[By TOTE Group]

 

TOTE Group, a recognized leader in transportation and logistics overseeing some of the most trusted companies in the U.S., announced the appointment of Jason Grear, CPA, as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective today. Grear brings over 20 years of accounting and finance experience to the organization.

“Beyond Jason’s impressive credentials, what stood out most was his collaborative approach, people-first mindset, and shared commitment to our values,” said Tim Nolan, President and CEO of TOTE Group. “We’re excited to welcome Jason to our leadership team and look forward to the impact he will make on our organization.”

As CFO, Grear will lead the TOTE financial organization, helping to drive long-term vision, stability, and performance, while partnering across all business units to support strategic decision-making.

In his previous roles as Chief Accounting Officer and EVP of Accounting and Finance for U.S. Xpress, Grear provided pivotal leadership in taking U.S. Xpress public in 2018 and in the acquisition of U.S. Xpress by Knight Swift in 2023. Before joining U.S. Xpress, Jason had over 12 years of public accounting experience, most recently as a senior manager at EY.

CM Technologies (CMT), a leader in advanced condition monitoring solutions, is calling on shipowners and managers to join collaborative trials designed to capture vital data on one of the shipping industry's most costly problems: cylinder liner scuffing in two-stroke engines.

Scuffing, a form of sudden severe wear, can result in catastrophic engine damage and vessel downtime. And while it’s a well-known issue, typically affecting large two-stroke diesel engines found on bulkers, tankers, and large container ships, the root causes are difficult to pin down. Operators, OEMs, and service providers have long struggled to predict or prevent the phenomena.

Germany-based CMT, however, has developed a system that can alert operators to early onset cylinder damage, but see seeks trial partners for critical data gathering aimed at validating the sensor’s predictive capabilities and to prevent engine damage before it occurs.

“Scuffing is a silent killer. It can occur suddenly, and the damage can be extensive,” said Uwe Krüger, Managing Director at CM Technologies. “Despite the prevalence of this issue, even engine manufacturers don’t fully understand why it happens. What we do know is that it’s linked to a combination of factors, like lubrication failure, drastic load changes, recent overhauls, amongst other things. Our goal is to better understand the acoustic fingerprint of scuffing so we can prevent failures before they happen.”

CMT’s recently developed Scuffing Sensor system – a “stethoscope for cylinder liners” – uses high-frequency acoustic emission (AE) technology to detect the earliest signs of friction and wear from outside the cylinder.

Unlike other methods that rely on visual inspection or oil analysis performed weeks apart, this approach captures real-time acoustic data without interrupting engine operation. By identifying wear-related noise patterns, the system provides a potential early-warning signal before damage occurs.

Trial partners are invited to deploy the system onboard vessels equipped with two-stroke diesel engines. Ideally, these vessels will call at ports in Northern Europe, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium or France, where CMT engineers can easily access them to install and retrieve data-logging equipment.

The system itself is unobtrusive, requires no modifications to engine internals, and is non-invasive. Mounted externally using magnetic brackets, the sensors require no disassembly, no drydock visit and no interruption to the ship’s voyage.

“There’s no need to open the engine or stop operations. The sensor system is magnetic, sits externally on the cylinder, and records data quietly in the background,” said Krüger “We’re looking for operators that will let us place this technology onboard for one to three months. The process is simple, and the benefits could be significant.”

By participating in the trials, ship operators and managers stand to gain early insight into the scuffing risks on their engines, while helping CMT further develop the breakthrough diagnostic tool for the wider industry.

“If we can collect enough data from a range of engines, we can build a reliable library of friction noise patterns,” Krüger said. “This will enable us to deliver early warnings when problems are brewing, long before current monitoring methods can detect them. The benefits will be lower maintenance costs, less downtime, and better protection of what is undoubtedly the most critical, high value asset onboard a ship, aside from the crew.”

CMT believes this collaborative approach is key to cracking one of shipping’s most persistent maintenance problems.

“We’re not asking shipowners to shoulder any risk, just to let us listen to their engines. Together, we can create something that protects engines, saves money, and sets a new benchmark for condition-based maintenance.”

Shipowners or managers interested in participating in the scuffing detection trials are invited to contact CM Technologies at info@CMTechnologies.de
 

The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) intends to retire eight warships that have been instrumental in coastal surveillance and patrol for more than three decades. It is the latest move in the Navy’s ongoing plan to modernize its fleet to meet evolving maritime threats.

RCN announced that before the end of the year, eight Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defense Vessels (MCDVs) will be decommissioned. The eight vessels are part of the 12 Kingston-class warships built and launched in the 1990s, with each being 55.3 meters (181 feet) long, about 970 tonnes displacement, and with a crew capacity of 40. The ships are powered by diesel-electric engines with a reported speed of 15 knots. The first ship, HMCS Kingston was commissioned in 1996 and the last, HMCS Summerside, in 1999.

For three decades, their primary task has been carrying out coastal surveillance and patrol duties, including general naval operations and exercises, minesweeping, search and rescue, law enforcement, resource protection, and fisheries patrols. The ships have also conducted nuclear submarine escorts, national and international exercises, and have supported the training of several naval occupations.

 

 

Over their lifetime, the warships have been deployed in various operations in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean, West Africa, European waters, and across Canadian waters. The warships have also been deployed off the coast of Haiti in response to the growing national security crisis in that country.

This fall, HMC Shawinigan, Summerside, Goose Bay, Glace Bay, Kingston, Saskatoon, Whitehorse, and Brandon will be retired with the Navy intending to carry out “paying off” ceremonies in Halifax and Esquimalt, B.C. After the decommissioning ceremony, ownership of the vessels will then be transferred from the RCN to the Department of National Defense for eventual disposal.

Four other Kingston-class vessels, Yellowknife, Edmonton, Moncton, and Nanaimo, will remain in service by consolidating under Canadian Fleet Atlantic. They are set for decommissioning from 2026 through 2028.

RCN highlights that the impending retirement of the warships falls in line with its fleet modernization program to meet the evolving needs of a security environment that has become increasingly dangerous and complex. Part of the modernization includes the building of 15 River-class destroyers at Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding with the first ship expected to be delivered in the early 2030s.

