Despite U.S. "Blockade," Foreign-Flagged Tankers Arrive in Venezuela

Cargo Removal Completed Six Months After Wan Hai 503 Was Damaged by Fire

Published Dec 30, 2025 6:42 PM by The Maritime Executive

After more than three months of salvage operations and approximately six months after the fire was put out on the container vessel Wan Hai 503, owners Wan Hai Lines reported that the removal of cargo from the ship had been completed. While clean-up efforts continue on the ship, which has been berthed at the Port of Refuge in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, it marks a key step in the long process. The company had highlighted earlier in the month...

Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine’s Ports Damage Loading Bulker and Detained Ship

Published Dec 30, 2025 6:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

Ukraine’s Black Sea ports are experiencing unrelenting daily attacks by Russian drones and missiles during the current offensive despite the push by the United States and European leaders to complete a peace agreement. Ukraine’s Navy reported the mounting damage to port infrastructure while commercial vessels continue to also be caught in the line of fire. Reports said the drone attacks focused overnight on Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi. The two ports emerged with increasing importance as an alternative to Odesa and replacing...

Kidnapped LPG Carrier Crew Released from Captivity in West Africa

Published Dec 30, 2025 6:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

The nine members of the crew aboard the LPG gas carrier CGAS Saturn have been released and are reported to be safe after their ordeal in West Africa. The owner of the vessel, Christiania Gas, announced on December 29 that the crew was released and being repatriated. The incident began on December 3 while the CGAS Saturn (3,090 dwt) was underway approximately 50 nautical miles west of the African coast, bound for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The reports said the 13...

Judge Delays Dominion’s Offshore Wind Suit Awaiting U.S. Data

Published Dec 30, 2025 6:02 PM by The Maritime Executive

The first showdown over the U.S. Department of the Interior’s efforts to stop the construction of five offshore wind farms is being delayed as a U.S. District Court in Virginia waits for data from the government. Dominion Energy’s efforts to gain a temporary restraining order to permit it to restart work were delayed, with the next hearing set for January 16. Dominion Energy and its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is one of five that were ordered to stop offshore...

Shipping

Despite U.S. "Blockade," Foreign-Flagged Tankers Arrive in Venezuela

Foreign-flagged tankers continue to call in Venezuela despite a White House "quarantine" order and the new U.S. policy of seizing Venezuela-linked ships, according to TankerTrackers.com. The independent consultancy told Reuters that it was aware of at least two sanctioned vessels that have arrived in Venezuela in recent days. Two more unsanctioned vessels are reportedly en route. Lloyds List has identified these vessels as the Thousand Sunny and the Xing Ye, both Chinese-flagged. Xing Ye is reportedly loitering off the coast...

Tugs & Salvage

Danish Archaeologists Uncover Largest Medieval Sailing Cog Ever Found

A team of archaeologists in Denmark have discovered the largest medieval European cargo ship ever found, according to the Viking Ship Museum. The team found the wreck on the bottom of the Oresund while conducting site investigations for the construction of Lynetteholm, the controversial manmade island being built just off central Copenhagen. The new 270-acre land feature is both a harbor protection feature to defend against storm surge and a new urban development district. During examination of the seabed between...

Government

Rocket drill in the Taiwan Strait, Dec. 30 (PLA)

China Conducts Live-Fire Exercises in Taiwan Strait

On Tuesday, China's military continued a series of large-scale live fire exercises around Taiwan, demonstrating its high-volume rocket fire capabilities by launching salvos into the Taiwan Strait. The exercises were announced after a record-setting U.S. arms sale agreement with Taiwan. At the same time, China also announced sanctions on 20 American defense tech companies, including some of the biggest names in next-generation technology for the U.S. Navy. The drills - dubbed "Justice Mission 2025" - are intended to send a...

Corporate News

ABS Approval for SHI Floating Nuclear Power Plant Design

[By: ABS] A Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) designed by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), known as the FSMR, featuring two small modular reactors (SMRs) developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has received ABS Approval in Principle. The design, which initially features two SMART100 SMRs, introduces a compartment approach separating the reactor and power generation functions, ultimately allowing the use of a variety of different SMR types. The design also features a modular reactor and safety system within...

