A Hanwha Group subsidiary has purchased a Jones Act LNG carrier from the conglomerate's American shipyard, the recently-acquired Hanwha Philly, according to Bloomberg. It will be the first such vessel built in the United States in 45 years.

"This project aligns with the U.S. government's strategy to revitalize its shipbuilding and shipping industries while strengthening energy security," Hanwha Ocean told Yonhap. 

Ryan Lynch, the CEO of Hanwha Shipping, told Bloomberg that the price would be about $250 million - a favorable price for any American-built vessel with the complexity of an LNG carrier, a vessel class that is notoriously difficult to master. Korea's Big Three shipbuilders - including Hanwha - are world leaders in LNG carrier construction, and Hanwha will provide the technology-transfer arrangements to make it possible to do at Philly. 

The news follows last month's rumors that Hanwha is planning to reflag Korean-made LNG carriers into the U.S.-flag fleet, making use of the Alternative Compliance Program (ACP), the Coast Guard's inspection and certification agreement with certain class societies. 

Reflagged Korean vessels would not be Jones Act-compatible, as they would not be U.S. built. There is a narrow exemption for LNG carriers trading to Puerto Rico, but very few hulls qualify. According to Business Korea, Hanwha is simultaneously watching the U.S. domestic debate over Jones Act reform, which - if acted upon - could allow broader use of less-expensive Korean hulls in U.S. domestic trade. 

Hanwha has been moving fast to expand its position in Jones Act shipbuilding with the acquisition and upgrading of Hanwha Philly. It has hired hundreds of new people and has a training pipeline of 170 apprentices; with "smart yard technology," like advanced welding robots, Hanwha thinks it can increase production to 10 ships a year - up from the current rate of 1.5. 

In addition to its commercial shipbuilding ambitions, Hanwha wants to win U.S. Navy contracts, including newbuild auxiliaries. Some of those orders could also go abroad, Hanwha acknowledges.

"U.S. support shipbuilding capability has weakened and fallen behind schedule, so the U.S. is considering placing orders with foreign shipyards if support ships [naval auxiliaries] can be built quickly," Hanwha Philly Shipyard chief Lee Jong-Moo told The Korea Times. 

In the 2010s, Hanwha's predecessor company DSME won a bid to sell four oilers to the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary for a favorable price; the Korean builder partnered with a British yard to complete the fitting-out process to ensure UK domestic content. 

 

Cocaine smugglers often go to exceptional lengths to conceal their goods from customs officers. The drug has been tethered inside sea chests, bolted into machine tools, dissolved and soaked into clothing, packed in banana boxes and tucked into reefer containers, all to reach the most lucrative global markets. A Sydney man now stands accused of attempting to smuggle cocaine into Australia in a uniquely maritime fashion: hidden inside a pair of marine engines.  

In October 2024, Australian Border Force officers inspected a consignment arriving in Brisbane from the United States. The shipment consisted of two crated marine engines, with signs of age and previous use. The officers found plastic-wrapped bricks inside the crankcase of each engine, packed between lobes of the crankshaft and covered in grease. Testing confirmed that they contained cocaine, so the AFP officers removed all 140 kilos of the drugs, replaced the bricks with fakes, and then put the shipment back in motion. 

On November 14-15, the crates were moved to a property in Wongawallan, about 25 miles south of Brisbane. According to the Australian Federal Police, a suspect from Sydney traveled to the property on November 15 and - along with a second suspect - retrieved some of the fake bricks from within one of the marine engines.  

The AFP raided multiple properties on November 17 and recovered evidence; the suspect from Sydney has now been charged of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of smuggled cocaine - an offense that carries a penalty of up to life in prison in Australia. 

“Criminals are motivated by greed and are indifferent to the harm their actions cause. This amount of cocaine could have equated to about 700,000 street level deals,” AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said. “The AFP and its law enforcement partners are committed to disrupting and dismantling criminal operations which look to bring harm to our people and communities."

It is the second time that a suspect has been charged in connection with this smuggling scheme. In April, prosecutors brought similar charges against a Gold Coast resident who was also allegedly present during the attempt to recover the fake drugs. 

[By MARAD]

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded $8.75 million in grants to revitalize U.S. shipyards and advance America’s maritime dominance. The funding is part of the Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports advanced training, workforce development, and new technologies that strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and repair capabilities.  

“President Trump’s plan to reclaim maritime dominance starts with rebuilding America’s shipyards,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This program will help America to build big, beautiful ships again to counter Chinese competition and maintain freedom on the seas.” 

“Unleashing the full power of America's shipyards will boost our economic strength and national security,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Sang Yi. “The Small Shipyard Grant program is revitalizing America’s maritime industry by investing in businesses that spur innovation, improve productivity, and fuel job creation in communities around the country.” 

Since its inception in 2008, the Small Shipyard Grant program has awarded 382 grants totaling $320.5 million to qualified small shipyard facilities. 17 recipients in 12 states were awarded funds as part of this announcement. 

Additional Information:

America’s small shipyards are a strategic asset and are critical to national security and economic vitality. Employing more than 100,000 Americans, these shipyards are fundamental engines of local job growth and have unique capabilities, from custom vessel development to specialized repair services. Through President Trump’s Executive Order on restoring America’s maritime dominance, shipyards are positioned to enhance defense, grow manufacturing, and expand innovation and the maritime workforce. 

Below is a complete list of shipyard grant recipients in Fiscal Year 2025:  

Alabama 

Master Boat Builders of Bayou La Bâtre, AL, will receive $427,596.38 to support the procurement and integration of training equipment and technologies. 

