The Maritime Executive Set Records With its Most Popular Articles of 2025

A U.S. Navy sub calls at the American base at Diego Garcia, 2022 (USN)

Diego Garcia Deal Stokes Debate on Islanders' Right to Self-Determination

Published Dec 24, 2025 1:57 PM by The Maritime Executive

Having delayed the legislative process in the face of growing opposition to the plan to surrender sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territories to Mauritius, the British government is planning an attempt to force the legislation through the UK Parliament after the Christmas recess. The legislation provides for a lease-back arrangement which will allow for the continued operation of the US Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia. From a security perspective, the terms of the deal have already been questioned....

The unprecedented drone-submarine strike on a Russian attack submarine at Novorossiysk (SBU)

Ukraine Disabled Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft Before Submarine Strike

Published Dec 24, 2025 2:18 AM by The Maritime Executive

In advance of the drone sub strike on the Russian Navy submarine pen on the Black Sea, Ukraine's SBU security service paved the way by damaging the only Russian antisubmarine patrol aircraft in the area, the agency claims. On December 15, the SBU released video showing a strike on a Kilo-class attack submarine at a pier in Novorossiysk, the protected port where the Russian Navy has relocated almost all of its combatant vessels in the Black Sea. The agency claimed...

Takeover Offers Prompt Debate Over ZIM's National Security Role

Published Dec 23, 2025 11:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

Shares in Israeli container line ZIM soared in value on Tuesday after the company's board said that it is evaluating a possible private buyout. At least one offer has already been declined, but two foreign offers are still under consideration, according to Israeli media. The buyout competition started last month with an offer from the firm's sitting CEO, Eli Glickman, who proposed to take ZIM private in cooperation with Israeli businessman Rami Unger. ZIM's boardmembers solicited competing offers in order...

Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations

Floating Crane Catches Fire at Russian Ship Repair Yard

Published Dec 23, 2025 8:44 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Tuesday, a major fire broke out at a small ship repair yard in Nizhy Novgorod, a city on the Volga in western Russia. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia reported that a fire damaged a floating crane at the Borskaya Ship Repair Company, a commercial river-sea freighter repair yard. Fuel spilled from the vessel and burned over an area of about 1000 square feet, the agency said. Photos provided by the ministry show firefighters applying foam in quantity...

Shipping

The Maritime Executive Set Records With its Most Popular Articles of 2025

It has been a challenging year for the maritime industry. Operators were forced to divert from Red Sea routes, adapted to a return of Somali piracy, and experienced the impact of shifting trade policies. Perennial issues such as illegal fishing and drug running continued to make headlines, along with geopolitical concerns ranging from Russia's shadow fleet to the subterfuge of Iran’s military. At the end of 2025, it's a good time to look back at the most popular Maritime Executive...

Tugs & Salvage

Floating Crane Catches Fire at Russian Ship Repair Yard

Government

The new Chinese carrier Fujian (Japan Self Defense Force)

Pentagon: China Plans to Build Nine Aircraft Carriers

China's naval aspirations are more ambitious than previously understood, according to the Pentagon's annual assessment of the People's Liberation Army. The Chinese PLA Navy is already the largest naval force in the world by vessel count, and modernizing at breakneck speed - but this is not enough, according to the report. China plans to expand its carrier force to a total of nine vessels by 2035, enough to compete for sea control in the Western Pacific. China's carrier technology has...

Corporate News

EcoCO2-Equipped Vessel Successfully Completes Gas Trial

[By Babcock International Group] Babcock’s LGE business, a global leader in liquefied gas solutions, has announced a significant new milestone in its pioneering ecoCO2® cargo handling system project. The first of four 22,000m³ liquefied CO? (LCO2) carriers, developed under a world-first contract with Capital Gas Ship Management, has now completed its maiden gas trial – a critical phase in the vessel’s commissioning process. The trial marked the first operational test of the ecoCO2® system onboard a commercial vessel, validating its...

