Arctic shipping in the Russian-controlled Northern Sea Route (NSR) is poised for major growth this year, with a record number of vessels applying for permits. Voyages in NSR are open in the warmer months, during the summer and autumn from July 1 to November 30, when the ice has receded or has thinned.

With navigation in the route set to open next month, the state-controlled nuclear energy firm Rosatom said that it is expecting a 50 percent rise in voyages by foreign vessels this year. Rosatom controls the Russian icebreaker fleet and is in charge of operations along the NSR. 

“There is a clear upward trend in international interest in NSR. In 2025, foreign companies are expected to conduct at least 1.5 times more voyages through NSR compared to the previous year,” Rosatom told Reuters. 

Rosatom added that as of May 27, 196 applications had been submitted for vessel navigation along NSR, including vessels sailing under foreign flags. The bulk of the fleet will be vessels transporting liquefied gas from the Russian Arctic gas projects such as the Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2. For the summer navigation, around 30 LNG carriers have been granted permits to transit NSR. However, there are concerns that at least five sanctioned carriers are part of this list, according to the NSR Administration registry under Rosatom.

With the West tightening economic sanctions against Russia, there has been a rise of shadow fleet exporting sanctioned Russian oil and gas to international markets. In the Baltic Sea, the shadow fleet is seen as a threat to maritime safety in the region, with several reports of sabotage operations on the undersea cable infrastructure.

The opening of the NSR in the coming weeks is likely to see some of the shadow fleet shift to the route. Russia has been marketing NSR as shorter than the Suez Canal route, reducing travel time between Europe and Asia. However, expansion of the icebreaker fleet and Arctic port infrastructure is needed to make the route competitive.

Last year, NSR hit a record cargo volume of 38 million tons, up from 35 million tons in 2023. 

 

Indonesia is continuing its aggressive enforcement efforts to crack down on illegal fishing. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries reports in the latest effort it has impounded two Malaysian fishing vessels suspected of engaging in illegal fishing in the country’s territorial waters in the Malacca Strait. 

The two vessels were interdicted by the patrol boat Hiu 6, which is based at the Belawan fisheries supervision station, North Sumatra. According to the official account, one vessel, KM SLFA 4584 had three Indonesian crewmembers and a load of around 150 kg of mixed fish. The other vessel, KM SLFA 5210 had four Indonesian crewmembers and 300 kg of mixed fish.

The authorities said that the vessels lacked permit documents from the Indonesian government. In addition, the vessels were reportedly found to be using fish trawling gear, which is prohibited in territorial waters. They alleged the vessels were using trawls that were prohibited.

 “Preliminary investigations show that the Indonesian crew worked in Malaysia without following proper procedures. There is a possibility they paid bribes to cross our border and enter Malaysia illegally,” said Pung Nugroho, the ministry’s director of marine resources and fisheries monitoring. 

They allege it is part of a larger, ongoing problem in the region. The crewmembers they said might have been motivated by high salaries to enter Malaysia and work on the vessels. 

The seizure of the two Malaysian vessels adds to a list of other foreign fishing ships arrested this year. Between January and May, the Ministry reported that it has arrested 13 foreign fishing vessels, consisting of five from the Philippines, three from Malaysia, four from Vietnam, and one from China.

In the past decade, Indonesia has run a spirited campaign against illegal fishing within its vast waters. One of the notable moments was the highly publicized anti-IUU fishing campaign led by the former maritime and fisheries minister Susi Pudjiastuti. The campaign gained global attention especially after Indonesia decided to blow up and sink vessels suspected of illegal fishing. Between 2014- 2016, Indonesia reportedly blew up over 170 vessels as a warning to foreign fishing fleets engaged in illegal fishing.

While IUU fishing in Indonesia has gone down significantly, the government insists that routine patrols are essential for compliance with the fishing laws. As the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to illegal fishing due to its vast EEZ. At the peak of illegal fishing in 2011, studies show that 20-38 percent of Indonesia’s wild seafood exports had been caught illegally by local fishers and foreign fishing fleets. Indonesia estimated that illegal fishing activities cost its economy at least $3 billion annually in lost revenue. 
 

 

A team of volunteer researchers and divers working off the coast of Alaska succeeded in mapping the 1908 wreck site of Alaska’s second-worst maritime disaster (in terms of lives lost) and recovering the bell of the Star of Bengal. Built by Harland & Wolff, the shipyard famed for later building the Titanic, the vessel was lost 117 years ago located on the remote Coronation Island, approximately 80 miles west of Wrangell, Alaska.

The first successful research expedition to the wreck site was reported by Willian Urschel, the captain of the research vessel Endeavour which is operated by the nonprofit organization Alaska Endeavour. During the summer season, it is used for student expeditions while in the shoulder periods, it does professional expeditions.

The wreck of the Star of Bengal had remained a mystery. A team of divers visited the site in 2022 but did not manage to carry out any major surveys due to poor weather. This year, aboard Endeavour, the team returned to the site and during a 10-day period managed to locate and document the hull frames and plates, four anchors, the windlass, and other machinery. They also located and raised the ship’s bronze bell.

The ship which was 1,694 tons had been built in 1874 in Belfast, Ireland for the British trading company JP Corry & Co. as a 264-foot iron three-masted merchant sailing vessel. She was acquired by the Alaska Packers Association in 1906 and would become a workhorse for the association transporting cannery workers and supplies to Wrangell, Alaska in the spring and bringing the workers and canned salmon back to San Francisco in autumn.

On September 20, 1908, the ship was traveling through the Sumner Strait in Alaska for its return to California for the winter. It was under tow by two small tugboats, the Kayak and the Hattie Gage when they encountered a strong storm. 

