ANALYSIS

'An eye for an eye': Israel’s death penalty law is retaliatory and electorally motivated

The Israeli parliament's adoption of a law establishing "the death penalty for terrorists" – which in practice will only apply to Palestinians – has provoked an international outcry. The reasons for it passing are not just retaliatory, but politically motivated.

2/04/2026 - FRANCE24
By: Marc DAOU

Israel's Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, center, at the Knesset in Jerusalem Monday, March 30, 2026. © Itay Cohen, AP

"This is historic! With God's help, soon we will execute them one by one!"

These were the words spoken by Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir on Monday, March 31, just after a 62–48 vote in the Israeli Knesset that passed a law to apply the death penalty to convicted ‘terrorists’.

Ben-Gvir celebrated the Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill by popping open bottles of champagne and embracing fellow supporters at the Knesset. In the run-up to the vote, he had worn a lapel pin in the shape of a noose, symbolising his support for the legislation.

Limor Son Har Melech, a member of Itamar Ben-Gvir's nationalist party, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), was in tears as she read out the results. Melech had introduced the law along with Nissim Vaturi, Knesset deputy speaker and member of Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.

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10:32

The law effectively enshrines capital punishment for Palestinians who "intentionally cause the death of a person with the aim of denying the existence of the State of Israel”.

It has sparked fierce criticism in Israel, the Palestinian territories and abroad for its retaliatory nature, de facto targeting of Palestinians and electorally motivated reasoning.
Death by default

The law says that Palestinians in the occupied West Bank – referred to as Judea and Samaria in the text – would face the death penalty by default if the homicide is classified as an act of terrorism by the Israeli military court, barring specific appeals.

The Knesset stated in Hebrew that the bill mandates that a “resident of the area, except for an Israeli citizen or Israel resident, who intentionally caused the death of a person in an act of terrorism, shall be imposed with the death penalty, unless the military court finds that special circumstances exist under which it is appropriate to impose a sentence of life imprisonment”. It remains unclear what the “special circumstances” are.

“Resident of the region”, in this case, refers to anyone registered in the region's population register or who resides in the region, according to the law. It excludes Israeli citizens or residents, which in this case means settlers.

READ MOREBedouins in Israel’s Negev desert face bomb shelter shortage

The law is not retroactive and will only apply to Palestinians arrested after it comes into effect. Death sentence "by hanging" would be carried out within 90 days of the final conviction, with a possible postponement of up to 180 days.

The Gaza Strip is not mentioned in the text, but a separate bill, which is currently being debated in the Knesset, is intended to establish a special court for the prosecution of those who participated in the October 7 massacre. The bill is set to be presented in parliament in the first week of the Knesset summer session, which begins on March 10.

Although the death penalty has been technically legal in limited forms since Israel's founding, the country has only carried out two state-authorised executions. The first took place in 1948, against an army captain wrongly accused of high treason. The second was against Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, who was hanged for genocide and crimes against humanity in 1962.
Condemned at home and abroad

Palestinians were horrified by the law, and shuttered shops and public institutions across the main cities of Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus in the West Bank on Wednesday. Dozens of citizens – including activists, political factions and civil society groups – also gathered to protest the law on the streets.

Ramallah-based psychologist Raman, 53, told news agency AFP that "there isn't a single person standing here who doesn't have a brother, a husband, a son, or even a neighbour in prison. There is no Palestinian family without a prisoner".
Palestinians demonstrate against the decision by Israel's parliament to approve the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis in Nablus, West Bank, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. © Majdi Mohammed, AP


Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah party called for general strikes, while Hamas said the passing of the law "reflected the bloody nature of the occupation and its policy based on killing and terrorism".

Minutes after the adoption of the Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill into law, Israeli human rights organisation Association for Civil Rights in Israel said they had filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court.

In a damning post on their website, they described the law as “depressing and infuriating”, condemning the “disgraceful jubilation surrounding such a repugnant law by the racist and extremist Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir and other members of the government”. They had earlier described the law as discriminatory, racist, and unconstitutional.

The Knesset "is not authorised to legislate directly for the West Bank, since the military commander is the legal sovereign in the occupied territory”, they pointed out.

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Israeli rabbi and researcher Elhanan Miller shares that view. In an interview with FRANCE 24’s Arabic channel, he said he expected the law to be overturned by Israel’s Supreme Court – “It is illegal to apply Israeli law in the West Bank to Palestinians as it is an occupied territory under military control," he explained.

Several European countries have expressed their concern as well. Spain said the law was "a further step towards apartheid", and the EU urged Israel to “abide by its previous position”, saying that the approval of the Death Penalty Bill “marks a grave regression”, noting its “de facto discriminatory character”.

The Council of Europe has threatened to revoke Israel's observer status, while the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights believes that the application of this law would be considered a war crime.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International denounced the law as "carte blanche to execute Palestinians while stripping away the most basic fair-trial safeguards", and pointed out that Israeli military courts had a "conviction rate of over 99% for Palestinian defendants."
A politically motivated law

“This judiciary is a stain on Israel, with its discrimination between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank,” said Miller. “It is an unjust law for developed and advanced Western countries, introduced by the extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in an attempt to score points before the elections.” The next parliamentary elections must be held before October 27, 2026.

“Netanyahu is afraid of the coming elections and wants to curry favour with the Israeli ideological right, at the expense of Israel’s image in the world and in the West in particular [where this law is criticized],” Miller added.

Ben-Gvir doesn't deny the political context, gloating on X about fulfilling his election promise, saying in Hebrew, " We promised. We delivered."

Akram Hassoun, an Arab member of the Israeli parliament and member of Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition, voted in favour of the bill and acknowledged the political motivations.

READ MORE  Israel's new death penalty law is more of 'an annexation law'

"This law was proposed by the coalition to which I belong," he explained on FRANCE 24's Arabic channel. "If you want this coalition to support you on an issue that concerns Israeli Arabs, you have to support what concerns them."

Lamenting what he considers "a misinterpretation of the text by the media in an electoral context", Hassoun said that, fundamentally, the law targets "terrorists who want to kill innocent people" and "is intended as a deterrent for any citizen who does not believe in the sanctity of life, so that no one is killed, neither Arab nor Jew".

