Rising costs - News

The Royal Thai Navy aims to purchase two frigates, with a budget for the fiscal year 2026, which will likely receive parliamentary approval. On January 18, at the National Memorial, Admiral Jirapol Wongwit, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, provided an update on the progress of procuring two frigates. He stated that the process is currently in the budgeting phase, which exceeds 1 billion baht and requires Cabinet approval before being forwarded to Parliament for consideration. Safegua...

DNV has appointed Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria as Chief Operating Officer, with effect from 1 January 2025.  "The maritime industry is navigating growing complexities, from its operating environment to the expanding network of diverse stakeholders it serves and interacts with,” says Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO, DNV Maritime. “To address these challenges and seize new opportunities, the addition of a COO strengthens our leadership team, ensuring we are well-positioned to me...

Pioneering bunker trading firm, Glander International Bunkering, has introduced a tool to help users calculate key data for compliance with FuelEU Maritime, which came into effect on January 1, 2025. FuelEU Maritime aims to reduce carbon emissions in the shipping sector by incentivising the use of alternative fuels and imposing penalties for non-compliance. FuelEU Maritime guidelines With the new Compliance Calculator, Glander International Bunkering helps users understand potential penalties...

Penta-Ocean Construction, a prominent Japanese general contractor, has commissioned Ulstein Design & Solutions B.V. to design its new heavy lift vessel for offshore wind foundation installation. The customised ULSTEIN HX118 design will feature a 5,000-ton Huisman main crane and the ULSTEIN U-STERN™, which enables installation of increasingly larger monopile foundations. Ulstein's successful track Following feasibility and concept studies in 2023, Penta-Ocean Construction selected Ul...

In a landmark deal, Ulstein Design & Solutions AS has secured its largest aftermarket design contract to date for the cable-laying vessel Orient Adventurer. The contract, awarded by Dong Fang Offshore (DFO), involves both basic design and engineering provided by several of the companies in Ulstein. Planning and installation "We have worked with Ulstein before and find the people very professional. Ulstein knows the vessel well, and it's an insurance to know that everything will work when...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) commemorated its Golden Jubilee with a grand celebration in Mumbai, reflecting on its remarkable journey of 50 years of innovation, service, and leadership in the global maritime sector. Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Honourable Union Cabinet Minister for Ports Shipping & Waterways, graced the occasion as a Chief Guest along with Guest of Honour Shri Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, Capt B K Tyagi, CMD, The Shipping Corporation of India, Shri...

NorthStandard has launched a new H&M and P&I product for smaller commercial vessels, typically up to 10,000 gross tonnes. The new offering will also include War, Loss of Hire and other ancillary Hull covers and will be serviced by NorthStandard’s Sunderland Marine and Coastal & Inland teams together. The new product is available across the global marine insurer’s network worldwide, with momentum expected to build around NorthStandard’s established regional strength...

Technology group Wärtsilä has introduced its new EnviroPac feature for the Wärtsilä 34DF constant-speed engine. The feature is designed to significantly reduce methane emissions while maintaining the engine’s high-power output and compliance with IMO Tier 3 NOx requirements.  The first order for engines with this new feature has been placed by the French shipping company CMA CGM. The engines will be installed in eight new LNG-operated container vessels being built...

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released a new report offering key recommendations to consider as the industry looks to adopt onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) technology. The report highlights the regulatory and safety considerations for the adoption of onboard carbon capture while also recognising the importance of developing a secure and scalable downstream carbon value chain and increasing carbon capture system cost-effectiveness. Key recommendations Based on the finding...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), a pioneering international classification society, is proud of its growing role in advancing India's defence capabilities through its participation in major new construction projects for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, thereby taking a major step forward in realising a self-reliant defence manufacturing capability, as envisioned under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Major new construction vessels Recently, ‘steel-cutting’ took plac...

