Estonia Releases Ship Saying Smuggling Allegations Were Not Confirmed

Both the U.S. and China are applying heavy pressure to Panama in a bid for influence at a strategic maritime choke point (file image courtesy Roger W / CC BY)

China Moves to Penalize Panama for Court Ruling Against CK Hutchison

Published Feb 5, 2026 8:13 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Chinese government has reportedly forced a pause on infrastructure deals in Panama in retaliation for a Panamanian court's decision to suspend CK Hutchison's seaport operations contracts, according to Bloomberg. The development comes as Hong Kong-based Hutchison launches an arbitration process against Panama over the cancelation. Last week, the Panama Supreme Court ruled that contracts that allowed Hutchison to operate two container ports near the Panama Canal were "unconstitutional." Hutchison - which has been trying to sell the operating rights...

Maersk Predicts Difficult Times for Industry After a Strong Performance

Published Feb 5, 2026 7:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

Maersk, long considered a bellwether of the container shipping industry and broader global economy, presented a bleak near-term outlook as it reported 2025 financial results. The company pointed to the continued uncertainties in global trade as well as a growing overcapacity in container shipping, which it foresees contributing to further declines in freight rates and its earnings outlook. While posting a strong overall performance in 2025, which included nearly five percent volume growth for ocean shipping and terminals that achieved...

Regent Secures a Buyer for its WIG Passenger Craft in Latin America

Published Feb 5, 2026 6:11 PM by The Maritime Executive

All-electric wing-in-ground craft company Regent Craft has sold another 10 units to a passenger plane company - this time, Synerget, a Brazilian firm in the business aircraft sales & service segment. Synerget has agreed to buy 10 of the 12-passenger Viceroy models that Regent has designed for coastwise routes, with first deliveries slated for 2029. Possible early applications could be big port cities, like Rio de Janiero. The appeal factors, the operator says, include the ability to skip airports altogether...

Captain of Solong Gets Six Years as Court Cites “Complacency and Arrogance"

Published Feb 5, 2026 5:52 PM by The Maritime Executive

A judge at the UK’s “Old Bailey” court in London sentenced the former master of the Solong containership to six years in jail for causing the death of a seafarer in the fiery 2025 allision with the tanker Stena Immaculate. A jury on Monday had found Vladimir Motin, age 59 of Russia, guilty of gross negligent manslaughter. Motin had been on watch and the sole member of the crew on the bridge on March 10, 2025, when the containership hit...

Shipping

NGO Shipbreaking Platform Reports on 2025 and Calls for More Regulation

The NGO Shipbreaking Platform compiled a report on the ships sold for dismantling in 2025 while calling for continued efforts to improve the industry’s adherence to safety and environmental regulations. The group highlights that despite the Hong Kong Convention coming into effect at mid-year, there was little improvement in the performance of the shipbreakers. The listing shows a total of 321 vessels were dismantled in 2025. The overall number remains low as most segments of commercial shipping have extended the...

Tugs & Salvage

Russian Rescue Service Responds to Explosion and Fire on MSC Boxship

An MSC containership inbound for Saint Petersburg, Russia was reportedly disabled after an explosion and fire in the Gulf of Finland. Details are coming from Russian media reports of the incident without official confirmation from the maritime services or MSC. A feeder ship named MSC Giada III (39,000 dwt) experienced an explosion in its engine room that is reported to have spread upward into the accommodation block of the ship. Images posted by the Russian media show flames at the...

Government

After Swift Turnaround for New Deployment, USS Truxton Returns to the Pier

On February 3, the destroyer USS Truxton conducted a fast turnaround from Naval Station Norfolk in order to redeploy to an unknown destination. The next day, she returned to the pier because of an equipment issue, delaying her departure. Last year, Truxton spent seven months on deployment in the Middle East. She returned to Norfolk in October for maintenance, training and shore leave. On February 3, after about three months in port, she departed again, with speculation pointing to the...

Corporate News

Bureau Veritas Launches Gas Center of Excellence in Doha

[By:Bureau Veritas] Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) today announced the launch of its Gas Center of Excellence in Doha, Qatar, strengthening its commitment to supporting the continued growth of LNG and gas projects worldwide. The Center brings together BV’s expertise in gas carrier operations, classification, and regulatory compliance to deliver integrated, future-ready support across the gas value chain. Staffed by a dedicated team of gas specialists with extensive experience in gas carrier operations, both for new building phases and...

