Maritime news
Headlines aggregated from the maritime press. Links go straight to the source — Seafarer Index does not reproduce full articles.
- 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.
- Trump Orders US Navy To ‘Shoot And Kill’ Iranian Boats Laying Mines In Strait Of HormuzMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The US has extended a ceasefire that was due to end this week, but has kept its restrictions on Iranian shipping in place.
- Cruise Ship Alters Course After Orange Life Jackets Lead Crew To Five Bodies Off SpainMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
One passenger said they were “shaking inside” while watching the recovery and added that the crew handled the situation calmly.
- U.S. Seizes Another Iran-Linked Oil Tanker In Indian Ocean, Releases Rare Boarding VideoMarine Insight · 4/24/2026
The Pentagon released footage showing US personnel boarding the ship, giving a rare on-ground view of the action.
- Cosco Shipping Car Carriers and UECC form strategic partnershipSeatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
The two companies seek to broaden their China–Europe vehicle shipping network
- India Subcontinent gains in liner Middle East conflict restructuringSeatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
Analysts see the shift by container lines as more than diversions and rather a fundamental shift in network design
- Top maritime news stories for week ended 24 AprilSeatrade Maritime · 4/24/2026
US and Iran seize commercial vessels and freedom of navigation in the Straits of Singapore and Malacca
- Splash Wrap: Why the Hormuz conflict is a world warSplash247 · 4/24/2026
The Hormuz shipping crisis led coverage all week, with Splash carrying reports on the conflict’s effects on fertiliser, sulphur and seafarers. “De-escalation, meaningful actions and restoring the freedom of navigation is the only way forward,” urged Arsenio Dominguez, the head of the International Maritime Organization
- Can the Net Zero Framework be saved? Splash’s MEPC curtain-raiserSplash247 · 4/24/2026
One of shipping’s most consequential regulatory gatherings gets underway in London on Monday, with the future of the world’s first global carbon pricing mechanism on any industry hanging in the balance. The 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) runs from April 27 to May 1 at IMO headquarter
- dship Carriers and NSB launch MPP management platformSplash247 · 4/24/2026
German MPP specialist dship Carriers and shipmanager NSB Group have teamed up to launch a dedicated joint venture aimed at managing a new series of multipurpose vessels, as owners continue to sharpen focus on specialised tonnage. The new entity, Hinode Shipmanagement, will be based in Buxtehude and is set up to oversee
- Mumbai owner’s MR splurge keeps brokers busySplash247 · 4/24/2026
Mumbai-based Seven Islands Shipping’s appetite for MR tankers continues to turn heads, with fresh deals underlining an aggressive expansion drive amid India’s rising energy demand. The company has emerged as one of the most active buyers in the product tanker space, snapping up 11 vessels since the start of 2025, accor
- Panama Canal prices take flight on Iran butterfly effectSplash247 · 4/24/2026
The Panama Canal has recorded a significant rise in vessel transits and tonnage in the first half of its 2026 fiscal year, with demand for its reservation system climbing sharply amid heightened global trade activity – and some ships paying more than a million dollars for last-minute crossing slots, in yet another butt
- Greek bulker player M/Maritime crosses into boxship sector with Korean newbuildsSplash247 · 4/24/2026
Greek owner M/Maritime is branching into container shipping, placing its first feeder boxship order while continuing to build out its dry bulk base. The company has signed for two 2,800 teu newbuildings at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, with deliveries expected from early 2028. The vessels will be built to the yard’s eco
- TEN extends shuttle tanker deals into next decadeSplash247 · 4/24/2026
Greece’s Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN) has secured long-term employment for two shuttle tankers, extending their charters for up to five years each and reinforcing its position in the offshore loading segment. The New York-listed owner said the extensions will run in direct continuation of the current contracts, which
- 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
- Geneva Dry Dialogues: DevbulkSplash247 · 4/24/2026
Hakki Deval has spent more than two decades in dry bulk shipping, from his student days at Solent University to leading Istanbul-based Devbulk as managing director and CEO. A former Turkish Navy lieutenant, two-term International Chamber of Shipping boardmember and Baltic Exchange stalwart, he brings a measured, experi
- Helix–Hornbeck merger creates deepwater services heavyweightSplash247 · 4/24/2026
Houston-based offshore energy services company Helix Energy Solutions has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with compatriot offshore vessel owner Hornbeck Offshore Services in an all-stock transaction. Upon closing of the transaction, Hornbeck shareholders will own approximately 55%, and Helix shareholders w
- Union Maritime expands offshore footprint with new joint ventureSplash247 · 4/24/2026
Laurent Cadji-led shipowner Union Maritime has expanded its offshore presence by forming a new joint venture with Vega Maritime. According to Union Maritime, the joint venture, named Union Vega Offshore (UVO), was established to drive growth in the offshore sector across West Africa and South America. The joint venture
- 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...
- What Is Marine Engineering? Courses, Career Path & Salary GuideMarine Insight · 4/23/2026 · wages
Marine engineering covers ship machinery design, operation and maintenance.Learn about courses, career ranks, salary data, & the profession's future.
- 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...