MarRI-UK Maritime Round Up #86

June 2025
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Welcome to this week’s MarRI-UK weekly digest and roundup, where you can find the latest UK maritime and political news, clean maritime and global shipping update, events and funding opportunities. Please feel free to share this link with your network.

This week’s highlights

  • The Strategic Defence Review 2025 – Making Britain Safer: secure at home, strong abroad Read more
  • UKRI Policy Internships at the Scottish Parliament Find out more and apply before 12 September 2025
  • What will be powering ships in the 2030s? Read more
  • UK Government needs multi-port solution to maximise benefits to the nation’s economy Read more
  • Fortescue’s mission to champion ammonia goes global Read more
  • UKG released the Strategic Defence Review on Monday:
    • Move to warfighting readiness
      • ‘New Hybrid Navy’: Dreadnought and SSN-AUKUS submarines, cutting-edge warships and support ships, transformed aircraft carriers, and new autonomous vessels.
      • 10x more lethal British Army: armoured capability, AI, software, long-range weapons, and land drone swarms—and aim to increase full-time troops to at least 76,000 into the next Parliament.
      • Next-generation RAF: F-35s, upgraded Typhoons, next-generation fast jets through GCAP, and autonomous fighters.
      • Sovereign warhead programme: £15bn this Parliament, supporting 9,000+ jobs.
      • Homeland air and missile defence: up to £1bn new funding.
      • New CyberEM Command: defending Britain from daily attacks in the grey zone.
    • Engine for growth
      • Munitions: £6bn this Parliament— including £1.5bn in an ‘always on’ pipeline and at least 6 new munitions and energetics factories in the UK, creating 1,000+ jobs.
      • Continuous submarine production: up to 12 conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines through the AUKUS programme.
      • UK Defence Innovation: £400m to invest in UK-based companies.
      • New Defence Exports Office: driving exports to our allies and growth at home.
    • NATO First
      • First European hybrid airwings: Transforming our aircraft carriers, combining fast jets, long-range weapons, and drones.
      • First European laser directed energy weapon in service: through nearly £1bn of new funding.
      • Greater European deterrence: up to 7,000 new long-range weapons and supporting around 800 jobs in the UK.
    • UK Innovation driven by Ukraine experience
      • World-leading innovation in autonomy: doubling investment in autonomous systems this Parliament to boost UK export potential.
      • New Digital Targeting Web in 2027: up to £1bn for the digital integration of our Armed Forces.
      • New ‘Drone Centre’: accelerating the use of autonomous systems across our Armed Forces.
    • Whole of society approach
      • Renewal of military accommodation: at least £7bn this Parliament, with £1.5bn+ new investment to fix forces family housing.
      • More opportunities for young people: delivering a 30% increase in cadets by 2030 and introducing a voluntary ‘Gap Year’ scheme.
      • Whole-of-society approach: A new UK Strategic Reserve by 2030 and the Navy taking a leading role in protecting undersea infrastructure.
      • New Defence Readiness Bill: legislating to improve national preparedness.
    • SofS made a statement to the House in which he said that:
      • The SDR is UKG’s plan to seize the defence dividend from the record increase in defence investment to create jobs.
      • Geopolitics are more serious and less predictable than at any time since the Cold War.
      • Our adversaries are working more in alliance with one another.
      • A new era of threat must demand a new era for UK defence.
      • UKG have overseen the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.
      • There cannot be investment without reform – the reforms enacted over the last year will ensure clearer responsibilities and new efficiencies worth £6bn in this Parliament.
      • The country must move to warfighting readiness and so it needs stronger deterrence.
      • A country’s armed forces are only as strong as industry that stands behind it.
      • UKG will make defence an engine for growth to create jobs and increase prosperity in every nation and region.
      • More communities and more working people will benefit from the defence dividend.
      • A Defence investment Plan will supersede the Equipment Plan and be published in the Autumn. It will be deliverable, affordable, consider infrastructure alongside capabilities, and seize opportunities to grow the British economy.
  • SDR Key Points on Shipbuilding:
    • An ‘always on’ supply line for shipbuilding is essential to retain industry skills and reduce the delays in delivering new ships that otherwise lead to additional support costs for ‘running on’ ageing platforms.
    • Long-term partnering agreements with funding commitments over multiple years or decades, such as those underpinning the delivery of SSN-AUKUS, would help to realise efficiencies and de-risk major investments while also contributing to UK economic growth.
    • More flexible regulation is also needed to support vital experimentation in areas such as autonomy, including through the creation of regulatory ‘sandboxes’—designated areas at sea in which the Navy and industry can test and deploy new technologies.