Historical accounts indicate that a combination of high winds, no communication, and mechanical failures forced the tugboats to sever the tow lines. The Star of Bengal dropped anchor but the anchor dragged. The ship was broken on the rocks of Coronation Island approximately 80 miles west of Wrangle. 

Aboard the ship were 138 men – 106 cannery workers and 32 crew and 2.5 million one-pound cans of salmon from the Wrangell cannery. The sinking caused the deaths of 110 of the people on board including 96 of the canary workers. The majority of deaths were Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino laborers. 

The bell was recovered as a memorial to the ship and has been sent for conservation at the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation at Texas A&M University. It is expected to return to Wrangell where it will go on display at the Wrangell History Museum. The wreck of Star of Bengal will also be nominated for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
 

 

The international effort to maintain security in the Arabian Sea is reporting another significant drug seizure again aided using new technology. Last week, the UK Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster, which was part of a CTF 150 routine patrol in the North Arabian Sea, identified a suspicious small cargo dhow transiting the area.

The British frigate reports it secretly shadowed the suspect through the Arabian Sea for more than 24 hours. As part of the operation, it deployed for the second time the Royal Navy’s new Peregrine drones. The command of the Lancaster describes them as “mini helicopters which conduct reconnaissance stories for hours and feed live information to the vessel’s operation room." The same vessel highlighted in March that it had used the system for the first time during a drug seizure. 

After further monitoring of the dhow using a drone, the Royal Marines went into action. A boarding team of 42 commandos was embarked into two sea boats and in what the command called “a pincer movement,” the dhow was interested. Overhead, Royal Marine snipers were monitoring the operation from the frigate’s Wildcat helicopter.

 

 

“This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilizing her own organic assets,” reported Commanding Officer Commander Chris Chew. “Whether they come in the form of her Wildcat, our uncrewed air system Peregrine, embarked intelligence team, or her Royal Marine Boarding Team, they delivered on operations in support of the Combined Maritime Forces and New Zealand-led Combined Task Force 150.”

Searching the suspect vessel, the team found 50 packages containing one ton of heroin, 55 packages containing 660kg of hashish, and 6 kg of amphetamine tablets. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of over $36 million.

“This is the largest value in narcotics interdiction we have made under our New Zealand command this year,” said Royal New Zealand Commodore, Rodger Ward, who is also the Commander of CTF 150. New Zealand took over the command of CTF 150 from the Pakistan Navy in January as part of the rotating command. 

While it was the second time in two months that Lancaster has interdicted high-value drug trafficking in the Arabian Sea, last week was far larger than the previous one. In March, the frigate seized heroin and amphetamine valued at more than $6 million from a dhow.

CTF 150 was established in 2002 as one of the five operational task forces under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). The CMF operation is reported to be the world’s largest international maritime partnership. It involves 46 nations.

Since July 2024, ships working in support of CTF 150 have carried out at least five successful interdictions against cases of drug smuggling in the Arabian Sea. In the recent past, the waters of the Arabian Peninsula have become synonymous with drug trafficking, with CTF 150 confiscating over $1 billion worth of illicit narcotics since 2021.
 

A month after the first attempt to sail to Gaza was stopped when their vessel was attacked, the activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition has launched a second attempt this time using a smaller private sailing vessel. The group set out from the Italian port of Catania, Sicily on June 1 with the declared intent to challenge Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza. 

They set out this time with extensive media attention saying that they are “a peaceful act of civil resistance. All the volunteers and crew aboard the Madleen are trained in nonviolence. They are sailing unarmed,” the group said in a statement. They said they understand the risk of interception by Israeli naval forces.

The ID number they supplied for the vessel they are calling Madleen (named the group says for Gaza’s first and only fisherwoman) corresponds to a UK-registered 18-meter (59-foot) sailing vessel named Barcarole. The Coalition says they put aboard an advanced tracking system which currently shows them sailing at 5.7 knots. As such, it would take them a week to complete the 1,000-nautical mile trip to Gaza.

On board, the group says are volunteers from multiple countries, among them a member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, climate justice activist Greta Thunberg, and according to some reports Irish actor Liam Cunningham. The ship is reported to be carrying urgently needed supplies for the people of Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women’s sanitary products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches, and children’s prosthetics. The group acknowledged to Reuters that it is a limited but symbolic amount of relief supplies.

 

The first attempt was on the German excursion boat they named Conscience (Freedom Flotilla Coalition) 

 

This is the second attempt after they tried to take a larger 120 dwt German coastal cruise ship previously used for excursions from Malta. The vessel they named Conscience was attacked the group contends by the Israelis disabling the ship and starting a fire. Malta assisted in putting out the fire and after delays, the Conscience was towed by an Italian tugboat to Libya. Reports have said they hoped to repair the ship once it reached port.

Before the previous attempt, the group said it had attempted to limit media coverage. This time they are broadcasting the location to draw international attention. They are calling for a guarantee of safe passage and encouraging media coverage.

 

Media reports from Finland are indicating that police investigators have completed the examination of the incident in which a shadow fleet tanker is suspected of dragging its anchor and damaging critical undersea infrastructure. This comes as the cable operator reported that it will be able to restore commercial service at the end of the month.

A subsea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia went dark on Christmas Day 2024 along with damage to other communications cables. The authorities suspected a shadow fleet product tanker Eagle S that was operating in the Russian oil trade. The Cook Islands-flagged vessel was missing one of its anchors which was later retrieved from the seabed along with the reports that teams found indications that the anchor was dragged along the seabed for over 100 kilometers, severing the power link and four undersea telecommunications cables.

Fingrid and Elering announced last week that repair work on EstLink 2 is progressing faster than planned and that the electricity interconnector will return to commercial use on June 25, about three weeks ahead of the originally anticipated mid-July date. The section of the cable that was damaged has successfully been cut out, with about a one-kilometer-long spare cable being used to connect the undamaged sections. The works are being aided by favorable sea conditions. 

