Government & Military News

Three vessels have been hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security agencies and sources said on Wednesday, as one of the strikes led to a fire onboard a ship and forced most of its crew to evacuate it.The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was targeted and damaged approximately 11 nautical miles north of Oman, two maritime security sources said.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said later, referring to the incident, that the fire had been extinguished and that there was no environmental impact.

The New Zealand government will not move forward with plans to reinstate live animal exports by sea, ensuring the ban on the trade remains in place at least for this parliamentary term.Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard confirmed yesterday that Cabinet had been unable to reach agreement on reviving the industry.SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says the announcement is a huge relief. "Live export forces animals into grueling journeys across oceans where they can spend weeks confined on crowded ships, exposed to extreme heat, distress, and injury.

Warship builder TKMS has submitted a non-binding offer along with Norway for a multi-billion-dollar submarine contract from Canada, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.The offer consists of around 1,500 pages and is supported by the governments of both countries.TKMS is one of two companies shortlisted by Canada to supply up to twelve modern submarines. Its competitor is Hanwha Ocean 042660.KS from South Korea.A decision is expected in the middle of the year.TKMS has…

The U.S. Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on Iran, saying the risk of attacks is too high for now, according to sources familiar with the matter.The Navy's assessments spell continued disruption to Middle East oil exports and reflect a divergence from President Donald Trump’s statements that the U.S. is prepared to provide naval escorts whenever needed to restart regular…

Saudi Arabia's Aramco, the world's top oil exporter, said on Tuesday there would be "catastrophic consequences" for the world's oil markets if the Iran war continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.Oil shipments have been largely blocked from traversing through the shipping artery, where normally roughly 20% of the world's oil would pass through daily. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they would not allow "one litre of oil" to be shipped from the Middle East if U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to escalate the war with Iran if it blocked oil shipments from the Middle East, even as he predicted a quick end to the conflict.Trump's warning came at the end of a day that saw global financial markets seesawing on concerns that Iran's security establishment was rallying behind new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and was not prepared to back down any time soon.Trump said the United States had inflicted serious damage on Iran's air force and navy and predicted the conflict would end well before the initial four-week time frame he had laid out…

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering easing oil sanctions on Russia and releasing emergency crude stockpiles as part of a package of options aimed at curbing spiking global oil prices amid the Iran conflict, according to multiple sources.The deliberations reflect White House worries that the surge in oil prices following more than a week of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran will hurt U.S. businesses and consumers ahead of the November midterm elections, when Trump's fellow…

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said any Arab or European country that expels the ambassadors of Israel and the U.S.

The Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) welcomes the national plan and the central government work report delivered at the opening session of the National People’s Congress, which underlined, once again, the importance of consolidating Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre.Hong Kong’s economic success has its origins in shipping and trade which as promoted Hong Kong’s growth as a global financial hub and a “super-connector” between the East and the West.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized approximately 214 pounds (97 kilograms) of cocaine concealed from under a vessel arriving on Feb. 26.  The estimated value of the seized cocaine is $1.7 million.CBP officers discovered the narcotics concealed within a parasitic device attached to the hull of the M/V Medstar, which arrived from Rio Haina, Dominican Republic.The seizure occurred during a routine vessel boarding, when officers deployed underwater drone technology to inspect the vessel’s hull.The investigation is ongoing.

France is deploying about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and potentially the Strait of Hormuz as part of defensive support to allies threatened by the conflict in the Middle East.Speaking in Cyprus before visiting the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, which arrived this weekend in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron sought to reassure his Cypriot counterpart after drones were intercepted heading towards the island last week."When Cyprus is attacked…

France is deploying about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and potentially the Strait of Hormuz as part of defensive support to allies threatened by the conflict in the Middle East.Speaking in Cyprus before visiting the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, which arrived this weekend in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron sought to reassure his Cypriot counterpart after drones were intercepted heading towards the island last week."When Cyprus is attacked, then Europe is attacked," Macron said after meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paphos.European states have been largely sidelined as the conflict between the United States…

Pakistan's navy has launched a maritime security operation to protect shipping lanes and energy supplies as regional tensions threaten key sea routes, the military said on Monday.The operation, named Muhafiz-ul-Bahr – meaning Protector of the Seas – aims to safeguard "lines of communication" at sea and ensure uninterrupted maritime trade and national energy supplies, the military's media wing said in a statement.