UK Maritime

  • (06/06) TGS performing geophysical survey for floating wind farm planned to power oil & gas platforms Read more
  • (06/06) Export Cable Installation to Start at East Anglia Three Read more
  • (05/06) UK Marine Energy Council confirms 2025/26 board lineup Read more
  • (05/06) £20 billion gas deal gives UK’s energy security a shot in the arm Read more
  • (05/06) Canadian firm sheds UK business and stake in North Sea oil discovery Read more
  • (05/06) Union Maritime gears up for arrival of ‘world’s first’ newbuild tanker fitted with WAPS Read more
  • (05/06) OWC, Empire Engineering Win Work on TWP’s Scottish Offshore Wind Farms Read more
  • (05/06) Scottish Port Secures EUR 29 Million Investment for Floating Wind Upgrade Read more
  • (05/06) Babcock Secures £114 Million Contract to Support First Nuclear Submarine Defueling Operations in 20 Years Read more
  • (05/06) ‘Britain has gone to hell, like Norway’: John Fredriksen Read more
  • (05/06) LR report outlines clear case for shipowners to retrofit Read more
  • (04/06) Frazer-Nash Consultancy at the Heart of the UK’s Largest Multi-Domain AI Defence Trial Read more
  • (04/06) Come Onboard for the MCA’s Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Meeting Read more
  • (04/05) AI-powered safety tool fortifies EnQuest’s operated energy portfolio in UK waters Read more
  • (04/06) Me AI-powered safety tool fortifies EnQuest’s operated energy portfolio in UK waterset the innovator harnessing wind power from passing trains Read more
  • (03/06) SMI Welcomes the Publication of the Strategic Defence Review Read more
  • (03/06) Lloyd’s Register awards AiP to MOL and Samsung Heavy Industries for SOFC-equipped LNG carrier Read more
  • (0306) LR grants industry first full antifouling approval to Jotun’s Hull Skating Solutions Read more
  • (02/06) LR, CoolCo and HD HMS successfully deliver sub-coolers for LNG boil-off reliquefaction retrofit on LNG Carrier Kool GlacierRead more
  • (03/06) Inyanga Marine Energy names new contractors for 20 MW Wales tidal energy project Read more
  • (03/06) Sonardyne comes on board UK’s first offshore carbon storage project Read more
  • (03/06) BP green-lights batch of energy projects: Next chapter of mega gas field is a go Read more
  • (03/06) Union Maritime launches financing scheme to spur wind propulsion use Read more
  • (03/06) Lloyd’s Register: How the business of classification is evolving Read more
  • (03/06) UK could lose 400 North Sea jobs every two weeks, university warns Read more
  • (02/06) Consultation Launched on Scottish Offshore Wind Plan Read more
  • (02/06) Japan certifies Proteus 1.1 MW tidal turbine, power now flowing to national grid Read more
  • (02/06) Drop in UK oil & gas players’ profits prompts calls for tax changes to amplify investments Read more
  • (02/06) UK sets date for crucial offshore wind auction Read more
  • (30/05) Statkraft and Clydeport agree to explore green hydrogen project at Hunterston PARC Read more
  • (30/05) Wales backs next-gen tidal stream turbine blade project Read more
  • (30/05) UK to Launch Seventh CfD Auction in August, Offshore Wind Has Its Own AR7 Timeline Read more
  • (30/05) BAR Technologies: WindWings secures BV’s stamp of approval Read more

