The Jones Act Waiver of 2026: Implications for American Shipping, Energy, and National Security
On March 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security took the extraordinary step of issuing a sweeping waiver of the Jones Act at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense. The waiver, one of the broadest in the history of the nation’s cabotage laws, opened U.S. domestic waterways to foreign-flagged and foreign-built vessels carrying hundreds of energy and agricultural commodity types. To understand why this matters and why it remains deeply controversial…
Petrobras Orders Four New Tankers in $427M Fleet Renewal Push
Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petrobras has signed a $427 million contract through its logistics subsidiary Petrobras Transporte (Transpetro) with the Rio Grande Shipyard for the construction of four medium range tankers as part of a broader program to renew and expand its shipping fleet.The four MR1-class vessels, each with a deadweight tonnage of 40,000 tonnes, will be used to transport crude oil and petroleum products along Brazil's coast…
US Supplies Autonomous Drones to Boost Philippine Maritime Surveillance
The United States has transferred four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSVs) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to strengthen the country's maritime domain awareness and its ability to monitor and respond to maritime challenges.The delivery, valued at approximately $13 million, was completed on June 22 during a turnover ceremony at the Philippine Navy's Naval Operating Base Subic, attended by U.S.
Oil Falls as Signs of Hormuz Recovery Weigh on Market
Oil prices fell more than 1% on Tuesday, extending losses from the previous session, on signs of some progress in restoring crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Iran peace talks.Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell $1.09, or 1.4%, to $76.81 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 declined to $72.99 a barrel, down 87 cents, or 1.2%, as of 0607 GMT.Prices fell more than 3% on Monday after the United States granted Iran a 60-day sanctions waiver following initial peace talks…
188 Merchant Marine, Military Officers Graduate from USMMA
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) graduated 188 new merchant marine and military officers during its 90th commencement ceremony.U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, whose department oversees the Academy, one of the Nation’s five service academies, introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll.Driscoll delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2026 before an audience of more than 3…
Autonomous Vehicles Solve (and Create) Problems for Ports
Autonomous vehicles are increasingly sophisticated defensive tools for ports wanting to protect against maritime threats - including attacks from other autonomous vehicles.In December 15 last year, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that its underwater drone had struck a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk. The incident highlighted just how sophisticated potential threats have become. Harbor cameras were likely hacked…
Congressman Suozzi Delivers Keynote at Webb Graduation
Webb Institute celebrated the Commencement of its newest class of naval architects and marine engineers, sending another group of exceptional graduates into the maritime and defense industries that depend on them. U.S. Representative Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) delivered the keynote address on the terrace behind Stevenson Taylor Hall and received an Honorary Doctorate from the college.Born and raised in Glen Cove, Rep. Suozzi has deep roots in the community Webb has called home for decades.
American Cruise Lines Christens 2nd Vessel Launched This Year
American Cruise Lines christened American Maverick in Newport, Rhode Island last week during the ship’s inaugural 9-Day New England Islands cruise, sailing roundtrip from Providence, Rhode Island. The celebration took place on board with guests, crew, community partners, and many employees from the Line’s headquarters in Connecticut. American Maverick is the newest small cruise ship in the country…
International Chamber of Shipping Appoints John Denholm as Chairman of the Board
The Board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has unanimously elected John Denholm CBE as Chairman of the Board.The decision was made by the ICS Board of Directors at the organization's Annual General Meeting, held at Palazzo Valentini in Rome, Italy.John Denholm succeeds Emanuele Grimaldi, President and Managing Director of Grimaldi Euromed SpA, who has served as Chairman since June 2022.A qualified chartered accountant, John Denholm joined the family-owned shipping business J. & J.
Oil Prices Fall 4% as US-Iran Talks Ease Supply Risks
Oil prices fell 4% on Monday after U.S. Vice President JD Vance said progress has been made in talks with Iran and that the Strait of Hormuz was open, easing supply concerns.Brent crude was down $3.18 or 3.95%, at $77.39 a barrel by 11:44 a.m. ET (1544 GMT) Prices had climbed to $82.30 at the start of trading because of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to restart the war on Iran, as well as an announcement from Tehran that it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz.U.S.
