MarRI-UK Maritime Round Up #129

July 2026
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Welcome to the MarRI-UK weekly roundup!

The past week was dominated by defence, offshore wind and geopolitical risk. The UK announced a £26bn, 10-year modernisation of its three main naval bases, marking its largest naval infrastructure investment in decades, while also retiring three ageing warships. Offshore wind activity accelerated, with major UK and European project milestones (including East Anglia Two and Scotland’s 1.8GW floating wind farm), reinforcing continued investment in renewable maritime infrastructure. Globally, escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on commercial tankers heightened shipping security concerns, driving oil prices higher and increasing operational risks for shipowners and global trade.

This week’s highlight

MarRI-UK Member’s and Partner’s News

  • (16/07) AiP awarded to GTT for new NO96 elongation criteria Read more
  • (14/07) Latest FOBAS Fuel Quality Report finds ISO-compliant fuels are increasingly causing operational problems Read more
  • (13/07) Recognised for innovation in maritime autonomy Read more
  • (13/07) Lloyd’s Register targets ageing feeder fleet with retrofit and renewal push Read more
  • (13/07) Strathclyde joins new Defence Universities Alliance to support UK security Read more

UK Maritime

  • (17/07) Cadeler Adds Wind Ace to Fleet, First Stop East Anglia Two Read more
  • (17/07) Strike threat delivers bigger pay deal for Neo Next workers Read more
  • (17/07) Taylor Maritime calls time on five-year London run Read more
  • (16/07) CB&I staying on at North Sea platform to support EnQuest with UK asset’s end of life scope Read more
  • (16/07) Realistic pathway to overcoming range limitations proven Read more
  • (16/07) Mecal approved as new certifying authority for ROUVs Read more
  • (16/07) Government brings British Steel into public ownership to protect UK steelmaking Read more
  • (16/07) Ferguson Marine Announces MV Glen Rosa has Completed Dry Dock Ahead of Schedule Read more
  • (16/07) Aker Solutions unit joins work on 1.8GW Scottish floating wind farm Read more
  • (16/07) ADES secures jackup double with Nigeria and UK wins Read more
  • (15/07) GIANT climate mission Read more
  • (15/07) ‘UK’s largest-ever’ electricity transmission project in major construction phase Read more
  • (15/07) UK injects £26 billion into three naval bases under decade-long modernization plan Read more
  • (15/07) UK to retire warship trio after century of combined service Read more
  • (14/07) Ørsted and Windcat Extend Crew Transfer Vessel Pact in UK Read more
  • (14/07) DeepOcean completes North Sea subsea removal campaign Read more
  • (13/07) Thomas Miller shareholders back UK Club and TT Club takeover Read more
  • (10/07) Navantia UK showcases FSS progress and hybrid navy ambition to Director Naval Acquisition Read more

Newly added Funding Opportunities – access the full list via MarRI-UK: Maritime Funding Opportunities

Events Highlight

Publication

  • Spotlight on Spinouts 2026 Download
  • Smart Systems for Clean Power: Why faster, better digitalisation is critical to Clean Power 2030 and beyond Download

Global Maritime News

Offshore Renewable Energy

  • (17/07) Turbine Installation at Thor Offshore Wind Farm Reaches Halfway Point Read more
  • (17/07) WATCH: Floating solar platform installed in Valencia Read more
  • (17/07) Study maps out path for Mediterranean offshore wind Read more
  • (16/07) OWC, KLEM, and OEG Form Korean Offshore Wind Pact Read more
  • (15/07) Experimental Floating Axis Wind Turbine Installed Offshore Japan Read more
  • (15/07) European Commission Greenlights France’s EUR 63 Billion Aid Scheme to Build 11 Offshore Wind Farms Read more
  • (14/07) Inside the High-Productivity Rolling Technologies Driving the Offshore Wind Evolution Read more
  • (13/07) South Korea’s 390MW offshore wind project moves into construction Read more

