krogragg

Category: Operations

  • Eagle S officers charged over Baltic cable sabotage

    Eagle S officers charged over Baltic cable sabotage Finnish prosecutors have charged the captain and two senior officers of the Eagle S tanker, part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, over the alleged destruction of critical undersea cables linking Finland and Estonia last December. The Cook Islands-flagged ship, which had sailed from Russia’s Ust-Luga with oil…

  • Report warns shore leave is in danger of extinction

    Report warns shore leave is in danger of extinction A new report from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and the World Maritime University (WMU) highlights the continuing absence of shore leave for the world’s seafarers. Analysing the data from 5,879 seafarers who responded to the trust’s shore leave survey, WMU researchers concluded that more than a…

  • Splash Wrap: Flags, fines and fakes

    Splash Wrap: Flags, fines and fakes Sanctions, the shadow fleet, and the many ways authorities are trying to clamp down on this illicit trade kept Splash reporters busy all week, with clear evidence that the dark fleet is growing quicker than the West can contain.  The grey fleet – as tracked by broker BRS –…

  • Gujarat court arrests shadow aframax bound for the breakers

    Gujarat court arrests shadow aframax bound for the breakers A shadow aframax tanker sold for scrap earlier this year has been arrested in India following a failed transaction and claims by the buyer that the vessel was sanctioned and misrepresented at the time of sale. The Gujarat High Court has ordered the arrest of the…

  • NYK and Chuo University to explore shipborne sea life for human health gains

    NYK and Chuo University to explore shipborne sea life for human health gains Japan’s Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) and Chuo University have recently launched a joint research initiative to discover novel natural products from marine organisms. The project aims to identify previously unknown substances that may have beneficial applications for humanity, including potential…

  • Panama will not register tankers and bulk carriers older than 15 years

    Panama will not register tankers and bulk carriers older than 15 years In its most firm action to date to counter dark fleet registrations, the Panamanian Ship Registry, the world’s second-largest flag, will no longer accept tankers or bulk carriers aged more than 15 years old.  “By prioritizing quality over quantity and implementing more rigorous…

  • US rail giants in $85bn coast-to-coast tie-up

    US rail giants in $85bn coast-to-coast tie-up Union Pacific has struck a deal to acquire rival railroad Norfolk Southern in a stock-and-cash transaction valued at $85bn, in a move that would form the first coast-to-coast freight rail network in the US. The combined operator would span more than 50,000 route miles across 43 states and…

  • Greece deploys salvage vessel to Red Sea amid renewed Houthi threats

    Greece deploys salvage vessel to Red Sea amid renewed Houthi threats Greece has dispatched a salvage vessel to the Red Sea in response to a spike in maritime attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants, including the recent sinkings of two Greek-operated bulk carriers. The deployment comes as part of emergency measures to protect seafarers and safeguard…

  • German firm seeks owners to help solve the ‘silent killer’ that is engine scuffing

    German firm seeks owners to help solve the ‘silent killer’ that is engine scuffing German condition monitoring solutions specialist CM Technologies (CMT) is seeking owners and operators to help it out in trials to capture data on one of the shipping industry’s most costly and underreported problems: cylinder liner scuffing in two-stroke engines. Scuffing, a…

  • CTM taps in-transit hull cleaning robots

    CTM taps in-transit hull cleaning robots Monaco-based dry bulk pool giant C Transport Maritime (CTM) has invested in CRABI Robotics, a US-based startup developing an autonomous hull cleaning system aimed at tackling biofouling while ships remain in transit. The partnership will also see CTM serve as a pilot partner, helping the robotics firm bring its…

  • Livestock carrier comes under fire off Yemen

    Livestock carrier comes under fire off Yemen The 49-year-old Comoros-flagged livestock carrier Merinos Livestock was approached today by a wooden boat approximately 35 nautical miles south-southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, according to maritime security specialist Vanguard Tech. The captain reported that the small boat opened fire and instructed them to proceed to Mokha, Vanguard Tech related…

  • Russia temporarily halts Black Sea oil loadings amid sweeping port security crackdown

    Russia temporarily halts Black Sea oil loadings amid sweeping port security crackdown Reuters reported yesterday that Russia has imposed a sudden halt on foreign oil tanker loadings at its key Black Sea export hubs, citing a new port security decree that requires Federal Security Service (FSB) clearance for all foreign vessels — a move poised…

