Fincantieri to Build Landing Ship Medium Alongside Bollinger

Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline

Published Feb 18, 2026 6:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Port of Los Angeles foresees continued weakness in container volumes for the first quarter of 2026 after a 12 percent decline in January. However, while highlighting that it does not expect increased certainty for U.S. trade policies, it believes the rate of decline is stabilizing and is not expected to “drop off a cliff” as the U.S. moves forward in 2026. As the largest container port in the Americas, the Port of Los Angeles is viewed as a key...

Japanese Investors Back U.S. Offshore Oil Terminal in Deal With White House

Published Feb 18, 2026 6:18 PM by The Maritime Executive

Japanese investors has agreed to back a large-scale offshore loading terminal off the coast of Texas, the newly-permitted Texas GulfLink project. The agreement is one of Japan's first efforts to satisfy a record-setting investment commitment that it made to the White House in exchange for reduced U.S. tariffs on Japanese cars and other goods. Texas GulfLink is a single point mooring project planned for the coast of Brazoria County, Texas. Once completed, it will be the second offshore loading terminal...

UK Sells Two Fleet Oilers to Private Operator Inocea Group

Published Feb 18, 2026 5:36 PM by The Maritime Executive

As part of the ongoing efforts that are downsizing and reshaping the operation of the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the UK has entered into a deal to sell the resupply/tankers RFA Wave Knight and RFA Wave Ruler to private operators, the Inocea Group. Both vessels have been in extended readiness for the past few years, but the speculation was that they would be sold internationally to another navy or scrapped outright. In a surprise announcement, the UK company...

Rear Admiral Hassan Maqsoudlou gives a dockside welcome to Captain Sergeev in front of the Jamaran (FarsNews)

Russian Navy Arrives in Bandar Abbas for Iranian Exercises

Published Feb 18, 2026 5:03 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoykiy (F545) has arrived in Bandar Abbas in advance of a naval exercise to be held jointly with the regular Iranian Navy at the end of this week. The exercise is to take place in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, the sea area in which the USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group are also currently deployed. The corvette Stoykiy (F545) has been making its way slowly around Africa for several...

Shipping

Fincantieri to Build Landing Ship Medium Alongside Bollinger

The U.S. Navy says that two yards will begin building the new Landing Ship Medium (LSM), the Marine Corps' new beach-capable transport. The service said that it will be hiring a third-party vessel construction manager (VCM) to oversee the project and decide on future construction awards. Bollinger was previously awarded a contract for engineering and long-lead-time procurement in September. Fincantieri - which recently lost almost all contracts for the delayed Constellation-class frigate - has been selected as an additional shipyard...

Tugs & Salvage

Salvors Finish Defueling Grounded Barge at San Juan's Harbor Entrance

The U.S. Coast Guard and commercial salvors have completed the removal of the last bits of recoverable fuel from the grounded barge at the entrance to San Juan's harbor, the service confirmed Tuesday. The barge Defiant broke away from its towing vessel on February 9 in foul weather. It ran aground that afternoon at a position next to San Juan's harbor entrance, right at the foot of the El Morro fortress. The barge landed between a manmade breakwater and a...

Government

A fighter takes off from the deck of carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (USN file image)

Step Change in U.S. Reinforcements Headed Towards Iran

Up until now, reinforcements to the US force posture in the Middle East can safely have been described as strengthening defensive posture, particularly air defense posture, while ensuring that there is adequate capacity in place to respond to an Iranian first-strike or provocation. Indeed, some pundits have described the reinforcements last week as merely bring force levels back up to those prevailing in recent decades, before some assets were withdrawn in a pivot away from the Middle East towards the...

Corporate News

Trump’s Maritime Age Supports Next Gen of America’s Maritime Workforce

[By: U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration] The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today opened applications for its Centers of Excellence program for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE). Under President Trump and Secretary Sean P. Duffy, the administration is bolstering our maritime workforce and investing in research, collaboration, promotion, and policy support. “Our Centers of Excellence provide the critical infrastructure to train the next generation of maritime workers and enhance our shipbuilding capabilities,” said MARAD Administrator...