Alaska 

Resolve Marine, Inc., of Dutch Harbor, AK, will receive $447,341.00 to support the purchase of a Caterpillar 980 Wheel Loader. 

California 

Marine Group Boat Works, LLC of Chula Vista, CA, will receive $248,402.50 to support the purchase of a Flow Mach 500 Waterjet Metal Cutting Table.  

Bay Ship & Yacht Co. of Alameda, CA, will receive $388,777.00 to support the purchase of a CNC plasma arc and gas cutting equipment. 

Florida 

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., of Panama City, FL, will receive $93,537.75 to support the purchase of a 10-foot plate shear.  

St. Johns Ship Building, Inc., of Palatka, FL, will receive $617,040.00 to support the purchase of a Grove GRT8100 110-ton Rough Terrain Crane.  

Kentucky 

JamesBuilt, LLC of Calvert City, KY, will receive $599,130.00 to support the purchase of a 65-ton rough terrain crane.  

Louisiana 

Breaux’s Bay Craft, Inc., of New Iberia, LA, will receive $817,150.00 to support the purchase of a 200-ton Marine Travelift.  

PAR61 Marine Repair of Port Allen, LA, will receive $723,242.00 to support Travelift infrastructure improvements, three new power distribution panels, a Telehandler, and a Crane Apron. 

Maryland 

Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp., of Salisbury MD, will receive $817,150.00 to support the purchase of a 160-ton rough terrain mobile crane. 

Pennsylvania  

Heartland Fabrication, LLC of Brownsville, PA, will receive $588,092.00 to support the purchase of a Koike Aronson PlatePro XHD Model 3700 Plasma cutting machine.  

Rhode Island  

J. Goodison Company of North Kingston, RI, will receive $274,596.00 to support the purchase of welding equipment and a press brake. 

Texas 

Conrad Orange Shipyard, Inc., of Orange, TX, will receive $418,200.50 to support the purchase of a CNC plasma cutting system. 

Washington 

Ice Floe, LLC dba Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Freeland, WA, will receive $357,317.00 to support the purchase of a CNC Router Table, CNC Laser Table, Dust Collector, Dehumidifier, and 15 multi-process welders with wire feeds. 

Snow & Company, Inc. of Seattle, WA, will receive $817,150.00 to support the purchase of a CNC Press Brake with segmented dies and Deburring Machine. 

Lake Union Drydock Company of Seattle, WA, will receive $298,131.64 to support the purchase of a 9-ton Mobile Crane, 4-pack of weld machines, plate cutter, and drydock LED lighting. 

Wisconsin 

Fraser Shipyards, LLC of Superior, WI, will receive $817,146.23 to support the purchase of Link Belt 130-ton Telescopic Boom Rough Terrain Crane
 

Three of Japan’s leading shipping companies report they have begun discussions to explore building and donating a new training vessel to the country maritime training program operated by the Japan Agency of Maritime Education and Training for Seafarers (JMETS). Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line), and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha ("K" LINE) are exploring the project with The Japanese Shipowners' Association.

Japan faces a growing list of challenges to maintain its maritime industry. The current population of mariners is again, and the industry reports challenges in recruiting a new generation of seafarers. The country is looking at the use of new technologies and automation, but to maintain its industry, it must also train new seafarers.

Recognizing the critical importance of training and securing highly skilled Japanese seafarers to maintain and further develop maritime transport, the major Japanese ocean-going shipping companies have initiated discussions regarding the donation of a large-sized training vessel to JMETS.

 

The 1984-built Nippon Maru is one of two sail training vessels (JMETS)

 

Today, operating as an independent administrative institution, the program reports it has trained more than 10,000 seafarers in the past 25 years. The program was started by the government in 1939 as a training program for seafarers. It continued to operate during the Second World War but closed and was later reconstituted in the 1950s. It was transferred in 2001 to become an independent organization.

Today, the school maintains two sail training vessels, the most famous being the modern Nippon Maru, commissioned in 1984 and able to carry 120 cadets. In 1989, it added a second modern sailing ship, Kaiwo Maru, which can carry 100 cadets.

Its oldest powered training ship, Seiun Maru (5,890 tons), was commissioned in 1997 and is a steamship with the capacity for 180 cadets. The second vessel is the Galaxy Maru (6,185 tons), also a steamship commissioned in 2004 with a capacity for 180 cadets. The most modern training vessel, the diesel-powered Taisei Maru IV (3,990 tons), was commissioned in 2014 and has space for 120 cadets. JMETS is facing challenges due to its aging training vessels and school buildings.

 

JMETS operates an aging fleet of training vessels including Gina (Galaxy) Maru (JMETS photo)

 

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism conducted a study on JMETS's medium-term strategy, reporting it has been facing various challenges such as an unstable financial foundation, fewer actual on-board training days due to escalating fuel costs, shortages of instructors and crew, and the issue of accommodating students with varying proficiency levels and qualification goals on the same training vessel. According to the shipping companies, these factors make it challenging for JMETS to provide sufficient on-board training.

“Considering these circumstances affecting JMETS, our industry has decided to begin exploring the donation of a large-sized training vessel to actively support the steady progress of JMETS's medium-term reforms based on MLIT's study group report,” said the three shipping companies.

The first step will be to examine the specifications for the training vessel. They are planning to engage in discussions with shipyards, aiming for completion of the new training vessel around 2030.
 

