Saturday, March 21, 2026
Media Kit
Chinese cruise ship float-out

China Floats Second Cruise Ship and Orders Ships for International Market

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Charles de Gaulle carier

Fitness App Reveals Location of French Carrier Strike Group

Published Mar 20, 2026 8:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

French officials were embarrassed and worked quickly to correct an incident after the newspaper Le Monde on Thursday revealed it had been able to pinpoint the location of the carrier Charles de Gaulle thanks to a smartwatch application. French President Emmanuel Macron had announced earlier in the month that the multinational carrier group had been repositioned into the Eastern Mediterranean to support French allies, and the newspaper was able to reveal the exact location. French Rear Admiral Thibault Haudos de...

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Panama

Panama Responds to Hutchison Calling Accusations “Scandalous”

Published Mar 20, 2026 7:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

The back-and-forth between China, Panama, and CK Hutchison heated up as Panama’s President, Jose Raul Mulino, met the press on Thursday in his weekly session. He dismissed the accusations made by the Panama Ports Company (PPC) and CK Hutchison in the ongoing dispute resulting from Panama's annulment of the Chinese company’s long-standing concession to operate the port terminals in Balboa and Cristobal. PPC at the beginning of the week asserted that Panama had missed the filing deadline for its international...

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Donald Trump

Trump Calls NATO Allies “Cowards” for Not Supporting Opening Hormuz

Published Mar 20, 2026 5:44 PM by The Maritime Executive

There are many comments circulating after Donald Trump went on social media early on Friday, March 20, and called America’s NATO allies “cowards” for not supporting the efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It came after he had made comments during the week that the United States and Israel are achieving their military targets and did not need the help of the Europeans or others, and previously said the Allies would come together for a defensive force. Trump berated...

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English and Russian warships in English Channel

UK Tracks Russian Tanker as US Tightens the Rules on Oil to Cuba

Published Mar 20, 2026 3:29 PM by The Maritime Executive

Close attention is being paid to two tankers, which observers suspected were heading toward Cuba in a Russian effort to provide some relief to the fuel-starved island. The Trump administration is continuing its efforts toward regime change by imposing a near-total ban on support to the island and its communist government. The UK Royal Navy reported yesterday, March 19, that it had been tracking a Russian-flagged tanker managed by Sovcomflot and its warship escort. The tanker Anatoly Kolodkin is thought...

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Offshore

OMSA

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

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...

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Shipbuilding

cruise ship launch

Fincantieri Floats for Viking "First Hydrogen-Powered Cruise Ship"

Fincantieri marked another milestone in cruise ship development as it floated out the Viking Libra (54,300 gross tons), which is being billed as the “world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship.” It advanced the ambitions for zero-emission shipping and the long-held vision of Viking CEO Torstein Hagen to produce a hydrogen-powered ship. According to the companies, the project has been developed with strong attention to environmental aspects to ensure the ship will be capable of navigating and operating with zero emissions, allowing...

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Environment

Thamesborg

Op-Ed: Ships Should Meet the Polar Code Before Entering Canadian Arctic

The United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the Polar Code in November 2014 to reduce loss of life at sea caused by inadequate preparedness for operations in polar regions, which are more isolated and challenging than lower-latitude waters. The Code entered into force on January 1, 2017 and initially applied to seagoing vessels of 500 gross tonnage (GT) and above, as well as certain vessel classes such as cruise ships. On January 1, 2026, the IMO expanded the categories...

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Business

Diana Shipping bulk carrier

Diana Vows Proxy Fight After Genco Again Rejects Merger Proposal

The takeover battle designed to consolidate the dry bulk shipping with the merger of Diana Shipping and Genco Shipping & Trading continues as both sides appear entrenched in their position. Genco’s board has twice rejected proposals from Diana, with the battle appearing to be headed to the shareholders after Diana put forward an alternate slate of directors for Genco. “Rather than constructively engage with Diana regarding our premium proposal, the Genco Board has for the second time dismissed it without...

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