damaged Kuwaiti oil tanker in Persian Gulf

Iran Strikes Second Tanker and Third Ship in New Surge Targeting Shipping

Seafarer Organizations Work with Gulf States for Crews Caught in War Zone

Published Mar 31, 2026 8:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

Concern continues for the estimated 20,000 seafarers trapped in the Persian Gulf on as many as 2,000 to 3,000 ships in total. While there has been a trickle of vessels permitted to make the transit through Hormuz, two ships were attacked again overnight on Monday, and some segments, such as containerships, mostly remain trapped. Trade group BIMCO estimates that 130 container vessels representing 1.5 percent of global capacity are currently stranded in the region. Against this backdrop, and after an...

Trump Administration Waives Endangered Species Act for Gulf Oil & Gas

Published Mar 31, 2026 8:01 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Trump administration has waived all Endangered Species Act protections for all U.S. Gulf offshore oil and gas activity, citing a national defense requirement for stable energy supplies. The administration has expressed concern about the alleged impact of offshore energy development on North Atlantic right whales (off New England), but has also supported energy projects that would negatively impact endangered populations of beluga whales (off Alaska) and Rice's whales (in the U.S. Gulf). The new action extends administration policy to...

MARAD Increases Funding for Grants for Small Shipyards

Published Mar 31, 2026 7:17 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) reported that it is increasing the funding pool available for the 2026 grants in the Small Shipyard Grant Program. It follows the launch of the 2026 Port Infrastructure Development Program application period last week and is part of the Trump administration's strategy to increase support for the U.S. maritime industry. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlights that the grant pool for small shipyards is being increased by 200 percent to $35 million versus June 2025, when just...

Military Sealift Command Captain Relinquished License to Avoid USCG Hearing

Published Mar 31, 2026 6:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy, a not-for-profit advocacy organization, is reporting that another captain has voluntarily relinquished his license, ending a Coast Guard administrative Suspension & Revocation proceeding stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct. The group notes it is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents since a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy midshipman known as Midshipman X came forward in 2021 recounting her experiences at sea. The latest case stemmed from an incident on December 19, 2021, aboard the...

Shipping

Iran Strikes Second Tanker and Third Ship in New Surge Targeting Shipping

QatarEnergy confirmed reports coming from Iran that a chartered MR tanker was struck early on April 1. The vessel sustained minor damage above the waterline and a fire, while UK Maritime Trade Operations is also saying that a second missile remains unexploded in the vessel’s engine room. Iranian reports again claimed the tanker that was attacked was linked to Israeli interests. A statement from the IRGC readout on Iranian television said a tanker belonging to the Israelis with the trade...

Tugs & Salvage

Terminal at Ust-Luga burns after a Ukrainian strike, March 2026 (Russian social media)

After Ukrainian Attacks, Fires Halt Oil Loading at Ust-Luga for Days

The repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian oil port of Ust-Luga have reduced its export activity to near-zero, according to data from maritime intelligence firm Windward. In ordinary times, Ust-Luga exports about 700,000 barrels of oil per day, and the nearby Primorsk terminal loads about one million barrels per day. Most of the volume goes to Asian customers due to EU and US sanctions. According to Windward, activity at Ust-Luga has collapsed since the series of drone strikes, and...

Government

USS George H.W. Bush Gets Underway Starting Deployment from Norfolk

The carrier USS George H. W. Bush departed Naval Station Norfolk (Virginia) on Tuesday morning, March 31. The official Navy statement is that the vessel is starting its scheduled deployment, while there is wide speculation that it will be sent to the Middle East. CBS News is reporting that it learned that the carrier and its strike group have been assigned to Central Command, which is overseeing the war in Iran. Bush would join USS Abraham Lincoln, which is reported...

Corporate News

Laborde Products Powers Newbuild M/V Beth Williams for Maritime Partners

[By: Laborde Products] Laborde Products powered the newbuild M/V Beth Williams, constructed for Maritime Partners at FMT Shipyard & Repair, LLC in Harvey, Louisiana. The twin-screw towboat is equipped with a pair of Mitsubishi Tier 3 S6R2 main engines, each rated at 803 horsepower at 1,400 RPM. In addition to main propulsion, the vessel is fitted with two Laborde-supplied generator sets rated at 65 kW to support onboard electrical loads during operation. From the outset, the Beth Williams was planned...

