Maritimes Crimes

In 2026, the Russian Navy is not simply enduring a temporary setback; it is undergoing a forced strategic transformation. The rapid degradation of its surface combat power, combined with Russia’s …

Across the Tuamotu and Gambier archipelagos, lagoons are more than postcard scenery. They are productive maritime spaces supporting pearl farms, fisheries, tourism and isolated communities. French Polynesia’s atolls are usually …

A warship cannot simply begin a live-fire exercise after reaching a suitable area at sea. When firing is planned in another State’s territorial waters, the organising navy must first obtain …

French battery manufacturer Saft has secured a major contract from Naval Group to supply next-generation lithium-ion submarine batteries for the Barracuda and Scorpene families. Announced on 20 July 2026, the …

The United Kingdom will invest £26 billion over the next decade in the modernisation of its three principal naval bases, under a programme intended to improve Royal Navy readiness, vessel …

Elbit Systems is exploring a commercial ship drone carrier concept designed to extend naval surveillance across large maritime areas. The proposal would convert merchant vessels into mobile bases capable of …

The Malouines War in 1982 remains the largest air‑sea battle fought by modern navies since the Second World War and a key case study for maritime security today. In just …

The United Kingdom and the Netherlands have signed a £2.4 billion maritime partnership to equip British and Dutch forces with next-generation amphibious transport ships, strengthening a long-standing NATO naval relationship. …

Thales has signed a binding agreement to acquire the Gorgé family’s 35.51% stake in Exail Technologies, opening the way for a full takeover of the French maritime robotics and navigation …

AIS deception maritime cyber security has moved from a specialist concern to a practical issue for shipping, naval surveillance and maritime law enforcement. In June 2026, the Singapore-based Information Fusion …

CMA CGM has held the naming ceremony for CMA CGM Notre Dame in Le Havre, presenting the vessel as the largest container ship operating under the French flag and the …

A new warning from the ocean Global oceans have just recorded their hottest June ever observed, the European Copernicus Marine observatory announced on Wednesday, July 1. Average sea surface temperature …

Russian patrol plane near a carrier group On 2 July, a Russian patrol plane — a Tu-142 Bear-F maritime patrol aircraft — repeatedly approached the British Carrier Strike Group during …

France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is expected to return to Toulon around 11 July after more than five months deployed, according to Lignes de défense. Its return follows a …

A hatchling sea turtle emerging from a beach in Florida, the Scattered Islands of the south-west Indian Ocean or French Guiana enters a world with few fixed visual landmarks. It …

Europe’s Euclid space telescope has delivered the largest high-resolution visible-light image yet released of the Milky Way’s central bulge, offering a rare view into one of the most crowded and …

An interception off Sicily On 23 June, the French Navy boarded Deliver, a Russian shadow fleet tanker according to French authorities, while it was transiting off Sicily in the Mediterranean …

U.S. Pacific Command joint forces, together with allied and partner forces, have kicked off Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 in the Indo-Pacific region. The Valiant Shield 26 keyword is central to …

Oil tanker rerouting is never a neutral decision. Depending on the chokepoint avoided, the cost can range from around $100,000 to more than $850,000 per voyage, excluding additional insurance, security, …

A transparency pledge from Mombasa Illegal fishing became a central maritime security issue on 17 June 2026, when governments meeting at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa adopted the …

A close approach south of the Isle of Wight The Admiral Grigorovich warning shots incident took place on 16 June in the English Channel, around 20 nautical miles south of …

Protected waters reopened U.S. President Donald Trump has reopened parts of several Pacific marine sanctuaries to commercial fishing through a proclamation signed on June 11, 2026. The order covers the …

The Strait of Hormuz reopening has become the main maritime issue in the new agreement announced by the United States and Iran after months of war in the Middle East. …

Beneath the turbulent surface of the open sea, where sunlight fades and the pressure mounts, lie some of the most powerful and mysterious forces on Earth: submarine volcanoes. Invisible to …

French Navy checks Tagor in the Atlantic France has boarded the Tagor, a Russian shadow fleet tanker, during a high-seas operation in the Atlantic on 31 May 2026. The vessel …

