Seafarer Charged with Meth Importation
A Tanzanian national has appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrate's Court in Australia charged with the alleged importation of 3kg of methamphetamine into Australia.An investigation started on November 8 after a security officer contracted by Flinders Ports at Port Adelaide stopped the cargo ship crew member, 50, for a random baggage inspection as he left for shore leave.Three suspicious packages containing a crystal-like substance were found in a backpack the man was carrying.
High Visibility Border Patrol Conducted at Australian Port
The Australian Border Force (ABF) led a week of action in Portland last month, targeting criminal infiltration along Victoria's south-west coastline.The high visibility activity forms part of a broader operation to prevent organized crime groups from using the Australian border as a means for illegal activity, including trafficking illicit drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.The week of action…
Steel Prices Down as Ship Recycling Slows
Economic turmoil is causing inflation to keep rising at key ship recycling destinations, says cash buyer GMS. Global steel prices are collapsing, currencies are devaluing, and a disjointed ratio of trading units versus recycling volumes, are all wrapped up in a 2025 burrito of unnecessary bombastic.“As sanctions and bans increasingly strike at the world’s trading units and the balance of the legally trading group seems increasingly burdened with shouldering the load of missing tonnage…
October U.S. Container Imports Flatten
Descartes Systems Group has released its November Global Shipping Report highlighting that U.S. container imports were essentially flat in October as year-to-date volumes continue to decrease.The 2,306,687 TEU of imports was down a slight 0.1% from September and 7.5% lower than October 2024. After volume declines in August and September, imports from China were up 5.4% over September but down 16.3% year-over-year.Compared to September…
Webinar: Seequent Unlocks Subsea Intelligence
Whether you're in offshore wind, grid operations, geotechnical engineering, or digital transformation, this session, in conjunction with Offshore Engineer, will offer actionable insights, live demos, and expert opinions on:Why cable heat matters — from environmental impact to dynamic ratingHow to build better ground models using connected workflows and 3D subsurface dataHow thermal analysis drives…
Oil Prices Rise as US Shutdown Talks Advance, Oversupply Concerns Remain
Oil prices edged higher on Monday as investors assessed moves aimed at ending the U.S. government shutdown while concerns around oversupply in the crude market persisted.Brent crude futures rose 43 cents, or around 0.7%, to $64.06 a barrel by 1409 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $60.18 a barrel, also up about 43 cents or 0.7%.The U.S. Senate on Sunday moved forward on a measure aimed…
China Pauses Port Fees on US-Linked Ships for One Year
China suspended for one year port fees levied on U.S.-linked vessels, its transport ministry said on Monday, after Washington announced a similar pause on punitive actions against China's shipping and shipbuilding sectors.The reciprocated pauses were in line with agreements reached by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a summit in South Korea last month.The suspension kicked in from 13:01 local time (0501 GMT)…
Lukoil Declares Force Majeure in Iraq as Operations Strain Under US Sanctions
Lukoil declared force majeure at its Iraqi oil field, sources told Reuters on Monday, and Bulgaria was poised to seize its Burgas refinery, as the Russian company's international operations buckled under the strain of U.S. sanctions.The force majeure at the West Qurna-2 field in Iraq marks the biggest fallout yet from the sanctions imposed on Russian oil majors Lukoil and Rosneft last month as part of U.S.
Death Toll Climbs to 21 as Malaysia Searches for Missing Rohingya
Malaysian patrols searched coastal waters in the Andaman Sea on Monday for dozens of members of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority, after a boat believed to be carrying them sank last week and another went missing.At least 21 bodies have been found since the vessel went down on Thursday - 12 in Malaysia and nine in neighbouring Thailand - the regional head of Malaysia's maritime agency, Romli Mustafa…
Great Lakes Limestone Trade Down in October
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.2 million tons in October, a decrease of 3.8 percent compared to 2024. Limestone cargos were also below the month’s 5-year average by 10.7 percent.Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.6 million tons, a 6.1 percent reduction. Shipments from Canadian quarries increased 6.8 percent to 626,805 tons.Year-to-date, the limestone trade stands at 22.8 million tons, a decrease of 5.6 percent compared to a year ago.
