One of the stalwarts of the modern shipping industry and known to all as a statesman who brought the industry together, Jim Lawrence passed away on June 1. News of his passing at age 70 was released on Monday afternoon by MTI Network, which Lawrence remained as founder and chairman at the time of his death.

Throughout his career, which included a stint at Lloyd’s List before going on to lead the Connecticut Maritime Association for more than 30 years, founding Marine Money, and MTI Network, was all about being a staunch supporter of the maritime industry and a source for discussion and information. Lawrence is remembered for his steadfast support of the industry and push to drive the industry forward.

Lawrence joined the Connecticut Maritime Association, a non-profit that represents aspects of shipping and international trade, in 1988 and became the face of the annual CMA Conference held each March. It is known for bringing together leaders from, as the organization describes it, “bunker brokers and tug-boat operators to lawyers and underwriters, to ship owners, brokers and managers, shippers and merchants of all kinds of cargo.” A membership-driven organization it also seeks to mentor the future with its education foundation and the Commodore Gala Dinner of which Lawrence was a familiar face at the event promoting the best of the industry. In 2018, when he stepped away from the leadership of CMA, he highlighted that the organization would be in good hands with Informa to continue its mission.

Professionally he also was a founder in 1988 of Marine Money and served as Chairman for the organization which is recognized as the source of information in ship finance. It also hosts conferences to bring together industry leaders. He also co-founded MTI Network, a crisis communication network for the maritime industry, in 1990.

His colleagues at MTI said of him, “Jim was always a much-loved and deeply respected member of the MTI family. Over the years, he worked on numerous high-profile incidents, offering invaluable advice to clients both in the U.S. and internationally. He was not only a trusted advisor but also a prominent figure in the U.S. maritime industry.”

His support of mariners and the industry extended further. For 15 years, he also served on the board of the Seaman’s Church Institute. An ecumenical agency based in New York City, the Church is dedicated to promoting the safety, dignity, and improved working environment for seafarers and providing critical support. Lawrence in the last few years also became a board member of the OPA 90 Forum, a non-profit organization supporting the industry with OPA 90 (the U.S.’s Oil Pollution Act of 1990).

Lawrence’s unwavering support and dedication to the maritime industry earned him the U.S. Coast Guard’s Distinguished Public Service Award in 2019.

“Jim was always a consummate professional, but to us, he was always Jim – incredibly energetic, hugely good fun, and incredibly knowledgeable about the shipping industry,” writes his colleagues at MTI Networks. “Whether climbing Mt Kilimanjaro or providing sensitive advice to clients he was a force to be reckoned with and will be missed by us all.”

The Maritime Executive joins with the industry to remember the lasting contributions of Jim Lawrence. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues on the loss of a steadfast and loyal supporter. 

Highlighting their shared commitment to advancing sustainability, innovation, and secure maritime solutions, the governments of Singapore and France announced an enhanced maritime partnership agreement. The move which is designed to advance key initiatives in sustainability and digitalization was announced after French President Emmanuel Macron conducted a two-day visit to the city-state during his tour of Asia at the end of May.

“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to advancing sustainable, innovative, and secure maritime solutions,” said Eric Banel, Director General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture in Singapore. “Both France and Singapore, as global maritime hubs and key worldwide players in innovation and engineering, recognize the strategic importance of strengthening cooperation in port digitalization, green shipping, and maritime safety and security.”

French shipping company CMA CGM will also be joining in with the initiatives. It will participate as it seeks to support fuel innovation and the adoption of digital standards for the industry.

One of the key pilots will focus on supporting the adoption of biomethane. Working to advance maritime decarbonization, the partners will explore the development of a bio-methane supply chain and certification program.

They are planning the first bio-methane bunkering trail which will take place in Singapore. They will develop a certification framework similar to the efforts Singapore undertook to develop the first ammonia bunkering. The port conducted the first ammonia bunkering as a marine fuel in March 2024 and working with CMA CGM will conduct the first for bio-methane.

The French shipping company will also support an initiative between France’s HAROPA Port, the operator for the ports of Le Havre, Rouen, and Paris, and the Port of Marseille-Fos authority to advance digitization. This initiative will focus on port call optimization and maritime digitalization testing ship-to-shore data exchange to automate and streamline port clearance processes. By reducing manual documentation, they believe the industry will improve the timeliness and accuracy of operational data. They will look to support efforts to have internationally recognized data standards.
 

The government of Panama issued a statement rejecting the claims of critics that its flag registry has failed to take sufficient action to stop vessels supporting the Iranian oil trade by citing its removal of vessels from the registry. As the largest registry by the number of ships, approximately 8,500 vessels, Panama has come under scrutiny for the number of shadow tankers or vessels transporting Iranian oil that are operating under its flag.

The statement details the actions taken by the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) over the past few years to purge the ranks of its registry. It is a frequent topic that has often drawn criticism. Today, the AMP asserts that it has de-flagged more than 650 ships from its registry since 2019. In the past, it has discussed the changes to rules and efforts to speed up the cancellation process.

It also reports that last October it took a further step empowering the AMP to unilaterally remove vessels from its registry if their owners appear on international sanctions lists. Today, they claim this has resulted in the cancellation of 214 vessels representing more than 12 million tons over the past eight months.

The statement came after long-time critic, the NGO United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), renewed its calls for Panama to increase its efforts to stop its support of the Iranian oil trade. UANI CEO Ambassador Mark Wallace asserted that the registry has a “lack of consistent, proactive enforcement,” which the group says permits Iran to continue to earn billions from the oil trade.