 

 

“Kingston-class vessels have provided the RCN with a significant, impactful, and flexible capability throughout their many years of service. As we move towards the future of the RCN, I want to recognize the service of these ships and extend my tremendous gratitude to all who have sailed within them,” said Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, RCN Commander.

RCN is ensuring a seamless transition with the Kingston-class roles being transferred to existing ships. The naval mine counter-measure roles will be carried out by the diving units, and remote and autonomous systems operated from other RCN vessels, while roles like counter-narcotics operations will be handled by the Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Vessels. The training role will be assumed by an expanded fleet of Orca-class vessels.
 

 

The Royal Bahamas Police Force provided additional details about an incident between two crewmembers on Royal Caribbean International’s cruise ship Icon of the Seas. The report clarified the widely covered media report of a crewmember “falling” overboard and being recovered by the cruise ship. 

Initial, erroneous media reports said a crewmember had “fallen” from the massive cruise ship, Icon of the Seas (248,663-gross ton cruise ship) while the ship was cruising off San Salvador in the Bahamas on Thursday, July 24. (People do not “fall” off cruise ships unless they are doing something risky and/or are extremely intoxicated, as the vessels have high rails and other precautions.) 

According to the statement from the Bahamas police, shortly before 7:30 p.m. local time, a 28-year-old female South African crewmember was allegedly stabbed multiple times by a 35-year-old male South African crewmember. Following the incident, the police were told the man had fled from the scene and jumped overboard. 

Passengers reported that crewmembers seeing the man jump through life preservers to mark the spot. As the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas required time to slow and turn, even though it was likely moving at a relatively low speed after a day at sea approaching the company’s private island, Coco Cay, for the Friday port stop.

The crew launched one of the vessel’s go-fast rescue boats and was able to locate the male crewmember. According to the captain’s announcement, the male was “recovered.” Later reports said he was unconscious when they found him and pronounced him deceased when they got back to the cruise ship.

The female had been stabbed multiple times in her upper body. The Royal Bahamas Police Force reports she was treated. They said she is in stable condition. The police report that an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause and any contributing factors for the male crewmember’s death.

Royal Caribbean International confirmed in a statement to the Florida media that there had been an incident “involving two crew members in a personal dispute,” and that its onboard security team had responded. Crewmembers work and live aboard these ships in notoriously small cabins and tight quarters. The Icon of the Seas has approximately 2,350 crewmembers onboard. When full, it can also be carrying approximately 7,600 passengers.

 

Iran and Russia have concluded a short naval exercise in the Caspian Sea, which both nations may have regarded as an opportunity to shore up relationships in a region where both have recently lost friends. Iran, in particular, felt let down by the lack of Russian support during the 12-Day War with Israel - she received some support from China, but none from Russia. Iran is also at present highly nervous about porous border security, and wants to demonstrate heft in this area.

CASAREX 2025 commenced on July 21 and concluded two days later, under the direction of Commodore Mohsen Razzaghi. He announced via IRNA that the Nedaja, the IRGC Navy (Nedsa), and Iranian law enforcement forces would take part, alongside vessels from the Russian Navy. Observers would also participate from the three other Caspian Sea littoral nations - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. 

 

 

In a video released by IRNA, the only evidence seen of Russian involvement has been the presence of the civilian rescue tug SB 738 (MMSI: 273544130). Nedaja vessels participating (at least in the end of the exercise parade) were Sina Class fast attack craft Paykan (P224), Joshan (P225), Derfash, and Separ (P234). Also present was the IRGC Navy’s Nasser Class auxiliary Martyr Basir (117), which appears to be equipped with Zafar/C704 anti-ship missiles and normally operates from the Samen al-Hojaj Naval Base at Babolsar, Mazandaran Province. 

 

The IRGC Navy’s Martyr Basir (Tasnim - CC BY 4.0)

 

There was no evidence of the participation of the observers, and the Iranians have an established record of announcing the involvement of other nations in their exercises without their consent or participation. The Caspian Post, an Azeri media outlet, covered the exercise but made no mention of Azeri participation.

Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are particularly stretched at the moment. Azerbaijan is furious about a series of arrests made of Azeris working in Russia, and still seething about the deaths of 38 passengers following the missile attack on an Azerbaijan Airline Flight 8243 coming in to land at Grozny on Christmas Day 2024, heightened by the Russians’ callous handling of the incident. Nor are Azeri relations with Iran much better, following Iranian suggestions of Azeri complicity in the Israeli air attacks on Iran during the 12-Day War.

Both Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have grown tired of Russian bullying. Much of this springs from the Ukraine war and Russia’s assumption that it is still owed duties by these former Soviet states. At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in June 2024, President Tokayev of Kazakhstan, on stage with President Putin, refused to recognize Russian annexations in Ukraine and Georgia. He also stated his country would respect Western sanctions on Russia, and he turned down a request to provide Kazakh troops to fight in Ukraine. Most of Kazakhstan’s oil production is exported through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) network, which pipes through Russia and terminates at Novorossiysk on the Black Sea. However, Russia also uses the CPC network to export its Urals oil from Omsk and Kazan through Kazakhstan to China. Uncomfortable in this mutual inter-dependency, the Kazakhs have been developing their capability to export instead across the Caspian from Aktau to Baku, using shallow draft tankers built with Abu Dhabi Ports Group specially for Caspian operations. From Baku, the Kazakh oil can then use the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, thereby avoiding Russian territory. 

 

Main Kazakh oil pipelines (data from Kazakhstan-China Pipeline LLP/CJRC)

 

The geography of the Caspian means that Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, which have not enjoyed close relations hitherto, are being drawn into closer cooperation. Controlling the middle section of the Caspian, working together these three nations could impede shipping between Iran and Russia. This is an unlikely prospect for now, but a risk with some growth potential. Ukraine would be keen to spread discontent, so as to disrupt arms supplies flowing up the Caspian from Iran into Russia. 