  • Houthi attacks branded war crimes by Human Rights Watch

    Houthi attacks branded war crimes by Human Rights Watch The Houthi armed group in Yemen attacked two bulk carriers in the Red Sea earlier this month, which NGO Human Rights Watch said today are violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes. The Houthis sunk both ships, killing and injuring several crewmembers, and appear…

  • MOL launches global shipmanagement arm

    MOL launches global shipmanagement arm Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is consolidating its shipmanagement businesses under a single brand and location, aiming to streamline operations and enhance service quality across all vessel types. The Tokyo-headquartered shipping giant has renamed its Singapore-based LNG management arm, MOL LNG Ship Management, to MOL Global Ship Management (MOLGSM). The…

  • BIMCO issues clause to tackle US fees on China-linked ships

    BIMCO issues clause to tackle US fees on China-linked ships The Documentary Committee of the world’s largest shipping association, BIMCO, has adopted a standard clause aimed at addressing contractual uncertainties that may arise from the US Trade Representative’s notice of actions to impose fees on Chinese-related ships calling US ports. A BIMCO subcommittee comprising legal…

  • Putin orders FSB to vet all foreign ships entering Russian ports

    Putin orders FSB to vet all foreign ships entering Russian ports Russia has tightened access to its seaports, with president Vladimir Putin signing a decree on Monday mandating that all vessels arriving from foreign ports must now obtain prior approval from the country’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The executive order, which takes effect immediately, marks…

  • India bans use of fraudulent foreign certificates of competency in seafarer crackdown

    India bans use of fraudulent foreign certificates of competency in seafarer crackdown India’s maritime watchdog has banned its shipowners and licensed recruiters from employing Indian nationals holding certificates of competency (CoCs) from several flag-of-convenience nations, following widespread fraud allegations. The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has barred Indian recruitment and placement service licensees (RPSLs) from…

  • Moscow orders ship hull sweeps after surge in mystery blasts

    Moscow orders ship hull sweeps after surge in mystery blasts Russia’s state-run port operator FSUE Rosmorport has announced a RUB 3.16 billion ($39.5m) tender to inspect the underwater sections of vessels at key Baltic Sea ports amid mounting concerns over maritime sabotage. The sweeping safety initiative follows a string of mysterious explosions on merchant ships,…

  • Splash Wrap: Shipyards and geopolitics

    Splash Wrap: Shipyards and geopolitics Shipbuilding hogged the headlines at Splash this week with images of the White House and its occupant down considerably week-on-week. The East Asian shipbuilding tango – one of the persistent shipping news themes of 2025 – garnered the most column inches. A contraction in Chinese shipbuilding orders has been registered…

  • Seaspan pens deal to reinforce Canadian shipbuilding steel supply chain

    Seaspan pens deal to reinforce Canadian shipbuilding steel supply chain Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards has signed a memorandum of understanding with Stigterstaal Canada and Algoma Steel to reestablish a domestic steel supply chain focused on bolstering and expanding shipbuilding in Canada. This move follows the current trend of countries trying to ensure their own shipbuilding supply…

  • Hainan Yuzhou Shipping books deck carrier newbuild

    Hainan Yuzhou Shipping books deck carrier newbuild Chinese shipowner Hainan Yuzhou International Shipping is expanding its fleet of specialised cargo carriers through a newbuilding deal at a domestic yard. The company has ordered a new 12,000 dwt heavylift deck carrier at Yihai Heavy Industry – a Yangzhou yard that has delivered various specialised ships for…

  • Search ends for missing Eternity C crew as Red Sea sinks deeper into crisis

    Search ends for missing Eternity C crew as Red Sea sinks deeper into crisis The search for the remaining crew members of the Eternity C, a bulk carrier sunk by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, has been formally called off, with at least four mariners presumed dead and 11 still unaccounted for, according to…

  • Red Sea traffic falls as Houthis vow to continue attacks

    Red Sea traffic falls as Houthis vow to continue attacks The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Thursday that three more Filipino seafarers from the attacked and sunken vessel Eternity C have been rescued in the Red Sea, bringing the total number of rescued Filipinos to eight. Thirteen remain unaccounted for as search…

  • Splash Wrap: Red Sea attacks lead coverage

    Splash Wrap: Red Sea attacks lead coverage The global shipping industry has been rocked by two deadly attacks this week in the Red Sea, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching their first campaign against merchant shipping of the year, sinking two bulk carriers, killing at least three seafarers, wounding others, and reportedly kidnapping crew. A new…

