Government & Military News

Earliest mid-2026, the Netherlands Coastguard will be strengthened with ENFORCER, a Damen FCS 5009 vessel. This vessel will be deployed to ensure the continuity of general coastguard duties in the North Sea. ENFORCER will provide additional support until the new generation of Coastguard ships goes into operation.The duties of the Coastguard have expanded in recent years. The Rijksrederij (the Government Fleet Agency, part of Rijkswaterstaat) has therefore issued instructions for the charter of  ENFORCER.

Oil prices edged higher on Monday as investors assessed moves aimed at ending the U.S. government shutdown while concerns around oversupply in the crude market persisted.Brent crude futures rose 43 cents, or around 0.7%, to $64.06 a barrel by 1409 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $60.18 a barrel, also up about 43 cents or 0.7%.The U.S. Senate on Sunday moved forward on a measure aimed at reopening the federal government and ending a now 40-day shutdown that has sidelined federal workers, delayed food aid and snarled air travel.RISK APPETITE RETURNSU.S.

China suspended for one year port fees levied on U.S.-linked vessels, its transport ministry said on Monday, after Washington announced a similar pause on punitive actions against China's shipping and shipbuilding sectors.The reciprocated pauses were in line with agreements reached by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a summit in South Korea last month.The suspension kicked in from 13:01 local time (0501 GMT), according to the transport ministry's statement.Beijing welcomed a November 9 announcement made by the U.S.

Malaysian patrols searched coastal waters in the Andaman Sea on Monday for dozens of members of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority, after a boat believed to be carrying them sank last week and another went missing.At least 21 bodies have been found since the vessel went down on Thursday - 12 in Malaysia and nine in neighbouring Thailand - the regional head of Malaysia's maritime agency, Romli Mustafa, told reporters.Without life jackets, it might be difficult for many to survive even 24 hours…

Shipping is the lifeblood of global trade, but in a world of rising geopolitical tensions, climate risks, and economic fragmentation, resilience has never been more critical, says Global Maritime Forum.“From hybrid wars to environmental catastrophes, the industry faces unprecedented uncertainty. Yet, shipping has always navigated turbulent waters, and its long history, adaptability, and global nature are its greatest strengths.“Investing in governance, maritime security, and international collaboration is not optional; it’s essential.

Six Indonesian nationals pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters in three separate cases at Darwin Local Court on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.The first matter arose from an incident on September 27, 2025, where Australian authorities identified, intercepted and apprehended an Indonesian vessel fishing illegally near Cassini Island, Western Australia. ABF seized 500 kg of sea cucumber, 90 kg of salt used to process and preserve catch and a quantity of fishing equipment. The crew were detained and transported to Darwin for further investigation by AFMA.

Four major defense companies have proposed the establishment of an AUKUS Combat Systems Collaborative Team in contemplation of a potential role for Australia’s SSN-AUKUS conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed Wednesday, November 5.BAE Systems, Raytheon Australia, General Dynamics Mission Systems and Thales propose to lead the design and lay the foundations for manufacture and integration of combat systems for SSN-AUKUS under agreements to be negotiated with the Commonwealth of Australia and United Kingdom government.

The commissioning of China's latest aircraft carrier this week marks a new chapter in its military modernisation effort but security analysts and regional diplomats say tough challenges lie ahead before it can be made fully operational.President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian in Hainan province on Wednesday, and boarded the vessel for an inspection tour, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.The Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier…

The commissioning of China's latest aircraft carrier this week marks a new chapter in its military modernisation effort but security analysts and regional diplomats say tough challenges lie ahead before it can be made fully operational.President Xi Jinping attended the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian in Hainan province on Wednesday, and boarded the vessel for an inspection tour, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.The Fujian is China's third aircraft carrier, with a flat flight deck and electromagnetic catapults for take-offs that make it a potentially far more powerful naval weapon than China's…

The U.S. military killed three men in a strike on a suspected drug vessel in international waters in the Caribbean on Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.Hegseth, said in a post on social media website X that the vessel was operated by a "Designated Terrorist Organization" but provided no further evidence. His post included a 20-second video clip, marked unclassified, of a boat in the water that gets struck by a munition and explodes.The military action was the latest of more than a dozen U.S.

