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.
            Interferry, the global association representing the ferry industry, announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Directors. These new director appointments, approved at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Sorrento on October 6, reflect the diversity and global reach of the ferry industry.
            Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards has delivered Denmark’s first fully electric tug to long-standing client Svitzer, which has been named SVITZER INGRID by Her Majesty Queen Mary at a ceremony in Copenhagen.The tug is based on the ElectRA 2500SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan, developed exclusively for Sanmar.Measuring 25.4 meters in length with a 12.86-meter beam and 5.
            Denmark’s, and Svitzer’s, first electric tugboat was named by Her Majesty Queen Mary at a ceremony in Copenhagen.The new tugboat will carry the name Svitzer Ingrid, as announced by Her Majesty during the naming ceremony, which was attended by more than 100 executives from the Danish maritime industry.
            American Cruise Lines christened American Patriot in Newport, Rhode Island last week—celebrating the holiday and simultaneously marking the countdown to the country’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. American Patriot is the first ship in the company’s new Patriot Class—a fleet of new 130-passenger ships designed for exclusively cruising the U.S.A.
            ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki was honored by The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), receiving the 2025 Silver Bell Award for lifelong service and outstanding leadership in the maritime industry.SCI is a nearly 200-year-old charity headquartered in New York that serves and protects the personal and professional lives of mariners and seafarers, both internationally and domestically
            On April 5, 2025, Moran Towing celebrated the christening of the Mary Jane Moran with their crews, customers, port partners, and the family of the namesake in Port Arthur, TX. The event marked the arrival of a powerful new tug and honored a family who have been a part of our story for decades.
            The hull for Bernhard Schulte (BS) Offshore’s new Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) has arrived at Ulstein Verft’s shipyard, marking the start of new phase in the shipbuilding process.The vessel is designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions for ‘walk-to-work’ (W2W) operations, where personnel walks via a motion-compensated gangway from the ship to a wind turbine.
            Europea Servizi Terminalistici (EST), a subsidiary of the Italian Shipping & Logistics Agency (ISLA), has ordered a new hybrid drive Konecranes Gottwald ESP.8 Mobile Harbor Crane for the Port of Augusta in Sicily.The order was booked in the first quarter of 2025, with delivery and commissioning expected by the end of summer.
            Germany-based Bernhard Schulte Offshore (BS Offshore) and Ulstein Verft have launched a new Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), the Yno 320.The launch followed an extensive outfitting phase that included the installation of electrical and mechanical systems, piping, accommodation, and system integration.
            American Cruise Lines said that American Legend, the newest small ship in the company’s innovative Project Blue series, was christened in Key West, Florida. The celebration took place while the ship was docked at Mallory Square, just steps from the City’s vibrant town center. American Legend was visiting Key West along one of the company’s popular 8-Day Florida Gulf Coast & Keys cruises
            Bisso Towboat Co., Inc. officially christened the M/V Mr. Brian on December 5, 2024, on the Mississippi River while docked at Woldenburg Riverfront Park at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.The Mr. Brian is a 100’ x 38’ x 13.5’ ASD Tractor Tugboat and was officially christened with a bottle breaking at 5:00 pm followed by a reception at the Audubon Aquarium - River Terrace Room.The Mr.