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Unions Form Global Alliance to Oppose Port Automation
Unions continue their resistance against efforts by ports and terminal logistics operators across the globe to automate processes in order to enhance efficiency. A group of unions announced that they formed an alliance aimed at fighting automation on the basis that it...
Retailers Predict Continued Declines for Container Imports Through Q1 2026
The National Retail Federation, an industry trade group, issued its monthly report on expected import volumes through the major U.S. container ports, projecting that volumes will fall below two million TEU per month and continue a steady decline through the first...
Op-Ed: Mideast Reclaims Key Role in VLCC Market as OPEC+ Reopens the Tap
As the global VLCC community gathers in Dubai for Bahri Week, all eyes are once again on OPEC and Middle East production policy. OPEC+ members, led by Saudi Arabia, have begun unwinding their voluntary production cuts, and the return of supply is reshaping momentum...
Spanish Special Forces Liberate Greek Tanker After Pirate Attack
The Greek-owned tanker Hellas Aphrodite was liberated on the afternoon of November 7, more than 24 hours after the vessel was boarded by pirates off the coast of Somalia. EUNAVFOR Atalanta reports that the 24 crewmembers are safe, having been able to remain...
Retailers Predict Continued Declines for Container Imports Through Q1 2026
The National Retail Federation, an industry trade group, issued its monthly report on expected import volumes through the major U.S. container ports, projecting that volumes will fall below two million TEU per month and continue a steady decline through the first...
Livestock Carrier Stranded Off Turkish Coast as Activists Demand Action
Residents are complaining of odors, and animal rights groups are protesting the situation, as Turkish officials continue to deny the offloading of a livestock carrier for more than two weeks. Problems with the documents for the animals aboard have caused the ship to...
Poor Bridge Resource Management Led to Boxship Hitting Tall Ship
Poor bridge resource management was a leading factor in the allision of the Maersk Shekou with the moored tall ship Leeuwin II in Fremantle last year, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. In the early hours of August 30, 2024, Maersk Shekou was...
Recycling Ships Under Two Conventions: Misconceptions About Basel and HKC
In November 2024, BIMCO launched a Ship Recycling Alliance to help accelerate safe and environmentally sound ship recycling of ships through the coordination of the voices of the ship recycling industry and the shipping industry. The alliance was also launched to...
China Rolls Out Subsidy for Green Fuels Production
China announced a green hydrogen policy last week, which will see the country’s state budget offer subsidies for the production of green fuels. Interestingly, the initiative came in the week that IMO member states failed to adopt a Net-Zero Framework for the global...
With Dredging Complete, Port of Mobile Gets Container Terminal Expansion
Hot on the heels of the completion of Port of Mobile's channel dredging project, Maersk-owned APM Terminals has agreed to build a new 1,300-foot container berth at its facility at the seaport, adding enough room to handle another ULCV alongside. The additional space...
Panama Canal Begins Process to Select Operator for New Terminals
The Panama Canal has launched what is expected to be a year-long process to select the operators for new terminals to be built at each end of the canal. At the same time, the authorities are considering the alternative for the existing terminals, which are operated by...
Iran Steps Up Imports of Chinese Rocket Fuel Material
Iran appears to have accelerated the import of sodium perchlorate, the primary material used to manufacture ammonium perchlorate, which in turn makes up 70 percent of the standard fuel load of most of Iran’s solid-fueled ballistic missiles. Before the 12-Day War,...
Digital Sea Change
Today’s mariners are enhancing their skills with AI, utilizing technology to support better decision-making and safer seas. AI and machine learning continue to be the bogeyman for many in the maritime industry. Mariners have always relied on experience-honed skills...
Progress Reported on California-China Green Shipping Corridor
U.S. and Chinese officials are reporting that good progress has been made in the early phases for the launch of the first green shipping corridor on the Pacific. The sponsors of the project highlighted the progress during a conference in Shanghai while China’s...
ONEX Undertaking Second Phase of Expansion of Greek Shipyard at Syros
The U.S. equity firm ONEX outlined its second phase of investments in its Greek shipyards while hosting a visit by the Greek Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos at the Neorion Shipyard on the island of Syros. The company has been pursuing the revitalization of...
Tariffs and Other Issues Contribute to Volume Declines for Antwerp-Bruges
Europe’s second-busiest port, Antwerp-Bruges, is facing one of its most challenging years in recent times, characterized by mounting crises that are significantly impacting performance. The port is reporting that global uncertainties, specifically the volatile trade...
