China to retaliate over EU restrictions
China has warned it will take countermeasures if the European Union imposes new trade restrictions, reported Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. The Ministry of Commerce said that if Brussels introduces unilateral instruments and discriminatory restrictions, Beijing will “resolutely retaliate and take effective measures to safeguard its own interests.” The ministry added that communication channels…
Trump seeks managed trade body with China
President Donald Trump is pushing to create a new “board of trade” with China, a proposal agreed with President Xi Jinping earlier this month, reports Politico of Arlington, Virginia. Business groups and lobbyists see the plan as a potential opening for tariff relief. The idea, first raised by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in March,…
Brussels vows to shield shipowners from double carbon charges
Adis AjdinJune 2, 2026 Sam Chambers European shipping companies will not be forced to pay twice for carbon emissions under both European and International Maritime Organization regulations, European commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas told delegates at the official opening of Posidonia 2026. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the world’s most famous…
EU's Von der Leyen favours hard line
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is preparing to press EU commissioners for tougher measures against subsidised Chinese imports, reports Politico of Arlington, Virginia. Ms von der Leyen will ask commissionersy to back new powers to counter low-cost Chinese goods flooding the single market. France is pressing for stronger protections, while Germany remains cautious,…
Build the First Donald J. Trump Maritime Prosperity Zone in Alaska
USCGC Polar Star escorts the motor vessel Stena Polaris, the largest fuel tanker ever to reach McMurdo Station, through the ice-covered Ross Sea during Operation Deep Freeze 2026, Jan. 21, 2026. Pacific Air Forces operates on a 24-hour basis to provide the U.S. National Science Foundation complete joint operational and logistic support for Operation Deep…
Chinese COSCO Tanker Delivers Asphalt to Connecticut Under Jones Act Waiver
he Chinese-flagged asphalt tanker JIN ZHOU WAN is pictured during a U.S. port call. The COSCO Shipping-operated vessel recently completed a Jones Act waiver voyage carrying asphalt from New Orleans, Louisiana, to New Haven, Connecticut. Photo via American Maritime Partnership Mike Schuler May 29, 2026 The debate over the Trump administration’s emergency Jones Act waiver…
Australia launches first strategic fleet vesse
l Sam ChambersMay 29, 2026 MIA Australia has unveiled the first ship in its long-awaited national strategic fleet, with the federal government blaming contracting complications and the Middle East conflict for delays to the programme. The 1,740 teu containership ANL Kokoda, built in 2011, will become the first vessel in the government-backed emergency fleet designed…
US sanctions Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority
President Trump threatens Oman if it cooperates with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz Marcus Hand,Editor May 28, 2026 CREDIT: THE WHITE HOUSE As the battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz continues the US has sanctioned Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). The US Treasury Department stated that PGSA had been sanctioned…
UK Court Upholds ‘Virtually Unbreakable’ Liability Shield in Solong-Stena Immaculate Collision
Firefighting on the MV SOLONG. Picture taken on March 11, 2025 Photo: Maritime and Coastguard Agency Mike Schuler May 28, 2026 A London Admiralty Court judge has ruled that the owners of the containership Solong can limit their financial liability for the catastrophic 2025 collision with the tanker Stena Immaculate, delivering a closely watched decision that reinforces the…
EU seeks to rebalance trade ties with China
The EU must rebalance its trade relationship with China, said European Commission vice president Stephane Sejourne, reports the Taipei Times. The EU’s goods trade deficit with China reached EUR360 billion (US$417.74 billion) last year, prompting calls to address the imbalance. Mr Sejourne said openness to trade remained a priority, but stressed the need for rebalancing…
Jones Act Waiver Reshapes U.S. Oil Trade as Foreign Tankers Flood Domestic Routes
Oil tanker lines up to sail under Califronia’s Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by Andy Randy Shutterstock Mike Schuler May 27, 2026 The Trump administration’s emergency Jones Act waiver is rapidly reshaping U.S. oil flows, opening domestic shipping routes to foreign-flagged tankers and triggering trade patterns rarely seen in modern American energy markets. New analysis from RBN…
Federal Council Strengthens Swiss Deep-Sea Shipping
May 27, 2026 at 10:56 AM The Swiss Federal Council adopted a comprehensive reform package on May 27, 2026, aimed at strengthening Swiss shipping. The goal of these measures is to increase the attractiveness of the Swiss flag at sea and simplify the registration of ships. This initiative is part of a comprehensive revision…
FMC Hits Maersk With $1.9 Million Penalty Over Detention Billing
File Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com Mike Schuler May 26, 2026 The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has secured a $1.9 million civil penalty settlement from Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk over allegations the carrier improperly billed third parties for detention charges under its service contracts and tariff rules. According to the FMC, the settlement resolves…