He added: "Anyone who takes another person's life without any reason must be executed. They can be Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Christian, Druze, or of any other faith."

When asked if he supported applying the law to an Israeli settler who killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank, he said: "I don't think about that kind of case, but anyone who takes the life of a Palestinian in a terrorist attack will have this law applied to them."

The law, however, explicitly excludes this scenario.

This article has been translated from the original in French.

Lebanon condemns Israel’s 'clear intention' to impose new occupation of its territory


Lebanon said Israeli strikes hit near Beirut’s airport road on Tuesday as the UN Security Council met after three peacekeepers were killed. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said troops would occupy parts of southern Lebanon even after the war, prompting Beirut to warn of a “clear intention” to impose a new occupation.


01/04/2026 - 10:11
By: FRANCE 24

Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on the Qasmiyeh bridge in south Lebanon © Kawnat Haju, AFP

Lebanon denounced what it called Israel's plans for "a new occupation of Lebanese territory" on Tuesday, after Israel said it would establish a "security zone" in the country.

Defence Minister Major General Michel Menassa said the remarks by his counterpart Israel Katz were "no longer mere threats", but reflected "a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory, forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages and towns in the south".

Katz also said Israel would have "security control" up to the Litani river, an idea which Menassa denounced as "a deepening of the aggression against Lebanese land and national sovereignty".

Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the war by launching attacks on Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with broad strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.


Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney denounced Israel's deployment of troops against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as an "illegal invasion" that violates its "integrity and sovereignty".

Fresh Israeli strikes hit the country's south and near Beirut on Tuesday, the state-run National News Agency said.

One strike hit a building next to Beirut's main airport road after Israel's military warned it would strike a "Hezbollah facility" there.

The road is the main means of accessing the country's only international passenger facility.

AFPTV images showed plumes of smoke rising from the site on the edge of Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah bastion that has largely emptied of residents since the latest hostilities erupted, and where Israel said it struck Hezbollah "infrastructure" earlier in the day.

'Security zone'

The NNA also said an Israeli strike hit Christian-majority suburb of Mansourieh outside Beirut without warning, the first attack there since the war erupted.

Residents said they heard an explosion and saw black smoke rise from the area, while an AFP correspondent saw a hole in the ground and damaged vehicles showered with soil.

Israel's Katz said that "at the end of the operation, the IDF (military) will establish itself in a security zone inside Lebanon... and will maintain security control over the entire area up to the Litani" River, which flows around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border.

He also said the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Lebanese would be "completely prevented" until northern Israel's security was ensured.

"All the houses in the villages adjacent to the border in Lebanon will be demolished... to remove once and for all the border-adjacent threats from the residents of the north," he added.

In response, Menassa said Katz's remarks were "no longer mere threats, but reflect a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory, forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages and towns in the South".

Lebanese authorities say the hostilities have so far killed more than 1,200 people and displaced more than one million others.

Hezbollah has been claiming dozens of attacks against Israeli targets, and said Tuesday that its fighters clashed with soldiers in south Lebanon's Ainata, around four kilometres from the border.

It also said its fighters attacked Israeli soldiers who attempted to advance towards the town of Bint Jbeil, as well as "a senior Israeli army leadership convoy" near the frontier.

In successive statements on Tuesday evening, the group announced a wave of rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel.

© France 24
01:59

Security Council meeting

The UN Security Council was meeting on Tuesday following the deaths in recent days of three Indonesian peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in two incidents in the country's south.

A UN security source told AFP that Israeli fire had killed one peacekeeper on Sunday, while a mine may have caused Monday's deadly blast.

Israel's military said it was investigating the incidents to "determine whether they resulted from Hezbollah activity or from IDF activity".

In a joint statement, 10 European countries including France and Britain urged all sides to ensure UNIFIL's safety.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher told the Security Council that south Lebanon could become another occupied territory in the Middle East.

"Given the trajectory that some Israeli ministers have described and given what we have seen in plain sight in Gaza, how will you protect civilians?" he asked.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

BULLSHIT CHARGE

French-Palestinian MEP Rima Hassan to be tried for 'advocating terrorism' in X post

Rima Hassan, a European Parliament member from the France Unbowed (LFI) party who is of Palestinian descent, will face trial in July on charges of "advocating terrorism" online over a message on X she posted last month. The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism and the European Jewish Organization ​lodged complaints against the post referencing a 1972 Israeli airport attack.

Issued on: 03/04/2026 - 
By: FRANCE 24

File photo of Rima Hassan addressing a demonstration in Paris taken June 12, 2025. © Thibaud Moritz, AFP

Rima Hassan, a French far-left ⁠member of the ​European Parliament, will face trial in July over a comment she posted on X last month about ​a 1970s attack on an Israeli airport, the Paris prosecutor's office said late on Thursday.

Authorities arrested Hassan and detained her in custody for several hours on Thursday because they suspected the post made on March ​26 and ‌later erased could be construed as showing support for terrorism.

"At the end ⁠of her custody, Rima Hassan was given a summons to appear before the criminal court on July 7, 2026, to be ‌tried on charges of advocating terrorism committed online," the office said in an emailed statement.

Hassan's ⁠message was related to the 1972 attack by the Japanese Red Army far-left militant group at Lod airport in Tel Aviv, resulting in 26 deaths.

In the post, Hassan ​had quoted on her X account a comment made by an individual ‌who was convicted for the attack and sought to justify it by citing what he said was the oppression of people in the Palestinian territories.

The offence of online "terrorism apology" is punishable by up to a ‌seven-year jail term and a fine of up to €100,000 ($115,290).

The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism and the European Jewish Organization ​had lodged complaints against the post.

After her release, Hassan and her lawyer, Vincent Brengarth, said in separate posts on X that they would only comment on the process in a press conference ​on Friday afternoon.

Born in Syria, Hassan, 33, is of Palestinian descent and is a vocal ​pro-Palestinian activist and a fierce critic of Israel. Hassan was detained in Israel last year after Israeli security forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat, which was part of a flotilla trying to break the blockade on the besieged Palestinian territory. Hassan and three other French nationals on board the boat were later expelled by Israel.