The Trump administration said on Thursday it would pursue negotiations with China over its dominance of shipbuilding and ocean logistics as it formalized plans for a one-year pause on U.S. port fees on China-linked vessels as part of a broader deal to reduce trade tensions.The U.S. Trade Representative's office said in a Federal Register notice that it would pause for a year starting November 10 all punitive actions against China resulting from its "Section 301" unfair trade practices investigation.

At a ceremony at Halifax Shipyard, the Canadian Coast Guard and Irving Shipbuilding have marked the official keel laying of the eighth and final Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) – the future CCGS Sermilik.Today’s ceremony included the tradition of welding a coin to the hull of the ship to bring luck to the captain and crew during the life of the ship.The future CCGS Sermilik is named after the Sermilik Glacier, located in Sirmilik National Park in Nunavut.Under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS)…

A Greek prosecutor has extended charges to four more senior coast guard officers over one of the Mediterranean's deadliest accidents, a 2023 shipwreck in which hundreds drowned off the southwestern town of Pylos, legal sources said on Thursday.The charges follow an appeal by lawyers representing the victims, the sources told Reuters.The shipwreck of the overloaded migrant boat Adriana in international waters on June 14, 2023, sent shockwaves across Europe. A Greek naval court…

After two weeks of negotiations in Hobart, the 44th annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has closed with little progress toward long-delayed goals to protect the Southern Ocean.Yet a growing group of members are standing strong for the protection of Antarctica, refusing to bow to pressure to expand industrial fishing in one of the planet’s most fragile ecosystems.“This year, conservation-minded countries showed that the future of Antarctica cannot be dictated by those who put fishing before protection…

The European Commission has adopted its communication on the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP), setting out a roadmap to rapidly accelerate the energy transition of aviation and waterborne transport sectors.To meet the fuel targets set out in the ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime Regulations, a significant volume of around 20 million tonnes of sustainable alternative fuels (13.2 Mt of biofuels and 6.8 Mt of e-fuels) will be needed by 2035. This calls for substantial investments from the market…

Poland is working on a deal to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S. to supply Ukraine and Slovakia, an agreement that would further tighten the European Union’s ties to American energy, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations.Officials expect to announce a joint declaration to boost imports after a meeting of the parties at a transatlantic energy conference in Athens later this week, one of the sources said."After that, discussions would follow on terms for supplies to Slovakia," one of the sources told Reuters.

Denmark's Orsted and Vestas, two of the world's top offshore wind power groups, urged European nations on Wednesday to speed up permitting, improve auction terms and invest in power grids to deliver their potential for strong growth in the sector.The offshore wind industry, facing a near-frozen U.S. market amid President Donald Trump's opposition to renewables, is increasingly looking to Europe for opportunities.Vestas, the largest wind turbine maker outside China, said it expects global offshore wind capacity to grow 20-25% per year until 2030…

A $400 million pipeline to transport natural gas from Israel to Cyprus is awaiting government approval from both countries and Israel has expressed support, the head of Eastern Mediterranean focused gas producer Energean told Reuters on Tuesday.Energean on Monday signed a letter of intent with leading Cypriot industrial and energy group Cyfield for the potential supply of natural gas from Israel to Cyfield's planned power plant via the new pipeline, said Mathios Rigas, CEO of the British firm.Gas could flow through the pipeline within 12 months of the government approvals being granted…

Austal Australia has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from classification society DNV, for their Autonomous and Remotely Operated Ships (AROS) Platform Controller.The AROS Controller, designed and developed by Austal at Henderson, Western Australia, is a safety control system that provides a standardised and managed interface between the vessel’s complex engineering systems and the navigational autonomy system. Managing the transfer of information in both directions, constantly checking system health…

The work of Australia's defence force to protect its sea trade routes, including through the South China Sea, is becoming more risky as Beijing undertakes the "biggest military build-up in the world today", Australia's defence minister said on Tuesday.Open sea lanes, including trade routes that go through the South China Sea and East China Sea, were at the core of Australia's national interest, Richard Marles said in an opening speech at a navy conference in Sydney."That work is challenging and in truth it is becoming increasingly risky.