How Does Air Lubrication Help Improve Vessel Efficiency?
More than 80 percent of the world’s goods, measured by volume, are transported by ship. This transport accounts for three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). “Many people probably think that we can simply...
Migrant Rescue NGO Wins a Legal Battle Over Italian Port Calls
A court in Trapani, Italy has handed the migrant rescue NGO community a symbolic but potentially consequential win. In a ruling this week, the presiding judge lifted a detention order on a rescue ship that had refused to divert to a distant port for disembarkation....
France Boards Shadow Fleet Tanker and Detains Captain and First Officer
The investigation into the shadow fleet tanker that has been accused of various incidents, including the drones over Denmark, has deepened. The French news agency Agence France-Presse is reporting that the police have taken into custody two officers of the vessel,...
New Webinar Series Explores Polymers in Ship and Offshore Piping Systems
For almost 40 years, Swiss flow solutions provider GF has been a trusted partner for thermoplastic piping systems in the marine industry, from pipes and fittings to measurement, control, automation, and jointing equipment. GF created the “Design Smarter. Build...
France Boards Shadow Fleet Tanker and Detains Captain and First Officer
The investigation into the shadow fleet tanker that has been accused of various incidents, including the drones over Denmark, has deepened. The French news agency Agence France-Presse is reporting that the police have taken into custody two officers of the vessel,...
Boluda Adds Australia and Papua New Guinea Towage as Acquisitions Continue
The Spanish-based Boluda Towage continues its aggressive path of acquisitions to consolidate the towages and global expansion with the acquisition of operations in Australia and Papua New Guinea from Royal Boskalis. The company highlights that the latest deal expands...
Despite Sanctions, Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 Plant is Up and Running
With extensive help from Chinese interests, Russian gas producer Novatek is making headway in its efforts to circumvent Western sanctions on its Arctic LNG 2 plant in the Siberian Arctic. The remote Arctic LNG 2 facility was designed to be assembled at a large...
New York Launches Next Phase of Revitalization for Brooklyn Marine Terminal
New York is moving forward with its plan to expand port operations through the revitalization of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT). Once a key part of the operations, the plan seeks to end 50 years of disinvestment and decay while supporting the transformation of the...
In the Know 74: Mike LaFleur, COO of the Port of San Diego
In this episode of The Maritime Executive's podcast series, editor-in-chief Tony Munoz caught up with Mike LaFleur, a licensed mariner who serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Port of San Diego. Just eight miles north of the border with Mexico, San...
Mauritius Cites Lack of Safety Culture and Local Failure in Wakashio Report
The Court of Investigation convened by Mauritius released a new report into the 2020 casualty of the bulker Wakashio, which broke apart after grounding and caused significant environmental damage. While much of the report covers details previously released in a...
Port of Los Angeles Seeks Proposal for Potential New Container Terminal
The Port of Los Angeles has started the first public steps in what could be a decade’s decade-long effort to develop its next container terminal. The port published a Request for Proposal from interested parties to participate in the pre-development of the new...
U.S. Revokes Sanctions Waiver on Iran’s Chabahar Port
The U.S. government has revoked a sanctions exemption policy on Iran’s Chabahar port, a move seen as likely to affect the India-led development in the facility. In the past few months, the U.S. has declared a maximum pressure policy to isolate the Iranian regime, with...
Port Everglades Top Standings in World Bank’s Operational Performance Index
Broward County's Port Everglades is in the top 20% worldwide for container port performance, holding its No. 3 position in North America and No. 1 ranking in Florida, according to the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence's 2024 Container Port...
Ammonia: Ambition Meets Reality
As shipping moves to align with the IMO's ambitious Net Zero Framework, ammonia has emerged as a leading zero-carbon fuel candidate. With more clarity emerging from upcoming MEPC meetings, nearly 400 ammonia-capable vessels have now entered global orderbooks....
Italian Coast Guard Detains Bulker for Hygiene and Crew Welfare Issues
The Italian Coast Guard and the port of Naples report that a bulker has been detained after its port state inspection due to a long list of concerns. They are citing issues ranging from hygiene in areas of the vessel and issues impacting crew welfare to mechanical and...
October Holds Potential to Dramatically Reshape Future of Shipping
The shipping industry is poised at a critical crossroads, and no matter what decisions emerge in October, they will dramatically reshape the future of the industry. Not only is the International Maritime Organization (IMO) seeking member adoption of its...
