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Saturday, July 4, 2026

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02 Jul 2026

Oil Drops to Four-Month Low as Talks Conclude in Doha

© Adobe Stock/Zulfugar Karimov

Oil prices fell more than 1% to a four-month low on Thursday as concerns over supply disruptions eased after mediator Qatar said Iran and the U.S. made progress in talks over ending the four-month war that shut the key shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.Brent futures were $1.03, or 1.44%, lower, at $70.54 a barrel at 10:54 a.m. CDT (1554 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 92 cents, or 1.34%, to $67.66 a barrel. During the session, both benchmarks hit their lowest…

02 Jul 2026

ADNOC’s XRG Expands Stake in Rio Grande LNG Project in Texas

Computer Rendering of NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG Project (Credit: NextDecade)

ADNOC’s XRG has completed the acquisition of an additional equity interest in Trains 4 and 5 of the Rio Grande LNG project in Texas, increasing its participation across all five trains currently under construction at the liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility.The transaction increases XRG's overall participation in the NextDecade-operated project through the acquisition of an additional 7.6% equity interest in Trains 4 and 5 from an acquisition vehicle of Global Infrastructure Partners…

02 Jul 2026

Sydney Expands Ferry Fleet with Two Newbuilds

(Credit: Incat Crowther)

Sydney has completed the rollout of its new Parramatta River Class ferry fleet, with the delivery of the final two vessels enabling the addition of 136 weekly services on the city's Parramatta River route.The final vessels, Norman Selfe and Jack Mundey, were designed by Incat Crowther and built by Richardson Devine Marine in Tasmania for Transport for New South Wales. The seven-vessel fleet carries up to 200 passengers per vessel and primarily serves the route between Parramatta and Circular Quay.According to Transport for NSW…

02 Jul 2026

China Demand Buoys Coal Shipments 14%

Courtesy BIMCO

“In June 2026, global coal shipments jumped 14% y/y, driven by a 41% y/y increase in coal shipments to China, as the country looked to offset weaker domestic supply and to meet higher demand from electricity generation. Since the start of the year, global coal shipments have risen 3% y/y, a reversal of last year’s trend, when they fell 4% y/y,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.So far this year, coal shipments to China have fallen 3% y/y, only accelerating from May 2026.

02 Jul 2026

Oil Hits Four-Month Low After US-Iran Doha Talks

© le / Adobe Stock

Oil prices fell for a third consecutive day on Thursday as concerns over supply disruptions eased after Qatar said Iran and the U.S. had made progress in talks over the Strait of Hormuz.Brent futures LCOc1 were 66 cents or 0.92% lower at $70.91 a barrel at 0758 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 fell 59 cents or 0.86% to $67.99 a barrel, their lowest level since February 27.The talks made "positive progress" on matters related to the memorandum that halted the war in June…

01 Jul 2026

Congressional Leaders Urge Trump Administration to End Jones Act Waiver

Copyright Igor/AdobeStock

Congressman James Comer (R-Ky.), Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), and Republican lawmakers today urged the Trump Administration to allow the current Jones Act waiver to expire as scheduled, and to take additional policy steps to safeguard American shipbuilding and the long-term competitiveness of the U.S. maritime industry. “We appreciate your longstanding support and attention to the challenges facing our domestic shipping industry. As you outlined in your visionary Maritime Action Plan (MAP)…

01 Jul 2026

Coast Guard Issues Notice on Unmanned Vessels

Copyright MarineLin.com | gt

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) identified multiple unmanned maritime system (UMS) operations occurring within and near major West Coast port approaches without prior coordination with cognizant Captains of the Port (COTP). The lack of advance notification reduces maritime domain awareness and limits the USCG’s ability to effectively assess operational risk, support safe vessel movement, and protect the Marine  Transportation System (MTS).UMS, including remotely operated and autonomous vessels, are rapidly advancing in capability, complexity, and operational presence throughout the MTS.

01 Jul 2026

LCA says Key Commodity Trade Up 4.5%

Courtesy Lake Carriers Association

U.S. shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes increased 4.5 percent from June 2025 to 3 million tons. This June’s U.S. loadings were also above the month’s 5-year average by 6.9 percent.Year-to-date, the Lakes U.S. limestone trade stands at nearly 7 million tons, a decrease of 7.5 percent compared to last year and 7.2 percent below the month’s 5-year average.U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI. Canadian ports: Bruce Mines…

01 Jul 2026

Greensea IQ wins $18m Navy Contract

The  Bayonet Underwater Controller (BUC) is paired with EOD Workspace software, is built on Greensea IQ’s Core open architecture software and is part of the broader Bayonet product offering. Image courtesy Greensea IQ

Greensea Systems, Inc., d.b.a, Greensea IQ, won a $18,154,710 Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide hardware, software, and engineering technical services for underwater controllers used to operate autonomous and remotely operated systems in maritime environments. This seven year, sole-source award, made under the authority of 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1) further establishes Greensea IQ as a trusted leader in subsea autonomous solutions for the Department of War. The Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California serves as the contracting activity.

