Marine Link
Sunday, March 22, 2026

Infrastructure News

19 Mar 2026

Echo Marine Group to Deliver Western Australia’s First Electric Ferry Fleet

Image courtesy Echo Marine Group/LR

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a new contract with long-standing partner Echo Marine Group to support the delivery of Western Australia’s first fully electric passenger ferries - marking a major milestone for sustainable public transport in Australia.The project, which is a part of the Perth Transport Authority’s (PTA) METRONET Swan River Ferry Service Expansion programme, will see the design and construction of five new battery-electric ferries for operation on Perth’s Swan River.

19 Mar 2026

Green Ammonia Shines When Regulation is Considered, says study

A new analysis from WinGD and Envision Energy suggests something the maritime industry has been debating for years ... and likely will be debating for many years to come: the changing economics of zero-emission fuels.For shipowners, the significance is straightforward. The conversation is shifting from if green fuels can compete to when — and in some cases, that answer may already be “now.”On a pure fuel-cost basis, green ammonia still carries a premium, as today, it can run close to three times the cost of very low sulphur fuel oil.

18 Mar 2026

Bridging the Data Divide: How AI Will Rewire Maritime, Port Ops

“Everyone wants the new shiny thing,” Ponce said. “But the biggest blocker is always the same, you don’t understand what you already have.”
That mindset traces back even further to his time at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), a school he describes with a mix of pride and candor.
“If you know RPI, you know we’re a bunch of nerds that are basically told, ‘Why not change the world?’” he said. “That stuck with me.” 
Image courtesy AI Strategic Solutions

With the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence, it’s fair to say there is more misunderstood than understood, particularly in conservative markets like maritime and ports. Adalberto ‘Berto’ Ponce, Co-Founder and CEO Of AI Strategic Solutions discusses with Maritime Reporter TV his organization’s experiences in working with ports and port facilities to help make operations more efficient and diversify revenue. With AI Strategic Solutions, it’s not about replace people or jobs…

18 Mar 2026

America’s Ports, Harbors, and Waterways: Dredging, Resolve and the Will to Build

On January 27, 2026, Manson Construction’s newest hopper dredge, the FREDERICK PAUP, departed the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, bound for Mobile, Alabama. It is the largest self-propelled hopper dredge ever constructed in the U.S.
Image courtesy Manson Construction

America’s maritime infrastructure is measured in draft depth, vessel clearance, sediment management, and days available to dredge. If the United States is serious about competing in a century defined by supply chains, energy exports, and sealift readiness, then ports, harbors, and waterways must move from being in the background to becoming part of the national strategy.The Dredging industry and it importance to the U.S. Port infrastructure will be discussed in depth at the Port of the Future Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for March 23-25 in Houston.

13 Mar 2026

Built on the Rivers: Aimee Andres and the Expanding Role of America’s Inland Ports

Aimee Andres, Executive Director, Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).

For Aimee Andres, the nation’s inland rivers are not an abstract transportation network or a policy talking point. They are personal. Growing up, she spent her formative years around ports, terminals and railroads, watching firsthand how freight moved and how quietly essential inland infrastructure is to the country’s economic engine. That upbringing ultimately led her to a role she has now held for more than a decade: Executive Director of Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).

12 Mar 2026

New ISO Vessel Hull Cleaning Standard Published

 Irene Øvstebø Tvedten, Senior Adviser at Bellona.

Yesterday, a new ISO standard was published to help port authorities, shipowners and operators navigate rules on how ships should be cleaned in an environmentally sound way. Hull cleaning is gaining traction among shipowners, while countries are increasingly introducing regulations—but many ports still lack practical guidance on how to manage it. “Biofouling on ships’ hulls can spread invasive aquatic species and damage ecosystems. It also increases drag, reducing a vessel’s efficiency and leading to higher fuel consumption and increased greenhouse gas emissions…

09 Mar 2026

ZIM Navigates Cooling Container Markets, Hapag-Lloyd Deal Looms

Copyright Maritime Art Blog/AdobeStock

The container shipping sector continued its gradual normalization in 2025, and ZIM Integrated Shipping Services’ latest financial results offer a clear snapshot of the industry’s transition away from the extraordinary profits generated during the pandemic-era freight surge.For the full year 2025, the Israeli liner carrier reported revenue of $6.9 billion, down from $8.4 billion in 2024 as freight rates softened across major trade lanes. Net income reached $481 million, a sharp decline from $2.15 billion the previous year…

