Maritime news
Headlines aggregated from the maritime press. Links go straight to the source — Seafarer Index does not reproduce full articles.
- Piracy resurges in Somali waters amid wider regional shipping crisisSplash247 · 4/27/2026 · piracy
Somali piracy is back in the spotlight after four attacks in as many days, including two vessel hijackings, prompting authorities to raise the threat level for the region and warn commercial shipping to exercise extreme caution. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported yesterday that a cargo ship l
- Container shipping’s ‘long covid’ reshapes capacitySplash247 · 4/27/2026
Container shipping appears to be suffering from long covid. New data from Danish consultancy Sea-Intelligence shows that the continuing lack of vessel reliability has created a new baseline for vessel capacity absorption, at a level two to three times higher than the pre-pandemic normality. Capacity absorption due to
- Trapped and forgotten: seafarers endure mounting toll in Gulf stand-offSplash247 · 4/27/2026
Twenty thousand seafarers aboard 1,600 vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, and the men and women keeping global trade moving say the world has forgotten them. International Maritime Organization secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez has given voice to their despair. “I spoke to a seafarer who had been trapped in
- Hormuz transits dry up, US intercepts newly sanctioned tankerSeatrade Maritime · 4/27/2026
AIS tracking shows almost no traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and US blockade in the Arabian Sea has now turned around 38 vessels
- FuelEU Maritime calculation error exposes operators to millions in unintended penaltiesSplash247 · 4/27/2026
A flaw in the ice-class calculation methodology used under FuelEU Maritime has left compliant shipping operators facing potential penalties running into tens of millions of euros – through no fault of their own. The error, which was embedded in the European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA) Thetis compliance system and w
- Somali piracy warning as second ship hijackedSeatrade Maritime · 4/27/2026 · piracy
Commercial shipping is again facing the scourge of Somalia piracy with two vessels hijacked in less than a week and warnings from both UKMTO and JMIC
- Archer secures $320m Equinor contract extensionSplash247 · 4/27/2026
Norwegian offshore service provider Archer has been awarded a three-year contract extension by Equinor to provide wireline and intervention services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The contract extension builds on the integrated wireline contract originally awarded to Archer in 2021, under which Archer, together wi
- Shearwater trims fleet with disposal of idle vesselSplash247 · 4/27/2026
Norwegian offshore seismic vessel player Shearwater Geoservices has entered into an agreement to sell one of its vessels. Shearwater disclosed that it would sell its 2012-built vessel, SW Baret, to an undisclosed party for conversion to a dedicated source vessel. According to the company, the agreed sales price for the
- Qatar LNG faces long road back after unprecedented disruptionSplash247 · 4/27/2026
Qatar’s LNG export machine has suffered its most severe disruption in more than two decades, with analysts warning that while flows could partially recover within months, a full return to pre-war levels may take years. Data compiled by tanker and gas analyst Nikolas Zannikos at AXSMarine shows just how sharp the drop h
- Enesel pivots back to bulk with capesize newbuilds in ChinaSplash247 · 4/27/2026
Greek owner Enesel Group has returned to the dry bulk market, with two capesize vessels at China’s Hengli Shipbuilding. The move on the 181,500 dwt newbuilds marks a re-entry into the segment for the Lemos family-controlled company, led by Andonis and Filippos Lemos, after stepping back from bulk shipping in recent yea
- China Merchants Energy keeps ordering spree rolling with fresh boxship seriesSplash247 · 4/26/2026
China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) is stepping up its containership push with plans to order eight newbuildings worth more than $550m, as the state-backed owner continues to reshape its fleet across multiple segments. The company said it will invest up to CNY3.8bn ($557m) in four 8,200 teu methanol-ready containers
- Genco and Diana lock horns over meeting timing as takeover battle heats upSplash247 · 4/26/2026
A bitter boardroom battle between Genco Shipping & Trading and Diana Shipping has escalated further, with both sides trading accusations over governance, timing and control of the US-listed bulker owner. The latest flashpoint came after Genco filed its preliminary proxy statement for its 2026 annual general meeting, ur
- Towage giant Boluda snaps up Seatrium assets in SingaporeSplash247 · 4/26/2026 · wages
European towage heavyweight Boluda has moved to strengthen its position in Southeast Asia, taking over tug assets and towage operations from Singapore’s Seatrium Group in one of the world’s busiest port hubs. The deal hands Boluda control of Seatrium’s harbour tug fleet and associated towage services supporting its shi
- Trump’s Hormuz Blockade Has Deepened A Historic Shipping CrisisgCaptain · 4/26/2026
By Weilun Soon Apr 26, 2026 (Bloomberg) –In early April — after a month of disruption around one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints — US President Donald Trump wrote...
