Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Media Kit
Iranian IRGC attack boats in the Strait of Hormuz, prior to the war and the U.S. effort to destroy Iran's boat flotilla (Mehr file image)

Proposals to End Gulf Conflict Could Preserve Iranian Control of Hormuz

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USNS Carson City MSC supply ship

Military Sealift Command Captain Relinquished License to Avoid USCG Hearing

Published Mar 31, 2026 6:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy, a not-for-profit advocacy organization, is reporting that another captain has voluntarily relinquished his license, ending a Coast Guard administrative Suspension & Revocation proceeding stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct. The group notes it is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents since a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy midshipman known as Midshipman X came forward in 2021 recounting her experiences at sea. The latest case stemmed from an incident on December 19, 2021, aboard the...

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hijacked dhow

Hijacked Iranian Dhow Located to Disrupt Potential Further Piracy

Published Mar 31, 2026 4:42 PM by The Maritime Executive

An Iranian-flagged dhow, which was hijacked by suspected Somali pirates, has been located and isolated, according to a report from the European Naval Force Operation in the region, Operation Atalanta. They are continuing to monitor the incident while reporting that they believe the vessel’s potential use as a mothership to launch piracy against a larger ship has been disrupted. The dhow named Alwaseemi 786 was reported to have been seized by the suspected pirates on March 24 while it was...

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Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin

Sanctioned Russian Tanker Docks in Cuba Bringing Badly Needed Crude Oil

Published Mar 31, 2026 3:33 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Russian-flagged tanker Anatoly Kolodkin docked at Cuba’s Matanzas terminal on Tuesday morning, March 31, ending weeks of suspense about whether the United States would attempt to intervene. It was the first large tanker to make it into Cuba in three months, since the Trump administration choked off the supply from Venezuela and threatened Mexico with more tariffs if it continued to supply Cuba. “Possibly, the arrival of an oil tanker to a country like Cuba has never generated so...

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Njm Al Shamal's trackline during the casualty voyage: a diversion towards the Canary Islands, lower left, then interdiction and diversion to Morocco, upper right (Pole Star Global)

Morocco Arrests Libyan Fishing Vessel for Suspected Hit-and-Run

Published Mar 31, 2026 3:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

Authorities in Morocco are investigating a possible hit-and-run accident involving two fishing vessels off the coast of Dakhla, in the contested territory of Western Sahara. The Libyan-flagged longliner Njm Al Shamal is suspected of involvement in a collision that sank the small Moroccan fishing vessel Miss Dakar 2, leaving five fishermen missing. Moroccan Navy authorities intercepted the Al Shamal off Tan-Tan, near the Canary Islands, and diverted it to the port of Agadir for investigation. According to Moroccan investigators, Njm...

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Offshore

Rice's whale

Trump Administration Waives Endangered Species Act for Gulf Oil & Gas

The Trump administration has waived all Endangered Species Act protections for all U.S. Gulf offshore oil and gas activity, citing a national defense requirement for stable energy supplies. The administration has expressed concern about the alleged impact of offshore energy development on North Atlantic right whales (off New England), but has also supported energy projects that would negatively impact endangered populations of beluga whales (off Alaska) and Rice's whales (in the U.S. Gulf). The new action extends administration policy to...

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Shipbuilding

Bath Iron works destroyer

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

The members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association ratified a new contract on Saturday, March 28, ending a strike at Bath Iron Works that had begun on the prior Monday. It was the first strike in six years at the critical government contractor and impacted about a tenth of the total workforce, specifically among designers, clerks, and technicians. The union reported that it had been negotiating for about three weeks and was unable to come to terms with one of...

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Environment

hydrogen-fueled multi-purpose vessel

Japan Demonstrates Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Commercial Vessels

Japan reports a breakthrough with the demonstration of a large hydrogen-fueled engine being developed by Japan Engine Corporation, working with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, for a demonstration project for an ocean-going vessel. It points out that most work so far with hydrogen is on smaller engines for coastal vessels, making this a major technological milestone toward the practical use of hydrogen-fueled vessels. While interest has developed in hydrogen, to date, the Japanese project points out that most of the initiatives are...

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Business

shipyard

MARAD Increases Funding for Grants for Small Shipyards

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) reported that it is increasing the funding pool available for the 2026 grants in the Small Shipyard Grant Program. It follows the launch of the 2026 Port Infrastructure Development Program application period last week and is part of the Trump administration's strategy to increase support for the U.S. maritime industry. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlights that the grant pool for small shipyards is being increased by 200 percent to $35 million versus June 2025, when just...

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