Category: maritime executive

Third US Training Ship State of Maine Delivered to MARAD  The third newly built U.S. training ship for the merchant marine, the State of Maine, was handed over to TOTE Services and delivered to the U.S. Mari… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

The Iran War and Global Trade: Will the Cape Route Become the New Normal?  Events in the Middle East during February and March 2026 again disrupted the flows of shipping trade to the eastern and western spheres of the intern… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Trump Administration Details $20B Maritime Reinsurance to Get Oil Moving  With the global energy markets in disarray, the Trump administration moved quickly and, late on Friday, March 6, announced more details on its plans… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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 ur… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Diana Raises Offer for Genco and Agrees to Sell 16 Ships to Star Bulk Diana Shipping is back with a sweetened offer to acquire fellow bulk shipper Genco Shipping & Trading, both increasing the cash dollar amount and anno… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Shipping Concerns Grow as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Suspend Routes  Container shipping continues to reel as the war in the Persian Gulf reaches its first week, and U.S. and Israeli officials are saying it could contin… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Royal Caribbean Group Proposes Ship Repair Yard for Panama’s Pacific Coast Officials from Panama are responding positively to the concept of creating a shipyard on the Pacific coast of the country. Royal Caribbean Group met w… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Norwegian Takes Delivery on New Cruise Ship in Long-Term Growth Plan Fincantieri and Norwegian Cruise Line celebrated the delivery of the Norwegian Luna, the second ship in the company’s Prima Plus class and the midpoin… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Spanish Authorities Chase Tug That Attempted to Sneak Away from Detention  The captain of the port of Las Palmas and the Maritime Authority in the Canary Islands reported that they had to chase down a tugboat, which was towi… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

North Korea Tests New Destroyer Ahead of Commissioning North Korean state media is hailing the successful tests of the first ship in a new generation of destroyers ahead of the vessel’s commissioning. Lead… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Iranian Bomb Boat Targeted Sonangol Tanker off Kuwait  New footage appears to suggest that Iranian forces used a drone boat to attack the tanker Sonangol Namibe off the coast of Kuwait.The tanker was at a… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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 lev… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Ukrainian Strike on Novorossiysk Also Damaged Russian Warships  The recent Ukrainian strike on Novorossiysk caused damage to a Transneft oil loading terminal, and may also have extended to Russian Navy warships, a… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Scottish Government Plans Four Ship Contract Lifeline for Ferguson Marine The Scottish government is moving forward with a plan to award the financially troubled Scottish shipbuilder Ferguson Marine four new contracts as a l… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Positioning of Unladen Tankers Signals Shipping’s Risk-Reward Calculations  Shipowners and managers, and ultimately ship masters, have the ultimate responsibility for assessing risk to their vessels and their cargoes. Governm… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Startup Plans to Use Regent Seven Seas Ship for Premium Residential Cruises The operators of Villa Vie Odyssey, one of the current residential cruise ships, announced that they are launching a new company to offer a premium re… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Edda Wind has Potential Agreements to Sell Fleet of Wind Service Vessels  Edda Wind, which had been launched as an early service provider dedicated to the emerging offshore wind sector, has entered into agreements for the p… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Drone Strikes Reported in Fujairah and Duqm  On Tuesday morning, drones hit an oil storage terminal at Fujairah, UAE, a key energy transshipment and bunkering hub for the Gulf region.  Tank farm… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Belgium Fines Sanctioned Tanker €10M and Detains it for Safety Violations Belgium announced during a press briefing on Tuesday, March 3, that it has completed its inspection of the tanker Ethera, which it detained overnight… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Effects of Gulf Disruption Expected to Ripple Through Global Shipping  The shipping disruption from conflict in the Gulf region is only just getting started, according to new data from Clarksons and forecasts from multip… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Viking Stacks Orders to 2034 with More Expedition and Ocean Ships Reporting a strong financial performance in 2025 and a positive outlook as the brand continues to grow its fleet, Viking announced it has ordered two… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Report: MSC and BlackRock Push to Complete Hutchison Deal for Port Ops Nearly a year after the deal was first announced for a consortium of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and U.S. investment group BlackRock to acquire… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Search Underway for Missing Seafarers After Tug Sinks off South Africa  Two merchant ships and a fishing boat are working alongside the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) as the search continues for missing c… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Iran Denies Involvement in Strike On Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura Refinery  Saudi Arabia has shut down processing at its gigantic Ras Tanura installation, part of the world’s largest oil port, after a reported Iranian drone a… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Norwegian Cruise Admits Misstep as it Issues Disappointing Outlook Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reported its fourth quarter and year-end financial results, and while it met or exceeded expectations, it disappointed… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

