Government & Military News

The warning came booming over the airwaves, in a voice unmistakably from the American south: "Warship! Get out of our waters!"Norwegian Lieutenant Thomas Johannsen and his sailors were preparing for a simulated boarding operation -- a core mission for their NATO maritime unit. But with so many other war games happening in the area, the crew was picking up unrelated chatter from a nearby vessel.Johannsen pivoted to a clear frequency before addressing the cargo ship in his sights.

The warning came booming over the airwaves, in a voice unmistakably from the American south: "Warship! Get out of our waters!"Norwegian Lieutenant Thomas Johannsen and his sailors were preparing for a simulated boarding operation -- a core mission for their NATO maritime unit. But with so many other war games happening in the area, the crew was picking up unrelated chatter from a nearby vessel.Johannsen pivoted to a clear frequency before addressing the cargo ship in his sights. "Please stop your vessel and accept my boarding team," he commanded.Reuters gained exclusive access to the NATO exercise on Friday, one in a series of U.S.-hosted…

The world's oil tanker fleet is behaving as if the Strait of Hormuz is reopening — even as the waterway itself remains only partially navigable and politically contested. From ship tracking data to freight rates, the signals are clear: owners and charterers are moving early to position vessels for a return to Gulf exports.But the gap between expectation and reality remains wide, leaving the global oil shipping system in a fragile middle ground between crisis and recovery.The most immediate evidence of adjustment lies in real-time vessel movements.

Duke Energy will terminate its offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area under a settlement agreement with the U.S. Interior Department and reinvest nearly $129 million in additional power generation capacity in the Carolinas, the department said on Monday.(Reuters)

When Yeh Chih-sheng steps aboard Taiwan Coast Guard vessel CG1005 in the choppy waters of the Taiwan Strait, he brings more than his uniform and orders: he also has temple charms blessed by the gods revered by fishermen for protection at sea.Yeh is first mate of the 2,400-ton ship based in Taiwan's Penghu islands, and part of Taipei's maritime frontline as China asserts its claim of sovereignty over the democratically governed island.Off duty, he is an assistant priest, or "sio-huat" in Taiwanese…

Middle East producers are pushing ahead with loading oil and liquefied natural gas despite fresh ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed strikes between the U.S. and Iran in recent days, shipping data showed.Energy shipping in the strait slowed after attacks on a container ship on Thursday and an oil tanker on Saturday sparked fresh tit-for-tat strikes, straining Washington and Iran's interim peace deal.But on Sunday, a U.S. official said the two countries had agreed to halt recent hostilities and renew talks over the strategically important waterway.On Monday…

Crude prices plunged by more than 3% on Friday, on course for steep weekly losses, on easing supply concerns as more stranded oil tankers exited the Strait of Hormuz, even though a cargo vessel was hit near Oman on Thursday.Brent crude futures fell $2.61, or 3.47%, to $72.65 a barrel by 1037 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate lost $2.46, or 3.42%, to $69.46.The Brent benchmark was heading for a weekly decline of about 9.8% while WTI was trading around 9.3% lower than its close last Thursday before the market closed for a public holiday last Friday."The predominant view…

A cargo ship reported a suspected attack as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz close to the coast of Oman on Thursday, British navy agency UKMTO said.The UN's International Maritime Organization is currently assisting ships escape the Gulf, hundreds of which have been stranded there since the Iran war began at the end of February.The ship reported being struck on its starboard side by a projectile 7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman's port of Dahit, the UKMTO said.Another maritime security source said the vessel was likely targeted by a drone…

The maritime industry continues to improve its safety record, but the challenges confronting shipowners, operators, insurers and regulators have never been more complex.According to Allianz Commercial's Safety and Shipping Review 2026, global shipping losses remain near historic lows, yet a new era of geopolitical conflict, cyber-enabled crime, aging fleets, alternative fuels, cargo fires and supply chain disruption is reshaping risk across the maritime sector. Here is maritime safety and shipping in 2026 — by the numbers.90% -Approximately 90% of global trade still moves by sea…

Oman and Iran agreed on Tuesday to press on with discussions about the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, including maritime services in the strategic waterway and the costs associated with them.In a joint statement issued after talks in Muscat, the two countries said a joint working group involving their foreign ministries would be formed to continue the discussions and that they would consult other littoral states and relevant parties.The move appears…

Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s. Verne was writing about “electricity” from batteries using seawater which he created after studying the model of the newly developed French Navy submarine “Plongeur” at the Exposition of 1867.In the novel…

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, an understanding of the underlying law is necessary.The Jones Act, named for its sponsor Senator Wesley L.

