krogragg

Category: Operations

  • Hijacked tanker found in Iran’s familiar holding ground

    Hijacked tanker found in Iran’s familiar holding ground The Talara, a Marshall Islands-flagged product tanker, apprehended by the Iranian military on Friday has been tracked down. The vessel is moored in the Khuran Strait, north of Qeshm Island, a familiar location for vessels hijacked by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to TankerTrackers.com.  State…

  • Shipping broadens the search for seafarers

    Shipping broadens the search for seafarers Shipping’s human capital crunch is fast becoming one of its defining challenges of the decade. The latest chapter from our brand-new Seafarers magazine which is being distributed across Hong Kong Maritime Week. From Singapore to Copenhagen, shipowners and managers are grappling with a shrinking supply of qualified crew just…

  • Iran seizes tanker transiting the Gulf of Oman

    Iran seizes tanker transiting the Gulf of Oman A Marshall Islands–flagged crude oil tanker, Talara, has been apprehended today by three small boats belonging to the Iranian military whilst transiting the Gulf of Oman on a voyage from the United Arab Emirates to Singapore. The 73,371 dwt has since been redirected to the Iranian coastline.…

  • Splash Wrap: Flows shift again

    Splash Wrap: Flows shift again The Houthis officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed Houthi chief of staff, Yousef Hassan Al-Madani, who succeeded…

  • The gaps in today’s training environment

    The gaps in today’s training environment As shipping digitalises and decarbonises, training is failing to keep pace. For all the talk of transformation, maritime training is falling behind. While simulators, gamified courses, and online academies multiply, the fundamentals remain out of sync with modern shipping. Across the industry, executives see an urgent need to modernise…

  • How to make seafarer training more relevant

    How to make seafarer training more relevant Shipping’s training ecosystem is struggling in an era of accelerating change, with industry leaders warning that tick-box learning and operational pressures are undermining seafarer competence. The latest instalment from our brand-new Seafarers magazine. Maritime training is under strain. Between relentless schedules, shrinking manning levels, and an accelerating pace…

  • Shipping hesitates on Red Sea return

    Shipping hesitates on Red Sea return Experts covering the Red Sea shipping crisis have advised caution over any swift return to the Middle Eastern tradelane. Yesterday, the Houthis officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a…

  • Would you let your child go to sea?

    Would you let your child go to sea? As the next generation turns away from life at sea, industry leaders reflect on what it would take to make seafaring something parents once again want for their children. The second instalment in our brand-new Seafarers magazine. Ask anyone who’s spent time at sea and they’ll tell…

  • Live Animal Export: It’s 2025, why are hairy seafarers abandoned and left to linger and die onboard?

    Live Animal Export: It’s 2025, why are hairy seafarers abandoned and left to linger and die onboard? Dr Lynn Simpson returns to Splash today, discussing the ongoing livestock calamity taking place off Turkey. Today is day 54 of Spiridon II’s current voyage, something that Splash covered yesterday. Originating in Montevideo, Uruguay, destined for Türkiye and…

  • Houthis signal end to Red Sea attacks as shaky ceasefire holds

    Houthis signal end to Red Sea attacks as shaky ceasefire holds The Houthis have officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter (pictured below) sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed…

  • ‘Ambition is not yet reaching the fixture desk’: RightShip warns of reward deficit for responsible owners

    ‘Ambition is not yet reaching the fixture desk’: RightShip warns of reward deficit for responsible owners A new 37-page report published today by vetting specialist RightShip makes clear the growing frustration among owners who invest in safer, greener operations yet see little commercial recognition for it, with just 27% of charterers polled saying they offer…

  • Splash launches special Seafarers magazine

    Splash launches special Seafarers magazine For decades, seafarers have powered shipping’s profits but remained largely invisible to its decision-makers. That distance — between the bridge and the boardroom — is finally narrowing, something that forms the opening article in our brand new Seafarers magazine launching today to coincide with Crew Connect in Manila as well…

  • Newbuild bulker design to lock away carbon at sea

    Newbuild bulker design to lock away carbon at sea Climate-tech start-up Calcarea and Dutch naval architect Aurelia Design have joined forces to develop a commercial ship design integrating ocean-based carbon capture technology. The partnership will combine Calcarea’s limestone weathering system — a process that removes CO₂ by accelerating its natural reaction with seawater and limestone…

  • Svitzer takes majority stake in Norway’s Bukser og Berging

    Svitzer takes majority stake in Norway’s Bukser og Berging Danish towage giant Svitzer has acquired a 66.6% stake in Norwegian towage and marine services company Buksér og Berging (BOB). The deal, which remains subject to final regulatory approvals, will see BOB continue operating as an independent company under its own brand, management, and strategy. Chief…

