Government & Military News

A Chinese supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi crude sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after being stranded in the Gulf for more than two months due to the U.S.-Iran war, LSEG and Kpler ship-tracking data showed.The VLCC Yuan Hua Hu is now anchored off the Gulf of Oman, near where the U.S. Navy has set up a blockade on Iranian vessels, LSEG data showed.The crossing comes as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet over the next two days…

South Korea is reviewing a phased contribution to efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said on Wednesday, signaling support steps short of military participation, Yonhap News Agency reported.Ahn told a press conference with South Korean media correspondents in Washington that he had conveyed Seoul’s position at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday."We said at about this level that, fundamentally…

Senior U.S. and Chinese officials agree that no country can be allowed to exact shipping tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department told Reuters on Tuesday, in a sign that the two countries are trying to find common ground on efforts to pressure Iran to give up control of the vital waterway.The statement by the State Department comes ahead of a high-stakes summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week, where Iran's chokehold on the strait will be on the agenda.Iran's near-complete closure of the vital trade artery ‌since the joint Israeli-U.S.

Nigeria and Morocco expect to sign an intergovernmental agreement in the fourth quarter of 2026 to advance a major Atlantic coast gas pipeline project, Nigeria's foreign ministry said.The planned agreement, to be signed by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Morocco's King Mohammed VI, follows preliminary technical studies on the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline.The development was discussed during a telephone call last Friday between Nigeria's Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and her Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, the ministry said in a

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Monday urged President Donald Trump to hold fast to trade remedies proposed by his administration to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding and not offer concessions when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.Democratic Senators Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Mark Kelly of Arizona, as well as Republicans Tim Scott of South Carolina and Todd Young of Indiana, told Trump in a letter sent on Monday that China's decades-long effort to "decimate American shipbuilding" demanded the use of U.S.

As the national public policy organization that advocates for a modern, reliable, efficient inland waterways and ports system, Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) continually seeks ways to improve the delivery of inland waterways navigation projects managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And while more than $6 billion has been delivered over the past decade for construction and major rehabilitation for the inland waterways, with WCI securing $2.5 billion above the budget requests and $3 billion in supplemental funding since 2016, project delivery remains bottlenecked, delayed, and inefficient.

Sam Houston State University (SHSU), the Institute for Homeland Security (IHS), and the Organizing Committee of the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026 (MRS2026) announced that U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Retired) T.J. White, Chief of Texas Cyber Command, will deliver a keynote address at this year’s event. MRS2026 will be held at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, U.S.A. (greater Houston-Galveston area).Click here to register for MRS2026Chief White…

The Iran war is starting to shape China's imports of major commodities, with April data showing a sharp decline in crude oil but rising trade in metals.The headline-grabbing number from the figures released last week by customs was the slide in arrivals of crude oil, with the world's biggest importer taking in 9.37 million barrels per day (bpd), the lowest in almost four years.April's imports were down 20% from the same month in 2025 as seaborne imports from the Middle East declined sharply amid the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S.

The U.S. government on Monday announced sanctions against three people and nine companies, including four based in Hong Kong and four in the United Arab Emirates, for aiding Iran's shipment of oil to China. The ninth company is based in Oman.The U.S. Treasury move follows sanctions announced on Friday on individuals and companies aiding Iranian purchases of weapons and components used to make drones and ballistic missiles.It comes days before U.S. President Donald Trump's planned meeting with Xi Jinping…

Britain said on Saturday it was deploying its warship HMS Dragon to the Middle East in preparation for a potential multinational effort to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.HMS Dragon, an air defence destroyer, was sent to the Eastern Mediterranean in March, shortly after the start of the Iran war, to help defend Cyprus.Its relocation to the Middle East follows a move by France to deploy its carrier strike group to the southern Red Sea, as the two…

Two more tankers laden with crude exited the Strait of Hormuz last week with trackers switched off to avoid Iranian attacks, Kpler shipping data showed, underscoring a rising trend to sustain Middle East oil exports.The very large crude carrier (VLCC) Basrah Energy loaded 2 million barrels of Upper Zakum crude from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co's (ADNOC's) Zirku terminal on May 1 and exited the Strait of Hormuz on May 6, the data showed on Monday.The Panama-flagged vessel offloaded its cargo at the Fujairah Oil Tanker Terminals on May 8…

This week, U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) was recognized by the International Propeller Club and received the Frank Courtenay “Salute to Congress” Award for championing legislation to support the American maritime industry. The Salute to Congress Award recognizes members of the U.S. Congress for their leadership and support of the American maritime industry.“I am honored to receive this recognition from the International Propeller Club, an organization that understands the importance of investing in our maritime industry,” said Rep. Carbajal.

