Tag: maritime executive

North Atlantic Right Whales Die Decades Earlier Than Antarctic Cousins   [By Greg Breed and Peter Corkerton] Southern right whales have lifespans that reach well past 100 years, and 10% may live past 130 years, according to our new research published in the journal Science Advances. Some of these whales may live to 150. This lifespan is…

Shifting Cargoes: The Container Trade Adapts to Geopolitical Challenges   New York Yankees’ great, Yogi Berra, once said, “You can learn a lot by watching.” And those watching the marine container cargo world have observed a lot in recent months. Security issues in the Red Sea. North American governments hitting China with new trade tariffs.…

Adani Doubles Down on Tug Fleet Renewal   The Indian government’s ambition to promote domestic shipbuilding has received a major boost from the private sector. Last week, the Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) placed an order for eight 70-ton bollard pull harbor tugs at Kerala’s Cochin Shipyard. This is one of APSEZ’s…

Suspected Sabotage Ship Dragged Anchor for Up to 50 Nautical Miles   The tanker that is suspected of severing multiple subsea cables in the Gulf of Finland dragged its anchor along the bottom for up to 50 nautical miles, according to the results of a sonar survey carried out by Finnish authorities. The chain was…

The Best Ocean Books of 2024   [By Daniel Cressey, Regina Lam and Neil Simpson] Wild seas, high seas, mapping the bottom and determining where the top really is – ocean-focused books published this year cover an incredible range, both literally and metaphorically. Here are some of Dialogue Earth’s favorite ocean reads from 2024.  What the Wild…

Med Marine Set to Expand its Fleet with the Launch of the MED-A2360 Tugboat [By: Med Marine] MED-A2360 tugboat was launched on December 5, 2024, at ERE?L? SHIPYARD. Designed to deliver exceptional performance and reliability, this upcoming addition will further strengthens MED MARINE’s ability to address the evolving needs of the maritime industry with advanced…

Hamburg Terminals Opt for Steelpaint’s New Corrosion Protection System [By: Steelpaint GmbH] German container terminals are applying Steelpaint’s new corrosion protection system, Stelcatec, to repair existing paintwork on ZPMC ship-to-shore cranes, following the Chinese manufacturer’s seal of approval in 2023. Stelcatec the world’s first low-VOC, isocyanate-free polyurethane coating system, is being used to repair damaged original…

ShipMoney Announces Partnership with Megga Telecom [By: ShipMoney] ShipMoney, a leader in digital payment solutions, is excited to announce its partnership with Megga Telecom, a renowned telecommunications provider, to introduce eSIMCrew this holiday season. This innovative collaboration aims to enhance connectivity for travellers and overseas workers, offering them a seamless Data Roaming experience. With the rise…

Cargo Pump Failure on Newbuild Sparks Vibration Warning [By: CM Technologies] The failure of a cargo pump onboard a newbuild tanker has highlighted the need for crews to regularly monitor rotating machinery for excessive wear and vibration, if unnecessary downtime and costs are to be prevented. The German owner took delivery of a 2021-built chemical tanker…

Video: Tugs Fail to Free Bulker Grounded in the St. Lawrence   A first effort was undertaken today in an attempt to pull the bulker Maccoa (30,898 dwt) free from its position north of Montreal. The vessel veered out of the channel early on December 24 and has remained stuck with Coast Guard officials saying…

Vessels Trapped on Saar and Moselle Freed So That Lock Repairs Can Begin The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration reported that as of today all the vessels that had been trapped on the Saar in France and the Moselle in Germany above the lock at Müden, Germany have now been freed. They were able to…

Singapore PSA Terminal Operator Sets Record Passing 40 Million TEU in 2024 In what is being called a “significant milestone,” Singapore’s largest terminal operator PSA Singapore reported that as of December 24, it surpassed 40 million TEU handled at its terminal in 2024. Representing significant volume growth, it came as the port struggled to handle…

