Attack on Bulker Could Signal Restart of Houthis' Red Sea Campaign

Interview: Matt Paxton, President, Shipbuilders Council of America

Published Jul 6, 2025 4:18 PM by Jack O'Connell

Born and raised in a military family, Paxton inherited a strong work ethic and an even stronger sense of duty. He worked summers in a salmon packing factory in Alaska, graduated from the University of Washington, earned his law degree at Willamette University College of Law and immediately set off for Washington, D.C. to work in public policy. He became a Legislative Assistant to the late Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska – his mentor, who taught him the ropes...

Blast and Leak Reported Aboard LPG Carrier at Ust-Luga, Russia

Published Jul 6, 2025 4:05 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Sunday, the Russian Transportation Ministry acknowledged "an incident" at the key Russian energy port of Ust-Luga, resulting in a "minor leak of liquid ammonia." The event occurred aboard LPG carrier Eco Wizard while it was conducting cargo operations. The crew was evacuated from the ship and the port's first responders are on scene. Russian military-linked news channel Baza reports that the incident was an explosion, and given that divers were tasked to respond, it appears to have affected...

Op-Ed: Next Two Months are Critical for Stability in the Mideast

Published Jul 6, 2025 3:18 PM by The Maritime Executive

The next two months look set to be critical for world stability, offering the prospect of resolution of two global security issues that have caused conflicts and problems for decades. The two issues are linked, and neither looks likely to be solved in isolation. A 60-day ceasefire in Gaza leading to negotiations for a permanent settlement is on the table, from which Israel needs an end to threats to its national security and Palestinians seek a broader solution to...

The South Korean Aegis destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I at Pearl Harbor, RIMPAC 2024 (USN)

Why the United States Should Support South Korea's Naval Expansion

Published Jul 6, 2025 11:00 AM by CIMSEC

[By Ju Hyung Kim] When people think about the U.S.-ROK alliance, they often envision the Korean Peninsula: joint ground drills, combined air exercises, and the perennial challenge of deterring a North Korean invasion. But the next chapter of this alliance is unfolding at sea. With the U.S. Navy stretched across multiple theaters—from the Mediterranean to the South China Sea—South Korea’s maritime ambitions are no longer a peripheral concern. They are a strategic asset. South Korea is undertaking a deliberate...

Shipping

Nigeria Starts First Domestic Container Shipping Line

Clarion Shipping West Africa is starting what it calls “Nigeria’s first fully indigenous container liner,” as it looks to build regional trade and improve service versus the transshipment options of the major carriers. The company celebrated the launch of the service at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos on July 3. The first vessel, Ocean Dragon (6,100 dwt), arrived after a 60-day trip from China, marking the start of the Nigerian-owned shipping line. The company said it had...

Tugs & Salvage

Six Dead, 29 Missing in Bali Ferry Sinking

A search and rescue team has located the likely wreck site of the lost ferry KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, which went down in the Bali Strait on Wednesday evening. At about 2300 hours last Wednesday, the bow-ramp ferry Tunu Pratama Jaya got under way from Ketapang, East Java and began the short crossing to Gilimanuk, Bali. The small vessel had 22 cars aboard, along with 53 passengers and 12 crewmembers. At about 1120 hours, the vessel made a distress call....

Government

Royal Navy Accepts Unmanned Minesweeping System Into Service

The UK has joined the small club of militaries with an unmanned vessel system in front-line service. Ukraine's navy is built on unmanned systems; the U.S. Navy uses unmanned vessels for surveillance missions in the Arabian Gulf; and now, the Royal Navy has accepted its long-awaited crewless minesweeping system into service. The UK is sunsetting its manned mine countermeasures vessels and transferring the responsibilities to new unmanned-vessel units. One of the capabilities in the portfolio is a system-of-systems called...

Corporate News

Crowley Expands with Inaugural Route Connecting U.S. & Central America

[By: Crowley] Crowley, an international leader in logistics, marine and energy solutions, has announced a significant expansion of ocean shipping services with its first-ever route between the U.S. Northeast and Central America. Utilizing Crowley's new, state-of-the-art Avance Class vessels, the five-day transit between the Port of Philadelphia’s Gloucester Marine Terminal and ports in Guatemala and Honduras enables the most timely deliveries of food, apparel, industrial products and consumer goods to and from the Central America...

Cruise Ships

“Get Out of Here,” Yells French Mayor as Royal Caribbean Ignores Port Ban

The outspoken Mayor of Nice and President of the region took to the water to personally confront the master and an officer of Royal Caribbean International’s Voyager of the Seas for breaking the region’s new ban on large cruise ships. Aboard a police boat with a television news crew, Mayor Christian Estrosi was denied boarding and ignored by the officers, prompting him to yell “Get lost,” “Get out of here,” and “You are nobody,” at the ship. Royal Caribbean...