Russia controls the only access to the Black Sea through the Volga-Don canal. For now, the 28-strong Caspian Flotilla remains dominant, comprising the two Gepard Class frigates damaged in a Ukrainian attack on November 6 last year, plus 16 corvettes and minesweepers. The Iranian Northern Fleet, forming its 4th Naval Region, is led by Moudge Class frigate IRINS Deylaman (F78) with the four Sina Class fast attack craft, each armed with a 76mm gun and C-802 anti-ship missiles, which participated in CASAREX 2025. Together, Russia and Iran are much stronger than Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. But the Azeris have of late been militarily clever, upgrading their navy with Israeli and Turkish assistance; they also operate Triton Class midget submarines, the only such craft stationed in the Caspian.

Bilateral relations will not have been improved, and the Russians may have been tempted to return home somewhat earlier than planned, having heard the Iranian version of the Russian anthem as SB 738 was welcomed into port. Sailors worldwide will have endured similar ordeals on port visits, but this rendition of the Russian National Anthem was even more insulting (in the opinion of the Maritime Executive’s correspondent) than the famous Egyptian and Saudi salutes to President Putin in 2015 and 2019, respectively.
 

Russia’s state environmental organization, Rosprirodnadzor, alleged in court this week that the operator of the two tankers that were lost in December 2024 had multiple violations. The latest accusations of expired licenses came as the environmental watchdog is seeking further compensation and actions from the tanker operator to address the environmental impact of the dual casualties.

The river sea tanker Volgoneft 212 sank in a wintertime storm in December 2024, transporting 4,300 tonnes of oil. A second tanker of the same operator, Volgoneft 239, ran aground around the same time in the area near the Kerch Strait. Together, the two vessels were carrying approximately 9,200 metric tons of heavy fuel oil. The authorities estimate that half of the fuel was released in the two incidents, and days later, a third Volgoneft tanker, 109, also reported a leak while it was in port.

As part of the suit, the Russian authorities told the court that the captain of Volgoneft 239 was operating the vessel with an expired license. It said the unnamed master’s license was expired for “several days” prior to the vessel getting underway and encountering a winter storm in the Kerch Strait region. Some media reports had previously claimed the helmsman aboard the tanker was operating the ship alone, something that has been repeatedly denied.

Russian authorities further said that the operator of the tankers, Volgoneft, was not certified to operate the vessels in open waters during the winter months, according to a report in the Moscow Times. The company blames heavy winter weather in the region for both of the casualties.

The reports highlight that the vessels are based on a 1950s Soviet-era design. They were primarily built for river and calm water transport. The vessels are each approximately 133 meters (435 feet) long and 4,000 to 5,000 dwt. Reports said they were originally designed for seas less than seven feet, but reports contend the 239 was encountering 25-foot waves in December 2024 when it was lost.

Rosprirodnadzor is suing the tanker operator, saying it is its responsibility to pay for the cleanup and salvage of the tankers. The bow section of 239 remains submerged, which led to a dispute over its conditions. The court reports said the bow section continues to leak oil, and the next efforts at recovery and sealing the leaks are not scheduled till October. 

The agency, however, quickly issued a denial saying that no current leaks were detected. It said, however, it remains the responsibility of the operator and acknowledged the potential environmental dangers from further leaks. Volgoneft has been suing to prevent the Russian authorities in Crimea from taking over the salvage efforts as the tanker operator contends that it would lead to inflated costs. Russian authorities wanted the remaining fuel pumped from the bow section of the vessel.

They told the court that the Anapa region has spent more than 211 million rubles (approximately $2.7 million) on cleanup efforts. It said that nearly 200,000 metric tons of contaminated sand have been removed and over 310 miles of coastline have been cleaned. The city has sued the operator separately for its costs.

Ukraine has also said it would seek to prosecute for the damages it received from the drifting oil.

The Russian authorities in February 2025 launched an inspection program for all the Soviet-era river-sea tankers. The reports said there were over 500 tankers built in the 1960s and 1970s that they would be inspecting, and none could return to service before they had been inspected.

 

One year after GE Vernova confirmed it had found “materials defects” in the wind turbine blades for the Massachusetts offshore wind farm, new reports reveal the project is making steady progress. Iberdola, parent company of Avangrid, the investors along with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, told shareholders it now expects Vineyard Wind 1 to reach its commercial operations date “at the end of  2025.”

Iberdrola said in its mid-year financial presentation that 17 turbines out of 62 planned for Vineyard Wind 1 are already exporting power. It reported that 23 are fully installed, which is up from the four that it highlighted in May 2025. Currently, it says the project is supplying approximately 30 percent (241 MW) of its full capacity of 806 MW.

This marks a significant recovery for the project, which had been stopped in its tracks a year ago due to the manufacturing problem with the blades discovered after one blade failed in July 2024. The local newspaper, New Bedford Light, reports that the pace of activity at the installation site has accelerated this summer. It says that the barges carrying materials out to the installation have made at least 15 trips since June, moving turbine components to the installation vessels. It also reports that the project, however, extended the lease on the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, which is being used as a base and staging area, until June 2026.

A year ago, in June 2024, Vineyard Wind had reported that the offshore wind project had 10 operating turbines and was delivering more than 136 MW to the electric grid in Massachusetts. The companies also said that 47 foundations and transition pieces were installed, as well as 21 turbines, with the installation of the 22nd turbine underway.

The newspaper points out that while it appears 40 of the turbines are now in place, it is unknown how many have completed their inspections and replacement of the blades. As part of the project’s agreement with U.S. regulators, all the blades manufactured at GE Vernoa’s facility in Canada had to undergo inspections after one blade fractured. The company has agreed to replace the blades and is now using blades manufactured in France for the project.

Vineyard Wind 1 is one of the few offshore wind projects underway in the United States, in part due to the Trump administration’s efforts to derail the industry. Nearby, Ørsted’s Revolution Wind (704 MW) is also proceeding with construction, while others planned for the New England region remain stalled.

Iberdrola highlighted to investors that it has all the necessary federal permits for its second project, New England Wind 1 (791 MW), but it still has to conclude agreements with the states and has not indicated a potential timeline for construction. Massachusetts confirmed in March that both New England Wind 1 and SouthCoast Wind, which is being developed by a partnership between EDP Renewables and ENGIE, had not yet completed their power purchase agreements. It said both projects were seeking to delay the timing due to market uncertainties.
 