Oslo Bulk Refutes Russia’s Claims It Refused Aid to Crew of Ursa Major Russian authorities continue to present a wide range of claims associated with the sinking of the cargo ship Ursa Major off Spain at the beginning of the week. After saying that it was an act of terrorism, the shipowner and Russia’s Dmitry…

Vietnam Completes Construction of Its Largest Bulk Carrier Vietnamese officials were on hand for the handover of the largest dry bulk carrier ever built in a domestic shipyard. The 65,000 dwt Truong Minh Dream was hailed as a key advancement and in keeping with the government’s plans to expand shipbuilding and shipping to support the…

Houthis Claim Retaliatory Attack on Maersk Ship and Israel’s Airport A day after Israel pounded Houthi targets including reports of paralyzing all three Red Sea seaports in Yemen, the militants claimed to have responded with attacks on a containership and Israel’s international airport. Spokesperson Yahya Sare’e claimed direct hits which were quickly refuted by both…

China Floats Largest, Next-Generation Amphibious Assault Ship The Chinese PLA Navy today, December 27, celebrated the float out of the first of its next-generation amphibious assault ships. The vessel named Sichuan is reported to be the largest of its kind and incorporates advanced technology. The new ship was built at Hudong-Zhonghau Shipbuilding, a division of…

Baltic Countries Increase Infrastructure Patrols and Call for NATO Support   The nations of the Baltic region, including Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Finland, all report they have launched new efforts to monitor and protect critical undersea infrastructure in response to the Christmas Day incident which damaged a key power cable between Finland and Estonia as…

Video: Storm Scatters Bags of Oily Waste From Spill Cleanup in Russia   The bunker-fuel cleanup in the Kerch Strait region encountered a setback over the Christmas holidays: renewed stormy weather, combined with slow or inadequate removal of bagged waste. The efforts of countless volunteers went to waste when wave action tore open collected bags…

Israeli Missile Boat Commander Details Attack on Syria’s Navy   The commander of an Israeli Navy missile boat that helped destroy Syria’s small surface fleet has given a rare interview about the operation, detailing the careful secrecy surrounding the planning.  On Dec. 9-10, Israeli forces struck Syrian Navy vessels at Latakia and Tartus, destroying the…

Seaboard Marine Integrates LNG-Fueled Containerships into Fleet Miami-based carrier Seaboard Marine is beginning the integration of a new class of innovative LNG-fueled containerships into its fleet servicing South America. The U.S. carrier highlights the advanced features and increased capacity as it placed the first two vessels of its new V-Class into the fleet with a…

Salvage Barge Prepares to Defuel Wreck of New Zealand Navy Ship   Salvors have arrived at the wreck site of the survey ship HMNZS Manawanui, which went down off the coast of Opolu, Samoa in early October. The operation to defuel the ship took weeks to mobilize, due in part to permitting and approval processes,…

Hapag-Lloyd Sets Work Disruption Surcharge for US East/Gulf Coast Ports With the labor contract unresolved and fears increasing for another longshoremen’s strike at U.S. ports on the East and Gulf Coast, Hapag-Lloyd announced plans for surcharges for all containers booked to the ports. The strike could start in just three weeks and the fees would…

Bosphorus Closed After Tanker Previously Damaged by Houthis Breaks Down Vessel traffic along the busy sea lane in the Bosphorus was suspended today, December 26, by Turkish officials as they dealt with a disabled tanker. It is the latest in a series of incidents with tankers operating in the Russian oil trade that experienced mechanical…

Sanctioned Russian Ship Was Sunk By “Terrorist Attack,” Owner Claims The sanctioned shipowner behind a fleet of Russian sealift ships says that the freighter that went down near the Strait of Gibraltar this week was sunk by a “terrorist attack.” At some point between 1050 and 1230 hours on Monday, the sanctioned heavy lift ship…

