Offshore News

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines' MOL Ocean Bulk has signed a 25-year contract with Vale International to transport iron ore using two 210,000-tonne ore carriers equipped with tri-fuel propulsion systems capable of running on ethanol, methanol and conventional heavy fuel oil.The vessels, described as the world's first ore carriers of their size with the tri-fuel propulsion system, are scheduled for delivery in 2030 and will primarily transport Vale's iron ore from Brazil to destinations worldwide…

DOF Group has received a letter of intent for a contract valued at between $50 million and $100 million that would secure work for one of its I-class vessels in the first half of 2028.The scope includes DOF's in-house project management and engineering, as well as procurement and logistics support services.The company expects the full contract award to be confirmed by mid-November 2026.DOF Group did reveal any additional details regarding the client, vessel or project involved.

Dutch offshore vessel owner Acta Marine has christened its commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) Acta Hercules in IJmuiden, the Netherlands, as the company moves closer to completing its four-vessel newbuild program.Acta Hercules was delivered earlier this year as the second vessel in the series and is already deployed under a long-term charter supporting offshore wind operations for Vestas.The vessel is equipped with methanol dual-fuel engines and an advanced battery energy storage system…

BW Offshore's blue ammonia floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) concept, jointly developed with McDermott, has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV, advancing the proposed offshore low-carbon ammonia production solution towards further design development.The AiP provides an independent, risk-based assessment of the concept at an early stage and establishes a basis for further design development, certification and classification.Unveiled in February, the…

Golden Energy Offshore Services (GEOS) has secured two new charter contracts for its large platform supply vessel (PSV) Energy Swan with a combined estimated firm value of about $8.7 million.The first contract has a firm duration of about one month, with additional options, and is scheduled to start in October 2026.The second will deploy Energy Swan on the Norwegian Continental Shelf for an estimated firm period of 290 days, with options for about another 500 days. The charter is expected to start in January 2027.If all options under the two new contracts are exercised…

Windward is publishing intelligence reports on the crisis in the Gulf as the situation develops. From today’s brief:Three Chinese state-linked vessels ran survey work over Pacific cable corridors, covering the Guam cable hub, the Japan to U.S. cables east of Japan, and the Luzon Strait.In northern Europe, two sanctioned tankers that loaded at Primorsk a day apart ran matching drift-and-reposition loiters over the gas pipelines feeding St Fergus, the terminal supplying 25 to 50% of Britain's gas…

Siemens Energy has contracted EST-Floattech to supply a battery system of more than 1 MWh for Marco Polo Marine's new CSOV Plus, a vessel designed to work in both offshore wind and oil and gas operations.The Octopus High Energy battery system will support hybrid and dynamic positioning operations aboard the vessel, which is being built by Marco Polo Marine at its shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. Siemens Energy is the system integrator for the hybrid power plant.During dynamic positioning…

Orders for alternative-fuelled vessels reached 168 in the third quarter of 2026, the highest quarterly total in two years, as contracting activity accelerated following a slower start to the year, figures from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform showed.September accounted for 69 orders, the highest monthly total since October 2024, according to DNV’s AFI.A total of 311 alternative-fuelled vessels have been ordered so far in 2026, up 53% from the same period last year.LNG dominated September contracting with 48 vessel orders spanning containerships…

KOTUG International has acquired a majority stake in Dubai-based Vortex Offshore, expanding its vessel fleet and offshore maritime operations in the Middle East.Vortex Offshore operates 11 offshore vessels in the region and has another four under construction, supporting offshore energy, marine transportation, towage and related maritime activities.The acquisition builds on KOTUG's existing Middle East operations, which include subsea services, vessel management and the management…

DEME has installed the 68th and final monopile at Vattenfall's 980 MW Nordlicht I offshore wind farm in the German North Sea, completing the project's monopile installation campaign.The milestone follows installation of the first monopile in July and the first transition piece in August. DEME carried out the monopile campaign using its offshore installation vessel Orion.Nordlicht I is located about 85 kilometers north of the German island of Borkum and is set to become Germany's…

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HDKSOE) and Siemens have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop digital twin technology for assessing leak behavior and safety aboard ammonia-fueled vessels.The collaboration, announced at Gastech 2026, will combine computational fluid dynamics analysis with digital twin technology to rapidly predict how ammonia would disperse in the event of a leak.The technology is intended to allow a range…

Integrated Wind Solutions (IWS) subsidiary IWS Fleet has ordered four Skywalker-class commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) for a combined firm yard price of around $301 million (€260 million), expanding its owned fleet from six to 10 CSOVs.The four vessels, priced at around $75 million (€65 million) each, will be built by Nantong Rainbow Offshore & Engineering Equipment and delivered in 2029 and 2030 under fixed-price turnkey contracts.IWS Fleet has also secured options for another four vessels at the same firm prices…

Three Liberian-flagged oil tankers were struck by unknown projectiles when transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, shipping intelligence service Marisks said.The vessels had been moving through the strait with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection, Marisks said in a report late on Wednesday.Oil products tanker Al Ruwais was last seen as having conducted a ship-to-ship transfer off Sohar, Oman, in late September to discharge its diesel cargo, data from analytics firm Kpler showed.Very large crude carrier Mersin Prosperity also made a ship-to-ship t

Höegh Evi and Petroleum Sarawak (PETROS) have agreed to jointly develop, own and operate a proposed LNG import terminal in Kuching, Malaysia, targeting first gas by the end of 2029.The Kuching LNG Terminal will comprise a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), mooring infrastructure, subsea and onshore pipelines and onshore receiving facilities.The project will form part of the Kuching Low-Carbon development in Sarawak and supply natural gas for power generation in Kuching.

