Maritimes Crimes

A Russian LNG tanker drifting in the Mediterranean is raising serious environmental concerns as authorities warn the vessel could trigger a major marine pollution disaster. The Arctic Metagaz, a liquefied …

The Strait of Hormuz mining threat has become one of the most serious maritime security concerns in the Middle East. This narrow passage between Iran and Oman connects the Persian …

The Nigerian Navy says it has disrupted a suspected sea robbery attempt and rescued 16 civilian passengers after an armed group seized a fibre passenger boat on the Ibaka–Calabar Channel, …

France sends carrier strike group amid Middle East tensions The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier Mediterranean deployment highlights France’s rapid naval response as tensions rise across the Middle East. In …

Kharg Island oil terminal plays a central role in Iran’s energy system and maritime traffic across the Persian Gulf. Located about 25 km off the Iranian coast in Bushehr Province, …

Explosions and fire reported aboard the LNG carrier A Russian LNG tanker attack in the Central Mediterranean has raised new concerns about maritime security linked to the war between Russia …

Shipping halted after US strikes on Iran The Strait of Hormuz closure has triggered immediate disruption across global oil trade after US strikes on Iran this weekend reportedly killed Supreme …

A suspected Russian drone near Charles de Gaulle was reported on 26 February 2026, as the French Navy’s aircraft carrier was docked in Malmö, Sweden, during a NATO-linked port visit. …

European Union naval coordination is moving to a new level as commanders from three EU maritime operations met in Rome on 25 February 2026 to strengthen cooperation across a rapidly …

Summary Firefight occurred near Cayo Falcones, off northern Cuba Four killed, six injured aboard a Florida-registered speedboat Cuba alleges terrorist infiltration attempt US authorities conducting a parallel investigation Incident increases …

Maritime cybersecurity is becoming a critical pillar of global security as ships and ports rely more on digital systems. At the crossroads of technology and policy, Strahinja “Strajo” Janjusevic is …

Strategic stop in the Eastern Mediterranean The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has anchored at Souda Bay in Crete for a four-day logistical stop before redeploying …

Maritime patrol disrupted during MDA flight China signal jamming allegations have escalated tensions in the West Philippine Sea after the Philippine Coast Guard reported satellite disruption near Bajo de Masinloc …

The Cuba fuel crisis entered a new phase on February 16 as the product tanker Nicos I.V. docked in Matanzas Bay, western Cuba. The 183-meter vessel, flying the flag of …

In a significant step for European naval innovation, unmanned maritime platforms Italy cooperation was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Naples on February 17, 2026. HAVELSAN, Piloda Defence …

The Argentina maritime strike has disrupted port operations nationwide as unions protest President Javier Milei’s labor reform. Maritime federations including FESIMAF launched a 48-hour stoppage, while the CGT called a …

The Arctic has long been a place of exploration rather than routine trade, because sea ice, darkness and limited infrastructure made navigation uncertain and costly. That equation is changing. As …

Turkey and Israel are no longer separated only by rhetoric and episodic diplomatic crises. Across the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond, the relationship is increasingly interpreted—by officials, lawmakers and analysts in …

Rebuilding shipbuilding and reshaping fleet economics The U.S. Maritime Action Plan, released on February 13, 2026, sets out a long-term strategy to revive the US shipbuilding industry and strengthen the …

Iran holds live-fire drills in key shipping lane Strait of Hormuz shipping security came under renewed scrutiny after Iran temporarily closed parts of the strategic waterway during live-fire military drills. …

Marine litter has become one of the most pressing environmental and maritime governance challenges worldwide. Across the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, plastic …

The Jeanne d’Arc 2026 deployment is the French Navy’s five-month training and operational mission, briefed on 5 February by Capt. (N) Jocelyn Delrieu. Sailing on the amphibious assault ship Dixmude …

Introduction When the oil tanker Grinch was boarded in the Alboran Sea and diverted under escort to the Marseille-Fos terminal area in January 2026, the episode was presented not as …

The French Navy cocaine seizure of 2.4 tonnes in French Polynesia confirms the Pacific Ocean’s growing role as a strategic corridor for cocaine trafficking. Conducted in cooperation with the United …