Finland-Estonia Power Cable Goes Dark, Prompting Sabotage Concerns   On Christmas Day, the EstLink2 subsea power cable between Finland and Estonia went dark, prompting speculation of a “hybrid” sabotage attack on subsea infrastructure in the Baltic. At 1226 hours local time on Wednesday, the Finnish utility Fingrid detected an outage on the EstLink2, a DC…

China Reports Building World’s Largest Heavy Lift Vessel Chinese officials are reporting the successful sea trials of what they are calling the world’s largest heavy lift vessel. Commentators are comparing its lift capacity to that of China’s domestically built aircraft carrier. Named Fan Zhou 8, the vessel reportedly has a capacity for over 58,000 metric…

New Emissions Barges Readied to Help California Ports Meet New Rules   Two new emissions filter barges developed by a company called STAX are preparing to enter service. One of the barges will be deployed in an expansion of the service at the Port of Benicia while the other barge will be the first dedicated…

Japan Accelerates Offshore Wind Selecting Consortiums for Two Larger Farms Japan Accelerates Offshore Wind with Projects Involving BP, JERA, Marubeni, and Others Japan selected two consortiums to develop offshore wind projects as it seeks to accelerate its renewable energy programs. Combined the two projects would provide over 1 GW of energy and one could be…

Report: USS Gettysburg Nearly Shot Down a Second Friendly Fighter Jet   Early Sunday morning, a U.S. Navy cruiser accidentally shot down a U.S. Navy fighter jet over the Red Sea, forcing the two pilots to eject. The Navy confirmed the incident on the 22nd, but two days later, Fox News reported a previously undisclosed…

Russia Struggles to Salvage its Mediterranean Investment   Russia is facing increasing difficulties in recovering its position in the Mediterranean and the Levant, following the overthrow by President Bashar Al Assad in Syria by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). As was predictable, Russian claims to be negotiating a continuance of its basing in Syria with its…

Ex-USMC Pilot Faces Criminal Charges for Training Chinese Naval Aviators   A former Marine Corps jump-jet pilot who gave up his U.S. citizenship faces extradition to the United States, where he will answer charges that he trained Chinese military pilots how to take off and land from an aircraft carrier. He leaves behind a wife…

One Killed in Violent Boat Explosion in Fort Lauderdale   On Monday evening, a small passenger vessel exploded and burned alongside the pier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, killing one and injuring five.  Just before 1800 hours, a blast rocked the quay at Lauderdale Marina, a dealership and fuel dock just north of Port Everglades. A…

Another Later-Stage Development U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Shelved Vineyard Wind, an affiliate of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, confirmed in a brief statement that it is shelving the proposed Vineyard Wind 2 project in response to Connecticut’s decision not to proceed in awarding wind projects after the recent New England tri-state solicitation. The project had been selected…

Greek Companies and Tanker Engineers Pay U.S. Over $4.5M in MARPOL Fines   The owner and operator of a Greek product tanker along with two engineers working on the vessel have each pleaded guilty in the latest U.S. Coast Guard MARPOL violation case. The fines totaled more than $4.5 million for offenses including discharging oily…

EU Approves “Exceptional” $4B Subsidy for German LNG Import Terminals   The EU Commission has approved a request from the German government to spend $4.2 billion on state subsidies for four floating terminals that import LNG, supporting Northern Europe’s urgent transition away from Russian pipeline gas supplies. State subsidies are restricted under EU competition rules, but…

Jackup Rig Collapses off Trinidad, Leaving One Worker Missing   On Sunday, a jackup rig partially collapsed off the coast of Trinidad, injuring one worker and leaving one missing.  At about 0300 hours on Sunday morning, the Rig 110 was conducting drilling at a site at the Heritage Offshore East Field when part of the…

Norway’s Belships Agrees to Buyout by US-Based Investment Manager EnTrust   Norway’s Belships, a large operator of dry bulk and majority holder of Norwegian Bulk Carriers, agreed last week to the terms for a buyout offer from U.S.-based investment manager EnTrust Global. The board of Belships highlights its goal as an investment company was to…

