Sunday, August 16, 2026
Media Kit
The Philippine delegation presenting the official copy of NAMRIA Chart No. 1567 entitled “Bajo de Masinloc and Approach” with DOALOS Deputy Director Alice Hicuburundi, centre left (DFA Philippines)

Scarborough Shoal and the Philippines’ Paper Trail in the South China Sea

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Russian floating sentry box PLOT-40 (Militarnyi / Russian social media)

Russia Fields a Floating Pillbox to Defend Against Ukraine's Drones

Published Aug 14, 2026 9:48 PM by The Maritime Executive

The invasion of Ukraine has crystallized the rapid changes in warfare brought about primarily by advances in electronic applications. Ukraine, kept short of the technology transfers it needs to defend itself from Russian aggression, has had no choice but to develop and innovate its own systems, and to be fair, the Russians - while behind - have not been far behind in the contest between newly fielded offensive capabilities and the means to defend against them. Any nation wishing to...

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Sailors at work on the flight deck of USS Abraham Lincoln, July 30 (USN)

Trump Says Record-Setting Carrier Deployment "Not Nearly Long Enough"

Published Aug 14, 2026 8:39 PM by The Maritime Executive

Following claims of poor conditions aboard the long-deployed carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, the Navy asserts that it does not have a rash of mental health issues aboard the ship, which is deployed in the Arabian Sea in support of the war with Iran. Top leaders have asserted that the ship is still well-resourced to support the crew after spending more than 200 continuous days at sea. President Donald Trump weighed in on Friday, telling reporters that Lincoln's deployment was not...

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Cosgrand Lake

Will Chinese Oil Imports Rebound After the Iran War?

Published Aug 14, 2026 7:33 PM by Erik Broekhuizen / Poten & Partners

For several decades, there has been one reliable growth engine for oil demand in the world: China. China’s massive growth in oil demand in the early 2000s was the primary driver of the tanker super cycle that lasted from roughly 2001 to 2009. It established China as the key driver of global oil and tanker demand. China has only limited domestic production and most of the oil needs to be imported, which is why tanker owners keep a close eye...

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Hormuz

Two More Tankers Attacked in the Strait of Hormuz

Published Aug 14, 2026 7:04 PM by The Maritime Executive

Two tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz overnight Thursday, according to UKMTO and UAE state oil company Adnoc. It was the latest round of strikes instigated by Iran in an attempt to reinforce Iranian control of the strait, and the latest in a long string of attempts to halt Adnoc's shipping operations. At about 1550 hours UTC, military authorities in the region informed UKMTO that a tanker was hit in the strait during an outbound transit. The vessel...

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Offshore

Prime Minister Modi in a hard hat mixes in amongst Indian construction workers (KARAM)

India's Big Boost for Maritime Oil & Gas Exploration

The Indian government is looking to reduce its 90% reliance on imported crude by providing an $8.8 billion boost to private sector maritime oil and gas exploration. India also imports 50% of its gas, and its heavy dependency on imported hydrocarbons has been highlighted by the continuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Much of India’s currently imported oil and gas comes from the Middle East. Although government announcement on Samudra Manthan did not dwell on this aspect of the...

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Shipbuilding

LCU

Austal USA Delivers First LCU for the U.S. Navy

Defense shipbuilder Austal USA has delivered its first landing craft for the U.S. Navy, the first ever steel-hull vessel that the company has completed and delivered to its primary customer. “The delivery of LCU 1710 represents a major achievement for Austal USA and our shipbuilding team,” said Gene Miller, President of Austal USA. “It also demonstrates Austal USA’s ability to skillfully design, build and deliver highly complex steel vessels while continuing to support the Navy’s evolving mission requirements.” LCU 1710...

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Environment

Bleaching coral heads (NOAA file image)

Op-Ed: Marine Heatwaves are Cooking Ocean Ecosystems, And Will Get Stronger

[By Sina Pinter and Nicole L. Jones] You may have heard reports of fish die-offs or seen photos of hauntingly bleached coral. Those are just two signs a marine heatwave has swept through the sea. Marine heatwaves happen when the ocean remains abnormally hot for an extended period. While they may be invisible from the shore, their impacts can wreak havoc underwater – killing various kinds of coral, seagrass and fish. As climate change continues to warm the ocean, marine...

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Business

Hapag-Lloyd containership

Geopolitical Turmoil Drives Improved Results and Higher Costs for Boxships

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd both reported quarterly earnings on Thursday, August 13, and while they highlighted the turmoil in global markets, they also reported improved results driven in part by those same issues. While the two carriers are partnered in the Gemini Cooperation, they, however, experienced different impacts from the problems in the Middle East. Both carriers cited significantly higher spot rates and robust demand in the second quarter, as Hapag-Lloyd termed it. Maersk said the markets had “remained resilient,” pointing...

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