Second Time's the Charm as Iran Permits Chinese Boxships Through Hormuz

French Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker's Captain to One Year in Prison

Published Mar 30, 2026 5:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

A court in France has sentenced the Chinese captain of a shadow fleet tanker to a year-long prison sentence for disobeying instructions from a military boarding team. Capt. Chen Zhangjie, a 39-year-old Chinese national, was captain of the Russia-linked tanker Boracay during a voyage from the Baltic in September 2025. Boracay is suspected of serving as a launching pad for aerial drones, which interfered with traffic at Copenhagen Airport and at nearby military installations at about the same time that...

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Published Mar 30, 2026 5:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

River cruising continues to be one of the hottest segments in the cruise industry, with strong growth continuing, especially in the European market. Analysts report there are over 380 river cruise ships currently sailing, with an additional 10 percent currently under construction and continuing new orders. The UK division of Germany’s TUI Group announced that it has ordered two more new builds, and these ships are being designed and built for the next generation of alternative fuels. The company reports...

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

Published Mar 30, 2026 3:53 PM by The Maritime Executive

The members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association ratified a new contract on Saturday, March 28, ending a strike at Bath Iron Works that had begun on the prior Monday. It was the first strike in six years at the critical government contractor and impacted about a tenth of the total workforce, specifically among designers, clerks, and technicians. The union reported that it had been negotiating for about three weeks and was unable to come to terms with one of...

Philly Wins its First U.S. Navy Design Contract Under Hanwha's Management

Published Mar 30, 2026 3:43 PM by The Maritime Executive

Hanwha Philly Shipyard has won its first Navy newbuild project under its new Korean management - a subcontract to Vard for the light replenishment oiler (T-AOL) project. Hanwha will be involved in the vessel's conceptualization; a market survey of existing foreign designs; cost analysis; and optimization for manufacturability - lining Hanwha up well to compete for possible orders for construction. The T-AOL - also branded the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) - is designed to leverage commercially available technologies to...

Shipping

Ukraine Pitches its Own Solution to the Strait of Hormuz Shutdown

The Ukrainian government is offering to lend Gulf states its experience in reopening contested sea lanes, President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Monday. Ukraine has a battle-tested system that protects its own Black Sea shipping corridor from Russian-spec surface warfare threats, comparable to the lower end of the threat spectrum currently found in the Strait of Hormuz, and it is willing to export its knowledge to clients in the GCC. "There is an energy crisis. They know they can rely...

Tugs & Salvage

Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Hit By Drone Attack in Black Sea

A tanker carrying Russian oil has been hit by drones near the northern entrance to the Bosporus, according to Turkish officials. The vessel, identified as the Sierra Leone-flagged Suezmax Altura, sustained damage to her bridge and to her engine room, according to Turkish channel NTV. No injuries were reported among the 27 members of the crew, all of whom are Turkish nationals. The salvage and rescue vessel Nene Hatun was dispatched to the scene to assist. As of Thursday morning,...

Government

French Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker's Captain to One Year in Prison

Corporate News

Damen & Polidano Group Sign Contract for 2 Combi Freighters 3850

[By: Damen Shipyards Group] Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with the Polidano Group for the delivery of two Combi Freighters (CF) 3850. The Malta-based company will use the vessels primarily for the transport of aggregates for its construction business. The new vessels will be named Denise P and Julia P in honour of Polidano family members. Strong reputation The Polidano Group approached Damen due to the reputation of the CF 3850 in the market. The company will use...

Cruise Ships

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ports

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Ukrainian officials are reporting that they have maintained a series of unrelenting attacks designed to dramatically impact the oil export operations on the Baltic. Overnight into Sunday, they staged what they said was the fifth consecutive nightly attack on the Russian terminal at Ust-Luga. The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, confirmed the attacks in a series of social media postings. He warned residents, initially saying they had destroyed 29, then 31, and then 36 drones. He also warned...

Shipping

Ukraine Pitches its Own Solution to the Strait of Hormuz Shutdown

Tugs & Salvage

Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Hit By Drone Attack in Black Sea

Government

French Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker's Captain to One Year in Prison

Corporate News

Damen & Polidano Group Sign Contract for 2 Combi Freighters 3850

Cruise Ships

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ports

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Offshore

First Offshore Post-Combustion CO2 Capture System Starts on FPSO

What is being billed as the world’s first offshore post-combustion CO2 capture system is now fully operational on an advanced FPSO positioned off Angola. Developed by Carbon Circle for the Yinson Production FPSO Agogo, which is being operated by Azule Energy, the FPSO and this new system are considered to be a pioneer in the emerging field of offshore carbon capture. The massive FPSO was built in China and delivered in March 2025 by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Shipyard. Measuring...

Shipbuilding

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

Environment

Japan Demonstrates Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Commercial Vessels

Japan reports a breakthrough with the demonstration of a large hydrogen-fueled engine being developed by Japan Engine Corporation, working with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, for a demonstration project for an ocean-going vessel. It points out that most work so far with hydrogen is on smaller engines for coastal vessels, making this a major technological milestone toward the practical use of hydrogen-fueled vessels. While interest has developed in hydrogen, to date, the Japanese project points out that most of the initiatives are...

Business

floating data center repurposing old ship

MOL and Hitachi to Study Converting Old Ships to Floating Data Centers

Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Hitachi plan to explore the use of old ships as a means of meeting the strong demand and technical concerns of developing data centers. The companies have signed an agreement that will see them pursue a feasibility study of their concept of floating data centers, as well as verify the demand and technical specifications required for the concept. The companies point to the strong demand for data centers, in part due to the rapid proliferation...

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Second Time's the Charm as Iran Permits Chinese Boxships Through Hormuz

French Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker's Captain to One Year in Prison

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

Philly Wins its First U.S. Navy Design Contract Under Hanwha's Management

Ukraine Pitches its Own Solution to the Strait of Hormuz Shutdown

Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Hit By Drone Attack in Black Sea

French Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker's Captain to One Year in Prison

Damen & Polidano Group Sign Contract for 2 Combi Freighters 3850

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Cyber Risk in Shipping: From Technical Threat to Business Reality

Architecture of Adaptability: Designing Vessels to Stand the Test of Time

Improve Fleet Value With Digital Optimization of Cruise Ship Hotel Areas

Ukraine Pitches its Own Solution to the Strait of Hormuz Shutdown

Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Hit By Drone Attack in Black Sea

French Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker's Captain to One Year in Prison

Damen & Polidano Group Sign Contract for 2 Combi Freighters 3850

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

First Offshore Post-Combustion CO2 Capture System Starts on FPSO

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

Japan Demonstrates Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Commercial Vessels

MOL and Hitachi to Study Converting Old Ships to Floating Data Centers

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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