Container Feeder Hits Product Tanker and Sinks Off Kupang   On Sunday morning, a small container feeder hit a product tanker at an anchorage off Kupang, Timor, then sank due to the resulting hull damage. At about 0230 hours on Sunday, the KSOP guard station at Kupang received notice that the feeder Kuala Mas had…

Shanghai Exceeds 50 Million TEU for the First Time   Chinese officials reported that the Shanghai Port complex reached 50 million TEU for the first time on December 22. They said the port would exceed the 50 million TEU mark as it continues its position as the world’s busiest seaport for the 15th consecutive year.…

Edison Chouest Completes Sale of Icebreaker Aiviq to the U.S. Coast Guard   Edison Chouest has finalized the long-discussed sale of the icebreaker Aiviq to the U.S. Coast Guard, completing a transaction that began eight years ago.  Despite its early opposition to buying a commercial icebreaker for government missions, the USCG budgeted for Aiviq’s purchase…

The Struggle Against Plastic Choking the Mekong   [By Anton L. Delgado] On Son Island in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Le Trung Tin scatters fish feed into his ponds, where dozens of snakehead fish leap through the surface in synchronised bursts. “I taught them how to do that,” he says proudly, tossing another handful of feed…

USS Gettysburg Shoots Down a Fighter From Carrier USS Truman   On Sunday morning, a U.S. Navy cruiser accidentally shot down a U.S. Navy fighter jet over the Red Sea, forcing the two pilots to eject. The friendly-fire incident occurred after a UAV and missile barrage launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, according to U.S. Central…

China Blocks Investigation of Bulker Suspected of Baltic Subsea Attack   Chinese government officials have refused to let a Swedish prosecutor board a Chinese bulker that was accused of sabotaging subsea cables in the Baltic, according to the Financial Times.  The vessel and crew have now departed the region, and they are under way for…

Autonomous Drone Subs Help Researchers Study Arctic Plankton   [By Ingebjørg Hestvik] Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, May 2022: It’s spring, the sun is shining – which means the plankton in the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean are about to bloom. Long bright days and rising temperatures have awakened the phytoplankton. The spring bloom has begun, and populations of…

Op-Ed: South American Countries Taking Lead on High-Latitude Capability   [By Aaron Delano-Johnson and Myles McCarthy]  Sporting the distinctive racing stripe worn by many of the globe’s coast guards, the world’s newest polar-capable research vessel left the protected waters of the Gerlache Strait behind as it prepared to cross the Southern Ocean after completing its maiden…

Report: Policy Rethink Needed for India’s 2030 Offshore Wind Goal   The last two years has seen India take significant steps to spur the development of offshore wind energy. A notable milestone was the approval of the $821 million Viability Gap Funding (VGF) program back in June, intended to incentivize the development of the first 1 GW…

Breeze Ship Design Awarded Contract for Two Multipurpose Supply Vessels [By: Breeze Ship Design] Breeze Ship Design has recently been awarded a contract by Fujian Mawei for the design of two new multipurpose offshore supply vessels (MPSVs) for the U.S shipowner SEACOR Marine. The Z 4423 MPSV design is an 88-metre-long hybrid vessel equipped with medium-speed…

Kongsberg Maritime Secures Significant Contract for Golar Mk2 FLNG Vessel [By: Kongsberg Maritime] Kongsberg Maritime has secured a substantial contract to provide an integrated package of electrical, control, safety and propulsion systems for the Golar Mk2 Floating Liquified Natural Gas (FLNG) project. Valued at more than $25 million USD, this contract will see Kongsberg Maritime technology…

