An NTSB investigation has found that incompatible lashing gear and heavy weather allowed lithium-ion battery units to shift aboard the Genius Star XI, triggering thermal runaway fires that caused $3.8 million in damage and renewed concerns over battery cargo safety at sea.
Despite a double-digit drop in November volumes, the Port of Los Angeles is on track to top 10 million TEUs in 2025, ranking among its three busiest years ever as tariffs cool cargo demand nationwide.
An NTSB investigation has found that a single loose signal wire aboard the Dali triggered the blackout that led to Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse, exposing major gaps in bridge protections, shipboard redundancy, and worker evacuation procedures.
I-5 bridge replacement leaders now say an updated cost estimate won’t arrive until at least spring 2026, as they await a Coast Guard ruling on whether the new Columbia River span must include a costly movable section.
DOT has opened the FY 2026 BUILD grant competition, with applications due February 24, 2026, while ongoing port and marine highway grants and Washington State’s new Freight System Plan invite broader maritime and freight input.
The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking navigation-focused comments on the proposed I-5 replacement bridge over the Columbia River, especially from operators needing more than 116 feet of vertical clearance, with input due by January 11, 2026.
A merchant ship has fended off armed small craft west of Yemen, the latest Red Sea security scare as traffic through the Suez Canal slowly recovers and authorities warn that regional risks remain far from eliminated.
An NTSB investigation has found that a single loose signal wire aboard the Dali triggered the blackout that led to Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse, exposing major gaps in bridge protection and emergency communication.
Long-term records from Macquarie Island show a 28% jump in rainfall since 1979, hinting that the Southern Ocean may be “sweating” more and reshaping global currents, carbon uptake, and fragile sub-Antarctic ecosystems.
Global trade is set to top $35 trillion in 2025, fueled by seaborne goods and services growth, even as geopolitical fragmentation, shifting shipping patterns, and mounting cost pressures signal a tougher outlook for maritime trade in 2026.
