FMD’s Vestdavit Unveils New AutoHook LARS Interface
Fairbanks Morse Defense’s Vestdavit division unveiled AutoHook, a fully autonomous launch and recovery system (LARS) for unmanned surface vehicles. The compact, clamp‑on davit operates without human intervention and has demonstrated operational acceptance through Sea State 4, surpassing the typical Sea State 2 limit of existing solutions. Integrated AI‑driven vision, thrusters and power enable real‑time tracking and safe connection of rescue craft. AutoHook will be showcased at the 2026 Sea Air Space Expo in Maryland.
Freire Launches New Spanish Navy Diver Support Vessel Prosperina (A22)
Freire Shipyard in Vigo has launched the Spanish Navy’s new diver support vessel Prosperina (A22), replacing the aging Proserpina. The 32.9‑meter steel ship can travel 500 nautical miles at 10 knots and carries up to 15 crew members. It features eco‑friendly...
Exploring Predictive Maintenance and Vessel Automation at Ship Repair USA
The Ship Repair USA conference in Jacksonville will feature a session on June 23‑24 led by Growth Tree Group co‑founder Yiannik Bennett. The presentation, titled “Optimizing Operational Efficiency and Predictive Maintenance through Advanced Vessel Automation, Analysis, and Condition‑Based Monitoring,” explores...
Gunderson Set to Celebrate Its First-Ever Dual Vessel Launch
Gunderson Marine & Iron will mark a historic milestone on April 18 by simultaneously launching two newly built barges from its Portland, Oregon shipyard. The Mt. Rainier, a refined‑products barge for Tidewater Transportation, will operate on the Columbia and Snake...
Port of Baltimore Breaks Ground on New Grain Transloading Facility
The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore broke ground on a new grain transloading facility at the Seagirt Marine Terminal, a joint venture between Ports America Chesapeake and Frey Commodities. The four‑acre site will feature three silos with a combined...
VIDEO: Senesco Marine Launches and Christens New Casco Bay Lines Electric Ferry
Senesco Marine launched Battery Steele, a 164‑foot double‑ended electric ferry for Casco Bay Lines. The vessel can transport 599 passengers and 15 vehicles between Portland and Peaks Island, using an ABB battery‑powered propulsion system with Caterpillar generators as backup. It...
BMT Partners with BAE Systems on Anzac Class Frigate Contract
BMT has entered a design support partnership with BAE Systems Australia for the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac‑class frigates. The collaboration leverages BMT’s more than 30 years of experience on the class and its recent acquisition of Australian Maritime Technologies. Together they...
Corps FY26 Work Plan Allocates $42M for Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Projects
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY26 work plan earmarks $42.4 million for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, matching the Energy and Water appropriations bill and surpassing the Trump administration’s $38.2 million request. State allocations vary, with North Carolina’s share rising to $16.7 million...
George Whittier Back as CEO at Fairbanks Morse Defense
Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) announced the return of George Whittier as chief executive officer. Whittier, a veteran of Precision Castparts, Regal Beloit and The Morey Corporation, will lead the century‑old defense supplier as it pursues growth in the maritime sector....
Norway’s Boreal AS Orders 20 Candela Electric Foiling Ferries
Norwegian transport operator Boreal AS has placed the world’s largest order for electric hydrofoiling ferries, purchasing 20 Candela P-12 vessels. Each boat costs roughly US$3.1 million and will be delivered between 2027 and 2030, offering 25‑knot speeds and a 40‑nautical‑mile range....
Metal Shark Delivers Patrol Vessel to Massachusetts State Police
Louisiana‑based Metal Shark has delivered its 55‑foot Defiant NXT patrol vessel to the Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit. Built at the company’s Franklin, LA plant, the craft features twin 800‑hp Caterpillar C18 engines, a Seakeeper stabilizer and a high‑tech command...
Ocean Alliance Launches Direct Container Service with Jacksonville
Ocean Alliance has launched the Chesapeake Bay Express (CBX), a weekly direct container service linking Jacksonville’s JAXPORT with major Asian ports in Vietnam, China, South Korea and Japan. The service is jointly operated by four of the world’s top‑10 carriers—CMA CGM,...
