[By: Portchain]

Portchain today announced JBS Terminais will join the Portchain Connect network. JBS Terminais will use Portchain Connect to increase the quality and speed of their berth alignment with customers through digital handshakes and secure data sharing. Portchain is excited to partner with JBS Terminais to simplify their communication channels and improve overall berth alignment. Portchain Connect enables JBS Terminais to receive real-time schedule and move count updates directly from carrier systems, and enables them to respond and counterpropose quickly, to align the vessel schedule with the terminal berth plan.

“Portchain Connect has been a valuable tool in bringing more clarity and collaboration to berth alignment, ensuring all partners stay informed and aligned.” Bruno Duarte, Operational Strategy and Performance Coordinator at JBS Terminais

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

"We are proud to partner with JBS Terminais as they join the growing Portchain Network, working together to achieve smarter, faster, and more coordinated berth alignment." Thor Thorup, CCO & Co-Founder at Portchain

Following the Trump administration's pointed criticism of the IMO's net zero greenhouse gas framework, a growing chorus of voices from industry are proposing to relax the terms of the agreement, which was tentatively approved at MEPC 83 five months ago. 

On Thursday, a group of large shipowners announced that they would like to see changes in the deal and have "grave concerns" about the current text. Signatories include Bahri, Frontline, Capital Group, TMS, Dynagas, Gaslog, Hanwha Shipping, Angelicoussis Group and Stolt Tankers, among others.

"As it stands, we do not believe the IMO NZF will serve effectively in support of decarbonizing the maritime industry," the owners told Reuters in a joint statement, adding that "realistic" adjustment was needed before adoption should be considered.

Separately, DNV has suggested a rethink of the deal's terms for LNG, currently the shipping industry's most popular alternative fuel choice. The availability of true zero-carbon fuel is low, and DNV forecasts that the production projects to make it are likely to face headwinds for some time. Citing "pragmatism," DNV CEO Knut Orbeck-Nilssen has advocated for a more accepting view of LNG within IMO's net-zero framework. 

On the other side of the Atlantic, ABS has advocated for a full "timeout" to think through the details of the net-zero framework. Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki recently advised that "achieving net zero for shipping by 2050 looks like a wildcard."

While the deal has its skeptics, the Getting to Zero Coalition - Maersk, NYK, Fincantieri, Gard, CMB.Tech, BV and LR, among many others - has urged IMO to pass it as written. "Every year that action is delayed will compound into further delays down the road, as existing projects are scrapped and the planning cycle must begin anew. The absence of global regulatory guidance will raise the costs of change in the long run—costs that the industry, countries, and consumers will bear," the Coalition wrote. 

But the overall policy environment has also changed since IMO took the first step down road to carbon regulation nine years ago. Carbon reduction measures have fallen into disfavor in Washington, and face headwinds in Europe as well. France - once a stalwart proponent of climate action, and a key backer of the Paris Agreement - is now quietly pushing to slow down formalization of Europe's 2040 climate goals, Politico reports. A key vote on 2040 targets was scheduled for September 18, but was canceled last week after demands for a delay from France and Germany - the opposite of what might have been expected in years past. 

Zero Emission Services (ZES), working in collaboration with Nefcargo and Inland Terminals Group, highlighted the launch of its ZES 2.0 service for electric-powered inland cargo shipping. The next phase of the program provides more powerful containerized batteries for the inland ships, which will provide a more economical model for the industry.

The 2.0 Zespacks are swappable battery containers. The company rolled out swapping stations on September 17 at Alphen aan den Rijn, Alblasserdam, and Den Bosch in the Netherlands. It reports that more terminals will soon follow in Rotterdam, Moerdijk, and Nijmegen, with the goal of establishing a robust network that makes battery-electric inland shipping more accessible.

The vessels swap the batteries instead of having to wait longer periods to recharge their power systems. It expedites shipping. They also only pay for the power used, which ZES says makes battery-electric sailing financially more attractive. A subsidy scheme is also available for shipowners converting to battery power.

The first vessel to adopt the exchangeable battery containers is the Den Bosch Max Groen. It was built by Concordia Damen and delivered in January 2021 as the second of two electric-powered inland cargo ships. Both vessels are 90 meters long and 11.5 meters wide (approximately 295 x 38 feet), with the shipbuilder highlighting that the dimensions are the maximum required to pass through the locks of the Dieze Canal at Engelen. Using an innovative design, they were able to give each vessel a capacity of 132 TEU, which is 24 more TEUs than the previous inland vessels.

The first phase of the battery-powered shipping was launched as a partnership to transport cargo for the beer company Heineken. Nedcargo transports approximately 2.5 billion bottles of Heineken beer annually to the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. The battery-powered operation cuts CO2 emissions by 800 tonnes per year.

The vessel will be operating between Den Bosch and the Port of Rotterdam. The trip is approximately 60 miles in each direction.

ITG highlights that the new battery operation is part of its broader scheme to transition. Eduard Backer, CEO of ITG, explains, “Alongside this battery-electric vessel, our group also operates a hydrogen-powered ship. Hydrogen is suited to longer distances, while battery containers are ideal for shorter shuttle services. Waterborne transport is the path to a lower footprint. And with the upcoming CO2 levy (ETS-2), this will also bring financial benefits for shippers.”
 

The cruise ship Aroya, which was launched by  the Cruise Saudi initiative, made what has become a rare transit of the Suez Canal for ships with passengers. Like all the other segments of the shipping industry, most cruise ships began diverting away from the Red Sea in 2024 and have yet to return due to the continuing security threat from the Houthis.