  • Emboldened Somali pirates spark fear in the Indian Ocean

    Emboldened Somali pirates spark fear in the Indian Ocean The threat of Somali piracy is re-emerging in the Indian Ocean, with recent incidents highlighting the increasing sophistication and reach of pirate groups.  Yesterday’s hijacking of the Malta-flagged Hellas Aphrodite—carrying gasoline from India to South Africa—marked the first merchant vessel boarding of the year, with the…

  • Splash Wrap: Pirates, crews and cyberstorms

    Splash Wrap: Pirates, crews and cyberstorms Compared to recent months, geopolitics did not muscle into many Splash headlines this week, the final days of the tit-for-tat port fees levied by the US and China, which are set to come to an end on Monday. The most shocking news came from the Horn of Africa, where…

  • Freightos expands into ocean freight

    Freightos expands into ocean freight Freightos has expanded its digital freight platform from air to sea, rolling out an integrated pricing, quoting, and booking system for ocean freight forwarders. The Nasdaq-listed logistics technology firm said its new WebCargo Rate & Quote Ocean platform marks a major step in unifying air and ocean freight management under…

  • Somali pirates board tanker in deepwater attack

    Somali pirates board tanker in deepwater attack A Malta-flagged products tanker has been boarded by armed pirates in the Indian Ocean. According to maritime security specialists Vanguard Tech and Ambrey, the Hellas Aphrodite was attacked early today, approximately 549 nautical miles east-southeast of Hobyo, Somalia, far beyond the traditional high-risk area. The 50,000 dwt vessel,…

  • Study warns seafarers’ shore leave still in steep decline since pandemic

    Study warns seafarers’ shore leave still in steep decline since pandemic Seafarers are finding it increasingly difficult to step ashore, with new research showing access to shore leave has dropped sharply since the pandemic. A study by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, Shore Leave and the Future of Port-Based Welfare, found a 61% fall in seafarers…

  • Svitzer joins forces with Cochin Shipyard on electric tug build in India

    Svitzer joins forces with Cochin Shipyard on electric tug build in India Svitzer has signed a letter of intent with Cochin Shipyard to develop and construct a new generation of electric tugs in India. The Danish towage operator said the agreement, signed during India Maritime Week in Mumbai, lays the groundwork for production of the…

  • Why we fear AI and why the maritime workforce shouldn’t

    Why we fear AI and why the maritime workforce shouldn’t Why fear of artificial intelligence says more about us than about the technology itself. By Giampiero Soncini, member of the board at Oceanly.  Recent weeks have seen a sharp rise in cyber-attacks targeting different industries across the globe. In the latest survey by the International…

  • Tanker rates poised to close 2025 with best year in a decade

    Tanker rates poised to close 2025 with best year in a decade The year 2025 is shaping up to be the best year for tankers in a decade, according to analysis carried in the October issue of Splash Extra, now available to read for free.  Year-to-date average VLCC earnings of $44,279 are the best since…

  • Alfa Laval: Balancing short-term operational needs with long-term goals

    Alfa Laval: Balancing short-term operational needs with long-term goals For shipping’s leaders, the biggest challenge today isn’t just keeping up with technology — it’s knowing which path to take. “Making decisions about which technology or fuel to invest in has not been easy,” says Martijn Bergink, president of Alfa Laval’s marine division. “Rapidly changing regulations,…

  • Port fees: from temporary problem to structural risk to trade?

    Port fees: from temporary problem to structural risk to trade? Sagitta Marine managing director Thomas Zaidman on what happens if fair and unimpeded port access becomes a tool of trade policy. After decades lying in the long grass, geopolitical forces have re-emerged as a key operational risk. This is not to say that politicians especially…

  • Why realism, not rhetoric, will drive shipping’s path to net zero

    Why realism, not rhetoric, will drive shipping’s path to net zero Philippos Ioulianou, managing director of EmissionLink, writes for Splash today. The decision by the International Maritime Organization to delay the Net-Zero Framework by a year has exposed deep divisions. What should have been a coordinated global effort toward decarbonisation has resulted in paralysis at…

  • MSC and Maersk join CMA CGM in moving tonnage to India

    MSC and Maersk join CMA CGM in moving tonnage to India The world’s three largest containerlines are reflagging ships to the Indian register to take advantage of local cabotage laws and growing business around the shorelines of the world’s most populous nation. France’s CMA CGM was the first global liner to make the move this…

