Maritime Directory

The march toward zero-emission ferry transportation continues, and this time the momentum is coming from the Baltic.Estonian State Fleet has signed a contract with Polish shipbuilder CRIST S.A. for the design and construction of what will become Estonia’s first fully electric passenger ferry, a nearly €50 million investment that underscores how aggressively regional ferry operators are moving to modernize aging fleets while cutting emissions.Set for delivery in late 2028, the 100-meter vessel will serve the Virtsu–Kuivastu route, a lifeline connection between mainland Estonia and its islands. For Estonia, this is more than a vessel order.

"So far this year, ship transits via the Panama Canal have increased 8% y/y to a daily average of 38, driven by the tanker sector. Transits have been especially high during the past five weeks, rising 16% y/y, as US energy exports to the Pacific jumped,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.The Iran War and the subsequent reduction in Strait of Hormuz transits have disrupted exports from the Persian Gulf, tightening the global energy supply and boosting prices for energy commodities. This has contributed to a rise in US energy exports to Asia and the west coast of the Americas, increasing demand for Panama Canal transit slots.

Diamond Gas Jade, a 174,000-cu.-m. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier invested by a joint venture under U-Ming Marine Transport Corp., held its grand naming ceremony on May 19 at the Samsung Heavy Industries Geoje Shipyard. Built by Samsung Heavy Industries, Diamond Gas Jade is equipped with the latest energy-saving environmental technologies and a dual-fuel propulsion engine. Upon delivery, it will commence long-term LNG transportation operations supporting global energy logistics.U-Ming Marine's Board of Directors recently approved the construction of four 210,000 DWT Capesize and four 64,000 DWT Ultramax bulk carriers in the second quarter.

Sweden will order four navy frigates from France's Naval Group in a $4 billion deal that will triple its air defence capacity as the new NATO member focuses on security threats in the Baltic Sea, its prime minister said on Tuesday.Sweden is racing to build up its military in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Nordic country's subsequent accession to NATO, with the new frigates representing a significant expansion of maritime defence capabilities.The purchase of the French Defence and Intervention (FDI) frigate model will be Sweden's biggest military investment since the 1980s, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said.

Michael Carter and Steven Henderson grew up together in North Carolina, attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) together, and most recently jointly founded Fleet Zero, a company aiming to develop modular, containerized battery technology for electrifying cargo ships. As of the interview, the company has raised about $60 million in funding, it employs 40 people, it recently opened a new manufacturing/R&D facility in Houston where it is targeting to produce 300 MW hours of batteries this year.There’s a familiar narrative in maritime: an industry steeped in tradition, slow to change, and cautious when it comes to new technology.