China Aircraft Carrier Presence in the Pacific Concerns Taiwan
The two Chinese aircraft carriers spotted conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time send a political message about the country's "expansionist" aims, Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Wednesday.Japan's defence minister said the previous day that the appearance of the Chinese aircraft carriers signified Beijing's intention to further widen its capabilities beyond…
Vertom’s Four New Cargo Ships to Sport Wärtsilä Hybrid Propulsion Solution
Technology group Wärtsilä has secured a contract to supply an integrated hybrid propulsion solution for four new 10,700 DWT geared tween decker vessels being built for Dutch ship owner and maritime service provider Vertom Group.Combining the Wärtsilä 25 medium-speed four-stroke engine with a hybrid propulsion drive train with PTO/PTI/PTH, the package is designed to optimize vessel propulsion efficiency…
Cautious Optimism on US, China Tariff Truce
U.S. and Chinese officials said on Tuesday they had agreed on a framework to get their trade truce back on track and remove China's export restrictions on rare earths while offering little sign of a durable resolution to longstanding trade tensions.At the end of two days of intense negotiations in London, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters the framework deal puts "meat on the bones"…
ORLEN Group Opens Poland’s First Offshore Wind Installation Terminal
ORLEN Group has opened Poland’s first installation terminal dedicated to offshore wind farms, located in Świnoujście, with the facility securing its first long-term lease agreement with global offshore wind player Ocean Winds.The Świnoujście terminal is designed to handle large-scale offshore projects with turbines of around 15 MW capacity.It will accommodate jack-up and heavy-lift vessels and will serve as a hub for loading…
Ten Years of SEACOP in the Caribbean
Starting with a few training sessions back in 2015, the EU Seaport Cooperation Project (SEACOP) has led to enhanced maritime security by combating illicit trafficking at sea in the region.Deployed across three strategic regions affected by maritime trafficking, Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa, SEACOP, it is now a cornerstone of the region’s maritime security efforts, helping national authorities from 13 countries tackle transnational illicit trafficking through intelligence sharing…
Scandlines Converting Fehmarn Belt Ferries to Hybrids
Scandlines is taking another step in its long-term strategy to protect the Baltic region and the Fehmarn Belt, which the ferries cross daily.With a total investment of more than EUR 31 million ($35 million), the company is converting two of the ferries operating the Puttgarden-Rødby route to plug-in hybrid ferries.The aim is to reduce COâ‚‚e emissions by up to 80% and promote ferry operations based on power from renewable energy sources.On average…
Trump to Wind Down FEMA After Hurricane Season
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he planned to start "phasing out" the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the hurricane season and that states would receive less federal aid to respond to natural disasters.Trump also said he planned to distribute disaster relief funds directly from the president's office."We're going to do it much differently," Trump said in a briefing at the White House…
Ocean Workers Must Be Recognized as Frontline Group in the Climate Crisis
A global safety charity is calling for ocean workers to be recognized as a frontline group when it comes to the impacts of climate change.According to Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s latest World Risk Poll Focus On report, Risk perceptions and experiences of ocean workers, ocean workers are among one of the most vulnerable demographics in the face of climate change, with 80% of them saying they are worried…
Macron Discusses Climate Change Impacts With Pacific Island Leaders in Nice
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday (June 10) met with leaders of Pacific island nations on the sidelines of a United Nations ocean conference in the southern French city of Nice.Macron discussed the impacts of climate change to the Oceania nations, one of the regions most prone to rising sea levels, and said Paris "will use its diplomacy in close link with our common interests in the Pacific."France possesses overseas territories in the Pacific…
Israel Strikes Hodeidah Port, Threatening Blockade
Israel stepped up pressure on Yemen's Houthis on Tuesday, deploying its navy to hit targets in the Red Sea port of Hodeidah and threatening the Iran-aligned movement with a naval and air blockade if attacks on Israel persist.Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said Israel carried out two strikes on the docks of Al Hodeidah port. The Israeli army said in a statement that the navy struck Houthi targets, adding the port is used by the group to transfer weapons.There were no immediate reports of casualties.