Scotland’s famed Forth Road Bridge, crossing the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh, is closed as Greenpeace activists attempt to block an inbound INEOS gas tanker. The protest is also timed to the arrival of Donald Trump in Scotland and is designed to call attention to the current negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty.

Police Scotland is on scene and is advising motorists to avoid the area. They received reports of the protest around 1:00 p.m. local time.

Greenpeace reports that 10 experienced climbers “abseiled from beneath the bridge’s service walkway.” The Forth Road Bridge is nearly 2.5 kilometers, over 8,200 feet, in length, crossing one of the main waterways in the east of Scotland. The roadway is about 50 meters (164 feet) above the water. The protestors are reported to be spaced at 20-meter (65-foot) intervals and suspended about 25 meters (82 feet) below the underside of the bridge.

The protestors unfurled large banners reading “Plastics Treaty Now” to call attention to their cause. Greenpeace reports it has a rescue crew on the bridge and a boat team in the river below. It says the protestors plan to remain on the bridge for the next 24 hours.

The INEOS Independence, one of a class of specially-designed gas carriers registered in Malta, diverted into the anchorage. It was completing a 10-day trip from the Houston, Texas area and is reported to be carrying 27,500 cubic meters of ethane to the company’s plant at Grangemouth. INEOS has been importing gas aboard the tankers for nearly a decade. Greenpeace reports INEOS is the UK’s biggest plastics manufacturer, producing 30 to 35 million nurdles (pellets) a day, which is enough to make 60 million plastic bottles.

 

INEOS image showing one of its tankers with the Forth Bridge (INEOS)

 

“Plastic pollution has reached a crisis point: it’s poisoning our land, seas, air, even our bodies,” said Amy Cameron, Programme Director at Greenpeace UK. “The Global Plastics Treaty offers us a once in a generation chance to tackle the problem for good.”

The group highlights that governments are scheduled to meet between August 5 and 14 in Geneva, Switzerland, for the sixth and final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty. Greenpeace is calling for the talks to agree to a cut in global plastic production of at least 75 percent by 2040, and for the UN to exclude lobbyists from fossil fuel companies from the treaty negotiations. It contends that the plastics producers, including INEOS, have collectively sent hundreds of lobbyists to influence the negotiations.

So far, the police have only reported that they were “engaging” with the protest. A RNLI boat was also dispatched to monitor the situation and ensure safety on the river.

The Hellenic Coast Guard and local port authority are coordinating the efforts following the grounding of a general cargo ship off the northeastern coast of Crete. The crew was evacuated, and according to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the captain and bridge watch officer are being detained while the incident is investigated.

The MN Kostas (5,800 dwt) departed the port of Sitia on Crete on the evening of July 24. At 2330, the Coast Guard reports the ship informed them it had grounded in a position between about 6 nautical miles off Sitia and 3 nautical miles west of Sideros, islands at the northeast tip of Crete. The vessel, built in 1994 and registered in Sierra Leone, was bound for Lebanon with a cargo of plaster. The ship is 106 meters (348 feet) in length. Earlier this year, the same ship was cited for charges of failing to pay its crew, with the International Labour Organization reporting the crew was due nearly $18,500 in pay. It said the crew had only received half pay for four months, but that the situation was corrected.

The Coast Guard reports it sent three patrol boats, and the Sitia Port Authority sent personnel on a fishing vessel to the scene. Also, private crafts and fishing vessels approached.

The 14-member crew was evacuated from the ship. They were placed on one of the fishing vessels and sent to the port of Sitia.

The Sitia Port Authority is leading the initial investigation. The captain and watch officer are being investigated for causing a shipwreck and failing to avoid collisions, which in this case was the reef. Divers have also been sent to inspect the vessel and the reef.

Two tugs were standing by from Heraklion to assist the grounded cargo ship. A third was also expected to reach the scene on Friday.

The Sea Ports Authority of Ukraine issued a brief statement confirming that there has been an explosion killing three people working on a dredge employed by the authority. Few details were released, but the Ukrainian media is saying it was likely a mine in the Bystre waterway, one of the canals linking the Danube to the Black Sea.

The authority reported that the explosion took place on the evening of July 23 while its dredger was conducting normal work on the channel. There was a total of 11 people aboard, and in addition to the three who were killed, others were reported to be in the hospital.

The Bystre is currently closed, and the emergency authorities are on the scene. The authority said the details were being investigated. It notes that the Sulin Channel to the south, also linking to the Danube, remains open for vessel traffic. Ukraine had reopened the Bystre strait for commercial vessels in July 202 after the liberation of Zmiiniy (Snake) Island from the Russians.

The Ukrainian media outlet Dumskaya is identifying the vessel as the Ingulskiy, a Damen-built dredge operating for the authority since 2012. The vessel, which was 60 meters (197 feet) and could operate at depths up to 15 meters (approximately 50 feet), has reportedly sunk in the waterway. It struck the mine, the media report says, near the town of Vilkovo, which is along the Danube in the Delta region.

The Danube seaports played a critical role for Ukraine after the Russian invasion, being the primary way to maintain water transport. After ports were reopened in the Odesa region, traffic on the Danube declined, but it remains a key waterway for commerce both for Ukraine and neighboring Romania. The Bystre was important during the Soviet era and reopened by Ukraine as an alternative to traveling along the Sulina, which is controlled by Romania. The Bystre is reported open for vessels with a maximum draft of 4.5 meters (approximately 15 feet).
 

 

A Chinese niche carrier that popped up in the Mideast market last year has reportedly added a container service from China to Europe via the Northern Sea Route - the Russian-controlled waterway north of Siberia. 