Cruise Ships

Disney Adventure Becomes Largest Cruise Ship to Transit Panama Canal

Disney Cruise Line’s ultra-large cruise ship Disney Adventure today, February 2, set a record as the largest cruise ship to transit the Panama Canal as she resumed her repositioning cruise to Asia. She became the largest cruise ship by gross tonnage and capacity, as well as the first 200,000-plus gross ton cruise ship to make the transit. At 208,100 gross tons, the Panama Canal Authority highlights that the Disney Adventure is 24 percent larger (40,000 gross tons) than the Norwegian...

Ports

China Moves to Penalize Panama for Court Ruling Against CK Hutchison

Shipping

NGO Shipbreaking Platform Reports on 2025 and Calls for More Regulation

Tugs & Salvage

Russian Rescue Service Responds to Explosion and Fire on MSC Boxship

Government

After Swift Turnaround for New Deployment, USS Truxton Returns to the Pier

Corporate News

Bureau Veritas Launches Gas Center of Excellence in Doha

Cruise Ships

Disney Adventure Becomes Largest Cruise Ship to Transit Panama Canal

Ports

China Moves to Penalize Panama for Court Ruling Against CK Hutchison

Offshore

Massachusetts Looks to Nova Scotia to Supply Offshore Wind Energy

Faced with the need for more electrical power and a desire to expand renewable energy, Massachusetts is looking toward the import of renewable energy from neighboring Nova Scotia. The first-of-its-kind agreement would present a novel solution to meeting the needs while also addressing the opposition of the Trump administration to the development of offshore wind energy generation. Massachusetts is a strong supporter of the offshore wind energy industry, with some of the first large projects in the United States. It...

Shipbuilding

Photos: Future Carrier USS John F. Kennedy Completes Builder's Trials

The future USS John F. Kennedy, the second Ford-class carrier for the U.S. Navy, has completed builder's sea trials at Huntington Ingalls Newport News. It has been 17 years since the initial contract award for Kennedy, and more than 10 years since her keel-laying. The test run was the ship's first outing, and it is a milestone towards the high-tech carrier's long-awaited completion. Kennedy was affected by the same technological issues facing the first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford, which faced...

Environment

Northern Lights has Deals With Shipping Lines to Double CO2 Transport Fleet

The Norwegian CO2 storage initiative, which became the first commercial operation for carbon capture and storage, announced a new deal that will double the company’s fleet by 2029. This comes just months after the company completed its first injection of liquid CO2 for permanent storage. Northern Lights, which is a joint venture between Equinor, TotalEnergies, and Shell, reports it has struck a new charter deal with major shipping companies, including existing partner Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line), while adding MISC...

Business

Maersk Predicts Difficult Times for Industry After a Strong Performance

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Estonia Releases Ship Saying Smuggling Allegations Were Not Confirmed

China Moves to Penalize Panama for Court Ruling Against CK Hutchison

Maersk Predicts Difficult Times for Industry After a Strong Performance

Regent Secures a Buyer for its WIG Passenger Craft in Latin America

Captain of Solong Gets Six Years as Court Cites “Complacency and Arrogance"

NGO Shipbreaking Platform Reports on 2025 and Calls for More Regulation

Russian Rescue Service Responds to Explosion and Fire on MSC Boxship

After Swift Turnaround for New Deployment, USS Truxton Returns to the Pier

Bureau Veritas Launches Gas Center of Excellence in Doha

Disney Adventure Becomes Largest Cruise Ship to Transit Panama Canal

China Moves to Penalize Panama for Court Ruling Against CK Hutchison

Beyond Sanctions Lists: Navigating Fragmented Enforcement in Maritime Trade

The Modular Pivot: Repurposing Containers as Strategic Infrastructure

Navigating Port Funding Uncertainty: Adaptation Unlocks Opportunities

NGO Shipbreaking Platform Reports on 2025 and Calls for More Regulation

Russian Rescue Service Responds to Explosion and Fire on MSC Boxship

After Swift Turnaround for New Deployment, USS Truxton Returns to the Pier

Bureau Veritas Launches Gas Center of Excellence in Doha

Disney Adventure Becomes Largest Cruise Ship to Transit Panama Canal

China Moves to Penalize Panama for Court Ruling Against CK Hutchison

Massachusetts Looks to Nova Scotia to Supply Offshore Wind Energy

Photos: Future Carrier USS John F. Kennedy Completes Builder's Trials

Northern Lights has Deals With Shipping Lines to Double CO2 Transport Fleet

Maersk Predicts Difficult Times for Industry After a Strong Performance

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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