The Suez Canal Authority highlighted that the 151,000 gross ton cruise ship made the transit on Wednesday, September 17, traveling from Istanbul with approximately 2,300 passengers and 1,500 crew aboard. It will be making a stop in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, before completing the cruise in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

The cruise ship is scheduled to spend the first part of the winter season operating from Jeddah. In February 2026, it is scheduled to transit the Red Sea, passing Yemen, bound for Dubai. It will make the return trip in the spring of 2026 as it repositions back to the Mediterranean for summer cruises.

The ship is registered in the Marshall Islands, but its association with the Saudis is well known, who are considered to be enemies by the Houthis. The ship had previously made the Suez Canal transit in December 2024 on its pre-maiden voyage delivery run from Germany, where it was refitted for Aroya Cruises before its maiden voyage, and again in June 2025 when it repositioned into the Mediterranean for the summer season.

Built by Germany’s Meyer Werft, the cruise ship operated from 2017 till the financial collapse of Genting Hong Kong for its Dream Cruises as the World Dream. It cruised in Asia until it was laid up in March 2022. It was acquired by Cruise Saudi, which relaunched at the end of 2024 as a ship specifically designed for the Saudis and the Arab world. It has a capacity to carry over 3,300 passengers when full.

The Suez Canal Authority highlighted the transit as part of its marketing efforts to restore vessel traffic. The Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, Admiral Ossama Rabiee, highlighted the authority’s marketing efforts and toll reductions and incentives available for cruise ships. He said they have flexible marketing policies for cruise ships.

The Suez Canal had been a popular point for the cruise industry, with Rabiee highlighting that 69 cruise ships made the transit between 2021 and 2024. He said approximately 38,000 passengers had transited the Suez Canal on these ships, and it provided approximately $15.8 million in revenue for the authority.

Cruise ships, however, have continued to reposition to avoid the Red Sea dangers. Italy-based Costa Cruises announced in July that it was canceling its planned cruises from the Middle East scheduled for the winter of 2025-2026. MSC Cruises announced last week that it was canceling a planned 25-day cruise between Dubai and the UK, and it has also again rerouted its world cruise to travel around South Africa. MSC Euribia will be sailing without passengers from Germany to reposition to Dubai, where it is due to start cruising in November.

Dubai had been a popular winter homeport for cruise ships, and most world cruises transited the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal Authority, however, remains optimistic that it will be able to rebuild the cruise segment of its operations. 
 

The private diving and artifact-recovery company Atlantic Wreck Salvage has discovered the wreck of the long-lost trawler Seiner, a large fishing vessel that went down off Nantucket in 1929. 

Seiner was a steam trawler delivered in 1921 and homeported out of New London, Connecticut. The 140-foot vessel departed on her final voyage on January 9, 1929, but disappeared after her normal noon report on January 18. The ship was never found, and a large-scale search and rescue effort turned up no sign of her crew of 21 men. It was believed that she went down in a storm on Georges Bank, which was (at the time) a bountiful fishing ground known for its cod and haddock stocks. 

In 2022, Atlantic Wreck Salvage's vessel Tenacious visited Georges Bank to conduct a sidescan sonar search for historic wreck sites. They found Seiner, though they did not yet know it for certain, and they had to return to shore before they had time to dive on the site. 

Tenacious and her crew returned to Georges Bank in July 2025 to resume their work. They carried out a dive inspection of the Seiner wreck on July 27-28, and from visible characteristics, it was possible to verify the wreck's identity.

“The team was able to identify Seiner from features such as the double drum trawl winch, remains of the raised forecastle deck, shape of the stern, and the presence of a steam engine and boiler,” said AWS' Captain Eric Takakjian in a release. 

Sadly, the company's founder and the skipper of Tenacious, Capt. Joe Mazraani, died on July 29 while identifying another wreck on Georges Bank. Mazraani's partner, criminal defense attorney and diver Jennifer Sellitti, continues to operate Tenacious as AWS' managing member. 

The maritime industry has undertaken a range of tests exploring the use of biofuels, blending fats with diesel to create a more environmentally friendly transition fuel, with the latest test confirming the long-term operational feasibility of biodiesel. The results conducted using an NYK car and truck carrier (PCTC) further confirm the viability of the fuel.

DNV highlights the potential for biofuels in its new Maritime Outlook report. While it acknowledges the challenges over future availability, DNV notes that biofuel is easy to use. Its case study also showed that biofuel would be more economical for operators than paying the proposed penalties in the pending IMO regulations.

The Singapore-based Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation released the report for its Project LOTUS (Long-term impact of continuous use of biofuels on vessel operations) study. Launched in May 2024, it was a six-month trial to assess the impact of continuous use of a B24 blend, comprising 24 percent fatty acid methyl ester (FAME or biodiesel) with very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO). 

The focus of the study was on engine performance and operations of the fuel oil delivery systems. According to GCMD, until now, the impacts of long-term use of biodiesel on main and generator engines, fuel storage and supply systems, and other shipboard components have not been comprehensively evaluated. Additionally, operational protocols for fuel conditioning, onboard storage, and comprehensive inspection checklists remain limited.

Project LOTUS was designed to address those gaps by implementing a structured monitoring approach to track fuel and lubricant quality at key sampling points across these systems, and inspect engine and fuel system components throughout the trial.

The report highlights that the continuous use of the fuel blend had no adverse impact on engine performance or the operation of the fuel oil delivery system. Further, the project developed a structured monitoring framework tailored for continuous biodiesel use.

“Project LOTUS grounds the conversation around the extended use of biofuels in evidence,” said Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD. “Our findings show that they can be deployed safely and reliably, providing a concrete pathway for shipping’s decarbonization.”

