Global News
India Inaugurates Its Largest Container Terminal as Part of Global Strategy
Ceremonies in Mumbai on September 4 marked the completion of the Phase 2 expansion of the JN Port-PSA Mumbai Terminal, which doubled its capacity and became the largest container terminal in the country. The Prime Ministers of India and Singapore joined the ceremony...
Construction Starts on First Short-Sea, Ammonia-Fueled Containership
Nearly two years after the project was unveiled, construction started today in China for what is likely to become the world’s first ammonia-fueled containership. The project, which is being led by CMB.TECH, as part of its efforts to accelerate the transition in the...
Oil Exports Resume After 14 Years from Syria’s Tartus Port
The first cargo of Syrian crude oil to be exported from the port of Tartus since the Syrian civil war was lifted on September 1. The Greek-owned tanker Nissos Christiana (114,264 dwt), loaded 600,000 barrels of heavy crude oil according to the Syrian...
Port of Tauranga Slams Latest Delay in Approving Expansion
New Zealand’s biggest port, Tauranga, has slammed further delays in the long-delayed review of large-scale improvements to its harbor, which it says would pump millions of dollars into the country’s economy. The project has been in the consenting system for more than...
Tsuneishi’s China Shipyard Launches Next-Gen Methanol Containership
The Chinese shipyard in the Tsuneishi Shipbuilding group marked a milestone on August 27 as it floated the first of its next-generation energy-efficient methanol dual-fuel containership. The vessel is also the largest container vessel built by the Tsuneishi Group and...
Tsuneishi’s China Shipyard Launches Next-Gen Methanol Containership
The Chinese shipyard in the Tsuneishi Shipbuilding group marked a milestone on August 27 as it floated the first of its next-generation energy-efficient methanol dual-fuel containership. The vessel is also the largest container vessel built by the Tsuneishi Group and...
UK Funds Project to Combine Carbon and Emission Capture in Southampton
The UK is supporting the next step in emission capture systems that can be deployed in ports as a cost-effective means of reducing emissions. The new project will combine the emissions capture capabilities of STAX Engineering with the carbon capture technology of...
TSB: Fuel Leak Due to Casual Repair Caused Fire on Canada’s Oldest Laker
The fire that broke out in the engine room of Canada’s oldest vessel operating on the Great Lakes in 2023, the Cuyaoga, was a disaster waiting to happen, according to a new report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). The report cites a history of...
Crowley Replaces Fire-Damaged Tanker to Support US Tanker Security Program
Nearly six months after the tragic incident in which one of the tankers Crowley manages for the US’s Tanker Security Program was damaged after it was hit by a containership, the shipping manager reports it has received US permission for a replacement. The program...
Evolving Role for Ship Managers
hip management is often identified as a tool for smaller fleets or individual shipowners to run their ships and keep up with the majors. The leading ship managers, however, say the practice is evolving from technical skills to incorporate consulting and advising as...
Baltimore Channel Reopens With Backlog Following Vessel Explosion
The Port of Baltimore reported mid-afternoon on Tuesday that the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the shipping channel into Baltimore following the explosion and fire aboard the bulker W-Sapphire last night. As of midday on Tuesday, August 19, a...
Port of Auckland Gets Greenlight for Expansion Under New Fast-Track Regime
The Port of Auckland in New Zealand is finally set to embark on major infrastructure expansion projects aimed at enhancing its competitiveness. It is proceeding after getting a government greenlight under a new law designed to cut red tape in the approval process for...
New Zealand Looks to Future for Troubled Interisland Ferry Service
August has marked what many hope will be a turning point and the start of a new beginning for New Zealand’s KiwiRail and its troubled interisland ferry service. It reports that the previous iReX ferry program has been brought to a close with a final settlement with...
Equinor Will Not Proceed with Australian Offshore Wind Projects
Equinor, one of the leading developers in the offshore and renewable energy industry, is not proceeding with its development projects in Australia, marking another setback for the developing industry. The Norwegian company had been working in Australia for the past...
Alaska Carrier is Latest to Suspend Transport of EVs Due to Fire Risk
Fire concerns and the potential for toxic, runaway fires spurred by lithium-ion batteries continue to weigh heavily on the shipping industry. Lynden’s Alaska Marine Lines has become the latest carrier to report it will no longer ship electric vehicles or plug-in...
Australian Icebreaker Nuyina to Visit Remote Islands for Scientific Mission
Australian expeditioners and scientists are set to return to the uninhabited and remote territories of Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) after more than two decades. The voyages that will take place aboard the RSV Nuyina are being described as...
Houthis Publish a “Safety FAQ” for Red Sea Shipping
The Houthi administration in Yemen has updated its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page, which purports to give detailed advice on how to avoid the group's attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthi advice is contained on a website maintained...
