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Friday, May 15, 2026

Infrastructure News

13 May 2026

EnergyPathways, ABP Partner on Energy Storage Project at Port of Barrow

(Credit: EnergyPathways)

EnergyPathways has signed a collaboration agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP) to evaluate the Port of Barrow in northwest England as a location for onshore facilities linked to its Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project.The AIM-listed company said the MESH project, located in the Irish Sea, is expected to combine compressed air energy storage with natural gas and hydrogen storage using subsea salt caverns.According to EnergyPathways, the project has the potential to support up to 60 subsurface salt caverns and is targeted to begin operations in 2031…

12 May 2026

PD Ports Expands Operations with Third Electric Liebherr LPS 550

© Liebherr

An LPS 550 fitted with an electric drive from Liebherr’s Baltic-side production facility has been delivered to Middlesbrough to increase PD Ports’ productivity. The new machine will focus on bulk work at Teesport, complementing two sister cranes commissioned in 2023, strengthening hatch coverage and maintaining consistent cycle times.Day-to-day, the Port supports a complex gateway that handles tens of millions of tonnes of cargo each year, with over USD$1.9 billion (£1.4 billion) contributed to the regional economy.

11 May 2026

CMA CGM Expands Support for Kenyan Logistics

Source: CMA CGM

The CMA CGM Group has signed a high-level framework agreement for joint cooperation with Keynan institutional authorities to develop Kenya’s logistics and port capacity.The objective is to accelerate solutions that support the growth of supply chain flows in and out of east and Central Africa including maritime demand, inland logistics and freight management.It has been signed as part of the Africa Forward Summit, and in the presence of the Presidents of the French and Kenyan Republics, M.

06 May 2026

Sentinel Midstream to Begin Building Texas Deepwater Oil Export Port

© aerial-drone / Adobe Stock

Oil transportation and storage company Sentinel Midstream said on Tuesday it would immediately begin construction of its deepwater oil export project off the Texas coast, marking the first development of a large-scale export project in the United States in years.Sentinel expects to begin commercial operations of the Texas GulfLink system by the fourth quarter of 2028, said Bruce Heine, the company's senior VP for public affairs, adding the company will begin excavation activities…

03 May 2026

Australian Seafarer Welfare Centers Hampered by Chronic Under-Funding

Source: HRAS

A private survey of leading stakeholders conducted by Human Rights at Sea demonstrates a nationwide pattern of chronic under-funding in the provision of seafarer support services in Australia.Human Rights at Sea conducted the online survey to identify what port welfare resources are already in place and any gaps that need to be addressed.Over 500,000 seafarers visit Australian ports each year, and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) calls for the establishment of port welfare committees to coordinate welfare provision at a local level.Survey responses were obtained from 14 locations.

21 Apr 2026

USACE Releases Final FY2026 Great Lakes Maintenance Program

© Douglas / Adobe Stock

In early April, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released its navigation work plan for FY2026. The overall plan outlines resources that will be used for dredging, structure maintenance, and other priorities at every port in the United States.The USACE Detroit District staff have since compiled a summary/funding analysis of Great Lakes provisions indicating that the Great Lakes region will receive $516.47 million in navigation maintenance funding in FY2026 — an increase…

19 Apr 2026

Construction Begins on Port Hedland Seafarers Centre

Source: Pilbara Ports

Construction has started on a new Seafarers Centre at the Port of Port Hedland in Australia.Benchmark Construction and Building has been awarded a contract to construct the new center which will be a welcoming space for seafarers visiting Port Hedland and will include areas for rest, connection, recreation and access to vital support services.It will feature a communal lounge equipped with games and kitchen facilities, quiet areas, a library, meditation and prayer rooms and a shared chapel.

15 Apr 2026

Exmar Launches FSRU Conversion Work for Dutch LNG Terminal

(Credit: Exmar)

Exmar said it has launched conversion works for a new floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to support the expansion of the EemsEnergyTerminal in the Netherlands.The move follows the signing of a conditional charter agreement covering both the extension of the existing Eemshaven LNG FSRU and a newly converted unit, with EemsEnergyTerminal expected to take a conditional final investment decision in the first half of 2026.Exmar said it has secured a dual-fuel diesel electric membrane LNG carrier for the conversion and has begun engineering activities…

09 Apr 2026

US Grants $70M to Port of Los Angeles for Maintenance Projects

(Credit: Port of Los Angeles)

The Port of Los Angeles said it has secured about $70 million in federal funding for harbor maintenance and infrastructure upgrades, marking its largest allocation to date.The funding, provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, will support projects including dredging, seismic upgrades and navigational safety improvements.The San Pedro Bay port complex, which includes Los Angeles and Long Beach, received a combined $131.8 million allocation.The trust fund is financed through a cargo tax paid by U.S.

