Ethiopia Signs Pact to Use Somaliland's Red Sea Port
Landlocked Ethiopia signed an initial agreement with Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland on Monday to use its Red Sea port of Berbera, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office said.The Horn of Africa country currently relies on neighbouring Djibouti for most of its maritime trade."This has been now agreed with our Somaliland brothers and an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed today," Abiy said at the signing ceremony with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi in the Ethiopian capital…
Iranian Warship Enters the Red Sea
Iran's Alborz warship has entered the Red Sea, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, at a time of soaring tensions on the key shipping route amid the Israel-Hamas war and attacks on vessels by forces allied to Tehran.Tasnim did not give details of the Alborz's mission but said Iranian warships had been operating in open waters to secure shipping routes, combat piracy and carry out…
CMA CGM Hikes Shipping Rates Between Asia and Mediterranean
Unlisted French shipping group CMA CGM increased its container shipping rates from Asia to the Mediterranean region by up to 100% as of Jan. 15 compared to Jan.
Golden Ocean Names Svensen CEO
Oslo-headquartered dry bulk shipping company Golden Ocean Group announced its board has appointed Lars-Christian Svensen as CEO, effective January 1, 2024.Svensen had been serving as interim CEO following the resignation of the company's previous CEO, Ulrik Andersen, in June 2023.Svensen joined Golden Ocean as chief commercial officer in December 2020 and was previously senior vice president in Norway and president of U.S. trading activities in Seattle for Western Bulk.
New Tech to Monitor a Ship's Black Carbon Emissions
Green Instruments A/S and Danish Technological Institute have developed a real-time flue gas sensor technology - The Extinction-Minus-Scattering (EMS) measurement method - to accurately measure black carbon emissions from ships, a tech which could be instrumental in meeting increasing regulatory demands of the shipping industry for black carbon emission standards. The EMS method enables real-time in-situ measurement capabilities…
Great Ships of 2023: Icon of the Seas
“Turku is building the real big ships,” said Meyer Turku CEO Tim Meyer.Meyer is not exaggerating. The yard’s latest newbuild, Icon of the Seas—the first ship of Royal Caribbean’s Icon class—is 248,655 GT, making it the largest cruise ship ever constructed.In general, the cruise ships rolling out of the nearly 300-year-old Finnish shipyard have been steadily increasing in size since the Meyer Group took full ownership in 2015.
ISS Takes Majority Stake in Leth Suez Transit
Inchcape Shipping Services has taken a major share of Leth Suez Transit Ltd AS (LETH). Under the new ownership structure, Otto Jervell, the CEO of LETH, will continue…
New IMO Secretary-General Welcomes Era of Progression
The new IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has released a video with his 2024 message to the industry, saying:“Here at IMO, we have a great trajectory of successes. But of course, we can always do more. I don't need to tell you how vital the shipping industry is for the world. And IMO has done much to support its member states, seafarers, the industry and everyone who lives on the planet. For example…
US Sinks 3 Ships, Kills 10 After Houthi Red Sea Attack
U.S. helicopters repelled an attack by Iran-backed Houthi militants on a Maersk container vessel in the Red Sea, sinking three ships and killing 10 militants, according to accounts by American, Maersk, and Houthi officials on Sunday.The naval battle occurred around 0330 GMT on Sunday as the attackers sought to board the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou, Maersk and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
Israel Says It's Ready to Let Ships Bring Aid to Gaza
Israel is prepared to let ships deliver aid to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip "immediately" as part of a proposed sea corridor from Cyprus, the Israeli foreign minister said on Sunday, naming four European countries as potential participants.Under the arrangement first suggested by Nicosia in November, cargo would undergo security inspection in the Cypriot port of Larnaca before being ferried to the Gaza coast…
US Shoots Two Missiles Headed for Container Ship
The United States shot down two missiles headed toward a container ship in the southern Red Sea and launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on Saturday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said.A Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned/operated container ship reported that it was struck by a missile and the USS Gravely and USS Laboon responded to the ship, CENTCOM said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.While responding, the U.S.
Burning Vessel Diverted to Dutch Harbor, Alaska
The US Coast Guard is continuing to assess a fire reported on the 410-foot general cargo vessel Genius Star XI off Dutch Harbor, Alaska.The vessel is carrying lithium-ion batteries, and the fire started on Christmas Day in cargo hold No. 1. The crew released carbon dioxide into the hold and sealed it over concerns of an explosion.The Coast Guard then diverted the vessel to Dutch Harbor while an HC…
Eight Missing After Tanker and Fishing Vessel Collide
A Singapore-flagged tanker, Pearl Kenzo, collided with a Chinese-flagged fishing vessel, Suiyupu on December 26 at about 12:08 am (Singapore Time) near Chengshan Jiao, China. Eight fishing vessel crew are missing.The tanker was on its way to Zhoushan from Penglai, China, when the incident happened, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).The China Maritime Safety Administration…
Mixed Feelings in Ship Recycling Market
Cash buyer GMS reports that the international ship recycling community is finishing the year with mixed feelings.“On the one hand, we have seen comparatively more deals concluded in 2023 than we did in 2022, with 2022 being the weakest of years over the last decade (in terms of the volume of vessels recycled in a single year).
Australia Apprehends Illegal Fishers
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has apprehended 30 illegal foreign fishers and seized and destroyed three fishing vessels as part of an ongoing operation targeting illegal fishing off the coast of Western Australia.ABF's Maritime Border Command in partnership with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) detected and apprehended the vessels found to be fishing illegally in the Kimberley Marine Park between December 23 and 26…
UKMTO Receives Report of Incident Near Hodeidah Port
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday received a report of an incident approximately 55 nautical miles (nM) south west of Yemen's Hodeidah port where "the master reported a loud bang and a flash on the port bow of the vessel."The vessel is proceeding to the next port of call, UKMTO said in an advisory note.Authorities are investigating and vessels are advised to transit with caution…
Expert BWTS Team Secures Grant from Transport Canada
Mouawad Consulting, Boll & Kirch, bestUV, KraftPowercon and Lower Lakes Towing, have received CAD 5 million from Transport Canada towards a project aimed at addressing technical challenges surrounding the installation, operation, and maintenance of ballast water management systems (BWMS) on vessels operating within the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River (GLSLR) region."The significance of this grant cannot be overstated.
Container Lines Continue to Divert from Suez Canal
Hapag-Lloyd will continue to divert its vessels around the Suez Canal for security reasons, a spokesperson for the German container shipper said on Friday, adding a further assessment would be made on January 2.Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Nippon Yusen, Japan's largest shipping companies, also said their vessels with links to Israel were avoiding the Red Sea area. Both companies said they were monitoring…
Cognitive Technology to Reduce Motion Sickness in Amphibious Vehicles
Hyundai Mobis has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps for cooperation on technology that is expected to alleviate motion sickness for marines traversing rough terrains from sea to land, enhancing combat performance.Last year, Hyundai Mobis developed the 'Smart Cabin Controller,' analyzing a driver's posture, heart rate, and brainwaves to prevent drowsiness…
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.
