United States: Marine/ Shipping

The EPA has proposed revising the regulatory definition of "discharge of a pollutant" to clarify that vessels and floating craft operating in the contiguous zone or ocean are excluded from NPDES permitting requirements. This proposed rule aims to align regulatory definitions with the Clean Water Act's statutory exclusion, potentially affecting offshore seafood harvesting operations while leaving most oil and gas production entities unaffected.

Industry leaders discuss the critical relationship between shipyard capacity and market demand, examining how recent Jones Act waivers have created uncertainty in vessel construction investment. The conversation reveals how policy decisions ripple through the maritime supply chain, affecting workforce development and national security interests.

The Trump administration has released a comprehensive 165-page legislative proposal aimed at revitalizing America's maritime industry through new funding mechanisms, tax incentives, and cargo-preference requirements.

The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated two entities allegedly facilitating IRGC revenue collection through maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, raising critical compliance questions for vessel owners and operators. This action targets entities that purport to offer legitimate marine insurance and security services but function as mechanisms for extracting payments to benefit Iranian regime actors. The designations underscore heightened U.S. scrutiny of arrangements that ma

The EU's Mediterranean naval taskforce IRINI has intensified its enforcement activities against sanctioned vessels, conducting multiple flag verification boardings of oil tankers operating in contested regulatory waters. Recent operations have focused on vessels with uncertain flag status and previous sanctions designations, raising questions about the effectiveness of current maritime compliance mechanisms.

On July 22, 2026, the House narrowly approved the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 8800) by a vote of 216 to 212, sending the measure to the Senate. Tucked inside the massive defense policy bill are two amendments that, together, amount to the broadest rewrite of federal maritime law in a generation.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) published two companion final rules in the Federal Register on June 4, 2026, that together modernize and streamline the process by which corporations and other business entities...

Moore & Van Allen attorneys Gary English and Samuel Person analyze the cascading effects of maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, exploring how delays and detention risks at this critical chokepoint are creating widespread impacts on global supply chains and industrial production. The article examines the legal and operational challenges facing shipping companies and downstream businesses navigating these uncertain transit conditions.

A unanimous Supreme Court ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, 608 U.S. ___ (May 14, 2026) just changed what every business that ships goods needs to know about who is responsible when something...