UANI asserted that its analysis shows that one in five vessels suspected of transporting Iranian oil, or 17 percent of the 542 vessels the group has listed, sail under the flag of Panama. The group points to the fact that the U.S. and others continue to list vessels registered in Panama when they announce sanctions.

The AMP has highlighted its efforts over the past few years to increase the oversight of its registry and remove violators. In the past, they noted it was a slow process. 

Starting in 2019, the AMP has taken steps such as establishing rules that sanction vessels for deliberately deactivating Long-Rage Identification and Tracking or their AIS signal. Recently, the AMP also established new rules for the reporting of planned ship-to-ship oil transfers, another technique favored by shadow tankers to obscure the source of oil.

Panama was also instrumental in working with other registries to establish information sharing. The program was aimed at notifying other flags when a registry cancels or initiates a sanction or cancellation process. It was designed to crack down on the practice of flag hopping to avoid cancellation or other penalties.

In responding to the critics, the registry highlights that it follows IMO and United Nations standards and maintains close collaboration with the United States. During the Biden administration, the U.S. State Department met with Panama to discuss enforcement and the crackdown on vessels that were violating sanctions.

The Government of Panama notes that the AMP carries out investigations into compliance. It also highlights that the efforts go beyond tankers to also include a focus on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

India’s Adani Group, which is one of the largest conglomerates and well-known for its port operations, is reportedly under investigation for possible violations of the U.S. sanctions on the Iranian energy industry. President Donald Trump has vowed to crack down on companies in the trade imposing secondary sanctions on anyone trading with Iran for oil and gas.

There has been a lot of attention on India’s energy imports with most of the focus being on its large importation of Russian oil. At times, India has responded to U.S. sanction threats blocking listed shadow tankers while it also has acted to support the insurance market for shadow tankers.

In an exclusive report, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Adani is now being investigated for a possible role in the importation of Iranian LPG. The newspaper tracks the movements of LPG carriers that it asserts are using well-known evasion tactics including AIS spoofing to disguise lifting and carrying products from Iran.

The Wall Street Journal tracked shipments into the Mundra port in India which is operated by one of the Adani companies. Adani Group and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp highlighted in 2018 the development of the gas terminal in Mundra port. They reported a capacity to handle five million tons of LNG per year and India’s prime minister Narendra Modi traveled to the port to mark the commissioning of two gas pipelines.

Adani responded to The Wall Street Journal denying any “deliberate engagement” to avoid sanctions or illegal trade with Iranian-origin petroleum products. A spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper the company is in the LPG business calling it small but growing for Adani.

The newspaper reports the U.S. Justice Department is investigating the activities of several LPG tankers delivering product to India.

Adani Group is run by Gautam Adani who is the wealthiest person in India and has close ties to Prime Minister Modi. The Wall Street Journal reports his companies are valued at $150 billion.

The company has been accused of other issues in the past but none have been proven. One report said the company was violating Indian securities laws. There have also been unproven allegations of fraud, and bribery.

Adani Group has called the allegations baseless and lies. The Wall Street Journal reports the company hired U.S. lawyers to lobby the U.S. government in hopes of bringing the government investigations to a close.
 

A Greek ferry diverted Sunday, June 1, from its normal course responding to a distress call. The Hellenic Coast Guard reported the incident but did not supply details on the people who are believed to be migrants or their attempted destination.

The first reports of the unfolding situation came from some of the 200 passengers aboard the interisland ferry Blue Star Xios. They reported that the 14,000 gross ton ferry was stopped early Sunday morning and had put down a boat possibly searching for migrants.

The authorities reported that a distress call came from the sailboat which was located approximately 14 nautical miles off the island of Karpathos in the southeastern Aegean. Reports said the weather conditions were mild with wind considered to be a fresh breeze at around 20 knots.

Built in 2007, the ferry is 141 meters (462 feet) in length. It has limited accommodations carrying a total of 1,700 passengers mostly in seating. It is a RoRo with a garage.

 

 

Passengers from the ferry posted videos online showing the sailboat coming alongside packed with people. Reports indicate between 70 and 75 people were taken from the overloaded boat onto the ferry. A Greek coast guard vessel was reportedly standing by during the operation.

Greece has had a tumultuous relationship with the influx of migrants and frequent disputes with Turkey which accuses Greece of driving back the migrants. In the latest development in the struggle over the flow of migrants, prosecutors in Greece last week charged 17 crewmembers from a Hellenic Coast Guard cutter for their involvement in a 2023 incident in which another overcrowded boat overturned. Only about 100 people survived, while 72 bodies were recovered and there were accusations that several hundred went down with the boat. The Coast Guard had been tracking the boat and survivors accused a patrol boat of contributing to the loss of the boat.

International organizations have been critical of the organization of operations in the Eastern Mediterranean to handle the flow of migrants. They have called for reforms to organize and coordinate the rescue efforts.
 

[By: Portchain Connect]

APM?Terminals Barcelona and APM?Terminals Valencia have joined the Portchain?Connect Network, giving both terminals access to a global berth?alignment platform used by more than 150 terminals worldwide. By sharing schedule data through secure digital handshakes, the two Spanish hubs can provide their carrier customers with earlier, more reliable updates and a single, consistent channel for berth coordination.

For the terminals, Portchain?Connect reduces manual communication, increases berth?plan accuracy, and helps planners boost berth utilisation. For carrier customers, faster alignment supports Just?in?Time port calls, trimming waiting time by around 2 hours per port call and enabling fuel savings of up to 10?percent on certain voyages, while lowering associated CO? emissions.

