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NCLH Pushes a $20bn Fleet Renewal as Five Ships Leave by 2028
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is running the industry's only active fleet optimisation programme, chartering out its oldest ships while ordering 16 new ones through 2037.
Klaipeda Begins Work on the Largest Port Expansion in Its History
Site preparation has started in the southern part of the Port of Klaipeda, where breakwater construction begins this autumn on a development expected to exceed EUR 1bn in total value.
JFE Completes Japan's First Domestically Built Offshore Wind Monopile
JFE Engineering has rolled out the first foundation for a commercial Japanese offshore wind farm from its Kasaoka plant, the country's only domestic monopile manufacturing base.
Northern Ocean Sees Deepsea Mira Idle Until at Least Early 2027
Northern Ocean now expects its only semisubmersible to stay without work into the first quarter of 2027 as it cuts costs and refinances $112.8m of borrowings.
GHL Proposes Blackford Dolphin Return to Nigeria to Settle $105m Claim
General Hydrocarbons has approached Dolphin Drilling with a proposal combining a Nigerian deployment of the Blackford Dolphin with a cash payment against a $105m arbitration award.
Cetus Maritime in Talks for 13 Seacon Ships Ahead of a Planned IPO
Hong Kong bulker owner Cetus Maritime is negotiating to take interests in 13 vessels from Hong Kong-listed Seacon Shipping in a cash-and-shares deal tied to its planned overseas listing.
COSCO Orders 18 More Boxships as 2026 Newbuilding Spend Reaches $8bn
COSCO Shipping Holdings has committed to another 18 containerships worth RMB20.27bn, taking its 2026 boxship orders to 48 vessels and around 676,800 teu of nominal capacity.
Crane Fire Injures Two During Heavylift Discharge at Mumbai Port
Two crane operators were taken to hospital after a telescopic boom struck the Barbados-flagged Vienna at Ballard Pier Station and caught fire during a heavylift discharge.
Panama Canal Loosens Booking Rules to Stretch Shrinking Transit Capacity
From booking dates beginning 13 September the canal will offer 63 neopanamax slots a week and guarantee minimum allocations to containerships, gas carriers, bulkers and vehicle carriers.
Turkish and Somali Forces Retake the Hijacked Coaster Lutuf off Somalia
The Cameroon-flagged general cargo ship Lutuf has been recovered nearly two weeks after Somali pirates seized it while it was carrying supplies to a Turkish military base in Mogadishu.
Port Congestion Absorbs 2.3m TEU as Container Fleet Faces a Suez Reset
Delays have rendered 6.6% of the containership fleet effectively unavailable, masking a tonnage release that a full return to Suez would turn into an 8.7% contraction in head-haul demand.
US and Iran Trade Fire as Third Tanker Is Hit in Strait of Hormuz
American forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island and Tehran retaliated with missiles and drones, ending a month-long lull as a third tanker in a week was hit near Hormuz.
Singapore to merge southern islands into a new industrial Western island
Singapore plans to merge several islands south of Jurong Island into a larger landmass to support advanced manufacturing, power generation and military uses.
Kim Heng sells 70% of Bridgewater Offshore to Umbilicore for $26.8m
Singapore's Kim Heng has signed a binding letter of intent to sell 70% of Bridgewater Offshore to Umbilicore for US$26.8 million in cash, retaining a minority interest.
Dutch port workers to strike at Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Zeeland on 4 September
Port workers will halt operations at Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Zeeland on 4 September in a nationwide FNV Havens strike against planned cuts to unemployment benefits.
K Shipbuilding books six product tankers worth $368m for 2028 delivery
K Shipbuilding has signed contracts worth about $368 million for six product tankers across two types, with sequential delivery starting in the first half of 2028.
CSSC Chengxi hands over Palanca Tokyo, completing asphalt carrier series
CSSC Chengxi Shipyard has delivered the 17,000 dwt asphalt carrier Palanca Tokyo to Kumiai Senpaku, completing a three-vessel series for the Japanese owner.
US Navy plans carrier deployments beyond seven months as Iran conflict runs on
The US Navy expects carrier strike group deployments to run beyond seven months while the conflict with Iran continues, with a supplemental funding request of $6bn to $8bn outstanding.
China to Middle East box rates pass $10,000 as September pressures build
Quotes for 40-foot containers on China to Middle East lanes have surpassed $10,000, up from around $7,000 weeks earlier, as conflict risk and congestion tighten capacity.
Container schedule reliability falls to 56.4% in July, the lowest of 2026
Sea-Intelligence data shows schedule reliability fell 6.1 percentage points month-on-month in July to 56.4%, with none of the top 13 carriers improving on the month.
Israeli golden share and Brazilian review slow Hapag-Lloyd's Zim acquisition
Hapag-Lloyd's proposed acquisition of Zim faces a full Brazilian antitrust review that may extend to March 2027, alongside an Israeli government golden share that can veto the sale.
OOIL first-half profit falls 24% despite record OOCL container volumes
OOIL's first-half attributable profit fell to $727.95m from $954.23m a year earlier, with record liftings and higher liner revenue offset by rising operating and bunker costs.
HHLA repair unit moved 20,000 TEU of empty boxes by rail from Hamburg
Hamburg Container and Chassis Repair Company shifted around 20,000 TEU of empty containers to rail from its Altenwerder Damm depot in 2025 and expects further growth.