 

India's shipping directorate is cracking down on the age-old problem of fake seafarer training certificates, sourced from low-quality foreign registries and sold to Indian mariners by crewing agents. Indian officers and engineers who hold such documents will be banned from sailing, and the agents who market the credentials will likely lose their licenses to do business. 

Unlike domestic-focused employment markets like the U.S. - where virtually all mariners obtain U.S. Coast Guard-issued licenses and work within the U.S. registry - Indian nationals can get their STCW certifications outside of India if they plan to sail foreign-flag (as about 80% do). They can get their licenses at another flag administration, then sail on a foreign ship by working with a Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) crewing agency. That arrangement is common enough, but it breaks down when the documentation is fraudulently issued to personnel who are not in fact qualified. 

The Directorate General of Shipping says that some RPSLs have lured seafarers into sailing on fraudulent certificates - for example, offering ratings a fraudulent Certificate of Proficiency if they ship out with a particular agency. These cases are often found in tandem with abusive employment conditions on substandard ships, Indian seafarer advocates say, and the flag states involved in issuing these fake certificates are notoriously associated with noncompliance. In other cases, fraudulent, unregistered agents have offered to sell "packages" of fake course certificates from unauthorized maritime institutes - including schools which simply do not exist. 

"These activities which are attributable to a few unscrupulous agents have not only caused disruption to the lives of seafarers who are facing the investigation by the authorities, but have the potential to cause more damages in the future if not suitably addressed at this stage," the directorate wrote. 

The agency now requires shipowners, managers and agents to make sure that all of their licensed personnel have valid STCW certifications from flag states recognized and authorized by India. This includes checking course certificates for authenticity and providing guidance to any seafarers found to be in violation of the code.  

Indian seafarers have been reminded to sail on valid licenses only, or face the penalty of disbarment from the profession for a minimum of two years. 

For some less reputable RPSLs, the requirement is an existential threat, crewing agency CEO Capt. Sanjay Prashar told the Economic Times. "They all will be suspended, and I won't be surprised if D.G. Shipping files a legal case against them as well," he said. He raised the prospect that some vessels could even be arrested on arrival in India if fraudulently-licensed crewmembers were found aboard. 

The rule could also lead to disruption for some legitimately-licensed crewmembers, industry sources told Economic Times, simply because the list of approved flag administrations is not comprehensive. The D.G. Shipping regulation limits approved foreign credentialing to the flag states of Malaysia, UAE, South Korea, Sweden, the Commonwealth countries and Iran - leaving out the biggest flags like Panama, the Marshall Islands and Liberia. 

Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department responded to reports of a pleasure craft that was sailing erratically and allided with the famed aircraft carrier Midway, which is now a museum ship in San Diego harbor. The incident happened on Friday, July 18, 2025, at approximately 11:54 a.m.

According to a statement from the police, by the time they arrived at the museum ship, the pleasure craft had departed. Surveillance video reviewed by investigators identified the vessel as Offshore Lifestyle, a 65-foot cabin cruiser. In the harbor video released by the police, the boat is seen colliding head-on with the port side hull of USS Midway.

 

 

After the collision, the vessel fled the scene and was later located near the Coronado Ferry Landing in San Diego Bay. Officers contacted all seven individuals onboard and identified the vessel’s operator. The police report that they arrested Frank D’Anna, a 40-year-old adult.  He was booked and placed in the county jail on charges of violating the Harbor and Navigation Code Boating Under the Influence (BUI), Harbors and Navigation Code Hit and Run, and Harbors and Navigation Code Operating Vessel with BAC Over .08.

USS Midway was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. She was built in just 17 months but missed World War II by one week, being commissioned on September 10, 1945. She saw various duties in the 1950s before being deployed on her first combat mission in 1965, when she was sent to support the U.S. in Vietnam. She remained active in Vietnam, including during the fall of Saigon in April 1975. In 1990, Midway deployed to the Persian Gulf after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and was deployed for the ensuing Operation Desert Storm. She was decommissioned in 1992 and, as of 2004, opened as a museum ship.

Museum officials reported the carrier suffered no damage when it was struck by the pleasure boat. Operations continued as normal.

China celebrated the re-delivery of the world’s largest ocean-going aquaculture vessel, Zhe Dai Yu Yang 60001 (Senhai Pioneer), on July 20 in its quest to develop new resources for food development. The project was unique as it is the first time a large ocean vessel was converted to this role and represents a significant cost saving over new construction.

The vessel was based on a standard 1996-built Panamax bulker (80,000 dwt). The cargo hatches were opened and rebuilt into seven breeding chambers. The vessel will be able to hold a total of 80,000 cubic meters of seawater. The vessel measures 225 meters (738 feet) and will be able to accommodate a crew of 30.

The Global Times reports that the most notable innovation is the engineering to permit the exchange of seawater between the tanks and the ocean. They devised openings in the hull for the exchange of water while maintaining the buoyancy and stability of the vessel. Among the systems onboard in an intelligence feeding system, monitoring, catching equipment, and water quality monitoring.

 

 

Chinese officials highlight that the vessel will operate in the areas of the Yellow and East China Seas as a “mobile ocean ranch.” It will be able to harvest multiple species, including salmon. They expect to be able to produce 2,280 to 2,800 tons of premium fish per year.

While China has built several fish farm ships, they note that this project was more cost-effective. Senhai Muge (Zhejiang) Marine Technology, which led the project and will operate the ship, plans to also convert three Capesize bulkers, reports Xinde Marine News.
 

