News
Global News
White House Gives Foreign Shipowners Access to Domestic Trade for 60 Days
The Trump administration has temporarily waived the Jones Act for select liquid bulk and dry bulk cargoes, allowing foreign seafarers and shipowners greater latitude to work within the United States. Energy market analysts expect that the move will reduce fuel...
UK Tracks Russian Tanker as US Tightens the Rules on Oil to Cuba
Close attention is being paid to two tankers, which observers suspected were heading toward Cuba in a Russian effort to provide some relief to the fuel-starved island. The Trump administration is continuing its efforts toward regime change by imposing a near-total ban...
Op-Ed: Ships Should Meet the Polar Code Before Entering Canadian Arctic
The United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the Polar Code in November 2014 to reduce loss of life at sea caused by inadequate preparedness for operations in polar regions, which are more isolated and challenging than lower-latitude waters....
Panama Responds to Hutchison Calling Accusations “Scandalous”
The back-and-forth between China, Panama, and CK Hutchison heated up as Panama’s President, Jose Raul Mulino, met the press on Thursday in his weekly session. He dismissed the accusations made by the Panama Ports Company (PPC) and CK Hutchison in the ongoing dispute...
China Floats Second Cruise Ship and Orders Ships for International Market
China marked the next milestone in its efforts at expanding the domestic cruise industry with the float-out of its second large domestically built cruise ship. Built for China’s Adora Cruises, the ship will enter service this year, and the company reported it intends...
Hormuz Shutdown Hits Key Industrial Commodities, Including Bunker Fuel
The Strait of Hormuz shutdown is having a direct effect on the price of oil and LNG, and in some downstream and byproduct markets, the impact is becoming acute. Net global oil supply is expected to fall by eight million barrels per day in March, according to the IEA....
Amidst Tightening Global Supplies, Ukraine Hits Russian Oil Export Pipeline
Amidst oil shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, Ukraine has attacked an oil pipeline leading to Russia's export terminals on the Black Sea, hoping to restrict Moscow's access to revenue from energy sales. On Thursday, Ukrainian forces struck a key oil depot...
Three Ships Reportedly Hit in Strikes Near Strait of Hormuz
A container ship has reported an attack at a position just west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). At about 0200 hours GMT on Wednesday, the master of a container ship reported that the vessel had been hit by an "unknown...
Supply Boat Caught Smuggling Drugs Now Issued a Distress Call off Australia
Nearly two months after French authorities intercepted a small vessel smuggling a large amount of cocaine across the Pacific, the same vessel has now turned up off Australia and issued a distress call. ABC News Australia reports the vessel was escorted into Sydney...
U.S. Issues 30-Day License for Delivery and Sale of Russian Oil at Sea
The U.S. Treasury Department late on Thursday, March 12, announced it was issuing a general license authorizing the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products already loaded on tankers and at sea in a desperate attempt to stabilize global oil...
Industry Weighs Risk to Seafarers, Balance Sheets in Hormuz Transits
As the security situation in the Gulf region remains dangerous for vessel transits, industry voices differ on the question of whether vessels should stay out of the Strait of Hormuz for reasons of seafarer safety. Transits of the strait are under direct...
Insurance and Naval Escorts May Not be Enough to Reboot Gulf Shipping
War risk at the Strait of Hormuz continues to deter shipowners from venturing near to Iran, and AIS-active traffic remains 90 percent below normal levels, according to MarineTraffic. Despite the hazards, a handful of owners are willing to make the run and join the...
India Quietly Provides Refuge for an Iranian Landing Ship
Reports broke in the Indian media late on Friday, March 6, that the country has quietly been harboring an Iranian vessel this week after it made an urgent request to enter an Indian port. Off-the-record comments from a government spokesperson assert that the request...
Sri Lanka Takes Control of Iranian Supply Ship, Evacuates Sailors
The government of Sri Lanka has decided to take control of the Iranian supply ship IRIS Bushehr, with the president of the country calling it a humanitarian effort after the ship sought refuge in Colombo. They are evacuating the sailors from the ship...
