Maritime news . Week 21
Port Of Antwerp-Bruges Launches Europe’s First Electric Tugboat
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has launched Volta 1, Europe’s first fully electric tugboat. The vessel was developed in close partnership with Damen Shipyards Group.
This follows the earlier launches of Hydrotug, powered by hydrogen, and Methatug, which runs on methanol, both world-firsts in their categories. Together, these vessels represent the port’s commitment to adopt alternative fuels across its operations.
The Volta 1 is a Reversed Stern Drive (RSD) tugboat built with a double bow design and equipped with a patented Twin Fin skeg. This makes it stable, highly manoeuvrable, and capable of operating efficiently both as a front and rear tug.
India To Invest $10 Billion To Build 112 Oil Tankers Locally By 2040
India has unveiled an ambitious plan to invest ₹85,000 crore (approximately $10 billion) to build a fleet of 112 crude oil tankers by 2040.
In the first phase of the project, the government intends to purchase 79 ships, 30 of which will be medium-range carriers. The first batch of 10 tankers is expected to be ordered later this month. Only ships constructed in Indian shipyards will be considered for procurement, even if they are built in partnership with foreign companies.
India is expanding its oil refining capacity significantly. Refining output is expected to rise from 250 million tonnes per year to 450 million tonnes by the end of the decade.
Hudong-Zhonghua commissions giant new shipbuilding facility north of Shanghai
One of China’s top shipyards, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, has commissioned a giant new facility to boost its production of LNG carriers.
The new $2.5bn, 432 ha yard on Changxing Island north of Shanghai will boost the state-run company’s annual LNG carrier output from six to 10 vessels once fully operational.
Hudong-Zhonghua is a flagship site of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, and is also the yard in the People’s Republic that built the country’s first LNG carrier 17 years ago.
https://splash247.com/hudong-zhonghua-commissions-giant-new-shipbuilding-facility-north-of-shanghai/
Newbuild prices edge down
Latest data from Clarksons Research shows that after three bumper years of orders, the appetite for newbuilds among owners is weak, down 57% year-on-year, which has also seen newbuild prices finally edge down.
Clarksons is reporting newbuild prices are down 1.2% from the start of 2025, though they are still historically firm.
Prices have dropped most notably in the tanker sector, down 5% versus the start of 2025. Newbuild prices have also softened in other sectors, with bulker and containership prices down 2.2% and 1.4%, respectively.