Cruise Ships

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Adds Three Ships Extending Orders to 2037

Norwegian Cruise Line Holding and Fincantieri announced that they have added three more orders to an already large cruise ship orderbook, extending deliveries to 2037. It follows a trend in the industry to lock in the limited building slots at the major yards as the major cruise lines plan long-term capacity additions and fleet modernization. The new order adds three sister ships to already planned classes of cruise ships, with one ship each for Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas...

Ports

Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline

Shipping

Fincantieri to Build Landing Ship Medium Alongside Bollinger

Tugs & Salvage

Salvors Finish Defueling Grounded Barge at San Juan's Harbor Entrance

Government

Step Change in U.S. Reinforcements Headed Towards Iran

Corporate News

Trump’s Maritime Age Supports Next Gen of America’s Maritime Workforce

Cruise Ships

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Adds Three Ships Extending Orders to 2037

Ports

Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline

Offshore

Union Calls Off Strike at 19 UK North Sea Offshore Platforms

UK industrial union Unite has called off a brief offshore strike action at rig services provider Bilfinger, which would have affected up to 19 oil fields in the North Sea at the end of this week. Bilfinger UK is an engineering and maintenance contractor for the oil, gas, petchem, utility and pharma sectors, among others. Its offshore division supports some of the largest oil companies in the North Sea oil trade, including BP. During contract negotiations, the two sides had...

Shipbuilding

CMA CGM Signs India’s First Shipbuilder Order for Containerships

France’s CMA CGM Group and India’s Cochin Shipyard finalized a contract for the construction of containerships, which is being called a defining moment for the Indian shipbuilding industry and the country’s aspirations to become a world-class shipbuilder. The contract signing came as part of a larger state visit led by French President Emmanuel Macron, his fourth trip to India since 2017. The companies signed a letter of intent for the ships in October 2025 and report they spent the past...

Environment

Navigating the Deadlock: Accelleron’s Daniel Bischofberger on Green Fuels

Accelleron, a leading provider of turbocharging, fuel injection, and digital solutions for marine engines and ships, recently released a study on the multifaceted, multi-industry challenges slowing shipping's transition to carbon-neutral fuels. TME recently spoke with CEO Daniel Bischofberger about the current state of marine decarbonization, regional developments in Asia-Pacific, and the path forward for the industry. Can you describe the current state of shipping's transition to carbon-neutral fuels? The ships are ready, but the fuel is not. The technology exists...

Business

Report: Private Equity Bids Lining Up for Marine Engine Company Everllence

Private equity buyers are reportedly showing a strong interest in Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solutions), according to a report in the Financial Times. The newspaper broke the news last fall that parent company Volkswagen was working on a carve-out to sell a large portion of the company, best known for its engines that power large ships. Top private equity funds, including Blackstone, EQT, and CVC, have submitted bids in the first round, according to a report in the Financial Times....

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Fincantieri to Build Landing Ship Medium Alongside Bollinger

Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline

Japanese Investors Back U.S. Offshore Oil Terminal in Deal With White House

UK Sells Two Fleet Oilers to Private Operator Inocea Group

Russian Navy Arrives in Bandar Abbas for Iranian Exercises

Fincantieri to Build Landing Ship Medium Alongside Bollinger

Salvors Finish Defueling Grounded Barge at San Juan's Harbor Entrance

Step Change in U.S. Reinforcements Headed Towards Iran

Trump’s Maritime Age Supports Next Gen of America’s Maritime Workforce

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Adds Three Ships Extending Orders to 2037

Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline

Environmental Remediation at Aging Ports

Beyond Sanctions Lists: Navigating Fragmented Enforcement in Maritime Trade

The Modular Pivot: Repurposing Containers as Strategic Infrastructure

Fincantieri to Build Landing Ship Medium Alongside Bollinger

Salvors Finish Defueling Grounded Barge at San Juan's Harbor Entrance

Step Change in U.S. Reinforcements Headed Towards Iran

Trump’s Maritime Age Supports Next Gen of America’s Maritime Workforce

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Adds Three Ships Extending Orders to 2037

Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline

Union Calls Off Strike at 19 UK North Sea Offshore Platforms

CMA CGM Signs India’s First Shipbuilder Order for Containerships

Navigating the Deadlock: Accelleron’s Daniel Bischofberger on Green Fuels

Report: Private Equity Bids Lining Up for Marine Engine Company Everllence

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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