A new quantum clock technology developed in Australia has now been deployed in space.Developed by QuantX Labs, TEMPO delivers up to 10 times the performance of current GNSS-based timing systems. In space, that translates to more resilient communications, more accurate navigation and harder-to-disrupt synchronization between satellites and ground systems – capabilities that matter when GPS is jammed, spoofed or unavailable.The development comes as the Australian Government released the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program last month…

The U.S. military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday, targeting sites it said were responsible for attacking U.S. forces in what it called unprovoked hostilities by Tehran.Earlier, Iran's top joint military command said the U.S. had violated a ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship entering the Strait of Hormuz, and by striking civilian areas."U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S.

German defence group Rheinmetall has entered the race to buy shipyard German Naval Yards Kiel with a non-binding bid, a move that would deepen its push into naval defence and pits it against rival warship maker Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).Rheinmetall disclosed the bid as it released its first‑quarter results on Thursday but said it would not provide information regarding its size.CEO Armin Papperger said Rheinmetall has already begun the due diligence process and expects results in the next few weeks, at which point it would be able to submit a binding offer.TKMS, which had submitted a

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Thursday that Iran appears to have cut back oil production by 400,000 barrels per day and is likely to reduce it more as its storage units fill."It looks like they've likely already cut back their production, maybe by 400,000 barrels a day. They'll likely continue to ramp down their production as their storage fills and their inability to export oil," Wright said in an interview with Fox News.A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports has shrunk Tehran's oil exports…

Spanish police have seized 30 tons of cocaine from a ship off the Canary Islands and detained its 23-member crew without bail in Europe's largest-ever bust of the drug, the High Court said on Thursday, more than doubling Spain's previous record.The Comoro Island-flagged Arconian was intercepted by the Guardia Civil police force on May 1, with a cargo the court valued at more than 812 million euros ($956 million).The seizure dwarfs the 25 tons recovered by German police at the port of Hamburg in June 2024…

The Philippine Coast Guard has accused China of conducting illegal marine scientific research near the oil and gas-rich Reed bank within Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, according to a statement on Thursday."We will continue to challenge any illegal activities that undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights," PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said.PCG aircraft spotted Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 33 near Iroquois Reef during a maritime patrol on May 6.The PCG said the Chinese vessel was seen deploying a service boat toward the reef, confirming the o

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) has demonstrated autonomous docking, charging and redeployment capabilities for its WAM-V autonomous surface vehicle as part of efforts to support longer-duration offshore operations.The company said the system enables the maritime drone to approach a dock, secure itself, recharge and return to operation without human intervention.OPT is preparing the technology for integration with its PowerBuoy platform to create offshore charging points capable…

South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Canadian marine bearing manufacturer Thordon Bearings have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore cooperation on Canada’s submarine procurement program and other naval projects.The agreement focuses on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Program, one of the largest conventional submarine procurement programs currently planned, under which Hanwha Ocean has been selected as one of two qualified suppliers by the Canadian government.Hanwha Ocean…

South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Canadian marine bearing manufacturer Thordon Bearings have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore cooperation on Canada’s submarine procurement program and other naval projects.The agreement focuses on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Program, one of the largest conventional submarine procurement programs currently planned, under which Hanwha Ocean has been selected as one of two qualified suppliers by the Canadian government.Hanwha Ocean said the partnership would examine opportunities for cooperation on submarine subsystems and lifecycle support capabilities in Canada if it secures the program award.Thordon Bearings…

U.S. forces operating in the Gulf of Oman enforced blockade measures by disabling an Iranian-flagged unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port at 9 a.m. ET, May 6.U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces observed M/T Hasna as it transited international waters enroute to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman. American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the Iranian-flagged vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade.After Hasna’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, U.S.