VIDEO: Advanced New D.E.E.P. Propeller Blade Enters Production Phase
UK consortium led by Enki Marine has 3D‑printed an 815‑mm, 45‑kg section of a next‑generation nickel‑aluminum‑bronze propeller blade using wire‑arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The milestone marks the first production‑phase component of the Digitally Enabled Efficient Propeller (D.E.E.P.) project, funded by...
Corps Opens Minneapolis Locks for Navigation Season
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ St. Paul Engineer District opened the Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 1 in Minneapolis on April 19, marking the start of the navigation season. The Lower St. Anthony Falls lock...
RINA and Hanwha Cooperate to Promote Advanced Battery-Hybrid Propulsion Systems
RINA and the Hanwha Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote advanced battery‑hybrid propulsion systems for the RO/RO ferry market. The partnership merges Hanwha Power, Aerospace and Engine expertise with RINA’s classification and certification capabilities. It targets both...
Ports of Indiana Opens Bonded Facility at Mount Vernon
Ports of Indiana has launched a federally approved bonded storage facility at its Mount Vernon port, built in just six weeks to satisfy an urgent customer request. The new site handled its inaugural barge shipment of roughly 1,650 tons of aluminum,...
NTSB: O-Ring Seal Failure Caused $5.5M Engine Room Fire
The NTSB determined that an O‑ring seal failure on the Lem Verbena’s boiler burner unit caused a fire in the engine room on Jan. 24, 2026. Misaligned fuel ports and a software setting that kept the fuel pump running pressurized diesel,...
Soybean Farmers Support Phase II Expansion of Port Milwaukee Export Facility
Soybean farmer leaders presented a ceremonial $200,000 check to support Phase II expansion of the DeLong Company’s Agriculture Maritime Export Facility at Port Milwaukee, completed on April 2, 2026. The expansion adds two grain silos, electrical upgrades, and handling equipment, increasing capacity to...
Ocean7 Ranger Is Burns Harbor’s First Ocean Vessel of the 2026 International Shipping Season
Ports of Indiana‑Burns Harbor kicked off the 2026 international shipping season with the arrival of the Ocean7 Ranger, a 10,500‑dwt Liberian‑flagged general cargo vessel operated by Germany’s Hammonia Reederei. After a 52‑day voyage from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the ship delivered a...
FTA: $657M in New Ferry Grants Available
The Federal Transit Administration has opened a Notice of Funding Opportunity offering $657 million in ferry grants. The package splits into $105 million for the FY 2026 Passenger Ferry Program, $98 million for an Electric or Low‑Emitting Ferry Pilot, and $454 million for the Rural...
Marine Group Boat Works Wins Contract to Build Multi-Deck Live Fire Training Simulator
Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW) secured a contract from the San Diego Unified Port District to design, fabricate, and install a multi‑deck live‑fire training simulator on the district’s LCM‑8 troop landing vessel. The simulator features two propane‑fuelled burn chambers and...
Fincantieri, Fraser, Donjon Form Great Lakes Shipbuilding Alliance
Fincantieri Marine Group, Fraser Shipyards and Donjon Marine have formed a Great Lakes shipbuilding alliance to pursue a U.S. Coast Guard contract for seven new light icebreakers. The partnership leverages Fincantieri’s three regional shipyards and invites additional Great Lakes firms...
Master Boat Builders Delivers RApport 2800 Tug for Gulf LNG Partnership
Master Boat Builders has delivered the tugboat Jill, the sixth vessel in its RApport 2800 series and the second built for Gulf LNG Tugs of Port Arthur. The 92‑foot, 40‑foot beam tug boasts over 85 metric‑ton bollard pull and ABS FFV1 firefighting...
Ship Repair USA Takes Shape Ahead of Jacksonville Debut
Marine Log’s Ship Repair USA conference will debut in Jacksonville, Florida on June 23‑24, 2026, reflecting the city’s expanding port and shipyard activity. The two‑day program targets small and medium‑sized repair yards with practical, operations‑driven sessions on predictive maintenance, automation...
Corps Awards Contract for Mississippi River Navigation Improvements
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul Engineer District awarded a $12.8 million contract to Kramer North America to upgrade traveling kevels at Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings and Lock and Dam 3 near Welch. Construction begins in November 2026 and will...