UK Maritime Political Update

  • (06/06) The Business and Trade Committee published a report on the upcoming Industrial Strategy Read more
  • (05/06) UK PM Starmer to discuss NATO defence spending plans with Rutte on Monday Read more
  • (05/06) Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Business Plan 2025 to 2028 Read more
  • (04/05) Tenfold increase in UK drone deliveries for Ukraine at 50-nation Ukraine summit Read more
  • (04/06) Major milestone achieved in MOD submarine dismantling project Read more
  • (04/06) UK Government Scotland posted that Scotland ‘is the beating heart of military shipbuilding’Read more
  • (04/06) Strategic Defence Review – Security and Resilience Read more
  • (03/06) The PM delivered a written statements on the Machinery of Government changes in which he:
    • Announced that responsibility for government and public sector cyber security will move from the Cabinet Office to DSIT, effective immediately
    • Confirmed that responsibility for defence exports promotion (comprising most of UKDSE) will move from DBT to MOD, which ‘will enable the Government to develop a single defence export offer’ and will ‘directly connect exports with the MOD’s wider procurement and international activity’
    • Stated that responsibility for Security and Cyber exports will remain in DBT, with the change to take effect on 31 July
  • (03/06) UKRI posted that investment in science and technology to help create jobs and growth in the West Midlands ‘has seen a £171m increase since 2021-22’ Read more
  • (02/06) Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson MP delivered a written statement on apprenticeships and skills training Read more
  • (02/06) Strategic Defence Review Publication Read more
  • (30/05) Strategic Command posted that the UK and Japan ‘continue to deepen their strategic collaboration in cyber’ Read more

Funding Opportunities Highlight

Events Highlight

Publication

  • HoC Library: UK defence in 2025: Tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery Download
  • HoC Library: Strategic Defence Review 2025: The UK’s nuclear deterrent Download
  • ICCT Report: Black Carbon and CO2 Emissions from EU-Regulated Shipping in the Arctic Download
  • LR Report: Demand for propeller retrofits surge four-fold but adoption remains limited Download
  • LR Class News: 11/2025: Statutory alert – Requirements of Hong Kong Ship Recycling Convention (HKSRC) 2009 come into effect Download
  • Nor-Shipping 2025: Ageing fleet drives surge in number of maritime incidents, says DNV report Download

Global Maritime News

Offshore Renewable Energy

  • (06/06) Water2Energy tidal turbine boosts output by 20% with new pitch control system Read more
  • (05/06) First Floating Offshore Wind Farm in France Fully Commissioned Read more
  • (05/06) Lithuania to relaunch 700MW offshore wind tender next weekRead more
  • (04/06) Construction Kicks Off on Baltica 2 Operations and Maintenace Base Read more
  • (04/06) Îles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier Offshore Wind Farm Produces First Power Read more
  • (04/06) Chinese Firm Eyes Building 200 MW Offshore Wind Project in Azerbaijan Read more
  • (04/06) Japan Opens Exclusive Economic Zone for Offshore Wind Read more
  • (03/06) $1M grant boosts underwater wave energy tech at ODU Read more
  • (03/06) Orlen Taps Local Companies for Baltic East Seabed Survey Offshore Poland Read more
  • (03/06) Samsø Offshore Wind Farm to Operate Longer as Denmark Issues First Extension Permit Read more
  • (03/06) All Pin Piles In at Hai Long Offshore Wind Farm, Next Up Hai Long 3 Jacket Foundations Read more
  • (03/06) Offshore Renewable Energy Legislation Takes Effect in Newfoundland and LabradorRead more
  • (03/06) France Revises Offshore Wind PPAs to Tackle Negative Price Periods Read more
  • (03/06) Japan’s Floating Wind Tech Research Association to Cooperate with DNV Read more
  • (03/06) Delaware Senate Discussing Bill that Would Allow US Wind to Build Substations After County Denied Permit Read more
  • (03/06) Industry urges Dutch government to keep 21GW offshore wind target on track Read more
  • (02/06) Norway’s digital edge in the offshore wind transition Read more
  • (02/06) Danish Energy Agency Running Market Dialogue Ahead of 3 GW CfD-Based Offshore Wind Tender Read more
  • (02/06) Alotta delivers Chile’s first floating solar at Mowi site Read more
  • (02/06) Copenhagen Energy, PGEC Progress on 2 GW Philippine Offshore Wind Project Read more
  • (02/06) Aker Solutions seals second deal for German offshore wind project Read more
  • (30/05) 1,100-Tonne Jacket Section Installed on Jasmund Offshore Substation Read more
  • (30/05) Geophysical survey tender launches for Estonian-Latvian cross-border offshore wind project Read more

