Report: Crew of Kuwaiti Tanker Abandons Ship After Iranian Attack

Spain’s Balenciaga Shipyard Restarts Work Under AD Ports Ownership

Published Jul 20, 2026 5:45 PM by The Maritime Executive

Six months after it was announced that SAFEEN Drydocks, part of the AP Ports Group, was acquiring the Spanish shipyard, Balenciaga restarted work with its first keel laying. The historic yard located in the Basque region of Spain looks to rebuild its operations, focusing on the offshore sector with specialized tugs and support vessels. The shipyard, which had been known as Astilleros Balenciaga, traces its origins to 1921, reporting that it has built hundreds of vessels, including for the Spanish...

Iranian state media released a video of a tanker in ballast, smoke pouring from its stern (Iranian state media)

Second Dynacom-Owned Tanker Reportedly Hit in Strait of Hormuz

Published Jul 20, 2026 5:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Monday, the Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations office (UKMTO) confirmed the Iranian attack on a tanker north of the Musandam Peninsula and said that the vessel is now abandoned and adrift. Maritime security company Marisks reports that a second tanker, the Dynacom-managed VLCC Acheloos, was hit at about the same time. In the early hours of Monday morning, the tanker - identified by the press and the operator as the Dynacom-owned product tanker Kavomaleas - was struck by...

Subcontractor Killed in Fourth Incident at HD Hyundai Sites in 2026

Published Jul 20, 2026 4:30 PM by The Maritime Executive

A foreign subcontractor was crushed to death while working at the HD Hyundai shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, on Saturday, July 18, making the fourth death at a company site this year. The incident comes as tensions are already high with its lead union over stalled contract negotiations. The worker was a 26-year-old man from Uzbekistan who was conducting finishing work on an under-construction LNG carrier. The report said the man was on a lift (gondola) and was conducting grinding...

Smooth Sailing

Published Jul 20, 2026 4:10 PM by Tom Peters

If you are a port or a shipping line in the roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) business these days, moving automobiles and high-and-heavy pieces can be both a challenging and rewarding place to be. According to Business Research Insights, an international market research firm, ro-ro cargo is expected to generate an estimated $14.3 billion in 2026 and reach an estimated $36.7 billion by 2035. That kind of growth is impressive. At the Port of Galveston, Port Director & CEO Rodger Rees says ro-ro...

Shipping

tankers at offshore oil terminal moorings

Three Tankers Attacked While Loading at Caspian Pipeline

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium is confirming that operations were briefly suspended as three tankers were struck by drones. The company is noting that it is a commercial operation with interests from the United States and elsewhere, while the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy were strongly condemning the attacks. The first attack came on Sunday, July 19, as two tankers were loading at the offshore terminal moorings in the Black Sea. One of the vessels, Asia...

Tugs & Salvage

Greek-owned icebreaking LNG carrier Fedor Litke, built to serve Yamal LNG in Russia's Arctic northern reaches (Manuel Hernandez Lafuente / VesselFinder)

Greece Threatens EU Sanctions Veto Over Russian LNG Imports

In policy matters, the European Union takes its time, largely because it takes forever to build consensus between the 27 disparate members of the Union. Complicating matters further, consensus-building needs to be coordinated between three separate bodies – the European Council, on which each member nation has a vote; the European Parliament, where members collectively may have different views than the governments of the countries from where they have been elected; and finally the European Commission, where disagreements tend to...

Government

Russian Frigate Conducts Live-Fire Exercise Off UK Coast as Royal Navy Watc

The Russian frigate Neutrashimy, which has just taken up position, it appears, in the English Channel, caused a stir on Monday, July 20, when the vessel conducted a live-fire gunnery exercise off the coast of the UK. The vessel was being observed by both the Royal Navy and the French military, reports the BBC. Russia has had warships in the area of the Channel for months, escorting tankers and other strategic vessels. Most recently, it was the Russian frigate RFS...

