Australia and Singapore Fund Green Fuel Projects
Australia and Singapore have selected eight projects for funding as part of a A$20 million ($12.6 million) initiative to help reduce emissions in the maritime sector.The Australia-Singapore Initiative on Low Emissions Technologies (ASLET) supports the objectives of the Singapore and Australia Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC), which will help accelerate decarbonization and digitization of shipping routes between Singapore and Australia. It is jointly delivered by the CSIRO…
One Year Ago Today: U.S. Maritime Industry Delivers in Wake of FSK Bridge Collapse
We are at the one-year since the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge collapsed over the Patapsco River’s Fort McHenry Channel in Baltimore, Maryland. Nearly 100 percent of the wreckage and debris removal was conducted by the Jones Act private sector U.S. maritime industry. The FSK collapsed at about 1:28 a.m. local time on March 26, 2025 after the container ship MV DALI lost power and collided with one of bridge’s support piers. Six construction workers died in the collapse, while two other workers survived the fall into the freezing water.
Underwater Sabotage: A Baltic Sea Timeline
The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the NATO military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones.Several investigations are under way but no suspects have been brought to trial.FEBRUARY 2025: FINLAND-GERMANY TELECOM CABLESwedish and Finnish police said on February 21 they were investigating a suspected case of sabotage of an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea…
Securing the Deep: Business Opportunities in Subsea Defense
As global reliance on subsea infrastructure grows, so do the risks. Discover how safeguarding undersea assets opens new frontiers for innovation and investment.Importance of Subsea InfrastructureSubsea infrastructure plays a critical role in maintaining the operational continuity of the modern society and the global economy. This vast network includes subsea data and communication cables, pipelines for energy transportation, electricity cables, and resource extraction systems.
An (Electric) Jolt for the Passenger Vessel Industry
The domestic passenger vessel answers the call for cleaner and more efficient platforms. It is truly an electric time to be a part of this niche industry.In the shadow of a rapidly changing political landscape, the domestic passenger ferry sector is nevertheless seeing an increasing number of newbuild vessel orders. Older fleet vessels, some approaching financial and operational obsolescence – also environmentally undesirable on a waterfront that more than ever demands cleaner carbon signatures – are going the way of the dinosaur.
Subsea Cables "Torn Apart" by External Force, says Elisa
A pair of telecomm cables appeared to have been torn apart by a strong external force, Finland's Elisa said today, adding that they had now been repaired. The cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea on Dec. 25, 2024.Finnish police seized the Eagle S tanker carrying Russian oil on Dec. 26 and said they suspected that the vessel had damaged the Finnish-Estonian Estlink 2 power line and four telecoms cables on Christmas Day by dragging its anchor across the seabed."The current suspicion is that the external force has been caused by an anchor…
NSRP Invests in Shipbuilding Tech Projects
The Executive Control Board of the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) selected 13 panel projects for award as part of the program's mission to reduce costs and expand capability for U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair. These new projects, valued at over $2.55M in government funding, were among those proposed in response to the Panel Project Solicitation issued in June 2024. Abbreviated descriptions follow; prime contractors are listed first and noted in bold text:Laser…
As Subsea Comms Cable Security Comes to the Fore, FCC Mulls New Rules
The Federal Communications Commission voted 5-0 to propose new rules governing undersea internet cables in the face of growing security concerns in the wake of two fiber-optic undersea telecommunication cables being severed in the Baltic Sea this week, which is suspected to be sabotage.The FCC eyes new rules to address the national security concerns over the global network of more than 400 subsea cables that handle more than 98% of international internet traffic."With the expansion of data centers…
Danish Eyes on Chinese Vessel Following Subsea Cable Cut
China indicated it is willing to maintain communication with relevant parties and to jointly safeguard the security of international submarine infrastructure, its foreign ministry said.Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks when asked about a Chinese ship in Danish waters, and Finland and Sweden's investigation into the two severed fiber-optic data telecommunication cables in the Baltic Sea. Lin said he was not aware of the details of the ship.The Danish military said on Wednesday that it was staying close to Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 currently sitting idle in a strait between Denmark and Sweden, but did not mention the cable breaches or say why it was staying with the ship.(Reuters)
CareGO Gets Electrification Job for Rotterdam Container Terminal Expansion
APM Terminals has awarded civil works and electrification contract for Maasvlakte II container terminal expansion in Rotterdam to CareGo, a consortium of ABB, Dura Vermeer and GMB.The expansion will cover a 51-hectare container yard, which will double the capacity of the terminal, making it one of the most advanced fully automated terminals in the world.The 51 hectares will consist of 31 additional yard blocks, quay area, truck and rail areas, and associated infrastructure.The Rotterdam Port Authority has already constructed 1,000 meters of new deep-sea quay for the expansion of the facility.
Greensea IQ Contract to Further Develop USN Autonomous Vehicle
Greensea IQ announced an extension to its prototype (Other Transaction Agreement) with the Defense Innovation Unit and U.S. Navy following the successful completion to Phase 3 of the Autonomous Expeditionary Maritime Response Vehicle (AEMRV) prototype last fall.The objective of this contract modification is to demonstrate a production-ready edge processing configuration of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Workspace, called EOD Edge, deployed in Greensea’s IQNS, with the autonomy and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) components.