“Bringing APM Terminals Barcelona and Valencia onto Portchain?Connect gives our customers one trusted view of berth windows across both gateways,” said Julián Fernández, APM Terminals Spanish Gateways Managing Director. “The result is smoother operations for our teams, higher berth efficiency, and a more predictable, sustainable supply chain for shipping lines.”

Portchain Connect
Portchain Connect streamlines the flow of schedule data to shorten the time to align the berthing window. The platform allows terminals and carriers to share and receive quality data and reduce delays in information transmission. Portchain Connect provides users with an easy- to-use overview of all their vessel calls and ensures they can securely transfer berthing information, remove the costs associated with manual non-digitised communication and align on berthing windows to improve schedule reliability. Download the brochure for more information.

“Bringing APM?Terminals Barcelona and Valencia onto Portchain?Connect strengthens our Network in two crucial Mediterranean hubs. Together, we’re improving berth efficiency and cutting emissions for the carriers that call these terminals.” Thor Thorup, CCO & Co-Founder at Portchain

[By: WinGD]

Swiss marine power company WinGD has launched its global service offer, expanding the original parts supply, in-service support and technical advisory it currently delivers during the engine warranty period across the entire vessel lifecycle. Global Service by WinGD will support ship operators by maximising the profit-making potential of their engines and vessels, maintaining optimal efficiency and extending the compliant lifetime of their assets.

Built on a foundation of over 125 years of two-stroke engine design expertise, the service expansion pairs WinGD’s deep-rooted understanding of the vessel energy system with a global service network delivering on-time and on-budget field service, technical support and spare parts. Global Service by WinGD complements the full lifecycle support already offered to global WinGD users through digital optimisation, hybrid energy integration and management, and crew training solutions. WinGD CEO Dominik Schneiter shared: “Our customers are increasingly looking to us to help them navigate the challenges of deep-sea shipping. Today this includes not only the clean energy transition but also supply chain uncertainty, the growing complexity of ship systems, and the need to leverage insights available through digitalisation. Our unique understanding of the main engine means we are the ideal partner to help keep vessels running at optimal performance, ensuring peace of mind for our customers.”

To develop a service offer that fully meets customer expectations, WinGD has partnered with key engine users on service programme pilots. Working directly with vessels in operation, the service business has been designed from the perspective of a global customer prioritising responsiveness and reliability. To achieve this, the service offer will be supported by experienced personnel stationed around the globe, technical support centred in Switzerland and Asia, and spare parts deployed from warehouse locations worldwide.

“With Global Service by WinGD, we're not just meeting customer expectations — we're redefining them." added Benny Hilström, Vice President of Market Development at WinGD. "Ship owners worldwide have come to rely on WinGD not just for high-performance engines, but for unwavering support exactly when and how they need it. This is service on their terms and we're setting a new standard."

The service offer will be available to all customers of a WinGD designed engine.

Dutch and Belgian rescue teams responded to a serious collision on the River Scheldt which seriously injured one person and caused two others to fall overboard as a CMA CGM-operated container feeder and an inland fuel barge collided. One person was sent to the hospital while multiple vessels worked to stabilize the barge and prevent it from sinking.

The Dutch fuel barge Beringzee (82 meters / 269 feet) was underway at mid-day on Friday, May 30, between Antwerp and Vlissingen in the Netherlands, when it was being overtaken by Containerships Nord (20,200 dwt / 1,400 TEU). Authorities are still investigating how it occurred, but the barge was run over by the containership causing it to begin taking on water and leaking fuel.

KNRM, the Dutch rescue service, responded and reported that one person was seriously injured in the collision while the captain and one seafarer both ended up in the water. A large-scale rescue operation was launched, including the KNRM lifeboats Jan van Engelenburg and Zeemanshoop, a Coastguard helicopter, a Coastguard aircraft, police boats from both the Netherlands and Belgium, a patrol vessel from Rijkswaterstaat and several tugboats.

The captain of the inland vessel managed to bring the seriously injured passenger to safety from a part of the ship that was quickly taking on water. He also was able to rescue the sailor who had fallen into the water.

“The captain had sustained injuries and swallowed a lot of water during the rescue operation,” reports KNRM. He was taken by boat to shore and treated by an ambulance crew along with the injured sailor. 

A Belgian police boat arrived at the scene and the seriously injured person was taken on board along with an ambulance nurse, who was part of the helicopter crew. The nurse was lowered to the police boat by the Coast Guard helicopter and the patient was taken to hospital by helicopter. 

 

 

Barges were placed alongside the Beringzee to stop it from sinking and the fuel was being transferred to one of the barges. Reports indicated that there was a leak of likely a lightweight diesel fuel. It was expected to evaporate in the river.

The containership sustained only minor damage but was ordered to move into the anchorage to await an inspection. AIS signals show it is back underway as of Monday. It had been traveling from Antwerp to Dunkirk, France at the time of the collision.

Delivered in 2018, Containerships Nord was the first LNG-fueled ship to enter the CMA CGM fleet. The French company had recently completed the acquisition of the Germany-based Containerships and the vessel was the first of four LNG feeders ordered for the European service.
 

 

Norwegian shipowner Kristian Jebsen and his family have reached an agreement with will complete their exit from Gearbulk, a company they founded about six decades ago and emerged as a leader in the open hatch segment. Japanese conglomerate Marubeni, which is a large vessel owner and has a 20-year relationship with Gearbulkk, agreed to purchase the remaining shares which will make it a minority investor alongside Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

The Jebsen family embarked on the road of exiting the company in June last year agreeing to sell a 23 percent stake to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. When the deal was completed in January, the Japanese company had increased its shareholding to 72 percent. Gearbulk had reported in October 2024 that it was negotiating the sale of the additional stake to Marubeni.

