Benchmark European gas prices climbed to €75 per megawatt hour (MWh) last week, more than double their level a year ago. They hit their highest level since late 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine prompted Europe to cut off vast volumes of Russian pipeline gas.

This latest crisis stems from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz more than six months ago, a disruption that has largely choked off around a fifth of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies and tightened markets worldwide.

The resulting supply crunch sparked fierce competition between Europe and Asia.

A scorching summer across much of Asia lifted demand for power and cooling. As a result, large volumes of gas that would typically have gone to Europe were instead diverted eastward during the critical summer months, severely disrupting Europe's efforts to refill its vast underground storage network ahead of the winter heating season.

The consequences are now becoming evident.

European gas storage sites are currently around 66 per cent full, the lowest level for this time of year in 15 years and roughly 12 percentage points below last year's level, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe data.

Inventories typically peak in early November. In 2025, they topped out at 83 per cent, or around 85 billion cubic metres (bcm). This year, storage levels are likely to peak at only 70 per cent to 75 per cent, according to ROI estimates.

The situation becomes even more concerning when examining individual countries.

Germany's storage network, the largest in Europe, is only 54 per cent full, while storage facilities in the Netherlands, another critical regional gas hub, stand at just 48 per cent of capacity.

Entering winter with inventories at such low levels will increase both countries' dependence on spot LNG cargoes and pipeline imports from neighbouring states, putting further upward pressure on gas prices across the region.

No LNG collapse

The massive disruption to Middle Eastern exports is unlikely to ease soon.

LNG exports from the Persian Gulf, primarily from Qatar but also from the United Arab Emirates, fell by more than 85 per cent between March and August compared with a year earlier, according to Kpler data.

The disruption is likely to persist through the end of the year as shipping traffic through Hormuz remains constrained. QatarEnergy has already notified key customers that it has extended its force majeure suspension on LNG deliveries until early November.

Yet the global LNG market was supported by rapid production growth elsewhere, particularly in the US and Canada. According to the International Energy Agency, LNG production outside the gulf grew by 18 per cent, or around 27 bcm, in the year to the end of June, offsetting roughly 75 per cent of the losses from the Middle East.

That helps explain why prices, while at painful levels, remain far below the extraordinary peaks reached during the 2022 energy crisis, when benchmark European gas prices briefly exceeded €300 per MWh.

Nevertheless, given the current backdrop, the upside risk at current levels is enormous.

Bad timing

Finding a solution to this predicament is far from straightforward.

Previous attempts by governments, including Germany's, to intervene in gas markets have often backfired, distorting incentives and delaying refilling efforts. At the same time, reducing dependence on gas through greater use of renewables and nuclear power is a long-term project that will take years, if not decades, to fully deliver.

Nor are European governments in a position to repeat the massive subsidy programmes deployed after the 2022 shock.

Europe's gas bill reached €117 billion in 2025, even as consumption remained around 17 per cent below pre-crisis levels, according to Bruegel estimates. With prices now substantially higher, the region's import bill is likely to rise sharply again this year.

All of this leaves Europe's economy in a vulnerable position at precisely the wrong moment.

Tensions with Moscow are spiking, with an attempted Russian drone attack on Germany last week, while the Trump administration is pressing Europe to spend more on its own defence. In turn, the continent is seeking to rapidly expand production of ammunition, military equipment and other defence technologies.

At the same time, Europe is scrambling to make up ground in the AI arms race, where it finds itself far behind the US and China. Catching up requires heavy investment in power-hungry data centres.

Meanwhile, Europe’s manufacturing sector is finding it harder to compete with China. European carmakers, in particular, have lost significant ground to their lower-cost Chinese competitors. Struggling German auto giant Volkswagen recently announced the biggest restructuring in its 89-year history.

Another prolonged surge in gas and power prices would worsen Europe's cost disadvantage relative to rival economies. Manufacturers would either have to absorb higher energy costs, squeezing profits and investment, or pass them on to consumers, reducing their competitiveness.

In short, expensive energy threatens to undermine the very ambitions Europe sees as essential to its future economic and strategic autonomy.

The European Commission said on Friday that despite low storage levels, the bloc faces no immediate risk to security of supply this winter. That may well prove correct.

But the real issue is not whether Europe can secure enough gas to get through the winter. It is how much it will have to pay. For now, it looks like a cost the region cannot afford.

(Ron Bousso; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

The move follows remarks on Friday by Argentine President Javier Milei, who vowed to sanction oil companies drilling in the British overseas territory as he stepped up the South American nation's sovereignty claims.

According to a statement from the presidency, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno will file the criminal complaint against several Navitas subsidiaries and partners operating in the territory, along with their corporate directors.

Navitas did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The government alleges the firms violated Argentine law by holding hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation licences issued by the United Kingdom in the North Falkland Basin.

Milei last week singled out the Sea Lion offshore oil project as he announced measures targeting companies involved in Falklands oil and gas activities, with penalties potentially extending to shareholders, directors, and suppliers.

The Sea Lion field is operated by Tel Aviv-listed Navitas Petroleum, which holds a 65 per cent stake. London-listed Rockhopper, also backed by Israeli investors, owns the remainder.

First oil from Sea Lion is expected in 2028, when phase one, which Rockhopper and Navitas approved for development last year, comes on stream at a rate of 50,000 barrels per day.

A Rockhopper spokesperson declined to comment on Argentina's latest statements on Sea Lion and referred questions to Navitas.

The companies have previously said the project holds valid licences from the self-governing Falkland Islands and that they do not expect Milei's comments to have a material impact on its development. They have also pointed to UK support for the project.

Gideon Tadmor, a prominent figure in Israel's energy sector and the company's chairman, holds about nine per cent of its shares, according to LSEG data.

(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin. Additional reporting by Shadia Nasralla in London. Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Mark Potter)

The illegal migrants perished after their overloaded dinghy deflated as they made the perilous crossing across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

Investigators allege that Afghan and Iraqi-Kurdish smuggling networks organised the illegal migrants' passage to Britain from camps near Grande-Synthe and Calais in northern France. The defendants face charges including involuntary manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration as part of an organised gang and criminal conspiracy.