Borr Drilling Selects Zentech for Engineering Support [By: Zentech Incorporated] Houston-headquartered engineering consulting, project and construction management and software development firm Zentech Incorporated (Zentech) has signed a Master Service Agreement for Engineering Services with Borr Drilling Limited, a premier offshore shallow-water drilling contractor dedicated to providing exceptional drilling services to the global oil and gas industry.…

Wärtsilä Propulsion Package to Power Largest Methanol Cement Carrier Vessel [By: Wärtsilä] Technology group Wärtsilä’s focus on supporting the marine industry’s efforts to decarbonise operations continues to drive concrete steps forward. The latest order is to supply a complete propulsion package for a 38,000 DWT methanol-ready cement carrier vessel. When built, this will be the world’s largest…

Salvage Efforts Refloat Canada’s Beloved Storybook Tugboat Theodore TOO   A team of salvage experts that included divers and even the Canadian Coast Guard rushed this week to the rescue of an iconic tugboat after the little vessel suddenly took on water and partially submerged at the Ontario Shipyard in Port Weller. Used to promote…

Tough Regulations for Ships as EU Moves to Contain Plastic Pellet Pollution   Europe is taking measures to tackle the challenges of plastic pellet pollution with the drafting of regulations that specifically set tough obligations for ocean-going vessels. The targeting of maritime transport is due to the fact that the sector accounts for around 38…

World Shipping Council Enters 2025 with New Team Led by MSC’s Toft   As liner shipping continues to face a growing list of challenges, the industry’s leading lobbyist group, the World Shipping Council, will enter 2025 with a new leadership team. The board of directors of the group which represents container and vehicle shipping elected…

Second State Training Ship Patriot State Set for First Cadet Voyage   Massachusetts Maritime Academy announced the inaugural schedule for the second of the Maritime Administration’s new training ships which are being dedicated to the state maritime colleges. The TS Patriot State was delivered to the Academy last fall, and today they announced she will…

Biden Administration Approves Eleventh U.S. Offshore Wind Project   Racing to put the offshore wind industry on a sound footing before the close of the Biden administration, the Department of the Interior today approved what will become the eleventh large-scale offshore wind farm off the coastal United States. The project known as SouthCoast Wind will…

Bud Darr Jumps Ship from MSC to Lead Cruise Industry Trade Group CLIA   MSC’s well-known and prominent Executive Vice President for Maritime Policy and Government Affairs, Charles (Bud) Darr is leaving the company after seven years. The cruise industry trade group Cruise Lines International Associate (CLIA) announced Darr will become its President and CEO…

Passenger Dies After Running Amok on Cruise Ship Off LA   A passenger ran amok and injured two crewmembers aboard the cruise ship Navigator of the Seas last week, then died following a security intervention, according to fellow passengers. On December 13, one hour after Navigator of the Seas departed the San Pedro cruise terminal…

Hanwha Completes $100 Million Acquisition of Philly Shipyard   South Korea’s Hanwha Group completed the acquisition of Philly Shipyard on December 19 in a deal valued at approximately $100 million. The company emphasized its plans for the growth of the yard’s operations and has openly spoken of its goal to use the yard to expand…

APM Completes Expansion of MedPort Tangier Ahead of Gemini Launch   Medport Tangier which has seen a surge in volumes as vessels rerouted away from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea is preparing for its next growth as APM Terminals completed a multi-year project. It expects to further ramp up operations in 2025 with…

Adm. Schultz: Coast Guard Sexual Assault Report Was Withheld From Congress   The House Oversight Committee has released its interim findings on an 18-month review of Operation Fouled Anchor, a sweeping investigation into sexual assault at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy which was buried by the service’s leadership. During Operation Fouled Anchor, the Coast Guard Investigative Service…

U.S. Targets Iran, Houthis, Smuggling, and Oil Trade with Sanctions The U.S. is seeking to continue the pressure both on the regime in Iran and its efforts at financing its proxies including the Houthis and Hamas. The U.S. Department of the Treasury and its Office of Foreign Asset Control each announced additional sanctions today, December…