A civilian cargo ship hit near Odesa Maritime risks in the Black Sea continue to worsen after a new reported attack on a civilian merchant vessel. On May 29, 2026, …

China accuses the Netherlands near the Paracels China said on 27 May that a South China Sea incident involving the Dutch frigate HNLMS De Ruyter led its naval and air …

Mines found on the Arrhenius tanker Russian authorities said on May 25, 2026, that magnetic mines had been found on the hull of the Arrhenius, a Liberia-flagged LPG tanker that …

Why shark attacks seem to be on the rise Shark‑human interactions have become a frequent topic in the news, and this trend is backed by real data. Record‑breaking numbers of …

When French biodiversity is discussed, one tends to think of oak forests, the lynx of the Vosges, or the coral reefs of New‑Caledonia. Yet, at the far southern end of …

U.S. Marines intercept tanker near Iran The Iranian tanker M/T Celestial Sea was boarded by U.S. Marines in the Gulf of Oman on May 20, 2026, after U.S. Central Command …

A strategic choice for Baltic Sea security Sweden has selected France’s Naval Group to supply four Sweden FDI frigates, marking one of Stockholm’s largest defence investments since the Gripen fighter …

SECREN shipyard revival in Antsiranana emerges as Indian Ocean’s pivotal geopolitical contest. After the Kremlin recruited 800 Malagasy mercenaries for Kiev and plundered fishery resources through illegal 2018 agreements, Moscow …

Pipelines offer partial alternatives The alternative oil routes around the Strait of Hormuz are becoming a major test for global energy security. The strait normally handles a large share of …

Satellite images reveal a suspected oil slick A suspected Kharg oil spill has raised new concerns in the Persian Gulf after satellite images showed a grey and white slick near …

The French carrier strike group (GAN) built around the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has crossed the Suez Canal and is now heading toward the Red Sea as France increases …

By Argenis RODRIGUEZ (maritime lawyer) In last couple of months, the Islamic Republic of Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz by laying mines in its waters and charging a …

The Hormuz Strait container ship attack has once again highlighted the growing risks facing commercial shipping in one of the world’s most strategic maritime corridors. A container vessel chartered by …

A tanker hijacking in the Gulf of Aden is raising fresh concerns over maritime security in one of the world’s most strategic shipping lanes. On 2 May 2026, the tanker …

Astronomers confirmed the first close-orbiting supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB) at galaxy Markarian 501’s core, 464 million light-years distant in Hercules constellation. Max Planck Institute’s Silke Britzen led 23-year Very …

Japan naval exports enter a new strategic phase Japan naval exports are entering a new phase as Tokyo lifts long-standing restrictions on the export of lethal weapons. The decision has …

A Somalia piracy resurgence is raising new concerns for maritime security after several vessels were hijacked off the northeastern coast in April 2026. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade …

Oil slicks detected near Iranian islands Satellite images reveal a growing oil spill threat across the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz after strikes damaged Iranian oil facilities and …

Japan oil imports are entering a new phase as the country receives its first U.S. crude shipment since disruptions in Middle East supply chains. The tanker Otis delivered around 910,000 …

The Sabetta case: the strategic evolution of the Dark Fleet in West Africa The recent berthing of the cargo vessel Sabetta (IMO: 9347061) at the Port of Conakry between March …

A chance discovery in the Weddell Sea The recent Antarctic island discovery in the Weddell Sea highlights how dynamic and uncertain polar maritime environments remain. In February 2026, a scientific …

Strategic geography at Indian Ocean crossroads Antsiranana Bay in far northern Madagascar commands exceptional strategic value as one of the world’s premier natural harbours. Spanning over 250 km² with its …

By Argenis RODRIGUEZ (maritime lawyer) The Strait of Hormuz is one of the main “chokepoints” in international maritime transport, that is,“narrow waterways where sea routes converge due to geography.” Its …

Beneath the perennial ice of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named “Lassie” uncovered more than 1,000 meticulously organised fish nests during the 2019 Weddell Sea Expedition aboard …

China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning sailed through the Taiwan Strait on April 20, according to Taiwan’s defence ministry, which said it kept close and continuous surveillance during the transit. Taipei also …