gCaptain – Maritime and Offshore News


Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Chevron-chartered oil tanker Ionic Anax is seen near the Bajo Grande port in Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo after loading for export
News

Phillips 66, Citgo Move Toward Direct Venezuelan Crude Purchases

U.S. refiners Phillips 66 and Citgo Petroleum are seeking to buy heavy crude directly from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA starting in April to maximize

Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Total Views: 698

Sallaum Lines LNG dual-fuel car carriers MV Ocean Explorer and MV Ocean Legacy sailing side by side at sea
News

Sallaum Lines Expands LNG-Fueled Fleet with Two 7,500-CEU Car Carriers

Sallaum Lines has taken delivery of two new LNG dual-fuel Pure Car and Truck Carriers, marking a significant expansion of the company’s Ocean Class fleet

February 18, 2026
Total Views: 545

Singapore Anchorage
News

Engine Room Fire Claims Two Lives Aboard Bulk Carrier Off Chinese Coast

A fire in the engine room of the Singapore-registered bulk carrier MANDY has resulted in the deaths of two crew members and left a third hospitalized following

February 18, 2026
Total Views: 987

Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz
News

Hormuz Pressure Play: Iran’s ‘Temporary’ Closure Sends a Strategic Signal to Global Shipping

Tension in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints spiked this week after Iran temporarily restricted parts of the Strait of Hormuz during

February 18, 2026
Total Views: 984

Cargo containers pile up at a marine terminal at the Port of Los Angeles.
Ports

Los Angeles Port Exports Drop 8% Amid China Trade War

Exports from the Port of Los Angeles fell 8% in January to the lowest level in nearly three years as Trump's tariffs devastated trade with China. Soybean

February 18, 2026
Total Views: 381

u.s. china trade war
Shipping

Tariffs Caused Just Small China Trade Diversion, ECB Study Shows

Donald Trump’s trade levies aren’t the main reason why China is exporting more to other parts of the world, a European Central Bank study

February 18, 2026
Total Views: 2094

Most Read

Featured

Trump’s Greenland Hospital Ship Now Sailing Up West Coast After Panama Canal Transit

The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy is currently sailing north along the West Coast off Mexico after transiting the Panama Canal last week, according to

Energy

EU Buys 100% of Russian Arctic LNG Just 9 Months Before Planned Gas Ban

Just nine months before a full European Union ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) is scheduled to take effect, EU buyers purchased every cargo from

News

Trump Tells Ships to ‘Show Some Guts’ in Hormuz as Seafarer Death Toll Rises

President Donald Trump urged commercial vessels to continue sailing through the Strait of Hormuz despite escalating attacks on merchant

Shipping

Greek Oil Tanker Exits Strait of Hormuz With Its Signal Off

A ship hauling a million barrels of Saudi crude sailed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, one of the first big tankers to leave the Persian Gulf

Defense

Energy Secretary Deletes Post Claiming U.S. Navy Escorted Oil Tanker Through Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has deleted a social media post claiming that the United States Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker


Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Cubans brace for more hardship as US pressure on Venezuela chokes off oil
Shipping

Russia’s Lavrov Tells Cuban Minister the US Should Negotiate and Not do a Naval Blockade

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez on Wednesday that Moscow was urging the U.S. not to impose a full naval

February 18, 2026
Total Views: 821

Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Cruise ship Norwegian Dawn departs port near Hamilton Bermuda. REUTERS/Gary Cameron (BERMUDA)
Cruise Ships

Norwegian Locks In Three-Ship Fincantieri Deal, Secures Yard Slots Through 2037

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has ordered three new cruise ships from Fincantieri—one each for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1051

Aerial view of the 265-foot fuel barge Defiant grounded on rocks near the entrance to San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, as salvage crews prepare the vessel for removal.
Grounding Incidents

Salvage Crews Remove Fuel From Grounded Barge Near San Juan Harbor

Salvage crews have removed roughly 1,000 gallons of residual fuel from the grounded barge Defiant near the entrance to San Juan Harbor, significantly reducing

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1595

Split image showing a Hapag-Lloyd container ship loaded with multicolored containers (top) and a ZIM LNG-powered container vessel at sea (bottom), illustrating Hapag-Lloyd’s planned acquisition of ZIM
News

Hapag-Lloyd’s $4.2 Billion ZIM Acquisition Reshapes Global Container Shipping Map

Hapag-Lloyd has agreed to acquire ZIM Integrated Shipping Services for $4.2 billion in a deal that would cement its position among the world’s top five

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1482

Busy container traffic in Pier 300 Channel
News

Port of Los Angeles Volumes Fall 12% as Tariff Uncertainty Clouds Outlook

Los Angeles processed 812,000 TEUs in January, down 12% year over year, with exports hitting their lowest monthly level in nearly three years as tariff

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 652

Most Read

Trump’s Greenland Hospital Ship Now Sailing Up West Coast After Panama Canal Transit
Featured

Trump’s Greenland Hospital Ship Now Sailing Up West Coast After Panama Canal Transit

The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy is currently sailing north along the West Coast off Mexico after transiting the Panama Canal last week, according to