The work of Australia's defence force to protect its sea trade routes, including through the South China Sea, is becoming more risky as Beijing undertakes the "biggest military build-up in the world today", Australia's defence minister said on Tuesday.Open sea lanes, including trade routes that go through the South China Sea and East China Sea, were at the core of Australia's national interest, Richard Marles said in an opening speech at a navy conference in Sydney."That work is challenging and in truth it is becoming increasingly risky. The biggest military build-up in the world today is China," he told the Indo-Pacific conference."That…

The United States will in the coming days ask a U.N. Security Council committee to impose sanctions on seven ships suspected of violating U.N. sanctions on North Korea, a State Department official said on Monday.The seven vessels have illegally exported North Korean coal and iron ore to China, which traditionally earns Pyongyang between $200 million and $400 million a year, said the U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity."These nominations are not just bureaucratic exercises. They're about ensuring accountability for U.N.

There hasn’t been an invasives species introduced to the Great Lakes from ballast water since 2006. So, what’s the problem now?As far as Transport Canada is concerned: “Scientific sampling to date consistently shows that ballast water management systems (BWMS) used in the Great Lakes reduce organism densities in ballast water discharges by over 99%, consistent with global evidence. As crews gain experience in operating these systems, performance continues to improve, contributing to the ongoing protection of Canada’s waters from invasive species.”  However…

The Pakistan Navy expects its first Chinese-designed submarine to enter active service next year, the country's top admiral told Chinese state media, bolstering Beijing's bid to counter regional rival India and project power toward the Middle East.A deal under which Islamabad will take delivery of eight Hangor-class submarines by 2028 is "progressing smoothly," Admiral Naveed Ashraf told the Global Times in an interview published on Sunday, adding the submarines would boost Pakistan's…

In total, 18 Indonesian nationals have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters in three separate cases at Australia’s Darwin Local Court.The Australian Border Force seized hundreds of kilograms of sea cucumber, detained crews and destroyed three fishing vessels in accordance with Australian law.The fishers pleaded guilty to offences against the Fisheries Management Act 1991 (Cth).Fines of A$3,000 and four to eight weeks of prison time were handed down.All fishers…

Facing deepening fractures in the global trade order, Asia-Pacific leaders adopted a joint declaration that emphasized the need for resilience and shared benefits in trade at the end of the annual APEC summit on Saturday.The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, hosted by South Korea this year, unfolded under the shadow of rising geopolitical tensions and aggressive economic strategies - ranging from U.S. tariffs to China's export controls - that have pressured global trade.Ahead of the gathering, U.S.

Marilyn Hubalde still remembers the first time she heard the thunderous chop of military helicopters swooping over this northernmost outpost of the Philippines, less than 90 miles from Taiwan. It was April 2023, when Filipino and American troops descended on the cluster of 10 emerald green islands of Batanes province for amphibious warfare drills.“We were terrified,” the 65-year-old Hubalde recalled. “We thought China might attack when they learned there were military exercises in Batanes.” Hubalde’s helper…

South Korea and Singapore signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) on artificial intelligence and green shipping, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung said at a joint press conference with Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday after having a bilateral summit in Seoul.The two countries also agreed to cooperate on defense technology, Lee added.(Reuters - Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Jamie Freed)

The Philippines and Canada signed a pact on Sunday for their armed forces to train on each other's soil, boosting defense cooperation to tackle common security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region.Canada's first such deal in the region, the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) takes to five the number of accords on troops Manila has concluded with allies, in the face of China's increasingly assertive regional stance.The deal broadens the Philippines' network of security ties while complementing a long-standing alliance with its treaty partner…