NSMV State of Maine Delivered to Maine Maritime Academy
The National Security Multi‑Mission Vessel (NSMV) *State of Maine* was formally delivered to Maine Maritime Academy on March 30, marking the third of five new training ships built for U.S. maritime academies. Constructed by Hanwha Philly Shipyard and managed by...
ABB Picked to Provide Propulsion and Automation Solutions for New DRBA Ferry
Senesco Marine has selected ABB to provide full propulsion and automation systems for a new 75‑car DRBA ferry replacing the 45‑year‑old Cape Henlopen. The diesel‑electric hybrid vessel, slated to begin construction in mid‑2026, will feature ABB’s onboard DC grid, PEMS...
Ann Fairchild Named President and CEO of Siemens USA
Siemens has appointed Ann Fairchild as the permanent president and CEO of Siemens USA, its largest global market. Fairchild, who has served as interim CEO since October 2025 and previously held the general counsel role, assumes the position effective immediately....
Autonomous Vessel Innovator Saronic Series D Round Raises $1.75BN
Austin‑based Saronic Technologies closed a $1.75 billion Series D round, valuing the autonomous‑vessel maker at $9.25 billion. The funding, led by Kleiner Perkins, adds Advent International, Bessemer, DFJ Growth and others to its investor base. Recent milestones include acquiring Gulf Craft’s shipyard, a...
Steerprop in Simulator-Based Training Agreement with Aboa Mare
Finnish marine propulsion specialist Steerprop has signed an agreement with Turku‑based training centre Aboa Mare to deliver customized simulator‑based training for vessels equipped with Steerprop’s azimuth propulsion systems. The partnership allows Steerprop to commission tailored courses that focus on vessel...
MARAD Invests $13.2M in U.S. Marine Highway Projects
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has allocated $13.2 million to 11 marine highway projects across seven states, supporting initiatives such as waste transport in Oregon and barge‑dock upgrades in Pennsylvania. The funding, part of the broader U.S. Marine Highway Program, aims...
The Bahamas Updates Its Maritime Regulatory Framework
The Bahamas will enact a comprehensive suite of Merchant Shipping Regulations on April 1, 2026, modernizing its maritime legal framework. The rules consolidate registration, fees, marine safety investigations, inspections, seafarer standards, and yacht regulations while aligning with IMO conventions. They...
J-ENG in Hydrogen-Fueled Two Stroke First
Japan Engine Corp (J‑ENG) has begun hydrogen co‑firing in all cylinders of its 6UEC35LSGH low‑speed two‑stroke engine, the world’s first full‑scale hydrogen engine slated for a 17,500‑DWT merchant vessel. The engine achieved over 95% hydrogen co‑firing at 100% load, confirming...
American Encore Riverboat Passes Sea Trials
American Cruise Lines announced that its new 180‑guest riverboat, American Encore, has successfully completed sea trials and is now transiting from Maryland to the Pacific Northwest via the Caribbean and Panama Canal. Built by Chesapeake Shipbuilding, the vessel features private‑balcony...
MOL and Hitachi Plan to Convert Used Ships Into Floating Data Centers
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Hitachi have signed an MOU to convert second‑hand vessels into floating data centers, with a target launch no earlier than 2027. The partnership will leverage MOL’s maritime conversion expertise and Hitachi’s data‑center operations in Japan,...
NOAA Ship Rainier to Map for Critical Mineral Deposits in U.S Pacific Waters
In early April NOAA’s hydrographic survey vessel Rainier will begin a two‑leg expedition to map more than 8,000 square nautical miles of federal waters around Kingman Reef and Palmyra Atoll. The first leg will deploy multibeam echo‑sounders to capture high‑resolution...
Colonna’s Shipyard Names Brian Waterfield CFO
Colonna’s Shipyard has appointed Brian Waterfield as chief financial officer, effective March 30, 2026. Waterfield joins after more than nine years at BDO, where he served as assurance director focusing on government contracts, nonprofits, and construction. He will oversee accounting and support...
Damen Delivers a Very Green Combi Freighter to Bernd Sibum
Reederei Bernd Sibum has taken delivery of the second of four Damen CF 3850 Combi Freighters, built at Damen’s Yichang shipyard and designed for ultra‑efficient operation. The vessels can run on 100% biofuel and are being equipped with hybrid PTO/PTI...
