Maritime Industry Top News
Did You Know? AI-Enhanced Botnets Become Ever Evasive
Botnets are networks of hijacked computer devices used to carry out various scams and cyber attacks, under control of a single attacking party. According to Marlink’s Security Operations Center (SOC) cyber security threats report, the volume of botnet activity increased substantially in maritime sector in the first half of 2024, with new botnets leveraging more advanced evasion techniques.Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enhanced botnets began to surface…
Russian Arctic LNG 2 Project Partners are Sanction Targets
The United States has imposed sanctions on hundreds of entities and individuals for supporting Russia's war effort in Ukraine, including companies supporting the development of Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project and its shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as other future energy projects.The Arctic LNG 2 project by Russia's Novatek is subject to Western sanctions over Russia's conflict with Ukraine.
Multraship Bolsters Fleet with Brand New Tug
Multraship Towage & Salvage has christened its newest tug, MULTRATUG 36, at its home port of Terneuzen in the Netherlands.The vessel is a Damen ASD Tug 3212, and represents the latest delivery from the order of three tugs Multraship placed with Damen to expand its fleet further to meet additional customer and project requirements.MULTRATUG 36 is a 32-meter tug, with a bollard pull of maximum 89.5 tonnes.
Damen Lays Keel for Two Electric Ferries Being Built for Canadian Operator
Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania laid the keel for the first two of four fully electric ferries for BC Ferries.The keel laying ceremony marked an important milestone in the third phase of construction of the Island Class Ferries, which will bring the total number of Damen vessels in the BC Ferries fleet to ten.During the recent second phase of the program, Damen delivered four hybrid diesel-electric…
Java Sea Naval Drills a First for Indonesia, Russia Navies
Naval forces of Indonesia and Russia began their first joint military training drills in the Java Sea on Monday, the Indonesian navy said, which analysts say shows the Southeast Asian country's willingness to befriend any country.The joint exercise comes as Indonesia's newly-inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto has pledged closer ties with Russia on defence, in his bid to forge ties with any country…
First Installation Campaign at Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm Wraps Up
Dominion Energy has installed 78 monopile and four offshore substation foundations for as part of the first offshore construction campaign for the 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.CVOW, the largest offshore wind project under construction in the United States, will consist of 176 turbines that will generate enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes and is expected…
Sea1 Offshore Orders Two Offshore Energy Support Vessels
Sea1 Offshore, formerly Siem Offshore, has entered into shipbuilding contracts with Cosco Shipping (Qidong) Offshore for two new offshore energy support vessels.Based on ST-245 design, the vessels will have capabilities to serve both oil and gas and renewable energy markets.The vessels will be equipped with some of the most fuel-efficient solutions in the market, according to Sea1 Offshore.Generators…
Times are Bleak for Ship Recyclers
As oil and even the overall Baltic Exchange’s main sea index fell further this week (about 1.6%), the increasing supply in tonnage is regrettably being met by further disappointment as ship recycling prices fell across the board and have remained subdued through the week, reports cash buyer GMS.Any sales that are being concluded are at numbers now dropping towards the mid USD 400s/LDT, with some facing even lower indications due to their poorer overall condition.