  • One in six ships flagged as potential Houthi targets

    One in six ships flagged as potential Houthi targets The global shipping industry has been rocked by two deadly attacks this week in the Red Sea, with Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching their most violent maritime campaign since early 2024, killing at least three seafarers, wounding others, and reportedly kidnapping crew. The bulk carrier Eternity C,…

  • Panama Canal rebounds as container and LPG volumes rise

    Panama Canal rebounds as container and LPG volumes rise While the Red Sea has roared back to the front pages of the shipping press this week, and the Black Sea remains blighted by war, one other chokepoint that has caused supply chain chaos in recent years has reported that it is operating at full capacity.…

  • Trafigura takes stake in ZeroNorth

    Trafigura takes stake in ZeroNorth Global commodities powerhouse Trafigura has taken a strategic equity stake in a well-known vessel optimisation brand, ZeroNorth. The new partnership will see ZeroNorth’s platform deployed across Trafigura’s controlled fleet of over 350 vessels, including its voyage optimisation systems, emissions analytics and vessel reporting tools. While financial terms of the transaction…

  • Red Sea shipping crisis deteriorates rapidly as attacks intensify

    Red Sea shipping crisis deteriorates rapidly as attacks intensify The security situation in the Red Sea has taken a sharp turn for the worse over the past 48 hours, with back-to-back attacks on merchant vessels and Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple Yemeni ports. Yesterday, the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C, operated by Greek firm Cosmoship Management,…

  • New maritime electrification alliance out to change zero-emission game

    New maritime electrification alliance out to change zero-emission game Four maritime associations have launched the Global Alliance for Maritime Electrification (GAME), a coalition of nonprofit organisations looking to accelerate the electrification of maritime transportation. The new alliance will initially focus on inland, nearshore, and commercial vessels and push for zero-emission solutions through coordinated research, policy…

  • DP World to take helm of NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers

    DP World to take helm of NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers P&O Maritime Logistics, a unit of ports and logistics heavyweight DP World, has acquired a controlling stake in NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers (NACC), the leading operator of pneumatic cement carriers, in a move that positions the Dubai-based group deeper into infrastructure-driven dry bulk trades. The transaction, with…

  • Maersk Tankers brings technical ops in-house as ammonia fleet takes shape

    Maersk Tankers brings technical ops in-house as ammonia fleet takes shape Denmark’s Maersk Tankers is set to establish in-house technical management operations as it prepares to take delivery of very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) and seeks tighter alignment between technical expertise and commercial ambitions. The move marks a pivot from the company’s 2021 decision to…

  • Limpet mine threat in the Mediterranean grows

    Limpet mine threat in the Mediterranean grows A series of suspected limpet mine attacks and unexplained blasts targeting commercial tankers in the Mediterranean has reignited concern over the evolving nature of maritime threats.  “These incidents – marked by stealth, ambiguity, and geopolitical undertones – signal a shift in the maritime risk landscape that demands a…

  • ITF pushes for warlike status in Gulf hotspots

    ITF pushes for warlike status in Gulf hotspots The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has voiced its concern this week to the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), which represents maritime employers, regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman and Israeli ports and asked that these areas be designated as Warlike Operations Areas (WOA). The move…

  • Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping

    Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping Compared to almost every other week of 2025, from a shipping news/geopolitical point of view this week has been comparatively calm. Nevertheless, the word Trump featured in more Splash headlines than any other word once again. The big news at the start of the…

  • New consortium to explore floating nuclear power in the Mediterranean

    New consortium to explore floating nuclear power in the Mediterranean Shipping nuclear propulsion start-up CORE POWER, ABS, and Athlos Energy have formed a consortium to evaluate the potential of floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) to meet the energy demands of islands, ports, and coastal communities in the Mediterranean Sea. The group will research how FNPPs…

  • White House tariff deadline looms large on liner agenda

    White House tariff deadline looms large on liner agenda Donald Trump and tariffs are very much back in shipping news headlines, with one key deal seemingly agreed and plenty of others under negotiation ahead of a deadline next week. The July 9 expiration date for the White House’s pause on April’s reciprocal tariffs on a…

  • Trump’s shipbuilding ambitions face enormous hurdles

    Trump’s shipbuilding ambitions face enormous hurdles President Trump’s ambitious plan to rejuvenate the US shipping and shipbuilding industries is encountering significant challenges, just months after its announcement. Despite bipartisan support for revitalising the maritime sector as a matter of economic and national security, internal policy conflicts and administrative delays are hindering progress. A key setback…