- US-Iran Peace Hopes Fade As Trump Scraps TalksgCaptain · 4/26/2026
By Saad Sayeed, Ariba Shahid and Steve Holland ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) – Hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran faded on Sunday, as efforts to revive talks stalled and...
- US Says Navy Intercepted Iran-Linked Vessel in Arabian SeagCaptain · 4/26/2026
By Sam Kim and Tony Czuczka Apr 25, 2026 (Bloomberg) –US naval forces intercepted a sanctioned vessel in the Arabian Sea on Saturday as part of the Trump administration’s blockade of...
- Iran War Leaves Seafarers Stranded In The GulfgCaptain · 4/26/2026
By Saurabh Sharma NEW DELHI, April 24 (Reuters) – Ankit Yadav, a seafarer from India, has been stuck on a boat at an inland Iranian port for about 2-1/2 weeks, surviving with...
- Strait of Hormuz Remains Near-Empty With Just A Few Iran Ships MovinggCaptain · 4/25/2026
By Prejula Prem and Julian Lee Apr 25, 2026 (Bloomberg) –The Strait of Hormuz remains largely empty of merchant ships, with only a few Tehran-linked vessels moving through the waterway, following...
- France Reaffirms Efforts To Reopen Strait Of HormuzgCaptain · 4/25/2026
April 25 (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated on Saturday that he was focused on efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a day after the head of TotalEnergies TTEF.PA warned of global...
- India Mulls Options On Iran Port Stake Before Sanctions Kick IngCaptain · 4/25/2026
By Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Mihir Mishra Apr 25, 2026 (Bloomberg) –India is considering various options regarding its stake in the Chabahar port in Iran, including temporarily divesting from it, ahead...
- U.S. Navy Destroyer Intercepts Iranian-Flagged Ship Attempting To Sail To IranMarine Insight · 4/25/2026
The United States has increased enforcement of the blockade, with dozens of vessels already turned back or intercepted.
- U.S. Navy Sailor Assigned To Remove Mines In Strait Of Hormuz Sidelined After Monkey AttackMarine Insight · 4/25/2026
US officials have said naval efforts are focused on preventing further mine threats and restoring safer navigation through the corridor.
- WATCH: ‘Below Deck’ Tender Boat Catches Fire Near Bora BoraMarine Insight · 4/25/2026 · accident
A transport vessel associated with the reality television series Below Deck caught fire in waters off Mo'orea in French Polynesia.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Says Iran Naval Blockade Is Going Global, 34 Ships Turned BackMarine Insight · 4/25/2026
Hegseth said no one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy.
- U.S. Navy Commissions 26th Virginia-Class Submarine USS Idaho At New London BaseMarine Insight · 4/25/2026
USS Idaho is the fifth U.S. Navy ship to carry the name Idaho. The first was a wooden-hulled steam sloop commissioned in 1866.
- Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker Carrying 18,500 Barrels And 17 Crew Off Puntland CoastMarine Insight · 4/25/2026 · piracy
The crew onboard includes 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan and one from Myanmar.
- U.S. Deploys 3 Aircraft Carrier Strike Groups In Middle East For First Time Since 2003Marine Insight · 4/25/2026
This is the first time in decades that three US aircraft carriers have been deployed simultaneously in the Middle East.
- U.S Sanctions China-Based Oil Refinery, 40 Shipping Companies & Tankers Transporting Iranian OilMarine Insight · 4/25/2026
U.S has imposed sanctions on an oil refinery in China, along with 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in the transportation of Iranian Oil.
- Indian Captain Recalls Harrowing 45 Days Spent On His Ship Stuck In Hormuz StraitMarine Insight · 4/25/2026
Kumar said that the biggest fear was an air strike hitting their tanker, as it would cause a fire which could spread to other ships within a 50-km range.
- Bulk Carrier Catches Fire After Russian Drone Strike In Ukrainian Maritime CorridorMarine Insight · 4/25/2026 · accident
Russia targeted a Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged Bulk Carrier, which was sailing to a Ukrainian Port to load grain, per the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority.
- Panama Canal Pushes Back on ‘Line Jumping’ Claims as Auction Slot Prices SurgegCaptain · 4/24/2026
Panama Canal authorities are trying to debunk the misconception that auction slots are a free pass to cut the line.
- Hegseth Signals Mines Remain Key Obstacle to Full Hormuz ReopeninggCaptain · 4/24/2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday publicly reinforced that mines remain a central obstacle to restoring confidence in the Strait of Hormuz. In a Pentagon briefing focused largely on the...
