Fender Bender in Gibraltar Anchorage Renews Discussion on Use of Pilots

Military Sealift Marks Milestone with First Ship of New Class

Published Mar 19, 2025 7:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

The U.S. Military Sealift Command has marked a key milestone nearly a decade after it started the program to introduce a new class of fleet replenishment oilers, now known as the John Lewis class. Construction was authorized in 2016 and began in 2018 on the first ship of the class, and now she has been officially introduced to the Third Fleet. The 746-foot vessel, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205) completed her final task in the certification by refueling...

Project for Hybrid Hydrogen-Diesel Engine Retrofits to Start Tests in 2025

Published Mar 19, 2025 6:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

As the maritime sector works toward meeting IMO decarbonization targets, shipowners are searching for solutions to extend the service lives of their existing vessels. A new partnership between the innovation arm of Lomar Shipping, lomarlabs, is launching a partnership with a startup called Newlight to develop hydrogen retrofits to solve the challenge. “Hydrogen has enormous potential as a maritime fuel, but transitioning entire fleets to pure hydrogen is a long-term challenge,” said Haran Cohen Hillel, CEO of Newlight....

Danish Consortium Grows to Complete Redesigned Plan for Arctic Patrol Ships

Published Mar 19, 2025 5:51 PM by The Maritime Executive

The consortium of Danish companies set up to develop the next-generation patrol ships for the Danish Armed Forces reports it is being taken over by Semco Maritime as it stands ready to meet the challenges to redesign and build the new ships. The group was selected in 2023 for the project but the government has recently decided to shift the focus to new ships better suited for the Arctic. "The situation has changed in several areas since the decision...

Chinese Fishermen "Spontaneously" Raise $18M for Deep-Sea Research Ship

Published Mar 19, 2025 4:48 PM by The Maritime Executive

Chinese fishermen in Zhejiang have paid for the construction of an oceangoing scientific research vessel capable of "global unlimited navigation," according to Chinese state media. Fishermen at the port of Wenling, Zhejiang "spontaneously raised" $18 million to build the 270-foot vessel for deep-sea scientific research, according to state-owned China News Service. The vessel is primarily designed for activity unrelated to fishing, like geological and geophysical surveys, seabed mapping, ROV deployment and deep sea exploration. It has DP2 diesel-electric propulsion...

Shipping

The methanol-fueled boxship Laura Maersk on her maiden voyage (iStock)

LR: Lack of E-Fuel Supply is Delaying Adoption of Methanol Engines

Lloyd's Register (LR) has updated its 2023 study on clean-fuel engine retrofits to account for changes in the green energy market. The low availability of e-fuels will delay the expected timeline for methanol-fueled engine adoption, according to LR, and more vessels will have to retrofit later if the fleet is to meet IMO emissions goals. "A key assumption of the [previous] modeling was that all vessels built beyond 2027-2030 would be capable of using zero- and near-zero emissions fuels....

Tugs & Salvage

An FPV drone approaches the starboard side of the Fedor Uryupin (GUR)

Ukraine Releases Video of Drone Boat-Launched Drone Attacks

Ukraine's military intelligence division has released a new video of drone attacks on multiple targets in Crimea, including what appears to be a confirmation of a previously-reported attack on an offshore tug that Russia captured from Ukraine in 2014. The three-minute video is a compilation of first-person-view drone footage from strikes on Russian equipment in occupied Crimea, primarily Russian military radar and air defense sites. Notable targets include S-300 and Pantsir surface-to-air missile systems, giant Nebo-M mobile air defense...

Government

Iraqi Navy Arrests Captain and Crew of Fuel-Smuggling Vessel

Iraq's navy has announced the rare arrest of a foreign vessel on fuel-smuggling charges, the first such public statement in recent years. The Iraqi Navy said that the vessel seized on Tuesday was arrested near the Basra petroleum port complex by the Iraqi Navy’s 1st Marine Battalion. Based on images provided by the service, the unnamed vessel was an older OSV, not a tanker, indicating a small-scale smuggling operation. It appeared to be flying the colors of the Iranian...

Corporate News

VINSSEN Gets AIP Certification for Korea's First Hydrogen Propulsion Tug

VINSSEN, maritime decarbonization technology specialist focused on hydrogen fuel cells and supporting systems, has received the Approval in Principle (AIP) certification from the Korean Register for Korea's first tugboat featuring a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system. This certification marks a significant milestone in the development of eco-friendly technologies, initiated through an MOU with KRE, leader in ship design, retrofit engineering, and maritime infrastructure engineering. The joint-research project between the three organizations represents a major leap in applying decarbonization technology to...

Cruise Ships

Neptun Werft Delivers First of New Series of River Cruise Ships to Viking

After a pause in new river cruise ship construction, Viking is embarking on the next phase of growth for its European river cruise operations which parallels the ongoing expansion in ocean cruising. By 2028, Viking expects to take delivery on 25 additional river cruise ships, and by 2030 nine additional ocean cruise ships. With these orders, Viking will have 109 river ships in 2028 and 21 ocean and expedition cruise ships in 2030. The first of the new...