France Arrests Greenpeace Protestors Blocking Arrival of Cargo Ship  Activists from the group Greenpeace France took to kayaks and Zodiacs on Monday morning, March 2, while others chained themselves to a lock gate in D… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Satellite Imaging Reveals Drone Strike Damage at US Navy Base in Bahrain  Damage to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet base at Bahrain appears to be more significant than initially estimated, according to new satellite imaging analy… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

U.S.-Flagged Stena Tanker Hit by Iranian Missiles During Attack on Bahrain A tanker supplying fuel to the U.S. military was damaged early on Monday morning, March 2, as Iran continued its retaliatory strikes on neighboring co… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Iran Threatens to Set Ships “On Fire” in Strait of Hormuz  Iran’s senior leadership has announced a full shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to “set on fire” any vessels passing the blockade. Mult… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Jebel Ali Port Resumes Operations as Most Regional Ports Remain Operational  After widespread reports of a possible missile strike and a fire at the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, operations resumed on Monday. Most ports across the… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

What Would Closure of the Strait of Hormuz Mean for Shipping?  [By Sarah Schiffling]The reported sinking of several Iranian warships by US missiles in the Gulf of Oman serves as a reminder of the maritime aspect… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

World Leaders Call for Restraint After Strikes on Iran  Following multiple Iranian attacks on shipping, resulting in seafarer injuries and at least one shipboard fatality, IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dom… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Study: Forced Labor Persists Aboard Fishing Vessels in South-East Asia  In Southeast Asia, some actors in the fishing and seafood processing sectors have long utilized various forms of forced labor to reduce costs. While… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Three U.S. Servicemembers Killed in Iranian Strikes on Kuwait  Three U.S. servicemembers have been killed and five more injured in Iranian retaliatory strikes in Kuwait, according to U.S. Central Command.Several… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Op-Ed: Gulf States Face a Strategic Choice After Iranian Attacks  Early on March 1, barely 24 hours after the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the impact of the war on trade in the Gulf region has been immediate. In a… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Port of Long Beach Starts 2026 Leading Nation in Trade The Port of Long Beach kicked off the new year as the nation’s busiest seaport, marking its second-busiest January on record, Port CEO Dr. Noel Hacega… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Navantia – Fincantieri Strengthen Cooperation for European Patrol Corvertte The Spanish and Italian shipbuilders will create a joint venture to manage and execute the European programmeBoth companies will collaborate on the de… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Austal USA Launches Final EPF – Future USNS Lansing (EPF 16) Austal USA launched the company’s second ship in less than a week, the Navy’s final Expeditionary Fast Transport, future USNS Lansing (EPF 16) in Mobi… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

USCG Accepts Delivery of 62nd Fast Response Cutter The U.S. Coast Guard accepted delivery of the 62nd Fast Response Cutter, USCGC Vincent Danz (WPC 1162), on Thursday in Key West.The Vincent Danz is th… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Donated USCG Cutter Departs for Sri Lanka Starting Record Voyage The former USCG Cutter Decisive, at an age well-past retirement for most ships, is headed to a new role in the Sri Lankan Navy. The ship, which served… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Seatrium Delivers WTIV to Maersk Offshore Wind  The next-generation wind turbine installation vessel, which became the center of a dispute before it was completed, has been successfully delivered,… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Algoma Central Buys Mainstay Maritime’s Canadian Great Lakes Shipping  Canada’s Algoma Central, already one of the largest dry and liquid bulk carriers for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region, has agreed to buy three Can… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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 har… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Maersk Temporarily Retreats from Red Sea Sailings for Two Routes  Maersk informed customers today, February 27, in an alert that it is retreating from its move back to the Suez – Red Sea corridor for two of its rout… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Panama’s Ports Resume Operations as Investigations Continue Government officials and the Panama Maritime Authority are highlighting the resumption of operations at the ports at each terminus of the Panama Canal… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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 fo… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

U.S. Seeks Forfeiture for Tanker and Oil Cargo Seized off Venezuela The U.S. Department of Justice filed for the forfeiture of the tanker Skipper (310,000 dwt) and the cargo of Venezuelan crude onboard, along with the… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Captain Pretty Molly Kool, Maritime Trailblazer  A Canadian woman was the first North American female ship’s captain. Her name was Myrtle “Molly” Kool. She obtained her Master’s papers in 1939 when… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Antwerp Port to Get Air Defense and Anti-Drone System in 2027 Belgium’s Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, announced during a presentation at the Port of Antwerp that the government has decided to install an air defe… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Indian Register of Shipping’s Overseas Defence Project with Sri Lankan Navy Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) crossed a significant milestone with the launch of its first defence-export project – a Floating Dry Dock (FDD) bein… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Carnival Cruise Line to Scale Back in Australia Starting in 2028 Carnival Cruise Line’s country manager in Australia, Peter Litytle, surprised the industry by announcing the line plans to further cut back its presen… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