Pakistan's navy has launched a maritime security operation to protect shipping lanes and energy supplies as regional tensions threaten key sea routes, the military said on Monday.The operation, named Muhafiz-ul-Bahr – meaning Protector of the Seas – aims to safeguard "lines of communication" at sea and ensure uninterrupted maritime trade and national energy supplies, the military's media wing said in a statement.

The global maritime industry has long been the arterial system of the world economy, responsible for over 90% of global trade. For centuries, the primary dangers to a vessel were physical: crushing storms, mechanical failure, or the threat of piracy. However, as we move through 2026, the industry has reached a critical juncture. The rapid digitization of the sector—driven by the need for logistical optimization and fuel efficiency—has fundamentally shifted the threat landscape.

Bapco Energies has declared force majeure on its group operations following the impact of the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East and a recent attack on its refinery complex.The Bahrain-based integrated energy company said the declaration applies to operations affected by the incident.Despite the disruption, the company said local fuel supply remains secure and that domestic demand continues to be met through contingency plans already in place.According to reports, thick smoke was seen rising from the direction of the Bapco refinery on March 9.

Governments scrambled to limit the impact on economies and consumers from the widening Iran war, which fuelled a record surge in oil prices on Monday after key producers cut output and Tehran signalled that hardliners would remain in charge.In a sign of mounting governmental concern over supply disruptions, the Group of Seven finance ministers will discuss the possibility of a joint release of emergency oil reserves in a meeting on Monday, a French government source said.In South Korea…

The dollar surged on Monday as soaring oil prices sent investors scrambling for cash on worries that a protracted Middle East war could severely disrupt energy supplies and hurt global growth.Against the surging greenback, the euro EUR= and sterling GBP= were down roughly 1% in Asia, while the Aussie AUD= and even the safe-haven Swiss franc CHF= similarly tumbled, as the dollar proved king."The U.S. dollar's finding no shortage of support from traditional haven considerations and obviously…

A fire broke out on the Panama-flagged livestock carrier North Star 1 while it was docked at the Port of São Sebastião, Brazil, on 3 March.Some of the 28 crew onboard required medical attention due to smoke inhalation, and the 2,600 cattle onboard, destined for Turkey, were disembarked.The fire was reported to have started in a provisions store containing livestock fodder.“The incident is a strong reminder of the dangers of fire at sea, and especially the risks of fire on livestock…

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. In times of war, global pandemics, epizootics…

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…

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, in which at least four seafarers have reportedly lost their lives and three severely injured.

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: the country's oil production from its main southern oilfields has fallen by 70% to just 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) from 4.3 million barrels per day (bpd) before the war…

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…

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…

Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Friday it has escalated its legal fight in Panama after the government seized its port operations, petitioning for a review of the decree behind the takeover.The company said Panama unlawfully occupied facilities, seized property and ignored consultations, prompting further national and international legal action.CK Hutchison's Panama Ports Company (PPC), which manages two terminals near the globally strategic Panama Canal, filed an…

The world's farmers face soaring fertiliser and fuel prices as the war in the Middle East escalates, leaving some scrambling for supplies as the spring planting season approaches.The war, which has closed the Strait of Hormuz, has shut down fertiliser plants in the region and severely disrupted shipping routes, potentially curbing supplies to key importers around the world just as farmers in the Northern Hemisphere prepare to plant seeds."It's a mess because it's spring," said Cedric Benoist…

China is in talks with Iran to allow crude oil and Qatari liquefied natural gas vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Israeli war on Tehran intensifies, three diplomatic sources told Reuters.The war, which entered its sixth day on Thursday, has left the critical shipping passageway all-but shut, with countries around the world cut off from a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.China, which has friendly relations with Iran and relies heavily on Middle Eastern supplies…

Sri Lanka started to offload 208 crew members from a second Iranian vessel off its coast on Thursday, a day after 87 people were killed and several others were still missing after a U.S. submarine strike on an Iranian warship in the same region."After detailed discussions with all parties, Sri Lanka has decided to assist the Iranian vessel," Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a press briefing in Colombo.The crew being offloaded included 53 officials, 84 cadets, 48 senior sailors and 23 sailors, Dissanayake said.

