United Kingdom (UK) News

Firms developing three Fleet Solid Support ships for Royal Fleet Auxiliary have been urged to say how many British jobs will be created – and how much work carried out in the UK The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions has demanded to see plans outlining how UK workers and firms will benefit from the deal. The CSEU’s maritime chairman Matthew Roberts, a GMB union national officer, has written to Harland & Wolff, ship designers BMT and Madrid-based Navantia, S.A.,...

Plans to build a world class maritime centre of excellence, focused on innovation, engineering, R&D, entrepreneurship, and training at the heart of Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, have been put on hold as Wirral Council says no viable plans to fund it have been brought forward. A report has asked Councillors at a Policy and Resources committee meeting on January 17 to remove the project from its regeneration programme ‘until such time as a viable scheme is brought forward for cons...

Seabound, the UK-based pioneer in carbon capture solutions for the shipping industry, has successfully tested its novel carbon capture technology on a commercial container ship. This development is a much-needed step in accelerating the decarbonisation of the shipping industry. This sector currently contributes to ~3% of global emissions and is considered one of the hardest to abate.  Calcium looping The successful pilot marks a turning point in Seabound's mission to tackle the climate c...

Marine technology and data specialist - Ocean Infinity has been awarded the Offshore Renewables Award announced at Riviera Maritime’s Annual Offshore Support Journal (OSJ) Awards.  OSJ’s prestigious Offshore Renewables Award honours a company, project or product that has made a significant contribution to the development of the offshore renewables market. Reduction of emissions Ocean Infinity's Commercial Director, Maxime Even, was delighted with the recognition that this awa...

Canadian maritime operations platform provider, Helm Operations, has secured ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 compliance, underscoring its dedication to maintaining the highest standards of data security, privacy, and operational excellence. The announcement comes as data security continues to grow as a critical focus of the maritime industry. ISO 27001:2022 ISO 27001:2022 is an internationally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), developed to help organisa...

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of the technology group Wärtsilä, will deliver the fuel supply system for two new gas carriers that will operate with ammonia fuel. First-ever oceangoing vessels The ships are being built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyards (HMD) in Korea for ship owner - EXMAR LPG, a joint venture between Exmar, a multi-disciplinary maritime and offshore solutions provider, and Seapeak, one of the largest independent owner-operators of liquefied natural gas vessels.&...

Brunvoll will now supply propulsion and manoeuvring packages for a total of four CSOVs for Windward and Vard. The initial order placed back in November was for two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs). Windward and VARD have now declared the addition of two optional vessels to their order. “In November I welcomed Windward as a new customer, and we are excited that they now have declared both options. Large series like these are important for our fully integrated value chain in...

Spire Global., Inc., a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services and Signal Ocean, a pioneer in shipping technology, have agreed to partner to drive digitisation of the maritime economy. Under this agreement, Spire and Signal Ocean will partner to leverage their respective strengths. Spire will contribute its unique, proprietary datasets, relevant for precise monitoring of the maritime domain.  New innovative solutions Signal Ocean will bring its best-in-class e...

Construction has begun on a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow. The Academy will comprise of a Modern Trade Hall and a Flexible Learning Hub. The Academy will support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices to senior leaders, and forms part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to develop future talent. New Applied Shipbuilding Academy in Glasgow A historic industrial building will be retro...

London International Shipping Week has set sail towards its 2025 event with a number of high-profile sponsors declaring their support. Gibraltar Maritime Services will sponsor the rooftop reception following the LISW25 Headline Conference at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation. On Wednesday, Sept 17th, 2025. This popular event enables delegates to network on the IMO’s beautiful roof terrace while enjoying breathtaking views over London and the River Thames....

Major retail industry figures are urging the sector to import goods via UK ports closer to their end destination, in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and inefficiencies across the country’s supply chain. The call comes as 90% of deep-sea containerised cargo enters the UK via southern ports, despite 60% of these goods being destined for the north. This creates the need for long road journeys, across UK roads, to get retail cargo to its end destination, generating significant greenhous...