Israel to expel French 'Freedom Flotilla' activists, MEP Rima Hassan held in solitary confinement

Hassan was elected to ​the European Parliament in 2024 for the French far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the party's founder, said the proceedings against Hassan were politically ​motivated.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez dismissed the accusation.

"There are rules to be respected. Advocating terrorism is a very serious offence," he said on TV station BFMTV.

The prosecutor's office has said that Hassan is the subject of six other investigations into possible hate speech while 16 others have been shelved.

The ⁠statement also said police found cannabidiol, or CBD, and a substance that seemed to be a designer drug 3-MMC ⁠in her possession. These will ​be treated separately.

Hassan has denied illegal drug possession, saying in her post that she takes CBD for medical reasons.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

LEILA KHALED

French court overrules police ban on annual Muslim event

A French court on Friday overruled a Paris police ban on an annual Muslim event over the weekend due to a “terrorist risk targeting the Muslim community". The court noted that the public disturbances cited by the authorities to justify the ban were “not substantiated" by the evidence provided.


Issued on: 03/04/2026 - 
By: FRANCE 24

File photo of a protester holding a placard reading, "We are Muslims and proud of it," taken during a rally against Islamophobia in Paris on May 11, 2025. © Geoffroy Van der Hasselt, AFP (File)

France’s administrative court on Friday ruled on an urgent appeal to overturn a ban on the Annual Gathering of French Muslims, scheduled for Friday through Monday, at Bourget, north of Paris.

The court found the public disturbances cited by the authorities to justify the ban were “not proven”. The presiding judge ruled that “the public order disturbances cited” by the Paris police to ban the Annual Gathering of French Muslims “were not substantiated by the evidence in the case file”, according to a statement from the Paris Administrative Court.

The judge also noted the absence of any documented incidents during previous such events, “which were also held at the Bourget Exhibition Center in tense contexts, particularly following the 2015 Paris attacks”.

The court ruling followed a ban order by the Paris police citing a "major terrorist risk" that the event might be targeted. The police order said the event was "taking place in a particularly tense international and national context".


The gathering was "exposed to a significant terrorist risk targeting the Muslim community", it added.

The ban order cited a foiled bid last weekend to bomb the Bank of America building in Paris – an event, it said, that underlined the seriousness of the threat inside France.

French prosecutors said the attempted attack might have been linked to a pro-Iran group, as security fears flare over the war in the Middle East.

Police also cited a polarised political debate during municipal elections last month.

The decision comes as the French interior ministry prepares a draft law designed to tackle the danger of radical Islamist elements infiltrating Muslim groups.

The bill is due to be presented to President Emmanuel Macron's cabinet at the end of April, the ministry said, confirming a report by Le Parisien newspaper.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Industry contamination of soil with toxic metals exposes failure to translate science into policy



Issued on: 31/03/2026 - FRANCE24

Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Dr. Jagannath Biswakarma, Honorary Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol. As an environmental scientist, his work focuses on understanding how human activity reshapes the natural systems we depend on, often in ways that remain invisible until their consequences surface in our bodies. He examines the growing global exposure to toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, and mercury, substances that, while naturally present in the Earth, are increasingly concentrated through industrial and agricultural processes.

Video by: Eve IRVINE

'Typosquatting': How to spot fake news sites created by AI


Issued on: 25/03/2026 - 

Courrier France 24, Sud Ouest Direct, 20minutes.com… they sound like real news outlets, but they are not. Learn how to spot sites created by AI.

Since 2023, fake media sites, often created by AI, have been appearing online. The sites publish articles aimed at misleading users or getting views for ad revenue. Here are four tips for spotting fake media sites.

Tip #1: Check the URL

In 2023, an article appeared online that looked like it was published by the French newspaper Le Parisien. Using the same logo and graphic style as the real newspaper, the article reported that wheat from Ukraine, meant for children in Africa, was instead being used as pig feed in Europe.

But the URL – “leparisien.ltd” – showed that the article was fake. The newspaper's real address is “leparisien.fr”.


Imitating a site by using a URL that is close to the real one is called "typosquatting".

Tip #2: Check the real news site.

See whether the article appears on the real news site. If you search for the pig feed article on the real Le Parisien site, you find an article saying that the newspaper had been plagiarised.

Tip #3: Watch out for signs of AI

In 2024, the Russian embassy in South Africa shared an article about atrocities supposedly committed by mercenaries fighting for Ukraine. The article was fake and was published by a site calling itself The Boston Times with the URL "https://bostontimes.org/".

The logo of this site contained nonsense text – a frequent giveaway that AI created the image.

The Boston Times was, in fact, a real newspaper, but it ceased publication in 1943.

Tip #4: Look for AI prompts in the text

Also, look out for traces of the prompts used to tell AI bots what to create. In the case of a fake French site that appeared in 2024, Media Alternatif, the instruction accidentally appeared in a headline.

In an article about supposed death threats against a school principal, the headline began with this text: "Here is a short headline based on the topic you described."

If an article or a news site seems suspicious, check the URL and go to the real site.

READ MOREHow to spot a website generated by artificial intelligence

This article was published on the occasion of France's Media in Schools Week, March 23-27, 2026.

BY:

The FRANCE 24 Observers

Nora LITOUSSI

Nathan GALLO

Quang Pham

APRIL FOOL

Fact-checking Trump's address on the war in Iran

BY: Vedika BAHL
03/04/2026

FRANCE24

4:35 min

In a 19-minute address to the nation from the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump defended his war in Iran, now entering its second month, presenting the operation as a success “nearing completion.” But the President also stretched the truth on several points, including certain battlefield victories and the state of the US economy. Among the most striking claims was that the United States had toppled Iran's government and achieved “regime change” following the deaths of senior officials, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Despite these losses at the top, there is no evidence that Iran’s governing system has collapsed or that power has shifted away from the Islamic Republic. Analysts say the core institutions of the regime remain intact, with no clear signs of political transition underway.

Trump also asserted that the United States currently has “no inflation” and is “totally independent” of Middle Eastern oil. These statements conflict with the latest US government data, which show inflation rising even before the conflict in Iran began. They also overlook oil’s role as a global commodity, which affects prices at the US pump.

