Russian Forces Release Greek Tanker After Brief Detention off Estonia

Attack on the bulker Tutor in the Red Sea, 2024 (Houthi Military Media)

Houthis Reboot Red Sea Crisis With "Blockade" on Port of Haifa

Published May 19, 2025 8:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

Resolving any ambiguity about whether Yemen's Houthi rebels may have agreed to a shipping ceasefire, the group announced Monday that it will begin targeting shipowners who serve the port of Haifa, effective immediately. The group said that its decision to re-escalate was motivated by Israeli military operations in Gaza. The Houthi communications center for Red Sea traffic said that going forward, the group will impose a long-distance naval blockade on Haifa. All vessels are "prohibited" from loading or unloading at Israel's...

U.S. Interior Department Lifts Empire Wind Stop-Work Order

Published May 19, 2025 7:54 PM by The Maritime Executive

In a surprising reversal, the Trump administration has lifted the stop-work order on New York’s Empire Wind offshore energy project. Norway’s Equinor issued a brief statement reporting that it has been informed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that the order was lifted allowing construction activities to resume. Equinor had threatened to walk away from the project while a concerted effort was underway to permit the project to proceed. Reports are indicating...

Coast Guard investigators arrive to board Scot Stuttgart (USCG)

Coast Guard Investigates Two Separate Engine Room Fires in Puerto RIco

Published May 19, 2025 6:57 PM by The Maritime Executive

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched investigations into a pair of separate vessel fires that occurred in Puerto Rico over the weekend, according to agency representatives. The more recent incident unfolded early Saturday at Puerto Nuevo Channel's N Wharf, where the Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker Scot Stuttgart suffered an engine room fire while berthed alongside. The tanker first reported an auxiliary engine fire to the Coast Guard at about 0345 hours. Crewmembers deployed the vessel's built-in fire suppression system, and...

Ports: USTR Fees on Chinese Cranes Will Not "Magically" Revitalize Industry

Published May 19, 2025 6:51 PM by The Maritime Executive

The American Association of Port Authorities continued to fiercely advocate for ports during its testimony and response to the U.S. Trade Representative’s proposal to add fees on Chinese-built ships, car carriers, and Chinese-manufactured port cranes. AAPA, which has been fighting against the fees on cranes, said today, May 19, during the USTR testimony, “raising tariffs on Chinese cranes another 100 percent will not magically revitalize an American crane manufacturing industry that has been nonexistent for decades.” Advocating on behalf...

Shipping

Leveraging One-Cloud: The Key To Smart And Secure Maritime Operations

In the modern shipping industry, operational resilience goes beyond seaworthy vessels and capable crews. It’s about the digital backbone powering every function of a fleet—from safety and compliance, to maintenance, procurement, crewing, and more. Martin Bjornebye, VP of Research & Development at BASS Software The industry continues its shift toward cloud-based solutions with one goal in mind: to be future-ready. One of the biggest shifts can be seen in one-cloud ERP...

Tugs & Salvage

The two small salvage platforms are visible on either side of the USS Arizona Memorial building. The white concrete dolphins in the background will remain intact (USN)

U.S. Navy Plans to Remove Salvage Platforms From USS Arizona's Hull

The U.S. Navy is preparing to remove two salvage platforms that were welded onto the wreck of the USS Arizona in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attacks. The rusting platforms are part of Arizona's history, but they are deteriorating, and one has already partially collapsed. USS Arizona is a symbol of the sacrifices that American servicemembers made in the Second World War. On December 7, 1941, the battleship came under intense attack by Japanese bombers; the fourth bomb...

Government

EU Begins Planning a New Strategy to Boost its Maritime Sector

Last week, shipping ministers from EU member states gathered in Szczecin, Poland to lay out a strategy for boosting the competitiveness of European shipbuilding and shipping in the face of ever-rising competition from Asia. During the "informal" meeting, the ministers talked through the possibilities for a future EU maritime industrial strategy, taking into account political and market factors. The conference concluded with a joint declaration by member states, which received welcome approval from EU shipbuilders and shipowners. “The Szczecin...

Corporate News

Port of Oakland April Container Volume Drops 14.7% vs. March

[By: Port of Oakland] The Port of Oakland handled 185,499 TEUs (twenty-foot containers) in April, marking a 14.7% decrease in overall cargo volume from March 2025. The slowdown is driven by market uncertainty as well as softening demand in exports — both influenced by recent shifts in U.S. trade policy. Despite the dip for the month of April, total volume for the first four months of 2025 reached 787,028 TEUs handled, which still registered 4.3% growth overall compared to the same...