Svitzer Acquires Two-Thirds Stake in Buksér og Berging
Svitzer Group A/S, global towage and marine solutions provider, has acquired a 66.6% stake in Norwegian towage and marine service company, Buksér og Berging AS, subject to final regulatory approvals. Svitzer’s investment represents a partnership opportunity for both companies, with a view to leverage extensive shared knowledge and experience of the global towage, offshore, adjacent maritime service…
Steelpaint Secures Corrosion Protection Contracts for Germany's Inland Waterways
Steelpaint GmbH has reported strong growth in orders for corrosion protection coatings on Germany’s inland waterways, with a succession of new contracts awarded by local authorities and hydraulic engineering contractors throughout 2025.Among the raft of new projects is the work WSA Main is carrying out on the Main River at Viereth-Trunstadt. The Main is a major tributary of the Rhine forming one of…
SRSA, Jeddah Municipality Signs Coastal Collaboration Framework
The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) and Jeddah Municipality have signed an Integrated Coastal Collaboration Framework to strengthen regulatory integration, enhance marine oversight, and enable sustainable tourism activities along Jeddah’s coastline. The signing took place in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Fahad Al-Tunsi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Red Sea Authority.The framework was signed by His Excellency Eng. Saleh Al-Turki, Mayor of Jeddah, and Mr.
DOF Nets BP’s Subsea Services Job in Atlantic
Norwegian offshore supply vessel owner DOF Group has secured a contract with BP for the provision of subsea services in the Atlantic region.The three-year firm and two-year options contract will see DOF deploy a high-capability subsea vessel asset to support BP with subsea construction, installation, repair, and maintenance (IRM) operations.Offshore operations are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.Financial details related to the agreement…
Ocean-Based Carbon Capture for Commercial Vessels
CALCAREA Inc. and AURELIA Design B.V. entered into a collaboration to bring ocean-based carbon capture technology to the maritime sector. The partnership combines CALCAREA’s unique carbon removal process with AURELIA’s experience in green ship design and e-systems integration.At the heart of the collaboration is CALCAREA’s limestone weathering technology — a system that accelerates a natural process where carbon dioxide (CO₂) reacts with limestone and seawater…
Six New Arklow Shipping Vessels to get Octopus Battery Systems
A new series of six General Cargo vessels being built by Ferus Smit in the Netherlands for Irish ship operator Arklow Shipping will sport EST-Floattech's Octopus Lite battery system. EST-Floattech designed the system to fit the sailing profile of the vessels, a close collaboration with the yard and owner designed to provide both technology and efficiency gains.The new series of 11,000 DWT general cargo…
AI is Useful, but it Will Not Be Brilliant
AI is here to stay. Those who don’t explore its use and capabilities may soon find themselves left at the dock.At our company, we treat AI like any other engineering tool — no different than finite element analysis or computerized performance prediction. When used well, it’s extremely useful. When used poorly, it’s useless. At that level, we don’t worry about “intelligence.” It’s more like a fluffy Wikipedia…
Fincantieri to Build New Cruise Ship for NCLH’s Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Fincantieri has secured a new order for the construction of an ultra-luxury cruise ship for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), which will be operated by its subsidiary Regent Seven Seas Cruises.Scheduled for delivery in 2033, the new vessel will be a sister ship to Seven Seas Prestige, the first of the new Prestige Class, currently under construction at the Marghera shipyard and set for delivery in 2026.
Cadeler Inks $580M Offshore Wind T&I Contracts
Danish offshore wind installation firm Cadeler has signed two firm contracts covering the full-scope transportation and installation (T&I) of offshore wind turbines and their foundations for an upcoming offshore wind farm development, with a combined value of around $580 million.The foundations T&I campaign is set to begin in early 2029 and to be executed using one of Cadeler’s newbuild A-class vessels.The…
Death Toll Rises to 11 in Rohingya Boat Tragedy off Malaysia, Dozens Missing
The number of people confirmed dead after a boat carrying members of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya community sank near the Thailand-Malaysia border rose to 11 on Monday, authorities said, with about 70 people believed to have been on board the capsized vessel.The status of another boat carrying 230 passengers remained unclear, Malaysian authorities said, adding that 13 survivors had been found so far, mostly Rohingya.