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. and Philippine military officials.The Triton…

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. and Philippine military officials.The Triton systems are capable of collecting data above and below the ocean's surface through a resilient mesh network and can operate for up to 30 days using solar power."The…

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. and Philippine military officials.The Triton systems are capable of collecting data above and below the ocean's surface through a resilient mesh network and can operate for up to 30 days using solar power."The…

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, providing real-time visual evidence of the attack, with…

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in a statement on Thursday that the country's Persian Gulf Strait Authority will take measures to issue fast authorizations to ships wanting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as per the memorandum of understanding signed by Tehran and Washington.Measures on mine clearance will be carried out under the Islamabad MoU, though ships are advised to stick to the path and timing allocated by the authority, the statement published by state media added.The U.S.

The Netherlands Coast Guard has appointed Klaasjan Schipper as its new director, succeeding Nicole Kuipers, who led the organization since 2022.Schipper officially assumed the role on June 17 during a handover ceremony in Den Helder, becoming the tenth director in the Coast Guard's history. A Royal Netherlands Navy officer, he takes charge at a time of significant organizational and operational change for the agency.In his first remarks as director, Schipper emphasized the importance…

The Netherlands Coast Guard has appointed Klaasjan Schipper as its new director, succeeding Nicole Kuipers, who led the organization since 2022.Schipper officially assumed the role on June 17 during a handover ceremony in Den Helder, becoming the tenth director in the Coast Guard's history. A Royal Netherlands Navy officer, he takes charge at a time of significant organizational and operational change for the agency.In his first remarks as director, Schipper emphasized the importance of collaboration and engagement with Coast Guard personnel and partner organizations as he works to strengthen the organization and prepare it for future…

"Global fertilizer shipments have fallen 11% y/y since the start of the Iran war. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has restricted fertilizer exports from the Persian Gulf, tightening the global supply and increasing prices. The ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran could lead to a rebound in shipments,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Under normal conditions, 16% of global fertilizer shipments come from the Persian Gulf and pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of the strait has significantly disrupted cargo volumes.

More than 130 charities, experts and celebrities including Brian Cox CBE, Alan Cumming OBE, Zoë Wanamaker CBE, and Joanna Lumley DBE, are calling for a ban on live exports.Led by Compassion in World Farming, the global partners from 33 countries including Eurogroup for Animals, Four Paws, Animals International, and World Animal Protection have written to the intergovernmental body for animal health and welfare, WOAH, urging it to end the overcrowding, extreme heat, hunger, dehydration, injury, severe stress and death of animals in transport.

At least three tankers carrying Iranian oil have sailed through the U.S. naval blockade this week, with a fourth, an empty vessel, heading towards the Gulf of Oman, after the U.S. and Iran agreed a framework deal to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, shipping data showed.The shipments indicate a gradual resumption of Iranian oil exports that are expected to add to global supplies although demand from China, its biggest buyer, has been lacklustre due to poor domestic margins.Very Large Crude Carriers Hero II and Diona…

A Russian frigate fired warning shots to divert a UK-flagged civilian yacht near British territorial waters on Tuesday, according to statements from Russia's Defence Ministry and Britain's Ministry of Defence.The Russian ministry said the crew of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich spotted a yacht travelling on a course that risked collision with the ship.After repeated attempts to establish radio contact failed, the frigate fired warning shots, including small arms fire, ahead of the yacht, the ministry said.

