Chinese Coastal Bulker Grounds and Breaks Up off Fuzhou

An IRGCN missile strike on a boat target, Nov. 2025 (IRGCN)

Iranian Naval Forces Spurred Into Action

Published Dec 7, 2025 3:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

  In the wake of reports that the Iranian navy has spent most of the period since the 12-Day War in June tied up in harbor, Iranian naval commanders have been goaded into action and are seeking to make amends with a burst of activity. Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, the commander of the regular Iranian Navy (Nedaja), has disclosed that the Moudge Class frigate IRINS Jamaran (F76) is now on patrol in the Indian Ocean, possibly between Mauritius and the...

Auckland Gets New Bunker Tanker to Support Green-Fuel Goals

Published Dec 7, 2025 3:53 PM by The Maritime Executive

  Port of Auckland has awarded a $28.9 million contract to a Turkish yard to build a new bunkering vessel, an investment that furthers the port’s sustainability ambitions. The port authority is announcing that its subsidiary Seafuels has contracted Ada Denizcilik Ve Tersane Isletmeciligi to build the new 88.8-meter tanker, which is expected to be delivered in late 2027. The new vessel will have the ability to provide two new environmentally friendly fuels, biodiesel and methanol, as well as continuing to supply low-sulfur fuel...

Chinese expatriates in Jamaica turn out to greet the arrival of CNS Silk Road Ark (chinamil.com.cn)

China Challenges New US National Security Strategy With Visit to Jamaica

Published Dec 7, 2025 1:23 PM by The Maritime Executive

  The United States' recently-published National Security Strategy is refreshingly clear; it seeks to enforce a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine (first proclaimed in 1823) and to restore American 'preeminence in the Western Hemisphere'. The Strategy does not update the definition of the Western Hemisphere, but this is generally understood to embrace North, Central and South America, plus the Caribbean. The Strategy specifically seeks a 'Western Hemisphere that remains free of hostile foreign incursions', and the United States will...

fire-damaged sanctioned tanker off Bulgaria

Shadow Tanker Mystery Continues as Crew Waits for New Tow off Bulgaria

Published Dec 6, 2025 10:25 AM by The Maritime Executive

Bulgarian authorities are still trying to understand the situation with the fire-damaged tanker Kairos, which washed up on their shores on Friday, December 5, during a storm in the Black Sea. The vessel was heavily damaged by an attack a week ago by the Ukrainians while it was underway near Turkey, and now it is on the Bulgarian shores with a skeleton crew aboard. Contact has been established with the 10 people aboard the vessel, and after initially...

Shipping

Bulker Exchanges Shots with Skiffs off Yemen

A bulker southbound in the Red Sea reported to authorities that it had been approached and exchanged gunshots with the unknown boats. The ship is safe and continuing on its way while analysts speculate over the events. The Barbados-flagged vessel Bobik (31,896 dwt) reported the incident to UK Maritime Trade Operations early on December 5. The vessel is Turkish-owned and reports coming from Georgia after having made a port call in Ukraine. The ship was built in 2006...

Tugs & Salvage

Chinese Coastal Bulker Grounds and Breaks Up off Fuzhou

  [Brief] A Chinese bulker has grounded and broken up in Xinghua Bay, off the coast of Fuzhou.  On November 27, Hua De 858 departed the Caofeidan port district of the city of Tangshan, on the Bohai Sea. It transited southbound past Ningbo and Fuzhou, then through the Haitan Strait, according to AIS data provided by Pole Star Global.  Courtesy Pole Star Global At about 1015 hours GMT on December 3, Hua De 858 went...

Government

The Russian Navy frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov (USN file image)

Russian Navy Flotilla Conducts Exercises in the Red Sea

  The Russian Pacific Fleet flotilla that conducted exercises with Myanmar's Navy in mid-November has now appeared in the Red Sea, and may be about to transit north through the Suez Canal. The flotilla consists of the Udaloy Class frigate RFS Marshal Shaposhnikov (F543) and the Boris Chilikin Class oiler Boris Butoma (IMO 8842557). The third ship of the flotilla, the Gremyashchiy Class corvette RFS Gremyashchiy (F337), has not rejoined, having split off to make port visits alone to Chittagong and...

Corporate News

Port Everglades Shatters Its Own Records

  Broward County's Port Everglades has set a powerful new benchmark for performance, breaking its own records across all three of its core business sectors - cruise, cargo and energy - based on preliminary Fiscal Year 2025 numbers. For the first time in the port's recent history, Port Everglades simultaneously surpassed its highest volumes in cruise, cargo and energy, which underscores its role as one of the most diversified and strongest seaports in the United States. On the cargo side,...

