ARTIC LADY

Often debated and long-awaited, The White House released its long-anticipated America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP), a 40+ page blueprint aimed at what it calls a new “Maritime Golden Age” for the United States.The document, developed under Executive Order 14269, lays out a four-pillar strategy to rebuild domestic shipbuilding capacity, expand the U.S.-flag fleet, reform maritime workforce development, and strengthen industrial resilience. For U.S. shipbuilders, vessel owners and maritime suppliers, the plan signals potentially historic investment — paired with significant structural reform.What It Means for U.S.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation and Saltchuk Resources, Inc. announced a definitive agreement for Saltchuk to acquire Great Lakes at an aggregate equity value of approximately $1.2 billion and a total transaction value of $1.5 billion.Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of both companies, Saltchuk will commence a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of the Company for $17.00 per share in cash. The per share purchase price represents a 25% premium to Great Lakes’s 90-day volume-weighted average price as of February 10, 2026, the last trading day prior to the announcement

With a growing focus on mitigating climate change and progressing toward the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2050 net-zero target, the marine sector is under intense pressure to decarbonize. Today, maritime transport emits nearly one billion tons of CO2 annually, representing roughly 2-3% of all energy-related carbon emissions worldwide .Substantial progress has been made over the past decade in reducing emissions from small commercial and coastal vessels via all-electric and diesel-electric propulsion (DEP) systems. However, decarbonizing larger ocean-going and cargo-carrying ships that travel hundreds or even thousands of miles between stops has proved more difficult.

Offshore drilling contractor Transocean has agreed to acquire Valaris in an all-stock transaction valued at about $5.8 billion, creating one of the world’s largest offshore drilling contractors with a fleet of 73 drilling rigs.The combined company will have an enterprise value of roughly $17 billion, with Transocean shareholders expected to own about 53% of the merged entity and Valaris shareholders the remaining 47% on a fully diluted basis.The transaction will combine fleets to form a portfolio of 73 offshore rigs, including 33 ultra-deepwater drillships, nine semisubmersibles and 31 modern jack-ups, expanding the companies’ presence across deepwater and shallow-water basins globally.

A.P. Moller - Maersk has ordered eight large container vessels from China’s New Times Shipbuilding.All eight ships will have the same characteristics and make up a new series of 18,600 TEU vessels with delivery in 2029 and 2030.The ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines able to operate on conventional bunker fuel or liquified gas.“We are pleased to have signed this agreement for eight large vessels. The order is part of our ongoing fleet renewal and helps maintain our fleet’s competitive edge,” said Anda Cristescu, Head of Chartering & Newbuilding at Maersk.The vessels will measure about 366 meters in length and 58.