Renewable Energy News

Shipbuilder Vard has launched a new energy construction vessel (ECV) being built for Wind Energy Construction, a Norwegian company partly owned by the founders and owners of Norwind Offshore, with delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.The vessel, designated NB985, was successfully launched on October 27 and is under construction at Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, Vard announced.Based on Vard's VARD 3 11 design, the vessel is intended for offshore wind and subsea operations, including inspection, maintenance and repair of subsea pipelines, as well as the construction and installation of o

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. It said the situation could worsen if the conflict in the…

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, the acquisition will directly enhance GE Vernova’s two largest Electrification businesses…

Seven Japanese companies have agreed to develop an integrated ammonia fuel supply chain and build four ammonia-fueled car carriers, establishing a commercial bunkering operation in Japan's Chubu region to support the vessels when they enter service in 2030.The agreement brings together shipowners NYK Line and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” LINE), shipbuilders Imabari Shipbuilding, Shin Kurushima Dockyard, Nihon Shipyard and Kyokuyo Shipyard, as well as energy company JERA.The project encompasses green ammonia procurement…

DNV has become the first non-Japanese recognized organization authorized by Japan's Flag Administration to apply floating offshore wind classification rules in the country.The authorization allows DNV to apply its floating offshore wind rules within Japan's regulatory framework, supporting the classification and technical assessment of floating wind installations.The rules cover floating substructures, mooring and station-keeping systems, as well as associated safety and utility systems.DNV said the approval strengthens its ability to provide technical expertise…

A Japanese consortium led by shipping giant NYK Line has developed a new port-based floating data center concept designed to accelerate the commercialization of offshore data centers while addressing growing constraints on land availability, electrical power and construction timelines.The consortium, comprising Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), NTT FACILITIES, Eurus Energy Holdings and MUFG Bank, envisions floating data centers moored alongside existing port quays, leveraging…

Northwest Florida has long been defined by its connection to the water. Home to Naval Air Station Pensacola, the Port of Pensacola and a growing network of marine manufacturers, defense contractors and emerging technology companies, the region is an important center for maritime innovation. As Northwest Florida’s maritime industry continues to grow, the University of West Florida is helping shape its future through research, workforce development and industry collaboration with its Watercraft and Vessel Engineering…

India's federal Ministry of Mines said on Wednesday it would launch the auction of offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea on Thursday, reviving a push to develop domestic deep-sea mining after an earlier attempt failed to draw bids.The auction will cover two blocks in the Andaman Sea for the grant of a composite licence, the ministry said, adding that the move followed changes to the law in 2023 that allowed it to auction offshore mineral blocks.India announced its first offshore mineral auction in November 2024, offering 13 blocks, but cancelled that sale in December 2025 after repeated d

The US Senate is nearing a deal to reform laws to speed up permitting of large infrastructure projects after the White House compromised on how renewable energy is treated, though a vote is uncertain before the midterm elections, a top Senate Democrat said on Thursday.Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the environment committee, and fellow Democrat Martin Heinrich have negotiated permitting legislation with Republican counterparts for months, after the talks had been cut off in December when President Donald Trump halted five near-complete offshore East Coast wind farms.Whitehous

CSL OWL has launched the first of two purpose-built subsea rock installation vessels designed for offshore wind construction and maintenance projects.The vessel, named Rock Star, is the first in CSL OWL's two-ship newbuilding program and is designed to carry up to 17,500 tonnes of rock and install material at rates of up to 2,000 tonnes per hour in water depths of up to 100 metres.Measuring 166.8 meters long and 40 meters wide, the vessel has a deadweight of about 21,000 tonnes…

Israel's Energy Ministry said on Thursday it plans to expand natural gas production that would boost competition within Israel and increase exports.An inter-ministerial committee headed by the ministry issued final recommendations aimed at the need to raise natural gas output to meet domestic needs, encourage investment and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.Recommendations were approved by Israel's energy minister and the ministry's director general.Israel has become a key regional natural gas supplier with exports to Egypt and Jordan.A key recommendation included encouraging inves

SGMF has published its latest Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) on methanol as a marine fuel, highlighting the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of renewable and synthetic methanol production pathways.The study evaluates 15 methanol production pathways and finds that methanol produced using renewable energy sources can deliver substantial emissions reductions.The publication follows SGMF's third edition LNG Life Cycle Assessment, released earlier this year, and its inaugural ammonia LCA, published in 2024.

Nigeria could double investment into its energy sector within five years after joining the International Energy Agency, its chief Fatih Birol said on Thursday, as nations seek partners they can "trust" after supply disruptions from the wars in Iran and Ukraine.Speaking during a visit to Abuja, Birol told Reuters that Nigeria's admission as an associate member of the Paris-based energy watchdog would help attract investment, deepen technical cooperation and give Africa's largest oil producer a stronger voice in global energy policy discussions."My goal is…

Patricia Ruf, Member of the administrative board at Liebherr-International AG, has formally christened SAL's MV Patricia at the Liebherr site in Rostock. The vessel is the third delivered unit in SAL's Orca Class newbuilding program and bears the name of her godmother. The ceremony brought together more than 350 guests invited by SAL, including customers, partners and suppliers, alongside representatives of the Harren Group and Liebherr, members of the project teams and the vessel's…

Singapore and Brazil have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Singapore-Brazil Green and Digital Shipping Corridor. The MoU was signed by Singapore’s Minister for Transport, Jeffrey Siow, and Brazil’s Minister of Ports and Airports, Tomé Franca.Brazil has significant renewable energy resources and production capabilities that could support the production of zero- and near-zero greenhouse gas emission marine fuels, while Singapore is the world’s largest…

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…

Shipping lenders and investors risk repeating the mistakes made by Europe's electricity utilities and their financiers a decade ago, and the financial fallout could reach far beyond individual shipowners to lenders, investors, cargo owners and other supply-chain stakeholders, says UCL.The report, Lessons from electricity sector transitions and historic shipping collapses for understanding shipping stranded asset risks, by UCL Energy Institute's Shipping and Oceans Research Group…

For decades, cargo criminals followed a familiar playbook: steal consumer electronics, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals or luxury goods. These products were easy to fence and commanded healthy profits. But according to the latest BSI Consulting and TT Club 2025 Cargo Theft Report, the economics of cargo theft are changing rapidly—and nowhere is that more evident than copper. The report reads less like a crime summary and more like a lesson in commodity markets. Criminal organizations are no longer simply stealing what is valuable today…

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…

For much of the maritime industry, the energy transition has been discussed in terms of alternative fuels – primarily LNG, methanol, ammonia, or hydrogen. Batteries have often been treated as a narrow tool for limited-purpose vessels, such as water taxis and harbor craft. That view is becoming too constrained.The importance of batteries comes not from technology enthusiasm alone. Global shipping accounts for roughly 3% of planet-warming emissions. Meanwhile, International Maritime…

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…

The United States struck bridges and an airport in Iran on Friday, provoking Tehran to respond by hitting a power and desalination plant in Kuwait, as the warring foes risked further escalation by expanding their targets to include infrastructure.At sea, where the renewed conflict has again cut off energy supplies from the Gulf, U.S. Marines boarded a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz. Another vessel was seized by armed men off Yemen, raising concern over security in the Middle…

Following two successful pilots, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), in partnership with the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, have officially launched the Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Cross Skill Program to support worker transferability between oil and gas and wind operations and maintenance.The six-week program gives existing Instrument and Controls, Mechanical and Electrical Technicians the requisite…