A French fishing vessel alerted emergency services after spotting bodies floating in the waters off the French coast near Calais in November 2021, according to the court referral order. 27 victims were recovered, while at least four others were never found. Only two men survived.

The victims were mainly Iraqi Kurds, but also included Afghans, Ethiopians, an Egyptian, a Somali national, an Iranian Kurd and a Vietnamese national. The youngest known victim was a seven-year-old girl.

The illegal migrants had been packed on to a flimsy dinghy that was non-certified and unfit for open-sea navigation, and was not equipped with enough life jackets, the court document showed. Experts concluded its occupants had "no chance" of effectively dealing with an emergency at sea.

Among the defendants facing involuntary manslaughter charges are alleged organisers, transporters and logistics coordinators connected to the smuggling groups. Prosecutors argue their actions helped create the conditions that led to the disaster, even if some were not physically present when the boat launched.

Two of the defendants have eluded French authorities and will be tried in absentia.

Investigators cited evidence including mobile-phone data, intercepted communications, surveillance operations and testimony from survivors and relatives of victims.

A British inquiry into the disaster found the deaths were avoidable. It concluded that a French naval vessel failed to respond to a call for help from the British coastguard, which in turn made "a number of flawed decisions", including ending a search for survivors too early.

Families of some of the victims would travel from Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan to attend part of the trial, their lawyers said.

"Justice must hold to account everyone who played a role in this tragedy," the statement read.

The trial was due to last until September 30.

(Reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro; editing by Richard Lough and Alex Richardson)

The unidentified vessel was pulling into Sydney's Circular Quay with 149 passengers on board when the accident occurred on Monday afternoon (local time).

Paramedics who were dispatched in response to the mishap treated two injured individuals on-site. Two other injured passengers were brought to hospital.

One of the hospitalised passengers has been identified as a Nepalese tourist. Local media reported that this individual suffered a head laceration.

The New South Wales Police Force said that the ferry's captain and the engineer have been subjected to mandatory testing.

The NSW Police added that it is conducting an investigation, the results of which will be submitted to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority for further review.

Vessel operator Transdev Sydney Ferries meanwhile said that it will also investigate the events that led to the mishap.

Neither the vessel nor the wharf showed any visible signs of damage, though the accident resulted in the suspension of ferry services between Circular Quay, Manly and Chiswick.

The three unions of the Combined BHP Ports Unions have been meeting almost weekly in recent months to negotiate a four-year agreement with the world's third-largest iron ore miner. Talks will resume next Tuesday, facilitated by regulator the Fair Work Commission.

“Today we tabled a strong, updated proposal that is a significant step towards delivering a fair and reasonable agreement for our port workers," BHP said in a statement.

For most workers, the offer will lock in a 17 per cent pay increase over the four years of the agreement, and include a transition payment of AU$25,000 ($18,038) paid over two years, as well as an increase to roster allowances, BHP said.

Mining is among Australia's top-paying industries. Workers in remote, hot and dry regions say they should be paid to account for those conditions and time away from their families.

"Under BHP's proposal, about 40 per cent of the workforce would be going backwards," said Adam Woodage, the secretary of the Electrical Trades Union Western Australia.

"Resolving an inequality between workers doing the same work by cutting the pay of one group...rather than raising that of the other group isn't fair or reasonable."

Port Hedland is the world's largest iron ore loading port and Australia is the world's biggest supplier of the steelmaking raw material, accounting for around 900 million tons of iron ore per year. BHP ships some $80 million worth of iron ore daily through the facility.

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Thomas Derpinghaus)

"In KPC, we have our own fleet, which we are managing...We are in the market to acquire more ships," the state-owned energy major's managing director for international marketing, Shaikh Khaled Al-Sabah told the APPEC conference.

KPC is also looking at options such as pipelines through neighbouring countries and building storage to supply its crude and products to customers amid the US-Iran war, he said.

Last year, KPC shipped around 713,000 barrels per day of fuel products and 1.4 million bpd of crude, Kpler shiptracking data showed.

Shipping nowadays has become, "a very hot commodity and every shipping owner, I guess, is very happy," Al-Sabah said.

"Controlling your own fleet...your own operation will give you a lead over the others."

KPC is still supplying all of its clients as of now, but at lower volumes compared with pre-war levels, Al-Sabah said later on the sidelines of the conference.

KPC has three refining sites with a total capacity of 1.4 million bpd. It restarted all three crude units at its Al-Zour refining site recently following a power trip in mid-July.

(Reporting by Trixie Yap; Editing by Tom Hogue)

The campaign emerged after the ferry operator awarded a contract for four new vessels to a shipyard in China.

The unions cited a November survey, which found that 84 per cent of British Columbians favour a strategy to retain domestic shipbuilding employment, whilst 61 per cent stated that new ferries should be constructed within the province.

“Public dollars should support BC workers and build a stronger economy here at home,” said Scott Lunny, Director of United Steelworkers District 3.

Union leaders warned that procuring vessels abroad introduces operational risks, highlighting extended maintenance delays when local operators must await international components and technicians.

“When our ferries are built overseas, British Columbia is at the mercy of global supply chains for parts and repairs,” explained Eric McNeely, President of the BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union.

Regional facilities have previously produced provincial vessels including the North Island Princess, Quadra Queen, and Skeena Queen, alongside modular assemblies for the federal Polar Icebreaker.

Industry and trade representatives argued that a long-term domestic building commitment would provide the certainty needed to modernise shipyard infrastructure and expand provincial apprenticeships.

The world's biggest oil buyer imported 14.6 per cent less oil in the first eight months than a year earlier after restricting refined oil product exports since March to safeguard domestic supplies, while domestic consumption fell because of higher prices.

August marked the second consecutive month of month-on-month growth in oil imports, however, as China eased its controls since July on refined oil products.

China imported 37.93 million tonnes of oil, or 8.93 million barrels per day, up 6.2 per cent from July.

Onshore oil inventories fell by 550,000 barrels per day in August, slowing from a decline of 800,000 barrels per day in July, according to ship-tracking data provider Kpler.