Cruise Ships

Judge Lets Hawaii’s “Green Fee” Tax on Cruises Go Ahead

A judge in U.S. District Court in Hawaii rejected a lawsuit by the cruise industry and vendors seeking an injunction against extending for the first time Hawaii’s tax on transient visitors to cruise ships. Known as the “Green Fee,” the state in May enacted an increase to the tax and for the first time included cruise ship passengers, saying the state needs more tools to deal with climate change. Hawaii asserts that Act 96 of 2025 establishes the Green Fee,...

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

Despite U.S. "Blockade," Foreign-Flagged Tankers Arrive in Venezuela

Tugs & Salvage

Danish Archaeologists Uncover Largest Medieval Sailing Cog Ever Found

Government

China Conducts Live-Fire Exercises in Taiwan Strait

Corporate News

ABS Approval for SHI Floating Nuclear Power Plant Design

Cruise Ships

Judge Lets Hawaii’s “Green Fee” Tax on Cruises Go Ahead

Ports

Saudi Arabian Forces Bomb Port in Yemen Raising Tensions with UAE

Offshore

Judge Delays Dominion’s Offshore Wind Suit Awaiting U.S. Data

Shipbuilding

Analysts Question Whether Trump-Class Battleship Will be Built

The announcement of a new Trump-class battleship design last week prompted considerable commentary about its equipment, capabilities and exceptional size. At 35,000 tonnes, it would rival a small amphibious assault ship for displacement. Amidst the discussion of the merits of such a large combatant, key questions about its survivability loom in the procurement process: where could it be built, when would it deliver, how much would it cost, and what would be the tradeoffs made in order to build it?...

Environment

large gas carrier designed for ammonia shipping

JERA Advances Plans to Ship Ammonia Produced in Louisiana to Japan

Japan’s largest power generation and energy company, JERA, is advancing its plans to ship low-carbon ammonia from a production facility in Louisiana to Japan to fuel a power generation plant. The project, working with shipping companies NYK and Mitsui O.S.K., is expected to become the first commercial-scale effort to import ammonia fuel to Japan. The companies announced that they have signed contracts which will lead to the development of very large gas carriers designed specifically for ammonia transport. Mitsui O.S....

Business

Japan Suspends Kawasaki Heavy Industries for Submarine Engine Data Fraud

The Japanese Ministry of Defense announced a series of steps it is taking after investigations confirmed that Kawasaki Heavy Industries had supplied fraudulent test data on its engines and provided inappropriate gifts to a number of naval personnel over the past 40 years. Kawasaki Heavy Industries had first announced in 2024 that it was investigating after information surfaced showing a long-term pattern of falsifying test data to ensure engines were delivered on time under their contracts. Kawasaki Heavy Industries is...

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Despite U.S. "Blockade," Foreign-Flagged Tankers Arrive in Venezuela

Cargo Removal Completed Six Months After Wan Hai 503 Was Damaged by Fire

Ongoing Attacks on Ukraine’s Ports Damage Loading Bulker and Detained Ship

Kidnapped LPG Carrier Crew Released from Captivity in West Africa

Judge Delays Dominion’s Offshore Wind Suit Awaiting U.S. Data

Despite U.S. "Blockade," Foreign-Flagged Tankers Arrive in Venezuela

Danish Archaeologists Uncover Largest Medieval Sailing Cog Ever Found

China Conducts Live-Fire Exercises in Taiwan Strait

ABS Approval for SHI Floating Nuclear Power Plant Design

Judge Lets Hawaii’s “Green Fee” Tax on Cruises Go Ahead

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

Despite U.S. "Blockade," Foreign-Flagged Tankers Arrive in Venezuela

Danish Archaeologists Uncover Largest Medieval Sailing Cog Ever Found

China Conducts Live-Fire Exercises in Taiwan Strait

ABS Approval for SHI Floating Nuclear Power Plant Design

Judge Lets Hawaii’s “Green Fee” Tax on Cruises Go Ahead

Saudi Arabian Forces Bomb Port in Yemen Raising Tensions with UAE

Judge Delays Dominion’s Offshore Wind Suit Awaiting U.S. Data

Analysts Question Whether Trump-Class Battleship Will be Built

JERA Advances Plans to Ship Ammonia Produced in Louisiana to Japan

Japan Suspends Kawasaki Heavy Industries for Submarine Engine Data Fraud

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events