06 Apr 2026

Nikkiso Partners Exion Asia to Launch Southeast Asia Marine Hub

(Credit: Nikkiso CE&IG)

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases Group (Nikkiso CE&IG) has entered into a strategic service partnership with Exion Asia to establish its first marine hub in Southeast Asia, aimed at supporting growing demand for cryogenic equipment services.Under the agreement, Singapore will serve as Nikkiso’s Southeast Asia Marine Hub, providing regional support for cryogenic pumps and related equipment used on marine vessels.The partnership leverages Exion Asia’s network of 17 workshops across Southeast Asia…

30 Mar 2026

UK Grants $85M to Develop Port Talbot Floating Wind Hub

(Credit: ABP)

The U.K. government has committed up to $85 million (£64 million) to support the development of a floating offshore wind port at Port Talbot in Wales, as part of efforts to expand clean energy capacity.The funding will support Associated British Ports (ABP) in completing design and engineering work required to develop infrastructure for floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea.The project is expected to enable at least 4.5 GW of floating offshore wind capacity, enough to power around 6.5 million homes…

26 Mar 2026

Maraen Approves $40M Port of Nigg Upgrade After Rebrand

Yoshihiro Hayakawa, CEO and Managing Director of Maraen (Credit: Maraen)

Maraen has approved plans for more than $40 million (£30 million) investment for the upgrades at the Port of Nigg, following the integration of three energy businesses under a new brand.Maraen combines the capabilities of Port of Nigg, Global Energy (Group) and Global Energy Services, after their acquisition by Mitsui & Co. Europe and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) in 2025.The company said a final investment decision has been taken to develop a new heavy-duty quay and roll-on/roll-off capability at the port…

27 Mar 2026

Freeport CEO Says Iran War Could Delay New US LNG Projects

© Mike Mareen / Adobe Stock

Supply disruptions linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran could delay construction of liquefied natural gas projects slated for development in the U.S., Freeport LNG CEO Michael Smith said on Wednesday at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.The U.S. is the world’s largest LNG exporter and has more new capacity under construction than any other country.Smith said the conflict’s impact could extend beyond oil and gas supply chains, affecting key materials such as steel and…

24 Mar 2026

Explosion Forces Shutdown of Valero’s Port Arthur Refinery

(Credit: Screenshot/Social Media)

Valero Energy Corp has shut its 380,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) oil refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, following an explosion and fire at a diesel hydrotreater unit, people familiar with the plant operations said on Monday.The cause of the explosion at the 47,000-bpd 243-diesel hydrotreater unit was not clear. The blast could be heard as far as 11 miles away, the sources said.In an emailed response to Reuters, Valero confirmed a fire in a unit at the company's Port Arthur refinery and…

22 Mar 2026

Aker Solutions Wins FEED Contract for Lithuania CO₂ Terminal

Credit: KN Energies

Aker Solutions has been awarded a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract by KN Energies to support the development of the company’s CO₂ transshipment terminal infrastructure project in Klaipėda, Lithuania.The project forms part of the CCS Baltic Consortium, which aims to develop the first cross-border carbon capture, transport, and storage (CCS) network in the Baltic region. The Klaipėda terminal infrastructure development is recognized as a project of common interest…

19 Mar 2026

Echo Marine Group to Deliver Western Australia’s First Electric Ferry Fleet

Image courtesy Echo Marine Group/LR

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a new contract with long-standing partner Echo Marine Group to support the delivery of Western Australia’s first fully electric passenger ferries - marking a major milestone for sustainable public transport in Australia.The project, which is a part of the Perth Transport Authority’s (PTA) METRONET Swan River Ferry Service Expansion programme, will see the design and construction of five new battery-electric ferries for operation on Perth’s Swan River.

