Ukraine Threatens Pushback if Israel Allows Grain Vessel to Dock
Israel risks a diplomatic and legal response from Kyiv if it allows a vessel carrying grain from Russian-occupied Ukraine to dock at the port of Haifa, a Ukrainian diplomatic source told Reuters on Monday.Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported earlier that the vessel Panormitis, which it said was carrying grain from occupied Ukrainian territory that Kyiv regards as stolen, was waiting for permission to berth in Haifa."If this ship and its cargo isn't rejected, we reserve the right to deploy a full
Six Iran Oil Tankers Sent Back by US Blockade
Six tankers loaded with Iranian oil have been forced back to Iran by the U.S. blockade in recent days, ship-tracking data shows, underscoring the impact the Iran war is having on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global oil export route.Between 125 and 140 ships usually crossed in and out of the strait daily before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28, but only seven have done so in the past day…
World’s First Ammonia Port-to-Ship Bunkering for Commercial Vessels Completed at Ulsan Port
The Ulsan Port Authority (UPA) announced the successful completion of the world’s first ammonia bunkering operation for an ammonia dual-fuel gas carrier at Ulsan Port on April 23, 2026.This milestone builds on Ulsan Port’s earlier achievements, including the world’s first methanol bunkering demonstration (2023–2026) and simultaneous LNG bunkering operations for car carriers. With this latest development…
Regal Renord Corporation Names Aamir Paul as New CEO
Regal Rexnord Corporation announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Aamir Paul to serve as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), commencing no later than July 1, 2026, upon the conclusion of his responsibilities with his current employer, Schneider Electric SE. The Board has also determined that Mr. Paul will serve as a member of the Board of Directors effective upon the commencement of his employment with the Company…
ABS Approves MOL-Led Design for Unmanned Rocket Recovery Vessel
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and its partners have secured approval in principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the basic design of an unmanned autonomous rocket recovery vessel.The project is being developed with Innovative Space Carrier and TSUNEISHI SOLUTIONS TOKYOBAY.The approval covers the overall offshore recovery system, including the recovery vessel, a support vessel and…
Akastor’s DDW Offshore Agrees Sale of AHTS Vessel for $23M
Akastor’s subsidiary DDW Offshore has entered into a binding agreement to sell Skandi Emerald anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessel for $23 million.The AHTS, built in 2011, is designed for operations across a range of water depths and environmental conditions.Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected in the second quarter of 2026.Following the sale, DDW Offshore’s…
Seatrium Wraps Up Tugboat Fleet Divestment
Seatrium has completed the divestment of its fleet of 17 tugboats in Singapore, following an earlier announcement in February.The company said the transaction was completed on April 24, 2026.The divestment, along with other non-core asset sales, is expected to deliver more than $39.1 million (S$50 million) in annualized cost savings.The tugboats were sold in January 2026 for $81.5 million (S$104 million) through Seatrium Marine Services to KST Maritime and its affiliate Maju Maritime…
Shearwater to Sell SW Baret for Conversion to Source Vessel
Shearwater Geoservices has agreed to sell the vessel SW Baret to an undisclosed buyer for conversion into a dedicated source vessel.The agreed sales price exceeds the vessel’s carrying book value and is expected to result in a gain in Shearwater’s accounts, as well as a positive impact on liquidity, the company said.Completion of the transaction is expected late in the second quarter of 2026.The vessel…
Suspected Pirates Take Control of Ship Off Somalia
Suspected pirates have boarded a St. Kitts and Nevis-flagged general cargo vessel off Somalia's waters and were sailing it towards the Somali coastline, British maritime security groups Vanguard and Ambrey said.Somali pirates caused havoc in the waters off the Horn of Africa nation's long coastline between 2008 and 2018. After a lull, pirate activity started to pick up again in late 2023.Vanguard said in a note late on Sunday it was aware of reports that armed pirates had hijacked the vessel…
Hanwha Ocean Flags Rising Uncertainty Over Ship Demand
South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean said in its first-quarter earnings presentation on Monday that uncertainty is rising over demand for commercial vessels due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The market for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) has been hit hard by the Iran war, the company said, as shipping rates have soared with some crude carriers stuck in the Strait of Hormuz.The demand for container vessels is forecast to decline as worries mount over inflation and the slow growth