ADNOC Gas Awards $5 Billion In Contracts For Rich Gas Development Project
ADNOC Gas said on Tuesday it had taken a final investment decision on the first phase of its Rich Gas Development (RGD) Project, awarding $5 billion in contracts to expand and improve efficiency at the project.The contracts involve expanding processing units to boost throughput and improve operational efficiency across its Asab, Buhasa, Habshan onshore facilities and its offshore Das Island liquefaction facility, the company said in a statement.The contracts were awarded to British oilfield serv
Bipartisan Bill to Bolster American Shipping Fleet Passes House of Representatives
Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) and Chair Mike Ezell (R-MS-04) announced their bipartisan American Cargo for American Ships Act passed the House of Representatives. The legislation will strengthen U.S. cargo preference laws to stop the ongoing decline of U.S. flagged ships engaged in international trade. The legislation now heads to the U.S.
Paris MoU Concludes 58th Committee Meeting in Sweden
The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) successfully concluded its 58th Committee meeting in Malmö, Sweden, May 26-30, 2025. The meeting, formally opened by Ms. Pernilla Wallin, Deputy Director, Department of Civil Aviation and Maritime Affairs, Swedish Transport Agency, and chaired by Mr. Brian Hogan, marked progress in enhancing maritime safety, environmental protection…
INTERCARGO Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2025: Safety Improves, But Security Threats Continue
INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, reports encouraging progress in bulk carrier safety, with vessel losses and fatalities continuing to decline over the last decade. However, serious security threats in 2024 demand urgent international action to protect seafarers and uphold freedom of navigation.The Bulk Carrier Casualty Report 2025 identifies the loss of 20 bulk carriers (≥10,000 dwt) between 2015 and 2024, resulting in 89 seafarer fatalities.
India: Battle to Put Out Container Ship Fire Ongoing as Search for Missing Crew Continues
The fire fighting operation is ongoing onboard the Singapore-registered container vessel Wan Hai 503, off the coast of India, as search and rescue operation for the four missing crew continues.A fire broke out on Wan Hai Lines (Singapore) Pte Ltd.-managed container ship Wan Hai 503 on June 9 off India’s Kerala coast, following multiple explosions that forced several crew members to jump overboard.According to the latest update from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)…
Infrastructure: USACE Funding Better Than Zero, But a Missed Opportunity
On May 15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Work Plan that allocated funds from the FY25 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act. That bill provided funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission, typically funded in the annual Energy and Water Development appropriations bill.The Corps’ FY25 Work Plan provided nearly $200 million for inland waterways construction projects…
RWE Inks O&M Deals with Clarkson Port Services for Nordseecluster OW Project
RWE Offshore Wind has awarded two long term agreements to Clarkson Port Services to support the operations and maintenance activities at its 1.6 GW Nordseecluster offshore wind project.The Dutch division of Clarkson Port Services will build a new warehouse facility in the port of Eemshaven.The new building, approximately 1,700 square metres in size, will be located in the Beatrixhaven on the premises…
Hanwha Group gets Green Light to Increase Austal Stake
Hanwha Group received the OK from the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) to increase its shareholding in Australian shipbuilder Austal to 19.9% from the current 9.9%, the South Korean conglomerate said.Austal, which supplies defence vessels to the U.S. Navy, is seeking independent verification of this approval, according to a separate statement.Hanwha, which currently holds a 9.9% stake in Austal and holds a further 9.9% economic interest through a cash-settled total return swap…
AI (predictably) Drives Maritime Start-Up Growth
The rise of AI, regional innovation hotspots, and a wave of funding define this year’s maritime tech landscapeFor the third year running, the “Global Maritime Tech Startup Map” has been released—an evolving snapshot of the world’s most promising maritime software startups. The 2025 edition charts 176 startups across categories from vessel condition monitoring to crewing software, highlighting a growing appetite for artificial intelligence and an increasingly global spread of innovation....
MacGregor to Supply Winch Package for SPEC’s AHTS Newbuilds
MacGregor has secured a contract to supply an advanced anchor handling towing winch (AHTW) package for a series anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels owned by SINOPACIFIC Engineering & Contracting (SPEC).The MacGregor AHTW package is designed to support the complex operations of SPA90 (90T BP AHTS ABS Class) AHTS vessels, ensuring precision, safety, and operational efficiency in all offshore conditions.The MacGregor scope of supply includes anchor windlass with roller chain stoppers…