Ports

Dockworkers Killed and Crew Injured as Russian Missile Strikes Odesa Port

Ukrainian officials are speaking out calling today’s, July 3, missile strike in the Odesa port region a deliberate attack on civilian infrastructure and part of a Russian campaign against Ukraine’s economy and agriculture. Two dockworkers were killed and six others, including two Syrian crewmembers from a cargo ship in the port were injured. An Iskander missile hit the port area on Thursday afternoon local time. According to the report, an unidentified cargo ship registered in São Tomé and...

Shipping

Nigeria Starts First Domestic Container Shipping Line

Tugs & Salvage

Six Dead, 29 Missing in Bali Ferry Sinking

Government

Royal Navy Accepts Unmanned Minesweeping System Into Service

Corporate News

Crowley Expands with Inaugural Route Connecting U.S. & Central America

Cruise Ships

“Get Out of Here,” Yells French Mayor as Royal Caribbean Ignores Port Ban

Ports

Dockworkers Killed and Crew Injured as Russian Missile Strikes Odesa Port

Offshore

MARAD Receives Proposal for Floating Offshore LNG Export Terminal off Texas

With the rush to expand the U.S. LNG export business and strong support from the Trump administration for the energy sector, a developer has filed a novel proposal with the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard. In a notice to be published on Monday, July 7, in the Federal Register, MARAD and USCG report that the application is sufficiently complete to start processing the proposal from the company called ST LNG for the ST LNG Deepwater...

Shipbuilding

Rhoads Plans $100M Investment to Expand Operations at Philly’s Navy Yard

Rhoads Industries, alongside Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, announced its plans for a nearly $100 million investment to expand manufacturing capacity at its shipyard facilities in Philadelphia at the site of the former Navy shipyard. Rhodes operates layup and recycling operations as well as a repair facility. It will grow its manufacturing operations as the U.S. Navy looks to expand and the Trump administration promises large investments into the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry. “Shipbuilding has always been a key...

Environment

Norway Provides $76M in Grants to Advance Hydrogen and Ammonia Ships

Norway continues to support the advancement of a broad range of new technologies that it points out will both contribute to maritime decarbonization while also creating new industries and jobs for Norway. The Enova program announced its fourth round of grants, providing a total of approximately $76 million for projects advancing hydrogen and ammonia as fuels for ships, as well as the establishment of facilities for storing ammonia. Enova SF is owned by Norway’s Ministry of Climate and...

Business

Tsuneishi Buys Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding to Consolidate Japanese Shipbuilding

In a further move to consolidate the Japanese shipbuilding and repair businesses, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding reports it acquired its former joint venture with Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding. It is part of a broader reorganization and rebranding of all Tsuneishi’s operations as the Japanese shipbuilding sector works to respond to competition and a changing market. Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding, which traces its origins back 110 years to 1917, had been one of Japan’s leading shipbuilders. The company’s focus had shifted to commercial...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Attack on Bulker Could Signal Restart of Houthis' Red Sea Campaign

Interview: Matt Paxton, President, Shipbuilders Council of America

Blast and Leak Reported Aboard LPG Carrier at Ust-Luga, Russia

Op-Ed: Next Two Months are Critical for Stability in the Mideast

Why the United States Should Support South Korea's Naval Expansion

Nigeria Starts First Domestic Container Shipping Line

Six Dead, 29 Missing in Bali Ferry Sinking

Royal Navy Accepts Unmanned Minesweeping System Into Service

Crowley Expands with Inaugural Route Connecting U.S. & Central America

“Get Out of Here,” Yells French Mayor as Royal Caribbean Ignores Port Ban

Dockworkers Killed and Crew Injured as Russian Missile Strikes Odesa Port

Harnessing Data to Shape a Fleetwide Decarbonization Path

Maersk Selects Wärtsilä Intellisafe® Bearing and Monitoring System

Drew Marine Sets the Standard in Safeguarding Voyages

Nigeria Starts First Domestic Container Shipping Line

Six Dead, 29 Missing in Bali Ferry Sinking

Royal Navy Accepts Unmanned Minesweeping System Into Service

Crowley Expands with Inaugural Route Connecting U.S. & Central America

“Get Out of Here,” Yells French Mayor as Royal Caribbean Ignores Port Ban

Dockworkers Killed and Crew Injured as Russian Missile Strikes Odesa Port

MARAD Receives Proposal for Floating Offshore LNG Export Terminal off Texas

Rhoads Plans $100M Investment to Expand Operations at Philly’s Navy Yard

Norway Provides $76M in Grants to Advance Hydrogen and Ammonia Ships

Tsuneishi Buys Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding to Consolidate Japanese Shipbuilding

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events