 

The UK has taken another swipe at Russia's energy exports with a fresh set of sanctions on 135 oil tankers, as well as two companies that enable the "shadow fleet" trade. According to the UK Foreign Office, the vessels on the list have handled $24 billion worth of oil cargoes for Russia since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, funneling revenue to the Kremlin and its defense establishment. 

"As Putin continues to stall and delay on serious peace talks, we will not stand idly by. We will continue to use the full might of our sanctions regime to ratchet up economic pressure at every turn and stand side by side with Ukraine," said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. "New sanctions will further dismantle Putin's shadow fleet and drain Russia's war chest of its critical oil revenues."? 

The list includes familiar vessel names from the Sovcomflot fleet, once well-regarded for its quality but now relegated to trading in the dark. These ships formerly resided in popular open registries, but most are now flying flags of "extreme convenience" for shadow fleet participants - notably Comoros and Gabon, which have absorbed a large share of sanctions-busting tankers. 

The UK also joined the European Union in sanctioning a UAE-based company - Intershipping Services LLC - that markets the Gabon and Comoros registries to customers in the shadow fleet trade. The fleet of Gabon, the fastest-growing flag state, now handles an estimated $10 billion in seaborne trade for Russia per year. 

The UK also named Litasco Middle East DMCC (known as LME Trading DMCC), a company with ties to Lukoil, Russia's second-largest crude exporter. According to Russian investigative reporting outlet The Insider, Litasco Middle East was by far the biggest buyer of Russian oil priced above the G7 price cap last year, handling about 170 million barrels in 2024 for Surgutneftegaz and Lukoil - about $2 billion worth of trade. Like the overwhelming majority of participants in Russia's shadowy oil trade, LME is based in the UAE. 

In a related action on Friday, the European Union expanded its Russia sanctions list to include dozens of new entities, including Iranian trader Hossein Shamkhani, director of UAE-based Admiral Shipping - another firm linked to the trade. "[Shamkani] uses the company Milavous Group Ltd to blend crude oil with various petroleum products from Russia and to rebrand for exporting purposes, thereby concealing their origin. Additionally, as Director of the company Admiral Shipping, he is involved in transporting and selling Russian crude oil," the European Council asserted in its listing. 

Two months into its special discount program to draw containerships back to the Suez Canal, the authority reports that 10 of the large vessels have now completed the transit. It continues to emphasize the opportunities, while carriers other than CMA CGM and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Line appear to continue to avoid the region in light of the continuing dangers.

The CMA CGM Zephyr (156,198 dwt – 15,536 TEU) was the latest of the large vessels as she headed the southern convoy on July 19, as she traveled from Singapore to the Mediterranean. The Authority reports that the 366-meter (1,200-foot) long vessel, which was carrying 11,800 TEU, was one of the largest vessels to make the transit.

Starting in mid-May, the Suez Canal Authority began offering for three months a 15 percent discount on fees for containerships over 130,000 net tons. It is available to vessels whether they are laden or in ballast. The goal was to begin to rebuild traffic, and so far, the SCA reports six CMA CGM vessels have made the transit. In addition, four MSC vessels have returned to the Suez Canal.

Admiral Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, stressed that the SCA continues to provide its navigational services. He says they have implemented mechanisms that maintain the regular flow of traffic through the canal despite tensions in the Red Sea, including adopting flexible marketing and pricing policies as well as providing new maritime and logistical services.

CMA CGM was the first to respond with the CMA CGM Osiris (155,979 dwt – 15,536 dwt), becoming the first large containership to make the transit from the Red Sea since March 2024. The sisterships CMA CGM Aquila and CMA CGM Callisto (128,550 dwt and 11,388 TE) each made the transit. They were followed by the larger CMA CGM Jules Verne (186,470 dwt – 16,000 TEU) and the CMA CGM Adonis, a sister ship to the CMA CGM Zephyr that made last weekend’s transit. 

The SCA also highlighted that CMA CGM ranked first in terms of net tonnage of container vessels transiting the canal during the first four months of 2025. It said the line represented 19 percent of the total container vessel tonnage transiting the canal during that period.

 

Italian frigate on its recent escort mission in the Red Sea with a CMA CGM containership (EUNAVFOR Aspides)

 

Hopes for a further increase in tonnage, however, seemed to be further delayed by the Houthis’ recent attack on two Greek bulkers. They marked the first attacks on merchant vessels in 2025 and killed seafarers and resulted in the loss of the two vessels.

While CMA CGM is transiting the Suez Canal, EUNAVFOR Aspides highlights it continues to provide protection in the Red Sea near Yemen. They released a picture of the Italian frigate Andrea Doria escorting vessels, including a CMA CGM containership.

The SCA is also highlighting its opportunities with vehicle carriers. Chinese EV manufacturer BYD sent its new vessel BYD Xi’an through the Suez Canal last week on a voyage from Singapore to Italy. The vessel, designed to carry as many as 9,442 vehicles, was carrying 7,000 cars, the SCA reports. Two weeks earlier, the BVD Hefei also made the transit.

Admiral Rabiee reports that the SCA expects at least a 20 percent increase in the tonnage of vehicle carriers making the transit in the second half of 2025 compared to the first half of the year.
 

[By: Conrad Shipyard]

Conrad Shipyard proudly announces it has been awarded the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Safety Excellence Award in the Dredging Trade Partner category. This prestigious recognition highlights Conrad's unwavering commitment to safety, operational excellence, and its longstanding partnership with the U.S. dredging industry. Presented during the 2025 WEDA Annual Dredging Summit & Expo, the award celebrates companies who demonstrate outstanding safety performance and continuous improvement in protecting personnel, property, and the environment. Conrad was recognized for its exemplary safety record, employee training programs, and proactive safety culture across its shipbuilding and repair operations. Accepting the award at the conference were Daniel Conrad and Robert Socha. 