Imports will gradually recover after September, but seaborne imports will remain below 8.5 million to nine million bpd, while inventory declines will slow further, said Muyu Xu, an analyst at Kpler.

China's refined oil product exports, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene and fuel oil, totalled 6.01 million tonnes in August, up 29 per cent month on month and exceeding the 5.33 million tonnes recorded in August last year.

“The month-on-month increase in crude imports is in line with the surge in fuel exports in August and continued strong exports in September," said Emma Li, analyst at ship-tracking firm Vortexa.

Vortexa expects at least three million tonnes of transportation fuel exports to destinations other than Hong Kong in September, up 50 per cent from a year ago.

In the first eight months, China's refined oil product exports totalled 34.24 million tonnes, down 9.6 per cent from the same period last year.

Domestic transportation fuel consumption also slightly improved from July, with gasoline demand at 12.6 million tonnes and diesel demand at 15.48 million tonnes in August, according to Oilchem.

However, gasoline and diesel demand were still down eight per cent and nine per cent, respectively, from a year earlier, according to Oilchem data.

Chinese customs data also showed that China's natural gas imports in August, including LNG and pipeline gas, stood at 10.33 million tonnes, down 12.9 per cent from a year earlier.

In the first eight months, natural gas imports stood at 78.23 million tonnes, down 4.4 per cent year on year.

(Reporting by Sam Li and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Saad Sayeed)

The number of commodity vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz totalled seven on Monday, compared with eight on the previous day, Kpler data showed on Tuesday.

Iran had warned that energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, including US oil and gas interests, was vulnerable.

Goldman Sachs also raised its Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude oil price forecasts for December 2026 and 2027, as it expects shipping disruptions in the Middle East to persist into next year.

Traffic increased through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, however, another major waterway for commodity vessels.

A total of 29 commodity vessels passed through Bab el-Mandeb on Monday, up from 17 on the previous day, Kpler data showed.

Some vessels may be sailing through the two straits with their transponders off, which is not considered in the counts.

(Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Tom Hogue)

Crude oil shipments from Middle East producers are at about 11 million barrels per day (bpd) now, from 18 million bpd before the Iran war began seven months ago, according to Argus.

Here are some of the factors driving oil prices:

Significant volumes have been able to flow through Hormuz

In the week before fighting erupted again on August 30, roughly eight million to nine million bpd had been flowing through Hormuz, double the previous week's volume, said Rystad Energy's Chief Economist Claudio Galimberti.

While flows have since fallen to below two million bpd, the daily moving average is still around four million to five million barrels which puts Brent at a "fair" price of $95, Galimberti said. Industry estimates put daily exports between six million and eight million barrels.

There has been no visible very large crude carrier exiting the strait since September 2, Kpler data showed on Monday.

During the interim US-Iran peace deal in July, Hormuz exports touched pre-war levels of 16 million bpd.

Gulf exporters are using alternative routes and means

Gulf producers have found alternative routes and are expected to continue sending cargoes for ship-to-ship transfers outside of Hormuz, mitigating some of the earlier shortfall.

Saudi Aramco resumed loadings from its Ras Tanura port inside the gulf in August, although its exports from Yanbu in the Red Sea remain under pressure from a naval blockade by the Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthis. Yanbu exports hit a six-month low of 1.429 million bpd in August, from an average of 3.9 million bpd in the previous three months, provisional Kpler data showed.

Exports from the alternative port of Egypt's Sidi Kerir hit 2.139 million bpd in August, more than double June volumes.

Exports from number two OPEC producer Iraq rebounded in August to around 2.34 million bpd.

Shipments from the United Arab Emirates hovered around 2.9 million bpd in August and July after hitting a record in June, Kpler data showed.

Kuwaiti crude exports have recovered to about one million bpd in July and August.

However, Iran's oil exports have fallen sharply due to the US blockade.

Other producers are stepping up

Non-OPEC producers including the US, Canada and Guyana are set to increase output by a combined 1.4 million bpd this year, according to Jarand Rystad, founder of Rystad Energy, partly filling the shortfall.

Meanwhile, Russian crude exports held steady at about 5.5 million bpd in July and August, down from the 6.4 million bpd peak in June, but still 23 per cent higher than February as processing at Russian refineries has fallen due to damage to Russian plants from Ukrainian attacks, Kpler data showed.

However, Russia has downgraded its 2026 oil output forecast to a 17-year low, which may reduce its exports.

Demand destruction is significant

Demand destruction in petrochemicals and transportation fuels remains significant in the third quarter at 3.5 million bpd, versus 4.5 million bpd in the second quarter, with China accounting for more than half of that due to rising transport electrification and coal-based chemicals, Rystad said.

Top importer China, dubbed the "new demand OPEC" for its market influence, slashed seaborne crude shipments to seven million bpd in July and August, from over 11 million bpd in February.

Beijing's vast reserves, estimated by Kpler at 1.7 billion barrels, have also given markets comfort.

Physical markets tell a different story

Spot premiums have rebounded to April levels with Dubai and Oman at $19 to $20 a barrel above Dubai quotes for cargoes loading in November, Reuters data showed. Oman futures were at $104.54 a barrel on Monday while cash Dubai traded at $105.10 a barrel.

"At the moment, it's telling us that physically things are incredibly tight," said David Fyfe, chief economist at Argus.

"We've already got prices substantially above $100 a barrel and even more important, you've got a diesel market that is screaming shortage."

The recent US-Iran escalation is expected to curb gulf exports while demand rises as refiners ramp output of diesel, which has hit a record high price in the US.

Analysts lift forecasts

Several banks have raised their Brent price forecasts, including Morgan Stanley which expects prices averaging $100 a barrel in the fourth quarter.

Goldman Sachs raised its Brent and West Texas Intermediate forecasts by $5 a barrel for December 2026 and 2027, citing an expectation that Middle East shipping disruptions will persist into next year.

It now forecasts Brent at $85 a barrel and WTI at $80 for December 2026, and 2027 prices at $80 and $75 a barrel, respectively.

(Reporting by Florence Tan Editing by Tony Munroe and Lincoln Feast.)

