People Company News

Saronic announced it is opening a nearly 15,000 square foot office in downtown New Orleans. The new space will serve as an engineering and technical hub to support the company’s expanding shipbuilding operations in Louisiana. The new office will house hardware engineers, naval architects, marine engineers, and experts in system testing to support the design and development of Marauder, Saronic’s 180-foot autonomous ship. These vessels are produced at scale at the company’s shipyard in Franklin…

Following three consecutive years of revenue growth and expanding international demand for efficient offshore power delivery, Verlume is evolving its leadership structure to support its next phase of global expansion transitioning from technology commercialization to global scale-up.After founding Verlume and leading the company as CEO for 13 years, Richard Knox will transition into the role of Founder-CTO. In this position he will focus on customer engagement, innovation and technology strategy.

Island Marine Electric has appointed marine technology sales veteran Doug Bennis as Vice President of Sales & Marketing.Bennis brings experience in the maritime and satellite communications industries, where he has led global sales initiatives, developed strategic channel partnerships, and driven revenue growth across commercial and recreational marine markets. With a career rooted in marine connectivity and technology solutions, he has built a reputation for aligning evolving onboard systems with customer and vessel requirements in an increasingly connected marine environment.In his new role…

At this year’s annual Legislative Summit, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) proudly named U.S. Representative Mike Ezell (MS-04) as the 2026 Port Person of the Year for his commitment to the seaport and maritime industry. AAPA celebrates his leadership as a champion of many port industry priorities, including his advocacy for the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and his efforts to incentivize the reshoring of port crane manufacturing to the U.S."It is…

Robert Allan Ltd. has announced that Mr. Sajjad Helal Makouei has earned his accreditation as a Professional Engineer with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia (EGBC).Sajjad is a highly valued member of the Naval Architecture and Advanced Structural Analysis team at Robert Allan Ltd. and has been with the company since 2014. During this time, he has been involved in many aspects of structural design and finite element analysis.Sajjad holds a Master of Naval Architecture…

The American Club has reported positive developments for the 2026 renewal across all lines of business. Gross tonnage for the Club’s Class I (mutual P&I) entries increased modestly at the turn of the renewal at Noon GMT 20 February 2026, while the tonnage position since the 2025 renewal has increased by 5% and over the same period, Class I premiums have grown by 6%. The Club’s Class II (mutual FD&D) and Class III (charterers’ liability) portfolio were renewed for 2026 on a similar basis.Eagle Ocean Marine…

The Supervisory Board of AS Tallink Grupp has appointed Peep Jalakas as the new Chairman of the Management Board of the Group. His term will begin on April 6, 2026, and will last for three years. As of tomorrow, February 27, Margus Schults will step down from the Group’s Management Board and will continue working in the company as the head of the Finnish unit. Jalakas has been a member of the Management Board of AS SEB Pank and Head of Corporate Banking since 2023. Over the past 20 years…

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 Paducah, Kentucky, to the Port of Mobile, Alabama…

Kongsberg Maritime announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PT PAL Indonesia, the country’s largest state‑owned shipyard. The signing ceremony took place at PT PAL’s headquarters in Surabaya and was attended by representatives from Kongsberg Maritime, PT PAL, and the Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rut Krüger Giverin.Kongsberg Maritime is a leading provider of marine technology solutions. Its offerings include marine automation, navigation, propulsion…

The Swedish Club (TSC) has concluded its 2026 P&I renewal with a 99% retention rate.Over the past 12 months, The Swedish Club has attracted new entered tonnage with an increase of nearly 8%, driven by a combination of solid organic development within the existing membership and selective new business transferring to the Club. In addition, the Club has secured a strong level of commitment through tonnage scheduled to be entered during the course of the year.“This year’s renewal result reflects the hard work and dedication of our teams across the organization,” said CEO Thomas Nordberg.

Marcura has acquired Shipdem, a UK-based specialist in chemical tanker laytime and demurrage, from its parent company, Casper Shipping. Shipdem brings expertise in chemical tanker demurrage, where operational complexity and contractual nuance demand technical knowledge and disciplined claims handling process. The acquisition follows HubSE in 2025 and continues Marcura’s investment in claims management capabilities across all major cargo types. HubSE’s self-service technology for tanker demurrage complements Shipdem’s fully managed service capability…

Boksa Marine Design (BMD), a full-service naval architecture and marine engineering firm based in Tampa, announced a strategic leadership transition and the opening of a new Fort Lauderdale, FL, office.After more than 20 years as Founder and President, Nick Boksa will transition into the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Senior Engineer. In this capacity, Boksa will focus on technical leadership, complex engineering initiatives, and guiding the firm’s long-term direction.Jeff Kuenning has been appointed President of BMD.

