U.S. Navy Plans to Order U.S. Army Landing Ship for the Marine Corps

The Navy plans to order a landing ship of the same design as the Israeli Navy's INS Nahshon and INS Komemiyut (right and left center). The design is derived from the U.S. Army's Besson-class (IDF photo)

Published Apr 21, 2025 9:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The U.S. Navy is preparing to resolve its long debate with the Marine Corps over the fate of the Landing Ship Medium (LSM), the amphibious force's small transport for inter-island warfare in the Pacific. On April 7, Naval Sea Systems Command quietly issued notice that it plans to award Bollinger a sole-source contract to build one lead-ship LSM based on the U.S. Army's Gen. Frank S. Besson-class. 

The ship that the U.S. Navy plans to buy is based on a revised version of the Army design that Bollinger-owned VT Halter built for the Israeli Navy. In Israeli service, this variant makes 14 knots with a cargo of up to 2,000 tonnes in deep-draft pier-to-pier mode, with a lesser payload for beaching operations. The design has a bow visor for better seakeeping in open water, rather than the original Besson-class' flat ramp.  

INS Nahshon (IDF image)

The class also has a stern ramp that can be used to load and offload while Med-moored at a pier. In U.S. Army service, the ramp facilitates drive-through ro/ro cargo transloading for the complex Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) transfer system. 

Unless it is to be heavily modified, the IDF's Besson variant does not have a suite of high-end air defense or surface warfare weaponry. The long Navy-Marine Corps fight over the LSM's fate hinged on whether there would be a few highly survivable and very expensive hulls - the Navy's preference - or whether there would be a large number of less expensive ships built to a less stringent standard, as the Marine Corps demanded. The Besson-class appears to land further towards the Marine Corps' version: it is serviceable enough to be the primary landing and logistics ship for the U.S. Army, and for the Israeli Navy, but it is not an exquisite naval weapons platform (unless up-armed).

As first reported by USNI, NAVSEA is also buying the technical data package for the Damen LST 100, a popular landing ship design of comparable size and specifications - but equipped with an enclosed foredeck and an aft helideck. The LST 100 is in use by the Nigerian Navy and was recently ordered by the Australian Army.

A Nigerian Navy Damen LST 100 on delivery (Damen)

A rendering of the LST 100 design for Australia's armed forces (Damen)

 

U.S. Navy Plans to Order U.S. Army Landing Ship for the Marine Corps

The Navy plans to order a landing ship of the same design as the Israeli Navy's INS Nahshon and INS Komemiyut (right and left center). The design is derived from the U.S. Army's Besson-class (IDF photo)

Published Apr 21, 2025 9:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The U.S. Navy is preparing to resolve its long debate with the Marine Corps over the fate of the Landing Ship Medium (LSM), the amphibious force's small transport for inter-island warfare in the Pacific. On April 7, Naval Sea Systems Command quietly issued notice that it plans to award Bollinger a sole-source contract to build one lead-ship LSM based on the U.S. Army's Gen. Frank S. Besson-class. 

The ship that the U.S. Navy plans to buy is based on a revised version of the Army design that Bollinger-owned VT Halter built for the Israeli Navy. In Israeli service, this variant makes 14 knots with a cargo of up to 2,000 tonnes in deep-draft pier-to-pier mode, with a lesser payload for beaching operations. The design has a bow visor for better seakeeping in open water, rather than the original Besson-class' flat ramp.  

INS Nahshon (IDF image)

The class also has a stern ramp that can be used to load and offload while Med-moored at a pier. In U.S. Army service, the ramp facilitates drive-through ro/ro cargo transloading for the complex Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) transfer system. 

Unless it is to be heavily modified, the IDF's Besson variant does not have a suite of high-end air defense or surface warfare weaponry. The long Navy-Marine Corps fight over the LSM's fate hinged on whether there would be a few highly survivable and very expensive hulls - the Navy's preference - or whether there would be a large number of less expensive ships built to a less stringent standard, as the Marine Corps demanded. The Besson-class appears to land further towards the Marine Corps' version: it is serviceable enough to be the primary landing and logistics ship for the U.S. Army, and for the Israeli Navy, but it is not an exquisite naval weapons platform (unless up-armed).

As first reported by USNI, NAVSEA is also buying the technical data package for the Damen LST 100, a popular landing ship design of comparable size and specifications - but equipped with an enclosed foredeck and an aft helideck. The LST 100 is in use by the Nigerian Navy and was recently ordered by the Australian Army.