Sweeping Legislative Approach Proposed to Revitalize U.S. Merchant Marine   A new legislative initiative launched by two U.S. Senators and two U.S. members of the House of Representatives and broadly supported within the maritime industry seeks to provide a comprehensive approach to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry and all its related parts. Calling it the…

Vineyard Resumes Blade Installation Five Months After Fracture   The Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm being developed by Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners resumed blade installation last weekend five months after it was forced to suspend operations due to one blade fracturing. The project which is working with GE Vernova received permission from federal regulators…

Report: IRGC Now Handles Half of Iran’s Oil Exports Iran’s oil exports are intimately linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ military training and assistance programs in the Middle East, including the weapons transfers that enable Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. The IRGC’s share of Iran’s oil export volume now exceeds 50 percent, according…

Norway Awards $100 Million to Advance Ammonia, Hydrogen, and Electric Ships The Norwegian government through its Enova SF project designed to accelerate environmental-friendly technologies awarded a total of approximately $108 million in funding to 14 projects for ammonia, hydrogen, and battery-powered ships and the supporting technologies. The awards were part of the latest round in…

SoCal Ports Report Strong Volume Gains as Shippers Front Load into 2025 The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach each achieved strong results in November which in part is being attributed to a range of geopolitical issues on top of continued strong consumer spending in the U.S. In what is typically a slower…

ICS Selects Cyprus’ Kazakos as Secretary General to Replace Platten   The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the influential trade association that represents 80 percent of the world’s merchant fleet, has unanimously appointed long-time member and industry leader Thomas A. Kazakos as its next Secretary General. The group completed a seven-month search for a replacement…

Video: Indian Navy Response Boat Hits Ferry, Killing 13   On Wednesday, an Indian Navy fast response boat hit a ferry off the coast of Mumbai, killing 13 people. A massive search effort continued into Wednesday night to determine if there were any additional survivors.  Navy officials told Indian media that the response boat was…

Q&A: Christoph Rofka, President of Medium & Low-Speed at Accelleron   Maritime’s energy transition will depend in large part on a time-tested technology – the internal combustion engine. Originally designed to run on fuel oil, two-stroke and four-stroke marine diesels will continue to provide the industry’s propulsion power for decades to come, though the requirements for running them…

Navigating Methane Slip: A Key Step Towards Maritime Decarbonization   As the shipping industry embraces liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a transitional fuel on the road to the 2050 net-zero emissions target set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), understanding and mitigating methane slip—the unintended release of unburned methane during the combustion process—becomes imperative for…

As Fuel Washes Up on Black Sea Beaches, Third Russian Tanker Reports Leak   As a massive fuel spill from the lost tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 washes up in Russia’s corner of the Black Sea, a third ship in the same fleet has reported an internal tank leak.  According to Russian transport agency Rosmorrechflot, the…

After Assad’s Ouster, What Next for Iran and Yemen?   The failure of Iran’s Axis of Resistance proxies in the Levant, in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, of course has local repercussions.  But it also has massive implications for the longevity of theocratic rule in Iran. Iran totters on the brink of a hopefully slow but…

CMA CGM to Deploy Electric Barge with NIKE in Vietnam   The CMA CGM Group, which is already pursuing its environmental initiatives with large investments in LNG-fueled containerships, will also develop a unique, electric-powered, cargo barge for inland service in Vietnam. Expected to start service in 2026, the barge will operate with batteries and a…

U.S. Conducts Airstrike on Houthis as Truman Strike Group Arrives in Region U.S. Central Command confirmed tonight, December 17, new attacks on Houthi command and control facilities just hours after reports of Houthi missiles aimed at Israel. Earlier, Central Command also confirmed the arrival of the carrier Harry S. Turman strike force in the region…