“We are honored to receive this award from WEDA,” said Johnny Conrad, Executive Chairman Conrad Shipyard. “Safety is at the core of everything we do. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and vigilance of our entire workforce and our commitment to supporting our dredging partners with high-quality, safe, and reliable vessels.” 

With decades of experience in constructing and repairing dredging equipment and vessels, Conrad Shipyard has built a reputation as a trusted partner in the maritime industry. The company's comprehensive safety initiatives include leadership development, routine audits, training, and employee-driven hazard recognition and prevention programs. 

Conrad Shipyard remains committed to continuous improvement and innovation in safety practices, ensuring the highest standards for its clients and team members alike. 

[By: Bibby Marine]

Bibby Marine has laid the keel for its first e-CSOV, a hybrid methanol battery-powered commissioning service operation vessel for the offshore wind industry at the Armon Shipyard in Vigo, Spain. During the ceremony, Bibby Line Group CEO, Jonathan Lewis, welded a coin from 1807, the year of Bibby’s founding, into the keel plates, marking the start of the vessel construction.

When commissioned in 2027, the vessel will provide significant reductions in emissions and fuel consumption for the offshore wind industry, providing accommodation for up to 120 personnel and able to provide zero-emission commissioning and O&M support to offshore windfarms for up to 30 days.

Speaking at the keel laying event, Jonathan Lewis said, “This vessel is more than a feat of engineering – it’s a symbol of our values as a business, in action. At Bibby Marine, we believe in doing the right thing, even when it’s difficult. 

“We began work on zero-emissions vessels back in 2019, long before it was mainstream. As we lay the keel for our electric-first vessel, we are proud to be proving that clean, sustainable maritime solutions are not only possible, but essential.” 

Key partners in the project include Kongsberg, provider of the dynamic positioning and main propulsion package, battery provider, Corvus Energy and Wartsila, which provide engine and propulsion.

 

The latest emissions data confirms what many of us feared: container shipping has just recorded its worst environmental performance to date.

Carbon emissions from the sector have surged dramatically, with figures showing a 14 percent rise globally and an even more shocking 45 percent spike in the EU. That’s not a long-term projection. That is what is happening right now.

This surge is largely the result of widespread rerouting caused by the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea. As ships continue to avoid the Suez Canal and travel thousands of miles further around the Cape of Good Hope, emissions have climbed steeply.

But blaming geopolitics could be seen as a convenient scapegoat. The issue is the industry’s lack of foresight and falling back on familiar routes when faced with adversity, with little thought to agility, innovation, or urgency. In a marketplace that is saturated with talk of sustainability, cleaner shipping and green fuels, it is crucial owners and operators keep this in the forefront of their minds when faced with external disruption factors.

We continue to talk about decarbonization as though it's something we are working towards. The truth is, when tested, we are not ready. Not operationally. Not technologically. Not mentally.

The emissions spike we’re seeing today is the result of years of underinvestment in meaningful, near-term solutions. There is no shortage of reporting tools, green fuel pilots or glossy ESG statements. But when it comes to actual day-to-day operational change, we are years behind where we should be.

Fuel efficiency is too often misunderstood, conflated with vessel performance rather than the true efficiency of the fuel itself. This confusion stems from decades-old habits in which fuel consumption was treated as a closed topic, held back by inconsistent reporting and outdated systems. That mindset has no place in a modern boardroom. The next phase of fuel innovation must be built on collaboration, science, transparency and verifiable results.

The frustrating part is that better options already exist. Fuel can be made to work harder, cleaner and more efficiently - right now. At Fuelre4m, we’ve developed a fuel treatment technology that restructures fossil fuels at a molecular level. It helps ships extract more energy from every kilogram or tonne of HFO, LSFO, VLSFO or biodiesel, cutting waste and reducing emissions.

Initial results show up to 20 percent better fuel performance, and marked reductions in greenhouse gases, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides. It’s not a future fuel. It’s a practical improvement to the ones the industry already relies on.

So why are we not seeing widespread adoption? Because shipping is still stuck in the false belief that unless a solution is total, it’s not worth doing. That’s why we keep chasing unproven alternatives while ignoring effective tools already in front of us.

We say we want to decarbonize. But too often, we mean we’ll do it later - when it’s easier, cheaper or someone else has gone first. In the meantime, emissions rise. Costs rise. Public and regulatory scrutiny intensify. And the industry keeps hoping it will all somehow work out.

This is not a call to abandon long-term ambition. It is a call to act with purpose and meaning. Burning less fuel, reducing our exposure to carbon pricing, and cutting avoidable waste should not be controversial. It should be standard.

The latest data should be the final warning. What will it take for shipping to wake up? Another war? A price shock? A regulatory crackdown?

The tools exist. The technology exists. The urgency exists. What’s missing is the will. And that is entirely on us.

Rob Mortimer is CEO of Fuelre4m, a Dubai-based firm that uses fuel technology to cut emissions.

Top image: Cyprien Hauser / Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0

[By: Amogy]

Amogy, a provider of scalable and efficient ammonia-to-power solutions, today announced a landmark partnership with GreenHarvest, a Taiwan-based renewable energy firm, to deploy the first-ever ammonia-to-power system in Taiwan. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in Asia’s clean energy transition, bringing Amogy’s advanced ammonia cracking technology to one of the world’s most vital digital infrastructure and semiconductor hubs. 

