Global News
Hormuz Shutdown Hits Key Industrial Commodities, Including Bunker Fuel
The Strait of Hormuz shutdown is having a direct effect on the price of oil and LNG, and in some downstream and byproduct markets, the impact is becoming acute. Net global oil supply is expected to fall by eight million barrels per day in March, according to the IEA....
Amidst Tightening Global Supplies, Ukraine Hits Russian Oil Export Pipeline
Amidst oil shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine has attacked an oil pipeline leading to Russia's export terminals on the Black Sea, hoping to restrict Moscow's access to revenue from energy sales. On Thursday, Ukrainian forces struck a key oil depot...
Three Ships Reportedly Hit in Strikes Near Strait of Hormuz
A container ship has reported an attack at a position just west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). At about 0200 hours GMT on Wednesday, the master of a container ship reported that the vessel had been hit by an "unknown...
Supply Boat Caught Smuggling Drugs Now Issued a Distress Call off Australia
Nearly two months after French authorities intercepted a small vessel smuggling a large amount of cocaine across the Pacific, the same vessel has now turned up off Australia and issued a distress call. ABC News Australia reports the vessel was escorted into Sydney...
U.S. Issues 30-Day License for Delivery and Sale of Russian Oil at Sea
The U.S. Treasury Department late on Thursday, March 12, announced it was issuing a general license authorizing the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products already loaded on tankers and at sea in a desperate attempt to stabilize global oil...
Industry Weighs Risk to Seafarers, Balance Sheets in Hormuz Transits
As the security situation in the Gulf region remains dangerous for vessel transits, industry voices differ on the question of whether vessels should stay out of the Strait of Hormuz for reasons of seafarer safety. Transits of the strait are under direct...
Insurance and Naval Escorts May Not be Enough to Reboot Gulf Shipping
War risk at the Strait of Hormuz continues to deter shipowners from venturing near to Iran, and AIS-active traffic remains 90 percent below normal levels, according to MarineTraffic. Despite the hazards, a handful of owners are willing to make the run and join the...
India Quietly Provides Refuge for an Iranian Landing Ship
Reports broke in the Indian media late on Friday, March 6, that the country has quietly been harboring an Iranian vessel this week after it made an urgent request to enter an Indian port. Off-the-record comments from a government spokesperson assert that the request...
Sri Lanka Takes Control of Iranian Supply Ship, Evacuates Sailors
The government of Sri Lanka has decided to take control of the Iranian supply ship IRIS Bushehr, with the president of the country calling it a humanitarian effort after the ship sought refuge in Colombo. They are evacuating the sailors from the ship...
Oil Leaking from Sealloyd Arc Shipwreck Hits Thailand’s Tourist Beaches
Thai officials are sounding the alarm and calling the latest developments “worrying” as reports grow of oil leaking from the wreck of the cargo ship Sealloyd Arc reaching Thailand’s beaches. They point out that efforts have been ongoing for 19...
Australia Detains Bulker After 24-Day Response to Engine Problem
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is reporting that it has placed a detention order on a Chinese manager bulker, which has been in distress for all of February and required constant monitoring. The ship has finally been secured in the Gladstone anchorag, but is...
Iranian Naval Response to “Operation Epic Fury” Unclear
As tensions rose in the Middle East immediately prior to the pre-emptive American and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, there were indicators of an imminent attack. International airlines abandoned routes through Iranian airspace the previous day, as the USS...
Execution Phase for Conversion of PSV to Ammonia Set to Begin
After several years of planning and development, the Apollo project is set to go into execution this spring, starting the conversion of an in-service platform supply vessel to ammonia-fueled propulsion. The vessel’s owners, Eidesvik Offshore, signed the agreement with...
Cargo Ships Are Becoming Stuck in the Baltic with Worst Ice in 15 Years
All along the Baltic, reports are emerging of ships becoming stuck and needing extra assistance from icebreakers as the region is experiencing the harshest winter conditions since the season of 2010-2011. Finnish authorities are denying media reports that they were...
Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline
The Port of Los Angeles foresees continued weakness in container volumes for the first quarter of 2026 after a 12 percent decline in January. However, while highlighting that it does not expect increased certainty for U.S. trade policies, it believes the rate of...
Video Shows Containership Hitting and Pushing Two Ferries in Santos Harbor
Video is circulating online showing an incident in Santos, Brazil, on Monday, February 16, in which a containership maneuvering in the harbor collided with two ferries and is seen pushing them across the harbor. Onlookers are yelling that the vessels will collide, and...
Denmark Detains Shadowy Boxship Linked to Iran Questioning Registration
The Danish Maritime Authority confirmed to local media that it has placed a detention order on a shadowy containership until the vessel can prove its registry and certifications. The vessel was sanctioned in July 2025 by the United States as part of a network...
