Asia News

Fishing has been a lifeline for Alejandro Alcones for the past four decades, but he now fears his small boat may be replaced by a floating solar farm on the Philippines' largest lake.Alcones is part of a group of fishermen opposed to the government's plan to place solar panels atop Laguna de Bay, one of the country's biggest sources of freshwater fish, as it looks for renewable energy sources to meet growing demand for power."Laguna Lake gives life and income to fishermen like us who didn't finish school.

Taiwanese shipping firm Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp said one of its cargo ships caught fire on Friday at China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, one of the world's busiest.Earlier, Chinese state media said an explosion was reported at the port and shockwaves were felt a kilometer away.Yang Ming Marine Transport said a fire occurred on board the YM Mobility while it was operating in the port. No casualties or injuries were reported after the blast at around 1:40 p.m. (0540 GMT), China's official Xinhua news agency said."At present…

China's COSCO Shipping Corporation has signed a preliminary agreement with Australia's Fortescue to jointly build a green fuel supply chain to help reduce pollution from the shipping industry, the Chinese company said on Monday.The memorandum of understanding includes exploring construction and deployment of green ammonia-fuelled vessels owned either by COSCO or jointly owned by both companies to transport iron ore and other minerals to reduce carbon emissions in the China-Australia…

South Korea's Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO) has cancelled plans to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal on the western coast of the country due to high costs and declining demand for the fuel.KOMIPO said in a statement to Reuters on Monday that its board had approved the plan to withdraw a LNG terminal construction project in Boryeong on June 28.

ITOCHU Corporation, ClassNK, Nihon Shipyard and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a joint study for the design and safety specifications of ammonia-fueled ships which are under development by ITOCHU and partners.The MoU is based on the premise that 200,000 deadweight ton class bulk carriers will be built by Nihon Shipyard with an ammonia dual-fueled engine by applying alternative design approval process in accordance…

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has signed a deal with Ta San Shang Marine (TSSM) for the construction of the second commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) for Taiwanese offshore wind operations.TSSM, the joint venture between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Ta Tong Marine, placed an order for the second Damen 9010 CSOV, set for delivery at the end of 2026.When the new vessel is delivered, TSSM will deploy it at Taiwanese offshore wind farms, increasing its fleet to three service…

Adani Ports expects to complete the first of four phases of a key transshipment container port in southern India this year, it said on Friday, firming the timeline for a project already delayed by six years due to protests by locals.The Vizhinjam deep-sea port at the southern tip of the country is of strategic importance due to its proximity to international shipping routes and will help India rival Dubai, Singapore and Sri Lanka.Adani Ports, a part of billionaire Gautam Adani's ports-to-power conglomerate…

Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine has secured an order from Louis Dreyfus Amateurs for an additional pair of crew transfer vessels (CTVs) to expand its fleet from five to seven high-specification vessels.The 27-meter CTVs represent sister ships to Acti’Vent and Esti’Vent, and will be able to transport 24 passengers each.The two new CTVs, of StratCat 27 design, are expected to be delivered early in 2025. “These new orders are part of our strategy to expand our Offshore Renewables business in France and in Europe.

Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul has signed preferred supplier agreement with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) for the installation of subsea high-voltage export cable for Fengmiao I offshore wind farm in Taiwan.The subsea cables, about 90 km long, will bring the wind energy generated at the 500 MW Fengmiao I wind farm ashore to Taichung City.Fengmiao I will provide power for about half a million households, and is part of the larger Fengmiao wind project.The wind farm is located approximately 35 km off the coast of Taichung and has a total capacity of 1…

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has signed a deal with Ta San Shang Marine (TSSM) for the construction of new service operation vessel (SOV) for Taiwanese offshore wind operations.This is the third newbuilding SOV for TSSM, a joint venture between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Ta Tong Marine (TSS), following the first newly built SOV in Asia the TSS Pioneer, delivered in 2022, and the TSS Cruiser, which was ordered in November 2023 and is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2025.The third vessel is designed to be methanol-ready as a future fuel…

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter Venture Global has launched its first LNG vessel, the Venture Gator, at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoji-si, South Korea.The Venture Gator is the first of nine LNG carriers in the Venture Global fleet to be completed in quick succession across three shipyards in South Korea over the coming 24 months, which will transport LNG from the U.S. to multiple global partners and destinations.The ship is said to deploy best-in-class environmental and efficiency technology and will be primarily fueled by Venture Global’s LNG.