A Russian frigate fired warning shots to divert a UK-flagged civilian yacht near British territorial waters on Tuesday, according to statements from Russia's Defence Ministry and Britain's Ministry of Defence.The Russian ministry said the crew of the frigate Admiral Grigorovich spotted a yacht travelling on a course that risked collision with the ship.After repeated attempts to establish radio contact failed, the frigate fired warning shots, including small arms fire, ahead of the yacht, the ministry said.

The United States military has overseen scores of secretive ship-to-ship oil transfers to keep Gulf energy exports flowing, using aerial and water drones as well as helicopters in an operation to guide convoys to awaiting tankers.The operation on the edge of the Strait of Hormuz employs a shuttling technique long used by Iran to skirt sanctions.Two specific locations where the oil transfers take place were identified by 11 people familiar with the operation – one off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and the other off Oman’s port of Sohar.It started in early May…

Oil prices slipped to a three-month low on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump and Iran's deputy foreign minister said they had reached an initial deal to end the war and to resume traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell $3.65, or 4.2%, to $83.68 a barrel by 0630 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was at $80.75, down $4.13, or 4.9%. Both contracts fell to their lowest levels since March 10 on Monday after tumbling more than 3% on Friday.The U.S.

While bombs are falling in the Middle East, EU Member States continue to export live animals to the region, with the European Commission (EC) refusing to be held accountable, says the Eurogroup for Animals, the French animal welfare organization Welfarm and the German NGO Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF).The organizations have submitted a joint petition to the EC calling for an immediate halt to these transports. Almost 50,000 signatories are calling on the EU to instruct its Member…

An Indian national died from medical complications aboard the vessel MT Celestial while it was docked at Duqm Port in Oman, the Indian embassy in Muscat said late Saturday."Necessary arrangements are being made for the early repatriation of the mortal remains to India," the embassy said in a post on social media.India has more than 300,000 seafarers working across global shipping fleets, according to government data. More than 18,000 Indian seafarers are employed in the Middle East…

British commandos boarded and intercepted a sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel on Sunday, leading for the first time an operation to disrupt the oil revenue that helps fund Russia's war in Ukraine.The vessel Smyrtos, sailing under a Cameroonian flag, was boarded by Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency (NCA) officials in the early hours on Sunday, with support from Chinook helicopters and other aircraft, a frigate and a minehunter."This successful…

The United States issued sanctions against Cuban state oil company Union Cuba Petroleo (CUPET), the Treasury Department website showed on Thursday, adding more obstacles for the island's government to import much-needed fuel.Washington has imposed sanctions on an array of Cuban entities and people, including the island nation's president, as it seeks to intensify pressure on Cuba's communist leaders.The sanctions follow the U.S. declaration of a national emergency this year that would impose tariffs on any country that supplies oil to the island…

Iranian forces prevented a tanker from transiting the Strait of Hormuz without coordination, state media reported early on Friday.Iranian media earlier reported sounds of explosions near Bandar Abbas, but state news agency IRNA later said no explosions had been reported in the port city and that any sounds could have been related to military activity in maritime areas.Iran's top joint military command announced on Thursday the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, including oil tankers and commercial ships, saying any vessel that will attempt passage will be shot at.Iranian media also reported expl

Saronic and Castelion have announced plans to join forces to launch a hypersonic vehicle from an unmanned surface vessel. By integrating Castelion’s Blackbeard with Saronic’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) Marauder, the two companies offer a powerful, credible option to deter would-be adversaries.A First-of-Its-Kind IntegrationThe collaboration between Castelion and Saronic marks the first integration of autonomous surface vessels with hypersonics and stands to accelerate…

The U.S. Coast Guard announced it would homeport its first two Arctic Security Cutters in Kodiak, Alaska with a third Alaska Arctic Security Cutter homeported in Seward when the infrastructure is ready. This follows April’s announcement that the Service would homeport its first two Arctic Security Cutters in Alaska. With the first delivery expected in 2028, the Coast Guard is accelerating preparations to ensure each location is ready to support sustained Arctic operations including…

Taiwan's maritime sovereignty cannot be "violated" by Chinese efforts to create a false impression of jurisdiction, the island's coast guard said after China ended a patrol off its eastern shores.China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, was angered after Japan and the Philippines said last month they would begin formal talks on their maritime boundaries, viewing that as involving waters off Taiwan.Late on Saturday, Chinese state media reported that…