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply its EnergoFlow solution and Fixed Pitch Propellers (FPP) for three Pure Car/Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels owned by Sallaum Lines – an international RoRo cargo operator. The combination of these upgrade solutions will notably improve the propulsion efficiency of these existing vessels, in turn reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q4 2024. 2050 Net-zero goals To meet th...

KR (Korean Register) has awarded the world's first Approval in Principle (AIP) to HD KSOE for its breakthrough vacuum-insulated large-scale liquid hydrogen tank system, marking a significant advancement in clean energy transportation technology. The AIP follows the successful completion of validation tests, demonstrating the system’s feasibility and innovative design. The transition to a hydrogen-based society demands advanced technologies for the large-scale transportation and storage of...

According to the latest data from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insights (AFI) platform the maritime industry’s exceptional newbuilding year 2024 drove a significant rise in orders for alternative-fuelled vessels. A total of 515 such ships were ordered, representing a 38% year-on-year increase compared to 2023, underscoring the industry's growing commitment to decarbonisation. Demands for sustainable practices The growth in alternative-fuelled vessel orders has been heavily driven by th...

Swiss marine power company WinGD has reached a milestone in realising its X-DF-M methanol-fuelled engine design, running the first commercial engine at full load on more than 95% methanol fuel. The ten-cylinder, 92-bore 10X92DF-M engine was run on a testbed at CSSC-MES Diesel (CMD) in Shanghai in mid-December. Newbuild X-DF-M engine The single-fuel 10X92-B engines on earlier vessels in the series will be converted for methanol The engine will be installed on the fourth of a series of 16,000...

“Many of our sustainable transportation programs and initiatives tend to become mode-centric, but it is critically important to optimise the overall sustainable freight transportation across modes from origin to destination, which requires a system of systems focus.” That was the message to U.S. transportation industry and Government pioneers from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki at the Sustainable Freight Workshop at the White House. Marine transportation mode Advant...

Technology group Wärtsilä’s focus on supporting the marine industry’s efforts to decarbonise operations continues to drive concrete steps forward. The latest order is to supply a complete propulsion package for a 38,000 DWT methanol-ready cement carrier vessel. When built, this will be the world’s largest vessel of its type, and the first with a methanol-ready notation. The order has been placed by NovaAlgoma, a joint venture between the Italian Swiss-based, Nova Mar...

The UK government has confirmed that Australia will equip its Hunter-class frigates with the Thales 2087 sonar system, a move set to contribute around £45 million to the UK economy, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Array sonar system The Sonar 2087, manufactured in the United Kingdom by Thales Underwater Systems, is a towed array sonar system that replaces the older Sonar 2031 in the Royal Navy. It equips several Type 23 frigates and is also set to feature on the Roya...

The hybrid police boat WS1 ‘Bürgermeister Brauer’ was officially welcomed in the Port of Hamburg. After a construction period of almost two years at the Estonian shipyard Baltic Workboats AS, the boat was transferred by sea to Germany and will start its service with the Hamburg water police next year. In the presence of the Senator for Economics and Labour, Dr Melanie Leonhard, the 29.4-metre-long police boat with environmentally friendly plug-in hybrid drive docked at the &Uum...

A £150m upgrade to an Ayrshire marine yard has been given a boost as it is awarded planning permission, paving the way for increased offshore wind power off the UK’s west coast. Peel Ports Clydeport has secured permission for the complete redevelopment of the Hunterston marine yard as it prepares the site for major renewables infrastructure. Upgrades to the marine yard The overall redevelopment of Hunterston is expected to attract £3.5bn in inward investment and create over...

NAVTOR believes it has “simplified the complexity” of FuelEU Maritime with a major update to its NavFleet ship operations platform. Released now, NavFleet 2.1 boasts the ability to automate extensive “well-to-wake” calculations, delivering a front-end user experience that is both easy to understand, and rich in regulatory and business insights. The solution, featuring enhanced visual upgrades and fully integrated digital logbooks, provides seamless data validation a...

