Drones Hit Greek Tankers Waiting to Load Oil in Kazakhstan

Pirates Kidnap Chinese Crewmembers From Fishing Vessel off Gabon

Published Jan 13, 2026 2:06 AM by The Maritime Executive

On Monday, armed pirates boarded a trawler off the coast of Gabon and kidnapped multiple foreign crewmembers, according to the Gabonese ministry of defense. At about 0200 hours local time, the Gabonese-flagged fishing vessel IB Fish 7 was under way and engaged in fishing about seven nautical miles off Ekwata, Gabon. Three armed pirates approached and boarded, and they kidnapped nine crewmembers, reports maritime security consultancy Vanguard Tech. The abductees included five Chinese nationals and four Indonesians. The remaining six...

The sailor sold secrets to the operation of amphib USS Essex, above (USN)

Former U.S. Navy Sailor Gets 16-Year Sentence for $12,000 Worth of Spying

Published Jan 12, 2026 11:18 PM by The Maritime Executive

A former U.S. Navy sailor who was paid a mere $12,000 over an 18-month period for spying for China has been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison. Jinchao "Patrick" Wei, 25, was handed the lengthy 200 months prison sentence by a federal judge in San Diego following his conviction in August last year of espionage. Wu was guilty of selling technical and operating manuals for ships and operating systems to an intelligence officer working for China, the court...

Arctic Sea hard aground (courtesy City of St. George)

Wrecked Crab Boat Spills Diesel off St. George

Published Jan 12, 2026 11:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

The rough winter weather of the Bering Sea is getting in the way of the response to the wreck site of a crab fishing boat that grounded on the coast of St. George, and the vessel has begun to leak oil, according to Alaskan officials. On January 5, the 134-foot crab boat Arctic Sea was under way on a fishing voyage to the north of St. George. In 50-knot winds, she drifted aground on the north side of the island....

Ukraine's Special Forces Hit Three Russian Oil Platforms in the Caspian

Published Jan 12, 2026 8:20 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Sunday, Ukraine's military reported another round of long-range strikes on Russian oil platforms in the Caspian Sea, the latest in a series of attacks on vulnerable energy infrastructure. According to Ukraine's General Staff, the drone strikes hit the V. Filanovsky, Yuri Korchagin and Valery Graifer platforms, all belonging to sanctioned Russian oil major Lukoil. In a statement, the general staff said that the strikes had resulted in direct hits, and that damage assessment was ongoing. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces...

Shipping

Iran Releases Greek Tanker Seized Two Years Ago

A Greek-owned tanker that was caught in a series of back-and-forth maneuvers between the United States and Iran in 2023 and 2024 has quietly been released two years after the Iranians seized the ship and said they were taking its oil cargo. The move comes as Iran appears to be making moves to ease tensions with the West, as the regime is also facing widespread unrest inside the country. The tracking service TankerTrackers.com broke the news on Monday, reporting on...

Tugs & Salvage

Prosecutors Assert Stena Immaculate Collision was “Entirely Avoidable”

The jury hearing the gross manslaughter charges against the captain of the containership Solong was told by prosecutors that the collision was entirely avoidable. During the first day of the trial, the jury learned more details about the collision in which the containership rammed the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate, resulting in the loss of one seafarer and extensive damage as an inferno enveloped the two vessels. Captain Vladimir Motin, age 59, of Russia, has pleaded not guilty, claiming first that...

Government

Two Men Linked to Russian Military Were Aboard Shadow-Fleet Tanker Qendil

Suspicious men with military bearing have been spotted on shadow-fleet tankers many times in the Baltic, giving Western security experts the impression that the Russian government is directing operations of the underinsured, anonymously-owned fleet that carries most of Russia's oil. It is widely suspected that some of these vessels have been used as launching points for Russian "hybrid warfare" harassment and espionage efforts in European waters, like the drone incidents over Denmark in September 2025. That concerning pattern continues: according...

Corporate News

Birdon Awarded US Coast Guard Contract for Response Boat–Small Demonstrator

[By: Birdon America, Inc.] Birdon America, Inc. has been awarded a firm fixed price contract to build a Response Boat-Small (RB-S) Demonstrator for the United States Coast Guard (USCG). This award underscores Birdon’s commitment to providing its customers with innovative, reliable solutions that ensure mission success in maritime operations. The RB-S Demonstrator program is a critical initiative by the USCG to evaluate advanced capabilities for key missions such as Search and Rescue (SAR); Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security (PWCS); Drug...

Cruise Ships

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Hawaii’s hotly contested and closely followed “Green Fee,” a new tax on hotels, short-stay rentals, and cruises, suffered a setback just hours before it was due to go into effect. It is the first tax of its kind imposed on tourists to contribute to the state’s costs of addressing environmental issues. Two judges on the U.S. 9th Circuit Court granted on New Year’s Eve (December 31) a last-minute request for an injunction in a suit brought by the cruise industry...

