ABB Powers Third Hybrid Washington State Ferry Newbuild
ABB has received Notice to Proceed from Washington State Ferries (WSF), the largest ferry operator in the United States, to supply and integrate the power and propulsion system for third hybrid-electric newbuild ferry. This expands ABB’s involvement in the program from two vessels to three and is part of WSF’s broader plan for up to 16 new hybrid electric ferries by 2040.As with the first two vessels…
Tullow Oil Taps DeepOcean for Subsea Riser Job off Ghana
DeepOcean has secured a contract from Tullow Ghana to carry out subsea gas lift riser retermination work at the Jubilee field offshore Ghana, using its recently upgraded Orient Adventurer subsea construction vessel.The project involves a gas lift riser connecting the Kwame Nkrumah floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel to the Jubilee subsea production system, with offshore operations scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.DeepOcean's scope includes project management…
DNV Finds Aker BP, Höegh Evi's Offshore CO2 Injection Concept Feasible
DNV has issued a Statement of Feasibility for Aker BP and Höegh Evi's concept to transport liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) by shuttle carriers and inject it directly into subsea wells for permanent storage at the Atlas project offshore Norway.The assessment covers the offshore infrastructure required to transfer CO2 from vessels into the reservoir, with DNV concluding that the main technical challenges…
Vard Launches New Energy Construction Vessel for Norwegian Owner
Shipbuilder Vard has launched a new energy construction vessel (ECV) being built for Wind Energy Construction, a Norwegian company partly owned by the founders and owners of Norwind Offshore, with delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.The vessel, designated NB985, was successfully launched on October 27 and is under construction at Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, Vard announced.Based on Vard's VARD 3 11 design, the vessel is intended for offshore wind and subsea operations, including inspe
Subsea Vessel Market: Shifting Dynamics + Fleet Expansion
We are entering in interesting period in the subsea vessel market, as contract backlog among the EPCs continue to rise to new all-time highs, existing long-term contracts are coming up for renewals, and a wave of newbuilds are closing in on delivery. On the top end, the market dynamics are changing as the Tier 1 EPC landscape is consolidating, while the fleet is expected to see a net growth of more…
Dry Bulk Market: Escalating Attacks Heighten Uncertainty
"Geopolitical disruptions continue to cloud the dry bulk market outlook. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz remains the largest source of uncertainty, while attacks on ships and port infrastructure in the Black Sea have added another layer of risk,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Typically, around 4% of dry bulk demand sails via the Strait of Hormuz. Alternative routes have softened the impact of the disruption but have been unable to replace pre-war volumes.
Electric Container Barge Launched in Vietnam
CMA CGM, Nike and Vietnamese port operator Gemadept have launched a fully electric inland container barge service connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the Gemalink deep-sea terminal at Cai Mep, combining battery propulsion, dedicated charging infrastructure and renewable electricity.The barge will transport Nike cargo between an inland drop-off location in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly part of Binh Duong province…
Three Bodies Found in Sunken Borr Drilling Rig Off Gabon, Two Still Missing
Three bodies have been located inside the wreck of Borr Drilling's Prospector 5 jack-up rig, which sank offshore Gabon on October 24, with search and rescue operations continuing for two people still missing.The bodies were discovered during underwater inspections using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Vice-Admiral Charles Hubert Bekale-Meyong, chief of staff of the Gabonese Navy and commander of the search-and-rescue operation…
Built for the Dead Sea: Purpose-Built Workboat for Extreme Ops
ECTMarine delivered a purpose-built workboat to Arab Potash Company (APC) in Jordan following successful site acceptance testing (SAT).The SAT of the Custom Workboat 104 was completed last week on APC's brine evaporation ponds at the Dead Sea. APC was represented on site by its main contractor, Alghanem.Designed and built in the Netherlands, the workboat was tailored to the conditions at the Dead Sea…
Fraunhofer IFAM Establishes Validation Chain for Autonomous Systems in Offshore Wind
With USD$9.87 million (8.85 million euros) in funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), Fraunhofer IFAM is establishing a new research infrastructure for wind energy. The FOKUS-Wind project will create Germany's first end-to-end testing and validation chain for autonomous systems in offshore wind farms across the institute's sites in Bremen, Cuxhaven, and Heligoland.