“Both the preparatory and repair works have progressed well, and there have been no setbacks. The construction of the first repair joint will be completed today (May 30), and construction of the second will begin next week,” said Reigo Haug, head of Estlink operations.

At the same time, Yle Svenska, the Swedish-language service of Finland’s national broadcaster, reported that it had learned the criminal investigation into the incident has also been completed. Police were working on the theory that the action was “gross sabotage and gross disruption” of the power and telecommunications cables. The Helsinki Times highlights that under Finnish law, aggravated sabotage can carry significant prison sentences, especially when it involves deliberate damage to national infrastructure. Disruption of telecommunications traffic, if deemed aggravated, is also treated as a serious criminal offense.

Prosecutors confirmed to Yle that they have received thousands of pages of information. They said it would take two to three months to review the details of the investigation and make a determination. The attorney general will ultimately decide if they proceed with an indictment and trial. 

The news outlets report that the captain and the first and second officers of the Eagle S remain under suspicion. The police previously only confirmed that three crewmembers had been ordered to remain in Finland. Originally, nine crewmembers were detained but the others were released in March along the with the vessel.

Prosecutors will have to determine if there is evidence that it was an international act to damage the cables. Others have contended that it was simply poor seamanship and an accident. 

Following the release of the vessel, the Finland and Estonia utility companies Fingrid and Elering said they would sue the ship’s owner to cover repair costs. They had agreed to the release of the tanker saying that the trial could last up to five to six years. The companies are covering the cost of the cable repairs which reports said could end up costing €60 million ($68 million).

Yle reports that a tentative preliminary trial date is set for late August or early September should prosecutors decide to proceed with the case.
 

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has become the first shipping company to deploy its mega ships to the African continent. The company made history in late April and early May when the service was inaugurated with two of the recently built 24,000 TEU class containerships arriving in the ports of Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Cameroon as part of the deployment on the African Express service.

Since the introduction of the latest segment of ultra large container vessels, carriers ranging from MSC, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd to Evergreen and OOCL have used the massive vessels for Asia to Europe routes. The ships were designed to maximize capacity around 24,000 TEU per vessel and with the maximum dimensions for a transit of the Suez Canal and the ports of Northern Europe.

MSC highlights that transferring two of these vessels for service to West Africa will help to reshape the economic development of the region. It is expected the service which connects China and South Korea to West Africa with port calls also in India will boost trade volumes both for imports and exports. MSC points to the surge in Asia – West Africa trade and customer demand. The company also highlights the service as part of its commitment to African economic development.

The expanded service kicked off with the MSC Diletta which reached West Africa in late April. Built in China in 2021, the vessel is 235,228 dwt. It is registered in Liberia and operates under a long-term lease from Chinese finance companies to MSC. It has a capacity of 23,964 TEU.

MSC Diletta made a call in Lomé, Togo, where MSC’s TIL division is a partner with China Merchants for the operation of the Lomé Container Terminal. This vessel also called in Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire.

She was followed by the MSC Turkiye which was also built in China and delivered to the company in 2023. It is one of the largest containerships in the world with a capacity of 24,346 TEU. The ship is registered in Liberia and 281,458 DWT.

Lomé port officials highlighted that while the port had handled calls for other large containerships this is the first regular deployment. In the past, the largest containerships deployed on routes to West Africa were in the 366-meter (1,200-foot) length while both of the MSC vessels are 400 meters (1,312 feet) in length.

Port officials highlighted the development of their facilities and the technical challenges of handling vessels each more than 100 feet longer than previous ships. 

The Lomé Container Terminal is the largest container port in West Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. It is also the fifth largest in Africa having handled approximately 1.7 million TEU last year.

With the growth in Africa, carriers have expanded their services with for example CMA CGM transferring in larger capacity vessels as it deployed its 24,000 TEU ships on the European routes. Both MSC and CMA CGM also made large investments in acquiring terminals and logistics operations in Africa in recent years.
 

A record 1,378 illegal migrants are believed to have crossed the English Channel on May 31, the highest figure of crossings yet recorded. It surpasses the 1,305 migrants who made it across the Channel on September 3, 2022.   

So far this year, approximately 14,600 migrants have made it across the Channel, the highest figure recorded for the first five-month period, and putting 2025 on course to have the highest number of illegal entrants since the Norman Invasion of 1066. This presents a particular problem for Britain’s Labour Government, as reducing illegal migration across the Channel was a key election manifesto promise. Delivery was supposed to demonstrate an administrative efficiency which Labour officials asserted was lacking in the previous Conservative administration.

The influx on May 31 overwhelmed the UK’s maritime services. With Border Force vessels fully occupied transporting illegal migrants rescued from the Channel to safety in Dover, fishing boats were called upon by the Coastguard to rescue a number of other boats at sea that had got into difficulties. The RNLI lifeboat from Dover was also spotted by onlookers bringing people to shore.

 

 

 

 

The organizers of the smuggling trade tend to intensify their operations during calm weather when they are able to grossly overload the disposable rubber boats used to make the crossing.

Notwithstanding the dangers involved in cramming so many aboard, the French police do not prevent departures of the boats from French beaches, and the smuggling organizers know that once the boats reach the median line in the Channel, their occupants will be rescued by the British Border Force and carried to safety.

Even in calm weather, the Channel crossing is extremely hazardous, as the Channel is one of the world’s busiest sea lanes. The area where the migrants are attempting the crossing is approximately 30 miles between the French and British coasts. If the weather deteriorates during the crossing, the overloaded rubber boats are easily swamped in a rising swell. Beside the risk of drowning, acute for the infirm and young children on board, there is also a risk of hypothermia even in the mildest of English weather. 