EU Buys 100% of Russian Arctic LNG Just 9 Months Before Planned Gas Ban
Energy

EU Buys 100% of Russian Arctic LNG Just 9 Months Before Planned Gas Ban

Just nine months before a full European Union ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) is scheduled to take effect, EU buyers purchased every cargo from

Trump Tells Ships to ‘Show Some Guts’ in Hormuz as Seafarer Death Toll Rises
News

Trump Tells Ships to ‘Show Some Guts’ in Hormuz as Seafarer Death Toll Rises

President Donald Trump urged commercial vessels to continue sailing through the Strait of Hormuz despite escalating attacks on merchant

Greek Oil Tanker Exits Strait of Hormuz With Its Signal Off
Shipping

Greek Oil Tanker Exits Strait of Hormuz With Its Signal Off

A ship hauling a million barrels of Saudi crude sailed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, one of the first big tankers to leave the Persian Gulf

Energy Secretary Deletes Post Claiming U.S. Navy Escorted Oil Tanker Through Strait of Hormuz
Defense

Energy Secretary Deletes Post Claiming U.S. Navy Escorted Oil Tanker Through Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has deleted a social media post claiming that the United States Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker


Tuesday, February 17, 2026
controls on a ship's bridge
News

MARAD Opens Workforce Centers of Excellence Applications Amid U.S. Shipbuilding Push

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has launched a nationwide recruitment drive for its Centers of Excellence program, opening applications for

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1266

Nuclear Icebreaker Sibir in the Baltic Sea
Shipping

Iciest Baltic in 15 Years Threatens to Cut Russian Exports

The most extensive sea ice in 15 years around Russia’s key Baltic Sea commodity ports could curb a chunk of the nation’s vast exports program because of a

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1700

French navy diverts suspected russian shadow fleet tanker to Marseille-Fos port
Shipping

France Releases Oil Tanker GRINCH After ‘Several Million Euro’ Penalty for Sanctions Evasion

France released the seized oil tanker GRINCH after imposing a multi-million euro penalty on the vessel's owner for suspected involvement in Russia's shadow

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 620

IMO greenhouse gas emissions
News

PPR 13: The Quiet IMO Meeting That Could Change How Ships Are Actually Run

The latest session of the IMO’s Pollution Prevention and Response Sub-Committee didn’t deliver sweeping new rules, but beneath the technical drafting work,

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1147

EUNAVFOR warship escorts a containership in the Red Sea as part of the EU's Operation ASPIDES
News

Warning Shots Off Yemen Underscore Ongoing Gulf of Aden Security Risks

A merchant vessel transiting about 70 nautical miles southwest of Aden, Yemen reported an encounter with armed skiffs on Tuesday, briefly raising alarm before

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 1496

Corporate News

March 4, 2026

Austal contracts Damen as Partner for local construction of LST 100 vessels for the Australian Army

On Friday, 20 February, Austal Defence Australia and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract supporting the local construction of Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 vessels for the

February 25, 2026

NexusWave powers Vega Reederei’s new eco fleet with bonded connectivity

The ship owner will install Inmarsat Maritime’s bonded connectivity solution on new compact and environmentally focused cargo vessels this year: meeting requirements for

February 25, 2026

Supporting the evolution of safe efficient containership operations

Owners are responding to fleet and market dynamics with efforts to maximise cargo capacity for flexible operations, writes Christoph Rasewsky, Global Container Sector Lead, ABS

February 5, 2026

Damen announces successful sea trials for seventh BC Ferries’ Island Class

Damen Shipyards Group has announced the successful completion of sea trials for the latest Island Class ferry for BC Ferries. The seventh Island Class vessel in a series of

February 4, 2026

Floating the Carbon Solution: The Role of Offshore CO2 Injection and Storage Facilities

By Michael Kei, ABS Vice President, Technology Interest in carbon capture and storage (CCS) is accelerating as industries adapt to evolving regulatory expectations, customer

February 3, 2026

American Great Lakes Ports Launch Study to Expand Cargo Shipments Between Great Lakes and Inland Waterways

Unprecedented port partnership to assess economic opportunities and transportation benefits for enhancing connection between the nation’s two busiest inland shipping channels.

February 3, 2026

Inmarsat Maritime to deliver NexusWave connectivity across Auerbach fleet of newbuild heavy lift vessels

Fully managed bonded service delivery and unlimited high-speed connectivity align with performance expectations for Auerbach’s new generation of ultra-efficient heavy lift

February 3, 2026

Count down to CMA Shipping 2026: the global maritime meeting place in North America

The count down is on for this year’s highly anticipated CMA Shipping 2026 conference and exhibition taking place from 10–12 March 2026 at the Hilton Stamford Hotel

Corporate News

March 4, 2026

Austal contracts Damen as Partner for local construction of LST 100 vessels for the Australian Army

On Friday, 20 February, Austal Defence Australia and Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract supporting the local construction of Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 vessels for the

February 25, 2026

NexusWave powers Vega Reederei’s new eco fleet with bonded connectivity

The ship owner will install Inmarsat Maritime’s bonded connectivity solution on new compact and environmentally focused cargo vessels this year: meeting requirements for

