Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has begun laying the keel for a new Petronas floating LNG liquefaction facility at its shipyard in Okpo, South Korea.

Petredec has ordered six more VLGCs for Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) with 5-10 year charters with Shell in hand for each vessel. 

Jiangnan Heavy Industry, a subsidiary yard of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), has warned investors of a deeper net loss in the financial year 2013.

Epic Gas has exercised an option to build two additional 11,000 cu m gas carriers at Japan-based Kyokuyo Shipyard Corporation.

China-based shipbuilder JES International is looking to build just a few models of commercial vessels as it seeks business diversification to counter the cyclical effect of the shipbuilding industry.

Oman Drydocks Co (ODC) enjoyed its best year of trading in 2013, and is eyeing potential as hub for the repair of LNG carriers.

Thailand-based Precious Shipping has disposed one 16,922 dwt cement carrier to the scrapyard in a move to renew its fleet.

Nakilat, in cooperation with charterers Qatargas and RasGas, is to convert a Q-max vessel to run on LNG as a pilot project for the company's 14-strong Q-max fleet.

Florida-based Container-RoRo operator Crowley Maritime Corporation has placed an order for several MAN B&W dual-fuel engines, to be installed in two new ConRo vessels.

Damen Shipyards Group (DSG) expects revenue for 2014 to approach the EUR2bn ($2.7bn) mark, as the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa and the Middle East continue to see brisk business in the offshore support vessel segment.