01 Jul 2026

US, Iran Discuss Peace Deal, Restarting Shipping

© Adobe Stock/Studio Romantic

The U.S. and Iran held indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday as they seek to agree on the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and secure a lasting ceasefire, a source with direct knowledge of the talks and an Iranian official said.The talks are based on a 14-point interim accord signed last month that was meant to halt the war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and reopen the strait, while setting up 60 days of negotiations for a permanent peace deal.However, the U.S.

01 Jul 2026

Oil Prices Fall As US-Iran Talks Appear to Go Well

© Adobe Stock/Yellow Boat

Oil prices fell on Wednesday as optimism over U.S.-Iran talks eased supply concerns after U.S. President Donald Trump said meetings in Qatar had gone well.Brent futures were down 95 cents, or 1.30%, to $72.00 a barrel at 0119 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 54 cents, or 0.78%, at $68.96 a barrel — its lowest since February 27."The negotiations that are currently taking place in Qatar are perceived as being positive (and) that has allowed prices to drift further…

30 Jun 2026

August Marks First Month With No Scheduled Brent Crude Cargoes

© Fanta Media - stock.adobe.com

No cargoes of North Sea Brent crude oil are scheduled to load in August as production steadily declines, traders told Reuters on Tuesday, marking a milestone for the global Dated Brent oil benchmark, which prices over 60% of the world's oil.Brent crude from the North Sea lends its name to the global Dated Brent benchmark, used for pricing physical cargoes and underpinning Brent crude futures and other derivative contracts. Over time, S&P Global Energy, known as Platts, which manages the benchmark…

30 Jun 2026

Justin Gress Appointed as Chief Operating Officer at HDI Global US

Justin Gress. © HDI Global

As part of its strategic repositioning in the United States under the Xcelerate29 strategy, HDI Global (HDI) has appointed Justin Gress as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of its US business. The appointment complements the recently announced new leadership and organizational setup, designed to strengthen client centricity and bring underwriting, claims and service teams closer to brokers and clients.Justin Gress is a senior insurance executive with over two decades of progressive leadership across operations, technology, and business transformation.

30 Jun 2026

FLEETEX 250 NATO Exercises Proceed Off US Coast

U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Anne O'Connell, commanding officer of the Legend-class national security cutter USCGC Stone (WMSL 758), directs Stone through a 26-ship formation of 13 partner and allied nations during Fleet Exercise (FLEETEX) 250 in the Atlantic Ocean, June 25, 2026. Stone was underway taking part in FLEETEX 250, a series of structured multilateral training events at-sea, aimed at building cohesiveness, validating tactical procedures, and strengthening the interoperability of participati

The warning came booming over the airwaves, in a voice unmistakably from the American south: "Warship! Get out of our waters!"Norwegian Lieutenant Thomas Johannsen and his sailors were preparing for a simulated boarding operation -- a core mission for their NATO maritime unit. But with so many other war games happening in the area, the crew was picking up unrelated chatter from a nearby vessel.Johannsen pivoted to a clear frequency before addressing the cargo ship in his sights.

29 Jun 2026

US Natural Gas Prices Fall With Ample Supply Maintaining Pressure on Market

© Adobe Stock/Photocreo Bednarek

U.S. natural gas futures fell for a second straight session on Monday, as ample supplies kept pressure on the market despite forecasts for hotter weather in the coming weeks. On its first day as the front-month, gas futures for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 8.2 cents, or 2.5%, to $3.20 per million British thermal units. The contract is down 2.7% so far this month. "The market thinks the heat wave is going to be short-lived and that next week temperatures will cool back to normal.

29 Jun 2026

Oil Prices Rise After US, Iran Attacks and Amidst Hopes of Hormuz Shipping Recovery

© Adobe Stock/Grispb

Oil prices gained more than 1% on Monday after attacks by the U.S. and Iran underscored the fragility of their interim peace deal, while cautious hopes of a continued recovery in energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz limited gains.Iranian and U.S. technical teams working on the implementation of an interim peace deal are expected to meet in Doha in the coming days, a source told Reuters on Monday, after the tit-for-tat weekend strikes threatened to derail the accord.Brent crude futures were up 90 cents, or 1.25%, at $72.89 a barrel by 11:36 a.m. EDT (1537 GMT). U.S.