As part of the project, they tested 94 fuel and lubricating oil samples, along with conducting detailed engine inspections and measurements during the vessel’s dry dock overhaul. At the conclusion of the six-month study, the main engine on the NYK car carrier had operated for 2,888 hours and the auxiliary engine for 1,813 hours.

GCMD reports the engines performed comparably to when they operated in VLSFO. Key observations confirmed no excessive sludge in fuel injection valves, no scratches in fuel injection pump plungers, and no liner or piston wear beyond original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications. Scavenge drain and engine oil analyses also showed no excessive wear elements.

Another key concern, the impact of prolonged biodiesel storage, was tested with the report showing that the fuel quality remained within ISO 8217 specifications. They did find that the acid value of B24 blends increased 2.5-fold after six months of storage, but no microbial growth was observed in fuel samples.

OEMs also confirmed engine and hardware compatibility with long-term B24 use, with no significant impact on operational costs, provided appropriate maintenance and handling practices are followed. Further, they conducted interviews with other vessel operators using biodiesel and found similar results. 

Further, the report notes that while OEMs and classification societies take an abundance-of-caution stance, the vessel operators surveyed have adopted a more pragmatic, risk-based strategy to adopting biodiesel blends by adapting existing standard operating procedures for VLSFO with recommended technical guidance where practicable. The report concludes that this suggests that when operators carry out appropriate operations in line with such guidance, biodiesel use does not present major issues.
 

Adm. Robert Burke (USN, ret'd.) has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for making a deal to trade his influence in the Pentagon for a lucrative post-retirement job. As a four-star admiral, Burke is among the highest-ranking officers ever convicted of a federal crime.   

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: if you sell your honor and trade your influence, you’ll pay the price," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro in a statement. "Instead of leading by example, [Burke] cashed in that trust — turning four stars into dollar signs and trading duty for a corporate payday."

While it is commonplace for admirals to take positions with defense contractors after leaving the military, prosecutors alleged that Burke arranged a six-figure military contract for his future employer before he departed the service. 

The story began in 2018, when training firm Next Jump received a subcontract from the Navy for a pilot program. The Navy terminated it the following year, leaving Next Jump without any military contracts. Next Jump's co-chief executives, defendants Yongchul "Charlie" Kim and Meghan Messenger, emailed Adm. Burke - the vice chief of naval operations - in hopes of reestablishing the business relationship. 

That outreach did not yield results for Next Jump right away, but in 2021 Burke agreed to take Kim's call. At the time, Burke was Commander Naval Forces Europe and Africa. Kim allegedly laid out a job proposal for Burke. If the admiral secured a workforce training contract for Next Jump from Naval Forces Europe, and stayed in the Navy six months afterwards to promote the training service-wide, he would get a $500,000 per year post-retirement job at Next Jump, prosecutors said. That sequence of events unfolded as allegedly discussed: Next Jump delivered trainings in Naples and Rota, and Burke went to work for the firm in late 2022 at a comparable pay rate. 

Burke's defense lawyer, Tim Parlatore - a Navy Reserve JAG officer with a top-level Pentagon role - argued that the military and government investigation into Burke's case had been done incompetently. However, a jury convicted Burke in May; Kim and Messenger's case went to trial in August, but ended in a hung jury and a mistrial. According to Parlatore, Burke may have had a better chance at his trial if his jury had seen the same evidence allowed in Kim and Messenger's case. 

Federal prosecutors asked for a 10-year sentence for Burke after his conviction. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him to six years in prison, plus three years of supervised release. 

The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch issued a report on a 2021 fire aboard a RoRo cargo ship as it was departing the Port of Hull, England. It found a broad series of mechanical failures, improper parts used in non-standard modifications, and a failure by the crew to “follow accepted procedures,” which contributed to the significant damage to the vessel’s auxiliary engine room. However, there was no loss of life, and the vessel was recovered and moved back to the dock despite these issues.

The cargo RoRo Finnmaster (8,800 dwt) was built in 1998 and operated on a regular route between Hull and Helsinki, Finland, for Finnlines, carrying RoRo and containerized cargo. The ship had a crew of 16 aboard and was making its normal departure from Hull when, eight minutes after leaving the dock on September 19, 2021, smoke alarms sounded and a fire was discovered in the auxiliary engine room. The ship was still within the confines of the harbor and, within four minutes, lost all main electrical power and propulsion, leaving it drifting while the crew struggled to put out the fire.

Eleven minutes after the Finnmaster had left the dock, the first of two tugs was alongside, followed by a second one in an additional 11 minutes. They had the ship back alongside a dock approximately 50 minutes after it had cast off. The crew had finally been able to extinguish the fire through a combination of the CO2 system and entering the space with dry powder extinguishers. 

(MAIB report)

MAIB found in its investigation that the fire started when one of the auxiliary engines malfunctioned, causing hot exhaust gas to impinge on a flexible hose, which then failed and leaked fuel under pressure onto a hot component. They concluded that the hose had been installed in the fuel system during a modification that “did not meet the required standard” and that it was fitted “in an inappropriate position.” The class society, RINA, had not had oversight or approval for the modification.

Once the fire started, other mechanical failures resulted as they sought to respond to the growing emergency. The emergency generator’s circuit breaker malfunctioned, so it could not be connected to the power supply. The CO2 fire-extinguishing system failed to fully operate due to a defective flexible hose assembly and leaks in the pilot system. The ultrahigh-frequency handheld radio system being used by the engineers failed, cutting off communication to the master on the bridge.