Following delivery, San Lorenzo and Merendón will operate in Puerto Henecán and Puerto Cortés, respectively, flying the Honduran flag upon completing the final trial phase in the Ría de Vigo.

Both vessels measure approximately 12 metres in LOA with a beam of four metres. Each is built on a deep-V monohull engineered from high-strength marine-grade aluminium.

Aister said this design ensures exceptional seaworthiness, superior manoeuvrability, and a robust structural response during intensive boarding and pilot transfer operations.

During the sea trials, Aister’s technical team will evaluate hydrodynamic response, manoeuvring agility, and the performance of the twin propulsion system (comprising two diesel engines).

The configuration will enable each pilot boat to achieve sustained speeds in excess of 26 knots, balancing fuel efficiency and operational power, according to the builder.

Comprehensive testing will also be carried out regarding the ENP pilot boats' acoustic comfort levels, wheelhouse ergonomics, and the effectiveness of integrated navigation, lifesaving, and firefighting systems, adhering strictly to international merchant navy standards and regulations.

"The craft have been designed to provide maximum safety and agility to Honduran pilots in their daily duties of vessel handling and assistance to international shipping traffic," said Francisco Pita, Technical Director at Aister.

Designed by naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten, the vessels will also represent AMC's first new tug construction project as the company marks 50 years in business.

NP's facilities once formed part of historic Kaiser Shipyards, which built vessels during World War II. The site now supports modern shipbuilding and heavy industrial work along the Columbia River.

The tugs to be built will be ocean-going, line-haul vessels developed for long-distance towing and demanding offshore operations.

Each tug will have a gross tonnage of 499, a beam of 37 feet (11 metres), a draught of 17 feet (5.2 metres), and a fuel capacity of 130,000 gallons (490,000 litres).

Power for each tug will be provided by two Wabtec 3,017hp (2,250kW) diesel engines coupled to Reintjes reverse-reduction gearboxes.

The propulsion arrangement will combine 120-inch (3,000mm) stainless steel propellers in Nautican nozzles with Nautican’s triple-rudder system for enhanced manoeuvrability. This will deliver a bollard pull of over 85 tonnes.

The tugs are scheduled for delivery to AMC in the third quarter of 2028.

North Korea’s newest destroyer joins nuclear retaliatory system

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said a newly commissioned destroyer would be part of a nuclear response system capable of delivering "annihilating retaliatory strikes", state media KCNA reported on Monday, though it did not say whether the vessel would carry nuclear weapons.

North Korea has accelerated efforts to modernise its navy as Kim pursues a broader expansion of the country's nuclear-capable forces.

At a commissioning ceremony in the port city of Wonsan on Sunday, Kim said deploying the new ship to the sea east of the Korean Peninsula sent a clear signal to North Korea's adversaries.

"The time has come for us to exercise our sovereignty at sea and underwater," Kim said, according to KCNA.

Kim's daughter, known as Ju Ae, took a prominent role in the ceremony, wearing a white dress suit, standing beside her father to receive salutes, appearing on a giant screen above the cheering crowd and boarding the destroyer, KCNA photographs showed.

UK builder lays keel of future Royal Navy supply ship

Navantia UK has laid the keel of a future supply ship ordered by the UK Royal Navy for operation by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

The first ship to be built under the RFA's fleet solid support (FSS) programme will be named RFA Resurgent.

Each FSS ship will be 216 metres long and will provide munitions, spares, food and other essential stores to Royal Navy vessels at sea.

Navantia UK said this new capability will enhance defence operations, ensuring that the Royal Navy's ships can remain at sea for prolonged periods without returning to port.

Keel laid for Republic of Singapore Navy's third Victory-class combat vessel

Singapore defence shipbuilder ST Engineering laid the keel of the Republic of Singapore Navy's third Victory-class multi-role combat vessel (MRCV) during a ceremony on Thursday, September 3.

Development of the MRCVs is being undertaken jointly by ST Engineering and the Defence Science and Technology Agency of the Singaporean government.

Deliveries of the ships are scheduled to commence in 2028.

Upon completion, the ship will have an LOA of 130 metres, a moulded beam of 19 metres, a draught of 5.2 metres, a crew complement of 110, and a helicopter deck.

Royal Australian Navy commissions two new patrol boats

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has commissioned the final two of ten Evolved Cape-class patrol boats built for the service by local shipyard Austal.

HMAS Cape Spencer and HMAS Cape Hawke each have an LOA of 57.8 metres, a beam of 10.3 metres, a draught of approximately three metres, and accommodation for 32 crewmembers and other personnel.

Austal said the Evolved Cape-class boats were built with a number of enhancements over the baseline Cape-class patrol boats.

The enhancements will improve operational capability and crew capacity compared to the vessels already operated by the RAN and the Australian Border Force (ABF).

Construction begins on third US Coast Guard offshore patrol cutter

Austal USA has begun construction on the third US Coast Guard Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter, the future USCGC Ingham, at its shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The vessel is being built under a contract that includes options for up to 11 cutters, with a potential total value of $3.3 billion.

The program is intended to replace the coast guard’s ageing fleet of medium-endurance cutters, providing a capability between its larger national security cutters and shore-based fast response vessels.

The 360-foot (109.7-metre) cutter is designed for 60 days of endurance and a range of 10,200 nautical miles (18,890 kilometres) at 14 knots. Its missions will include law enforcement, maritime interdiction and search and rescue.

The vessel was designed and built in-house on Bay Weld's 36- by 11-foot (11- by 3.4-metre) V-berth cabin hull. The builder's specification sheet lists an LOA of 40 feet (12.2 metres), a figure that takes in the jet units and aft structure beyond the hull designation.

The draught is 22 inches (0.56 metre), which is the central design requirement for a boat intended to work river mouths, sandbars and confined inlets where conventional propeller-driven craft would be restricted.

The hull is welded from 5086 marine-grade aluminium, with 0.25-inch (6.35mm) plating on the bottom and transom and 0.19-inch (4.8mm) plating on the sides. The heavier bottom plating suits a vessel expected to ground on gravel and sand during shallow-water work and beach landings, while the lighter topsides keep weight down where it is not needed for impact resistance.