Vedika Bahl examines Trump’s claims and separates fact from fiction in Truth or Fake.

HE DIDN'T MENTION NATO IN HIS SPEECH

Trump strongly considering pulling US out of NATO, Britain's Telegraph reports


US President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO in an interview published Wednesday by Britain's Daily Telegraph, describing the Western alliance as a "paper tiger". The threat comes after European allies declined to join his war against Iran.


Issued on: 01/04/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

US President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the Davos forum in Switzerland on January 21, 2026. © Evan Vucci, AP file photo

US President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back US military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph.

Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defence pact was now "beyond reconsideration", the newspaper reported. He said he had long held doubts about NATO's credibility.

"Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration," Trump told the newspaper when asked about whether he would reconsider US membership of the alliance after the conflict.

"I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin knows that too, by the way."

© France 24
05:22

Asked about Trump’s comments, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain remained "fully committed to NATO", which he described as "the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen".

Starmer told reporters that whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I am going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions I make."

A German government spokesperson also reaffirmed Berlin's commitment to the Western alliance, noting that the US president has made similar comments in the past.

"This isn't the first time he's done this, and since it's a recurring phenomenon, you can probably judge the consequences for yourself," said the spokesperson at a regular government press conference.

"It's not my place here to comment on the American president's words. I simply want to state on behalf of the German government that we are, of course, committed to NATO."

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

RECYCLED ANNOUNCEMENT

Trump signs order threatening up to 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals


US President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping new pharmaceutical tariffs on Thursday that could reach 100 percent unless drugmakers strike pricing deals with his administration. The move escalates his trade strategy and could reshape global supply chains and raise costs.


Issued on: 03/04/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

U.S. President Donald Trump signs documents as he issues executive orders and pardons for January 6 defendants in the Oval Office at the White House on Inauguration Day in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025. © Carlos Barria, Reuters


President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that could slap long-threatened pharmaceutical tariffs of up to 100 percent on some patented drugs from companies that don't reach deals with his administration in the coming months.

Companies that have signed a “most favoured nation” pricing deal and are actively building facilities in the US to onshore production of patented pharmaceuticals and their ingredients will have a 0 percent tariff. For those that don’t have a pricing deal but are building such projects in the US, a 20 percent tariff will apply but will increase to 100 percent in four years.

A senior administration official told reporters on a press call that companies still have months to negotiate before the 100 percent tariffs kick in – 120 days for bigger companies, and 180 days for everyone else. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview the executive order before it was issued, did not identify any companies or drugs that were in jeopardy of getting hit with the increased tariffs but noted the administration had already reached 17 pricing deals with major drugmakers, 13 of which have signed.

In the order, Trump wrote that he deemed such actions necessary “to address the threatened impairment of the national security posed by imports of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients”. It arrived on the first anniversary of Trump’s so-called Liberation Day, when the president unveiled sweeping new import taxes on nearly every country in the world that sent the stock market reeling. Those “Liberation Day” tariffs were among the duties the Supreme Court overturned in February.

Some warned of consequences of the coming tariffs announced Thursday. Stephen J. Ubl, CEO of pharmaceutical company trade group PhRMA, said taxes “on cutting-edge medicines will increase costs and could jeopardise billions in US investments". He pointed to America's already large footprint in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and noted medicines sourced from other countries “overwhelmingly come from reliable US allies”.

Trump has launched a barrage of new import taxes on America’s trading partners since the start of his second term and repeatedly pledged that sky-high levies on foreign-made drugs were on the way. But the administration has also used the threat of new levies to strike deals with major companies – like Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb – over the last year, with promises of lower prices for new drugs.

Beyond company-specific rates, a handful of countries have reached trade frameworks with the US to further cap tariffs on drugs sent to the US. The EU, Japan, Korea and Switzerland will see a 15 percent US tariff on patented pharmaceuticals, matching previously agreed rates for most goods, and the UK will get 10 percent – which Thursday’s order noted would “then reduce to zero” under future trade agreements. The UK previously said it secured a 0 percent tariff rate for all British medicines exported to the US for at least three years.

Trump administration launches TrumpRx website for access to discounted drugs

In addition Thursday, Trump rolled out an update on his 50 percent tariffs on imported steel, aluminium and copper. Starting Monday, tariff rates on those metals will be calculated based on the “full customs value” of what US customers pay when buying foreign metal under the latest order, which the administration officials claimed will keep importers from other countries from escaping higher payments.

Products fully made of steel, aluminium and copper will continue to be tariffed at 50 percent for most countries. But the administration is also shifting how tariffs are calculated for derivative metals – or finished goods that contain some of these metals, but are not made entirely of them.

For a product with metal that amounts to less than 15 percent of its entire weight (like the cap on a perfume bottle) only country-specific tariffs will now apply, officials told reporters Thursday. But for products with more metal, such as a largely steel washing machine, they said a 25 percent tariff will apply to the whole value.

Trump slaps 100 percent tariffs on drugs, trucks and 'kitchen cabinets'

Thursday’s orders reflect the latest example of Trump tapping into sectoral duties. The president used Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act to impose the levies, the same authority he cited to slap import taxes on cars, lumber and even kitchen cabinets. And many expect to see more product-specific import taxes down the road.

That’s because a ruling from the Supreme Court struck down tariffs Trump imposed using another law – the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act – to immediately slap tariffs on any country, at nearly any level.

While the February 20 court decision marked a significant blow to Trump’s economic agenda, the president still has plenty of options to keep taxing imports aggressively. Beyond sectoral levies, Trump also imposed a 10 percent tariff on all imports under a separate legal power mere hours after the Supreme Court’s ruling, but that duty can only last for 150 days. Some two dozen states already challenged the new tariffs.

Trump has argued his steep new import taxes are necessary to bring back wealth that was “stolen” from the US. He says they will narrow America’s decades-old trade deficit and bring manufacturing back to the country. But Trump has also turned to tariffs amid personal grudges, or in response to political critics. And upending the global supply chain has proven costly for businesses and households that are already strained by rising prices.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

French prosecutors open hate speech probe into polarising news channel CNews


The Paris prosecutor's office announced Friday it had launched an investigation into alleged racist comments following remarks made in late March on French news channel CNews targeting the newly elected mayor of Saint-Denis Bally Bagayoko.