Corporate News

Columbia Group CEO Sets Out Priorities For Next Phase Of Growth

[By Columbia] Columbia Group’s CEO, Andreas Hadjipetrou, has set out his priorities for the company’s next chapter, placing responsible growth, stronger collaboration, seafarer support and long-term client trust at the centre of the Group’s strategy. Commenting on the company’s next phase, the focus is to build on the values that have shaped Columbia’s growth, while responding to a rapidly changing maritime market. “Columbia Group has been built on trust, strong values and long-term relationships,” said Mr Hadjipetrou. “My priority is...

Cruise Ships

Battle of the Beaches for the Cruise Lines

Cruise lines are intensifying their focus on their private ports. While the beach destinations have long been popular with passengers, the lines are increasing their investments not only to expand their offerings but also to differentiate their islands as they seek to grow their earning potential. The concept of the private islands got its start in the 1970s. Then marketing executive at Norwegian Cruise Line, Bruce Nierenberg, recalls the origins as coming from a popular beach party excursion the line...

Ports

Smooth Sailing

Shipping

Three Tankers Attacked While Loading at Caspian Pipeline

Tugs & Salvage

Greece Threatens EU Sanctions Veto Over Russian LNG Imports

Government

Russian Frigate Conducts Live-Fire Exercise Off UK Coast as Royal Navy Watc

Corporate News

Columbia Group CEO Sets Out Priorities For Next Phase Of Growth

Cruise Ships

Battle of the Beaches for the Cruise Lines

Ports

Smooth Sailing

Offshore

Sweden Permits Two Offshore Wind Farms, Denies 11 Due to Defense Concerns

While saying that Sweden needs to develop new power sources and critically green power to remain competitive, the government had nonetheless decided to deny 11 pending applications. It was the latest move by the government, which also denied 13 applications in 2024, citing defense concerns. “The government assesses that the applied for activities would, among other things, have an unacceptable impact on our defense capabilities,” said the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise. “However, the decisions do not mean that the...

Shipbuilding

Subcontractor Killed in Fourth Incident at HD Hyundai Sites in 2026

Environment

Proving Phase

For years, ammonia has held a strange place in shipping's transition – promising, commercially uncertain, operationally uncomfortable. It carries no carbon atoms, can be made from renewable hydrogen and nitrogen, and may eventually serve deep-sea trade routes that batteries cannot reach. But it's also toxic, corrosive, and unforgiving. "Ammonia slip," where unburned ammonia escapes through combustion or exhaust, is a real concern when injection timing and combustion pressure are poorly controlled. The question is no longer whether ammonia can work....

Business

Spain’s Balenciaga Shipyard Restarts Work Under AD Ports Ownership

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Report: Crew of Kuwaiti Tanker Abandons Ship After Iranian Attack

Spain’s Balenciaga Shipyard Restarts Work Under AD Ports Ownership

Second Dynacom-Owned Tanker Reportedly Hit in Strait of Hormuz

Subcontractor Killed in Fourth Incident at HD Hyundai Sites in 2026

Smooth Sailing

Three Tankers Attacked While Loading at Caspian Pipeline

Greece Threatens EU Sanctions Veto Over Russian LNG Imports

Russian Frigate Conducts Live-Fire Exercise Off UK Coast as Royal Navy Watc

Columbia Group CEO Sets Out Priorities For Next Phase Of Growth

Battle of the Beaches for the Cruise Lines

Smooth Sailing

The Hidden Operational Value in Your Emissions Data

New Reality of Tanker Ops: Why Onboard Blending and Cargo Control Matter

New Digital Platform Connects Shipowners Directly With Seafarers

Three Tankers Attacked While Loading at Caspian Pipeline

Greece Threatens EU Sanctions Veto Over Russian LNG Imports

Russian Frigate Conducts Live-Fire Exercise Off UK Coast as Royal Navy Watc

Columbia Group CEO Sets Out Priorities For Next Phase Of Growth

Battle of the Beaches for the Cruise Lines

Smooth Sailing

Sweden Permits Two Offshore Wind Farms, Denies 11 Due to Defense Concerns

Subcontractor Killed in Fourth Incident at HD Hyundai Sites in 2026

Proving Phase

Spain’s Balenciaga Shipyard Restarts Work Under AD Ports Ownership

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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