The Times News

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute’s crew offloaded approximately 2,570 pounds of cocaine worth more than $19.3 million and transferred six suspected drug smugglers to federal authorities, Thursday, at Base Miami Beach.The seized contraband was the result of three interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma and the crew of the USS Billings with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment.The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:USCGC TahomaUSS BillingsCoast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical SquadronU.S.

In the first quarter of 2026, Port of Antwerp‑Bruges handled 65.5 million tons of maritime cargo, a decrease of 3.2% compared to the same period last year.After a weak start in January and February, throughput recovered in March. General cargo (-4.4%) – in particular containers and conventional general cargo – was under pressure, while bulk cargo remained stable (-0.6%) and RoRo traffic increased.The port says the results reflect a complex combination of factors, including adverse weather conditions…

Iran's use of a swarm of small, fast boats to seize two container ships near the Strait of Hormuz could undermine suggestions U.S. forces have disabled its naval threat and reveals the challenges facing reopening one of the world's most important oil export routes.U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday acknowledged that while Iran’s conventional navy had been largely destroyed, its "fast-attack ships" had not been considered much of a threat.He said any such vessels coming near a U.S.

The German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) has awarded Anschütz a contract for the refit of the multi-purpose vessel Arkona, bringing the ship’s navigation and bridge systems up to the latest technological standard.Anschütz will supply a complete SYNAPSIS Integrated Bridge System (IBS) which consolidates all relevant navigation information within a unified and consistent user interface. Radar, ECDIS and conning applications will be provided via multifunctional workstations at all navigation positions…

Portland Port in Dorset has been approved to carry out liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship-to-ship transfers, expanding its fuel handling capabilities.The port, which is already operational for oil and liquefied petroleum gas transfers, said the addition of LNG ship-to-ship operations enhances its service offering.“Our new STS licence means that we can now support LNG transfers directly at our port.“It will help reduce transit times and streamline operations for the LNG supply chain while providing access to a fully compliant and experienced marine infrastructure…

After 14 months in daily public transport service in Fredrikstad, Hyke’s fully electric F-15 Shuttle has demonstrated low energy consumption, strong passenger demand, and a compelling case for electric ferries as a cost-effective urban mobility solution.Traffic jams plague cities worldwide, yet their waterways remain underused. After successful public transport, Norwegian tech company Hyke has shown there’s a better alternative to building bridges or tunnels by unlocking the potential of water and existing urban infrastructure.Between April 2024 and July 2025…

Oil prices jumped more than 6% in early Monday trading on fears that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran could collapse after the U.S. seized an Iranian cargo ship and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained largely halted.Brent crude futures LCOc1 advanced $5.51, or 6.1%, to $95.89 a barrel by 0752 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was up $5.46, or 6.5%, at $89.31.Both contracts tumbled by 9% on Friday, their largest daily declines since April 18, after…

A comprehensive open-source code library has been launched for OpenBridge. This design system is engineered to create safer and more efficient workplaces across the international fleet by standardizing how humans interact with maritime technology.The launch marks the transition of OpenBridge from a design guideline to an open-source ready-to-use code library.OpenBridge is uniquely designed to serve all maritime workplaces. While traditional ship bridge navigation remains a core focus…

Demand for low greenhouse gas (GHG) methane is expected to grow in the coming decades as the expanding LNG‑capable fleet faces increasingly stringent emissions requirements. But its long-term viability as marine fuel depends on regulatory clarity, closing the supply gap, and securing volumes against competing demand.With around 800 LNG‑capable vessels currently in operation, 600 more on order, existing bunkering infrastructure, decades of operational experience, and well-established international safety standards, the fleet is already technically mature.

"Since the beginning of the Iran war, global seaborne crude oil shipments have fallen 16% compared to the first nine weeks of 2026, according to Signal Ocean data. This represents a reduction of 7.6 million barrels per day (mbdp) to 38.4 mbpd. Coincidentally, shipments during the past six weeks have likewise been 16% lower than during the same period last year,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.Before the Iran war, the U.S. Energy Information Administration had estimated global 2026 oil production to be 79.9 mbpd.

Maritime software company Carga has released OceanSMART 2.0, a powerful upgrade to its flagship bulk liquid cargo management platform.The release delivers dramatically faster performance, a modernized user interface and a suite of reliability improvements designed to support operational teams working in maritime logistics.OceanSMART users have reported saving as much as $1 million in demurrage costs in a single month, a testament to what the platform’s nomination-to-discharge capabilities make possible.

