EMPIRE NAVIGATION INC.

Chinese shipyards’ market share has dropped from 72% to 52% in the first half of 2025 amid growing concerns over the impact of US Trade Representative (USTR) port fees on Chinese ships, according to the latest report from BIMCO, the world’s largest shipping association.USTR port fees, set to take effect in October 2025, will impact both Chinese owners and operators, as well as ships built in China, BIMCO said.Smaller Chinese-built ships will be exempted from fees, depending on sector-specific criteria, along with exemptions for short haul voyages.Global newbuilding contracting in terms of Compensated Gross Tonnage (CGT) dropped 54% y/y during the first half of 2025.

With all the Legislative fanfare, Executive Orders, Committee meetings, lobbying efforts and media announcements concerning American Shipbuilding, Naval Warfare and Maritime Dominance, it is no surprise that the result of the uproar is shear confusion within the maritime industrial base (MIB).  The April 9, 2025 Executive Order Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance lists more than several reports to the President due within 90 days. Following those initial updates other reports are due at 180 and 210 days. The industry as a whole has not seen references to any of the reports being completed.

Seatrium has announced the impending delivery of Petrobras 78 (P-78), the first of a series of turnkey floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units to Petrobras.The sailaway ceremony took place two weeks ago at Seatrium’s Singapore yard. Upon delivery, the P-78 will be deployed in Brazil’s prolific Buzios field, the largest deepwater oil field globally, with a production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), 7.2 million cubic metres (mcbm) of gas per day, and a storage capacity of 2 million barrels of oil.The P-78 will rank among the largest in the global operating fleet of FPSOs.

The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) presented its Strategic Plan at the Clock Building of the Port of Valencia, outlining a vision and series of projects with a clear target year of 2035.This is a ten-year plan designed to consolidate Valenciaport as a generator of wealth and quality employment, while also acting as a driver of investment and transformation in the port and logistics ecosystem. Its mission is to deliver the best possible service to the business sector.By 2035, Valenciaport aspires to handle up to 45% of Spain’s loaded container traffic for imports and exports.

Most European ports are lagging in installing the shore-side electrical infrastructure needed for ships to switch from highly polluting marine fuel to cleaner electricity while docked, a new study showed on Tuesday.European Union environmental rules have set a 2030 deadline for maritime ports to install the infrastructure to provide what is known as onshore power supply (OPS).To assess their roll-out, Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) commissioned a study covering 31 European ports.Findings show that just one in five of the required power supply connections have been installed or contracted so far, with slow uptake across most ports.