Marine Link
Thursday, October 15, 2026

Technology News

15 Oct 2026

Shipnext Adds Business Networking Features to Digital Freight Platform

Image courtesy Shipnext

Belgium-based Shipnext has introduced business networking capabilities to its digital shipping marketplace, enabling charterers, brokers, carriers and cargo owners to communicate and exchange freight information within a single platform.Launched October 16, 2026, the new functionality integrates professional networking with Shipnext's existing freight-matching, cargo and fleet-positioning tools, aiming to reduce the industry's reliance on email for exchanging cargo availability, vessel schedules and freight information.The platform now supports open and closed group chats, allowing shipping pr

15 Oct 2026

LD Armateurs Installs Six Rotor Sails on Airbus RoRo Carrier

Image courtesy LD Armateurs and Norsepower

LD Armateurs and Norsepower completed installation of six rotor sails aboard Spirit of Toulouse, the first of three low-emission RoRo vessels being built to transport aircraft components for Airbus between Europe and North America.The installation, completed by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group at an outfitting facility in Shanghai, makes Spirit of Toulouse the world's largest RoRo vessel equipped with wind-assisted propulsion and, according to the companies, the vessel carrying…

14 Oct 2026

Partnership Aims to Advance Bio-LNG as Marine Fuel

Copyright boygek/AdobeStock

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), CMA CGM Group and Singapore LNG Corporation (SLNG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the supply and use of liquefied bio-methane, or bio-LNG, as a marine fuel, leveraging Singapore’s existing LNG infrastructure to support shipping decarbonization.The agreement brings together MPA’s regulatory expertise, CMA CGM’s shipping operations and SLNG’s LNG infrastructure capabilities to develop practical pathways for supplying…

14 Oct 2026

NYK-Led Consortium Develops Floating Data Center Concept for Ports

Image courtesy NYK

A Japanese consortium led by shipping giant NYK Line has developed a new port-based floating data center concept designed to accelerate the commercialization of offshore data centers while addressing growing constraints on land availability, electrical power and construction timelines.The consortium, comprising Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), NTT FACILITIES, Eurus Energy Holdings and MUFG Bank, envisions floating data centers moored alongside existing port quays, leveraging…

13 Oct 2026

AI Passport Checks Noow Built into OpenOcean STUDIO Crew

Image courtesy 90POE

90POE (Ninety Percent of Everything) launched Crew Docs AI, an AI document check built into the passport verification workflow of OpenOcean STUDIO Crew. Crew Docs AI reads each passport as it is uploaded, compares it with the crew record and flags only the fields that need a second look, so errors and compliance issues are caught at verification, not at the airport. It is a practical application of AI to one of the most common causes of failed crew changes.Every crew change depends on the crew record matching the passport.

13 Oct 2026

IWS Fleet Hires Kongsberg Maritime to Equip Four CSOV Newbuilds

(Credit: IWS)

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract with IWS Fleet, a subsidiary of Integrated Wind Solutions (IWS), to provide vessel design and integrated technology systems for four new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) intended for offshore wind operations.Kongsberg Maritime's scope includes electrical power systems, navigation and bridge systems, propulsion, deck machinery, dynamic positioning systems and overall system integration.Each vessel will feature a double-ended design with four rim-drive azimuth thrusters…

09 Oct 2026

Gennaker Offshore Substations Depart for Baltic Sea Installation (Video)

(Credit: Smulders HSM)

The topsides and jackets for two offshore substations serving Germany's 927 MW Gennaker offshore wind farm have departed the Netherlands for installation in the Baltic Sea as part of the OST-6-1 offshore grid connection project.The OSS Zingst and OSS Darß substations are being delivered by the HSI joint venture, comprising Smulders HSM and Iv, under an engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract.The substations, each with a capacity of approximately 450 MW…

08 Oct 2026

Lamprell Picks IMI for Offshore Platforms and Jackets Fabrication

(Credit: Lamprell)

Lamprell has signed an agreement with International Maritime Industries (IMI) to fabricate several offshore structures, including a production platform and jackets, at IMI's Ras Al-Khair facility in Saudi Arabia.The fabrication work forms part of an offshore engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) project being delivered by Lamprell.The agreement marks the first offshore production platform and jacket fabrication scope undertaken at IMI's Ras Al-Khair yard…

07 Oct 2026

Framo Signs Record Pump Service Deal for Petrobras FPSO Fleet

Illustration/Petrobras' P-78 FPSO (Credit: Petrobras)