The family retained a 28 percent shareholding in Gearbulk which it has now agreed to sell to Marubeni. Gearbulk was established by Kristian Gerhard Jebsen together with three partners in 1968 and today operates the world’s largest fleet of open hatch gantry crane and semi-open jib crane vessels. The value of the transaction with Marubeni was not disclosed. 

Japanese trading and investment conglomerate reports that it will aid in providing Gearbulk with its vessel ownership capabilities and global network. It intends to contribute to the sustainable enhancement of Gearbulk’s corporate value to further strengthen and expand its vessel ownership and operation functions. In collaboration with MOL, the company has set goals of also pioneering new business domains in open hatch vessel operations, the ultimate objective of which is to maximize revenue opportunities and drive further growth in its shipping business.

Headquartered in Switzerland, Gearbulk maintains market leadership in open hatch shipping, a specialized segment of the dry bulk sector. Together with its joint venture, G2 Ocean, it owns and operates a fleet of 59 vessels that are purpose-built to carry forest products and other unitized breakbulk cargo like pulp, steel, and aluminum ingots. The design of the vessels also allows for the loading of project cargoes, including wind power equipment and heavy cargo, on deck or hatch covers.

On April 30, Gearbulk released its 2024 Integrated Report and ESG Report indicating that the company managed to sustain focus on financial resilience in a year that was marked by market volatility. It acknowledged that its financial performance during the year was weak due to losses in the open hatch segment despite positive contributions from non-core activities. Being privately owned, the company is not obligated to make its financial statements public.
 

 

A Strategic Defence Review (SDR) commissioned by the British government and to be published on June 2 has set a course for a doubling of the United Kingdom’s nuclear attack submarine force.

The Royal Navy is currently deploying its seven-strong fleet of Astute nuclear attack submarines. The sixth boat in the Astute fleet HMS Agamemnon (S123) was launched last October, and the final boat HMS Achilles (S125) is due to enter service in late 2026.

The 12 new AUKUS submarines to replace the Astute class will be built by BAE in Barrow in Furness, where the fabrication facility is being doubled in size so as to be able to turn out a new submarine every 18 months. The AUKUS design will be common to both the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, who are scheduled to take at least eight AUKUS submarines, to be built by a joint venture by ASC and BAE at the Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia.  The first British AUKUS submarine is likely to be delivered in the late 2030s, and the first Australian submarine in the early 2040s.

While the AUKUS design is a long way from being fixed, the submarines are likely to feature both vertical launch tubes for missiles and forward launch tubes for torpedoes. Although nuclear-powered, there is currently no intention for the AUKUS submarines in British service to perform the nuclear deterrence role. With the UK’s nuclear deterrence currently provided solely by the four boats of the Vanguard Class, this role will be taken over by four new Dreadnought Class submarines, the first three of which are already under construction in Barrow - the first of class HMS Dreadnought is likely to come into service in 2032. However, the SDR has recommended that the UK’s nuclear capability be broadened, so it is possible that the vertically-launched missiles on British AUKUS submarines could eventually be armed with nuclear warheads. The Royal Air Force is also likely to be re-equipped with nuclear weapons, a capability dropped in 1998, with F-35A aircraft to be procured for this purpose. 

Amongst 62 SDR recommendations, all apparently accepted by the British government, one of the first to be implemented will be a significant increase in explosives, missile, and ammunition manufacturing capability, with four new factories to be commissioned, dispersed across the UK. 

The SDR has come in for some criticism because the review has made recommendations based on an assumption that UK defense spending will increase to 3 percent of GDP. The government has not yet specified by when this target pledge will be honored.
 

 

Turkey’s first floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, Osman Gazi, arrived in the Black Sea over the weekend, where its 20-year contract for gas production is expected to start next year. The FPSO will help double the gas output from Turkey’s deepwater Sakarya gas field, which is currently producing 9 million cubic meters(mcm) of gas daily. 

Osman Gazi’s maximum natural gas processing capacity is 10.5 mcm and has a transfer capacity of 10 mcm. With the installation of the vessel, the Sakarya gas field will reach a daily production of 20 mcm, which will help meet the natural gas needs of 8 million households in Turkey, according to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

In the past few years, Turkey has intensified efforts to expand natural gas production in the Black Sea. The country, which imports over 90 percent of its energy needs, wants to cut the import bill by developing domestic resources.

 

Türkiye'nin ilk yüzer üretim platformu #OsmanGazi, Filyos Liman?'na ula?t?! ???????? pic.twitter.com/ytfInElRFe

— Alparslan Bayraktar (@aBayraktar1) May 31, 2025

 

It is part of these plans that in 2023 the state energy firm TPAO acquired the FPSO from the floater specialist BW Offshore. The platform arrived in Turkey last year in September onboard Boka Vanguard, a semi-submersible heavy transport vessel owned by Boskalis. The platform has been undergoing technical preparations at a shipyard in Çanakkale city. It was floated out on May 27 and docked at the Port of Filyos in the Black Sea on Saturday. 

The FPSO is 298.5 meters long, 56 meters wide, and has a personnel capacity of 140 people. The natural gas processed on the platform will be delivered on land via a 161-kilometer-long transmission line. It will then be fed to the national grid in a ready-to-use form.

The FPSO adds to the growing list of vessels that Turkey has acquired recently to boost its energy security. Turkey launched its first drillship, Fatih, in 2017, followed by Yavuz in 2018, Kanuni in 2020 and Abdülhamid Han in 2021. Fatih helped in the discovery of the Sakarya gas field in August 2020. 

