Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of a deep-sea research vessel based on the VARD 9 42 design, in a deal valued at nearly $810 million (€700 million).The company said the contract is the largest order ever secured by Vard for a single vessel and the largest order of its kind for a Norwegian shipyard.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to explore legal questions arising from the fraught history of U.S.-Cuban relations when it considers the scope of a 1996 law that lets U.S. nationals seek compensation for property confiscated by the communist-led Cuban government.The justices hear arguments on Monday in two cases centered on the federal law called the Helms-Burton Act, one involving U.S.
Japan will conduct test mining of rare-earth-rich mud from the deep seabed off Minamitori Island, some 1,900 kilometres (1,180 miles) southeast of Tokyo, from January 11 to February 14, the head of the government-backed project said.The operation will mark the world's first attempt to continuously lift rare-earth mud from a depth of around 6,000 meters on to a vessel.
By Captain Bobbie Scolley, U.S. Navy (ret.) and Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, U.S. Navy (ret.)For more than six decades, spanning from 1905 to the late 1970s, the U.S. Navy’s diving apparatus for deep ocean operations and salvage remained fundamentally unchanged. During this period, the demographic of navy divers also saw little alteration.
ABS and Persona AI inked an MOU to develop inspection technologies for Persona AI’s humanoid robot platform deployment in shipyards. Humanoid robots are suited to operate in shipyards designed for human workers, offering flexibility and mobility in complex, confined, or ergonomically challenging spaces.
South Korean defense, shipbuilding and energy solutions provider Hanwha Group has appointed Alex Wong as Global Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) to lead the company's strategic initiatives in international markets.In this newly created role based in Washington, D.C., Wong will spearhead Hanwha's efforts to deepen partnerships, build defense capabilities
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has issued classification to the Surveyor, a fully autonomous deepwater unmanned surface vehicle (USV), developed by Saildrone.At 20 meters long and capable of unmanned operations across all of the world’s oceans, the Surveyor is the largest class of USVs from Saildrone, a provider of maritime security, ocean mapping
China’s share of the tanker orderbook rose from 32.4% in 2022, to 62.6% in 2023 and then 71.2% in 2024. Its share of the container ship orderbook has shown a similar growth trajectory. The nation has ranked first in the world for new orders since 2012. Labor costs are about half of what they are in Korea and Japan, and China is the world’s cheapest steel manufacturer.
A towing incident has occurred on Saudi oil and gas drilling contractor ADES Holding’s jack-up barge Admarine 12, which capsized offshore Eqypt, killing four people, while three remain missing.The incident occurred on Tuesday, July 1, while the barge was being towed to a new location in Egyptian territorial waters.
Fugro has been selected by nonprofit organization Ocean Visions to lead the development of a standardized environmental impact assessment framework for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR), a set of emerging technologies that enhance the ocean’s natural ability to store carbon.The initiative aims to support the permitting of mCDR projects by providing a transparent
Australia’s unique enclosed self-discharging transhippers ensure a dust-free supply chain for the Onslow Iron project.Onslow in north Western Australia is a desert. It receives less than 10 inches of rain a year, and for much of the year temperatures reach 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s known for dust storms that can turn the town red.
A fatal incident has occurred aboard one of the vessels of Tidewater, a subcontractor of Equinor, resulting in the death of a crew member.The incident took place on Polaris platform supply vessel (PSV) on June 2, 2025, while the vessel was on the Atlantic Ocean engaged in normal operations.