Canada’s First Coast Guard Arctic and Offshore Patrol Cutter Launched at Halifax Shipyard
Future CCGS Donjek enters the water at Halifax Shipyard during the launch of the Canadian Coast Guard’s first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, a milestone for Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and Arctic fleet renewal. Photo courtesy Irving Shipbuilding
Canada’s First Coast Guard Arctic and Offshore Patrol Cutter Launched at Halifax Shipyard
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 0
April 29, 2026
Halifax Shipyard has launched the first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship built for the Canadian Coast Guard, marking the latest milestone in Canada’s
National Shipbuilding Strategy
and the ongoing renewal of the Coast Guard fleet.
The future
CCGS Donjek
was launched April 28 in Bedford Basin after being moved from Halifax Shipyard’s land-level facility onto a submersible barge two days earlier. The 104.7-meter vessel is now pier side at the yard, where work will continue ahead of sea trials and delivery to the Canadian Coast Guard later this year.
The ship is the first of two Coast Guard AOPS variants
Strait of Hormuz Nears Third Month of Closure
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Strait of Hormuz Nears Third Month of Closure
Bloomberg
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April 29, 2026
(Bloomberg) — A fully-laden Japan-linked oil tanker completed a rare transit of the
Strait of Hormuz
, as the effective closure of the waterway to most international traffic enters its third month.
The supertanker Idemitsu Maru, loaded with about 2 million barrels of Saudi crude and headed for Japan, exited the Persian Gulf on Tuesday following the Tehran-approved route that runs close to Iran’s Qeshm and Larak Islands. It was the only non-Iranian very large crude carrier to leave the region in 10 days and the first tanker linked to Japan to cross since the strait effectively closed in late-February.
Tehran’s blocking of the waterway that previously carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil and important quantities of liquefied natural gas and other commodities is heading into its third month w
Opposition to Jones Act Waiver Extension Widens as Maritime Industry Pushes Back
Oil tanker lines up to sail under Califronia’s Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by Andy Randy Shutterstock
Opposition to Jones Act Waiver Extension Widens as Maritime Industry Pushes Back
Mike Schuler
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April 28, 2026
The Trump administration’s decision to extend its broad Jones Act waiver another 90 days is drawing mounting opposition across the U.S. maritime sector, with labor unions, domestic operators, trade groups and lawmakers arguing the move undermines American shipping while doing little to address energy prices.
The extension,
announced last week
, keeps in place through mid-August emergency relief first granted in March allowing foreign-flag vessels to move oil, fuel, LNG, fertilizer and other covered cargoes between U.S.
AAL Shipping Strengthens Industry-Leading Credentials With Iso 27001 Certification
AAL Shipping Strengthens Industry-Leading Credentials With Iso 27001 Certification
in
International Shipping News
28/04/2026
AAL Shipping (AAL) has further strengthened its position as a trusted global heavy‑lift and project cargo carrier with the successful certification of ISO 27001, the internationally recognised standard for information security management systems.
The new certification complements AAL’s fully aligned and renewed QHSE integrated management system, which incorporates ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 50001 (Energy Management). Together, these certifications form a comprehensive assurance framework that spans every aspect of AAL’s operations – from vessel performance and crew welfare to environmental responsibility, energy efficiency and now information security.
AAL Limassol, Super B-Class
“Achieving ISO 27001 alongside our existing ISO certifications underscores our holistic approac
April 27, 2026: Iran War Maritime Intelligence Daily
April 27, 2026: Iran War Maritime Intelligence Daily
in
International Shipping News
28/04/2026
Operational Overview
Maritime activity across the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding corridors remains active but uneven, with transit volumes fluctuating under continued enforcement pressure and operational uncertainty.
Following the April 25 rebound, transit activity slowed again on April 26, despite maintaining full AIS visibility across all crossings. At the same time, Gulf-wide vessel presence continued to increase, pointing to a gradual rebuild in overall system activity.
East of Hormuz, the Chabahar tanker cluster remains stable, with dark VLCC and Suezmax vessels continuing to loiter under supported conditions, reinforcing the role of eastern positioning as part of ongoing adaptation to enforcement constraints.