A Nigerian Navy Damen LST 100 on delivery (Damen)

A rendering of the LST 100 design for Australia's armed forces (Damen)

 

Iran Seizes Two Ships and Issues Jail Sentences in Fuel Smuggling Crackdown

Iran says it is stepping up efforts to stop smugglers (file photo)

Published Apr 22, 2025 4:05 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Iran’s efforts at stopping fuel smuggling are continuing with local media outlets citing additional cases of vessels being seized and crews prosecuted. An Iranian court is reported to have handed down stiff jail sentences in two cases today and hours later the semi-governmental news agency Fars reported two more vessels have been apprehended.

According to the media reports, Iran claims that it has seized 4.5 million liters of smuggled diesel fuel alone this year. The country’s low price of diesel and gasoline is reported to encourage smuggling in the Persian Gulf region. Iran offers lower prices for the fuels than its neighboring Arab states.

Fars reports two vessels registered in Tanzania, which it names as Sea Ranger and Salama, were stopped today, April 22. The vessels were reported to be near the central district port city of Bushehr on the Persian Gulf.  A total of 25 “foreign crew” were reportedly detained and 1.5 million liters of diesel fuel seized. Both vessels were being directed back to the Bushehr Port where the media said the vessels were being handed over by the Iran Navy for “legal proceedings.”

Separately, Iranian media reported a court in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan issued judgment today, April 22, on two other foreign crews. It said one of the unnamed vessels was caught with 4.25 million liters of smuggled fuel and that the captain and two “deputies” were each sentenced to five years in jail. Collectively a fine of $5.37 million was also ordered.

The second captain and his two top “deputies” were also sentenced to five years in jail for smuggling 1.7 million liters of fuel. They were ordered to pay a total of $3 million in fines. In both cases, Iran said the vessels would be released once the fines were paid.

The reports also highlight that on March 31, Iran confiscated two vessels, Star 1 and Vintage. They were stopped in the Persian Gulf with a total of 3 million liters of diesel fuel.

Iranian forces have previously said they increased the monitoring of vessel activity. They have vowed to crack down on fuel smuggling.

 

A Chinese Jackup Rig off South Korea Raises Suspicions of Expansionism

Atlantic Amsterdam in the Yellow Sea (Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology / Um Tae-young)

Published Apr 23, 2025 10:37 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

China's drills around Taiwan and its ambitions in the South China Sea get plenty of attention, but officials in South Korea warn that it is also encroaching on a contested space in the Yellow Sea - and may be attempting to move in with a durable presence. 

According to South Korean officials, Chinese interests have moved an older jackup platform into an area known as the Provisional Measures Zone, a region where the two nations' exclusive economic zone claims overlap. The former rig is in use for aquaculture, according to China, but South Korea's government believes that there is more to the story. Chinese authorities intervened to stop a Korean research vessel from investigating the rig in February, raising security concerns in Seoul. Korean diplomats plan to raise the issue with China at an upcoming maritime dialogue, officials said.   

"We are treating this issue with utmost seriousness from the standpoint of protecting our maritime territory," Korean minister of oceans and fisheries Kang Do-hyung told reporters on Monday. 

The jackup platform has been identified as the Atlantic Amsterdam. It began life in 1984 as a drill rig, but in 2013 it was refitted for use as a floatel. In service with Northern Offshore - a subsidiary of state-owned Shandong Shipping Corporation - it has capacity for up to 70 people, plus a helipad and vertical gangway for access. 

Atlantic Amsterdam was listed as available for commercial charter as recently as 2023, but according to Korean intelligence it has been emplaced in the Yellow Sea since early 2022.

Korean political commentators - particularly in the opposition People Power Party - have drawn comparisons between the rig and China's South China Sea bases. The vast land reclamation projects in the Spratly Islands and Paracels started under civilian descriptions, then evolved into strategic naval air stations within a few years' time. 

"China’s method of installing the structure [Atlantic Amsterdam] is similar to its tactic of creating artificial islands in the South China Sea," People Power Party floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong told Korea Herald. 

 

Hanwha Markets Building LNG Carriers in Pennsylvania to Meet USTR Rules

Hanwha Ocean building on the DSME legacy delivered its 200th LNG carrier in 2025 (Hanwha Ocean)

Published Apr 22, 2025 2:05 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean is reported to be looking to leverage its long expertise in LNG carriers and its unique position through the ownership of a shipyard in Pennsylvania in response to the new U.S. Trade Representative’s fees for Chinese-built ships. Bloomberg quotes an executive from Hanwha highlighting its unique capabilities and the pending need for the first modern U.S.-built LNG carriers.