  • Splash Wrap: Sanctions, shadow fleets, and shifting tides

    Splash Wrap: Sanctions, shadow fleets, and shifting tides US president Donald Trump unveiled sweeping sanctions on Russia’s top oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil, this week in his most extensive energy crackdown since returning to office. Aimed at forcing Moscow toward peace talks, the measures cut the companies off from US banking and dollar systems. The…

  • Flag-hopping hits extreme levels

    Flag-hopping hits extreme levels The monthly publication of Clarksons Research’s World Fleet Monitor increasingly shows data that reflects the extraordinary geopolitical challenges and machinations that shipping has to navigate in 2025. With flag-hopping becoming standard operating procedure for the shadow – or parallel – fleet, monthly changes in registry numbers have never been so extreme…

  • How geopolitics is redrawing the world’s shipping routes

    How geopolitics is redrawing the world’s shipping routes Globalisation isn’t dead, but it’s changing course, writes Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics, and author of this year’s bestseller The Fractured Age. Commentators have been quick to declare globalisation dead. But, as is so often the case in economics, the reality is more complicated…

  • Rising US deportations of Filipino crew spark diplomatic intervention

    Rising US deportations of Filipino crew spark diplomatic intervention The Philippines has demanded an explanation from Washington after a rising number of Filipino seafarers were reportedly denied entry to the United States and deported in recent months. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC, said it had sought clarification from…

  • Shipping heavyweights join bid to standardise emissions tracking

    Shipping heavyweights join bid to standardise emissions tracking Carbon Measures, a new global coalition representing major businesses from diverse industries and geographies, including famous names from shipping, ports and large charterers, has launched this week seeking to establish what they claim is a more accurate carbon accounting framework as well as to drive market-based solutions…

  • ORIX steps in to save Japan’s greying shipowning class

    ORIX steps in to save Japan’s greying shipowning class Japan is well known for its acute demographic timebomb. More than 29% of its population is aged 65 or older — the highest proportion globally — while the birth rate continues to fall, reaching a record low in 2024. The working-age population is shrinking rapidly, straining…

  • IMO fails to agree Net-Zero Framework, pushes talks to 2026

    IMO fails to agree Net-Zero Framework, pushes talks to 2026 Negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have broken down without agreement on the Net-Zero Framework, leaving the shipping industry facing another year of uncertainty over how its decarbonisation will be regulated. Delegates at the Marine Environment Protection Committee’s extraordinary session in London voted to…

  • ABS buys MetaSHIP in digital training push

    ABS buys MetaSHIP in digital training push US classification society ABS has agreed to acquire the MetaSHIP training and simulation platform from Orka Informatics, following in the footsteps of its UK peer Lloyd’s Register, which bought Ocean Technologies Group (OTG) in late 2024. The move marks another major step by a leading class society into…

  • Pacific Basin shifting half of bulker fleet to Singapore to limit US port fee exposure

    Pacific Basin shifting half of bulker fleet to Singapore to limit US port fee exposure Hong Kong-listed Pacific Basin Shipping is moving half of its bulker fleet to Singapore and reflagging vessels under its Singapore entity to reduce exposure to new US port fees introduced under the USTR Section 301 scheme. The move comes after…

  • Lloyd’s Register issues first roadmap for nuclear-powered shipping

    Lloyd’s Register issues first roadmap for nuclear-powered shipping British class society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has published new guidance on the use of nuclear energy in commercial shipping, offering what it calls the first comprehensive roadmap for the safe and responsible integration of nuclear power into the maritime sector. The document, Navigating Nuclear Energy in Maritime,…

  • Danica flags rise in falsified records in tanker crew CVs amid wage surge

    Danica flags rise in falsified records in tanker crew CVs amid wage surge Internal screening by crewing specialists Danica has revealed that between 5% and 10% of job applications for tanker vessels contain false information, due to a strong demand for experienced crew pushing wages upwards. According to the company, the discrepancies range from exaggerated…

  • Panamax boxship hit with $1.7m Shanghai fee as China’s new port levies bite

    Panamax boxship hit with $1.7m Shanghai fee as China’s new port levies bite $1.7m. That’s the fee – or RMB12.1m – that the German owners of the US-flagged Matson Waikiki are being forced to pay to allow the vessel to dock in Shanghai, a sizeable sum, and an indication of the chaos, and costs, that…

  • IMO’s green dream meets America’s red line

    IMO’s green dream meets America’s red line While the majority of opening statements at yesterday’s opening of the latest Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) were broadly in favour of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Net-Zero Framework (NZF), the US delegation stood out once again for its outspoken opposition to the proposed green legislation. The American…

