Russian general cargo ship used to carry military equipment

Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ships Delivering Military Equipment to West Africa

Singapore is reimagining its busy seaport with a new port district for container transshipment, Tuas Port (MPA Singapore)

Study: Asian Ports Need $12B a Year in Investment

Published Aug 2, 2026 11:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

As an emerging economic powerhouse, the East Asia and Pacific region has become one of the most trade-dependent regions in the world. At the heart of this trade is a strong reliance on efficient ports, ships and fuel supply chains. For instance, China has made massive investments in its ports sector, delivering unparalleled efficiency for its trade-centered economy. But a recent World Bank report is warning of rising systemic weaknesses affecting maritime transport across the Pacific region. In the port...

Study: Long Jones Act Waiver Could Cut U.S. Shipbuilding Activity by $2.6B

Published Aug 2, 2026 10:40 PM by The Maritime Executive

In a new study conducted for the Transportation Institute, international consultancy PwC has calculated the potential cost to U.S. maritime capability if the White House's Jones Act waiver is sustained for a protracted period: up to $2.6 billion in lost domestic shipbuilding demand, $1.8 billion in lost tax revenue, and $12 billion in lost labor income in a worst-case scenario. As a response to the soaring energy prices brought on by the conflict with Iran, the White House instituted a...

Civilian-crewed fleet oiler RFA Tidespring (Royal Navy file image)

UK Government Ends Royal Fleet Auxiliary Labor Dispute with Pay Increase

Published Aug 2, 2026 8:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

The UK government is moving to end the protracted labor disputes that have disrupted the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) in recent years, reaching an agreement with unions on a long-sought pay increase for more than 1,750 civilian ratings, officers and apprentices. After downing their tools at least four times over the past two years, RFA personnel get a 4.5 percent pay raise backdated to April 1, 2025 and a 3.6 percent pay raise backdated to April 1 this year. The...

Fiber-Optic Cables Can be Used to Track "Silent" Bow Wave Vibrations

Published Aug 2, 2026 7:52 PM by Gemini News

[By Nancy Bazilchuk] A 100-year-old equation and a fibre-optic cable off the coast of Svalbard led researchers to discover they could detect swimming whales — even if they were completely silent. The discovery broadens the tools that biologists could someday use to detect and monitor these marine giants. Fibre-optic cables lace the planet’s oceans, carrying everything from telephone conversations to banking information. In 2020, NTNU researchers figured out that those cables can also serve as a passive listening device, allowing...

Shipping

Sweden Arrests Cargo Ship Captain on Charges of Causing Collision Death

Swedish prosecutors confirmed over the weekend that they had requested that the captain of a Norwegian cargo ship be arrested and detained on charges of having caused a death when the ship, the Misje Verde, ran down a small pleasure boat. They said the master had been on the bridge with a pilot when the cargo ship was overtaking the small pleasure boat, ran down the boat, and killed a mother and her daughter. The investigation is still in its...

Tugs & Salvage

A handful of barges transit the Rhine near Kaub, Germany, July 30 (Copernicus / Sentinel-2)

Drought Makes Upper Rhine Unnavigable, Driving Barge Rates to New Record

Low summertime water levels are a routine problem for navigation on the River Rhine, especially in recent years, but the intense drought conditions affecting Western Europe have left the waterway all but unnavigable at a key chokepoint - sending freight rates to record highs. The limiting factor is the gage depth at Kaub, downriver from Wiesbaden. At present it is less than 12 inches, the bare minimum for most barges to transit in laden condition. The shutdown closes off access...

Government

Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ships Delivering Military Equipment to West Africa

Data put together by the BBC and multiple intelligence monitors on the Internet shows at least one and possibly two Russian cargo ships delivering military equipment to West Africa. The equipment appears to be part of an effort to reinforce the government of Mali in its fight against separatists in the north of the country. Mali is one of several West African nations that are receiving support or trying to improve their relations with Russia. The mercenary Wagner Group was...

Corporate News

BMT Expands International Maritime Design Expertise with One2three

[By BMT] BMT’s acquisition of One2three Naval Architects strengthens its globally connected ship design offering across ferries, specialist craft and advanced vessel technologies. (0900 AEST, Sydney, Australia) — BMT has acquired Australian naval architecture business One2three Naval Architects, further strengthening its position in independent global commercial and specialist vessel design. The acquisition expands BMT’s ability to support customers delivering complex vessel programs across international markets and broadens its strengths in maritime design across ferries, specialist craft, autonomy and advanced vessel...