Cruise Ships

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

River cruising continues to be one of the hottest segments in the cruise industry, with strong growth continuing, especially in the European market. Analysts report there are over 380 river cruise ships currently sailing, with an additional 10 percent currently under construction and continuing new orders. The UK division of Germany’s TUI Group announced that it has ordered two more new builds, and these ships are being designed and built for the next generation of alternative fuels. The company reports...

Ports

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Ukrainian officials are reporting that they have maintained a series of unrelenting attacks designed to dramatically impact the oil export operations on the Baltic. Overnight into Sunday, they staged what they said was the fifth consecutive nightly attack on the Russian terminal at Ust-Luga. The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, confirmed the attacks in a series of social media postings. He warned residents, initially saying they had destroyed 29, then 31, and then 36 drones. He also warned...

Shipping

Iran Strikes Second Tanker and Third Ship in New Surge Targeting Shipping

Tugs & Salvage

After Ukrainian Attacks, Fires Halt Oil Loading at Ust-Luga for Days

Government

USS George H.W. Bush Gets Underway Starting Deployment from Norfolk

Corporate News

Laborde Products Powers Newbuild M/V Beth Williams for Maritime Partners

Cruise Ships

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ports

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Offshore

Trump Administration Waives Endangered Species Act for Gulf Oil & Gas

Shipbuilding

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

The members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association ratified a new contract on Saturday, March 28, ending a strike at Bath Iron Works that had begun on the prior Monday. It was the first strike in six years at the critical government contractor and impacted about a tenth of the total workforce, specifically among designers, clerks, and technicians. The union reported that it had been negotiating for about three weeks and was unable to come to terms with one of...

Environment

Japan Demonstrates Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Commercial Vessels

Japan reports a breakthrough with the demonstration of a large hydrogen-fueled engine being developed by Japan Engine Corporation, working with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, for a demonstration project for an ocean-going vessel. It points out that most work so far with hydrogen is on smaller engines for coastal vessels, making this a major technological milestone toward the practical use of hydrogen-fueled vessels. While interest has developed in hydrogen, to date, the Japanese project points out that most of the initiatives are...

Business

MARAD Increases Funding for Grants for Small Shipyards

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Iran Strikes Second Tanker and Third Ship in New Surge Targeting Shipping

Seafarer Organizations Work with Gulf States for Crews Caught in War Zone

Trump Administration Waives Endangered Species Act for Gulf Oil & Gas

MARAD Increases Funding for Grants for Small Shipyards

Military Sealift Command Captain Relinquished License to Avoid USCG Hearing

Iran Strikes Second Tanker and Third Ship in New Surge Targeting Shipping

After Ukrainian Attacks, Fires Halt Oil Loading at Ust-Luga for Days

USS George H.W. Bush Gets Underway Starting Deployment from Norfolk

Laborde Products Powers Newbuild M/V Beth Williams for Maritime Partners

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Cyber Risk in Shipping: From Technical Threat to Business Reality

Architecture of Adaptability: Designing Vessels to Stand the Test of Time

Improve Fleet Value With Digital Optimization of Cruise Ship Hotel Areas

Iran Strikes Second Tanker and Third Ship in New Surge Targeting Shipping

After Ukrainian Attacks, Fires Halt Oil Loading at Ust-Luga for Days

USS George H.W. Bush Gets Underway Starting Deployment from Norfolk

Laborde Products Powers Newbuild M/V Beth Williams for Maritime Partners

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

Ukraine Sustains Unrelenting Nightly Attacks on Russia’s Baltic Oil Ports

Trump Administration Waives Endangered Species Act for Gulf Oil & Gas

Strike Ends at Bath Iron Works After One Week

Japan Demonstrates Hydrogen-Fueled Engine for Large Commercial Vessels

MARAD Increases Funding for Grants for Small Shipyards

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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