Iranian Cargo Ship Sailing Near USS Abraham Lincoln in Straits of Malacca

Op-Ed: Mental Health Care is Safety-Critical, Not an Added Benefit

Published Jan 19, 2026 3:56 PM by Charles Watkins

If mental health is not treated as safety-critical, we risk losing a whole generation of seafarers who are not willing to sacrifice their health for a career, regardless of how well-paid it is. Life at sea can be unforgiving, seafarers face long stretches away from home, shift patterns that disrupt sleep, demanding operational pressures, isolation, harsh weather, and often little privacy. We are already seeing heightened anxiety in younger seafarers before they have even stepped foot on the ship. Some...

Ship Takes Refuge in Spain After Container Stacks Collapse in Storm

Published Jan 19, 2026 2:50 PM by The Maritime Executive

A smaller cargo ship transporting containers along the coast between Portugal and Spain was forced to take refuge after it experienced a stack collapse last week. The ship Maria Francisca arrived at the Port of Vigo with two rows of boxes toppled over and several crushed boxes hanging over the side of the vessel. The 30,000-dwt vessel had departed Lisbon, Portugal, on January 14 and overnight encountered the heavy winter weather that has been disrupting operations across parts of Europe....

HMS Juffair in livelier days: HMS Argyll with HMS Brocklesby and HMS Shoreham at a newly constructed pier in Bahrain, 2020 (Royal Navy)

Royal Navy Pulls Last Ship From Bahrain, Ending 46-Year Gulf Presence

Published Jan 19, 2026 2:33 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Daily Telegraph has carried a report that the Royal Navy is intending to withdraw its last ship permanently stationed at HMS Juffair in Bahrain, leaving the naval base with no complement of ships. The report suggested that the Hunt-class minesweeper HMS Middleton (M34) will be withdrawn this year, possibly as early as March. The permanently-deployed Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster (F229) was decommissioned at HMS Juffair last month. A senior Royal Navy officer will remain in Bahrain, but will...

Italy Seizes Bulker Accused of Falsifying Info to Hide Sanction Violations

Published Jan 19, 2026 12:39 PM by The Maritime Executive

Italy’s Guardia di Finanza, working with the Customs Agency in Brindisi and other agencies, revealed it has seized a cargo ship accused of falsifying records to obscure violations of EU sanctions. The ship is suspected of illegally loading and exporting a cargo of 33,000 tons of ferrous metal from the Russian port of Novorossiysk. The details were released after the vessel was seized, and the shipowner, a Turkish company, and several crewmembers are being investigated. The Italian authorities report that...

Shipping

Op-Ed: Mental Health Care is Safety-Critical, Not an Added Benefit

Tugs & Salvage

Pilot Dies in Fall From Pilot Ladder in Panama City, Florida

A Florida pilot passed away earlier this month after a pilot ladder accident in Panama City, Florida, the latest in a long and tragic line of lives lost due to slips and falls in the boarding process. The St. Andrew’s Bay Pilots have confirmed that Capt. Phillip Brady, 46, suffered a fatal fall while disembarking a bulker. On January 12, Capt. Brady fell from a pilot ladder while transferring off the 60,000 dwt bulk carrier Lowlands Luck, and he fell...

Government

Danish Navy and Icelandic Coast Guard Conduct Exercises in Arctic Response

As part of the efforts to demonstrate a continuing strong presence in the Arctic region, the Royal Danish Navy conducted exercises with the Icelandic Coast Guard. It is part of an ongoing mutual training and was a prelude to a larger NATO exercise in Greenland to demonstrate regional strength in response to the assertions made by Donald Trump. Iceland and the Danes emphasize that they regularly work together to support Arctic safety. Danish patrol vessels have been for decades regularly...

Corporate News

ABB Chosen to Supply Technology for BC Ferries’ New Major Vessels

[By: ABB] ABB will supply a complete package of power, propulsion and control technology for four new double-ended passenger and car ferries operated by British Columbia Ferry Services (BC Ferries). One of the largest ferry operators in the world, BC Ferries provides year-round vehicle and passenger service on 25 routes to 47 terminals, carrying approximately 9.7 million vehicles and 22.7 million passengers annually. Demand on the ferry system is expected to increase as the province’s population is forecast to grow...

Cruise Ships

Disney’s Ultra-Large Cruise Ship Makes U.S. Stop on Delivery Run to Asia

The ultra-large Disney Adventure (208,108 gross tons) is making a brief appearance in the United States during its delivery run to Asia. The cruise ship pulled into Port Canaveral, Florida, on January 15 for a reported 12-day stopover before she resumes the trip, which will ultimately arrive in Singapore, her year-round homeport. Acquired by Disney in November 2022 from the bankrupt MV Werften shipbuilding, the ship was completed by Meyer Werft and reconfigured for the Disney brand. The company, according...