US President Donald Trump unveiled plans on Wednesday for South Korea to invest some $200 billion in US projects, but Seoul quickly suggested one key element, a $54 billion pipeline for an LNG project in Alaska, was not yet set in stone.The announcement from the White House amounted to the first set of major projects under a broader $350 billion strategic investment package South Korea made as part of a trade agreement with Washington last year. The package included $150 billion…

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

A nuclear-powered liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier could cost about 2.5 times as much to build as a conventional vessel but substantially reduce fuel costs over its operating life, according to a joint study involving ABS, Blossom Energy and a global shipping company.Presented at Gastech 2026, the study assessed a 174,000-cubic-metre LNG carrier equipped with a 20-25 MWe high-temperature gas-cooled reactor being developed by Blossom Energy.The study compared the vessel's arrangement…

Solstad Maritime has been awarded contracts for two anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) for drilling support work in the Asia-Pacific region.The combined firm value estimated at the upper end of a $10 million and $30 million range, according to the Norwegian vessel owner.The contracts for the Normand Scorpion and Normand Saracen have a combined firm duration of 475 days and are expected to start in the second and third quarters of 2027.The agreements also include a combined 400 days of options beyond the firm periods.Both vessels measure 87.4 meters in length with a 21-meter beam.

Samsung Heavy Industries has signed a $226 million (KRW 307.4 billion) contract to build two very large gas carriers (VLGCs) for an undisclosed shipowner in Bermuda, according to a Korean stock exchange regulatory filing.The contract was signed on September 29 and runs through February 28, 2030, with the end date based on the vessels' delivery date.Payments will be made according to construction progress, with the contract including an advance payment.The order represents 2.9%…

Somali pirates killed five crew members of the hijacked MT Honour 25 petroleum products tanker before it was rescued by security forces, Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland said on Tuesday.Puntland's authorities said they also rescued a second vessel on Tuesday that had been hijacked in May.The deaths aboard the Palau-flagged ship appear to be the first at the hands of Somali pirates in over a decade.The ship with 17 crew members was seized by pirates in April during a resurgence of Somali piracy that experts have attributed…

GTT Marine and Normec Verifavia have integrated their digital platforms to automate the exchange and verification of vessel emissions data, aiming to simplify regulatory compliance for shipping operators.The integration connects GTT Marine's Vesper Insights with the Normec Verifavia Emissions Verification dashboard, allowing vessel performance, voyage and emissions data to be transferred directly between the platforms.The companies said the connection eliminates manual file exchanges…

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed an agreement with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) to operate the Arctic research vessel Mirai II, with operations scheduled to start in December 2026.The Mirai II will serve as an international research platform and will be the first Japanese research vessel equipped with icebreaking capability. Its first Arctic Ocean expedition is scheduled for around summer 2027.MOL has been preparing to establish the vessel's operational framework since it was selected in 2023 as its prospective operator…

Marlink and the Nordic Maritime Cyber Resilience Centre (NORMA Cyber) have launched a combined service linking fleet-wide cyber threat monitoring with incident response, with Höegh Autoliners among the first operators to deploy it across its entire fleet.The service combines NORMA Cyber's independent security monitoring and initial threat analysis with Marlink's maritime cybersecurity and incident response capabilities.Marlink's log-forwarding technology streams real-time security…

Opsealog has published a whitepaper identifying what it calls a ‘missing loop’ between data collection and operational decision-making in offshore fleets, drawing on 10 years of work across more than 1,000 offshore support vessels.The study, The Conversion Gap: What Offshore Fleets Lose Between Data and Decision, argues that offshore operators increasingly have access to sufficient data but often lack the processes needed to translate it into changes in vessel operations.Opsealog identified three elements required for that conversion: accountability for reading the data…

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Norwegian offshore recruitment and crewing specialist OffshoreCrew, expanding its services for offshore and maritime customers.Kristiansand-based OffshoreCrew provides recruitment, staffing and crew management services for the oil and gas, offshore wind and subsea sectors, supported by a database of around 30,000 offshore professionals.The investment will expand BSM's offshore crewing capabilities beyond its existing technical and crew management services…

Chinese workboat and specialist vessel builder Jianglong Shipbuilding Technology has signed contracts worth $40 million to build two 78-meter multi-purpose offshore supply vessels for an undisclosed customer, with deliveries scheduled for 2028.The first vessel is due to be delivered on or before June 19, 2028, followed by the second on or before August 18, 2028. Payments will be made in installments as construction progresses.The contract value, which excludes owner-supplied items…

Oil prices rose for a second successive session on Tuesday as lingering concern over Middle East supply disruption brought about by the US-Israeli war on Iran outweighed signs of recovering crude exports from the region.Brent crude futures for November LCOc1 rose $1.71, or 1.6%, to $106.99 a barrel at 0626 GMT, while the more actively traded Brent December contract LCOc2 rose $1.68 to $99.51 a barrel. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was at $94, up $1.4, or 1.5%.A day earlier…

Dajin Heavy Industry has selected Ulstein's ULSTEIN HX122 design for an offshore installation vessel capable of installing future 4XL monopiles, expanding the offshore wind foundation supplier's activities into offshore installation.The vessel, designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions in the Netherlands, is intended to install monopiles, jacket foundations and offshore substations. It will also be capable of supporting oil and gas construction and decommissioning work.The project will expand Dajin's capabilities beyond manufacturing…

