Baird Maritime

by Will Xavier on 23 February 2026 at 1:41 am

The Port Authority of New South Wales (PANSW) in Australia has unveiled a new 10-metre marine response vessel supplied by the Whiskey Project Group.When completed, the new rigid inflatable boat (RIB) will join PANSW’s Sydney Harbour and Port Botany response teams and. With twin outboard engines that deliver speeds of up to 42 knots and an 870-litre fuel capacity, she will support crews in fast, reliable emergency response and patrol duties around port waters.The port authority said it has been working closely with more than 20 local specialist shipbuilders and maritime experts over the past several months to facilitate the delivery of the vessel.Once construction and on-water testing are complete, the RIB will travel to Sydney to join PANSW’s operational fleet, supporting crews in undertaking work including navigation aid maintenance, pollution response, general patrols and response to a wide range of reporting or identified maritime issues and incidents.The boat features a reinforced, marine-grade aluminium hull and level-flotation foam to maximise stability, buoyancy and safety at speed; a collar system and high-performance suspension seating to further reduce impact in rough conditions; and an integrated navigation and communications suite that delivers real-time situational awareness.Design work in the RIB was provided by New Zealand-based Naiad design, a company under the Whiskey Project Group.

by Gareth Havelock on 23 February 2026 at 1:00 am

Six people were killed after the boat they were riding in collided with another vessel and subsequently capsized in Lao Cai province in northern Vietnam on Saturday, February 21.The unidentified passenger boat was transiting a lake when the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon (local time).Local authorities conducted search and rescue operations and recovered 17 survivors including the boat’s operator as well as the bodies of six deceased individuals over the next 48 hours. The deceased also included two small children.EDITORIAL | Passenger vessel death toll falls 28 per cent in 2025; tour boats become an increasing problemState news outlet VnExpress has reported that an investigation into the tragedy is underway.Saturday’s capsizing is the second fatal vessel incident to occur in Vietnam in less than a week.On Thursday, February 19, a passenger boat capsized in the central province of Quang Tri. The incident resulted in three deaths while the body of a fourth passenger, identified as the 14-year-old granddaughter of two of the deceased victims, has not yet been found.

by Jens Karsten on 23 February 2026 at 12:25 am

French subsea company Orange Marine has placed orders for two new hybrid cable laying vessels (CLVs) in a series.The vessels will be designed by Vard Design as near-identical sisters of Sophie Germain, which was handed over to Orange Marine in 2023.The CLVs will be specially designed for the maintenance of submarine fibre optic telecommunication cables. Vard developed the vessel design according to the client’s operating requirements, with particular focus on seakeeping capabilities, low fuel consumption and efficient arrangements.The completed vessels will each have a length of 100 metres, a beam of 18.8 metres, a depth of 7.15 metres, a deadweight of 1,800, accommodation for 76 personnel, and three cable tanks including one fitted with a carousel system.Each CLV’s hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system will include generators and a 497kWh battery pack. The entire propulsion arrangement can deliver speeds of up to 14.5 knots.The hybrid configuration will also reduce the number of generators used while maintaining the redundancy needed for the safe maintenance of cables if a generator shuts down unexpectedly. The batteries will immediately shoulder the load of the failed generator while reducing fuel consumption.

by Will Xavier on 23 February 2026 at 12:14 am

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri recently launched a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) ordered by the Italian Navy.The future Ugolino Vivaldi is the first in a new class of four OPVs being built by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture owned by Fincantieri and defence technology company Leonardo.Upon completion, the OPV will have a length of 96 metres, a displacement of approximately 2,400 tonnes, and accommodation for up to 93 crewmembers. Construction of all four ships in the class will take place at Fincantieri’s Riva Trigoso and Muggiano Integrated Shipyard.The OPV’s duties will include maritime patrols and surveillance, protection of sea lines of communication, and environmental protection.Among the notable features of the vessel will be a cockpit-style integrated navigation management system that can be operated by only two crewmembers. The station, which will also be located in the bridge, will enable two operators to have direct control of the engines, the rudders, and some functions of the combat system.