Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday he hopes for a council vote on Friday on a resolution Bahrain has drafted to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices have surged since the U.S. and Israel struck Iran at the end of February, kicking off a conflict that has now exceeded a month and effectively closed the strait to shipping traffic.

Bahrain has presented Security Council members with a fourth draft of a resolution that would authorize “all necessary means” to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait.

It had previously dropped an explicit reference to binding enforcement in a bid to overcome objections from other nations, particularly Russia and China, and the latest draft seen by Reuters sets a six-month time limit for the steps.

“We look forward to a unified position from this esteemed Council during the vote that will take place on the draft resolution tomorrow, God willing,” Al Zayani told a meeting of the 15-member council, which Bahrain currently chairs.

He said Iran’s “unlawful and unjustified attempt to control international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz” threatened the interests of nations and peoples…

Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel  for the future USS Philadelphia (LPD 32), a Flight II San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship.

The ceremony included ship sponsor Maureen Paparo, a Philadelphia native, who was joined by her spouse, Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Also, attending the ceremony was Chris Kastner, HII’s president and CEO, Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president and key U.S. Navy officials.

As part of the ceremony, Ingalls Structural Welder Cory Dillon etched the sponsor’s initials into a ceremonial steel plate, a long-standing naval tradition symbolizing the ship’s official start of construction. The plate will remain permanently affixed to Philadelphia throughout its service life.

LPD 32 is one of three Flight II San Antonio-class ships currently under construction at Ingalls. Flight II ships are designed to replace the aging Whidbey Island-class (LSD 41) and Harpers Ferry-class (LSD 49) dock landing ships. These vessels will serve as a cornerstone of the Navy’s 21st-century expeditionary force, supporting Marine and Navy operations in humanitarian aid, disaster relief, maritime security and military missions.

Ingalls Shipbuilding is the sole builder of San…

Columbia Group has selected Prevention at Sea (PaS) as its strategic compliance partner and will deploy the MORSE digital compliance platform across its entire managed fleet.

The partnership between Columbia Group and PaS will strengthen digital capabilities by linking electronic logbooks with standardized, end-to-end compliance processes. MORSE will give the company real-time visibility of reporting activity, improve data quality, and cut administrative work for crews on board.

The move will improve operational efficiency onboard and removes the burden of time-consuming administrative jobs for crew members.

PaS will also act as the auditing arm of CSM’s compliance framework and deliver its Behavioral Competency Assessment & Verification (BCAV) program to help reinforce a strong compliance culture across the fleet.

Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire) filed a civil suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today, January 2, 2026, challenging the U.S. Department of the Interior’s order directing a suspension to the Empire Wind project. As part of that case, Empire plans to seek a preliminary injunction and allow construction to continue while the litigation proceeds.  

While Empire continues to work closely with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the other relevant authorities to find a prompt resolution to the matter, the order is in Equinor’s view unlawful and threatens the progress of ongoing work with significant implications for the project. The preliminary injunction filing is necessary to allow the project to continue as planned during this critical period of execution and avoid additional commercial and financing impacts that are likely to occur should the order remain effective.

Empire has coordinated closely with numerous federal officials on national security reviews since it executed its lease for the project in 2017, including with the Department of War, and has complied with relevant national security related requirements identified as part of the regulatory process. In addition, Empire meets regularly with…

Hanwha Ocean has delivered the Wind Mover wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) to offshore wind contractor Cadeler, completing the second vessel in the company’s M-class series about one month ahead of schedule.

The vessel was formally signed over on November 28 and sailed away on December 2, following a naming ceremony at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Korea.

Wind Mover is the second of two WTIVs ordered by Cadeler in 2021, with the first vessel, Wind Maker, delivered in January 2025. One vessel will operate in Taiwanese waters while Wind Mover is scheduled to begin work in Europe.

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Wind Mover has become the tenth WTIV in Cadeler’s fleet and the fifth newbuild the company has received this year, doubling its installation fleet from five to ten vessels. Cadeler expects to operate 12 vessels by mid-2027, which it said will form the largest and most versatile WTIV fleet in the offshore wind industry.

The design of the vessel was developed in cooperation with partners including Hanwha Ocean, ABB, Kongsberg, GustoMSC and Huisman.

Wind Mover is equipped with a 2,600-tonne main crane, a DP2 positioning system, and is capable of operating in water depths up to 65 meters, enabling installation and maintenance of next-generation offshore wind turbines…

Tanco Terminals is expanding its liquid barge facility at the Ports of Indiana–Jeffersonville to meet rising demand for blended fertilizers across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky.

The $750,000 expansion includes two new 45,000-gallon tanks designed to support regional cooperative Premier Ag, which is the customer of Tanco Terminals. The tanks will enable on-demand blending of fertilizer additives tailored to local soil conditions, a capability expected to increase throughput and improve service to farmers.

