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New Zealand's Offshore Patrol Vessel Otago to Resume Operations in 2026
The New Zealand Navy will return to service in the third quarter of 2026 one of two offshore patrol vessels idle since 2021, the chief of the defence force said on Tuesday, at a cost running into millions of dollars.Tony Davies told a select committee of parliament the decision to bring HMNZS Otago out of care and custody arrangements followed the sinking of a specialist dive and hydrographic vessel…
The Expanding Shadow Fleet Poses a Growing Threat to Maritime Safety
The shipping industry has always been good at navigating uncertainty; however the rapid expansion of the shadow fleet represents a different kind of risk. It’s not just regulatory or geopolitical; it’s informational. Each vessel that goes dark removes a small piece of the world’s safety awareness, and that loss is beginning to matter, writes Yarden Gross, CEO and Co-founder of Orca AI. A parallel system…
Report: Combustible Scrap Caused Fire on Bulk Carrier
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its preliminary assessment of a cargo fire on the bulk carrier Atlay on June 27, 2025.The Marshall Islands registered vessel was loading scrap metal into its aft cargo hold at Albert Dock, Hull, England.At 0948, the master observed smoke rising from the cargo and immediately activated the general alarm and called for the shore grab operator to discharge cargo to remove or expose the source of the fire.
Lukoil Trading Arm Falls Apart Under US Sanctions
U.S. sanctions are dismantling what remains of Lukoil's Litasco, once Russia's biggest oil trader and a rival to top Swiss houses and oil majors, five sources told Reuters.The measures, which also target state-owned Rosneft, took effect on Friday as Washington seeks to choke off Moscow’s ability to fund its war in Ukraine. They have thrown Lukoil’s global operations into limbo, from oilfields in the Middle East to fuel pumps and refineries across Europe.Cut off from the global financial system…
Industry Responds Positively to US Offshore Lease Proposal
This week, the Department of the Interior issued the Draft Proposed Program for the next five year federal offshore oil and gas leasing program, and the response from industry has been positive.Under the new proposal for the 2026–2031 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, Interior includes as many as 34 potential offshore lease sales across 21 of 27 existing Outer Continental Shelf planning areas, covering approximately 1.27 billion acres.
BOEM Proposes Second Gulf of America Lease Sale
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced a Proposed Notice of Sale for the second offshore oil and gas lease sale under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposed lease sale, known as Big Beautiful Gulf, or BBG2, is scheduled to take place on March 11, 2026.This sale is the second of thirty Gulf of America oil and gas lease sales required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. By committing to a predictable sale schedule…
Rejected Livestock
The recent rejection of around 2,900 dairy cattle on the Spiridon II raises animal welfare and pollution concerns when, after a long sea voyage, the laden vessel has again had to return to sea.The 52-year-old livestock carrier has left Turkey after its cargo was rejected by local authorities. Court transcripts translated by Animal Welfare Foundation indicate that 58 cows died in transit to Turkey, 140 cows had miscarriages in transit…
Some US Republicans Demand Answers on Venezuela Strikes
Some congressional Republicans expressed concern about U.S. military actions off Venezuela's coast and joined Democrats in pledging to look into multiple strikes on one boat, although there was no word on Monday of any briefings or hearings.White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on Monday confirmed there had been two strikes on one boat in early September, saying they were within the law and authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth…
US Natural Gas Futures Climb 4% with LNG Flows, Cold December Forecast
U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 4% on Wednesday on near-record flows to liquefied natural gas export plants and forecasts for higher demand than previously expected as the weather turns colder than normal going into December.Front-month gas futures for December delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 17.9 cents, or 4.1%, to settle at $4.550 per million British thermal units (mmBtu).LSEG…
Looking Beyond Maritime’s “Moment”
It’s been said that American maritime is “having a moment” in Washington, DC.From President Trump’s Executive Order on Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance, to introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral SHIPS for America Act in Congress, the U.S. maritime industry has been a subject of focused attention at the highest levels of government, and rightfully so. At their core, these initiatives are driven by recognition that a strong maritime industry is not only vital to the American economy…