- U.S. Targets Major Chinese Refinery and Ships in Escalating Crackdown on Iran’s Oil TradegCaptain · 4/24/2026
The Trump administration on Friday escalated its “Economic Fury” campaign against Tehran, targeting one of China’s largest independent refineries alongside a new wave of sanctions on vessels and shipping firms accused of moving Iranian oil through the shadow fleet.
- Damen and UK Dredging sign contract for advanced TSHDgCaptain · 4/24/2026
Damen Shipyards Group and Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest port operator, have signed a contract for the construction of a new Trailing Suction Grab Hopper Dredger. The agreement,...
- White House Extends Jones Act Shipping Waiver to AugustgCaptain · 4/24/2026
President Donald Trump’s administration has given a 90-day extension to a shipping waiver making it easier to move oil, fuel and fertilizer around the US, marking the latest effort by the White House to counter supply disruptions tied to the Iran war.
- IMO’s MEPC 84 Opens as Key Test for Delayed Shipping Climate PactgCaptain · 4/24/2026
The International Maritime Organization convenes its 84th Marine Environment Protection Committee session in London next week under the shadow of last year’s dramatic delay of the sector’s proposed Net-Zero Framework, but with...
- Iran Conflict Premium Fades From Asia-Europe Box RatesgCaptain · 4/24/2026
Container freight spot rates on the Asia-Europe trades largely returned to pre-Iran conflict levels this week, as container supply chains settled after the war’s outbreak and settled into what appears to be the normal seasonal slowdown.
- Pentagon Chief Hegseth Says US Blockade on Iran ‘Going Global’gCaptain · 4/24/2026
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that a U.S. blockade on Iran is going global, adding Tehran had a chance to make a "good deal" with Washington.
- Middle East Reconstruction Poses a Carbon Shock as Shipping Bears the Climate BillgCaptain · 4/24/2026
New academic research suggests reconstruction emissions from Gaza could rival weeks of global shipping emissions, raising questions about carbon accountability. By Paul Morgan (Opinion) – The concrete and steel needed...
- Chubb Says U.S. Hormuz Insurance Backstop Stalled as Military Convoys Fail to MaterializegCaptain · 4/24/2026
Washington’s headline-grabbing maritime insurance backstop for the Strait of Hormuz appears stuck on the launchpad. Comments this week from Chubb Chairman and CEO Evan Greenberg suggest the Trump administration’s much-publicized $40 billion...
- EU Revives Fight for Global Shipping Carbon Price, Setting Up IMO Clash With U.S.gCaptain · 4/24/2026 · regulation
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.
- Panama Canal auction slots more than double in priceSeatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
Middle East conflict raises auction slot prices as containers and LPG lift Panama Canal transits and cargo volumes.
- Listed tanker stocks – full ahead or full astern?Seatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
Analysts covering US-listed tanker stocks are divided on whether there is upside potential or whether this has already been reflected
- U.S. Navy Tests New 345-Mile-Range Turbojet Missile To Boost Strike CapabilityMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The system, called the GBU-75 Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM-LR), is an upgraded version of Boeing’s JDAM bomb kit.
- World’s First Offshore Ocean Heat Energy Platform Installed To Replace 25-GW Fossil PowerMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The project is funded under a €3.5 million European Union Horizon Europe programme and is being developed by a consortium led by Global OTEC.
- U.S. Navy Seeks $65.8 Billion To Build 34 Warships And New 40,000-ton Trump-Class BattleshipsMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The Department of the Navy’s proposed budget requests $377.5 billion, more than $70 billion higher than the previous fiscal year.
- Chinese Navy Hints At First Nuclear-Powered Carrier In Video, Expands Build-Up Across Disputed WatersMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The video, titled Into the Deep, was released ahead of the 77th anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy.
- World’s First Battery-Methanol Harbor Tug Svitzer Balder Completes Sea TrialsMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
Svitzer Balder built by the Uzmar shipyard in Türkiye sets a new standard as the most powerful electric escort tug in the world.
- Iran Takes Seized MSC Ships To Port, Countries Seek Updates On 40 SeafarersMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The crew members are under Iranian control and their movement on board is restricted, but they are being treated well, the relative said.
- Fire Breaks Out Aboard US Navy Destroyer USS Zumwalt During Major Upgrades, 3 InjuredMarine Insight · 4/24/2026 · accident
The ship’s original 155mm gun systems were removed and replaced with missile tubes linked to the Conventional Prompt Strike system.