Mermaid Maritime has established a joint venture with Nigerian oilfield services company Marine Platforms Limited to pursue subsea work for TotalEnergies Nigeria and other oil and gas operators in the country.The new company, Mermaid Subsea Services Limited, will be 49% owned by Mermaid Subsea Oil and Gas Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mermaid Maritime, while Marine Platforms will hold 51%.The venture is intended to allow direct operational engagement with TotalEnergies Nigeria and other oil and gas companies while meeting Nigerian local content…

More QatarEnergy-linked liquefied natural gas vessels, laden and in ballast, have transited the Strait of Hormuz in the last week despite the US-Iran conflict.In August, Kpler data showed no visible transits by Qatar-linked LNG vessels or vessels carrying cargoes from the Ras Laffan gas terminal, amid fears of attack by Iran, which has tried to throttle traffic through the Strait.Some may have got through undetected if they kept their transponders off, but this month, visible…

The death toll from an Indonesian ship that capsized more than two weeks ago rose to 71on Monday, as divers braved leaking fuel and dangerously unsound structures to try to find passengers still listed as missing.The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people when it capsized in bad weather in the Java Sea on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Authorities said 108 people survived.Divers were navigating through unstable debris on the 16th day of the search…

NYK Line has ordered a new service operation vessel (SOV) from PaxOcean Group for offshore wind projects in Taiwan and the wider Asia-Pacific region, with delivery planned around 2029.PaxOcean will build the vessel at its Graha yard in Batam, Indonesia, while Ulstein Design & Solutions will provide the design and engineering package based on its SX222 platform.The 89.6-metre-long, 19.2-metre-wide vessel will accommodate up to 120 people and support offshore wind construction, operations and maintenance…

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LD Armateurs) has taken delivery of the DP2 multipurpose support vessel TVO Mariner for its LD TravOcean subsidiary, expanding its capacity for subsea cable installation, repair and protection work.The vessel, delivered to the group in mid-September, will support telecommunications cable installation and repairs, trenching and deepwater ROV operations, as well as offshore wind projects.“The TVO Mariner gives us full ownership on project execution for submarine cable installation and repairs, trenching services and deep water ROV operations.

TKMS and EDGE Group have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore jointly developing underwater surveillance and protection capabilities combining multiple platforms and sensor systems.The companies plan to evaluate an integrated multi-system approach to underwater security, combining TKMS's platform capabilities with EDGE's systems expertise to provide surveillance, protection and a comprehensive situational picture of the underwater domain.The MoU was signed as part of…

Ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman for Middle Eastern oil from inside the Strait of Hormuz have reached their limits after Saudi Arabia diverted exports from the Red Sea, adding to shipments from other producers, trade sources and analysts said.The increasing amount of Saudi exports this month requires more supertankers to shuttle crude through Hormuz to conduct cargo transfers, they said. That has reduced ship availability, raising shipping costs and increasing the time…

Crude oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz reached 33.7 million barrels so far in the week starting September 20, preliminary ship-tracking data from Kpler showed on Friday, putting exports roughly on track with the previous week's levels.The traffic comprised 19 tankers, of which 17 are very large crude carriers (VLCCs) that can carry 2 million barrels of oil, the data showed. Most of the tankers are laden with crude from Saudi Arabia, followed by Iraq.For the full previous week…

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

Van Oord has named its two next-generation flexible fallpipe vessels Vindnes and Vestnes, with the 35,000-tonne-capacity ships scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029.The purpose-built vessels, currently under construction at Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China, will expand Van Oord's subsea rock installation capacity for offshore wind, interconnector and other energy infrastructure projects.Unlike converted vessels, Vindnes and Vestnes have been designed specifically for subsea rock installation…

Fincantieri's Norwegian subsidiary Vard has signed a contract, worth between $76 million and $86 million, to build a commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) for Dong Fang Offshore, marking the fifth vessel ordered by the Taiwan-based marine contractor from the shipbuilder.The vessel will be based on VARD 4 39 design and adapted for subsea operations, offshore wind installation and maintenance, as well as cable laying and repair work.Measuring about 102.5 meters long and 19.5 meters wide…

U.S.-based provider of logistics, marine and energy solutions Crowley has appointed Brea Schmidt as chief financial officer, putting her in charge of financial strategy and capital allocation across the company's logistics, shipping, government and energy businesses.Schmidt, who joined Crowley in 2025 as vice president of finance, will oversee fiscal planning, capital allocation and governance, including financial oversight of investments in vessels, terminals and technology.

ABL has been appointed by German transmission system operator 50Hertz to provide marine warranty survey services for the 2 GW Ostwind 4 offshore grid connection project in the German Baltic Sea.The consultancy will provide marine assurance for transportation and installation operations covering subsea cables and offshore infrastructure, including the installation of the project's converter platform and associated assets.Ostwind 4 will be the first project to use a high-voltage…

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line), has taken delivery of the 174,000-cubic-metre LNG carrier Puteri Kelantan, the third vessel of its type delivered for Petronas LNG in 2026.The vessel, owned by a joint venture company led by “K” Line, was delivered on September 24 by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) in China.Puteri Kelantan follows two vessels of the same type delivered for Petronas LNG in May and June this year. A fourth sister vessel, Puteri Negeri Sembilan, is scheduled for delivery in November.The new LNG carrier is about 299 meters long and 46.4 meters wide…

Ten commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, up from seven a day earlier and below the 10-day moving average of about 17, preliminary shipping data showed on Thursday.Nine vessels entered the strait, including Supramax ships carrying metals, grain and other dry bulk cargoes, as well as an empty very large gas carrier.

