Sonia I, Diona and Hero2 (orange, yellow and red, respectively) exit the Gulf of Oman past the American blockade line (Pole Star Global)

Iranian Tankers Begin to Move Out Past U.S. Blockade Line

containership with bunker vessel alongside

CMA CGM and Capital Clean Energy Carriers Form JV for LNG Bunker Vessel

Published Jun 16, 2026 5:57 PM by The Maritime Executive

Continuing efforts to expand the development of LNG bunkering capabilities, CMA CGM and Capital Clean Energy Carriers reported they are forming a new 50-50 joint venture for LNG bunkering. It marks a first for Capital Clean Energy and will help CMA CGM as it continues to expand its fleet of LNG-fueled vessels. The new company was formed for the purpose of constructing, chartering, and operating a 20,000 cbm dual-fuel LNG bunkering vessel. In connection with the transaction, the JV company...

autonomous inland container barge sailing Port of Rotterdam

Rotterdam Demonstration Marks Milestone in Autonomous Inland Shipping

Published Jun 16, 2026 5:20 PM by The Maritime Executive

A new milestone was marked in the ongoing development of autonomous shipping with an inland container vessel successfully navigating through the Port of Rotterdam. It was part of an European innovation project aimed at accelerating the transition to climate-neutral ports. The Letitia, a 135-meter (443-foot) container vessel built in 2024, was selected for the demonstration project. Flagged in the Netherlands and operated by the HTS Group, it is typical of the critical fleet of inland vessels that regularly move containers...

Trump Predicts Restoration of U.S. Sanctions on Russian Oil "Soon"

Published Jun 16, 2026 5:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

At this week's G7 summit in Evian, France, President Donald Trump suggested that the U.S. might reimpose sanctions on Russian oil ahead of schedule, given progress in resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis. At the height of the Iranian blockade of the strait, the White House lifted sanctions on Iranian and Russian oil already loaded and afloat, hoping to ease global supply concerns by augmenting available volumes (outside of the Chinese market). The waiver on Russian sanctions was extended in...

UK Court Holds Captain of Shadow Fleet Tanker for Trial

Published Jun 16, 2026 4:02 PM by The Maritime Executive

A UK court on Tuesday, June 16, ordered the captain of the sanctioned tanker Smyrtos held for trial on charges of sanctions violations. It came after the master was arrested late on Sunday, hours after UK troops boarded the tanker as it was westward bound through the English Channel. The captain, Ajay Pant, age 38 and an Indian citizen, is being held by the Bournemouth police and appeared via video at the hearing in the Southampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday....

Shipping

Iranian Tankers Begin to Move Out Past U.S. Blockade Line

For weeks, TankerTrackers.com has been flagging a steady drip of empty "shadow fleet" tankers working their way around the U.S. Navy blockade line and into Iranian waters, despite the clear and potentially deadly risk of a kinetic strike. The numbers have been small, but give a signal of Iran's high motivation to get more floating storage capacity into the Arabian Gulf. Now, the consultancy is seeing early movement in the other direction: full Iranian tankers are exiting the blockade for...

Tugs & Salvage

MAIB Calls for Closer Attention to Snapback Safety at Svitzer

The chief investigator at the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (UK MAIB) has written a warning to tug operator Svitzer to express concern that towline parting has become "normalized" in the company's operations, despite the risk to crewmembers when snapbacks occur. The warning comes after damage to a Svitzer harbor tug and one crewmember in a rope-parting incident at Bristol. In July 2024, a tow rope on the tug Svitzer Avon (based out of Bristol's Royal Portbury Dock) parted after...

Government

GAO: U.S. Navy's Unmanned Systems Programs Needed Restructuring

In a new unclassified version of a study on the U.S. Navy's unmanned systems efforts, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that the service needed to reorganize its acquisitions programs in order to give robotic autonomous systems the resources and leadership focus that they deserve, instead of letting them fall through the cracks when manned weapons platforms take priority. The USN has already taken actions in response, and has concurred with the findings. The classified version of the GAO's audit...

Corporate News

ClassNK Launches Co-Creation Marketplace: “ClassNK Design Data Marketplace"

[By: ClassNK] ClassNK has launched the co?creation digital marketplace “ClassNK Design Data Marketplace” for stakeholders in the maritime industry. The marketplace is a matching site designed to promote linkage and utilization of 3D models and design data created ship design and owned by shipyards and design firms, together with various services provided by software vendors and other providers. It enables a wide range of stakeholders seeking design data or services to search for and compare relevant information according to their...

Cruise Ships

Turkish Cruise Ship Remains Detained as It Loses Flag and Classification

Problems continue to build for the small Turkish cruise ship Gemini, which has been under detention for more than 200 days. A Greek court refused to release the ship last week, while media reports are that the ship is running out of fuel and provisions for the skeleton crew of 25 on board. The ship is also reported to have had its classification certificates withdrawn and is now under a false flag. Built in 1992 in Spain, the Gemini is...