Oil prices climbed more than $2 a barrel Thursday as Iran declared the critical energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, closed after the U.S. launched additional strikes against Iran.Brent futures LCOc1 rose $2.30, or 2.47%, to $95.40 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) CLc1 crude climbed $2.60, or 2.89%, to $92.63. U.S. crude futures gained more than $3 earlier in the session.Iran's top joint military command announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday…

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States will attack Iran if no peace deal is secured and that the U.S. military secretly escorted ships carrying more than 100 million barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz."We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," Trump told reporters at the White House. He said the U.S. would strike Iran on Wednesday, in response to Iran's downing of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.Trump said later on Truth Social that he had directed last month the U.S.

As weather extremes, aging infrastructure and growing freight demands place increasing pressure on the U.S. inland waterway system, industry and government leaders say one factor is indispensable to maintaining reliable navigation: collaboration.That was the central message from a panel discussion during FreightWeekSTL 2026, where representatives from American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers discussed how coordinated planning, shared data and targeted infrastructure investments are helping keep commerce moving on the Mississippi River.The session…

China's trade in major commodities in May underscored that price moves are the primary driver of changes in flows in the world's biggest buyer of natural resources.The headline-grabbing number from customs data was the collapse in crude oil imports to an eight-year low of just 7.79 million barrels per day (bpd). The fallout from the war in Iran was blamed for the 29% slump in crude imports. In the months prior to the start of the conflict on February 28, levels of around 11 million bpd were common.The war resulted in the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz…

Secretary-General of the IMO, Arsenio Dominguez, has issued a warning to the shipping industry:"I am increasingly concerned by reports that vessels continue to attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz without any credible security guarantees, despite well‑established risks and the fact that seafarers have already been killed, injured and others detained in recent incidents.“My primary concern is for the safety and lives of the seafarers being placed in these situations. They must not be exposed to conditions where the risks are known, significant, and clearly beyond mitigation.

An oil cargo delivered to the Philippines that Kpler had said last month originated from Iran was actually from Russia, the shiptracking firm said this week.Kpler data that had showed the Suezmax tanker Ocean Start delivered Iranian oil crude to Petron's Bataan refinery on May 17 was revised to show the tanker delivered Urals crude from Russia, Kpler told Reuters on Monday.The revision was due to a review of further information on the voyage, Kpler said.Kpler's revised data showed…

It would be "unwise" to assume that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will return to how it was before the Iran war, the head of French shipping group CMA CGM said on Tuesday.CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container line, is among firms with vessels stranded inside the Gulf since the start of the conflict that has virtually closed the waterway, which carries a fifth of global oil and LNG supply."Even if a solution for peace is implemented in the coming weeks, there's no guarantee there won't be another crisis later on and we can't be prisoners to Hormuz…

Escalating geopolitical tensions and regional conflicts are having a profound impact on international trade, subjecting supply chains to intense operational volatility, rigid compliance demands, and significant financial pressures. Out of necessity, logistics providers are taking a more selective, risk-averse approach when preparing and executing their business plans.For The Heavy Lift Group (THLG), a global alliance of specialized heavy transport companies, caution and pragmatism…

Norway's parliament on Tuesday ordered the government to review its planned subsidy for the country's first commercial floating offshore wind farm, raising concerns of a full development stop and a wider impact on energy transition projects.A proposal by the opposition Conservative Party seeking financial scrutiny of a 35 billion Norwegian crowns ($3.70 billion) subsidy for floating wind was supported by the Progress Party, the Christian People's Party, and the far-left Red Party.The minority government wants to support the construction of a 500 megawatts (MW) project at Utsira Nord off Norway

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) identified a safety concern after a prototype component used in a mechanical shaft-seal system failed onboard a USCG inspected deep draft vessel.On February 19, 2025, a U.S. flagged crude-oil tanker transiting near Delaware Bay experienced simultaneous failures of its port and starboard shaft seals, resulting in substantial seawater ingress.The crew deployed emergency collars supplied by the seal manufacturer and used the vessel’s emergency bilge system…