Last month, Turkey announced the discovery of a new reserve of 75 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in the Black Sea. The reserve was discovered during drilling in the Goktepe-3 well, at a depth of 3,500 meters. 

 

Another cargo ship has been attacked in a violent incident of piracy off the coast of West Africa between Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe. Details of the incident remain vague, but it is a well-known area for piracy with the authorities warning vessels to use caution while transiting the region.

An unidentified cargo ship was boarded sailing according to the official account approximately 75 nautical miles northwest of Santo Antonio in São Tomé and Príncipe. Security consultants are placing the vessel 118 nautical miles northwest of Bonny, Nigeria.

The master of the vessel which reports said is registered in Curacao was in contact with the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade in the Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) security operation providing updates as the situation unfolded. MDAT-GoG issued an alert reporting the boarding took place Saturday, May 30 although some reports said it started on Friday, May 29.

Initial indications were that seven armed perpetrators boarded the vessel with what appeared to be guns. The majority of the crew mustered in the citadel where they were able to monitor the incident as it unfolded using the vessel’s CCTV system. The perpetrators left the vessel and by May 31 MDAT-GoG was reporting the ship had been searched and confirmed no boarders remained aboard.

One seafarer was reported injured in the incident and in the confusion, it was unclear if it was the first or second engineer. Later reports confirmed it was the second engineer who was also missing, apparently kidnapped by the perpetrators.

The chief engineer of the vessel was later located onboard. The first engineer was among the crew locked in the citadel.

An inspection of the vessel reports the perpetrators also damaged some of the equipment on the bridge. Local authorities boarded the ship to assist the crew and according to the reports were escorting the ship to a port of refuge.

Security analysts have warned that while overall piracy has declined in the Gulf of Guinea, this area has become a hotbed of piracy activity. In April, another vessel reported being boarded and the crew’s belongings and other property were taken while the perpetrators were aboard for four hours. In March, there was a report of shots fired when pirates boarded a bitumen tanker. Family members reported that 10 crewmembers were abducted from the BITU River in that incident.
 

USS Harry S. Truman and her carrier group pulled into Norfolk, Virginia on June 1 ending what the U.S. Navy is calling one of its “most combat-intensive missions” in decades. The carrier which just a few years ago had been expected to enter early retirement instead sailed over 63,000 nautical miles, spending five months in combat with the Houthi rebels, and completing what has been termed “the largest airstrike ever conducted from an aircraft carrier.”

The strike group departed for deployment in September 2024 with the cruiser USS Gettysburg, and destroyers USS Stout and USS Jason Dunham escorting USS Harry S. Truman. Aboard were nine embarked squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 1. 

The first portion of her deployment was routine with the vessels dispatched to the North Sea to participate in NATO’s Neptune Strike 24-2 exercise. They visited Portugal, Norway, and Italy and made port calls in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Spain, France, Croatia, and Greece. However, the mission changed in mid-December when the group was ordered into the Red Sea region.

 

 

USS Harry S. Truman relieved USS Abraham Lincoln and her carrier strike group which had been waging the campaign against the Houthi militants in Yemen following the USS Eisenhower. They were engaged for more than a month and became the target of the Houthis before the militants announced they would honor the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. On multiple occasions, the Houthis claimed to have chased Truman north in the Red Sea with missile and drone assaults.

The carrier group was briefly sent back into the Mediterranean before being redeployed back into the Red Sea. On February 1, the strike group delivered 124,000 pounds of ordnance against targets In Somalia, which is reported to be the single largest strike from a carrier. Following that, the Truman Strike Group started what became a sustained 52-day assault on the Houthis. During that period over 1,000 targets were struck before the U.S. announced a ceasefire in mid-May. 

The deployment was extended by the Pentagon before the decision to bring the carrier home in late May. According to the Navy, during the deployment, the strike group completed more than 13,000 sorties and 25,000 flight hours.

“For more than 50 days, the crew operated on the front lines, thwarting numerous attacks, and never gave up the fight,” USNI News reports Captain Chris Hill, the second commanding officer of the Truman during the campaign told reporters. “In fact, they employed more than 1.1 million pounds of ordnance against the enemy.”

 

 

It was an eventful deployment for Truman as she was not only under frequent attack by the Houthis. She collided with a cargo ship as she prepared for a transit of the Suez Canal which led to her captain being relieved and replaced by Hill who had just finished a similar mission aboard the Eisenhower in the Red Sea. The Truman also lost three aircraft, one was shot down in December in a friendly fire incident with USS Gettysburg, one was lost overboard while it was being towed and the carrier took evasive maneuvers during a Houthi attack, and a third lost when the arresting wire failed to stop the fighter jet.

At a total of 251 days, it was not the carrier’s longest deployment. USNI News reports she spent 285 days at sea in 2022.

On her return to base in Norfolk, Harry S. Truman is slated to begin an extended overhaul and refueling. In 2019, the Navy had contemplated retiring the carrier instead of proceeding with the life-extension overhaul. The multi-year project follows similar recent overhauls for USS George Washington and USS John C. Stennis.
 

Fouling control systems have never been more important when it comes to helping shipowners reduce carbon emissions and improve vessel efficiency to comply with ever-evolving regulations.

Over the past few years, vessel operators have had to adjust to the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), Fuel EU, and EU Emissions Trade System (EU ETS) regulations as the governing bodies map a route for the industry to reach net zero by 2050.

 

Chris Birkert, Marine Segment Manager, AkzoNobel

 

Vessel operators will now have to navigate a new challenge on the horizon after a global deal agreement on mid-term measures was passed at the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) meeting in April, following almost a decade of negotiations.