Proven hull form adapted for waterjet propulsion

Bay Weld owner and President Eric Engebretsen said that the project departed from the yard's usual approach to the platform. This build for the Alaska State Troopers was unique in that the company used its proven 35-foot (11-metre) medium class V-berth cabin patrol vessel platform that has been typically powered by outboards.

The design has been adapted to fit an inboard diesel and waterjet propulsion system with joystick control package. This adaptation allowed the builder to give the troopers a familiar platform to operate with systems commonality, while accommodating the need for a shallow draught and highly manoeuvrable vessel for the area it is intended to patrol.

The commonality point mattered for the operator. The Alaska State Troopers already run Bay Weld hulls, and keeping the same cabin arrangement, deck layout and general handling characteristics reduces training and familiarisation time when crews rotate between boats.

The propulsion change is where the boat differs most from its outboard-powered siblings.

Power comes from two Cummins QSB 6.7L diesels, each rated at 425 hp (320 kW) at 3,000 rpm. Each engine drives a Marine Jet Power UJ305 waterjet through a ZF 280-1 marine gear with a 1.056:1 ratio.

The builder quotes a cruising speed of 26 to 30 knots and a top speed of 35 to 37 knots.

Kellutuq’s high endurance is built around a 500-gallon (1,900-litre) diesel capacity, which Bay Weld said delivers a range of up to 500 nautical miles. Freshwater capacity is 100 gallons (380 litres). Fuel and water are not available at short notice once a patrol leaves Dillingham or Naknek, so both tanks support multi-day operations.

Helm control runs through a Glendinning two-station electronic system with joystick control and a four-inch LCD display at each station. Joystick control of twin waterjets allows the operator to move the boat laterally and rotate it in place, which is useful when coming alongside fishing vessels for inspections in a running tide or holding position near a river mouth.

The two-station layout gives the operator the option of running the boat from the aft position during boardings or deck work.

Hydraulic redundancy is provided by two Eaton 3.8-cubic-inch pumps, each driven from a live PTO on one of the ZF gears. If one engine or pump is lost, the other maintains hydraulic pressure for the jets' steering and reverse buckets. On a boat working remote water where a tow may be many hours away, this redundancy provides a practical safety benefit.

Accommodation configured for low-temperature environments

The cabin is arranged for a crew of four on extended assignment. The forward V-berth carries three bunks and a convertible dinette provides the fourth sleeping position. The galley is described by the builder as full-featured, and there is a head with shower.

A diesel heater provides cabin warmth, allowing the boat to operate in a region where summer overnight temperatures remain low.

Household electrical demand is met by an eight-battery bank supported by a Fisher Panda 5kW diesel generator. The generator allows the crew to run galley appliances, heating and electronics at anchor without running the main engines.

Spacious aft deck and electronics suitable for year-round enforcement

The navigation electronics comprise a Garmin suite built around three GPSMAP 8616xsv multi-function displays, two at the main helm and one at the aft station. The radar is a Fantom 24 dome, and the sounder package combines SideVÜ and conventional transducers. SideVÜ imaging, more often seen on sport-fishing boats, can help with enforcement tasks such as checking fishing-gear placement or surveying a riverbed.

An autopilot completes the navigation package.

The communications gear include Starlink connectivity alongside police and VHF radio systems, giving the crew data access in areas with little terrestrial coverage.

The working deck aft measures 10 by 13 feet (three by four metres) and is rated for 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) of equipment. It carries a pot puller with davit, a transom boarding door, buoy fendering and a gun safe. The pot puller and davit allow troopers to recover fishing gear for inspection or seizure, and the boarding door simplifies the transfer of personnel to and from fishing vessels as the boat takes on enforcement during the Bristol Bay salmon season.

The pontoon was launched at Nantong Rainbow Offshore and Engineering Equipment in China before being towed to Broome, and joined to its shore connection later in 2025. KMSB took its first scheduled cruise call, Scenic Eclipse II, on September 17, 2025, days after the opening.

The wharf addresses Broome's large tidal range. The TAMS Group project description gave a range of up to 10 metres (30 feet) within six hours, and BigLift Shipping, which installed the main fixed components, recorded fluctuations of up to eight metres (26 feet) at the site.

TAMS said the port's existing wharf was designed for an earlier generation of trade and left many operations dependent on brief tide-related openings, reducing efficiency and making it harder for larger ships to work.

Capable of handling a broad range of cargo and vessel types

KMSB's completed-facility material puts the pontoon's mass at more than 11,500 tonnes, its beam at 50 metres (160 feet), and its deck area at 9,250 square metres (99,600 square feet). The 265-metre (869-foot) berth line incorporates the northern and southern dolphins.

The wharf sits in a naturally deep berth pocket, given by KMSB as between -15 and -16 metres lowest astronomical tide. Because the depth was already available, the project required no dredging, and KMSB and TAMS both cited reduced seabed disturbance as a design outcome.

OSK Design said the location was settled after consultation with Broome stakeholders with the aim of minimising the disturbed footprint.

With the dolphins included, the berth can take ships up to 348 metres (1,140 feet) in LOA, and KMSB said it suits Ro-Ro, platform supply, container and breakbulk vessels of Panamax-plus dimensions. Dynamic and static mooring studies have been completed for 200-metre (660-foot) and 235-metre Ro-Ro ships.

The pontoon is held on station by two restraint jackets, which allow vertical travel while resisting lateral loads from wind, current and berthing.

BigLift shipped both jackets from Taicang, China, aboard the heavy-lift vessel Happy Star in May 2025. Each jacket measured about 28.5 by 22.2 by 23.1 metres (93.5 by 72.8 by 75.8 feet) and weighed roughly 790 tonnes. The same voyage carried the 890-tonne linkspan bridge, a 160-tonne southern fixed dolphin measuring 12 by 12 by 9.4 metres (39 by 39 by 31 feet), as well as piles, walkways and temporary works for the installation.

With Happy Star held in its mooring spread, it lifted the two restraint jackets and the southern dolphin onto pre-driven piles, maintaining at least 0.5 metres of under-keel clearance throughout. BigLift said the combination of shallow water, strong currents and narrow neap-tide windows required tight control of the lift sequence.

