Friday, April 17, 2026
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An Iranian-owned tanker in ballast, headed north through the Gulf of Oman to load oil in Iran (USN / TankerTrackers.com)

Iran Announces "Opening" of Strait of Hormuz During Lebanon Ceasefire

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Flettner rotors

Study: Wind Propulsion is Key to Shipping's Decarbonization

Published Apr 16, 2026 10:30 PM by The Maritime Executive

A new study highlights the potential of wind propulsion in helping the shipping industry decarbonize. With only a fraction of oceangoing vessels deploying wind-assisted propulsion, the research suggests that retrofitting a majority of the world's fleet with the technology could be a significant step towards meeting global climate goals. The global merchant fleet is estimated at around 60,000 vessels of more than 1,000 gross tonnes. Yet only about 100 have been fitted with wind propulsion solutions such as Flettner rotors,...

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Marine Nationale

France Opposes U.S. Involvement in Post-War Hormuz Security Mission

Published Apr 16, 2026 10:26 PM by The Maritime Executive

France is uninterested in allowing American forces to join a European-led coalition to police the Strait of Hormuz in a post-conflict scenario. This could put it at odds with Germany, where leaders have publicly stated a preference to take a cooperative approach with the U.S. Navy, Politico reports. "We won’t enter into a coalition with the U.S.," an official close to the French presidency, speaking to the outlet, "and I don't think the Germans will either." France has explicitly voiced...

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Deyna

France Fines a Russia-Linked Shadow Fleet Tanker for Flying a False Flag

Published Apr 16, 2026 9:59 PM by The Maritime Executive

Authorities in France have released the shadow fleet tanker Deyna, which was captured last month and diverted to Marseilles on suspicion of operating without a legitimate flag. French Navy personnel boarded the ship on March 20 for a flag verification. They diverted it to the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer for an investigation, which resulted in charges of lack of a flag. In a plea filed Wednesday at the Marseilles Judicial Court, the owner of the ship agreed to pay a fine...

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Seafarers on bridge

New Initiative Surveys Seafarers' Experiences of Misconduct at Sea

Published Apr 16, 2026 8:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

The global shipping industry is attempting to come to grips with an ongoing problem with sexual harassment and assault. Surveys indicate that over the past five years, around 80 percent of seafarers have witnessed or experienced sexual offenses, with the main contributing factors being rising levels of stress, isolation and a predominantly single-gender working environment. To tackle the problem, the Global Maritime Forum and the All Aboard Alliance have launched an initiative aimed at developing a global framework for shipping...

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Offshore

Chinese offshore wind farm

China Commissions Wind Farm At Its Deepest Offshore Position

Chinese officials highlighted the commissioning of its newest offshore wind farm, which is also setting a record for the country’s deepest fixed-bottom wind turbines and is located far out to sea. They highlighted the complex geology and challenges of extreme sea conditions in developing and operating the 504 MW wind farm, the Huaneng Shandong Peninsula North L Site. The wind farm was developed by the state-owned China Huaneng Group and will be managed and operated by the Yantai Power Plant....

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Shipbuilding

Pacific Basin

Pacific Basin Cancels Methanol Vessels Due to Climate-Rules Uncertainty

Pacific Basin Shipping, one of the world's largest operators of dry bulk vessels, is partially abandoning plans to anchor its future fleet growth on green methanol after terminating a contract for four dual-fuel Ultramax newbuilds. As one of the world's leading owners and operators of Handysize, Supramax and Ultramax dry bulk vessels, Pacific Basin operates around 250 ships, of which over 100 are owned and the rest chartered. Four years ago, the Hong Kong-based shipping company said it was putting...

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Environment

Carbon carrier vessels for CCS storage

Buildout Continues of Emerging Category of CO2 Carriers for CCS

A new segment of shipping, purpose-built CO2 carriers designed to support the emerging efforts at carbon capture and storage (CCS), continues to grow. The first of the commercial operations is beginning, and the sector is driving the development of the ships. Northern Lights, a partnership between Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies was the first to enter the segment, starting commercial operations in 2025. It was designed with an initial capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year and has already announced plans...

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Business

Felicity Ace

Cefor: Machinery Damage and Fires Drive Increase in Claim Cost

Machinery damage and fires continue to dominate as the leading causes of elevated claim costs in the Nordic marine insurance market, according to the Nordic Association of Marine Insurers (Cefor). Cefor members underwrite Hull and Machinery for about 31% of the world fleet, including 3,538 vessels of more than 20,000 gross tons. 2025 is the third consecutive year to record an increase in claims above $10 million, according to the year’s report by published this week. Notably, total losses on...

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