European powers said on Thursday they would work together to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea and send naval and other assets to protect Cyprus as the expanding U.S.–Iran war entered its sixth day.The conflict - which has widened beyond Gulf states to the Mediterranean, where a drone strike hit a British air base on Cypruson Monday, and as far afield as Asia - has convulsed global markets and sent oil and gas prices soaring.Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to protect Cyprus in the coming days…

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday that they had hit a U.S. tanker in the northern part of the Gulf and the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or of a similar attack that Iran claimed earlier this week.The Guards said in their Thursday statement carried by state media that, in time of war, passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be under the control of the Islamic Republic.(Reuters - Reporting by Elwely Elwelly; additional reporting by Jonathan Saul; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

The European Commission has adopted a comprehensive Industrial Maritime Strategy to drive competitiveness, innovation and technological leadership in Europe’s maritime manufacturing and shipping industries. The strategy sets out a vision and concrete actions to reinforce Europe’s industrial sovereignty, trade and economic security, while supporting the sectors’ clean and digital transition.EU shipbuilding and shipping are vital to the Union's strategic autonomy, trade flows, mobility…

Insurance broker Marsh McLennan said on Wednesday it had met with U.S. officials to explore solutions for restoring maritime trade amid escalating fighting in the Middle East, as attacks in the region threaten energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.The waterway, a critical chokepoint between Iran and Oman, carries about a fifth of globally traded crude oil and liquefied natural gas.Shipping through the strait has slowed significantly following Iranian strikes on commercial vessels…

Exxon Mobil is set to ship around 600,000 barrels of fuel from the U.S. Gulf Coast to cover its own import requirements in Australia, the first such shipments by the oil major, four sources with knowledge of the matter said.The planned shipments, on a route rarely used for refined products flows, show how severely global oil trade has been impacted by the near-complete halt of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran began striking vessels in the waterway this week in retaliation for U.S.

Euro zone government bonds edged higher on Wednesday as investors paused after a sharp selloff earlier this week driven by fears the Middle East war would fuel inflation.President Donald Trump had ordered the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf."A U.S. insurance for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz could be a game changer, if successfully implemented," said Mohit Kumar…

A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, killing dozens of sailors and dramatically widening Washington's pursuit of the Iranian navy.Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister identified the warship as the frigate IRIS Dena, and said it was heading back to Iran from an eastern Indian port.The attack happened hundreds of miles across the Indian Ocean from the Gulf, where U.S. and Israeli forces are striking Iran and Tehran is retaliating with missile and drone attacks."An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters…

Japanese lawmakers reeling from attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel gathered on Monday at the ruling party's offices in Tokyo to question bureaucrats about evacuation plans, energy stocks and the legal basis for U.S. action.But one query posed at the closed-door meeting, described to Reuters by a politician who attended, reflected a deeper fear haunting Asia's corridors of power since Trump's weekend attacks unleashed chaos in the Middle East.How would the region respond…

MSC, the world's largest carrier of ocean container cargo, said on Tuesday all cargo bound for ports in the Gulf will be offloaded at the nearest safe seaport due to ongoing hostilities in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.The move, known as an "End of Voyage" declaration, also applies to empty containers that have been released for loading with cargo and are intended for export to the ports in the Gulf, Geneva-based MSC said in a customer advisory.A mandatory surcharge of $800 per container will apply to all affected shipments…

The U.S. Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, adding he had ordered the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf.The move marks one of the administration’s most aggressive steps yet to attempt to contain soaring energy prices amid escalating conflict in the Middle East that has raised risks to shipping through key waterways.Global crude prices have spiked since Israeli and U.S.

Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco is attempting to reroute some of its crude exports to the Red Sea to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, where the risk of Iranian attacks has slowed shipping to a near halt, sources said on Tuesday.Saudi Arabia and other regional Gulf oil producers, such as the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq, have been unable to move oil through the Strait since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Friday. Hundreds of ships have anchored on either side of the Strait as a precaution…

President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France was sending its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean and working to build a coalition that would help secure maritime traffic imperiled by the escalating crisis in the Middle East.In a televised address to the nation, Macron said that action needed to be taken with the Straits of Hormuz closed and the Suez Canal and Red Sea shipping routes threatened by the widening conflict."We have economic interests to protect…

Greece's shipping minister on Tuesday called for the protection of global shipping and seafarers, amid an "alarming" situation that has left dozens of ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider area due to the widening Iran conflict.Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ⁠was closed for a fourth day on Tuesday, choking off a key artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards senior official said on Monday Iran would fire on any ship trying to pass through…

President Donald Trump will review a set of policy options on Tuesday aimed at controlling energy prices during the escalating Middle East conflict, including a proposal for the U.S. government to help oil tankers in the region obtain insurance, two sources said.Global crude prices have spiked since Israeli and U.S. forces began striking Iran over the weekend, leading to fighting that has interrupted Middle East oil tanker shipments.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy…

RS Aqua announced a new strategic partnership with Seasats, a San Diego-based unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developer, to introduce their range of security platforms to the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland defense market.Seasats is known for its high endurance, modular, and user-friendly USVs designed to deliver maritime domain awareness through autonomous operations. Through this partnership, RS Aqua will represent and support the Seasats product portfolio across the UK and Ireland.Seasats’ inaugural model, the Lightfish, is a modular USV engineered for long duration autonomous missions.

Supertanker costs in the Middle East have hit all-time highs, according to shipping data and industry sources on Tuesday, as the U.S.-Iran conflict intensifies with Tehran attacking ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.Shipping through the Strait between Iran and Oman, which carries around one-fifth of oil consumed globally as well as large quantities of liquefied natural gas, has ground to a near halt after vessels in the area were hit as Iran retaliated against U.S. and…

Container ships account for roughly 100 of the 750 ships ensnared in the Strait of Hormuz backups following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, Jeremy Nixon, CEO of container carrier Ocean Network Express (ONE), said on Monday."About 10% of the container ship global fleet is caught up in this," Nixon said at S&P Global Market Intelligence’s TPM26 container shipping conference in Long Beach.Maritime insurers ceased covering voyages through the strait between Iran and Oman, which carries around one-fifth of oil consumed globally as well as large quantities of gas, as Iran retaliated against U.S.

The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran widened on Monday, with no end in sight as Israel attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah and Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states that host U.S. military bases.U.S. President Donald Trump said the operation could continue for some weeks and that it was unclear who was in charge in Iran, following the targeted killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening hours of the U.S.-Israel campaign over the weekend.The attack on Iran has pitched the Gulf into war…

Marine insurers are cancelling war risk coverage for vessels and oil shipping rates are set to surge further after the widening Iran conflict left at least three tankers damaged, a seafarer killed and 150 ships stranded around the Strait of Hormuz.Iran has responded to U.S. and Israeli strikes that began on Saturday with retaliatory attacks that have sharply increased risks to commercial shipping in the past 24 hours.In the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, at least 150 vessels including oil and liquefied natural gas tankers had dropped anchor…

A new memorial stone and plaque have been placed at the grave of Captain John King Davis, one of the mostly highly decorated navigators and mariners in the history of Antarctic exploration.Davis served as Chief Officer under Ernest Shackleton during the British Antarctic Nimrod Expedition in 1907 and captained the SY Aurora during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition in 1911, led by Sir Douglas Mawson.Despite his contributions, Captain Davis’s grave at the Melbourne General Cemetery has remained unmarked since his death in 1967.Earlier this month…