  • Singapore files charges over last year’s fatal tanker collision

    Singapore files charges over last year’s fatal tanker collision The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has filed formal charges stemming from the deadly 2024 collision involving the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile and the shadow tanker Ceres I, an incident that drew international attention for both its human toll and its implications for shadow fleet…

  • Jackup barge sinks in Gulf of Suez, four dead

    Jackup barge sinks in Gulf of Suez, four dead Four crew members died after a jackup barge owned by Saudi oil and gas driller ADES capsized on Tuesday evening, some 300 km south of the Suez Canal. Egyptian authorities said that the incident happened off Ras Ghareb, located on the African side of the Gulf…

  • Leadership change at Belgian Shipowners’ Association

    Leadership change at Belgian Shipowners’ Association The Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (KBRV) has announced a change in leadership, with Loïc Van Staey appointed as its new managing director. He succeeds Wilfried Lemmens, who held the position for over a decade at the association, which counts almost all shipowners operating vessels under the Belgian flag. Van…

  • Seacon tackles shipping talent gap with electric training boxship order

    Seacon tackles shipping talent gap with electric training boxship order In a move to bridge the shipping talent gap and advance green maritime education, China’s Seacon Shipping has signed a contract with Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding for the construction of what is being hailed as the world’s first teaching electric containership. The 406 teu vessel, designed…

  • Study finds suicide accounts for more deaths at sea than fatal injury incidents

    Study finds suicide accounts for more deaths at sea than fatal injury incidents Suicide cases accounted for more deaths at sea than fatal injury incidents according to a major new survey looking at the fleet insured by Norway’s Gard.  Gard’s second crew claims report, published yesterday, outlines trends and developments in seafarer injuries, illnesses and…

  • Interactive map launched to give seafarers the right reporting channels

    Interactive map launched to give seafarers the right reporting channels My Harassment-Free Ship campaign is the theme of today’s United Nations-backed International Day of the Seafarer, with a call to eliminate bullying and harassment in the maritime industry. To this end, UN body the International Maritime Organization has today launched an interactive world map, which…

  • Fire-damaged Morning Midas car carrier sinks

    Fire-damaged Morning Midas car carrier sinks The salvors, Resolve Marine, have reported that the Morning Midas car carrier sank in international waters in the North Pacific, following a fire that broke out onboard on June 3. Damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the Morning Midas to sink…

  • The way of the seafarer

    The way of the seafarer Star Wars fan Steven Jones, founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index, writes for Splash on 2025’s International Day of the Seafarer, channelling his inner Mandalorian. On this International Day of the Seafarer, we celebrate an extraordinary tribe among us, a small, resilient band of individuals who, much like the fictional…

  • 100 days to surrender

    100 days to surrender Philippos Ioulianou, managing director of Emissionlink, on what shipping has learned from the EU ETS. In less than 100 days, shipping companies operating in Europe face a critical test as the deadline for surrendering carbon allowances under EU ETS is September 30. Miss the deadline, and the consequences could be severe,…

  • Trump softens on Iran intervention amid maritime chaos in Gulf

    Trump softens on Iran intervention amid maritime chaos in Gulf Oil prices dipped 2% in early trading today as Donald Trump appeared to step back from joining Israel’s attacks on Iran, while the waters in the Middle East remain busy, and dangerous thanks to vastly increased GPS spoofing in the region in the week since…

  • PIL’s Teo Teng Seng takes the reins at SSA

    PIL’s Teo Teng Seng takes the reins at SSA Teo Teng Seng, an advisor at Pacific International Lines (PIL), has been elected as the new president of the Singapore Shipping Association, succeeding Caroline Yang as head of one of the largest regional shipping bodies in the world. Teo had served as chair of SSA’s digitalisation…

  • K Line teams with Provaris in hydrogen carrier drive

    K Line teams with Provaris in hydrogen carrier drive Japanese shipping major Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has partnered up with Australia’s Provaris Energy to advance compressed hydrogen shipping and offshore storage solutions. The two companies have signed a 12-month memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly explore the development, construction, and operation of Provaris’ H2Neo…

  • Seafaring remains one of the world’s most dangerous professions

    Seafaring remains one of the world’s most dangerous professions Seafaring remains one of the world’s most dangerous professions, according to a major new report, which surveyed 147,000 people in many different jobs across the world.  According to Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s latest World Risk Poll Focus On report, 25% of ocean workers report having experienced harm…

