Classification societies have always occupied a unique position in maritime: technical arbiters, rule makers, certifiers, and, increasingly, strategic advisors helping shipowners navigate some of the most consequential decisions in shipping’s and shipbuilding’s history. As maritime grapples with decarbonization mandates, digital transformation, automation
Two supertankers and one liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week with their transponders switched off, and are heading for India and China, shipping data from LSEG and Kpler showed.The vessels joined a number of tankers leaving the Gulf this month, although oil and LNG traffic overall has still been limited.
Introduction. Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s.
Many claim to have ‘saltwater in their veins,’ but all you have to do is walk into the corner office of John McDonald, the new Chairman and CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), to see that him saying “I was born into maritime” is not hyperbole. The first thing that greets you is a Dusan Kadlec nighttime painting of the Brooklyn Bridge
The American Club has reported positive developments for the 2026 renewal across all lines of business. Gross tonnage for the Club’s Class I (mutual P&I) entries increased modestly at the turn of the renewal at Noon GMT 20 February 2026, while the tonnage position since the 2025 renewal has increased by 5% and over the same period, Class I premiums have grown by 6%.
Dutch offshore equipment supplier SMST has secured a new contract from Norwegian shipbuilder Vard for the delivery of two sets of mission equipment to be installed on an additional two of North Star’s newbuild Service Operation Vessels (SOVs).These vessels are part of a long-term charter agreement between shipowner and operator North Star and energy company RWE.
VULKAN UK has provided the electrical design expertise and power profiles that enables the Silver Raven, the UK’s first fully electric sightseeing vessel, to begin operation in autumn 2025.Commissioned by Woods Tours, designed by One2Three Naval Architects, and built at Pendennis Shipyard in Cornwall, the 39-meter Silver Raven will carry up to 250 passengers per voyage.
The captain of an oil tanker and two officers accused of severing five undersea power and telecoms cables in the Baltic Sea last December, blamed technical faults for the damage as their trial began in Helsinki on Monday.NATO allies with forces stationed around the Baltic Sea went on high alert after the December 25 incident
Finland's national prosecutor's office said on Monday it had brought charges against the captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S oil tanker over the cutting of undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland in December.The Georgian and Indian nationals are suspected of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications by dragging the ship's anchor for around 90 km
Germany’s largest utility RWE and U.K.’s largest shipowner-operator North Star have signed long-term agreements for next-generation service operation vessels (SOVs) to maintain RWE’s growing offshore wind fleet.The companies have agreed that RWE will charter two SOVs, the Grampian Eagle and the Grampian Kestrel, from North Star, both capable of using alternative low-emission fuels.
ABS opened the doors on its latest training center, the Hellenic Ship Safety Center in Athens, harnessing the power of new immersive training techniques, game-based learning and virtual reality environments for the Greek shipping community.Greek shipping leaders joined ABS executives at the opening celebration for the new facility that features computer simulation stations
Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-founder of maritime technology company Orca AI, reflects on the recent tanker collision in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that as GPS interference becomes more common, ships urgently need AI-based situational awareness to support crews and maintain safe navigation when traditional tools are compromised.