Russia Launches Nuclear-Powered Submarine From Arctic Naval Base
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday launched a nuclear-powered submarine equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles capable of travelling at several times the speed of sound.Russian news agencies, referring to a video link from the Arctic port of Murmansk, said Putin launched the vessel, named Perm after a city in the Urals, with the order: "I hereby authorise!"The Russian agencies, quoting documents associated with the launch, said the Perm is the first nuclear-powered submarine to be equipped w
China Deploys Bombers to Assert Sovereignty in South China Sea
China deployed two long-range H-6 bombers around the Scarborough Shoal this week, in Beijing's latest move to assert sovereignty over the hotly disputed atoll in the South China Sea, satellite images obtained by Reuters showed.The deployment, which was not publicised by China, came ahead of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to the Philippines, which also claims the shoal that lies within…
Taiwan Dismisses China's Complaint About Vessel Collision
Taiwan's defence minister dismissed on Friday China's complaints about a collision between a Taiwan navy ship and a Chinese trawler in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, vowing that Taipei would carry on military exercises undeterred.China's Taiwan Affairs Office condemned the actions of the Taiwanese landing ship as "wicked" following Thursday's collision off Taiwan's central city of Taichung. Taiwan, however…
Sanctions Cut Russia's Sovcomflot 2024 Transportation Volumes
Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot's saw transportation volumes drop around 16% to 63 million metric tons last year compared to 2023, Russian news agency Interfax reported on Friday, citing the group's CEO Igor Tonkovidov as saying.The United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on state-controlled Sovcomflot and its fleet in 2024 in an effort to reduce Russia's revenue from oil sales that it can use to finance its war in Ukraine.
China Issues Warning for Falling Rocket Debris in South China Sea:
China's maritime authority has issued a warning of falling rocket debris in the South China Sea, according to a notice dated March 26.The warning covers a period between 1600 and 1700 GMT on March 29, the Maritime Safety Administration said.The debris is expected to land in the sea in an area west of the Bashi Channel, a waterway between the Philippines and Taiwan, according to the coordinates provided.(Reuters)
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Inks $380M Contract Renewal with European Client
Wallenius Wilhelmsen, the world’s largest RoRo vessel operator, has renewed a shipping contract with a European based automotive manufacturer, lasting five years.The contract has an estimated value of $380 million over the contract period.The new five-year contract lasts starts on April 1, 2025, with the rates are in line with current market levels, according to the company."We are pleased to announce…
NYK Concludes First Demo of Ammonia-Fueled Tugboat for Commercial Use
The world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fueled vessel, Sakigake, has completed a three-month demonstration voyage, achieving a GHG-emission reduction of up to approximately 95%.The vessel was completed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and IHI Power Systems (IPS) on August 23, 2024, in cooperation with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) as part of a Green Innovation Fund Project under Japan’s New…
ABS Wavesight Summit Brings Together Stakeholders and Experts
ABS Wavesight, the ABS-affiliated Software-as-a-Service company, proudly hosted its Vision and Value Summit in Singapore. The event brought together users of ABS Wavesight software products, industry stakeholders, and regional experts for a day of collaboration, innovation, and discussions.The event served as a platform for users and other industry stakeholders to connect with leaders and product teams across ABS and ABS Wavesight.
Fugro’s Geophysical Survey Vessel Brought Safely to Port
Dutch geological data specialist Fugro, has reported that its Fugro Mercator vessel, which run aground off Italy, has been safely towed to a shipyard for inspection.The 42-meter long geophysical survey vessel had run aground on the north coast of Elba on March 22.With no injuries to people and no harm to the environment, Fugro is thankful that the impact of the incident has remained limited.The vessel will now be fully inspected at the shipyard.
