Maritime news
Headlines aggregated from the maritime press. Links go straight to the source — Seafarer Index does not reproduce full articles.
- US maritime industries up in arms at Jones Act waiver extension planSeatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
Reports say Jone Act waiver is likely to be extended to 90 days by the Trump administration
- 15 Filipino seafarers on ships seized by Iran safe and unharmedSeatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
Filipino seafarers on board the Epaminondas and MSC Francesca seized in the Strait of Hormuz are the latest be caught up in an attack in the region
- Trump Says Shipbuilding Clashes Led to Navy Secretary Phelan’s FiringgCaptain · 4/23/2026
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Navy Secretary John Phelan was fired following conflicts with senior Pentagon leadership over shipbuilding, offering the clearest explanation yet for the abrupt ouster that...
- Panama Canal Traffic Climbs as Officials Downplay Congestion FearsgCaptain · 4/23/2026
The Panama Canal is pushing back against renewed concerns over congestion, telling the maritime industry it is handling rising traffic volumes efficiently even as geopolitical disruption and stronger demand drive...
- Iran’s Swarm Tactics Show Why Hormuz Is Far From SafegCaptain · 4/23/2026
Iran's use of a swarm of small, fast boats to seize two container ships near the Strait of Hormuz could undermine suggestions U.S. forces have disabled its naval threat and reveals the challenges facing reopening one of the world's most important oil export routes.
- Trump Moves to Extend Jones Act Waiver 90 Days as Maritime Industry Says Fuel Relief Never CamegCaptain · 4/23/2026
The Trump administration is preparing to extend its controversial Jones Act waiver for up to 90 days, a move that would deepen an already contentious policy experiment launched during the...
- US-Iran Tensions Build Over Hormuz in Absence of Peace TalksgCaptain · 4/23/2026
US and Iran tensions grew over the Strait of Hormuz with both sides maintaining their blockades of the critical waterway, creating an uneasy standoff with no sign of peace talks on the horizon.
- BIMCO Warns Hormuz Reopening Hinges on Mine Clearance as Trump Orders Sweep SurgegCaptain · 4/23/2026
Fresh warnings from the world’s largest shipping association are underscoring how far the Strait of Hormuz remains from normal, even as new comments from President Donald Trump pointed to a...
- ‘We Need to Get This Done’: Lawmakers, Labor and Industry Renew Push for SHIPS for America ActgCaptain · 4/23/2026
Backers of the SHIPS for America Act mounted a renewed push Wednesday to move sweeping maritime legislation through Congress, with lawmakers, labor leaders and shipbuilding executives portraying the bill as...
- Asyad buys second-hand Kamsarmax pairSeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
Asyad Shipping Company to take delivery of bulker pair later this year for around $72.7m.
- Golden Pass Ships First LNG Cargo, Launching Major New U.S. Export SupplygCaptain · 4/23/2026
The departure of the first export cargo from the Golden Pass LNG terminal marks the formal entry of one of America’s largest new liquefied natural gas projects into global trade,...
- U.S. Boards Sanctioned ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Indian Ocean as Enforcement Push ExpandsgCaptain · 4/23/2026
The U.S. military said overnight it carried out a maritime interdiction and “right-of-visit” boarding of the sanctioned stateless tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean, signaling U.S. enforcement against Iranian oil shipments...
- ABS, Marinteknik, Seatech, and VINSSEN Launch Hydrogen Fuel Cell Harbor Craft Pilot Study in SingaporegCaptain · 4/23/2026
In an important step to lowering emissions in one of the world’s busiest ports, ABS, Marinteknik Shipbuilders (S) Pte. Ltd., SeaTech Solutions International (S) Pte. Ltd., and VINSSEN Co., Ltd.,...
- Rescue Team Finds Body Of 1 Among 6 Missing Crew After Super Typhoon Overturns Their ShipMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
The Mariana is a 145-foot U.S.-registered ship which reported losing its starboard engine on April 15 as the weather worsened.
- China Denies Link To Iranian Ship Seized By U.S, Said To Contain Chemicals For Making MissilesMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
China has denied having any connection with the Iranian ship, seized by the U.S, allegedly loaded with chemicals to manufacture missiles.
- Indonesia Plans To Tax Ships Crossing The Malacca Strait Following Iran’s Footsteps In HormuzMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
Indonesia is planning to impose a levy on ships passing through the Malacca Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint.
- Iranian Oil Tankers Go Dark To Evade U.S Naval Blockade In Hormuz StraitMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
Two Iranian VLCCs evaded the U.S naval blockade of Iranian ports and sailed out of the Persian Gulf, carrying a combined 4 million barrels of oil.
- DSIC bags $1.31bn container ship orderSeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
Dalian Shipbuilding Industry’s Corp receives an order for 12 container ship newbuilds
- US seizes Iran-linked tanker Majestic XSeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
Laden dark fleet VLCC boarded by US forces for transporting sanctioned Iranian oil.
- Odfjell to pick up four Japanese newbuilds on deliverySeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
Chemical tanker owner splashes $290m as part of fleet renewal programme.