Framo has signed a four-year agreement with Petrobras to inspect and maintain pumping systems across the Brazilian energy company's fleet of about 30 floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units, in what the Norwegian pump manufacturer said was its largest service contract of its kind to date.The agreement covers inspection, maintenance and training for Framo pumps installed across the fleet, including seawater lift, firewater, cargo and water injection systems.Work…

07 Oct 2026

DSV Taps CMA CGM’s ACT+ to Cut Shipping Emissions

Image courtesy CMA CGM

CMA CGM and logistics group DSV have signed an agreement targeting a reduction of 12,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over two years through the use of lower-carbon marine fuels.Under the agreement, DSV will use CMA CGM’s ACT+ low-carbon shipping solution, with the targeted emissions reductions achieved through second-generation UCOME-based biofuels.CMA CGM said ACT+ can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 83% compared with conventional shipping fuel through the use of lower-carbon fuels, including biofuels and BioLNG.

06 Oct 2026

MacGregor to Equip IWS’ Four Skywalker-Class CSOV Newbuilds

(Credit: IWS)

MacGregor has received an order from Nantong Rainbow Offshore & Engineering Equipment to supply motion-compensated cranes and gangways for four additional Skywalker-class commissioning service operation vessels being built for IWS Fleet.The equipment package will include three-dimensional motion-compensated cranes and MacGregor's Horizon gangway systems. The order was booked in MacGregor's fourth-quarter 2026 order intake.The four CSOVs are scheduled for delivery by Nantong Rainbow…

05 Oct 2026

Liberty Global Logistics, Hyundai Glovis Study Nuclear-Powered PCTCs

Kim Tae-Woo, Hyundai Glovis Co., Ltd, David Minetti, Liberty Global Logistics LLC. Photo courtesy LGL

Liberty Global Logistics (LGL) and Hyundai Glovis signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to evaluate the feasibility of developing and operating a small modular reactor (SMR)-powered Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC), initially targeting service between the United States and South Korea.The MoU moves the nuclear-powered ship project beyond conceptual design toward examining the regulatory, infrastructure, technical and commercial hurdles required for actual operation. LGL will evaluate the U.S.

05 Oct 2026

Reefer Ships: Resilient Link in the Cold Chain

Snow Flower, first of seven reeferships booked by Japanese interests from Kitanihon Shipbuilding for deployment by Cool Carriers. Image credit: Kitanihon Shipbuilding

Ongoing fleet renewal by niche player Cool Carriers indicates continuing competitiveness at scale of the specialized, pallet-optimized reefership.Not so long ago, it seemed that the unrelenting march of containerization and ever-widening influence of the powerful ocean container line entities would finally usurp the conventional, breakbulk refrigerated cargo vessel. However, Limassol, Cyprus-headquartered Cool Carriers, the largest operator in the sector, displays remarkable resilience…

01 Oct 2026

Siemens Energy Picks EST-Floattech for Marco Polo's CSOV Battery System

(Credit: Marco Polo Marine)

Siemens Energy has contracted EST-Floattech to supply a battery system of more than 1 MWh for Marco Polo Marine's new CSOV Plus, a vessel designed to work in both offshore wind and oil and gas operations.The Octopus High Energy battery system will support hybrid and dynamic positioning operations aboard the vessel, which is being built by Marco Polo Marine at its shipyard in Batam, Indonesia. Siemens Energy is the system integrator for the hybrid power plant.During dynamic positioning…

30 Sep 2026

LPG/Ammonia Vessel Joins Nakilat Fleet

Image courtesy Nakilat

Qatar Gas Transport Company Limited (Nakilat) celebrated the naming of the latest LPG/Ammonia carrier to join its fleet during a special ceremony held at the HD Hyundai Samho shipyard in Yeongam, South Korea.Energy North is set to enter service on the second of October 2026, is the first under Nakilat's program to build six new vessels at the HD Hyundai Samho shipyard, comprising two LNG carriers and four LPG/ammonia carriers.Mr. Abdullah Al Sulaiti, the Chief Executive Officer of Nakilat…

30 Sep 2026

11 Martime Start-Ups Tagged by PortXL

PortXL Director Koen Vogel presents the cohort of its 2026 Acceleration Program. Image courtesy PortXL

PortXL, a maritime startup accelerator, presented the 11 startups and scale-ups selected for its 2026 acceleration program. The cohort was chosen after vetting a global pool of applicants of more than 250 startups. It spans three focus areas relevant for the future of port and maritime: Maritime & Offshore, Energy & Infrastructure, and Dual Use.Since its founding in 2015, PortXL has connected startups and scale-ups with corporate partners, investors and mentors across the maritime, energy, logistics and chemical industries.

