Shipbuilding: Changing Shipyard Dynamics in Japan
Continuous design refinement and incremental productivity gains — reflecting the Japanese concept of kaizen — alongside unremitting attention to contractual performance and product quality have seen the country’s shipbuilders maintain a high profile in certain sectors of the commercial vessel market.The industry’s scale, reach and financial returns, though, have suffered from the onslaught of competition from its Asian counterparts…
Meyer Turku: Cruise Vessel Demand Drives Strong Orderbook
In the world of large cruise ship construction, few yards operate at the level of Meyer Turku, which recently unveiled its 2025 results which serve as a turning point, not just in financial recovery, but in long-term strategic positioning.The numbers, at first glance, tell a familiar post-pandemic story. Turnover climbed to €2.14 billion, up more than 17% year-on-year, while adjusted EBIT reached €105.1 million, marking a continued recovery from losses just two years prior.
Anschütz SYNAPSIS Nav Tech for New Multipurpose Vessel
Anschütz has been awarded the contract to supply Integrated Navigation and Bridge Systems (INBS) for three multipurpose vessels being built for the German Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) at the Abeking & Rasmussen shipyard. The first of these, the Scharhörn, has successfully completed a series of sea trials and is nearing delivery.Anschütz equips these ships with SYNAPSIS INBS technology.
VIKING Helix Slide Offers Easier Ship Evacuation
A marine evacuation system (MES) from VIKING Life-Saving Equipment offers a faster exit for passengers, simpler operation for crew and easier service for cruise and ferry owners.Developed for passenger ships needing high evacuation capacity, the VIKING Helix MES introduces a new helix-type slide that 4-8 people can use at once and a bowsing system that keeps life rafts on-side with minimal crew involvement.Enabling…
Security & Rescue Training Center for Law Enforcement, EMS, Commercial and Military Set to Open in 2028
A new multi-million dollar Security and Rescue Training Center (SRTC), the first commercial facility of its kind in the world, is set to be built in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It will serve as a regional hub for advanced, first-class, certified mission-based training for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), law enforcement, special forces, and commercial enterprises across the world.Created by investment firm Sahra Group…
Wallenius Lines Acquires Wallenius SOL, Becomes Sole Owner
Wallenius Lines has entered into an agreement to acquire SOL Group’s shares in Wallenius SOL, becoming the sole owner of the company. The new ownership structure creates long-term stability, clarity and continuity for the continued development of Wallenius SOL as an enabler of sustainable, sea-based infrastructure in Northern Europe.Wallenius SOL plays a central role in building and maintaining logistical and industrial infrastructure in the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.
Babcock Extends Future Maritime Support Program with UK MOD
Babcock International Group (Babcock) has agreed a two‑year extension to the Future Maritime Support Programme (FMSP) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), ensuring the continued delivery of vital fleet and infrastructure support for the Royal Navy’s surface ships.The agreement maintains the full scope of the existing FMSP contract, covering ship engineering delivery and management for Type 23 frigates…
Vineyard Wind Sues GE Vernova to Block Offshore Wind Project Exit
Vineyard Wind has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a wind turbine-supplying unit of GE Vernova from terminating agreements and abandoning work on a $4.5 billion offshore wind farm in Massachusetts on the eve of completion.Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Spain's Iberdrola IBE.MC and Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, filed a lawsuit this week in a state court in Boston accusing the…
Iran-Linked Tankers Sail Through Hormuz Before US Blockade
Two oil tankers linked to Iran exited the Gulf on Monday via the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a planned U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and coastal areas, shipping data from Kpler and LSEG showed.The tanker Auroura is laden with Iranian oil products while the New Future tanker is carrying diesel loaded from the Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates, Kpler data showed.(Reuters - Reporting by Florence Tan in Singapore and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
China Calls for De-Escalation as US Threatens Hormuz Blockade
China urged calm and restraint by all sides on Monday, following U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz after the failure of weekend talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the Iran war.Before the war, most Iranian oil exports were shipped to China, the top global importer of crude.Keeping the key Strait of Hormuz waterway safe, stable and unimpeded served the interest of the international community…
Solstad’s Normand Fortress CSV Gets $56M Extension with Petrobras
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Maritime has secured a two-year extension of the current contract for the subsea construction vessel (CSV) Normand Fortress with Petrobras.The extension will start in early July 2026. Under the extended contract, the vessel will provide accommodation services to support production activities on the Brazilian continental shelf.The gross contract value for the…
Oil Surges Over 7% to Above $102 Ahead of US Hormuz Blockade
Oil prices surged on Monday as the U.S. moved to impose a blockade on Iranian shipping after the collapse of weekend peace talks, while the dollar rose and stocks and bonds fell.The U.S. move, aimed at putting pressure on Tehran, leaves a fragile ceasefire hanging in the balance and no end in sight to the choke on Middle East energy exports - though the mood on trading floors leaned toward hoping for…
UK Declines to Support US Hormuz Blockade, PM Starmer Says
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that whatever the pressure, Britain would not be dragged into the Iran war nor be involved in a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz."We're not supporting the blockade," he told BBC Radio 5 Live, adding that it was vital to get the Strait reopened."It is, in my view, vital that we get the Strait open and fully open, and that's where we've put all of our efforts in the last few and we'll continue to do so…
Hormuz Crisis Signals New Era of Risk for Gulf Energy
The Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have shattered a status quo that prevailed among Middle East oil and gas producers for decades. Even if the current, shaky ceasefire holds, the uneasy “new normal” has likely set the stage for yet another round of conflict.Tehran has now demonstrated both its ability and willingness to seal off the critical waterway and strike vital infrastructure across the region…
Firming Baltic Dry Index is Headwind for Recyclers
The single most consequential development of Week 15 came out of Washington, not the recycling yards, reports cash buyer GMS. President Trump’s decision to delay planned strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure by five days, alongside comments describing talks with Iran as “productive,” triggered the sharpest oil reversal since the conflict began.The Baltic Dry Index rose to 2,139 by April 8, continuing…
EU Emissions Trading System Sustains Downward Trend in Emissions
The European Commission has published the verified EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) emissions data for 2025 showing a -1.3% reduction in ETS emissions, compared to 2024 levels.This reduction continues the steady downward trend of emissions. Since the ETS was launched in 2005, the system has halved emissions in the sectors it covers. It remains on track to achieve the 2030 target of a 62% reduction.For maritime…
Singapore: Container Ship Fire Extinguished
A fire involving containers on board the London-registered container vessel Ever Lenient at Singapore’s PSA Pasir Panjang Terminal was extinguished on April 11.Firefighting efforts continued through the night, led by the Singapore Civil Defence Force, with Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore deploying patrol craft to conduct seaward cordon duties and drones to provide aerial surveillance in support…
Gaza Aid Flotilla Aims to Break Israeli Blockade
A second flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza was due to set sail on Sunday from the Spanish port of Barcelona, aiming to try to break the Israeli blockade.Thirty-nine boats were due to leave the Mediterranean port city, a spokesperson for the flotilla said, and more vessels also laden with medical aid and other supplies are expected to join along the route towards Palestine.Rough…
US Navy to Block Ships from Iranian Ports
President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S. Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire.The U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces would begin implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Monday.It…
The IWH Group Launches Blue Future to Help Maritime SMEs Repair Digital Readiness Gap
The IWH Group has launched Blue Future, a new service designed to help marine and offshore organizations assess their digital preparedness, define a realistic target operating model, and build a roadmap from legacy, manual ways of working to more resilient, scalable digital operations. The offer is aimed at organizations including ship owners, ship operators, charterers, port agents, ship management companies…