Singapore and Brazil sign green and digital shipping corridor agreement
A memorandum of understanding signed on 28 August establishes a green and digital shipping corridor between Singapore and Brazil focused on alternative marine fuels.
Acta Gemini starts long-term RWE charter at Sofia offshore wind farm
Acta Marine's newest service operation vessel has completed shakedown and begun a long-term charter supporting RWE's 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm from Grimsby.
Royal T Shipyards advances battery-electric version of GADUS dry cargo series
The GADUS Battery Electric targets the 5,000-6,000 tonne deadweight segment, with operational studies validating up to 91% of a Norwegian trading profile running on electricity.
Bencros issues verified CO2 reduction certificates alongside marine fenders
Fender maker Bencros will issue Emission Reduction Certificates that buyers can book into their own Scope 3 inventory, with 13,112 tonnes of CO2e verified by Bureau Veritas.
Maersk takes delivery of fourth 9,000-TEU methanol-capable containership
Tacoma Maersk is the fourth of six mid-sized 9,000-TEU newbuildings able to burn methanol, and will be deployed between the Middle East, India and the US East Coast.
Thamesborg Completes Northwest Passage a Year After Grounding
Wagenborg's Thamesborg has transited the Northwest Passage without incident a year after grounding on an uncharted shoal in Franklin Strait.
Finnish Appeal Court Revives the Eagle S Cable Damage Case
The Helsinki Court of Appeal has overturned a ruling that Finland lacked jurisdiction over the Eagle S, reopening the prosecution of crew over Baltic cable damage.
Floatel Triumph Lined Up for Brazilian Safety Unit Work in 2027
Floatel International has received a letter of intent for the semi-submersible Floatel Triumph to provide maintenance and safety unit services offshore Brazil from 2027.
TotalEnergies Completes Its Exit from Russia's Arctic LNG 2
TotalEnergies has transferred its 10 percent interest in Arctic LNG 2 to Novatek subsidiary NordLine, retaining a claim to about $1.3 billion in shareholder loans.
Mercuria's Capesize Buying Spree Approaches 1.5 Million DWT
Mercuria's secondhand capesize buying is nearing 1.5m dwt after the purchase of the 180,000 dwt Mount Dampier for around $38 million.
ETUC Joins Hague Appeal Over the Non-Seafarers' Work Clause
The European Trade Union Confederation has been allowed to intervene in an appeal over the ITF clause that keeps crew off cargo lashing work in port.
K Line Orders Three Malaccamax VLCCs at Japan's Nihon Shipyard
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha has returned to the VLCC newbuilding market with three 311,000 dwt malaccamax tankers ordered at Nihon Shipyard for delivery from 2029.
Japan Reviews Shipping Tax Package as an Economic Security Question
Japan's Maritime Bureau will consider four tax measures affecting international shipping as a single package in fiscal 2027 tax reform negotiations.
Seaspan Becomes First Foreign Owner to Pay P&I Calls in Renminbi
Seaspan has become the first overseas shipowner to settle protection and indemnity calls with China P&I Club in renminbi, covering two 14,000 teu newbuildings.
Hafnia Exits Andromeda Joint Venture with $13.3 Million Gain
Hafnia has sold its 50 percent interest in H&A Shipping, the joint venture with Monaco-based Andromeda Shipping, booking a $13.3 million profit.
DNV Says Efficiency, Not Fuel Switching, Carries Shipping to 2050
DNV's annual forecast puts energy efficiency and speed reduction ahead of alternative fuels, projecting a 16 percent emissions cut by 2030 from efficiency alone.
Russian Fishing Vessel Alpha Crux Sinks Alongside in Montevideo
The Russian-flagged fishing vessel Alpha Crux lost stability and sank at its berth in Montevideo; all 41 crew were evacuated without injury.
Wheat Futures Reach Three-Year High as Black Sea Loadings Stall
Chicago wheat futures have risen 18 percent this month as attacks on merchant shipping shut down grain loading on both sides of the Black Sea.
Ultramax Maria Topic Begins Sea Trials with Wingsail and Solar Retrofit
The 60,155-dwt bulker Maria Topic is crossing the Pacific testing a tiltable rigid wingsail and solar panels fitted under the EU-funded WHISPER project.
US Navy Seeks Alternative Ports After Losing Access to Bahrain
With its traditional base in Bahrain no longer available, the US Navy is weighing alternative port call options across the Indian Ocean region.
US Navy Takes Delivery of Its Final Expeditionary Sea Base
The US Navy has taken delivery of USS Hector A. Cafferata Jr., the last of the expeditionary sea bases built on a converted Alaska-class tanker hull form.
Fincantieri Floats Out Oceania Sonata, First of a Five-Ship Class
Fincantieri has floated out Oceania Sonata at Marghera, the first of five ships in a new class for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' Oceania brand.
India Maps 100-Ship Fleet Expansion to Cut Its $75 Billion Freight Bill
India is considering adding up to 100 vessels over five years to reduce a dependence on foreign-flag tonnage that costs the country around $75 billion a year in freight.
Spirit of Tasmania IV Reaches Devonport for October Service Entry
Spirit of Tasmania IV has arrived in Devonport for commissioning and crew training, closing out a replacement programme whose terminal alone cost A$495 million.
Russian Flotilla Returns to the Mediterranean Bound for Tartus
A Russian naval group led by the destroyer Admiral Levchenko re-entered the Mediterranean on August 27, weeks after Moscow and Damascus agreed reduced terms at Tartus.
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