Maritime Intelligence
Current shipping, offshore, safety, regulatory, port and environmental developments from trusted maritime industry sources.
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A researcher in Denmark who has developed a new system for tracking satellite navigation interference from space has a stark warning for the shipping industry in today’s Maritime CEO interview: GPS can no longer be considered a dependable means of navigation. Kian Bostani Nezhad, a PhD researcher at the Technical Un...
Latest Updates
The world’s largest battery-electric ship has officially entered commercial service, marking a major milestone for the maritime industry and the growing use of electric propulsion in large passenger vessels. The...
Irene Rosberg, who runs the Blue MBA at Copenhagen Business School, returns to Splash today. When business conditions become difficult, training is often one of the easiest budgets to cut. In shipping, that is becoming an increasingly dangerous habit. The industry is asking its people to understand decarbonisation,...
Two new maritime security warnings issued Monday point to continued dangers for commercial shipping in the Middle East, with one tanker confirmed disabled by a projectile in the Strait of...
Commodity trader Mercuria Energy Group accused the Baltic Exchange of continuing to publish the world’s benchmark oil tanker rate, despite distortions caused by the Iran war, because it feared losing business to a competitor.
At a shipyard in northern Singapore, a yellow platform towers over a maze of scaffolding and cranes. Resembling a 15-story building, the piece will be shipped halfway around the world to Europe to be installed into an offshore wind farm.
When Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, “energy dominance” was the bedrock of his economic and foreign policy plans. But an unpopular war with Iran and soaring household fuel costs have now made energy policy a major liability for the US president heading into next month’s midterm elections.
The Louisiana-based Chouest Group has acquired Canadian marine and offshore services provider Horizon Maritime, expanding its presence across Canada’s East and West coasts and into the Arctic. The deal, announced...
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is warning major banks and port authorities against facilitating Russian diesel shipments under President Donald Trump’s controversial agreement with Vladimir Putin, raising the prospect...
Salvatore Molino Named President; Steven Kalil to Become Chief Executive Officer as John B. Caddell II Continues as Chairman Caddell Dry Dock & Repair Co., Inc. has announced a planned executive...
Norwegian chemical tanker owner Odfjell has reportedly sold two 2011-built vessels for more than $62m as it continues reshaping its fleet. Shipbrokers identified the 46,098 dwt Bow Elm and 46,047 dwt Bow Lind as having been sold together, with the deal agreed on a surveys-passed basis. Both vessels were built at Sou...
Monaco-based Transocean Maritime Agencies has ordered two 50,000 dwt chemical and product tankers at China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), adding another vessel type to its expanding newbuilding programme. The CSSC-controlled yard recently signed the contract, marking its first order from a Monaco-based sh...
India’s Transworld Shipping Lines has secured shareholder approval for the $42.78m acquisition of two containerships from another company within its controlling shareholder’s group, clearing a key hurdle in its ongoing fleet restructuring. The Navi Mumbai-based listed owner disclosed in a filing that shareholders ha...
Saudi shipping giant Bahri has ordered three very large crude carriers at International Maritime Industries (IMI), committing SAR1.692bn ($451m) to expand its tanker fleet and support shipbuilding at home. The 320,000 dwt vessels will be built at IMI’s Ras Al Khair facility on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast, with deli...
Greek shipowner Petros Panagiotidis is continuing to rearrange his LPG fleet across Nasdaq-listed companies, with AI OKTO agreeing to sell the 2015-built Dream Arrax to sister company Robin Energy for $18m. The latest transaction involves the 5,000 cu m gas carrier moving between two companies controlled by Panagiot...
An oil spill from a damaged tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates has widened, satellite images showed, triggering more beach closures and raising environmental concerns.
Dubai’s DP World Ltd. is set to unveil a deal backing potential development of Canada’s port of Churchill, a northern outpost that Prime Minister Mark Carney aims to expand for exports to Europe and other markets.
UAE-based offshore engineering and construction player NMDC Energy has secured three new offshore projects from Saudi Aramco worth a combined AED 2.8bn ($763.3m). The Abu Dhabi-listed contractor said in a stock exchange filing that it received a letter of award for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) wo...
Norwegian offshore vessel owner Havila Shipping has secured another year of work for two of its platform supply vessels (PSVs) after compatriot energy major Equinor exercised contract extension options. The latest extensions will keep the 2012-built Havila Charisma on charter until December 16, 2027, while the 2008-...
India’s Great Eastern Shipping has struck another secondhand vessel deal, agreeing to acquire a 2015-built very large gas carrier as it continues expanding its diversified fleet. The Mumbai-based listed owner said that it has contracted to buy the approximately 82,000 cu m vessel, which is expected to join its fleet...