Stena Line has ordered two hybrid E-Flexer RoPax ferries from China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyard for delivery in 2030, with the vessels intended for its Gothenburg-Frederikshavn route between Sweden and Denmark.Each 214.5-metre vessel will accommodate 1,500 passengers and provide 2,750 lane metres of freight capacity across three vehicle decks, comprising one deck for passenger vehicles and two for freight.The day ferries will use hybrid propulsion allowing operation on…

Fugro has secured a marine asset integrity contract in Australia covering the replacement of critical subsea infrastructure and survey and inspection work, with offshore operations expected to start towards the end of 2027.The contract, awarded by an undisclosed client, combines subsea intervention with survey and inspection services using Fugro's remote operations capabilities.Fugro will provide engineering, project management and offshore execution for the campaign, aimed at…

Stillstrom by Maersk has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Semco Maritime to manufacture and deliver a key part of its offshore vessel charging system, moving the technology into manufacturing following completion of its design phase.Semco Maritime will manufacture the local equipment room, or local equipment room (LER), which controls power, communications and safety functions across Stillstrom's offshore charging infrastructure.The containerized unit houses the transformer and medium-voltage switchgear used to transfer offshore-generated electricity from a wind farm to a vessel…

Subsea Cable Assets (SCA) has secured its first contract, a roughly $20 million award from Saipem Contracting Netherlands for cable transportation and handling work supporting a major offshore energy project in the Caspian region.The scope covers engineering, equipment fabrication, installation and operation, demobilization and reinstatement, with SCA managing the campaign from equipment supply through to deployment.SCA will provide five cable transport carousels, each with a capacity of 1…

ABL has been appointed by Allseas as marine warranty surveyor for the single-lift removal of the Statfjord A topside in the North Sea, an operation set to use an upgraded 60,000-tonne lifting system aboard Pioneering Spirit.Allseas is carrying out the engineering, preparation, removal and disposal of the Statfjord A platform, a concrete gravity-base production facility on the Equinor-operated Statfjord field.The entire topside will be removed in a single lift by Pioneering Spirit…

DeepOcean and the controlling entity of TFKable Group plan to establish a joint venture offering integrated inter-array cable services for offshore wind projects, including a new purpose-built cable laying vessel (CLV).The venture will combine TFKable Group's subsea cable manufacturing capabilities, including those of Tele-Fonika Kable and JDR Cable Systems, with DeepOcean's offshore engineering, installation and seabed intervention expertise.The planned offering will cover engineering…

The official death toll from a passenger ship that capsized and sank in Indonesia's Java Sea rose to 26 on Wednesday, up from the previous 20, with rescuers expecting to find more bodies as the ongoing underwater search widens, officials said.The Virgo Transport 8 ferry was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew members, as well as an unknown number of vehicles, when it capsized in bad weather early on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan.Coast guard and Navy personnel recovered 14 bodies from inside the ship over the past three days…

Oil prices fell to a two-week low on Tuesday as prospects for Gulf supplies improved, with Iran signaling it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and Saudi Arabia set to resume exports from its Red Sea port of Yanbu.The Brent crude futures LCOc1 November contract was down $2.11, or 2.1%, to $98.23 a barrel at 1151 GMT.The WTI CLc1 October contract, which expires on Tuesday, lost $2.48, or 2.59%, to $93.30 a barrel. The more actively traded November contract CLc2 was down $2.36…

Saudi Arabia's first defence-focused venture capital fund, MASNA Ventures, is seeking to plough more money into local manufacturing of US and allied defence technology as conflict in the Gulf exposes the region's military gaps.The fund, anchored by a prominent Saudi family office and sharia-compliant, has asked the Capital Markets Authority to raise its capacity to $150 million from $100 million, General Partner Lucien Zeigler told Reuters.Committed capital so far includes only Saudi nationals…

All 25 crew members of the Liberia-registered container vessel MSC HERMES III were rescued after abandoning the ship in a lifeboat about 300 km east of Vietnam, Singapore's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) said.MRCC Singapore received a distress alert at about 8:45 a.m. Singapore time on September 22 while the vessel was within Singapore's Maritime Search and Rescue Region.It immediately broadcast a request for nearby vessels to provide assistance, with three vessels responding.MSC RUBY subsequently recovered all 25 crew members from the lifeboat.

A tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unknown projectile, leaving two crew members with minor injuries, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.Military authorities informed UKMTO on September 21, 2026, that the tanker was conducting an inbound transit when it was hit.The vessel remained under its own power and was continuing to its next port of call, according to UKMTO.No environmental impact had been reported following the incident.Authorities are investigating the incident…

Trafigura has established Volare Shipping as a dedicated oil tanker owner with six Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) operating and eight newbuilds on order, and plans to raise about $500 million before listing the company in Oslo.Volare's eight newbuild VLCCs are scheduled for progressive delivery between 2026 and October 2028, taking its fleet to 14 vessels. Trafigura's global shipping business will commercially manage the fleet.Volare is contemplating a private placement of about $500 million that would fully fund its existing newbuilding program…

