Iran Says Tankers Are Suspended at Hormuz Due to Israeli Attack on Lebanon

Two U.S. Deep-Sea Mining Companies Plan $1B Reverse Merger

Published Apr 8, 2026 4:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

Two players in the nascent U.S.-jurisdiction polymetallic nodule sector have agreed to a reverse merger to combine their holdings and expertise, creating one of the larger operators in the segment. The merger will bring together the strengths of the American Ocean Minerals Corporation (AOMC) with Odyssey Marine Exploration, and will operate under the AOMC name after completion of the process. The combined entity will have an equity value of about $1 billion and $175 million in cash. "By combining AOMC’s...

Ukraine Claims to Have "Finished Off" Russia’s Last Kerch Strait Ferry

Published Apr 8, 2026 3:38 PM by The Maritime Executive

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense (HUR) released details on its attack on Sunday night on what it says was Russia’s last operating ferry on the Kerch Strait. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted these vessels as part of its efforts to interrupt the flow of military equipment into occupied Crimea. The report claimed that UAVs were used to “disable” the ro/ro rail/vehicle carrier Slavyanin (6,300 gross tons). Built in 1984, the vessel is 150 meters (492 feet) in length with the ability to...

Russia Retaliates Attacking Izmail Port in Ukraine

Published Apr 8, 2026 2:50 PM by The Maritime Executive

Ukraine’s seaport authority and local government officials announced a new attack on the Danube port of Izmail. Unconfirmed reports said the port was attacked in retaliation for the earlier attack by Ukraine on a cargo ship in the Sea of Azov that killed three crewmembers, while other reports said Izmail was being used to offload military equipment. The officials said Russia continues to deliberately attack the ports, logistics facilities, and infrastructure. The latest attack came with drones that were reported...

Baltimore Fireboats Respond to Sinking Towboat

Published Apr 8, 2026 1:03 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Baltimore City Fireboat Station is reporting that it received a mayday call from a tug operating south of the city in the Curtis Bay/Curtis Creek region. The vessel reported it was taking on water. The vessel is being identified as the Gale (145 gross tons) towboat, and from the pictures, it appears to have been moving a fuel barge. The vessel, built in 1980, has been owned by a Maryland-based company, McLean Contracting, since 2020. It is 65.5 feet...

Shipping

Piracy Falls to Lowest Levels in 35 Years During First Quarter of 2026

Global maritime piracy and armed robbery incidents fell to levels not seen since 1991, reports the International Maritime Bureau in its quarterly report on maritime piracy. It, however, notes pockets of continued concern and warns of continued vigilance, saying that piracy has not been eradicated. During the first quarter, it received reports of just 16 incidents globally, compared to 45 in Q1 2025 and 33 in Q1 2024. While citing the positive impact of sustained cooperation and enforcement efforts, it...

Tugs & Salvage

Baltimore Fireboats Respond to Sinking Towboat

Government

The chemical/oil products tanker Universal (VesselFinder/Jensen)

Russia's Shadow Fleet Thumbs its Nose at the Royal Navy

The Russian Navy has mocked Britain’s Royal Navy by escorting two sanctioned, fully-laden shadow fleet tankers though the English Channel. This comes notwithstanding the completion of a drawn-out legal review which confirmed that existing British legislation provides sufficient cause to interdict shadow fleet tankers. The shadow fleet tankers were the Cameroon-flagged Enigma (IMO 9333412), which loaded at Ust Luga on March 21, and is sanctioned by OFAC, the EU and the UK. The second was the Russian-flagged Universal (IMO 9384306),...

Corporate News

Kongsberg Maritime Secures Waterjet Contract for Indian Navy Missile Vessel

[By: Kongsberg Maritime] Kongsberg Maritime has signed a landmark contract to supply 18 large Kamewa waterjets for the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) programme. Each of the vessels will feature waterjets, delivering exceptional speed and manoeuvrability for high-performance naval operations. The NGMV fleet is being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and will play a critical role in India’s maritime defence strategy. This contract marks Kongsberg Maritime’s largest single waterjet order to date and signals a strong return to...

Cruise Ships

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Passengers aboard the Fiji cruise ship might have thought they were about to relive a scene from the 2000 movie “Cast Away,” in which Tom Hanks becomes stranded for years on an uninhabited island. Their ship, the Fiji Princess, grounded on April 4 on the same island used in the movie. The 179-foot (55-meter) cruise ship operates cruises up to a week in length around the islands in Fiji. Built in 1998, the ship has 32 passenger cabins with a...

