Livestock Carriers Delayed in Middle East
The NGO Robin des Bois is concerned about the thousands of seafarers currently stuck in the Middle East and about the approximately 70,000 animals on livestock carriers in the region.The livestock has been exported from South America, the European Union, and the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, and Jordan.“Under normal circumstances, the conditions of confinement on board are deplorable.
Clean-Up of Louisiana Oil Spill Underway
A Unified Command, consisting of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office (LOSCO) and the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), continues its recovery and cleanup efforts after a crude oil discharge reported near the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port on February 26, 2026.The Unified Command was officially established on February 27, 2026, to manage the spill's environmental impact.
Coast Guard Announces Passing of Petty Officer Tyler Jaggers
Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Jaggers, an aviation survival technician assigned to Air Station Astoria, Oregon, passed away the evening of March 5, 2026, as a result of critical injuries suffered during the rescue of a distressed mariner from a commercial ship offshore of Oregon on February 27.As part of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Jaggers was injured while responding to a medical emergency aboard the commercial motor vessel Momi Arrow…
DHT Takes Delivery of New VLCC
DHT Holdings has taken delivery of the second VLCC newbuilding from Hanwha Ocean.The vessel is named DHT Addax and is entering the spot market.It is the second in a series of four VLCC newbuildings to be delivered to the company during the first half of 2026.The newbuildings are fully funded and will increase the company’s customer offerings and earnings power.The next newbuilding is scheduled for delivery in late March 2026.
IMO Secretary-General: Seafarer Deaths in Strait of Hormuz Unacceptable
Seafarers must not be targets, says Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report of an incident six nautical miles north of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. Media reports indicate the deaths occurred onboard a tug assisting the container ship Safeen Prestige.Dominguez said: “I am alarmed and deeply saddened to hear of a deadly attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on 6 March 2026…
Oil Output Cut Across the Middle East
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has disrupted oil and natural gas exports from the Middle East and forced production stoppages from Qatar to Iraq, with Kuwait announcing cuts over the weekend.Analysts predict that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will also have to cut output soon as they run out of oil storage.Below are the main energy disruptions so far:PRODUCTION SHUTDOWNSIraqi output collapses…
US Pressing Sri Lanka not to Repatriate Iranian Crew
The U.S. is pressing Sri Lanka not to repatriate the survivors from an Iranian warship it sank this week or the crew of a second Iranian ship that is in Sri Lankan custody, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.A U.S. submarine sank the frigate Dena in the Indian Ocean about 19 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's southern port city of Galle on Wednesday, killing dozens of sailors and dramatically widening Washington's pursuit of the Iranian navy.On Thursday…
US Will Reinsure Maritime Losses in Gulf Region Up to $20b
The U.S. will provide reinsurance for losses up to $20 billion in the Gulf region, to help provide confidence for oil and gas shippers during the war on Iran, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation said on Friday.President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered the DFC to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf after oil and liquefied natural gas tanker transit had ground to a halt in the Strait of Hormuz waterway off Iran…
Swedish Coast Guard Boards Vessel Suspected of Being Stateless in the Baltic Sea
The Swedish coast guard said it boarded and took control of a suspected stateless vessel in Swedish waters of the Baltic Sea on Friday, and it was carrying out investigations on the ship."At 3:50 p.m. today, the Coast Guard took control of a vessel with unclear flag status and thus suspected of being a stateless vessel," it said in a statement, adding that the boarding had taken place off the coast of the southern Swedish town Trelleborg.The ship Caffa was sailing under a Guinean flag…
Russian Urals Prices Tops Brent in Indian Market for the First Time
Russian flagship Urals oil is selling at a premium to the Brent international benchmark at delivery in Indian ports for the first time ever, fuelled by rising demand due to the Iran war, traders said on Friday.The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, which began a week ago, has choked the Strait of Hormuz, the main route for global oil.Russian oil had traded at a discount of several U.S. dollars per barrel…