A new multi-million dollar Security and Rescue Training Center (SRTC), the first commercial facility of its kind in the world, is set to be built in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It will serve as a regional hub for advanced, first-class, certified mission-based training for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), law enforcement, special forces, and commercial enterprises across the world.Created by investment firm Sahra Group, the facility, opening in 2028, will be constructed and operated in partnership with leader in solutions for aircrew training and simulation, AMST Group.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday about the need for a plan to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz "as quickly as possible," following a U.S. ceasefire with Iran, Downing Street said.Starmer discussed with Trump the UK's efforts to convene partners to agree to a "viable plan" on restoring freedom of navigation in the waterway."They agreed that now there is a ceasefire in place and agreement to open the Strait, we are at the next stage of finding a resolution…

The Middle East war is giving fresh momentum to Europe's push for energy independence andbolstering the case for offshore wind farm developments, the CEO of Denmark's Orsted said on Thursday.Europe, a major importer of fossil fuels, has seen energy prices soar in recent weeks as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and Teheran's blockage of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, led to a worldwide scramble for oil and natural gas."There is a major task for Europe... in ensuring the necessary energy security…

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz stood at well below 10% of normal volumes on Thursday despite a U.S.-Iran ceasefire as Tehran asserted its control by warning ships to keep to its territorial waters while doing so.Hundreds of tankers and other ships have been stuck inside the Gulf since the Iran war began on Feb 28, cutting global oil supply by 20% in the world's biggest-ever supply disruption. Prices for some physical oil grades hit fresh all-time highs on Thursday as the crisis showed little signs of abating.Iran must open the strait without conditions…

Many claim to have ‘saltwater in their veins,’ but all you have to do is walk into the corner office of John McDonald, the new Chairman and CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), to see that him saying “I was born into maritime” is not hyperbole. The first thing that greets you is a Dusan Kadlec nighttime painting of the Brooklyn Bridge, a painting that has special meaning to him as he fondly remembers being on a boat in New York harbor in 1983, his father USCG Captain of the Port of New York at that time, watching the fireworks over the bridge for the celebration.

"By the end of the first quarter of 2026, the global shipping order book hit a 17-year high, reaching 191m Compensated Gross Tonnes (CGT). This is equivalent to 17% of the global fleet, the highest ratio since 2011. The order book has been boosted by higher newbuilding contracting throughout the 2020s and most recently by the highest quarterly crude tanker contracting in history,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.During the first quarter of 2026, newbuilding contracting has risen 40% y/y to 17.6m Compensated Gross Tonnes (CGT)…

Across the maritime sector, the availability of data has never been higher. Supported by new data collection technologies and advanced analytics, mariners are gaining access to increasingly detailed information on the marine environment. Smart sensors are also becoming more widespread, enabling real-time monitoring of on-board equipment and cargo. Combined, these insights have the potential to provide both mariners and shore-based teams with greater situational and operational awareness throughout voyages.However…

It’s time to consider the role of “digital watchkeepers” as the become an increasingly complex tool for bridge teams.Releasing its annual report in July 2025, the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch said that significant collisions between merchant vessels show no sign of reducing. The collision between Scot Explorer and Happy Falcon, the fatal collision between Verity and Polesie and the dramatic and tragic collision of the Solong into the anchored Stena Immaculate indicate…

The future of shipbuilding and maritime competitiveness will be featured at the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026, hosted by the Institute for Homeland Security, Sam Houston State University. On June 2–3 at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy and Technology in Pasadena, Texas, leaders from industry and academia will examine the strategy, workforce, investment, and partnerships needed to advance America’s maritime comeback.A new era in American shipbuilding is emerging—and the U.S. Gulf Coast stands at its center.

Over 95% of large ocean-going vessels moving in U.S. waterways are under the direction and control of a pilot that is a member of the American Pilots’ Association  (APA). The enormous increase in vessel sizes – as much as five times bigger than just twenty years ago – without corresponding expansions of waterways has made the already difficult work of these pilots even more challenging.APA-member pilots are generally the only U.S. citizen aboard foreign ships moving in the fragile bays, ports, rivers, and lakes that are the lifeline of this country.

Gas majors including Shell and Chevron warned Australia against introducing a windfall tax on gas exporters, saying it would deter investment and undermine energy security as LNG prices surge amid disruption caused by the Iran war.Australia became the world's second-largest LNG supplier after Iranian strikes forced Qatar to halt production, with its export revenue set to surge due to lower supply caused by the conflict.Canberra is weighing options to capitalise on the higher prices…

Titan Clean Fuels has signed an off-take agreement with green energy supplier TURN2X to deliver e-Methane to the maritime industry from 2028 onwards.Titan operates seven bunker vessels and is able to deliver in around 52 ports today.TURN2X’s modular and load-flexible production plant in Miajadas, Spain, converts renewable energy and biogenic CO₂ into ISCC-certified e-methane. This green fuel is then fed into the grid and transported to major European ports, where Titan bunkers it to ship operators.E-methane can achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a well-to-wake basis…