Spanish company bound4blue has installed its eSail suction sail on Na Hiro E Pae, marking the first wind-assisted propulsion system fitted on a multipurpose cargo vessel. The newbuild will serve Tahiti and the Austral Islands, with the system expected to cut energy consumption by 10 percent.
The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that the National Coast Guard Museum, the first national museum dedicated to its history, will open in New London, Connecticut, during the week of August 2, 2027, culminating on the Coast Guard’s birthday, August 4.
A historically strong El Niño could push California’s sea levels to record highs this winter, scientists warn, increasing risks of coastal flooding, beach erosion, and marine heat waves. Officials are also preparing for potential impacts on Dungeness crab fisheries as ocean temperatures continue to climb.
Shipping Corporation of India has opened a $720 million tender for up to six LNG dual-fuel-ready 8,000 TEU containerships, part of New Delhi’s push to rebuild a national liner fleet. Bids are due August 31, with the vessels earmarked for the planned Bharat Container Shipping Line.
France is investing nearly $300 million across five ports—including Marseille-Fos and Brest—to build infrastructure for floating offshore wind energy. Part of the France 2030 initiative, the funding is expected to unlock close to $1 billion in total investment supporting the country’s wind power ambitions.
The Port of Coos Bay is ending its decade-long role operating Oregon’s state dredging vessels after this winter’s Garibaldi project. Officials cite years of staffing strain and deferred maintenance at Charleston Marina, as nearly half its maintenance crew has been diverted annually since 2016.
HD Hyundai Samho has delivered Jane Maersk, its first Very Large Ammonia Carrier, to Maersk — the first of five VLACs ordered in 2023. The 93,000-cubic-meter vessel can carry both ammonia and LPG, as the shipbuilder’s VLAC orderbook grows to 22 ships worth $2.55 billion.
Ingalls Shipbuilding is extending its distributed shipbuilding model to amphibious transport docks, starting with Philadelphia (LPD 32). Building on efficiencies from the Flight III destroyer program, HII plans to grow outsourced shipbuilding hours by 30 percent in 2026 as it scales capacity for Navy fleet demand.
OSHA and the U.S. Coast Guard have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding to enhance maritime worker safety coordination in Northwest Oregon. The agreement formalizes information sharing, joint inspections, and cross-training between Coast Guard Sector Columbia River and OSHA’s Portland area office.
Gunderson Marine & Iron has appointed Tom Lee, a 28-year veteran of heavy industrial construction, as its new president. Lee will lead daily operations as CEO Dee Burch shifts focus to strategic growth, capital investments, and partnerships across the maritime and industrial sectors.