  • Freight market reacts to soaring Middle East tensions

    Freight market reacts to soaring Middle East tensions Tensions in the Middle East have reached a boiling point this week as senior US officials reportedly prepare for a potential military strike on Iran, a move that threatens to ignite a wider regional conflict. According to a Bloomberg report citing individuals familiar with the matter, the…

  • Australia places sanctions on 60 Russian tankers

    Australia places sanctions on 60 Russian tankers The government of Australia has imposed targeted sanctions on 60 vessels linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet used to circumvent restrictions on oil and gas exports. This move marks the first time Australia has imposed sanctions against the shadow fleet. The vessels within the fleet are operating using…

  • Philippe Louis-Dreyfus passes away

    Philippe Louis-Dreyfus passes away One of the most famous names in French shipping has passed away. French shipowners’ association Armateurs de France has revealed that Philippe Louis-Dreyfus, a leading figure in international shipping and former president of the organisation, has died at the age of 80. He left a lasting mark on the shipping sector…

  • RINA acquires naval architects Foreship

    RINA acquires naval architects Foreship Italian classification society RINA has acquired Finnish naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Foreship. The transaction, with an undisclosed price tag, includes the entire share capital of Foreship, previously held by private equity firm Vaaka Partners and the company’s management. Helsinki-based Foreship, which employs more than 90 experts across eight…

  • Hagland buys chartering platform Vanora

    Hagland buys chartering platform Vanora Norwegian maritime group Hagland has acquired compatriot chartering platform Vanora in a strategic move to bolster its digital service offerings. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The deal will see the Aanensen family run vehicle integrate Vanora’s flagship solution, VesselAdmin, a digital chartering and payment platform designed…

  • MOL, Petronas, and MISC launch liquefied CO2 shipping venture

    MOL, Petronas, and MISC launch liquefied CO2 shipping venture Japanese shipping giant Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), Malaysian state energy firm Petronas and the country’s top shipping line, MISC, have launched a joint venture to build and operate liquefied carbon dioxide (LCO2) carriers. The JV called Jules Nautica will aim to become a leading owner of…

  • Laden Frontline VLCC collides with shadow suezmax tanker off Khorfakkan

    Laden Frontline VLCC collides with shadow suezmax tanker off Khorfakkan A collision occurred at 1:14 am Dubai time overnight between two tankers, the Antigua Barbuda-flagged Adalynn suezmax, part of the shadow fleet, and the Liberian-flagged Front Eagle VLCC, near the Khorfakkan anchorage in the Gulf of Oman. The impact resulted in a fire aboard the…

  • Shipping needs its own whistleblowing system

    Shipping needs its own whistleblowing system Captain Kuba Szymanski, secretary-general of InterManager, writes for Splash today. I think we have all seen the nature of news these days has changed a great deal in the past 20 years, with the dawn of the internet and the information revolution. Instead of the daily newspaper and news…

  • GPS jamming on the rise as Israel-Iran conflict enters fourth day

    GPS jamming on the rise as Israel-Iran conflict enters fourth day The conflict between Israel and Iran stretched into a fourth consecutive day on Monday, rattling global energy markets and placing the maritime industry on edge. While Israeli airstrikes have so far avoided directly targeting Iran’s crude oil infrastructure, a reported explosion at a natural…

  • Russian-linked tanker crew accused in Finland-Estonia undersea cable sabotage probe

    Russian-linked tanker crew accused in Finland-Estonia undersea cable sabotage probe Finnish authorities have formally accused senior officers aboard the Eagle S, an oil tanker linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, of criminal misconduct following significant damage to vital undersea infrastructure between Finland and Estonia late last year. The incident, which took place on December 25, 2024,…

  • John Denholm to succeed Emanuele Grimaldi at ICS

    John Denholm to succeed Emanuele Grimaldi at ICS The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the global lobby group for shipowners, has announced the appointment of John Denholm as its chairman-designate, set to succeed Emanuele Grimaldi. Denholm, a long-standing board member representing the UK and current vice chair of ICS, is also chairman of J&J Denholm,…

  • The key to success in maritime software? Don’t forget to think like a shipowner

    The key to success in maritime software? Don’t forget to think like a shipowner Consolidated data, curated by suppliers who understand the market is most likely to drive value, writes Staci Satterwhite, CEO of ABS Wavesight. Shipping is often encouraged to take lessons from other industries. Just as they have benefited from digital transformation, shipping…

  • Shipping on edge as Israel and Iran fight fire with fire

    Shipping on edge as Israel and Iran fight fire with fire Israel launched wide-scale strikes against Iran this morning, targeting nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders, stating that the operation will continue “as long as necessary”. Immediately thereafter, Iran vowed “severe punishment for Israel” and has sent more than 100 drones to attack…

