ABF Seizes Cocaine Concealed in RoRo Cargo
The Australian Border Force has seized 34kg cocaine concealed within a luxury bus in Fremantle, Western Australia.ABF officers examined a roll-on/roll-off vessel on May 6, using a combination of targeted intelligence, physical search, detector dogs and advanced technology.During the inspection, officers located approximately 30 packages concealed in the roof cavity of a bus.Presumptive testing returned a positive result for cocaine…
Australian Commissions HMAS Eyre
The Royal Australian Navy commissioned HMAS Eyre into the fleet in a ceremony at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.HMAS Eyre is the second of six planned Arafura class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) to enter service, following the commissioning of sister ship HMAS Arafura last year.The 80-metre long Arafura class OPVs will help patrol and secure Australia’s maritime border alongside the Evolved Cape class patrol boats.
Seasats Completes First Autonomous Transit of the Taiwan Strait
Seasats today announced that a Lightfish uncrewed surface vessel (USV) has completed the first autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait, a contested waterway separating Taiwan and mainland China.The vessel was deployed by Seasats from hundreds of miles away, and traversed the full length of the strait over five days while continuously monitoring surface vessel traffic. The Lightfish encountered multiple Chinese warships…
Damen Delivers Landing Utility Vessel to Blueshell Mussels
On April 20, Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract with Blueshell Mussels for the delivery of a Landing Utility Vessel (LUV) 2208. The vessel, named Bountiful, is supporting the company’s mussel harvesting operation in the Shetland Islands off the north coast of Scotland.Blueshell Mussels is a family-owned business located in Brae, on the island of Mainland. The company approached Damen when they…
Saronic’s Marauder Enters On-Water Trials
Saronic has launched its first Marauder Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV), designed to deliver dual-use autonomous capability far from shore across the full range of defense and commercial applications.Marauder is built for the kinds of sustained, long-range missions that place the greatest demands on any maritime vessel and present the greatest risks to any crew. Operating fully autonomously or under remote human supervision…
AUKUS to Develop UUVs, Delivery Set for 2027
The United States, Britain and Australia are working together to develop unmanned undersea vehicles as part of their trilateral AUKUS defence pact, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters on Saturday.AUKUS said in a joint statement that delivery of the vehicles will start in 2027.The program will improve the three nations' reconnaissance and strike capabilities, "and bolster superiority in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare…
China Patrols Scarborough Shoal After Philippines Warns of Threat
China's military and coast guard said they carried out patrols near disputed waters in the South China Sea on Sunday, a day after the Philippines said it remained under threat from Beijing despite a recent easing in U.S.-China tensions.Philippine and U.S. forces held a five-day maritime exercise in the same waters last week near the Scarborough Shoal, the third such drill this year, to strengthen interoperability and maritime security…
US Military Says it Fired Missile into Engine Room of Blockade Runner
The U.S. military says it fired a missile into the engine room of a vessel trying to get through the U.S. blockade of Iran on Friday.In a statement on Saturday, U.S. Central Command said it fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of the Gambia-flagged Lian Star as it was "transiting international waters toward an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman."Before the attack, U.S. forces issued "more than 20 warnings" informing the vessel it was in violation of the U.S.
Oil Prices Fall on Hopes of a US-Iran Ceasefire
Oil futures fell more than 2% on Friday, closing out their steepest weekly decline since early April as traders awaited word that the U.S., Israel and Iran had reached agreement on a ceasefire.Brent crude futures for July, which expired on Friday, settled at $92.05 a barrel, down $1.66, or 1.8%. WTI U.S. oil futures Reutersfinished at $87.36 a barrel, down $1.54 or 1.7%."Obviously, the market thinks the ceasefire will be all easy-peasy and is done and dusted…
Master Boat Builders Launches Second of Eight Tugs Built for Maritime Partners
Master Boat Builders, Inc. recently announced the successful launch of Titan, the second of eight tugboats being built for Maritime Partners, LLC. The launch represents another milestone in the companies’ ongoing partnership and reflects sustained demand for high-performance tug capacity across the maritime and energy sectors.Constructed at Master Boat Builders’ shipyard in Coden, Alabama, Titan measures 88 feet in length and is classified as an A1 Escort Tug and Towing Vessel.
