Japan has seized a Chinese fishing vessel and arrested its captain after the ship entered the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture and allegedly attempted to avoid inspection, adding fresh strain to already tense relations between Japan and China.
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APM Terminals, the terminal operating arm of A.P. Moller – Maersk, and Eurogate are negotiating a €1 billion expansion of their joint container terminal in Bremerhaven, a move aimed at increasing operational efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability at one of Europe’s key North Range ports.
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The Trump administration has released a comprehensive Maritime Action Plan aimed at rebuilding the United States shipbuilding industry and strengthening the broader maritime sector, funded in part through port fees on cargo arriving aboard China-built vessels. The levies, introduced under Section 301 following a U.S. investigation into China’s alleged unfair shipping practices, were expected to generate an estimated $3.2 billion annually before both countries agreed to pause the measures for 12 months amid escalating trade tensions.
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Nine months into operations, Seascale Energy has gained significant momentum as a marine fuel procurement platform focused on scale, transparency, and efficiency in the bunker industry. Launched in May 2025 as a joint venture between Cargill’s Pure Marine Fuels (PMF) and the Hafnia Bunker Alliance, Seascale Energy was created to offer a future-ready approach to marine fuel procurement.
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Erik Thun Group has officially launched its latest product tanker, Thun Resolve, the newest vessel in its R‑class “Resource Efficiency” series, designed for top-tier performance, sustainability, and crew safety. The launch took place at Shipyard Ferus Smit BV in Leer, Germany, at 11:00 CET and was attended by IMO (International Maritime Organization) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, who leads global maritime safety and environmental protection efforts. The ceremony also included Brigit Gijsbers, Deputy Director-General for Civil Aviation and Maritime Affairs in the Netherlands, who served as the vessel’s Godmother, highlighting Erik Thun Group’s commitment to responsible, future-ready shipping.
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UK shipping industry leaders have voiced strong concerns over the government’s plan to extend the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to domestic maritime operations from July 1, 2026, warning that the move could raise costs, impact island communities, and undermine competitiveness without delivering significant emissions reductions. The Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Maritime Activities) Order 2026 was passed in the Commons on February 11, drawing criticism from industry groups for what they described as limited parliamentary scrutiny.
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Government officials and maritime experts from Asian coastal states gathered in Singapore from February 2–6, 2026, for the first IMO workshop on ships’ routeing and ship reporting systems, aiming to strengthen regional expertise in navigational safety, IMO procedures, and effective implementation of maritime traffic management systems. The workshop focused on enhancing safety for coastal States experiencing rising shipping activity and congestion in busy sea lanes.
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African maritime and trade officials are weighing the economic costs and strategic opportunities of proposed global shipping decarbonisation reforms under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Net Zero Framework (NZF), as concerns grow over potential impacts on freight rates, port competitiveness and trade flows across the continent. The debate took center stage on February 12, 2026, during the Regional African Port States Meeting on the IMO NZF held in Mombasa and convened by the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA).
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At least 21 people have been killed after a passenger ferry capsized and sank in the Nile River in Sudan, triggering a desperate search and rescue operation for survivors. The tragic river accident occurred on Wednesday in the Tayba Al-Khawad area, north of Khartoum, when the vessel overturned while carrying 30 passengers between the villages of Tayba Al-Khawad and Deim Al-Qarai.
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Minister Skeete and a Quebec delegation visited Hanwha Ocean’s advanced shipbuilding facilities in Geoje, South Korea, to explore cooperation opportunities related to the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), gaining firsthand insight into the KSS-III submarine proposed for Canada’s future fleet. The visit highlighted potential industrial collaboration between Canada and South Korea in the defense, naval shipbuilding, and submarine manufacturing sectors.
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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is set to complete the sale of Danube Logistics, the operator of Moldova’s Giurgiulesti International Free Port (GIFP), to Romania’s state-owned Port of Constanta, marking a significant development in Black Sea and Danube regional trade. The transaction, expected to close imminently, follows the signing of a Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) on 31 December 2025 for the sale of 100 per cent of EBRD’s shares in ICS Danube Logistics to Romania’s National Company Maritime Ports Administration SA Constanta. Approval of the SPA was announced by the Port of Constanța on 12 February 2026, confirming that the Romanian port authority will become the sole owner of Danube Logistics.
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The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched a two-year global campaign for the 2026-2027 World Maritime Day theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence,” with a strong call for the worldwide implementation of maritime safety and environmental standards. Announcing the initiative, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez emphasized that the organization’s global regulatory framework must not only be adopted in principle but fully implemented to deliver concrete, real-world results across the shipping industry.
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Samsung Heavy Industries announced on 4 February 2026 that it has signed a business cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions (QSTS) during LNG 2026, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) conferences and exhibitions, held in Doha, Qatar.
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China-US trade is undergoing a gradual adjustment, with analysts and business leaders noting signs of slow recalibration rather than a full-scale decoupling. Rising tariff barriers, technology restrictions, and heightened geopolitical uncertainty are reshaping bilateral trade flows, making them more structurally complex.
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At least 53 migrants, including two infants, are dead or missing after a large rubber dinghy capsized off the coast of Libya, the UN migration agency said on Monday, marking another deadly incident in the central Mediterranean Sea.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the overcrowded vessel overturned in freezing waters north of the coastal town of Zuwara last Friday. The boat had departed from Zawiya at around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday and began taking on water approximately six hours later before capsizing.
