Wednesday, May 27, 2026
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USS Lassen

Strait of Hormuz Delays Are Translating into Downstream Production Losses

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cruise ships in dry dock

Refit Projects Are Booming as Cruise Lines Renew More Existing Ships

Published May 27, 2026 10:06 AM by The Maritime Executive

The cruise lines are once again turning to revitalization projects as a means of adding excitement and a new buzz around existing ships in their fleets. While some of the work is repairs and maintenance, the projects, however, are also getting bolder and more involved as the lines seek to match the styles of their newest ships or introduce innovations on the older vessels. The revitalization projects had been put on hold during the pandemic, but now the cruise lines...

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farewell reception for Nippon Maru cruise ship

Pioneering Cruise Ship Retires as Japan Looks to Grow Market

Published May 27, 2026 10:05 AM by The Maritime Executive

Japan’s domestic cruise market is poised for strong growth, in part thanks to the path pioneered by Mitsui O.S.K. Line’s (MOL) Nippon Maru as one of the country’s first modern dedicated cruise ships. After 35 years of service, Nippon Maru completed her final cruise on May 10, but she and several other early Japanese cruise ships established a path for the future of the industry. The Nippon Maru started construction in October 1989 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Kobe–Osaka shipyard and...

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Bar Harbor Maine

Bar Harbor Struggles with Cruise Ship Limits as Judge Overturns Ordinance

Published May 27, 2026 10:03 AM by The Maritime Executive

Bar Harbor, a picturesque town on the Maine coastline, continues to be one of the most closely followed examples as the local town council works to balance the number of cruise passengers with local residents and the annual tourist influx. It is an example of overtourism and the challenges of balancing the various, sometimes competing interests. The Town Council was trying, in true New England fashion, to build a consensus between the competing factions. The U.S. Census estimates that in...

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cruise ships in Juneau

Alaska Gears Up for Record Cruise Season in 2026

Published May 27, 2026 10:02 AM by The Maritime Executive

Alaska continues to be one of the strong destinations for cruises with high expectations as the 2026 season gets underway. While ports are working to more effectively manage the annual influx of cruise passengers, new lines and ships continue to enter the market, setting the expectations for renewed growth in 2026. Historically, Alaska was a smaller niche market, which began to develop in the 1950s, even before it gained statehood in 1959, based on the attractions of the natural environment....

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Offshore

Ichthys

Australia's Ichthys LNG Project Dodges Labor Strike

The labor union for Australia's offshore oil and gas workers has called off plans for a strike at the giant Ichthys LNG terminal in Western Australia. The Offshore Alliance said that negotiations with management were proceeding, and the labor action that its members approved earlier in the month will be deferred. The news will be welcome for Asian utilities, which have been paying elevated prices for LNG since the start of the U.S./Israeli conflict with Iran; any interference with Ichthys'...

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Shipbuilding

Estonia first full electric ferry

Estonia Contracts to Design and Build Its First Fully Electric Ferry

Estonian State Fleet signed a design and shipbuilding contract with the Polish shipyard CRIST for the construction of its first fully electric passenger ferry. Designed to operate primarily on shore-charged green electricity and for year-round service in demanding Nordic conditions, including winter ice operations, Estonia State Fleet reports the ferry will mark a major step in the decarbonization of ferry transport in the Baltic Sea region. “Ferry connections are vital for Estonia and especially for our island communities,” said Estonian...

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Environment

Francesca Verones, NTNU

Microplastics Could Affect the Ocean's Ability to Absorb Carbon

[By Ingebjørg Hestvik] “We study how plastic affects what we call ecosystem services, that is, the services we receive from ecosystems. When the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we consider it as a service the ocean performs for us,” says researcher Francesca Verones. Photo: Francesca Verones, NTNU You have probably heard this before: more than 70 per cent of our planet is covered by oceans. Nearly half of all photosynthesis on Earth takes place in the ocean, and...

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Business

runaway containership speeding through Charleston

MSC Settles Out of Court Over 2024 Runaway Ship Incident in Charleston

A filing with the U.S. District Court in South Carolina last week confirmed a settlement has been reached in a suit pending related to the 2024 incident in which an MSC containership lost control and sped out of Charleston harbor. A North Charleston company, Carver Maritime, filed suit alleging the negligence of the ship caused significant damage to the company’s facility on the Cooper River. Carver Maritime operates a bulk and breakbulk cargo terminal along the river. According to the...

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