Fincantieri Lays Keel for Reagent’s Next-Gen Cruise Ship
Fincantieri has held a keel laying ceremony for Seven Seas Prestige, the ultra-luxury cruise ship being built for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.The keel laying ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Marghera, in Venice.Seven Seas Prestige is the first of two next-generation ultra-luxury cruise ships for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2026.During the event…
US Reaffirms 'Ironclad' Commitment to Philippines Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to its decades-old defense treaty with the Philippines during a visit to Manila on Friday, pledging to bolster the alliance with advanced military capabilities in the face of increasing tensions with China. Meeting with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Hegseth underscored Washington’s support for its Indo-Pacific ally…
India Mulls Cutting US LNG Import Tax
India is considering a proposal to scrap import tax on U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to boost purchases and help cut the trade surplus with Washington, a key irritant for President Donald Trump, four government and industry sources said.The United States is India's second biggest supplier but the two sides are looking to ramp up volumes for India's energy-hungry economy, one of the fastest growing in the world.During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's U.S.
Attack on Guyana, Exxon Would Be 'Bad Day' for Venezuela, Rubio Warns
U.S. Secretary of State warned Venezuela on Thursday that it would be "a very bad day" for the South American country if it were to attack its neighbor Guyana or U.S.-based energy giant ExxonMobil, in comments that threatened unspecified action in such a case.Caracas condemned Rubio's remarks, made during a visit to Guyana's capital.Guyana and Venezuela are locked in a long-running dispute about which country has rights over the 160…
Gas Project with Venezuela Goes Full Steam Ahead, Trinidad PM Says
Companies planning a flagship offshore gas project between Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago "have not slowed down" work, Trinidad Prime Minister Stuart Young said on Thursday, despite the United States increasing pressure on sanctioned Venezuela and uncertainty over the extension of a license for the project.Following talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is visiting South American and Caribbean countries this week…
Ammonia Beckons
The popularity of ammonia as a fuel for shipping is likely to benefit from a growing number of green ammonia production projects. Shipowner confidence in the availability of ammonia was displayed this week by Belgian oil tanker group CMB.TECH and charterers Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and MOL Chemical Tankers as they signed deals for nine ammonia-powered bulk carriers and chemical tankers.Green hydrogen and ammonia projects around the world have advanced over the last few weeks.
Aquajet to Launch New Hydrodemolition Robot Series
Hydrodemolition company Aquajet plans to launch two robots in April: the Aqua Cutter 450A and Aqua Cutter 450V.The new electric 450 series is a more compact, maneuverable design than the Aqua Cutter 750V. The new models incorporate the Evolution 3.0 control system and the patented Infinity oscillation system.Despite their reduced size, they can handle reaction forces up to 1400N, making them highly effective in confined spaces without compromising performance.Like all Aqua Cutter robots…
Elevated Pressure Technology Reduces Energy Needs for Liquefied CO2 Storage
Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers (KNCC), a subsidiary of NYK and Knutsen Group, has obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for the design of liquified CO2 carriers that stores and transports liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2) at ambient temperature but elevated pressure.The new carrier uses cargo tank technology developed by KNCC to transport LCO2 in a stable state. Since there is no need to cool the LCO2 to cryogenic temperatures…
Avikus Joins Consortium Working on Autonomous Navigation Standards
Autonomous navigation solution provider Avikus, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai, has joined the newly established MIT Maritime Consortium.Launched at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on March 18, 2025, the consortium brings together prominent maritime organizations to drive innovation and set international standards in autonomous navigation and maritime decarbonization.Avikus brings to the consortium its HiNAS Control system…
ICS: Fees on China-linked Vessels Could Impact U.S. Maritime Operations and Jobs
Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Guy Platten, testified before the U.S. Trade Representative Section 301 Committee in Washington, D.C., regarding concerns around potential unintended consequences that could result from the proposed remedies following the Committee’s investigation into China’s maritime logistics and shipbuilding. The public hearing took place over two days…
Evac Group: Dehydro Meets Waste Management Needs of Smaller Vessels
Evac Group, a leader in sustainability technologies and solutions, has launched Dehydro, an onboard waste management system designed to meet the specific needs of smaller vessels. Traditional onboard waste systems typically require high volumes of wet waste to be cost-effective, which makes them impractical for smaller vessels. The Dehydro system, using dehydration technology, makes onboard waste treatment viable for smaller ships…