Thordon Bearings Makes Two Key Appointments
Thordon Bearings announced two strategic appointments: Anthony Hamilton as Vice President of Engineering and Product Development for the Thomson‑Gordon Group, and Martin Linder as Merchant Fleet Marine Business Development Manager for Northern Europe. Both hires aim to expand the company’s...
Magnet Defense Begins Production of First M48 USV
Magnet Defense, which acquired Metal Shark Boats, announced the start of production on its first M48 Unmanned Surface Vessel, moving the platform from prototype to a production model. The 157‑foot, $30 million USV boasts a 17,000‑nautical‑mile range and can self‑deploy from...
Accelleron Books Its 10,000th Order for A100-L/A200-L Turbocharger Series
Accelleron has recorded its 10,000th order for the A100-L/A200-L low‑speed turbocharger series, a line first launched in 2009 and expanded in 2013. The turbochargers power marine two‑stroke engines ranging from 3,000 kW to 28,000 kW, covering bulk carriers, tankers, LNG ships and...
Leo Martin Named COO at Vancouver Shipyards
Seaspan Shipyards announced that Leo Martin will become chief operating officer of Vancouver Shipyards on April 20, 2026. Martin, a senior leader since 2018, will oversee the full shipbuilding lifecycle from concept design to delivery. He brings roughly two decades...
Devall Diesel, FPT Launch Barge Power Pack
Devall Diesel Services of Sulphur, La., unveiled the Barge Power Pack, a fully mechanical, 150‑173 hp Tier 3 engine system designed for hazardous‑duty barge operations. Powered by FPT’s NEF67MNT, the unit eliminates electrical components, removing ignition sources in explosive atmospheres. Certified Class 1...
Mines Add to Escalating Threat Environment in Strait of Hormuz
Windward AI’s latest daily update warns that Iranian naval mines have been placed in the Strait of Hormuz, adding a covert, sub‑surface danger to an already constrained waterway. The mines, both moored and limpet‑style, use magnetic and acoustic sensors to...
Op-Ed: Singapore Cruise Centre Reimagines Passenger Operations with Real-Time Data
Singapore Cruise Centre (SCCPL) is entering the final stage of a five‑year digital transformation that centers on a real‑time data integration platform built on Solace’s event‑driven architecture. The platform unifies passenger, vessel, baggage, staff and resource data, enabling instant updates...
PPG Launches New PPG InsightsNav for Seastock Coatings
PPG has introduced InsightsNav, a cloud‑based analytics platform that consolidates seastock coating purchase data for shipowners and operators. The tool standardizes fragmented records into interactive dashboards, enabling real‑time spend visibility and predictive budgeting. By highlighting port‑level pricing and order‑consolidation opportunities,...
Op-Ed: Biofuels Move From Theory to Practice at Sea
Shipowners are turning to biofuels as the most practical near‑term tool to meet MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 28 and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirements. IMO guidance now permits up to 30% bio‑fuel blends without extra NOx assessments, and B100 can be...
NTSB: Pilot’s Orders to Tugs Led to Tanker Platanos’s Costly Contact with a California Pier
On October 24, 2024, the Bahamas‑flagged tanker Platanos struck the Martinez Refining Company Wharf in California while undocking, causing a hole above the waterline and $500,229 in damage. The NTSB investigation found the ship’s pilot mistakenly transposed the names and...
DOI Reimburses TotalEnergies $928.3M to Pivot From U.S. Offshore Wind to Oil and Gas
TotalEnergies has signed settlement agreements with the U.S. Department of the Interior to relinquish its Carolina Long Bay and New York Bight offshore wind leases, receiving a total reimbursement of $928.3 million. The company will reinvest the full amount in U.S....
Damen Delivers ASD Tug En Avant 19 to Muller Dordrecht
Damen Shipyards delivered the ASD Tug 2811, named En Avant 19, to Dutch operator Muller Dordrecht. Built in Vietnam and shipped to Rotterdam, the 28.57‑meter vessel offers 65 tonnes of bollard pull and can operate both offshore and inland. It features...