Fraunhofer IFAM Establishes Validation Chain for Autonomous Systems in Offshore Wind
With USD$9.87 million (8.85 million euros) in funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), Fraunhofer IFAM is establishing a new research infrastructure for wind energy. The FOKUS-Wind project will create Germany's first end-to-end testing and validation chain for autonomous systems in offshore wind farms across the institute's sites in Bremen, Cuxhaven, and Heligoland.
Fincantieri, ITS Academy Udine Kick Off New Ship Mechatronics & Robotics Program
Fincantieri and ITS Academy Udine have officially launched the new “Mechatronics & Robotics – Smart Ship” program in Monfalcone, a technical training initiative jointly developed to train highly qualified professionals who will contribute to the technological evolution of shipyards and to the integration of new technologies into production processes and onboard vessels.The launch ceremony was held at Fincantieri’s new training center and was attended by Paola Perabò…
Boluda Shipping to Acquire Samskip, Expanding Europe’s Short-Sea Network
Boluda Shipping and Samskip have signed an agreement under which Boluda Shipping will acquire Samskip. The acquisition will pave the way for Europe’s most comprehensive short-sea shipping network, connecting Northern Europe with the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa.Boluda brings maritime heritage, a strong position in towage, an established container shipping business and expertise in port logistics…
MARAD Approves Deepwater Port License for $8.2b LNG Project
The Maritime Administration has approved a deepwater port license application for the $8.2 billion ST LNG project, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday.The project could further expand US liquefied natural gas export capacity. President Donald Trump's administration has promised to ease permitting in a bid to speed up energy infrastructure development.The ST LNG deepwater port, set to be built about 10.4 miles (16.7 km) offshore Matagorda…
European Natural Gas Reaches €100 For First Time Since 2022
Europe's benchmark natural gas contract briefly touched €100 per megawatt hour (MWh) on Wednesday as disruptions to Middle East shipping of liquefied natural gas keep supply tight ahead of winter and consumers and industry feel the pinch from high energy prices.Prices have been rising to 2022 highs as the conflict in the Middle East has escalated, and are now trading at around triple pre-Iran war levels.The US-led war on Iran has raised costs for oil, transport fuels, gas, electricity and food.
World Bank: 2026 Global Commodity Prices to Rise 23%
Global commodity prices are set to surge 23% in 2026, the World Bank said on Wednesday, citing rising energy prices and disruptions to cargo shipping during the Middle East war, grain shipment problems in the Black Sea and high demand for safe-haven assets such as gold.Oil, natural gas, food and metals prices all rose sharply this year as global shocks mounted, the World Bank said in its latest Commodity Markets Outlook.
Germany Welcomes Back Offshore Wind Companies Despite Increasing Costs
Germany's Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Wednesday said companies may return previously auctioned offshore wind farm sites, provided they pay a penalty to transmission system operators, as mounting economic pressures continue to batter the sector.The move comes as increasing financing costs, overcapacity in certain sea areas and declining revenue expectations have made it harder for developers to deliver on awarded projects.In a letter to Reiche, the heads of eight of Germany's 16 states c
Turkey Calls On Russia, Ukraine to Halt Attacks Black Sea vessels
Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler on Wednesday warned Russia and Ukraine against further attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, saying Ankara reserved the right to take legal action against the strikes, in Turkey's most direct intervention to date.NATO member Turkey, which has maintained good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has repeatedly…
Crew Safe After Containership Struck by Drones Off Bulgaria
Sea drones struck a container ship off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Wednesday, the ship's owner and the government said, the latest in a string of attacks that have raised concerns about the growing scope of Russia's war in Ukraine.It was not clear who carried out the attack on the Greek ship that was sailing under the Liberian flag in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), or what the vessel's 421 containers were carrying."A container ship was hit...with three naval drones…
Russia Issues First Grain Export Permits From Sea of Azov Since July
Russian authorities have issued permits for vessels carrying grain for export to leave the Sea of Azov for the first time since July 10, when they closed maritime traffic in the area due to Ukrainian drone attacks, seven industry sources told Reuters.The sources said permits to pass through the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, would be issued for a period through November 15.