Belgium seized an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet on Sunday and suspected of sailing with a "false flag and false documents", Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said.Western sanctions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine and aimed at cutting its oil revenues have led to the rise of a "shadow fleet" of tankers helping Moscow to keep its crude exports flowing."Over the past few hours, our armed forces, with the support of the French Defence, have boarded an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet…

One person was presumed dead and five crew members reported missing on Sunday after a tug boat sank off South Africa's southern coast, a multi-agency maritime body said.The tug vessel LEO transmitted a distress message at 1702 GMT on Saturday, reporting uncontrolled water ingress and requesting immediate assistance, South African Search and Rescue (SASAR) said in a statement.The ship sank in the early hours of Sunday, approximately 80 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay in South Africa's Western Cape province."To date, 13 crew members have been accounted for, consisting of 12 survivors, and one

OPEC+ has decided to increase its crude oil production target by 206,000 barrels per day (bpd) for April against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical risk as conflict in the Middle East escalated rapidly over the weekend.Oil markets will enter the new week facing a materially higher risk of supply disruption, as approximately 15 million bpd of crude oil transits the Strait of Hormuz, representing close to 30% of global seaborne crude trade.This makes it the world's most critical oil chokepoint.Any sustained disruption…

The Secretary-General of the IMO Arsenio Dominguez has issued a statement on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz:“I am deeply concerned by reports that several seafarers have been injured in attacks on merchant vessels. No attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is ever justified. These crews are simply doing their jobs and must be protected from the effects of wider geopolitical tensions.“Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international maritime law…

Shipping companies Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are rerouting vessels around Africa, away from the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz."Due to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East region following the escalating military conflict, we have decided...to pause future Trans-Suez sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for the time being," Danish container shipping group Maersk said in a statement on Sunday.The company last month announced a gradual return of some services to the Suez route…

At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway…

The diplomatic route in Iran is now exhausted, as last night the United States and Israel attacked Iran, sharply escalating security risks for commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters, prompting immediate operational and insurance repercussions across the global maritime sector.According to Jakob Larsen, Chief Safety & Security Officer at BIMCO, the attacks “dramatically increase the security risk to ships operating in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters,” particularly for vessels with business ties to U.S.

Italy’s Fincantieri and Spain’s Navantia have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly coordinate and execute the European Patrol Corvette (EPC) program, strengthening industrial cooperation under one of Europe’s most ambitious defense initiatives.The two shipbuilders plan to create a joint venture to manage and execute the program. The vehicle will be open to participation from other project partners, with incorporation subject to the finalization of transaction documents…

The barge Defiant was refloated from the Castillo San Felipe del Morro shoreline in San Juan Harbor, Wednesday at approximately 2:22 a.m., just before high tide.Salvage crews and tugboat operators prepositioned three tugboats and completed all the preparations, including the pressurization of all cargo tanks, voids and compartments in the barge. The tugboat, Lobo Grande, successfully pulled the barge off the rocks with the assistance of the incoming tide.An earlier attempt on…

The Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA) has welcomed the many new initiatives in the 2026-27 budget promulgated by the Financial Secretary.Many of the association’s recommendations have been accepted by the government:• provision of tax concession for eligible commodity traders;• introduction of a new incentive scheme for green fuel-powered vessels registered in Hong Kong;• enhancement of the ship registration regime with a dual registration system;• launch of more large-scale maritime events in Hong Kong in collaboration with global maritime organisations…

A Hong Kong-flagged tanker carrying fuel likely bound for Cuba has halted navigation in the Atlantic Ocean, ship tracking data showed on Wednesday, a blow for the oil-thirsty Caribbean nation.The tanker Sea Horse loaded through a ship-to-ship transfer in the Mediterranean before departing towards the Caribbean Sea, according to monitoring service TankerTrackers.com. The vessel had been expected to arrive in Cuban waters later this week, according to its speed and trajectory.Hongkong Hangda Shipping LTD…

