Coast Guard Investigates Fatal Confined-Space Accident on Alaskan Barge
The U.S. Coast Guard identified two tugboat crew members who died in a confined‑space incident aboard the deck barge Waynehoe near Ketchikan on March 15. The tug Chukchi Sea issued a mayday after losing contact with four crew members inside the barge’s enclosed compartment; two survivors were rescued while two bodies were later recovered. Preliminary information points to elevated methane levels as a likely factor. The Coast Guard has opened a full investigation to determine the cause and prevent future tragedies.
Maersk’s APM Becomes Minority Shareholder in North Vietnam Terminal
A.P.M. Terminals, the Maersk subsidiary, has taken a 49% minority stake and operating partner role in the Hai Phong International Container Terminal in northern Vietnam. The terminal, built in just 30 months within the Lach Huyen port, boasts the highest berth...
North Korean Shipments of Shells to Russia Tail Off
Analysis by the Open Source Centre traced four sanctioned vessels that have moved between 8 million and 11 million North Korean artillery rounds to Russia since September 2023. The ships—Angara, Maia‑1, Maria and Lady R—used deceptive AIS filings that listed South Korean ports while...
Shared Radar: Maritime Supply Chain Visibility in a Weaponized World
The article presents the Virtual Watch Tower (VWT) as a new, federated model for maritime and intermodal supply‑chain visibility, positioning it against proprietary control towers, state‑run platforms, and defence‑only networks. VWT treats situational awareness as a public good, using the...
Indian Register (IRS) Takes One of India’s Largest Crude Tankers Into Class
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has classed the 298,997‑DWT Very Large Crude Carrier Lila Jamnagar, one of the biggest vessels to fly the Indian flag. The VLCC is owned by RFK Shipping IFSC Private Limited and registered in Gujarat International Finance...
Institut Maritime Du Québec Trainees Repatriated From the Persian Gulf
Desgagnés confirmed that three Institut Maritime du Québec trainees stranded on the vessels N/M Rosaire A. Desgagnés and N/M Miena Desgagnés in the Persian Gulf have been safely repatriated to Quebec. The trainees were trapped since February 28 due to security...
PSA Zeebrugge Powers 50% of Electricity Needs With Over 1,800 Solar Panels
PSA Zeebrugge has installed nearly 1,900 vertical solar panels on its warehouse façades, delivering an annual output of 770 MWh—enough to power half of the terminal’s electricity demand. The project, executed by Insaver of the Luminus Group, saves 101.43 tons of CO₂,...
Waste-to-Biochar Process Could Reduce Cruise Ships' Costs and Emissions
Evac Group’s HydroTreat system turns onboard wet waste—food scraps and sludge—into sterile biochar, a carbon‑rich solid that can be stored and disposed of without discharge. The technology lets cruise ships avoid costly port fees and route changes imposed by tightening...
China Floats Second Cruise Ship and Orders Ships for International Market
China floated its second domestically built cruise liner, the Adora Flower City, marking a milestone for the nation’s emerging cruise sector. The 141,900‑gross‑ton vessel expands passenger capacity to 2,130 cabins and 5,232 guests, featuring upgraded amenities and interactive cabin technology. Adora Cruises...
All American Marine Begins Construction on Univ. Of Texas Research Vessel
All American Marine has begun constructing a 78‑foot by 26.7‑foot aluminum catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute. The ship uses Teknicraft’s hydrofoil‑assisted hull, twin 803 hp CAT C18 Tier 3 diesel engines, and a modular laboratory layout....
Avondale Global Gateway Named Recipient of Louisiana FastSites Investment
Avondale Global Gateway (AGG) has been named an inaugural recipient of Louisiana Economic Development’s FastSites investment, earmarked for a major rail‑capacity expansion. Since acquiring the former Avondale Shipyard, AGG’s parent T. Parker Host has turned the 275‑acre site into a...
