Opposition to Jones Act Waiver Extension Widens as Maritime Industry Pushes Back
Oil tanker lines up to sail under Califronia’s Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by Andy Randy Shutterstock Mike Schuler April 28, 2026 The Trump administration’s decision to extend its broad Jones Act waiver another 90 days is drawing mounting opposition across the U.S. maritime sector, with labor unions, domestic operators, trade groups and lawmakers arguing the…
US-Led Bloc Condemns China Pressure on Panama-Flagged Ships
A view of the Balboa Port is pictured after Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison agreed to sell its interests in a key Panama Canal port operator to a BlackRock Inc-backed consortium, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to curb China’s influence in the region, Panama City, Panama, March 4, 2025. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun Mike Schuler April…
Is the tide turning against US opposition to the IMO NZF?
Deliberations on the IMO’s Net Zero Framework continue as the US and its allies attempt to swing the vote against the regulation Picture of Nick Savvides Nick Savvides,Europe correspondent April 28, 2026 Large UN related meeting Opening of MEPC84CREDIT: IMO Attitudes at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are said to be changing as the expected…
UAE Quits OPEC in Major Blow to Global Oil Producers’ Group
April 28, 2026 By Maha El Dahan DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it was quitting OPEC, dealing a heavy blow to the oil producers’ group as an unprecedented energy crisis triggered by the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations. Video Muted The loss of the UAE, a…
EU rules facilitate emissions comparison for transport companies
Apr 28, 2026 at 12:24 PM Transport companies in the EU will soon be able to compare their greenhouse gas emissions more easily after new regulations were confirmed by EU governments in February. These changes aim to help both consumers and businesses make informed decisions and reduce the risk of greenwashing. Voluntary Emission Calculation…
India Mulls Options On Iran Port Stake Before Sanctions Kick In
Chabahar, Iran. Stock Photo: Photo Tripper92/Shutterstock Bloomberg April 25, 2026 By Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Mihir Mishra Apr 25, 2026 (Bloomberg) –India is considering various options regarding its stake in the Chabahar port in Iran, including temporarily divesting from it, ahead of the expiry of a US sanctions waiver in coming days, officials familiar with the…
White House Extends Jones Act Shipping Waiver to August
Stock Photo: Igor Karasi / Shutterstock Bloomberg April 24, 2026 (Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump’s administration has given a 90-day extension to a shipping waiver making it easier to move oil, fuel and fertilizer around the US, marking the latest effort by the White House to counter supply disruptions tied to the Iran war. The…
Mexico seeks early deal on steel and autos
Mexico is aiming for a preliminary agreement with the United States on steel, aluminium and automobiles ahead of the formal review of the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact, reports Reuters. President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a press conference that Mexico hopes to secure an early deal as US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer visits for talks. She stressed…
Act Waiver 90 Days as Maritime Industry Says Fuel Relief Never Came
Stock Photo: SOMKIET POOMSIRIPAIBOON / Shutterstock Trump Moves to Extend Jones Mike Schuler April 23, 2026 The Trump administration is preparing to extend its controversial Jones Act waiver for up to 90 days, a move that would deepen an already contentious policy experiment launched during the Strait of Hormuz crisis and intensify a growing clash…
Indonesian Finance Minister moots Malacca Strait toll
The Southeast waterway is covered by a cooperative agreement between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia Marcus Hand,Editor April 22, 2026 CREDIT: MARCUS HAND Iran’s move to charge a toll for the Strait of Hormuz is reported to have sparked Indonesia’s Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to suggest the same idea for the Malacca Strait. One of the…
Congress Confronts U.S. Shipbuilding Crisis as Maritime Buildout Meets Reality Check
National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) under construction at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. Photo courtesy Hanwha Philly Shipyard Mike Schuler April 22, 2026 A rare joint House hearing on Wednesday laid bare both the ambition and the friction behind Washington’s growing push to revive American shipbuilding, as administration officials promoted an expansive maritime buildout while congressional watchdogs…
IMO moves to tighten ship registration rules amid surge in flag fraud
Sam ChambersApril 20, 2026 IMO The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved new guidelines aimed at improving transparency in ship registration and cracking down on the growing misuse of flags. Adopted by the IMO’s Legal Committee during its 113th session in London, the measures are designed to strengthen due diligence, enhance oversight of registries and…
IMO Warns Hormuz Toll Would Set ‘Dangerous Precedent’
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez at the opening of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 2nd extraordinary session, 14-17 October, 2025. Mike Schuler April 9, 2026 LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) – Imposing a toll on ships sailing through the critical Strait of Hormuz would “set a dangerous precedent” and countries should not impede freedom of navigation, the…