A Ukrainian drone attack struck one of Russia's main Black Sea oil ports on Sunday, causing a fire and damaging at least one ship, as Kyiv tries to undermine Russia's war effort by targeting its energy infrastructure.Ukraine has for several months been striking Russian oil refineries, depots and pipelines in a bid to undermine the Russian economy.Footage on Russian and Ukrainian Telegram news channels appeared to show a terminal and one tanker ablaze at night. Reuters was not…

Russia's foreign ministry denounced on Saturday "excessive military force" by the United States in the Caribbean Sea deployed as part of a drive against drug trafficking and reaffirmed its support for Venezuela's leaders."We firmly denounce the use of excessive military force in carrying out actions in anti-drugs operations," foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a commentary on her ministry's website."Such actions are in violation of both U.S. domestic legislation ... and the norms of international law."A U.S.

The U.S. will not send any high-level officials to the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil, a White House official told Reuters, alleviating some concern among world leaders that Washington would send a team to scupper the talks.Brazil will host a high-level leaders' summit next week before the two-week UN climate negotiations begin in the Amazonian city of Belem.Earlier this month, the U.S. threatened to use visa restrictions and sanctions to retaliate against nations that would vote in favor of a plan put forward by the United Nations shipping agency…

This week, Rolls-Royce announced that it has successfully tested the world’s first high-speed marine engine powered exclusively by methanol on its test bench in Friedrichshafen.Together with its partners in the meOHmare research project, Rolls-Royce says its engineers have therefore reached an important milestone on the road to climate-neutral and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions for shipping.Also this week, Everllence announced the world’s first conversion of its…

The U.S. and China agreed on Thursday to pause tit-for-tat fees on each other's ships that became a major irritant in the broader trade war between the world's two largest economies and pushed up ocean freight costs.The move provides a 12-month reprieve on an estimated $3.2 billion annually in fees for large Chinese-built vessels sailing to U.S. ports and was among the trade deals reached in South Korea by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Early this year…

Kongsberg Gruppen has proposed spinning off its Kongsberg Maritime business in a separate stock market listing and consolidating its Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Discovery units into a single technology and defense company.The group said sustainability and security trends have driven strong growth over the past decade and are expected to continue shaping demand, making focused specialist businesses better positioned for global opportunities.The Norwegian state, which owns 50% of Kongsberg…

President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia had successfully tested a Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo that military analysts say is capable of devastating coastal regions by triggering vast radioactive ocean swells.As U.S. President Donald Trump has toughened both his rhetoric and his stance on Russia, Putin has publicly flexed his nuclear muscles with the test of a new Burevestnik cruise missile on October 21 and nuclear launch drills on October 22.There are few confirmed details about the Poseidon…

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats on Wednesday asked the Justice Department to hand over all legal opinions its attorneys have produced to assess the legality of the military's 13 deadly strikes against suspected drug vessels that have killed about 57 people."Summarily killing criminal suspects is prohibited under domestic and international law in both peacetime and wartime," they wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi that was seen by Reuters."These recent strikes…

Saildrone Founder and CEO Richard Jenkins shares news on Lockheed Martin's recent investment in Saildrone:Today, I am delighted to announce a $50 million investment from Lockheed Martin in Saildrone, Inc. This commercial relationship marries the world’s most sophisticated and trusted defense technology with the world’s most capable and operationally proven USV technology. Together, we will rapidly equip Saildrone USVs with all-domain defense technology for lethal military applications.

Speakers at the 2025 WISTA AGM and Conference, held in Barcelona October 22-24, shared their thoughts on collaboration across maritime, trade, and logistics as a key to achieving goals on equality, gender diversity and decarbonization.The event, the largest staged by the association in its more than 50-year history, brought together over 400 maritime professionals and leaders from around the world.In her keynote speech, WISTA International President, Elpi Petraki stressed that…

A series of U.S. strikes against suspected drug vessels in the eastern Pacific killed 14 alleged drug traffickers and left one survivor, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday, the latest operation in President Donald Trump's counter-drug campaign.The strikes in the Pacific come against the backdrop of a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean that includes guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and thousands of troops. The administration has ordered the Ford carrier strike group to the region…

The path toward funding the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) – and the critical inland infrastructure maintenance and construction of locks and dams that it does – is neither straight nor clear. Jen Armstrong, VP, Government Relations, Waterways Council, visited recently with Maritime Reporter TV to discuss in detail the historical context of how USACE funding has evolved in the past 50 years. A functional and efficient locks and dams system is not simply a matter of catering to inland waterway operators; rather it is a logistics imperative to fuel the U.S.