R&D Project Takes Step Towards CO2 Neutral Propulsion Everllence has taken a step towards the development of CO?-neutral propulsion systems with the announcement that a research-engine test bench at its A… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Vancouver Cruise Sector Charts Course for Record Season and Billion-Dollar The first cruise ship of 2026 will dock at Canada Place tomorrow, as Vancouver gets ready for a record cruise season that will support jobs and busine… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Russia Suspected in Unauthorized Drone Flight Near French Navy Flagship A suspicious drone attempted to approach the French navy’s flagship during a port call in Malmo, Sweden, the Swedish defense minister has confirmed. T… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

U.S. Offshore Wind Projects Report Progress After Resuming Offshore Work Three of the five offshore wind projects under construction in the northeast U.S. have each signaled this week strong progress. It comes after each pr… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Study: Ocean Warming Puts “Constant Negative Pressure” on Fish Populations  A new meta-study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution suggests that ocean warming has an outsize impact on the total amount of fish in the water,… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

An American Energy Company is Preparing to Drill for Oil in Greenland U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for the annexation of Greenland on national security grounds, noting the increased activity of other… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Chinese Cruise Ship Arrested After Line Suspends Service China’s domestic cruise market continues to go through an evolution as it seeks to expand, but it also faces challenges tied to political issues and g… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

U.S. Treasury Sanctions 12 More Shadow Fleet Vessels Linked to Iran  On Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on 12 more “shadow fleet” vessels linked to Iranian petrol… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

China Blocks Exports to 20 Japanese Companies and Puts 20 on Concerns List In the latest sign of rising tensions between China and Japan, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced export bans on 20 leading Japanese companies and… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Hospital Ship Gets Under Way After Trump Greenland Announcement Three days after President Donald Trump declared that he had ordered a hospital ship to Greenland, the hospital ship USNS Mercy has departed a shipyar… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

ABS Announces U.S. Cruise Center of Excellence ABS has opened the ABS Cruise Center of Excellence, its dedicated global hub for the cruise sector, located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The center expands… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

UK Launches Biggest Sanction Package on Anniversary of Ukraine Invasion Timed to the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, the UK announced what it is calling the biggest sanction package against Russia, going aft… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

China’s Maritime Militia Was More Active Than Ever in 2025  China’s militia of military-trained fishing crews spent more time deployed in the South China Sea than ever before last year, according to CSIS’ Asia… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

RFA Argus Set to be Towed Away as Royal Navy Confirms Scrapping Plan One of the longest-serving support ships and the last active survivor of the UK’s Falklands War, the Royal Navy confirmed that RFA Argus has ended her… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

India’s Swan Defense Shipyard Revives Old Projects as it Develops Yard Efforts continue to show progress at reviving India’s shipbuilding industry at the yard in Pipavav, formerly operated by the Reliance Group. Relaunche… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

From Sea to Sky  Nestled within the aptly named Post Office Bay on Galapagos’ Floreana Island sits a relic of analog communication.A barrel beckons visitors to pitch… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

DetentionTrackr Launches AI-Powered Global Detention Intelligence Platform DetentionTrackr has officially launched, as a new maritime intelligence platform centralising global Port State Control (PSC) detention data, into rea… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Tidewater to Expand in Brazil with Acquisition of OSVs from Wilson Sons Tidewater is making a major move to expand its presence in the Brazilian offshore oil and gas market while highlighting the strong growth opportunitie… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Seatrium Consolidating Business by Divesting Non-Core Assets Singapore-based Seatrium is highlighting a series of recent transaction agreements, all designed to consolidate its business and produce operating cos… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

CMA CGM Concludes Strategic Vessel Order & Launches R&D Hub in India In the presence of Shri Shantanu Thakur – Minister of State at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the CMA CGM Group’s Chairman and CEO… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Zim’s Union Makes Push to Block Hapag-Lloyd’s Buyout Offer  As the architects of the Hapag-Lloyd-Zim merger make their case to the Israeli government, Zim’s union is making every effort to bring the deal to a… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Russia’s Shadowy Oil Export Network Shows Signs of Central Coordination  It is well understood that Russia uses a complex network of oil traders and “shadow fleet” shipping companies to evade restrictions and maintain expo… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Ukrainian Drones Hit Russian Patrol Boats and Maritime Patrol Aircraft  On Saturday, Ukraine’s armed forces renewed their campaign of drone strikes on the naval harbor at Sevastopol, hitting two patrol ships – and proving… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