- India-Bound Container Ship Is One Of The ‘Violating’ Vessels Seized By Iran In Hormuz StraitMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps intercepted and seized two container vessels trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- U.S Navy Reviews Ford-Class Aircraft Carriers Amidst Reports Of Future Ship Project CancellationsMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
The U.S Navy is reviewing the design and costs of Ford-class aircraft carriers after Trump's negative remarks last year.
- U.S Navy Tests LOCUST Laser Weapon System Onboard Aircraft Carrier USS George H.W. BushMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
The U.S. Navy successfully tested the AeroVironment LOCUST Laser Weapon System aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush.
- 4 Japanese Crew Onboard Ships Stuck In Persian Gulf Expected To Return Home After Weeks Of OrdealMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
Atleast 4 Japanese crew working on Japanese-linked vessels stuck in the Persian Gulf disembarked and went to the shore.
- Cruise Ship Security Officer Wanted For War Crimes & Genocide Arrested At Civitavecchia PortMarine Insight · 4/23/2026
Italian Police Officers went undercover to arrest a cruise ship security officer at Civitavecchia Port, accused of war crimes and genocide.
- Iran Captures 2 Foreign-Flagged Ships In Hormuz After U.S Proposes To Extend CeasefireMarine Insight · 4/23/2026 · accident
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two container ships; the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.
- Rallying support to revitalize the SHIPS for America ActSeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
A new US Shipbuilding Coalition has been formed as the SHIPS Act is re-introduced to the House of Representatives
- Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Halt After Iran Seizes First VesselsgCaptain · 4/23/2026
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ground to a halt on Thursday after Iran fired on commercial ships and said it had seized at least two vessels — a first in nearly eight weeks of war.
- China Teases New Aircraft Carrier in Video, Vows to Build Up IslandsgCaptain · 4/23/2026
China teased in a video an aircraft carrier that could be its fourth, and the first using nuclear power, while vowing to further build up its islands, as it looks to boost maritime power, secure resources and bolster territorial claims.
- War turns sulphur market toxic in acid supply shockSplash247 · 4/23/2026
Global seaborne sulphur shipments have suffered a dramatic contraction in the wake of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February triggering the sharpest monthly declines in a decade, according to new data from Athens-based Ursa Shipbrokers. The
- Hormuz becomes frontline in ‘weaponisation of trade’Splash247 · 4/23/2026
The head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a warning over the deteriorating security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps fired on three containerships and seized two of them in a single day, with the US responding today, seizing three tankers according to
- Vessel tracker MariTrace soldSplash247 · 4/23/2026
The consolidation of vessel tracking firms continues apace with news today that the UK’s MariTrace has been acquired by French ocean data intelligence firm SINAY. No price for the acquisition was revealed. The move builds on SINAY’s earlier acquisitions of marine weather analytics provider OpenOcean in 2022 and contai
- Odfjell lines up four newbuilds in JapanSplash247 · 4/23/2026
Norwegian chemical tanker owner Odfjell is pressing ahead with its fleet renewal drive, securing four 40,000 dwt fully stainless-steel newbuildings from Japan. The Bergen-based group said it has agreed to acquire the vessels from a Japanese owner upon delivery from Kitanihon Shipbuilding, with handovers scheduled betwe
- Escaping the Strait of Hormuz – not worth the riskSeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
The seizure of container ships MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas by Iran underscores the dangers of transiting the Middle East waterway
- Asyad Shipping enters kamsarmax space with $73m bulker buySplash247 · 4/23/2026
Oman’s Asyad Shipping has taken its first step into the kamsarmax segment, agreeing to acquire two modern bulkers as it continues to build out its dry bulk platform. The Muscat-listed owner said it has struck a deal to buy two 2023-built 85,000 dwt vessels for a combined $72.7m, with delivery expected in the fourth qua
- JHI Steamship deepens tanker push with VLCC newbuildSplash247 · 4/23/2026
Greek owner JHI Steamship has stepped further into the crude tanker arena, lining up a VLCC newbuilding in South Korea as part of a wider fleet build-out. The Athens-based company has disclosed an order for a 320,000 dwt vessel at Hanwha Ocean, with delivery slated for 2029. The move adds JHI to a growing list …
- Ammonia gains momentum across East AsiaSplash247 · 4/23/2026
The race to solidify ammonia as the maritime industry’s premier zero-carbon fuel has shifted into high gear this week, with major breakthroughs announced in both Japan and South Korea. At the Sea Japan 2026 exhibition in Tokyo, ClassNK issued a world-first Approval in Principle (AiP) for an ammonia-fuelled panamax bulk
- Why the ship recycling debate needs a reality checkSplash247 · 4/23/2026
Dr Anand Hiremath, the CEO of the Sustainable Ship and Offshore Recycling Program, on demo capacity, compliance and credibility. The ship recycling debate is entering a critical phase. With a major wave of vessels approaching end of life, the question is no longer whether standards should improve. They must. The real q
- Bourbon adds 13 vessels in $180m fleet pushSplash247 · 4/23/2026
France’s Bourbon has moved quickly to expand its offshore fleet, adding 13 vessels since the start of the year in a push worth more than $180m. The offshore vessel owner said the expansion has been driven by targeted acquisitions, reactivations and a newbuild delivery, as it looks to capture improving demand across key
- Seadrill lands $260m in drillship contractsSplash247 · 4/23/2026
New York-listed driller Seadrill has secured two drillship contract awards with US exploration and production company LLOG Exploration, a subsidiary of Harbour Energy. The 2014-built ultra-deepwater drillship West Neptune was awarded a 365-day contract extension, with operations scheduled to commence in September 2026.
