June 2026
This issue examines the trends, technologies and policy developments shaping the future of shipbuilding, ship repair and sustainable maritime operations.
Navy
Navy selects seven companies to move to at-sea MUSV testing
The Department of the Navy announced May 29 that it has selected seven companies’ entries to advance to the at-sea testing phase of the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) marketplace. The seven
Navy releases its FY 2027 Shipbuilding Plan
The Department of the Navy has released its Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan, outlining the Administration’s long-term strategy to expand fleet capacity, strengthen the maritime industrial base, and deliver a more capable,
Master Boat Builders begins T-ATS module fabrication for U.S. Navy
Master Boat Builders Inc., Coden, Ala., has begun module fabrication for the U.S. Navy’s Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) program under its partnership with Austal USA, marking a production milestone
Austal USA christens Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12)
Austal USA christened the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) May 2 at its Mobile, Ala., shipyard, marking a significant milestone in the construction of the U.S. Navy’s newest Towing, Salvage, and
GAO reports on Navy and USCG shipbuilding woes
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has now released a report recently submitted in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, Committee on Armed Services and the Subcommittee on
GAO: Navy still needs to do more on ship fire prevention
Welding and other hot work involved in U.S. Navy ship maintenance means a significant risk of ship fires. The 2020 fire that gutted the Wasp-class amphibian USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), causing
Wraps come off new Trump-class battleship design
The last new Navy ship design announced was for a frigate. Yesterday, something considerably larger was unveiled: a new class of American-designed battleships —the Trump class — that, says the administration, will
Fincantieri: Constellation class cancelations part of a “reshaping” of partnership with the Navy
Fincantieri has released a statement providing more background on the Navy’s widely-reported decision to cancel four Constellation-class frigates. Released by Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), the statement says that FMG and the U.S.
Vigor and Samsung Heavy team up for Navy forward-deployed MRO
Portland, Ore.-headquartered Vigor Marine Group (VMG) and South Korean shipbuilding giant Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) have formed a strategic partnership. The collaboration will bring expanded forward-deployedMRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capacity