UK Bans Export of Historic Charts and Chronometer to Protect Heritage
The United Kingdom is taking action to preserve its rich maritime history by stopping a collection of nautical charts, including some that were drawn by famed British navigator and explorer Captain James Cook, from leaving the country. The UK government placed an...
Greenpeace Activists Climb Shell Gas Platform in the North Sea
Activists from Greenpeace staged another demonstration this time to call attention to their demands for taxes on the fossil fuel industry and the dangers of global warming. They climbed a gas platform off the English coast and unfurled an artwork by Anish Kapoor. The...
Lightering Begins to Free Bulker Aground in St. Lawrence River
Efforts to lighten a bulker struck on the St. Lawrence River north of Montreal began on Friday morning, with the Canadian Coast Guard reporting it would take several hours before a refloating operation could be attempted. The bulker Federal Yamaska (37,153...
World’s Largest Carrier Calls at Marseille, Boosting French Economy
The nuclear-powered USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the largest aircraft carrier in the world, arrived in Marseille for a port visit on August 4, accompanied by Arleigh Burke Class guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81). Both...
Houthis Reveal Tracking of Shipping Between Israel, Egypt and Turkey
The Houthis continue their demand that all shipping be stopped into and out of Israel as part of their so-called blockade of Israeli ports. In their latest move, the militants revealed they are tracking individual ship movements, and they called out major companies,...
Panama is First Registry to Enforce Rules to Crack Down on STS Actions
The Panama Ship Registry started its new rules as of August 6, requiring reporting of planned ship-to-ship (STS) offshore oil transfers as the latest step in a series of crackdowns targeting the shadow tanker fleet. Panama had announced plans for the new rules in May,...
Thailand Plans Naval Upgrade After Ceasefire With Cambodia
In an emergency meeting of Cambodia and Thailand’s joint border committee held in Kuala Lumpur and organized by Malaysia, the two countries, which fought a short border war last month, agreed on the basis for a continuing ceasefire. The 13-point agreement was signed...
U.S. Coast Guard Tracks More Chinese Research Vessel Activity in the Arctic
For the second time in weeks, the U.S. Coast Guard reports it is tracking Chinese research vessels operating in the Arctic. The U.S. says that the presence of these vessels is consistent with a three-year trend of increased activity from Chinese vessels operating in...
Workhorse Bulker Casts Off for Last Time as a Liverpool Record Holder
To look at her, the Yeoman Bank, a self-discharging bulk carrier, looks fairly ordinary. However, after more than 30 years of service, she is sailing off as a record holder. Holcim UK, a manufacturer and supplier of sustainable construction and building...
Russian-Chinese Naval Exercise Starts in Tsunami Zone
The Russians and Chinese have commenced a joint naval exercise in the Pacific Far East area. While the large exercise was getting underway, on July 30, it also encountered one of recent history’s largest undersea earthquakes. Exercise Maritime Interdiction 2025...
Malaysia Closes Anchorage to Curtail Illegal Anchoring and STS Activity
Malaysia’s maritime authorities are taking several new steps to strengthen enforcement in an attempt to stop the illegal anchoring and ship-to-ship transfers taking place in its waters. Because of its location near the busy Singapore Strait, Malaysia is one of the...
Dali’s Owner/Operator Sue Hyundai Claiming Manufacturing Defect
As a federal court in Baltimore continues to hear pre-trial motions and collect evidence for the claims pending related to the containership Dali’s March 2024 incident destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the owner and operator of the vessel are now...
Chinese Carrier With Red Sea History Now Plans a Russian Arctic Route
A Chinese niche carrier that popped up in the Mideast market last year has reportedly added a container service from China to Europe via the Northern Sea Route - the Russian-controlled waterway north of Siberia. Sea Legend Shipping is a Chinese-controlled,...
Canada to Retire Aging Kingston Warships as it Plans Fleet Modernization
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) intends to retire eight warships that have been instrumental in coastal surveillance and patrol for more than three decades. It is the latest move in the Navy’s ongoing plan to modernize its fleet to meet evolving maritime threats. RCN...
Explosion Kills Three and Sinks Ukrainian Dredge on a Danube Canal
The Sea Ports Authority of Ukraine issued a brief statement confirming that there has been an explosion killing three people working on a dredge employed by the authority. Few details were released, but the Ukrainian media is saying it was likely a mine in the Bystre...
Puntland Refuses Somalia and Turkey’s Demands to Release Weaponry on Ship
The standoff continues between the government of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and the federal government of Somalia over a cargo ship loaded with Turkish weaponry that is being detained. The government of Puntland insists it is investigating the true...