The 167-page report also highlights actions by the crew who attempted to enter the auxiliary engine room with dry powder extinguishers but were forced out by the heat. Some crew remained at their operational stations, and some went to emergency muster stations. The electrician attempted to restore power, but the crew was working with flashlights. Some of them attempted to re-enter the auxiliary engine room when they discovered not all the CO2 bottles had activated. They reported remnants of a small fire and, wearing compressed air breathing apparatus, re-entered and extinguished the fire with a dry powder extinguisher. The report says the crew’s response, affected by the loss of critical safety systems, was “ineffective.”

MAIB made a total of 12 recommendations, split between the Finnish administration as the ship’s flag state, the owners Finnlines, and RINA, the responsible class society. They called for IMO amendments and guidance on the testing of emergency power and radio systems, as well as fire-extinguishing systems. To the shipping company, they recommended revised and updated training, response, and defect reporting procedures.  They recommended that RINA make a recommendation to the International Association of Classification Societies for an urgent review into the procedural requirements for service supplies conducting maintenance of fire protection systems, and the guidance on support provided to chief engineers.

The vessel sustained significant damage to equipment in the auxiliary engine room. The heat from the fire melted plastic components and damaged wiring. Smoke damage, however, was limited largely to the compartment. The ship was repaired but from to Grimaldi the following year. It continues in service managed since 2024 by Balearia. 
 

After a period from March to May in which Iranian exports of crude oil to China fell substantially, in the three months from June to August sales have resumed their upward trend.

According to Kpler, Chinese ports unloaded 1.68 million barrels per day in August, an increase of more than 20% over offloading in July. The August figure was well above the average of 1.45 million bpd for the first eight months of 2025. While monthly figures can be erratic, Iranian sales to China appear to be on an upward trend. However, this may not be translating into increased revenues for Iran, as market prices for crude have fallen with supply still expanding faster than demand, despite Russia’s export difficulties. Iran is having to offer discounts of about $5 per barrel in order to tempt the Chinese purchasers to ignore the potential risks of US sanctions.

Iranian crude exports to China from Kpler and Vortexa estimates (CJRC)

The increase in crude shipments comes notwithstanding a substantial increase in sanctions listings, both of ships, shipping agents and offload crude terminals in China, from the US authorities but also from the EU and UK. The brutal fact however is that sanctions on the Iran to China shipping operation are largely ineffective when all elements of the supply chain are either Iranian-owned, or owned by Chinese companies who can happily carry on business because they operate within China’s internal market, or enjoy the blessing of the Chinese government. Sanctions discourage the involvement of legitimate companies in the trade, but there are sufficient numbers of unscrupulous operators attracted by the heightened profit margins to keep the operation in train. Fictitious companies and registrations may be detected and such entities sanctioned, but by that point the beneficial owners will have long since shuttered whatever has been sanctioned, and got out the paint pot to put a new name on a successor company.

Indeed, it could fairly be said that many of the government sanctions programs are political window-dressing, with no realistic prospect of being effective - save in deterring legitimate operators from taking part in the trade, to the benefit of cowboy operators instead. Winning the prize for ineffectiveness is the UK program, which despite listing hundreds of entities has failed to impose any penalty this year (or since records began) for breach of Iranian sanctions, though it has levied fines of $1 million for breaches of Russian-related sanctions.

The news is not entirely bleak, however. Attacking the supply chain directly is likely to remain ineffective, at least until consideration is given to resuming seizures of ships and cargos at sea, as last occurred in 2023. But linking breaches of sanctions to imposition of tariffs could encourage governments to go along with the sanctions - except that leaders of most of the countries concerned stood alongside each other in solidarity at the recent military parade in Beijing to celebrate the end of the Second World War in Asia.

The attorneys general from Connecticut and Rhode Island asked a court on Wednesday for a preliminary injunction against the stop work order imposed on Ørsted’s Revolution Wind offshore wind project. They called the actions by the Trump administration “abrupt and arbitrary,” saying that the states would face “immediate and irreparable harm” if the work did not resume immediately.

Nearly two weeks ago, the states also filed suit in Rhode Island against the stop work order, which was issued on August 22. Their actions are in addition to a suit filed in Washington, D.C. by the project developers. The states are arguing for a preliminary injunction while the legal cases are resolved. They highlight that work has now been stopped for nearly a month on a project that is 80 percent complete. 

The target date for completion of the project was November 2026. A project engineer for Ørsted, however, has said that if the delays continue, completion would be delayed at least till January 2027. The states highlight that Revolution Wind has contracts and obligations to the utility companies in Rhode Island and Connecticut. They said the first deadline is December 31, 2026.

“We have no time to waste in getting Revolution Wind back online, which is why we’re asking the Court to put a stop to this in short order,” said Rhode Island Attorney General Neronha. He highlights union workers who have been sidelined, as well as saying that companies are now reluctant to pursue economic ventures due to the uncertainty created by the stop work order. He also cites rising and increasingly unstable energy costs.

Connecticut Attorney General Tong also said the “nonsensical stop work order” is causing both immediate and irreparable economic and environmental harm to Connecticut. “Every day that Revolution Wind sits mothballed in the ocean is another day of unemployment, another day of unaffordable energy costs, and another day burning fossil fuels when clean, affordable, American-made energy is within our sights,” said Tong.

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee reports that he wrote to the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on September 3 to outline the status of the project and issues for the states. He requested a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump to negotiate a resolution. The governor said he does not think the administration “fully understands the consequences of what they are doing here.” He has not received a response to the meeting request.