A U.S. Navy helicopter and a fighter jet crashed separately into the South China Sea within the space of an hour during routine operations conducted from the same aircraft carrier on Sunday, the U.S. Navy said, adding all personnel were safe.The incidents came while President Donald Trump was on a visit to Asia.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday, Trump said the crashes were unusual and could be due to "bad fuel," adding that what caused them would likely soon be known.The U.S. Pacific Fleet, in a post on X, said: "All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition.

Small importers for large U.S. retailers rushed in China-made strollers and wares meant for spring and are storing the goods in their own warehouses to avoid the big tariff bills that had been threatened over the next month.Before Sino-American talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur eliminated the threat of U.S. President Donald Trump's 100% tariffs on Chinese imports starting November 1, importers were expecting to shoulder the staggering levies.In response…

Singapore's Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Transport of China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Singapore–China Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.The MoU elevates Singapore and China’s cooperation to the national level, building on the earlier established municipality-level and provincial-level corridors with Tianjin and Shandong, established in 2023 and 2024 respectively.Under the MoU, Singapore and China will work with industry stakeholders to advance maritime decarbonization…

A Singapore-registered container ship, Wan Hai A17, collided with a Chinese-registered bulk carrier, Hai Li 5, in waters off Guangzhou, China, on October 25 at about 8PM (Singapore time).The Hai Li 5 sunk, and Chinese authorities are conducting search and rescue operations. Two of the 15 crew members remain missing as of October 26.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reports that, according to information provided by Wan Hai Lines, Wan Hai A17 remains in stable condition with no injuries reported among its 23 crew members.

President Donald Trump dramatically escalated a U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean on Friday by deploying the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to Latin America, a show of force that far exceeds any past counter-narcotics need and represents Washington’s most muscular move yet in the region.The deployment is part of Trump's military buildup in the Caribbean, which includes eight additional warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft. It is likely to raise concern in the…

Offshore wind developers and equipment suppliers are bracing for a slowdown in business in France where a political crisis has stalled changes to the country's energy framework and government tenders.The threat of a further hit to France's economy comes after data released on Friday shows business activity declined faster than expected in October.President Emmanuel Macron has churned through six prime ministers in two years as a fractured legislature struggles to agree on a belt-tightening budget.

On March 14, 1975, 22-year-old Californian woman Donna Tobias graduated from the US Navy Second Class Dive School to become the first woman deepsea diver in the Navy.Marking the 50th anniversary of women’s integration into the US Navy Diving community, the Association of Women Navy Divers highlights that over 300 women have now graduated from the Navy’s schools.The society recounts that this happened during a period of immense change brought about by the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment through Congress in 1972. Admiral Elmo R.

The Swedish coast guard on Thursday boarded a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier suspected of dumping waste in the Baltic Sea, Sweden's civil defence minister said."This is a clear example of how the coast guard conducts active maritime surveillance to combat environmental crimes," Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin said in a post on X, without naming the vessel.(Reuters)

The Pakistan navy said on Wednesday it seized narcotics worth about $972 million in the North Arabian Sea in an operation with a Saudi-led task force.The navy's YARMOOK ship, operating under the Saudi-led Combined Task Force of the Combined Maritime Forces, carried out the operation, the navy said in a statement.(Reuters - Reporting by Asif Shahzad)

The U.S. military killed five alleged drug smugglers in strikes against two vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday, in an expansion of the Trump administration's use of the armed forces in its counter-narcotics campaign.On Wednesday afternoon, Hegseth said the military attacked a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean and killed two men on Tuesday. It was the first known U.S. military operation in the Pacific since President Donald Trump kicked off a new offensive against the drug trade.Hours later…

The U.S. military killed two alleged drug smugglers in a strike against a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday, an attack that expands the Trump administration's use of the military in its counter-narcotics campaign.The strike is the first known U.S. military operation in the Pacific since President Donald Trump started a new military offensive against the drug trade that has led to at least seven strikes in the Caribbean and dramatically raised U.S.