Issued on: 03/04/2026 - 
By: FRANCE 24

The logo of the French television news channel CNews, displayed on a tablet screen in Paris

 © Lionel Bonaventure, AFP

The Paris prosecutor's office said on Friday it had opened ​an investigation into French news channel CNews for possible hate speech after alleged racist comments about Bally Bagayoko, the newly elected Black mayor of Parisian ​suburb ‌Saint-Denis.

At the centre of the case is ⁠CNews, the rolling news channel controlled by French tycoon Vincent Bolloré's Vivendi group, which critics ‌have likened to Fox News for its opinion-driven format and ⁠polarising tone.

FRENCH CONNECTIONS © FRANCE 24
07:08




Media watchdogs and opponents accuse the channel, as well as other outlets in the Bolloré group such as ​the Journal du Dimanche newspaper, of near-constant coverage of ‌immigration and security, which they say fuels far-right narratives.

Bagayoko, the first Black mayor of Saint-Denis, an impoverished and diverse suburb north of Paris, ‌lodged a complaint on Wednesday, alleging the comments made by panelists on the channel on March ​27 and 28 constituted racist slurs, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Contacted by Reuters, CNews had no immediate comment. It ​told AFP the controversy was "baseless" and denied any racist comments were made. ​The mayor also could not be immediately reached ​for comment.

Separately, the prosecutor opened an investigation into possible cyberbullying targeting the mayor, who is ​a member of the far-left France Unbowed party, due to his skin colour.

Under French law, racial slurs are punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to €45,000 ⁠($52,000), while cyberbullying is punishable by an up to two-year jail term and ⁠a fine of ​up to €30,000.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

 

Samsung Heavy Industries Participates in Its First U.S. Navy MASGA Project

General Dynamics will be using SHI's expertise in hull efficiency as it refines the Next Generation Logistic Support Ship (NASSCO)

Published Apr 2, 2026 8:57 PM by The Maritime Executive

South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries announced that it will be participating in its first U.S. shipbuilding project, working with General Dynamics NASSCO and DSEC. It is a design project that is being billed as part of the South Korean program launched last year, calling for a $150 billion investment project known as Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA). 

The project is for the refining of the design of the future “Next Generation Logistics Support Ship,” which the U.S. Navy is currently developing as part of its “Distributed Ocean Operations” strategy. The concept is for a small vessel capable of high maneuverability and targeted, tailored operational capabilities. The program envisions as many as 13 ships to be built in the future for roles in refueling, rearming, and resupplying Navy and Marine vessels.

The project commenced in 2020 with the first concept designs. It has proceeded through several steps up to the next round of contracts awarded in March to both Houston-based Vard Marine US and General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. This next phase is for design development and production planning for the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program. According to the solicitation, the objectives of this effort include identifying cost-effective design solutions, leveraging commercial practices and standards to the maximum extent practical to inform and validate requirements, and maximizing affordability and producibility.

Samsung Heavy Industries had announced in December 2025 that it was partnering with NASSCO and DSEC to collaborate on design projects and to enhance manufacturing capabilities. NASSCO, of course, has a long history of building ships since the 1950s for the U.S. Navy, having delivered over 150 vessels, and is currently building the John Lewis (T-AO 205) Fleet Oilers. DSEC provides a complete range of shipbuilding and marine engineering services.

NASSCO was awarded a contract valued at more than $3.9 million for the next phase of the NGLS project. It will involve both Samsung Heavy Industries and DSEC, and will run till March 20207.

Samsung Heavy Industries reports it will participate in the field of high-efficiency hull design. It says it plans to utilize its hull design technology accumulated with the world’s largest commercial test tank, measuring 400 meters in length and located at the Daedeok Research Center. It also points out that the technical cooperation with NASSCO will be enhanced by utilizing a newly established research center at San Diego State University.

It looks at this project as its entry into MASGA and a chance to further leverage its expertise to support U.S. shipbuilding. Samsung has also established a U.S. subsidiary, which will be working with Vigor to bid for U.S. government maintenance and repair projects.

The Samsung Heavy Industries team will, oddly enough, be competing with Hanwha and the Hanwha Philly Shipyard, which is also partnering for the NGLS project. Hanwha Philly announced earlier in the week that it had won its first U.S. project, working with Vard Marine, which was awarded a parallel contract valued at $4.5 million for a similar design refinement project.

The U.S. Navy has said it is anxious to proceed with these ships as an augmentation to its capabilities with the John Lewis class. The Navy has projected that the first ships could be completed by FY 2028

 

Wah Kwong & Bureau Veritas 1st SMART “Augmented Ship” in Newbuild Series

Wah Kwong Maritime Transport and Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore celebrated the delivery of the LR2 tanker Frontier Venture on 30 March, at the Hengli Shipyard, the first in Wah Kwong SMART-enabled ships series to demonstrate Group 3 “augmented ship”

Published Apr 2, 2026 11:51 PM by The Maritime Executive

[By: Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore]

Wah Kwong Maritime Transport (“Wah Kwong”) and Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (“BV”) celebrated the delivery of the LR2 tanker Frontier Venture yesterday, the first vessel in Wah Kwong’s new series of SMART-enabled ships, representing a significant milestone in Wah Kwong’s fleet development. Built by Hengli Shipyard in Dalian, the vessel is the first in the series to demonstrate Group 3 “augmented ship” capabilities, integrating advanced on-board digital systems with shore-based support.

Classed by BV, the Frontier Venture has been assigned the SMART (H1,M1,EnE3,MH3) notations, recognizing its enhanced capabilities in machinery health monitoring and energy efficiency optimization. The new vessel is the latest example of industry innovation, resulting from the long-standing collaboration between Wah Kwong and BV to advance class-recognized digitalization across its fleet.

The “augmented ship” features expert-in-the-loop services that deliver timely, actionable insights to ship officers. This includes early detection of machinery anomalies and recommendations for more efficient operating profiles, a critical capability in modern maritime operations, where complex variables demand both data-driven analysis and human expertise for sound decision-making.