The U.S. Department of Justice, on September 16, made its first court filing responding to the legal challenges to the stop work order. It contends that the project “failed to reach an agreement with the Defense Department on measures to mitigate impacts from electromagnetic emissions and fiber-optic sensors.” 

A report in the Rhode Island Current newspaper highlights that the project received its final federal approvals in November 2023 after years of federal review. However, it was given an extension and a further delay till July 2025 to submit a plan for minimizing interference with federal marine fisheries surveys. It was also working with the Department of Defense on a 2024 agreement to deconflict the project with national defense interests. However, they were not required to submit additional documents to DoD, and it is pointed out that DoD in 2020 had no objections to the project.

After imposing the stop work order, the administration has said it would also seek to challenge other permits issued during the Biden administration. It has filed court challenges to Maryland’s first offshore wind farm and a planned future project for Massachusetts. It permitted New York’s Empire Wind to restart after stopping work for a month in April, leaving Revolution Wind as the only largely installed (or operational) offshore wind farm that the administration is challenging.
 

Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom have launched an international partnership to revitalize the Yemeni Coastguard, with the aim of improving security in the Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb.

At a conference held in Riyadh attended by 35 countries, the Yemen Maritime Security Partnership was established to provide funding training equipment and support for Yemen’s Coastguard.  The initiative is to be supported by a permanent secretariat, the Technical Assistance Fund For Yemen (TAFFY). Saudi Arabia is putting forward $4 million immediately as seed funding, and the UK with assistance from the Welsh government is to provide technical assistance and support for TAFFY during the implementation phase. TAFFY also has ambitions to take on wider government capability-building tasks.

The UK had announced a package of support for the Yemeni Coastguard in November last year, comprised of fast patrol boats, training, and assistance. The UK has had a long-term interest in nurturing the Yemeni Coastguard since it was founded in 2003, having provided assistance in building its information and communications structure before the organization crumpled as the civil war in Yemen worsened. A cadre of 30 coastguard officers are currently undergoing a two-year English language training course sponsored by the British Embassy in Yemen.

The 35 Countries who attended the conference included Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States, as well as GCC nations and the European Union. A significant conference attendee was Oman, who in the past has mediated the release of sailors held hostage by the Houthis. The breadth of participation suggests the forum could develop utility in solving broader issues of security in the Red Sea.

In June last year, Major General Tariq Saleh held discussions with the chief of the Coast Guard Service, Major General Khaled Al-Qamali on how to improve cooperation. The General’s National Resistance Forces have made several high-value interceptions of inbound Houthi arms in the Red Sea.

The effort to nurture the effectiveness of the Yemeni Coastguard and to develop a homegrown solution is in part an acknowledgement of the difficulties of providing protection for merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el Mandeb using conventional naval forces. Although the separate EU and US led naval forces have had some success when deployed in areas under attack, it has proven impossible to provide sufficient coverage to protect all merchant shipping - and also extremely expensive. The success of the National Resistance Forces in making interceptions at sea is an encouragement to adopt non-military approaches to policing the problem, employing small craft, local knowledge and intelligence.

An accident that occurred during the routine docking procedure on Wednesday evening, September 17, for the Great Lakes ferry S.S. Badger. It was the second incident in two years for the historic ship, and despite some damage to the vessel, it was able to resume its sailings during the final weeks of the popular tourist season.

At approximately 6:50 p.m. local time on Wednesday, the Great Lakes passenger-car ferry was backing into its dock in Ludington, Michigan. The vessel appeared to overshoot and collided with its long-retired, permanently moored sister ship, S.S. Spartan. None of the passengers aboard the four-hour cruise was injured. 

The Lake Michigan Carferry company wrote in a social media posting, “The incident, which occurred during a docking procedure… The extent of the damage to the S.S. Badger's sea gate is currently being assessed by marine engineers to determine the necessary repairs and to ensure the vessel's continued safe operation.”

Despite the accident, the company reported that Badger would resume service between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on Thursday at 9 a.m.  The summer sailing season had begun in May, and the ship is scheduled to conclude its yearly program on October 12.

The vessel has a lift gate on its stern for the ramp to the car deck. It is unclear how much damage occurred to the gate, which appears to have been in the raised position as they were maneuvering into the dock. The Badger has a capacity to accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles.

The sea gate is visible in the raised position on this photo (Lake Michigan Carferry Co.)

A local fan of the vessel, Travis May, commented on Facebook, “Spartan is roughly 40 yards behind the Badger’s dog they inch into with an anchor drag. Unless a guy in the firehouse went rogue, it’s impossible to hit that ship unless the anchor snapped late during the swing with heavy reverse power all of a sudden without anchor drag. Even then, it would be hard to hit the parked vessel as a turn in engines could reverse course in 40+ yards. On a clear night. This is really odd to me.”

Two years ago, in July 2023, Badger backed into the ramping system, which is used to load and unload vehicles in Ludington. It was blamed on a mechanical failure, and the company tried to repair the loading ramp. In August, however, they announced that the season was suspended despite special celebrations to mark the vessel’s 70 years of service.

Operated by Lake Michigan Carferry, the Badger and Spartan were launched in 1952 and 1953. At 410 feet (125 meters) in length, they were the largest and became the last coal-fired, steam engine car ferries built in the U.S. They were originally designed to provide a shortcut across Lake Michigan, a service maintained by the C&O Railroad till 1979. Spartan has not sailed since 1980 and today is used for spare parts for her sister ship. Badger became a popular tourist attraction, and in 2016, she was designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The company and the vessels were acquired in 2021 by the Interlake Holding Company, which pledged to maintain the historic service. Originally designed primarily to transport railroad cars, today the Badger transports RVs, motorcycles, motor coaches, and commercial trucks on the 60-mile crossing of the lake.
 