France sharpens penalties in fresh push against shadow fleet
Sam ChambersApril 9, 2026 France is moving to tighten its grip on illicit tanker activity with plans to double penalties for vessels operating without proper flags or refusing to comply with authorities, in a clear escalation of efforts to curb Russia-linked shadow fleet operations. Under a draft update to the country’s military planning law, shipowners,…
Port Tampa Bay Receives $10m Federal Investment to Strengthen Supply Chain, Regional Economy
April 9, 2026 © Port Tampa Bay U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor joined Port Tampa Bay leadership to announce $10 million in federal funding to support the Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, an investment that will enhance navigation safety, expand cargo capacity and strengthen supply chains across Florida. The funding included $3 million secured by Rep. Castor…
Trump Announces 50% Tariffs on Nations Supplying Iran With Weapons
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on tariffs, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Reuters April 8, 2026 By David Lawder and Susan Heavey WASHINGTON, April 8 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that imports from countries supplying Iran…
US regulator merger plan rewrites post-Deepwater Horizon reforms
Bojan LepicApril 6, 2026 The US Department of the Interior has announced the start of a phased plan to establish the Marine Minerals Administration, which will bring together the functions of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). According to the Department, this action is intended…
Concerns Raised by Repeated Chinese Detentions of Panama-Flagged Vessels
April 2, 2026 © Adobe Stock/BlackMac Detentions of Panama-flagged vessels by China that followed a Panamanian court ruling raise serious concerns about efforts to undermine rule of law in the Latin American country, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday. The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission said last week that it was closely monitoring…
US probes China retaliation against Panama
The US Federal Maritime Commission said it is monitoring China’s detention of Panama-flagged vessels after Panama seized terminals from Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison, reported American Shipper. FMC chairwoman Laura DiBella said inspections in Chinese ports have surged far beyond normal levels and appear intended to punish Panama following the transfer of Hutchison’s assets. She said…
US Removes Sanctions on Three Russian Vessels, Says Move Not Policy Shift
Fesco Logistics Company. (Source: Fesco) Malte Humpert March 31, 2026 The United States has removed sanctions on three Russian-flagged vessels, including container ships Fesco Moneron and Fesco Magadan and the cargo ship Sv Nikolay, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday, in a move officials described as routine and not indicative of a broader change in…
U.S. Court Upholds FMC Rule on Carrier Refusals to Deal
March 31, 2026 © FMC The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has upheld a Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) rule defining when ocean carriers unlawfully refuse to negotiate or provide vessel space, rejecting a challenge from the World Shipping Council (WSC). The case stems from the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA),…
Bahamas reforms maritime regulation
Mar 30, 2026 at 8:41 AM The Bahamas has initiated a reform process in maritime regulation with the „Merchant Shipping Act 2021.“ The new regulations, set to come into effect on April 1, 2026, aim to modernize the regulatory framework for shipping in the country and align it with the requirements of the global…
EU MEPs set conditions for US tariff reductions
Published on 2026-03-27 at 09:38 Shutterstock The EU Parliament is proposing safeguards to counter the unpredictable nature of Trump’s tariff policy. The European Parliament has introduced a series of safeguards in the EU-US Turnberry trade deal, struck in July 2025 in Scotland between President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The…
FMC says Panama‑flagged vessels face higher scrutiny in Chinese ports
Published on 2026-03-27 at 12:38 Shutterstock The US Federal Maritime Commission is tracking a rise in inspections of Panama‑flagged ships at Chinese ports following the annulment of CK Hutchison’s concession at Panama Canal terminals. The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said China has recently increased inspections of Panama‑flagged vessels at its ports, a move that…
EU vessel sanctions and the politics of administrative overreach
SplashMarch 27, 2026 Greenpeace Dr Hendrik Müller-Lankow, a German lawyer representing Russian and foreign ship operators in litigation before the General Court of the European Union, writes for Splash today. Few areas of European Union (EU) sanctions policy reveal the gap between political ambition and legal discipline as clearly as the campaign against Russia’s so-called…
Trump DOT Rolls Out $488M Port Funding Push to ‘Restore Maritime Dominance’
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy a speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 26, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Mike Schuler March 26, 2026 The Trump administration is rolling out nearly half a billion dollars in new port funding, with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration announcing…
Jones Act Waiver Leaves Key Question Unanswered: What Laws Apply to Foreign Ships in U.S. Trade?
