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Australian warship tracks China's Navy as it transits the Taiwan Strait

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 22, 2026

A government source confirmed that an Australian warship had sailed across the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. This was the latest transit by a U.S. ally of this'sensitive waterway. The Chinese state-backed media reported that the ship was being tracked and monitored.

Cobalt stocks fall at Wuxi Exchange in scramble to find electric vehicle battery materials

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

Cobalt stock prices on China's Wuxi Exchange plummeted late in January. Traders attribute the fall to shortages of the material used in electric vehicle batteries in the world's largest consumer. On 'January 29th,'?cobalt, or 37%, was removed from the stock exchange.

Russell assumes that there will be no disruption in the supply of crude oil from Iran.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 20, 2026

According to daily headlines, the?premium built into crude oil prices due to tensions between Iran and the United States fluctuates. But there is a underlying assumption that all will be well. Brent crude oil futures closed at $70.35 per barrel, a 4.4% increase.

Russell assumes that there will be no disruption in the supply of crude oil from Iran.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

There is a premium built into crude oil prices due to tensions between Iran and the United States. The headlines fluctuate daily, but there's an assumption that all will be well. Brent futures, the global benchmark, rose 4.4% to $70.35 per barrel on Wednesday.

Bousso

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

This month, China marks one year since its last import of liquefied gas from the U.S. in the midst of a heated trade war between two world's largest economies. Chinese companies have purchased U.S. LNG from American producers under long-term contracts.

Japan's JERA claims domestic offshore wind project is on schedule despite rising cost

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

JERA, Japan's largest power generator, has started?construction on its offshore wind project at Akita in?northern Japan. The project is scheduled to start up by 2028, according to Hisahide OKuda, the president of JERA. The move comes despite…

Leader of the busiest US port says: 'Exports look dismal'

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 18, 2026

The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest U.S. ocean gateway. Exports fell by 8% in January, to the lowest output monthly in almost three years. Seroka, after the Port of Los Angeles handled 104.297 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) of loaded export containers in January…

North Korea's New Congress will reset its arms goals after noticing gaps in the 2021 plan

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 16, 2026

North Korea will unveil new weapons development goals this month at its Ninth Party Congress, amid assessments that Pyongyang only checked off part of the sweeping list that Kim Jong Un aimed for at his 2021 Congress. Analysts say that while nuclear weapons and missiles remain central to Kim's plan…

Trump Administration releases Maritime Action Plan aimed to revive US shipbuilding

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

The Trump administration released on Friday a plan to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding and other maritime business, which will be paid for in part by port fees collected on cargo brought to the United States aboard ships manufactured in China. The…

US removes updated list of companies allegedly assisting China's military

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

After posting a list on Friday, the 'United States' removed it shortly thereafter. The updated list included some of China's biggest tech companies including Baidu and Alibaba. The document was posted for an hour and removed China's two largest memory chip manufacturers…

South Korean milling company buys around 50,000 tons US wheat, traders claim

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 14, 2026

European traders reported on Friday that a group of 'South Korean flour mills' purchased an estimated 50,000 metric tonnes?of milling wheat?to be sourced from the United States through an international auction. All wheat was purchased free-on-board (FOB) and shipped between June 1 and June 30.

CK Hutchison threatens legal action if Maersk acquires Panama's Balboa and Cristobal terminals

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 12, 2026

Hong ?Kong's CK Hutchison said on Thursday it has ?notified Panama of an investment-protection treaty dispute after A.P. Moller-Maersk has indicated that it is willing to temporarily take over the management of 'the Balboa and Cristobal terminals.

Analyst says that iron ore exports from Ukraine in January fell by 34%.

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 10, 2026

Analyst GMK Center reported on Tuesday that Ukraine's iron ore exports in January fell by 34.4% on a year-over-year basis to?2,05 million metric tons. GMK Center expects Ukraine's iron ores exports to drop by 5% - to 29 million tonne - this year.

US forces board a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker without incident in the Indian Ocean

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 10, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Monday that U.S. forces boarded an oil tanker traveling from or to Venezuela after pursuing it in the Caribbean. Hegseth said in a post on X that "overnight, U.S. The U.S. stepped up its blockade of vessels going to or from Venezuela…

Descartes: US container imports dropped 6.8% in January but the result indicates a more normalized trade

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 9, 2026

U.S. seaports handled 6.8% less container import volume in January than they did in the previous year, when U.S. companies rushed to import goods in order to avoid President Donald Trump's new tariffs, sending imports to a record-high for the month. Investors closely monitor U.S.

Export boom boosts EU barley markets to ease glut

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 6, 2026

The EU barley exports may reach a decade-high this season, as the EU is able to shift a large harvest due to the brisk demand for feed overseas and the reduced competition in the Black Sea Region. The surge in demand for European "feed" barley…

Panama's President says that port contracts won't be awarded to one operator

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 6, 2026

The Panamanian president, Jose Raul Mulino, said 'on Thursday' that the concession contracts for operating?two ports operated by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings over a period of nearly?three _decades would "never" be given to a single firm.

French diplomat: Taiwan Strait missions are not about provocation but international law

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 6, 2026

France's de-facto ambassador to Taipei, speaking of voyages that regularly enrage China, said Thursday that foreign countries are not provoking China by their naval missions in the Taiwan Strait, but rather asserting international laws. Beijing claims sovereignty over Taiwan and views the narrow…

India's Russian Oil Imports Down 12% Between Jan/Dec Amid US-India Trade Talks

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 4, 2026

Sources said that India's Russian imports fell in January. This continued a trend that started in December, as refiners looked for alternative barrels under the pressure of Western sanctions and the ongoing U.S. India trade talks. Donald Trump, the U.S.

China calls on EU to stop investigation of Chinese wind turbine manufacturer

Posted to Maritime Reporter on February 4, 2026

China vowed to defend 'its companies' rights and interests after the European Union opened a?investigation?" into Chinese wind power company Goldwind Science & Technology. Goldwind could have received foreign subsidies that gave it unfair advantages in Europe…

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