Wärtsilä Water & Waste has strengthened its strategic partnership with Fornovo Gas SpA, becoming Fornovo’s authorised Service Partner for the United Kingdom and Ireland. This enhanced collaboration empowers Wärtsilä to provide comprehensive support services, including genuine spare parts supply, commissioning, and specialised maintenance for Fornovo Gas compressors throughout the region. Encompasses compressor systems As the UK and Ireland service partner for For...

Pioneering wind-propulsion technology provider Anemoi Marine Technologies Ltd. (“Anemoi”) and U-Ming Marine Transport Ltd.’s (“U-Ming”) have signed an agreement to install four Rotor Sails on one of U-Ming’s 325,000 DWT Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOC). The installation work is expected to be completed at the end of 2025, with fuel and emission savings of approximately 10-12% anticipated on deep-sea routes between China and Brazil, South Africa, and Australia....

Complex shipbuilding projects demand efficient system integration and commissioning from suppliers to meet tight construction schedules. Vard Electro has demonstrated its proven competence in this area with a debut delivery for the Ulstein Verft shipyard of integrated SeaQ Communication solutions for two advanced newbuild CSOVs now delivered by the Norwegian yard for Olympic. Diverse SeaQ systems “The ability to see the bigger picture of such a system delivery is essential to overcome p...

Mr. Alvin Tan, Minister of State for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry, graced OSEA 2024 in Singapore on Tuesday, November 19. The three-day tradeshow welcomed more than 500 exhibitors and 15,000+ attendees from 100 countries, providing a comprehensive look at solutions and strategies driving the energy transition in the marine and offshore industries. Net-zero emissions by 2050 Tan announced a new SGD USD 100 million support package for ma...

Mercy Ships has been given a significant boost for upcoming construction work on the medical charity’s latest newbuild hospital ship after being unveiled at a recent conference as this year’s official charity partner by the maritime branch of the Federation of Norwegian Industries, representing hundreds of maritime equipment suppliers, designers and shipyards. Norwegian maritime sector “We are keen to engage with the Norwegian maritime sector to procure the resources and expe...

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have successfully completed India’s first training and certification program in deep diving and underwater welding, underscoring a pioneering milestone in the country’s efforts to build a skilled workforce for underwater asset maintenance. Following the agreement between IRS and TIH IIT Guwahati in 2023, the training was held at the Neel Diving Academy, Kochi, wher...

Strategic Marine is proud to announce the successful delivery of a StratCat 27 Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) to ORLEN to operate in Poland’s growing offshore wind sector. This state-of-the-art vessel is designed specifically for offshore wind farm operations. The StratCat 27 is scheduled to begin operations in the North Sea before transitioning to the Polish exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea. Offshore wind farms StratCat 27 is a cutting-edge vessel fitted with avant technologies to...

At 5.8 million TEU, container throughput at the Port of Hamburg remained at almost the same level year-on-year during the first nine months of 2024. Throughput of loaded containers saw slight growth, alongside an increase in general cargo. “Rail forwarding, a cornerstone of sustainable transport, also developed positively in the first nine months. As Europe’s largest rail port, we attach great importance to the expansion of rail transport. Container transport in this segment rose...

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA AG) will continue to be majority-owned by the City of Hamburg and will be further developed together with the new major shareholder Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world's largest container shipping company. Following the approval of the Hamburg parliament and the EU Commission, all closing conditions have now been met with the approval of the Ukrainian merger control authority. Shares in HHLA AG The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg...

Maritime digital training solutions provider Blue Orange Wave is proud to announce it has won the Crew Connect Global Award for Training and Safety at Sea.  The award is presented to a company, individual or team who have implemented significant technical, procedural, or operational improvements pioneering to reduction of risk to human life and cargo at sea. Some 21 companies were nominated in this category, with 5 making it to the finals – and Blue Orange Wave coming out on top....