Stock Photo: Igor Karasi / Shutterstock Mike Schuler March 25, 2026 Legal Gray Zone Emerges as Foreign Ships Enter Domestic Trades Under Emergency Waiver As the Trump administration’s 60-day Jones Act waiver begins reshaping U.S. coastal shipping, a more fundamental issue is coming into focus—what rules actually apply to foreign vessels now operating in domestic…
US calls for abandonment of IMO’s Net Zero Framework
Battle lines are being drawn at the IMO as the US lines up to sink the IMO’s Net Zero Framework. Nick Savvides,Europe correspondent March 20, 2026 IMAGE: IMO The US delegation at the IMO has set out its decarbonisation plans for shipping by calling for the UN body to abandon its Net Zero Framework (NZF) and not…
Spin takes US Maritime Action Plan away from shipbuilding
MAP messaging turns to maritime system and market evolution in the face of robust scepticism on US shipbuilding ambitions. Gary Howard,Middle East correspondent March 18, 2026 IMAGE: INFORMA MARKETS The US Maritime Action Plan (MAP) — the Trump administration’s February 2026 plan to revitalise US shipbuilding and build a resilient maritime workforce — was met with…
Industry Bodies Raise Concerns about Jones Act Waiver
March 18, 2026 Copyright spiritofamerica / AdobeStock Major US maritime organizations have issued statements voicing their concern over the Trump Administration’s decision to issue a sweeping 60-day waiver of the Jones Act. Under the Jones Act, goods shipped between U.S. ports must be carried on vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged and mostly U.S.-owned. A coalition…
New EU framework for small ports to boost heavy-lift capacity
Published on 2026-03-16 at 08:07 Port of Gothenburg Port of Gothenburg / LinkedIn A new advisory programme launched by the European Commission and European Investment Bank (EIB) could help smaller ports develop the investment cases needed to upgrade heavy-lift infrastructure and project cargo-handling capacity. The JASPERS (Joint Assistance to Support Projects in European Regions) initiative…
Trump orders restart of California offshore oil project amid Iran war
Bojan LepicMarch 16, 2026 BSEE The Trump administration has instructed Sable Offshore to resume operations at the Santa Ynez Unit and Santa Ynez Pipeline System off the coast of California, citing supply risks from Iran’s Strait of Hormuz closure. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued the order on Friday under President Trump’s March 13 executive…
Trump Administration Considers Jones Act Waiver
March 12, 2026 © Darunrat / Adobe Stock The Trump administration is considering waiving the century-old Jones Act for a limited period to ensure energy and agricultural shipments can move freely between U.S. ports, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday, in a bid to combat Iran-related supply disruptions. “In the interest of national defense,…
Trump Weighs Easing Russia Sanctions
March 9, 2026 © alexyz3d / Adobe Stock U.S. President Donald Trump is considering easing oil sanctions on Russia and releasing emergency crude stockpiles as part of a package of options aimed at curbing spiking global oil prices amid the Iran conflict, according to multiple sources. The deliberations reflect White House worries that the surge…
China People's Congress ratifies 4.5pc growth target
China set its 2026 economic growth target at 4.5 per cent, down from the five per cent pace achieved last year, reports Reuters. The target was ratified at the National People’s Congress and marks the lowest since 1991. Beijing also unveiled its 15th five-year plan, pledging investments in innovation, high-tech industries and scientific research. Authorities…
Ports Welcome EU Strategy with Some Reservations
March 8, 2026 © tonyv3112 / Adobe Stock The European Commission launched its EU Ports Strategy on March 4, and Europe’s ports have welcome it, saying it recognizes the vital role ports are playing for Europe’s economy and society. “The EU Ports Strategy is based on a good understanding of what ports are, what they…
Singapore Developing Master Maritime Plan
March 8, 2026 © anekoho / Adobe Stock Amidst a more complex and uncertain operating environment, Singapore’s MPA is charting the long-term direction for Maritime Singapore. This includes developing strategies to seize growth opportunities and strengthen Singapore’s position as a key node in global trade, while continuing to drive innovation, accelerate technology adoption, and develop…
US tariff battleground shifts as 24 states challenge Section 122 replacement duties
A coalition of 24 US states has filed suit to block President Trump’s Section 122 replacement tariffs, opening a second legal front weeks after the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA duties in a 6-3 ruling that removed roughly half of all US customs revenue. March 7, 2026 in News CM article: 24 US States Challenge…
