Malte Humpert

Malte Humpert is an investigative journalist for gCaptain and High North News, and Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute, which he founded in 2011. Based in Tahoe City, California, his research focuses on Arctic geopolitics, Northern Sea Route shipping, and China's interests in the polar region. He was the first journalist to report on Maersk's historic 2018 container ship voyage through the Arctic. His analysis has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and The Economist. Malte holds a Master's degree in European Studies from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.


Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Panama-flagged oil tanker Mersin transits Bosphorus in Istanbul
Incidents

Tanker Blast Off Senegal Puts a Dark-Fleet Operator Back in the Hot Seat

Several tankers operated by Turkey’s Be?ikta? Likid, the operator of the Mersin, were sanctioned by Ukraine in the past for their involvement in ship-to-ship

December 2, 2025
Total Views: 3936

Monday, December 1, 2025
DHS Warns of ‘Unprecedented’ Chinese Presence in Arctic During Summer 2025
Defense

DHS Warns of ‘Unprecedented’ Chinese Presence in Arctic During Summer 2025

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has raised concerns over a surge in Chinese military and research vessels in Arctic waters during 2025. The

December 1, 2025
Total Views: 1490

Friday, November 28, 2025
Russia Rushes to Complete Sea Trials of First Domestic Ice LNG Tanker Before Winter
Energy

Russia Rushes to Complete Sea Trials of First Domestic Ice LNG Tanker Before Winter

Russia’s first domestically constructed LNG Carrier Aleksey Kosygin is undergoing its fourth round of sea trials in the Far East as Moscow races to ready the

November 28, 2025
Total Views: 1409

US-Navy-Constellation-class-frigate-rendering
Defense

U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Keep Repeating the Same Costly Shipbuilding Mistake

The U.S. government is once again under fire for a long-standing shipbuilding habit: starting construction before designs are fully baked. The practice has

November 28, 2025
Total Views: 15830

Thursday, November 27, 2025
Second Russian Tanker Appears Off Venezuela After Seahorse’s Cat-and-Mouse With U.S. Navy
Energy

Second Russian Tanker Appears Off Venezuela After Seahorse’s Cat-and-Mouse With U.S. Navy

A second vessel tied to Russia’s shadow fleet has joined the sanctioned tanker Seahorse off the coast of Venezuela, days after the Seahorse was involved in a

November 27, 2025
Total Views: 7473

Monday, November 24, 2025
The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) conducts a passage transit in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea, Nov. 13, 2025
Energy

After U.S. Navy Standoff, Russian Tanker Finally Reaches Venezuela

The Russian oil tanker Seahorse arrived in Venezuelan waters on November 23 AIS data show suggesting that initial reports last week of a U.S. Navy blockade

November 24, 2025
Total Views: 71518

Thursday, November 20, 2025
Russia Ships Nearly 3 Million Tonnes of LNG to Asia via Emerging Arctic Shortcut
Energy

Russia Ships Nearly 3 Million Tonnes of LNG to Asia via Emerging Arctic Shortcut

With thick winter sea ice making a return to the Arctic Russia’s Novatek has likely shipped its final cargo of liquefied natural gas of the year via the

November 20, 2025
Total Views: 1519

Monday, November 10, 2025
lng ship bunkering in fog
Energy

Russian ‘Dark Fleet’ LNG Carrier Carrying Sanctioned Gas Reappears Off South China Coast

A liquefied natural gas tanker carrying sanctioned Russian gas has reappeared near China’s Hainan Island three weeks after a dark transfer. It is likely

November 10, 2025
Total Views: 3012

An LNG tanker at a port in Yantai, China
News

Russia’s LNG ‘Shadow Fleet’ Stalls as Winter Nears, Vessels Idle or Turn Back

After a flurry of activity over the past three months Russia’s LNG ‘dark fleet’ is struggling to keep its momentum with winter approaching. LNG carriers

November 10, 2025
Total Views: 2554

Tuesday, November 4, 2025
China submersible CCTV
News

China Completes 43 Manned Arctic Dives in 2025, Demonstrates Dual Submersible Operations Under Ice

China has completed 43 successful manned submersible dives during its 2025 Arctic expedition, including coordinated missions using two crewed deep-sea

November 4, 2025
Total Views: 4616

Monday, November 3, 2025
Russia Pushes ‘Shadow Fleet’ to Limit as LNG Carrier Struggles Through Early Arctic Ice on Northern Sea Route
Shipping