Island Marine Electric Names Doug Bennis as Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Island Marine Electric has appointed marine technology sales veteran Doug Bennis as Vice President of Sales & Marketing.Bennis brings experience in the maritime and satellite communications industries, where he has led global sales initiatives, developed strategic channel partnerships, and driven revenue growth across commercial and recreational marine markets. With a career rooted in marine connectivity and technology solutions…
Maritime Insurance Surges as Iran Conflict Expands
As the conflict in the Gulf widens, maritime insurance premiums for war coverage are surging -- in some cases by more than 1000% -- dramatically driving up the cost of moving energy through a critical maritime corridor.The conflagration sparked by Saturday's Israeli-U.S. air strikes against Tehran has paralyzed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping chokepoint. Iran on Monday said it would fire on any ship trying to pass…
Asian Oil Refineries, Petrochemicals Cut Runs as MidEast Conflict Escalates
Several Asian refineries and petrochemical companies were forced to cut runs and declare force majeure as the U.S.-Israel war on Iran disrupted crude and feedstock exports from the Middle East.Asian steam crackers, which source more than 60% of their naphtha feedstock from the Middle East, have been quick to declare force majeure on petrochemical supplies to customers.Three operators told Reuters they…
Sanmar Delivers Four Electric Tugs to BOTAĹž
Sanmar has held a ceremony to mark the delivery of four of its fully electric ElectRA tugboats to Türkiye’s state-owned crude oil and natural gas pipelines and trading company, BOTAĹž.The four eco-friendly, emissions-free harbor tugs are based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2500SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. They will operate at the BOTAĹž Marmara EreÄźlisi LNG Terminal and the BOTAĹž Saros FSRU Terminal…
Congressman Mike Ezell Receives AAPA’s 2026 Port Person of the Year Award
At this year’s annual Legislative Summit, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) proudly named U.S. Representative Mike Ezell (MS-04) as the 2026 Port Person of the Year for his commitment to the seaport and maritime industry. AAPA celebrates his leadership as a champion of many port industry priorities, including his advocacy for the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 and his efforts…
Obituary: Don O’Keeffe, Naval Architect
Burger Boat Company announced the passing of longtime Burger Naval Architect Don O’Keeffe, whose influence on the company’s engineering excellence and yacht design legacy spanned decades. O’Keefe passed away at his home in Manitowoc, Wisconsin this week at the age of 90.O’Keeffe was widely respected for his exceptional technical expertise, quiet leadership, and unwavering commitment to sound naval architecture.
Designing the Quiet Vessel: Attention Noise and Vibration on Day One
Owning and operating a quiet boat offers many benefits, from crew comfort and retention to efficient, safe operations. While the benefits are clear, it’s generally not the first line of design and concern for most vessel owners.Noise is a funny thing in the marine world: it’s invisible, it sneaks up on you, and it’s usually not the headline item on a newbuild spec sheet, until you’re standing in the pilothouse…
Maritime Risk Symposium 2026: Confronting Emerging Threats
The maritime domain has always been central to global stability and our nation’s prosperity. In today’s rapidly evolving security environment, its importance has never been more pronounced – or more vulnerable. Over ninety percent of global trade moves across the world’s oceans, making maritime transportation the backbone of international commerce, energy distribution, and economic resilience. Yet this vast ecosystem faces escalating risks including geopolitical tensions…
Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt Starts Construction of C-CSOV Fleet in China
Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt (DO) has started construction of a new fleet of construction commissioning service operation vessels (C-CSOVs), with the first steel cut for the lead vessel DO Joule at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou, China.The vessel is the first in a series of four ships ordered by Schoeller Holdings, with all vessels to be built to identical specifications.Columbia Shipmanagement will provide technical management of the vessels…
Qatar Offers LNG Tankers for Lease as Export Plant Remains Shut
Qatar is offering at least two liquefied natural gas tankers that it controls for lease, as the country’s massive export facility in the Gulf remains shut due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.The Al Thumama and Mesaieed, both of which are under long-term charter by state-owned QatarEnergy, are being offered to the market, the report said citing traders with knowledge of the matter.Reuters could not immediately verify the report.(Reuters - Reporting by Devi