Oil Leaking from Sealloyd Arc Shipwreck Hits Thailand’s Tourist Beaches
Thai officials are sounding the alarm and calling the latest developments “worrying” as reports grow of oil leaking from the wreck of the cargo ship Sealloyd Arc reaching Thailand’s beaches. They point out that efforts have been ongoing for 19...
Australia Detains Bulker After 24-Day Response to Engine Problem
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is reporting that it has placed a detention order on a Chinese manager bulker, which has been in distress for all of February and required constant monitoring. The ship has finally been secured in the Gladstone anchorag, but is...
Iranian Naval Response to “Operation Epic Fury” Unclear
As tensions rose in the Middle East immediately prior to the pre-emptive American and Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, there were indicators of an imminent attack. International airlines abandoned routes through Iranian airspace the previous day, as the USS...
Execution Phase for Conversion of PSV to Ammonia Set to Begin
After several years of planning and development, the Apollo project is set to go into execution this spring, starting the conversion of an in-service platform supply vessel to ammonia-fueled propulsion. The vessel’s owners, Eidesvik Offshore, signed the agreement with...
Cargo Ships Are Becoming Stuck in the Baltic with Worst Ice in 15 Years
All along the Baltic, reports are emerging of ships becoming stuck and needing extra assistance from icebreakers as the region is experiencing the harshest winter conditions since the season of 2010-2011. Finnish authorities are denying media reports that they were...
Port of Los Angeles Expects Continued Weakness After January Decline
The Port of Los Angeles foresees continued weakness in container volumes for the first quarter of 2026 after a 12 percent decline in January. However, while highlighting that it does not expect increased certainty for U.S. trade policies, it believes the rate of...
Video Shows Containership Hitting and Pushing Two Ferries in Santos Harbor
Video is circulating online showing an incident in Santos, Brazil, on Monday, February 16, in which a containership maneuvering in the harbor collided with two ferries and is seen pushing them across the harbor. Onlookers are yelling that the vessels will collide, and...
Denmark Detains Shadowy Boxship Linked to Iran Questioning Registration
The Danish Maritime Authority confirmed to local media that it has placed a detention order on a shadowy containership until the vessel can prove its registry and certifications. The vessel was sanctioned in July 2025 by the United States as part of a network...
From Compliance to Foresight: Updating Audits to Drive Real-World Safety
If you manage ships, you already pay handsomely for compliance—ISM verifications, statutory checks, Port State Control (PSC) readiness, and a thicket of customer and vetting requirements. Yet incidents keep emerging not from a single broken rule, but from the seams...
Digital Collaboration in Chemical Logistics
[By Mikael Lind, Wolfgang Lehmacher, Jeremy Bentham, Chye Poh Chua, Philippe Isler, Jens Lund-Nielsen, and Per Löfbom] Transport still relies heavily on fossil fuels and accounts for roughly one quarter of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions....
Turkish Fishermen Find Unexploded Drone in Waters Near Istanbul
The Turkish Coast Guard Command confirmed it was investigating the latest incident of an unexploded drone found in its waters. Earlier in Russia’s war with Ukraine, the concern had been errant mines, but more recently, Turkey is reporting a series of incidents with...
Future Prospects for the Port of Churchill on Canada’s Hudson Bay
Discussions are underway in Canada in regard to the future development of the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. During the early to mid-1900s and prior to the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, Churchill was Canada’s main port for exporting Western Canadian...
Dockworkers Disrupt Ports in Italy Protesting Alleged Arms Shipments
Port across Italy were reporting strikes and disruptions in their operations as unionized dockworkers staged a 24-hour strike to protest the alleged “militarization” of the ports. Reports indicate ships of Zim and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company were being targeted...