A fifth Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker has transited the Strait of Hormuz with a cargo, ship-tracking data showed, bringing the total number of loaded LNG vessels to have exited the waterway since the war started to nine.Controlled by QatarEnergy, the Al Daayen tanker was seen on ship-tracking data off the coast of Qatar around June 4-5, according to analytics firms Kper and LSEG. It reappeared on ship-tracking data on Monday that showed it east of the strait with the vessel indicating that it was heading for China.According to Kper data…

To mark World Ocean Day on 8 June, the IMO is calling on its 176 Member States and the global shipping industry to step up implementation of measures to protect the marine environment.In a video message for World Oceans Day, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “At IMO, we take our responsibility to protect the ocean seriously. With shipping being one of the main users of the ocean space, it is the reason why we focus on enhancing our regulatory framework to reduce pollution and address new challenges…

U.S. forces disabled an unladen oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port in violation of the ongoing blockade against Iran, the U.S. military said.U.S. Central Command said in a post on X that the M/T Marivex, a Palau-flagged vessel, was transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman toward Iran when it was targeted.An F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces after the crew failed to comply with directions from U.S.

The UK government has extended its efforts to cement stronger rights and protections in law for seafarers.Following the introduction of the national minimum wage equivalent for seafarers in domestic waters, the new laws being developed would guarantee minimum rest periods and fair pay for every seafarer working on frequent crossings between the UK and France and the Channel Islands, extending protections beyond UK territorial waters for the first time. Measures being consulted…

A Tanzania-registered container ship, Golden Star 1, sank about 6 km off Batam, Indonesia, on June 5 at around 10:30pm local time.The vessel reportedly took on water and subsequently sank. All nine crew members were safely rescued by the Indonesian authorities.The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has issued navigational broadcasts advising vessels to exercise caution when transiting the area, and to report any sighting of containers adrift.

Taiwan's coast guard said on Sunday that its ships had "expelled" four Chinese government ships that entered restricted waters off the island's south after the two sides broadcast testy warnings to each other, in an escalation of tensions.China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has been angered by Japan and the Philippines saying last month they would begin formal talks on delimiting their maritime boundary, viewing that as involving waters off Taiwan.Late on Saturday…

Fincantieri's subsidiary WASS Submarine Systems and Magellan Aerospace Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore industrial cooperation aimed at supporting Canada's underwater defense capabilities.The agreement establishes a framework for the two companies to identify and develop areas of cooperation related to heavyweight torpedoes and torpedo countermeasure systems.Under the arrangement, WASS and Magellan will assess opportunities for Canadian industrial participation across a range of activities…

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in maritime decarbonization, digitalization, innovation, and manpower development.The MoU underscores the shared commitment of MPA and MSC to foster a sustainable, digital, and future-ready maritime sector, while enhancing MSC’s operational and business activities in Singapore. This year also marks the 30th anniversary…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the sale of a 10% stake in the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project held by France's TotalEnergies to a company called Nordline LLC, according to a decree published on Wednesday.TotalEnergies declined to comment and has not issued any statement on a sale, unlike previous divestments from Russia.Reuters has identified two Russian-registered entities named Nordline LLC, both linked to private Russian LNG producer Novatek, the majority owner of Arctic LNG 2…

The Maritime Risk Symposium is ongoing today in Pasadena, Texas, and annual event which moves location and convenes thought leaders across government, industry and academia to assess trends and threats to the evolving maritime landscape; offer operational insights to enhance resilience from disruptions, and advance solutions through merging technologies.Day 2 MRS 26 first panel of the day on shipbuilding. Image courtesy Rob CraneUSCG RDML Amy Grable speaks on risk and its role in the maritime transportation system…

Risk Intelligence has signed an agreement with an unnamed European maritime authority for the provision of its Risk Intelligence System and intelligence reports.The client is a national maritime authority responsible for supervising vessel and seafarer safety and security within its flag state registry, as well as overseeing foreign-flagged vessels calling at the country's ports.Under the agreement, the authority will gain access to the Risk Intelligence System and intelligence reports to support monitoring of security risks affecting vessels registered under its flag.

