Ivory Coast Cocoa Grind Down 31.2%
Ivory Coast's cocoa grind dropped 31.2% year-on-year in July to 39,301 metric tons, data from exporters' association GEPEX showed on Monday, with grinders citing poor bean quality and low volumes of the mid-crop.The total grind - part of the process of transforming cocoa beans into chocolate - from the start of the 2024/25 season in October until the end of July stood at 515,055 tons of beans, down…
Maersk Contains Fire Onboard Marie Maersk Vessel off Liberia
Danish shipping company Maersk MAERSKb.CO said on Monday that a fire that broke out onboard the vessel Marie Maersk off Liberia on Wednesday last week had stopped spreading, and that firefighting effo
LNG Cargoes from Sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 Project Flow East
Four liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers carrying cargoes from Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant, sanctioned over Moscow's war in Ukraine, are headed east toward Asia, according to ship tracking data from Kpler and LSEG.The Christophe De Margerie tanker is travelling along the Northern Sea Route after loading at Arctic LNG 2 on August 9, according to Kpler data. The tanker is currently off the northeast coast of Russia…
Fujairah Ship Fuel Sales Soar
Sales of marine bunker fuel at the United Arab Emirates' port of Fujairah rebounded in July after a slump in June to their highest in three months, Fujairah Oil Industry Zone data showed.July sales totalled 640,715 cubic metres (about 635,000 metric tons), up 13.8% from June, based on FOIZ data published by S&P Global Commodity Insights.The stronger volumes were led by a boost in high-sulphur marine fuel sales…
Shipbuilder Delivers Fast Crew Boat Pair to Aesen
In early August 2025, Aesen took delivery of two new Generation 4 Fast Crew Boats (FCBs) — Aesen 107 and Aesen 108 — at a christening ceremony held at Strategic Marine yard. The addition of Aesen 107 and Aesen 108 brings Aesenʼs total new crew vessel acquisitions to 12 over the past two years with at least three more under construction, as part of its ongoing fleet renewal.Built by Strategic Marine in collaboration with Southerly Designs…
Xeneta Acquires eeSea
Xeneta AS announced the acquisition of fellow maritime and supply chain data company eeSea. By adding eeSea’s global schedule, transit time and reliability data to its existing range of freight rate data, Xeneta will enable BCO Procurement teams to manage freight contracts and suppliers based on service levels, and not just cost, to get the right service at the right price, no matter what the market conditions.“Today marks a key milestone for Xeneta…
Ship Fuel Quality Holds Steady, says LR Report
LR’s latest FOBAS Fuel Insight report highlights broadly steady fuel quality with particular issues around high sediments and chemical contamination, and an increased use of biofuel blends with developments in energy-content measurement.Global bunker fuel quality remained resilient in the first half of 2025 despite growing fuel diversity and tightening environmental regulation, according to Lloyd’s Register’s latest FOBAS Fuel Insight report.
Saipem Milestone in Guyana Yellowtail Project
Saipem reports it has successfully completed its designated scope of work for the development of the Yellowtail field, operated by ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd., locatedin approximately 1,800m of water within the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana.Awarded the contract in 2022, Saipem undertook the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) of the Subsea Umbilical, Riser, andFlowline (SURF) system for the Yellowtail field.