Op-Ed: Seafarer Recruitment Should Never Be a Gamble
Recent reports concerning Chinese seafarers who traveled overseas for what they believed were legitimate job opportunities, only to lose contact with their families for weeks or months, have brought renewed attention to a deeply troubling recruitment pattern. In one...
Italian Coast Guard Finds 54 Deficiencies After Saving Livestock Carrier
The Italian Coast Guard completed its inspection of the livestock carrier Blue Ocean A after overseeing the towing of the disabled ship into the port of Cagliari. While not saying it was a record, they are reporting the vessel racked up an astonishing 54...
Containership Demolition Hits 20-Year Low as Orderbook Continues to Grow
The disposal of container ships during 2025 remained at record low levels as the industry sought to maintain capacity in part due to the continued diversion from the Red Sea. In a new report, Alphaliner highlights that demolitions are now at 20-year lows. “The healthy...
Missing Seafarer Found On Board After Large-Scale SAR Operation
German authorities launched a large-scale search and rescue operation after being informed of a missing seafarer from a tanker sailing on the Elbe River off Cuxhaven. Two days later, the German Sea Rescue Society (DGzRS) reports the missing person was “found on board”...
Op-Ed: Fully-Compliant Fire Systems May Fall Short Against Modern Risks
Inspection reports across much of the commercial fleet paint a reassuring picture. Fire detection systems are operational, fixed firefighting systems are in good working order, equipment is serviced on time and instructions are correctly posted. On paper, vessels are...
Panama Court Finds CK Hutchison’s Port Terminal Concession Unconstitutional
The Supreme Court of Panama announced late on Thursday, January 29, that it had found the laws establishing CK Hutchison’s concession to operate terminals at the ports at the terminus of the Panama Canal unconstitutional. The government quickly issued a statement...
Containership Briefly Grounds Blocking Port of Mobile
The Alabama Port Authority is reporting that the containership Ruby Tower (127,952 dwt) has been refloated and is no longer blocking the Mobile shipping channel. The ship, however, is holding in Mobile Bay with tugs assisting the ship and the U.S. Coast...
The Modular Pivot: Repurposing Containers as Strategic Infrastructure
The intermodal container is one of the most impactful innovations of the last century. As the international standard for ocean, rail, and road transport, shipping containers form the backbone of our modern globalized economy. The economic logic that standardized the...
Energy Transition Strategies: Advancing Emerging Battery Technologies
Advancing battery technologies stand out as next-generation solutions to help reduce carbon emissions for marine and offshore applications. Yet, rapid expansion and implementation require technical oversight and validation through an objective classification process...
Video: Ukrainian Drones Damage Vital Russian Black Sea Oil and Gas Terminal
The Defense Forces of Ukraine announced a new strike on the oil and gas terminal at Taman on the peninsula on the eastern side of the Black Sea and near the Kerch Strait. Ukraine said the terminal, which was hit for a second time in less than a month, was targeted...
Port of LA Displays Resilience, Achieving Third Best Year in 2025
The busiest port in the U.S., Los Angeles, is feeling the pressures of a redrawn global trade map due to shifting policies. While recording flat growth in container throughput in 2025, a year the port contends was characterized by uncertainty and volatility, it still...
Fight for Control of Genco Moves to Boardroom as Diana Nominates New Slate
The fight between Diana Shipping and Genco Shipping & Trading is set to move into the boardroom as Diana Shipping announced it will nominate a new slate of six directors for Genco. The move came just days after Genco’s board rejected a non-binding indicative...
First Kamsarmax Methanol-Fueled Bulker Delivered for Cargill Charter
While the industry has seen a slowing in the orders for methanol-fueled ships, the efforts are continuing as shipowners and operators look to understand the segment and the role it can play in sustainable shipping. Cargill, which calls itself one of the world’s...
PortsToronto Returns to its Roots as the Toronto Port Authority
Rebrand marks 115 years of city-building and reinforces role of its business units, including Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, as a critical economic engine and urban connector After operating as PortsToronto for a decade, the organization that owns and operates...
