U.S. Admiral Says Operation EPIC FURY Rolled Back ‘40 Years’ of Iranian Military Investment
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on “The Posture of the U.S. Africa Command in Review” on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2026. Admiral Says Operation EPIC FURY Rolled Back ‘40 Years’ of Iranian Military Investment
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 1
May 14, 2026
Brad Cooper of U.S.
Details of Trump’s Nuclear Battleship Emerge in New Navy Shipbuilding Blueprint
Navy concept art depicts the future USS Defiant, the lead ship in the proposed Trump-class battleship program, firing hypersonic missiles and directed-energy weapons during a notional combat scenario. Navy.
Details of Trump’s Nuclear Battleship Emerge in New Navy Shipbuilding Blueprint
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 26
May 14, 2026
The U.S. Navy’s
Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan
is offering the clearest picture yet of the Trump administration’s new battleship program, revealing a nuclear-powered surface combatant designed around hypersonic weapons, massive electrical generation capacity, and future directed-energy systems.
Buried deep inside the Navy’s FY2027 Shipbuilding Plan is one of the first detailed public descriptions of the next-generation battleship program, identified as BBGN — short for guided missile nuclear battleship.
Limited uptick in Hormuz LNG traffic offers scant relief to global markets
Limited uptick in Hormuz LNG traffic offers scant relief to global markets
in
International Shipping News
15/05/2026
The recent uptick in LNG tanker crossings out of the Persian Gulf is offering only limited immediate relief to international buyers grappling with the sustained loss of about 20% of global supply, market watchers told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy.
While a steady trickle of vessels has voyaged via the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the Iran war, LNG tankers have largely eschewed the transitway. No LNG vessels crossed Hormuz in March, compared, for instance, with 26 Very Large Crude Carriers across the month, according to data compiled by analysts with S&P Global’s Commodities at Sea(opens in a new tab).
The count has since grown slightly, including the first transit of a Qatari LNG shipment on May 9. That tanker, the Al Kharaitiyat, was heading to Port Qasim in Pakistan, CAS data showed.
Stop fixing blind: using AIS data to quantify TC-in performance risk in a high-bunker market
Stop fixing blind: using AIS data to quantify TC-in performance risk in a high-bunker market
in
International Shipping News
15/05/2026
W
ith VLSFO topping $1,000/mt in some ports, bunkers can represent up to 60% of total voyage costs[1]. A vessel burning just 5% above CP spec creates exposure that shipowners and operators only discover after the fixture is done.
This article breaks down the financial impact of underperformance, shows how AIS data can identify the gap before you commit to hiring a TC vessel, and gives you a calculator to model the exposure for your own fleet.
The hidden exposure in TC-in decisions
For most chartering teams, vessel selection still relies on CP specifications, class records, recent inspections, and broker-provided indications. Useful, but limited — none represent continuous, independently verified performance in operation.
Most TC-in decisions are still priced off CP specifications and recent perception rather than verified performance.
Shipping industry fears fuel shortages as Iran war squeezes bunker fuel supply
Shipping industry fears fuel shortages as Iran war squeezes bunker fuel supply
in
International Shipping News
15/05/2026
Ship operators rely on a sludgelike substance known as bunker fuel to keep vessels running. The Iran war ‘s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off the supply of this fuel that powers the global maritime industry and its largest refueling hub in Asia.
Bunker fuel is a literal bottom of the barrel product: heavier and dirtier than the more expensive kinds of refined crude oil used by other vehicles like cars and airplanes, it sinks to the bottom of storage containers.
But it helps move the 80% of globally traded goods that are transported by sea, and experts say that means a shortage of bunker fuel will translate to higher shipping costs, increase consumer prices and hurt the bottom lines of businesses worldwide.