Cruise Ships

New Cruise Company Signs with China Merchant for Eight B-to-B Ships

  Ship manager United Waterways announced its plans to expand its unique B-to-B approach into ocean cruising, focusing on the popular expedition and coastal cruising segments. The company, which has been a provider of ship management services, announced earlier this year plans to expand into the ownership of river cruise ships and now says it has booked construction slots with China Merchant for the expedition and coastal ships. The B-to-B concept calls for the company to build the vessels, but...

Ports

Overboard Containers Loaded with Bananas Delay Cruise Ship’s Departure

Shipping in the port of Southampton, England, including a large P&O Cruise ship, was delayed on Saturday, December 6, into Sunday while authorities worked to find containers that had gone overboard from a reefer cargo ship in the Solent. The UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed the delays and warnings issued to all shipping in the area, advising that reefers loaded with bananas and other produce were in the waterway. The reefer ship Baltic Klipper reported around 1800 local...

Shipping

Bulker Exchanges Shots with Skiffs off Yemen

Tugs & Salvage

Chinese Coastal Bulker Grounds and Breaks Up off Fuzhou

Government

Russian Navy Flotilla Conducts Exercises in the Red Sea

Corporate News

Port Everglades Shatters Its Own Records

Cruise Ships

New Cruise Company Signs with China Merchant for Eight B-to-B Ships

Ports

Overboard Containers Loaded with Bananas Delay Cruise Ship’s Departure

Offshore

Wind Farm to Power Amazon and Google Sends First Power to German Grid

  The Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm started feeding its first power to the German grid on December 3. The wind farm marks another milestone both for Germany and the EU, becoming the largest offshore wind farm in Ørsted’s German portfolio and one that has contracted more than four-fifths of its power with long-term corporate power purchase agreements. Located about 45 miles off the German coast in the North Sea, the project is being developed in a partnership between...

Shipbuilding

At WorkBoat 2025, Cost Control Takes Center Stage

  American operators often get sticker shock when pricing out new vessel tonnage these days, and at WorkBoat 2025, vessel affordability was at the top of the agenda. How can yards bring down the cost of construction, and how can owners, naval architects and engineers write specs for value - not just perfection? TME asked around the show to find out, and came away with a few answers - some well-known, some less so.  Well-known solutions First, there are a few...

Environment

The Southern Ocean is "Sweating" as Heat Rises, With Effects on Weather

  [By Steven Siems and Zhaoyang Kong] If you ever find yourself on Macquarie Island – a narrow, wind-lashed ridge halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica – the first thing you’ll notice is the wildlife. Elephant seals sprawl across dark beaches. King penguins march up mossy slopes. Albatrosses circle over vast, treeless uplands. But look more closely and the island is changing. Slopes are becoming boggier. Iconic megaherbs such as Pleurophyllum and Stilbocarpa are retreating. For years, scientists suspected the culprit was increasing rainfall. Our new research, published...

Business

Renewed Speculation of Potential Bidders to Acquire HMM

  Korean media reports suggest that there continues to be exploration over the possible privatization of container carrier HMM, nearly two years after a prior attempt collapsed. According to Korea’s Maeil Business Newspaper group, the food and logistics giant Dongwon Group has decided to renew its exploration to formulate an offer for the company. Next year will mark a decade since the government stepped in to rescue Hyundai Merchant Marine. It took majority ownership through the Korea Development Bank and...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Chinese Coastal Bulker Grounds and Breaks Up off Fuzhou

Iranian Naval Forces Spurred Into Action

Auckland Gets New Bunker Tanker to Support Green-Fuel Goals

China Challenges New US National Security Strategy With Visit to Jamaica

Shadow Tanker Mystery Continues as Crew Waits for New Tow off Bulgaria

Bulker Exchanges Shots with Skiffs off Yemen

Chinese Coastal Bulker Grounds and Breaks Up off Fuzhou

Russian Navy Flotilla Conducts Exercises in the Red Sea

Port Everglades Shatters Its Own Records

New Cruise Company Signs with China Merchant for Eight B-to-B Ships

Overboard Containers Loaded with Bananas Delay Cruise Ship’s Departure

Understanding Hazardous Area Classification on Ships and Offshore

Why Financial Wellbeing Is Central to Seafarer Welfare

Estonia's Digital-First Ship Registry: A Modern Maritime Flag

Bulker Exchanges Shots with Skiffs off Yemen

Chinese Coastal Bulker Grounds and Breaks Up off Fuzhou

Russian Navy Flotilla Conducts Exercises in the Red Sea

Port Everglades Shatters Its Own Records

New Cruise Company Signs with China Merchant for Eight B-to-B Ships

Overboard Containers Loaded with Bananas Delay Cruise Ship’s Departure

Wind Farm to Power Amazon and Google Sends First Power to German Grid

At WorkBoat 2025, Cost Control Takes Center Stage

The Southern Ocean is "Sweating" as Heat Rises, With Effects on Weather

Renewed Speculation of Potential Bidders to Acquire HMM

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events