Sea Legend Shipping is a Chinese-controlled, Singapore-based line that emerged during the most intense phase of the Houthi blockade of the Red Sea. With escort support from China's PLA Navy, Sea Legend provided a rare container-shipping option for cargo from the Far East to regional ports in and around the Red Sea. The company advertised its hardening measures, including security guards, razor wire and steel shutters, and it emphasized that it operated Chinese-flagged ships. (The Houthis have pledged not to attack vessels linked to Russia or China.) An executive with the firm told Chinese media that as of January 2024, it was the only liner company operating weekly services to Red Sea regional ports. 

The Houthi blockade remains a serious problem, but Sea Legend is now ready to strike out on another bold venture: a service through the icy Northern Sea Route (NSR). Beginning this September, Sea Legend will start a new Arctic route that directly connects China with Northern Europe, delivering cargo from east to west in just 18 days. The current standard via the Cape of Good Hope route is about 30-50 days, according to Freightos, meaning that Sea Legend's route could realistically cut delivery times in half. For shippers, this is Sea Legend's main business proposition: faster  shipping times mean a faster and more responsive supply chain, making it easier to hit delivery deadlines, cut inventory costs and change product lineups. High-value, high-tech cargoes are high on the list of target markets, the company said. 

The time window for an NSR route is narrow; though Arctic warming has increased the amount of ice-free transit time each season, the route's suitability for general commercial use is seasonally limited, at least for now. The company plans only one voyage this year, according to Chinese outlet eWorldShip, and it has apparently booked up quickly. 

The Northern Sea Route's commercial development is a top priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has assigned responsibility for its expansion to state nuclear agency Rosatomflot (operator of Russia's nuclear-powered icebreakers). Sino-Russian cooperation is a major driver of economic development on the route, both for shipping and for resource extraction. Chinese firms are key backers for the region's biggest projects, like Arctic LNG 2, the sanctioned liquefaction terminal on the Gulf of Ob. 
 

 

American shipbuilding is one of five strategic industrial sectors that stand to benefit from a massive foreign investment pledge from Japan. 

During the White House's tariff negotiations with the Japanese government over the last several months, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick proposed creating a multibillion-dollar Japanese investment package that would be directed by President Donald Trump. In exchange for the pledge and a loosening of Japan's limits on American imports, the U.S. would lower its tariffs on Japanese goods and cars. 

After Trump's review, the final agreed figure for the fund comes to $550 billion, with the U.S. government retaining 90 percent of the profits from the investments. If actualized, it would be the largest foreign investment in world history. It is also an unprecedented allocation of foreign resources for personal control by a U.S. president.

Trump's list of top industries for focused Japanese investment includes LNG, grid modernization, semiconductors, critical minerals production, pharmaceuticals, and commercial and defense shipbuilding - including both new yards and modernization of existing sites. Rumors of a possible joint Japanese-American shipyard investment fund have swirled for months, and the pledge would be more than enough to fully capitalize it (dwarfing Japan's $7 billion investment plan for reviving its own domestic shipbuilding industry).

The LNG component likely refers to the possibility of Japanese investment in the Alaska LNG pipeline and terminal project, a $44 billion undertaking that has been in planning for four decades. Trump announced earlier this week that Japan is “forming a joint venture with us in Alaska for the LNG."

The White House did not provide a timeline for the Japanese investments, nor a breakdown of the form of the funding. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Bloomberg that the topline figure includes a combination of equity, loan guarantees and lending. Financial analysts suggest that a large share of the total would need to come from Japanese private-sector investment, which would ultimately be influenced by market factors outside of the control of either government; follow-through is not guaranteed. 

"Investment in the United States is ultimately a decision for Japanese companies to make, and the $550 billion figure is merely a government target," said economist Takahide Kiuchi of Nomura Research Institute in a client note. The pledge, he said, is "little more than a verbal commitment."

Japan's government may feel pressure if it does not follow the White House's directions. Bessent told Fox that "if the president is unhappy" at any point, the tariff rate could be raised back to 25 percent again. 

Top image: Tomincal / CC BY SA 3.0

 

"My role is to continue the legacy started by my great-great-grandfather, Charles J. Colonna, in 1875," says Randall Crutchfield, Chairman & CEO of Colonna's Shipyard. "That means doing the right thing, investing for the long term and ensuring that this company is around for many more generations to come."

It's a big responsibility, but Crutchfield embraces it. His sense of stewardship is strong. He feels an obligation not just to his forebears but to his employees and their families, many of whom have been with the company for generations.

He has big shoes to fill, having taken the helm in January 2024 following the retirement of long-time CEO Tom Godfrey and the passing of his grandfather, Willoughby Warren ("Bill") Colonna. He credits his grandfather with being the visionary, who made the investments that transformed the company into more than just a shipyard, and Godfrey with being the perfect complement in making it happen.

Crutchfield has his own #2 in Jordan Webb, who functions as President & General Manager and assumed his new position the same day Crutchfield did.

150 years is a long time in anyone's book, and Colonna's is in fact the oldest continuously owned and operated family shipyard in the U.S. And while it may not be a household name, it's the kind of blue collar, nose-to-the-grindstone family business that's been the backbone of America from the very beginning.

There were ups and downs along the way, of course. Two world wars, the Great Depression, a bankruptcy filing. There's even a book about it, The History of Colonna's Shipyard and Its People, written by Crutchfield's grandfather, that traces the family lineage back to 1609 in Virginia and before that to England and a small town in Italy.

Through it all – the good and the bad – the company persevered, remained true to its values, kept its promises and emerged stronger than ever.

MORE THAN A SHIPYARD

What started as a single marine railway powered by horses is now a multifaceted company with a number of related businesses, all centered on blue-collar craftsmanship. The heart of the operation remains the shipyard in Norfolk, a sprawling 120-acre complex with room to grow and housing three drydocks, a 1,000-metric-ton Travelift, a marine railway (not the original, but one dating back to 1891), more than 100,000 square feet of heavy industrial shop space with cranes and perhaps the largest layout area on the East Coast.

Its legacy business is ship repair, and – given its strategic location at the center of the Tidewater Virginia's military/industrial complex – there's no shortage of both commercial and government customers. On the commercial side, there's the Chesapeake Bay fishing fleet, harbor and offshore tugs, dredgers, barges and ferries. Customers include well-known names like McAllister and Moran Towing, Norfolk Dock and Great Lakes Dredge & Dock.

