Europe News

The following article is an op-ed piece from Andrei Barotov and Kristiina Peterson, Chief Specialists of Maritime Competitiveness at the Estonian Transport AdministrationLeveraging its ‘e-Estonia’ digital society initiative, the government of Estonia is preparing to extend the digital reach of EST Flag ship registration services, while also expanding its tonnage eligibility. Andrei Barotov and Kristiina Peterson, Chief Specialists of Maritime Competitiveness at the Estonian Transport Administration…

Kongsberg Maritime has expanded its Rim-Drive Tunnel Thruster range with two larger models designed for vessels requiring higher thrust and enhanced dynamic positioning (DP) capability.The new RD-TT 2300 and RD-TT 2600 models have propeller diameters of 2,300 mm and 2,600 mm and are rated at 2,100 kW and 2,700 kW, respectively.The models extend the upper end of Kongsberg Maritime's existing Rim-Drive range and are aimed at applications including offshore construction, subsea and renewable energy operations…

Petrobras has signed a two-year contract for the Normand Valiant construction support vessel (CSV), owned by Solstad Maritime (SOMA).The contract is expected to start in fourth quarter 2026 in direct continuation of the current agreement and subsequent class renewal.The vessel will provide accommodation services to support production activities on the Brazilian continental shelf.The Normand Valiant is a 2008-built smaller CSV mobilized with a walk to work gangway system and has…

MacGregor has expanded its offshore technology portfolio with a certified floating-to-floating personnel transfer capability for its Horizon gangway and a new bow transfer system designed for direct ship-to-well transfer of LCO2.The Horizon gangway has received DNV certification under DNV-ST-0358 for floating-to-floating personnel transfers following a successful sea acceptance test. The certification enables motion-compensated connections between two vessels moving independently…

Warship manufacturer TKMS on Wednesday raised its outlook for the second time in six months, expecting higher demand for surface vessels such as frigates as well as for its sensors and mine-sweeping technology.TKMS has been one of the main beneficiaries of Europe's push to build up its defenses in light of dwindling U.S. support, scoring several landmark deals in recent months, including one for Germany's navy as well as a submarine agreement with Canada."Our recent successes confirm our outstanding positioning as a maritime powerhouse - both nationally and internationally…

SLB and Equinor have signed a multi-year agreement for advanced reservoir stimulation services across the Norwegian Continental Shelf, including a major upgrade of the well stimulation vessel MV Island Captain.The agreement provides dedicated stimulation capacity to support the development of tight offshore reservoirs and help maximize recovery from future wells.As part of the contract, MV Island Captain will be converted into a fully proppant-capable stimulation vessel.Planned upgrades include expanded proppant storage…

Saipem and Subsea7 have cleared a key U.S. regulatory hurdle for their planned merger after the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 expired, allowing the transaction to close in the United States once all remaining conditions are met.The companies said all applicable waiting periods under the U.S. antitrust law have expired, while noting that the proposed merger remains subject to certain regulatory approvals outside the United States.The merger was agreed under a binding agreement signed in July 2025…

Dutch lifting equipment specialist Huisman has secured a contract from CIMC Raffles Offshore to supply lifting and handling systems for a next-generation deepwater offshore installation vessel being built for a joint venture between Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.The contract covers an integrated equipment package comprising a 350-tonne A-frame, a 500-tonne knuckle boom crane, a 20-tonne auxiliary crane, and a 2,500-tonne basket for the storage of flexibles, fiber ropes and…

Record low water levels in Europe's major rivers have curtailed the transport of goods, reduced electricity output and shrunk company earnings, stoking fears about the economic impact of searing heat and erratic rainfall.As Europe experiences the fastest warming of any continent and record-breaking heatwaves, drought has exposed the need to reconsider business practices.From the bustling port of Rotterdam to hydropower plants in Serbia, waterways have become a less reliable way to transport goods such as grains and oil…

France has selected five ports to receive nearly $300 million (€260 million) in funding under the France 2030 investment program to support infrastructure upgrades for the country's floating offshore wind industry.The projects, located at the ports of Cherbourg, Brest, Nantes-Saint-Nazaire, Port-la-Nouvelle and Marseille-Fos, were chosen under a 2024 call for projects aimed at adapting French port infrastructure for the manufacture, assembly and integration of floating offshore…

A drone caused the fire that engulfed two gas vessels at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, the Egyptian cabinet said on Thursday, confirming for the first time that the blaze which erupted a day earlier was the result of an attack rather than an accident.No party has claimed responsibility, and authorities were continuing their investigations and taking necessary measures to protect Egypt's national security, the cabinet added.British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Wednesday that a drone had hit a U.S.-owned gas storage tanker at the port…