Ports

Hapag’s Terminal Operator Takes Full Ownership of Port Everglades Facility

Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Global Terminals is continuing to execute on its growth strategy, with reports that it has taken full ownership of Port Everglades'Florida International Terminal. Major carriers have been working to build out their terminal operations in support of corporate goals and a positive business opportunity. Hapag-Lloyd and Grupo Empresas Navieras, through its affiliate Agunsa Universales, have operated the terminal in Port Everglades for a decade. The companies reported they have reached an agreement regarding the capital structure of the...

Shipping

Iran Releases Greek Tanker Seized Two Years Ago

Tugs & Salvage

Prosecutors Assert Stena Immaculate Collision was “Entirely Avoidable”

Government

Two Men Linked to Russian Military Were Aboard Shadow-Fleet Tanker Qendil

Corporate News

Birdon Awarded US Coast Guard Contract for Response Boat–Small Demonstrator

Cruise Ships

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Ports

Hapag’s Terminal Operator Takes Full Ownership of Port Everglades Facility

Offshore

Revolution Wind Receives Court Injunction Against Trump’s Stop-Work Order

The Revolution Wind offshore wind farm won a preliminary injunction against the Department of the Interior’s December stop-work order, which permits the company to resume offshore work while the case proceeds. The project being developed by Ørsted and a joint venture with a division of BlackRock is the first of the offshore wind projects to receive relief from the courts, while two other hearings are also set for later this week. Judge Royce Lamberth signed two orders on Monday afternoon,...

Shipbuilding

A new P-17A class frigate, Mahendragiri, at launch at Mazagon Dock (Gov't of India)

Report: India Wants to Ramp Up its Warship Exports

India is reportedly working to expand warship exports as part of the ongoing push to revamp its shipbuilding industry. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) has already issued directives to the state-owned shipyards, instructing the facilities to build their capacities for export orders. According to a report by the defense news site Indian Defense Research Wing, the MOD’s directive covers expansion of docking and manufacturing infrastructure in the shipyards. In addition, the shipyards are expected to customize their blueprints for naval...

Environment

HMM and HD KSOE Start Demonstration and Testing of Wing Sail on Tanker

South Korea’s HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering and HMM are starting a demonstration and test period for Korea’s first domestically developed wing sail for wind-assisted propulsion. The shipbuilder has been developing its version of the technology as part of its efforts to advance value-added, green ship designs and technology. The wing sail was recently installed on the product tanker Oriental Aquamarine (50,000 dwt). The vessel was built in 2020 and has been owned by HMM since 2023. Registered in...

Business

A Starlink satellite launch (SpaceX handout image)

China Begins Enforcing its Ban on Shipboard Starlink

China does not allow the use of Starlink internet connectivity in its waters, and prefers to route all traffic through networks that are subject to its own licensing process. The restriction is unpopular with seafarers, who like Starlink's high speeds and low latency for video calls and general-purpose browsing - but Chinese authorities are beginning to enforce their rules more rigorously. P&I correspondent Oasis reports that the first known Chinese investigation related to shipboard Starlink usage was launched in December,...

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Drones Hit Greek Tankers Waiting to Load Oil in Kazakhstan

Pirates Kidnap Chinese Crewmembers From Fishing Vessel off Gabon

Former U.S. Navy Sailor Gets 16-Year Sentence for $12,000 Worth of Spying

Wrecked Crab Boat Spills Diesel off St. George

Ukraine's Special Forces Hit Three Russian Oil Platforms in the Caspian

Iran Releases Greek Tanker Seized Two Years Ago

Prosecutors Assert Stena Immaculate Collision was “Entirely Avoidable”

Two Men Linked to Russian Military Were Aboard Shadow-Fleet Tanker Qendil

Birdon Awarded US Coast Guard Contract for Response Boat–Small Demonstrator

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Hapag’s Terminal Operator Takes Full Ownership of Port Everglades Facility

Navigating Port Funding Uncertainty: Adaptation Unlocks Opportunities

California Protects Blue Whales and Blue Skies With Historic State Law

One Event. World Of Maritime. This February, Copenhagen is the Place to Be

Iran Releases Greek Tanker Seized Two Years Ago

Prosecutors Assert Stena Immaculate Collision was “Entirely Avoidable”

Two Men Linked to Russian Military Were Aboard Shadow-Fleet Tanker Qendil

Birdon Awarded US Coast Guard Contract for Response Boat–Small Demonstrator

Appeals Court Suspends Hawaii’s “Green Fee” for Cruise Ships Pending Appeal

Hapag’s Terminal Operator Takes Full Ownership of Port Everglades Facility

Revolution Wind Receives Court Injunction Against Trump’s Stop-Work Order

Report: India Wants to Ramp Up its Warship Exports

HMM and HD KSOE Start Demonstration and Testing of Wing Sail on Tanker

China Begins Enforcing its Ban on Shipboard Starlink

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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