Cuba's top officials blasted a growing litany of U.S. statements and threats of military action against the Caribbean island, calling them dangerous and an international crime alongside an ongoing U.S. oil blockade that has vastly restricted fuel shipments amid a devastating energy crisis.Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez characterized the U.S. as "hinting at a military action" to "liberate" Cuba, saying it was hypocritical and cynical in a post on social media late on Tuesday, in which he cited decades of U.S.

The Coast Guard is standing up the Special Missions Command to oversee its deployable specialized forces. The command will enhance the operational effectiveness of the Coast Guard in responding to a wide range of national emergencies and events as the demand for deployable specialized forces capabilities increase. The Coast Guard selected the existing Coast Guard C5I Service Center facility in Kearneysville, West Virginia, as the future site of the Coast Guard’s Special Missions Command (SMC).

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would briefly pause an operation to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran."We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom ... will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump wrote on social media.There was no immediate reaction from Tehran, where it was very early on Wednesday morning.Only hours earlier, U.S.

The United States is set to remove sanctions against Eritrea, according to an internal U.S. government document seen by Reuters, a decision analysts linked to the African state's strategic location on the Red Sea shipping route.The U.S. move is aimed at improving ties with Eritrea, which has a long Red Sea coastline opposite Saudi Arabia, while also sending a message to neighbouring Ethiopia not to go to war with its longtime Horn of Africa foe, analysts said.The war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz…

The United Arab Emirates said it was under attack from Iranian missiles and drones on Tuesday, even as Washington said a shaky ceasefire was intact despite an exchange of fire the previous day as U.S. forces attempted to force open the Strait of Hormuz.The U.S. military said it had destroyed six Iranian small boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones, after President Donald Trump sent the navy to escort stranded tankers through the strait in a campaign he called "Project Freedom".U.S.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has launched a new module on its Regulatory Request System (RRS) that will allow users to self-verify that a pre-construction notification is not required for a proposed activity covered under a nationwide permit.Certain activities are authorized by nationwide permits if the project proponent’s proposed activities comply with all the terms and conditions of those nationwide permits and the activity can commence without notification to USACE district offices.

The U.S. military said on Monday it destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted Iranian cruise missiles and drones as Tehran sought to thwart a new U.S. naval effort to open shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.U.S. President Donald Trump launched the operation, called Project Freedom, on Monday as he sought to wrest control of the critical waterway from Iran, which effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Israel started the conflict on February 28.U.S.

The U.S. military said two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers had entered the Gulf to break an Iranian blockade and that two U.S. merchant ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran said it had prevented a U.S. warship entering the Gulf.U.S. Central Command said its forces were supporting President Donald Trump's "Project Freedom", which aims to "guide out" commercial ships stranded in the Gulf by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and were enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports.The intervention appeared to raise the risk of a direct confrontation between the U.S.

President Donald Trump's administration has brought U.S.

Ukraine launched a wave of drone attacks on targets across Russia on Sunday, hitting the Baltic Sea port of Primorsk and setting it on fire, and striking a number of vessels, as it steps up attacks on energy infrastructure and other targets.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the strikes had caused significant damage to the oil terminal port. They also hit an oil tanker, a small Russian Karakurt-class missile ship and a patrol boat in the Baltic Sea, he said on Telegram."Each such result further limits Russia’s war potential…

The Marine Environment Protection Committee of the IMO concluded its 84th session with a commitment to rebuild consensus on global shipping emissions.Nearly 100 delegations took the floor this week to voice their views on the adoption of “mid-term measures” to address GHG emissions from ships - known as the IMO Net-Zero Framework - with multiple proposals tabled on how to take forward negotiations.The Committee agreed to establish an intersessional Working Group to resolve various concerns and drive broader convergence on a global measure ahead of MEPC 85 in six months.

