Monday, February 16, 2026
Media Kit
Veronica III boarding

US Forces Board a Sanctioned, Venezuela-Linked Tanker in the Indian Ocean

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LNG ship

Op-Ed: LNG is the Future of Shipping's Energy Transition

Published Feb 15, 2026 7:35 PM by Peter Keller, Chairman of Sea-LNG

The maritime industry’s energy transition is no longer a distant ambition - it is a present-day reality. What was all-too-recently framed as a future challenge to tackle with a “silver bullet” solution, is now an immediate operational fact, calling for continuing action across the maritime industry. With LNG-powered vessels ordered in 2025 accounting for 79% of alternative-fueled tonnage, up from 67% in 2024, the LNG-powered global fleet both operating and on-order, including LNG carriers, today represents 10% of the global...

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Aratere

Union Alleges Crew of Former NZ Ferry is Paid Less Than ILO Minimum Wage

Published Feb 15, 2026 7:35 PM by The Maritime Executive

A row is brewing in New Zealand over the welfare of seafarers aboard a retired Interislander ferry that is awaiting to sail to India for dismantling. For the former workhorse ferry Aratere, which was retired in August last year and has since been renamed Vega, controversy seems to be following her after allegations of seafarer exploitation emerged. The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) is raising concerns over the well-being of seafarers aboard the vessel, which has been anchored in...

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Eagle S anchor

Cutting the Cord

Published Feb 15, 2026 6:35 PM by Erik Kravets

Russia's land border with Europe extends 3,983 linear miles. If that sounds difficult to patrol, consider that the Baltic Sea comprises 180,000 square miles of shallow water. That's bad news for the 35+ cables and pipelines carrying power, gas and data that crisscross its waters. At an average depth of only 180 feet, that valuable infrastructure is vulnerable to attack by the unlikeliest of weapons. Anchors. Several anchor attacks have happened in the past two years. Russia with its shadow...

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Sparta IV

The Mysterious Stopover of Sparta IV Near Sardinia

Published Feb 15, 2026 5:38 PM by Giangiuseppe Pili and Peter Boerstling

For the first time since the Syrian Express started moving interesting materials for the Russian military logistics, one convoy moved in close to Italian shores, though remaining in international waters. The sanctioned Russian-flagged freighter Sparta IV (IMO 9743033) departed Baltiysk, Russia on 31 December 2025. Sparta IV proceeded southbound from the Baltic Sea toward the Mediterranean. Sparta IV was tracked moving in parallel with another Russian cargo ship, the Mys Zhelaniya (IMO 9366110). Both ships departed from Baltiysk under the...

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Offshore

Transocean Barents

Transocean Buys Valaris for $6 Billion, Creating New Industry Leader

Offshore drilling company Transocean has struck a deal to acquire competitor Valaris for $6 billion in stock, giving Transocean shareholders a 53 percent stake in the combined company. The transaction creates the largest drilling company in the world, valued at $17 billion. It will operate 33 ultradeepwater drillships, nine semisubs and 31 jackups - 73 rigs in total - across global markets. Transocean CEO and President Keelan Adamson suggested that the combination makes for "a very attractive investment" in offshore...

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Shipbuilding

Russian icebreaker with patriotic livery

Russia to Build 10 More Icebreakers and 46 Salvage Vessels to Develop NSR

Russian authorities recently announced plans for the next phase of the development of the Northern Sea Route as part of Vladimir Putin’s plan to establish a trans-Arctic transport corridor. They are calling for aggressive shipbuilding efforts as well as the development of the infrastructure along the route to support the continued growth of traffic over the next decade. Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev outlined the details, saying that by 2035, Russia will construct 10 more icebreakers along with 46 rescue...

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Environment

Ship

Navigating the Deadlock: Accelleron’s Daniel Bischofberger on Green Fuels

Accelleron, a leading provider of turbocharging, fuel injection, and digital solutions for marine engines and ships, recently released a study on the multifaceted, multi-industry challenges slowing shipping's transition to carbon-neutral fuels. TME recently spoke with CEO Daniel Bischofberger about the current state of marine decarbonization, regional developments in Asia-Pacific, and the path forward for the industry. Can you describe the current state of shipping's transition to carbon-neutral fuels? The ships are ready, but the fuel is not. The technology exists...

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Business

ZIM

Hapag-Lloyd Buys Out ZIM

Number-five container line Hapag-Lloyd has agreed to buy 10th-ranked carrier ZIM, Israel’s de facto national shipping line. A heads of agreement has been reached by the two parties, and ZIM’s board approved the deal on Sunday night. Israeli business publication Calcalist reports that the transaction value exceeds $4 billion. ZIM, publicly listed since 2021, is headquartered in Haifa. The deal entails Hapag-Lloyds’s purchase of all issued shares, and then the delisting of the company from the New York Stock Exchange....

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