Vessel Operators News

A Trump administration proposal aimed at reviving the U.S. shipbuilding industry may backfire by imposing steep fees on China-linked vessels—penalties that industry leaders say would hurt American ship operators and ports rather than help them, industry executives said at U.S. Trade Representative hearings on Monday.At issue are proposed, stacking fees on China-built vessels that could top $3 million per U.S. port call. The Trump administration says the fees would curb China's growing commercial and military dominance on the high seas and promote domestically built vessels. U.S.

In the last decade, changing U.S. Administrations have become increasingly tumultuous, as the swings in priorities and directives have a real, material impact on business. Read on for insights on the current and future of U.S. Offshore Wind.In the weeks preceding his late January inauguration, then President-elect Donald Trump referred to wind turbines (both onshore and offshore) as “garbage in a field” and described electric power produced through offshore wind as “…the most expensive energy ever…”In the same briefing…

On February 21, 2025, the Office of the US Trade Representative (UST) released a notice of a proposal to impose wide-ranging fees on shipping companies and vessels with a Chinese nexus. The USTR has yet to release regulatory or administrative language that implements the proposals, and there is no guarantee this will actually happen. Interested parties should consider submitting comments as well as reviewing their charterparty and other relevant agreementsSUMMARY OF USTR PROPOSALSThe USTR notice does not set forth a single unified scheme of fees…

Goltens Worldwide announced a new distribution agreement with Denmark's Marine Fluid Technology A/S (MFT) covering MFT’s SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board (BOB) system, SEA-Mate Filter system and other SEA-Mate products across key maritime markets in Singapore, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, and the Middle East including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar.SEA-Mate Blending-on-Board is touted as a revolutionary technology designed for ship owners to rethink their lubrication oil use by recycling and enhancing engine efficiency and reducing operating costs…

Jim Towers is Principal in Charge as well as a Senior Naval Architect and Marine Engineer at Elliott Bay Design Group. He has 45 years of marine experience in vessel design and construction with a specific emphasis on structure. A recognized industry expert in vessel design and a part of numerous vessel construction and refurbishment projects, Jim has worked for the Pacific Northwest's top shipyards, where he developed his engineering talent and was involved in the construction of many high-speed aluminum vessels.

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has restated their intention to facilitate free maritime trade, as the protectionist measures were not in the interests of the marine insurance community. In an interconnected global economy, protectionism in the form of trade tariffs was said to run counter to IUMI’s values of securing free trade and maintaining and growing the global economy, the organization said at an executive meeting held earlier in February.Tension and conflict continue to impact free trade in the Black, Red, and Baltic areas.

Shipowners can use Marlink platform to collect data from any equipment on newbuildings and existing vessels to drive efficiency and complianceMarlink received Type Approval Certification from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) for its Internet of Things (IoT) data collection solution, which is designed to enable remote users to collect the data required to understand vessel efficiency, monitor fuel consumption and lower emissions in line with ESG goals. The granting of the certification by BV contributes to Marlink’s strategy of meeting customer demand for solutions spanning cyber security, hybrid networks and IoT.Benefits include…

The Passenger Vessel Association's annual Maritrends Convention is underway in Savannah, GA against a backdrop of melting snow (really!) and an impressive gathering of industry elite. The event never disappoints, and this year's version has something for everyone. It has been five years since I was fortunate enough to attend the Passenger Vessel Association's annual signature event known as Maritrends. That's five years too long. Always well attended, and a virtual "who's who" of the workboat OEM and services sector…

Patrick Murphy has been President of Blue & Gold Fleet, L.P., the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest and premier provider of Bay Cruises and ferry service, since 2016. Murphy grew up in the Maritime business. His father, Roger Murphy, founded Blue & Gold Fleet in 1979. Patrick Murphy began his career in 1982, working part-time in the Box Office and as a Deckhand before receiving his United States Coast Guard’s license in 1995 and was promoted to Captain in 1996. In 2005, Murphy advanced to Blue & Gold Fleet Operations Manager, and then to Director of Operations in 2009.

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.