Amphib USS Boxer Deploys to Join Naval Buildup in Mideast
The U.S. Navy is dispatching the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and its escort group from California to the Middle East, joining the already‑deployed USS Tripoli. Both big‑deck amphibians can embark Marine Corps F‑35B stealth fighters, adding a limited but hard‑to‑track air...
Could Earlier Warning Systems Be the Answer to Risk Reduction in Terminals?
Container terminals are adopting continuous reefer telemetry to replace labor‑intensive, snapshot monitoring. The cold‑chain market exceeds $400 billion, and high‑value pharma shipments demand real‑time temperature data to avoid spoilage and regulatory penalties. Net Feasa’s Agentic Control Tower™ (ACT) platform extends vessel‑level connectivity...
Marine Pilots: Coast Guard Funding Lapse Brings Safety Risks
The U.S. Coast Guard remains operational amid a federal shutdown, forcing roughly 40,000 enlisted members and civilian staff to work without pay. The American Pilots Association warns that the funding lapse jeopardizes navigation safety, staffing at vessel‑traffic‑service centers, and maintenance...
With Ferry Strikes, Ukraine Narrows Russia's Options at Kerch Strait
Ukraine struck two Russian ro‑ro rail ferries, the Slavyanin and Avangard, disabling both vessels in the Kerch Strait. The attacks leave Russia without any operational rail ferries on the Black Sea, forcing reliance on the Kerch Bridge for bulk rail...
Greek-Operated Tanker Hit by Unknown Assailants Near CPC Terminal
Greek‑operated tanker Maran Homer was struck by an unidentified object while awaiting Kazakh oil at the CPC single‑point mooring off Novorossiysk. The hit caused only minor deck damage, no pollution, and the vessel left under its own power. Although Ukraine...
South Africa Arrests and Fines Four Chinese Vessels for Illegal Fishing
South African authorities intercepted four Chinese‑flagged distant‑water fishing vessels that entered the country's Exclusive Economic Zone without permits and repeatedly switched off their AIS. The masters were charged under the Marine Living Resources Act and fined a total of $24,118,...
Philippine Coast Guard Rescues Engineer Trapped on Capsized Ship
The Philippine Coast Guard rescued the crew of the cargo vessel Theresa I after it capsized during a de‑ballasting operation at APO Cement Port in Naga City, Cebu, on March 11. Nineteen crew members were on board; one engineer was trapped...
World’s Largest Sail Yacht Cruise Ship Sets New Mark on Trials
The 25,200‑gross‑ton Orient Express Corinthian has completed sea trials, achieving a record 12 knots under sail alone – a first for a vessel of its size. Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the ship features a 4,500 m² Solid Sail system on three carbon‑fiber...
ATSB: Cruise Ship's Chief Mate Distracted by ECDIS Ahead of Grounding
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau reported that the cruise ship Coral Adventurer ran aground off Papua New Guinea after the chief mate’s attempt to modify the ECDIS route was rejected, forcing a mid‑transit safety check. The delay caused the vessel...
National Association of Waterfront Employers Joins USA-IT Coalition
The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) announced its formal entry into the United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade (USA‑IT) coalition. USA‑IT unites public and private actors to counter a $2.2 trillion illicit‑trade economy that threatens U.S. ports and supply...
India Detains Tanker and Charges Captain After Fishing Boat Collision
Indian authorities detained the Panama‑flagged chemical tanker Solis after it collided with a fishing trawler off Kerala, leaving two fishermen missing and nine rescued. The incident occurred on March 7 near Vizhinjam, and the captain has been charged with negligent operation....
Coast Guard Icebreaker USCGC Polar Star Completes Antarctic Mission
The U.S. Coast Guard’s heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star completed its 50th commissioned year by executing the annual Deep Freeze mission in Antarctica. The vessel cleared a seven‑mile channel for the fuel‑laden tanker Stena Polaris and removed McMurdo’s iconic ice pier to accommodate...
UK Finds Fault in Planning and Medical Care on Cruise Ship in Severe Storm
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch released its report on the 2023 Spirit of Discovery incident, where a storm in the Bay of Biscay caused both propulsion pods to shut down, injuring over 100 passengers and leading to one death....