Clean Maritime

  • (06/06) Viking Line to deploy ‘world’s largest’ all-electric ferry on Helsinki-Tallinn route Read more
  • (06/06) Modec and Carbon Clean team up on FPSO carbon capture Read more
  • (06/06) Damen launches two eco-friendly cargo ships for Fast Lines Belgium Read more
  • (06/06) New Korean initiative to work on safe tank design for green ships Read more
  • (05/06) AMEA Power and Kyuden International forge clean energy and hydrogen partnership Read more
  • (05/06) France’s ‘largest-ever’ shore power facility completed Read more
  • (05/06) Hanwha Ocean and KR set sights on next-gen ammonia and LNG carriers Read more
  • (05/06) bound4blue WAPS performance calculation method wins DNV nod of approval Read more
  • (05/06) BIMCO’s new clause to support biofuel use in time charters Read more
  • (05/06) Höegh Evi and Aker BP’s LCO2 carrier gets DNV’s blessing Read more
  • (05/06) ‘World’s First’ E-Methanol-Fuelled SOV Begins Sea Trials Read more
  • (05/06) Wah Kwong launches clean fuels trading subsidiary Read more
  • (05/06) Demand for propeller retrofits surge four-fold but adoption remains limited Read more
  • (04/06) Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Elomatic team up to advance maritime industry’s green and digital transformation Read more
  • (04/06) Kongsberg Maritime rolls out service to ‘streamline’ WAPS adoptionRead more
  • (04/06) New partnership looking to accelerate adoption of AEM electrolyzers Read more
  • (04/06) TORM becomes sole owner of green energy solutions provider Read more
  • (04/06) KR, HD Hyundai Heavy join forces on 100,000+ cbm ethane carrier  Read more
  • (04/06) Ethanol Makes Its Case In Maritime Decarbonisation Read more
  • (03/06) Northern Lights: Ready, set, go with first CO2 on board! Read more
  • (03/06) Pertamina inks deal with French partner for renewable synthetic fuel production Read more
  • (03/06) HDF Energy strengthens Indonesian presence with strategic hydrogen agreementsRead more
  • (03/06) $28 billion LNG export project breaks ground in Louisiana Read more
  • (03/06) Japanese majors collaborate on liquefied hydrogen carrier design study Read more
  • (03/06) MOL’s Wind Hunter hydrogen project selected for NEDO’s research initiative Read more
  • (03/06) Maersk’s green methanol containership fleet is now complete Read more
  • (02/06) Report: Surging shipping demand points to looming biofuel supply crunch Read more
  • (02/06) Singapore and France agree on pilot projects to support maritime decarbonizationRead more
  • (02/06) Construction set to begin on ‘Baltic States’ first’ hydrogen station at Klaipėda PortRead more
  • (02/06) Australia falling behind in global hydrogen race, says WoodMac Read more
  • (02/06) Solvang and BlackRock to jointly pursue liquefied gas shipping opportunities Read more
  • (02/06) World’s ‘largest’ green hydrogen plant construction reaches 80% completion Read more
  • (30/05) Corvus Energy battery systems for BC Ferries’ new electric ship quartet Read more
  • (30/05) South Korea revises electric vessel code as part of green maritime push Read more
  • (30/05) CLI orders methanol-ready wind-powered cargo ship at Royal Bodewes Read more
  • (30/05) Past estimates missed true scope of EU shipping’s Arctic climate impact, report says Read more
  • (30/05) TUI Cruises’ second LNG-powered newbuild launched at Italian shipyard Read more
  • (30/05) Latin America’s first electric tugboat en route to Chile Read more
  • (30/05) Denmark’s Project Greensand hires NOV for CO2 transfer solution Read more
  • (30/05) Geely: LNG-powered 7,000 CEU RoRo ship debuts in China, embarks on maiden voyage Read more