South Korea’s largest shipbuilder is reportedly in discussions with “multiple companies” exploring the acquisition of a U.S. shipyard. It would follow the 2024 acquisition of Philly Shipyard by competitor Hanwha and HD Hyundai’s growth strategy, expanding its international operations.

News of the potential acquisition of a U.S. shipyard came during an exclusive interview with a company executive by Reuters. They declined to name the companies involved in the talks or to reveal how advanced the discussions might have progressed.

HD Hyundai cited the strong opportunities emerging in the United States as it anticipates the Trump administration will accelerate naval shipbuilding to catch up with the Chinese. U.S. naval shipbuilding is currently dominated by a few major companies, including HII (Huntington Ingalls Industries), General Dynamics, Fincantieri Marine, Austal, and others. U.S. law requires warships to be built at U.S. yards, although there is talk in the U.S. Congress to ease some restrictions so that the Korean yards might build some vessels.

HD Hyundai, in addition to its commercial operations, is expanding its construction of naval vessels. The company this week christened the second ship of South Korea’s 8,200-ton Aegis destroyer program at its Ulsan shipyard. Hyundai has been adapting the designs and building Aegis destroyers since 2008. It has a technical cooperation agreement (MOU) with Huntington Ingalls for the Aegis class and has also built warships for export to the Philippines, New Zealand, and a new program for Peru.

The U.S. is viewed as the best market opportunity, and HD Hyundai has said it plans to lead South Korea’s "Make America Shipbuilding Great Again" (MASGA) initiative. South Korea pledged to invest $150 million into U.S. shipbuilding during its trade negotiations with the United States.

Among the challenges mentioned during the Reuters interview is a shortage of skilled American workers and high attrition rates. Reuters reports the company said it could take three to five years to train U.S. workers. Also, it raised U.S. immigration and visa policy based on the recent raid of the Hyundai Motor’s battery plant in Georgia, which saw 475 Korean workers detained and many forced to return to Korea. HD Hyundai would also require government approval to acquire a U.S. shipyard.

HD Hyundai has been moving aggressively to expand its international operations as part of a plan that targets $2.2 billion in revenues by 2035 from building U.S. warships, reports Reuters. So far this year, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering has received orders for a total of 90 ships worth $12.21 billion USD, achieving nearly 68 percent of its annual order target of $18.05 billion.

The company announced a new partnership with U.S.-based Edison Chouest Offshore in June 2025 that they said would focus on building containerships. It also formed a new partnership in India and has been rumored to be a bidder for a shipyard development project in Morocco. At the beginning of September, the company launched shipbuilding operations in the Philippines for commercial ships.

Adm. Robert Burke (USN, ret'd.) has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for making a deal to trade his influence in the Pentagon for a lucrative post-retirement job. As a four-star admiral, Burke is among the highest-ranking officers ever convicted of a federal crime.   

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: if you sell your honor and trade your influence, you’ll pay the price," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro in a statement. "Instead of leading by example, [Burke] cashed in that trust — turning four stars into dollar signs and trading duty for a corporate payday."

While it is commonplace for admirals to take positions with defense contractors after leaving the military, prosecutors alleged that Burke arranged a six-figure military contract for his future employer before he departed the service. 

The story began in 2018, when training firm Next Jump received a subcontract from the Navy for a pilot program. The Navy terminated it the following year, leaving Next Jump without any military contracts. Next Jump's co-chief executives, defendants Yongchul "Charlie" Kim and Meghan Messenger, emailed Adm. Burke - the vice chief of naval operations - in hopes of reestablishing the business relationship. 

That outreach did not yield results for Next Jump right away, but in 2021 Burke agreed to take Kim's call. At the time, Burke was Commander Naval Forces Europe and Africa. Kim allegedly laid out a job proposal for Burke. If the admiral secured a workforce training contract for Next Jump from Naval Forces Europe, and stayed in the Navy six months afterwards to promote the training service-wide, he would get a $500,000 per year post-retirement job at Next Jump, prosecutors said. That sequence of events unfolded as allegedly discussed: Next Jump delivered trainings in Naples and Rota, and Burke went to work for the firm in late 2022 at a comparable pay rate. 

Burke's defense lawyer, Tim Parlatore - a Navy Reserve JAG officer with a top-level Pentagon role - argued that the military and government investigation into Burke's case had been done incompetently. However, a jury convicted Burke in May; Kim and Messenger's case went to trial in August, but ended in a hung jury and a mistrial. According to Parlatore, Burke may have had a better chance at his trial if his jury had seen the same evidence allowed in Kim and Messenger's case. 

Federal prosecutors asked for a 10-year sentence for Burke after his conviction. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him to six years in prison, plus three years of supervised release. 

[By: Sperry Marine]

Sperry Marine, a global leader in navigation solutions for seagoing vessels, has issued a whitepaper to explain how new S-100 standards lay the foundation for enhancing the quantity, quality and appearance of the information navigators need to ensure vessel safety, efficiency and sustainability.

‘VisionMaster S-100 ECDIS - A step change for marine navigation’ explains how the new S-100 framework will help free electronic chart information systems (ECDIS) software from constraints embedded in existing standards that were conceived in the 1990s. The paper offers guidance to customers on S-100’s consequences for equipment procurement, crew training and in-service systems, while also introducing Sperry Marine’s VisionMaster S-100 ECDIS to market.