British government attempts to curtail the traffic have focused on identifying and prosecuting the organizers of the smuggling traffic. Given however the laws of supply and demand, the lucrative nature of the trade means that arrested smugglers are soon replaced. Nor is there a shortage of customers, as the cost of an illegal passage across the Channel is considerably cheaper than securing legal entry, and can also be quicker.

Illegal entry is also attractive because once arrivals set foot on dry land and claim asylum, they become eligible for food, hotel accommodation, and national health services while their asylum applications are processed, which can take many years.
 

Swedish authorities are trying to understand why a second bulker grounded in the Øresund area in less than a week. The incident on Saturday, May 31, was just 40 miles to the north of where a bulker went aground on Sunday, May 25, but so far there are few similarities between the two incidents.

A bulker flagged in Panama, Meshka (35,829 dwt) was southbound in the shipping channel coming from Tarragona, Spain to the small Russian port of Vysotsk near the border with Finland. According to Swedish media reports, the Swedish Maritime Administration’s traffic center (VTS) spotted that the ship was outside the shipping lane and warned the ship around 1000 on Saturday morning. The crew either ignored the warning or did not have time to respond and change course.

The vessel which was traveling only with fuel and ballast however had a draft of seven meters. It ran aground in an area with only three meters of depth. 

The rescue authority dispatched two vessels to investigate and the Swedish Maritime Administration and Coast Guard both responded. It was determined that none of the 24 crew aboard had been injured and there was no immediately apparent damage or oil leaks from the ship. The Coast Guard was assigned authority while the others were standing by in case they needed to become involved.

The Coast Guard reports it conducted sobriety checks and found no suspicions of drunkenness among the crew. They were still interviewing the crew to understand what caused the grounding. It reported on Sunday that it has initiated a preliminary investigation regarding a lack of good seamanship in connection with the grounding. The investigation has now been handed over to the Swedish Prosecution Authority. 

The vessel is near Landhrona, Sweden which is north of Malmö where the other bulker grounded last week. Divers were sent down on Saturday evening, and they reported no visual damage but said most of the hull which measures 180 meters (590 feet) is on the sandy bottom. The Coast Guard reports the vessel has approximately 938,000 liters of oil and lubricants in its tanks.

The authorities are remaining on the scene but said as long as the vessel remains stable, the responsibilities rest with the shipowner, a company based in Dubai. They will need to develop a salvage plan and submit it for approval.

One similarity between the two vessels that grounded is that both have a history of deficiencies reported during port state inspections. The Meshka had 23 deficiencies during a September 2024 inspection at the British port of Immingham. UK authorities detained the ship for 18 days after identifying structural issues, fire safety problems, and crew training issues. The ship however had a clean inspection in May in Spain.

The other bulker, Ali Aykin remains aground on a shoal near the Øresund Bridge. Swedish authorities confirmed during the week that hull damage had been identified and that the ship had taken on water. A salvage plan is being prepared and reviewed for the ship.
 

 

Having made its way south through the Suez Canal on May 25, ships of the Royal Navy-led Prince of Wales carrier strike group (CSG) have been spotted twice in satellite imagery, proceeding south at relatively slow speed down the Red Sea. The transit through the Canal was covered by two UK P-8 Poseidon MRA1 aircraft operating out of RAF Akrotiri.

 

Progress of HMS Prince of Wales (R09) down the Red Sea (Google Earth/CJRC)

 

On May 28, the flagship HMS Prince of Wales (R09) was seen in the sea area between Yanbu and Jeddah (at 22.788744N 37.672278E), alongside HNoMS Maud (A530), from whom she was taking on supplies. Heading northwards during the replenishment operation, the two ships were being trailed by a frigate, probably HMS Richmond (F239). Indicative of flight operations being carried out, RAF KC-2 Voyager refuellers were active over the Red Sea during the preceding days.

 

HMS Prince of Wales conducting a replenishment at sea on May 28 with HNoMS Maud, trailed by HMS Richmond (Sentinel-2/CJRC)

 

Further imagery on May 30 showed the CSG in battle formation, now between Jeddah and Jizan, and with HMS Prince of Wales at 19.711N 38.697E. In the imagery, cued by @Schizointel and @MT_Anderson, it was possible to identify HMS Dauntless (D33), HMS Richmond (F239), Canadian HMCS Ville de Quebec (F332), Spanish ESPS Mendez Nunez (F104) and the Norwegian Nansen Class frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen (F311). On the flank of the CSG was an unidentified Arleigh Burke destroyer, and @MT-Andersen has also spotted a second Arleigh Burke destroyer in the Red Sea area keeping company. Absent was the Norwegian logistics vessel HNoMS Maud (A530), without which the CSG would be unlikely to make a dash through the Bab el Mandeb, unless hereafter it relies solely on RFA Tidespring (A136) for support instead. The CSG is already in range of Houthi drone and missile systems, and is well south of the stand-back area from which US Navy CSGs have recently conducted operations against the Houthis.

If all proceeds to plan, the CSG is likely to be through the area of greatest risk well before knowledge of this becomes public. That a move into the Gulf of Aden is imminent is probable, given that the Houthi ceasefire regarding ships in the Red Sea is still holding, negating any immediate requirement to deploy the CSG’s firepower. But this is also likely because two RAF KC-2 refueling aircraft, and probably also P-8 Poseidon MRA1 aircraft, have now been forward deployed to Oman, from where operations in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea can be better supported than from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

The Royal Navy announced in April that HMS Prince of Wales was departing leading an international Carrier Strike Group for an eight-month mission to the Indo-Pacific. Defence Secretary John Healey reported it would be the UK's biggest naval deployment of 2025.
 

The Swedish government announced starting July 1 it will be enforcing new rules on ships that pass through Swedish territorial waters or the economic zone – not just those that call at a port. It joins others including Estonia, Finland, and the European Union which also introduced new monitoring efforts including checking insurance documentation for vessels sailing through the Baltic.