The IMO has formally adopted the world’s largest emission control area (ECA) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean, establishing stricter emissions limits for ships operating in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.The new ECA is expected to be fully implemented in September 2028 and covers the exclusive economic zones of France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands—a region home to more than 190 million people. It will also link existing ECAs in the Baltic…

The Swedish Coast Guard said on Sunday it had seized a tanker in the Baltic Sea believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, the latest in a string of similar actions carried out in recent months by the country's authorities.The Swedish Coast Guard said in a statement that it and police had boarded the Syrian-flagged Jin Hui in Swedish territorial waters south of Trelleborg and begun a preliminary investigation into a lack of seaworthiness."The coast guard suspects that the ship is sailing under a false flag…

An Israeli court has extended by two days the detention of two activists arrested aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece, their lawyer said on Sunday.Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were detained by Israeli authorities late on Wednesday and brought to Israel, while more than 100 other pro-Palestinian activists aboard the boats were taken to the Greek island of Crete.A court spokesperson…

Three people have died and one case of hantavirus has been confirmed among passengers on a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization said on Sunday.Six individuals were affected in the incident, of whom three have died and one is in intensive care in South Africa, it said in a post on X.The WHO did not name the vessel or its operator, although a source familiar with the situation said it was the MV Hondius, travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde."WHO…

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States would begin an effort to free up ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning.Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site, gave few details about the operation, including whether the U.S. Navy would be involved. He described the effort as a "humanitarian gesture" meant only to aid neutral countries that were not involved in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran."For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States…

Any shipper paying tolls to Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organizations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, is at risk of punitive sanctions, the U.S. Treasury warned on Friday.The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime routes, with about 20% of the world’s seaborne crude oil and liquefied ⁠natural gas flows passing through it.Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels passing through the Strait…

“Never before have we witnessed such comprehensive alignment between Republicans and Democrats, industry, and organized labor for rebuilding our great nation’s maritime industry.”Arizona Senator and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy alum Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08) published an op-ed in Fox News highlighting the momentum to rebuild the U.S. declining maritime industry, which poses a serious threat to U.S. national security and the economy. With bipartisan support in Congress and overwhelming backing from maritime leaders…

Momentum around critical minerals in Washington is no longer hypothetical. Policymakers are now focused on practical steps to expand domestic access to the raw materials that underpin national security, advanced manufacturing, and modern energy systems. Ocean minerals are front and center of this conversation and the offshore industry is prepared to play a central role. Congressional attention is growing fast.A House Natural Resources Subcommittee hearing recently examined regulatory barriers to deep-sea mining and how to position American companies to lead…

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said his country maintains a positive relationship with China despite being caught up in a dispute between the Asian superpower and the U.S., and defended Panama's takeover of port contracts held by Hong Kong's CK Hutchison.He spoke at a regular press conference after receiving what he called a "high-level" message from China's government acknowledging that a dispute over the port contracts will be heard by international arbitration courts, and did not constitute an issue between the Panamanian and Chinese governments.The message…

As America’s European allies digest the diplomatic fallout of their spat with the Trump administration over their inaction on Iran, the U.S. Army in Europe has kept pushing forward with its training programme for the year in several nervous nations on NATO’s eastern flank.The next phase of activity, known by the U.S. military as Exercise Sword 26, sees more than 15,000 NATO personnel – more than a third of them American – engage in activities ranging from cyber drills to armoured…

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed into law legislation funding Department of Homeland Security agencies including the Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration, ending a partial shutdown that has gripped DHS operations for nearly 11 weeks.The logjam was broken when the Republican-controlled House of Representatives unanimously passed a Senate-approved bill that conservatives had refused to consider over the past month.The House signed off on the legislation as officials warned that current funding was about to run dry…

A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports has shrunk Tehran's oil exports, stranding a growing stockpile of crude on tankers as Iranian storage sites run out of space, shipping data showed and analysts said.With some vessels switching off tracking systems and U.S. forces turning back Iranian tankers, how much crude Iran is delivering to customers, particularly main customer China, is impossible to measure.Just a handful of carriers carrying Iranian crude have left the Gulf of Oman between April 13-25, oil analytics firm Vortexa said.

Pakistan's Navy will be getting a fleet of advanced Chinese submarines, a statement from the military and a government official said on Thursday, a move to strengthen Islamabad's maritime security as part of a growing defence cooperation with Beijing.The subs are in addition to Chinese-made J10-C fighter jets, which were war-tested for the first time during last year's Pakistan-India conflict.Pakistan and China are longtime allies and their defence cooperation has been enhanced since the conflict erupted.Islamabad says the Chinese-made planes were part of its air assault that downed India's Fr

The wreckage of the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa has been located and confirmed by the British technical-diving team Gasperados. The site lies approximately 50 miles off Newquay, Cornwall, United Kingdom, at a depth exceeding 300 feet deep in the Atlantic Ocean.Tampa was lost in 1918 during World War I after being torpedoed by a German submarine in the Bristol Channel. The vessel sank in less than three minutes, resulting in the death of all 131 people aboard—111 Coast Guardsmen, four U.S. Navy personnel, and 16 British Navy personnel and civilians.