Timo Vesala, Account Manager, Americas, at ABB Marine & Ports, is responsible for newbuild sales in the Americas market. Since joining ABB in 2018, he has gathered extensive experience in the marine industry with a focus on electrification and propulsion systems. He holds a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aalto University, Finland, and has a passion for clean technology and maritime decarbonization. This month, in our annual Power & Propulsion edition, he weighs…

This year, AWO marks its 80th anniversary as the tugboat, towboat and barge industry’s advocate, resource and united voice for safe, sustainable and efficient transportation on America’s waterways, oceans and coasts. As we celebrate this milestone, we not only recognize and reflect on 80 years of advocacy for our industry as a key driver of the U.S. economy, but also 80 years of vital work as a safety and sustainability leader and security partner – protecting mariners, communities and our waterways from harm.At a time when the men and women of America’s essential workforce…

Seaspan Energy (Seaspan) has successfully completed its first LNG ship-to-ship transfer to a containership in the Port of Long Beach.This operation marks the beginning of Seaspan’s service offering on the West Coast of North America with two LNG bunkering vessels to soon serve both the Long Beach and Vancouver markets. “Our first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering has been five years in the making and our team is so proud of this milestone especially as this represents the first ship-to-ship bunkering on the West Coast of North America,” said Harly Penner, Senior Vice President, Seaspan Energy.

MSE International has won funding from TRIG 2024 to lead a new project, PRIMET; Port Recharging Infrastructure for Maritime Energy Transition.The project will accelerate the roll-out of port and harbor infrastructure needed to support the rapid expansion in vessel recharging and shore-powering facilities which are essential to realize the government’s Clean Maritime Plan. PRIMET will develop outline solutions for supplying energy to shore power/recharging facilities in three ports/harbors using in-port flow batteries to reduce the peak grid load and optimize utilization of in-port renewable energy, thereby strengthening the case for investment.

There’s plenty to go around for everyone, no matter it comes from.I will admit that attending the 2024 Workboat Show in the Big Easy just ten days after settling into the MarineNews Editor’s chair (for this, the second time around) had my full attention. The event typically evokes the specter of drinking from the proverbial fire hose in routine times, but attending and digesting all it has to offer, right out of the gate, makes the task just little bit edgier. Ultimately, last week’s trade show exuded terrific energy, from exhibitors to attendees alike.

Coach Solutions, a leading SaaS provider in the shipping industry, has upgraded its Valid Voyage optimization solution to include live weather conditions and forecasts.The Weather Viewer functionality is available to both crew onboard ship and shoreside managers simultaneously. Data is included in a live map view and can also be accessed as a PDF if the ship is operating in a low bandwidth environment.“We are able to predict the majority of vessel performance parameters with increasing accuracy…

Seventy-five years in business is no small feat, especially in an industry that is tougher than most: shipbuilding. Blount Boats is celebrating the impressive milestone this year.Established in 1949, the Warren, R.I. shipbuilder is led today by founder Luther H. Blount’s daughters: president and CFO Marcia Blount and executive vice president / human resources Julie Blount, who see their roles as more than a career. “It’s our vocation,” Julie said. “It’s in our blood!” the sisters said nearly simultaneously.An entrepreneur and inventor by nature, Luther H.

Fueltrax has launched a smart financing program designed to help vessel operators take advantage of its electronic fuel management systems without the obstacle of an initial capital investment.Fueltrax has signed an agreement with Malaysia-based Vestera in which the two companies work together to help expedite the installation of the systems. Vestera is a technology-based solutions provider serving regional and international clients.Payment arrangements are customized to vessel operators’ specific needs.The Fueltrax system is designed and supported by former NASA engineers.

As the international shipping industry continues to explore measures to conserve and protect underwater life, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is proposing the future monitoring of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN), which may lead to the establishment of thresholds combined with long-term monitoring requirements for certain regions.Underwater noise from ships can significantly impact marine life by disrupting communication, navigation, and feeding behaviors in various species.

San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system, is moving forward with plans to introduce the United States' first fleet of zero-emission, high-speed, battery electric ferries, this week unveiling design renderings and announcing a battery systems supplier.The newbuilds, to be procured as part of SF Bay Ferry's Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program, include two 400-passenger vessels that will operate…

DNV acquired CyberOwl, a global presence in cyber risk monitoring and threat management onboard maritime vessels, which comes at a time when maritime must comply with a wealth of new cyber security regulation and invest in incident detection, response and recovery as increasing implementation of digitally connected systems onboard vessels create new vulnerabilities. CyberOwl provides vessel operators with analytics to identify, monitor and manage cyber threats, and evidence regulatory compliance.

It was never going to be realistic to expect treated ballast water to have zero viable organisms on discharge.The G8 guidelines that define the type approval process for ballast water treatment systems were initially agreed at the IMO before any systems had actually been developed.The IMO had already been working on the issue of invasive species being transferred around the world in ballast water for a couple of decades. It was on the radar back in the 1970s. At MEPC 31 in 1991…

It was never going to be realistic to expect treated ballast water to have zero viable organisms on discharge.The G8 guidelines that define the type approval process for ballast water treatment systems were initially agreed at the IMO before any systems had actually been developed.The IMO had already been working on the issue of invasive species being transferred around the world in ballast water for a couple of decades. It was on the radar back in the 1970s. At MEPC 31 in 1991…