GRADEL & SONS

Fincantieri and Princess Cruises signed an agreement for the construction of three new LNG-powered cruise ships. The vessel, part of a new “Voyager” class, will be built at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard, with deliveries scheduled for 2035, 2038 and 2039. While financial details were not disclosed, the contract has been described as significant and remains subject to financing and standard conditions.Each ship will be approximately 183,000 gross tons and carry around 4,700 passengers, placing them among the larger vessels in the Princess fleet.

A flourishing cruise market and European shipbuilders’ unerring contractual success in the sector has taken orderbooks into the middle of the next decade, ensuring production continuity and underpinning fresh capital expenditure and R&D commitments by the continent’s foremost players.Just how important the segment is to the industry and supply chain may be gauged from the fact that at least three-quarters of the value of European yards’ commercial orderbooks is attributable to cruise vessel construction.

Fincantieri has secured its first contract under the U.S. Navy’s Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program, marking an early step in what could become a 35-vessel procurement central to future expeditionary operations.The $30 million award to Fincantieri Marine Group covers long-lead materials procurement and engineering work for the first four vessels. The contract enables the yard to begin early-stage industrial preparation, with construction expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2026.The LSM program is designed to support distributed maritime operations, a concept increasingly emphasized by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps.

The U.S.-sanctioned tanker Rich Starry made its way back to the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after exiting the Gulf the day before, shipping data showed, failing to break through a U.S. blockade on vessels calling at Iranian ports.U.S. President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal."During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the U.S. blockade," the U.S. Central Command saidon X, adding that six vessels complied with directions from U.S. forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port.

A third Iran-linked tanker was entering the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday on the first full day of the U.S. blockade on vessels calling at Iranian ports, shipping data showed.U.S. President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal.As the three vessels transiting the strait were not heading to Iranian ports, they are not covered by the blockade.Panama-flagged Peace Gulf, a medium-range tanker, is heading to Hamriyah port in the United Arab Emirates, LSEG data showed.