Study Supports Growing Case for Long-Term Use of Biofuel Blends
The maritime industry has undertaken a range of tests exploring the use of biofuels, blending fats with diesel to create a more environmentally friendly transition fuel, with the latest test confirming the long-term operational feasibility of biodiesel. The results...
Iranian Oil Exports to China are Back on the Rise
After a period from March to May in which Iranian exports of crude oil to China fell substantially, in the three months from June to August sales have resumed their upward trend. According to Kpler, Chinese ports unloaded 1.68 million barrels per day in August, an...
Marine Archaeologists Salvage Artifacts From Titanic’s Sister Ship
Marine archaeologists in Greece have recovered artifacts from the wreck of the HMHS Britannic, a sister ship of the Titanic and the largest vessel lost during the First World War. Britannic was built at Harland & Wolff at the height of WWI and delivered...
Sanctioned Tankers Begin to React to Adani’s Ban from Indian Ports
Days after India’s large private port operator, Adani Group, was reported to have issued a ban on handling sanctioned tankers, it appears to have impacted one vessel. Others, however, are still proceeding to India and Adani’s Mundra port in northwest...
Photos: Progress as More Containers Are Removed in Long Beach Recovery
Efforts are continuing in the Port of Long Beach to clean up from last week’s container collapse. The Unified Command overseeing the operations reported as of Sunday, September 14, that nearly half of the containers estimated to have fallen from the vessel have been...
Testimony Completed in Eagle S Sabotage Trial in Finland
Prosecutors and defense lawyers made their final statements on Friday, September 12, in Helsinki District Court in the trial of the captain and two officers from the product tanker Eagle S on charges that their negligence caused the damage on December 25,...
NATO Responds to Russian Fishing Vessel Adrift in Danish Straits
A brand new Russian fishing vessel broke down near the strategic southern entrance of the Oresund over the weekend, drifting in the sea lanes and attracting the attention of NATO member security forces. The crab vessel Mechanic Stepanov was built at...
CBP Intercepts Stolen Bulldozer Being Smuggled Out at the Port of Baltimore
Criminal syndicates stealing vehicles in the U.S. and shipping them to countries in West Africa are becoming daring, reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Its officers were recently surprised when they found a stolen bulldozer being smuggled out of the...
Philippines Pushes Back on Chinese “Nature Reserve” in Philippine Waters
The Philippines' western allies are lining up to voice opposition to China's plan to declare an "environmental zone" around Scarborough Shoal, a land feature in the Philippine EEZ that China has occupied since 2012. Manila views the declaration as a pretext, designed...
Conrad Shipyard Amelia Achieves Two Years Without a Recordable Incident
Conrad Shipyard proudly announces that its Amelia facility has achieved a significant safety milestone—two consecutive years without a recordable incident. The Amelia facility is currently constructing YRBM vessels for the U.S. Navy, alongside projects for...
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...
Local News
Miti: Strategic location and incentives give Malaysia edge to become major regional maritime MRO hub
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — Malaysia possesses a strong and competitive foundation to emerge as a major ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Asean, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). It said that clear industrial policy...
Over 3,600 overloaded lorries caught in Q4 2025, but fatal crashes are declining, Loke tells Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — More than 3,600 lorries were caught for overloading in the October-December 2025 period alone, Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed in Parliament this morning, a number he said reflected a serious safety hazard. The transport ministry faced...
Malaysian carriers seek expanded air access to Uzbekistan amid tourism talks
Malaysian airlines are seeking traffic rights that would allow them to operate more flexible routes through Uzbekistan, as interest grows in launching flights to Samarkand and Bukhara, Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Karomiddin Gadoev, has said. Speaking at a...
Vietnam emerging as hub for high-value manufacturing, services: Malaysia-based economist
Vietnam’s competitive edge is no longer driven primarily by expanding production capacity, but by structural upgrading. High-tech manufacturing of electronics, semiconductors, precision engineering, and advanced components now accounts for more than 30% of total...
Malaysia: Johor’s Advanced Polymer R&D and Manufacturing Hub
A major integrated research and manufacturing complex for advanced polymer materials has begun construction in Johor, signalling a significant expansion of high-value chemical engineering capabilities in Southeast Asia. The RM1.27 billion (approximately...