On the government side, there's the military – the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, Army and Army Corps of Engineers. "A lot of people don't know this," notes Crutchfield, "but the U.S. Army has more vessels than the Navy does." Then there's what Crutchfield calls the "quasi-government" side, not Department of Defense but government agencies like NOAA and the Virginia Department of Transportation: "Basically, we're a jack-of-all-trades. Whoever comes knocking, we answer the door."

The business is traditionally divided roughly 50-50 between the government and commercial sectors. Right now, it's running more like 60 percent government and 40 percent commercial.

Supplementing the bread-and-butter ship repair business are three other operations – all located on the Norfolk campus. The first is Steel America, established by Tom Godfrey and Crutchfield's grandfather in 2000 to provide some diversity while capitalizing on the company's core welding and machining skills.

"Steel America started with a contract from the Ford Motor Company, which had a F-150 assembly plant about two miles down the road, to put together some additional assembly capacity," Crutchfield explains. "It's basically a commercial fabrication business. Today, it's largely supporting the prime shipbuilders like Newport News Shipbuilding and Electric Boat on some of the programs you read about in the headlines – the aircraft carrier program, the Columbia submarine program, the Virginia submarine program."

Crutchfield sees Steel America's long-term role as supporting the prime shipbuilders in building more ships for the U.S. Navy in tune with the Trump Administration's goals.

The second piece is Weld America, started just a few years ago and featuring an elite team of welders and state-of-the-art equipment including the latest in mechanized welding systems. Crutchfield calls it a "turnkey weld solution provider," which can mobilize anywhere in the world, work with customers and give them what they need.

The final piece on the Norfolk campus is the Down River division, a sort of traveling shipyard designed to mobilize outside the gate on a 24/7 basis, bringing the topside resources of a major shipyard directly to the customer. "They're on multiple contracts at Naval Operations Base, Norfolk," says Crutchfield, "as well as in other shipyards right now, just bringing our skilled trades people to where they're most needed."

The company's Norfolk Barge fleet is also based in Norfolk and leased to customers on a project basis.

Two other operations extend Colonna's reach beyond the Tidewater region. There's Colonna's Shipyard West, based in San Diego, not a full-fledged shipyard but rather a subcontractor, and Accurity Industrial Contractors in Owensboro, Kentucky, which Colonna's purchased two years ago. Accurity is a premier specialty contractor focused on welding, piping and industrial plant maintenance services – land-based but offering the same project management, skilled tradespeople approach as the marine repair business.

THE ROAD AHEAD

Crutchfield sees more acquisitions like Accurity in the future, but his main focus is growing the company organically and investing for the long term. He's got his leadership team in place, and the many apprenticeship and training programs the company sponsors guarantee a highly skilled and disciplined workforce for the foreseeable future.

But you don't last 150 years without a strong culture and work ethic, and that's at the heart of everything Colonna's does. It's all about the people and the values – Respect, Pride, Truth and Family – that the company promulgates and cherishes.

"I've been working here since my teenage years," says Crutchfield. "I know almost everyone in the yard. When I give a tour to guests, I recognize employees on a first-name basis. There are people who've been here 30, 40, 50 years. Their fathers worked here. Their children work here. We're like one big family, and we all share the same values. We keep our word. We respect one another. We believe in the dignity of work, of always telling the truth and of taking pride in a job well done. That's who we are and who we'll always be."

So there will be many small and not-so-small 150-year celebrations, all centered on the families of people (retired and active) who made the company what it is today. In the 150 days leading up to January 1, for example, the company gave out 150 challenge coins that commemorated the event to individual employees. "We were able to bring back some of the folks who had recently retired and had worked here for 30+ years and celebrate them in front of everybody," says Crutchfield.

There'll be a commemorative video and a commemorative plaque with employee signatures on it and several more events. Customers will also be recognized, many of whom have been with the company for decades.

"We're taking an entire year and just making sure that everything we do is centered around honoring the legacy of 150 years," Crutchfield adds. "For me to be able to do that from the CEO's position and really speak for the entire company, to express our appreciation for the last 150 years, is really, really humbling and one of the greatest honors of my life."

What's more, the best is yet to come.

Tony Munoz is the magazine's Founder, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief.

Saipem and Subsea 7 announced terms for their previously proposed merger to create a giant in the offshore services sector, supporting the oil and gas and other industries. The companies initially proposed the merger in February, saying terms would be set for the deal by mid-year. They expect to complete the merger by the second half of 2026.

Terms for the deal call for a true merger of equals. Under the binding merger agreement, on completion, Saipem and Subsea 7 shareholders will each own 50 percent of the share capital of the new company to be known as Saipem7. Subsea 7 shareholders will receive nearly 6.7 new Saipem shares for each share of Subsea 7 and a pre-closing extraordinary dividend valued at approximately $529 million.

They expect the deal will create a global leader in energy services. Highlighting the benefits, the merger announcement cites the highly complementary geographical footprint, competencies and capabilities, vessel fleets, and technologies. They report the combined company will have revenues of approximately €21 billion based on 2024 results. Earnings (EBITDA) will be in excess of €2 billion, and the operation is expected to generate more than €800 million in free cash flow.

Highlighting the global reach of the combined business, the companies report that the new Saipem7 will have projects in more than 60 countries. Its current backlog will be €43 billion. Operations will range from drilling, engineering, and construction to services and decommissioning.

The company will have a diversified fleet of more than 60 construction vessels, giving it the ability to work from shallow water to ultra-deep. They point to opportunities ranging from oil and gas to carbon capture and renewable energy.

The main shareholders, Eni, CDP Equity, and Siem Industries, fully support the proposed merger and have signed agreements to vote in favor of the deal. The CEO of the new company will be designated by Eni and CDP Equity, and currently, they report that it will be Alessandro Puliti. After years with Eni, Puliti was appointed General Manager of Saipem in February 2022, and he has been a Board Member, as well as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Saipem, since August 2022. Siem Industries will designate the Chairman of the Board of Directors, who is expected to be Kristian Siem.