“We see more and more problematic events in the Baltic Sea and it requires that we not only hope for the best, but also plan for the worst,” said Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden, in a posting on social media. “Now we have made an important decision to protect the Baltic Sea from the Russian shadow fleet… Security can't wait.”

According to the government, the new regulation that it adopted aims to combat the shadow fleet and thereby improve maritime safety and environmental protection. The Swedish Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration are being tasked with collecting insurance information from ships that pass through Swedish territorial waters or the economic zone regardless if they are scheduled to make a port call in Sweden.

“We are now increasing surveillance in the Baltic Sea,” said Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer. He pointed to the shadow fleet circumventing international rules and threatening safety. 

Sweden’s action follows the European Commission which in April adopted a requirement that all vessels, including those merely passing through EU waters without entering an EU port, provide insurance information. 

Efforts to check documentation and insurance information have led to increased tensions in the Baltic. Estonia’s effort at stopping a tanker it suspected of operating without a legitimate registry led to a brief showdown that included a Russian warplane making an unauthorized entry into Estonian airspace. Similarly, Finland has recently reported that a Russian warplane entered its airspace while Finland’s Defense Minister said the country would continue its efforts to monitor the movement of shadow fleet tankers in the Gulf of Finland.

The EU in particular has continued to apply pressure on the shadow fleet. It has now sanctioned over 300 tankers while there has been talk of further actions aimed at Russia’s oil trade.

Russia’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia referred to the actions as “Baltic pirates” and their EU “cheerleaders,” during a speech to the UN Security Council. He said the “inappropriate behavior of EU countries sets a very dangerous precedent.”

The Russian Navy has reportedly begun escorting some shadow fleet tankers on their passage away from the oil terminals and into the Baltic.

 

The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed on Friday, May 30, that the dismantling contract for ex-USS Enterprise has been awarded. It marks the official end to the process that began several years ago after the first U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carrier was decommissioned in 2017 and the debate began on her final fate.

Included in the listing of contracts finalized by the Department of Defense is the awarding of $536 million in a fixed-price contract to NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Services for the dismantling, recycling, and disposal of ex-Enterprise. It is a Mobile, Alabama-based partnership between NorthStar Group Services and Modern American Recycling and Radiological Services announced in November 2024 as one of the bidders for the contract. The other competitors were in Newport News, Virginia, and Brownsville, Texas with it noted that only Brownsville had a ship-recycling specialist experienced in disposing of U.S. Navy’s conventional aircraft carriers. The decommissioned aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy arrived in Brownsville on February 2, 2025, for dismantling after being towed from Philadelphia.

 

Enterprise was present at some of the most important moments in modern U.S. Navy history (USN)

 

DoD reports that Enterprise “will be dismantled in its entirety, and all resulting materials will be properly recycled or disposed of. Specifically, hazardous materials, including low-level radioactive waste, will be packaged and safely transported for disposal at authorized licensed sites.”

The process of disposing of the carrier began in 2022 with the Navy releasing a report that explored the options including continuing to hold the vessel in lay-up or dismantling. The following year, the Navy confirmed that it preferred to dismantle the carrier using a commercial facility so as not to lose precious space and capacity in its own shipyards. 

Enterprise's nuclear reactors have been defueled, but there are still "legacy radiological and hazardous wastes" on board the Navy concluded in its analysis. During the dismantling process, the hazardous components will be separated and properly contained for shipment to a storage site. North Star will be responsible for dismantling the other sections of the ship. DoD reports the work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by November 2029.

It will be an economic boost for Mobile. The city is already reporting a mini-surge in tourism after the liner ss United States arrived at the MARS facility. The liner is being prepared in Mobile for a planned reefing. The Mobile Chamber of Commerce last year said it opposed dismantling the carrier in the area fearing the potential of a mishap or contamination. 

 

USS Enterprise with nuclear-powered escorts USS Long Beach and Bainbridge, the world's first all-nuclear task force (June 1964, USN)

 

Known by her nickname “Big E,” the carrier was a symbol of the United States' naval power. She remains the longest naval vessel ever constructed, though she is outranked by the Nimitz and Ford-class carriers when measured by displacement. She has a length of 1,123 feet (342 meters) at the flight deck and has a displacement of approximately 94,000 tons. Enterprise had an acknowledged top speed of over 30 knots, although it was rumored she could operate at much faster speeds. 

Big E was present at some of the most important moments in modern U.S. Navy history, including the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis; aerial combat and bombardment missions during the Vietnam War; the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy during the fall of Saigon; the bombing of Al Qaeda and Taliban installations after 9/11; and duty in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. She also participated in the early space program tracking John Glenn’s orbit of the Earth in the Friendship 7 capsule.

She was commissioned in 1961 and was to have been part of a class of nuclear carriers. Instead, the Navy learned from her and went on to build the Nimitz class, which remains the hallmark of the nuclear navy. Enterprise served with distinction through the 1960s before a fire in 1969 and an overhaul in the early 1970s. She received life extension refits in the 1990s and in 2008 which lasted till 2010. She began her final deployment in March 2012 and was officially listed as deactivated in December 2012. 

 

Deactivated in 2012, Enterprise is seen here in her 2013 move into lay-up in Newport News, Virginia (USN)

 

Settling the disposal of the ship took on greater importance as the Navy now looks to the deactivation of the first Nimitz class carriers in the coming years. Enterprise is to provide a model for the Navy as it moves forward into the Ford class. The legacy of Big E will be celebrated as about 14 tons of steel salvaged from CVN-65 will be incorporated into CNV-80, the third Ford-class carrier which fittingly will be the next USS Enterprise.

[By: Danfoss]

[By: ARC Group]

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc. (ARC Group) has announced the appointment of Chris Heibel as Chief Operating Officer, effective June 1, 2025.

