Wednesday, April 15, 2026
MORE TOP STORIES
NITC tankers

Report: U.S. Navy Destroyer Turns Back Two Iran-Linked Tankers

Published Apr 14, 2026 9:08 PM by The Maritime Executive

The U.S. blockade of Iranian shipping is unfolding successfully so far, according to U.S. Central Command, including enforcement along the Gulf of Oman coastline. Two tankers that attempted to leave Chabahar were interdicted by a U.S. Navy destroyer and instructed to turn around, officials told Reuters late Tuesday. Separately, officials told the New York Times that six Iran-linked vessels had turned around after U.S. forces contacted them by radio and directed them to return to an Iranian port. Inbound traffic...

Continue Reading...
Convention

New Hazmat Liability Convention Could Enter Into Force Next Year

Published Apr 14, 2026 9:08 PM by The Maritime Executive

The global merchant shipping industry is about to get a new layer of liability with the impending entry into force of a treaty that sets compensation for damages and pollution associated with hazardous cargo. In a span of 18 months, the International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 2010 - better known as the 2010 HNS Convention - will enter into force after receiving the required number...

Continue Reading...
Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, condemned the United States’ targeted blockade of Iranian ports and ships as “dangerous and irresponsible” and described reports of Chinese arms exports to Iran as fabricated (Chinese Foreign Ministry/IRInt video)

All at Sea: The Gulf in China's Foreign Policy Position

Published Apr 14, 2026 6:13 PM by The Maritime Executive

China has always sought to be friends with countries on both sides of the Gulf, sufficiently engaged politically to gain economic benefits from trading with all. To achieve this has meant keeping a low profile on divisive political questions, such as the ownership of the disputed islands in the Gulf occupied by Iran but claimed by the United Arab Emirates, and support to the Axis of Resistance. But up until now, this approach has been largely successful, with all the...

Continue Reading...
Areiram / CC BY SA 4.0

Op-Ed: Mideast Conflict Provides a Test of Economic Resilience

Published Apr 14, 2026 6:13 PM by The Conversation

[By Adi Imsirovic and Antonio Fatas] The world economy survived the shocks of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, which has had limited impact on economic growth. But the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East has transformed what had been, until early 2026, a surprisingly benign outlook into a far more uncertain one. It has created the ultimate test for how resilient the world economy really is. Amid stalled ceasefire negotiations, the US president, Donald Trump, has threatened a blockade of vessels...

Continue Reading...
MORE STORIES BY CATEGORY

Offshore

Chinese offshore wind farm

China Commissions Wind Farm At Its Deepest Offshore Position

Chinese officials highlighted the commissioning of its newest offshore wind farm, which is also setting a record for the country’s deepest fixed-bottom wind turbines and is located far out to sea. They highlighted the complex geology and challenges of extreme sea conditions in developing and operating the 504 MW wind farm, the Huaneng Shandong Peninsula North L Site. The wind farm was developed by the state-owned China Huaneng Group and will be managed and operated by the Yantai Power Plant....

Continue Reading...

Shipbuilding

The Navy has selected a Damen design for the future LSM, to be build under a VCM contract model (Damen illustration)

Fincantieri Wins Design & Procurement Contract for Landing Ship Medium

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's U.S. division has secured an initial contract for the U.S. Navy's Landing Ship Medium program, giving it a longer runway after the Navy’s serial decisions to reduce small-combatant procurement, first for the Littoral Combat Ship series and then for the Constellation-class frigate program. The U.S. subsidiary of Fincantieri Marine Group said it has been awarded a $30 million contract covering early engineering work and the purchase of long-lead materials for the first four vessels. The award follows...

Continue Reading...

Environment

Carbon carrier vessels for CCS storage

Buildout Continues of Emerging Category of CO2 Carriers for CCS

A new segment of shipping, purpose-built CO2 carriers designed to support the emerging efforts at carbon capture and storage (CCS), continues to grow. The first of the commercial operations is beginning, and the sector is driving the development of the ships. Northern Lights, a partnership between Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies was the first to enter the segment, starting commercial operations in 2025. It was designed with an initial capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year and has already announced plans...

Continue Reading...

Business

Areiram / CC BY SA 4.0

Op-Ed: Mideast Conflict Provides a Test of Economic Resilience

[By Adi Imsirovic and Antonio Fatas] The world economy survived the shocks of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, which has had limited impact on economic growth. But the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East has transformed what had been, until early 2026, a surprisingly benign outlook into a far more uncertain one. It has created the ultimate test for how resilient the world economy really is. Amid stalled ceasefire negotiations, the US president, Donald Trump, has threatened a blockade of vessels...

Continue Reading...