  • Kerala hit by third maritime incident as court orders arrest of MSC ship

    Kerala hit by third maritime incident as court orders arrest of MSC ship Kerala’s coast is witnessing an alarming spate of maritime mishaps, with a third ship-related incident reported within a span of weeks, prompting legal action, firefighting operations, and mounting concerns over environmental and economic fallout. On Thursday, the Kerala High Court ordered the…

  • Middle East shipping routes on alert amid rising US-Iran-Israel tensions

    Middle East shipping routes on alert amid rising US-Iran-Israel tensions A rare and urgent joint advisory issued by United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa, and Joint Maritime Information Centre has set alarm bells ringing for ship operators passing through the Middle East. The advisory warns of an increased threat…

  • Geneva Dry 2026 opens for business

    Geneva Dry 2026 opens for business Organisers of Geneva Dry, the world’s premier commodities shipping conference, have unveiled today the agenda for the 2026 edition of the summit with marketing officially underway for what is forecast to be a record turnout at the five-star Hotel President Wilson on the shore of Lake Geneva. The annual…

  • EU pushes for $45 Russian oil price cap and expands crackdown on shadow fleet

    EU pushes for $45 Russian oil price cap and expands crackdown on shadow fleet The European Union has proposed a fresh round of sanctions against Russia, including those targeting more than 70 ships in the so-called shadow fleet and lowering the price cap on Russian seaborne oil. The latest proposal, unveiled on Tuesday by European…

  • COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers seals $310m deal for six heavylift ships

    COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers seals $310m deal for six heavylift ships COSCO Shipping Specialized Carriers is bringing in six multipurpose heavylift vessels in a deal with Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (BoComm Leasing). The Shanghai-listed unit of COSCO Shipping Group, with a diversified fleet of more than 150 ships, has signed up for 60,000 dwt…

  • Prolonging a career at sea

    Prolonging a career at sea Can improved connectivity onboard lead to more seafarers extending their time onboard before pursuing a career ashore? The second installment of Connectivity with Inmarsat, a special report contained within Ship Concept 2035, our new magazine. Shipping faces a shortage of qualified staff at sea, a problem that risks becoming more…

  • Four missing in Wan Hai boxship blaze off India

    Four missing in Wan Hai boxship blaze off India A fire and explosion aboard the Singapore-flagged containership Wan Hai 503 have left four crew members missing off the southwest coast of India. The incident occurred on Monday around 12.30 hrs Singapore time, some 80 km southwest of Azhikkal, Kerala. The 4,333 teu vessel, operated by…

  • Chicago PE firm teams with Manish Singh to set up shipping tech acquisition fund

    Chicago PE firm teams with Manish Singh to set up shipping tech acquisition fund Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR has formed a partnership with well-known shipping investment consultant Manish Singh, understood to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to acquire maritime tech companies. Singh will serve as CEO of the newly formed Maris Investments,…

  • Inmarsat: ’The opportunity to transform is fantastic’

    Inmarsat: ’The opportunity to transform is fantastic’ Shipping is entering an exciting, potentially transformative era over the coming decade, reckons Ben Palmer, the president of Inmarsat Maritime. The question he has though is whether the industry will be able to grab all the opportunities out there, or will its conservative, fragmented nature hold it back?…

  • Will broadband be free for all?

    Will broadband be free for all? The so-called office onboard will be achieved by full broadband internet free for all for how much of the fleet by 2035? The opening installment of Connectivity with Inmarsat, a special report contained within Ship Concept 2035, our new magazine. Connected ships are all the rage these days, discussed…

  • Red Sea shipping rebounds 60% as Houthi attacks decline

    Red Sea shipping rebounds 60% as Houthi attacks decline The volume of ship traffic in the Red Sea has increased by 60% since August 2024, now reaching 36 to 37 ships per day. Despite the rebound, volumes remain well below pre-crisis levels, according to Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, commander of the EU’s Aspides naval mission.…

  • Salvors unable to reach fire-stricken Morning Midas until Monday

    Salvors unable to reach fire-stricken Morning Midas until Monday Efforts to bring the fire-stricken Morning Midas under control are facing a significant delay, with salvage teams not expected to reach the drifting vessel until Monday, nearly a full week after the crew abandoned ship. Zodiac Maritime, the manager of the Liberian-flagged car carrier, confirmed that…