Fincantieri, ITS Academy Udine Kick Off New Ship Mechatronics & Robotics Program
Fincantieri and ITS Academy Udine have officially launched the new “Mechatronics & Robotics – Smart Ship” program in Monfalcone, a technical training initiative jointly developed to train highly qualified professionals who will contribute to the technological evolution of shipyards and to the integration of new technologies into production processes and onboard vessels.The launch ceremony was held at Fincantieri’s new training center and was attended by Paola Perabò…
Boluda Shipping to Acquire Samskip, Expanding Europe’s Short-Sea Network
Boluda Shipping and Samskip have signed an agreement under which Boluda Shipping will acquire Samskip. The acquisition will pave the way for Europe’s most comprehensive short-sea shipping network, connecting Northern Europe with the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands and West Africa.Boluda brings maritime heritage, a strong position in towage, an established container shipping business and expertise in port logistics…
MARAD Approves Deepwater Port License for $8.2b LNG Project
The Maritime Administration has approved a deepwater port license application for the $8.2 billion ST LNG project, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday.The project could further expand US liquefied natural gas export capacity. President Donald Trump's administration has promised to ease permitting in a bid to speed up energy infrastructure development.The ST LNG deepwater port, set to be built about 10.4 miles (16.7 km) offshore Matagorda…
European Natural Gas Reaches €100 For First Time Since 2022
Europe's benchmark natural gas contract briefly touched €100 per megawatt hour (MWh) on Wednesday as disruptions to Middle East shipping of liquefied natural gas keep supply tight ahead of winter and consumers and industry feel the pinch from high energy prices.Prices have been rising to 2022 highs as the conflict in the Middle East has escalated, and are now trading at around triple pre-Iran war levels.The US-led war on Iran has raised costs for oil, transport fuels, gas, electricity and food.
World Bank: 2026 Global Commodity Prices to Rise 23%
Global commodity prices are set to surge 23% in 2026, the World Bank said on Wednesday, citing rising energy prices and disruptions to cargo shipping during the Middle East war, grain shipment problems in the Black Sea and high demand for safe-haven assets such as gold.Oil, natural gas, food and metals prices all rose sharply this year as global shocks mounted, the World Bank said in its latest Commodity Markets Outlook.
Germany Welcomes Back Offshore Wind Companies Despite Increasing Costs
Germany's Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Wednesday said companies may return previously auctioned offshore wind farm sites, provided they pay a penalty to transmission system operators, as mounting economic pressures continue to batter the sector.The move comes as increasing financing costs, overcapacity in certain sea areas and declining revenue expectations have made it harder for developers to deliver on awarded projects.In a letter to Reiche, the heads of eight of Germany's 16 states c
Turkey Calls On Russia, Ukraine to Halt Attacks Black Sea vessels
Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler on Wednesday warned Russia and Ukraine against further attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, saying Ankara reserved the right to take legal action against the strikes, in Turkey's most direct intervention to date.NATO member Turkey, which has maintained good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has repeatedly…
Crew Safe After Containership Struck by Drones Off Bulgaria
Sea drones struck a container ship off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Wednesday, the ship's owner and the government said, the latest in a string of attacks that have raised concerns about the growing scope of Russia's war in Ukraine.It was not clear who carried out the attack on the Greek ship that was sailing under the Liberian flag in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), or what the vessel's 421 containers were carrying."A container ship was hit...with three naval drones…
Russia Issues First Grain Export Permits From Sea of Azov Since July
Russian authorities have issued permits for vessels carrying grain for export to leave the Sea of Azov for the first time since July 10, when they closed maritime traffic in the area due to Ukrainian drone attacks, seven industry sources told Reuters.The sources said permits to pass through the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, would be issued for a period through November 15.
Trench Group to Be Acquired by GE Vernova
GE Vernova Inc. announced that it will acquire Trench Group, a provider of high-voltage grid equipment, from investment firm Triton Partners. The deal will create scale across GE Vernova’s Electrification product lines, expanding its capabilities to better serve customers with integrated solutions that meet demand for grid modernization, energy security, and electrification technologies. By vertically integrating an existing supplier with a complementary product portfolio…
