How Will Trump’s Changing Tariffs Be Monitored & Enforced?
The Trump administration continues to quickly change and adapt its tariff program, with significant changes announced this month to its tariff policies targeting Chinese vessels docking at U.S. ports. This marks another escalation in ongoing trade tensions, specifically designed to help the U.S.: Let’s take a quick look at what has changed, what it means…
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Europe’s Shadow Fleet Step Shows What’s Coming…
The European Union has taken a major step in its ongoing campaign against the shadow fleet – a sprawling network of aging, uninsured, and often sanctioned vessels quietly operating in European waters. The European Commission amended the Vessel Monitoring Directive to require all vessels passing through EU waters – even those not calling at an…
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The Need to Know Your Vessel (KYV™) is Highlighted in OFAC’s 2025 Advisory
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a new maritime sanctions advisory on April 16, 2025, that signals a pivotal shift in compliance expectations. The update doesn’t just revisit the deceptive shipping practices (DSPs) introduced in 2020, it expands the scope of what regulators consider red-flag behavior, particularly in connection with Iranian…
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Explaining the Surge in Cargo-Vessel Port Calls to Syria
A significant anomaly in maritime activity was detected in Syrian waters last week (April 14-21, 2025), with 28 unique cargo vessels making port calls. This represents a 56% increase above the expected value of 18 vessels and exceeds the normal range of activity for the area. This spike follows a period of gradually increasing maritime…
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