ABS Addresses Operational Solutions for Shipping Challenges at Annual Hellenic Committee Meeting
“Shipping has entered a period where complexity is building faster than it can be absorbed," said ABS Chairman and CEO John McDonald at the annual gathering of the ABS Hellenic National Committee. "Costs are rising and decision cycles are shortening. This combination is creating a widening gap between what is technically possible and what is operationally viable at sea. Closing that gap is now central to competitiveness.”McDonald expanded on the organization’s latest announcement…
Chevron Hesitant to Pay Toll on Ships Moving Through Hormuz
U.S. oil and gas major Chevron will not consider paying a toll to move ships through the Strait of Hormuz, CEO Mike Wirth told Bloomberg TV on Friday.Wirth also said several vessels that transit through the Strait of Hormuz have been attacked in recent days.Perhaps not every day, but there have been "multiple incidents," he said.Chevron currently has six vessels under charter - belonging to a third party - in the waterway, Wirth said.
Trump to Make Final Decision Iran Ceasefire, Including Hormuz Opening
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he would soon decide on a proposed deal to extend the ceasefire with Iran, though the two countries still appeared to differ on significant issues that have been central to the conflict.Trump said on Friday morning that he would meet in a secure White House room to make a "final determination" on the proposal, which would extend an early-April truce for another 60 days…
AI-Driven Port Security: Innovations Transforming Maritime Operations
The increasing automation around port and cargo operations sees greater use of remotely tracked and operated sensors and camera systems to deliver operational efficiency, security and greater safety across the huge footprint of any modern port. However, the incessant scaling of container ship operations to Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCV) and beyond mean that ports must always look to refine their operations…
Jumbo Maritime Orders 2 L-Class Vessels
Dutch maritime design house Vuyk Engineering was selected by heavy lift shipping and offshore transportation contractor Jumbo Maritime for its newly ordered L-Class heavy lift transport vessels (HLTV). The high-end vessels are designed to support offshore transport and lifting operations, integrating substantial cargo capacity with up to 2400 t crane handling capabilities.The new L-Class vessels are developed to transport a broad range of heavy cargoes…
SAAM Takes Full Control of Intertug’s Ops in Colombia and Mexico
SAAM has completed the acquisition of the remaining 30% stake in Intertug's operations in Colombia and Mexico, giving the company full ownership of the subsidiaries.The transaction, valued at $30.5 million, was completed after the required regulatory approvals were obtained and other closing conditions were satisfied.The acquisition follows SAAM's initial purchase of a 70% stake in Intertug in 2021…
Brazil Oil Exports Drop by Half in May on Export Tax, Domestic Demand
Brazil's oil exports are set to drop by half in May from a year earlier as an export tax and stronger domestic demand for fuel have limited shipments, according to government data and industry sources.Brazil imposed the 12% export tax in March, seeking to cushion the impact of higher global oil prices on final consumers by keeping more crude in the country.The measure is seen as limiting Brazilian shipments at a time of record production and despite demand from countries such as China and India.
Fincantier Holds Steel Cutting For Crystal Grace Cruise Ship
The first steel cutting ceremony for Crystal Grace, the new ship for the cruise line Crystal, took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera. Delivery of the vessel is scheduled for spring 2028 and will be followed by two sister ships.Attending the ceremony were Cristina Levis, CEO Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group (AKTG) for Crystal, Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager Merchant Ships Division of Fincantieri and Marco Lunardi…
Ofiniti Acquires Teqplay to Expand Maritime Fuel Operations Platform
Ofiniti has acquired maritime intelligence company Teqplay, expanding its maritime fuel operations platform with vessel tracking, port-call analytics and operational intelligence capabilities.The acquisition broadens Ofiniti's offering beyond scheduling, operational coordination and digital documentation into real-time operational intelligence, providing customers with a combined view of vessel movements and fuel delivery operations.Ofiniti said its platform processed more than 25…
Vard Lands Record $800M Order for Deep-Sea Research Vessel
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of a deep-sea research vessel based on the VARD 9 42 design, in a deal valued at nearly $810 million (€700 million).The company said the contract is the largest order ever secured by Vard for a single vessel and the largest order of its kind for a Norwegian shipyard.The vessel, known as RV11000 during the project phase, will be 162 meters long with a beam of 28 meters.
