Thai Tanker Transits Hormuz after Iran Talks
A Thai oil tanker has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz following diplomatic coordination between Thailand and Iran, and was not required to pay to escape the blockade, a Thai official and the oil major that owns the vessel said on Wednesday.The Bangchak Corporation BCP.BK-owned tanker crossed the strategic waterway on Monday after successful talks between Thai foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow…
Blaze Hits Russia’s Ust-Luga Oil Port Following Drone Strike
A fire broke out at Russia's Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga, a major oil export hub, after a major Ukrainian drone attack, Russian officials said on Wednesday.Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian oil refineries and export routes over recent weeks in an attempt to weaken Russia's war economy.Ust-Luga and Primorsk, on the Gulf of Finland, were forced to suspend exports of oil and crude on Sunday after drone attacks but they had restarted loadings on Monday…
Iran to UN: 'Non-Hostile' Ships Can Transit Strait of Hormuz
Iran has told the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime Organization that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz if they coordinate with Iranian authorities, according to a note seen by Reuters on Tuesday.The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has all but halted shipments of about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas through the strait, causing…
Oil Falls on Middle East Ceasefire Hopes, Easing Supply Fears
Oil prices sank about 4% on Wednesday after reports the United States had sent Iran a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war in the Middle East, raising prospects of a ceasefire that could ease supply disruptions in the region.Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell $4.17, or 4%, to $100.32 a barrel by 0708 GMT, after declining to as low as $97.57. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 futures were down $3.11…
CK Hutchison Says Panama Arbitration Claim Now Tops $2 Billion
A unit of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday it had widened its claims in an international arbitration case against Panama, saying damages had now risen to more than $2 billion.Panama Ports Company, which for nearly three decades operated the Balboa and Cristobal terminals near the Panama Canal, said it had supplemented its claims in proceedings under the International Chamber of Commerce's arbitration rules…
Ports of Indiana Handles First Aluminum Shipment
Ports of Indiana has opened a new federally approved bonded storage facility at its Mount Vernon port, marking a major expansion of capabilities and enabling the port to handle its first barge shipment of aluminum.The shipment, totaling approximately 1,650 tons of aluminum, arrived after traveling by ocean vessel from Asia to New Orleans and then by barge to Indiana. The aluminum will be distributed to Midwest manufacturers…
IMCA Welcomes DEME Offshore Energy MD as New President
The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has welcomed DEME Offshore Energy Managing Director Hugo Bouvy as its new President.He succeeded Saipem’s Luca Gentili at the end of his two-year term at a meeting of IMCA’s Board on 18 March.Bruno Pinho, Senior Vice President for Subsea Operations at TechnipFMC, becomes Vice President, and will replace Bouvy as President in two-years’ time.As the offshore marine industry navigates a period of change driven by technological innovation…
China Mapping Ocean Floor Ready for Submarine Warfare
China is conducting a vast undersea mapping and monitoring operation across the Pacific, Indian and Arctic oceans, building detailed knowledge of marine conditions that naval experts say would be crucial for waging submarine warfare against the United States and its allies.In one example, the Dong Fang Hong 3, a research vessel operated by Ocean University of China, spent 2024 and 2025 sailing back and forth in the seas near Taiwan and the U.S.
Iran War Hits Natural Gas Harder than Oil
At first glance, the Iran war appears to be hitting oil and gas with equal force, as missiles, drone strikes and shipping disruptions choke flows through the Strait of Hormuz.But beneath that surface symmetry lies a critical imbalance. The global gas supply chain has fewer rerouting options and less storage capacity than the oil market - making the fallout for gas consumers considerably more acute.Key…
International Group Delivers Aid to Cuba
Cuba on Tuesday received a shipment of humanitarian aid from the Nuestra America Convoy, an international effort organized by global activists seeking to circumvent U.S. sanctions that severely restrict shipments of fuel and other goods to the island.The aid arrived in a small ship that departed last week from the port of Progreso in Mexico and entered Havana Harbor early on Tuesday, delivering 14 tons of food, medicine, solar panels and bicycles to Cuban authorities.