Ports

Fender Bender in Gibraltar Anchorage Renews Discussion on Use of Pilots

Two vessels made contact in the Gibraltar anchorage early on Tuesday in similar circumstances to the 2022 incident which led to the loss of the cargo ship OS 35. While the government was quick to report the damage was minor, it renewed the questions about the use of pilots and the recommendations in the OS 35 report that highlighted that pilots would likely have prevented the incident. Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, March 18, the Panama-flagged LNG carrier...

Shipping

LR: Lack of E-Fuel Supply is Delaying Adoption of Methanol Engines

Tugs & Salvage

Ukraine Releases Video of Drone Boat-Launched Drone Attacks

Government

Iraqi Navy Arrests Captain and Crew of Fuel-Smuggling Vessel

Corporate News

VINSSEN Gets AIP Certification for Korea's First Hydrogen Propulsion Tug

Cruise Ships

Neptun Werft Delivers First of New Series of River Cruise Ships to Viking

Ports

Fender Bender in Gibraltar Anchorage Renews Discussion on Use of Pilots

Offshore

Trump's EPA Withdraws Permit from Proposed NJ Offshore Wind Farm

Federal officials were successful in withdrawing for what is believed to be the first time an environmental permit granted by the Biden administration for an offshore wind farm. New Jersey’s proposed Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm project had been singled out by Donald Trump in his opposition to the industry and this latest development adds another hurdle to an already troubled project and potentially the industry. Atlantic Shores which was proposed as a joint venture between Shell and...

Shipbuilding

Workers at BAE’s Osborne Naval Shipyard Australia Walkout in Wage Dispute

Unions representing more than 500 workers at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide, Australia began an industrial action as contract negotiations over wages stretched into an eighth month with no resolution in sight. The walkout comes at a critical time as the BAE Systems’ yard is preparing to move into full production of Australia’s new Hunter Class frigates as well as other major projects scheduled for 2025. The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) reports that over 400 of its...

Environment

Ro-Ro fitted with wind rotors for Irish Sea service

Stena to Install Wind Rotors on New Hybrid Methanol-Fueled Ro-Ro

Continuing its efforts to incorporate new technologies to advance its efforts at reducing emissions, Stena Line is adding two wind rotor sails to one of its two NewMax hybrid vessels and completing the other sister ship “rotor sail ready.” The two vessels currently under construction in China are among the most advanced designs incorporating new technologies to be “future proof” as the company seeks to expand on its strategic ambition of shifting to renewable fuels and cutting CO2...

Business

Hong Kong’s Chief Says Hutchison’s Port Sale Requires “Serious Attention"

The Chinese government continues to apply pressure after the news of CK Hutchison’s planned sale of its international port operations, including in Panama to a partnership between U.S. investment group BlackRock and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company’s TiL ports group. The deal has become mired in the politics between Donald Trump and China. While Beijing has officially remained silent on the deal, it has used proxies to increase the pressure against Hutchison and Li Ka-shing, the tycoon behind the company....

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Fender Bender in Gibraltar Anchorage Renews Discussion on Use of Pilots

Military Sealift Marks Milestone with First Ship of New Class

Project for Hybrid Hydrogen-Diesel Engine Retrofits to Start Tests in 2025

Danish Consortium Grows to Complete Redesigned Plan for Arctic Patrol Ships

Chinese Fishermen "Spontaneously" Raise $18M for Deep-Sea Research Ship

LR: Lack of E-Fuel Supply is Delaying Adoption of Methanol Engines

Ukraine Releases Video of Drone Boat-Launched Drone Attacks

Iraqi Navy Arrests Captain and Crew of Fuel-Smuggling Vessel

VINSSEN Gets AIP Certification for Korea's First Hydrogen Propulsion Tug

Neptun Werft Delivers First of New Series of River Cruise Ships to Viking

Fender Bender in Gibraltar Anchorage Renews Discussion on Use of Pilots

Colonial Oil Industries Expands Marine Fueling With New Towboat and Barge

XMAR: Is Shipping Ready to Evolve with AI and Data-Driven Decision-Making?

EU Can Do It! Five Simple Steps to FuelEU Maritime Compliance

LR: Lack of E-Fuel Supply is Delaying Adoption of Methanol Engines

Ukraine Releases Video of Drone Boat-Launched Drone Attacks

Iraqi Navy Arrests Captain and Crew of Fuel-Smuggling Vessel

VINSSEN Gets AIP Certification for Korea's First Hydrogen Propulsion Tug

Neptun Werft Delivers First of New Series of River Cruise Ships to Viking

Fender Bender in Gibraltar Anchorage Renews Discussion on Use of Pilots

Trump's EPA Withdraws Permit from Proposed NJ Offshore Wind Farm

Workers at BAE’s Osborne Naval Shipyard Australia Walkout in Wage Dispute

Stena to Install Wind Rotors on New Hybrid Methanol-Fueled Ro-Ro

Hong Kong’s Chief Says Hutchison’s Port Sale Requires “Serious Attention"

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events