19 Mar 2026

Green Ammonia Shines When Regulation is Considered, says study

A new analysis from WinGD and Envision Energy suggests something the maritime industry has been debating for years ... and likely will be debating for many years to come: the changing economics of zero-emission fuels.For shipowners, the significance is straightforward. The conversation is shifting from if green fuels can compete to when — and in some cases, that answer may already be “now.”On a pure fuel-cost basis, green ammonia still carries a premium, as today, it can run close to three times the cost of very low sulphur fuel oil.

18 Mar 2026

Bridging the Data Divide: How AI Will Rewire Maritime, Port Ops

“Everyone wants the new shiny thing,” Ponce said. “But the biggest blocker is always the same, you don’t understand what you already have.”
That mindset traces back even further to his time at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), a school he describes with a mix of pride and candor.
“If you know RPI, you know we’re a bunch of nerds that are basically told, ‘Why not change the world?’” he said. “That stuck with me.” 
Image courtesy AI Strategic Solutions

With the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence, it’s fair to say there is more misunderstood than understood, particularly in conservative markets like maritime and ports. Adalberto ‘Berto’ Ponce, Co-Founder and CEO Of AI Strategic Solutions discusses with Maritime Reporter TV his organization’s experiences in working with ports and port facilities to help make operations more efficient and diversify revenue. With AI Strategic Solutions, it’s not about replace people or jobs…

18 Mar 2026

America’s Ports, Harbors, and Waterways: Dredging, Resolve and the Will to Build

On January 27, 2026, Manson Construction’s newest hopper dredge, the FREDERICK PAUP, departed the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, bound for Mobile, Alabama. It is the largest self-propelled hopper dredge ever constructed in the U.S.
Image courtesy Manson Construction

America’s maritime infrastructure is measured in draft depth, vessel clearance, sediment management, and days available to dredge. If the United States is serious about competing in a century defined by supply chains, energy exports, and sealift readiness, then ports, harbors, and waterways must move from being in the background to becoming part of the national strategy.The Dredging industry and it importance to the U.S. Port infrastructure will be discussed in depth at the Port of the Future Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for March 23-25 in Houston.

13 Mar 2026

Built on the Rivers: Aimee Andres and the Expanding Role of America’s Inland Ports

Aimee Andres, Executive Director, Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).

For Aimee Andres, the nation’s inland rivers are not an abstract transportation network or a policy talking point. They are personal. Growing up, she spent her formative years around ports, terminals and railroads, watching firsthand how freight moved and how quietly essential inland infrastructure is to the country’s economic engine. That upbringing ultimately led her to a role she has now held for more than a decade: Executive Director of Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).

12 Mar 2026

New ISO Vessel Hull Cleaning Standard Published

 Irene Øvstebø Tvedten, Senior Adviser at Bellona.

Yesterday, a new ISO standard was published to help port authorities, shipowners and operators navigate rules on how ships should be cleaned in an environmentally sound way. Hull cleaning is gaining traction among shipowners, while countries are increasingly introducing regulations—but many ports still lack practical guidance on how to manage it. “Biofouling on ships’ hulls can spread invasive aquatic species and damage ecosystems. It also increases drag, reducing a vessel’s efficiency and leading to higher fuel consumption and increased greenhouse gas emissions…

09 Mar 2026

ZIM Navigates Cooling Container Markets, Hapag-Lloyd Deal Looms

Copyright Maritime Art Blog/AdobeStock

The container shipping sector continued its gradual normalization in 2025, and ZIM Integrated Shipping Services’ latest financial results offer a clear snapshot of the industry’s transition away from the extraordinary profits generated during the pandemic-era freight surge.For the full year 2025, the Israeli liner carrier reported revenue of $6.9 billion, down from $8.4 billion in 2024 as freight rates softened across major trade lanes. Net income reached $481 million, a sharp decline from $2.15 billion the previous year…

05 Mar 2026

New "all about ports" Conference Highlights Port Infrastructure Development, Growth

© all about ports

Hamburg Messe und Congress is establishing "all about ports" (September 2-3, 2026, Hamburg), an international conference with an accompanying exhibition. The event takes a comprehensive look at modern port infrastructure, technologies and processes. Together with other international industry events, Hamburg will become a meeting point for the port industry, the maritime industry and digital logistics at the beginning of September. The event positions itself as a platform for practical solutions…