Cuban forces killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-based speedboat that entered Cuban waters on Wednesday and opened fire on a Cuban patrol, the Cuban government said at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.The wounded were evacuated and receiving medical attention, while the Cuban patrol commander was also wounded, Cuba's Interior Ministry said in a statement, adding that the matter was under investigation to clarify exactly what happened.The highly unusual incident took place as the United States has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island…

Ireland plans to boost radar and subsea surveillance capabilities and increase cooperation with NATO members amid growing hybrid threats in the North Atlantic, the country said in its first maritime security strategy on Wednesday.Ireland, which is neutral and has the EU's lowest level of defence spending, has been criticised for its lack of capability to monitor and defend territorial waters that the strategy says cover a "nexus of major transatlantic data cables and critical…

The 2012 Cape Town Agreement has met the requirements for entry into force and will enter into force in February 2027, closing a longstanding gap in the global maritime safety framework. The Agreement sets out mandatory safety standards for more than 45,000 fishing vessels of 24 meters in length and over, according to FAO data, helping to prevent casualties, improve working conditions for fishers, enhance competitiveness and protect the marine environment.Welcoming the milestone, IMO Secretary-General Mr.

U.S. military forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from Caribbean waters, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, adding that it was the third such interdiction in that region.After capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military raid last month in Caracas, Washington has escalated its blockade on vessels that are under sanctions and going to and from the South American country, a member of the OPEC oil producers' group.In a post on X, the U.S. Department of Defense said its forces boarded the Bertha overnight.

Britain on Tuesday sanctioned Maritime Mutual, the New Zealand-based marine insurer that was the subject of a Reuters special report into how it had helped in the trade of tens of billions of dollars of Iranian and Russian oil."(Maritime Mutual) is or has been involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting the Government of Russia by carrying on business in a sector of strategic significance to the Government of Russia, namely the Russian energy sector," the British government…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy announced a Record of Decision reaffirming its prior decisions regarding Gulf of America’s Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales 259 and 261. This ROD supports BOEM’s continued commitment to responsible offshore energy development while strengthening environmental safeguards and legal compliance.This decision follows the August 29, 2025, publication of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Gulf of America Regional OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales and Post-Lease Activities.

Spanish shipbuilder C.N.P. Freire has signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to construct four naval support vessels.The 47-meter vessels will be designed for naval support missions and built to operate in harsh weather and ice conditions. Each ship will accommodate 16 crew members, reach speeds of up to 12 knots and have an endurance of up to 10 days.The vessels will be equipped with two main cranes on the main deck and an auxiliary crane for supplies, enabling autonomous loading and unloading operations.

Kongsberg Discovery has launched two new variants of its EM2042 multibeam echosounder, extending high-resolution seabed mapping capabilities to deep-rated subsea vehicles and naval operations.The new EM2042 DR600 and EM2042 BNS build on the existing EM2042 platform and its next-generation acoustic architecture, targeting deepwater unmanned platforms and defense environments, respectively.The EM2042 DR600 is engineered for underwater vehicles including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), remotely operated towed vehicles (ROTVs) and submarines.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has acted under Operation BROADSTAFF, intercepting two foreign fishing vessels in the vicinity of Albany Islands, Queensland on February 20.During intelligence led patrols of the region, ABF officers from Maritime Border Command (MBC), working with partner agencies, intercepted two suspected illegal foreign fishing vessels near Cape York.Officers identified 510kg of salt and fishing equipment on board the vessels. The crew were apprehended and transferred to Darwin.

