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Detentions of Panama-flagged vessels by China that followed a Panamanian court ruling raise serious concerns about efforts to undermine rule of law in the Latin American country, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday.The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission said last week that it was closely monitoring a surge in detentions of Panama-flagged vessels in China that appears tied to a Panama court ruling against Hong Kong-based port operator CK Hutchison."China's recent…

The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran has changed the global market for liquefied natural gas (LNG), providing a boost to producers outside the Middle East that will likely last long after the current conflict ends.One of the major beneficiaries is Australia, which last year slipped to the third-largest exporter of the super-chilled fuel behind the United States and Qatar.But the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has shut off Qatar's LNG exports, meaning that it will likely lose second place back to Australia this year…

More than two dozen ships sanctioned for being part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet have passed through UK waters since Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week authorised the military to detain vessels used by Moscow to export oil.The figures based on ship tracking data analysed by Reuters show that oil tankers sanctioned by Britain are continuing to travel along England's southern coast in the same numbers as before the announcement.British officials said almost a week ago that…

Chevron said on Tuesday that downstream assets at its Wheatstone liquefied natural gas plant in Western Australia suffered extensive cyclone damage, leaving both production trains offline.Danny Woodall, Chevron's director of operations and maintenance for Australia, said the two LNG processing trains at the 8.9 million-ton-a-year facility remained shut after Tropical Cyclone Narelle struck the region last week."We have a number of fin fans or air-cooled heat exchangers that sustained some damage," he told the Australian Domestic Gas Outlook conference in Sydney."We've got a dedicated team righ

Russia's threat to halt liquefied natural gas (LNG) deliveries to Europe and divert cargoes to Asia would prove difficult to achieve because of its long-term contracts and need for more Arctic-class tankers, industry analysts said.President Vladimir Putin said in a TV interview early in March that Russia could stop gas supplies to Europe with immediate effect and seek longer-term commitments from other buyers.The impact of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has caused a surge in gas prices…

Crosby Enterprises, LLC (the “Company”) announced that the Company filed chapter 11 cases for several of its subsidiary/affiliate units, Crosby Tugs, L.L.C., Crosby Dredging, L.L.C. and Crosby Marine Transportation, L.L.C., in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on March 23, 2026. The focus of the filings is to restructure the Company’s secured debt to improve the Company’s financial position, all while maintaining the Company’s position as a regional…

Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2026 kicked off today to a record-breaking turnout, with its largest-ever edition occupying 6 exhibition halls across 2 levels at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands Singapore. Bringing together 819 exhibitors, including 20 international pavilions, the 19th edition sets the stage for three days of industry dialogue, innovation & tech breakthroughs in maritime collaboration, under the theme “Future of Vessels, Solutions for Tomorrow”.Navigating…

Australian scientists have demonstrated proof-of-concept for a quantum battery.Like conventional batteries, it charges, stores and discharges energy. However, unlike conventional batteries, it leverages unique properties of quantum mechanics such as superposition and entanglement rather than chemical reactions.The battery has a multi-layered organic microcavity and is wirelessly charged with a laser. It has been demonstrated to have rapid, scalable charging and energy storage at room temperature.The research by CSIRO…

With the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence, it’s fair to say there is more misunderstood than understood, particularly in conservative markets like maritime and ports. Adalberto ‘Berto’ Ponce, Co-Founder and CEO Of AI Strategic Solutions discusses with Maritime Reporter TV his organization’s experiences in working with ports and port facilities to help make operations more efficient and diversify revenue. With AI Strategic Solutions, it’s not about replace people or jobs…

The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) is calling attention to the consequences of deregulation and competition in maritime pilotage:Maritime pilotage is a public, not commercial, service that exists for the safety of navigation — protecting people, the environment and trade, says IMPA. Some jurisdictions are tempted by the idea that deregulation and competition deliver a better service at a lower cost.IMPA believes decision-makers need to understand that deregulation…

US marine autonomy specialist Janus Marine & Defense has launched an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) comparison website. Janus Navigator, a structured, filterable database of almost 200 global USV platforms with a sales capability, has been created to allow clients to make informed choices and identify which platform class best aligns with their mission profile before important procurement decisions are made.The site allows its users to compare and filter USVs across manufacturers, based on mission requirements and technical criteria, rather than relying on individual OEM marketing materials.