175D Lands Repeat Order From Royal Canadian Navy
Group Ocean has placed a repeat order for four 12V175D‑MM high‑speed engines, each delivering 1,860 kW at 1,800 rpm and meeting IMO Tier III standards, to power two 24‑metre ASD harbour tugs for the Royal Canadian Navy. The tugs, based on Robert Allan...
Switch to Digital Speeds Up Certification for Commercial Divers
Commercial divers are transitioning to a digital certification system after the ADCI partnered with Skill N Depth. The new platform cuts approval times from up to 60 days to just a few days by allowing divers to upload logs, CVs and medical...
To Penalize Iran, Azerbaijan Could Interdict Its Caspian Sea Trade
Iran’s president pledged to cease attacks unless provoked, after the IRGC launched an Arash‑2 drone strike on Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan airport that injured civilians. Azerbaijan responded by sealing its land border with Iran and hinted it could extend restrictions to Iranian...
Managing Conflicts of Interest in Bangladesh’s Ship Recycling Sector
Bangladesh’s ship‑recycling sector, a key source of steel and jobs, is overseen by the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board (BSRB) created under the 2018 Ship Recycling Act. The board’s fourteen‑member composition includes three representatives from yard owners, and a quorum of...
IMO Approved Echosounder and Speed Log System With a Single Sensor
Elektro Deniz introduced the EDEL‑EMES60, a combined echosounder and electromagnetic speed log that consolidates two traditional hull‑penetrating sensors into a single unit. The system is available as a fully integrated model or as standalone echo‑sounder and speed‑log variants, allowing shipyards to...
Kuwait Confirms Oil Output Slowdown as Storage Fills Up
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announced it will begin throttling oil production as domestic storage fills, a precautionary step ahead of potential forced shutdowns. The move follows Iran’s recent attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which have severely constrained tanker...
Collaborative Delivery Models Reshape Port Infrastructure Development
The article explains the shift from the traditional design‑bid‑build approach to collaborative delivery models such as fixed‑price design‑build and progressive design‑build for port infrastructure projects. These models deliver schedule compression, cost certainty, and improved risk allocation as ports confront competitive...
The Iran War and Global Trade: Will the Cape Route Become the New Normal?
Armed attacks on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early 2026 forced shipping lines to reroute around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. The Cape route, once a contingency, saw usage surge, echoing past disruptions of the...
Royal Caribbean Group Proposes Ship Repair Yard for Panama's Pacific Coast
Royal Caribbean Group has presented Panama’s president with a proposal to build a 400‑meter, 130,000‑ton floating dry dock on the Pacific coast near Puerto Armuelles. The facility, slated for operation by 2031, would service the cruise line’s largest ships and...
AI, Analytics, and Automation: The New Currents in Maritime Operations
Maritime operations are shifting from paper‑based, manual processes to integrated, data‑driven platforms powered by AI, analytics, and automation. The global maritime digitization market, valued at $176 billion in 2023, is projected to more than double to $361 billion by 2030, driven by...
VLCC Rates Hit New Sky-High Record: $424,000 Per Day
VLCC charter rates surged to a record $424,000 per day after the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, as the Strait of Hormuz was officially closed to traffic. Spot rates for Middle‑East‑to‑China voyages jumped well above $400,000, dwarfing the recent $100,000‑plus benchmarks....
Op-Ed: Gulf States Face a Strategic Choice After Iranian Attacks
Iranian drone attacks on Dubai and other Gulf cities followed the launch of Operation Epic Fury, immediately crippling air services and throttling ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, heavily dependent on imported food...
Austal USA Launches Final EPF - Future USNS Lansing (EPF 16)
Austal USA launched the U.S. Navy’s final Expeditionary Fast Transport, USNS Lansing (EPF 16), marking the 26th ship to use its modular launch system. The vessel was lifted, moved onto a barge, floated for the first time in a dry dock, and...
