The National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia

The U.S. Navy has begun the process to remove the island from the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) as part of an ongoing inactivation availability for the warship that was destroyed by a major fire in 2020.Salvage contractor Smit Americas started the removal process Tuesday, the Navy said. Workers will reduce the island's height down to just above the flight deck to improve the ship’s structural integrity and readiness for tow.The Navy announced at the end of 2020 it would scrap the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship after flames ravaged the vessel while it was docked for routine maintenance in San Diego in July.

The Grimaldi Group said it signed an order contract worth more than $500 million for the construction of six new ro/ro multipurpose vessels at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. Ltd (Ulsan) in South Korea.With a length of 250 meters, a beam of 38 meters and a deadweight of 45,684 tonnes, the six newbuilds  are expected to be delivered for Grimaldi's Neapolitan Group between the first months of 2023 and the end of 2024. The vessels will replace older 25-year-old-plus tonnage and will be deployed between North Europe and West Africa, particularly to Lagos, Nigeria.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index dipped on Wednesday, pressured by lower rates for the capesize and panamax vessel segments.The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels ferrying dry bulk commodities, was down 18 points, or 1%, at 1,709.The capesize index fell 109 points, or 6.8%, to an over one-week low of 1,485.Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, lost $901 to $12,315.The panamax index dropped 30 points, or 1.3%, to 2,276.

Norwegian shipowner Hunter Group said its Hunter Tankers subsidiary has signed a memorandum of agreement to sell its 2019-built very large crude carrier (VLCC) Hunter Atla to a Eurasian buyer for $84.5 million.The vessel is expected to be delivered to its new owner in March, leaving Hunter with a fleet of four VLCCs.The company announced the sales of Hunter Laga and Hunter Saga in the second half of last year.

Hempel A/S has launched its new sustainability framework dubbed Futureproof, an initiative that lies at the heart of the companies strategy to double its revenue by 2025 while dramatically cutting its carbon footprint and that of its clients across industrial sectors.“We believe that placing sustainability at the heart of how we do business is essential for our ambition to double the company. Our customers expect more sustainable solutions and today's and tomorrow's employees want to work for companies that have a clear and progressive position on sustainability. And of course, it's the right thing to do,” said COO and Executive Vice President Katarina Lindström.