After its own Ships Collide, China Accuses Philippine Vessels of "Dangerous Maneuvers"
China's defence ministry accused Philippine Coast Guard vessels on Friday of "dangerous manoeuvres" in response to reports of a collision earlier this week between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.The Philippine vessels' actions "seriously endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel," ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin.Jiang neither confirmed nor denied…
Ship Recyclers “Drip Fed” Tonnage
As top EU leaders also plan to meet with US president Trump on Monday and seek a path to end the Ukraine war, oil fell nearly 2% last week, reports cash buyer GMS.It closing it out at $62.80/barrel even though the easing of sanctions could see oil trade ease in the coming weeks and traders remained bearish about the future.As oil becomes cheaper and tariffs / sanctions start to hit globally, the Baltic Exchange’s Dry Index saw another week of growth as it rose 0.25%…
Panama Canal Celebrates 111 Years of Operation
On August 15, the Panama Canal marked 111 years of operations, renewing its commitment to a sustainable future through a water strategy focused on public well-being and an operational vision that enhances the country’s logistical competitiveness.Since the waterway’s inauguration in 1914, with the historic transit of the steamship Ancón, which, for the first time, connected the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans…
ABS and Saronic to Collaborate on Autonomous Ship Technology
ABS and US defense engineering company Saronic Technologies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore autonomous technologies for maritime applications.The agreement establishes a cooperative framework for both organizations to collaborate on projects related to improving technical requirements for autonomous surface vessels (ASV) and classification services for Saronic's autonomous capabilities.In July…
ASRY Conducts 2025 HSE Week
The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) conducted its 2025 Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Week August 11 to 13 under the theme “Elevating HSE Culture with Safe Summer.”.The three-day program drew wide participation from ASRY and subcontractors’ employees alongside representatives of relevant government bodies and industrial firms in Bahrain.The week opened with a formal ceremony attended by senior company officials and representatives of the Ministry of Labour…
Webb Institute Named One of the Nation’s Best Colleges
Webb Institute has once again been recognized as one of the nation’s best undergraduate institutions, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company features Webb in the 2026 edition of its highly selective annual guide, The Best 391 Colleges, released by Penguin Random House.Only 15% of America’s nearly 2,400 four-year colleges are included in The Princeton Review guidebook. Selection is based on surveys of 2…
Germany Criticises China’s “Aggressive Behaviour” in Taiwan Strait
Germany's foreign minister on Sunday criticised what he called the "aggressive behaviour" of China in the Taiwan Strait ahead of a trip to Japan and Indonesia, and stressed the need to strengthen internationally binding rules.Speaking to reporters, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul praised Japan's solidarity with Europe over Ukraine as he prepared to board a plane, and highlighted the importance and…
Eastern Shipbuilding Gets Go-Ahead from WSF for Three Hybrid-Electric Ferries
Eastern Shipbuilding Group received the Notice to Proceed from Washington State Ferries (WSF) to build two with an option for an additional 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries for the State of Washington. This milestone follows the first competitive bid for ferry construction in more than 25 years for the nation’s largest ferry system.“This is an exciting milestone in bringing new hybrid-electric ferries to our fleet…
Exploring Ocean Canyons, SOI Strikes Again with Groundbreaking Research
First High-Tech Exploration of Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon, Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle SuBastian shines light on an offshore canyon in Argentine waters nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon — capturing images and video of 40 suspected new species, coral fields, and a seastar that resembled a famous cartoon character.An Argentinian-led expedition on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) has captured the attention of millions…
Argentina’s 30 MMtpa LNG Ambition by 2030 – Is It feasible?
The development Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta share is transforming the nation into a rising energy exporter, with oil and pipeline gas already flowing abroad and an ambitious multi-phase ‘Argentina LNG’ initiative aiming to secure a permanent place in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. While geological resources appear sufficient, the scale and pace of development, however, present challenges.‘Argentina…
Shipyard in Focus: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding
For Peter Duclos, shipbuilding has always been personal.As President and Director of Business Development at Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, Duclos represents the third generation of his family to lead the Somerset, Massachusetts, shipyard. “I’ve been involved with our family’s 70-year-old company my whole life,” he said. “From dinner table conversations to summer jobs, and now as…
Asian Nations Battle for Shipbuilding Share
China’s share of the tanker orderbook rose from 32.4% in 2022, to 62.6% in 2023 and then 71.2% in 2024. Its share of the container ship orderbook has shown a similar growth trajectory. The nation has ranked first in the world for new orders since 2012. Labor costs are about half of what they are in Korea and Japan, and China is the world’s cheapest steel manufacturer.Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO…