Baltimore’s Sparrows Point Container Terminal Receives Key Permits
Plans to develop a new container terminal as part of the redevelopment of the Sparrow’s Point region of Baltimore marked key steps with the US Army Corps of Engineers and federal authorities granting construction permits. The project is a joint venture with MSC’s...
Hapag’s Terminal Operator Takes Full Ownership of Port Everglades Facility
Hapag-Lloyd’s Hanseatic Global Terminals is continuing to execute on its growth strategy, with reports that it has taken full ownership of Port Everglades'Florida International Terminal. Major carriers have been working to build out their terminal operations in...
ABB to Build World’s Largest Shore Power Capability for Port of Rotterdam
Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, is among the ports that faced criticism last year over sluggishness in investing in shore power infrastructures, despite pending EU regulations requiring ships to turn off engines and generators in port. Only days into the new year,...
Closing the Gap: EU Harmonization and the Future of Ship Recycling
Global ship recycling no longer suffers from a lack of rules. It suffers from a failure to connect them. What is often described as a compliance gap is, in reality, a governance failure created by fragmented legal regimes that refuse to engage with where and how ship...
Container Imports to U.S. Expected to Remain Down Till Spring Says Retailer
The National Retail Federation issued its first outlook for 2026 imports, saying that it believes retailers are assessing what is ahead for 2026 and, as such, import levels are expected to remain down year-over-year until at least spring. While they expect a slight...
U.S. Withdraws From 66 UN Organizations, Including ReCAAP and UNCTAD
The Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from another 66 UN organizations and entities, the latest in its pullback from multilateral commitments. Several of these offices are well-known are known to the maritime community; these bodies will now...
Shadow Fleet Tanker Diverts to Turkey After Reporting Drone Attack
A Chinese-owned and managed crude oil tanker is reporting that it was attacked by a suspected drone while sailing in the Black Sea. The tanker Elbus (159,000 dwt) was traveling only with ballast along the Turkish coast, reportedly bound for the Russian...
Piracy Surged in 2025 Around Singapore, but ReCAAP Sees Positive Indicators
After multiple warnings throughout the year about the dramatic increase in piracy around Singapore, the monitoring operation ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, in its year-end report, highlights that the surge peaked at mid-year with the arrest of some perpetrators....
Severe Winter Storm Hits UK Shipping, Sends Containers Overboard
The UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency is reporting a busy night and efforts on Friday, January 9, to track containers after a severe winter storm crossed the region around the English Channel overnight. Warnings were posted for shipping as containers went...
Local News
Malaysia diesel, transport fuel prices up for second week in a row
M alaysia's finance ministry announced price hikes on diesel and other transport fuels for the second week in a row, driven by surging oil costs as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The cost of the subsidised RON95 transport...
Malaysia feels heat as Middle East conflict lifts fuel, trade costs
KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing energy disruptions resulting from the continuing conflict in the Middle East have resulted in spillover effects on the Southeast Asian region, particularly affecting the energy price, trade logistics and food security....
What cargo ships are passing Hormuz strait?
From March 1 to 19, commodities carriers made just 114 crossings, according to analytics firm Kpler -- a decrease of 95 percent from peacetime. Of these, 69 crossings were by oil tankers and more than half were loaded, Kpler data showed, with most travelling east out...
Expected price hikes for feed, fertilisers in Malaysia may have spillover effect on S’pore
KUALA LUMPUR – For some, the war in the Middle East may feel far away. But for Mr Latiff Abu Hassan, a community leader and seed supplier, the conflict has already landed in his garden. Over the past few weeks, the 55-year-old has been spending...
Malaysia can avoid Iran war’s immediate economic shocks, say economists
Malaysia can avoid the immediate economic shocks from rising oil prices triggered by the Iran war, economists say, although an increase in living costs is likely if the conflict prolongs. Yeah Kim Leng of Sunway University said the economic impact on Malaysia is...
