Report: Trump Administration Offers $1B to Cancel Two Offshore Wind Leases

Four Killed as Japanese Cargo Ship Hits Commercial Fishing Vessel

Published Mar 17, 2026 5:42 PM by The Maritime Executive

Japan is reporting another incident in which a fishing vessel was struck by an inter-island cargo vessel in the busy sea lanes around the islands. In the latest incident, four people were killed, and nine other crewmembers from a commercial fishing vessel were rescued with no major injuries. The Hachinohe Coast Guard in northern Japan on Honshu island received a call from the cargo ship Suehiro Maru (2,400 dwt) at around 0115 local time reporting the collision. It was determined...

cocaine bundles retrieved from the North Sea

Dutch Catch Smugglers Throwing Drugs into the North Sea from Containership

Published Mar 17, 2026 4:17 PM by The Maritime Executive

A drug intervention team in the Netherlands reports it was able to catch smugglers “red-handed” aboard the ocean-going vessel tossing narcotics overboard into the North Sea. The operation took place on Sunday, March 15, off the coast of the Zeeland province near Neltje Jans, report prosecutors in Amsterdam. According to the announcement, five individuals were caught in the act as part of an intensive operation in the North Sea. The five suspects range in age from 34 to 61 years...

In the Know Podcast 77: Aaron Smith, President and CEO of OMSA

Published Mar 17, 2026 3:10 PM by The Maritime Executive

For the latest edition of In the Know, The Maritime Executive's podcast series, editor-in-chief Tony Munoz spoke with OMSA President and CEO Aaron Smith about the importance of Jones Act shipping in the offshore sector. OMSA - the Offshore Marine Service Association - is the voice of the U.S. offshore-vessel industry, and its primary mission is to protect the Jones Act's benefits for American mariners and shipowners. Smith, the organization's longtime leader, joins the podcast to talk about how loopholes...

Hutchison Intensifies Criticism of Panama in Port Terminal Dispute

Published Mar 17, 2026 2:54 PM by The Maritime Executive

Panama Ports Company, the operating subsidiary of CK Hutchison for the terminals in Balboa and Cristobal, increased its criticism of Panama for what it calls “its improper takeover” of the terminals. In a new statement issued on March 16, it repeatedly asserts, “the Republic of Panama continues to downgrade its reliability as a destination for foreign investment through its latest and ongoing conduct.” The company has repeatedly made accusations against Panama, saying it “disregarded the rule of law,” after the...

Shipping

Most carriers have suspended shipments to the Gulf's main container hubs (file image courtesy Imre Solt / CC BY SA 3.0)

What Does the Mideast Crisis Mean for Ports and Cargo Owners?

The war with Iran has reached critical levels with an increase in direct attacks on commercial container vessels. As of March 11 2026, three container vessels had been hit by “unknown projectiles”. A Thai-flagged commercial vessel was hit 11 nautical miles north of Oman, causing a fire on board, a Japan-flagged commercial vessel sustained minor damage after it was struck about25 nautical miles off the United Arab Emirates' coast, and a third commercial vessel was hit about 50 nautical miles...

Tugs & Salvage

Mediterranean States Call on EU to Coordinate Response to Drifting Wreck

The wreck of the Russian-flagged gas carrier Arctic Metagaz continues to drift in the Mediterranean, driven by the winds and currents. Member states of the European Union, a subgroup of nine European nations, and Libya are all raising concerns over the dangers, while Russia has reportedly said it is not its problem. The wreck has been drifting since the vessel was racked by an explosion and fire on March 3, while it was traveling south of Malta. Initial uncertainty over...

Government

Attack on Tanker Reported off Fujairah After Strikes on Oil Terminal

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports a new attack on a tanker at the anchorage area off Fujairah, a key loading terminal for oil and bunker fuel. The tanker reported the strike just after 2300 hours GMT on Monday. The unknown projectile caused minor structural damage, UKMTO said, but no injuries to the crew. No pollution has been reported. It is the latest in a series of attacks on merchant shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, and a reminder that...

Corporate News

DP World Reports Record $24.4BN Revenue and $6.4BN EBITDA for 2025

[By: DP World] DP World today announced record financial results for 2025, with revenue up 22% to $24.4 billion, and adjusted EBITDA up 18% to $6.4 billion (margin 26.3%), driven by strong performance across Ports & Terminals and Logistics. Total Group gross throughput increased 5.8% to 93.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). Profits for the year increased 32.2% to $1.96 billion, reflecting operating leverage and disciplined cost management. Operating cash flow rose 14% to $6.3 billion. Commenting on the results,...

