Ukraine to Prosecute Captain of Detained Cargo Ship for Trips to Crimea

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

Published Apr 7, 2026 5:26 PM by The Maritime Executive

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...

Japan and South Korea Advance Autonomous Navigation

Published Apr 7, 2026 4:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

As efforts continue to develop autonomous navigation systems for large commercial ships, both Japan and South Korea are reporting projects that reached key milestones. They are working to continue to develop the parameters for safe autonomous operations and to advance commercialization of the technologies. Japan’s The Nippon Foundation has been sponsoring a series of demonstration projects over the past few years designed to develop key elements of the technology. ClassNK officials point out that the efforts are aimed at improving...

At Hormuz, two options ahead: the IRGC Navy, seen at left, or the U.S. Navy, at right (USN file image)

Freedom of Navigation May Not Return to the Strait of Hormuz

Published Apr 7, 2026 3:41 PM by The Maritime Executive

It is possible that shipping interests may have to pay tolls to pass the Strait of Hormuz under any scenario after the Iran conflict ends, President Donald Trump implied at a press conference Sunday. Trump claimed that since the United States has already won the conflict, America should take over operation of Iran's tolling procedure at the strait. The tolls currently run up to $2 million per ship and would generate tens of billions of dollars per year for the...

drifting wreck of Russian LNG gas carrier

Libya Resumes Monitoring Arctic Metagaz as Report Details Ukrainian Attack

Published Apr 7, 2026 2:51 PM by The Maritime Executive

Libyan officials are again monitoring the hulk of the Russian-flagged LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz while they continue to discuss how to handle the wreck. At the same time, reports surfaced first in France and now on Associated Press, confirming that the Ukrainians struck the vessel from a base in Libya and that it was, in fact, the second such incident. The independent French outlet RFI broke the report, saying that Ukraine was behind the attacks on Russian vessels in the...

Shipping

Iran Confirms Two-Week Ceasefire and a Limited Reopening of Hormuz

Iran has confirmed that it plans to allow marine traffic to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week ceasefire with the Trump administration - subject to conditions. Following last-minute negotiations mediated by the government of Pakistan, Trump agreed to further talks based on the framework of Iran's 10-point plan for the next two weeks, and to hold off on further strikes. For its part, Iran promised to cease its attacks and allow safe passage through the Strait of...

Tugs & Salvage

Tanker Truck Blast Closes Bridge Over Panama Canal

An explosion at a fuel facility next to the Bridge of the Americas has killed one and injured several others, according to the fire department for Panama City, Panama. The fireball from the fuel burn-off made contact with the bridge, which spans the Panama Canal and carries logistics traffic for the port of Balboa. A large tank farm is located next to and beneath the bridge on the eastern bank, between the International Maritime University of Panama and a luxury...

Government

HMS Dragon refueling under way in the Med, March 2026 (Royal Navy)

UK Destroyer Tasked With Defense of Cyprus Heads to Port for Repairs

The air defense destroyer that the UK dispatched to protect the British base on Cyprus has been delayed for a "minor technical stop," according to the UK Ministry of Defense. HMS Dragon deployed March 10 after a two-week period of preparations for her voyage, and she arrived off Cyprus on March 27. She will now be putting into port somewhere in the Eastern Mediterranean while her onboard water systems are fixed, defense sources told the BBC. For now, the supply...

Corporate News

First LNG shore-to-ship Port Everglaes Florida

First-Ever LNG Shore-to-Ship Bunkering Operation at Port Everglades

[By Sawgrass LNG & Power] Sawgrass LNG & Power today announced the successful completion of the first-ever shore-to-ship liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on March 26, 2026, fueling the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection vessel Ilma. This milestone represents a significant step forward in expanding LNG as a marine fuel solution in South Florida and reinforces Port Everglades' support for next-generation marine fuels used by its cruise and cargo customers. "This is a defining moment...

Cruise Ships

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Passengers aboard the Fiji cruise ship might have thought they were about to relive a scene from the 2000 movie “Cast Away,” in which Tom Hanks becomes stranded for years on an uninhabited island. Their ship, the Fiji Princess, grounded on April 4 on the same island used in the movie. The 179-foot (55-meter) cruise ship operates cruises up to a week in length around the islands in Fiji. Built in 1998, the ship has 32 passenger cabins with a...

Ports

Curating an Unforgettable Experience with the Port of San Diego

Whether you are considering adventure as a cruise line operator or a guest, when it comes to putting together an experience to remember, the details matter. At the Port of San Diego’s Port of Land and See, every aspect of adventure for cruise lines and guests is considered and distilled into two key features: proximity and convenience. The Key Features of an Unforgettable Experience: Proximity & Convenience From the moment a ship drops anchor to when it sets sail, the...

Shipping

Iran Confirms Two-Week Ceasefire and a Limited Reopening of Hormuz

Tugs & Salvage

Tanker Truck Blast Closes Bridge Over Panama Canal

Government

UK Destroyer Tasked With Defense of Cyprus Heads to Port for Repairs

Corporate News

First-Ever LNG Shore-to-Ship Bunkering Operation at Port Everglades

Cruise Ships

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Ports

Curating an Unforgettable Experience with the Port of San Diego

Offshore

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...

Shipbuilding

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

Environment

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...

Business

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...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Ukraine to Prosecute Captain of Detained Cargo Ship for Trips to Crimea

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

Japan and South Korea Advance Autonomous Navigation

Freedom of Navigation May Not Return to the Strait of Hormuz

Libya Resumes Monitoring Arctic Metagaz as Report Details Ukrainian Attack

Iran Confirms Two-Week Ceasefire and a Limited Reopening of Hormuz

Tanker Truck Blast Closes Bridge Over Panama Canal

UK Destroyer Tasked With Defense of Cyprus Heads to Port for Repairs

First-Ever LNG Shore-to-Ship Bunkering Operation at Port Everglades

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Curating an Unforgettable Experience with the Port of San Diego

Cyber Risk in Shipping: From Technical Threat to Business Reality

Architecture of Adaptability: Designing Vessels to Stand the Test of Time

Improve Fleet Value With Digital Optimization of Cruise Ship Hotel Areas

Iran Confirms Two-Week Ceasefire and a Limited Reopening of Hormuz

Tanker Truck Blast Closes Bridge Over Panama Canal

UK Destroyer Tasked With Defense of Cyprus Heads to Port for Repairs

First-Ever LNG Shore-to-Ship Bunkering Operation at Port Everglades

Passengers Abandon Cruise Grounded on Island from 2000 Movie “Cast Away"

Curating an Unforgettable Experience with the Port of San Diego

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

Indian Shipbuilding SDHI Adds First Ammonia-Fueled Vessels to Orderbook

EcoNavis to Validate and Demonstrate Improved Design for Wind Rotors

Largest Ship Repair Yard in East Africa Inaugurated in Djibouti

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events