The VLCC sector is heading for its biggest delivery wave in half a century, with more than 100 new supertankers scheduled to enter service annually in both 2028 and 2029, according to Hartland Shipping Services. The scale recalls the supertanker boom of the 1970s. BIMCO’s historical figures put the all-time record a...
A relentless series of attacks on merchant ships and port infrastructure over the past four days has underscored the Black Sea’s emergence as the world’s deadliest shipping route, with seafarer fatalities this year now exceeding those recorded around the Strait of Hormuz. More than 570 vessels have been attacked in...
The Panama Canal has restored last-minute transit reservations for ships using its panamax locks, easing one of the restrictions introduced during this year’s drought-related disruption. The canal authority confirmed that the service resumed on October 21, allowing operators to secure short-notice passage when slots...
An MSC containership has suffered a 10-metre hull tear after being struck by a TUI Cruises vessel during a departure manoeuvre at Germany’s Bremerhaven port in stormy conditions. The 16,520 teu MSC Victorine, a 2023-built, Liberian-flagged vessel, was berthed at the container terminal when the 99,526 gt Mein Schiff...
Greek dry bulk owner Pavimar has made a rare newbuilding move, with a four-ship kamsarmax programme at China’s Hengli Heavy Industries. The Athens-based company, headed by Ismini Panagiotidi, has contracted the quartet for delivery through 2029, according to shipbroking sources. The price has not been disclosed. Eur...
Malta-based commodities trader Alkagesta is entering shipowning through the acquisition of Turkish marine fuel supplier Energy Petrol, taking over an eight-vessel bunker fleet as it expands its physical fuel distribution business. The Orkhan Rustamov-led company confirmed on October 22 that it had agreed to acquire...
Malaysia’s Harbour-Link Group has disclosed a RM56.7m ($13.9m) investment in two containerships at domestic builder Sapor Shipbuilding Industries as it expands its regional shipping operations. The Sarawak-based group said its 85%-owned subsidiary Harbour-Link Lines had entered into two contracts with the Sibu shipy...
Italian classification and engineering group RINA has appointed Paolo Moretti as its new group chief executive, turning to a maritime industry veteran to lead the Genoa-headquartered business through its next phase of expansion. Moretti, previously general manager and head of RINA’s marine and certification business...
Borr Drilling’s Prospector 5 jackup has sunk offshore Gabon, leaving five workers initially unaccounted for and forcing the suspension of production at BW Energy’s MaBoMo facility on the Dussafu Marin licence. The incident occurred at about 20:37 local time on Saturday, October 24, while the 2014-built rig was jacki...
Singapore’s Seatrium has secured a contract worth more than S$500m ($390m) to complete four offshore drilling rigs owned by Keppel subsidiary RigCo, reviving a group of unfinished newbuildings amid improving demand for high-specification offshore units. The agreement covers a seventh-generation drillship, a harsh-en...
MOSCOW, Oct 25 (Reuters) – The Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that its drones had struck a cargo vessel bound for the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk in an overnight attack and another...
By Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO, Oct 25 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka coordinated the rescue of 40 Iranian sailors from multiple commercial ships in international waters off the coast of the country and supported...
By Gnaneshwar Rajan and Colleen Goko Oct 25 (Reuters) – Borr Drilling’s BORR.N Prospector 5 drilling rig sank late on Saturday off the coast of Mayumba, Gabon, killing one worker and leaving four others...
BUCHAREST, Oct 23 (Reuters) – Romanian President Nicusor Dan accused Russia of escalating its attacks on NATO’s eastern flank on Friday, after a drone strike sank a cargo ship off the Romanian Black Sea...
MOSCOW, Oct 23 (Reuters) – Latvia, a member of the European Union and NATO, has emerged as one of the top five countries used to ship Russian grain this marketing season despite strained political...
Oct 24 (Reuters) – Ras Al Khaimah authorities said on Saturday that all beaches in the emirate would be closed until further notice, a day after anoffshore oil leak prompted beach closures in...
By Devon Pendleton and Fabiano Maisonnave Oct 22, 2026 (Bloomberg) –To hedge-fund billionaire Louis Bacon, the crystalline waters and densely forested riverways of the Gulf of Chiriqui in western Panama are an...
The Trump administration on Friday unveiled its America First Seafood Strategy, outlining plans to strengthen the U.S. commercial fishing industry through regulatory reform, investment in fishing vessels and shoreside infrastructure,...
The Maritime Administration (MARAD) recently embraced VCM when procuring a new generation of training ships for five of the six state maritime academies. To date, MARAD contractor TOTE Services has delivered four of the five vessels.
The Trump administration is proposing to extend its suspension of port fees targeting China-linked vessels for another two months, pushing their potential return into January 2027 as Washington and Beijing...
US crude oil exports to Asia are set to hit multi-year lows after the Iran war disrupted global shipping and pushed the cost to lease a tanker for the Pacific journey to a record of almost $80 million.
