Port of Oakland: Exports Continue to Outperform Imports
The Port of Oakland processed 163,254 TEUs in February 2026, a 16.7% decline from January and a 14.5% decrease year over year, as vessel activity slowed due in part to observation of the Lunar New Year.Vessel calls declined from 86 in January to 72 in February, due partially to planned blank sailings tied to factory closures during Lunar New Year. Blank sailings are pre-scheduled vessel cancellations used by carriers to align capacity with demand.Despite fewer ship arrivals, export volumes remained a bright spot.
Iran Trades Threats with Trump
Iran said on Sunday it would strike the energy and water systems of its Gulf neighbours in retaliation if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to hit Iran's electricity grid in 48 hours, escalating the three-week-old war.The prospect of tit-for-tat strikes on civilian infrastructure could deepen the regional crisis and further rattle global markets when they reopen on Monday morning.Air raid sirens sounded across Israel from the early hours of Sunday, warning of incoming missiles from Iran…
DCA’s Doyle Delivers Vigorous Jones Act Defense at Dredger Christening
In a maritime market increasingly defined by volatility, from war in the Middle East and the resulting whiplash freight and energy rates, William Doyle chose a moment of celebration in New Orleans to deliver a message grounded in something far less fashionable: stability.Speaking at the March 21 christening of Frederick Paup, a 15,000-cubic-meter trailing suction hopper dredge built for Manson Construction, the CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America used the occasion not simply to praise a record-setting vessel…
US to Deploy Amphibious Assault Ship, Marines to Middle East
The U.S. military is deploying a large amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, as Iran's new supreme leader hailed Iran's "unity" and "resistance".Reuters had reported that Washington, desperate to reopen the Gulf oil bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz, shut by Iran since the U.S. and Israel attacked almost three weeks ago, was considering deployments up to and including landings.Oil…
Indian Gas Tankers Prepare to Sail Through Strait of Hormuz
Two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas tankers are preparing to sail through the Strait of Hormuz in coming days after a pause in voyages, with no crude oil tankers having transited the waterway in the past 24 hours, according to shipping data and sources.Hundreds of vessels have dropped anchor since Tehran threatened to attack ships attempting to leave the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flow.The two tankers were currently anchored in Gulf waters…
Tanker Bound for Cuba with Fuel Cargo Diverts to Trinidad
A tanker carrying fuel originally bound for Cuba on Friday changed its destination to Trinidad and Tobago, according to LSEG ship-tracking data, a blow for the island amid a severe fuel scarcity that has triggered power blackouts.The Hong Kong-flagged vessel Sea Horse loaded a diesel cargo earlier this year through a ship-to-ship transfer in the Mediterranean before setting sail to the Caribbean.The Russian-origin cargo was bound for Cuba, according to several maritime intelligence firms…
France Boards Tanker in the Mediterranean Linked to Russian Shadow Fleet
The French Navy seized an oil tanker on Friday in the Western Mediterranean that President Emmanuel Macron said belonged to Russia's shadow fleet, a network of vessels that enables Moscow to export oil despite Western sanctions.Local officials told Reuters earlier on Friday that the navy had boarded a Mozambique-flagged oil tanker named Deyna that was suspected of flying a false flag. The ship had been sailing from the Russian port of Murmansk.Western sanctions imposed on Russia…
US Crude Being Shipped to Asia Via Panama Canal
Asian refiners are increasingly sending medium-sized crude cargoes from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia through the Panama Canal as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupts trade flows, raises shipping costs and forces Asian refiners to hunt for alternative supplies.The use of medium-sized tankers that typically cost more per barrel to transport crude, coupled with Asian companies' willingness to pay additional fees to move oil through the Panama Canal, underscores their urgent need…
HII Promotes Veteran-to-Shipbuilding Workforce Pipeline
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division recently welcomed senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. Marine Corps for a visit focused on strengthening pathways between Marines completing active service and long-term careers in the shipbuilding industry.The visit underscored the longtime partnership between Ingalls and the Marine Corps, particularly through Ingalls’ role as the nation’s primary builder of amphibious warships.“Marines bring discipline, technical aptitude and a service mindset…
IMO to Negotiate Humanitarian Framework for Vessel Evacuation
The IMO Council condemned attacks on merchant ships and the purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz during an extraordinary session in London and called for an internationally coordinated approach to security.The Council directed IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez to establish a safe maritime framework, as a provisional and urgent measure, to facilitate the safe evacuation of merchant ships currently confined within the Gulf region.“I am ready to start working immediately in negotiations to establish a humanitarian framework to evacuate all vessels and seafarers trapped…
Silverback Truckable Tug Commissioned
Silverback Marine has completed seatrials and commissioning of the OX series, twin Z-Drive equipped truckable tug earlier this month.The concept was designed to fulfill the vision of a truly tow-capable, tractor tug style vessel to the non subchapter M market. Traditional truckable tugs, driven by prop and rudder, are suited strictly for pushing, with limited maneuverability. The OX tug however, introduces a 25 x16 hull form with true tractor-tug lines, enabling the Schottel Z Drive propulsion package to deliver a whopping 14…
MARPOL Redux: Look Back, because Something may be Gaining on Us
Amidst the IMO sustainable fuel regulation highs and lows there are other parts of the maritime regulatory environment that may warrant a closer look.For roughly a century, maritime relied on liquid fossil fuels. Meanwhile, it took over half a century for regulations to start to deal with the negative effects of liquid fossil fuels and to effectively deal with maritime fossil fuel disasters.The star player in this effort was OPA90, which, once implemented, massively reduced the…
Energy Prices Jump After Iran Attacks Qatar LNG Plant
Energy prices surged on Thursday after Iran struck the world’s largest LNG complex, causing damage that Qatar said could take five years to repair, as the energy sector's worst fears about the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Iran came true.QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi told Reuters the state-owned gas company may have to declare force majeure on long-term contracts to Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China after the attack meant a loss of around 17% of Qatar's liquefied…
US Considers Removing Sanctions on Iranian Oil in Stranded Tankers
The U.S. may soon remove sanctions from Iranian oil that is stranded on tankers to help lift global supplies and reduce prices, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday."In the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that's on the water. It's about 140 million barrels," Bessent told Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" program."So, depending on how you count it, that's 10 days to two weeks of supply," he added.Bessent said the addition of sanctioned Iranian oil into global supplies would help keep oil prices down for the next 10 to 14 days.