Scientists Reconstruct Impact of Seafloor Volcanic Eruption
An international team of scientists is reconstructing the impact of the 2008 Chaitén volcanic eruption on the marine environment following an expedition onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too).After 9,000 years of dormancy, the Chaitén Volcano erupted without warning on May 2, 2008. Ash spewed 30 kilometers (18 miles) into the air and blanketed the landscape. Heavy rain in the following…
European Importers Shouldn't be Spooked by Freight Rates
Ocean container carriers are desperately trying to push spot freight rates up in early November to halt the market decline and strengthen their hand during negotiations with European shippers for new long-term contracts.Latest data from Xeneta’s ocean and air freight rate intelligence platform shows average spot rates on the major fronthaul trades from the Far East to North Europe and the Mediterranean…
Israel Can't Hide from Houthi Attacks by Selling Ships
Yemen's Houthis said on Sunday they would maintain their maritime blockade against Israeli vessels in response to "intelligence information" regarding Israeli shipping companies selling their assets to other companies.The Iran-aligned Houthis have said they are intensifying their attacks to support Hamas and Hezbollah in their resistance against Israeli actions in the region."Intelligence information confirms that many companies operating in maritime shipping affiliated to the Israeli enemy are
ACL Order Book Swells to 10
American Cruise Lines (ACL) today announced signed contracts with Chesapeake Shipbuilding for 4 more new ships, bringing the Line’s total orderbook with Chesapeake to 10 ships over the next 3 years. The newbuilds will serve the fast growing U.S. cruise market and will be Jones Act compliant. Active in the domestic cruise market for more than 50 years, the firm will eventually operate 21 small ships…
Russia-China Military Ops in Arctic Flash 'Concerning Signals'
The United States is watching growing cooperation between Russia and China in the Arctic closely and some of their recent military collaboration in the region sends "concerning signals", the U.S. Arctic ambassador said.Russia and China have stepped up military cooperation in the Arctic while deepening overall ties in recent years that include China supplying Moscow with dual-use goods despite Western…
Fincantieri Open to Collaboration with Thyssenkrupp Marine Arm
Fincantieri is open to all types of collaboration with the warship division of conglomerate Thyssenkrupp, but it is up to Germany to decide on a strategy for the unit, the CEO of the Italian shipbuilder said this week."Now is time for German institutions to understand what the best strategy is to give more value and strengthen (Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems).
The Baltimore Bridge Incident Challenges the Future of Maritime Law
On March 26, 2024, the Dali container ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the loss of six lives. In June, the federal government announced that it had spent approximately $100 million to remove the wreckage and reopen the Fort McHenry Shipping Channel, which had been closed for nearly three months.In response, the Department of Justice has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the ship's owners…
DOF Group Completes Acquisition of Maersk Supply Service
Norwegian offshore supply vessel company DOF Group has concluded the acquisition of Denmark-based Maersk Supply Service, which will be renamed to DOF Denmark.The combined company is expected to become one of the leading offshore service provider with comprehensive scale and a wide range of services across all continents in the offshore energy industries.The deal will see DOF's fleet grow to 78 modern offshore/subsea vessels…
SL-7 Container Ships & An Engineering Myth Busted
The Rolling Stones were wrong: Time is not on my side.Too often a myth is created and if not killed off right away, it will take on a life of its own and time will not debunk it. Many myths are created for evil or political purposes, but some myths just occur because the truth is just too complicated.Some of those myths don’t even make sense, but there is no available data to establish the truth.As…
Avance Gas Delivers First of 12 VLGCs to BW LPG as Part of $1.05B Deal
Avance Gas has delivered the first very large gas carrier (VLGC) to BW LPG, marking the start of deliveries of total 12 vessels as part of $1.05 billion agreement signed earlier in 2024.Avance Gas concluded sale and delivery of the first VLGC, the 2015-built non-scrubber ship Chinook, to BW LPG on November 1, 2024.As part of the transaction, 1.35 million shares in BW LPG have been issued to Avance…
Grounding: Bridge Team Didn’t Know What They Didn’t Know
New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has released an interim report into the grounding of the passenger ferry Aratere in Titoki Bay, Picton, on June 21, 2024, citing lack of knowledge about the steering system.The Aratere had been in service for about 26 years, and in May 2024, KiwiRail installed a new steering control system in four of the five command consoles on the bridge.
Free Course Aims to Help Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade
A new e-learning course from the IMO covers key concepts and measures to help end illegal market worth an estimated $200 billion per year.The course has been launched to support all stakeholders in the maritime supply chain to address wildlife trafficking by ship, and it has been developed by the IMO in collaboration with the World Maritime University (WMU) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).Through animated e-lessons…
