Maritime healthcare provider VIKAND has cited disturbing statistics from Gard’s 2025 Crew Claims Report to raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding seafarer mental health. The Gard stats – based on 2024 claims data and feedback from more than 6,000 seafarers – indicate that, between 2019-2023, 11% of all seafarer deaths were due to suicide, […]
Dutch maritime decking specialist Bolidt recently completed its largest ever retrofit project, installing around 18,000m2 of decking on the Royal Caribbean International (RCI) cruise vessel Allure of the Seas. The sheer scale of the project presented a number of challenges, which the company worked with the client, the shipyard – Navantia Cadiz – and other […]
The UK is poised to lead in uncrewed surface vessel (USV) development, backed by strong technical expertise and government initiatives like the Ministry of Defence’s NavyX programme. However, regulatory hurdles are stifling progress, says Matthew Ratsey, MD of Plymouth-based Zero USV, one of two key UK USV developers who spoke to The Naval Architect for […]
At the Battle of Trafalgar, nearly a quarter of Nelson’s fleet, bearing nearly a third of the fleet’s guns, was designed by Sir Thomas Slade (1703/4-1771), who is buried in Ipswich, Suffolk, writes Peter Turner. Thomas Slade was born into a well-established family of Ipswich and Harwich shipbuilders, while his uncle, Benjamin Slade, was master […]
The new North Eastern Guardian IV had to be extremely capable and based on a proven, sub-24m design. So, what better architecture than an established crew transfer vessel (CTV)? In fact, the North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA) had been planning a replacement for its forerunner, North Eastern Guardian III, for some years. As […]
The Italian Navy has placed a contract with Fincantieri to build two more PPA multipurpose combat vessels. The new vessels will replace those earmarked for transfer to Indonesia. The contract for the new vessels, managed by the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement, was placed with a consortium comprising Fincantieri as lead contractor and […]
BAE Systems has opened a new shipbuilding hall at its facility in Glasgow, in a bid to improve schedule performance while reducing typical times between ship deliveries. Named the Janet Harvey Hall, in memory of a female electrician who worked in shipyards on the Clyde during WW2, the 170m-long, 80m-wide new space has the capacity […]
Finnish ship designer Deltamarin has signed a contract with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Weihai) for six new methanol-compatible ro-pax vessels. Ordered by Grimaldi Group, the ferries will be built to the specs of the ‘Next Generation Med’ class and will cover Mediterranean routes serviced by the owner’s Grimaldi Lines and Minoan Lines subsidiaries. Each newbuild […]
The 85m x 15m Whitchampion has become the first bunker tanker certified to load, carry and blend fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) B100 on board, according to classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR). The 2003-built vessel, operated by UK-based John H. Whitaker (Tankers), secured this certification from LR on behalf of the Isle of Man Flag […]
Scandlines to convert ferries to hybrid operation Copenhagen-based Scandlines is converting two of the ferries operating the Puttgarden-Rødby route to plug-in hybrid operation, involving an investment of around €31 million. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80%, the company states. The refit includes the installation of 5MWh battery systems on each […]
The Hovercraft Society has published the first issue of its Light and Recreational Hovercraft Directory, created to place a spotlight on hovercraft-related events, rides, hire opportunities and service around the world, as well as sharing the details of internationally based hovercraft builders and suppliers. Alan Bliault, technical secretary, The Hovercraft Society (and a contributor to […]
The design of the US Navy’s troubled FFG 62 Constellation-class frigate programme is further behind schedule than realised, and the ship is now much heavier than anticipated, which could compromise its performance. According to a June 2025 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 2025 Weapon Systems Annual Assessment, the US Navy continues to face […]