  • Grieg Maritime winds down ship recycling arm

    Grieg Maritime winds down ship recycling arm Norway’s Grieg Green, the ship recycling and ESG advisory arm of Grieg Maritime Group, is closing down after 15 years of operation, citing tough market conditions and rising competition that make it difficult for premium service providers to stay viable. The Bergen-based company said the decision, effective immediately,…

  • SMM: Shipping gears up for AI and efficiency push

    SMM: Shipping gears up for AI and efficiency push Global shipowners, yards, and suppliers are gearing up for a new investment cycle focused on fleet efficiency, artificial intelligence, and sustainability, according to the latest SMM Maritime Industry Report (MIR) released ahead of next year’s shipping exhibition in Hamburg. The survey, conducted by Hamburg Messe und…

  • Maersk launches onboard trials of methanol and ethanol mix

    Maersk launches onboard trials of methanol and ethanol mix Danish shipping giant Maersk has started onboard fuel trials of a methanol-ethanol blend as part of its efforts to explore alternative fuel use for decarbonising global shipping. The company’s 2,100 teu methanol-fuelled containership Laura Maersk, which became the world’s first container vessel to operate on green…

  • Oldendorff and Salzgitter target 20% emission cut in iron ore shipments

    Oldendorff and Salzgitter target 20% emission cut in iron ore shipments German shipowner Oldendorff Carriers and fellow steelmaker Salzgitter have signed a long-term deal to lower carbon emissions from the seaborne transport of iron ore to Hamburg. Starting in January 2026, Oldendorff will deploy fuel-efficient bulk carriers to move iron ore from various loading ports…

  • Carbon costs hit shipping balance sheets as $50bn era looms

    Carbon costs hit shipping balance sheets as $50bn era looms Carbon pricing in shipping is no longer an abstract regulatory concept — it’s a growing commercial cost that is reshaping balance sheets across the maritime value chain. In 2025, emissions trading under the EU ETS alone is expected to add more than $6bn in costs…

  • US hits Iranian energy export network and Chinese import hub in sweeping sanctions move

    US hits Iranian energy export network and Chinese import hub in sweeping sanctions move The US has imposed sweeping sanctions on a vast network tied to Iran’s oil and gas exports, blacklisting more than 50 individuals and entities and identifying more than 30 vessels linked to shipments of sanctioned crude and LPG — including one…

  • Europe’s top ports gridlocked by strikes

    Europe’s top ports gridlocked by strikes Container operations at Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, have come to a standstill as lashers began a 48-hour strike on Wednesday afternoon to demand higher wages, while harbour pilots’ protests in neighbouring Antwerp-Bruges continue to disrupt marine traffic. Dutch union FNV said workers at International Lashing Services and Matrans Marine…

  • Industry splits ahead of historic IMO vote on Net Zero Framework

    Industry splits ahead of historic IMO vote on Net Zero Framework As the IMO prepares to decide shipping’s most consequential climate measure in decades, a rare show of unity from leading shipowner associations faces opposition from the likes of John Fredriksen, Greek giants, leading class societies and Washington. With days to go before the International…

  • NAPA: Integration is shipping’s new superpower

    NAPA: Integration is shipping’s new superpower Shipping’s decarbonisation drive won’t be defined by one big breakthrough, according to Mikko Kuosa, CEO of Finland-based software company NAPA. Instead, the focus is shifting to combining proven technologies and tailoring solutions to fit specific vessel types and trades. “There will not be a single silver-bullet solution,” Kuosa tells…

  • Orca AI: Artificial intelligence moves from buzzword to bridge

    Orca AI: Artificial intelligence moves from buzzword to bridge Artificial intelligence in shipping has long been a buzzword. Now, says Yarden Gross, CEO and co-founder of Orca AI, it’s fast becoming the bridge linking sea and shore — and the next 12 months could be the most pivotal yet. Gross tells Maritime CEO that shipping…

  • Denmark tightens checks on shadow fleet

    Denmark tightens checks on shadow fleet The Danish government yesterday announced it is tightening environmental and safety inspections of oil tankers—especially older, high-risk ships—passing through its waters or anchoring at Skagen Red, a key anchorage at the gateway between the Baltic and North Seas. Environment minister Magnus Heunicke said older vessels pose particular threats to…

  • Qatar peels back navigation ban

    Qatar peels back navigation ban Doha has just softened its maritime blackout. After a full suspension on October 4 due to GPS disruptions, Qatar’s Ministry of Transport partially lifted the freeze late yesterday. Daytime navigation is now allowed, though nighttime restrictions remain for smaller, non-merchant vessels. The move comes amid warnings that the GPS “technical…

