Thursday, April 09, 2026
MORE TOP STORIES
container imports

Retail Imports Continue Decline Despite Little Impact from the Middle East

Published Apr 8, 2026 5:34 PM by The Maritime Executive

Retailers' import volume into the United States continues to be weighed down by concerns over tariffs and trade policy, says the National Retail Federation. It continues to expect month-over-month and year-over-year declines through most of the first half of 2026, while saying that other than fuel costs, retailers are not being significantly affected by the conflict in Iran. The retail trade group issued its monthly outlook for container import volumes, projecting monthly declines in six of the first eight months...

Continue Reading...
tanker at sea

Iran Says Tankers Are Suspended at Hormuz Due to Israeli Attack on Lebanon

Published Apr 8, 2026 4:59 PM by The Maritime Executive

The hastily announced ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran appears to already be on shaky ground as disputes have emerged over its terms. Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that the leaders were suspending tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz after Israel launched a large-scale attack on Lebanon, while the White House insisted the Strait is open and traffic is increasing. Fars posted a message saying that Iran had permitted two tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz...

Continue Reading...
Iranian Shahed drone launches from a truck-mounted rack (IRGC)

Iran Secures Cessation of US Attacks – But the War Goes On

Published Apr 8, 2026 4:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

As the first day of the ceasefire comes towards an end, the only substantive change on the ground in the region appears to be that the United States and Israel have ceased their attacks on Iran. Multiple reports, summarized towards the end of the first day of the ‘ceasefire’ by Qatar’s Al Jazeera network, indicate that Iran has continued to attack oil and infrastructure targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Targets attacked include a pumping station...

Continue Reading...
Polymetallic nodules (NOAA)

Two U.S. Deep-Sea Mining Companies Plan $1B Reverse Merger

Published Apr 8, 2026 4:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

Two players in the nascent U.S.-jurisdiction polymetallic nodule sector have agreed to a reverse merger to combine their holdings and expertise, creating one of the larger operators in the segment. The merger will bring together the strengths of the American Ocean Minerals Corporation (AOMC) with Odyssey Marine Exploration, and will operate under the AOMC name after completion of the process. The combined entity will have an equity value of about $1 billion and $175 million in cash. "By combining AOMC’s...

Continue Reading...
MORE STORIES BY CATEGORY

Offshore

US LNG export terminal at Sabine Pass

QatarEnergy’s U.S. LNG Plant Achieves First Production at Critical Time

Just as the world is looking for alternative sources of LNG, Golden Pass LNG in Texas reported it has achieved first production. The project, which has been in planning and development for 15 years, is set to start export shipments in the second quarter, coming online to help fill some of the shortfall from Qatar and the Middle East. The United States is already setting records for LNG shipments and has been rivaling Qatar for the title of the largest...

Continue Reading...

Shipbuilding

India Swan Defence and Heavy Industries

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

The revitalization of the former Reliance Naval and Engineering shipbuilder as Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) continues as the yard is winning landmark deals and building its orderbook. It is now reporting India’s first order for ammonia dual-fuel ships as well as the order for some of the largest commercial ships yet built in India. SDHI is the relaunched operation, which went through years of financial difficulties that finally saw the yard suspend operations. It was sold and resumed...

Continue Reading...

Environment

enhancement to wind rotor design

EcoNavis to Validate and Demonstrate Improved Design for Wind Rotors

Scotland-based EcoNavis Solutions believes it has a technological innovation that can enhance the performance of wind rotors. With wind-assisted propulsion gaining increased interest, the company is using a Scottish Enterprise research grant to move its concept from the drawing board to validation and demonstration. The basic concept of the wind rotor promoted by Anton Flettner in the 1920s remains largely unchanged after more than a century. The spinning rotor captures the energy of the wind to provide additional thrust for...

Continue Reading...

Business

Ship repair yard in Djibouti

Largest Ship Repair Yard in East Africa Inaugurated in Djibouti

Officials in Djibouti officially inaugurated the Djibouti Ship Repair Yard on April 4, marking what they called a milestone in the development of the country’s maritime economy. It becomes the largest ship repair yard in the Red Sea region and East Africa, available to provide critical repair and maintenance work. “The DSRY project has always been a national priority, given Djibouti’s strategic location at the entrance to the Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes,” said President Ismaïl...

Continue Reading...