While much of the attention on the USTR fee structure released last week has been on the aspects of Chinese-build ships, Chinese vessel operators, and the foreign companies operating Chinese-built ships, another key provision of the fee structure picks up an idea that had been circulating in Washington D.C. for years to require a portion of LNG exports to leave the U.S. on U.S.-built and operated vessels.

The U.S. emerged as the leading exporter of LNG in the past few years rivaling Qatar and Australia, in part driven by Europe’s need to replace Russian supplies of gas. The Trump administration has promised to accelerate the LNG market and already moved to license new projects and terminals.

“To incentivize U.S.-built liquified natural gas (LNG) vessels, limited restrictions on transporting LNG via foreign vessels,” proposed USTR outlining its fee structure. “These restrictions will increase incrementally over 22 years,” notes the announcement.

USTR calls for introducing a requirement starting April 2029 that one percent of U.S. LNG exports must travel on U.S.-flagged and U.S.-operated vessels. Starting in 2031, it would step up to two percent, reaching seven percent by the 2040s, and ultimately 15 percent in 2047. USTR says it may direct the suspension of LNG export licenses if the percentages are not met.

The requirement for U.S. vessels calls for vessels built in the U.S. where all the major components of the hull or superstructure are manufactured in the U.S. as well as key components in propulsion, cargo handling, and alike. Many in the industry have called the USTR requirement unrealistic noting the lack of commercial shipbuilding capacity in the U.S. and the lack of experience specifically with LNG carriers. 

Bloomberg is quoting Ryan Lynch, vice president of commercial shipping at Hanwha Shipping who says “as many as five to seven US-flagged, US-operated LNG carriers would be required before the end of the decade.”

South Korea’s Hanwha Group entered the shipbuilding sector in 2023 when it acquired control of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in an agreement with the South Korean government-controlled banks. Then in December 2024, it completed its $100 million acquisition of Philly Shipyard, highlighting its role in building commercial U.S. Jones Act ships as well as its work for MARAD. 

Earlier this year, building on DSME’s legacy, Hanwha Ocean highlighted it had become the first shipbuilder to deliver 200 LNG carriers. The vessel was the Lebrethah, built by the company for SK Shipping, and which will be deployed and operated in Qatar Energy’s North Field Expansion Project.

The company reports it made history in 1995 by successfully delivering its first LNG carrier and 21 years later, in 2016, delivered its 100th LNG carrier. Over the next nine years, it built another 100 LNG carriers claiming a 57 percent market share. It noted that between 2022 and 2024 it received orders for 31 ships for the second Qatar project.

Hanwha, according to Bloomberg, is now positioning itself to share the Korean expertise with its Philly Shipyard. As such, it could become the first to build a modern U.S. LNG carrier.
 

AWOL

Crewmember From Carrier USS Nimitz Goes Missing on Guam

USS Nimitz arrives at Apra, Guam, April 18 (USN)

Published Apr 23, 2025 9:23 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

A sailor from the carrier USS Nimitz has gone missing in Guam, and his ship has sailed without him, according to the Navy. 

Sailor Gabriel D. Holt was off base when he was last seen late on April 18, the same day as Nimitz's arrival in Guam. At around midnight, he was spotted in the Tumon district, in between Hotel Nikko and Gun Beach - about 10 miles northeast of the base at Apra Harbor. He was reported missing on April 19. The search for Holt is still active, and the local police are looking for public tips.

"At this time, all available agencies are actively engaged in efforts to locate the missing sailor," Nimitz spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Tim Pietrack told Navy Times. "The search is ongoing, and we are committed to fully cooperating with local authorities while search and rescue efforts continue."

On April 21, USS Nimitz sailed from Guam to resume her deployment in the Western Pacific. She is accompanied by the destroyers USS Gridley and USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee; the Zumwalt-class destroyer USS Michael Monsoor also deployed as part of the carrier strike group, and called at Guam on April 17. 

USS Nimitz is 50 years old this year and is on her final deployment before decommissioning. She is expected to end her service in April 2026 and begin the long process of nuclear vessel deactivation.

Nimitz commissioned in 1975, and was the first of a successful class of supercarriers that have defined naval power projection ever since. Her itinerary on this voyage is not disclosed, but USNI reports that she could transit to the Mideast; sister ships USS Carl Vinson and USS Harry S. Truman are already in the region and involved in high-intensity operations against targets in Yemen, and Truman is due for relief.  