Under the partnership, Amogy will provide the ammonia-to-power system while GreenHarvest will lead local integration as the power generation and distribution partner. The pilot system is scheduled for installation between late 2026 and early 2027 at a selected large industrial electricity consumer facility in Taiwan, with the potential to scale across the island’s high-tech and manufacturing sectors. 

“We are proud to bring our ammonia-powered technology to Taiwan with a forward-looking partner like GreenHarvest,” said Seonghoon Woo, CEO at Amogy. “This project not only represents the first deployment of our technology in Taiwan, but also a critical step toward decarbonizing industrial energy use in one of the world’s most important digital infrastructure economies.” 

Amogy’s system utilizes advanced catalyst materials to convert ammonia into hydrogen on-site. The hydrogen is then funneled into a hydrogen engine, generating high performance power with zero carbon emissions. The system is modular, efficient, and uniquely suited to hard-to-abate industrial operations that demand both reliability and scalability. 

This project with GreenHarvest builds on Amogy’s growing footprint in Asia, following the company’s expansion into South Korea earlier this year to support regional commercialization and collaboration. 

As Taiwan seeks to meet ambitious decarbonization goals under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the partnership offers an innovative pathway for reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in eco-conscious manufacturing sectors. The collaboration also aligns with Taiwan’s developing carbon trading framework, providing industrial electricity users with a future-proof energy solution that can reduce operational carbon footprints while supporting compliance with evolving regulatory policies. 

KH Chen, Chairman of GreenHarvest, commented: “GreenHarvest has long been committed to rooftop solar development, providing industrial electricity users with a reliable and user-friendly source of green power. At the same time, we are actively deploying next-generation green electricity technologies. Through our 2024 collaboration with H2U in Australia on a green hydrogen project and this deployment of Amogy’s ammonia-to-power energy solution at customer sites, it further reinforces our confidence and momentum in ammonia-based energy applications.” 

The project builds on GreenHarvest’s extensive renewable energy experience, including large-scale rooftop solar installations and its international green hydrogen ventures. By combining GreenHarvest’s market leadership in Taiwan’s energy transition with Amogy’s cutting-edge technology, the partnership opens a new chapter in Asia’s clean industrial power landscape. 

[By: ABS]

ABS enhanced its CLP-V(PARR) lashing notation to include a seasonality factor which gives additional operational flexibility to container ship operators.

Introduced in 2024, the CLP-V(PARR) notation combines the ABS computer lashing program with mandatory parametric roll guidance, allowing operators to optimize stowage and lashing of containers, up to an additional tier of containers on deck, with reduced risk of loss due to parametric rolling.

The new seasonality factor, in combination with the route splitting approach, gives shipowners the opportunity to optimize loading on each leg of a voyage, while also gaining flexibility from additional seasonal differences.

“ABS employs a unique approach to calculate load reduction factors on specific routes, sections and seasons rather than on a complete voyage. With the combination of route splitting and seasonality, this new notation is offering valuable options to container operators,” said Christoph Rasewsky, ABS Global Container Sector Lead.

“By analyzing sea conditions using wave scatter diagrams from hindcast wave data for specific sections and seasons, carriers can apply more specific load reduction factors while reducing the risk of cargo loss from parametric rolling with digital onboard operational guidance. The mandatory parametric roll guidance for this notation is setting a new industry standard for safe ship operation even in adverse weather conditions,” said Peter Kim, ABS Senior Principal Engineer.

From the voyage of the first containership, Ideal X, in 1956, ABS has been at the forefront of providing classification and technical services for containerships operating around the world. Learn more here.

Two Filipino organizations supporting the country’s overseas workers in the United States staged a protest on Sunday, July 20, in Virginia to call attention to the “wrongful deportation” of Filipino nationals working as crewmembers on cruise ships. The groups contend that the efforts have been ongoing since April and involve more than 100 crewmembers rounded up in ports ranging from Norfolk, Virginia, to Port Canaveral, Florida.

The Pilipino Workers Center and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations contend that the individuals are being removed from their ships and deported without due process. During the event, they said crewmembers aboard the ships are now scared as the port arrivals have been met by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who remove the crewmembers in handcuffs frequently “without a shred of evidence.” Crewmembers report that the agents are confiscating and inspecting their cellphones, and at least several people have reportedly been accused of possessing child pornography.

The group said that a total of 21 crewmembers have been “falsely accused” from the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship, which is homeported in Norfolk. Without any formal charges, the groups report crewmembers are being told their 10-year work permit visa have been revoked, they have been deported, and told they are barred from entering the United States for 10 years. At least one individual was reportedly detained and released only to be seized and deported the following week. Some apparently have been questioned and permitted to return to their ship.

Reports began surfacing in the trade and local media in the Great Lakes area in July with reports that CBP had an “ongoing operation” in the region. Victory Cruise Lines, which operates two small ships on the Lakes, issued a statement saying it was cooperating with law enforcement and confirming that a few crewmembers had been removed. The media said it was a total of 13 individuals taken from the vessels Victory I and Victory II. Reports indicate that CBP has also removed crewmembers from Viking’s cruise ship operating on the Great Lakes as well as Pearl Sea Cruises.

The two groups said in Sunday’s demonstration that the effort, however, is much more widespread. They reported that as many as 80 Filipino crewmembers from Carnival’s cruise ships Mardi Gras and Carnival Vista were deported in April and May.