Nippon Paint Marine, a marine coatings leader, has supplied its self-indicating epoxy coating NOA 60 HS, to protect two new floating dry docks for Grand Bahama Shipyard. The floating docks have a combined total of around 1.2 million square meters of surface to be protected. This equates to the area of over 168 full size FIFA football pitches. The dry docks, ‘East End’ and ‘Lucayan,' with lifting capacities of 120,000 tons, respectively, will expand the capacity at the yard in Freeport…

Gulf Arab states did not ask the U.S. to go to war with Iran, but many are now urging it not to stop short by leaving the Islamic Republic still able to threaten the Gulf’s oil lifeline and the economies that depend on it, three Gulf sources told Reuters.At the same time, these sources and five Western and Arab diplomats said Washington was pressing Gulf states to join the U.S.-Israeli war. According to three of them, President Donald Trump wants to show regional backing for the campaign…

U.S. President Donald Trump called on allies over the weekend to help secure the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian forces continue attacks on the vital waterway amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, now in its third week.Trump said his administration has already contacted seven countries, but declined to identify them. In an earlier social media post, he said that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would participate.Iran has effectively shut the Strait, a narrow passage of water between Iran and Oman…

Offshore drilling contractor Seadrill has appointed Samir Ali as its new chief executive officer (CEO).Effective immediately, Samir Ali will step up from its Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) position to its new role, succeeding Simon Johnson.Ali has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer of the company since August 2022. Prior to joining Seadrill, Ali was with Diamond Offshore, most recently serving as Vice President of Investor Relations…

The busiest U.S. container seaport in Los Angeles is mostly insulated from supply chain upheaval sparked by U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran that have spiraled into a regional conflict, its executive director Gene Seroka said on Thursday.The Iran war has snarled container shipping in the Middle East, sending up costs, stranding ships and cargoes, threatening fuel shortages and endangering vessels and the lives of seafarers."We, right now, don't see any of that congestion happening" on the lucrative transpacific ocean trade that is the lifeblood of the Port of Los Angeles…

Iran's U.N. Ambassador said on Thursday Tehran was not going to close the Strait of Hormuz, but added that it was Iran's right to preserve the security of the key shipping route.Amir Saeid Iravani made his comments to reporters at the United Nations when asked about remarks by new Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who said on Thursday that the "lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.""We are not going to close the Strait of Hormuz," Iravani said.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) launched a pilot Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) in collaboration with BIMCO to strengthen the protection and rights of workers at ship recycling yards in Bangladesh, the world’s biggest ship recycling nation.The scheme works as a social insurance where the risk is pooled and shared by the industry. By paying into the EIS, sellers of end-of-life ships can help ensure that workers and their families receive adequate and timely compensation, in line with international labour standards, in case of permanent injury or death.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has taken swift action to protect seafarer welfare, detaining Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Bright and banning it from Australian ports for six months after nonpayment of crew wages.This week, AMSA received a complaint that seafarers onboard the vessel Ocean Bright had not been paid for two months, prompting investigation when the vessel docked in Newcastle. The investigation found that eight crew members were owed US$46,334 in unpaid wages.AMSA also detected several other issues during the inspection and identified 18 deficiencies…

Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were subjected to unidentified attacks inside territorial waters, causing them to catch fire, Iraq's director general of the General Company for Ports Farhan al-Fartousi told Reuters on Wednesday.Iraq evacuated the 25 crew members from the two vessels and fire is still ablaze on both ships, he added.This follows news that three vessels had been hit by unknown projectiles, with one of the strikes leading to a fire onboard a ship which forced most of its crew to evacuate it.Meanwhile…

The U.S. Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on Iran, saying the risk of attacks is too high for now, according to sources familiar with the matter.The Navy's assessments spell continued disruption to Middle East oil exports and reflect a divergence from President Donald Trump’s statements that the U.S. is prepared to provide naval escorts whenever needed to restart regular…

2025 was a year of recalibration, continuing the softness experienced since the fourth quarter of 2024. Rather than a slowdown, this period can be better described as a collective deep breath as the industry prepares for the next upcycle in the Asian Pacific region.Compared to 2024, the composite dayrates, calculated as a weighted average across size categories, declined by approximately 16% for PSVs and 14% for AHTS vessels. In tandem, utilization also softened, with the number of working vessels down 19% and 8% respectively…

Owning and operating a quiet boat offers many benefits, from crew comfort and retention to efficient, safe operations. While the benefits are clear, it’s generally not the first line of design and concern for most vessel owners.Noise is a funny thing in the marine world: it’s invisible, it sneaks up on you, and it’s usually not the headline item on a newbuild spec sheet, until you’re standing in the pilothouse, trying to talk over the machinery, thinking, “oh my gosh, I can’t stand this thing.”That’s the moment Jesse Spence…