Ship Repair News

The European Commission is set to propose measures designed to ensure more vessels and other goods and services for the European Union's shipping sector are made in the bloc, according to a draft document seen by Reuters on Tuesday.The "Made in EU" proposals will be presented next week, a week before the EU executive announces a broader push to prioritise locally manufactured products, a plan that has split EU countries.For shipping, the draft document says the Commission will encourage public authorities buying ships or equipment to select suppliers based on non-price factors such as sustaina

Wilson Sons held a launch ceremony for the tugboat WS Halcyon Thursday, January 29, in Rio de Janeiro. It is the first of a new series of three high-powered tugs.Built at the company’s shipyard in Guarujá (São Paulo), WS Halcyon is a class 2312 tug (23 meters long and 12 meters wide) with azimuth propulsion and 70 tons of bollard pull, which is capable of supporting the world’s biggest ships on docking and undocking maneuvers in Brazil's main ports. It is also equipped with a firefighting system with a capacity of 2…

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division is marking 140 years of service to the US today, January 28, 2026.On Jan. 28, 1886, Collis P. Huntington, a businessman whose investments enabled completion of the U.S. transcontinental railroad, turned his focus to shipbuilding, establishing what was first chartered as Chesapeake Dry Dock and Construction Co. and was then renamed Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.Several years later, the shipyard delivered its first vessel, the tugboat Dorothy, named for the daughter of William C. Whitney, the 31st Secretary of the Navy.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has introduced significant enhancements to its Condition Assessment Program (CAP) Thickness Measurement Analysis process, designed to improve consistency, transparency and predictability in the assessment of tankers built to Common Structural Rules (CSR).The updated methodology addresses concerns regarding variability in CAP outcomes for CSR vessels. By aligning thickness measurement analysis directly with the vessel’s original CSR design requirements, LR has moved away from percentage-based acceptance criteria and adopted fixed, clearly defined thickness values.

Marine Group Boat Works (Marine Group), a full-service shipyard based in San Diego, won a Navy Grant to establish a maritime welding program designed to expand the skilled labor workforce supporting the U.S. Navy’s growing shipbuilding and repair demands. Marine Group was awarded this grant because it addresses workforce constraints by increasing the number of highly skilled welders certified to NAVSEA standards, thereby enhancing production resources for Navy surface ships and critical maritime assets.

On Monday, January 19, 2026, production of the fifth vessel in the Icon Class began at the Meyer Turku shipyard. The ceremonial event held in the steel hall was attended by representatives of the ship’s owner Royal Caribbean Group, the Meyer Turku organization, and the classification society.The traditional steel-cutting ceremony marked the start of more than two years of construction and outfitting work, involving thousands of professionals across different fields. Once completed…

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, announced its new Board of Directors leadership David Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO, is ascending from his position as Vice Chairman to Chairman of the Board, assuming the role from Brad Moyer, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning at BAE Systems.Mr. Carver has been a dedicated member of the SCA Board of Directors and has 38 years of shipbuilding and ship repair experience, bringing leadership to his new role.

In a strategic step to consolidate the country's industrial and export capacity, the ASENAV shipyard and multinational towage services company SAAM signed their first shipbuilding contract.The agreement outlines the manufacturing of a tugboat in Valdivia, designed under the strictest international standards. Construction is expected to take approximately 15 months, with the vessel scheduled to join SAAM's fleet in Canada during the first half of 2027.The vessel, a RAstar 3200W model designed by Robert Allan, will be 32 meters long and have over 80 tons of bollard pull.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of nearly $14 million in funding to support the development of programs aimed at reinvigorating and rebuilding the U.S. maritime industry and workforce.Administered by the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the department awarded $8 million to Delaware County Community College and $5.8 million to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to advance the next generation of American shipbuilders through hands-on training programs developed in conjunction with international partners.

Damen Naval has expanded Colombian involvement by contracting Georg Fischer for the PES project in LATAM. Under this project, a Damen SIGMA frigate will be built by COTECMAR, at their shipyard in Cartagena. Georg Fischer in LATAM has been contracted for the delivery of all plastic piping for the PES project.Besides the supply of plastic piping, Damen Naval’s procurement contract also includes Georg Fischer in LATAM to provide training sessions for COTECMAR staff at their yard in Colombia. This enlarges exchange of technology and knowledge under the PES project.