The European Commission has successfully closed the first round of activities of the Hydrogen Mechanism operated under the EU Energy and Raw Materials Platform. Market participants currently developing hydrogen projects (on both supply and demand side) responded with high engagement, showing great appetite for this new initiative and the development of the hydrogen market.During this first round, the Hydrogen Mechanism gave future producers of hydrogen a transparent and easy way to test demand for their specific projects and find potential offtakers…

The Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing crew members of the cargo vessel Mariana at 10:35 p.m. Tuesday. Missing are five crew members of the cargo vessel Mariana, which reportedly experienced a disabled engine approximately 140 miles northwest of Saipan on April 15.The six crew members aboard the Mariana at the time of the incident were Frederick L. Nosek Jr., Landon Delos Reyes, Jose L. Ramirez, Mohammed A. Rahaman, Chet R. Brochon, and Vincent B. Agulto. U.S. Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron divers have recovered one deceased individual from the overturned vessel.

Russia has added four LNG carriers to its fleet, LSEG ship-tracking data and the Russian ship register showed on Wednesday, which could help the country to increase its market share ahead of an EU ban on Russian gas imports.The European Union in January gave its final approval to a ban on Russian gas imports by late 2027.The bloc has also imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its war on Ukraine. The sanctions have limited Russia's access to the vessels it needs to gain a…

Donald Trump discussed how to mitigate the impact of a possible months-long U.S. blockade of Iran's ports with U.S. oil companies, a White House official said on Wednesday, as the U.S. president urged Tehran to 'get smart soon' and sign a deal.The talks with oil executives on Tuesday followed days of deadlock in efforts to resolve the conflict, which has led the U.S. to try to squeeze Iran's oil exports with a naval blockade to try to force it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.Trump…

A long-running dispute over container detention charges between Evergreen and a U.S. trucking company has been resolved, with a federal appeals court siding squarely with the regulator and reinforcing limits on when carriers can impose such fees.In a decision issued April 28, 2026, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied a petition by Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Corp. and upheld a ruling by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) that certain detention charges were unreasonable.The case stems from a 2020 shipment handled for Yamaha Motor Co.…

"The Iran war and the resulting disruptions to ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz have increased uncertainty for both the global economy and the dry bulk market. Around 4% of dry bulk cargoes and tonne mile demand typically sail through the strait and at present, and around 210 ships, equivalent to roughly 1% of the dry bulk fleet, are currently trapped in the Persian Gulf,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Given the high uncertainty over when transits may resume, we present two forecast scenarios.

A Ukrainian drone attack caused a major fire at a Russian oil refinery in the city of Tuapse on Tuesday, officials said, in what President Vladimir Putin described as evidence of increased Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets.It was the third attack on the Black Sea port in less than two weeks.Ukraine's military confirmed it had carried out the strike, the latest in a series designed to disrupt Russia's oil industry and slash revenue that helps Moscow fund the war in Ukraine.Putin…

A joint letter organized by the American Biofuels Maritime Initiative (ABMI) has been sent to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of this week's negotiations at the IMO MEPC 84 meeting in London. The effort is aimed at ensuring that global maritime decarbonization also translates into durable new demand for American biofuels and additional income streams for U.S. farmers and rural communities.In the ABMI letter, leading biofuel and agricultural stakeholders urge the Trump administration to champion a global maritime fuels framework that is technology‑neutral…

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Laura DiBella joined the U.S. delegation to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) this week for the 84th session of the Maritime Environmental Protection Committee in London. As part of the delegation, Chairman DiBella is reinforcing the U.S.’s opposition to the IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF). The NZF is, plainly, an unnecessary tax on U.S. shippers and vessels operating in international waters. The NZF would cost the maritime industry billions of dollars annually. As the largest consumer of imported goods, these costs will be directly passed onto U.S. consumers.The FMC is invested in the protection of U.S.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez opened the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84), urging Member States to find convergence and make meaningful progress on the IMO Net-Zero Framework to cut global shipping emissions and set an example of effective multilateralism.His opening remarks:"Good morning, distinguished delegates, welcome to the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee.Situation in the Strait of Hormuz“Before turning to the work of this session…