Across the system, vessel behavior reflects a controlled but inconsistent operating environment, where movement is possible, but still shaped by enforcement dynamics, routing dec
Critical raw materials face rising export restrictions, increasing risks to global supply chains
Critical raw materials face rising export restrictions, increasing risks to global supply chains
in
Commodity News
28/04/2026
Several key minerals that are essential inputs for digital and renewable energy technologies face high exposure to export restrictions, and the number of restrictions continues to rise, a new OECD report finds.
The annual update of the OECD Inventory of Export Restrictions on Critical Raw Materials tracks export restrictions and supports analysis of their impact on availability, prices and global supply chains. The OECD continues to monitor these measures over time. The latest edition, which analyses measures implemented through the end of 2024, shows that export restrictions on critical raw materials have increased steadily in the past 15 years, reaching an all-time high.
Europe to see some returning jet supply from the Middle East in May
Europe to see some returning jet supply from the Middle East in May
in
Freight News
28/04/2026
Europe is expected to see some jet supply loading out of Oman discharge into the region amid an opening arbitrage between the regions, according to sources close to the matter.
The Sea Penguin, an LR2 tanker is set to load at Duqm April 25 for discharge into UKC, Platts fixtures reports showed, with a lumpsum rate of $6.75 million. It previously loaded 102,000 mt of jet fuel from Korea for discharge in Malaysia on April 9.
The fixture comes as an early sign of improving arbitrage incentives. Platts assessed the jet kero FOB Arab Gulf flat price at $171/b April 23, around $1,365.90/mt.
Tanker freight behaviour diverges after the conflict shock
Tanker freight behaviour diverges after the conflict shock
in
International Shipping News
28/04/2026
T
he conflict has triggered a sharp repricing across tanker freight, but the response has not been uniform. Crude and clean tankers both rallied as disruption risk centred on the Middle East Gulf forced charterers and owners to reassess exposure to the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the underlying drivers are now diverging. Dirty freight is increasingly showing the characteristics of a disruption led rally that is becoming more selective, while clean freight continues to look more structurally supported by tighter effective vessel supply and a deeper reshuffling of trade flows.
Crude rally fragments as Atlantic tonnage rebuilds
Crude tanker freight reacted first and most aggressively.
Chokepoints and conflict: How the Hormuz crisis is exposing global shipping vulnerabilities
Chokepoints and conflict: How the Hormuz crisis is exposing global shipping vulnerabilities
in
International Shipping News
28/04/2026
The blockading of ships in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the conflict between the United States and Iran has demonstrated how ships and seafarers have become “leverage in geopolitical disputes,” according to the head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Since conflict began with the US-Israeli bombing of Iran in late February, up to 20,000 seafarers have been stranded on some 2,000 vessels in the Persian Gulf, which is bordered by Iran to the north, unable to pass safely through the narrow waterway.
Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO spoke to UN News ahead of a key meeting about maritime security due to take place in the Security Council on Monday.
UN News: What is maritime security?
Arsenio Dominguez: Maritime security covers the protection of ships, ports, seafarers, and maritime infrastructure from any type of secu
Turning Off AIS While Transiting Hormuz Offers False Sense Of Security, Advises Cydome
Turning Off AIS While Transiting Hormuz Offers False Sense Of Security, Advises Cydome
in
International Shipping News
28/04/2026
Leading maritime cyber solutions expert Cydome is advising shipmanagers with assets transiting high-risk waters that disabling a vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) is creating a false sense of security, as the vessel’s location and position can remain electronically visible.
In a Cydome research paper published this week, the company says turning off AIS can actually increase the risk of attack.
The advisory follows a surge in reported AIS blackouts across the Persian Gulf, including the Strait of Hormuz, amid growing concern around so-called “zombie ships” that appear to vanish from tracking systems.
The reality is that these ships and their locations remain exposed in many cases and potentially vulnerable through other connected gateways.
This research addresses a widening gap between traditional maritime security tactics and modern digital rea