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has worked with industry to develop S-100 to replace existing S-52, S-57 and S-63 standards - respectively covering the way ECDIS show electronic navigation charts (ENCs), formats used for transferring hydrographic data, and cyber security verification. First phase developments focused on finalising S-100 standards for ENCs, bathymetric surface, water level information, surface currents, navigational warnings, and under keel clearance management.

“The advent of S-100 represents the single biggest change to ECDIS since IMO adopted the revised ECDIS Performance Standards in 2006,” said Simon Cooke, Technical Manager, Sperry Marine. “This whitepaper offers practical guidance on how ships’ navigational and voyage management systems can realise the potential of accelerating digitalisation.”

The contemporary geospatial standards (ISO 19100) used in S-100 allow multiple navigational data layers to be presented simultaneously on a single display, while S-100 standards are also extensible so that new data products can be added as required, said Cooke.

The International Maritime Organization has revised its ECDIS performance standards to accommodate S-100. Users are free to use software conforming to the standard on a voluntary basis in new ECDIS installations from January 1, 2026, with their use scheduled to be mandatory for new ECDIS installations from January 1, 2029.

As Sperry Marine’s insightful paper explains, however, manufacturers need type approval that S-100 ECDIS satisfies test standard IEC 61174 Edition 5, which the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has yet to finalise. IMO has also not set a deadline for updating existing ECDIS installations, with hydrographic offices continuing to publish S-57 ENCs for the foreseeable future.

“Experience demonstrates that close collaboration is critical between regulators and marine technology specialists on ECDIS to ensure ship safety, efficiency, environmental responsibility, and orderly transition,” said Cooke. For good reason, Sperry Marine’s VisionMaster S-100 ECDIS will have ‘dual fuel’ compatibility with S-100 and S-57 standards, he added.

The first-time user of the VisionMaster S-100 ECDIS would experience new generation benefits going beyond S-100 requirements, he added, for example by allowing the navigator to see charted dangers further along planned or current routes, and to set preferences to minimise distractions from alerts while maintaining awareness of significant charted objects.

“But, as this white paper also shows, the IMO’s 2026 milestone for voluntary S-100 ECDIS adoption is an opportunity to acknowledge the benefits these standards will bring for industry as a whole. Sperry Marine is ready to work with its customers on the timely transition to S-100 for the better of ship safety, ship performance and maritime decarbonisation.”

Download the white paper here.

[By: Amogy]

?Amogy, a provider of mature, scalable, and efficient ammonia-to-power solutions, today announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KBR, a leading global provider of science, technology, and engineering solutions. The collaboration will focus on expanding pathways for global decarbonization through ammonia cracking and involve evaluating and advancing ammonia cracking catalyst applications to accelerate ammonia’s role as a hydrogen carrier.

Under the agreement, Amogy’s proprietary Ruthenium ammonia cracking catalysts will be evaluated within KBR’s hydrogen production platforms for potential commercial deployment, including offshore and industrial applications. The collaboration also establishes regular knowledge exchange, joint exploration of new market opportunities, and cooperative efforts to demonstrate Amogy’s catalysts integrated into KBR’s systems.

Amogy’s catalyst portfolio, including both precious-metal-based and base-metal-based formulations, enables highly efficient ammonia conversion into hydrogen. Designed for high activity, these catalysts increase hydrogen production rates at lower operating temperatures. Available through licensing or direct sales, they offer scalable, reliable solutions to meet the diverse demands of the clean energy sector.

KBR, a global leader in sustainable energy solutions, offers technologies for both green and blue hydrogen production. Its portfolio includes H2KPlus™ for cost-effective blue hydrogen via Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) and H2ACT® for producing hydrogen from ammonia. This collaboration complements KBR’s portfolio and aligns with KBR’s interest in evaluating innovative catalyst technologies for potential integration into its hydrogen platforms.

“KBR’s leadership in hydrogen technology makes them an ideal partner as we work to scale ammonia’s role as a global hydrogen carrier,” said Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy. “Together, we are committed to advancing the hydrogen economy with innovative solutions. By combining Amogy’s catalyst expertise with KBR’s world-class technology platforms, we can unlock new opportunities for clean, scalable energy.”

Ammonia is increasingly recognized as a key enabler of the hydrogen economy because it offers a practical, energy-dense, and easily transportable form of hydrogen. Unlike pure hydrogen, which is challenging to store and move at scale due to its low volumetric density, ammonia can be shipped using existing global infrastructure. When cracked back into hydrogen, it provides a carbon-free fuel source that can power heavy industry, transportation, and energy generation. As demand for clean hydrogen grows worldwide, ammonia is positioned to play a pivotal role in bridging supply and demand across regions.

Following two drone strikes on suspected smuggling vessels and the elimination of 14 suspected smugglers off Venezuela, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has put out a solicitation for off-the-shelf "non-kinetic" options for stopping small smuggling craft closer to home - specifically without undue risk of fatalities. 

The solicitation calls for proposals for a "show-stopper" device that can stop small boats, like those used to smuggle drugs and immigrants across U.S. maritime borders. Most U.S.-bound border crossings happens shoreside on the southern border, with smaller maritime components off San Diego, Brownsville and Puerto Rico; citing a "growing security challenge" on the water, DIU is looking for nonlethal ways to stop the small craft that make maritime cross-border smuggling possible.

"These agile vessels, often operating in densely populated areas and under cover of darkness, require interdiction strategies that do not expose the suspect vessel’s operators, civilian bystanders, and law enforcement personnel conducting the interdiction to an undue level of risk," DIU said in a statement. 