 

After campaigning on a promise to accelerate the U.S. energy industry, the Trump administration issued its first final LNG export approval which went to Sempra Infrastructure’s proposed Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 project. The permit granted by the Department of Energy would make it possible for the second phase project to export LNG to countries that do not have a free-trade agreement with the United States.

The Trump administration has been fiercely critical of its predecessor’s pause on LNG export permits, terming the move “reckless.” Following the finalization of the 2024 LNG Export Study, which the administration is praising for confirming that LNG exports support the U.S. economy, strengthen allies, and enhance national security, the Department of Energy (DOE) has moved to support the expansion of the industry.

The Port Arthur LNG facility is promoted as having the potential to become one of the largest LNG export facilities in North America. Phase II of the export facility has been in the works since September 2023 when the Biden administration issued authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The project is expected to include two liquefaction trains capable of producing approximately 13 Mtpa of LNG, which would double the total liquefaction capacity of the Port Arthur LNG facility up to 26 Mtpa. 

Phase 1 of the Port Arthur LNG project is currently under construction and consists of trains 1 and 2, as well as two LNG storage tanks and associated facilities. Sempra reports construction of the project continues to progress, and they expect commercial operation for train 1 in 2027 and train 2 in 2028.

DOE is hailing the issuing of the permit for Phase 2 as another critical step in expanding the U.S.’s LNG industry. Sempra however highlights that the project remains subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include completing the required commercial agreements, securing and/or maintaining all necessary permits, obtaining financing, and reaching the final investment decision.

Sempra also operates the Cameron LNG export terminal in Louisiana, which has been exporting LNG since 2019, and is currently constructing the Energia Costa Azul terminal in Mexico, which will begin commercial export operations of U.S.-sourced gas as LNG beginning in 2026. 

In authorizing the exports, DOE has relied heavily on the LNG Export Study that was released by the Office of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management in December last year and had a public comment period through March 20 this year. Part of the findings in the study is that the U.S. has a robust natural gas supply that is sufficient to meet growing levels of exports while minimizing impacts on domestic prices, growing LNG exports increase gross domestic product and expand jobs while also improving trade balance. It also asserts that increasing LNG exports enhances domestic and international global security with no discernable impact on global greenhouse gas emissions. 

While Port Arthur Phase 2 marks the first final approval, the administration had previously issued four LNG export authorizations. This includes one to Commonwealth LNG's proposed export facility in Louisiana, and another to Venture Global's CP2 project also in Louisiana. Energy Secretary Chris Wright says the administration has approved a total volume of exports of 11.45 Bcf/d.  

The U.S. has been the largest exporter of LNG ahead of Qatar and Australia. Qatar however is preparing to open its North Field Expansion project starting in 2026. By 2030 it expects to double production to 142 mtpa.
 

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri continues to show the strength of its cruise ship orderbook as the company’s Monfalcone shipyard today floated the second LNG-fueled cruise ship, Mein Schiff Flow, for Germany’s TUI Cruises. It follows the delivery of her sister ship, Mein Ship Relax, in February, and a recent order from another TUI Group company Marella Cruises for two new ships.

The relationship with TUI Group was established in 2018 with the order of the two cruise ships known as the InTUItion class for Mein Schiff, which is a partnership between TUI and Royal Caribbean Group focused on the German-speaking market. Fincantieri highlights the ships each of which is approximately 157,650 gross tons, as a first-in-class project developed by the shipyard enhancing the modernity and sustainability characteristics that TUI Cruises promotes in its operations.

The new ships are 1,070 feet (326 meters) in length with 1,945 passenger cabins and accommodations for 3,984 passengers and 1,535 crew. In addition to being the largest ships of the fleet, they have innovations for relaxation, 14 restaurants including more variety and a new Asian restaurant, and redefined spa and wellness areas. The ships feature the cruise line’s first two-deck “freedom suites,” as well as introducing inside, outside, and balcony cabins for solo travelers.

They are designed for operations either on LNG or Marine Gas Oil (MGO), making them the first LNG-fueled ships in the Mein Schiff fleet. TUI has highlighted that they are a future-proof design with the ability to utilize low-emission fuels such as bio- or e-LNG when the alternatives become available in sufficient quantity for commercial operations. TUI last year also introduced a cruise ship built by Meyer Turku that is ready for future operations on methanol fuel.

The two cruise ships from Fincantieri 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. They are also being equipped with an innovative and highly efficient waste treatment system capable of transforming organic materials into recyclable components through a thermal process.

After a christening ceremony and blessing in Monfalcone, Italy, the floodgates were opened on the dry dock to float Mein Schiff Flow for the first time on May 30. They are reporting it required around 130 million liters of water to enter the dock for the successful flotation. Mein Schiff Flow will be moved to the outfitting berth and is due to enter service in the summer of 2026.

 

Naming ceremony for the first cruise ship Mein Schiff Relax (TUI Cruises)

 

Her sister ship Mein Schiff Relax was celebrated with a spectacular naming ceremony early in April in the port of Malaga, Spain. More than 12,000 people attended the event which included two other ships from the fleet, Mein Schiff 5 and Mein Schiff 7, also docked in the port. The event concluded with a 120-meter (nearly 400-foot) rocket line launched from the bow of one of the ships.

Mein Schiff Relax is the eighth ship for the brand, all new builds, and will be joined by the ninth ship when Mein Schiff Flow starts operations. The brand has grown rapidly having operated its first cruises in 2009.

Fincantieri received the order for two cruise ships, the first new builds for Marella Cruises (a brand owned by TUI Group) at the end of March. Carnival Corporation also placed an order in April for Mein Schiff competitor AIDA Cruises, the first for Fincantieri, while the yard also has confirmed orders for its first cruise ships over 200,000 gross tons to be delivered to both Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line. It will build seven ships under those contracts with deliveries scheduled into the 2030s.
 