A new shuttling system is reshaping the Middle East oil market, as producers seek to keep exports flowing despite the escalating regional conflict. The question now is whether this complex, expensive process is a stopgap measure or the global energy market’s new normal.Several miles off Oman's coast, south of the Strait of Hormuz, rows of tankers lie at anchor. Many sit alongside each other, connected by ropes and hoses as they transfer crude from one vessel to another, creating…

Cadeler and Vattenfall have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore new offshore wind maintenance solutions, with a focus on major component exchanges for operating wind farms.The collaboration between Vattenfall Vindkraft and Nexra, Cadeler's dedicated offshore wind operations and maintenance platform, will combine operational expertise, service methods and long-term planning to examine more efficient and scalable approaches to maintenance.The companies will focus on Major Component Exchange capabilities across multiple turbine platforms…

A total of 17 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on the weekend, down from 37 a week earlier, shipping data showed on Monday, as tension in the Gulf persisted with the US and Iran in stalemate.Visible traffic through the strait, the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas before the war, has dwindled to a trickle. However, Middle Eastern producers continue to export oil on tankers travelling with their transponders off.Among trackable ships…

Aesen introduced the Aesen 116H, a next-generation hybrid crew boat developed to support the evolving operational requirements of offshore personnel transportation and infield logistics operations. This vessel combines hybrid propulsion technology, intelligent energy management and enhanced operational resilience to support safer, more efficient and lower-emission offshore operations.By integrating hybrid propulsion and energy storage systems, Aesen 116H is engineered to optimise engine loading and power utilization…

Exmar has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore for a concept to convert an existing membrane-type LNG carrier into a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit for offshore gas developments.The FLNG concept would use a membrane-type LNG carrier with an effective LNG storage capacity of about 170,000 cubic meters and a design life of 25 years.Designed for operation in mild environments, the converted vessel would provide offshore gas processing…

INEOS Energy has started commercial operations at the Greensand project in the Danish North Sea, opening what it describes as the European Union's first full-scale carbon dioxide storage site, with initial capacity of up to 400,000 tonnes per year.Denmark's King Frederik X officially opened the facility on September 18 at the Port of Esbjerg. The project is led by INEOS Energy alongside Harbour Energy and the Danish North Sea Fund, or Nordsøfonden.Greensand is designed to scale up to between 4 million and 8 million tonnes of CO2 storage annually as demand grows.In the first commercial phase…

Oil prices fell 2% on Friday, extending losses for a third straight session as easing concerns over Saudi supply disruptions outweighed anxiety about a widening of conflict across the Middle East.Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell by $2.14, or 2%, to $102.68 a barrel by 0806 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 futures fell $1.83, or 1.8%, to $100.08.Benchmark Brent prices are on track for their first weekly loss in three.Immediate concerns over supply tightness have been eased by a combination of Saudi Arabia loading more crude via Oman…

Global LNG prices could shoot higher this winter as Europe holds its lowest stocks in years and North Asian buyers face increased competition with the Strait of Hormuz still closed, executives said at an industry conference this week.Europe will enter this winter more vulnerable than usual amid storage levels that are lower than last year, industry executives and analysts said at Gastech in Bangkok.At the same time, the war on Iran has prevented Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from shipping liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz…

Lloyd's Register has granted Design Appraisal to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' fore-accommodation LNG carrier design featuring Mitsui O.S.K. Lines' Wind Challenger hard-sail system, advancing the concept towards potential commercial deployment.The appraisal confirms that the design complies with LR's Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems notation requirements and follows Approval in Principle granted at Gastech 2025.The partners describe the vessel as the world's first fore-accommodation LNG carrier equipped with the Wind Challenger system.

Oil prices settled $3 higher on Tuesday after shipping industry sources said crude loadings at Saudi Arabia's Red Sea export hub of Yanbu had been suspended and Riyadh had canceled some cargo deliveries to European customers, deepening concerns that disruptions to a critical oil-export route could persist for weeks.Gains in U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 outpaced Brent on Tuesday, as fears that Saudi Arabia's supply troubles were widening sent investors rushing into U.S.

Vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz remained in the single digits at four on Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier, preliminary shipping data showed on Wednesday, falling well short of the 10-day average of 18.The drop in traffic through the waterway that handled one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the Iran war comes after attacks in the region intensified.Of the total on Tuesday, two ships were exiting and two were entering, according…

China dipped into its massive crude oil stockpile in August for the third month in the past four as increased refinery processing exceeded a modest increase in oil imports.Refineries processed about 640,000 barrels per day (bpd) more than what was available to them from imports and domestic oil production, according to calculations based on official data.China, the world's biggest crude importer, slashed its purchases to the lowest in a decade in the wake of the higher oil prices caused by the disruption to supplies from the Middle East after the U.S.

Oil prices rose nearly $3 on Tuesday after a report said oil loadings at Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu have been suspended, and Libya halted operations at three oil fields, heightening concerns that disruptions to key oil supply routes could persist for weeks.Brent crude futures were up $2.81, or 2.66%, at $108.49 a barrel at 1106 a.m. ET, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 futures were up $3.29 at $104.68 a barrel. If prices hold, both contracts would be on track…

Oman's Maritime Security Centre said on Tuesday that the Panama-flagged oil tanker 'EL GAIA' was being towed to an Omani port after a fire broke out in its engine room following an attack.The tanker was about 103 nautical miles northeast of Musandam when it was attacked, the centre said. An Omani naval vessel evacuated 23 crew members, while two remain missing.(Reuters - Reporting by Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