The linkspan went onto a barge for later placement, floating dolphins were fitted to the pontoon and loose materials were landed on the existing quay.

Compatible with Broome's existing port infrastructure and equipment

TAMS said jack-up barges and rigs were used for seabed surveys and piling. After offshore fabrication, marine cranes lifted the pontoon modules into position, where hinged connections joined them into one continuous platform; fenders, bollards and mooring gear were then fitted. The facility was commissioned through load tests and trial berthings.

The shore connection is a fixed, two-way trestle causeway ending in a linkspan that takes up the relative movement between the floating deck and the abutment. KMSB said triple and quad road trains can use the causeway, and TAMS said services were run along its length so that fuel, water and power reach the berth.

On deck, KMSB specifies a high-load-bearing surface with a dedicated heavy-lift zone. The mobile crane fleet listed for the terminal includes a 125-tonne mobile harbour crane plus 30-, 60-, 100- and 300-tonne mobile cranes, with forklifts rated at three, 4.5, 10 and 16 tonnes. Design capability for breakbulk and project cargo extends to single lifts of 600 tonnes.

About 5,400 square metres (58,000 square feet) of the wharf is set aside for just-in-time staging.

Bunkering is by marine-grade diesel at up to 3,333 litres (733.2 gallons) per minute, and potable water can be loaded at up to 100,000 litres (22,000 gallons) per hour.

Shore power is available at the berth, licensed contractors handle oily waste and grey and black water, and LED floodlighting covers night work. KMSB said portable and static firefighting systems were nearing completion of commissioning when its specifications were published, and emergency response is coordinated with the port authority and regional services under a memorandum of understanding.

Landside, a sealed road via Port Drive links the wharf to roughly 17 hectares of laydown about one kilometre away, part of more than 20 hectares of hardstand under staged development, with the Great Northern Highway about five kilometres from the gate.

KMSB said the route has been surveyed for its curves, gradients and powerline clearances to accommodate modules and wind-turbine blades longer than 90 metres.

There is no rail connection. The developer's case rests on shortening supply chains that currently run through Fremantle or Darwin.

For cruise passengers, the practical change is at the gangway. Cruise Broome Chairman Shayne Murray said that two gangways could now be used without the tidal delays of the old berth, with passengers walking straight onto waiting coaches.

Broome still requires a dedicated passenger terminal, and the Kimberley Ports Authority has described Terminal Two as complementary to the existing wharf, which lies about 180 metres (590 feet) to the north, rather than a replacement for it.

The Kimberley Ports Authority has agreed to a suite of long-term commercial arrangements with KMSB, including provision of stevedoring during the first five years of operation.

The WA State Government has reported that the Australian Federal Government had granted in-principle approval for First Point of Entry status at Broome; KMSB said it is targeting formal designation within 12 to 18 months of opening.

The seven-mile (11-kilometre) section adds stations at Judkins Park and Mercer Island and joins the 2 Line to the 1 Line at International District/Chinatown Station. Sound Transit said its Link network now covers 63 miles (100 kilometres) and 50 stations, with the finished 2 Line linking Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond. Trains run from about 05:00 to midnight, seven days a week, at roughly eight-minute intervals during peak periods at the new stations.

The wider East Link programme has been valued at US$3.7 billion, with US$712 million covering the two stations and the track crossing of the floating bridge. WSP, the prime engineering consultant for final design, listed the cross-lake scope at more than US$700 million. The Kiewit Hoffman joint venture built the bridge section, KPFF handled the floating-bridge retrofit design, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) retained ownership of the bridge throughout.

The Hadley opened in 1989 and stretches 5,811 feet (1,772 metres), placing it fifth among floating bridges of its kind worldwide, according to Sound Transit. A chain of hollow concrete pontoons supports it, with steel anchor cables under post-tension holding the structure in place instead of piers reaching the lakebed.

Washington adopted floating construction for the crossing because Lake Washington, a glacially carved body of water more than 22 miles (35 kilometres) long, is deep and has poor soil beneath its bed. The bridge carries the westbound and reversible lanes of Interstate 90. The Lacey V. Murrow floating bridge, a few hundred feet to the south, carries the eastbound lanes.

The state has treated its floating bridges as aquatic structures since the older Lacey V. Murrow bridge sank on November 25, 1990. A governor's review panel convened after that loss concluded that floating bridges demand lacustrine/marine rather than ordinary road-building practice, with watertightness protected at every stage of any work.

WSDOT's current guidance carries that forward: during construction, floating bridges should be handled like ships, while major reconstruction or rehabilitation should be scheduled outside the storm-season months.

Every element of the Crosslake work on the floating span, from post-tensioning to track supports, therefore had to preserve the buoyancy, watertightness, trim and anchoring of a structure carrying live highway traffic.

Maintaining structural stability amid lake currents and other factors

The movement of that structure was the defining engineering issue. Sound Transit said the Hadley had to accommodate six directions of movement in three forms, driven by wind, waves, traffic loading, temperature, seasonal water-level change and the interaction between the fixed approach spans and the floating section. Lake levels vary by up to two feet (0.6 metre) between seasons according to University of Washington (UW) research published this year (an earlier UW account put the swing at up to three feet, or 0.1 metre).

At the transition spans where fixed and floating structures meet, ENR reported elevation changes of as much as two feet along with north-south shift, rotation and roll.

Road vehicles barely register this movement, but rails do.

"[The bridge] moves up and down, and left and right," said John Sleavin, Sound Transit's lead engineer and executive technical adviser for the crossing. "Based on traffic loads and other things, the bridge [also] can rotate. In all, we have six directions of movement at a single joint, [but] we are only talking about a half-degree roll or angle change. Cars don't really notice it, but if you put half a degree in a steel item, it will snap."

UW professor John Stanton, who led the university's research on the rail prototypes, put the wider problem plainly.

"No one has ever put light rail on a floating bridge, so there is no precedent," he said. "You can't just pull a design off the shelf and say, 'Let's do this the same as before.' At every turn, you have to be ready for something coming at you from left field."

