Maritime Vessels Directory

The United States will "take back" the Panama Canal from Chinese influence, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday during a visit to the Central American nation.After talks with Panama's government, Hegseth vowed to deepen security cooperation with Panamanian security forces and said China would not be allowed to "weaponize" the canal by using Chinese firms' commercial relationships for espionage."Together, we will take back the Panama Canal from China's influence," Hegseth said, speaking at a pier renovated with U.S. assistance in Panama City."China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal and China will not weaponize this canal.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers on Tuesday that not all of the agency's proposed multimillion-dollar fees for Chinese-built ships to dock at U.S. ports will be implemented, and they may not be cumulative.Greer told a Senate Finance Committee hearing that the proposals were made to address a lack of shipbuilding in the United States.He said the port fees were "proposed actions or series of potential revenue" that could be used to incentivize shipbuilding in the United States following a USTR probe into China's growing dominance on the seas."They're not all going to be implemented. They're not all going to be stacked," Greer said.

Hanwha Ocean has held a naming ceremony for its high specification ultra-deepwater drillship Tidal Action, signaling its official entry into the deepwater drilling industry.The Tidal Action is built on Hanwha Ocean’s proprietary design and is capable of drilling at depths of up to 12 kilometers in waters as deep as 3.6 kilometers.The drillship is also equipped with a dynamic positioning system for a stable station keeping and ready to accommodate 20,000 psi blowout preventers for enhanced safety and operational efficiency.In February 2024, Hanwha Ocean established Hanwha Drilling to operate its drillship fleet and made the strategic decision to manage its assets independently.

U.S.-based military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) today to explore opportunities to collaborate on accelerating ship production in support of defense and commercial shipbuilding projects.This strategic partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of both companies to advance technological innovation, maximize production efficiency, and strengthen the global defense industry.The efforts applied under the MoU aim to increase the collective maritime industrial base strength of both the U.S. and South Korea.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has officially begun construction on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) new medium class hopper dredger with a ceremonial steel-cutting event.The vessel is being built at ESG's Allanton and Port St. Joe facilities and is scheduled for delivery in 2027.ESG is collaborating with Royal IHC on the design.USACE's new hopper dredger will be able to load up to 15% more efficiently, reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact, with an ECO Control Package that includes high-end controls for trail speed, dredge pump and draghead vizor.