Beijing cites 8 outcomes of China-US talks
China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) detailed eight preliminary outcomes from recent economic and trade consultations with the US, covering tariffs, agricultural trade, rare earth export controls and aircraft purchases, reports Beijing’s Global Times. The consultations followed US President Donald Trump’s state visit to China from May 13 to 15 and preparatory talks in South Korea.…
Four of the world's largest container manufacturers indicted over alleged dry-box output cartel
A US indictment accuses Singamas, CIMC, Dong Fang and CXIC of capping production of nearly all the world’s standard dry containers as the pandemic shortage took hold — amplifying, prosecutors allege, a price spike that lines and lessors were already absorbing. The bigger question for the industry is what a supply base this concentrated still…
New Zealand To Invest In Drones, Fleet To Shield Maritime Routes
The New Zealand navy ship HMNZS Aotearoa (centre) navigates in the South China Sea while conducting exercises as part of a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity between Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and the United States, October 30, 2025. LSA Jess Muir/Australian Department Of Defence/Handout via REUTERS Bloomberg May 23, 2026 By Michael Heath May 23, 2026…
India plans support for crane OEMs
Published on 2026-05-22 at 07:19 Port of Mundra, India / Illustration / Archive Shutterstock The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is reportedly considering a scheme that includes subsidies for domestic production as part of its “maritime crane manufacturing plan”. The crane manufacturing plan follows India’s initiative to boost domestic container manufacturing. The Container Manufacturing…
Singapore Shipping Tycoon Indicted in Global Container Price Cartel Case
Photo: Shutterstock/Strikernia Bloomberg May 22, 2026 By Rong Wei Neo (Bloomberg) — Singapore shipping tycoon Teo Siong Seng was accusedby the US of colluding to raise dry-container prices, placing one of the city-state’s most prominent business figures at the center of a sweeping antitrust case. Teo and several other executives at four of the world’s largest…
EU Temporarily Suspends Fertilizer Duties Amidst Hormuz Crisis
May 22, 2026 © Adobe Stock/M. Perfectti The EU will temporarily lift customs duties on key nitrogen-based fertilizers such as urea and ammonia for one year to mitigate the knock-on effects of the Iran war, the Council of the EU said on Friday. Global fertiliser prices have jumped following the near total closure of the…
What really holds China and Russia together
Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin continue to project a close partnership despite asymmetries in their relationship, reports BBC News. The two leaders, who have described each other as best friends, mark the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation. Their ties are framed as a “friendship with no limits”, though analysts…
US indicts four container makers and seven executives over price-fixing claims
Sam ChambersMay 20, 2026 The US Department of Justice has indicted four of the world’s largest shipping container manufacturers and seven executives for running what has been described as a cartel that roughly doubled the price of standard dry containers over four years and drove profits at one of the companies up nearly one hundredfold…
AAPA Supports House Appropriations Bill with $538m for Port Infrastructure
May 20, 2026 © be free – stock.adobe.com The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) commends the the House Committee on Appropriations for its release of the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) bill. The legislation contains a record $538 million appropriation for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). With the…
China accused of detaining Panama-flagged ships
The United States and five Latin American nations have condemned China for detaining dozens of Panama-flagged vessels in what they described as retaliation over a port lease dispute, reports Fort Lauderdale’s Maritime Executive. Panama last year reviewed CK Hutchison’s contracts at Balboa and Cristobal after pressure from Washington over Chinese influence in the canal zone.…
EU ready to crack down on Irish shipments of alumina being sent to Russia
Bojan LepicMay 19, 2026 Russian Defence Ministry The European Commission is preparing to restrict access to goods that Russia could use to make military equipment, such as Irish‑produced alumina, that may be indirectly feeding the Russian war machine. An investigation, carried out by The Irish Times in collaboration with the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, found…
US Charges Executives and Firms Over Container Cartel
May 19, 2026 © kanpisut / Adobe Stock The United States has charged seven Chinese executives and four of the world’s largest shipping container companies with conspiring to restrict supply, raising the price of containers during the COVID pandemic, Department of Justice officials said on Tuesday. The companies together manufacture about 95% of the world’s…
Trump's China deals leave EU in a quandary
Donald Trump returned from a two-day state visit to China with agreements for oil, soybeans and 200 Boeing aircraft sales, but European officials said the summit raised doubts about whether Beijing takes EU concerns seriously, reports Brussels’s EUobserver. US trade representative Jamieson Greer said billions of dollars in agriculture sales were expected after the Beijing…
Shippers Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM Suspend Cuba Bookings After US Executive Order