  • Gaza truce talks test Houthi resolve

    Gaza truce talks test Houthi resolve A tentative ceasefire between Israel and Hamas may not just reverberate across Gaza — it could upend the maritime battleground in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have turned merchant shipping into target practice. The Houthis have long justified their strikes on commercial vessels as solidarity with Palestinians…

  • Qatar orders all ships to stop due to GPS ‘technical fault’

    Qatar orders all ships to stop due to GPS ‘technical fault’ Doha has pulled the plug on navigation with the Qatari Ministry of Transport on Saturday, ordering all vessels to halt navigation in its waters, citing a “technical fault in the GPS” that’s disrupted routes. The move comes amid a regional spike in GPS jamming…

  • Getting practical on Li-ion fire safety at sea

    Getting practical on Li-ion fire safety at sea Simon Hodgkinson, global head of loss prevention at West P&I, writes for Splash today on one of the greatest sources of casualties at sea in recent years. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are now routine in shipping. They move as containerised cargo, sit inside vehicles on RoRo decks, and…

  • Total lack of safety culture laid bare in Wakashio disaster

    Total lack of safety culture laid bare in Wakashio disaster Mauritius has finally published the long-suppressed Court of Investigation report into the 2020 grounding of the Wakashio. The findings are damning — exposing what investigators call a “total lack of safety culture on board the Wakashio,” a disaster born from distraction, negligence, and systemic oversight…

  • Finnish court drops Baltic subsea cable case against Eagle S crew

    Finnish court drops Baltic subsea cable case against Eagle S crew A Finnish district court has dismissed charges against the captain and two officers of the Eagle S tanker, ruling that Finland has no jurisdiction to prosecute over the damage of critical subsea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea last year. The case, seen as a…

  • Nova Marine Carriers breaks into New Zealand market with MPP newbuild

    Nova Marine Carriers breaks into New Zealand market with MPP newbuild Lugano-based Nova Marine Carriers has teamed up with New Zealand’s McCallum Bros in a 50/50 joint venture that will replace the ageing multipurpose vessel (MPP) on the supply run to the Chatham Islands. The MBL/Nova Marine partnership won the government tender with a proposal…

  • Boluda buys Boskalis towage arm in Australia and Papua New Guinea for $640m

    Boluda buys Boskalis towage arm in Australia and Papua New Guinea for $640m Spanish towage giant Boluda has struck a $640m deal to acquire Royal Boskalis’ harbour towage and salvage business in Australia and Papua New Guinea, cementing its position as the world’s largest operator in the sector. The takeover hands Boluda operations at key…

  • Shipping arbitration landscape shifts beyond London

    Shipping arbitration landscape shifts beyond London London has maintained its position as the world’s top maritime arbitration hub, although new data from HFW shows Asia’s centres are closing the gap. The law firm’s sixth Maritime Arbitration in Numbers report analysed responses from 19 arbitral bodies across 18 jurisdictions. It found that while London remains dominant,…

  • German owners line up MPP newbuild series in China

    German owners line up MPP newbuild series in China Germany’s HS Shipping Group (HS Schiffahrt) has teamed up with shipping financier Mare Trust for a major push into the multipurpose heavylift segment, securing newbuildings at Jiangsu Soho Marine Heavy Industry in China. The partners confirmed firm orders for four 12,500 dwt vessels, with deliveries scheduled…

  • Carsten Rehder inks $62m MPP order in India

    Carsten Rehder inks $62m MPP order in India German owner Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler und Reederei has expanded its methanol-ready multipurpose newbuilding programme in India, contracting four firm units with options for two more at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). The deal will see the Hamburg-based company pay $62.4m to the Kolkata yard, with deliveries…

  • 68% of women in maritime say they’ve faced bias

    68% of women in maritime say they’ve faced bias A new report from the Global Maritime Forum and All Aboard Alliance lays bare the invisible barriers that keep shipping’s leadership ranks homogeneous — and warns that industry growth may be stunted if it can’t tap its full diversity. The Diversifying Maritime Leadership survey — built…

  • Geely floats world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric riverboat

    Geely floats world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric riverboat Chinese automotive giant Geely Holding has expanded its green drive into shipping with the launch of the Yuanchun 001, billed as the world’s first methanol-hydrogen electric multi-purpose riverboat. Unveiled in Hangzhou, the 64 teu vessel is the latest step in Geely’s two-decade push into methanol technology, marking the…

  • Splash Wrap: UNCTAD flags fragile growth as container trade rearranges and capacity soars

    Splash Wrap: UNCTAD flags fragile growth as container trade rearranges and capacity soars Several significant trends and forecasts led Splash coverage this week, from substantial expansion of container handling capacity to warnings that the overall global shipping environment is entering a period of fragile growth marked by geopolitical uncertainty, rising environmental compliance costs, and challenges…

  • UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty

    UNCTAD warns shipping is entering a period of fragile growth and mounting uncertainty Global shipping is entering a period of fragile growth, rising costs and mounting uncertainty, according to The Review of Maritime Transport 2025 released yesterday by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). After firm growth last year, seaborne trade is expected to stall in…

  • Shipping bosses in Singapore call for immigration shake-up

    Shipping bosses in Singapore call for immigration shake-up Splash tackles one of the thornier issues facing the local maritime community in the latest instalment from our brand new Singapore Market Report magazine. Singapore’s maritime hub status is unquestioned — but its shipping community is increasingly vocal about one factor it believes could undermine future competitiveness:…

  • Bulker crew stranded in Nigeria without pay for three months

    Bulker crew stranded in Nigeria without pay for three months The crew of the 2008-built bulker Eleen Armonia has been stranded in Nigeria for more than three months without receiving salaries. According to an email sent to Splash from a crew representative, many crew contracts have already expired, but the owner of the Liberian-flagged vessel…

  • Seatrium offloads US shipyard to Karpowership

    Seatrium offloads US shipyard to Karpowership Singapore shipyard group Seatrium has sold its AmMFELS yard located at Brownsville, Texas, for a consideration of S$65m ($50.6m) to Karpower Valley, a related party of Karpowership. Seatrium stated that the accretive divestment would allow the company to enhance capital and operational efficiencies while unlocking value from one of…

  • Survey highlights barriers to scaling low-carbon tech in shipping

    Survey highlights barriers to scaling low-carbon tech in shipping Maritime scale-ups developing low-carbon technologies say they are being stalled by the very corporates that claim to need them, a new survey revealed. A survey of 30 founders revealed that no company scored above 6.5 out of 10 for collaboration, pointing to slow decisions, scarce funding,…

  • Shipping launches first training playbook for handling ammonia, methanol and hydrogen

    Shipping launches first training playbook for handling ammonia, methanol and hydrogen The Maritime Just Transition Task Force (MJTTF) has released industry-first training frameworks designed to facilitate the development of training programmes for seafarers for working on ships powered by ammonia, methanol and hydrogen. The MJTTF was formed at COP26 four years ago by the International…

  • Quadrise names Peter Borup as CEO

    Quadrise names Peter Borup as CEO Low-emission fuels and biofuels supplier Quadrise has appointed Peter Borup as its chief executive officer. Borup, who will take the CEO seat on October 1, is an accomplished international CEO with over 30 years of experience in the shipping industry. He began his career at A.P. Moller-Maersk, rising to…

  • CY Shipping and BigLift double down on heavylift fleet expansion

    CY Shipping and BigLift double down on heavylift fleet expansion CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping are adding two more new heavylift vessels to their joint fleet, bringing the total to eight ships. The newbuilds are scheduled for delivery in the first and third quarters of 2028, respectively. As with the earlier vessels of the so-called…

  • Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars

    Mexico pushes 50% tariff on China-built cars Mexico is preparing to more than double tariffs on cars from China and several other Asian countries, with duties rising from 20% to 50% under a proposal sent to Congress by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The draft bill, expected to pass given the government’s majority, would take effect 30…

  • US unleashes its largest sanctions package aimed at the Houthis

    US unleashes its largest sanctions package aimed at the Houthis Yesterday, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) unveiled its largest sanctions to date against the Houthis, designating 32 individuals and entities, including a Dubai shipmanager as well as four vessels – two MRs and two handy tankers “The Houthis…

  • Wan Hai 503 finds refuge in Dubai after 13-week odyssey

    Wan Hai 503 finds refuge in Dubai after 13-week odyssey The long-stranded Wan Hai 503 has finally found shelter in Dubai, ending a 13-week saga. The 2005-built, 4,333 teu vessel had been at sea since June, unable to discharge or secure port access after a severe fire onboard. The ship, which is operated by Wan…

  • Adani turns away sanctioned tankers from its ports in India

    Adani turns away sanctioned tankers from its ports in India India’s largest private port operator, Adani Group, has banned entry of tankers that are sanctioned by the US, UK or the European Union, according to multiple local media outlets. Adani’s port footprint in India is more focused on containers and dry bulk than tankers with…

  • Curtin Maritime orders eight hybrid-electric tugboats

    Curtin Maritime orders eight hybrid-electric tugboats US-based marine firm Curtin Maritime has invested $160m for eight hybrid-electric ship assist tugboats. The tugs will be built by the Snow & Co shipyard and will be equipped with Arc’s vertically integrated electric powertrains, delivering over 4,000 bhp and backed by a 6MWh battery buffer. According to Arc,…