Cargo Ship Evacuated After Grounding off Crete
The Hellenic Coast Guard and local port authority are coordinating the efforts following the grounding of a general cargo ship off the northeastern coast of Crete. The crew was evacuated, and according to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the captain and bridge watch officer...
Port of Barcelona Reduces Cruise Terminals to Limit Overtourism
The city of Barcelona is taking action to address the growing complaints of overcrowding and overtourism that critics say is linked to the cruise ships. The city, which claims to be the largest cruise port in Europe unveiling plans to redevelop its seaport, a move...
Strikes Grow as Wage Talks Drag on for Korean Shipbuilders
The Korean Metal Workers’ Union reports it is expanding its strike actions against the shipbuilding sector during this year’s round of wage talks. The union says that HD Hyundai management had promised to quickly conclude the negotiations and advance the company to...
EU Adopts New Sanctions That Lower Oil Price Cap and Hit Shadow Tankers
The European Union approved its 18th package of sanctions against Russia related to the war in Ukraine, expanding its targeting of the energy, banking, and military sectors. The package, which is being called one of the strongest sanction packages against Russia, was...
First Two-Stroke Ammonia-Fueled Engine Installed as Newbuild Proceeds
The race to launch the first commercial ammonia-fueled engines marked a key milestone, reports marine engine designer WinGD. The first two-stroke engines built from the company’s designs were tested and recently successfully installed in the first new ammonia carriers...
New Tweendecker Loading for Maiden Voyage Catches Fire
A new tweendecker preparing for its maiden voyage caught fire while docked in the Port of Antwerp yesterday, July 16. Ships in the port, as well as nearby residents, were being warned to use caution because of the smoke coming from the fire. The Antwerp Fire...
Strained by War, the Russian Navy is a Shadow of its Former Self
Russia’s Navy is facing huge pressures, primarily as a byproduct of President Putin’s over-ambitious attempts to claim great power status. The most obvious pinch-point is in the Black Sea, where Russia’s fleet has pulled back out of danger and forced into distant...
Australia Ships Decaying FPSO to Denmark for Dismantling
An obsolete and decaying Australian floating production storage and offtake (FPSO) vessel will be recycled in Denmark, despite local criticism over the selection of a foreign contractor. Five years after taking over the decommissioning process of...
Disabled Eimskip Vessel to be Towed to Port by Iceland’s Coast Guard
Icelandic shipping company Eimskip confirmed that one of its newest and largest containerships, Dettifoss (25,690 dwt), is currently disabled and drifting in the Atlantic. The Iceland Coast Guard vessel Freyja has been dispatched and is expected to...
Hamburg to Invest €1.1B to Expand Port and Modernize Operations for Growth
The Port of Hamburg announced a series of new projects that will be undertaken to enhance operations and modernize and expand terminal operations, especially for the largest containerships. It comes as the port continues to experience strong competition and needs to...
Fincantieri Delivers 12th Ocean Cruise Ship to Viking
The partnership between Fincantieri and Viking for the construction of ocean cruise ships has passed its 10th anniversary and is scheduled to continue for at least six more years. Viking took delivery on June 26 of the 12th ocean cruise ship built by the Italian...
Ukraine’s Navy Gifted Two Minehunters to Boost Black Sea Security
The Dutch and Belgian governments have moved to strengthen Ukraine's mine countermeasures capabilities with the donation of two minehunter vessels. The development comes soon after NATO allies committed to continue providing support to Ukraine in its war with Russia...
Canada Becomes LNG Exporter as First Gas Ships from BC Project
The first LNG gas carrier, GasLog Glasgow (112,764 dwt) departed the LNG terminal at Kitimat, Canada, on June 30, officially marking Canada’s entry into the export market. The LNG Canada project had been gearing up in recent weeks and began the first loading...
Singapore Prosecutes Master and Crew of Chemical Tanker for Death of Sailor
The Public Prosecutor in Singapore is proceeding with a case against the master, chief officer, and the pump master of a Vietnamese chemical tanker after a crewmember died after entering a tank that had not been properly vented and inspected. The Straits Times...
Vessel Rerouting Contributed to Increase in Containers Lost at Sea
While the overall trend continues to show improvement in the number of containers going overboard, the World Shipping Council reports that in 2024, rerouting of vessels to avoid the hostilities in the Red Sea directly contributed to an increase in boxes lost at sea....
Nigeria Starts First Domestic Container Shipping Line
Clarion Shipping West Africa is starting what it calls “Nigeria’s first fully indigenous container liner,” as it looks to build regional trade and improve service versus the transshipment options of the major carriers. The company celebrated the launch of the service...
China is Preparing to Counter U.S. Submarine Surveillance System
While much of the international attention on China’s naval buildup is focused on its rapidly modernizing surface fleet, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is also taking bold steps to field a first-rate submarine force. By the end of this year, the service could...