Ports

London Gateway Posts Strong Growth and Is Poised to Be UK’s Largest Port

DP World’s London Gateway Port, located on the Thames, reported strong growth in 2025 as it continues to expand its operations. The Times (London) asserts that the terminal, which has been in operation for a little more than a decade, is on track to claim the top spot in the UK, and become the largest UK container port. Today’s announcement of year-end data highlights that London Gateway port achieved a more than 52 percent growth in its container throughput in...

Shipping

Op-Ed: Mental Health Care is Safety-Critical, Not an Added Benefit

Tugs & Salvage

Pilot Dies in Fall From Pilot Ladder in Panama City, Florida

Government

Danish Navy and Icelandic Coast Guard Conduct Exercises in Arctic Response

Corporate News

ABB Chosen to Supply Technology for BC Ferries’ New Major Vessels

Cruise Ships

Disney’s Ultra-Large Cruise Ship Makes U.S. Stop on Delivery Run to Asia

Ports

London Gateway Posts Strong Growth and Is Poised to Be UK’s Largest Port

Offshore

Vattenfall Finalizes Investment for Germany’s Largest Offshore Wind Project

Offshore wind energy developer Vattenfall confirmed that it is moving forward with the Nordlicht offshore wind cluster. With construction due to start later this year, the two-phase project will become the largest wind project for Germany and a key contributor as the country struggles to accelerate development in the offshore wind energy sector. The permit issued by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has become irrevocable, making the final step to move forward with the project. Vattenfall had announced...

Shipbuilding

A new P-17A class frigate, Mahendragiri, at launch at Mazagon Dock (Gov't of India)

Report: India Wants to Ramp Up its Warship Exports

India is reportedly working to expand warship exports as part of the ongoing push to revamp its shipbuilding industry. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) has already issued directives to the state-owned shipyards, instructing the facilities to build their capacities for export orders. According to a report by the defense news site Indian Defense Research Wing, the MOD’s directive covers expansion of docking and manufacturing infrastructure in the shipyards. In addition, the shipyards are expected to customize their blueprints for naval...

Environment

HMM and HD KSOE Start Demonstration and Testing of Wing Sail on Tanker

South Korea’s HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and HMM are starting a demonstration and test period for Korea’s first domestically developed wing sail for wind-assisted propulsion. The shipbuilder has been developing its version of the technology as part of its efforts to advance value-added, green ship designs and technology. The wing sail was recently installed on the product tanker Oriental Aquamarine (50,000 dwt). The vessel was built in 2020 and has been owned by HMM since 2023. Registered in...

Business

Electric car plant, Vietnam, 2023 (Taofast / CC BY SA 4.0)

Vietnam is Winning the Trade Wars

[By Roland Rajah] Vietnam has again emerged as the apparent winner of Donald Trump’s trade wars, as was the case during his first presidency. Vietnam’s exports have boomed, despite facing US tariffs (now at 20%) and having to compete with surging Chinese exports. Vietnam exported $474 billion worth of goods in 2025, up almost $70 billion on 2024. As my colleagues and I argued in a recent paper, this export strength could prove relatively durable – driven by Vietnam’s sheer...

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Iranian Cargo Ship Sailing Near USS Abraham Lincoln in Straits of Malacca

Op-Ed: Mental Health Care is Safety-Critical, Not an Added Benefit

Ship Takes Refuge in Spain After Container Stacks Collapse in Storm

Royal Navy Pulls Last Ship From Bahrain, Ending 46-Year Gulf Presence

Italy Seizes Bulker Accused of Falsifying Info to Hide Sanction Violations

Op-Ed: Mental Health Care is Safety-Critical, Not an Added Benefit

Pilot Dies in Fall From Pilot Ladder in Panama City, Florida

Danish Navy and Icelandic Coast Guard Conduct Exercises in Arctic Response

ABB Chosen to Supply Technology for BC Ferries’ New Major Vessels

Disney’s Ultra-Large Cruise Ship Makes U.S. Stop on Delivery Run to Asia

London Gateway Posts Strong Growth and Is Poised to Be UK’s Largest Port

Navigating Port Funding Uncertainty: Adaptation Unlocks Opportunities

California Protects Blue Whales and Blue Skies With Historic State Law

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

Op-Ed: Mental Health Care is Safety-Critical, Not an Added Benefit

Pilot Dies in Fall From Pilot Ladder in Panama City, Florida

Danish Navy and Icelandic Coast Guard Conduct Exercises in Arctic Response

ABB Chosen to Supply Technology for BC Ferries’ New Major Vessels

Disney’s Ultra-Large Cruise Ship Makes U.S. Stop on Delivery Run to Asia

London Gateway Posts Strong Growth and Is Poised to Be UK’s Largest Port

Vattenfall Finalizes Investment for Germany’s Largest Offshore Wind Project

Report: India Wants to Ramp Up its Warship Exports

HMM and HD KSOE Start Demonstration and Testing of Wing Sail on Tanker

Vietnam is Winning the Trade Wars

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events