February 25, 2026

Supporting the evolution of safe efficient containership operations

Owners are responding to fleet and market dynamics with efforts to maximise cargo capacity for flexible operations, writes Christoph Rasewsky, Global Container Sector Lead, ABS

February 5, 2026

Damen announces successful sea trials for seventh BC Ferries’ Island Class

Damen Shipyards Group has announced the successful completion of sea trials for the latest Island Class ferry for BC Ferries. The seventh Island Class vessel in a series of

February 4, 2026

Floating the Carbon Solution: The Role of Offshore CO2 Injection and Storage Facilities

By Michael Kei, ABS Vice President, Technology Interest in carbon capture and storage (CCS) is accelerating as industries adapt to evolving regulatory expectations, customer

February 3, 2026

American Great Lakes Ports Launch Study to Expand Cargo Shipments Between Great Lakes and Inland Waterways

Unprecedented port partnership to assess economic opportunities and transportation benefits for enhancing connection between the nation’s two busiest inland shipping channels.

February 3, 2026

Inmarsat Maritime to deliver NexusWave connectivity across Auerbach fleet of newbuild heavy lift vessels

Fully managed bonded service delivery and unlimited high-speed connectivity align with performance expectations for Auerbach’s new generation of ultra-efficient heavy lift

February 3, 2026

Count down to CMA Shipping 2026: the global maritime meeting place in North America

The count down is on for this year’s highly anticipated CMA Shipping 2026 conference and exhibition taking place from 10–12 March 2026 at the Hilton Stamford Hotel


Tuesday, February 17, 2026
A OOCL containership docks at the Port of Long Beach
News

Maritime Action Plan: ICS Warns $1.5 Trillion Port Fee Plan Could Disrupt Global Trade

The International Chamber of Shipping is backing efforts to revive U.S. shipbuilding but warning that proposed port fees on foreign-built vessels—projected

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 962

Iranian Navy Ship conducting at sea drill
Shipping

Iran Says It’s Closing Parts of Hormuz Strait as US Talks Resume

Parts of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil-shipping lanes, will be closed for “several hours” on Tuesday as part of Iran’s

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 3797

French navy diverts suspected russian shadow fleet tanker to Marseille-Fos port
Shipping

Kremlin Aide Warns West Over Seizure of Russian Vessels

Russia could deploy its navy to prevent European powers from seizing its vessels and may retaliate against European shipping if Russian ships are taken,

February 17, 2026
Total Views: 987

Monday, February 16, 2026
Arctic Ship Traffic Hits Record High in 2025 as Resource Projects Drive Growth
Shipping

Arctic Ship Traffic Hits Record High in 2025 as Resource Projects Drive Growth

Ship traffic in the Arctic reached a new milestone in 2025, with 1,812 unique vessels operating inside the Polar Code area, according to new data released by

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 1000

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation at the White House in Washington, following U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities
Defense

Explainer: The US Maritime Action Plan and What It Means for Shipping Lines 

The White House’s 13 February Maritime Action Plan (MAP) sets out an ambitious strategy: to rebuild US shipbuilding and reduce dependence on foreign-built

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 786

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gCaptain-jobs

Find Your Next Opportunity

Whether you’re an employer or a jobseeker, gCaptain connects maritime talent with opportunity. Check out our job section to look for qualified candidates or find your next dream job.


Monday, February 16, 2026
Chevron-led Consortium Signs Contracts for Gas Exploration Off Greece
Offshore

Chevron-led Consortium Signs Contracts for Gas Exploration Off Greece

A consortium led by U.S. oil major Chevron signed exclusive lease agreements on Monday to look for natural gas off southern Greece, expanding the United

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 232

The Druzhba oil pipeline between Hungary and Russia is pictured at the Hungarian MOL Group's Danube Refinery in Szazhalombatta.Picture taken May 18, 2022. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Energy

MOL Seeks Hungarian Oil Reserves to Cover Pipeline Blockage

Mol Group Nyrt, Hungary’s largest energy company, asked the government to release strategic oil reserves to keep its refineries operating while a key

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 202

Nuclear Icebreaker Sibir in the Baltic Sea
Shipping

Russia Sends Nuclear Icebreaker From Arctic to Baltic Sea as Severe Ice Chokes Shipping

Russia has dispatched two powerful icebreakers, including a nuclear-powered vessel, from Arctic waters to the Baltic Sea to help keep shipping lanes open as

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 3424

Oil tanker escorted by India’s Coast Guard after being seized in an offshore operation targeting an international oil-smuggling network near India’s west coast.
Energy

India seizes Iran-linked US-sanctioned tankers, steps up surveillance

ndia has seized three U.S.-sanctioned tanker ships linked to Iran this month and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, a

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 513

Mukran LNG Terminal Reopens After Icebreakers Clear Channel in Frozen Baltic
Shipping

Mukran LNG Terminal Reopens After Icebreakers Clear Channel in Frozen Baltic

Operations at the floating LNG import facility Mukran off the Baltic coast of Germany resumed this week after icebreaking efforts by the multipurpose vessel

February 16, 2026
Total Views: 1696