Maritime UK, the overarching organisation representing the maritime sector, is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week and urging the industry to leverage apprenticeships to create a competitive and sustainable maritime sector. National Apprenticeship Week provides a platform for the education and skills sector to honour the accomplishments of apprentices nationwide, acknowledging the positive influence they have on communities, businesses, and the broader economy.  Complexities of the s...

Bolidt has secured its first order to supply and install decking and flooring for the Japanese cruise and ferry market, after a breakthrough order covering the NYK Cruises ship - Asuka III. Currently under construction at Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Papenburg, Germany and due delivery in Q2 2025, the 229-metre length Asuka III was the first cruise ship ordered following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accommodating up to 744 guests, the luxury ship will run on liquefied natural gas and...

At a recent ceremony in Copenhagen, MAN Energy Solutions and C.C.JENSEN (CJC®) – the global company in oil maintenance – signed a cooperation agreement regarding the promotion and sales of CJC products by MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales division. Kim Kjaer, Global Segment Manager, signed the agreement on behalf of CJC; while Serghei Nastas, Head of PrimeServ Omnicare, Marine & Power, represented MAN Energy Solutions. C.C. JENSEN and MAN Energy Solutio...

Babcock has been awarded a new five-year contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) to continue providing in-service support for the Royal Navy’s Ships Protective Systems (SPS) equipment. The contract consists of degaussing, cathodic protection, and active shaft grounding to ships and submarines, restricting the rate of hull corrosion and reducing their magnetic signature to make them less susceptible to magnetic mines. Babcock attains in-service support contract Babcock’s conti...

EU 2040 climate targets point to the importance of providing renewable marine fuels for maritime sector decarbonisation. Committing the EU to the production of zero-GHG fuel pathways is essential, not least because European Member States account for one-fifth of global shipping energy sales. Zero-GHG fuels Meeting 2040 goals must lead to new energy production facilities to supply the maritime sector with zero-GHG fuels, which will demand substantial financial investment. Additionally, the ro...

ClassNK has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) for the design of a prismatic ammonia fuel tank (IMO Type B independent tank) for container ships developed by the Planning and Design Centre for Greener Ships (GSC). Ammonia is expected to be used as a marine fuel for shipping decarbonisation since it does not emit CO2 when combusted. However, its utilisation presents challenges, such as the risk of leakage and relatively low volumetric efficiency. Shape of the storage space While Type B tan...

ERMA FIRST, a major sustainable maritime solutions provider, has become a signatory of the EU Mission Charter targeting the protection and restoration of regional waters by 2030. The Mission – one of five EU Missions within the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme – aims to 'protect and restore the health of the ocean and waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments'. As a signatory to the Mission Charter, ERMA FIRST will attend the M...

Brunvoll has been chosen to deliver all propulsion, manoeuvring, and positioning systems for a 24-meter service vessel for aquaculture. The vessel is designed by NSK Ship Design and will be built at Havyard Leirvik for handover to ship owner - Nordlaks in 2025. For a vessel that will operate 24/7, it is vital to minimise overall noise and vibration, and the Brunvoll Low-Noise thruster was the preferred choice. Compact service vessel The new compact service vessel for aquaculture will become p...

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has launched a new and augmented gravity self-unloading system that will allow bulk carriers to deliver a wider variety of cargo, in greater volume. The new system, the ‘MacGregor GravityVibe™,’ deploys a patent-pending vibrating unloader to reduce internal friction and ease the discharge of coarse materials such as wood chips from the cargo hold. While the automated unloading sequence remains a gravity-based operation, the MacGregor GravityVibe&tr...

DNV has quantified the gains that owners of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers could expect to achieve using the new Dual Fuel, Electric+ (DFE+) solution developed by ABB and MAN Energy Solutions. Comprising MAN’s four-stroke 49/60DF dual fuel engine and ABB’s Dynamic AC power distribution and control system, the solution has been developed to overcome efficiency challenges that are specific to the vessel type.  Machinery space requirements DNV’s Maritime Advisory as...