  • LR report outlines clear case for shipowners to retrofit

    LR report outlines clear case for shipowners to retrofit Demand for advanced propeller retrofits and energy-saving devices (ESDs) has nearly quadrupled since 2020 to enhance energy efficiency to meet tightening emissions regulations.  Click to enlarge However, according to a new report from British class society Lloyd’s Register (LR), while high-efficiency propellers can deliver fuel savings…

  • Germany’s CLI books MPP newbuild at Royal Bodewes

    Germany’s CLI books MPP newbuild at Royal Bodewes German shipping and logistics group CLI has contracted a multipurpose (MPP) newbuilding at Dutch yard Royal Bodewes. The deal with an undisclosed value covers an 8,500 dwt unit that has been designed to feature advanced environmental and fuel efficiency technologies, including a methanol-ready main engine and an…

  • BIMCO drafting standard clause to address US tariff measures

    BIMCO drafting standard clause to address US tariff measures The world’s largest shipping association, BIMCO, has begun drafting a standard clause to address legal and contractual uncertainties stemming from recent US trade policy developments. The move follows a notice of actions by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to impose new fees on vessels calling…

  • Carsten Rehder lines up more newbuilds in India

    Carsten Rehder lines up more newbuilds in India German shipowner Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler und Reederei is further strengthening its ties with India’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), signing a new memorandum of intent for four additional multipurpose (MPP) dry cargo vessels. The agreement, signed during the Nor-Shipping event in Oslo, brings the total number…

  • Crewing in the digital age

    Crewing in the digital age In the latest instalment from Ship Concept 2035, our brand new magazine, Splash reporters detail a recent, pertinent workshop at Geneva Dry. Starting off the 2025 edition of the world’s leading commodities shipping event, Geneva Dry, was a specialist workshop sponsored by Inmarsat exploring how connectivity at sea drives digitalisation,…

  • MAN Energy Solutions changes name to Everllence

    MAN Energy Solutions changes name to Everllence Ship engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions has changed its name and will from now on be known as Everllence. Everllence remains part of the Volkswagen Group, and the company’s product and service portfolio also remains unchanged. To commemorate the occasion, CEO Uwe Lauber symbolically unveiled the new company…

  • Crew evacuate fire-hit Zodiac car carrier

    Crew evacuate fire-hit Zodiac car carrier London-based owner Zodiac Maritime has launched an emergency response following a fire that broke out on its 4,902 ceu car carrier Morning Midas. According to the company, the incident occurred at around midnight local time on June 3 in the Pacific Ocean, some 1,900 km from the port of…

  • Dali VDR transcript released

    Dali VDR transcript released The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the US has released the audio transcript from the Dali containership’s voyager data recorder (VDR) on the night of March 26 last year when it slammed into Baltimore’s largest bridge, creating one of the most high-profile shipping accidents of the decade to date.  The…

  • Lloyd’s Register: How the business of classification is evolving

    Lloyd’s Register: How the business of classification is evolving It was 30 years ago this summer that Nick Brown walked into the Fenchurch Street offices of Lloyd’s Register as a graduate trainee in a career that has seen him work across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, before getting the corner office in early 2021.…

  • Can global legislation keep up with the ships of the future?

    Can global legislation keep up with the ships of the future? In the second instalment from Ship Concept 2035, our brand new magazine, Splash identifies where regulators are enforcing change and where they are not. In global shipping, we often talk about regulation as a good thing – and rightly so. Rules are meant to…

  • Faster, greener shipping route launched in Vietnam

    Faster, greener shipping route launched in Vietnam DP World, in partnership with VIMC Container Lines Joint Stock Company (VIMC Lines), has launched a new coastal and river transport service that is said to cut cargo transit times by 70%. The so-called Mekong Express service connects inland port Cai Cui and deepwater port Cai Mep twice…

  • Record numbers of vessels abandoned

    Record numbers of vessels abandoned The number of vessel abandonments has soared nearly 33% year-on-year, with 158 cases already recorded by May 2025, compared to 119 at the same point last year, according to new figures released by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). These cases have impacted at least 1,501 seafarers—many of whom have…

  • Fatigue among seafarers on the rise

    Fatigue among seafarers on the rise Work-related fatigue among cargo ship crews is growing worse, despite international regulations and onboard monitoring aimed at ensuring sufficient rest for seafarers, according to a new study from Cardiff University’s Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC). The research, which draws on anonymous survey responses and interviews with over 2,400 maritime…