A Russian frigate fired two flares towards a Danish military helicopter in international waters off Denmark on Monday, narrowly missing the aircraft, the Nordic NATO member's military said.The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after incidents involving gas pipeline outages, airspace violations and drone sightings since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, all of which have increased tensions between Moscow and the West.The Fennec military helicopter had been on a routine mission to photograph the Russian frigate…

Shipping group Maersk said on Monday that four more of its joint container services with Germany's Hapag-Lloyd will resume sailings through the Suez Canal, as they gradually return to using the shortcut between Asia and Europe.The Asia-Europe trade corridor through the Suez Canal was abandoned by most shippers earlier this decade after attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthis, forcing ships to take the much longer trip around Africa."The Suez Canal is a vital maritime corridor between East and West and a key driver of efficient global supply chains," Denmark's Maersk said in a statement."By t

KERSHIP, a joint venture between PIRIOU and Naval Group, launched the PETAR NJEGOS I, the first of two OPV 60M offshore patrol vessels ordered by Montenegro, at its Lanester shipyard on Friday, September 11, 2026.The ceremony, marking a milestone in the program, was attended by numerous Montenegrin and French dignitaries, including Mr. Aleksa Becic, Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Dragan Krapovié, Minister of Defence of Montenegro, Ms Dubravka Lalovic, Ambassador of Montenegro in France…

XRG, ADNOC and SEFE have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore wider cooperation across the natural gas and LNG value chain, including supply, infrastructure and shipping opportunities aimed at Germany and the wider European market.The agreement covers potential cooperation in four areas: security of supply, market development and growth, supply chain resilience, and portfolio and shipping optimization.The companies will explore combining ADNOC's UAE-based supply and XRG's international supply sources with SEFE's market presence…

Saudi Arabia has shut down its East-West pipeline, after the vital oil conduit came under aerial attack in the widening Middle East war, threatening to send energy prices even higher.The world’s largest crude oil exporter said it temporarily closed the pipeline as a precaution after a drone attack that both Baghdad and Riyadh said had originated in Iraq, where Iranian-backed militias operate. Iraq dismissed a military commander on Saturday in response to the attack.The 1,200-km…

Spanish shipyard GONDAN Shipbuilders has launched a 120-metre Ocean Energy Support Vessel (OESV) for Østensjø Rederi, the largest vessel built by the shipyard to date.The C513 OESV was launched at GONDAN's Figueras facility and will now undergo final outfitting and sea trials ahead of scheduled delivery in late 2027.Designed by Salt Ship Design, the vessel has a beam of 23 meters and is intended for operations including walk-to-work personnel transfers, commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) support for offshore wind…

Twenty-five people died in a fire aboard a foreign cargo vessel undergoing repairs at a state-owned shipyard in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on Thursday, state media reported.The fire broke out at about 11:15 a.m. (0315 GMT) at the Qingdao Beihai shipyard during repair and inspection works, state-run Xinhua said. Of the 42 people onboard, 12 were evacuated safely and five were injured and hospitalised.The blaze was extinguished by early afternoon, state media said.A picture of the scene released by Xinhua showed the vessel involved to be the Ocean Melody.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Friday reached the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, four Yemeni government sources told Reuters, potentially tightening their grip on one of the world's vital shipping routes and further increasing the threat to energy markets in the widening Middle East war.Earlier, two sources from the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government said its forces had withdrawn from Perim and that the Houthis had also taken the mainland Red Sea coastal town of Dhubab…

Boskalis’ recently commissioned Windpiper subsea rock installation vessel has started its maiden project at the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea, placing its first rocks to protect the projects’ export cables.The 227-meter-long vessel loaded nearly 45,000 tons of rock in Norway following its christening in July before sailing for the installation campaign.Boskalis said the load represents a record cargo, with no single subsea rock installation vessel…

Golden Energy Offshore Services (GEOS) said Peterson has exercised a further well option for the platform supply vessel (PSV) Energy Paradise, extending its firm employment into early 2027.The option has an anticipated duration of about 100 days and an estimated contract value of $3.4 million.Energy Paradise is currently working under an existing well program expected to finish around mid-October 2026. The new option will start immediately afterwards, securing firm employment…

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants have seized control of the historic port city of Mocha, four government military sources said, ina strategic shift that could threaten the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world's most important shipping routes.Fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces has intensified in recent days, with the militant group shifting its focus to control over Yemen's long coastline instead of just the north, putting them in a stronger position to disrupt maritime trade.The group has launched attacks on the strategic Red Sea islands of Hanish…

Iran has suspended a 10% charge on freight fees for foreign vessels carrying imported or exported oil, gas and liquid petroleum products to and from Iran, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Thursday.A U.S. naval blockade has sharply disrupted the country's seaborne oil exports.(Reuters - Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Deep in Arctic waters near the remote Svalbard archipelago this spring, NATO allies caught Russian subs training to unleash a secret weapon designed to disable critical undersea cables without leaving any fingerprints.The clandestine Russian operation, described to Reuters by two Western officials, was carried out by Moscow's GUGI undersea warfare directorate, which used deep-sea submersibles to simulate the deployment of the sophisticated and destructive technology.A joint operation involving Britain…

The Middle East war intensified on Tuesday with Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launching strikes on several Saudi cities, further embroiling a U.S. ally in the conflict, while U.S. forces hit multiple Iranian oil tankers and Iran targeted a U.S. base in Jordan.The Houthis attacked four cities in the south of Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people and setting oil installations ablaze in what appeared to be a major expansion of the six-month-old war.As global oil markets were pricing in the Saudi attacks, the U.S.