Wärtsilä to Divest its Automation, Navigation and Control System Business [By: Wartisla] Technology group Wärtsilä has agreed to divest its Automation, Navigation and Control System (ANCS) business to the Swedish investment company Solix Group AB.   ANCS is a global leader in innovative hardware and software technologies for marine navigation and automation, with solutions including…

South Korean Shipbuilding Slips to Smallest Market Share in Nearly a Decade   South Korea is sounding the alarm after new data shows the shipbuilding industry falling to its lowest market share since the market downturn in the mid-2010s. The loss in share comes as China is moving aggressively to expand its shipbuilding capacity and…

German Navy Tests Out Sub-Tracking Drone Submersible in the Baltic Sea Germany is testing out a unique unmanned drone sub designed for antisubmarine warfare, one of the first platforms of its kind ever tested publicly.  Over the span of a two-week trial in November, the German Navy tested out the Israeli-built IAI BlueWhale in the waters…

Pakistan Restarts Project for Domestic Construction of Containership   The government through its Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has stepped in to revive a project to domestically build a containership as a feeder ship operated by the national shipping corporation. It would be the first large commercial vessel built in Pakistan in 40 years. SIFC,…

Norway Provides Ukrainian Navy With $240M for Minehunting & Autonomy On Monday, the Norwegian government announced a new grant of about $240 million to support Ukraine’s navy in its fight against Russian forces in the Black Sea. The grant includes financing for the joint Norwegian/British Maritime Capability Coalition, a capacity-building partnership for Ukraine’s naval forces. …

Russian Product Tanker Breaks Up Near Kerch Strait A Soviet-era product tanker has gone down in the Russian-controlled Kerch Strait, spilling fuel and leaving one seafarer dead.  According to Russian transport agency Rosmorrechflot, the aging river-sea tanker Volgoneft 212 sank in a wintertime storm Sunday about five nautical miles outside of the Kerch Strait. Waves…

Thousands of Aging Shipwrecks Pose Global Environmental Threat   [By Fraser Stuart] At the bottom of the oceans and seas lie more than 8,500 shipwrecks from two world wars. These wrecks have been estimated to contain as much as 6 billion gallons of oil, as well as munitions, toxic heavy metals and even chemical weapons. For decades, these wrecks…

What Next After Syria?   The rapid and unexpected revolution in Syria has caught many by surprise, the shock of it re-igniting worldwide interest in the region. How things develop in Syria is going to be important. But the revolution in Syria is just one consequence of Hamas launching its attack on Israel on October…

Brazilian Police Crack Down on Europe-Bound Cocaine Shipments   With authorities around the world attempting to disrupt transnational trafficking of illegal drugs, Brazilian Federal Police last week intercepted one ton of cocaine on transit to Morocco. The seizure happened at the Port of Itapoa in Santa Catarina, and the drugs were found hidden in a…

Anemoi Names Clare Urmston as New CEO [By Anemoi Marine Technology] Anemoi Marine Technologies has announced that Clare Urmston has been appointed as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). After holding a number of executive and non-executive positions within the manufacturing, healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods sectors, Clare Urmston joined Anemoi in March 2020…

Iberdrola and Kansai Electric Collaborate for German Offshore Wind Energy   Spain’s Iberdrola and Japan’s Kansai Electric Power look to expand their collaboration to grow both companies’ participation in renewable energy. As a next step, the companies reported an agreement for Kansai to acquire 49 percent of an under-construction offshore wind farm in Germany. It…

Petrobras to Invest $2.7B to Modernize Offshore Support Vessel Fleet   Petrobras announced plans for an investment of $2.73 billion as part of an effort to modernize its offshore support vessel fleet. The company looks to expand its capabilities while also enhancing the performance of its vessels. Contracts were signed for the construction and chartering…

H2 Ocean   Fossil fuels have dominated marine propulsion for over a century. Since the first Industrial Revolution, industries have increasingly mechanized operations based on a foundation of hydrocarbon-based energy. The maritime industry was no exception, although it took a slow-to-adopt approach that’s become its trademark. In the transitions from sail to steam to internal…