Ports

SoCal Ports Have Very Strong May with Positive Near-Term Outlooks

The twin ports of Southern California reported strong May volumes rebounding from the softness of a year ago when tariffs impacted shipping and a continued slow pace into this year. The ports presented an optimistic near-term outlook, pointing to the strength and resilience of the economy and the prospects of possible relief on inflation and energy prices from the movement toward a peace agreement with Iran. “Our strong May performance reflects the resilience of the American consumer and the ability...

Shipping

Iranian Tankers Begin to Move Out Past U.S. Blockade Line

Tugs & Salvage

MAIB Calls for Closer Attention to Snapback Safety at Svitzer

Government

GAO: U.S. Navy's Unmanned Systems Programs Needed Restructuring

Corporate News

ClassNK Launches Co-Creation Marketplace: “ClassNK Design Data Marketplace"

Cruise Ships

Turkish Cruise Ship Remains Detained as It Loses Flag and Classification

Ports

SoCal Ports Have Very Strong May with Positive Near-Term Outlooks

Offshore

Deepsea Atlantic (Geir Vinnes / VesselFinder)

HSE: Motor Failure Caused Drill Rig to Drop a Blowout Preventer

The drawworks on the drill rig Deepsea Atlantic dropped a blowout preventer and 400 feet of riser onto the seabed in an uncontrolled lifting failure in April, all because of a single motor failure, according to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE). On April 18, Deepsea Atlantic's crew was running a blowout preventer riser on Drawworks A, one of two identical drawworks on the vessel. At about 2100 hours, one motor on the drawworks tripped, followed shortly after by...

Shipbuilding

China Completes Largest Bulker-to-Container Vessel Conversion Project

The China Classification Society reports that a complex six-month conversion project was successfully completed, marking the largest conversion of a bulker into a containership. They are asserting that it was the first major conversion project involving an 80,000 dwt Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier into a cellular containership. The project began with the 2012-built bulker Chang Xin 66. The ship was a standard Kuangchi Delta bulker based on a design from Finland’s Deltamarin. The design concept for the class maximized cargo...

Environment

First Ammonia Dual-Fuel Vessel Delivered to Exmar

The first newly built dual-fuel ammonia-fueled vessel, Antwerpen, has been officially delivered and went into service today, June 10, for the French division of Exmar. The pioneering ship is the first of a coming wave of deliveries and is seen as a critical step to accelerate the adoption of ammonia as a marine fuel across the wider shipping industry. Exmar, along with HD Hyundai, heralded the delivery of the vessel, the first of three due this year for Exmar, with...

Business

CMA CGM and Capital Clean Energy Carriers Form JV for LNG Bunker Vessel

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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Iranian Tankers Begin to Move Out Past U.S. Blockade Line

CMA CGM and Capital Clean Energy Carriers Form JV for LNG Bunker Vessel

Rotterdam Demonstration Marks Milestone in Autonomous Inland Shipping

Trump Predicts Restoration of U.S. Sanctions on Russian Oil "Soon"

UK Court Holds Captain of Shadow Fleet Tanker for Trial

Iranian Tankers Begin to Move Out Past U.S. Blockade Line

MAIB Calls for Closer Attention to Snapback Safety at Svitzer

GAO: U.S. Navy's Unmanned Systems Programs Needed Restructuring

ClassNK Launches Co-Creation Marketplace: “ClassNK Design Data Marketplace"

Turkish Cruise Ship Remains Detained as It Loses Flag and Classification

SoCal Ports Have Very Strong May with Positive Near-Term Outlooks

New Digital Platform Connects Shipowners Directly With Seafarers

The Hidden Clause Contradictions Driving Demurrage Claims

Six Estonian Maritime Companies Solving Retrofit and Port Challenges

Iranian Tankers Begin to Move Out Past U.S. Blockade Line

MAIB Calls for Closer Attention to Snapback Safety at Svitzer

GAO: U.S. Navy's Unmanned Systems Programs Needed Restructuring

ClassNK Launches Co-Creation Marketplace: “ClassNK Design Data Marketplace"

Turkish Cruise Ship Remains Detained as It Loses Flag and Classification

SoCal Ports Have Very Strong May with Positive Near-Term Outlooks

HSE: Motor Failure Caused Drill Rig to Drop a Blowout Preventer

China Completes Largest Bulker-to-Container Vessel Conversion Project

First Ammonia Dual-Fuel Vessel Delivered to Exmar

CMA CGM and Capital Clean Energy Carriers Form JV for LNG Bunker Vessel

Maritime Industry Conferences and Events

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