Thordon Bearings & the Evolution of Water-Lubricated Bearing Systems
Thordon Bearings, a leader in high-performance polymer bearing systems, has steadily carved out a niche in the global marine industry with its eco-friendly water-lubricated bearings. Unlike traditional oil or grease-based bearings, Thordon’s systems operate entirely on water, eliminating the risk of harmful pollution in marine environments. Over the years, the company has expanded its reach, offering substantial advantages to the commercial shipping…
US Natural Gas Futures Ease 1% on Ample Gas in Storage
U.S. natural gas futures eased about 1% on Thursday on near-record output and ample amounts of gas in storage despite near-historic flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants and forecasts for colder weather and higher demand over the next two weeks than previously expected.The price decline also came despite a federal storage report that showed energy firms pulled gas out of storage for the…
Domestic Shipbuilding Creates US Port Efficiency and Growth
On October 28, 2025 U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, convened the Senate hearing “Sea Change: Reviving Commercial Shipbuilding”. This hearing examined how to modernize and accelerate U.S. commercial shipbuilding while strengthening a larger maritime industrial base.Senator…
Marine News Boat of the Year: William E Moran, First in Class
The William E. Moran has entered service in New York, bringing enhanced capability and performance to Moran’s evolving fleet. As the first vessel in the company’s next-generation class, it is purpose-built to meet the demands of modern port operations, support evolving customer needs, and advance Moran’s goals for safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. These next-generation tugs will be among the largest in the fleet…
LNG Shipping Rates Tumble as New Vessels Enter Market
Liquefied natural gas shipping rates have hit multi-year lows and may extend losses going into 2025, analysts and shipping sources said, with new tankers being added at a faster rate than LNG production is rising and spot demand still tepid.New LNG tankers, built in anticipation of rising U.S. exports after a plunge in Russian gas supplies to Europe in 2022, are coming online earlier than liquefaction projects…
Back to the Drawing Board: The Worst Ship in History – Exxon Valdez
While Greg Trauthwein never assigns me column subjects, each time the Great Ships issue comes around I go with the theme. However, I try to take a view askew on that subject and have found that these are the rare columns where I am criticized for my views. Greg must enjoy that, and this year he asked me to write a column on the worst ship designs. That was the entire assignment, and it was unclear if he asked me to discuss the worst ship designs for 2023, or in the history of ship design.
Japanese Shipbuilders Go Forward with LCO2 Carriers for Large-Scale Transport
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group and Nihon Shipyard, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mitsui & Co on the collaborative study for ocean-going liquified CO2 (LCO2) carriers for large-scale international transportation from 2028 onwards.With the plans for LCO2 carries the companies aim to accommodate the carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS)…
Fratelli Cosulich Inaugurates Chemical Bunker Tanker Newbuild
Italian shipowner Fratelli Cosulich has inaugurated its new IMO2 chemical bunker tanker, Marta Cosulich, in the Bay of Singapore.Marta Cosulich vessel, with its 8.7000 m3, is the first ship in Fratelli Cosulich’s fleet ready to carry methanol.Fratelli Cosulich Bunkers Singapore started its physical supply business in 2005, which was a major milestone in the company’s global bunkering operations.Since…
Iraq Identifies Tankers Spoofing to Conceal Their Location
Iraq’s state oil marketer SOMO has identified several tankers suspected of loading petroleum products illegally from the ports of Umm Qasr and Khor al-Zubair, according to an official letter dated Sunday and seen by Reuters.The tankers allegedly used advanced techniques such as Automatic Identification System spoofing to conceal their locations or alter their routes. SOMO said the vessels were not listed in its official loading schedules…
Quiet Time for Ship Recyclers
As August winds down, global markets gave us another week of shy half-gestures and newlywed hesitant moves, says cash buyer GMS, all while confidently pretending they were marching somewhere important.“Oil traders kept one eye on inventories, the other on geopolitics, and both cockeyed on the clock as WTI closed at USD 64/barrel with Brent just above USD 68—moves so small they looked like rounding errors. Yet the steady draw of about 3 million barrels from U.S.