That will be an issue first in Asia, which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil. In Singapore, the world’s biggest refueling hub for bunker fuel, rese
Weekly Dry Market Monitor: Weak Indonesian Coal Exports Pressure Panamax Tonne Days
Weekly Dry Market Monitor: Weak Indonesian Coal Exports Pressure Panamax Tonne Days
in
Dry Bulk Market
,
International Shipping News
15/05/2026
I
ndonesia–China coal trade weakness is negatively impacting Panamax tonne-mile demand, particularly on northern discharge routes.
Key Takeaways
The decline in Indonesian coal exports to China is becoming increasingly evident.
La Niña-related rainfall disruptions appear to have had only a limited impact on export volumes.
All data and commentary reflect market conditions as of [ 13 May 2026], unless otherwise stated.
Flow Trend
Indonesia-to-China seaborne thermal coal flows declined 11.0% year-over-year to 214.1 million tonnes in 2025, from 240.5 million tonnes in 2024, according to Signal Ocean data. The decline began in March 2025, when volumes fell to 15.58 Mt, down 19.6% year-over-year, before reaching a low of 11.13 Mt in June, a decline of 41.6%.
The weakness was concentrated in the first half of 2025, while the second half showed a parti
Combining delivery and Innovation – the essential role of Gas for a solid and credible future
Combining delivery and Innovation – the essential role of Gas for a solid and credible future
in
General Energy News
15/05/2026
Delivering the keynote address at The Future of Gas and Hydrogen 3.0 international conference held in Ljubljana, May 12, 2026, Mr Andrea Stegher – the President of the International Gas Union (IGU) – highlighted in his speech the unique position of Gas, in all its forms, to meet the delivery and innovation prerequisites of a solid and sustainable energy future.
“Innovation, supported by strong technical and scientific capabilities, is still central to our industry. Technically robust and future-proof energy innovations are happening every day, both when considering the “traditional” natural gas systems and the new frontiers of green and low-emission solutions.
Full-scale digitalisation, AI to improve efficiency, a variety of technologies to reduce emissions and many others, are today’s features of our industry. And innovation is also happening with gaseous mol
ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook
ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook
in
International Shipping News
15/05/2026
North America
Bunker fuel demand in Houston is strong this week, with premiums for all three conventional fuel grades staying elevated.
While the US Gulf continues to experience seasonal fog conditions, port operations are proceeding largely without major weather-related disruptions, a trader tells ENGINE.
Congestion is reported at the port, and prompt availability for all three conventional grades is tight and relatively expensive.
Recommended lead times for HSFO and VLSFO are currently around 8–10 days, while LSMGO availability is comparatively better with lead times of 6–7 days.
In the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), bunker operations are currently underway, although possible delays are expected at the anchorage from late 16 May through 18 May due to high seas exceeding 1.5 metres, a source said.
Deliveries at the anchorage are currently being carried out on a first-come, first-ser
MABUX: Bunker Prices to Keep Fluctuating Next Week
MABUX: Bunker Prices to Keep Fluctuating Next Week
in
International Shipping News
15/05/2026
During the week, the global bunker market entered a phase of relative stabilization, although mixed price fluctuations continued to persist. At the same time, the volatility amplitude narrowed considerably compared to previous periods. By the end of the week, the 380 HSFO index declined by USD 6.17, falling from USD 782.82/MT last week to USD 776.65/MT.
Details of Trump’s Nuclear Battleship Emerge in New Navy Shipbuilding Blueprint
Navy concept art depicts the future USS Defiant, the lead ship in the proposed Trump-class battleship program, firing hypersonic missiles and directed-energy weapons during a notional combat scenario. Navy.
Details of Trump’s Nuclear Battleship Emerge in New Navy Shipbuilding Blueprint
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 46
May 14, 2026
The U.S. Navy’s
Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan
is offering the clearest picture yet of the Trump administration’s new battleship program, revealing a nuclear-powered surface combatant designed around hypersonic weapons, massive electrical generation capacity, and future directed-energy systems.
Buried deep inside the Navy’s FY2027 Shipbuilding Plan is one of the first detailed public descriptions of the next-generation
battleship program
, identified as BBGN — short for guided missile nuclear battleship.