UK Consortium Proposes Floating Nuclear Plant for U.S. Military  An international consortium headed up by a British firm is pitching a proposal to the Pentagon to build a ship-borne nuclear power station, to be doc… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Barge Defaced at Cargill Terminal in Protests Over Amazon River Dredging  Indigenous protesters and environmental activists in Brazil are showing resolve in their push to stop government projects which they believe will des… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

A.P Moller Capital Invests $240 million in Morocco’s Transport Sector  A.P Moller Capital’s Morocco Fund has raised $243 million, which the company intends to invest in the country’s transport and logistics infrastructur… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

The Maritime Executive’s Annual Cruise Edition is Now Available Online Celebrating CruisingIt was another record year for cruising in 2025, and this year is shaping up to be even better. Since the pandemic brought things… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

APM Terminals Expands in Middle East with Jeddah Terminal Investment  Maersk’s terminal operator, APM Terminals, is positioning itself to benefit from the growing status of Jeddah Islamic Port as it announced the acquis… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

UK Sells Decommissioned Survey Ship HMS Enterprise to Bangladesh  A decommissioned Royal Navy survey ship, HMS Enterprise, that redefined hydrographic and oceanographic operations across the globe for two decades, i… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Mexico Seizes Nearly 10 Tonnes of Drugs and Three Semi-Submersibles  The Mexican authorities are highlighting their successful efforts in interdicting the flow of drugs along the country’s coast bound for the United St… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Austal Finalizes Large Contract to Build Australia’s Landing Craft Heavy Austal Defence Shipbuilding Australia highlighted the announcement by the government’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles,… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Hutchison Makes Overtures to Panama for Negotiations Over Terminal Ops Hong Kong-based CH Hutchison is reported to have made a formal request to the government of Panama for negotiations over the operations of the termina… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Cargo Resupply Mission to U.S. Antarctic Station Completed  Military Sealift Command Pacific reports the 2026 cargo resupply mission for U.S. Antarctica operations has been completed. They note that MSC has be… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Wreck of Three-Masted Cargo Ship Discovered in Lake Erie  The Great Lakes are a source of inspiration for wreck hunters, and new finds turn up every year. The latest, announced this week by the National Muse… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Kongsberg Discovery Pushes Electromagnetic Sensing Envelope Kongsberg Discovery has upgraded its innovative Kongsberg Listen electromagnetic sensor system, setting new standards for inspections, surveys and kno… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

White House Maritime Action Plan Shows OMSA Leadership on Regulatory Reform The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) welcomes and applauds the Administration’s continued focus on strengthening the American maritime indus… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

ACC & AWO Renew Agreement Aligning Safety Practices Across Supply Chain The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) today announced the renewal of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that re… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Port Builds on Effort to Strengthen its Safety Culture to Reduce Injuries The Port of Virginia® is using a layered approach to strengthen safety throughout its operation by identifying the most common critical risks at its t… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Trump’s Maritime Age Supports Next Gen of America’s Maritime Workforce The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today opened applications for its Centers of Excellence program for Domestic M… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

India’s Fleet Review Begins, With Iran Present But Not the U.S. Navy  The International Fleet Review being hosted by the Indian Navy has been getting underway in the port city of Visakhapatnam, home of the Indian Navy’s… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Russian Energy Export Sales Fall to Lowest Level Since Start of Ukraine War  Under pressure from Western sanctions, Russia’s oil and gas revenues have fallen to the lowest level recorded since the beginning of the invasion of… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

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,… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

UK Sells to Auxiliary Fleet Resupply Ships to Private Operator Inocea Group As part of the ongoing efforts that are downsizing and reshaping the operation of the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the UK has entered into a… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Japanese Investors Back U.S. Offshore Oil Terminal in Deal With White House  Japanese investors has agreed to back a large-scale offshore loading terminal off the coast of Texas, the newly-permitted Texas GulfLink project. The… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Report: Private Equity Bids Lining Up for Marine Engine Company Everllence Private equity buyers are reportedly showing a strong interest in Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solutions), according to a report in the Financial T… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Russian Navy Arrives in Bandar Abbas for Iranian Exercises  The Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoykiy (F545) has arrived in Bandar Abbas in advance of a naval exercise to be held jointly with the regula… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive

Union Calls Off Strike at 19 UK North Sea Offshore Platforms  UK industrial union Unite has called off a brief offshore strike action at rig services provider Bilfinger, which would have affected up to 19 oil fi… The Maritime Executive Go to maritime executive