ST Engineering has launched the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN)'s first Victory-class Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV), Victory, at its Benoi Yard.MRCV Victory is the first of six MRCVs to be built by ST Engineering under a detailed design and construction contract awarded by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) in 2023.Measuring 150 metres in length, the MRCV is designed to serve as a “mothership” for unmanned systems, enabling seamless operability across air, surface, and subsurface domains.

The Irish Coast Guard at Valentia Marine Rescue Coordination Center are currently coordinating a rescue operation which is in its final phase 53 nautical miles south west of Dursey head, Co. Cork.Valentia Coast Guard received a MAYDAY just before 6am today from the fishing vessel, 'Radoche Tercero,' which was taking water. The Coast Guard broadcast a MAYDAY relay to all shipping and tasked the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter R115, the Coast Guard Fixed wing 120F, Castletownbere lifeboat and Baltimore lifeboat.

BIMCO has initiated the development of a clause specifically addressing the new fees introduced on October 14, 2025 for US-related ships calling at ports in China.The Chinese Ministry of Transport announced on October 10 this year that new “Special Port Fees” would be imposed on ships arriving at Chinese ports if they are US-built or flagged or owned or operated by US entities, subject to certain exceptions. “Our industry is navigating escalating geopolitical uncertainty and trade restrictions.

BY Captain Bobbie Scolley, U.S. Navy (ret.) and Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, U.S. Navy (ret.)For more than six decades, spanning from 1905 to the late 1970s, the U.S. Navy’s diving apparatus for deep ocean operations and salvage remained fundamentally unchanged. During this period, the demographic of navy divers also saw little alteration. However, beginning in the mid-1970s and continuing to the present day, a series of developments initiated a gradual transformation in both areas with significant implications for contemporary Navy diving.Donna Tobias…

The Coast Guard announced the deployment of additional forces to the Rio Grande River in eastern Texas, starting on October 9, 2025, to ensure operational control of the border where the President has declared a national emergency. This surge operation – known as Operation River Wall – will bolster ongoing Coast Guard efforts to control, secure and defend approximately 260 miles of the Rio Grande River that makes up the U.S. border there. As part of this mobilization, the Coast Guard is deploying additional response boats…

U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical minerals agreement aimed at countering China on Monday at a meeting marked by Trump's jab at Australia's envoy to the United States over past criticism.China loomed large at the first White House summit between Trump and Albanese, with the U.S. president also backing a strategic nuclear-powered submarine deal with Australia to bolster security in the Indo-Pacific.While Trump and Albanese greeted each other warmly, the U.S. president expressed ire about past criticism of him by Australia's U.S.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has signed a strategic agreement to accelerate the development of autonomous surface units developed by Italian start-up Defcomm, which specializes in unmanned solutions for the maritime sector.The agreement focuses on a co-investment partnership to accelerate the development and industrialization of surface drones designed by Defcomm, which have already passed long run and endurance tests.These drones are designed for surveillance, intelligence…

Bloomberg reports that, ahead of Friday’s vote at the IMO, Andrew Forrest, the billionaire founder and chair of Fortescue Metals Group, decried what he said were “intimidatory tactics” impacting delegates’ ability to vote their conscience.“As a global industrialist and philanthropist, I stand ready to support any country or individual being blackmailed or threatened,” Forrest said in a message to negotiators at the UN. “I am committed to working with others to ensure that justice prevails and bullying tactics do not win out.”Still…