05 Mar 2026

New "all about ports" Conference Highlights Port Infrastructure Development, Growth

© all about ports

Hamburg Messe und Congress is establishing "all about ports" (September 2-3, 2026, Hamburg), an international conference with an accompanying exhibition. The event takes a comprehensive look at modern port infrastructure, technologies and processes. Together with other international industry events, Hamburg will become a meeting point for the port industry, the maritime industry and digital logistics at the beginning of September. The event positions itself as a platform for practical solutions…

03 Mar 2026

Fujairah Bunker Prices Surge as Demand Shifts Elsewhere

(Credit: Fujairah Port)

Ship refuelling at Fujairah, a major bunkering center in the United Arab Emirates, has slowed after the U.S.-Iran conflict disrupted fuel shipments in the region, spurring a jump in prices and potentially shifting demand to other ports including Singapore.Transit through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, which carries around one-fifth of oil consumed globally as well as large quantities of liquefied natural gas, has ground to a near-halt after some vessels in the area were hit.Bunkering continues at the port…

02 Mar 2026

U.S. Flag Tanker Damaged, 150 Vessels Stranded with Strait of Hormuz Close

Copyright Peter Hermes Furian/AdobeStock

Insurance companies are cancelling war risk coverage for vessels in the Gulf as the widening Iran conflict disrupted shipping, leaving at least four tankers damaged, two seafarers killed and 150 ships stranded around the Strait of Hormuz.Shipping through the strait between Iran and Oman, which carries around one-fifth of oil consumed globally as well as large quantities of gas, has ground to a near halt after vessels in the area were hit as Iran retaliated to U.S. and Israeli strikes.The disruption and fears of prolonged closure have caused oil and European natural gas prices to jump…

25 Feb 2026

Hartman Seatrade Adds Two Liebherr LS 250 Ship Cranes to its Fleet

© Liebherr

Hartman Seatrade has selected the LS 250 heavy-duty ship crane to outfit its latest vessels. The cranes, supplied by Liebherr, are configured for tandem operations, allowing combined lifts of up to 500 tons for project cargo. Engineered for versatile cargo handling, the LS 250 delivers dependable lifting performance even in demanding maritime conditions. The cranes offer a lifting capacity of up to 250 tons with a maximum outreach of 36 meters. Their low deadweight of just 150 tons enhances the vessel’s stability and cargo-handling efficiency.Complementing the crane capability…

23 Feb 2026

GLO Marine to Invest $7M in New Vessel Retrofit Hub in Romania

(Credit: Glo Marine)

Retrofit specialist GLO Marine has announced a $7 million (€6 million) investment in a new integrated assembly and production facility in Galați, Romania, as it seeks to expand its end-to-end vessel upgrade and decarbonization capabilities.The new facility will allow the company to engineer, fabricate, pre-assemble and integrate complex retrofit systems under a coordinated delivery model. Construction is underway, with completion scheduled by the end of the year and production set to begin in February 2027.The project is expected to create around 40 skilled technical roles…

23 Feb 2026

Seatrium Targets $40M Cost Savings in Continued Divestment Drive

(Credit: Seatrium)

Seatrium has put in motion a series of non-core asset divestments set to complete by early 2026, targeting over $40 million (S$50 million) in annualized operational cost savings.The Singapore-based offshore and marine group said the savings will follow recent divestments of the AmFELS yard in Texas and the GNL Platform Supply Vessels disclosed in 2025, alongside additional transactions earlier.The company said the divestments form part of its strategy to rationalize non-core assets…

22 Feb 2026

Indigenous Protesters Occupy Cargill's Santarem Port Terminal

© Matyas Rehak / Adobe Stock

Indigenous protesters have occupied Cargill's Santarem river port terminal in Brazil's Para state and "completely" interrupted operations at the site, the U.S. grain trader said in a statement on Saturday.The protesters forced Cargill employees to evacuate the private terminal on Friday evening, the firm said, adding that it is in contact with local authorities for an eviction to be carried out "in an orderly and safe manner."Cargill shipped more than 5.5 million metric tons of soybeans and corn through Santarem last year, according to port sector data.

19 Feb 2026

Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade a Near Match to January 2025

Image courtesy Lake Carriers Association

Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 2 million tons in January, a near match to 2025. Loadings were below the month’s 5-year average by 14.5 percent.Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.