  • Federal court blocks Trump’s tariffs

    Federal court blocks Trump’s tariffs In the latest twist in the trade war unleashed by Donald Trump, an American federal court has blocked the president’s sweeping tariffs. The Court of International Trade has ruled that the emergency law invoked by the White House does not give the president unilateral authority to impose tariffs on nearly…

  • GulfNav inks Brooge Energy acquisition deal

    GulfNav inks Brooge Energy acquisition deal Dubai shipping firm Gulf Navigation (GulfNav) has officially put pen to paper on a deal to acquire the assets held by crude storage provider Brooge Energy. The takeover plan, announced in October 2023, involves a transaction worth $871m, of which $125m in cash, and the sale of the assets…

  • Second officer charged with negligent navigation over last week’s high-profile grounding in Norway

    Second officer charged with negligent navigation over last week’s high-profile grounding in Norway A Ukrainian second officer aboard the container vessel NCL Salten has been charged with negligent navigation following a grounding incident early Thursday morning near Trondheim, Norway. The ship ran aground just meters from a summer home in Byneset, narrowly avoiding significant property…

  • BHP, Cargill and Rio Tinto seek new investors into RightShip

    BHP, Cargill and Rio Tinto seek new investors into RightShip BHP, Cargill and Rio Tinto, the founders of shipping vetting organisation RightShip, have employed Rothschild & Co to seek new investors. In a release, RightShip said its primary goal is to partner with an investor who brings not only capital but also significant expertise in…

  • Eastern Pacific signs up for Korean autonomous navigation tech

    Eastern Pacific signs up for Korean autonomous navigation tech Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) has lined up two of its managed vessels for the installation of artificial intelligence-based autonomous navigation technology developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries’s subsidiary Avikus. The project will see Avikus’ Hyundai intelligent Navigation Assistant System (HiNAS) Control, HiNAS Cloud and analytics platform…

  • Norden helps lower Microsoft’s maritime supply chain emissions

    Norden helps lower Microsoft’s maritime supply chain emissions Danish shipping giant Norden is working on a pilot project with global technology company Microsoft to help reduce its maritime supply chain emissions The company said that the pilot project involves the use of Norden’s biofuel voyage and Book and Claim solution. Norden’s book and claim solution…

  • UK slaps sanctions on British ship finance veteran over shadow fleet deals

    UK slaps sanctions on British ship finance veteran over shadow fleet deals The UK has imposed sanctions on a British ship finance veteran for allegedly buying tankers for Russia’s shadow fleet. John Ormerod was blacklisted on Tuesday alongside two Russian captains, 18 shadow fleet vessels and 46 financial institutions in the latest wave of British…

  • MAN Energy Solutions reveals world’s most powerful methanol engine

    MAN Energy Solutions reveals world’s most powerful methanol engine Ship engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions has developed the world’s most powerful two-stroke methanol engine. The engine, rated at 82,440kW at 80rpm, is currently being built by Chinese licensee CSSC-MES Diesel. This will be the first engine of 12 bound for a series of a dozen…

  • MSC invests in Ukrainian inland logistics

    MSC invests in Ukrainian inland logistics Swiss-based Medlog, a growing inland cargo business of the world’s largest liner, Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), has made its entry into Ukrainian logistics. Local media report Medlog has bought 50% of the Ukrainian intermodal logistics operator N’UNIT (New Ukrainian Network of Intermodal Terminals) and a 25% stake in the…

  • Norden signs iron ore port logistics deal in Australia

    Norden signs iron ore port logistics deal in Australia Danish shipping giant Norden has signed its first port logistics project in Australia with Kimberley Metals Group (KMG), a developer and operator of iron ore mining projects. Norden will provide additional assets for the existing transhipment operation, loading iron ore from the port of Wyndham in…

  • Inefficiencies proliferate across ageing global tanker fleet

    Inefficiencies proliferate across ageing global tanker fleet The vintage state of the global tanker fleet is leading to severe inefficiencies, with new data showing how many rust buckets have to spend more time not moving or in ballast. Data from broker Gibson shows 51% of the total tanker fleet of 25,000 dwt and above is…

  • Taizhou Hailian emerges behind Norden-bound MPP newbuilds

    Taizhou Hailian emerges behind Norden-bound MPP newbuilds China’s Taizhou Hailian Shipping has emerged behind multipurpose newbuildings that are backed by charters with Norden’s project cargo division. Splash reported last week that the Danish shipping giant would be adding two more 17,500 dwt MPPs as part of the four-ship newbuild move initiated earlier this year. The…