Vard-Built Cable Layer for NCT Offshore Hits Water
Vard has launched the cable laying vessel (CLV) being built for Danish offshore services firm NCT Offshore, ahead of delivery planned later in 2024.The newbuild CLV, named Freja, has been launched at Vard Shipyards in Tulcea, Romania.The vessel features VARD 9 01 design, and is especially equipped for subsea cable laying operations and developed in close collaboration with NCT Offshore.According to Vard, the vessel has high focus on sea-keeping capabilities, excellent station keeping performances and low fuel consumption.The cable layer…
Vard to Build Two CSOVs for Taiwanese Client
Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with an undisclosed Taiwanese customer for the design and construction of two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs).The customer has appointed VARD to design and construct two CSOVs’ of VARD 4 39 design.This is a new design from VARD, said to be highly versatile all-round platform for sustainable windfarm support operations both as a service vessel for the wind farms and for the building and installation phase.The first vessel will be built…
Sea Drone Warfare has Arrived, and the US is Floundering
The U.S. Navy's efforts to build a fleet of unmanned vessels are faltering because the Pentagon remains wedded to big shipbuilding projects, according to some officials and company executives, exposing a weakness as sea drones reshape naval warfare.The lethal effectiveness of sea drones has been demonstrated in the Black Sea where Ukraine has deployed remote-controlled speed boats packed with explosives to sink Russian frigates and minesweepers since late 2022.Yemeni-backed Houthi rebels have employed similar vessels against commercial shipping in the Red Sea in recent months…
Bourbon Orders Exail Tech to Streamline Subsea Fleet’s Services for Offshore Energy
UK-based Exail has secured a contract with French maritime services provider Bourbon to supply several units of its Octans Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) for integration into Bourbon Subsea Services’s fleet.These units will be installed on multiple Bourbon Evolution 800 Series multi-purpose support vessels (MPSVs) dedicated to subsea operations at depths down to 3,000 meters.IMO-HSC certified, the Octans AHRS will enhance Bourbon vessels’ efficiency in installation…
Hull Stress Monitoring System Receives ABS SMART PDA
Light Structures’ SENSFIB Hull Stress Monitoring System received the ABS SMART(SHM) Tier 3 Product Design Assessment (PDA) certificate.The SENSFIB Tier 3 Smart Structural Health Monitoring system employs an industry-leading, fiber optic, sensor-based approach for structural health assessment and prediction, calibrated and verified using high-fidelity data for improved accuracy and reliability.The system provides information about the stresses on a vessel’s hull from cargo loading…
Jan De Nul Inks Two Contracts with TenneT
Jan De Nul Group together with its consortium partners LS Cable & System and Denys has signed the contracts for two 525 HVDC cable systems for the two grid connection systems BalWin4 and LanWin1. These mark the first two contracts signed under the long-term framework agreement that TenneT and Jan De Nul have signed earlier this year. The projects comprise the design, manufacturing, transport, installation, protection and testing of three 525 kV cable systems for connecting offshore…
Finland Says China Promised Full Cooperation in Pipeline Probe
Finland on Wednesday said China had promised to fully cooperate in the investigation of the destruction last month of the Balticconnector gas pipeline, which happened on the same night that three subsea telecoms cables in the area were also damaged.Finnish police have said they are investigating whether a Hong Kong registered container vessel, the NewNew Polar Bear, damaged the pipeline by dragging its anchor over the sea bed, but have not concluded whether this was an accident…
Russian Firm Says Baltic Telecoms Cable was Severed as Chinese Ship Passed Over
A Russian fiber optic cable under the Baltic Sea was completely severed last month when a Chinese container ship passed over it, state company Rostelecom said on Tuesday.Finnish investigators have already said they suspect the vessel, the NewNew Polar Bear, of causing serious damage to the nearby Balticconnector gas pipeline by dragging its anchor over the sea bed during the same voyage.Two other Baltic telecoms cables were damaged on the same night of Oct. 7 along the route that the ship was travelling…
Russia Says Telecoms Cable Damaged Last month Just Before Nearby Baltic Gas Pipeline
A Russian fibre optic cable under the Baltic Sea was damaged last month only 28 km (17 miles) from where a gas pipeline linking Finland and Estonia was damaged soon afterwards, Russian state company Rostelecom said on Tuesday.Finnish police believe damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline was caused by a Chinese container ship dragging its anchor along the seabed but have not concluded whether this was an accident or a deliberate act.Security of sub-sea cables and pipelines in the Baltic has become a top concern against the background of the Ukraine war…
Singapore Firm Orders Next-Gen Cable Ship Design
Singapore-based Megamas Resources, in partnership with Renaissance Technologies (RTM) has contracted Ulstein Design & Solutions AS to design a cable-laying and repair vessel. According to a press release issued Thursday, the decision to press ahead with the order was taken in view of the shortage of cable ships, as well as an aging fleet in the submarine cable industry. Megamas Resources plans to build two cable layers, with the first targeted to be ready for service in early 2026, to fill the gap in meeting the industry demand.
Jan De Nul Orders Offshore Cable Layer with Record-Breaking Capacity
Offshore installation services company Jan De Nul has ordered an extra-large cable-laying ship with an "unrivaled" cable-carrying capacity from China's CMHI Haimen shipyard.The vessel, to be named Fleeming Jenkin, will have a cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tons, and will serve the renewable energy and subsea cable industry in installing cables over longer distances and in deeper waters. The vessel will be delivered in 2026. "Offshore wind farms go deeper and further offshore, and the interconnectivity between countries and regions become essential for the economy and energy security.
DNV and Light Structures in Structural Health Monitoring and Digital Twins Partnership
Independent energy expert and assurance provider DNV and Light Structures AS, a supplier of fiber optic condition monitoring systems based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on the development of new methodologies and solutions at the intersection of structural health monitoring and digital twin functionalities.
