Furetank Completes Milestone Bio-LNG Bunkering
Furetank has completed its first bunkering of 200 tonnes of ISCC certified Bio-LNG, in collaboration with environmental commodity trader STX Group and Molgas.The tanker vessel Fure Viken was bunkered whilst anchored outside Mongstad, Norway.The bio-LNG helps Furetank comply with the new FuelEU Maritime Regulation, requiring a 2% reduction in the greenhouse gas intensity of vessel fuel by 2025.Bio-LNG…
Industry Responds Positively to EU Clean Industrial Deal
The European Commission has presented its Clean Industrial Deal which aims to accelerate decarbonization while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe.President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Europe is not only a continent of industrial innovation, but also a continent of industrial production. However, the demand for clean products has slowed down, and some investments have moved to other regions.
Is Nuclear Power Maritime’s Best Hope to hit ‘Net Zero’?
In the ever-evolving quest for cleaner, more efficient energy sources in maritime vessel operations, nuclear power has re-emerged as a topic of serious discussion, as shipowners eye the International Maritime Organization push to ‘net zero’ on or around 2050. Admittedly, there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution for the entirety of maritime premised on the wide variety of routes and ship types, but nuclear holds promise in several large-ship, oceangoing sectors.
U.S. Dockworkers Ratify New Six-year Contract
More than 45,000 U.S. dockworkers represented by the International Longshoremen's Association ratified a new six-year contract on Tuesday, formalizing a deal that offers bumper pay hikes and averts any potential disruption until 2030.Terms of the contract, previously agreed upon by the labor union and the United States Maritime Alliance, included a 62% wage hike over the life of the agreement.Both the labor union and the employer group had agreed on the wages in October…
For the First Time in 50 Years, Live Cattle Exports OKd from Argentina
The Argentine government has authorized the export of live cattle for slaughter, reversing a prohibition that had been in place for over five decades, after the country's beef exports last year reached their highest level in a century.Argentina, famed for its beef cuts and traditional asado barbecue, is a ranching and farming powerhouse and a major exporter of processed soybeans, corn and wheat.Sales…
VIMC Partners with M1 to Digitize Maritime Ops
M1 Limited (M1), Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT), and SSI Solutions have entered into a strategic, non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)…
Cruise Brands Star Cruises, Dream Cruises Come Back
Resorts World Cruises announced the return of two iconic Asian cruise brands – StarCruises and Dream Cruises. The Resorts World Cruises brand was used temporarily to restart cruising in Asia post-Covid and will be reverting to its roots over the last 30 years. The brand transition period will take approximately three months with the renewed ambition to reinforce StarCruises and Dream Cruises as pioneers of the Asian and global cruising industry.Launched in June 2022…
Havila Shipping Reports Stable Q4 2024 Results
Havila Shipping ASA announces its Q4 2024 financial results, highlighting steady freight revenues, strong fleet utilization, and the successful completion of a major debt restructuring.Key Financial Highlights (Q4 2024):Freight revenues: NOK 148.0 million, consistent with Q4 2023 and up NOK 7.1 million from Q3 2024.Fleet utilization: Maintained at 92%, with a higher average rate than the previous quarter.Operating expenses: NOK 87.7 million…
BRIX Delivers Bridge Cat 49 for Bridgemans Services Group
BRIX Marine launched a Bridge Cat 49 (4519- DCT), built for Bridgemans Services Group. The personnel transfer vessel, Bridge Cat 49 (BC49), accommodates up to 45 passengers plus three crew and is built to meet Transport Canada passenger vessel requirements for use in British Columbia, Canada.The BC49 is constructed with a 45-foot aluminum hull and an 18.5-ft. beam, powered by twin Cummins QSL9 405HP diesel inboard engines paired with ZF marine transmissions for smooth operation.
SCA’s Paxton Testifies to Congress on Bolstering U.S. Shipbuilding Base
[The following are exerpts and paraphrasing from testimony given by Matthew O. Paxton, President of the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), to Congress on the morning of February 26, 2025.]While maritime strength and shipbuilding historically have been a cornerstone of global power, shifting times and geopolitical pressures impact readiness and output. Today, as the world’s geopolitical landscape shifts, so too does the reality of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industry.
Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Starts Talks for Majority Stake Sale to Private Equity Firm
Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) and InfraVia, a private equity company in Europe, have entered into exclusive negotiations for InfraVia to acquire a majority stake in LDA, a group specializing in high value-added industrial marine services.LDA currently specializes in three growing segments, transportation and logistics of industrial equipment, mainly through dedicated Ro-Ro vessels, maintenance of offshore wind farms…
DFDS Secures Freight Ferries Services Contract with Danish Defence
Danish international shipping and logistics company DFDS has entered an agreement with the Danish Defence to provide freight ferries for transport of military equipment.The partnership will support on military operations and missions. The contract extends the scope of the current contract and starts in 2026, running for up to six years.DFDS expands and extends its cooperation with the Danish Defence.
First Steel Cut for North Star’s Hybrid-Electric SOV for EnBW
North Star and its shipbuilding partner Cochin Shipyard have cut first steel on EnBW’s new hybrid-electric service operations vessel (SOV), which is on decade-long minimum charter to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany from the end of 2026.The steel cutting milestone was marked February 25, 2025 at Cochin Shipyard in India, where the planning, engineering design and construction…
WinGD Getting Ready to Deliver ‘Biggest’ Methanol-Fueled Engine Built to Date
Swiss marine power company WinGD’s first methanol-fueled engine is to be delivered to shipyard after passing factory and type approval tests, ahead of installation in 16,000 TEU container ship.The ten-cylinder, 92 bore X-DF-M engine is said to be the biggest methanol-fueled engine built to date.There are 56 X-DF-M engines on order across bore sizes ranging from 52 to 92, in similar cylinder configurations…
Nano-Biotechnology Fuel Additive Helps Reduce Emissions
As the global shipping industry wrestles with the challenges of meeting its 2050 decarbonization goal, additive manufacturer Fuelre4m aims to enable ship operators to improve efficiency and reduce emissions now.Fuelre4m’s Re4mx products use nano-biotechnology. When added to any liquid fossil fuel (HFO, LSFO, VLSFO or (up to) B30 Biodiesel fuel), the product reforms the fuel molecules, releasing impurities…
Great Lakes Water Levels Currently Below Average
The Great Lakes Water Levels Boards of the International Joint Commission have provided an updated summary of current water level conditions.Water supply conditions throughout much of 2024 resulted in near average water levels throughout the Great Lakes and one of the longest periods of sustained near long-term average water levels on Lake Ontario.Although water levels throughout the Great Lakes continued their natural…
Cargo Lost Due to Incorrect Cargo Weight Data
The input of incorrect container cargo weight data when developing the cargo loading plan led to shipping containers falling off the President Eisenhower container ship and others becoming damaged, the National Transportation Safety Board has found.On Feb. 6, 2024, the U.S.-flagged President Eisenhower lost 23 shipping containers overboard and another 10 were damaged as the vessel was drifting about 94 miles south of Oakland, California, while awaiting a berthing assignment.
US Coast Guard Ship in Tasman Sea Did Not Interact with Chinese Navy
A U.S. Coast Guard cutter crossing the Tasman Sea as part of maritime security cooperation with Australia and New Zealand knew Chinese naval ships were in the area but had no interaction with them, its commanding officer said on Tuesday.China's navy held live-fire exercises on Friday and Saturday in international waters between Australia and New Zealand that Australian officials have described as unprecedented.
Taiwan Detains Ship after Undersea Cable Disconnected
Taiwan's coast guard said it detained a China-linked cargo ship on Tuesday after a nearby undersea cable to the Penghu Islands in the sensitive Taiwan Strait was disconnected.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.Taipei…
New, Old Vessel Speed Disparity Splits Bulker Fleet
The global bulker fleet is facing a significant slowdown, driven by a combination of factors that are not only causing a decline in average speeds but also setting the stage for the emergence of a two-tier market, according to Veson Nautical.A new report: ‘Why is the bulker fleet slowing down? The impact of an aging fleet in the era of efficiency’ says that aging vessels, stricter emissions regulations…