Cruise Ships

Viking River Cruise Ship Evacuated After Grounding on the Danube

Bulgaria’s Border Police were leading an orderly evacuation of the passenger from the Viking river cruise ship Viking Ullur after the vessel grounded early on July 28. The authorities cited low water levels and the dark of night as contributing factors but said the vessel had ultimately left the navigation channel before it grounded. At various points along the Danube, which is the second longest river in Europe, authorities have warned of extreme low water levels due to a prolonged...

Ports

Hapag-Lloyd Reports Temporary Suspension of Feeder Calls to Ukraine

Citing the continued deterioration of the security situation, Hapag-Lloyd announced on July 31 that feeder operators have temporarily suspended calls to the Ukrainian Black Sea ports. It comes as Russian attacks on the ports have discouraged other shippers, including Maersk, which reported last week that it was diverting cargo to Romania. Hapag reports that feeder service is currently not available to the ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi until further notice. As such, it says cargo originally planned for Ukrainian...

Shipping

Sweden Arrests Cargo Ship Captain on Charges of Causing Collision Death

Tugs & Salvage

Drought Makes Upper Rhine Unnavigable, Driving Barge Rates to New Record

Government

Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ships Delivering Military Equipment to West Africa

Corporate News

BMT Expands International Maritime Design Expertise with One2three

Cruise Ships

Viking River Cruise Ship Evacuated After Grounding on the Danube

Ports

Hapag-Lloyd Reports Temporary Suspension of Feeder Calls to Ukraine

Offshore

wind turbine installation vessel Charybdis

Dominion Energy Makes Progress on Offshore Wind but Delays Completion Date

The largest offshore wind energy project in the United States, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW), continues to make good progress with its construction and installation, Dominion Energy told investors during its quarterly update. The company reports the project has passed the 80 percent completion mark and is generating a significant amount of electricity, but it has extended the target completion date to the end of 2027 and added approximately two percent to the budget. “The strategic value of CVOW hasn’t...

Shipbuilding

Distressed Luxury Yacht Builder Italian Sea Group Plans Equity Raise

Luxury yacht builder The Italian Sea Group has posted a net loss for 2025, and despite a plan to issue shares to bring in more capital, its board of directors has flagged "significant uncertainties . . . regarding the company's ability to continue as a going concern." TISG's financial standing has been deteriorating since 2025 due in part to a $70 million increase in costs, which its board of directors attributes to "operational inefficiencies" and "misconduct on the part of...

Environment

Fiber-Optic Cables Can be Used to Track "Silent" Bow Wave Vibrations

Business

UAE Resumes Cross-Gulf Trade with Iran

A little-appreciated consequence of the all-out war that broke out in the Gulf on February 28 has been the disruption to the United Arab Emirates’ trade with Iran. A foundation of the Emirates’ extraordinary growth since 1979 has been its role as the import-export gateway to Iran. Not so long ago, about 90 percent of Iran’s trade with the outside world passed through DP World’s massive container terminal at Jebel Ali, where, from a central distribution point, global container liners...

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ships Delivering Military Equipment to West Africa

Study: Asian Ports Need $12B a Year in Investment

Study: Long Jones Act Waiver Could Cut U.S. Shipbuilding Activity by $2.6B

UK Government Ends Royal Fleet Auxiliary Labor Dispute with Pay Increase

Fiber-Optic Cables Can be Used to Track "Silent" Bow Wave Vibrations

Sweden Arrests Cargo Ship Captain on Charges of Causing Collision Death

Drought Makes Upper Rhine Unnavigable, Driving Barge Rates to New Record

Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ships Delivering Military Equipment to West Africa

BMT Expands International Maritime Design Expertise with One2three

Viking River Cruise Ship Evacuated After Grounding on the Danube

Hapag-Lloyd Reports Temporary Suspension of Feeder Calls to Ukraine

The New Normal for Hull Husbandry: A Continuous Hull Record

The Hidden Operational Value in Your Emissions Data

New Reality of Tanker Ops: Why Onboard Blending and Cargo Control Matter

Sweden Arrests Cargo Ship Captain on Charges of Causing Collision Death

Drought Makes Upper Rhine Unnavigable, Driving Barge Rates to New Record

Sanctioned Russian Cargo Ships Delivering Military Equipment to West Africa

BMT Expands International Maritime Design Expertise with One2three

Viking River Cruise Ship Evacuated After Grounding on the Danube

Hapag-Lloyd Reports Temporary Suspension of Feeder Calls to Ukraine

Dominion Energy Makes Progress on Offshore Wind but Delays Completion Date

Distressed Luxury Yacht Builder Italian Sea Group Plans Equity Raise

Fiber-Optic Cables Can be Used to Track "Silent" Bow Wave Vibrations

UAE Resumes Cross-Gulf Trade with Iran

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Maritime Industry Conferences and Events