  • 67 boxes tumble overboard from ZIM-chartered vessel berthed at Long Beach

    67 boxes tumble overboard from ZIM-chartered vessel berthed at Long Beach A ZIM-chartered containership suffered a serious cargo accident while alongside at the Port of Long Beach yesterday, with 67 containers falling into the harbour during discharging operations — some striking a clean air barge moored nearby. The accident involved the 2024-built, 5,504 teu Mississippi…

  • More than one in 10 shipments flagged for deficiencies in new cargo safety report

    More than one in 10 shipments flagged for deficiencies in new cargo safety report Despite misdeclared cargoes making more and more headlines, leading to deaths and vessel losses, new data published today shows more than one in 10 shipments have deficiencies, an alarming upward trend.  The World Shipping Council (WSC), liner shipping’s lobby group, has…

  • Wallenius Wilhelmsen wins $100m deal in Australia

    Wallenius Wilhelmsen wins $100m deal in Australia Wallenius Wilhelmsen has clinched a major logistics contract in Australia with a leading automotive manufacturer, expected to bring in revenues of more than $100m. The Oslo-listed roro and logistics group will provide vehicle processing services across Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth under a three-plus-one-year deal. Pia Synnerman, chief commercial…

  • US visa crackdown creates turmoil for shipmanagers

    US visa crackdown creates turmoil for shipmanagers Shipmanagers are warning of mounting operational chaos as fresh US visa restrictions begin to bite, Splash has learned. Multiple sources at leading shipmanagement companies confirm growing problems with obtaining valid US visas for crewmembers. The issues stem from a raft of executive orders signed by the current US…

  • Shipping heavyweights invest in AI safety firm Captain’s Eye

    Shipping heavyweights invest in AI safety firm Captain’s Eye AI safety technology firm Captain’s Eye has completed its Series A funding round, bringing in backing from major shipping groups Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), MOL PLUS of Mitsui OSK Lines, and The Caravel Group. The investors, which collectively control or manage more than 1,700 ships, are…

  • Lomar taps pilot-assist tech for tanker trial

    Lomar taps pilot-assist tech for tanker trial Lomar’s tanker unit, CB Tankers, has seen one of its chemical carriers fitted with Mythos AI’s advanced pilot assistance system (APAS) as part of a year-long trial to test next-generation bridge intelligence in commercial shipping. The installation onboard the 2020-built CB Pacific marks the first deployment of APAS…

  • Eastern Pacific chemical tanker attacked by the Houthis

    Eastern Pacific chemical tanker attacked by the Houthis A chemical tanker owned by Idan Ofer’s Eastern Pacific Shipping came under attack from the Houthis yesterday.  The five-year-old, 20,000 dwt Scarlet Ray reported an explosion nearby while underway passing the coastline of Saudi Arabia. No casualties or damage to the ship was reported, with the vessel…

  • ABB and Wallenius Marine launch venture for digital fleet optimisation

    ABB and Wallenius Marine launch venture for digital fleet optimisation Swiss technology group ABB and Sweden-based ship designer and manager Wallenius Marine have formally established a new joint venture in Stockholm to expand their OVERSEA collaboration, a digital platform aimed at improving vessel efficiency and sustainability. The two companies first introduced OVERSEA in September 2022…

  • Danish shipping group USTC pushes back against press attacks

    Danish shipping group USTC pushes back against press attacks United Shipping & Trading Company (USTC), the Danish shipping and logistics group owned by the Østergaard-Nielsen family, has filed a complaint with the Danish Press Council against the daily tabloid Ekstra Bladet, accusing it of breaching press ethics in its reporting on founder Torben Østergaard-Nielsen. The…

  • Wan Hai fire-hit boxship towed toward Middle East after 11 weeks adrift without refuge

    Wan Hai fire-hit boxship towed toward Middle East after 11 weeks adrift without refuge The fire-damaged Wan Hai 503 is being towed across the Arabian Sea toward the Middle East after spending nearly 11 weeks stranded without a port of refuge, following rejections from both Sri Lanka and India. The 4,333 teu containership (built 2005)…

  • 30-ton hatch recovered from coal ship explosion in Baltimore

    30-ton hatch recovered from coal ship explosion in Baltimore Baltimore’s shipping traffic was disrupted for nearly a week after an explosion on a fully laden coal carrier in the Patapsco River forced the recovery of a massive 30-ton hatch from the harbour. The 81,681 dwt W-Sapphire, managed by Athens-based W Marine and flagged in Liberia,…