The EU Council has extended the European Union’s maritime security operation to safeguard freedom of navigation in relation to the Red Sea crisis (EUNAVFOR ASPIDES) until 28 February 2027, following the strategic review of the operation.The Council agreed to provide nearly €15 million ($18 million) to cover the costs of the operation which contributes to safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters in response to ongoing threats against merchant and commercial vessels.Operation ASPIDES provides defensive maritime security…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced proposed revisions to its regulations governing hard mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf aiming to advance exploration and development of critical minerals essential to national security, economic competitiveness and technological progress.These proposed updates align with Executive Orders 14285 and 14154, which prioritize unleashing America’s potential to explore and develop OCS critical mineral resources. The updates also support Executive Order 14192…

Fincantieri has launched the first next-generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Italian Navy at its Riva Trigoso shipyard, marking a milestone in a four-ship program led by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture between Fincantieri and Leonardo.The vessel, named Ugolino Vivaldi, is the first of four units being built under a program assigned to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali — owned 51% by Fincantieri and 49% by Leonardo — by the Naval Armaments Directorate, part of Italy’s National Armaments Directorate.The launch ceremony was attended by senior representatives from the Italian Navy…

An Australian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait, a government source said on Sunday, in the latest transit of the sensitive waterway by a U.S. ally that Chinese state-backed media said was tracked and monitored by the nation's military.In addition to claiming sovereignty over democratically governed Taiwan, Beijing views the narrow, highly strategic strait as Chinese territorial waters and has responded aggressively on occasion to foreign navies sailing there.The Toowoomba…

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to explore legal questions arising from the fraught history of U.S.-Cuban relations when it considers the scope of a 1996 law that lets U.S. nationals seek compensation for property confiscated by the communist-led Cuban government.The justices hear arguments on Monday in two cases centered on the federal law called the Helms-Burton Act, one involving U.S. oil major ExxonMobil and the other involving the cruise lines Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises.One of the law's provisions, called Title III, allows for lawsuits in U.S.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said on Sunday "no thanks" to U.S. President Donald Trump's idea of sending a hospital ship to Greenland, a territory that Trump has repeatedly said he wishes to take over.Trump said on Saturday on social media he was working with Louisiana Governor and special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, to send a hospital boat to Greenland."President Trump's idea of sending an American hospital ship here to Greenland has been noted. But we have a public healthcare system where treatment is free for citizens.

The Mexican navy intercepted a submarine carrying up to four tons of cocaine along the Pacific Ocean off the country's West coast, Mexico's Seurity Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said on Thursday."In the last week, maritime operations have made it possible to seize nearly 10 tons of this drug. This represents a direct and multimillion-dollar blow to the financial structures of organized crime, preventing millions of doses from reaching the streets and protecting the safety of Mexican families," Garcia Harfuch said in a post on X, and added that three individuals had been arrested.(Reuters)

Argentina's lower house of Congress was set to vote on Thursday on a contentious labor reform backed by libertarian President Javier Milei, as unions staged a nationwide strike that has brought parts of the country to a halt.Argentina's largest umbrella union CGT says the proposed overhaul threatens long‑standing worker protections, including the right to strike. In response, it has launched a 24‑hour stoppage involving transport workers, public sector staff and bank employees."With unity…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a Proposed Notice of Sale for the third offshore oil and gas lease sale under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposed lease sale, known as Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 3, or BBG3, is scheduled to take place on Aug. 12, 2026.This sale is the third of 30 Gulf of America oil and gas lease sales required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law No: 119-21). By committing to a predictable sale schedule, the Department is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand American energy production and strengthen U.S. energy dominance.

The IMO's Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response held its 13th session at IMO Headquarters in London from 9 to 13 February 2026.Outcomes include:Groundwork laid for future legally binding framework on biofoulingFollowing the decision of MEPC 83 to develop a legally binding framework on biofouling management to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species, the Sub-Committee agreed some fundamental elements that will guide this work. These include the recommendation for the framework to take the form of a standalone instrument…

Iran issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) that it plans rocket launches in areas across its south on Thursday from 330 GMT to 1330 GMT, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration website showed on Wednesday.Iran conducted navy drills this week in the Hormuz Strait and plans to conduct a joint naval exercise with Russia on Thursday."Creating convergence and coordination in joint measures to counter activities threatening maritime security and safety (...) as well as combating maritime terrorism…

Trinidad and Tobago's government is optimistic two flagship offshore gas projects with neighboring Venezuela to be operated by Shell, BP and Trinidad's National Gas Company will move forward amid political changes in the OPEC country, the energy minister of the twin-island nation said on Wednesday.The U.S. has been relaxing sanctions on Venezuela's energy industry as part of an ambitious $100 billion reconstruction plan since U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro last month.