Clean Maritime

Nuclear Energy

  • (17/07) European Investment Bank agrees to Cernavoda refurb loan Read more
  • (17/07) South Korean SMR-powered container ship design certified Read more
  • (16/07) Bruce Power completes on-site hot cell Read more
  • (16/07) Siting licence granted for new Kola nuclear power plant units Read more
  • (15/07) Serbia preparing for next steps towards new nuclear Read more
  • (15/07) Newcleo sets out plan for US licensing of reactor Read more
  • (15/07) In pictures: Final core catcher shipped to Leningrad units Read more
  • (15/07) New Jersey launches procurement process for new nuclear Read more
  • (14/07) Fusion industry raised USD4.5 billion in past year, report says Read more
  • (14/07) Hyundai E&C, FANCO to collaborate on SMR project Read more
  • (13/07) Feasibility study for Paks-Budapest district heating pipeline Read more
  • (13/07) Ukraine loan aims to boost fuel cycle operations Read more
  • (13/07) Building new Swiss nuclear power plant economically viable, report says Read more

Ports

Navy

  • (17/07) Saronic picks Texas for $3B next-generation autonomous shipyard Read more
  • (16/07) Exail lands contract to deliver light MCM systems to European navy Read more
  • (16/07) KONGSBERG, Oceaneering selected for US Navy’s next-generation XLUUV project Read more
  • (16/07) German Navy’s MEKO A-200 frigates to receive Saab’s combat systems and sensors Read more
  • (16/07) Canadian Navy frigate fires torpedo during major Pacific naval exercise Read more
  • (15/07) US Navy awards $2.2B contract to speed delivery of new medium landing ships Read more
  • (15/07) GABLER, FLANQ complete sea trials of submarine-launched USV Read more
  • (14/07) Indian Navy commissions sixth Project 17A frigate Read more
  • (14/07) New concept explores converting commercial ships into drone carriers Read more
  • (14/07) Damen Naval signs contract with Libra-Plast for Colombia’s PES frigate Read more
  • (14/07) US sea drones hit Iran’s Bandar Abbas Naval Base in first combat use Read more
  • (13/07) US Navy christens newest Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Read more
  • (13/07) HYDIS project advances with selection of European counter-hypersonic interceptor concept Read more
  • (13/07) Australia awards $163M Anzac-class designer support contract Read more
  • (13/07) CCC, Rheinmetall to supply aircraft ground support equipment for US Navy, Marines Read more

Global Shipping & Newbuild

  • (17/07) COSCO signs for four Qingdao Beihai newcastlemaxes Read more
  • (17/07) Erasmus stacks up boxship orders with fresh China deal Read more
  • (16/07) South Korean cable maker takes delivery of its second cable laying vessel Read more
  • (16/07) JP Morgan tied to Hanwha VLCC brace Read more
  • (16/07) Chinese liner queues up weekly Arctic boxship service Read more
  • (15/07) Korean shipyard hosts naming ceremony for QatarEnergy’s 174,000-cbm LNG carrier Read more
  • (15/07) KC Maritime returns to China for ultramax pair Read more
  • (15/07) Tata lines up $1bn Kerala shipbuilding move Read more
  • (15/07) South Korea joins the US in probe of container manufacturing giants Read more
  • (15/07) 1H 2026 Shipping Market Trends & Highlights Read more
  • (15/07) Newbuilding Activity Going Strong Read more
  • (14/07) Andriaki breaks newbuilding silence with LR1 pair Read more
  • (13/07) China Merchants Energy lines up 10-ship order Read more

Smart Maritime

  • (17/07) Hyundai robot passes world-first shipboard driving test Read more
  • (16/07) Shipping needs to stop chasing the perfect AI solver Read more
  • (15/07) Eni, Halliburton cheer Asia-Pacific’s first integrated closed-loop rig automation milestone Read more
  • (15/07) Shipmanagement’s AI reckoning Read more
  • (14/07) How Digitalisation Is Redefining Maritime Due Diligence Read more

Other news

Maritime Events Archive

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