From Compliance to Foresight: Updating Audits to Drive Real-World Safety
If you manage ships, you already pay handsomely for compliance—ISM verifications, statutory checks, Port State Control (PSC) readiness, and a thicket of customer and vetting requirements. Yet incidents keep emerging not from a single broken rule, but from the seams...
Digital Collaboration in Chemical Logistics
[By Mikael Lind, Wolfgang Lehmacher, Jeremy Bentham, Chye Poh Chua, Philippe Isler, Jens Lund-Nielsen, and Per Löfbom] Transport still relies heavily on fossil fuels and accounts for roughly one quarter of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions....
Turkish Fishermen Find Unexploded Drone in Waters Near Istanbul
The Turkish Coast Guard Command confirmed it was investigating the latest incident of an unexploded drone found in its waters. Earlier in Russia’s war with Ukraine, the concern had been errant mines, but more recently, Turkey is reporting a series of incidents with...
Future Prospects for the Port of Churchill on Canada’s Hudson Bay
Discussions are underway in Canada in regard to the future development of the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. During the early to mid-1900s and prior to the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, Churchill was Canada’s main port for exporting Western Canadian...
Dockworkers Disrupt Ports in Italy Protesting Alleged Arms Shipments
Port across Italy were reporting strikes and disruptions in their operations as unionized dockworkers staged a 24-hour strike to protest the alleged “militarization” of the ports. Reports indicate ships of Zim and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company were being targeted...
Op-Ed: Seafarer Recruitment Should Never Be a Gamble
Recent reports concerning Chinese seafarers who traveled overseas for what they believed were legitimate job opportunities, only to lose contact with their families for weeks or months, have brought renewed attention to a deeply troubling recruitment pattern. In one...
Italian Coast Guard Finds 54 Deficiencies After Saving Livestock Carrier
The Italian Coast Guard completed its inspection of the livestock carrier Blue Ocean A after overseeing the towing of the disabled ship into the port of Cagliari. While not saying it was a record, they are reporting the vessel racked up an astonishing 54...
Containership Demolition Hits 20-Year Low as Orderbook Continues to Grow
The disposal of container ships during 2025 remained at record low levels as the industry sought to maintain capacity in part due to the continued diversion from the Red Sea. In a new report, Alphaliner highlights that demolitions are now at 20-year lows. “The healthy...
Missing Seafarer Found On Board After Large-Scale SAR Operation
German authorities launched a large-scale search and rescue operation after being informed of a missing seafarer from a tanker sailing on the Elbe River off Cuxhaven. Two days later, the German Sea Rescue Society (DGzRS) reports the missing person was “found on board”...
Op-Ed: Fully-Compliant Fire Systems May Fall Short Against Modern Risks
Inspection reports across much of the commercial fleet paint a reassuring picture. Fire detection systems are operational, fixed firefighting systems are in good working order, equipment is serviced on time and instructions are correctly posted. On paper, vessels are...
Panama Court Finds CK Hutchison’s Port Terminal Concession Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of Panama announced late on Thursday, January 29, that it had found the laws establishing CK Hutchison’s concession to operate terminals at the ports at the terminus of the Panama Canal unconstitutional. The government quickly issued a statement...
Containership Briefly Grounds Blocking Port of Mobile
The Alabama Port Authority is reporting that the containership Ruby Tower (127,952 dwt) has been refloated and is no longer blocking the Mobile shipping channel. The ship, however, is holding in Mobile Bay with tugs assisting the ship and the U.S. Coast...
The Modular Pivot: Repurposing Containers as Strategic Infrastructure
The intermodal container is one of the most impactful innovations of the last century. As the international standard for ocean, rail, and road transport, shipping containers form the backbone of our modern globalized economy. The economic logic that standardized the...
Energy Transition Strategies: Advancing Emerging Battery Technologies
Advancing battery technologies stand out as next-generation solutions to help reduce carbon emissions for marine and offshore applications. Yet, rapid expansion and implementation require technical oversight and validation through an objective classification process...
Video: Ukrainian Drones Damage Vital Russian Black Sea Oil and Gas Terminal
The Defense Forces of Ukraine announced a new strike on the oil and gas terminal at Taman on the peninsula on the eastern side of the Black Sea and near the Kerch Strait. Ukraine said the terminal, which was hit for a second time in less than a month, was targeted...
Port of LA Displays Resilience, Achieving Third Best Year in 2025
The busiest port in the U.S., Los Angeles, is feeling the pressures of a redrawn global trade map due to shifting policies. While recording flat growth in container throughput in 2025, a year the port contends was characterized by uncertainty and volatility, it still...