18 Feb 2026

Liebherr BOS 45000 Heavy-Lift Offshore Crane Acquired for South Korea Offshore Wind

© Liebherr

The new Liebherr BOS 45000 crane has been acquired by Eunsung O&C Co., Ltd., known for its expertise in ground improvement, foundation engineering and complex onshore and offshore infrastructure projects. The BOS 45000 will equip a jack-up barge that will install offshore wind turbines and carry out maintenance work in Asian waters. With vessel engineering and a lifting capacity of up to 1,200 tons at a maximum reach of 22 meters, the crane will deliver the power and precision required for large component installation…

16 Feb 2026

Singapore Marine Fuel Sales Up 17%

Copyright anekoho/AdobeStock

Marine fuel sales at the world's largest bunker hub of Singapore posted a strong start to 2026, driven by healthy demand and higher price premiums, based on port data and trade sources.January 2026 volumes totalled 5.23 million metric tons, up 16.5% year-on-year (YoY), though easing from the record monthly highs of 5.51 million tons in December, data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) showed.Container throughput at Singapore dipped 0.7% from the prior month to 3.89 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in January, while vessel calls for bunkering held firm, climbing

11 Feb 2026

First Commercial Biomethanol Bunkering Service in the UK Launches at Port of Immingham

© Exolum

Exolum, Methanex Corporation and Ørsted announced the launch of the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) first commercially ready bio-methanol storage and supply service for shipping at the Port of Immingham. The Port of Immingham is the U.K.’s largest port by cargo volume and a critical gateway for energy and bulk materials, making it an important hub for maritime operations and low‑carbon fuel supply. The initiative will provide marine bunkering services for bio-methanol, one of the leading green fuels for decarbonizing shipping.

03 Feb 2026

Port of Virginia Advances Capacity with Addition of ULCV Berth

© Kyle - stock.adobe.com

The Port of Virginia is continuing to modernize and expand its operations and recently debuted additional capacity to safely handle simultaneous calls of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs).In late January, the port put four new, all-electric, Suez-class ship-to-shore container cranes into service at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT). With the expanded crane fleet at NIT, the port now has the capacity to accommodate four ULCVs at once. Today, the port has 29 ship-to-shore…

03 Feb 2026

American Great Lakes Ports Launch Study to Expand Cargo Shipments

Douglas - stock.adobe.com

The American Great Lakes Ports Association (AGLPA), including members Ports of Indiana, the Illinois International Port District (IIPD), and Port Milwaukee, in partnership with the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), announced today that they will begin a comprehensive market analysis aimed at expanding cargo movement between the Great Lakes and Inland Waterways system.Together, the Great Lakes and Inland Waterways move close to 700 million tons of cargo each year…

03 Feb 2026

US Approves License for Texas Deepwater Oil Export Port

© AU USAnakul / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Transportation Department on Tuesday approved a license for oil transportation and storage company Sentinel Midstream's planned deepwater oil export project off the Texas coast.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement to Reuters the Texas GulfLink project is part of the Trump administration's effort to boost the U.S. oil industry and production and allow for the export of up to 1 million barrels of crude oil per day. The Texas GulfLink deepwater port will be located approximately 26.6 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County…

04 Feb 2026

Seatrium Wraps Up AmFELS Yard Sale

Seatrium AmFELS shipyard at Brownsville, Texas (Credit: Seatrium)

Seatrium has completed divested its AmFELS Yard located at Brownsville in Texas to Karpower Valley, a related party of Karpowership.The divestment, first announced in September 2025 and completed on January 30, 2026, will allow Seatrium to enhance capital and operational efficiencies, while unlocking value from one of its surplus facilities, the company said at the time.All projects carried out at the AmFELS yard have been completed and delivered prior to completion the asset sale…

28 Jan 2026

CMA CGM to Form Port JV with Stonepeak

Source: Stonepeak

French shipping group CMA CGM and U.S. investment firm Stonepeak have agreed to create a joint venture valued at nearly $10 billion to operate and invest in port terminals, including in the United States, the companies said on Wednesday.CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container shipping group, last year announced plans to invest $20 billion in the United States, winning plaudits from President Donald Trump who has made reviving the U.S. shipping sector a policy priority.Under the terminal joint venture…