Blue Water Shipping has announced Andy Tite as Senior Vice President, Head of Projects, effective July 1, 2026. Andy brings experience, knowledge and insight to the projects industry and will focus on further global expansion at Blue Water.Andy has, for the past six years, held senior management positions at DHL, including most recently Vice President, Global Business Development & Commercial Director, Industrial Projects. His career experience to date includes positions at Zeamarine…

Exail announced the opening of a new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a milestone in its expansion across the Middle East. This new presence reflects Exail’s commitment to strengthening proximity with local customers and partners, and to supporting the development of its activities in the country. By establishing a permanent presence in Riyadh, Exail aims to reinforce customer support, foster long-term partnerships, and better address local operational needs. The new office will support ongoing programs, future projects and cooperation initiatives with key local actors.

Ventus Industrial Partners, a US-based private equity firm specializing in sectors critical to national security, announced the formation of Aeron Defense and the acquisitions of General Tool Company (GTC) and Magna Machine Company, in partnership with GenNx360 Capital Partners and Admiralty Partners.GTC and Magna were founded together by the Kramer family and are reuniting under the GTC name. Magna has expertise in large-part machining and turnkey large functional assemblies and will become GTC’s fourth manufacturing site.

IBIA – International Bunker Industry Association Board announced the outcome of their elections at the IBIA Annual General Meeting (AGM), ahead of the IBIA Annual Dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane.A total of eleven candidates stood for election for the four available Board positions. Following the close of voting, it is confirmed that the following candidates have been elected/re-elected to serve a three-year term on the IBIA Board:Claudia Beumer, C4 fuel B.V.Gianmichele Campanella…

Bahri posted record financial results in 2025, underpinned by a strengthening crude tanker market and a larger, younger owned fleet that increased exposure to improving rate conditions.Full-year revenue reached $10.35 billion, up 9% year-on-year, while net profit climbed to a record $2.43 billion. Momentum accelerated in the second half of the year as VLCC markets tightened, supported by longer-haul crude trade flows and limited fleet growth across the global tanker sector. Fleet expansion was a central driver of performance.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has further enhanced its capabilities in China with the announcement of three new senior appointments. Tianxiang Li (TX), LR’s Director of Global Technical Support Office (TSO), has been appointed as President for Greater China. He will lead senior client relationships and strategic engagement, strengthening alignment between LR’s global technical leadership and the priorities of Chinese owners, yards and designers. TX joined LR in 2008 and held leadership positions in the Technical Support Office since 2011.

Zelim announced the appointment of Mike Collier as Sales Director, effective January 2026. He will lead the organization’s focus on key sectors globally including the cruise and defense industries.Mike joins Zelim from MARSS, where he led business development for the cruise and defense sectors. As part of his 20-year career, including over six years in the cruise sector at Carnival Corporation, Mike led the working group that developed ISO 21195 (man-overboard detection) which was formally published in 2020…

OrbitMI, a provider of maritime SaaS software, announced the appointment of Andrew Redfern as Sales Director for the Nordic & Americas region. In this role, Redfern will lead OrbitMI’s commercial growth across Northern Europe, working with shipowners, operators, and commercial teams to deliver measurable operational and financial results.Redfern brings more than a decade of experience spanning maritime technology, commercial strategy, and financial analysis. Most recently, he served in senior sales leadership roles at ZeroNorth…

HII announced that Fatina Brave has been appointed vice president of infrastructure and sustainability at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Brave succeeds Eric Crooker, who has transitioned into the role of vice president of program management at Ingalls, succeeding George Nungesser who is retiring at the beginning of February after 37 years of service to the company.Brave will oversee all environmental, health, safety, security, facilities and maintenance operations at Ingalls.

US Hoists Corp has announced the appointment of Michael Cetta as Chief Operating Officer.A Center Moriches native, Cetta earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Farmingdale State College and brings an educational foundation and a proven record of leadership to his new role.With experience spanning business ownership, sales leadership, and project management, Cetta has demonstrated versatility across both small and large organizations. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer at A1 Roofing…

HII announced that Daniel Marks has been appointed vice president of contracts and pricing at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Marks succeeds Stephen Fitts, who has been appointed vice president of supply chain management at Ingalls and is succeeding Scott Weldon who retired at the end of December 2025 after 25 years of service to the company.In this role, Marks will be responsible for contract administration, estimating and pricing, and export/import licensing and compliance for Ingalls.