Cruise Ships

World’s Largest Sail Yacht Cruise Ship Sets New Mark on Trials

The sail-powered cruise ship Orient Express Corinthian recently completed its propulsion tests, and builder Chantiers de l’Atlantique reports the ship achieved a speed first for a sailing ship of its size. The ship is preparing for its delivery and entry into service in May 2026 as Accor Group launches its first cruise offering. The Orient Express Corinthian is a 25,200 gross ton cruise ship that will have 54 suites with a capacity for 110 passengers. The ship measures 220 meters...

Ports

Hutchison Intensifies Criticism of Panama in Port Terminal Dispute

Shipping

What Does the Mideast Crisis Mean for Ports and Cargo Owners?

Tugs & Salvage

Mediterranean States Call on EU to Coordinate Response to Drifting Wreck

Government

Attack on Tanker Reported off Fujairah After Strikes on Oil Terminal

Corporate News

DP World Reports Record $24.4BN Revenue and $6.4BN EBITDA for 2025

Cruise Ships

World’s Largest Sail Yacht Cruise Ship Sets New Mark on Trials

Ports

Hutchison Intensifies Criticism of Panama in Port Terminal Dispute

Offshore

In the Know Podcast 77: Aaron Smith, President and CEO of OMSA

Shipbuilding

Japanese Prime Minister Sanse Takaichi and Donald Trump

Report: Japan and U.S. to Announce $100M Shipbuilding R&D Project Using AI

Reports from the Japanese media on Tuesday indicated that Japan’s Prime Minister will announce a new $100 million investment project to develop AI-driven technologies in part to aid the U.S. shipbuilding industry. It is a tangible project within the $550 million in investments Japan pledged to the Trump administration to win a trade deal in 2025. News outlets Nikkei and the Yomiuri Shimbun report the agreement will be finalized when Prime Minister Sanse Takaichi and Donald Trump meet in Washington,...

Environment

Study: Ocean Warming Puts "Constant Negative Pressure" on Fish Populations

A new meta-study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution suggests that ocean warming has an outsize impact on the total amount of fish in the water, enough to have major implications for global fisheries. The study, led by researchers at Spain's Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, looked at hundreds of thousands of studies of fish populations in the Northern Hemisphere over a period of nearly 30 years, spanning 1993-2021. The vast data set covered more than 1,500 fish species and...

Business

Hormuz Shutdown Drives Up Bunker Prices, With Broad Effects on Shipping

Bunker prices around the world have soared in response to the crisis in the Mideast, as the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted oil supplies to the most important refining and bunkering hubs. Prices in Singapore hovering above $1,100 per tonne - a price premium of more than 60 percent over Brent crude. Bunker fuel is normally cheaper than oil, but restricted crude supplies for refiners in the Indo-Pacific have inverted the normal relationship, yielding green-fuel prices for...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Report: Trump Administration Offers $1B to Cancel Two Offshore Wind Leases

Four Killed as Japanese Cargo Ship Hits Commercial Fishing Vessel

Dutch Catch Smugglers Throwing Drugs into the North Sea from Containership

In the Know Podcast 77: Aaron Smith, President and CEO of OMSA

Hutchison Intensifies Criticism of Panama in Port Terminal Dispute

What Does the Mideast Crisis Mean for Ports and Cargo Owners?

Mediterranean States Call on EU to Coordinate Response to Drifting Wreck

Attack on Tanker Reported off Fujairah After Strikes on Oil Terminal

DP World Reports Record $24.4BN Revenue and $6.4BN EBITDA for 2025

World’s Largest Sail Yacht Cruise Ship Sets New Mark on Trials

Hutchison Intensifies Criticism of Panama in Port Terminal Dispute

Port Everglades: A Diversified Cargo Gateway Built for Performance

One Net Unifies Four Maritime Tech Brands Under One Umbrella

Connecting Opportunities: The Power of Integrated E-Navigation

What Does the Mideast Crisis Mean for Ports and Cargo Owners?

Mediterranean States Call on EU to Coordinate Response to Drifting Wreck

Attack on Tanker Reported off Fujairah After Strikes on Oil Terminal

DP World Reports Record $24.4BN Revenue and $6.4BN EBITDA for 2025

World’s Largest Sail Yacht Cruise Ship Sets New Mark on Trials

Hutchison Intensifies Criticism of Panama in Port Terminal Dispute

In the Know Podcast 77: Aaron Smith, President and CEO of OMSA

Report: Japan and U.S. to Announce $100M Shipbuilding R&D Project Using AI

Study: Ocean Warming Puts "Constant Negative Pressure" on Fish Populations

Hormuz Shutdown Drives Up Bunker Prices, With Broad Effects on Shipping

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events