 

In a surprise announcement that leaked out on Friday, May 30, Newport News Shipbuilding is furloughing about two percent of its workforce – 471 salaried employees – effective immediately. The shipyard which recently highlighted for the first time it would be simultaneously working on building two massive Ford-class aircraft carriers is citing the need for increased accountability and efficiency.

News of the furloughs is being widely reported by the media in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia which points out that Newport News is Virginia’s largest industrial employer. The reports said the company employs approximately 26,000 people and was conducting hiring efforts. Virginia Business reports the company added about 3,000 people in 2024 and had said it expected a similar increase this year.

The company confirmed the action in a statement sent to the Virginia media. “After careful review of our salaried workforce and business needs, we have furloughed 471 salaried shipbuilders across HII‘s Newport News Shipbuilding division,” the statement said. “This decision was not made lightly given its impact on affected team members. We take this step, however, to increase accountability and efficiency, and to improve overall performance in meeting our current and future commitments to the U.S. Navy.”

The shipbuilder is emphasizing changes in the industry and during the first quarter report, its parent company HII announced that Newport News’ revenues had decreased by 2.6 percent ($38 million) in the quarter. It cited lower volumes in aircraft carriers and naval nuclear support services, partially offset by higher volumes in the Columbia-class submarine program.

The company had recently reported securing new government contracts but the Trump administration while promising increases in military spending has been putting pressure on efficiency and cost-cutting. The Department of Defense has promised to increase efficiency while the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has a stated objective to modernize information technology, maximize productivity and efficiency, and cut wasteful spending.

Newport News in December christened the thirteenth Virginia-class submarine it has built for the U.S. Navy. That followed repositioning the under-construction carrier Enterprise in the dry dock to create a position to start work in 2025 on the next carrier, the Doris Miller. It also announced the acquisition of a South Carolina-based complex metal fabricator specializing in the manufacture of shipbuilding structures, modules, and assemblies to expand Newport News’ capacity.

The furloughs will impact engineers and other salaried positions at the shipbuilder and are currently expected to last up to five months. The company spokesperson is emphasizing that it is a temporary non-work, non-pay status, not terminating or reassigning any employees. However, they cannot work for contractors during this period. They were informed of the action the media reports said in an email on Friday and told it was effective as of Monday.

The spokesperson told the Virginia media that the company would continue to evaluate its staffing needs.

The abandonment of vessels and their crews is running significantly ahead of the rate in 2024 and is on track to a new record warns the International Transport Workers’ Federation. The association of transport unions is reiterating its long-standing call for more action and a crackdown both on shipowners and the registries that fail to respect seafarers.

“Abandonment is a growing, systemic problem,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary. “Behind every number is a human being who has been failed by the industry and the governments responsible for regulating it. The fact that we're on track to break last year’s appalling record is a sign that urgent reform is needed.”

The ITF calculates that vessel abandonment is up 33 percent year-over-year in 2025. It says as of May this year it had recorded 158 cases of vessel abandonment, up from 119 at the same point in 2024. These cases represent more than 1,501 seafarers who have reached out to the ITF for assistance, many of whom were left unpaid, without food, water, or access to ports, often for months at a time.

They highlight in 2024 its inspectors and teams were able to recover $13.5 million for abandoned seafarers. Last year, it said there was a record 3,100 seafarers abandoned. In total, the ITF reports in 2024 it recovered more than $58.1 million in unpaid wages due to seafarers. Already in 2025, they report ITF inspectors have helped to recover $4.1 million for seafarers affected by abandonment. 

“We’re dealing with owners who walk away from their obligations, often while sub-standard registers look on and do nothing,” said Steve Trowsdale, Head of the ITF Inspectorate. “In many cases, it's impossible to identify the owner, and flag states are either unwilling or unable to act. This is what makes the rise in cases so dangerous – impunity is growing across the board.”

As the number of cases climb, the ITF says it is increasingly concerned by the limits on enforcement. It calculates that half of the world’s fleet operates under a “flag of convenience,” and notes that more than 80 percent of abandoned vessels are also operating under a flag of convenience. The ITF highlights that it has a list of 45 countries that provide a flag of convenience. It added Tuvalu and Guinea-Bissau to its list of problematic registries that lack enforcement along with the 2024 addition of Gabon and Eswatini. In 2023, it added San Marino to the target list.

The group is calling for reforms to the registry system to ensure that every vessel can provide transparent, traceable links to its beneficial owner. The ITF says registries must be “armed – and willing – to detain and penalize those who walk away from their crews.”

The leading members of the International Maritime Organization have also raised concerns about the proliferation of suspect flags that do not properly enforce regulations. In addition, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission just over a week ago announced that it was starting an investigation into these registries. It, too, cited the lack of regulations and enforcement saying it had the potential to create unfavorable conditions in the foreign trade of the United States.

While the Maritime Labor Convention stipulates basic standards for wages and transportation for seafarers to and from their ships and homes, enforcement remains a problem. Flag states have a legal responsibility when vessel owners and operators abandon their crews or fail to pay their wages and provide basic welfare conditions. States such as Australia highlight their efforts during port state inspections, but frequently it falls to the unions and charities to aid abandoned seafarers.
 

 

Researchers based in California studied the electronic reservation system established for containerships and have now concluded that the digital port queuing system is low-hanging fruit that can help drastically cut shipping emissions. They are the latest to endorse versions of slow steaming for vessels while warning that ports and liners are clinging to the archaic “first-come, first-served” approach.

The starting point for their research focused on the fact that the commercial shipping industry contributes nearly three percent of global greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions and approximately two percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2), making it a major accelerator of climate change. The researchers said that while shipping is coming under intense pressure to decarbonize, the industry has failed to utilize a system that is the easiest to implement and which can cut GHG emissions by 16 to 24 percent.