Northern Lights joint venture has taken delivery of its fourth dedicated liquefied CO2 (LCO2) carrier, completing the vessel fleet required for the first phase of its carbon capture and storage (CCS) transport and storage operations.The Northern Purpose has arrived in Norway following delivery from Dalian Shipbuilding Offshore Company (DSOC), joining sister vessels Northern Pioneer, Northern Pathfinder and Northern Phoenix to provide CO2 transport capacity for customers across Europe.Northern Lights said the vessel fleet forms the core of its transport solution…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian commercial vessel "cannot go unanswered".Iran said the attack in the Caspian Sea resulted in an explosion that killed one sailor and injured another.Araqchi made the comments in calls with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Araqchi posted on X.Lavrov, in a statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, offered condolences in connection with the death of a sailor in the attack.Lavrov said Araqchi thanked local authorities in the Russian region of Astra

Dutch offshore contractor Allseas has completed one of the most extensive renewal and upgrade programs in the history of its pipelay vessel Solitaire, paving the way for the ship's return to commercial operations following 10 months of work in Rotterdam.The program modernized the vessel's propulsion, power generation, automation and hybrid power systems, while upgrading its double joint factory (DJF), a key component of Solitaire's pipelay operations for more than 25 years.The company said the upgraded DJF is designed to support a more automated and data-driven pipelay process…

Saipem has confirmed the completion of a key offshore installation campaign for the Neptun Deep natural gas project in Romania, marking another milestone in the development of what is expected to become the European Union's largest offshore gas project.The campaign, carried out by the Saipem 7000 heavy-lift vessel, included the installation of the production platform's 7,500-tonne jacket and 9,000-tonne topside, as well as associated offshore works forming part of the company's engineering…

DOF Group has agreed to sell four platform supply vessels (PSVs), acquire two construction support vessels (CSVs) under construction and declare a constructive total loss on the anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel Skandi Amazonas, as the company continues to optimize and modernize its fleet.The company said it will sell the Skandi Mongstad, Skandi Flora, Skandi Feistein and Skandi Kvitsøy, with deliveries expected during the third quarter of 2026.The vessels will remain on their current contracts…

Sea1 Offshore has launched the Sea1 Diamond, the first vessel in a series of four offshore energy support vessels under construction at COSCO Shipping.The float-out marks a key milestone in Sea1 Offshore's newbuild program, with the company describing the vessel as the start of a new chapter for its fleet.Sea1 Diamond is the first of four offshore energy support vessels ordered from the Chinese shipyard. The initial two vessels were contracted in November 2024, followed by two additional units in March 2025 as Sea1 expanded the program.Based on the ST-245 design…

Spain's Balenciaga Shipyard has restarted operations with the keel laying of its first vessel under new owner SAFEEN Drydocks, marking the revival of the historic Basque shipbuilder following its acquisition by the AD Ports Group subsidiary.The vessel is an offshore support tug and is one of two tugs currently in the yard's order book, which the company said positions Balenciaga to compete for work in the European offshore and renewable energy sectors.The keel laying ceremony…

Belgium marine contractor DEME has secured a contract to transport and install foundations for the first phase of the Zeevonk offshore wind farm in the Netherlands.The project, jointly owned by Vattenfall and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners through its Energy Transition Fund I, will have a total installed capacity of about 1 GW.Under the contract, valued between $170 million and $340 million (€150 million and €300 million), DEME will provide intermediate transport of monopiles…

Cadeler has taken delivery of Wind Ace, its 11th offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) and the second of three A-class newbuilds.Built over the past two years at the COSCO Shipping Offshore shipyard in Qidong, China, the vessel was delivered on schedule and within budget, according to Cadeler.Following mobilization, Wind Ace will prepare for deployment on ScottishPower Renewables' 960 MW East Anglia TWO offshore wind farm in the UK, where Cadeler will transport and…

Taihan Cable & Solution has taken delivery of its second cable laying vessel (CLV) Skandi Connector, strengthening its offshore wind and subsea power cable installation capabilities.Skandi Connector CLV, delivered by DOF Group, joins Taihan’s existing offshore wind-dedicated cable-laying vessel PALOS, creating what the company described as a dual-track installation system for offshore wind, HVDC transmission and long-distance power interconnection projects.The 10,000-ton-class CLV can load up to 7…

ABB has agreed to acquire UK-based intelligent flow control solutions provider Rotork in a recommended all-cash deal valuing the company at about $5.5 billion, expanding its automation portfolio and strengthening its position in industrial automation.ABB said Rotork's flow control and instrumentation portfolio complements its existing automation business and will strengthen its position at the field-device layer by adding intelligent field devices and software used to monitor…

Wärtsilä has signed a five-year lifecycle agreement with Ireland-based Pardus Energy to support the operation of the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) TURQUOISE P.The agreement includes contract management, maintenance planning and spare parts support for the vessel. Wärtsilä said the order was booked in the second quarter of 2026.The TURQUOISE P, commissioned in 2019, operates as a stationary FSRU at the ETKI LNG terminal in Aliaga, Türkiye, and is equipped with Wärtsilä systems.Under the agreement…