Hanwha Ocean delivers their Wind Mover wind turbine installation vessel to Cadeler Group.
Hanwha Ocean recently delivered the Wind Mover wind turbine installation vessel to offshore wind contractor Cadeler, concluding its M class series of heavy lift units. It was officially handed over on 28 November and left its Korean shipyard after an unveiling ceremony and signing ceremony held on 2 December.
Wind Mover was purchased by Cadeler in 2021 as its second M class vessel following Wind Maker which was delivered in January 2025. Her arrival forms part of their investment into next-generation offshore wind capacity across Europe by adding high specification installation tons to Cadeler s fleet while at the same time reinforcing Korea s position as an indispensable supplier of complex offshore construction units.
QatarEnergy LNG carrier pair to be built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
NYK, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, MISC and China LNG Shipping Holdings held a joint ceremony naming two 174 000 cubic metre LNG carriers that will be employed by QatarEnergy at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea on 3 December - marking yet another step in their extensive newbuilding program.
These two conventionally fuelled but efficiency optimised LNG carriers are part of Qatar's ambitious fleet renewal and expansion project, and include Japanese, Malaysian and Chinese partners in their owning consortium - emphasizing modern LNG project shipping's multinational character while underscoring Korean yards' dominance of high end gas carrier construction.
US Navy Restructures Constellation Class Frigate Program with Fincantieri
Fincantieri and the United States Navy have agreed upon revised terms for their Constellation class frigate program, where work on two of six units will continue while four later units have been cancelled as part of a wide fleet review by Fincantieri and are intended to reallocate resources towards other priority segments.
Fincantieri's US shipyard remains fully operational under this arrangement while cutting series length. According to the Navy, funds and industrial capacity released through cancellations will support rapid ship development as well as investments in icebreakers, amphibious assets and special mission platforms. This decision serves as a testament to how naval planning changes can quickly reshape orderbooks at individual yards.
Gondan Contract Services of Denmark was awarded a powerful offshore tug for Ostensjo Rederi.
Gondan Shipbuilding Company and Norwegian owner Ostensjo Rederi have signed an agreement for what is anticipated to become the most powerful offshore tugboat in Ostensjo Rederi's fleet - set for delivery in the first quarter of 2028 and covered by operational guarantees from Spanish shipbuilding association PYMAR.
This tug was constructed to accommodate offshore operations requiring a bollard pull of 150 tonnes and features dynamic positioning (DP2) technology as well as high manoeuvrability - essential characteristics in meeting demanding offshore operations. Gondan's workload in this segment remains strong as selected owners continue their commitments despite market cautions.
MISC Orders LNG dual fuel Suezmax pair for fleet renewal
Malaysia's MISC Group has awarded shipbuilding contracts for two LNG dual fuel Suezmax tankers through petroleum and product shipping arm AET as part of a planned fleet renewal strategy, to operate under long term time charter party agreements with unnamed charterers.
Suezmax pair to enhance MISC dual fuel capability across all tanker segments it operates, aligning with energy transition strategy. By selecting LNG dual fuel propulsion, owner looks to reduce emissions relative to traditional fuel oil designs while still offering flexibility on long haul crude and product trades. These orders also help support alternative fuel ready tanker construction at the designated yard.
Echandia battery order reinforces hybrid Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker project
Echandia, a Swedish battery systems specialist, was awarded an order from ABB to provide a 3.7 megawatt hour marine battery system for use on a new hybrid icebreaker currently under construction for the Canadian Coast Guard at Helsinki Shipyard. This contract marks Echandia s first reference in Canada's market.
ABB will supply conventional propulsion in combination with a substantial battery installation for this icebreaker to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in challenging Arctic operating conditions. Echandia batteries will be integrated into an ABB power and propulsion package in hybrid architecture to complete this order, underscoring its growing popularity within government ice class tonnage as well as strengthening work at Finnish yards.
Freire Shipyard of Valencia lays Keel for Spanish Navy Diver Support Vessel
Freire Shipyard in Vigo held a ceremonial keel laying for the Spanish Navy's new diver support vessel (NC 739) which is scheduled to be delivered in November 2026 and support their Diving School with operational and training duties.
This milestone marks Freire's transition into production phase and provides them with an outstanding naval reference in this niche market for dedicated underwater operations support ships.
Market Trend: Residential newbuilding activity begins to decline significantly by 2025
Recent project milestones come against a global background of significantly decreased contracting activity in 2025. Data compiled by Xclusiv Shipbrokers reveal that dry bulk vessel orders had declined by an impressive 82% year on year in the first half of 2025; tanker ordering also decreased significantly across major shipbuilding nations.
Chinese yards dominated the bulker surge of 2024 but recorded only 41 contracts during the first half of 2025, while Japanese yards achieved 32 bulker contracts; both figures far below last year s pace. Analysts attribute this decline mainly to macroeconomic uncertainty, soft freight markets, higher newbuilding prices and owner caution over future fuel and emissions regulations; in this setting notable deliveries and niche orders stand out against an otherwise restrained investment cycle.