hundreds of energy and agricultural commodity types. To understand why this matters and why it remains deeply controversial…
Petrobras Orders Four New Tankers in $427M Fleet Renewal Push
Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petrobras has signed a $427 million contract through its logistics subsidiary Petrobras Transporte (Transpetro) with the Rio Grande Shipyard for the construction of four medium range tankers as part of a broader program to renew and expand its shipping fleet.The four MR1-class vessels, each with a deadweight tonnage of 40,000 tonnes, will be used to transport crude oil and petroleum products along Brazil's coast…
US Supplies Autonomous Drones to Boost Philippine Maritime Surveillance
The United States has transferred four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSVs) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to strengthen the country's maritime domain awareness and its ability to monitor and respond to maritime challenges.The delivery, valued at approximately $13 million, was completed on June 22 during a turnover ceremony at the Philippine Navy's Naval Operating Base Subic, attended by U.S.
Oil Falls as Signs of Hormuz Recovery Weigh on Market
Oil prices fell more than 1% on Tuesday, extending losses from the previous session, on signs of some progress in restoring crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Iran peace talks.Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell $1.09, or 1.4%, to $76.81 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 declined to $72.99 a barrel, down 87 cents, or 1.2%, as of 0607 GMT.Prices fell more than 3% on Monday after the United States granted Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following initial peace talks…
188 Merchant Marine, Military Officers Graduate from USMMA
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) graduated 188 new merchant marine and military officers during its 90th commencement ceremony.U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, whose department oversees the Academy, one of the Nation’s five service academies, introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll.Driscoll delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2026 before an audience of more than 3…
Autonomous Vehicles Solve (and Create) Problems for Ports
Autonomous vehicles are increasingly sophisticated defensive tools for ports wanting to protect against maritime threats - including attacks from other autonomous vehicles.In December 15 last year, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that its underwater drone had struck a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk. The incident highlighted just how sophisticated potential threats have become. Harbor cameras were likely hacked…
Congressman Suozzi Delivers Keynote at Webb Graduation
Webb Institute celebrated the Commencement of its newest class of naval architects and marine engineers, sending another group of exceptional graduates into the maritime and defense industries that depend on them. U.S. Representative Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) delivered the keynote address on the terrace behind Stevenson Taylor Hall and received an Honorary Doctorate from the college.Born and raised in Glen Cove, Rep. Suozzi has deep roots in the community Webb has called home for decades.
American Cruise Lines Christens 2nd Vessel Launched This Year
American Cruise Lines christened American Maverick in Newport, Rhode Island last week during the ship’s inaugural 9-Day New England Islands cruise, sailing roundtrip from Providence, Rhode Island. The celebration took place on board with guests, crew, community partners, and many employees from the Line’s headquarters in Connecticut. American Maverick is the newest small cruise ship in the country…
International Chamber of Shipping Appoints John Denholm as Chairman of the Board
The Board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has unanimously elected John Denholm CBE as Chairman of the Board.The decision was made by the ICS Board of Directors at the organization's Annual General Meeting, held at Palazzo Valentini in Rome, Italy.John Denholm succeeds Emanuele Grimaldi, President and Managing Director of Grimaldi Euromed SpA, who has served as Chairman since June 2022.A qualified chartered accountant, John Denholm joined the family-owned shipping business J. & J.