Clippership, a company developing autonomous wind powered ships, announced it has completed the design of its first 24-meter class vessel, and executed a construction contract for the first cargo vessel with Dutch shipyard KM Yachtbuilders.The 24-meter class features twin, foldable rigid wings for primary wind propulsion and is designed for open-ocean autonomy. The vessel has a cargo capacity of up to 75 Euro-pallets within its climate-controlled cargo hold. It will be built in…

On November 21, Damen Shipyards Group delivered three new tugs, consisting of an RSD Tug 2513 named Fairplay-98, and two ASD Tugs 2312 named Fairplay-86 and Fairplay-87. The RSD Tugs 2513 and one ASD Tug 2312 have been delivered direct to the Fairplay Towage Group, while the other ASD Tug 2312 was delivered to Neue Schleppdampfschiffsreederei Louis Meyer GmbH & Co. KG. This vessel has also joined the Fairplay Towage fleet on a long-term bareboat charter.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on Tuesday set a goal of a 40% rise in revenues and a near doubling of core profits in its new five-year plan, expanding to the defence and underwater businesses while keeping its leadership on cruise ships.The 2026-2030 strategy, dubbed "F4 Fast Forward Further Future" and expected to be detailed in the first months of next year, forecasts more than 50 billion euros ($58.79 billion) of new orders, particularly in the defence sector."With this plan…

SSI, a leader delivering software, services, and expertise for the business of shipbuilding, announced that Austal USA, a partner since 2005, will use its ShipbuildingPLM product lifecycle management (PLM) solution to further expand its digital transformation.This decision reflects Austal USA’s pursuit of innovation and operational excellence in shipbuilding, showing how a shipbuilding-specific digital platform can accelerate production, reduce risk, and create a single source of truth across complex programs.By leveraging ShipbuildingPLM…

Naming and christening ceremonies for two class-leading tugboats built by Sanmar for Italian operator Rimorchitori Napoletani took place in Naples on November 29.GARGANO and PORTOSALVO are both examples of the latest tugboats in the Turkish tug builder's Boğaçay range of ship-handling tugs based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.Boğaçay tugs are continually evolving by taking advantage of the latest technologies and innovations as they become available.

Boston Harbor's MV Outward Bound has returned to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation for a mid-life refit. Redelivery is planned for spring 2026. Purpose-designed by JW Gilbert Associates and built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 1995, the 64-foot, 140-passenger steel vessel carries visitors and supplies seasonally to Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound, which offers experiential outdoor programs for youth and adults on the island in Boston Harbor.Along with installing a new shaft and propeller…

The Coast Guard authenticated the keel for the future Coast Guard Cutter Pickering during a ceremony Monday in Mobile, Alabama. Keel authentication is a time-honored shipbuilding tradition marking the formal start of a vessel’s construction. During the ceremony, the sponsor’s initials are applied to a ceremonial keel plate that will be installed on the cutter, symbolically indicating the keel is “truly and fairly laid.” Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, attended the event along with Rep.

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division hosted the keel laying ceremony today for Virginia-class attack submarine Barb (SSN 804).SSN 804 will be the third U.S. Navy submarine to carry the name Barb. The first, SS 220, was commissioned in 1942. During World War II, the submarine conducted missions under the command of Eugene “Lucky” Fluckey, earning the submarine four Presidential Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation and eight battle stars for outstanding service. The second, SSN 596, was a nuclear-powered submarine commissioned in 1963.

Freire Shipyard has celebrated the keel laying of the new flagship research vessel for the Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU -Technical University of Denmark). Measuring 70 meters length and 16 meters beam, with accommodation for 38 people, the Dana V is set to become a world-class platform for research and education.Successor to the Dana IV, the Dana V was designed by the Knud E. Hansen A/Sconsortium, Odense Maritime Technology A/S and Naval Architects, with environmental sustainability at its core.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Jinan Shipyard, a Qatar Free-Zone-based shipbuilding company, to collaborate on the development, classification, inspection, and certification of marine vessels including yachts and tugs.This strategic partnership marks a step forward in enhancing shipbuilding capabilities across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The MOU outlines a shared commitment to promoting safety, quality, and innovation in maritime construction and repair…

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered its ninth tugboat to global marine services provider P&O Maritime Logistics.P&O took deliver of its first Sanmar-built tugboat in 2013. Since then, Sanmar has delivered eight more tugs that have gone on to serve in ports around the world.The latest vessel has been named AL FATH by its new owners.Based on the RAmparts 2200 design developed by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., the Sırapınar Class are compact sister vessels to Sanmar’s Boğacay Class tugs.

The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, visited Navantia UK’s Appledore shipyard to view the contribution of the defense and maritime industry to the regional economy. The Bank’s policymakers regularly visit and speak to businesses across the UK, including the South West. These visits help them gain valuable insight as to how local businesses are performing in the current economic circumstances, and contribute to their wider perspective and understanding as to how the economy in the UK as whole is performing.

Freire Shipyard held in Vigo the keel-laying ceremony for the new Diver Support Vessel (NC 739) for the Spanish Navy. Delivery is scheduled for November 2026.The Diver Support Vessel (EAB) will be a specialized platform designed to assist the Navy’s Diving School (EMB) in the training of all diving disciplines. To this end, the new unit will be equipped with systems such as DP-2 dynamic positioning, a hyperbaric chamber and a wet bell, enabling it to carry out deep diving operations…