Russia Pushes ‘Shadow Fleet’ to Limit as LNG Carrier Struggles Through Early Arctic Ice on Northern Sea Route

A Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier from the country’s so-called shadow fleet, the Buran, is battling thickening sea ice along the Northern Sea

November 3, 2025
Total Views: 10739

Thursday, October 30, 2025
Audax carrying a module for Arctic LNG 2 across the Arctic. (Source: Red Box Energy Services)
Shipping

EU Lifts Sanctions on Heavy-Load Carriers ‘Audax’ and ‘Pugnax’ Involved in Russian Arctic LNG Construction

In a surprise move the EU has unsanctioned two polar class heavy lift vessels, Audax and Pugnax. The vessels were purpose-built for the construction of

October 30, 2025
Total Views: 3480

Monday, October 27, 2025
Sealegend Announces 16 China Arctic Express Voyages for 2026 Following Success of ‘Istanbul Bridge’ Transit
Shipping

Sealegend Announces 16 China Arctic Express Voyages for 2026 Following Success of ‘Istanbul Bridge’ Transit

Container shipping via the Arctic is set for a massive boost in 2026. After completing the first-ever Arctic Express voyage from Ningbo-Zhoushan, China to

October 27, 2025
Total Views: 1706

Cargoship ‘Thamesborg’ Arrives in Eastern Canada After 10-week Odyssey, Grounding in Arctic
Incidents

Cargoship ‘Thamesborg’ Arrives in Eastern Canada After 10-week Odyssey, Grounding in Arctic

Thamesborg's journey from China to Canada was supposed to take just three to four weeks via an Arctic shortcut. It ended up lasting more than two months.

October 27, 2025
Total Views: 7047

Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Russia, China Finalize Deal to Jointly Develop Arctic Shipping Along the Northern Sea Route
Shipping

Russia, China Finalize Deal to Jointly Develop Arctic Shipping Along the Northern Sea Route

Beijing and Moscow have agreed to jointly develop and commercialize the Northern Sea Route in the Russian Arctic. The deal was signed in the Chinese city of

October 21, 2025
Total Views: 13670

Monday, October 20, 2025
LNG Carrier 'Perle' and "CCH Gas' conducting a STS transfer off the coast of Malaysia
Shipping

China Joins Russia’s Shadow Fleet with First-Ever Dark LNG Ship-to-Ship Transfer

Russia has carried out its first ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) using so-called “shadow fleet” vessels, teaming up with a

October 20, 2025
Total Views: 17389

Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Cargoship ‘Thamesborg’ Departs Arctic Northwest Passage After Refloat, Concluding Six-Week Rescue Operation
Incidents

Cargoship ‘Thamesborg’ Departs Arctic Northwest Passage After Refloat, Concluding Six-Week Rescue Operation

Around six weeks after running aground in Canada’s Arctic waters Dutch cargo vessel Thamesborg and its icebreaker and tug escort have left the waters of the

October 15, 2025
Total Views: 15783

Monday, October 13, 2025
Russia Unveils Plans for First Domestically-Built LNG Carrier to Overcome Sanctions
Shipbuilding

Russia Unveils Plans for First Domestically-Built LNG Carrier to Overcome Sanctions

Blocked from accessing western tech, Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) aims to construct the country’s first ice-class gas carrier. The company

October 13, 2025
Total Views: 2358

Flying Fish 1, named Oakland at the time, outside Western Scheldt, Netherlands in February 2023. Photo courtesy of Peter Faas
Shipping

Chinese Containership ‘Istanbul Bridge’ Reaches UK via Arctic Route in Record 20 Days

Chinese containership Istanbul Bridge arrived at the UK’s largest terminal Felixstowe early on October 13. The Panamax vessel completed the 7,500 nautical

October 13, 2025
Total Views: 62267

Thursday, October 9, 2025
Arctic Cargo Ship ‘Thamesborg’ Refloated AIS Data Show, Awaiting Company Confirmation 
Incidents

Arctic Cargo Ship ‘Thamesborg’ Refloated AIS Data Show, Awaiting Company Confirmation 

Nearly five weeks after running around in Canada’s Arctic Northwest Passage, Dutch cargo ship Thamesborg appears to have been successfully refloated. The

October 9, 2025
Total Views: 1685