The bridge had been built with transit in mind. A 1976 agreement along the I-90 corridor reserved the centre roadway for high-capacity transit, and the original design included analysis for light rail loads, though the rail joint problem was left for later.

Sound Transit and its consultants began structural feasibility studies in 2001 using current light rail loading. In 2005, crews parked four fully loaded flatbed trucks on the south side of the bridge to represent one train, then two parallel sets of four to represent two trains, while instruments recorded anchor-cable forces, vertical deck movement, pontoon rotation and relative movement between pontoons. WSDOT's computer model was calibrated against the first loading case and checked against the second.

The analysis showed that combining light rail loading with a one-year storm generated stresses equal to 97 per cent of the allowable limit, a threshold set to protect the bridge against fatigue rather than a measure of ultimate safety.

The margin drove a structural retrofit. Twenty external longitudinal post-tensioning tendons, each more than 3,000 feet (900 metres) long, were added to increase compression along the length of the floating span and reduce the stresses generated by wind, waves, trains and highway traffic.

HNTB, part of the construction management team, said the work also involved a first-of-its-kind cathodic protection system for the concrete pontoons and the post-tensioned anchor cables, intended to extend the life of the existing structure. Sepehr Sobhani, Sound Transit's principal construction manager, said the combination of retrofit, anchors, bearing plates and track structures necessitated a complex exercise aimed at ensuring the alignment of the structural retrofit, anchors, bearing plates and bridges.

Because WSDOT owns the bridge and the Federal Highway Administration regulates it, the design team could not penetrate the tops of the pontoons. Therefore, not even a single hole was allowed in the bridge deck, and so engineers needed to devise an entirely new system, according to Kristina Tsvetanova, a UW graduate research assistant who worked on the attachment testing. WSP described the resulting approach as deliberately non-invasive and compliant with WSDOT's requirements for the pontoons.

The transition joints were solved with what WSP called track bridges. British engineer Andy Foan developed the Curved Element Supported Rail system (CESURA) specifically for the Hadley. Eight track bridges were installed, each with a 43-foot (13-metre) curved platform at a fixed-to-floating transition.

Instead of forcing the rail through a hinge-like bend at a single joint, the platform spreads the change in curvature over its length. Each rail follows its own curved plane, resting on bearer bars and double friction-pendulum bearings that permit several inches of movement in multiple directions while preserving the gauge. WSP said the system maintains the gauge and a smooth ride through four major structural expansion joints while the bridge moves and lake levels change.

Sobhani said the geometry had to be matched to the bridge itself.

"The track bridges had to be correlated with the movements of the floating bridge relative to the transition spans to make sure each movement of the bridge is accommodated by the track bridges, which ultimately prevents the movements to transfer undue stress into the rail," he said.

Extensive testing including actual train runs

Testing ran for years before construction. Prototype work began in 2012 at UW's Structural Research Laboratory, where a full-scale section covering a quarter of the system's length was loaded on a custom steel rig that simulated train weight and the horizontal forces of wind and waves.

In 2013, two full-scale CESURA systems spent six months at the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colorado, running on a customised 5,000-foot (1,500-metre) track at simulated water levels and speeds up to 55 mph (89 km/h). It took three years and US$53 million of design and testing before the curved-element solution was approved.

Travis Thonstad, then a UW alumnus supervising the early tests, said the fabrication tolerances proved demanding.

"It works like a Swiss watch, so we had to work it out a piece at a time," said Thonstad. "But the challenges ended up paying off in the end, in terms of making sure the product was better."

The finite-element models built for the project represented the bridge down to its pontoons, anchors, flotation, rails, guard rails and fasteners, and the train down to bogies, axles, wheels and both suspension stages. When full-scale in-track testing began on the bridge, 500 channels of data were monitored against those predictions.

"It correlated very well with what we were seeing," said Sleavin. "We found a few things that allowed us to tweak and add camber in different places."

Between the track bridges, the running rail needed a fastening system that used no bolts and no dowels. The solution was an adhesive system: approximately 9,000 lightweight precast concrete blocks serve as ties, bonded to the deck with an epoxy. A plastic drip cap and a rubberised layer isolate the blocks electrically so that traction current cannot pass into the bridge structure.

The adhesive also had to absorb track vibration with no soil beneath the rails to dampen it, and stay flexible enough not to crack the concrete as it cured and shrank. The first formulation, tested in 2014, failed the vibration requirement.

"We provided reports to Sound Transit that indicated they needed to move in another direction," said Matthew Sisley, the UW alumnus who ran those tests. "The consultants basically took our test results and used that to inform the next iteration of the design,"

The revised prototype placed epoxy grout beneath a rubber-like Corkelast layer, rearranged the blocks and introduced a new metal rail clip. Blocks were cycled through heating and cooling to simulate seasonal conditions and examined for cracking and separation between layers.

Installation on a moving deck brought its own discipline. Crews surveyed from fixed points on the bridge rather than from satellite positioning. The deck carries a cross-slope for drainage while the precast pieces are flat, so flat pads had to be prepared before each block went down. Sobhani said the precast pieces, "didn't leave much room for error."

Before work reached the bridge, crews and UW researchers tested the epoxy's flow behaviour and rehearsed placement in the contractor's yard.

"There was a lot of process that went in advance of even getting out there because this is a unique construction method, Sleavin said. "We spent a lot of time with the contractor and that helped us negotiate the price and understand the real hours of work it would take to put this stuff on".

The bridge's marine requirements dictated the schedule. Block installation began on May 1, 2019, with all blocks to be staged on the bridge by the end of September so they would provide the required ballast before winter storms, while bonding work continued in suitable weather. The civil contract for the bridge was scheduled to close in November 2020, with train testing planned for 2022 and revenue service in 2023. Passengers boarded in March 2026.

The fixed approach spans posed a separate constraint. Seismic strengthening beneath them would ordinarily have meant working in Lake Washington. WSP said its retrofit design instead changed how the spans respond seismically, eliminating the need for any in-water construction.

