News

The Chinese shipyard in the Tsuneishi Shipbuilding group marked a milestone on August 27 as it floated the first of its next-generation energy-efficient methanol dual-fuel containership. The vessel is also the largest container vessel built by the Tsuneishi Group and part of its efforts to build leadership in methanol-fueled vessels.

Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure are having complex effects on the nation's oil exports. Attacks on Russian refineries have sharply cut down domestic processing, freeing up more crude for export.

The Japanese government is looking for means to revitalize its lagging efforts to develop offshore wind energy. The move comes as Mitsubishi, which in a consortium had won the first large auction, confirmed it has decided not to proceed with three wind farms.

Hanwha Shipping, the newly-launched U.S. shipping subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, provided additional details on its shipbuilding plans, which it is calling the largest U.S. commercial vessel order in more than 20 years.

Ukrainian officials are protesting the release of a new list of ports open for foreign vessels, on which Russia is including the Sea of Azov ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk. Both ports have been occupied by Russian forces since 2022.

South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries announced a partnership with Oregon-based Vigor Marine Group as part of the companies committing to U.S. investments during the Korean president’s visit to the United States.

The third U.S. training ship, State of Maine, was christened on Tuesday, August 26, in a ceremony designed to highlight the emerging partnership between the United States and South Korea for shipbuilding.

The large Maersk containership, Marie Maersk, which has been battling a container fire for nearly two weeks, is reportedly back underway after teams determined it is safe for the vessel to proceed. With the help of external firefighting teams and equipment brought out to the ship while it was off Africa, Maersk has reported that the fire was contained.

The trial for the captain and two senior officers of the shadow fleet tanker Eagle S began on Monday, August 25, in the Helsinki District Court. They are facing charges ranging from aggravated sabotage and aggravated telecommunications interference to lesser charges of vandalism and endangering public safety.

The NGO SOS Mediterranee released details on an encounter in the Mediterranean on Sunday, August 24, in which it says the Libyan Coast Guard opened fire on its ship and continued to attack the ship for up to 20 minutes.

Fire concerns and the potential for toxic, runaway fires spurred by lithium-ion batteries continue to weigh heavily on the shipping industry. Lynden’s Alaska Marine Lines has become the latest carrier to report it will no longer ship electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles due to the increased safety risk.

The US Coast Guard arrested the master of a containership this week after the pilot guiding the ship to port reported the captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. A field sobriety and breathalyzer test administered by the USC after the vessel docked found the captain was impaired more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.

Turkey is poised to strengthen its exploration rights in the Mediterranean region. Reports have emerged that Libya’s eastern-based government is likely to approve a 2019 maritime pact, which allows Turkey to explore for oil and gas in Libyan waters.

On Tuesday evening, the barge River Drone 4 passed through the Olen lock complex on the Albert Canal. Soon after, it began to leak fuel, and it released an estimated 10,000 liters into the water before the leak stopped.

Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Jinchao "Patrick" Wei was assigned to the amphib USS Essex at Naval Station San Diego. In February 2022, according to DOJ, Wei began working with a Chinese intelligence officer who information about Essex's systems, among other sensitive information.

The latest effort to get a meaningful amount of aid into Gaza for residents is underway, but appears to have been slowed as the vessel is circling off the coast near the port of Ashdod, Israel. The ship had been scheduled to dock on Tuesday night, August 19, but as of Thursday night continues to sail in circles.

A contractor working for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has extracted a former U.S. Navy torpedo recovery vessel from a marsh outside of Charleston, South Carolina, the first boat recovered under the state's new statute on vessel abandonment. 

South Korea’s HD Hyundai is continuing to pursue opportunities to grow its shipbuilding business and increase its competitive position against the Chinese.  It is acquiring a Vietnamese manufacturing business for components, including tanks and cranes, while also moving to expand its Vietnamese shipbuilding and being linked to other international deals.

The UK is supporting the next step in emission capture systems that can be deployed in ports as a cost-effective means of reducing emissions. The new project will combine the emissions capture capabilities of STAX Engineering with the carbon capture technology of Seabound.

CMA CGM highlighted today, August 19, that it took delivery of 1,000 twenty-foot containers manufactured in Vietnam. It was the first time the French shipping company had sourced containers built in Vietnam.