The Frontier Venture is the first in the series being built at Hengli Shipyard. The delivery of the second LR2 is expected to be in July 2026. The 114,000 DWT LR2 Frontier Venture is 248.8 metres long, with a breadth of 44.0 metres and a depth of 21.5 metres. It is powered by a modern Everllence B&W main engine rated at 10,800 kW SMCR, and meets EEDI Phase III requirements. The LNG-ready vessel has three cargo oil pumps, each with a capacity of 3,000 m³/h, for efficient loading and discharge.

The CROWN+ Ultramax bulk carrier Eastern Venture owned by Wah Kwong was the first newbuild worldwide to be granted the BV SMART (EnE1) notation on delivery in 2023. Since then, the Wah Kwong fleet has progressed from Group 1 foundational onboard digital systems to more advanced Group 3 “augmented ship” capabilities, integrating additional monitoring and decision-support capabilities from shore. This progression reflects Wah Kwong’s commitment to a new generation of vessels equipped with integrated smart technologies supporting advanced analytics, predictive maintenance, and enhanced operational performance.

The wider SMART-enabled ship program includes seven SMART-enabled vessels across multiple ship types, including LNG carriers under construction at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) and bulk carriers at New Dayang Shipyard, to be delivered from 2026 to 2027.

The delivery of these SMART notations follows verification, validation, testing and audit protocols. This systematic approach is grounded in a critical principle: digital solutions deliver measurable value only when technical, operational and organizational elements are fully aligned. The objective of this third-party recognition is to reinforce stakeholder confidence in the reliability and integrity of digital capabilities deployed on board and supported from shore.

Hing Chao, Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport, said: “The SMART notations awarded to our first LR2 mark a key milestone in our long?term partnership with Bureau Veritas and demonstrate how we translate innovation into fleet?wide progress. BV continues to set a higher bar for the governance of digital capability, and together we have advanced through the SMART framework in recent years, ensuring that data?driven insights are effectively embedded in operations onboard and ashore. This supports a future where trusted data and digital technologies enable the sector to collaborate more closely and move faster towards an intelligent, sustainable, maritime world.”

Alex Gregg-Smith, President, Marine & Offshore at Bureau Veritas, said: “The maritime sector is undergoing profound transformation, in which digitalization continues to play a central role. As with any major transition, building trust in new technologies is essential. Bureau Veritas has been a strong and forward?thinking partner to Wah Kwong in helping advance the deployment of voluntary SMART notations to help build confidence in the digital solutions across the industry. From early advances in energy efficiency monitoring to the integration of sophisticated smart systems across multiple vessel types, this collaboration demonstrates how shipowners, classification societies, and technology providers can work together to enable safer, more efficient operations through data?driven technologies.”

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

 

World Fuel Services & West Coast Clean Fuels Establish Methanol Bunkering

Methanol bunker fuel delivery in South Florida; World Fuel Services Image Caption: Methanol bunker fuel delivery in South Florida

Published Apr 2, 2026 11:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

[By: World Fuel Services]

World Fuel Services, in collaboration with West Coast Clean Fuels, has established a proven methanol bunkering capability available to vessel owners and operators across U.S. ports. The companies successfully completed an over-the-water methanol bunker fuel delivery in South Florida, demonstrating a safe, scalable, and regulatory-compliant solution ready for deployment nationwide. 

Shipowners and operators evaluating methanol as a marine fuel now have access to a fully operational bunkering capability backed by U.S. Coast Guard-approved procedures, trained personnel, and purpose-built equipment. West Coast Clean Fuels is currently the only operator in the U.S. whose truck-to-ship methanol bunkering procedures have been approved by U.S. Coast Guard, and its infrastructure is designed for rapid deployment to additional ports on demand.

The capability is the result of years of rigorous preparation, including comprehensive risk assessments, development of operational and emergency response procedures, equipment procurement, and personnel training - all developed in coordination with the United States Coast Guard to meet the highest safety and regulatory standards. Recent regulatory guidance has incorporated elements of this work, reflecting how the operational approach developed by West Coast Clean Fuels and World Fuel has helped inform evolving industry standards. 

"Our procedures didn’t just meet regulatory requirements - they helped shape them. The U.S. Coast Guard’s recent guidance reflects the operation we’ve developed. Bringing that collaborative work to life with World Fuel is exactly the kind of milestone that demonstrates we are ready to deliver methanol bunkering across U.S. ports,” said Matt Campbell, Technical Manager, West Coast Clean Fuels.

"World Fuel's established global marine fuel platform allows us to deliver and transact methanol bunkering solutions efficiently and reliably to customers," said Brad Hurwitz, senior vice president, supply and trading, World Fuel. "Shipowners and operators evaluating methanol as a marine fuel require both technical expertise and marine fuel delivery experience. This enhanced capability of World Fuel with West Coast Clean Fuels provides customers practical turnkey access to integrate methanol into existing fuelling strategies."

World Fuel and West Coast Clean Fuels are ready to support methanol bunkering needs across the United States, offering vessel owners and operators a reliable, compliant, and immediate accessible solution as the maritime industry transitions toward lower-emission fuel alternatives. 

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executiv

TUI Orders First Methanol River Cruise Ships as Sector Growth Continues

TUI will reach 10 river cruise ships i 2028 with two methanol-ready ships (TUI)

Published Mar 30, 2026 5:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

River cruising continues to be one of the hottest segments in the cruise industry, with strong growth continuing, especially in the European market. Analysts report there are over 380 river cruise ships currently sailing, with an additional 10 percent currently under construction and continuing new orders.

The UK division of Germany’s TUI Group announced that it has ordered two more new builds, and these ships are being designed and built for the next generation of alternative fuels. The company reports the ships are being designed particularly for methanol-fueled operation as it looks to address sustainable operations.

It has ordered two additional ships, each with 94 cabins and a total passenger capacity of 188 people. News of the order was shared as TUI christened the newest addition to its river cruise fleet, TUI Aria. Built in 2018 as the VistaStar, the ship has completed a refurbishment and has become the largest-capacity river cruise ship in the company’s fleet.

TUI announced its plans to enter river cruising in 2019, but its launch was delayed until 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic. The company reports that in its nearly five years of service, it has seen strong growth with a 50 percent year-on-year growth in sales for 2026.

