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White House Extends Jones Act Waiver, Drawing Outrage From Industry

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Malacca Strait

Indonesia Backs Away After Finance Minister Proposes Malacca Tolls

Published Apr 23, 2026 7:15 PM by The Maritime Executive

Possibly emboldened by Iran’s assertion that it is entitled to tolls to maintain order and security in the Strait of Hormuz, Indonesia’s Finance Minister stirred up a controversy by suggesting fees for the Malacca Strait, and reports are that the Houthis are saying they should have fees for the Bab al-Mandeb. International scholars pushed back, citing global treaties, while neighboring countries were also quick to object, and now Indonesia insists that it was just a “lighthearted tone” and idle speculation....

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Tankers loading at the Primorsk oil terminal, which was recently damaged by Ukrainian drones (courtesy Primorsk Oil Terminal)

EU Defers its Plan to Fully Ban Maritime Services for Russian Oil

Published Apr 23, 2026 7:02 PM by The Maritime Executive

The European Union has released its 20th round of sanctions on Russia, including extensive sanctions on the Russian energy sector. Notably missing, however, was the long-discussed complete ban on shipping services for Russian oil exports - effectively left out at the request of Greece and Malta, which have shipping interests in the Russian energy trade, according to Euronews. It is a win for Moscow, allowing Russia's oil companies continued access to quality tonnage, and it follows on the Kremlin's recent...

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Panama Canal

Panama Canal Traffic Up While ACP Downplays Reports of High Auction Prices

Published Apr 23, 2026 6:29 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said it is working to handle increased demand since the start of the Iranian war, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and shipping avoiding the Red Sea. While reporting a just under four percent increase in the number of ships transiting the Panama Canal during the first six months of its fiscal year, it, however, also revealed that the average auction price for slots soared 185 percent between March and April. The ACP confirmed...

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wreck of Russia-flagged gas carrier

Libya Again Warns That Wreck of Arctic Metagaz is Drifting Out of Control

Published Apr 23, 2026 5:05 PM by The Maritime Executive

Nearly two months after the Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz was ripped apart by an explosion likely caused by a Ukrainian drone attack, the wreck is still a danger to navigation and the environment with no solution in place. Libyan authorities issued a new alert that the wreck has broken free in the Mediterranean. The Libyan Ports and Maritime Transport Authority warns that the wreck broke its towline at midday local time on April 22. It was approximately 120 nautical...

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Offshore

offshore wind farm

U.S. is Negotiating to Cancel More Offshore Wind Leases

Executives at the French company Engie confirmed today that they are in discussions with U.S. officials about possibly canceling their offshore wind farm leases. Last month, the administration agreed to reimburse TotalEnergies for its offshore wind leases and hinted it might use the same technique with others, although advocates and lawmakers are questioning the legal authority. The Trump administration said in March that it had agreed to reimburse TotalEnergies nearly $1 billion it had paid to acquire a large lease...

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Shipbuilding

Ballast discharge

Paying the Piper

The average merchant ship has a service life of 20-25 years, in some cases more. That's a long time to stay in compliance with all the rules that govern shipping, and owners know they have to set themselves up for success. It's not enough to meet regulations on day one: Every ship system has to be supported throughout a lifetime of industrial service if it's going to satisfy inspectors on day 5,000. Without solid backing from the original equipment manufacturer...

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Environment

Auramarine

Winning Formula

For residents living near ports, seafarers working aboard ships and passengers stepping ashore, the question is no longer abstract: Why am I still breathing this? Sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) from ship exhausts are a daily reality in many port cities. A 2023 World Bank report estimated that more than 250 million people globally are exposed to air pollution around ports, underscoring that maritime emissions are not only a climate issue but a public-health issue....

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Business

Tanker escort in the Arabian Gulf, Operation Earnest Will, 1987 (USN)

U.S.-Backed War Risk Cover for Hormuz Will Have to Wait for Convoys

The Trump administration has worked out a co-insurance arrangement to provide war risk cover for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Arabian Gulf, to be administered by NYSE-listed insurer Chubb. The program has yet to start, Chubb CEO and Chairman Evan Greenberg says, because it is conditioned on the use of U.S. Navy convoys and escorts. At present, the Iranian threat in the strait remains elevated, and the Navy's attention is focused on blockading Iran's commercial traffic. "The government...

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