People sit on a dock as the Hong Kong-flagged vessel Sea Horse, carrying some 200,000 barrels of Russia-origin fuel originally bound for Cuba, is anchored near the coast after arriving in Venezuelan waters, in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela March 28, 2026. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Hernandez Reuters May 17, 2026 By Gus Trompiz, Christoph Steitz and Dave Sherwood…
China MOT names 16 firms in fourth filing-regime cycle since 2024; MSC and ONE caught every round
China’s Ministry of Transport Notice No 1 of 2026 names CMA CGM, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express and five other carriers in the fourth cycle of a freight-rate filing enforcement programme running continuously since January 2024. The credit-record integration now sitting behind it is becoming more consequential than the individual RMB 20,000–100,000 fines. 16 May…
China fines MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and others over freight rate filing breaches
Published on 2026-05-15 at 08:44 Shutterstock China’s Ministry of Transport said it has imposed administrative penalties on nine international container liner shipping companies and seven non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) after inspections found violations of freight rate filing requirements. The ministry said inspections carried out in August, September and November 2025 at the ports of…
Trump Says China Offered to Help on Iran
FILE PHOTO: China’s President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump visit the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on May 14, 2026. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Bloomberg May 14, 2026 By Omar Tamo, Eltaf Najafizada and Alex Longley (Bloomberg) –US President Donald Trump signaled China is willing to support negotiations with Iran, as he…
Crunch looming for Europe’s shortsea traders
Shortsea shipping is crucial to the European economy with some 2,200 vessels plying the intra-European markets, but green EU regulations are set to shake up the trades. Nick Savvides,Europe correspondent May 13, 2026 IMAGE: EUROPEAN UNION An ageing European short-sea general cargo and container fleet will come up against EU greenhouse gas emissions regulations by…
Trump Heads to Beijing as Iran Expands Control Over Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport during his visit to the country, in Beijing, China, May 13, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci Reuters May 13, 2026 By Nandita Bose and Jana Choukeir WASHINGTON/DUBAI, May 13 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump has said he does not expect to need…
Brazil writes incumbent divestment into Tecon 10 auction and doubles the concession floor to R$1.044bn
A 6 May Casa Civil technical note has cleared shipping lines to bid for the 621,000 sqm Tecon Santos 10 greenfield container terminal — but only if incumbent operators APM Terminals, MSC, CMA CGM and DP World commit to divest their existing Santos stakes before signing. The auction floor has more than doubled to R$1.044bn…
Brazil clears shipping lines to bid for Santos mega terminal
Brazil is making an important move that could, finally, lead to a bidding process of the new terminal at the port of Santos Michele Labrut,Americas Correspondent May 11, 2026 CREDIT: APM TERMINALS Brazil’s Presidential Chief of Staff Office has instructed the Ports Ministry, in a recent technical note issued last Wednesday, 6 May to remove…
U.S. Navy Unveils $65.8 Billion Shipbuilding Push to Launch Trump’s ‘Golden Fleet’
The Honorable Hung Cao, Acting Secretary of the Navy, speaks to Sailors during an all hands call in the hangar bay of the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), while underway in the Mediterranean Sea, May 4, 2026. U.S. Navy Photo Mike Schuler May 11, 2026 The Department of the Navy…
China Maritime Code overhaul raises new risks
The China Maritime Code 2026, enacted on May 1, marks the most significant overhaul of Chinese maritime law since 1993, introducing sweeping changes to liability and compliance for global logistics operators, reports AI’s Copilot. The most disruptive change is Article 295, which requires contracts involving loading or discharge in China to be governed by Chinese…
Trump’s Feud With Germany’s Merz Puts EU Trade Deal on Edge
Port of Hamburg. Photo: Sven Brandenburg/Shutterstock Bloomberg May 8, 2026 (Bloomberg) — Donald Trump’s rift with Friedrich Merz is complicating the European Union’s push to finish its US trade deal before fresh tariffs arrive. The US president was reluctant on Thursday to delay his threatened 25% levy on European cars and trucks because he remains…
Trump Administration Launches Nuclear-Powered Shipping Push to Revive U.S. Maritime Industry
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 May 7, 2026 The Trump administration is opening the door to nuclear-powered commercial shipping in what could become one of the most ambitious attempts in decades to…
House Labor Caucus Joins Growing Backlash Against Trump’s Jones Act Waiver Extension
Stock Photo: Igor Karasi / Shutterstock Mike Schuler May 7, 2026 Opposition to the Trump administration’s sweeping Jones Act waiver extension is continuing to widen, with top House labor lawmakers now joining a growing coalition of maritime unions, domestic operators, and industry groups warning the policy is undermining the U.S. shipping industry while failing to lower fuel…
A New Front in Shipping’s Climate War: The Federal Maritime Commission
Container ships wait off the coast of the congested Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S., October 1, 2021. REUTERS/ Alan Devall/File Photo Editorial May 6, 2026 By Sean Pribyl, Michael Amy (Holland & Knight) – Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Laura DiBella recently participated in the U.S. delegation to…
