Merchant Vessel West of Yemen's Hodeidah Not Hit by Missile as Earlier Reported
A daylight inspection showed that a merchant vessel was not hit or damaged in the Red Sea off Yemen's Hodeidah after initial reports it was struck by a missile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British security firm Ambrey said on Friday.Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the region since mid-November in professed solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's war in Gaza.Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping…
First Aid Ship to Gaza Leaves Cyprus Port in Pilot Project
A ship transporting almost 200 tons of food to Gaza left a port in Cyprus early on Tuesday in a pilot project to open a new sea route for aid to a population on the brink of famine.The charity ship Open Arms sailed out of Larnaca port in Cyprus, towing a barge containing flour, rice and protein.The 200-mile (320 km) voyage across the eastern Mediterranean to Gaza with a heavy tow barge could take up to 2 days, Cypriot officials have said.The mission, funded mostly by the United Arab Emirates, is organised by U.S.
Missile-Related Incident Reported Off Yemen's Hodeidah
A missile-related incident has been reported west of Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Monday.Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had received a report of a sound of an explosion in the vicinity of a vessel 71 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's port of Saleef.The vessel and crew were safe, UKMTO added.Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's war with Hamas in Ga
Dutch Defense to Spend Billions on New Frigates
The Dutch government on Friday said it would replace nearly its entire navy fleet in the coming 15 years, in a project worth several billion euros that it said would mainly benefit Dutch industry.A large part of the project would consist of the replacement of four air defense frigates, the government said, confirming an earlier report by RTL Nieuws.The government said it would work closely with Dutch industry in building the ships, with large roles for shipbuilder Damen and the Dutch arm of French defense company Thales, which would likely supply radar and missile guidance systems."This will s
MSC Containership Hit by Houthi Missile Sailing to Djibouti
Container ship MSC Sky II was continuing its voyage to Djibouti on Tuesday after being hit by a missile a day earlier near Yemen's port city of Aden, its operator MSC said.MSC Sky II was hit by a missile about 85 miles southeast of Aden and 170 miles east-southeast of the Bab al-Mandab Strait while it was sailing from Singapore to Djibouti, the Swiss-headquartered MSC said in a statement."The missile caused a small fire that has been extinguished while no crew were injured. She is currently continuing her journey to Djibouti and will arrive today for further assessment…
Port of Long Beach Opens New Fireboat Stations
Officials dedicated two new Port of Long Beach fireboat stations that are enhancing the Long Beach Fire Department’s waterside and landside emergency response capabilities, better safeguarding visiting ships, cargo and waterfront workers.The facilities – Fireboat Station 15 and Fireboat Station 20 – are the products of a $109 million Port of Long Beach program to preserve business continuity, security and economic interests. With an anticipated lifespan of 50 years, both stations…
Houthi Attacks Having Limited Impact on Israeli Trade, Prices - Ministry
Attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on cargo ships in the Red Seas are having limited effect on trade to Israel and have not led to any significant inflationary pressures, Israel's Finance Ministry said in a report on Monday.Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza.Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping…
Tanker Ablaze After Being Struck by Houthis in the Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Friday stepped up attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, including a hit on a fuel tanker operated on behalf of trading firm Trafigura that sparked a fire.Trafigura said that the fuel tanker Marlin Luanda, which was operating on its behalf, was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea.Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side, the company said in an emailed statement."We remain in contact with the vessel and are monitoring the situation carefully…
New Leadership at Mustang Survival and Wing Group
Kenny Ballard has been appointed Mustang Survival’s new President, taking over responsibilities from Juanita Killen, who stepped into the role of Interim President in 2023. Additionally, Lance Richardson takes on the newly created role of VP, Manufacturing and Innovation for the Wing Group, Mustang Survival’s parent company.Ballard brings a wealth of experience from previous executive roles with renowned brands, including Osprey, SwissGear, Wenger Outdoor, Kelty, and, most recently, his own successful consulting firm.
Houthis Hit US-owned Dry Bulk Ship, No Injuries
Houthi forces in Yemen struck the U.S.-owned and operated dry bulk ship Gibraltar Eagle with an anti-ship ballistic missile, U.S Central Command said on Monday, although there were no reports of injuries or significant damage.The vessel's U.S.-based operator Eagle Bulk Shipping said that it was hit by an "unidentified projectile" while sailing 100 miles off the Gulf of Aden and suffered limited damage to its cargo hold, and no seafarers were injured."As a result of the impact…
Cyprus Chamber Sees Significant Impact from Houthis on Shipping
Sustained attacks by Yemen's Houthis on vessels using Red Sea shipping lanes could have a "substantial" impact on economies and a knock-on effect on prices, a key Cypriot shipping industry group said on Thursday.Attacks by Houthis have disrupted a vital trade route, particularly of oil, as vessels access the Suez Canal via the Red Sea. Some shipping lines have been forced to divert vessels from the Red Sea to longer routes, threatening supply bottlenecks."Where countries heavily depend on raw materials…
Owners of Bulker Held by Houthis Say 'Encouraged' by Reports of Seafarers' Imminent Release
Galaxy Maritime Ltd, the Isle of Man registered owner of bulk carrier "Galaxy Leader" hijacked by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Nov. 19, said on Friday that it was encouraged by reports from the Philippines that the release of 17 of their seafarers held by the Houthis was imminent.The bulker's crew was made up of 25 seafarers from Bulgaria, Mexico, Romania, Ukraine and the Philippines, and the company said it was committed to meeting the repatriation expenses of all of the captive seafarers.(Reuters - Reporting by Jonathan Saul; Writing by Nadine Awadalla; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Bulk Carrier Reportedly Boarded in Eastern Indian Ocean off Yemen
A Malta-flagged, Bulgarian-owned bulk carrier was reportedly boarded on Thursday after being involved in an incident in the eastern Indian Ocean off Yemen's Socotra Island, British maritime security company Ambrey said in an advisory note.An Iranian-flagged fishing vessel in the area had switched off its AIS transponder six hours before the incident close to where the bulk carrier appeared to come adrift, Ambrey said."The Iran-flagged fishing vessel had previously been operating offshore Somalia," Ambrey added.(Reuters - Reporting by Jana Choukeir and Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Alex Richardso
Turkish Ship with 12 Crew Missing in Black Sea
A Turkish cargo ship with 12 crew members on board went missing off the country's Black Sea coast amid a storm on Sunday and authorities have been unable to make contact with them since, local authorities said.The captain of the Turkish flagged Kafkametler had reported during the morning that the ship was drifting towards a breakwater off Eregli, in northwest Turkey's Zonguldak province, the provincial governor's office said.The region was hit by powerful storms on Sunday and the statement said the adverse weather prevented air and sea vessels from carrying out searches.Search and rescue teams
FOCUS-How Shipping More US Natural Gas to Europe Helped Fuel CO2 Pollution
Carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. liquefied natural gas facilities have jumped to 18 million tons per year, up 81% since 2019, adding a volume of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere equivalent to that produced by several big coal plants, according to United States government data.They could more than double to 45 million tons per year by the end of the decade as new facilities, encouraged by soaring overseas demand for the super-cooled fuel, come online, according to company projections provided to the U.S.
