Sanctioned Oil Tanker Goes Aground on the Rocks in Aegean

The Greek graffiti found on the central carling are dated to the first half of the 1st century AD. Christoph Gerigk/Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient "Party Boat" in Alexandria's Harbor

Published Jan 4, 2026 10:09 PM by The Conversation

[By Damian Robinson and Franck Goddio] Beneath the shifting waters of Alexandria’s eastern harbour, on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, lie the drowned remnants of a once-splendid city – ports, palaces and temples swallowed by the sea. Submerged by earthquakes and a rising sea level, these lost monuments have become the focus of survey and excavations by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology, in conjunction with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Much of our recent work has centered around Antirhodos Island,...

Aruna Hulya (Cengiz Tokgoz / VesselFinder)

Nigerian Police Arrest 22 Crewmembers After Finding Small Cocaine Shipment

Published Jan 4, 2026 9:22 PM by The Maritime Executive

Nigerian authorities have arrested 22 crewmembers from a bulker after finding a small shipment of cocaine aboard the vessel. In November, the bulker Aruna Hulya got under way from Santos, Brazil - a notorious cocaine-trafficking hub - and got under way on a transatlantic crossing to Lagos, arriving December 26. The vessel moored at the GDNL terminal complex in Lagos. Upon boarding, Nigerian authorities found about 32 kilos of cocaine inside the number-three hatch, officials said in a social media...

Missing $8 Billion in Shadow-Fleet Oil Revenue Primes Iran for Revolt

Published Jan 4, 2026 7:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

Early readers of the Maritime Executive magazine’s Nov/Dec edition will have been pre-warned about Iran’s Velayat-e Faqih regime being on the brink of imminent collapse. As protests and street riots continue, it is evident, as predicted, that the prime mover bringing Iranians onto the street are the economic hardships that the general population is now suffering. Iranians have tried to get on with their lives, ignoring what they dislike about the regime. But with inflation, unemployment, rising food prices, shortages...

Traffic at Port Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 2021 (Eric Browin / CC BY SA 4.0)

Ghana Takes Lead in Modernizing Short Sea Shipping in West Africa

Published Jan 4, 2026 6:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

To boost coastal shipping in West Africa, Ghana has confirmed plans to establish a ferry service along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor. Last month, Ghana’s Transport Minister Joseph Nkipe confirmed to the local media that the planning for the ferry service is in advanced stages. A marine consultancy company has already been appointed to fast-track the development of the service. The ferry service is reportedly nicknamed the "Afropax", and would provide first-of-its kind maritime connectivity in West Africa. The service involves linking...

Shipping

Mystery as a Cargo of Shoes Likely Lost 150 Years Ago Washes Up in Wales

A charitable organization dedicated to marine and environmental education has sparked a bit of mystery after reporting it has found a large quantity of 19th-century shoes stuck among the rocks in Wales. The Beach Academy put out a request for information and was surprised to hear this is not the first reported sighting of the mystery shoes. It began in early December when volunteers were working on a beach cleanup at Ogmore-by-Sea, a small town west of Cardiff. Located on...

Tugs & Salvage

Aging Freighter Goes Aground in Sea of Marmara

A freighter has gone aground on the northern shores of the Sea of Marmara, reportedly due to strong winds in the area. On December 30, White Line arrived just off the coast of the port of Marmara and when to anchor. At about 1430 hours local time on Saturday, the vessel drifted from her anchorage and grounded just off a sandy beach, a tourist area known locally as Santos Plaji. Local outlet Sozcu reports that the ship was hit by...

Government

After Sanctions Concerns, Palau Changes Management of its Flag Registry

Palau's government has ended a longtime commercial arrangement with its flag registry operator, according to the Island Times. The change follows several U.S. Treasury sanctions actions affecting the Palau-flagged fleet, and brings the register a chance for a fresh start. In a statement Saturday, Palau's Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Industries confirmed that the Palau flag registry continues to provide all shipping registry services as before, but under new management. It emphasized its "commitment to strengthening governance and oversight, whilst...

Corporate News

Steve Cockburn Appointed CEO of NorthStandard Europe

Stay on Top of the Daily Maritime News The maritime news that matters most Get the latest maritime news delivered to your inbox daily. Subscribe Now function validateEmailForm(form) { const input = form.querySelector('.email-signup__input'); const email = input.value.trim(); // Remove previous error state input.classList.remove('error'); // Basic email validation if (!email || !email.includes('@') || !email.includes('.')) { input.classList.add('error'); input.focus(); return false; } return true; } [By NorthStandard] NorthStandard has appointed Steve Cockburn as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NorthStandard Europe - the Dublin-based...