  • Eagle S trial exposes voyage data recorder blackout during Baltic rampage

    Eagle S trial exposes voyage data recorder blackout during Baltic rampage The trial has kicked off in Helsinki for the captain and two officers of the Russian-linked oil tanker Eagle S, accused of dragging its anchor across the seabed and severing critical undersea cables between Finland and Estonia last Christmas. Finnish prosecutors say the Cook…

  • OrbitMI expands with Gale Force acquisition

    OrbitMI expands with Gale Force acquisition US-based maritime software company OrbitMI has acquired Swedish advisory firm Gale Force, expanding its portfolio in voyage optimisation and environmental compliance. The deal follows OrbitMI’s recent purchase of AI specialist AuQub and reflects the company’s strategy to blend maritime expertise with digital tools for shipowners and operators. Gale Force,…

  • Northern Lights marks first CO2 storage offshore Norway

    Northern Lights marks first CO2 storage offshore Norway Northern Lights JV has achieved a key milestone, injecting the first volumes of carbon dioxide into its offshore storage site in the Norwegian North Sea. The CO₂ was transported through a 100-km pipeline and injected into the Aurora reservoir, 2,600 m below the seabed. “Our ships, facilities…

  • Hackers sew lips on Iran’s merchant fleet again

    Hackers sew lips on Iran’s merchant fleet again For the second time in the space of five months, a hacker group is claiming it has knocked out communications on a swathe of the Iranian merchant fleet.  The hacker group called Lab Dookhtegan, which translates as Sewn Lips, told London-based TV channel Iran International it had…

  • Splash Wrap: Boxship orders dominate as carriers face oversupply reality

    Splash Wrap: Boxship orders dominate as carriers face oversupply reality The containership market led Splash coverage this week, with the orderbook climbing to record levels and analysts warning of a prolonged supply glut. The global orderbook now stands at 10.4m teu, or 31.7% of the existing fleet, the highest since 2010. Linerlytica cautioned that the…

  • Bill Gates in Korea to further nuclear-powered ships project with HD Hyundai

    Bill Gates in Korea to further nuclear-powered ships project with HD Hyundai Bill Gates, in his role as founder of TerraPower, met with HD Hyundai’s executive vice-chairman Chung Kisun in Seoul today to further a strategic partnership aiming to commercialise small modular reactor (SMR) propulsion. The meeting—after their March rendezvous in the US—centred on scaling…

  • Tanker hit in Russian drone strike on Izmail port

    Tanker hit in Russian drone strike on Izmail port A Panama-flagged chemical/oil products tanker has reportedly been severely damaged in Russian drone strike at the port of Izmail, Ukraine. The 7,842 dwt Excellion was moored at the eastern pier of the Izmail Oil Transshipment Complex during the early hours of August 20 when a series…

  • Explosion rocks bulk carrier departing Baltimore

    Explosion rocks bulk carrier departing Baltimore Baltimore’s already bruised maritime sector was dealt another scare on Monday evening when a Greek-owned coal carrier suffered a spectacular explosion as it departed the port. The 81,681 dwtW Sapphire, managed by Athens-based W Marine and flagged in Liberia, had just cleared CSX’s Curtis Bay terminal around 6:30 pm…

  • FuelEU surplus market gets first index

    FuelEU surplus market gets first index Digital compliance platform BetterSea has launched the first FuelEU Index, offering a benchmark for pricing and trading dynamics in the emerging FuelEU Maritime surplus market. The index is built on executed trades and active listings on the BetterSea platform, which has recorded over 41,700 tonnes of CO equivalent (t…

  • Ukraine targets Caspian port in strike on Russian drone supply chain

    Ukraine targets Caspian port in strike on Russian drone supply chain Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces have struck the Russian port of Olya in the Astrakhan region, destroying a vessel loaded with components for Iranian-made Shahed drones and ammunition. The attack, carried out on August 14 in coordination with other elements of Ukraine’s Defense Forces, hit…

  • Fire hits Maersk ship off Liberia

    Fire hits Maersk ship off Liberia A fire broke out on Wednesday onboard a Maersk ultra-large containership while sailing off the coast of Liberia. The 2013-built 19,076 teu Marie Maersk, operating under the Gemini Cooperation’s Asia–Europe AE4 service, was en route from Rotterdam to Tanjung Pelepas when crewmembers detected smoke coming from containers on deck.…

  • Leadership change at Blue Water Shipping

    Leadership change at Blue Water Shipping Danish shipping and logistics group Blue Water has appointed Thomas Bek as its new chief executive, succeeding Søren Nørgaard Thomsen, who steps down after seven years at the helm. Bek, who started as a freight forwarding trainee with Blue Water 29 years ago, takes over immediately. For the past…