Apparel Industry Says with Trump’s Support ILA Should Resume Contract Talks With just one month left on the master contract for the International Lonshoremen’s Association, the American Apparel & Footware Association is calling on the union to resume the negotiations now that it has received the support of Donald Trump. Yesterday, December 12, President-elect Donald…

Fisherman Survives Three Days in the Water After Escaping Murderous Crew   A fisherman who jumped overboard to escape murderous crewmates has been rescued after three days in the water, according to Indonesia’s directorate of sea transportation.  On Wednesday, December 11, Indonesian maritime authorities dispatched a patrol ship to rendezvous with the bulker Sikinos. The…

Donald Trump Supports ILA Leadership in Fight Over Port Automation   President-elect Donald Trump has joined with the leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association in support of the union’s fight against automation in U.S. ports. The incoming president issued a statement backing union leadership in its contract negotiations with the international shipping lines and terminal…

Slow Progress Aligning Global Ship Finance with IMO’s Climate Goals   The Poseidon Principles for Financial Institutions, a framework for measuring the alignment of financial institutions’ ship financing with climate goals, released its fifth annual report showing what the organizers highlighted as slow progress. Shipping remains behind the trajectory required to meet the IMO’s goals…

Oman Ramps Up Coastal and Sea Lane Surveillance   For a long time, the waters of the Gulf of Oman have been used by arms and drugs smugglers. These smugglers tend to stay in international waters, outside the 12-mile territorial zone where they can be legitimately stopped and searched by the Omani Coastguard. On occasions, smugglers…

Video: Yacht Hits Docked Cruise Ship Allure of the Seas [Brief]  A video is making the rounds on social media and drawing wide attention as a large yacht named Aurora made contact with the docked cruise ship Allure of the Seas. One of the largest cruise ships in the world, the Royal Caribbean ship was…

Lightering Gets Under Way For an Attempt to Refloat Grounded Laker Lightering operations have begun aboard the grounded laker Tim S. Dool, which has been stranded off Morrisburg, Ontario for three weeks.  On November 23, the Tim S. Dool was under way in the St. Lawrence Seaway with a load of wheat when it grounded…

South Korea to Invest $10B to Expand Busan Port’s Competitiveness South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries unveiled an ambitious plan that they said will ensure the continued global competitiveness of the Busan port. It plans to invest a total of $10 billion including the creation of a new container complex that will be among…

Video: LPG Tanker Sinks Fishing Vessel in Hit-and-Run off Tamil Nadu   The crewmembers of an Indian fishing vessel claim that an LPG tanker ran down their boat and sank it off southern India, then continued on its way to its next port of call.  On Wednesday morning, the fishing vessel Paralogamatha was anchored about 25…

Fuel Cell Pioneer Teco 2030 Files Bankruptcy as Industry Investment Slows   Norway’s pioneering fuel cell company Teco 2030 which was seen as a leader in maritime fuel cell applications confirmed in a stock exchange that the company is insolvent. The collapse began last month with the bankruptcy of segments of the business which now…

Ørsted Sells Interest in Taiwan Offshore Wind Farm to Life Insurance Co.   Ørsted is expanding the use of the partnership model to Taiwan’s developing offshore wind energy sector by selling a half interest in its under construction Greater Changhua 4 project to Cathy Life. The largest direct investment in an offshore wind farm made…

Shipowners Need to Prepare for the HKC Hazardous Materials Inventory   On June 26, 2025—right around the corner—the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention) will enter into force. This landmark agreement is crucial for ensuring that the ship recycling industry operates…

RightShip Revises Timeline for Increased Safety Inspections for Bulkers   The widely used digital maritime platform RightShip which tracks safety and sustainable practices has agreed with the bulker industry to revise the timeline for increasing its safety inspection program. Two months ago, the group cited safety concerns saying that it was responding by lowering the…