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Jacques Vandermeiren, left, welcomes VIP visitors to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (Port of Antwerp / Jacques Vandermeiren)

Port of Antwerp-Bruges Transitions to a New CEO

Published Apr 16, 2026 2:44 PM by The Maritime Executive

Jacques Vandermeiren, the man who is credited for making the Port of Antwerp-Bruges one of the largest ports in Europe, has stepped down as chief executive. Antwerp-Bruges is announcing that after eight years at the helm, Vandermeiren is stepping down to pave the way for a new CEO who will lead the port’s “new strategic phase”. As the search for his successor gets underway, the current chief operating officer Rob Smeets has been tapped to serve as interim CEO. “I...

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Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands is home to a strategic U.S./British air station, naval base and protected anchorage (NASA)

What Next for the Chagos Islands?

Published Apr 16, 2026 2:44 PM by The Conversation

[By Tom Frost] The UK government has shelved legislation to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after the US government withdrew its support for the deal. Until and unless the US gives its consent, the UK will not be able to pass legislation, and the treaty between the UK and Mauritius to transfer sovereignty, signed in 2025, cannot be put into effect. This is because the agreement would require a 1966 British-American treaty on the Chagos Islands to be amended....

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Subsea

Why Network Engineers Are Worried About the Strait of Hormuz Crisis

Published Apr 16, 2026 1:22 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Strait of Hormuz blockade has been widely analyzed from a global energy impact perspective, but network engineers are also concerned if the crisis persists. In a new analysis, UK-based cybersecurity firm FastNetMon highlights the elevated risk of internet disruption in the Gulf region. Besides being a critical chokepoint for oil and gas, the Strait of Hormuz is also a primary artery for international data traffic, with multiple subsea cables passing through the narrow corridor. Gulf region internet connectivity hinges...

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Princess cruise ship under construction Fincantieri

Fincantieri Gets Order Valued at Over $2.3B for Three Princess Cruise Ships

Published Apr 15, 2026 10:46 PM by The Maritime Executive

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation’s Princess Cruises confirmed an order for three new large cruise ships valued at over $2.3 billion (€2 billion), extending the record cruise ship orderbook. The orders are in keeping with Carnival Corporation’s declared strategy of strategically pacing its new ship orders for metered growth in its brands. The cruise line is calling the new ships the largest and most advanced platform for its brand. At an estimated 183,000 gross tons and with a passenger...

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MORE STORIES BY CATEGORY

Offshore

Chinese offshore wind farm

China Commissions Wind Farm At Its Deepest Offshore Position

Chinese officials highlighted the commissioning of its newest offshore wind farm, which is also setting a record for the country’s deepest fixed-bottom wind turbines and is located far out to sea. They highlighted the complex geology and challenges of extreme sea conditions in developing and operating the 504 MW wind farm, the Huaneng Shandong Peninsula North L Site. The wind farm was developed by the state-owned China Huaneng Group and will be managed and operated by the Yantai Power Plant....

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Shipbuilding

Princess cruise ship under construction Fincantieri

Fincantieri Gets Order Valued at Over $2.3B for Three Princess Cruise Ships

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Carnival Corporation’s Princess Cruises confirmed an order for three new large cruise ships valued at over $2.3 billion (€2 billion), extending the record cruise ship orderbook. The orders are in keeping with Carnival Corporation’s declared strategy of strategically pacing its new ship orders for metered growth in its brands. The cruise line is calling the new ships the largest and most advanced platform for its brand. At an estimated 183,000 gross tons and with a passenger...

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Environment

Carbon carrier vessels for CCS storage

Buildout Continues of Emerging Category of CO2 Carriers for CCS

A new segment of shipping, purpose-built CO2 carriers designed to support the emerging efforts at carbon capture and storage (CCS), continues to grow. The first of the commercial operations is beginning, and the sector is driving the development of the ships. Northern Lights, a partnership between Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies was the first to enter the segment, starting commercial operations in 2025. It was designed with an initial capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per year and has already announced plans...

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Business

Felicity Ace

Cefor: Machinery Damage and Fires Drive Increase in Claim Cost

Machinery damage and fires continue to dominate as the leading causes of elevated claim costs in the Nordic marine insurance market, according to the Nordic Association of Marine Insurers (Cefor). Cefor members underwrite Hull and Machinery for about 31% of the world fleet, including 3,538 vessels of more than 20,000 gross tons. 2025 is the third consecutive year to record an increase in claims above $10 million, according to the year’s report by published this week. Notably, total losses on...

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