Cruise Ships

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Hawaii’s hotly contested and closely followed “Green Fee,” a new tax on hotels, short-stay rentals, and cruises, suffered a setback just hours before it was due to go into effect. It is the first tax of its kind imposed on tourists to contribute to the state’s costs of addressing environmental issues. Two judges on the U.S. 9th Circuit Court granted on New Year’s Eve (December 31) a last-minute request for an injunction in a suit brought by the cruise industry...

Ports

Saudi Arabian Forces Bomb Port in Yemen Raising Tensions with UAE

Saudi Arabia, acting in the name of what it calls the “Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen,” launched what it is terming limited airstrikes on the Port of Mukalla in southeastern Yemen on the Gulf of Aden. Saudi officials accused the United Arab Emirates of having sent a large amount of unauthorized military equipment into the port and demanded that the UAE immediately withdraw its unauthorized forces. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have long been at odds, supporting different factions...

Shipping

Mystery as a Cargo of Shoes Likely Lost 150 Years Ago Washes Up in Wales

Tugs & Salvage

Aging Freighter Goes Aground in Sea of Marmara

Government

After Sanctions Concerns, Palau Changes Management of its Flag Registry

Corporate News

Steve Cockburn Appointed CEO of NorthStandard Europe

Cruise Ships

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Ports

Saudi Arabian Forces Bomb Port in Yemen Raising Tensions with UAE

Offshore

Ørsted and Equinor Sue Challenging Stop-Work Orders for Offshore Wind Farms

Two more offshore wind farms filed suits against the Trump administration after they were ordered in late December to stop work due to “national security” concerns. Danish offshore wind energy developer Ørsted amended its existing complaint in U.S. District Court to challenge the Trump administration’s stop-work order on the nearly completed Revolution Wind project, while Norwegian company Equinor filed a civil suit on January 2 for the Empire Wind project. Both companies said they would file motions for a preliminary...

Shipbuilding

Mid-Sized South Korean Shipbuilder Daesun Completes Sale of Shipyard

After two years of financial restructuring, the smallest of South Korea’s surviving midsized shipbuilders, Daesun Shipbuilding, completed the sale of its primary yard at the end of December 2025, bringing to a close a long heritage in the industry. Started in 1945, Daesun was considered the oldest of the South Korean shipyards but had in recent years struggled with mounting debt. The sale of the Yeongdo facility in the Busan area was completed on December 26, going to Hanla IMS,...

Environment

Researchers Say the Oceans Have Passed a Milestone for Acidification

[By Anna Napolitano] The past 12 months have been worrying for researchers who study the chemistry of the ocean. More and more evidence has been published showing that human activities are fundamentally altering this chemistry in an acidic direction. At the end of 2025, it seems clear ocean acidification is pushing the largest habitat on Earth into a risky zone. Ocean acidification is part of the global carbon cycle. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it forms carbonic acid. This...

Business

NYK Plans Long-Term Preservation of Japan’s Last Surviving Ocean Liner

Planning is underway for the long-term preservation of the 95-year-old former ocean liner Hikawa Maru, which is now on permanent display in Yokohama. Considered a nationally important cultural property, the vessel was the largest Japanese passenger ship to survive World War II and today is celebrated as a key part of NYK and Japan’s maritime heritage. The company reports that an expert committee specialized in ship preservation and architecture will meet for the first time on January 8, 2026. The...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Sanctioned Oil Tanker Goes Aground on the Rocks in Aegean

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient "Party Boat" in Alexandria's Harbor

Nigerian Police Arrest 22 Crewmembers After Finding Small Cocaine Shipment

Missing $8 Billion in Shadow-Fleet Oil Revenue Primes Iran for Revolt

Ghana Takes Lead in Modernizing Short Sea Shipping in West Africa

Mystery as a Cargo of Shoes Likely Lost 150 Years Ago Washes Up in Wales

Aging Freighter Goes Aground in Sea of Marmara

After Sanctions Concerns, Palau Changes Management of its Flag Registry

Steve Cockburn Appointed CEO of NorthStandard Europe

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Saudi Arabian Forces Bomb Port in Yemen Raising Tensions with UAE

California Protects Blue Whales and Blue Skies With Historic State Law

One Event. World Of Maritime. This February, Copenhagen is the Place to Be

Drew Marine Insights Tour: Connecting Expertise with Shipboard Challenges

Mystery as a Cargo of Shoes Likely Lost 150 Years Ago Washes Up in Wales

Aging Freighter Goes Aground in Sea of Marmara

After Sanctions Concerns, Palau Changes Management of its Flag Registry

Steve Cockburn Appointed CEO of NorthStandard Europe

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Saudi Arabian Forces Bomb Port in Yemen Raising Tensions with UAE

Ørsted and Equinor Sue Challenging Stop-Work Orders for Offshore Wind Farms

Mid-Sized South Korean Shipbuilder Daesun Completes Sale of Shipyard

Researchers Say the Oceans Have Passed a Milestone for Acidification

NYK Plans Long-Term Preservation of Japan’s Last Surviving Ocean Liner

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events