Hapag-Lloyd is working with the Israeli government on improvements to its proposed $4.2 billion cash purchase of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, the German shipping group said on Monday.The proposed deal has faced heavy opposition in Israel, including ZIM's workers, Defence Minister Israel Katz and other government officials, who argue that it undermines national security by transferring Israel's shipping to a foreign company."We are now developing an improved proposal designed to further strengthen Israel's maritime security and independence…

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has secured Cyber Security Type Approval from Bureau Veritas (BV) for its NexusWave multi-network maritime connectivity service, following an assessment against the International Association of Classification Societies' (IACS) Unified Requirement E27.The approval follows a ClassNK Cyber Security Type Approval against the same IACS requirement earlier in 2026, adding another independent assessment of the security controls incorporated into NexusWave.Bureau Veritas assessed the service's onboard ICT architecture…

Kongsberg Maritime has entered into an agreement to acquire Finnish azimuth propulsion specialist Steerprop, strengthening its position in the Arctic and high ice-class vessel market.Steerprop designs and manufactures azimuth propulsion systems for icebreakers, polar research vessels, offshore support vessels and other demanding applications. It has an installed base of more than 400 vessels globally and a significant order backlog, with the majority linked to Arctic and ice-class…

Oil prices hit multi-week highs on Tuesday after Iran-backed Houthis attacked Saudi energy facilities and Tehran threatened the United States with "economic warfare".Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up $2.00, or 2.06%, at $99.00 a barrel by 0800 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was at $94.41 a barrel, up $2.93, or 3.2%.Brent earlier rose to as much as $99.22 a barrel, its highest since July 24, while WTI reached $94.60 a barrel, its highest since June 8."The price action…

Iran threatened the United States with "economic warfare" on Tuesday and said it had fired an advanced missile at U.S. warships, underscoring the risks of further escalation in the war only days after both sides traded blows again.The six-month-old war has been marked by a cycle of pauses followed by periodic flare-ups, with the U.S. last reporting attacks on Iranian targets on Saturday, when U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers. Iranian state media on Sunday reported that Iran fired the Qassem Basir missile.Despite U.S.

Windward Offshore has taken delivery of the Windward Hamburg, completing its four-vessel series of purpose-built commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) ordered from shipbuilder Vard.The delivery brings the Windward Hamburg into the fleet alongside sister vessels Windward Athens, Windward Paris and Windward Munich, providing capacity to support offshore wind projects during construction, commissioning and long-term operations.Based on VARD's 4 19 design, the Windward Hamburg is 87.5 meters long and 19.5 meters wide and can accommodate up to 120 people.

An average of 10 commodity ships transited the Strait of Hormuz per day over the past 10 days, the lowest since May, according to shipping data on Monday, after U.S. and Iranian strikes on tankers.The 10-day moving average was 10 on Sunday, down from more than 15 on Friday and nearly 13 on Saturday, data from analytics firm Kpler found.Only two vessels passed through the strait on Saturday while six went through on Sunday, mostly using the Iranian route.U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, U.S.

Argentine President Javier Milei said on Thursday he would tighten sanctions on companies involved in oil projects around the Falkland Islands, boost defense resources in the country's south and send Congress a bill aimed at strengthening Argentina's response to what he called violations of its sovereignty.In a televised address, Milei said he would sign a decree to speed sanctions under Argentine law against companies participating in oil and gas extraction in territory Argentina…

From Canada to Argentina, oil producers across the Americas have enjoyed a windfall during the Iran war by capturing market share lost by Middle Eastern exporters. The renewed focus on energy security globally could transform this emergency response into a lasting structural change.Oil production in the Americas has become a viable alternative to the Middle East's vast hydrocarbon resources since the outbreak of the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz six months ago, which disrupted roughly a fifth of global oil supplies.

An unprecedented deal for the U.S. to gain access to a fifth of Venezuela's oil reserves - and the central role a Venezuelan businessman will play - is prompting questions and hesitation from some oil companies evaluating potential investments in the country, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.A White House fact sheet released late on Monday outlined an arrangement under which private oil firm North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) would receive a 100-year lease for 17 oilfields in Venezuela holding some 65 billion barrels of oil reserves. The U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that ExxonMobil, the largest U.S. oil major, was among a group of companies planning to do business in Venezuela.Exxon declined to comment. Any entrance into the South American country would mark a stunning reversal nearly two decades after the company exited following the nationalization of its assets. The oil producer operates the prolific Stabroek Block in next-door Guyana, which currently produces more than 900,000 barrels of oil a day."We have Exxon going in…

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…

Four shipowners from Sweden, Norway and Canada have ordered four new VINGA product tankers for delivery in 2028 and 2029, expanding the Furetank-developed vessel series to 26 ships.Two of the vessels will be owned by FureBear, a joint venture between Sweden's Furetank and Canada's Algoma Central Corporation, while Norway's O.H. Meling and Sweden's Älvtank will each take one.The order marks O.H. Meling's first investment in the VINGA series, while Älvtank already owns three of the vessels.The four 17,999-dwt product tankers will be built at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Yangzhou, China.

Iran is preparing a list of conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after mediators asked Tehran to set them out, said Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, adding that ending the regional war was among them.Rezaei said Iran had agreed with Oman on a shipping corridor through the strait, with parts of the route in Omani waters and parts in Iranian waters. Ships would use a designated central channel if the U.S. met Iran's conditions, he said through an interpreter in an Al Manar TV interview.On Wednesday…

Shipping traffic at the Strait of Hormuz rose slightly even as a standoff persisted between the United States and Iran, data showed on Thursday, while the market monitored Iran-Oman talks about the waterway.Visible commodity vessel transits at Hormuz totalled 10 on Wednesday, up slightly from eight on Tuesday, data from Kpler showed.