LNG Tanker Orders Pick Up Despite Shipping Uncertainty
Global orders to build liquefied natural gas carriers (LNGC) are set to rebound this year after a 2025 slump as growing LNG output and vessel fuel efficiency drive demand, industry executives and analysts say.The rise in orders is offsetting concerns that supply disruptions from the U.S.-Iran war may reduce near-term shipping demand and pressure freight rates.Since late last year, shipbuilders in South Korea and China have received more orders…
Singapore MPA Renews Partnership with Shanghai Maritime University
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Shanghai Maritime University (SMU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in maritime talent development and knowledge exchange.Started in 2020, this partnership supports exchanges of students and maritime professionals and facilitates participation in high-level seminars and knowledge sharing platforms.Since 2023…
Green Shipping Service Launched in Singapore
Pacific International Lines (PIL) and PSA International (PSA), supported by DNV, have launched Singapore’s first joint land-sea green value-added service for cargo transhipped through the Port of Singapore.The new service enables participating shippers and cargo owners to achieve verifiable emissions reductions through the allocation of carbon reductions generated from the use of lower-carbon fuels across multiple modes of transportation within the logistics, shipping and port operations.
IMO: No Safe Passage Through Strait of Hormuz
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called on all member states to support efforts to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where around 20,000 seafarers remain trapped and unable to leave.In an informal briefing to member states and industry representatives, Dominguez confirmed that several vessels had been seized and detained in the region over the past few days. He urged maximum caution…
Saronic to Collaborate with Taiwan on ASVs
Saronic Technologies has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to explore collaboration on advancing AI-enabled maritime capabilities, including autonomous surface vessels (ASVs), to help address evolving security challenges in the maritime domain.NCSIST serves as Taiwan’s leading defense research and development institution and plays a central role in strengthening Taiwan’s defense industrial base.
US Intercepts Sanctioned Tanker in Arabian Sea
U.S. Central Command said it intercepted a merchant vessel trying to get through the blockade of Iran on Saturday.The ship, identified as the Sevan, was part of a 19-vessel "shadow fleet" transporting Iranian oil and gas products to foreign markets, the U.S. military said.Central Command said it was intercepted in the Arabian Sea by a U.S. Navy helicopter from the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney and was "currently complying with U.S.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy Professors Honored at IACBE Conference
Massachusetts Maritime Academy, a public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning is proud to announce that International Maritime Business Professors Bhani Ghosh and Paul Szwed recently presented at the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Oil Prices Unstable Ahead of Uncertain US-Iran Peace Talks
Oil prices zig-zagged between negative and positive territory on Friday as traders weighed supply disruptions against the potential restart of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran that could help limit those disruptions.Prices rose 2% earlier in the day on fears of renewed military escalation in the region after Iran released footage on Thursday of commandos boarding a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz…
EU Continues to Push for Shipping Carbon Levy
European Union countries agreed on Friday to keep pushing for a global price on shipping's CO2 emissions in U.N. talks next week, setting up another potential clash with the United States over the proposal.Governments at the International Maritime Organization decided last year to postpone the climate plan by a year, after the Trump administration strongly opposed the measure and threatened to impose…
China Conducts Live-Fire Drills Near Luzon Island as US, Philippines Hold Annual Military Exercises
China conducted military drills recently including live-fire exercises in waters east of the Philippines' Luzon Island, it said on Friday, as Manila and Washington host annual drills that extend towards disputed areas of the South China Sea.Over 17,000 troops from the U.S., the Philippines and allies began their annual Balikatan military exercises this week, with combat troops from Japan joining for…