Saudi Arabia Crude Oil Exports Hit Lowest on Record in April
Crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia fell for a second straight month in April to a record low, according to Joint Organizations Data Initiative (JODI) data released on Monday, as the Iran war disrupted shipments from the Gulf region.Exports fell to about 3.990 million barrels per day in April from 4.974 million bpd in March. The JODI data for Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports and output extends back to 2002…
Tampnet Gets Connectivity Contracts for Two US Gulf Deepwater Projects
Tampnet, the world’s largest offshore high-speed, high-capacity communications provider, has been selected by an international energy major to deliver advanced connectivity solutions to two development projects in the US Gulf.The projects in Keathley Canyon in the Gulf of America have leveraged Tampnet's digital and engineering concept for high-capacity offshore connectivity which is set to enable…
DNV Publishes Recommended Practice for Onboard Carbon Capture, Storage
DNV has published a recommended practice (RP) providing a standardized framework for measuring and verifying the performance of onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) systems on ships, setting the stage for further developing onboard captured carbon solutions and technologies. With around 90% of the operational fleet still dependent on fossil fuels, onboard carbon capture is emerging as a viable…
Don Davis Appointed as New Managing Director at OCIMF
OCIMF announced the appointment of Don Davis as its new Managing Director. Don joins the organisation at a pivotal moment, as OCIMF enters a new phase following the recent evolution of its mission and brand to support maritime safety across the wider energy sector.Don will join OCIMF on secondment from Chevron and assume the role on July 1, 2026. He succeeds Karen Davis, who will remain with the organization…
Misaligned Charter Terms Amounts to $110,000 Shipbroker Settlement
A mismatch in contract terms has led to a $110,000 settlement against a shipbroker, highlighting the risks brokers face when fixtures are not clearly aligned on a back-to-back basis when fixing charter parties.According to International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC), a shipbroker was instructed by their principal to source a ship under a Contract of Affreightment (COA). Following a nomination by the trader…
Industry Leaders See Regulation as Main Barrier to Offshore Vessel Electrification
Vessel electrification is no longer a future concept for offshore wind and policy and regulatory alignment is now the main barrier to uptake, a cross-industry panel hosted by Bibby Marine told an audience during Global Offshore Wind on Wednesday.Speakers from RenewableUK, Corvus Energy, Stillstrom, Tidal Transit and Kongsberg Maritime said rapid progress in vessel and charging technology means electrified vessels now represent an increasingly credible commercial proposition.
Fortescue Charters Up to 12 Ammonia-Capable Bulkers from CMB.TECH
Australian mining company Fortescue has signed an agreement with Belgian shipping and cleantech group CMB.TECH to charter up to 12 ammonia-capable bulk carriers, stepping up efforts to decarbonize maritime transport and support the development of green ammonia as a marine fuel.Under the agreement, Fortescue will charter 12 Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels, each with a carrying capacity of 210,000 deadweight tonnes…
Qatari LNG Carriers Re-Enter Hormuz as Traffic Through Strait Slumps
Four liquefied natural gas tankers controlled by Qatar headed into the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, despite a fall in ship traffic after Iran announced that it had again closed the waterway over the weekend, shipping data showed.The tankers - Wadi Al Sail, Mekaines, Al Sadd and Mesaimeer - entered the strait via the Iranian route for the first time since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran started, shiptracking data from analytics firm Kpler showed.QatarEnergy…
ABS Fortifies Digital, Remote Support for Offshore Energy
The digitalization trend in offshore energy operations is hardly news, but the speed of technology evolution, driven by artificial intelligence with the companion threat of cyber breaches offers as many questions as answers, as many challenges as opportunities. To help put things in perspective Offshore Engineer TV interviewed Matt Tremblay, SVP, Global Offshore Markets, American Bureau of Shipping…
How JobMarineMan Is Building a Direct Crew Recruitment Ecosystem
Maritime recruitment has become more digital, but many platforms still replicate familiar agency workflows online. JobMarineMan.com, developed by ship and crew management company Marine MAN, is taking a different approach: a direct recruitment ecosystem built for shipowners and seafarers.The premise is straightforward but a departure from how the industry normally works. A shipowner gets a corporate presence on the platform with full account control…
