MANDARIN ARROW

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and five other HD Hyundai affiliates are embarking on the development of a robot and data-based integrated hull management solution that automates the entire process—from hull diagnosis to cleaning and performance verification—for the first time in the shipbuilding industry.HD Hyundai Heavy Industries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint development and commercialization of the "Total Hull Care Solution" with affiliates HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, HD Hyundai Robotics, HD Hyundai Marine Solution, and Avicus, as well as with KCC, a specialist in marine paints, and TAS Global, a specialist in underwater robots.

ABS, Polaris Shipping, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and autonomous navigation solutions provider AVIKUS have signed a four-party Concept Study Agreement for the implementation of a Conditional Unmanned Bridge.Under the agreement, the parties will jointly develop an autonomous navigation concept enabling unmanned bridge operation during deep-sea voyages, when defined conditions are met, on one of Polaris Shipping's 325K Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOCs).The concept is not a fully unmanned operation across the entire voyage. Rather, it is a phased autonomous navigation concept under which the bridge is left unmanned only under specific low-risk conditions, such as open-ocean passage.

British commandos boarded and intercepted a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel on Sunday, leading for the first time an operation to disrupt the oil revenue that helps fund Russia's war in Ukraine.The vessel Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroonian flag, was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency (NCA) officials in the early hours on Sunday, with support from Chinook helicopters and other aircraft, a frigate and a minehunter."This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling Putin's war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a post on X.

Maritime engineering consultancy BMT and Australian shipbuilder Austal have signed a strategic agreement aimed at expanding ship design and engineering capacity while supporting the delivery of commercial and defense shipbuilding programs.The agreement establishes a framework that allows Austal to access specialist naval architecture and engineering resources as project requirements fluctuate, helping the company manage peak workloads and reduce schedule risks.Under the arrangement, BMT will provide ship design, naval architecture and engineering services to support vessel development and technical integration activities.

A new engineering design and commercial advisory company focused on offshore wind, subsea transmission and marine infrastructure projects has launched in Ireland under the name of Insight Marine, targeting growing demand for specialist support across the global maritime sector.Headquartered in County Wicklow, Insight Marine has been established to provide engineering design, technical advisory and commercial services to offshore wind developers, transmission system operators, port owners, investors, contractors and supply-chain companies operating in marine environments.