French Navy Boards Mozambique-Flagged Tanker Deyna in Western Mediterranean
On March 20, 2026, the French Navy intercepted and boarded the oil tanker Deyna (Mozambique-flagged, suspected of flying a false flag) in the Western Mediterranean Sea. President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the operation, stating the vessel belongs to Russia’s “shadow fleet” a network of opaque-ownership ships used to export Russian oil and circumvent Western sanctions imposed […]
IMO Urges Safe Maritime Corridor Establishment in Persian Gulf Amid Attacks
On March 19, 2026, following an extraordinary session of its governing council in London, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) encouraged member states to work towards establishing a framework such as a safe maritime corridor to facilitate the safe evacuation of merchant ships and protect approximately 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the […]
U.S. Navy Independence-class Ships USS Tulsa USS Santa Barbara Appear in Penang After Middle East Duty
The vessels, USS Tulsa (LCS-16) and USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32), appeared at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) in the Port of Penang, Butterworth, Malaysia. Photos shared by local ship spotters on social media (including Instagram posts from March 15) and highlighted by defense observers show the trimaran-hulled ships alongside commercial facilities. These Independence-class LCS […]
Up to 1,000 Vessels Wait Outside Strait of Hormuz as Traffic Halts in Gulf Crisis
Hundreds of commercial vessels, including tankers and container ships, remain anchored and waiting near the Strait of Hormuz as regional tensions escalate amid the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran. On or around early March 2026, following coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran starting late February, Iran threatened to target any vessels attempting to transit […]
US Treasury Issues Waiver Allowing Russian Oil Sales to Tame Surging Prices
On March 12, 2026, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 134, authorizing the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels on or before 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time March 12, 2026, through midnight April 11, 2026. This 30-day waiver expands a […]
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc Warns of Marine Fuel Shortages Amid Middle East Disruptions
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc has warned that ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz closure due to the Iran war, risks creating regional marine fuel shortages for shipping operations. In recent interviews (including with CNN, BBC, and Le Monde), Clerc stated there is sufficient global oil supply overall, […]
World’s Largest China-Built Dual-Fuel Containership Begins Sea Trials in Taicang
This ultra-large container vessel departed from the dock on Sunday for its initial trial voyage, marking a key milestone in its construction and testing phase. The ship measures 399.9 meters in length and boasts a capacity of 24,212 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), making it the largest dual-fuel containership constructed in China to date. It is […]
Cruise Ships Cancel Puerto Vallarta Calls Amid Escalating Cartel-Related Violence
Multiple cruise lines have canceled scheduled stops at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in late February 2026, following a surge in violence triggered by the killing of a high-profile cartel leader in the state of Jalisco. The disruptions began after Mexican authorities killed a top leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, leading to retaliatory actions including […]
President Trump Announces Hospital Ship Mission to Greenland as USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort Remain in Alabama Shipyard
President Donald Trump announced on February 21, 2026, via his Truth Social platform that the United States will deploy a hospital ship to Greenland to provide medical care, claiming the mission will address needs for “many people who are sick, and not being taken care of there.” The announcement came in a post stating: “Working […]
U.S. Navy Selects Fincantieri Marinette Marine to Build First 4 Medium Landing Ships
The U.S. Navy has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine, its Wisconsin-based shipyard, to construct the first four Medium Landing Ships (LSM) as part of the Landing Ship Medium program, announced on February 18, 2026. This decision follows the Navy’s issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) to oversee the acquisition, […]