“This expansion is about more than just infrastructure – it’s about aligning with the needs of our customers and the market. Premier Ag’s commitment to the Jeffersonville facility was a major driver in our investments, which not only meet today’s needs but also anticipate future growth,” said Kip Middendorf, Vice President and Managing Director of Tanco Terminals.

The expansion supports the cooperative’s strategy to source products globally and blend them locally, while providing greater flexibility through the port’s multimodal access by barge, rail, and truck.

Tanco, a family-owned business operating at Jeffersonville since 2000, said the facility footprint allows for up to four additional tanks in future phases. Plans…

U.S. technology and shipbuilding startup Blue Water Autonomy has entered a production agreement with Louisiana-based Conrad Shipyard to build its first class of autonomous surface vessels, marking a shift from research and development to real-world deployment.

The announcement comes weeks after the Boston company, which designs highly producible unmanned ships for the U.S. Navy, raised its Series A, bringing total funding to $61 million, and underscores its push to deliver scalable unmanned ships that align with near-term U.S. defense priorities.

Under the agreement, Conrad will assemble Blue Water’s first autonomous fleet using multiple facilities and advanced production techniques, such as automated panel line and welding processes, aimed at parallel builds and rapid throughput.

Blue Water said the milestone highlights its broader strategy to activate underutilized U.S. shipyard capacity, especially small and mid-tier yards capable of adapting quickly to new platforms.

“We’re designing for deployment, not just demonstration. Conrad is a world-class shipbuilder with proven capability, and this partnership puts us in a position to deliver ships quickly, while demonstrating the expertise and scale of existing U.S. shipbuilding capacity,” said…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has signed a contract with Norway-based Sanco Shipping for the conversion of the seismic research vessel Sanco Sailor into a seismic source vessel.

Sanco Shipping contracted PGS Apollo, now renamed Sanco Sailor, earlier in 2025, ahead of conversion job at Vard Langsten.

Vard’s scope of work includes significant structural modifications, upgrades to existing seismic equipment, and the installation of a DP2 system for the vessel spanning 106.6 meters in length, with a breadth of 19.2 meters.

The upgrades are expected to enhance the vessel’s operational capabilities and support Sanco’s position in the seismic and offshore markets.

“We did an extensive tendering between Norwegian yards and were glad to see that Vard Langsten was the most competitive. Based on their vast experience both with newbuilds and conversions, we are confident that Vard Langsten will meet our high expectations,” said Tommy Bøe, CTO at Sanco Shipping.

“This project is key for Vard in supporting an important client while applying the high level of competence required for such specialized work. It also contributes to further strengthening VARD’s position in the ship repair and conversion market,” added Wilhelm Eggesbø, SVP Aftersales at…

Photon Marine, a developer of high-performance electric outboard propulsion systems, and Silverback Marine, a builder of commercial aluminum vessels, announced that eight electric workboat configurations have been approved for funding through California Air Resources Board (CARB) Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) Voucher Program. 

This marks the first inclusion of an electric outboard motor in the program.

Starting in August, commercial fleet operators across California—including ports, harbor patrol, aquaculture, research, construction, tourism, and enforcement—will be eligible for up to $240,000 in vouchers per vessel, with an additional $60,000 for small businesses and operators in disadvantaged communities. All applicants may receive up to $100,000 for shoreside charging infrastructure, creating a total potential incentive of $400,000.

Photon’s zero-emission propulsion system delivers 300HP peak (150HP continuous) power, offering instant torque and quiet, low-maintenance performance. Paired with Silverback’s rugged aluminum hulls, the configurations are mission-built for demanding environments. Options include the agile 18-foot SuperCub for marina support and the 24-foot Sherpa for aquaculture, dredging, or utility work. Each vessel…

Fincantieri has strengthened its strategic role in the Italian Navy’s fleet renewal program with a new contract for the construction of two PPA- Multipurpose Combat Ships, set to replace the vessels previously earmarked for the Indonesian Navy.

The contract extension, originally launched under the most recent Naval Act, is managed by OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement) within the Temporary Business Grouping (RTI) formed by Fincantieri, as lead contractor, and Leonardo, as partner.

For Fincantieri, the value of the contract for the two new units is approximately $812 million (€700 million), which includes works already carried out on the previous units now destined for Indonesia.

The two new PPA-Multipurpose Combat Ships will be delivered in the Light Plus configuration at Fincantieri’s Integrated Shipyard in Riva Trigoso and Muggiano, with deliveries scheduled for 2029 and 2030, respectively.

“The new units bolster the national supply chain, ensuring production continuity and employment stability, while also strengthening Italy’s role as a central player in the global defense geopolitical landscape, where shipbuilding is increasingly a key element of influence and international cooperation,” said…