 

Jury Awards $2.8M to Crewmembers of Superyacht That Sank a Tanker

Tanker Tropic Breeze settles in the water after she was struck by Utopia IV (NTSB)

Published Apr 23, 2025 9:49 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

Three former crewmembers of a yacht that hit and sank a tanker in 2021 have won millions of dollars in damages in a suit against the yacht's owners. 

On the evening of December 23, 2021, the product tanker Tropic Breeze got under way from New Providence Island in the Bahamas with about 150,000 gallons of petroleum products aboard. The vessel's AIS transceiver was not working, according to the NTSB. 

At 2030 hours, the Italian-built superyacht Utopia IV departed New Providence Island with 12 crewmembers and seven passengers, making 20 knots. The yacht's bosun - who was on watch alone in the wheelhouse at the time of the collision - told the NTSB that the spray at the bow made it harder to see, and the S-band radar display was out. Only the X-band was available, and it was set to a range of three nautical miles. 

At about 2200 hours, Utopia IV hit Tropic Breeze's transom, penetrating the hull. The tanker's crew abandoned ship, and the stricken vessel sank in about 2,000 feet of water. The yacht suffered minor damage at the bow (below left) and stayed afloat. Three injuries were reported aboard Utopia IV, but no fatalities on either vessel. 

NTSB concluded that the casualty occurred because both vessels' crews failed to keep a proper lookout by all available means. "Although the Utopia IV bore responsibility as the overtaking vessel to manoeuvre away from the tank vessel, once the yacht’s intentions were unclear and a close-quarters situation had developed, the tank vessel should have taken action," NTSB found. 

In late 2022, three former Utopia IV crewmembers - identified by yachting media as the vessel's deckhand, ETO and chief engineer - filed a negligence and unseaworthiness suit against the yacht's owners, seeking maintenance and cure plus damages. The ETO reported a fractured left ankle and PTSD; the chief engineer reported whiplash and PTSD, among other injuries; and the deckhand reported a fractured right foot and PTSD. A Florida jury awarded them a combined $2.8 million for medical bills and wages, plus punitive damages. 

Utopia IV was refitted after the casualty and is currently listed for sale with Fraser Yachts. The asking price is $44 million, all U.S. import duties paid. 

Utopia IV (file image courtesy Rossinavi)

Workers Injured by Fire Aboard Petrobras Platform Pending Sale to Perenco

The workers' union released a photo of the fire (Sindipetro-NF)

Published Apr 22, 2025 1:17 PM by The Maritime Executive

Multiple injuries are being reported as fire hit one of the offshore platforms owned by Brazil’s Petrobras which is part of a pending sale to Perenco. The workers’ union was first to report the fire which it says took four hours to control. The incident was later confirmed by Petrobras.

The fire started Monday morning, April 21, on the platform PCH-1 in the Cherne field in the Campos basin approximately 80 miles offshore. The union, Sindipetro-NF, is saying that it began around 0720. It reported there was likely an explosion on one of the production decks located below the housing (where the workers' cabins and food areas are located). Reports indicate heavy smoke and flames with the union saying it took till 1125 for the fire to be extinguished.

There were 176 workers aboard the platform when the fire broke out with tankers standing by for the loading of gas. Sindipetro-NF is saying that one worker was burnt and fell from the platform being rescued by the Locar XXII vessel, suffering from burns, but remained conscious. Petrobras confirmed the worker was treated on an offshore support vessel and later transferred to a hospital.

Petrobras listed 13 additional workers as having been injured. Sindipetro-NF however says as of Monday night, 32 oil workers had been identified as injured with 14 due to burns and the rest due to smoke inhalation. It is also saying that all non-essential personnel were evacuated from the platform on Monday afternoon.

It is one of Petrobras’ older platforms and oil and gas production was suspended in 2020 after it was identified among a series of mature and non-lucrative assets in Brazil. The platform has continued to operate in a relay capacity transferring gas from other assets in the basin to tankers.

Perenco announced in 2024 an agreement to acquire assets from Petrobras in the Cherne and Bagre fields including the deactivated platforms PCH-1 and PCH-2. The company said it would complete the deal in 2025 and then begin a redevelopment project to revitalize the assets, restart oil production, and unlock gas reserves.

Petrobras is promising to launch a commission to investigate the cause of the fire.

 

AI is Influencing Operational Planning: Need to Improve Digital Readiness

Survey shows significant gaps in technology integration and adoption, highlighting the need for stronger foundational technology

Published Apr 23, 2025 6:28 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

[By: Tideworks Technology® Inc.]