Fight for Control of Genco Moves to Boardroom as Diana Nominates New Slate
The fight between Diana Shipping and Genco Shipping & Trading is set to move into the boardroom as Diana Shipping announced it will nominate a new slate of six directors for Genco. The move came just days after Genco’s board rejected a non-binding indicative...
First Kamsarmax Methanol-Fueled Bulker Delivered for Cargill Charter
While the industry has seen a slowing in the orders for methanol-fueled ships, the efforts are continuing as shipowners and operators look to understand the segment and the role it can play in sustainable shipping. Cargill, which calls itself one of the world’s...
PortsToronto Returns to its Roots as the Toronto Port Authority
Rebrand marks 115 years of city-building and reinforces role of its business units, including Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, as a critical economic engine and urban connector After operating as PortsToronto for a decade, the organization that owns and operates...
Baltimore’s Sparrows Point Container Terminal Receives Key Permits
Plans to develop a new container terminal as part of the redevelopment of the Sparrow’s Point region of Baltimore marked key steps with the US Army Corps of Engineers and federal authorities granting construction permits. The project is a joint venture with MSC’s...
Hapag’s Terminal Operator Takes Full Ownership of Port Everglades Facility
Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Global Terminals is continuing to execute on its growth strategy, with reports that it has taken full ownership of Port Everglades'Florida International Terminal. Major carriers have been working to build out their terminal operations in...
ABB to Build World’s Largest Shore Power Capability for Port of Rotterdam
Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, is among the ports that faced criticism last year over sluggishness in investing in shore power infrastructures, despite pending EU regulations requiring ships to turn off engines and generators in port. Only days into the new year,...
Closing the Gap: EU Harmonization and the Future of Ship Recycling
Global ship recycling no longer suffers from a lack of rules. It suffers from a failure to connect them. What is often described as a compliance gap is, in reality, a governance failure created by fragmented legal regimes that refuse to engage with where and how ship...
Container Imports to U.S. Expected to Remain Down Till Spring Says Retailer
The National Retail Federation issued its first outlook for 2026 imports, saying that it believes retailers are assessing what is ahead for 2026 and, as such, import levels are expected to remain down year-over-year until at least spring. While they expect a slight...
U.S. Withdraws From 66 UN Organizations, Including ReCAAP and UNCTAD
The Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from another 66 UN organizations and entities, the latest in its pullback from multilateral commitments. Several of these offices are well-known are known to the maritime community; these bodies will now...
Shadow Fleet Tanker Diverts to Turkey After Reporting Drone Attack
A Chinese-owned and managed crude oil tanker is reporting that it was attacked by a suspected drone while sailing in the Black Sea. The tanker Elbus (159,000 dwt) was traveling only with ballast along the Turkish coast, reportedly bound for the Russian...
Piracy Surged in 2025 Around Singapore, but ReCAAP Sees Positive Indicators
After multiple warnings throughout the year about the dramatic increase in piracy around Singapore, the monitoring operation ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, in its year-end report, highlights that the surge peaked at mid-year with the arrest of some perpetrators....
Severe Winter Storm Hits UK Shipping, Sends Containers Overboard
The UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency is reporting a busy night and efforts on Friday, January 9, to track containers after a severe winter storm crossed the region around the English Channel overnight. Warnings were posted for shipping as containers went...
Low E-Fuel Production Slows Europe’s Decarbonization
Europe’s ambitions to decarbonize the shipping industry face obstacles due to the fragile state of the alternative fuel supply chain, an analysis by the activist NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Though Europe is setting the pace in efforts to cut down...
Japan Gives Suez Canal a New Dive Vessel to Support Emergency Preparedness
Egypt is hoping to enhance the navigational safety of the busy Suez Canal after securing a $22 million grant to finance the construction of a dual-fuel diving support vessel (DSV). As more shipping lines make a return to the waterway owing to the gradual return of...
Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine’s Ports Damage Loading Bulker and Detained Ship
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports are experiencing unrelenting daily attacks by Russian drones and missiles during the current offensive despite the push by the United States and European leaders to complete a peace agreement. Ukraine’s Navy reported the mounting damage to...
Russia Adds Long-Delayed Multifunction Vessel Capable of NSR Support
Russia’s Sea Rescue Service took delivery of the Kerch Strait, a multifunction support and rescue vessel. It is the latest in the efforts to expand support services for vessels operating along the Northern Sea Route. Construction of the vessel was first proposed...
UAE Withdrawal Underway from Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Positions
The deployment of Emirati forces in locations to the north and south of the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC) in the Gulf of Aden, and in similar positions dominating sea routes through the southern Red Sea, is currently in the middle of a significant...
















