A tanker carrying Russian diesel is expected to arrive in Norfolk, Virginia, on November 2, potentially becoming the first such shipment to reach the United States in more than three...
South Korea’s push to help rebuild the American shipbuilding industry is moving beyond investments in existing shipyards and toward the development of entirely new production capacity. The latest example comes...
The first Russian diesel bound for the US following a surprise agreement reached between Moscow and US President Donald Trump is aboard a tanker heading for New York, ship-tracking data showed on Friday.
A little-known South Korean shipowner dominated oil transits through the Strait of Hormuz in September, data from intelligence firms suggest, with the group’s vessels moving more barrels than the next three owners combined.
UK offshore services player OEG Marine Services has ordered three crew transfer vessels (CTVs) from Isle of Wight shipbuilder Diverse Marine as part of its offshore wind fleet expansion and renewal programme. The vessels, based on Chartwell Marine’s Brevity SL class design, are scheduled for delivery throughout 2027...
Mining giant Rio Tinto has approved a $1.9bn investment in a major bauxite expansion in Australia’s Queensland state, including an upgrade of its export facilities to accommodate larger capesize bulk carriers. The Kangwinan project on the western Cape York Peninsula will add 20m tonnes of annual bauxite production c...
HD Hyundai Co 267250.KS said on Friday it has signed a deal with Kiewit Corp to start building an advanced US shipyard next year, with operations expected to begin in 2029 and create about 3,000 domestic jobs.
The Trump administration has begun authorising the sale of sanctioned oil tankers to approved investors who must then refurbish the vessels before returning them to legitimate crude trades, US energy secretary Chris Wright revealed on Monday, as Washington scrambles to contain soaring freight costs amid the Hormuz c...
Nasdaq-listed Greek dry bulk owner Icon Energy is facing pressure from a significant shareholder to overhaul its capital structure and board, following accusations that repeated equity issuances have heavily diluted ordinary investors. Canada’s Hampton Financial, which holds 325,000 Icon shares representing approxim...
Lila Global is expanding its presence in the ageing LNG carrier market, adding a second steam-powered vessel to its fleet as the global LNG trade undergoes major disruption. Earlier this month, Splash reported that the 18-year-old, steam-powered LNG carrier Tangguh Batur (145,700 cu m) had been sold for $30m and ren...
Greek shipowner Panos Laskaridis is making a return to the newcastlemax newbuilding market, with his Lavinia Bulkers linked to an order for four vessels worth around $312m in China. Shipbroking sources have identified Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard as the builder of the 212,000 dwt bulkers, with delivery...
Sierra Leone has launched a new national shipping company backed by China’s Zhejiang Xiehai Group, with ambitions to develop a fleet of 50 vessels and capture a greater share of the country’s international cargo trade. President Julius Maada Bio inaugurated Sierra Leone Ocean Shipping Company (SLOSCO) at Queen Eliza...
South Korea’s HD Hyundai has agreed to establish a joint venture with US engineering and construction giant Kiewit to build a new American shipyard, targeting operations from 2029. The venture, HD Kiewit Shipbuilding, plans to begin construction in 2027 at a yet-to-be-announced US industrial site. HD Hyundai expects...
Seafarer fatigue, mental health and reluctance to report mistakes should become key considerations for marine insurers, banks and investors, according to new research warning that shipping is overlooking significant commercial risks hidden in its own data. The Sustainable Shipping Initiative’s (SSI) From Welfare to...
A new online index – much trailed on Splash – measuring how much attention the global shipping industry receives has gone live, offering maritime companies a way to assess public interest in shipping news and major incidents. Created by crisis communications specialist Dustin Eno, the Maritime Attention Index combin...
London-listed Taylor Maritime has agreed to sell its last owned bulk carrier for $15.1m, taking its fleet disposal programme to 56 vessels and putting total proceeds on course to reach almost $933m. The Ed Buttery-led company said the final sale is expected to complete in December, bringing to an end a three-year se...
Oslo-listed 2020 Bulkers has appointed offshore industry veteran Tom Babinski as group chief executive, replacing Lars-Christian Svensen following its transformation from a dry bulk owner into a major anchor-handling vessel player. The company said Svensen has resigned with immediate effect, with Babinski taking ove...
Singapore-based offshore and marine engineering group Seatrium has secured a contract from Turkey’s Karpowership to convert and integrate five hydrogen-ready floating power plants. The deal covers Karpowership’s third-generation Whale Class powerships, with Seatrium responsible for major conversion work, equipment i...
Norwegian engineering and construction specialist Aibel has secured a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract for the topsides of the planned Wisting FPSO vessel in the Barents Sea. Equinor and its partners awarded the contract following a competitive tender, and it covers engineering and further developmen...