Reached for comment by the local media, Carnival Cruise Line also said it was cooperating with law enforcement while calling the action a “law enforcement matter.” It emphasized that the crewmembers receive training and education programs to ensure they follow internet and other safety guidelines.

The groups report that the deportations are being handled as “administrative actions.” None of the crewmembers have been arrested or faced criminal charges. The groups complain that there is no due process or formal evidence before the deportation and barring is imposed.

The effort is being linked to the wider effort by the Trump administration to crack down on illegal immigrants in the United States. 
 

[By: Wave International]

As part of its pledge towards ensuring a cleaner and greener future, Strategic Marine is constantly looking at new technology, which enables the company to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.*

When it came to Goal 14, to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, Strategic Marine aims to reach this goal with the use of environmental products such as bilge filter systems from Wave International.

Since 2012, the company has fitted Wavestream System 3 bilge filter systems on all its CTVs. These systems ensure that no oil, diesel, microplastics or microfibres are emitted from the vessel’s bilges. Whilst these would be obligatory on vessels over 400 Gross Tons, Strategic Marine saw the benefit of these anti-pollution systems to protect the environment, and have been fitting the Wavestream System 3 on vessels such as the StratCat 27 CTV as standard over the last 13 years.

Many of Strategic Marine’s StratCat 27 CTVs are used to support wind farms. The company has recently made its first delivery of StratCat 27s to Poland, and reports a growing market in the Asian Region. With the increase in the size and location of Marine Protected Area territories, Strategic Marine says having craft already fitted with the required environment protection products is a benefit for its customers.

Wavestream System 3 bilge filters are low cost, easy to install, long lasting and reliable. Strategic Marine says cost, ease of installation and reliability of the product, as well as worldwide service support and maintenance are the key criteria when selecting a product for standard fit on stock vessels. Paul Gullett, MD of Wave International says Strategic Marine set a high environmental standard, becoming an early adopter of marine protection products as a discretionary fit.

He says, “When a vessel is over 400 gross tonnes or operating in protected areas, then fitting an IMO approved oil water separator such as our Wave MiniBOSS is obligatory. But Strategic Marine saw the benefit of the Lloyds Type Approved Wavestream filter systems, which discharge less than 5 ppm of oil in water, and were fitting them onto their CTVs and other working vessels even though they were under the weight limit and operating all over the world. It shows an early respect for protecting the oceans that many others are only now beginning to understand, especially with the worldwide focus on microplastics and microfibres, which are also captured in the Wavestream filters.”

Mr. Ryan Seah, General Manager for Special Projects and Sustainability at Strategic Marine says: “Adopting and including the highest standard of clean and green technologies, ahead of legislation is part of our overall sustainability drive which can potentially future-proof our products. Whilst the UN Sustainable Development Goals give us a road map, we’re always looking deliver the very best we can for our customers and the environment.”

[By: Korean Register]

KR (Korean Register) is pleased to announce that LEE Jungkun, General Manager of KR’s Convention & Legislation Service Team, has been elected as the next Chair of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Safety Panel, with a three-year term running from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028. The appointment was confirmed at the 91st IACS Council Meeting held in Beijing, China. 

The Safety Panel is one of IACS’s seven technical panels and plays a crucial role in developing, revising, and interpreting key international maritime safety regulations. Working closely with major regulatory bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU), the panel addresses critical safety issues under IMO conventions. 

LEE graduated from Korea Maritime & Ocean University and joined KR in 2000. He has represented KR on the Safety Panel since 2016, contributing to the panel’s work for nearly a decade. Recognized as an expert in maritime safety, he possesses extensive knowledge and practical experience with major safety instruments, including the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and has actively participated in technical discussions at both IACS and IMO. 

His election as Chair, with strong support from the twelve IACS member societies, underscores the high regard for his expertise and leadership within the international maritime community.

 

Since the beginning of the year, sanctions directed against Russia for prosecuting its invasion of Ukraine have been tightened significantly, and in particular, dark fleet tankers - serving both Russian and Iranian oil exports - have been targeted. For the shipping and logistics industry worldwide, sanctions impose a burdensome overhead on commercial activity. Rules need to be understood, and their application to day-to-day trading considered. Sanctions breaking also presents particular challenges for maintaining fair market competition.

In January, Lloyds List estimated that the three primary sanctions-enforcing sovereign bodies - the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, had listed 35% of an estimated 669 dark fleet tankers shipping Russian and Iranian oil. These numbers include 143 tankers sanctioned by the US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on January 10. On May 9, the UK added a further 99 tankers to its sanctions list, with Prime Minister Starmer then claiming the UK had listed more dark fleet tankers than anybody else. The EU’s 18th Package of sanctions recently announced targeting Russia added 105 tankers to their list dark fleet ship listings. Canada has also joined the sanctions activity. The UK’s National Crime Agency estimated last week that 400 dark fleet tankers have now been sanctioned, and issued a warning in particular to insurance and finance companies providing cover for dark fleet shipments.

Assessing the effectiveness of sanctions regimes is difficult. Legitimate firms keen to comply with the rules will self-enforce. Those contemplating deliberately contravening sanctions have to assess the risk of getting caught - and the penalties imposed if they are caught. So the number of enforcement penalties imposed by any one jurisdiction is an indication of sanctions regime effectiveness, but not the whole answer.

OFAC in the United States imposed 12 civil penalties in 2024, issuing a total of $48.8 million in fines. So far in 2025, OFAC has issued seven fines totaling $235.88 million, indicating a major ramp-up in enforcement activity.