29 Jun 2026

New Russian‑Flagged LNG Tanker Begins Operations For US Project

© Adobe Stock/aerial-drone

A newly Russian-flagged LNG tanker - Arctic Express - has picked up a cargo of liquefied natural gas from a floating storage facility used to trans-ship gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project, which is under U.S. sanctions, LSEG data showed.Arctic LNG 2, initially planned to be one of Russia's largest LNG plants with an eventual output of 19.8 million metric tons per year, continues operations despite U.S. sanctions, with China the main buyer.According to LSEG data, Arctic Express loaded an LNG cargo at the Saam facility near the Arctic port of Murmansk on June 28 and headed west.

29 Jun 2026

Duke Energy to Terminate NC Offshore Wind Lease

Copyright Casimiro/AdobeStock

Duke Energy will terminate its offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area under a settlement agreement with the U.S. Interior Department and reinvest nearly $129 million in additional power generation capacity in the Carolinas, the department said on Monday.(Reuters)

26 Jun 2026

Bordelon Marine to Provide Commercial Support Vessel for the US Coast Guard

Homeland Security Cutter-Ocean is moored at U.S. Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Florida, June 26, 2026. Cutter Ocean will serve as the first vessel contracted in a new initiative using commercial vessels to transport supplies, equipment and personnel to Coast Guard cutters operating in the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and other maritime areas in the Western Hemisphere. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Reese Hindmarsh)

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a contract to Bordelon Marine to provide a commercial support vessel that will transport supplies, equipment and personnel to Coast Guard cutters operating in the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and other maritime areas in the Western Hemisphere.The contract supports the Coast Guard’s Homeland Security Cutter-Ocean (HSC-Ocean) initiative, a new effort to strengthen fleet readiness by using commercially operated vessels to provide logistics support…

29 Jun 2026

Oil Holds Steady After US, Iran Agree to Cease Attacks

© hibonaya / Adobe Stock

Oil prices steadied on Monday as Iran and the United States agreed to halt recent hostilities in the Gulf and Middle East producers pushed ahead with loading oil and liquefied natural gas despite fresh ship attacks.The two countries also agreed to renew talks over the Strait of Hormuz, raising hopes of saving an interim peace deal that had been threatened by days of tit-for-tat strikes.Brent crude futures LCOc1 were up 4 cents at $72.03 a barrel by 0803 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 gained 44 cents, or 0.6%, to $69.67."There's still plenty of risk facing the oil market.

29 Jun 2026

Hormuz Reopening Risks Turning Oil Shortage Into Glut

© Asendar1 / Adobe Stock

Crude prices may be back near levels seen before the Iran war, but the surge in oil exports from the Middle East following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is creating a chaotic market that could take months to settle.The steep slide in Brent crude LCOc1 back to pre-war levels of around $73 a barrel following the U.S.-Iran interim deal might, at first glance, suggest business as usual has returned to the world’s most important oil and gas hub. The narrow waterway, which once carried about a fifth of global oil and gas…

29 Jun 2026

Despite Vessel Attacks, Oil, LNG Loadings Proceeds in Middle East

Copyright Mike Mareen/AdobeStock

Middle East producers are pushing ahead with loading oil and liquefied natural gas despite fresh ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed strikes between the U.S. and Iran in recent days, shipping data showed.Energy shipping in the strait slowed after attacks on a container ship on Thursday and an oil tanker on Saturday sparked fresh tit-for-tat strikes, straining Washington and Iran's interim peace deal.But on Sunday, a U.S. official said the two countries had agreed to halt recent hostilities and renew talks over the strategically important waterway.On Monday…

29 Jun 2026

Facing China's Coast Guard, one Taiwan Officer Draws Strength from the Gods

Copyright Mariusz/AdobeStock

When Yeh Chih-sheng steps aboard Taiwan Coast Guard vessel CG1005 in the choppy waters of the Taiwan Strait, he brings more than his uniform and orders: he also has temple charms blessed by the gods revered by fishermen for protection at sea.Yeh is first mate of the 2,400-ton ship based in Taiwan's Penghu islands, and part of Taipei's maritime frontline as China asserts its claim of sovereignty over the democratically governed island.Off duty, he is an assistant priest, or "sio-huat" in Taiwanese…