It currently has four ships, all focused on the UK market with fly-cruises to Europe’s popular destinations. Next year, it will add its next ship,  TUI Elara, which will cruise between Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Basel on the Rhine, Moselle, and Dutch and Belgian waters. The company’s first newbuild, Tui Lizia, follows in the summer of 2027. By 2028, it will reach 10 ships. 

TUI’s news of the orders due for delivery in 2028 follows others in the European cruise industry. Viking, one of the largest river cruise operators, has 89 ships worldwide with orders for 23 river cruise ships and options for 16 additional river cruise ships. Other companies, including American Cruise Lines in the United States, and Ama and Scenic, also recently announced new ships. Celebrity Cruises announced a fleet expansion ahead of the launch of its river cruise offering in 2027.

A new entry into the market, and with a new concept, Transcend Cruises also last week announced an order to build two more ships, which will double its start-up fleet. The company is focusing exclusively on the group and charter market. The first of its river cruise ships, Connect, is completing construction in the Netherlands and will start service in July. A second ship is under construction for delivery in 2027, and the company has ordered two more ships for 2028. 

Transcend’s ships are unique in that they have 60 identical staterooms, and all of them can convert into two-room suites. It is part of the focus on the insensitive and group market. They also feature both fitness centers and a spa. The hulls of the ships are built in Romania, with the outfitting and completion at Den Breejen Shipyard in the Netherlands.

River cruising is popular because of the combination of scenery and culture the ships present for travelers who are increasingly focused on experiences. Analysts project that the market segment will continue to see strong growth, outpacing the broader cruise industry.

 

First Offshore Post-Combustion CO2 Capture System Starts on FPSO

Agogo FPSO is positioned off Angola and it has completed commissioning of the first offshore carbon capture system (Yinson Production)

Published Mar 30, 2026 7:57 PM by The Maritime Executive

What is being billed as the world’s first offshore post-combustion CO2 capture system is now fully operational on an advanced FPSO positioned off Angola. Developed by Carbon Circle for the Yinson Production FPSO Agogo, which is being operated by Azule Energy, the FPSO and this new system are considered to be a pioneer in the emerging field of offshore carbon capture.

The massive FPSO was built in China and delivered in March 2025 by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Shipyard. Measuring 330 meters (1,082 feet) in length, it has a production capacity of 120,000 barrels of oil per day and a storage capacity of 1.6 million barrels of oil. The FPSO arrived off Angola in May 2025 and achieved first oil at the end of July 2025. It started a 15-year charter.

The Agogo FPSO is billed as the centerpiece of the Agogo International West Hub project, located approximately 180 kilometers (over 110 miles) off the coast of Angola. It involved two fields, which will each have an FPSO. Combined, the fields have estimated reserves of approximately 450 million barrels and a projected peak production of 175,000 barrels per day.

Carbon Circle received the contract to develop the carbon capture system in late 2023. The partners highlight the challenges, which ranged from tight layouts to limited access and operational challenges. They noted a need for a flexible, modular commissioning, noting that delivering the first carbon capture offshore was “anything but plug and play.”

 

The unique CCS system will provide vital information about how the systems perform offshore (Yinson Production)

The Agogo CCS system, they explained, is running on the open source CESAR1 solvent, which is an advanced amine blend shaped by years of academic research, international pilots, and global R&D collaboration. With low-energy regeneration and high reaction rates, the companies believe CESAR1 is showing strong potential for large-scale offshore deployment.

Yinson Production reports that integrating carbon capture into an FPSO reduces emissions from operations and builds an understanding of how such systems perform offshore. It is part of an advanced approach to the FPSO. It includes the first Combined Cycle Power Generation units ever deployed on an FPSO. All of its topside and marine systems were also designed to be fully electric, and it incorporates various advanced solutions aimed at minimizing operational environmental impact while maximizing efficiency. 

 

MOL and Hitachi to Study Converting Old Ships to Floating Data Centers

MOL's latest rendering shows a repurposed bulker while in the past they have shown a car carrier (MOL)

Published Mar 30, 2026 6:20 PM by The Maritime Executive

Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Hitachi plan to explore the use of old ships as a means of meeting the strong demand and technical concerns of developing data centers. The companies have signed an agreement that will see them pursue a feasibility study of their concept of floating data centers, as well as verify the demand and technical specifications required for the concept.

The companies point to the strong demand for data centers, in part due to the rapid proliferation of generative AI. However, developing these centers comes with key technical challenges, ranging from their power requirements to the need for robust cooling systems due to the heat generation from high-performance AI servers. Companies have been exploring the use of small nuclear reactors for data center power, while water cooling is increasingly being viewed as an option to dissipate the heat. MOL and Hitachi also point out the space requirements for the centers and local limitations and opposition in some areas.

The repurposing of older ships, they believe, presents a strong option and creates a strong financial case with significant cost savings versus building a land-based center. MOL notes that a ship can be converted in one year, versus the three or more years it could take to build one of the centers. The company highlights that a typical car carrier has 54,000 square meters of space that rivals one of Japan’s largest onshore data centers in terms of floor area. The new rendering, however, shows a repurposed bulk carrier.

They believe ships would have lower construction costs and could also reuse existing onboard systems, meaning they would require a reduced initial investment requirement. As floating structures, they could utilize seawater or river water for cooling and could be relocated based on future demand.

MOL will leverage its expertise in vessel conversion and maintenance as well as its experience in coordinating with port authorities. It will be responsible for defining the marine aspects of such a conversion, while Hitachi will leverage its expertise with existing data centers. It will be responsible for the technical studies exploring elements such as installation, IT infrastructure requirements, security, and customer acquisition.

The goal is to possibly launch their first conversion to commence operations in 2027 or later. They said they will focus on Japan, where Hitachi has operational experience, as well as Malaysia and the United States for the initial projects.

It is not the first time MOL has reported that it would look at repurposing its older car carriers into floating data centers. In July 2025, MOL announced it was working with Kinetics, an initiative from Karpowership, to explore floating data centers. They said it would focus on a 9,700 gross ton car carrier and planned to develop the concepts by 2026 so that a conversion could begin. It was targeting its first operations in 2027.