- Indonesian Finance Minister moots Malacca Strait tollSeatrade Maritime · 4/23/2026
The Southeast waterway is covered by a cooperative agreement between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
- Charity urges seafarers not to run Hormuz gauntlet as attacks escalateSeatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026
Organisations condemn latest wave of attacks on ships in Strait of Hormuz, call for end of attacks on civilian workers.
- Weekly tanker and dry bulk time charter rates - April 22Seatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026
Dry bulk and tanker shipping time charter rates
- Singapore eyes autonomous feeders between container terminalsSeatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026
Interested parties are invited to submit proposals for autonomous inter-gateway container feeder vessels
- Iran Demands Immediate Release Of US-Seized Commercial Vessel Touska, Calls Move UnlawfulMarine Insight · 4/22/2026
The ambassador said the seizure of a civilian commercial vessel violated core principles of international law, including the prohibition on aggression.
- IEA Warns Iran-US-Israel War Is Causing Biggest Energy Crisis In HistoryMarine Insight · 4/22/2026
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Tuesday that the current crisis could exceed the severity of previous global energy shocks.
- Trump Extends Ceasefire With Iran A Day Before Expiration, Citing ‘Seriously Fractured’ GovernmentMarine Insight · 4/22/2026 · accident
Trump had earlier suggested the ceasefire would end on Wednesday and had indicated he was unwilling to prolong it.
- Global Sumud Flotilla Diverts MSC Maya Carrying Military-Linked Cargo To Israeli PortsMarine Insight · 4/22/2026
The vessel, operated by MSC, was said by organisers to be carrying raw materials destined for Israel’s military industry.
- Watch: Ukraine Strikes 2 Russian Landing Ships In Crimea, Destroys $5 Million Radar SystemMarine Insight · 4/22/2026
The attack was the second reported strike on Tuapse port in three days, coming hours after a fire from an earlier attack had been extinguished.
- Three container ships come under fire from Iran in HormuzSeatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026 · accident
All three ships are linked to MSC and the IRGC Navy claims to have seized two of the vessels Epaminondas and MSC Francesca
- Is CMA CGM taking a Red Sea gamble?Seatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026
CMA CGM is ramping up its services operating via the southern Red Sea bottleneck of the Bab al-Mandeb even as war in the Arabian Gulf persists.
- Seacon and China Marine Bunker formalise partnershipSeatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026
Strategic co-operation aims to jointly promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the shipping industry.
- Suction sails installed on new combination carrierSeatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026
Bound4blue's first China-built suction sails installed on Klaveness Combination Carriers' Baltazar ahead of imminent delivery.
- Container ship fired on in Hormuz, heavy damage to bridgeSeatrade Maritime · 4/22/2026 · accident
A container ship becomes the fourth vessel to be fired on by Iran since it closed the Strait of Hormuz again at the weekend
- Nakilat first quarter profit holds despite Gulf challengesSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
Group begins cost cutting and damage limitation across multiple businesses as geopolitics hits Qatari shipping.
- Eight container ships escape Gulf via Strait of HormuzSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
Six MSC-owned and two other ships escape the Arabian Gulf, but four CMA CGM ships turn back as Iran shut the corridor again.
- Ultrabulk handymax makes first transatlantic biomass deliverySeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
Ultra Yorkshire burns B100 biofuel to bring 29,000 tonnes of biomass for UK’s Drax power plant.
- US forces board sanctioned tanker in Indian OceanSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
It is the first interdiction by the US since it expanded it blockade of Iran ports to include OFAC sanctioned vessels worldwide
- Multimodal corridors are redefining the future of tradeSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
Ganesh Raj, Global COO, Marine Services, DP World examines how competitive advantage in shipping is shifting beyond port-to-port delivery
- Seafarer safety paramount in Hormuz evacuation: IMO Secretary-GeneralSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026 · regulation
All security conditions need to be met for a safe evacuation plan for 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf to be activated says Arsenio Dominguez
- Yangzijiang Maritime acquires eight VLCCsSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
Owner sells four MRs and books scrubber-equipped VLCCs for delivery in 2028-2030.
- Criminal networks drive up global cargo theftSeatrade Maritime · 4/21/2026
Statistics reveal increasingly complex organised cargo theft using more sophisticated tactics over the road, rail, sea and digital channels.