NORCON OCEANUS

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.

This year’s IMO International Day for Women in Maritime (May 18) focuses on embedding gender equality at every level of the maritime industry, both on shore and at sea.Under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Gender Equality for Maritime Excellence”, the day highlights actions to translate international ambitions and commitments into tangible actions that will make a difference in the lives of women in the sector, from seafarers to shore side professionals.IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “Despite our longstanding commitment to fostering gender diversity across the maritime sector, persistent challenges remain.

Shipping giants CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd said on Sunday they had suspended all bookings to and from Cuba until further notice, with both citing a U.S. executive order issued on May 1, in the latest blow to the crisis-wracked island's economy.The temporary suspension of new orders by two of the world’s largest shipping companies could jeopardize as much as 60% of Cuba's shipping traffic by volume, two sources with direct knowledge of the situation said - a fresh hit to a country already nearing collapse amid a U.S. oil blockade that has throttled the island's fuel supply.“Following the U.S.

U.S.-flag shipping on the Great Lakes lost a total of 1,953 hours or 82 ship days due to inadequate icebreaking, about a third of the shipping season on the Great Lakes.It took 96 hours after the Soo locks opened for the year for the first vessel loaded with iron ore to finally clear the St. Marys River the critical connection point between Lake Superior and the lower lakes. At one point, 19 vessels were stopped for multiple days in the ice, waiting for icebreakers to clear the way to either get their loads or deliver them.The ice season dragged on well into April, stretching Coast Guard icebreaking crews and their worn-out ships. The only U.S.