Maritime Vessels Directory

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.

A new research project at the National University of Singapore (NUS) aims to accelerate the decarbonization of the global shipping industry through the development of next-generation ammonia-fueled marine engines with high efficiency and near-zero emissions.The project focuses on a novel in-cylinder reforming gas recirculation (IRGR) engine concept designed to address key limitations that have so far constrained the wider adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel.Project leader Associate Professor Yang Wenming said concept is designed to improve combustion efficiency while sharply reducing unburned ammonia and other pollutants.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has taken delivery of a new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dual-fuel very large gas carrier (VLGC), Energia Grandeur.The vessel was ordered by MOL group company MOL Energia from Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, with delivery taking place off Mokpo port in South Korea on January 29, 2026.Energia Grandeur will operate under a time charter contract for CSSA Chartering and Shipping Services SA, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies.The vessel is a dual-fuel carrier capable of operating on LPG and heavy fuel oil.

Last month, the Saronic team completed a continuous, week-long, day and night test operation designed to push the limits of Corsair, their 24-foot Autonomous Surface Vessel currently under contract with the U.S. Navy.Conducted and funded by the company as part of ongoing independent research and development efforts, this exercise ran 24/7 with the goal of accomplishing two things:Deeply understand how our vessels perform at — and beyond — their operating limits in real-world environments, andIdentify improvement opportunities so our systems can evolve as quickly as the threats they are built to address.