Babcock has been awarded a configuration management contract for the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary surface ship fleet. The five-year contract, awarded by QinetiQ, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), under the Aurora Engineering Delivery Partnership, will see us continue with the responsibility for the Surface Ship Definition Database (SSDD)–a tool for the management of platform-related data. Operation of the Master Record Data Centre (MRDC), the core facility for...

Technology group - Wärtsilä has signed a five-year Optimised Maintenance Agreement with the Irish Naval Service. The agreement, which covers four offshore patrol vessels (OPV), is designed to ensure operational reliability along with long-term cost predictability. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in January 2024. “We have had good experience with Wärtsilä over the years, and we have great trust in their capabilities. This agreement will help us to achieve the...

On January 30, 2024, PT Wintermar Offshore Marine Tbk entered a strategic venture through a 49% stake in SAVWIN Sdn Bhd with a Brunei-based partner. Through this partnership, Wintermar will have an advantage in tendering for longer-term contracts in Brunei which favour local content. Fast Multi-Purpose Supply Vessel Savwin Sdn Bhd will initially operate a Fast Multi-Purpose Supply Vessel which is currently on a long-term contract in Brunei until 2027. This initiative signifies the strategic e...

Babcock’s LGE business, the world pioneer in marine liquefied gas solutions, has won contracts to provide its LPG and ammonia cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems. ecoVGC® and ecoVLAC® technology The contracts are for two mid-size LPG carriers for a Chinese shipyard customer and a European owner plus six Very Large Ammonia Carriers (VLACs) for a Chinese shipyard customer and an Asian-based shipowner. The new vessels will be delivered during 2026 and 2027 and will service...

Ahlsell Sverige AB has agreed to acquire all shares in JLI Smålandsstenar AB, a wholesaler of fasteners. JLI offers fastening products for the engineering, power energy, and steel construction industries. The company has six employees and an annual turnover of approximately SEK 70 million. JLI has a warehouse and offices in Smålandsstenar. Offering a strong fastening solution Through this acquisition Ahlsell strengthens its offering in fastening and gains access to new expertise,...

Global container shipping line Evergreen Marine Corporation (Evergreen) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with X-Press Feeders, the world’s largest independent common carrier, to place its containers on X-Press Feeders’ new dual-fuel green methanol vessels. X-Press Feeders is planning to run these vessels on green methanol and operate them within Europe. As one of the world’s largest container shipping companies and a key customer of X-Press Feeders, the agreement by...

  Boudewijn Siemons (59) has been appointed CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority effective 1 February 2024. He succeeds Allard Castelein, who took leave of the Port Authority last summer. Since then, Siemons has served as CEO on an interim basis in addition to his position as COO. The Executive Board of the Port Authority now consists of Boudewijn Siemons (CEO and interim COO) and Vivienne de Leeuw (CFO). The process of looking for a new COO has begun. Excellent abilities...

 Viasat, Inc., a global pioneer in satellite communications, announced Applied Satellite Technology (AST), a pioneering global innovator in satellite communication solutions, has joined its ELEVATE program. ELEVATE is a growth program, ecosystem and marketplace for ambitious IoT solution providers, connectivity wholesalers, enablers and OEMs who want to work with Viasat to use its network and footprint to scale. As an ELEVATE partner, AST will provide globally trusted connectivity solutions tha...

The two Ulstein-designed CSOV newbuilds under construction for Bernhard Schulte Offshore have reached important milestones. The steel cutting and keel laying ceremonies for yno 321 and 320, respectively, were arranged at the Crist hull yard, Poland, on 30 January 2024. These Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) are characterised by the TWIN X-STERN feature, implementing fore and aft main propeller units for excellent dynamic positioning characteristics. Remarkable offshore vessels...