An LNG tanker managed by UAE's ADNOC has crossed the Strait of Hormuz and appears to be near India, ship-tracking data showed on Monday.If confirmed, this will be the first loaded LNG tanker to cross the strait since the Iran war started on February 28. Adnoc did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.The 136,357-cubic-meter tanker, which is managed by Adnoc Logistics & Services and was last seen in the Gulf on March 30, has shown up off the west coast of India…

President Donald Trump granted a 90-day extension to a shipping waiver that makes it easier to move oil, fuel and fertilizer around the United States, the White House said on Friday, the latest effort to curb rising energy costs linked to the war with Iran.The move reflects a broader push by the White House to dampen politically sensitive fuel price spikes ahead of November’s midterm elections, where affordability is expected to be a defining issue for voters. Recent polling shows…

President Donald Trump's administration said on Monday that it had reached a deal to end two more U.S. offshore wind leases in exchange for $885 million in pledged investments in domestic fossil fuels.The projects, one in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific, are managed by Ocean Winds, a joint venture between France's ENGIE and Portugal's EDP Renewables.The announcement comes a month after French energy giant TotalEnergies reached a similar agreement with the Interior Department to redirect $1 billion from offshore wind leases to U.S. oil and gas production.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called on all member states to support efforts to address the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where around 20,000 seafarers remain trapped and unable to leave.In an informal briefing to member states and industry representatives, Dominguez confirmed that several vessels had been seized and detained in the region over the past few days. He urged maximum caution, considering potential mines present throughout the Strait and threat of further attacks on ships. “My call is to release the seafarers because they are not at fault,” he said.

U.S. Central Command said it intercepted a merchant vessel trying to get through the blockade of Iran on Saturday.The ship, identified as the Sevan, was part of a 19-vessel "shadow fleet" transporting Iranian oil and gas products to foreign markets, the U.S. military said.Central Command said it was intercepted in the Arabian Sea by a U.S. Navy helicopter from the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney and was "currently complying with U.S. military direction to turn back to Iran under escort."The “shadow fleet” vessels have been sanctioned by the U.S.

The shipping industry is getting ahead of discussions at MEPC 84 next week by reaffirming their commitment to the IMO.BIMCO, CLIA, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERFERRY, INTERTANKO and WSC, representing the global commercial shipping fleet, issued a statement saying they remain committed to pursuing the ambition established within the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, having invested and committed billions of dollars to trial and implement the use of alternative…

The White House is expected to extend the Jones Act waiver for up to 90 days as early as Friday to help blunt fuel price pressures tied to the Iran conflict, according to two sources familiar with the decision.The move would temporarily ease requirements that goods transported between U.S. ports be carried on American-built and American-crewed vessels, allowing foreign-flagged ships to move fuel and other key commodities more freely as the administration seeks to contain energy…

Navy Secretary John Phelan has been fired, a U.S. official and a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, in another wartime shakeup at the Pentagon coming just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted the Army's top general.The Pentagon announced his departure in a brief statement, saying he was leaving the administration "effective immediately." But it did not provide a reason or say whether it was his decision to go.His firing was first reported by Reuters.The sources…

The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday.Washington has imposed a blockade on Iran's trade by sea while Iran has fired on ships to prevent them sailing through the Strait of Hormuz waterway at the entrance to the Middle East Gulf. Nearly two months after the U.S. and Israel began their war on Iran…

Italy’s Fincantieri will lead the upgrade of the PPA-class multipurpose combat ships to a full combat system configuration under a new contract.The agreement, signed with the European defense procurement agency OCCAR, covers the integration of advanced capabilities into vessels currently in service and under construction.Fincantieri is part of a temporary consortium with Leonardo, with its share of the contract valued at about $73 million (€62 million).The work includes upgrading vessels from ‘Light’ and ‘Light Plus’ configurations to a ‘Full Combat System’ configuration…

Iran said it had captured two container ships seeking to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after firing on them and another vessel, in its first seizures since its war with the United States and Israel began in February.Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the seizures and added its Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy had warned that any disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a "red line."The seizure of one of the ships, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca…

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump's administration from enforcing a series of permitting policies that wind and solar energy industry groups say have stymied the development of new energy generation projects.Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston issued a preliminary injunction sought by nine advocacy groups and industry trade associations that argued the administration had imposed unlawful roadblocks that have halted the development of wind and solar energy projects nationwide.The judge said the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in showing the U.S.