Hanwha and Greece’s Onex Shipyards Partner to Expand U.S. Shipbuilding
South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Power Systems and Greece’s Onex Shipyards & Technologies signed a trilateral agreement, witnessed by U.S. officials, to develop LNG‑powered newbuildings and floating storage‑regasification units. Hanwha will supply critical equipment to Onex’s two Greek shipyards while sharing...
Chinese Ship Completes First Autonomous Docking and Cargo Handling
Four years after launching the world’s first autonomous electric feeder, China’s 300‑TEU vessel Zhi Fei completed its first fully autonomous docking at Qingdao Port, completing the maneuver in just 30 seconds. The ship, capable of crew‑managed, remote‑controlled or unmanned navigation, operates...
UK Consortium Proposes Floating Nuclear Plant for U.S. Military
A UK‑led consortium, headed by Core Power, has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Pentagon to build a 300 MW ship‑borne nuclear power plant. The floating reactor would tap the Department of Defense’s existing regulatory framework for naval reactors, enabling rapid...
A.P Moller Capital Invests $240 Million in Morocco’s Transport Sector
A.P. Moller Capital’s Morocco Fund has closed a $243 million financing round to back transport and logistics projects across Morocco. The round includes a $65 million commitment from the Danish Emerging Markets Infrastructure Fund II and positions the fund within the Mohammed VI Investment Fund....
Hutchison Makes Overtures to Panama for Negotiations Over Terminal Ops
Hong Kong‑based CK Hutchison has formally asked Panama to reopen talks on the concession to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals that flank the Panama Canal. The request follows a Panama Supreme Court ruling that declared the law granting the...
Digital Collaboration in Chemical Logistics
Transport decarbonisation is shifting fuel flows from traditional crude‑based products to low‑carbon chemicals such as ammonia, methanol and advanced biofuels. These fuels travel through the same chemical‑logistics network, but the sector’s coordination remains fragmented, causing costly buffers and delays. Experts...
White House Maritime Action Plan Shows OMSA Leadership on Regulatory Reform
The White House released America’s Maritime Action Plan, a sweeping strategy to strengthen the U.S. maritime sector through regulatory reform, infrastructure investment, and workforce development. A central pillar targets the elimination of redundant, obsolete, or overly burdensome regulations, echoing Offshore...
Understanding the U.S. Coast Guard’s Maritime Cybersecurity Framework
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Cybersecurity in the Marine Transportation System rule took effect in July 2025, imposing mandatory cybersecurity and incident‑response plans for U.S.-flagged vessels, OCS facilities and MTSA‑covered sites. Owners must appoint a Cybersecurity Officer, enforce account lockouts, maintain...
Quantum Computing Can Solve the Hardest Port Scheduling Problems
Quantum computing is emerging as a complementary tool for the most complex optimization challenges in maritime logistics. While classical platforms handle data and routine analytics, hybrid workflows off‑load dense, constraint‑heavy subproblems—such as berth allocation, crane sequencing, and drayage routing—to quantum...
Cameroon Suspends International Registry Citing Fraud
Cameroon’s Ministry of Transport announced a suspension of its international ship registry after uncovering multiple fraudulent registrations. The halt, effective immediately, follows pressure from the EU, IMO and U.S. authorities concerned about the flag’s role in the shadow fleet and...
Russia to Build 10 More Icebreakers and 46 Salvage Vessels to Develop NSR
Russia announced a second phase of Northern Sea Route development, planning to build ten additional nuclear icebreakers and 46 salvage vessels by 2035, supported by three new Arctic rescue‑fleet bases. The current fleet includes eight nuclear icebreakers, with the latest...
IMO Ramps Up Campaign to Close Flag State "Enforcement Gap"
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched a two‑year campaign to narrow the enforcement gap that allows a shadow fleet of sanctions‑busting tankers to operate under weak flag‑state oversight. By leveraging its Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS), the agency will...
The Panama Canal and The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council Sign MoU
The Panama Canal and the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost the flow of U.S. agricultural exports through the canal. The agreement focuses on improving efficiency, reliability and sustainability of grain shipments, with...