Professional Mariner – April 2026

Hines Furlong Line adds three towboats in 11-boat series

A Mississippi-based inland towing operator has continued its partnership with a Gulf Coast marine power supplier, adding three new towboats built around a standardized propulsion platform as part of a multi-vessel construction program aimed at modernizing river operations and simplifying maintenance across its fleet. Hines Furlong Line has placed three additional towboats into service as part of an 11-vessel newbuild…

Foiling ferry completes world’s longest electric sea journey

A leading developer of electric-hydrofoiling ferries has undertaken what it describes as the longest voyage by a passenger vessel of its kind. The journey highlighted the range and flexibility of high-speed, zero-emission craft, potentially hinting at expansion into longer commercial service profiles. Earlier this year, Swedish manufacturer Candela sent its P-12 model — which the company describes as the world’s…

Senesco wins contract for hybrid Delaware ferry

Continuing a nationwide shift toward electrification in municipal ferry fleets, a Rhode Island shipyard has secured a contract to build a diesel-electric hybrid passenger and vehicle ferry for one of the mid-Atlantic’s most established routes. Senesco Marine has been awarded a contract by the Delaware River and Bay Authority to construct and outfit a new hybrid ferry for the Cape…

Keel laid for new 6,000-cubic-yard USACE hopper dredge

A new medium-class hopper dredge intended to modernize the federal fleet has reached a key construction milestone in Florida, marking continued progress in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dredge recapitalization effort. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Royal IHC held a keel-laying ceremony on Jan. 22 for the dredge Donnelly at Eastern’s Allanton, Fla., facility.…

Broad IMO safety and reporting amendments enter into force

On Jan. 1, a broad package of amendments to major International Maritime Organization conventions — including SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW and numerous safety codes — entered into force, tightening safety, environmental and reporting requirements across shipboard operations ranging from training and cargo reporting to fire protection, fuel safety, polar navigation and bridge technology. The amendments will most directly affect U.S. mariners…

French infrastructure firm to acquire Vigor Marine Group

Foreign infrastructure capital continues to flow into U.S. maritime assets, this time in the form of a pending acquisition of one of the country’s largest ship repair and fabrication companies. Paris-based Antin Infrastructure Partners has agreed to acquire Vigor Marine Group from an affiliate of a Texas-based private equity firm. The transaction, subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to…

Autonomous maritime firms pursue deeper industrial partnerships

Autonomous maritime developers are moving beyond prototype demonstrations and expanding industrial alignment, pairing software-driven autonomy platforms with established offshore operators and domestic shipbuilders in an effort to accelerate deployment. Saronic — an Austin, Texas-based developer of autonomous surface vessels and maritime autonomy software — announced a strategic partnership with Hornbeck Offshore Services to explore the integration of autonomous systems into…

NOAA installs PORTS navigation system in Boston Harbor

A new real-time environmental monitoring system is now operational in Boston Harbor, providing mariners with updated current, weather and bridge-clearance data in one of New England’s busiest commercial waterways. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the installation of a Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System, or PORTS, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The Boston Harbor system is…

Inside Washington’s push to rebuild US shipbuilding

The Trump administration has released a plan to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry and expand the nation’s fleet of internationally trading commercial vessels, part of a broader effort to rebuild American maritime capacity. The set of priorities, dubbed the Maritime Action Plan (MAP), addresses many of the same concerns as the SHIPS Act introduced in Congress last year, which also…

New York-New Jersey’s last common-use terminal nears sale

One of the country’s busiest container terminals could soon be the subject of a high-profile sale, with major container lines, port operators and the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, potentially vying for the asset. A recent deal with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to extend the terminal’s long-term lease cleared the way for a potential sale.…