CBOT Wheat Prices Rise As Russia, Ukraine Conflict Threatens Exports
Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures rose on Monday, reversing earlier weakness on fears that intensified fighting between Russia and Ukraine would further disrupt Black Sea exports.Corn and soybean futures turned higher, though prices remained under pressure as crude oil tumbled on prospects for a deal between the U.S. and Iran, along with a spate of recent rainfall across parts of the U.S. Midwest.Corn futures ticked higher on support from the wheat market…
August Freight Rates for Russian Urals Rise Alongside Security Risks
Freight rates for Russia's flagship Urals crude shipments from western ports to India have jumped by about 50% since mid-July as rising global shipping costs and security risks in the Black Sea deter shipowners from calling at Russian ports, traders said.Russia is set to increase oil exports from its western ports in August amid firm demand in Asia, but a shortage of tonnage may put a cap on its plans, they added.Ukraine stepped up attacks on tankers in the Black Sea in July, damaging several ve
Six Saudi-Flagged Tankers Change Course in Gulf of Aden
Six Saudi-flagged supertankers have changed course in the Gulf of Aden in recent days and are heading to southern Africa following threats by Yemen’s Houthi movement to target Saudi shipping, tracking data showed on Monday.The tankers, which were empty of cargo after returning from destinations in Asia, were sailing in formation towards southern Africa, rather than opting to transit the southern Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint…
USACE, Port Freeport Cut Ribbon After Channel Improvement Project
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District and Port Freeport recognized a milestone in the Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project during a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 28, 2026.The federal navigation project deepens and partially widens the harbor channel, enhances the upper turning basin and eases the lower channel bend. The improvements provide greater vessel access, operating flexibility and navigation capability at one of Texas’ leading commercial ports.The deeper…
Sedgwick Awarded Lloyd's Surveyor Agency Appointments for Houston, New Orleans Ports
Sedgwick, a risk and claims administration partner, has secured Lloyd's Surveyor Agency appointments for Houston and New Orleans, further strengthening the company's ability to support marine clients across two of the most significant United States ports.A Lloyd's Surveyor Agency appointment is a designation awarded to marine surveyors and claims adjusters within the Lloyd's market. Appointed agencies serve as trusted local resources…
Lemissoler Navigation Names Bulk Vessel Pair
Lemissoler Navigation has celebrated the naming of MV Lem Azalea and MV Lem Plumeria, the first two vessels in its four-vessel dual-fuel methanol newbuilding program.The naming ceremony took place on July 27, 2026. The two 65,000-dwt dry bulk carriers were built by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding in cooperation with China Shipbuilding Trading Co. (CSTC). Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research…
AM Solutions Receives KR Certification for 3D Printing Technology
Korean Register (KR) has awarded a manufacturing process certificate to AM Solutions, a South Korean 3D printing solutions company, for its laser wire directed energy deposition (LW-DED)-based additive manufacturing repair technology. It marks the first time in Korea that KR has verified the safety and reliability of a process that uses additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, to repair damaged sections of metal structures.
Saipem, Subsea7 Clear Key US Regulatory Merger Hurdle
Saipem and Subsea7 have cleared a key U.S. regulatory hurdle for their planned merger after the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 expired, allowing the transaction to close in the United States once all remaining conditions are met.The companies said all applicable waiting periods under the U.S. antitrust law have expired, while noting that the proposed…
Huisman to Deliver Equipment for Solstad-SBM Offshore Installation Vessel
Dutch lifting equipment specialist Huisman has secured a contract from CIMC Raffles Offshore to supply lifting and handling systems for a next-generation deepwater offshore installation vessel being built for a joint venture between Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.The contract covers an integrated equipment package comprising a 350-tonne A-frame, a 500-tonne knuckle boom crane, a 20-tonne auxiliary crane…
Managing Risks in Battery-Related Marine Fires: A Practical Perspective on Investigation, Subrogation
As lithium-ion batteries continue to make their way into the marine space whether through vessel systems, transported electric vehicles, or everyday devices onboard we are starting to see a different type of fire loss than most of us have traditionally dealt with.These events are not necessarily more frequent, but when they occur, they tend to be severe. In many cases, they result in prolonged fires or even total loss of a vessel or cargo.
U.S. Dredging Policy: Jones Act Waiver(s), Outdated Environmental Restrictions Hamper an Industry
The American maritime industry depends on policy that supports economic growth and investment and protects national security; however, recent policy decisions have too often relied on broad administrative actions and outdated assumptions rather than modern, data-driven approaches. The extension of the Jones Act waiver and the continued use of rigid seasonal dredging windows illustrate this trend. Though distinct issues…
U.S. Dredging: A Cornerstone of Maritime Commerce and National Defense
There are several major dredging opportunities emerging across the United States that extend well beyond traditional maintenance dredging, channel deepenings, or harbor expansions. Increasingly, the American dredging industry is becoming a strategic tool for addressing some of the nation's most pressing challenges, including water security, agricultural sustainability, coastal resilience, maritime industrial revitalization, and national defense.
Saudi Oil Tankers Cross Red Sea as Hormuz Traffic Slows
Two tankers laden with Saudi oil crossed the Bab el-Mandeb strait over the weekend, while traffic in the Strait of Hormuz slowed following reports of vessel attacks, shipping data showed on Monday.The number of commodity vessels that passed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait fell to 18 on Sunday, from 27 on Saturday and 28 on Friday, the Kpler data showed.The Iran-aligned Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi ‌Arabia on July 20, opening a new front against the U.S.
GasLog LNG Tanker Safe Following Strait of Hormuz Incident
A liquefied natural gas vessel controlled by Greek shipping company GasLog was stable after an incident while exiting the Strait of Hormuz, with everyone on board safe and accounted for, the company said.An "incident" had occurred on its Gaslog Shanghai LNG vessel on July 31, said GasLog in a statement. It did not provide details about the incident or whether the ship or its cargo had sustained any damage."GasLog LNG Services immediately activated their emergency plan…