China Ship is Focus of Pipeline Damage Probe, Finland Says
An investigation into the damage to the Balticonnector gas pipeline is currently focused on the role of the Chinese NewNew Polar Bear container vessel, Finland's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Friday.Early on Oct. 8, a gas pipeline and a telecoms cable connecting Finland and Estonia were broken, in what Finnish investigators said may have been sabotage, though they have yet to conclude whether it was an accident or a deliberate act.On Tuesday, Sweden said a third link…
Italian Authorities Seize Spanish Charity's Vessel After Multiple Migrant Rescues in the Mediterranean
Italian authorities have impounded a vessel operated by a Spanish charity, the group said on Thursday, after it carried out multiple rescues of migrants stranded in the Mediterranean.The Open Arms group said in a statement it had completed three rescues on Saturday picking up 176 people at sea, which included more than 90 unaccompanied minors. The boat docked on Wednesday in the central Italian port of Carrara to disembark the migrants.The vessel was placed under detention for 20 days after the authorities questioned the captain and the head of mission over what happened, Open Arms said, adding they expected to receive a fine worth between 3…
Ukraine Expects 12 More Cargo Ships at Its Black Sea Ports
Ukraine's navy said on Wednesday that 12 more cargo vessels were ready to enter a fledgling Black Sea shipping corridor on their way to Ukrainian ports, as Kyiv steps up a push to defy a de facto Russian blockade on its vital sea exports.Russia, which has a much more powerful and bigger naval fleet in the Black Sea, pulled out of a deal in July that had allowed wartime Ukraine to safely ship food products out through what is traditionally its main export corridor. Ukraine responded by setting up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" for cargo vessels…
Pope Says Impeding Migrant Rescues at Sea is 'Gesture of Hate'
Pope Francis said on Friday that migrants who risk drowning at sea "must be rescued" because doing so was "a duty of humanity" and that those who impede rescues commit "a gesture of hate".Francis, 86, spoke at an inter-religious prayer service before a monument dedicated to those lost at sea. Earlier, the city's archbishop, Cardinal Jean Marc Aveline, an Algerian-born Frenchman, criticized politicians who block NGOs and their ships from saving drowning people."We cannot be resigned to seeing human beings treated as bargaining chips, imprisoned and tortured in atrocious ways," Francis said.
VIDEO: Cargo Ship Crew Evacuated after Explosion Near Romanian Danube Port
The crew of a Togo-flagged general cargo ship bound for one of Ukraine's Danube river ports was evacuated early on Wednesday after an explosion on board near the Romanian port of Sulina, Romanian officials said.The Seama ship reported an explosion early on Wednesday and requested the evacuation of the 12-person crew near Sulina, where the Danube flows into the Black Sea."At the moment the causes ... are unclear, whether it was a mine or merely an explosion in the engine room," Romanian…
Ships Drop Anchor Around Gabon as Country Shuts Down After Coup
At least 30 commercial ships dropped anchor on Wednesday around Gabon's waters after military officers said they had seized power in the Central African country, according to data and maritime sources.Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had put President Ali Bongo under house arrest, after the country's election body announced that he had won a third term.
China, Philippines' Dispute over Grounded Warship Heats Up
China again asked the Philippines to tow away a grounded warship - a World War Two-era vessel now used as a military outpost - from a disputed shoal on Tuesday, after Manila rejected Beijing's earlier demand.Tensions have soared between the two neighbours over the South China Sea under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, with Manila pivoting back to the United States, which supports the Southeast Asian nation in its maritime disputes with China.China's embassy in Manila…
Italian Authorities Seize Record 5.3t Cocaine Haul Off Sicily
Italian authorities have seized a record 5.3 tonne cocaine haul being transferred between ships off the southern coast of Sicily, police said on Friday.The consignment had an estimated value of 850 million euros ($946 million) and five people have been arrested, the Guardia di Finanza said in a statement. Police had been tracking a ship that sailed from South America and swooped in the early hours of Wednesday, when a surveillance aircraft spotted packages being thrown from its…