IQUA Robotics Successful Proves Use of AUV for Autonomous Ship Hull Inspection
The ESCABVENTS project, developed by the company IQUA Robotics in collaboration with the Zamakona Yards shipyard, has successfully concluded its proof of concept tests, demonstrating the viability of using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for naval inspection tasks. This initiative, integrated into the Sail2future project, seeks to improve efficiency and safety in the preventive maintenance of vessels.
Christian Ortego, Christie Miller Named as Vice Presidents at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding
HII announced the selection of two vice presidents at its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division. Christie Miller has been promoted to the role of vice president of communications and Christian Ortego will join the division as vice president and NNS chief counsel.In her new role, Miller will have responsibility for internal and executive communications, special events and protocol, and tradeshows and tours for NNS.Starting her career with the company in 2011…
Damen Multi Cat 2309 Named Lütt Matten by Havariekommando
On March 12, Havariekommando, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME), held a naming ceremony for its latest vessel, a Damen Multi Cat (MuC) 2309. The vessel, named Lütt Matten, will operate out of Sassnitz on the Baltic island of Rügen, providing emergency response capabilities. Havariekommando is responsible for performing maritime emergency management in the German Baltic and North Seas.
PPG InsightsNav Tool Introduced for Marine Seastock Coatings Data
PPG announced the launch of PPG InsightsNav, an analytics platform designed to help shipowners and operators analyze and optimize seastock coatings purchasing data for improved operational and strategic planning.Marine operators often rely on fragmented or limited historical data, making long-term planning and cost control difficult. The PPG InsightsNav tool addresses this gap by presenting seastock coatings information in a standardized…
NAG Marine Announces Oil Quality Sensor with Tan Delta Systems
NAG Marine, a provider of shipboard automation and fluid control solutions for maritime applications, announced the launch of the Tan Delta Oil Quality Sensor as part of its partnership with Tan Delta Systems, a global innovator in advanced oil condition analysis technologies. The addition of the Tan Delta Oil Quality Sensor expands NAG Marine’s fluid automation portfolio with advanced, real-time oil quality sensing capabilities designed to reduce maintenance costs…
Saudi Aramco Increases Crude Oil Exports from Yanbu Sea to Compensate for Hormuz Closure
Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Yanbu port rose to nearly 4 million barrels per day last week, a sharp increase from export levels before the Iran war broke out, shipping data shows.The jump shows that Saudi Aramco, the world's biggest oil exporter, is making progress on a plan to send crude along its East-West pipeline to Yanbu to keep supplies flowing and offset the effective closure…
US, India Discuss Importance of Keeping Strait of Hormuz Open
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Tuesday and discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, U.S. envoy to India Sergio Gor and Modi said in separate posts on X.This was the first call between the two leaders since the U.S. and Israel launched co-ordinated attacks against Iran on February 28."India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest.
European Energy Shortages Could Be Felt By April
Energy shortages could hit Europe by next month, Shell CEO Wael Sawan said on Tuesday, adding that securing adequate energy supply was critical to national security.Countries cannot have national security without energy security, Sawan said, adding that Shell was trying to work with governments to help them address the energy crisis, including with storage and purchasing. The Middle East conflict, now in its fourth week…
NOVACAVI Launches Tow Cable Identification Solution
NOVACAVI, Italian specialist in underwater cables, has developed a solution for the fast and reliable identification of steel wire armored cables during deck operations on research and defense vessels. A sample will be showcased on stand D80 at UDT 2026, taking place in London, April 14-16, 2026.The solution enables operators to clearly distinguish the cable in use when multiple systems are connected and deployed simultaneously…
Kongsberg Maritime Selected to Provide Equipment Package for Luxury Polar Expedition Vessel
Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract from MKM Yachts to supply a package of equipment for the Scenic Ikon polar expedition vessel under construction for Scenic Cruise.The Scenic Ikon, the latest in a series of luxury expedition vessels for Scenic Cruise, features a hybrid electric propulsion system from Kongsberg Maritime, to enable emission-free operation in environmentally sensitive areas.The new…