Chinese authorities have seized 4.5 tons of illicit drugs at border ports so far this year leading to 381 arrests, state media said on Tuesday, amid new efforts to fight trafficking and high-level counternarcotics talks between Washington and Beijing.The United States, where fentanyl abuse has been a major cause of death, has pushed China for deeper law enforcement cooperation, including further controls on the chemicals used to make fentanyl and which are often shipped from China, experts say.Washington and Beijing recently joined forces to investigate a major drug-linked money laundering ope

Singapore will seek compensation for the costs incurred in an oil spill last week from the owners of the stationary vessel that discharged the oil, local media CNA reported on Thursday.The Maritime and Port Authority told CNA that the shipowner of Singapore-flagged Marine Honour - which was hit by Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima - is liable for costs incurred in containing and cleaning the oil spill and damage to infrastructure.Reuters has reached out to the port authority for comment.Earlier…

India's cabinet approved development on Wednesday of a new deep-water port that the government said will be a crucial part of a plan to connect the Asian country with Europe by sea and rail links through the Middle East.The Vadhavan port will be built on India's western coast, about 150 km (93 miles) from financial capital Mumbai, for 762 billion Indian rupees ($9.14 billion), Information Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters.The port will include terminals to accommodate "mega vessels" and terminals for petroleum…

Singapore-based mooring and anchoring specialist Mooreast Holdings has set out plans to acquire a 98,919 sqm facility from Seatrium’s subsidiary, quadrupling its production capacity in Singapore to serve the floating offshore renewable sector.The SGX Catalist-listed specialist in total mooring solutions catering to the renewable sector has been granted an option to purchase 60 Shipyard Crescent by Seatrium New Energy, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seatrium, a leading provider of engineering solutions to the global offshore…

The authorities in Singapore have started the next phase of an oil spill clean-up operation, caused by the allision of a dredger and a bunker vessel, with the additional deployment of various booms and oil recovery systems.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said that 1500 meters of booms have been deployed, and an additional 1600 meters will be deployed over the next few days in designated sites to support the containment of accumulated oil to facilitate the clean…

Shell has reached an agreement with Carne Investments, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek, to acquire 100% of the shares in Pavilion Energy, a Singapore-based global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trading business.Pavilion Energy is an LNG business with a contracted supply volume comprising about 6.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).Headquartered in Singapore, Pavilion Energy’s global energy business encompasses LNG trading, shipping, natural gas supply and marketing activities in Asia and Europe.“The acquisition of Pavilion Energy will strengthen Shell’s leadership position in LNG…

Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mainprize Offshore for the delivery of six new Supa Swath crew transfer vessels (CTVs) with options for six additional ones.Following the recent successful delivery of two Supa Swath Vessels to the UK based operator Mainprize Offshore, the two companies signed the MoU for the acquisition of six Supa Swath vessels, with an option for an additional six vessels.This strategic agreement looks…

Cambodia will begin construction of its Chinese-backed $1.7 billion Techo Funan canal this August, Prime Minister Hun Manet said, describing the development as a "historic project".The 180-km (112-mile) canal that will connect the Mekong River basin to the Cambodian coast has caused tension between Cambodia and neighboring Vietnam, and sparked fears that it could be used by Chinese warships. Cambodia has dismissed those claims as baseless.Acknowledging concerns about the project…

Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine has signed a contract with Venus Marine for the construction of four Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) for operations in Europe and Taiwan.This project is the result of a collaborative effort with renowned design firm BMT Limited, showcasing the latest advancements in marine engineering and technology.The design of the four 27-meter CTVs makes them suitable for challenging operating environments.Key features of these innovative vessels include propulsion systems CPP and IPS propulsions…

Dutch heavy lift shipping and offshore transport and installation contractor Jumbo Offshore has completed the removal of two monopiles on the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwan.The Jumbo Offshore crew carried out the work by deploying its DP2 heavy lift crane vessel Fairplayer from Europe to support the onsite operations.Jumbo Offshore was awarded the contract by Yunneng Wind Power (YWPC) earlier in 2024 for the removal of monopiles at the Yunlin offshore wind farm.The contract award represented an expansion of Jumbo Offshore’s existing scope…

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has received an approval in principle (AiP) from Lloyd’s Register for the design of its ammonia fuel cell-powered very large ammonia carrier (VLAC).Ammonia fuel cell-powered VLAC, developed by SHI with the US-based fuel cell system developer Amogy, is an emission-free and eco-friendly vessel, which does not produce any sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), or carbon dioxide (CO2) with both of its main engines for propulsion and power generation…

Maersk faces significant terminal congestion in Mediterranean and Asian ports, causing substantial delays in its vessel schedule, the Danish shipping group said in a statement on Monday.As a result of that congestion, the world's second-largest container shipping company, will skip two westbound sailings from China and South Korea that had been planned to depart in early July, it added.The notice from Maersk comes as global supply chains are suffering cascading delays and higher costs due to the Yemen's Houthi militant attacks on commercial vessels near the Suez Canal.