CK Hutchison Banks 7% Profit Rise
CK Hutchison posted a 7% rise in 2025 underlying profit on Thursday, as the market awaits updates on the company's proposed sale of its ports business and other spin-off plans.The Hong Kong ports-to-telecoms conglomerate reported underlying profit of HK$22.3 billion ($2.85 billion) on a post-IFRS 16 basis. That compared with an HK$22.9 billion LSEG SmartEstimate and the HK$20.8 billion booked a year earlier.Including a one-time non-cash accounting loss, net profit fell 31% from a year earlier to HK$11.84 billion.The conglomerate…
Macron Names New French Aircraft Carrier
France's new aircraft carrier will be named France Libre (Free France), President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, as Paris advances its 10.2 billion euro ($12 billion) program to replace its ageing nuclear-powered flagship Charles de Gaulle.The warship is central to France's nuclear deterrent and Europe's bid for more defence autonomy, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump urged NATO allies to shoulder more of their own defence burden.Macron announced the name Free…
Iran Fires Missiles at Qatar Energy Hub
Iran accused Israel of striking its facilities in the huge South Pars gas field on Wednesday in a major escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war that sent oil prices shooting higher, and retaliated by vowing attacks on oil and gas targets throughout the Gulf, firing missiles at Qatar and Saudi Arabia.Qatar's state oil giant QatarEnergy reported "extensive damage" after the Ras Laffan Industrial City, an energy-industry hub, was hit by Iranian missiles. Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted…
USACE Seeks Comments on Potential Permit Changes
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced on March 16 that it is seeking input from all interested parties on ways to increase the efficiency of the nationwide permit program.Nationwide permits authorize activities that are similar in nature and cause no more than minimal adverse environmental impacts to jurisdictional aquatic resources separately or on a cumulative basis. Activities range from work associated with aids to navigation and utility lines to residential developments…
Industry Bodies Raise Concerns about Jones Act Waiver
Major US maritime organizations have issued statements voicing their concern over the Trump Administration’s decision to issue a sweeping 60-day waiver of the Jones Act.Under the Jones Act, goods shipped between U.S. ports must be carried on vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged and mostly U.S.-owned. A coalition of U.S. maritime labor organizations, including the American Maritime Officers; American Radio Association; International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots…
Econavis Launches Fuel Savings Calculator
EcoNavis has launched a new online savings calculator to help shipowners and operators make an initial assessment of the fuel-saving potential of an Eco Boss Cap retrofit.Available on the EcoNavis website (econavis.co.uk), the Eco Boss Cap Savings Estimator allows users to enter basic vessel information – ship type, dimensions, engine power and fuel price – to generate an indicative estimate of annual fuel and cost savings from the novel propeller hub. The tool is intended as…
Iranian Oil Facilities Under Attack, Site Evacuations Advised
Iranian gas facilities in the Gulf came under attack on Wednesday, state media reported, prompting Tehran to say it would target a range of energy installations across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar "in the coming hours".Oil prices jumped on the news, with Brent crude futures gaining more than 6% to a session high just shy of $110 per barrel.The attacks on Iran's energy industry in South Pars and Asaluyeh have raised concerns that Iran could also target infrastructure of global energy majors across the Gulf…
US Government Waives Regulations to Ease Deliveries of Fuel, Fertilizer
The Trump administration on Wednesday announced a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act shipping law, temporarily allowing foreign-flagged vessels to move fuel, fertilizer and other goods between U.S. ports as soaring energy and agricultural prices strain supply chains amid the ongoing conflict in and around Iran.White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the waiver represents "another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury."The waiver…
Chicago Propeller Club to Host Author John U. Bacon for Edmund Fitzgerald Event
The Chicago Propeller Club has announced its first event of 2026, featuring author John U. Bacon discussing his book The Gales of November and the enduring story of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.The event will take place on April 14 at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Chicago’s West Loop and will include a live conversation between Bacon and Tom Wiater, President of Central Marine Logistics.Bacon’s book is regarded as the definitive account of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the 729-foot Great Lakes freighter that sank on Lake Superior in November 1975 with the loss of all 29 crew members.
