Cidny Gate

Coast Guard’s Heavy Icebreaker Returns from Antarctica, Marking 50 Years

The Maritime Executive — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:59:30 +0000

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star returned to her home port of Seattle last week, wrapping up her annual deployment to Antarctica. This year was special, for in addition to supporting the resupply mission and scientific research, the vessel marked 50 years in service. Through extensive overhauls and regular maintenance, she continues to play a critical role as the U.S.’s only heavy icebreaker and must remain active until at least 2030, when the first of the new vessels is now scheduled for delivery.

Polar Star departed Seattle on November 20 and returned to Seattle on April 13. It was a 146-day Antarctic deployment that saw her travel more than 20,000 nautical miles. She makes stops in New Zealand en route, and this year she spent a total of 62 days in Antarctic waters. Polar Star conducted multiple mission sets before departing the Antarctic region on March 8.

One of her key roles is supporting Operation Deep Freeze, the annual resupply missions to the U.S.’s McMurdo Station. This year, she was called on to establish a seven-mile-long channel through fast ice up to eight feet thick and escorted a fuel tanker and container vessel through the ice in McMurdo Sound as part of the resupply mission. Polar Star also escorted a tug with the 330-foot-long NSF…

UAE marks Earth Day with pioneering biodiversity, clean energy, water security initiatives

KN — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:12:21 +0000

ABU DHABI, 22nd April, 2026 (WAM) — The United Arab Emirates joins the world in marking Earth Day, observed annually on 22nd April, to promote international efforts to address the escalating challenges of climate change and their adverse impacts, including threats to biodiversity, air and ocean pollution, rising temperatures, floods, and other climate-related phenomena.

The UAE stands out as a global model in addressing climate challenges and achieving sustainable development across environment, energy and water sectors, through an integrated framework of long-term strategies and initiatives. These include the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, the National Climate Change Plan of the UAE 2017–2050, the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, the adoption of a green economy approach since 2012, and the launch of the National Climate Adaptation Action Plan.

In 2026, the UAE continues to roll out a series of qualitative initiatives and projects in environmental protection, clean energy development, and green technology innovation, further strengthening its global sustainability standing.

In this context, the UAE Cabinet approved the seventh national biodiversity report as part of its commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. National efforts…

USA Shipbuilding Coalition Launches

Creative News — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:04:08 +0000

Partners representing both labor and management have launched the USA Shipbuilding Coalition to urge Congress to take action to revitalize the critical American shipbuilding industry, including by passing the bipartisan SHIPS for America Act.

This labor-management partnership will work to advance concrete actions to spur investment in and revitalization of America’s shipbuilding capacity, enhance the strength and utilization of domestic supply chains and ensure that the US can build, repair, maintain and man the vessels needed to restore U.S. maritime capabilities.

“Bringing together industry and labor in common purpose to drive American shipbuilding forward demonstrates the significance of this moment,” said USA Shipbuilding Coalition President Michael Wessel. “With bipartisan support in Congress, and backing by the Trump Administration, there is no excuse to continue to let American industry falter at the feet of China’s illegal trade practices. Revitalizing this critical industry is paramount to protecting our national security, creating jobs, and growing our economy. The time to act is now.”

For decades, the United States neglected and failed to invest in commercial shipbuilding, undermining the maritime defense industrial base,…

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Ship Owners Move Towards Second Hand Vessels

hellenicshippingnews... — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:00:59 +0000

Activity over the past week looked to be more dynamic in the S&P front, rather than the newbuilding market. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “on the On the Newcastlemax sector, Chinese buyers acquired the “RTM CARTIER” – 205K/2012 HHIC and the “RTM ZHENG HE” – 205K/2012 HHIC for excess USD 90 mills each. Moving down the sizes, the Post-Panamax “OHSHU MARU” – 92K/2011 Namura was sold for USD 16.2 mills, while the Panamax “ALEXANDROS PETRAKIS” – 76K/2008 Shin Kasado sold for region USD 13.3 mills to Chinese buyers.

Source: Xclusiv

In the Ultramax sector, two resales the “NEW DAYANG NDY1315” and “NEW DAYANG NDY1316” – 64K/2027 New Dayang changed hands at USD 36.5 mills each. On the Supramax segment, the “SUNNY ROYAL” – 59K/2011 Kawasaki was sold for USD 18.5 mills with SS/DD due 2028/2030, while the “HONOUR” – 57K/2010 Cosco Zhoushan sold for USD 13.3 mills to Chinese buyers. Additionally, the OHBS “PHOENIX K” – 55K/2007 Oshima was sold for USD 14 mills. Finally, in the Handysize sector, Vietnamese buyers acquired the “STRADION” – 37K/2011 HMD and the “DORYSIA” – 37K/2010 HMD enbloc…

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Debris from intercepted missile falls in Abu Dhabi, one minor injury reported

Creative News — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:59:41 +0000

ABU DHABI, 23rd March, 2026 (WAM) — Relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi have responded to an incident involving debris falling in the Al Shawamekh area following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems.

The incident resulted in a minor injury to an Indian national, according to Abu Dhabi Media Office.