Saildrone has announced its newest platform, Spectre. At 52 meters (170 feet) long, weighing 250 tonnes, and capable of up to 30 knots, Spectre is a high-endurance USV designed to deliver multi-mission effects above and below the surface. Spectre’s design is engineered from the keel up for long-range, quiet, persistent operations.Spectre is Saildrone’s largest, fastest, and most capable platform to date.The US Navy is facing unprecedented challenges in maintaining maritime superiority across numerous regional hotspots simultaneously, says the company.

The Australian government and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have concluded a contract for the construction of three upgraded Mogami-class frigates for Australia's General Purpose Frigate (GPF) program.In August 2025, the Australian government selected MHI's upgraded Mogami-class frigate (4,800 ton type) as the preferred platform to proceed to the next stage in the selection process for the country's GPF program.Construction will begin at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in cooperation with the Australian government…

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to search for a missing cargo vessel that experienced engine failure on Wednesday near Saipan in the Western Pacific, part of the Mariana archipelago. The overturned vessel was sighted by the airplane crew about 34 nautical miles northeast of Pagan, approximately 100 nautical miles northeast of the last known position of the cargo vessel Mariana.U.S. Coast Guard aircrews, a U.S. Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon crew, and a Japan Coast Guard aircrew are slated to fly in support of continued search efforts. The crew of U.S.

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Greece next week to renew a security pact between the two countries against the backdrop of the war in Iran, a Greek government official said on Sunday.France and Greece, long-standing NATO allies, signed a security and defense agreement in 2021, which required them to come to each other's aid if attacked and included the purchase of three French-made frigates and around 24 Dassault-made Rafale fighter jets by Athens.Macron's visit to Greece on April 24-25 will renew the agreement for a further five years, with an automatic renewal thereafter, th

TUI Cruises said on Sunday that its Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz.In a statement posted on its website, the company said it had obtained approvals from relevant authorities, under careful consideration of the security situation.It said the ships would now proceed swiftly to the Mediterranean Sea.The cruise operator said that all passengers had previously been brought home and both ships were operating with reduced crews.

Concerns grew on Monday that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran might not hold after the U.S. said it had seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to run its blockade and Iran vowed to retaliate.Efforts to build a more lasting peace in the region likewise appeared to be on shaky ground, as Iran said it would not participate in a second round of negotiations that the U.S. had hoped to kick off before the ceasefire expires on Tuesday.The U.S. has maintained a blockade of Iranian ports…

The Nord Stream gas pipelines were attacked in 2022 as a direct result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, insurers told a London court on Thursday as they seek to avoid paying out nearly 580 million euros ($684 million) over blasts that hit the pipelines.Nord Stream is suing Lloyd's and Arch Insurance over explosions in September 2022 that ruptured pipelines carrying Russian gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany.The explosions – for which no state has taken responsibility - largely severed Russian gas supplies to Europe…

The U.S. Coast Guard announced that the first two Arctic Security Cutters will be homeported in the State of Alaska. Anticipating delivery of the first Arctic Security Cutters by the end of 2028, the Coast Guard has begun planning to ensure necessary infrastructure and support are in place to receive two icebreakers. Ensuring these vessels are supported by trained and ready crews, and ready homeport facilities including housing, will be essential to delivering full, enduring operational…

Four States deposited their instruments of ratification of the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 2010 (2010 HNS Convention), bringing the treaty’s entry into force a step closer. The 2010 HNS Convention aims to ensure adequate, prompt, and effective compensation for those affected by incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances (HNS) carried on seagoing ships. This…

Iran could consider allowing ships to sail freely through the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz without risk of attack as part of proposals it has offered in negotiations with the United States, providing a deal is clinched to prevent renewed conflict, a source briefed by Tehran said.The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has resulted in the largest-ever disruption of global oil and gas supplies due to Iran's interruption of traffic through the strait, which handles about 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flows.Hundreds of tankers ‌and other ships and 20…