The merger reflects the optimism for the sector, which rebounded after several hard years. In 2021, suffered strong setbacks that it linked to the offshore wind industry. The prolonged downturn in the oil and gas sectors also hit the industry hard.

The companies independently developed as leaders in the offshore services industry, tracing their origins to the 1950s and the start of modern offshore operations. Each has been involved in the consolidation and growth of the industry. The modern Subsea 7 emerged in the early 2000s and reports it is the product of over 25 different legacy companies and businesses, with Kristian Siem continuing to drive the company as its chairman. Saipem was also the product of mergers and served as the service supplier for Eni until 2015, when it reduced its holding, setting the stage for the modern company.
 

 

Russia has been tightening security at its main crude oil loading terminals, which must function in order for the Kremlin to pay for its ongoing war in Ukraine. This week, these precautionary measures briefly closed key oil ports in the Black Sea, affecting both Russian and Kazakh export volumes.

With no meaningful crude oil export pipeline capacity, Russia must ship its oil to its few remaining customers by sea, and there are only a few locations that are set up for loading deep-sea tankers. This makes them a prime target for Ukrainian sabotage. The Ust-Luga terminal in the Baltic has already encountered at least one apparent mine attack on an ammonia carrier alongside the pier, and seven other Russia-linked vessels have been hit by mysterious blasts since December. Ukraine's covert services are widely believed to be behind the apparent attacks. 

As a precautionary measure, President Vladimir Putin has ordered his internal security service - the FSB - to require preclearance for all inbound vessels to sweep for hazards. At least some ports are expected to implement dive inspections of ship hulls - a costly if thorough way to control the problem.

The decree essentially shut down the terminals at Novorossiysk, including the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC)'s loading buoys south of the city. The CPC handles up to 1.5 million barrels per day of oil from Kazakhstan, accounting for more than one percent of the world's entire crude supply. As of Thursday, those terminals were back up and running again, according to Reuters. 

The security measures add one more layer of friction to a process that has become increasingly cumbersome for Russian oil exporters. With the approval of the EU's 18th sanctions round, the European version of the G7 price cap is now a floating rate derived from benchmark pricing, and it is low enough that it disqualifies the law-abiding Greek tankers that have been handling about half of Russia's oil. That will make it marginally more difficult for Russian exporters, who will have to rely even more heavily on the "shadow fleet" of under-the-radar tankers, which eschew Western insurance and class services. 

"The easiest way for Russia to steer clear of unpleasant surprises, including tanker explosions, would be to withdraw from Ukraine. Three and a half years into the war, that seems a vain hope," commented Atlantic Council senior fellow Elisabeth Braw, an expert on the shadow fleet. 

 

In a groundbreaking development for the global marine fuels industry, leading shipping and bunkering companies have come together to launch a Bunkering Services Initiative focused on solving the widely reported issues of fuel quantity shortages and fuel quality opacity across the marine fuel supply chain. By addressing these market distortions marine fuel buyers can make optimal procurement decisions and suppliers can operate on a level playing field.

Open Participation

The Initiative is voluntary, and participation is welcome from all marine fuel buyers and suppliers who commit to adopting and complying with its standards and governance.

Scale from Day One

At the outset focused on Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA), the world's second-largest bunkering hub, the Initiative represents 20% of ARA market volume comprising several thousand deliveries each year. Founding participants include some of the most prominent names in the industry, including Cargill, Frontline, Hafnia, Hapag-Lloyd, Mercuria, Minerva Bunkering, Oldendorff, Trafigura, TFG Marine, Unifeeder, and Vitol, as well as other key players in energy and shipping.

Self-Regulation

The concept is uniquely designed to be self-regulating, leveraging powerful data-driven insights to monitor participant behaviour and adherence to standards – thereby advancing the objectives of regulatory authorities without requiring their administration.

Gold Standard

The Initiative defines a new gold standard of technology-enabled bunkering operations, with seamelss integration of mass flow meters, digitalized workflows over the blockchain, traceable fuel quality measurements throughout the supply chain, full accounting of quantity balances, and real-time reporting to participants.

Commitment to Accountability

To ensure accountability to the Initiative's objectives and standards of operation:

• Lloyd's Register has been appointed as the System Auditor, responsible for qualifying participating bunker barges, conducting unannounced physical barge inspections, and verifying compliance with Initiative standards and data integrity (lr.org).
• ADP Clear Pte Ltd has been appointed as the Initiative's technology provider, facilitating multi-party workflows, real-time reporting, and verifiable performance metrics for all stakeholders (adpclear.io).

Join Us

Any marine fuel buyers and suppliers engaged in the ARA market and interested in participating in the Initiative can direct their inquiries to initiative@adpclear.io.

 

[By: Seafarers Advice and Information Line]

The Seafarers Advice and Information Line (SAIL) has been granted an extra £30k by leading maritime charity, Trinity House. The extra funds will be used to employ another part-time adviser to join the existing SAIL team in providing vital support to seafarers and their families. Trinity House joins three other major maritime charities, Seafarers Hospital Society, The Seafarers’ Charity and Greenwich Hospital, in supporting SAIL. 

Welcoming the extra funds, Emma Knight, CEO, Citizens Advice Greenwich, which runs SAIL, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Trinity House for this extra funding. It will enable us to help more seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, welfare benefits and housing. It will make a huge difference.”

SAIL is the only Citizens Advice service dedicated to seafarers and their families living in the UK. Like the rest of the Citizens Advice service, the advice they provide is independently quality assured and they are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority to offer the full range of debt advice. Last year SAIL advised 1,140 people on 5,375 new problems and achieved financial gains for clients totalling over £1.4million. Benefits and debt are the most common issues facing SAIL clients and accounted for over 60% of all enquiries.

Trinity House’s Deputy Master, Rear Admiral Iain Lower CB, commented on the grant: “Merchant seafarers do so much for all of us, making our daily lives possible - and prosperous - by carrying vital goods around the world. To do this, they spend much of their lives at sea, working in the engine rooms, the galleys, on the bridges and on the decks in very challenging conditions. Our seafarers are often taken for granted. We forget, because seafarers operate out of sight, that they, just like many of the rest of us, need support to deal with the same worries and issues we face on shore: money, health, relationships and more. SAIL’s advice service provides a critical lifeline to all seafarers and their families, and so we are only too happy to support them with funding to help amplify their reach and make an even bigger difference to improve the lives of seafarers.”