Cruise Ships

Passenger Killed as Nile River Cruise Ships Collide

Egyptian authorities are confirming that one passenger, an Italian tourist, has died from injuries sustained during the collision of two Nile River cruise ships. The captain of one of the vessels has had his license suspended and is under investigation for violations of the maritime regulations. The General Authority for River Transport is accusing the captain of the cruise ship Royal Beau Rivage of making a sudden, sharp maneuver, which caused the two vessels to collide. The Royal Beau Rivage...

Ports

China to Develop New Port in Kuwait for Regional and Global Trade

Kuwait and China formalized a new agreement, building on their cooperation and which aims to complete the development of a new port in northern Kuwait. Known as the Mina Mubarak Al-Kabeer port, it is a key part of Kuwait’s Vision 2035 project and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Plans have been discussed for the new port as part of Kuwait’s economic diversification project aimed at moving the country’s economy away from its total dependence on oil. In 2023, China signed...

Shipping

The Maritime Executive Set Records With its Most Popular Articles of 2025

Tugs & Salvage

Floating Crane Catches Fire at Russian Ship Repair Yard

Government

Pentagon: China Plans to Build Nine Aircraft Carriers

Corporate News

EcoCO2-Equipped Vessel Successfully Completes Gas Trial

Cruise Ships

Passenger Killed as Nile River Cruise Ships Collide

Ports

China to Develop New Port in Kuwait for Regional and Global Trade

Offshore

U.S. Offshore Wind Developers Stop Work and Explore Next Steps

From New England to the Mid-Atlantic regions, offshore wind developers reported they were complying with the government order to suspend offshore installation work while also expressing frustration. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management followed up the public announcement with a written notification to the developers of the five projects ordering them to stop their offshore work on the Outer Continental Shelf while the government conducts a review. Several of the projects highlighted that they were just weeks away from beginning...

Shipbuilding

Greek Unions Protest Repair Period for Israeli Cruise Ship

Trade unions in Greece are protesting plans for a cruise ship with alleged links to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to be allocated space at a Greek yard for extensive repair and maintenance work. The Athens-based World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) wants Greek authorities to revoke the approval for the allocation of space for Crown Iris, a cruise ship that is allegedly due to arrive at the Public Power Corporation (PPC) pier in Keratsini, Piraeus, for the repair work....

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

Happy Holidays From the Team at The Maritime Executive

Season's greetings from The Maritime Executive! Thank you for visiting our website, subscribing to our newsletter and reading our magazine. Thanks to you, the reader, it was a banner year for TME - and we're pleased to celebrate it with you. Whether you're a shipowner, shipbuilder, merchant mariner, a supplier or in vessel operations, The Maritime Executive promises to meet your industry news and information needs in 2026. Happy Holidays and a happy New Year!

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The Maritime Executive Set Records With its Most Popular Articles of 2025

Diego Garcia Deal Stokes Debate on Islanders' Right to Self-Determination

Ukraine Disabled Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft Before Submarine Strike

Takeover Offers Prompt Debate Over ZIM's National Security Role

Floating Crane Catches Fire at Russian Ship Repair Yard

The Maritime Executive Set Records With its Most Popular Articles of 2025

Floating Crane Catches Fire at Russian Ship Repair Yard

Pentagon: China Plans to Build Nine Aircraft Carriers

EcoCO2-Equipped Vessel Successfully Completes Gas Trial

Passenger Killed as Nile River Cruise Ships Collide

China to Develop New Port in Kuwait for Regional and Global Trade

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

The Maritime Executive Set Records With its Most Popular Articles of 2025

Floating Crane Catches Fire at Russian Ship Repair Yard

Pentagon: China Plans to Build Nine Aircraft Carriers

EcoCO2-Equipped Vessel Successfully Completes Gas Trial

Passenger Killed as Nile River Cruise Ships Collide

China to Develop New Port in Kuwait for Regional and Global Trade

U.S. Offshore Wind Developers Stop Work and Explore Next Steps

Greek Unions Protest Repair Period for Israeli Cruise Ship

JERA Advances Plans to Ship Ammonia Produced in Louisiana to Japan

Happy Holidays From the Team at The Maritime Executive

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