Long-distance ferry routes form a key part of Japan’s national transport infrastructure, connecting the archipelago’s four major islands and littoral centers of population, commerce and industry.RoRo passenger (RoPax) ferry fleet renewal and development has been a constant process over the past two decades in particular
Ordering of alternative-fueled vessels is continuing to grow in 2025, despite a slowdown in the overall newbuild market. According to data from DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform, new orders for alternative-fueled vessels reached 19.8 million gross tonnes (GT) in the first six months of 2025, exceeding the 2024 figure by 78%.
ASUKA III, said to be the largest Japanese-flagged cruise ship, has completed its first marine LNG bunkering by FueLNG Private at Singapore Cruise Centre.The bunkering milestone also marks Shell LNG's first supply to an LNG-powered cruise ship in the region, according to Singapore Cruise Centre.Asuka III is owned by NYK Cruises, a company of the Japanese shipping group NYK.
In a maritime market increasingly defined by volatility, from war in the Middle East and the resulting whiplash freight and energy rates, William Doyle chose a moment of celebration in New Orleans to deliver a message grounded in something far less fashionable: stability.Speaking at the March 21 christening of Frederick Paup, a 15
GT Wings has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zunsion Technology in China to establish a strategic manufacturing partnership for its AirWing Jet Sail wind propulsion system.The agreement creates a framework for industrial scale production of AirWing units in China, combining GT Wings’ wind propulsion technology expertise with Zunsion’s automation manufacturing capabilities.
Fincantieri delivered the cruise ship Norwegian Luna to Norwegian Cruise Line during a ceremony at the builder’s Marghera shipyard in Italy, marking the second vessel in the expanded Prima Plus class.The 156,000-gt ship follows sister vessel Norwegian Aqua, delivered in 2025, and represents an evolution of the original Prima-class ships Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva
A set of amendments to key IMO treaties and Codes have entered into force on January 1, 2026. They include the following: Preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and sexual assaultAmendments to the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code) aim to prevent and respond to violence and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual harassment
Elomatic, an international consulting and engineering company, has successfully completed the installation of its Elogrid tunnel thruster technology on the 10,000 GT special purpose research vessel, the METEOR IV, built by the MEYER FASSMER spezialchiffbau consortium.As part of a joint venture between FASSMER and MEYER Group
Amid increasing pressure on shipping to achieve the IMO 2050 decarbonization targets, the Responsible Shipping Initiative (RSI) and DNV have completed a new study: "Decarbonization of the short sea dry bulk fleet", co-funded by the Swedish Transport Administration. The study finds that while Swedish cargo owners and charterers are committed to greener practices
The “Viking Mira," a new cruise ship under construction for Viking, was launched at the Ancona shipyard. The ship is scheduled to debut in spring 2026, offering itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.The ceremony, which marks the ship’s transition to the final outfitting phase, was attended by Gilberto Tobaldi, Director of the Ancona Shipyard, and Gastone Lazzari
In a move aimed at better serving its customers, Great Lakes East (GLE) has officially relocated its Florida port operations for the Jones Act–compliant Caribbean Breakbulk barge service to Port Canaveral. The new operations are now being managed through GT USA’s Canaveral Cargo Terminal (CCT)—a modern
Imabari Maritime Fair, "Bari-Ship 2025" is schedule to be held from May 22- 24, 2025 at Texport Imabari (Imabari, Japan)."Bari-Ship" is the largest international maritime exhibition in Western Japan, held every two years in Imabari, Japan’s leading maritime city. The event serves as a venue for maritime industry professionals from not only Japan but around the world to gather