Worldwide, ports continue to rely on the century-old “first-come, first-served” system for ship berthing. Typically, vessels continue to race across the ocean and then line up and idle at ports as they wait to be unloaded. The researchers write that “first-come, first-served” incentivized a practice known as “sail fast, then wait” where vessels rush to reach their destination port to secure a place in the berthing queue. As port congestion around the world has grown, vessels can wait at anchorage or loiter near ports at low speed for hours, days, or even weeks.

In normal times at busy ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach, it was typical to have as many as four vessels backlogged and waiting for a berth. At the heart of the pandemic, the backlog for the Southern California ports ballooned to over 100 vessels and even today major ports around the world still have large backlogs.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach implemented a queuing system in 2022 that assigned predetermined positions when vessels departed their last port of call. Essentially, the system means that containerships get a spot in line based on when they left the last port of call. With their place in line secure, vessels delivering cargo to the ports do not have to rush during their trans-Pacific voyage, giving them the luxury to reduce speed which in effect meant burning less fuel and creating fewer emissions. 

The researchers at the University of California believed the system is low-hanging fruit that can have the added benefit of reducing CO2 emissions. The team was able to substantiate this conclusion and make a new case for slow steams after applying a bottom-up emissions model using vessel technical specifications and automatic identification system data from 10,000 voyages by 1,157 containerships across 6.5 years (2017–2023). The voyages represented more than 47 million miles of traffic crossing the Pacific.

By comparing emissions before and after the new queuing system was implemented at Los Angeles and Long Beach, the team observed 16 to 24 percent reductions in emissions per voyage post-implementation. The researchers published their findings in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.

“Integrating digital queueing represents a straightforward win within the broader technology and digital transformation initiatives that ports and logistics companies are already pursuing, offering an easy-to-implement solution that could scale globally as ports modernize and streamline their operations to reduce emissions,” said Douglas McCauley, a marine ecologist UC Santa Barbara.

He added that if other ports deploy the system, this could offer a relatively simple pathway for the maritime industry to contribute to emissions reduction efforts. Notably, the system does not require massive investments or time to deploy. At Los Angeles and Long Beach, the world’s ninth busiest port complex, the system was up and running in just one month.

The researchers highlight that additional fine-tuning of the queueing system may yield even bigger climate wins. A case in point is tweaking the system slightly so ships traveled at an average speed of 17 knots instead of 18 knots across the Pacific, something that has the capacity to shave off another approximately 308,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, translating to an additional nine percent reduction.
 

[By: Med Marine]

Eregli Shipyard proudly announces its latest achievement: being awarded the tender by the Directorate General of Coastal Safety (KEGM) for the construction of two of Turkiye’s most powerful escort tugboats—each measuring 42 meters in length and delivering an impressive 130 tons of bollard pull. The contract was officially signed on May 5, marking a significant milestone in Med Marine’s Eregli Shipyard’s continued contributions to maritime excellence both in its home country and abroad.

A signing ceremony has been held for the construction of two emergency response tugboats, each with a minimum bollard pull of 130 tons—set to become the most powerful escort tugs in Türkiye. Having left its mark across the globe through a multitude of distinguished projects, Eregli Shipyard now welcomes the privilege of contributing to the safety and strength of Turkiye’s maritime domain.

Each vessel, stretching 42 meters in length, will be meticulously crafted to meet the demands of modern port operations. Fitted with an advanced off-ship fire-fighting system in accordance with Class Fire Fighting Ship 1 requirements, the tugboats are designed to respond swiftly and effectively to emergency scenarios, including high-risk terminal operations.

The advanced firefighting system, supplied by Fire Fighting Systems (FFS), includes two engine-driven pumps feeding monitors capable of delivering 1200 m³/h of water and 300 m³/h of foam—ensuring rapid and effective emergency response. A robust fendering layout, including cylindrical and 'W' block bow fenders, 'D' fenders along the sheer line, provides safe and reliable manoeuvring in high-risk operations.

Commenting on this significant partnership, Recai Hakan ?en, Chairman of Med Marine Holding and Eregli Shipyard, stated:

“As a company that has successfully delivered tailor-made vessels to clients across the globe, it is a source of great pride for us to now channel our expertise into serving our own country. Working alongside the Directorate General of Coastal Safety on such a strategically important project holds special significance for all of us at Eregli Shipyard. These powerful tugboats are more than just vessels—they represent our responsibility to contribute to the safety of Turkish waters with the same care and precision we bring to every project, near or far.”

Chairman of the Board and Director General of the Directorate General of Coastal Safety, Mr. Mustafa Bankao?lu, stated the following:

“As the Directorate General of Coastal Safety, the operational force of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure at sea, uninterrupted service is provided 24/7, and all necessary measures are taken at the highest level to enhance navigational safety as well as the safety of life, property, and the environment. National and domestically developed projects are being steadily implemented. Today, we take great pride and joy in witnessing the signing ceremony for the construction of two Emergency Response Tugboats, which will each have a minimum bollard pull of 130 tons and will stand as the most powerful escort tugs in Türkiye—representing one of the finest and most concrete examples of these projects. On this occasion, I would like to once again express my sincere thanks to our Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr. Abdulkadir Uralo?lu, for his strong support and vision throughout the process, as well as to ERE?L? SHIPYARD and all colleagues involved in the project.”

With this prestigious project, Eregli Shipyard once again blends its global engineering vision with a deep-rooted dedication to serving its country — setting course for a safer, stronger, and more resilient maritime future.

Technical specifications of the tugboats:

Length: 42 m
Max. Draft: 7.5 m
Depth: 6.4 m
Beam: 16 m
Bollard Pull: Min. 130 tons
Speed: 14 knots
Crew: 11 persons