The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) raised concerns about deceptive practices at its 59th Committee meeting in Glasgow, held from May 18 to 22.The Committee noted a continuous rise in the detention rate to 4.18% in 2025 (up from 4.03% in 2024 and 3.81% in 2023), reinforcing the critical role of Port State Control as a vital safety net. This safety net faces additional challenges from deceptive maritime practices, which the Committee discussed…

Palaemon Maritime has released its maritime security report for May 24-31, indicating that the week saw 15 maritime security incidents, with heightened activity in major maritime corridors globally, including: Black Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Finland, Gulf of Guinea, Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz.Key developments include:A suspected pirate attack was foiled near the Gulf of Aden, with the Indian Navy deploying a helicopter and boarding team to protect a merchant vessel.An armed skiff approached a tanker off Yemen…

The U.S. military fired a Hellfire missile at a tanker heading toward Iran on Tuesday as part of a blockade being imposed by President Donald Trump, who is pressing Tehran to negotiate a peace agreement on his terms.The U.S. military's Central Command posted a video showing the missile strike the tanker and said it targeted the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie's engine room, disabling it."The ship's crew ignored repeated warnings, failing to comply with directions from U.S. forces multiple times over a 24-hour period," Central Command said in a statement."A U.S.

Seven U.S. states led by New York sued the Trump administration on Tuesday for cancelling a major offshore wind lease off the coast of New York in exchange for a pledge by its owner to invest instead in fossil fuel projects.The lawsuit in the Washington, D.C., federal court challenges a March 23 decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior to cancel a lease by a subsidiary of France's TotalEnergies, "reimburse" $795 million to the company, and extract a pledge from the company…

Fleetzero announced a collaboration with Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors and Glosten to accelerate the development and deployment of integrated autonomous vessel solutions for commercial maritime, government and defense customers.The combined capability has been refined through demonstrations and engineering work with organizations across the maritime sector, and is engineered to address requirements outlined in areas of interest for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and other Department of War stakeholders.

The International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea (2010 HNS Convention) is set to enter into force on 29 November 2027, marking a milestone for shipping’s global liability and compensation regime as increasing volumes of chemicals and alternative fuels are transported by sea.The conditions for the treaty’s entry into force were met on 29 May 2026, paving the way for the 2010 HNS Convention…

On June 1, Robert J. Harvey of Florida was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission.Harvey was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025, to serve on the Commission for a term expiring on June 30, 2029. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on May 18, 2026, and President Trump appointed him to the Commission on May 28, 2026.Harvey previously served as the President and Executive Director of the Florida Opportunity Fund, a not-for-profit corporation investing in Florida-based start-up companies in life sciences…

The Chinese navy was spotted conducting aircraft carrier drills in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines last week, Japan's defence ministry said in a bulletin on Monday.The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force confirmed that China's aircraft carrier Liaoning and accompanying vessels were cruising the waters east of the Philippines' Luzon Island between May 26 and May 28, said the bulletin, which included a map.Liaoning-based planes and helicopters conducted roughly 170 take-off and landing drills as the Chinese fleet sailed around the western Pacific Rim…

Despite the current ceasefire between the United States and Iran, it remains too risky to move the thousands of sailors stuck in the Gulf, the head of the IMO said."We will not be able to activate anything until the root causes are addressed and there is more of a final agreement, a ceasefire, or complete agreement, between the parties involved in the conflict," Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general, told Reuters on Sunday ahead of the start of the Posidonia shipping industry week in Athens.There are an estimated 20…

Venezuela's oil exports rose slightly to 1.25 million barrels per day in May, its third consecutive month of increase, fueled by more cargoes to the U.S., India and Europe, shipping data showed on Monday.Under the U.S.-supported government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuelan crude production and exports have bounced this year as Washington eased sanctions and foreign companies expanded oil and gas projects in the OPEC nation.The oil ministry has forecast a crude output of 1.37 million bpd by year-end…