OOCL challenges FMC court system after $45m ruling
Sam ChambersMay 6, 2026 Port of Long Beach Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has launched a legal challenge against the Federal Maritime Commission, arguing the regulator’s in-house adjudication process is unconstitutional following a $45m ruling against the liner operator. In a filing submitted to a federal court in Texas on Tuesday, OOCL asked the court…
U.S. Coast Guard Counters Maritime Threats With New Special Missions Command
May 6, 2026 © Trevor Cook – stock.adobe.com The Coast Guard is standing up the Special Missions Command to oversee its deployable specialized forces. The command will enhance the operational effectiveness of the Coast Guard in responding to a wide range of national emergencies and events as the demand for deployable specialized forces capabilities increase. The…
IMO delays decision on global shipping emissions framework again
Published on 2026-05-04 at 08:10 Illustration / Archive Shutterstock The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has again postponed a decision on its proposed global framework to cut GHG emissions from shipping, as divisions among member states persist and the US failed to halt negotiations. At the latest meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84),…
China Orders Firms to Defy U.S. Sanctions in Escalation Over Iran Oil Trade
Photo credit: Shutterstock/Igor Grochev Bloomberg May 4, 2026 By Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) — China has ordered its companies to ignore US sanctions, an unprecedented act of defiance that threatens to trap a vast banking sector in the crossfire as tension rises between the world’s largest economies. Beijing has often railed against unilateral sanctions and pronounced them illegitimate,…
USACE Introduces System for Assessing Pre-Construction Notifications
May 4, 2026 © yaniv / Adobe Stock The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has launched a new module on its Regulatory Request System (RRS) that will allow users to self-verify that a pre-construction notification is not required for a proposed activity covered under a nationwide permit. Certain activities are authorized by nationwide permits if…
FMC trucker-choice mandate dismantles the LA/LB chassis cooperative
A Federal Maritime Commission ruling that gave US truckers the right to choose their own chassis provider has unwound the cooperative model that has organised intermodal equipment at Los Angeles and Long Beach for a decade, with one of three pool members withdrawn, the interoperable fleet down by around a sixth, and terminal dwell times…
IMO Carbon Plan for Shipping Faces Growing Revolt as U.S. Courts ‘Silent Majority’
Opening of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 84th Session, April 27, 2026. Photo courtesy IMO Mike Schuler April 30, 2026 The U.S. is intensifying its push against the International Maritime Organization’s proposed global carbon pricing regime, with Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Laura DiBella urging member states this week to consider alternatives to the stalled Net Zero Framework (NZF)…
FMC issues record $45.6m reparations ruling against OOCL
Sam ChambersApril 30, 2026 A US administrative law judge has ordered Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) to pay a record $45.6m in reparations to the bankruptcy estate of collapsed retailer Bed Bath & Beyond, in a ruling that could reshape how ocean carriers honour service contracts during periods of extreme market disruption. Chief administrative law…
FMC Judge Orders OOCL to Pay $45.6 Million in Landmark Bed Bath & Beyond Shipping Case
An OOCL containership at the Port of Long Beach. Photo: Richard H Grant / Shutterstock.com Mike Schuler April 29, 2026 Three years after bankrupt retailer Bed Bath & Beyond accused Orient Overseas Container Line of auctioning off contracted vessel space to higher-paying cargo during the pandemic supply chain crisis, a Federal Maritime Commission administrative law judge has…
Governments around the USA reaffirm freedom for Panama
Apr 29, 2026 at 12:02 PM The governments of Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to securing freedom in their hemisphere. In the statement, the governments emphasize that the freedom of the region is non-negotiable, as reported by the U.S.…
Delay tactics cast shadow over MEPC
Sam ChambersApril 29, 2026 Jack Hall / PA Media Assignments Familiar patterns of procedural delay are emerging at this week’s critical UN shipping summit in London, with sources close to the negotiations warning that the most contentious decisions are being deliberately deferred to the final hours of the meeting – leaving little time for meaningful…
US commits $774m to upgrade port infrastructure nationwide
Bojan LepicApril 29, 2026 Port of Los Angeles The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced a $774m investment into US port infrastructure. A total of 37 projects will receive funding under MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). The awards are intended to improve capacity expansion, operational efficiency, and supply chain resilience in…
U.S. Appeals Court Backs FMC in Evergreen Dispute
April 29, 2026 Image courtesy FMC A long-running dispute over container detention charges between Evergreen and a U.S. trucking company has been resolved, with a federal appeals court siding squarely with the regulator and reinforcing limits on when carriers can impose such fees. In a decision issued April 28, 2026, the United States Court of Appeals…
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…