Cruise Ships

MSC Cruises Adds to Cruise Ship Boom Ordering Two More Mega Ships

The cruise industry continues its rush to ultra-large ships with MSC Cruises reporting the order of two additional 217,000 gross ton mega cruise ships from Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France. The line, which currently has 23 cruise ships in operation and two under construction, will add two additional ships to its World Class due for delivery in 2029 and 2030, each with a capacity for over 6,700 passengers. News of the order was highlighted by France’s Minister for...

Ports

Final Construction Permits Issued for First Gulf Coast LNG Bunker Port

The Galveston LNG Bunker Port is now fully permitted for construction to start after receiving authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a recommendation from the U.S. Coast Guard. The project, which is being developed as the first LNG bunker port on the Gulf Coast, is advancing to a financial investment decision from partners Pilot LNG and Seapath Group, a Libra Group subsidiary. To be located on the Texas City Ship Channel in the Texas City industrial...

Shipping

Leveraging One-Cloud: The Key To Smart And Secure Maritime Operations

Tugs & Salvage

U.S. Navy Plans to Remove Salvage Platforms From USS Arizona's Hull

Government

EU Begins Planning a New Strategy to Boost its Maritime Sector

Corporate News

Port of Oakland April Container Volume Drops 14.7% vs. March

Cruise Ships

MSC Cruises Adds to Cruise Ship Boom Ordering Two More Mega Ships

Ports

Final Construction Permits Issued for First Gulf Coast LNG Bunker Port

Offshore

U.S. Interior Department Lifts Empire Wind Stop-Work Order

Shipbuilding

Hyundai Mipo and Trafigura Finalize Details for Ammonia Carriers

The details for some of the first large ammonia carriers that will also be fueled by ammonia have been finalized setting the groundwork for the emerging sector. The four medium-sized liquified gas carriers will be among the first to be launched in a forward-looking effort by commodities trader Trafigura. The order for the four vessels was announced in April 2024 as Trafigura proceeds to develop the opportunities with alternative fuels. The company highlighted its testing of LNG, methanol....

Environment

A corroded pipe was leaking oil between piers 2 and 3 (Courtesy USCG)

Port of San Juan's Mystery Spill Returns

The long-running mystery spill at the Port of San Juan is back, but this time, the Coast Guard has found the culprit and implemented a solution. On April 11, Station San Juan conducted a patrol in San Juan Harbor and discovered oil pollution in the water between piers 2 and 3. The Coast Guard discovered an aging, badly corroded steel pipe that was slowly leaking heavy black oil into the harbor. It is far from the first such occurrence...

Business

Female members of the UNIFIL naval peacekeeping force off Lebanon, 2025 (UNIFIL)

Women in Maritime Day: Survey Highlights Progress, But Barriers Remain

For this year's International Women in Maritime Day, the IMO released the results of a new global survey conducted together with WISTA International. The survey found that women account for an estimated 19 percent of all employees in the maritime sector worldwide, with high variability among subsectors. Women dominate the field in public relations, marketing, advertising, crewing and recruitment roles, but still account for just one percent of the world's active seafaring workforce - reflecting both the opportunities and...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

Select any month to view events: May June July August September October November December January February March April

Russian Forces Release Greek Tanker After Brief Detention off Estonia

Houthis Reboot Red Sea Crisis With "Blockade" on Port of Haifa

U.S. Interior Department Lifts Empire Wind Stop-Work Order

Coast Guard Investigates Two Separate Engine Room Fires in Puerto RIco

Ports: USTR Fees on Chinese Cranes Will Not "Magically" Revitalize Industry

Leveraging One-Cloud: The Key To Smart And Secure Maritime Operations

U.S. Navy Plans to Remove Salvage Platforms From USS Arizona's Hull

EU Begins Planning a New Strategy to Boost its Maritime Sector

Port of Oakland April Container Volume Drops 14.7% vs. March

MSC Cruises Adds to Cruise Ship Boom Ordering Two More Mega Ships

Final Construction Permits Issued for First Gulf Coast LNG Bunker Port

Leveraging One-Cloud: The Key To Smart And Secure Maritime Operations

Amidst Seafarer Shortage, Multi-orbit Connectivity is Key for Recruiting

Historic Climate Agreement Creates Foundation for Future-Proof Agenda

Leveraging One-Cloud: The Key To Smart And Secure Maritime Operations

U.S. Navy Plans to Remove Salvage Platforms From USS Arizona's Hull

EU Begins Planning a New Strategy to Boost its Maritime Sector

Port of Oakland April Container Volume Drops 14.7% vs. March

MSC Cruises Adds to Cruise Ship Boom Ordering Two More Mega Ships

Final Construction Permits Issued for First Gulf Coast LNG Bunker Port

U.S. Interior Department Lifts Empire Wind Stop-Work Order

Hyundai Mipo and Trafigura Finalize Details for Ammonia Carriers

Port of San Juan's Mystery Spill Returns

Women in Maritime Day: Survey Highlights Progress, But Barriers Remain

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

Join the conversation.

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events