From 2028, owners of large vessels will be compelled to reduce their greenhouse gas intensity in order to meet the guidance and be part of a carbon pricing mechanism that will add cost to emissions.

International® marine coatings experts are on hand and positioned to support customers to navigate changing regulations – especially relating to the selection of fouling control solutions where their unique Intertrac® Vision digital tool helps to plot operational profiles, quantify the impact of regulations, and provide a through-cycle view on vessel performance.

Shipping has become the first industry in the world with internationally mandated targets to reduce emissions and, according to maritime consultancy UMAS, the historic agreement could result in an eight percent reduction in emissions by 2030.

The deal is a historic moment for the industry and will further drive home the importance of reducing fuel consumption to meet targets and minimize the cost of carbon by selecting and using fouling control coatings and technologies to reduce drag and fuel consumption.

It follows the introduction of EU ETS, a levy on emissions for voyages between EU ports, and CII regulations, which resulted in vessels being rated A to E, best to worst, according to their carbon intensity data. 

Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network (Clarksons’ CO2 Benchmark Tracker - Nov 2024) predicted approximately 5,836 vessels, 23 percent of the world’s fleet, have been rated D under the CII regulation and their operators have three years to reduce emissions or risk being taken out of service.

The report also estimated that 1,109 vessels, four percent of the global fleet, were ranked E last year and have just 12 months to become compliant or face decommission. Shipowners, whose vessels are rated D for three consecutive years or E for one year, must also submit a corrective action plan.

CII regulations have been a key discussion point and last year International® marine coatings assisted a record number of shipowners in making more informed, data-driven choices about their fouling control coatings. Our solutions not only ensure regulatory compliance but also enhance vessel performance and sustainability.

Marine coatings and technologies, in isolation, are not enough for shipowners to address today’s regulatory challenges. They need trusted expertise and proven performance, along with tailored solutions, to make data-driven and informed investment decisions. Consequently, we have seen an increase in the number of our customers using Intertrac Vision, our big data predictive tool that allows shipowners and operators to find the right coating scheme for their specific needs. 

Intertrac Vision tailors coating schemes to the individual needs of each vessel, analyzing insights from more than 200,000 drydock events and 10,000 vessel operations, and evaluating the return on investment based on the specified vessel type and operational scenarios. 

 

 

To further assist shipowners and operators, Intertrac Vision includes recently updated features such as total cost of ownership analysis, CII rating predictions, EU ETS impact assessment, and extended docking cycles. 

Actionable insights to assess the impact of fouling control coatings on vessel fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while in transit are provided by the tool, enabling our in-house hull performance experts to collaborate closely with customers. This partnership approach simplifies the coating selection process and delivers data-driven outcomes.

Last year International® published a whitepaper that demonstrated the high degree of accuracy of Intertrac Vision, as well as the contribution of the Intercept® 8500 LPP coating to vessel performance. Our tool projected a 1.4 percent speed loss over a 60-month in-service period which proved to be in line with actual vessel performance. 

Furthermore, the application of Intercept 8500 LPP led to a reduction of vessel carbon emissions of approximately 8,500 tonnes over the five years. As a result, the vessel maintained a CII ‘A’ grade rating throughout the study which resulted in the customer achieving both performance and decarbonization targets.

We have previously partnered with another leading marine-based business and released a whitepaper outlining how ship operators can reduce their fuel use and emissions output by using Silverstream® Technologies' air lubrication system (ALS) with AkzoNobel’s fouling control coatings. The whitepaper explored how a combination of air lubrication and the right fouling control coating can reduce hull resistance and increase efficiency, providing shipowners with a “clear competitive edge”.

Silverstream’s system generates a microbubble carpet beneath a ship’s hull to reduce the vessel’s frictional resistance, while AkzoNobel provides protective coatings and effective fouling control to minimize a ship’s frictional resistance through maintenance of a smooth and clean hull surface.

The results showed that ultra-performance biocidal or foul release coatings can work in synergy with the Silverstream system to help maintain, and even improve, the ALS’s resistance reduction capabilities. 

At International®, we recognize the challenges that regulations pose to our customers. As discussed earlier, the potential loss of nearly a quarter of vessels from the global fleet due to CII regulations introduces significant new challenges for shipowners and operators.

As a trusted partner, we’ve helped customers both improve and maintain their CII rating and offset the EU ETS surcharge which came into force last year when shipowners paid 40 percent of their emissions, which increased to 70 percent for this year and 100 percent from 2026.

The latest carbon levy passed at the IMO meeting in April is set to be introduced in 2028 with larger penalties and will affect shipping routes across the world should vessel operators fail to reduce their carbon intensive fuels.

However, there are steps that shipowners can take to invest in regulation compliance and minimize penalties. With nearly 150 years of coatings expertise in the marine industry, supported by our expert hull performance team and data-driven insights and forecasting tools, we are uniquely positioned to help shipowners and operators achieve compliance while maintaining operational efficiency.

 

Chris Birkert is Marine Segment Manager at AkzoNobel. For more information, visit: Marine Coatings at International-marine

This article is sponsored by AkzoNobel.
 

[By: NorthStandard]

NorthStandard’s 2025 Annual Review reports a steady performance, highlighting the benefits of scale and diversification in an unsettling P&I year.

The global marine insurer said escalating geopolitical instability and serious maritime incidents had brought the “first test” in its second full year after the merger of North P&I and The Standard Club.

Continuing its successful strategy for growth, NorthStandard’s poolable mutual tonnage increased to just under 270M GT at 20 February 2025, against 260M GT a year earlier. However, following a benign claims period in 2022/23 and 2023/24, claims trends have matched an earlier NorthStandard prediction of a return to amore familiar pattern.