With the track in place, systems integration followed. On October 14, 2025, a light rail vehicle ran under its own power from Mercer Island towards Seattle, drawing current from the overhead catenary, while engineers monitored power for traction, interaction with the catenary, wheel-rail dynamics and communications in real time. Mott MacDonald, a partner with STV in the Northwest Transit Systems Partners construction management joint venture, said the vehicle performed smoothly on the first attempt.

Its team also verified traction-power behaviour under bridge movement, stray-current controls and the cathodic protection system. WSP said dynamic testing with moving trains confirmed floating-span deflection and load performance stayed within the ranges predicted in final design.

Constant monitoring concurrent with regular rail operations

Operating rules now reflect the physics of a floating structure. When load concentrates on one side of the pontoons, that side sinks while the other rises, increasing stress in the structure. Sound Transit therefore permits no more than two trains on the bridge at once under normal conditions, and only when they travel on opposite tracks.

Weather determines the remaining operating restrictions. Sustained wind over the open lake builds waves that load the bridge, and the prevailing strong winds arrive from the south, where the Lacey V. Murrow bridge acts as a breakwater. Northerly winds occur less often and face less protection, prompting Sound Transit to place anemometers north of the rail alignment to measure wind speed, direction and duration; computers use those readings to estimate wave heights.

Below 1.4 feet (0.4 metre) of estimated wave height, trains run normally. A 30mph (50km/h) northerly sustained for 83 minutes, corresponding to roughly 1.5-foot (0.5-metre) waves, cuts service to one train on the bridge at a time. A 40mph (60km/h) northerly held for 71 minutes, estimated to produce 2.21-foot (0.67-metre) waves, suspends crossings until conditions ease. The system is redundant so that a single anemometer alarm, such as one triggered by a bird strike, can be distinguished from a genuine weather event.

A parallel monitoring effort now watches the bridge itself. UW researchers led by Thonstad, now an assistant professor, and Professor Michael Motley have built a digital twin of the Hadley that pairs a three-dimensional model with live sensor feeds, weather data, GPS locations for individual pontoons and readings of anchor-cable tension, all sent to the cloud for maintenance staff. Sensors went in during May 2025 and immediately showed differences between pontoons: one rose and fell daily with thermal expansion, while another, held by 12 anchor cables rather than four, barely moved. The system tracks responses to trains, weather and anchor adjustments to millimetre accuracy, and a second phase is planned to bring in Sound Transit's rail sensors.

For WSDOT bridge keeper Vince Horn, the twin delivers custom alerts on wind spikes and changing conditions, and UW said it could reduce the need to send crews out on the water during storms to measure wave height by hand.

"The most surprising thing for me has been learning how the bridge behaves on a day-to-day basis at the level of precision that we were never able to before," Thonstad said. "We have to maintain the structure well; we have to make good decisions."

A 23-year-old man from Wannamal was issued a fine, additional mandatory penalty and costs totalling $2,004.90 for his part in the illegal take of 41 Roe’s abalone from coastal waters north of the Mindarie Marina.

The court heard he was observed fishing for abalone by Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) fisheries officers on November 2 and was found with a bag containing the abalone.

Another man entered a plea of not guilty, and his case was adjourned to October 20.

In a separate matter, a 22-year-old man from Wilson was ordered to pay $1,366.10 (including court costs) for collecting 20 Roe’s abalone on November 30 last year from waters north of Mindarie Marina, near Clarecastle Retreat.

Fishing for Roe’s abalone is open for licensed recreational fishers in the Western Zone between the Greenough River Mouth in the north to Busselton Jetty in the south on four designated fishing hours between December and February.

It is an offence to fish for abalone in the Western Zone outside of the designated fishing hours.

DPIRD Director of Regional Compliance for the metropolitan area Todd A’Vard said the Western Zone abalone fishery was tightly managed to ensure it remained sustainable and available to local recreational fishers into the future.

“Fishing out of season, taking undersize abalone, fishing in closed waters or exceeding the bag limit can attract significant penalties,” Mr A’Vard said.

“It is also illegal for recreational fishers to sell their catch. Fines as high as $40,000 plus up to ten times the prescribed value of the catch may apply.

“People must not be in the water if they are wearing or carrying abalone fishing gear, except during the abalone fishing season.”

FishWatch is available 24/7 to take reports of suspected illegal fishing activity on 1800 815 507 or via the online form on Crimestoppers.

The multi-purpose icebreaker Nordica will be operated under a charter agreement between Arctia and QHAS. The end customer under the arrangement is the Canadian Coast Guard.

Under the agreement, Arctia will provide maritime services supporting the Canadian Coast Guard's civilian operations such as icebreaking assistance and ice management services.

Arctia said that it will not be involved in any governmental, law enforcement, or defence-related activities for the duration of the charter.

The company added that the charter arrangement will have no impact on its special public service mission in Finland or on securing winter navigation in the Baltic Sea.

The contract is initially for one year and also includes options for extension.

The assignment will take place in the autumn, and the vessel will return to the Baltic before the start of the icebreaking season.

"This historic partnership between the Canadian Coast Guard and Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services will add critical heavy icebreaking capacity in Canadian Arctic waters during the 2026 operating season, helping to support safe navigation, maintain vital supply chains, and strengthen economic activity in northern and Arctic communities," said Joël Lightbound, Canadian Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement.

Te Ihu belongs to a series of pilot boats built by Hart Marine of Australia.

The boat has an LOA of 17.54 metres, a beam of 5.25 metres, a depth of 2.15 metres, and a top speed of 35 knots courtesy of two Scania DI16 560kW inboard engines that drive Hamilton HTX42 waterjets.

Utilising composite material and a hull design developed by French naval architecture firm Pantocarene, the boat features a lightweight yet corrosion-resistant structure that boasts durability even under harsh marine conditions.

A wave-piercing, beak bow design facilitates smooth navigation in turbulent waters, significantly reducing vertical acceleration and ensuring stability for pilots.

The vessel also boasts self-righting ability, guaranteeing autonomous recovery from a capsized position.

The boat also has continuous railing, thus providing a safety barrier for crew and pilots.

Low-noise technology meanwhile further enhances the vessel's operational environment.