Government Update News

Venezuela's ruling-party controlled National Assembly unanimously approved a law on Tuesday that allows prison sentences of up to 20 years for anyone who promotes or finances what it describes as piracy or blockades.The law, which includes "other international crimes", comes after recent U.S. actions against Venezuelan oil shipments.The U.S. Coast Guard seized a sanctioned supertanker carrying Venezuelan crude earlier this month and attempted to intercept two other vessels linked to Venezuela over the weekend, U.S.

The Trump administration suspended leases on Monday for five large offshore wind projects that are under construction off the U.S. East Coast over what it called national security concerns, sending shares of offshore wind companies plunging.The suspension was the latest blow for offshore wind developers that have faced repeated disruptions to their multi-billion-dollar projects under U.S. President Donald Trump, who has said he finds wind turbines ugly, costly and inefficient. State officials, offshore wind companies, and industry trade groups slammed the move as unjustified.The U.S.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has contacted seven maritime shipping companies as part of an inquiry into cartel-linked fuel smuggling between the United States and Mexico, asking the firms to explain their vetting procedures for ensuring their tankers aren't used to transport illicit hydrocarbons, according to copies of the letters seen by Reuters.The letters from Wyden, who is the most senior Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, were dated Friday. They come as stolen crude and bootleg fuel have become the second-largest revenue source for Mexican cartels after drugs…

The International Flag-State Association (IFA), an association of the world’s three largest registries—Liberia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Panama—has been meeting since 2021. IFA is the first alliance of its kind and was designed to allow its members to have a platform to more formally engage with respect to global challenges, stakeholder insight, and the development and implementation of international instruments to enhance maritime safety, security…

Venezuela on Thursday authorized two very large crude carriers (VLCC) to set sail for China, according to two sources familiar with Venezuela's oil export operations, which would be only the second and third supertankers to depart the country since the U.S. seized a ship carrying Venezuelan oil last week.The U.S. has said it would not allow vessels under sanction to leave Venezuelan waters. The departing tankers, each carrying around 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan Merey heavy crude according to internal documents from state company PDVSA, are not on the U.S.

The Federal Maritime Commission acknowledges the service of the members of the National Shipper Advisory Committee (NSAC). Since October 2021, NSAC’s members have provided information and perspectives on conditions in the ocean freight delivery system. NSAC’s meetings and recommendations have assisted the Commission on a range of matters related to international ocean transportation.NSAC will continue to focus on providing information and industry perspectives to the Commission…

Britain imposed sanctions on Thursday on more Russian oil companies and Canadian-Pakistani billionaire Murtaza Lakhani as part of efforts to ramp up pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.The government targeted 24 individuals and entities, including what it described as Russia's largest remaining unsanctioned oil companies: Tatneft, Russneft, NNK-Oil and Rusneftegaz.The latest measures aim to make it harder for Russia to trade its oil globally. In October, Britain and the U.S.

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on 29 vessels and their management firms as Washington targeted Tehran's "shadow fleet", which it says exports Iranian petroleum and petroleum products.The targeted vessels and companies have transported hundreds of millions of dollars of the products through deceptive shipping practices, the U.S. Treasury said.The shadow fleet refers to ships that carry oil that is under sanctions. They are typically old, their ownership opaque…

Poland allocated 3.4 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in its first competitive offshore wind auction, the country's energy regulator URE said on Thursday, a boost for the renewable energy sector after setbacks in neighbouring markets.The auction was seen as a test of investor confidence in offshore wind, coming after U.S. President Donald Trump's opposition to renewables effectively froze the U.S. market and recent auctions in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands failed to draw bidders.Poland awarded 25-year contracts at a price range of 476.88 zlotys ($133.09) and 492.32 zlotys per megawatt hour…

Ukrainian drones hit a tanker in the southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, killing and injuring a number of people and sparking a fire, the city's mayor was quoted as saying early on Thursday."Emergency teams are extinguishing the fire on the tanker that was struck while docked in a drone attack," Russian news agencies quoted Skriabin as saying."A leak of oil products was avoided.