Last year, 15 claims were referred to the International Group of P&I Clubs pool at the 12-month point, including one claim of historic proportions, and a further five have been declared since then. Five of these claims involved NorthStandard, and this was reflected in NorthStandard’s 114% combined ratio, against 93% in 2024.

NorthStandard’s robust foundations were evident from the moderate impact the result had on free reserves, which decreased to US$800m from US$803m in 2024, but remained ahead of 2023’s US$686m. The solid performance benefited from a 5.9% return on investments, up from 4.9% in 2024 and annual premium income rose to US$886m. Earlier this month, S&P Global reaffirmed NorthStandard’s ‘A’ stable rating, with ‘AAA’ capital strength.

“No organisation is defined by its easier times, and challenges are what drive our club forward,” said Cesare d’Amico, Chair, NorthStandard. “NorthStandard was formed in response to shipping’s underlying uncertainties, and we have not allowed a turbulent year to blow us off course.”

Jeremy Grose, Managing Director, NorthStandard, commented. “The club’s readiness to ride out instability will be further tested by the uncertainties around global trade, underscoring the value of our strategy for growth and spreading risk. Development of our specialty lines continues at pace.”

Offshore & Renewables premiums grew 10% during the year, which also saw NorthStandard establish a new strategic partnership with NIORD. The club also offered combined hull and liability cover for smaller vessels for the first time through Coastal & Inland and Sunderland Marine.

Grose said that shipping’s changing ecosystem was shaping NorthStandard’s service evolution. “Global tensions continue to drive growth in our Hull & War activities, while Strike & Delay welcomed 12 new members. We are in a strong position to help members navigate risk volatility. We also continue to engage vigorously with authorities on sanctions on behalf of members.”

According to Paul Jennings, Managing Director, NorthStandard, “Marine insurers are playing a leading role in identifying and assessing the liability and regulatory frameworks for low-carbon fuels.“

NorthStandard contributed to a recent review on the topic from the International Group, feeding into the International Maritime Organization’s work on liability and compensation regimes for alternative fuels.

“Given the scale and variety of the challenges facing global shipping today,” commented Jennings, “we continue to respond by investing in P&I excellence and our people, in scale and diversification, and in our digital services portfolio.

NorthStandard’s Annual Review 2025 can be downloaded [HERE]

[By: VIKING Life-Saving Equipment]

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has expanded the capacity and capabilities of its unique Undertun commuter ferry evacuation system, as part of development work which also confirms the solution surpasses open sea performance requirements in SOLAS and the IMO code for High Speed Craft.

After acquiring all Undertun design, production and supply rights last year, VIKING has lost no time in making two key upgrades to a system that is widely used in sheltered waters in Norway. It has added a 203-person capacity life raft to the 101- and 153-person units previously available, and new ‘push of a button’ activation capability that allows Undertun to be released with ease from the system, from the bridge, or even from shore.

Undertun is a self-contained gangway and inflatable life raft unit that can be fully integrated with a ship side shell door. Especially appealing for low height ships where crew numbers are limited, its accumulator-controlled gangway absorbs relative ship-raft motions, while separate ‘grip’ and smooth surfaces allow walk-off or slide-off evacuation.

SOLAS requires most ferries to have enough evacuation capacity on each side to disembark all passengers. Today, some commuter ferries carry up to 399 passengers. With two disembarkation points per side, operators have relied on two life rafts per point. With one 203-person VIKING life raft, each point can evacuate 200 passengers – reducing the number of rafts, simplifying the evacuation and needing fewer crew members.

“The simplicity of installing and operating Undertun has been behind its success in near shore waters, and the 203-person life raft offers the same seamless evacuation for larger ferries,” said Rikke Sorrell, Global Sales Manager Cruise & Ferry, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment.

VIKING’s 203-person life raft is already recognized for performance equivalence to conventional lifeboats by the Danish Maritime Authority, Bahamas Maritime Authority and UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency in a separate application. As part of VIKING’s Undertun concept development, DNV has verified the entire system achieves SOLAS and HCC compliance outside sheltered waters.

“The success of these tests confirms that Undertun performs above and beyond its requirements, and that it is far more than fit for purpose,” said Sorrell. The new activation capabilities offered significant safety benefits for ships where crew numbers are limited, she added.

“Push of a button activation leaves crew free to join passengers on the raft quickly after deployment – as required in law. In sheltered waters, our tests show that 203 passengers can disembark well within the required 17 minutes and 40 seconds. Easier to operate for crew and offering faster evacuation for passengers, the VIKING Undertun MES now offers safer commuter ferry evacuation than ever.”

VIKING will formally introduce the new 203-capacity life raft for Undertun at Nor-Shipping 2025, 2-6 June, NOVA Spektrum, Lillestrøm. Find out more at stand (C03-36b).

[By: Wallenius Wilhelmsen]

Wallenius Wilhelmsen renews logistics contract with one of its long-standing strategic automotive OEM customers. The revenues are estimated to be around USD 100m over the contract period of three years.

“We are pleased to renew our contract for three new years with a long-term partner. This solidifies our partnership that has been built over several years of collaboration. We look forward to further fostering the customer relationship,” says Pia Synnerman, Chief Customer Officer at Wallenius Wilhelmsen.   

As part of the contract, Wallenius Wilhelmsen will continue to deliver factory vehicle processing services, including end-of-line service, accessory installation, rail loading, and yard management. Through these services, Wallenius Wilhelmsen plays an essential role in the customer’s supply chain.  

