U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star Celebrates 50 Years, Begins Operation Deep Freeze 2026
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) began icebreaking operations in the Southern Ocean in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2026 and marked its 50th year of commissioned service Saturday by freeing and escorting a cruise ship trapped in pack ice.The Australian-owned cruise ship Scenic Eclipse II contacted Polar Star at approximately 11 p.m., local time Friday after becoming beset in pack ice roughly eight nautical miles from McMurdo Sound.
VLCC Charter Rates Soar - “We are in unprecedented times" say CEO
Frontline plc (NYSE and OSE: FRO) entered into one-year time charter-out agreements for seven of its VLCCs. The charters will commence during the period from late-January to April 2026 at a rate of $76,900 per day per vessel.“We are in unprecedented times, and these are charter-out-levels not seen for decades," said Lars H. Barstad, CEO, Frontline Management AS.
SLX Group Strengthens Acquires Clements Engineering
SLX Group Ltd has announced the acquisition of Clements Engineering (St Neots) Limited, the Bedfordshire-based specialist in marine propellers, marine shafts, sterntube assemblies and ancillary equipment for small-to-medium-sized leisure and commercial vessels.Clements Engineering has been supporting the marine industry for over 40 years, becoming a leading designers and manufacturers of propulsion engineering solutions in the United Kingdom.
US Sanctions Iran's Shadow Vesels over Protester Crackdown
The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on nine vessels of what is known as the shadow fleet and eight related firms, the U.S. Treasury Department said, as the Trump administration sought to escalate pressure on Iran over the recent killing of protesters.The Treasury said the vessels and their respective owners or management firms, which include entities based in India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates…
European Governments Commit to Wind Energy Expansion Despite Trump Criticism
European governments including Germany, Britain and Denmark will reinforce their plans to massively expand wind power projects on Monday, despite U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up criticism of their green energy agenda, a draft declaration due to be signed by government leaders showed.Trump has been openly critical of European countries' efforts to shift to low-carbon energy.
French Navy Diverts Russian Oil 'GRINCH' to Marseille-Fos Port
The French navy has diverted the "GRINCH" oil tanker it detained on Thursday towards the port of Marseille-Fos for further investigation, a source close to the investigation told Reuters on Friday.The navy had intercepted the tanker, which had left Murmansk in early January, on suspicion of operating under a false flag and belonging to the "shadow fleet" that enables Russia to export oil despite sanctions…
MV Isle of Islay Begins Maiden Voyage to Scotland
The MV Isle of Islay began her maiden voyage from Cemre shipyard in Turkey back to Scotland last night.Following her official handover to owners Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd. (CMAL) last week, a crew from CalMac is now onboard and will sail her back to Scotland. The repositioning voyage is expected to take around two weeks, depending on weather conditions.During the journey home, MV Isle of Islay will call at two to three European ports for refueling…
Kongsberg Maritime Formally Separates From Kongsberg Gruppen
At a general meeting of Kongsberg Gruppen on Thursday afternoon, the separation of Kongsberg Maritime was formally approved by the shareholders. The plan is to list the maritime company on the Oslo Stock Exchange on April 23.Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, as we know it today, will continue as two companies. The business areas Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Discovery will form the new KONGSBERG…
Associated Terminals takes a Pair of All-Electric Cranes
Associated Terminals and Liebherr Maritime Cranes celebrated the christening of two CBG 500 E cranes in New Orleans, introducing the first all-electric transshipment cranes of their kind on the Lower Mississippi River. Each crane is engineered for high-volume bulk handling, offering maximum grab capacities of 90 tonnes in sheltered waters and up to 65 tonnes inopen water, complemented by a lattice boom design with up to 50 metres outreach.
Largest Self-Propelled Hopper Dredger in US History Delivered
Seatrium delivered FREDERICK PAUP to Manson Construction Co. Built at Seatrium’s Brownsville Texas yard, the Jones Act-compliant vessel is the largest self-propelled hopper dredger in US history.Key highlights:Largest in the U.S. – 420’ length x 81’ beam, with a 15,000+ cubic yard hopper capacityPowerful and Agile – Self-propelled with 25,000 horsepower, triple azimuthing stern drives, and twin bow…
India's SDHI Books $227M Chemical Tanker Order from European Shipowner
Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) has signed its first newbuild contract for six IMO Type II chemical tankers, marking a milestone for India’s commercial shipbuilding sector and the country’s first chemical tanker order placed with a domestic shipyard.The contract, valued at $227 million, was awarded by European shipowner Rederiet Stenersen AS and covers six 18,000 deadweight-tonne vessels to be built at SDHI’s shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat.
