Maritime Industry Briefing: Seaglider Partnerships, Shadow Fleet Watchmen, AI on the Bridge, and Major Offshore Contracts

## Maritime Industry Briefing ### MOL and Japan Airlines Chart Course for Seaglider Future Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is pushing the boundaries of maritime transport by partnering with Japan Airlines (JAL), Lloyd's Register, and US developer Regent to advance a vessel that operates just above the sea surface at aircraft-like speeds. According to Splash247, the four companies have signed a formal agreement to develop the futuristic seaglider concept, which exploits the aerodynamic 'ground effect' to achieve speeds far beyond conventional vessels. The collaboration marks a notable convergence of the aviation and shipping industries, with Lloyd's Register providing classification expertise and Regent supplying the underlying technology. If commercialised, seagliders could transform short-sea and coastal passenger and cargo routes. ### Inside Russia's Shadow Fleet Security Network A major investigative report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), published in partnership with a consortium of European media outlets, has revealed that dozens of individuals with military, security service, and private military company backgrounds have been deployed aboard tankers carrying sanctioned Russian oil. The investigation, reported by Splash247, exposes what appears to be a coordinated effort by Moscow to protect and monitor its shadow fleet operations — raising serious questions for port state control authorities, insurers, and sanctions enforcement agencies worldwide. ### AI Should Assist Navigators, Not Oversee Them Hrvoje Mihovilović, founder and CEO of ELNAV.AI, has called for a more pragmatic approach to artificial intelligence in shipping. Speaking to Maritime CEO and reported by Splash247, Mihovilović argued that AI's genuine value lies in providing practical, real-time assistance to bridge officers within existing operational frameworks — not in pursuing autonomous vessel control or acting as a surveillance tool over crew. His comments reflect a growing debate within the industry over how AI should be integrated responsibly into shipboard operations. ### Samsung Heavy Lands $2.9bn FLNG Contract South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has secured a landmark contract worth approximately $2.9bn for the construction of the Delfin FLNG Unit 1, according to Splash247. The award follows a final investment decision reached last week by project partners MOL, Delfin Midstream, Vitol, and a group of co-investors. The Delfin FLNG facility is set to become a pioneering US floating liquefied natural gas export project, underlining continued strong demand for LNG infrastructure and the competitiveness of South Korean shipbuilders in the high-value offshore segment. ### PV Drilling Expands Offshore Fleet to Eight Rigs Petrovietnam Drilling and Well Service Corporation (PV Drilling) has acquired an additional jackup drilling rig, tentatively designated PV Drilling X, bringing its fleet of modern offshore drilling rigs to eight units, Splash247 reports. Financial terms and the identity of the seller were not disclosed. The acquisition reflects ongoing fleet expansion strategies among regional offshore drilling contractors as activity in Southeast Asian waters remains robust.