GBA companies step up ASEAN plans as expansion becomes a calculated move
Companies across the Greater Bay Area (GBA) are stepping up plans to expand into Southeast Asia, even as global trade conditions remain unsettled. A joint study by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and UOB Hong Kong shows that 73 per cent of surveyed...
Protecting M’sia’s sovereign interests in EEZ must be top priority, says retired US Coast Guard vet
KUCHING (Jan 17): Protecting Malaysia’s sovereign interests across its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) must remain a top priority as the nation faces growing maritime security, environmental, and geopolitical challenges, said retired United States Coast Guard (USCG)...
Govt allows re-export of Afghan transit cargo from Karachi ports
ISLAMABAD: The government has permitted the re-export of transit cargo stranded at Pakistani ports, a move aimed at easing rising demurrage charges for Afghan importers. The decision comes after the Pakistan-Afghanistan border closure on October 11, 2025, which halted...
Asia Manufacturing Index: Malaysia Places Second Among ASEAN Economies
The 2026 Asia Manufacturing Index published by Dezan Shira & Associates ranks Malaysia second overall among the 11 Asian economies included in the index. Among ASEAN economies, Malaysia is positioned ahead of Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and...
The ECRL is a bold bet for Malaysia’s future, but can we afford to get it wrong? — Ahmad Ibrahim
DECEMBER 6 — Transport is one key sector contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions. The fuel used is a key determinant. This explains why electric cars are expanding. Air transport has come under a lot of pressure to increase the use of SAF, sustainable aviation...
Malaysia’s ASEAN leadership, and the ART of geoeconomic diplomacy to build resilience
KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 10): Malaysia is moving confidently towards a new era of economic resilience, regional influence and global competitiveness, an era shaped by decisive policies and strategic partnerships aimed at securing the nation’s long-term prosperity. As global...
Johor-Singapore SEZ to ‘anchor’ industrial properties in Malaysia: Maybank
[SINGAPORE] The upcoming Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is expected to anchor the growth of industrial properties in Malaysia, with the segment set to remain the “key growth driver” of the country’s property sector, Maybank Securities analyst Wong Wei...
Polloc Freeport eyes more foreign vessel arrivals in 2026
MindaNews / 8 January –The Polloc Freeport and Ecozone (PFEZ), which has expressed readiness to meet international port standards and is now undergoing upgrades to attract shipping and logistics operators, is expecting an increase in foreign vessel arrivals this year....
2025’s greatest trio of oil & gas, FPSO, and LNG mergers that never came to fruition
While multiple consolidation moves have sprung up across the offshore energy and maritime arenas over the past 12 months, some never bore fruit. Offshore Energy has selected three business combination plays, regardless of whether they were born of truth or fiction,...
Johor to drive growth via connectivity, investment
The next 365 days are expected to be a whirlwind of activity for Johor as the state kicks off a line-up of events in conjunction with Visit Johor 2026 (VJ2026). The state government aims to attract over 12 million tourists over the next 12 months, eyeing a massive...
Port Klang, PTP set new container handling records in 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: Port Klang and Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) have set another new record for total container handling volume for the year 2025, with annual growth rates of 3.4 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively. Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the...
2 Malaysian ports set new container handling record in 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Two Malaysian ports have set a new record for total container handling volume for the year 2025, with an annual growth rate of 3.4 percent and 14 percent, respectively, according to Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook....
Palm oil prices rise by more than 2% due to stronger export data and bargain buying
Malaysian palm oil futures closed more than 2% higher on Monday. This was supported by stronger export data, bargain-buying and stronger crude oil prices. The benchmark contract for palm oil delivery in March on the Bursa Derivatives Market gained 82 Ringgit or 2.1%...
Malaysia’s green ambition meets reality — Ahmad Ibrahim
DECEMBER 25 — The development of a national circular economy framework for Malaysia is not just another policy document; it is an acknowledgment that the “take-make-dispose” economic model is untenable. The country has long aspired to invigorate its green economy,...
Kempas Baru-Pasir Gudang cargo rail line may carry passengers soon
A railway line stretching 40km from Kempas Baru to Pasir Gudang, used exclusively to transport containers from the port, is now set to carry passengers. Johor public works, transport, infrastructure and communications committee chairman Fazli Salleh said the...


































