The Trump administration is reviewing whether to send the Interior Department's Biden-era approval of a Virginia offshore wind project back to the agency for reconsideration, according to a court document filed on Wednesday.The agency is conducting a review of offshore wind leases to comply with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's July order to end preferential treatment for wind and solar projects, it said in a filing in U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered on Tuesday a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, in Washington's latest move to increase pressure on Nicolas Maduro's government, targeting its main source of income.It is unclear how Trump will impose the move against the sanctioned vessels, and whether he will turn to the Coast Guard to interdict vessels like he did last week. The administration has moved thousands of troops and nearly a dozen warships - including an aircraft carrier - to the region."For the theft of our Assets…

US Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Mike Ezell (R-MS) chaired a hearing, entitled “Changes in Maritime Technology: Can the Coast Guard Keep Up?” on Tuesday.The maritime industry is undergoing a rapid period of transformation, including the adoption of autonomous technology and robotics that could transform the sector, as well as threats from drones and cyber-attacks that require increased vigilance.Ezell introduced the hearing saying: “Last February…

The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Arsenio Dominguez has issued a statement on the escalating situation in the Black Sea: “As the situation continues to escalate in the Black Sea, I call on all parties to refrain from targeting innocent seafarers, port workers and merchant ships. Shipping should not be used as collateral in geopolitical situations and there is an increased environmental risk developing. “I remain ready to support any negotiation efforts…

Venezuela's state-run company PDVSA is dealing with stuck oil cargoes, rising price discounts and demands from customers to change terms of spot contracts following the U.S. seizure of a ship carrying the OPEC country's crude, traders and sources said.As Washington's pressure on President Nicolas Maduro grows, the U.S. Coast Guard last week intercepted the vessel Skipper near Venezuela's coast, its first seizure of an oil tanker or cargo from the South American country. The U.S. also imposed sanctions against six ships and their linked companies.By the time the U.S.

Italy's government has asked parliament to approve a 2.4-billion-euro ($2.82 billion) investment over 15 years for the maintenance and modernisation of its frigate fleet, a parliamentary document seen by Reuters showed.The plan comes as Italy moves to gradually increase its defence spending to comply with higher NATO targets, after the alliance members agreed to a U.S. demand to boost their annual defence budgets to 5% of gross domestic product.The programme, to 2039, is aimed…

Ukraine said on Monday it hit and disabled a Russian missile-carrying submarine docked at a Black Sea naval base using underwater sea drones for the first time, but Moscow denied the strike caused any damage.The attack with Ukrainian-made "Sub Sea Baby" drones hit the submarine in the port of Novorossiysk where Russia has rebased many of its Black Sea naval vessels to put them out of reach of Ukrainian strikes, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said.Footage published by the…

The European Union adopted fresh sanctions against Russian oil interests on Monday, targeting traders Murtaza Lakhani and Etibar Eyyub for helping Moscow to circumvent Western sanctions on crude exports that help to fund Russia's war in Ukraine.The EU has imposed 19 packages of sanctions so far, but Moscow has managed to adapt to most measures and is still selling millions of barrels of oil to India and China, albeit at discounts to global prices. Much of this is transported using…

Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., a U.S.-based ocean exploration and marine resource development leader, received news that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM), a department of the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), has initiated the formal review process for its unsolicited request for a potential marine mineral lease sale in federal waters offshore Virginia.BOEM’s action highlights the increasing federal focus on responsibly assessing domestic offshore mineral resources.

The European Union has adopted fresh sanctions targeting companies and individuals accused of helping Moscow to circumvent Western sanctions on oil exports that help to fund Russia's war in Ukraine.The EU has imposed 19 packages of sanctions so far, but Moscow has managed to adapt to most measures and is still selling millions of barrels of oil to India and China, albeit at discounts to global prices. Much of this is transported using a so-called shadow fleet of vessels operating…

Severe weather has caused additional damage to the MSC Baltic III grounded in Cedar Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The hull suffered significant new damage, including increased plate buckling on both the starboard and port sides, and the stern is now noticeably lower in the water. Small salvage equipment onboard was also found damaged.Teams continue on-water and shoreline surveys in Cedar Cove and surrounding beaches as weather permits, reports the Canadian Coast Guard. Following the storm, there’s been an expected increase in oiled debris.

Thailand's military said it was considering blocking fuel exports to Cambodia, as fighting between the two countries spread to coastal areas of a disputed border region two days after U.S. President Donald Trump said the sides had agreed to a new ceasefire.The Southeast Asian neighbours have resorted to arms several times this year since a Cambodian soldier was killed in a May skirmish, reigniting a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border.Thai military commanders have been discussing blocking fuel exports to Cambodia…

Ukraine's navy accused Russia of deliberately attacking a civilian Turkish vessel carrying sunflower oil to Egypt with a drone on Saturday, a day after Moscow hit two Ukrainian ports.In a statement on Telegram, the navy said the vessel was called the Viva and had 11 Turkish citizens on board. It added that nobody was hurt and the vessel was continuing its journey to Egypt."The strike was carried out in the open sea in Ukraine's exclusive economic zone, outside the range of Ukrainian air defence systems…