The DIU's solicitation laid out an example of a typical interaction off Southern California. A U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat gives chase to a suspect vessel operating at high speed in U.S. territorial waters. As the Coast Guard closes in, the small craft swerves repeatedly to deter a boarding. Then, to escape capture, the suspect vessel’s operator tosses his phone into the water and turns back towards the maritime boundary with Mexico. At this point, USCG rules of engagement allow the use of force - but the Coast Guard boat crew assesses that the use of disabling fire would put others at risk, including the vessel's occupants. Without kinetic engagement, the smuggling boat gets away across the Mexican boundary line, and the USCG boat has to give up the chase. 

Had the USCG patrol boat been fitted with a "nonlethal" method of stopping the suspect vessel, it could have completed the interdiction, DIU suggested - without hurting the passengers aboard the smuggling craft. 

To fill this perceived gap, DIU wants to buy a ready-to-use solution for disabling one small watercraft (or its operator) through non-kinetic means, without significant collateral damage to people or property. As examples, DIU cited microwave weapons and electronic attack. The selected option must be capable of disabling one or more high-speed watercraft at a time, deployable on Coast Guard patrol boats as small as 25 feet, and usable up to sea state 3.  

The most prominent, technically mature system in this category is Epirus' Leonidas microwave air defense system, which has been adapted for maritime deployment as the Leonidas H20. In testing it has proven proficient at disabling outboard motors by taking out their electronics, at "record ranges."

"Anything with little computers in it and stuff, is susceptible to these persistent fields of energy," said Epirus CEO Andy Lowery, speaking to Defense News earlier this year. "It kind of uses the water as a mirror, and so [we] can use the water to our advantage, that is it hits certain spots in even further distances by using reflections off the water."

The company already has a mini "pod" variant that is light enough to mount on a drone, along with a vehicle-mounted version that has been trialed on the Stryker platform. 

Historic shipbuilder Harland & Wolff will not be building the first-in-class of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels because its facility isn't ready for the job, new owner Navantia says. Instead, the first ship will be constructed in Cadiz at Navantia's Spanish yard, a company representative told the Financial Times. 

"We shuffled a little bit things for ship one into Spain, and we moved from Spain things for ships two and three," Navantia UK CEO Donato Martinez told the FT. "The facilities were not ready in Belfast."

He emphasized that the overall program is still on track to deliver all three ships by 2032, as scheduled. The estimated current price is about $2.7 billion for the full program. 

Harland & Wolff is known best as the builder of the Titanic, and has delivered many prominent vessels over the course of its 164-year history. But in recent years it has had its challenges, like many European yards: it delivered its last vessel in 2009, and it has been insolvent twice since 2019. Navantia acquired the shipbuilder out of administration earlier this year for about $125 million, with support from the British government, which wants to see the FSS contract succeed. H&W and Navantia won the contract award jointly, before they became one company. 
 
As the yard's new owner, Navantia says that it is investing in its capabilities to improve productivity and modernize operations, including a new automated panel line and a robotic plasma cutter. The infrastructure project should be completed by June 2026, reports Navy Lookout. 

Even before the rescheduling, Navantia was planning to build the most complicated portions of the ship at Cadiz. But the effects of the rescheduling could be significant for H&W's outlying yards, which were planning to feed blocks to the Belfast facility for assembly. Steel cutting for the bow of the first ship was already scheduled for December 2025 at the H&W subsidiary yard in Appledore, the outlet reported. Work is already under way on a purpose-built barge to transport these blocks, and H&W and its outlying yards have already started hiring up apprentices.  

The government of New Zealand reports that it will be taking steps to encourage the development of its offshore energy and natural resources. It plans to revise legislation to resolve potential conflicts between offshore wind energy development and seabed mining as a key step to permit both sectors to proceed.

“New Zealand has some of the world’s greatest offshore wind potential, offering a significant opportunity to generate economic growth while powering our homes and businesses," said Energy Minister Simon Watts. “Offshore wind requires a significant upfront investment. That’s why we are establishing a clear regulatory regime through the Offshore Renewable Energy Bill that was introduced last year, to give developers the certainty they need to invest and kickstart the sector.”

The industry has been calling for action by the government while the development of key projects has been stalled. BlueFloat Energy, which was seeking opportunities in New Zealand, reportedly wrote the ministers last year saying the country needed to choose between offshore wind and seabed mining. BlueFloat later pulled out of New Zealand.

A partnership between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and the government-owned NZ Super Fund, however, has an ambitious project saying it would commit approximately US$3 billion for a wind farm consisting of up to 70 wind turbines to be located 15 to 25 miles off the coast of South Taranaki, at the southwestern side of the North Island, and on the Tasman Sea. The company has set an initial goal of 1 GW while noting the project could be scaled to 2 GW.

New Zealand’s cabinet has agreed to amend draft legislation. According to the minister, the changes will create greater investment certainty for both offshore wind and seabed mining. The reports said it would only impact seabed mining and not the oil and gas sector or existing mineral projects.

“The amendments will enable the government to use secondary legislation to designate specific marine space where permits could be invited for offshore renewable projects while there is a pause on granting new permits for seabed mining under the Crown Minerals Act,” explained Watts. “This is a pragmatic step to address a key concern raised by the industry.”

While the amendments and legislative steps will remove a key hurdle, New Zealand has not yet designated its first areas. Watts, however, said that it is likely to be somewhere in South Taranaki.

The CIP-led partnership, known as Taranaki Offshore Partnership, reports it has already invested heavily in the project. It has undertaken wind measurements and surveys. It anticipates that the wind farm could be in the construction and commissioning phase by 2030. It anticipates it will take three to four years to complete.