Tanker Market: Is Crude Oil Supply Under Threat?

hellenicshippingnews... — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:00:59 +0000

With the war in the Middle East entering its fourth week, questions regarding oil production capacity are beginning to arise. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Gibson said that “the past few days have seen the conflict extend beyond chokepoint disruption into direct strikes on production and refining infrastructure across the Gulf. Following Israel’s attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field on Wednesday, Iran retaliated with drone and missile strikes on energy facilities in Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial complex was targeted, and Abu Dhabi’s Habshan gas facility and Bab oil field were shut down. Drone strikes caused fires at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi (346 kbd) and Mina Abdullah (454 kbd) refineries, with the former being struck repeatedly, forcing a shutdown of the refinery. The SAMREF refinery in Yanbu and Haifa refinery in Israel were also struck, with damage still being assessed. After a brief pause over the weekend, attacks on vessels continued this week, as a ship was struck off Ras Laffan, and another off Khor Fakkan. Since 28 February, the UKMTO has reported a total of 19 attacks on commercial…

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Iran Trades Threats With Trump

Creative News — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 21:39:18 +0000

Iran said on Sunday it would strike the energy and water systems of its Gulf neighbours in retaliation if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to hit Iran’s electricity grid in 48 hours, escalating the three-week-old war.

The prospect of tit-for-tat strikes on civilian infrastructure could deepen the regional crisis and further rattle global markets when they reopen on Monday morning.

Air raid sirens sounded across Israel from the early hours of Sunday, warning of incoming missiles from Iran, after scores of people were hurt overnight in two separate attacks in the southern Israeli towns of Arad and Dimona.

The Israeli military said hours later that it was striking Tehran in response.

Trump threatened overnight to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, barely a day after he talked about “winding down” the war. He made the new threat as U.S. Marines and heavy landing craft are heading to the region.

But while attacks on electricity could hurt Iran, they would be potentially catastrophic for its Gulf neighbours, which consume around five times as much power per capita. Electricity makes their gleaming desert cities habitable, and most of them produce nearly all of…

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Little Change at Strait of Hormuz After Trump’s 48-Hour Threat

The Maritime Executive — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 21:26:00 +0000

President Donald Trump has given the Iranian government until Monday evening to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which he has said that the U.S. does not need. If Iran does not do so, Trump said, the U.S. will destroy Iran’s electrical power plants. The threat is unlikely to affect the choices of Iran’s new hardline leadership, multiple analysts assess.

For its part, Iran claims that the Strait is already open – for the right ships. A trickle of tonnage is getting past, according to tracking services, most of it using an Iranian-controlled lane past Qeshm and Larak. Iranian state media claims that negotiations are under way with multiple nations on the terms of passage, including India and China. Iran’s own tankers continue to load and transit, facilitated by the U.S. decision to allow free passage for Iranian vessels and (as of Friday) to lift sanctions on Iranian oil.

Iran’s Kharg Island as seen **today** by the @CopernicusEU Sentinel-2 satellite.

Iran is loading multiple tankers, exporting oil and making $$$ — now, with the help of the White House.

The idea that Trump admin is using Iranian oil barrels against Iran is simply ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/nHsH21QD6w

— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) March 22, 2026

Iran has refused to comply with Trump’s 48-hour…

Austal Finalizes Large Contract to Build Australia’s Landing Craft Heavy

The Maritime Executive — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 00:48:51 +0000

Austal Defence Shipbuilding Australia highlighted the announcement by the government’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, and Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, as the finalization of a large contract to build the country’s new Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels. It was expecting to sign the contract, valued at approximately A$4 billion (US$2.8 billion), later on Friday while highlighting it was the second major contract for the company under its Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) with Australia.

The Australian Government confirmed the selection of Damen’s Landing Ship Transport 100 (LST100) as its preferred design for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy project in November 2024, with the vessels to be built by Austal. The design calls for an approximately 100-meter (330-foot) long vessel with approximately 3,900 to 4,000 tonnes displacement. It will have a capacity for over 200 soldiers, plus six Abrams tanks or nine Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

Construction of the Landing Craft Heavy vessels will be undertaken using Austal facilities and the Common User Facility at Henderson in Western Australia. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2026, with the eighth and final vessel scheduled for…

Tankers: EU Crude Oil Imports Down in 2025

hellenicshippingnews... — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 22:00:59 +0000

EU crude oil imports fell slightly during 2025, with volumes retreating mainly from the Arabian Gulf and from the USA. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Banchero Costa said that “in Jan-Dec 2024, global crude oil loadings went down by -0.2% y-o-y to 2,181.2 mln tonnes, excluding all cabotage trade, according to vessels tracking data from LSEG. In Jan-Dec 2025, global crude oil loadings increased by +2.0% y-o-y to 2,224.7 mln tonnes, excluding all cabotage trade, according to vessels tracking data from LSEG. Exports from the Arabian Gulf were up by +1.7% y-o-y to 883.4 mln t in Jan-Dec 2025, accounting for 39.7% of seaborne crude trade. Exports from Russia (including oil of Kazakh origin) increased by +2.1% y-o-y in Jan-Dec 2025 to 233.4 mln tonnes, or 10.5% of global trade. From South America, exports increased by +11.0% y-o-y to 220.6 mln t, with a share of 9.9%. From the USA, exports declined by -8.0% y-o-y at 181.7 mln tonnes in Jan-Dec 2025, an 8.2% share. From South East Asia exports fell by -11.3% y-o-y to 106.7 mln t in Jan-Dec 2025 (but this inevitably reflects changes in the re-export of Russian origin volumes)”.

Source: Banchero Costa

According to…

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