[By: Optimarin]

Optimarin has unveiled its latest ballast water treatment system, Optimarin Guardian, ahead of Nor-Shipping 2025. Designed to meet the evolving needs of vessel operators — especially in light of geopolitical uncertainty and rising energy costs — Guardian combines high treatment efficiency with low power consumption and reduced lifecycle cost.

The launch is part of Optimarin’s broader strategy to respond to changing market dynamics through increased supply chain flexibility, expanded service offerings, and an enhanced technology portfolio following the acquisition of Hyde Marine’s UV BWTS technology.

“Guardian reflects what the market is asking for: flexibility, reliability, and predictable costs,” said Tonje Olafsen, VP Sales & Projects. “Shipowners and yards are under pressure. With Guardian, we offer a cost-effective and compliant solution backed by the service reach and engineering depth Optimarin is known for.”

Tailored for both large and small vessels
The new system is optimized for large vessel segments but will also be available in a compact 60 m³/h version, making it suitable for smaller vessels such as fishing boats and yachts — an expansion that broadens Optimarin’s addressable market.

Guardian leverages Optimarin’s proven technology while significantly improving energy efficiency. Early feedback from selected pilot installations has indicated measurable performance gains in both power usage and operational uptime.

Responding to supply chain volatility
Supply chain disruptions remain a top concern across maritime sectors. Optimarin has implemented a flexible, regionally distributed parts sourcing model that minimizes delivery delays and supports localized service in key regions such as Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

“We’ve spent the last few years quietly building redundancy into our supply chain,” said Olafsen. “Now that global logistics are under strain, we’re able to maintain delivery reliability while competitors struggle.”

Focus on lifecycle value and service
In addition to launching Guardian, Optimarin is emphasizing its service model as a key differentiator. With a global team of experienced field engineers and an unparalleled service support, the company has introduced tailored service agreements aimed at helping operators minimize downtime and gain better visibility into long-term maintenance costs.

The company reports increasing uptake of these agreements, particularly from owners seeking predictability in the face of tightening margins and stricter compliance timelines.

Product line expansion after Hyde acquisition
Following its acquisition of Hyde Marine’s ballast water treatment technology, Optimarin now offers a significantly broader product portfolio. The integration has strengthened its UV technology base, expanded engineering capabilities, and enabled more tailored solutions for diverse vessel types.

Meet Optimarin at Nor-Shipping 2025
Optimarin will be showcasing both the Guardian and Protector systems at Nor-Shipping 2025, Stand C03-12b in Hall C.

[By: Höegh Autoliners]

Today, global shipping company Höegh Autoliners is proud to announce that it is now a member of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI).

The SMI is the world’s ‘go-to’ private sector organization for sustainable transition, founded in 2020 by His Majesty King Charles III when he was The Prince of Wales.

The SMI facilitates action between world leaders and CEOs to position sustainability at the heart of global value creation and mobilize the trillions of dollars required to achieve a sustainable future. 

Investment at this scale requires global systems-level change with a default sustainable orientation across markets, industries, and supply chains. The SMI’s guiding mandates, the Terra Carta and Astra Carta, provide practical private sector trajectories.

Höegh Autoliners has joined the SMI in support of its commitment to lead the change that is required in  shipping and to reiterate the company’s goal of reaching net zero by 2040. Höegh Autoliners is constantly targeting new sustainable solutions to be the greenest deep-sea transportation alternative.

Andreas Enger, Höegh Autoliners CEO, said: “Höegh Autoliners is sailing for sustainability. We’ve invested billions of dollars in the world’s largest and most environmentally friendly car carriers, formalised and accelerated ammonia partnerships, and overhauled our entire fleet through a green renewal program. To us, there is no alternative to a more sustainable future for the deep-sea industry. That is why we are proud to join the Sustainable Markets Initiative, the leading private sector organization for sustainability.”

Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, CEO of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, said: "Welcoming Höegh Autoliners to the Sustainable Markets Initiative marks a pivotal step toward a greener future. Their leadership in sustainable shipping, from advanced biofuels to ammonia-ready vessels, underscores the critical role of maritime innovation in decarbonizing global supply chains and achieving our shared vision for a thriving, sustainable planet."

[By: Fincantieri]

Fincantieri and TUI Cruises, a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises, celebrated the launch of “Mein Schiff Flow” at the Monfalcone shipyard. The vessel is the second of two next-generation InTUItion class cruise ships, designed for dual-fuel operation (Liquefied Natural Gas – LNG and Marine Gas Oil – MGO). A sister ship to “Mein Schiff Relax”, delivered in February, the new unit is scheduled to enter service in mid-2026.

The launching ceremony was attended Daniele Fanara, Senior Vice President New Building and After Sales of the Fincantieri Merchant Ships Division, by Cristiano Bazzara, Director of the Monfalcone shipyard, and Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.

With approximately 160,000 gross tons, “Mein Schiff Flow” is based on a first-in-class project developed by Fincantieri enhancing the modernity and sustainability characteristics that TUI Cruises, a company with one of the most advanced fleets from an ecological point of view, is known for. Featuring an innovative product configuration, the project will place energy efficiency at its core, aiming to reduce operational consumption and minimize environmental impact, in compliance with the latest regulations. The ship will be able to use LNG and is future-proof with the ability to utilize low-emission fuels such as bio- or e-LNG, marking a significant step towards climate-neutral cruising.

"Mein Schiff Flow" will feature catalytic converters meeting Euro 6 standards, a steam turbine, using the residual heat from the diesel generators, as well as an electrical shore-power connection. All this will ensure almost emission-free operations while in port (about 40% of operating time). The unit will also be equipped with an innovative and highly efficient waste treatment system capable of transforming organic materials into recyclable components through a thermal process.