Government suspends registrations amid fraud concerns The Cameroon ship registry is facing intense international scrutiny after the government announced the suspension of new registrations for vessels operating outside national waters. …

Captain pleads not guilty to infrastructure damage The Baltic Sea cable damage case involving the Hong Kong-registered container ship NewNew Polar Bear has entered a new judicial phase. On February …

By Argenis Rodriguez, maritime lawyer Part 2 While international law clearly establishes the obligation for vessels to have a nationality, it remains largely silent on the legal consequences faced by …

The Lightfish unmanned surface vessel was launched for the first time from a partner nation ship during Exercise Cutlass Express 2026 off Seychelles in the Indian Ocean on February 9–10, …

East China Sea: Japan arrests Chinese fishing vessel Japan arrests Chinese fishing vessel inside its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the East China Sea, in what officials describe as the …

Singapore: GT Win tanker death captain jailed The Singapore tanker death case involving the Vietnam-registered chemical tanker GT Win resulted in a 14-month jail sentence for its former captain on …

Strengthening maritime security through national coordination Exercise SEA GUARD 2026 was conducted from 2 to 9 February 2026 across Pakistan’s key maritime zones, including Karachi, Ormara and Gwadar. Led by …

Fishing vessel intercepted on the High Seas The French Navy cocaine seizure carried out in the Atlantic Ocean highlights the growing sophistication of maritime drug trafficking routes between South America …

US forces intercept sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean US military forces have boarded and seized the sanctioned oil tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after a pursuit that …

In the Andaman Sea, maritime authorities are responding to an oil spill and container loss after the Panama-flagged container ship Sealloyd Arc sank off Phuket on 7 February while sailing …

Indian authorities have intensified enforcement against the Iranian shadow oil fleet after detaining three oil tankers linked to fuel smuggling operations in the Arabian Sea. The operation, conducted on February …

By Argenis Rodriguez, maritime lawyer Part 1 The nationality of a ship is one of the most important aspects of maritime law. As is well known, although ships are not …

The crude-oil tanker previously tracked under the name Boracay (IMO 9332810) has been recorded under a new identity in early 2026, with public reporting and registry data indicating a shift …

Turkey: Razouk cargo ship grounding in Bosphorus A 100-metre cargo ship flying the Comoros flag has run aground in the Bosphorus Strait, highlighting renewed maritime safety concerns along one of …

Central mediterranean migrant shipwrecks deepen in early 2026 In early 2026, Central Mediterranean migrant shipwrecks have already left hundreds of people feared dead or missing, according to warnings from the …

Western Mediterranean: what we actually know about the Ursa Major sinking The sinking of the Russian heavy-lift cargo ship Ursa Major in the western Mediterranean on 23–24 December 2024 became …

The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Persian Gulf represents a significant reinforcement of U.S. maritime security capabilities in one of the world’s most strategic maritime corridors. Operating …

Portuguese authorities have carried out a record narco-submarine cocaine seizure in the Atlantic Ocean, intercepting a semi-submersible vessel approximately 230 nautical miles (426 km) from the Azores. Nearly nine tonnes …

On 22 January 2026, a flag state control operation was conducted by the French Navy in the western Mediterranean Sea. French naval units intervened in the Alboran Sea to inspect …

Mediterranean Sea: flag state control on tanker GRINCH On 22 January 2026, a flag state control operation was conducted by the French Navy in the western Mediterranean Sea. French naval …

On 17 January 2026, the United Nations High Seas Treaty—formally the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (often called the …

French naval forces have seized 4.87 tonnes of cocaine aboard a fishing vessel intercepted in the maritime zone of French Polynesia. The operation, conducted on 16 January, is one of …

A China-led drill at a strategic maritime crossroads South Africa came under diplomatic pressure following the BRICS+ naval exercise “Will for Peace 2026”, which was held off its southern coastline …

Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), working with Spain’s Tax Agency and other partners, say they have dismantled a drug-smuggling network that used teams of strong swimmers to place cocaine into …

The sea is a violent place for soft-bodied life. A jellyfish may be sliced by a fish bite, torn by turbulence, or shredded by contact with hard structures yet still …

The U.S. boarding and seizure of the tanker Marinera previously known as Bella 1 on 7 January 2026 in the North Atlantic was not a routine sanctions enforcement action. It …