A migrant boat carrying around 35 people sailing from Libya capsized in the central Mediterranean leaving one confirmed dead and two dozen missing, UNICEF country coordinator for Italy said on Sunday.The rescue operation was carried out on Friday off the coast of Italy's Lampedusa Island by the Italian Coast Guard, which saved 11 migrants, including four children travelling alone, and recovered the body of a pregnant woman, UNICEF's Nicola Dell'Arciprete said.The survivors and the body were brought to Lampedusa, while the remaining passengers remain unaccounted for.The boat capsized after two

The LPG-laden tanker MV Falcon was on fire and adrift on Saturday off the coast of Yemen, after it reported an explosion that forced members of its crew to abandon the vessel, the European Union's naval force Aspides said in a statement.The cause of the explosion was unclear but most likely an accident, according to initial indications, Aspides said. It added that at least 15% of the Cameroon-flagged vessel was on fire.Due to the risk of further explosions, since the tanker was fully loaded with liquefied petroleum gas…

The European Union's diplomatic arm, the EEAS, is urging member states to back a maritime declaration that would allow EU nations working with flag states to arrange inspections on Russia's "shadow fleet" of oil tankers, an EEAS document shows.Beefing up inspection rights is the latest EU proposal aimed at curbing Russian oil and gas revenue being used by Moscow to finance the Ukraine war. EU foreign ministers are due to meet on Monday to discuss new measures against Russia, among other topics.In early October…

U.S. forces attacked a vessel associated with a Colombian leftist rebel group, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday, the same day President Donald Trump called Colombian President Gustavo Petro an "illegal drug leader" and said payments to the South American nation would cease.Trump's comments marked a new low in relations between Bogota and Washington, which have frayed since Trump returned to office in January and since his administration launched a series of strikes…

The U.S. military is holding two survivors aboard a Navy ship after rescuing them from a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean hit by a U.S. strike that killed two others, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.The disclosure, which has not been previously reported, raises the possibility that the survivors from Thursday's strike are the first prisoners of war in a conflict declared by President Donald Trump against a "narcoterrorist" threat he says is…

Morocco and Russia renewed a deal on Friday allowing Russian ships to fish in Morocco's Atlantic waters, the Moroccan foreign ministry said.The deal was signed by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Ilya Shestakov, the head of Russia's federal fisheries agency, in Moscow, the ministry said in a statement.Under the four-year deal, Morocco shall determine an annual catch quota for Russian ships, it said.(Reuters)

A majority of countries at the U.N. shipping agency voted on Friday to postpone by a year a decision on a global carbon price on international shipping, after failing to reach consensus on the emissions reduction measure amid U.S. pressure.The delay is a blow to the European Union and other countries including Brazil which have been pushing for the shipping industry to go greener and set out a price mechanism for decarbonisation.Washington and Riyadh, the world's two largest oil producers…

China's sanctions on U.S.-linked units of shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean threaten to impact ambitious plans for shipbuilding cooperation between Seoul and Washington by disrupting supplies of Chinese equipment and materials, officials in Seoul said on Friday.Beijing announced the sanctions on Tuesday as the U.S. and China began charging additional port fees on each other's vessels, in the latest exchange in a protracted trade war ahead of a planned meeting of the two countries' leaders.South…

Western powers have ramped up pressure on Russia's oil sales amid its war with Ukraine as U.S. President Donald Trump said India would stop buying and Britain imposed sanctions on top Russian oil firms.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is schedule to meet Trump in Washington on Friday to push for military and energy support at a time when Kyiv and Moscow are escalating the war with attacks on energy infrastructure.Indian officials are also in Washington for trade talks, with the U.S.

Britain targeted Russia's two largest oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft, and 44 shadow fleet tankers on Wednesday in what it described as a new bid to tighten energy sanctions and choke off Kremlin revenues.Lukoil and Rosneft were designated under Britain's Russia sanctions laws for what London described as their role in supporting the Russian government. They are subject to an asset freeze, director disqualification, transport restrictions, and a ban on British trust services.The two companies were considered strategically significant to the Kremlin…