TDI-Brooks recently completed a third-party geotechnical project offshore Alaska, supporting a short cable route survey for Woolpert utilizing their Gravity CPT Stinger (gCPT) system. The project consisted of a geophysical and geotechnical survey for a marine cable route in the Valdez Arm.Designed for rapid deployment in remote and challenging environments, the gCPT tool enables efficient in-situ soil characterization without the need for conventional drilling.

Lloyd’s Register has secured a $7.8 million (A$11 million) contract from Austal Defence Australia to provide naval classification services for the Australian Army’s Landing Craft Medium program.The contract covers classification services throughout the construction of 18 landing craft, supporting quality, compliance and assurance from construction through to delivery.Austal Defence Australia is delivering the vessels under a Design and Build Tasking Statement worth more than $715 million (A$1.029 billion)…

Dubai-based offshore vessel operator Astro Offshore has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Oceaneering International to jointly pursue and deliver offshore and subsea projects.The agreement combines Astro Offshore's offshore vessel capabilities with Oceaneering's remotely operated vehicle (ROV), survey and integrated project delivery expertise.Astro Offshore said the partnership will allow the companies to provide integrated solutions across a wider range of offshore operations.The agreement coincides with Astro Offshore's acquisition of Astro Aurora…

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…

At least three Indian oil refiners and a global energy major plan to stop using vessels on Iran's new blacklist, including for ship-to-ship transfers, due to security concerns, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said this week.Tehran announced on Sunday a blacklist of 45 ships it said had broken its rules for crossing the Strait of Hormuz, and would take action against any vessels transferring loads with them, escalating its threats over the key waterway for global…

Oil prices fell more than $2 a barrel on Wednesday as talks between Iran and Oman revived hopes that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen and remove shipping constraints affecting supply in the key Middle East region.Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell $2.30, or 2.6%, to $86.28 a barrel by 0447 GMT, earlier dropping to their lowest since August 13. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 were down $2.08, or 2.53%, at $80.29, earlier sinking to their lowest since August 10.Both…

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…

An Alaska federal judge on Monday threw out a lawsuit by environmental groups challenging President Donald Trump’s move to allow offshore drilling along broad swaths of previously protected coastline.U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason found the lawsuit by groups, including the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, was premature because drilling was not imminent in federal waters that were placed off-limits by Trump’s predecessors.Gleason did not rule on whether presidents have…

Just two tankers transited the key energy chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, for the lowest daily tally of commodity vessels since early May, with both entering the Gulf, shipping data showed.The figure was also well below the 10-day average of 14, with one very large gas carrier and one very large crude carrier entering the strait from the Gulf of Oman, according to shiptracker Kpler by 0657 GMT on Tuesday.While down from Sunday's tally of seven vessels of all types…

Oceaneering International, Inc. announced it is now an authorized Starlink reseller, expanding its portfolio of digital solutions available to offshore, maritime, and industrial customers operating in remote and challenging environments.Starlink is a connectivity solution and can be integrated into connectivity architectures designed to support operational continuity across remote and offshore operations.Reliable connectivity plays an important role in supporting today's offshore and industrial operations…

Kongsberg has unveiled plans to add three more satellites to its N3X maritime surveillance constellation in early 2027, doubling the number of satellites in the network to six as it expands space-based monitoring capabilities for the Norwegian Armed Forces.The additional satellites are intended to improve revisit rates and provide near-real-time coverage, strengthening maritime situational awareness for Norway and international partners.The expansion builds on the deployment of three initial N3X satellites in 2025…

A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Saudi Arabia's port city of Yanbu, leading to a fire on the vessel's main deck, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Monday.The UKMTO said all crew were safe and accounted for with no reported environmental impact.Yanbu is Saudi Arabia's main Red Sea oil port, where millions of barrels a day are loaded, and has become the main route out for Saudi oil skirting the Strait of Hormuz, which has…

Iran has issued a warning that vessels violating its arrangements for transiting the Strait of Hormuz could face restrictions, including fines, detention, or confiscation, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority wrote in a post on X.The warning heightens risks for the charterers and shipowners whose vessels transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the world's energy shipments.The PGSA, a new body Iran has established with the aim of managing the strait, has said cargo owners should refer to an updated list of vessels deemed non-compliant for voyages relating to the Persian Gulf.Vesse

Everllence has signed a contract with a Turkish shipyard within the high-speed segment. The contract comprises 16 × 175D gensets bound for 4 × Rampage 6000‑DE offshore terminal tugs designed by Robert Allen.These will be operated by Smit Lamnalco, a Boskalis company, in Guyana, South America to support an FPSO fleet in the Stabroek Block.The newbuilds’ roles will combine towing, safety, logistics, dynamic positioning and maintenance functions, supporting large‑scale deepwater oil production.

The two-day maritime conference will take place at Copenhagen’s AC Bella Sky Convention Center on 23-24 February 2027.World Maritime Forum 2027 will bring the international maritime community back to Copenhagen for a two-day event at the AC Bella Sky Convention Center. Organised by IGGS Group, the forum is intended for shipowners, ship managers, shipbuilders, ports, authorities, maritime suppliers and service providers. It will take place as the industry considers increasingly important decisions around fleet investment…