General News

EU regulators cleared South Korea's shipbuilder STX Corp. to buy a 39% stake in Europe's largest shipbuilder, Aker Yards ASA. The EU dismissed initial worries that the deal might cause antitrust problems…

Keppel Fels has won a $512 million contract for an ultra-deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig from oil drilling major Ensco. The Ensco 8504 will be the fifth semi-submersible being built by the KepFels…

Practical research being undertaken by the container operator APL, a member of the Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), is being aided by the Propulsion Dynamics CASPER (Computerized Analysis of Ship PERformance) programme.…

The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) has become a role model for other centres for its work in combating and preventing pollution from ships, International Maritime…

The world?s largest cable maker, French-based Nexans, has formed a joint venture with the Mumbai-based Polycab Wires to make rubber cables. The venture will initially invest $37 million to make cables for…

Two of Italy?s specialist cruise shipyards are to join forces in a new alliance. Genoa-based shipbuilder T. Mariotti and next door neighbour San Giorgio del Porto, which specialises in repair and conversion,…

IMT Marine Consultants, a partner in the Offshore Ship Designers group, has been contracted to design a series of eight IMT 957 AHTS/Utility Vessels to be built at Qingao Qianjin Shipyard in…

Greatship (India) Limited (GIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of The Great Eastern Shipping Co. Ltd., has placed an order for two construction support vessels with Colombo Dockyard Limited for delivery in September…

Samsung Heavy Industries has won a $942 million deal to build a drill ship. The deal with Sweden-based Stena Line Co. calls on Samsung to deliver the vessel, used for deep-water oil…

Cosco Corp. Singapore Ltd. aims to draw one third of its business each from ship repairs and conversion, new shipbuilding and offshore marine engineering services. The three key businesses contribute S$653.1 million…

The Anglo-Norwegian reefer company Star Reefers Inc. has agreed with a Japanese owner to time-charter four more new reefer vessels each with a capacity of 615,000 cbft and almost 200 FEU containers…

Russia?s Sovkomflot OJSC is eyeing the possibility of ordering a series of gas carriers from Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg. According to local sources, the scope of the order will depend on…

The Offshore Ship Designers group (OSD) has opened a design office in Shanghai, China. Initially staffed with six naval architects it will provide design resources to OSD's European partners and also provide…

Rihua Shipbuilding, a Sino-Japanese joint venture that operates a shipyard in Nantong, China, delivered its first newbuilding, a 29,200 dwt bulker, to German owner Aug Bolten. Named ?Western Wave?, this newbuilding is…

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) plans to spend 163.2bn won ($164m) to expand its facility for the production of vessel parts. The investment will be made by March 2010 at its…

China State Shipbuilding Co. (CSSC) said its first-quarter profit more than doubled after rising demand led to higher prices for vessels. The Shanghai-based company said that net income climbed to 984 million…

Austal has successfully launched its landmark 127 metre Littoral Combat Ship ?Independence? (LCS 2) in what proved a momentous occasion for the company as it celebrates its 20th year.Since its keel laying…

The international shipbuilding group Aker Yards ASA could help build a huge shipyard worth $1 billion in north-western Russia. A year ago, Moscow announced plans to build a large shipyard for manufacturing…

The first of two 47.5 metre passenger catamaran ferries for the Macau-based New World First Ferry (NWFF) has been launched at Austal Tasmania, marking a historic milestone for the growing shipyard.With new…

Frontline has entered into a contract with Zhoushan Jinhaiwan Shipyard in China for delivery of four 320,000 dwt VLCC newbuildings. The vessels will be delivered from June 2011 until December 2011. Frontline…

One or more of Croatia's five ailing shipyards might have to close as part of European Union membership preparations, Economy Minister Damir Polancec admitted for the first time. He said that one…

In a move that will add to its offshore vessel building expertise and give it an edge over competition, ABG Shipyard, India?s largest private sector shipyard, is looking at building sub-sea vessels,…

Greek dry-bulk carrier DryShips Inc has exercised its option to acquire two ultra deep water drill ships with expected delivered cost of about $800 million per unit. The drill ships are to…