Vessel Hunter News
Maritime, in motion

Velesto wins a $51m North Malay Basin drilling contract
Malaysia's Velesto has won a $51m contract for integrated drilling services in the North Malay Basin, starting in August.

DOF reshapes its fleet with vessel sales and new acquisitions
Norwegian offshore owner DOF is reshaping its fleet, selling four platform supply vessels while adding construction tonnage.

Rotterdam handles more crude as Hormuz disruption reshapes flows
The Port of Rotterdam handled more crude and oil products in the first half as Hormuz disruption redirected flows.

Titan Wind Energy enters China's tanker-building ranks
Chinese renewables firm Titan Wind Energy has secured its first order for conventional crude tankers.

Russia-Ukraine strikes squeeze Black Sea trade from both sides
Black Sea shipping is being squeezed as Russia attacks Ukrainian ports and Ukraine's drones disrupt Russian gateways.

Houthis claim strikes on two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea
A Yemeni armed movement has claimed strikes on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, its first attacks since declaring a blockade.

DP World plans two east-coast UAE terminals beyond Hormuz
DP World has confirmed plans for two terminals on the UAE's east coast, creating cargo capacity outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Navantia lays the keel of a new frigate seven months ahead of schedule
Navantia has laid the keel of the third frigate in its F110 programme seven months ahead of schedule.

USS Zumwalt returns to service without its hypersonic missiles
The US Navy's lead stealth destroyer is returning to service with its hypersonic launchers fitted but no missiles to fire.

Guyana ferry death toll rises to 41 as overloading comes into focus
The Guyana ferry death toll has risen to at least 41, with the vessel found to have carried 179 people against a manifest of 133.

SBM Offshore to sell a stake in a Mexican FSO to NYK
SBM Offshore is selling a 45% stake in a new FSO bound for Mexico's Trion field to NYK, keeping majority control.

A 'super El Niño' threatens to disrupt the cargo sector
Forecasters warn a potentially historic El Niño could disrupt global supply chains across shipping, air cargo and manufacturing.

Tanker owners eye the US Gulf Coast as Hormuz tensions squeeze Gulf flows
Tanker owners are eyeing the US Gulf Coast as Hormuz tensions threaten to disrupt Persian Gulf crude flows.

NYK takes full ownership of open-hatch specialist Saga Welco
NYK has taken full control of Norwegian open-hatch operator Saga Welco and its 48-vessel fleet.

Essberger orders two more chemical tankers in China
German owner Essberger has exercised an option for two more chemical tankers in China, taking its orderbook to eight.

Rotterdam completes foundations for Northern Europe's largest container expansion
An APM Terminals site at Rotterdam has finished foundations for an expansion that will double its capacity with an automated fleet.

Pakistan pays record sums for spot LNG as Qatar supply falters
Pakistan is paying record spot LNG prices as Hormuz disruption and stranded Qatari cargoes force it onto the market.

IHC delivers a 31,000m³ mega-dredger to Boskalis
A next-generation 31,000m³ trailing suction hopper dredger has been handed over to Boskalis after sea trials.

Container-ship orderbook hits a record high as overcapacity fears loom
The global container-ship orderbook has passed 13.7m TEU, over 40% of the fleet, even as analysts warn of overcapacity.

Women still make up just 1% of the world's seafarers, survey finds
Women account for just 1% of the world's seafarers, a figure that has barely moved in years, a survey finds.

Chile's Asmar builds two naval ships at once in a signal of intent
Chile's state shipyard has launched a large multipurpose naval vessel while starting work on its sister ship.

Philippines and China summon each other's envoys over a South China Sea clash
The Philippines and China have summoned each other's ambassadors after a confrontation near a contested South China Sea shoal.

All 17 crew rescued as a propane-laden gas carrier burns off Romania
All 17 crew were rescued from a Liberian-flagged LPG carrier after fire engulfed its superstructure off Romania.

Navantia UK ships subsea structures from Scotland to a Trinidad gas field
A UK yard has delivered subsea structures fabricated in Scotland for a major gas development off Trinidad and Tobago.

Panama moves to take full control of its trans-isthmian oil terminal operator
Panama has launched a buyout of the remaining private stake in its trans-isthmian oil pipeline and terminal operator.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says ships were hit after taking an unsafe route through Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guard says two ships were hit after taking an unsafe route through the Strait of Hormuz.

Tight tonnage hands container-ship owners the upper hand in charters
Tight tonnage has given container-ship owners the upper hand in charters, with charterers accepting longer, firmer deals.

World-first ammonia-fuelled gas carrier completes its maiden commercial voyage
A Belgian owner's new gas carrier has completed the first commercial voyage burning ammonia as fuel, from China to India.

Korean group wins approval in principle for a nuclear-powered container ship
A South Korean consortium has won approval in principle for a large container ship powered by molten salt reactors.

US says it redirected six ships and disabled one under an Iran naval blockade
The US military says it redirected six commercial ships and disabled one enforcing a naval blockade on Iran.

Taiwan reports a surge in Chinese vessel activity around the island
Taiwan has reported a sharp rise in Chinese coast guard and research vessel activity, raising fears for its Pacific supply routes.

Malampaya gas field restarts after a major maintenance turnaround
A flagship Philippine deepwater gas project has restarted after a month-long turnaround, with new wells due late this year.

Kongsberg's order backlog hits a record on defence demand
Norwegian technology group Kongsberg has pushed its order backlog to a record on booming defence and subsea demand.

Maersk and MSC offer to unwind a Santos terminal stake to stay in the megaterminal race
The terminal arms of two big carriers have proposed divesting a shared Santos terminal to stay eligible for a new concession.

Port of Los Angeles posts its best-ever June, topping a million containers
The Port of Los Angeles handled more than a million containers in June, its busiest June in 118 years.

Dismantling of the grounded MSC Baltic III gathers pace
Salvors have removed almost all the cargo from a container ship grounded off eastern Canada and are cutting up the wreck.

N-Sea's new cable-layer readies for its first project
A brand-new cable-laying vessel is preparing for its first assignment at an offshore wind farm off Scotland.

Dutch regulator clears the Vertom-UAL merger
The Netherlands' competition authority has approved a merger between a Dutch shortsea operator and the parent of an African line.

Boluda orders two new tugs from Damen
A major European towage group has signed with a Dutch shipbuilder for two new harbour tugs.

India sentences 44 Somali pirates to life imprisonment
A court in India has sentenced 44 Somali men to life imprisonment for piracy.

Hamburg's HHLA issues a profit warning
A major German terminal operator has issued a profit warning on higher costs and weaker throughput.

Sinokor offers crews six months' extra pay for Hormuz round-trips
A leading tanker owner has offered crews six months' extra pay for a round trip through the Strait of Hormuz.

A 26-year-old car carrier fetches $42m at auction
A car carrier built in 2000 has sold at auction for around $42m, an exceptional price for its age.

Russia emerges as the dominant flag for the sanctioned shadow fleet
Russia has become the dominant flag for the sanctioned shadow fleet as new registries emerge under enforcement pressure.

First of a new self-unloader class delivered for the Guinea iron ore trade
A Chinese yard has delivered the first of a new class of transshipment self-unloaders for Guinea's iron ore trade.

A record two million cars set to move in containers this year
A record two million cars are set to ship in containers this year as China's exports outpace the car-carrier fleet.

Houthis declare a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia
A Yemeni armed movement has declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, threatening vessels linked to the kingdom.
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