Washington Moves to Break Hormuz Shipping Paralysis With $20B Maritime Insurance Plan
Oil tankers pas through the Strait of Hormuz, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo Mike Schuler March 6, 2026 The Trump administration on Friday unveiled a $20 billion maritime reinsurance facility aimed at restoring confidence in commercial shipping through the Persian Gulf, moving to operationalize a federal insurance backstop proposed earlier this week as…
Maritime strategy in Singapore
Mar 6, 2026 at 11:18 AM In an increasingly complex and uncertain operational environment, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has outlined the long-term strategy for the maritime sector in Singapore, as the organization recently announced. The aim is to seize growth opportunities and solidify Singapore’s position as a significant hub in…
EU Ports Strategy unveiled
Published on 2026-03-05 at 09:02 Port of Hamburg Shutterstock On 4 March, the European Commission adopted the EU Ports Strategy, a comprehensive framework aimed at strengthening the competitiveness, resilience, security and sustainability of Europe’s ports. According to the Commission, reinforcing EU ports will help safeguard Europe’s strategic autonomy and critical supply chains, accelerate the clean…
Trump Fires DHS Secretary Kristi Noem After Turbulent Maritime Tenure
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem attends a House Judiciary Committee hearing on “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security” to testify, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Mike Schuler March 5, 2026 President Donald Trump has removed Kristi Noem as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ending a tenure…
Trade Court Ruling Opens Door to Tariff Refunds for U.S. Importers
Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles Mike Schuler March 4, 2026 The U.S. Court of International Trade has ordered U.S. Customs and Border Protection to begin unwinding tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), directing the agency to liquidate or reliquidate affected imports without the duties following a landmark Supreme Court decision…
EU Unveils Ports Strategy
March 4, 2026 © Alexander / Adobe Stock The European Commission has adopted the EU Ports Strategy, a comprehensive framework to step up the competitiveness, resilience, security and sustainability of Europe’s ports. Ports are a cornerstone of the EU economy, handling around 74% of external trade, 3.4 billion tonnes of goods and nearly 395 million…
791 Points Offline: How Jebel Ali’s Shutdown Reshapes Global Liner Shipping
With the Strait of Hormuz closed, the Middle East’s most connected container hub — Jebel Ali — is severed from global trade, exposing structural concentration risk across Gulf liner networks. March 3, 2026 in Breaking News CM article: 791 Points Offline: How Jebel Ali’s Shutdown Reshapes Global Liner Shipping When the Strait of Hormuz closed,…
America’s Maritime Action Plan Creates Opportunity for St. Louis Region
Op-Ed: Susan Taylor, Dennis Wilmsmeyer, Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway and Brent Donovan March 2, 2026 Source: St. Louis Port Authority The advancement of the recently announced America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP) is embraced by the ports in the bi-state St. Louis region as a unique opportunity to play a role in this comprehensive federal framework. The MAP…
Planning ease for freight development in Britain
Published on 2026-02-28 at 07:26 Centre in the field of view, East Midlands Gateway, a typical modern intermodal hub in the UK, has become the logistics lynchpin of the Freeport it serves. SEGRO Britain’s planning system has long been criticised by logistics developers as slow, uncertain and vulnerable to local objection. Now, proposed reforms to…
Shipping security risk increases dramatically in Persian Gulf
Over 750 commercial vessels reported to be inside the Strait of Hormuz as the US and Israel attack Iran Marcus Hand,Editor February 28, 2026 Shipping traffic in Strait of Hormuz on 28 Feb at time of publicationCREDIT: SCREENSHOT FROM POLESTAR GLOBAL PURPLETRAC With reports of strikes on UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain following the joint Israeli…
Houthis vow to resume attacks following Iranian strikes
Sam ChambersFebruary 28, 2026 X.com With the US and Israel attacking Iran on Saturday, Iranian allies, the Houthis from Yemen, have vowed to resume attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea, bringing to a close a four-month cessation of violence at sea. Shipping organisation BIMCO suggested ships with business connections to US…