Maritime

The International Maritime Organization is planning a major evacuation of thousands of seafarers stuck in the Persian Gulf after months of regional unrest and disrupted shipping traffic.     IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez announced the initiative while paying tribute to the seafarers who lost their lives during the crisis. According to the organization, 14 crew members died as a result of the conflict, while approximately 11,000 seafarers remain trapped in Gulf...

As oil shipments gradually resume through the Strait of Hormuz following recent diplomatic developments, debate is intensifying over who should benefit from the renewed flow of crude exports.  During a webinar organised by BTIG, International Seaways (INSW) Chief Executive Officer Lois Zabrocky voiced strong concerns regarding the temporary waiver of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports, arguing that compliant shipowners should be the primary beneficiaries of the recovering market.  The discussion, which also featured Rystad Energy analyst Susan...

Iranian seaborne oil exports are rapidly resuming after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the United States last week,...

The idea of nuclear-powered shipping is gaining renewed attention as engineers and policymakers explore whether fourth-generation reactors could offer a path to decarbonising maritime transport. At a recent meeting on Nuclear Power for Shipping at the Technical University of Norway (NTNU), optimism was high among proponents of the technology, particularly around small modular reactors (SMRs), with discussions often framing political oversight as a barrier rather than a safeguard.     Jan Emblemsvåg, professor and organiser of the event, argued that engineering progress could be slowed by political interference, reflecting a broader sentiment among some participants that technical development should remain largely insulated from policymaking....

The Shanghai Changxing Ocean Lab for marine equipment has officially launched as a flagship research platform for modern shipbuilding and advanced marine...

A seafarer has been killed after a Russian drone strike hit a merchant vessel in the Black Sea, marking a new escalation in attacks targeting commercial shipping in the region.  According to security sources and maritime authorities, three merchant vessels flying the flags of Panama,...

Shipping traffic is continuing to move through the Strait of Hormuz despite renewed uncertainty triggered by conflicting political announcements and ongoing regional tensions involving Iran and the United States.  After a confusing sequence of declarations over recent days, shipowners initially received confirmation that the Strait would remain open following a Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Israel on 18 June. However, Iran later announced a closure two days afterwards, linking its decision to Israeli air...

Fortescue is pushing further into ammonia-powered shipping through a new charter agreement with CMB.TECH, covering up to 12 Newcastlemax bulk carriers designed either for ammonia dual-fuel operation or future conversion.  The agreement includes up to three 210,000 dwt ammonia dual-fuel Newcastlemax vessels, expected to enter service with CMB.TECH’s dry bulk arm Bomicar by the end of 2026. In...

The Strategic Shipping Initiative (SSI) is calling for urgent regulatory alignment at the global level to address mounting pressure on the ship recycling industry, as more than 16,000 vessels are expected to require dismantling before the end of the decade. At the centre of the debate is the lack of coherence between two key international frameworks: the International...

The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding signed by the United States and Iran on 17 June 2026 does not make Iran...