Cyber Risk in Shipping: From Technical Threat to Business Reality

Published Mar 30, 2026 2:12 PM by Taher Afridi

 

Cybersecurity in shipping is still too often framed as a technical issue, something for IT teams to manage in the background. From Marcura’s position across financial, operational and compliance workflows, it is increasingly clear that it has become something far more fundamental: a question of business resilience, financial integrity, and trust across an increasingly complex global ecosystem.

Few organizations sit closer to that reality. I see first-hand how cyber risk manifests in day-to-day shipping and where some of the industry’s assumptions still fall short.

The real weakness isn’t technical

For all the investment in firewalls, monitoring systems and infrastructure, many of the most significant vulnerabilities still sit within everyday workflows and human interaction.

Cyber incidents rarely begin with highly sophisticated technical breaches. More often, they exploit gaps in processes, communication, or decision-making under pressure. This is not about individuals being careless, but about how systems are designed, how information flows, and how people are supported to identify and respond to risk.

In maritime operations, this often takes the form of business email compromise. A bad actor may gain access to a trusted email account, such as that of a port agent, and insert fraudulent banking details into an otherwise legitimate disbursement request. The process appears routine, the parties are familiar, and the timing is often urgent, making the manipulation difficult to detect without the right controls in place. The financial consequences, however, can be immediate.

This is something we see play out repeatedly across global port operations. In fact, over recent years, Marcura has prevented more than 100 fraud attempts, protecting over US$10 million in customer funds by implementing controls around disbursement workflows and payment verification. These are not isolated incidents, but part of a consistent pattern across global port disbursement workflows.

The lesson is clear: cyber risk is no longer about whether systems are secure in isolation. It is about whether entire business processes, and the people operating them, can withstand manipulation.

An ecosystem problem, not a company problem

Shipping is uniquely exposed because it does not operate as a closed system. Every voyage depends on a network of agents, suppliers, port authorities, financial institutions and service providers; many of whom operate with vastly different levels of cyber maturity.

This creates concentrated points of failure, or clusters of risk at critical operational touchpoints.

Port agents, for example, are often small, local businesses with limited cybersecurity investment. Yet they sit directly within high-value financial workflows. A compromised agent email account can be enough to trigger fraudulent disbursement payments, with legitimate stakeholders unknowingly cut out of the loop.

The probability of breach in maritime is high because of the number of actors involved, and not all of them have invested in security. The industry’s fragmentation and global nature create a structural challenge: even if large organizations strengthen their internal controls, they remain exposed through trusted external relationships.

Cyber risk, in other words, is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain.

Following the money

Another shift shaping the threat landscape is the motivation behind attacks. While early cyber incidents were often driven by curiosity or reputation, today’s attacks are overwhelmingly commercial.

Most breaches today are financially motivated, and the question attackers are asking is simple: where is the money, and what is the easiest path to get to it?

Digitalization has made that path significantly easier. Where physical bank robberies once required coordination and risk, today’s attackers can operate remotely, targeting financial flows through phishing, credential theft and social engineering.

Crucially, these attacks do not require deep technical sophistication. The barrier to entry has lowered dramatically, and is falling further.

AI is accelerating both sides                                                                           

Artificial intelligence is now reshaping cybersecurity at speed, and not just for defenders.

On one hand, AI is enabling advanced detection capabilities, allowing organizations to process vast volumes of data and identify anomalies that would be impossible for human analysts alone. On the other, it is making attacks more scalable and convincing.

The guidance we used to give, such as looking for bad grammar or spelling in phishing emails, is no longer relevant. AI has removed those signals overnight.

Attackers can now generate highly personalized, context-aware communications at scale. Combined with automation, this creates a 24/7 offensive capability, one that continuously probes for vulnerabilities.

The result is a widening gap: defenders are still reacting, while attackers are increasingly proactive.

Awareness doesn’t mean readiness

There is no doubt that awareness of cyber risk has improved across shipping. Regulatory pressure, customer scrutiny, and insurance requirements are all driving the issue higher up the agenda.

However, awareness does not necessarily translate into readiness.

One of the most persistent challenges remains training and behavior. While most organizations now run cybersecurity awareness programmes, measuring their effectiveness is far more difficult.

Marcura, for example, has implemented structured training over more than a decade, alongside phishing simulations and internal reporting processes. Yet even with high completion rates, the question remains: are people truly internalising the risks, or simply ticking a compliance box?

Cybersecurity is not the responsibility of one person or one team, but of the organization as a whole. Changing behavior at scale is one of the hardest problems.

For shipowners and operators, this means rethinking cyber risk not as a compliance function, but as a control layer embedded across financial and operational workflows.

From cost center to commercial enabler

One of the more significant shifts underway is how cybersecurity is being perceived at a leadership level. Historically viewed as a cost centre, it is increasingly becoming a commercial differentiator.

Large customers, including major shipping companies, financial institutions and energy firms, now expect robust cybersecurity credentials as a prerequisite for doing business. Certifications, audit reports and demonstrable controls are no longer optional; they are part of the commercial conversation.

In practice, this has translated into sustained investment, not just for compliance, but as a means of enabling trusted service delivery at scale. Cybersecurity is not simply about risk avoidance; it is about unlocking business opportunities.

Towards collective resilience

Despite these advances, one structural issue remains unresolved: the lack of effective information sharing across the industry.

Cyber threats are not competitive, yet responses often are. Organizations tend to manage incidents in isolation, limiting the sector’s ability to learn collectively.

There’s no central mechanism for sharing lessons in cybersecurity. We often hear about incidents too late, or without enough detail to make a meaningful difference.

For an industry as interconnected as shipping, this limits the sector’s ability to build collective resilience.

Improving resilience will require a shift from isolated defense to shared intelligence, where insights from one part of the ecosystem can strengthen the whole.

A business imperative

Cybersecurity in maritime is no longer a future concern. It is already shaping financial outcomes, operational continuity, and competitive positioning.

Organizations that recognize this, and treat cyber risk as a business issue rather than a technical one, will be better placed to navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.

In a sector built on global interdependence, resilience is not just about protecting systems, it is about protecting trust across every transaction and interaction.

Taher Afridi is Deputy Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Information Security at Marcura, the sponsor of this message. 

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.