Ports

  • (05/06) Industry giants eye e-methanol bunkering and export facility in UAE Read more
  • (04/06) MPA and Yinson GreenTech to elevate Singapore’s maritime digital twin Read more
  • (04/06) ONE commits to purchase shore power at Hamburg port Read more
  • (04/06) Port of Amsterdam launches shore power system for cruise ships Read more
  • (03/06) APM Terminals Moín launches modernization project to boost efficiency and sustainabilityRead more
  • (03/06) Port of Corpus Christi reaches ‘key’ channel expansion project milestone Read more

Nuclear Energy

  • (06/06) Allseas turns to nuclear power for offshore fleet Read more
  • (02/06) Trump signs executive orders to boost US nuclear industry Read more

Global Shipping & Newbuild

  • (06/06) DNV: Ageing fleet drives surge in number of maritime incidents Read more
  • (06/06) NextGeo taps Norwegian shipyard for survey vessel conversion Read more
  • (06/06) Brazil to China: The VLCC Trade Route Making Waves in 2025 Read more
  • (06/06) Dutch firm orders MPV for subsea and renewables workRead more
  • (06/06) Shandong Ocean Shipping taps Hengli Heavy for bulker pair Read more
  • (06/06) Carsten Rehder lines up more newbuilds in India Read more
  • (06/06) Red Sea shipping rebounds 60% as Houthi attacks decline Read more
  • (05/06) USTR Notice of Action 301: China’s targeting of maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding Read more
  • (04/06) ‘First formal step’ made for Malaysian firm’s cable layer as Ulstein Design & Solutions nets contract Read more
  • (04/06) Quarter of all box tonnage now deployed on Asia-Europe tradelane Read more
  • (04/06) Höegh Autoliners behind groundbreaking ship upcycling project in Norway Read more
  • (04/06) COSCO launches MPP fleet push with up to 30 newbuildsRead more
  • (03/06) Sea1 Offshore’s to-be-built vessel quartet to sport Kongsberg equipment Read more
  • (03/06) New LNG vessel order for Hyundai Heavy Industries with PurusRead more
  • (03/06) Pan Ocean bolsters tanker orderbook with VLCC brace Read more
  • (03/06) MR2 tankers lead secondhand sales Read more
  • (02/06) LS Marine Solution Invests EUR 221 Million in New High-Spec Cable Laying Vessel Read more
  • (02/06) Vietnam’s Hai An Transport orders up to four boxships in China Read more
  • (02/06) Huarong Leasing signs for chemical tanker trio at Wuhu Read more
  • (02/06) Capital Maritime adds to Korean boxship newbuild seriesRead more
  • (02/06) South Africa takes another step on path to creating a national shipping line Read more
  • (02/06) How ships will look in 10 years’ time Read more
  • (02/06) John Fredriksen takes aim at Norwegian government’s perceived lack of interest in shippingRead more
  • (31/05) Excess steel capacity fuels trade tensions Read more

Other news

  • (06/06) Damaged Finland-Estonia subsea link to resume operations earlier than planned Read more
  • (06/06) BIMCO drafting standard clause to address US tariff measures Read more
  • (06/06) Historic surge on the transpacific buoys liner profits Read more
  • (06/06) Salvors unable to reach fire-stricken Morning Midas until Monday Read more
  • (05/06) SBM Offshore pulling out of Equatorial Guinea with FPSO divestment Read more
  • (05/06) MAN Energy Solutions bows out—Everllence steps in Read more
  • (05/06) Keep calm and sail on Read more
  • (05/06) Crewing in the digital age Read more
  • (04/06) From offshore to onshore: Pilot project exploring remote DP operations Read more
  • (04/06) West Africa’s oil & gas field pair to remain in production mode until 2040 Read more
  • (04/06) TenneT Germany Exploring Offshore Helicopter Transport Market as TSO Plans New TenderRead more
  • (03/06) Can global legislation keep up with the ships of the future? Read more
  • (02/06) Drone ops edging North Sea oil platform closer to autonomous offshore inspections Read more
  • (02/06) PSC signed for Myanmar’s seventh offshore project Read more

Funding Opportunities Archive

Maritime Events Archive

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