Malaysia to safeguard port operations after shipping disruptions
[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia will take several measures to protect port operations following shipping disruptions stemming from the war in the Middle East, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Tuesday (Mar 10). The measures include clearing empty containers from port...
Malaysia says its airlines may suspend some flights as fuel costs rise due to Iran war
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia said its airlines may need to suspend some flights if the Middle East war pushes fuel costs significantly higher. Jet fuel accounts for almost half of airlines’ operating costs, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on...
Malaysia’s integrated O&G system shields economy from global shocks, says analyst
Oil and gas analyst Samirul Ariff says the Petroleum Development Act 1974 has allowed Petronas to create a coordinated industry that strengthens Malaysia’s energy resilience.PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s integrated oil and gas industry, built around the Petroleum...
Justified to maintain subsidised diesel in East Malaysia
THE Federal Government’s decision to maintain subsidised diesel prices in Sabah and Sarawak is justified, taking into account geographical factors and the still significant price gap for goods compared to Peninsular Malaysia.Minister Armizan said although fuel price...
Here’s where container rates will go in extended Iran war
As the U.S. threatens to escalate attacks against Iran, the shutdown of a key Persian Gulf shipping lane is causing congestion at regional ports that threatens to spread to the global supply chain. Now entering its second week, the undeclared war has hampered ports...
Global tension, Malaysia’s maritime future: Turning crisis into strategic opportunity — Izyan Munirah Mohd Zaideeen
MARCH 7 — Rising tensions in the Middle East involving Iran, the United States, and Israel are sending shockwaves across the global landscape. What may appear as a regional conflict carries far-reaching implications for international trade, energy markets,...
Malaysia able to support regional energy supply, says expert
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can capitalise on the large-scale oil supply disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East by positioning itself as a viable and more reliable energy supplier to customers in Asia, said commentator and scholar in the field...
Johor leads Malaysia with record RM110b in approved investments, outpacing Selangor and Kuala Lumpur
He was accompanied by Mida chairman and Senior Political Advisor to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, who is also the former Investment, Trade and Industry Minister. During the announcement, Johor’s approved investment value of RM110...
Malaysia Scraps Kuwaiti Hornet Deal
MALAYSIA’S government has cancelled plans to acquire the Kuwait Air Force’s (KAF) fleet of inactive F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter jets to be transferred to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). The deputy defence minister Adly Zahari said the decision had been reached...
Environment Ministry proposes national committee to tackle illegal e-waste imports
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry (NRES) has proposed the establishment of a National Committee to tackle the illegal entry of e-waste into the country, its minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said today. He...
Brazilian and Malaysian ports ink MoUs
Brazil’s Suape Industrial Port Complex has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in Malaysia’s Port Klang with Westports Malaysia and Northport, part of the MMC Port Holding Group, during its trade mission to Southeast Asia. ...
Malaysia: Driving AI Adoption for SMEs and Industry Growth
Malaysia is seeking to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence across its economy by encouraging stronger collaboration between government agencies, industry stakeholders and local technology providers. The initiative places particular emphasis on...
Palm slips, but still logs weekly gain to snap two-week decline
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil futures closed lower on Friday, weighed down by weaker soyoil, overproduction concerns and sluggish export demand, though the contract still posted a weekly gain after two straight weeks of losses. The benchmark palm oil...
Malaysia weighs impact of US tariff ruling, says Johari
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is closely monitoring recent legal and policy developments in the United States following a Supreme Court decision to strike down the administration’s global tariffs, says Datuk Seri Johari Ghani. The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said...
Miti: Malaysian companies advised to toughen currency-risk playbook as ringgit firms
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — Companies must actively manage currency risks through appropriate hedging and business strategies, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. He said fluctuations in the ringgit are a normal market occurrence and...
































