Trench Group to Be Acquired by GE Vernova
GE Vernova Inc. announced that it will acquire Trench Group, a provider of high-voltage grid equipment, from investment firm Triton Partners. The deal will create scale across GE Vernova’s Electrification product lines, expanding its capabilities to better serve customers with integrated solutions that meet demand for grid modernization, energy security, and electrification technologies. By vertically integrating an existing supplier with a complementary product portfolio…
Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbos Receives $11.2m to Modernize Cargo Handling
Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor has been awarded $11.2 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) to modernize its cargo handling, including the specialized equipment needed to support future international container service. The grant is part of a $498 million investment to modernize 35 port projects across 19…
AAPA Congratulates Recipients of $498m MARAD Port Development Grants
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) congratulates the 35 award recipients of the Maritime Administration's (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grants from the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) application cycle.This year, the mainstay port industry grant program, administered by MARAD under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), will invest $498 million to upgrade America’s ports in 19 states.
ASRY Celebrates Completion, Delivery of Two Self-Propelled Bunker Vessels
The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) held an official ceremony to mark the successful completion, construction and delivery of two self-propelled bunker vessels to Bapco Refining, a subsidiary of Bapco Energies. The ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, alongside senior executives and representatives from both companies and other…
Fairbanks Morse Defense Wins $100m Contract to Ensure Attack, Missile Submarine Availability
Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, was awarded a $99.09 million contract to ensure the availability of U.S. attack submarines (SSNs) and ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) into the 2030s by enacting critical life extension services. Under a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) contract, FMD will provide repair, parts and labor through 2030 for Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG) overhauls on six nuclear submarines.
Shipsonic Appoints Anne Marie van Swinderen as New CEO
Shipsonic, a producer of ultrasonic antifouling systems operating from the Province of Zeeland, has appointed Anne Marie van Swinderen as its new CEO. The appointment, effective October 2026, comes at a time when interest in ultrasonic antifouling technology from the maritime sector is growing. Van Swinderen has previously founded five companies, three of which were transferred through a management buy-out, and she still owns one of these companies.
Port of Oakland's Matson Terminal Begins Construction to Electrify Cargo Handling Fleet
The Port of Oakland will soon begin construction on critical infrastructure improvements across the Oakland Seaport, including upgrades that will enable Matson Terminal to transition to a 100% zero-emission cargo-handling equipment fleet. Once complete, Matson Terminal will be the first marine terminal at the Port of Oakland to achieve this milestone, supported by new charging and electrical infrastructure.
ZERO44 Releases Free Biofuel Calculator
ZERO44, a provider of software for maritime emissions compliance, has released a free, interactive fuel cost calculator on its website. The tool shows ship operators how the economics of replacing fossil fuel with biofuel change once carbon regulations are taken into account, and how that picture shifts year by year.Beyond the price per tonneAccording to ZERO44, fuel prices are still frequently compared on a one-to-one basis: what does a tonne of biofuel cost against a tonne of fossil fuel?
Surging Tanker Rates Buoy Bahri Profit
Saudi Arabian shipping company Bahri reported a sharp increase in third-quarter and nine-month earnings for 2026, benefiting from higher very large crude carrier (VLCC) freight rates, increased chartering activity and shifting trade patterns amid continued disruption in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea.Net profit for the first nine months reached SAR 9.98 billion ($2.66 billion), up 587% year-on-year, on revenue of SAR 26.10 billion ($6.96 billion)…
The Business of Offshore COâ‚‚ Storage: A New Market for Maritime Infrastructure
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is moving from a collection of demonstration projects toward a new infrastructure business. As of July 2025, 734 commercial CCS facilities were in operation or development, up from 628 a year earlier, while total capture capacity in the pipeline increased from 416 million tons per annum (Mtpa) to 513 Mtpa (64 Mtpa operational) (Figure 1). Figure 1. Cumulative operating CCS facilities by region…
- 1
- 2