Salvors have removed the fuel from the barge grounded on the rocks off the San Felipe del Morro Castle shoreline in Puerto Rico. Approximately, 1,000 gallons of residual fuel and oily water have been removed from the Defiant barge which grounded at approximately noon, Feb. 9, just off the Port of San Juan harbor entrance.Salvage crews also brought in additional equipment to assess the extent of the barge damage and to test all tanks and voids for pressurization. The proposed plan…

Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz for a few hours on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported, without making clear whether the waterway, one of the world's most vital oil export routes, had fully reopened.Earlier, Iranian state media had reported that the Strait of Hormuz would be partially shut for a few hours on Tuesday due to "security precautions" for shipping safety while Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards conducted military drills there.(Reuters - Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din; Editing by Gareth Jones)

Turkey and Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation during a visit by President Tayyip Erdogan to Addis Ababa on Tuesday, the Turkish Energy Ministry said, adding the accord would lead to joint production and projects.Erdogan held a one-day visit to Addis Ababa on Tuesday upon Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's invitation, his first to Ethiopia in 11 years.The accord was signed at a ceremony after talks between the two leaders. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan…

A UK maritime agency said that an incident involving a vessel and small boats around 70 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's port of Aden on Tuesday had been downgraded to "suspicious activity" as only warning shots were fired.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had earlier said it received a report of an exchange of small-arms fire after a vessel was approached and hailed by a white skiff with five people on board.In an update, it said it had been made aware that only…

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has seen early results under Operation BROADSTAFF, intercepting two foreign fishing vessels in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait over the weekend before illegal fishing activity could occur.Launched last week, Operation BROADSTAFF is designed to deter, detect and disrupt illegal foreign fishing in Australian waters.On 14 and 15 February 2026, during intelligence led patrols, ABF officers from Maritime Border Command (MBC), working with partner agencies…

President Donald Trump denounced a clean energy agreement between the United Kingdom and California Governor Gavin Newsom hours after it was signed on Monday, Politico reported.In an interview with the outlet, Trump said it was "inappropriate" for Britain to be dealing with the Democratic governor. Trump, a Republican, also branded Newsom "a loser," saying "his state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster.”Newsom is an outspoken Trump critic and has publicly…

India has seized three U.S.-sanctioned tanker ships linked to Iran this month and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Monday.India aims to prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the source added.The seizures and heightened surveillance follow an improvement in U.S.-India relations. Washington earlier this month announced it will cut import tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50%…

The Trump administration is promoting artificial intelligence exports and maritime surveillance technology at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in southern China this week, as Washington seeks to counter Beijing’s technological and maritime influence.Casey Mace, the U.S. senior official to APEC, said the Trump administration had launched a $20 million fund to support adoption of American AI technologies by partner economies in the region, part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S.

The U.S. Department of Defense conducted a maritime interdiction and boarding of the vessel Veronica III, which tried to defy President Donald Trump’s quarantine, the department said on Sunday."Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the Veronica III without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility," it said in a post on X."We tracked it from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, closed the distance, and shut it down," it added.(Reuters - Reporting by Preetika Parashuraman in Bengaluru; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Russia's Black Sea port of Taman, which handles oil products, grain, coal and commodities, has been damaged by a Ukrainian drone attack, the governor of Russia's Krasnodar region said on Sunday.Two people were injured as an oil storage tank, warehouse and terminals took damage in Volna village, the site of Taman port, Veniamin Kondratyev said in a post on Telegram.Kondratyev said that more than 100 people were working to put out several fires at the port.Separate strikes on the resort city of Sochi and the village of Yurovka…