The U.S. Department of the Navy has selected seven companies to advance to the at-sea testing phase of its Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) marketplace initiative.The companies selected for the MUSV Family of Systems development program are Sea Machines, Leidos, Saronic Technologies, Galliano Marine Services, PacMar Technologies, Birdon, and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII).The Navy said companies whose vessels successfully complete at-sea testing will receive $15 million…

France's navy has intercepted a sanctioned tanker linked to the Russian oil trade in the Atlantic Ocean and ordered the vessel to head for the French mainland, in a move Russia said was illegal and bordered on "international piracy".French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday posted a video on X showing commandos rappelling from helicopters onto the Tagor, during an operation that occurred the previous day in international waters 400 miles (740 km) west of Brittany.The tanker, which had sailed from Russia's Arctic port of Murmansk…

The Australian Border Force has seized 34kg cocaine concealed within a luxury bus in Fremantle, Western Australia.ABF officers examined a roll-on/roll-off vessel on May 6, using a combination of targeted intelligence, physical search, detector dogs and advanced technology.During the inspection, officers located approximately 30 packages concealed in the roof cavity of a bus.Presumptive testing returned a positive result for cocaine, with an estimated weight of 34kg.This amount of cocaine…

The Royal Australian Navy commissioned HMAS Eyre into the fleet in a ceremony at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.HMAS Eyre is the second of six planned Arafura class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) to enter service, following the commissioning of sister ship HMAS Arafura last year.The 80-metre long Arafura class OPVs will help patrol and secure Australia’s maritime border alongside the Evolved Cape class patrol boats. Together, they play a key role in humanitarian and disaster relief…

Saronic has launched its first Marauder Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV), designed to deliver dual-use autonomous capability far from shore across the full range of defense and commercial applications.Marauder is built for the kinds of sustained, long-range missions that place the greatest demands on any maritime vessel and present the greatest risks to any crew. Operating fully autonomously or under remote human supervision, Marauder is designed tooperate far from shore…

The United States, Britain and Australia are working together to develop unmanned undersea vehicles as part of their trilateral AUKUS defence pact, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters on Saturday.AUKUS said in a joint statement that delivery of the vehicles will start in 2027.The program will improve the three nations' reconnaissance and strike capabilities, "and bolster superiority in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare, and contested littoral manoeuvre," the statement added.

China's military and coast guard said they carried out patrols near disputed waters in the South China Sea on Sunday, a day after the Philippines said it remained under threat from Beijing despite a recent easing in U.S.-China tensions.Philippine and U.S. forces held a five-day maritime exercise in the same waters last week near the Scarborough Shoal, the third such drill this year, to strengthen interoperability and maritime security, the Philippine military said on Sunday.Scarborough Shoal…

The U.S. military says it fired a missile into the engine room of a vessel trying to get through the U.S. blockade of Iran on Friday.In a statement on Saturday, U.S. Central Command said it fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of the Gambia-flagged Lian Star as it was "transiting international waters toward an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman."Before the attack, U.S. forces issued "more than 20 warnings" informing the vessel it was in violation of the U.S. blockade, according…

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he would soon decide on a proposed deal to extend the ceasefire with Iran, though the two countries still appeared to differ on significant issues that have been central to the conflict.Trump said on Friday morning that he would meet in a secure White House room to make a "final determination" on the proposal, which would extend an early-April truce for another 60 days, giving negotiators time to forge a permanent end to the war.Several hours later…

The ERMA TECH GROUP has highlighted that its President, Eleni Polychronopoulou, has been recognized by the IMO for her contribution to advancing gender equality in the global maritime sector, receiving a Letter of Commendation as part of the prestigious IMO Gender Equality Award framework.Polychronopoulou serves as President of HEMEXPO - Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers & Exporters and Vice Chair of SEA Europe - the Shipyards’ and Maritime Equipment Association of Europe…

Since the Iranian Revolution and overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1979, the Strait of Hormuz has been a geographic constant as a choke point for which closure has been threatened from time to time but never truly closed. The longstanding assumption of the continued openness of the strait collapsed on February 28, 2026. In the weeks since Iran effectively shut the strait to commercial shipping in response to U.S. and Israeli military strikes and the U.S. established its own blockade…