As AI and automation continue to dominate industry and IT conversations, new survey findings from Tideworks Technology® Inc. (Tideworks), a full-service provider of intermodal and marine terminal operating system (TOS) solutions, and Port Technology International (PTI) reveal a significant disconnect between the industry's appetite for innovation and the foundational technology currently in place at many terminals.

To assess the current state of technology adoption, Tideworks and PTI, using User Evidence, surveyed intermodal operators across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Respondents represented a wide range of terminal sizes and operating models. 107 Respondents represented a broad range of intermodal rail terminals, including newly constructed terminals, single-site operations and networks of intermodal terminals.

The findings reveal a gap between strategic priorities and actual adoption, reflecting persistent operational, infrastructure and integration challenges. According to the data, while 73% of terminals with a network of 11 or more view AI, automation and digital transformation as critical to future competitiveness, only 36% are currently using AI to collect and analyze operational data.

The survey revealed operational pain points that are directly obstructing the systems, processes and mindset shifts required for digital transformation. Capacity and yard utilization were ranked as the number one operational challenge across 63% of intermodal terminal respondents with real-time visibility, data accuracy and limited analytics expertise also cited as major barriers to progress. Notably, 60% of intermodal terminal respondents cited integration challenges with external partners and customers as their top data management pain point, underscoring the critical role of seamless connectivity in managing and leveraging data effectively. Together, these issues point to a demand for foundational systems that address today’s operational pressures and better support real-time visibility, smooth integration and smarter capacity management across terminal networks.

“The appetite for AI and automation is growing, but readiness is the real hurdle,” said Chad Van Derrick, vice president of software product management at Tideworks. “To unlock the value of these technologies, terminals need to invest in the basics: a modern data platform, clear governance and optimization tools that turn information into action. That’s what creates smarter, more resilient operations.”

The survey uncovered insights that highlight progress, challenges and opportunities in technology adoption. Other findings from the PTI/Tideworks Emerging Tech Survey include:

• 84% of intermodal terminals with a network of 10 or less say digitalization is their top technology goal, yet 54% still rely on spreadsheets and manual entry to collect and analyze operational data.
• 14% of intermodal terminal respondents are using AI to collect and analyze data, though 42% of intermodal terminals cited ongoing challenges with data accuracy and 40% cited limited staff expertise in data analytics.
• 44% of respondents cite sustainability/green tech as a top priority technology initiative.
• 65% of intermodal terminals respondents report using TOS and 73% report using data dashboards and reporting, but 44% lack real-time visibility in managing data.
• Adoption of software is growing with 64% of terminals using automated gate systems, 51% using optical character recognition (OCR)/ optical feature recognition (OFR) and 53% using vehicle booking systems.

View full survey insights here: Tideworks Emerging Tech Trends in Intermodal Operations.

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

 

Russia Now Has a "Combat Icebreaker"

Ivan Papanin at Severomorsk, April 2025 (Russian Ministry of Defense)

Published Apr 22, 2025 10:10 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

As the U.S. looks for new ways to expand its small icebreaker fleet on a short timetable, Russia has begun testing its first "combat icebreaker," a rare gray hull vessel purpose-built for Arctic service. 

The newly-delivered Ivan Papanin is the first of two Project 23550 conventional icebreakers delivered by United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) for the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet. It launched in 2019, began sea trials last year and has now completed ice testing in the Arctic. 

As a lightly armed patrol vessel, Papanin carries one 76mm cannon and several crew-served weapons. It also has provisions to mount optional containerized launchers for eight Kalibr antiship cruise missiles (not seen during recent testing). These would be mounted on the fantail, based on illustrations from the shipbuilder; other containerized payloads could be substituted as well.  

The new ship carries permanent gear for surveillance, rescue and interdiction missions, consistent with a patrol or law enforcement role. She has dedicated space for one helicopter, one hovercraft and two pursuit boats. A robust fairlead at the stern suggests preparations for emergency towing duty. 

Launch of sister ship Nikolay Zubov, December 2024 (Russian state media)

Like most non-nuclear icebreakers, Papanin has diesel-electric propulsion, and can generate up to 20,000 horsepower through two shaftlines. Her hull is designed to push through ice of up to 5.5 feet thick, and it shares the same Arc7 ice class notation as Novatek's icebreaking LNG carriers.  

There are few comparable naval vessels in service with other nations, and none as deliberately marketed for surface warfare. If fitted with Kalibr launchers as planned, Papanin would be the only icebreaker capable of carrying out long-range missile strikes at targets hundreds of miles away. 

After Ivan Papanin and sister ship Nikolai Zubov, USC is building two hulls to a similar design for the FSB's border service, the future Purga and Dzerzhinsky.