Investigators at New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) released their final report on a July 2023 incident with the Achilles Bulker, reporting that poor welding during maintenance led to a series of failures that ultimately saw the vessel lose its rudder and nearly run aground. Divers had discovered the unusual circumstances reporting the vessel had lost its rudder, and now the investigators have pieced together the likely scenario with a warning to both shipyards and shipowners, operators, insurance providers, and classification societies.

The Achilles Bulker, 32,729 dwt and 580 feet (177 meters) in length, had gotten underway as normal on July 24, 2023, fully loaded and departing the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand, with a pilot aboard. The vessel, which was built in 2003, was managed from Taiwan. On board was a load of logs bound for China.

Shortly after clearing Tauranga Harbor, the bridge team reported the vessel was steering erratically and veering off course. As they attempted to steer it back on course, the ship shuddered, and there was a loud bang. The pilot took control of navigation, trying to get the vessel on course when a second, louder bang was heard. Unable to get the vessel back into the channel, the pilot struggled to slow the ship and ordered the crew to immediately drop both anchors.

Thirty minutes later, they reported the ship was stopped outside the channel. It had narrowly avoided grounding, with the reports indicating there was less than one meter of clearance under the keel. Divers inspecting the vessel were surprised to find its rudder was gone. They were able to recover the rudder two days later from the sea floor.

Inspectors were surprised to see that the rudder pintle was missing, and they concluded that it left the bottom of the rudder unsupported and allowed excess movement in the rudder system. They said the rudder broke off when the rudder palm fractured on both sides of the stock.

Reviewing the vessel’s records, they found that two years earlier, in 2021, during a routine dry docking, the rudder pintle assembly had been removed and later reinstalled. 

“It is virtually certain that the way the rudder pintle assembly was reinstalled did not ensure that the pintle would remain in place during normal shipboard operations,” TAIC writes in its report. “The way the rudder pintle was reinstalled meant that components used to secure the pintle in place failed, allowing the pintle to drop from the bottom of the rudder.”

TAIC concluded that the securing parts installed had weak, porous welds. After the ship was back in service, the welds failed due to vibration. The nut that retained the pintle as part of the assembly unwound itself, and at some undetermined point, the pintle dropped unnoticed from the casting and sank. At this point, TAIC concludes the rudder began experiencing unintended movement, adding to the stresses. Moving side-to-side and fore and aft, the forces were beyond the designed strength of the coupling plate (palm) at the top that joined the rudder to the solid shaft (stock) that connected to the internal steering mechanism. Fatigue cracks grew until the rudder finally fell off.

The vessel was repaired and returned to service. TAIC is now issuing a warning and calling for robust quality assurance procedures at the shipyard for the installation of a rudder pintle. It also notified the Maritime Safety Administration of China and says it will work with the International Maritime Organization to promote enhanced global standards for quality assurance of rudder systems during installation, maintenance, and repairs.
 

Top photo of the Achilles Bulker in 2022 by Joe Mabel -- CC BY-SA 4.0 license 

[By: TOTE Group]

TOTE Group, a recognized leader in transportation and logistics overseeing some of the most trusted companies in the U.S., announced the appointment of Jason Grear, CPA, as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective today. Grear brings over 20 years of accounting and finance experience to the organization.  

“Beyond Jason’s impressive credentials, what stood out most was his collaborative approach, people-first mindset, and shared commitment to our values,” said Tim Nolan, President and CEO of TOTE Group. “We’re excited to welcome Jason to our leadership team and look forward to the impact he will make on our organization.”

As CFO, Grear will lead the TOTE financial organization, helping to drive long-term vision, stability, and performance, while partnering across all business units to support strategic decision-making. 

In his previous roles as Chief Accounting Officer and EVP of Accounting and Finance for U.S. Xpress, Grear provided pivotal leadership in taking U.S. Xpress public in 2018 and in the acquisition of U.S. Xpress by Knight Swift in 2023. Before joining U.S. Xpress, Jason had over 12 years of public accounting experience, most recently as a senior manager at EY.

[By: Lloyd's Register]

Lloyd's Register (LR) has enhanced its Fatigue Design Assessment (FDA) methodology by updating worldwide trading patterns for containerships and gas carriers based on comprehensive analysis of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data from the past 11 years.  

This major revision represents the first update to FDA trading routes in over 12 years. The updated trading patterns reveal encouraging results for vessel operators, with the revised analysis showing increases in predicted fatigue life of up to 10-15% for containerships and up to 10% for gas vessels.  

These improvements result from incorporating routing factors obtained from extensive AIS data analysis, delivering more accurate structural assessments that reflect actual vessel operations rather than relying on historical estimates. LR's updated approach enables more precise fatigue life calculations, supporting better-informed decisions regarding vessel design, maintenance scheduling, and operational planning. 

LR has also refined its containership categorisation to reflect the segmentation of modern container vessels. The updated classification system now includes Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) with capacity of 14,501 TEUs or greater, alongside revised categories for New Panamax (10,000-14,500 TEUs), Post-Panamax (5,101-10,000 TEUs), Panamax (3,001-5,100 TEUs), Feedermax (2,001-3,000 TEUs), and Feeder vessels (1,001-2,000 TEUs). 

Nick Gross, Global Containerships Segment Director, Lloyd's Register, said: “This comprehensive update to our Fatigue Design Assessment methodology represents a significant advancement in how we evaluate vessel structural integrity. Our analysis of extensive AIS data revealed that ships are operating quite differently from our previous models, particularly in terms of route optimisation and weather routing. This translates directly into improved fatigue life predictions that shipowners can rely on for better operational and maintenance planning.” 

For more information about LR’s enhanced FDA methodology, visit: https://www.lr.org/en/knowledge/lloyds-register-rules/shipright/fatigue-design-assessment-fda/