Ports

Retail Imports Continue Decline Despite Little Impact from the Middle East

Retailers' import volume into the United States continues to be weighed down by concerns over tariffs and trade policy, says the National Retail Federation. It continues to expect month-over-month and year-over-year declines through most of the first half of 2026, while saying that other than fuel costs, retailers are not being significantly affected by the conflict in Iran. The retail trade group issued its monthly outlook for container import volumes, projecting monthly declines in six of the first eight months...

Shipping

Piracy Falls to Lowest Levels in 35 Years During First Quarter of 2026

Tugs & Salvage

Baltimore Fireboats Respond to Sinking Towboat

Government

Russia's Shadow Fleet Thumbs its Nose at the Royal Navy

Corporate News

Kongsberg Maritime Secures Waterjet Contract for Indian Navy Missile Vessel

Cruise Ships

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Ports

Retail Imports Continue Decline Despite Little Impact from the Middle East

Offshore

QatarEnergy’s U.S. LNG Plant Achieves First Production at Critical Time

Just as the world is looking for alternative sources of LNG, Golden Pass LNG in Texas reported it has achieved first production. The project, which has been in planning and development for 15 years, is set to start export shipments in the second quarter, coming online to help fill some of the shortfall from Qatar and the Middle East. The United States is already setting records for LNG shipments and has been rivaling Qatar for the title of the largest...

Shipbuilding

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

The revitalization of the former Reliance Naval and Engineering shipbuilder as Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) continues as the yard is winning landmark deals and building its orderbook. It is now reporting India’s first order for ammonia dual-fuel ships as well as the order for some of the largest commercial ships yet built in India. SDHI is the relaunched operation, which went through years of financial difficulties that finally saw the yard suspend operations. It was sold and resumed...

Environment

EcoNavis to Validate and Demonstrate Improved Design for Wind Rotors

Scotland-based EcoNavis Solutions believes it has a technological innovation that can enhance the performance of wind rotors. With wind-assisted propulsion gaining increased interest, the company is using a Scottish Enterprise research grant to move its concept from the drawing board to validation and demonstration. The basic concept of the wind rotor promoted by Anton Flettner in the 1920s remains largely unchanged after more than a century. The spinning rotor captures the energy of the wind to provide additional thrust for...

Business

Largest Ship Repair Yard in East Africa Inaugurated in Djibouti

Officials in Djibouti officially inaugurated the Djibouti Ship Repair Yard on April 4, marking what they called a milestone in the development of the country’s maritime economy. It becomes the largest ship repair yard in the Red Sea region and East Africa, available to provide critical repair and maintenance work. “The DSRY project has always been a national priority, given Djibouti’s strategic location at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes,” said President Ismaïl...

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Iran Says Tankers Are Suspended at Hormuz Due to Israeli Attack on Lebanon

Two U.S. Deep-Sea Mining Companies Plan $1B Reverse Merger

Ukraine Claims to Have "Finished Off" Russia’s Last Kerch Strait Ferry

Russia Retaliates Attacking Izmail Port in Ukraine

Baltimore Fireboats Respond to Sinking Towboat

Piracy Falls to Lowest Levels in 35 Years During First Quarter of 2026

Baltimore Fireboats Respond to Sinking Towboat

Russia's Shadow Fleet Thumbs its Nose at the Royal Navy

Kongsberg Maritime Secures Waterjet Contract for Indian Navy Missile Vessel

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Retail Imports Continue Decline Despite Little Impact from the Middle East

Cyber Risk in Shipping: From Technical Threat to Business Reality

Architecture of Adaptability: Designing Vessels to Stand the Test of Time

Improve Fleet Value With Digital Optimization of Cruise Ship Hotel Areas

Piracy Falls to Lowest Levels in 35 Years During First Quarter of 2026

Baltimore Fireboats Respond to Sinking Towboat

Russia's Shadow Fleet Thumbs its Nose at the Royal Navy

Kongsberg Maritime Secures Waterjet Contract for Indian Navy Missile Vessel

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Retail Imports Continue Decline Despite Little Impact from the Middle East

QatarEnergy’s U.S. LNG Plant Achieves First Production at Critical Time

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

EcoNavis to Validate and Demonstrate Improved Design for Wind Rotors

Largest Ship Repair Yard in East Africa Inaugurated in Djibouti

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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