Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Media Kit
Iranian IRGC attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz, prior to the war and the U.S. effort to destroy Iran's boat flotilla (Mehr file image)

Proposals to End Gulf Conflict Could Preserve Iranian Control of Hormuz

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Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin

Sanctioned Russian Tanker Docks in Cuba Bringing Badly Needed Crude Oil

Published Mar 31, 2026 3:33 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin docked at Cuba’s Matanzas terminal on Tuesday morning, March 31, ending weeks of suspense about whether the United States would attempt to intervene. It was the first large tanker to make it into Cuba in three months, since the Trump administration choked off the supply from Venezuela and threatened Mexico with more tariffs if it continued to supply Cuba. “Possibly, the arrival of an oil tanker to a country like Cuba has never generated so...

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Njm Al Shamal's trackline during the casualty voyage: a diversion towards the Canary Islands, lower left, then interdiction and diversion to Morocco, upper right (Pole Star Global)

Morocco Arrests Libyan Fishing Vessel for Suspected Hit-and-Run

Published Mar 31, 2026 3:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

Authorities in Morocco are investigating a possible hit-and-run accident involving two fishing vessels off the coast of Dakhla, in the contested territory of Western Sahara. The Libyan-flagged longliner Njm Al Shamal is suspected of involvement in a collision that sank the small Moroccan fishing vessel Miss Dakar 2, leaving five fishermen missing. Moroccan Navy authorities intercepted the Al Shamal off Tan-Tan, near the Canary Islands, and diverted it to the port of Agadir for investigation. According to Moroccan investigators, Njm...

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carrier George H.W. Bush

USS George H.W. Bush Gets Underway Starting Deployment from Norfolk

Published Mar 31, 2026 2:18 PM by The Maritime Executive

The carrier USS George H. W. Bush departed Naval Station Norfolk (Virginia) on Tuesday morning, March 31. The official Navy statement is that the vessel is starting its scheduled deployment, while there is wide speculation that it will be sent to the Middle East. CBS News is reporting that it learned that the carrier and its strike group have been assigned to Central Command, which is overseeing the war in Iran. Bush would join USS Abraham Lincoln, which is reported...

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containership targeted in Persian Gulf

Iran Targets “Israeli” Containership After Lull in Maritime Attacks

Published Mar 31, 2026 1:09 PM by The Maritime Executive

Around the same time the Iranians hit the Kuwaiti tanker in a headline-grabbing incident, the IRGC claims it also targeted an “Israeli” containership. Details of the Iranian propaganda claim of a direct hit align with the reports of a near miss received by UK Maritime Trade Operations. The containership, identified as the Express Rome (122,961 dwt) by Vanguard Tech, reported that two unknown projectiles splashed near the ship. It said the two incidents were within an hour of each other...

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Offshore

FPSO off Angola

First Offshore Post-Combustion CO2 Capture System Starts on FPSO

What is being billed as the world’s first offshore post-combustion CO2 capture system is now fully operational on an advanced FPSO positioned off Angola. Developed by Carbon Circle for the Yinson Production FPSO Agogo, which is being operated by Azule Energy, the FPSO and this new system are considered to be a pioneer in the emerging field of offshore carbon capture. The massive FPSO was built in China and delivered in March 2025 by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Shipyard. Measuring...

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Shipbuilding

Bath Iron works destroyer

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

The members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association ratified a new contract on Saturday, March 28, ending a strike at Bath Iron Works that had begun on the prior Monday. It was the first strike in six years at the critical government contractor and impacted about a tenth of the total workforce, specifically among designers, clerks, and technicians. The union reported that it had been negotiating for about three weeks and was unable to come to terms with one of...

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Environment

hydrogen-fueled multi-purpose vessel

Japan Demonstrates Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Commercial Vessels

Japan reports a breakthrough with the demonstration of a large hydrogen-fueled engine being developed by Japan Engine Corporation, working with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, for a demonstration project for an ocean-going vessel. It points out that most work so far with hydrogen is on smaller engines for coastal vessels, making this a major technological milestone toward the practical use of hydrogen-fueled vessels. While interest has developed in hydrogen, to date, the Japanese project points out that most of the initiatives are...

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Business

shipyard

MARAD Increases Funding for Grants for Small Shipyards

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) reported that it is increasing the funding pool available for the 2026 grants in the Small Shipyard Grant Program. It follows the launch of the 2026 Port Infrastructure Development Program application period last week and is part of the Trump administration's strategy to increase support for the U.S. maritime industry. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlights that the grant pool for small shipyards is being increased by 200 percent to $35 million versus June 2025, when just...

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