25 Sep 2026

Aderco's 2055G+: Emissions Performance with Shared, Verifiable Data

Image courtesy Aderco

Shipping companies can now harvest data on enhanced fuel performance as verified CO₂ reductions that they convert into Gold Standard carbon credits using Aderco’s ‘measure-as-you-go’ program, 2055G+, writes Gérald Baiwir, Head of Environment, Aderco.Looking beyond compliance with environmental regulations, shipping companies are discovering that savings from onboard energy-efficiency measures can be converted into valuable, Gold Standard-backed carbon credits, allowing them to benefit financially while reducing emissions.Until very recently…

24 Sep 2026

Coast Guard R&D Center Honored for Technology, Innovation Work

The picture shows the RDC involved in OP MUWIN, demonstrating a USCG RDC autonomous capability, teamed with a Coast Guard Fast Response cutter on the U.S. northern border’s St Croix river supporting law enforcement operations.
Credit: Official USCG RDC Photo.

The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Conn., received the Coast Guard Unit Commendation for work spanning emerging technologies, unmanned systems, communications and search and rescue.The award recognizes the RDC’s service from June 2023 through February 2026, a period in which its 82 military and civilian personnel executed 189 high-priority research projects and delivered 105 mission-critical products to Coast Guard operators and program offices.Among…

21 Sep 2026

Cadeler, Vattenfall Team Up New Offshore Wind O&M Solutions

(Credit: Cadeler)

Cadeler and Vattenfall have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore new offshore wind maintenance solutions, with a focus on major component exchanges for operating wind farms.The collaboration between Vattenfall Vindkraft and Nexra, Cadeler's dedicated offshore wind operations and maintenance platform, will combine operational expertise, service methods and long-term planning to examine more efficient and scalable approaches to maintenance.The companies will focus on Major Component Exchange capabilities across multiple turbine platforms…

18 Sep 2026

ABS AIP for Multi-Purpose Fuel Tank and FGSS Design

(L to R): Matthew Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore Markets; Rostom Merzouki, ABS Vice President, Global Sustainability; John Ki Lim, Hanwha Ocean General Manager and Team Leader of Commercial Vessel Development team; and Dong Kwon (Duke) Lee, Hanwha Ocean Senior Vice President and Head of Basic Performance R&D Center.

Image courtesy ABS

ABS has awarded Hanwha Ocean approval in principle (AIP) for a multi-purpose fuel tank and fuel gas supply system that enables an LNG carrier to transition from LNG to ammonia fuel without replacing the fuel tank or fuel supply system.The approval covers the fuel tank and integrated fuel gas supply system for an electrically propelled LNG carrier powered by a gas turbine. The system is designed to supply either LNG or ammonia to the gas turbine, enabling transition from LNG to ammonia.

03 Sep 2026

By the Numbers: Container Fleet Capacity to Top 34 Million TEU

"When the world’s shipyards deliver just a few more container ships, the global fleet capacity will for the first time reach 34 million TEU. At that time, the fleet will have grown by 10 million TEU - or 42% - in just five and a half years,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.At the beginning of September, global container fleet capacity was just 8,000 TEU below the 34 million TEU mark. The milestone will therefore be reached after only a few of the 46 ships (totalling 286…

02 Sep 2026

Floating Titanium Lattice Could Out-Perform Steel and Plastic

Source: RMIT University

Australian engineers have created a strong and lightweight titanium material that floats in water, even after severe damage, revealing a promising new material for marine infrastructure.Research led by RMIT University shows the 3D-printed titanium lattice – made up of hollow, interconnected struts filled with foam – not only floats, but also withstands seawater exposure and is stronger than the stainless steel or high-density plastic currently used in jetties, buoys and floating sensors.Lead researcher from RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing…

02 Sep 2026

Nuclear Power Considered for Transatlantic Container Route

Source: LR

Lloyd’s Register, A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) and the ports of Charleston and Felixstowe will examine the security and safeguarding requirements for the theoretical deployment of a nuclear-powered container ship route between the UK and US.Centered on a conceptual nuclear-powered container ship, the Pink Corridor will examine the requirements for theoretical port access on the specified route. Key areas of focus will include ship security, safeguards, cyber resilience, emergency response…