In the UK, the sanctions regime is the responsibility of the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), a Treasury organization with 140 full-time staff divided between Engage, Enhance and Enforcement functions. OFSI investigated 396 cases in 2023-24 and issued 18 warning letters. But only a single company was fined, raising $20,000 for cash-strapped government finances. Dr Helen Taylor, of the Spotlight on Corruption pressure group, described the UK sanctions regime as ‘all bark and no bite’.

In Europe, the Commission is responsible for an EU-wide sanctions system and maintains a single sanction database across the 27 countries of the European Union. It also encourages nations with whom it has relationships to conform with the system. But inside the relevant directorates within the EU Commission, there is a recognition that while the rules made are ambitious, the system often fails because enforcement remains a responsibility of individual states - some of whom do not buy into the Brussels targeting, and about half of whom have not even made sanctions evasion a criminal offence. In 2024, the Netherlands, Latvia, Hungary, and Germany are known to have successfully prosecuted sanctions evaders, but an overall picture of EU sanctions enforcement is difficult to gauge.

Enforcement clearly remains an issue, when dark fleet tankers make port calls, unload and enjoy shipping services even in nations which enjoy close relations with those imposing sanctions. Tighter enforcement will necessarily involve imposing penalties and taking a tougher line with some of these friendly nations. This will often present challenges; diplomats are usually happier to engage rather than confront, and often robust action can threaten free trade and tariff negotations - and sometimes even jeopardize basing rights that the US and UK enjoy in the country ignoring the sanctions.

Israel Defense Forces confirmed a new attack on the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah, two weeks after its previous assault on the port’s facilities. The Israelis said they will continue to target the port, which is being used to offload arms shipments from Iran, in an effort to prevent any rebuilding of the facilities.

The Times of Israel is reporting for the first time that Israel used long-range drones for the assault, which it says is the thirteenth time Israel has attacked Houthi positions. Previous attacks were staged using fighter jets supported by spy planes and refueling air tankers.

According to the IDF statement, the targets of the latest strikes included engineering vehicles, fuel containers, naval vessels, and Iranian smuggled weapons. The Israelis contended that the vessels and other assets had been used to launch attacks against Eilat and other areas of the country.

The Times of Israel reports that since March 2025, the Houthis have launched 62 ballistic missiles and at least 15 drones targeting Israel. Some have fallen short, while Israel reports it has been able to intercept most of the attacks. In the past two weeks, Israel confirmed at least six missile attacks and two drones launched by the Houthis. It was investigating a new intercept on Friday night, which it suspected also came from the Houthis.

Unconfirmed reports in the Israeli media said the government had asked the United States to resume its assaults on Houthi positions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reported to have told Donald Trump that the Houthis are more than just a problem for Israel, and a broader effort should be launched by the United States and European countries to stop the militants.

Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, issued a statement today saying that the IDF would continue “forcefully enforcing any attempt to restore the previously attacked infrastructure.” He reportedly said the “fate of Yemen will be the same as Tehran,” a reference to Israel’s assault on Iran.

The Houthis did not acknowledge today’s Israeli attacks but issued a statement shortly afterward claiming a fresh assault on Israel. They claimed to have targeted five locations in Israel, including the port of Eilat, Ben Gurion Airport, and military targets near Tel Aviv.
 

The Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin signed a new decree increasing the security at all of Russia’s seaports. Effective immediately, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) must agree to the arrival of ships coming from foreign ports.

The Russian news agency TASS also reported the signing of the decree without explaining the reasons for the change. It notes that, before this presidential decree, vessel entry rules were regulated by the Ministry of Transport. The FSB previously only had authority under special procedures at seaports adjacent to naval bases.

The new decree says, “entry into seaports of the Russian Federation of ships coming from foreign ports is carried out with the permission of the captain of the seaport, agreed upon with an official of the federal security service agency.”

The move came as both Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks ahead of a possible new round of negotiations scheduled to take place between July 24 and 26 in Turkey. Over the weekend, Ukraine reportedly launched drones into the area around Moscow, including attempting to disrupt high-profile public events.

No one has claimed responsibility, but there have been a series of explosions in Russian ports in recent months. Earlier in July, an LPG carrier flagged in the Marshall Islands, Eco Wizard, at the Ust-Luga port had what the authorities reported as a “minor leak of ammonia” while loading. Media sources, however, said an inspection showed a blast hole that had caused flooding in the engine room, consistent with an external force. 

It was the sixth recent explosion tied to vessels visiting Russian seaports. The first vessel reportedly damaged was in February, also alongside the terminal in Ust-Luga. Official reports sought to downplay the incident, but the local authorities were quick to call it sabotage. There have also been explosions on vessels making port calls in Italy, and two weeks ago, another tanker as it was approaching Libya. Each of the ships had visited a Russian seaport leading up to the explosions.

Last week, it was reported that FSUE Rosmorport has launched a tender seeking inspectors for vessels arriving at its Baltic seaports. The contract covers the main seaports of the Baltic and calls for manned and unmanned devices to check the hulls of incoming vessels for any anomalies, including possible explosive devices.

The government of the Russian Federation declared that it shall ensure the implementation of this latest decree. Over the past few months, Russia has also appeared to step up security measures for merchant vessels entering the Baltic. Several shadow tankers have been spotted with naval escorts at key points ranging from the Gulf of Finland to the area around the Danish straits and the English Channel. Russia has denounced EU efforts to check the insurance and registry of tankers entering the Baltic. In May, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, called the actions “Baltic pirates” and accused the EU of being “cheerleaders” in the “flagrant violation of freedom of navigation.”