UKMTO Reports Cargo Vessel Fire Near Dubai
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday it had received a report of an incident involving a cargo vessel about 36 nautical miles north of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.The vessel reported a fire in its engine room, the cause of which was not immediately known, UKMTO said in its advisory note, adding that all crew were safe and accounted for.In a separate incident, UKMTO saidā¦
Rear Admiral Ronald J. Rábago Appointed ABS Senior Vice President of Government Services
ABS has appointed U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral (Retired) Ronald J. Rábago as Senior Vice President of Government Services.āAdmiral Rábago brings exceptional government and industry experience that will further enhance the support we provide to our government clients in the U.S. and around the world,ā said John McDonald, ABS Chairman and CEO. āHis leadership and deep expertise across shipbuilding, acquisition and fleet lifecycle management as well as marine safetyā¦
Norwegian Cruise Slashes Profit Forecast as Fuel Costs Continue to Rise
Norwegian Cruise Line cut its annual profit forecast on Monday, as the cruise operator battles surging fuel costs linked to the war in the Middle East and tepid demand for its sea voyages, sending its shares down 7% in morning trading.Global oil prices surged above $100 a barrel after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. More than $50 billion worth of crude oil supply has been lost since the start of the warā¦
Two US Missile Destroyers Enter Gulf, Two American Ships Crossed Hormuz
The U.S. military said two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers had entered the Gulf to break an Iranian blockade and that two U.S. merchant ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran said it had prevented a U.S. warship entering the Gulf.U.S. Central Command said its forces were supporting President Donald Trump's "Project Freedom", which aims to "guide out" commercial ships stranded in the Gulf by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iranā¦
UAE Accuses Iran of Attacking Empty Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates on Monday accused Iran of attacking an empty crude oil tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi state oil firm ADNOC with drones as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.ADNOC's maritime energy logistics unit said the Barakah was empty when it was attacked by two drones, and no injuries were reported."The UAE further stressed the need for Iran to halt these unprovoked attacksā¦
Heavy Precipitation Furthers Rising Water Levels in the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Basin
Persistent precipitation this spring has resulted in rising water levels throughout the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River basin and flood conditions in many tributaries. Since March 1, water levels in Lake Ontario have risen from 74.54 meters (244.55 feet) to 75.30 meters (247.05 feet) by April 30, a total increase of 0.76 meters (2.50 feet) in two months. Meanwhile, the Ottawa River Regulating Committeeā¦
Guyana Opposes Venezuela's Claim on Oil-Rich Esequibo Region
Guyana has asked judges at the International Court of Justice to rule that Venezuela does not have a legitimate claim on the potentially oil-rich region around the Esequibo river, which has been the subject of a dispute between the Latin American neighbours since colonial days."Facing a larger and more powerful neighbour's designs on our territory has not only threatened our peace and security, it has held back our developmentā¦
Trump Halts US Wind Farm Projects Citing National Security Risk
President Donald Trump's administration has brought U.S.
Ukrainian Drones Hit Russian Port, Tankers and Military Ships
Ukraine launched a wave of drone attacks on targets across Russia on Sunday, hitting the Baltic Sea port of Primorsk and setting it on fire, and striking a number of vessels, as it steps up attacks on energy infrastructure and other targets.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the strikes had caused significant damage to the oil terminal port. They also hit an oil tanker, a small Russian Karakurt-class missile ship and a patrol boat in the Baltic Seaā¦
IMO Progresses Net Zero Framework
The Marine Environment Protection Committee of the IMO concluded its 84th session with a commitment to rebuild consensus on global shipping emissions.Nearly 100 delegations took the floor this week to voice their views on the adoption of āmid-term measuresā to address GHG emissions from ships - known as the IMO Net-Zero Framework - with multiple proposals tabled on how to take forward negotiations.Theā¦
IMO Adopts Worldās Largest Emission Control Area
The IMO has formally adopted the worldās largest emission control area (ECA) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean, establishing stricter emissions limits for ships operating in one of the worldās busiest maritime corridors.The new ECA is expected to be fully implemented in September 2028 and covers the exclusive economic zones of France, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islandsāa region home to more than 190 million people.
Australian Seafarer Welfare Centers Hampered by Chronic Under-Funding
A private survey of leading stakeholders conducted by Human Rights at Sea demonstrates a nationwide pattern of chronic under-funding in the provision of seafarer support services in Australia.Human Rights at Sea conducted the online survey to identify what port welfare resources are already in place and any gaps that need to be addressed.Over 500,000 seafarers visit Australian ports each year, and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLCā¦
World's Largest Sailing Yacht Named in France
Orient Express Corinthian, the world's largest sailing yacht, has been named in Saint-Nazaire, France.The vessel is the result of a collaboration between Orient Express and Chantiers de l'Atlantique. She is the first cruise ship equipped with the SolidSail wind propulsion system, developed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique. Her three rigs, each spanning 1,500 m² and rising to over 320 feet, are fully automated and capable of delivering 100% wind-powered propulsion in favorable conditions.
Swedish Coast Guard Seizes Shadow Tanker
The Swedish Coast Guard said on Sunday it had seized a tanker in the Baltic Sea believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, the latest in a string of similar actions carried out in recent months by the country's authorities.The Swedish Coast Guard said in a statement that it and police had boarded the Syrian-flagged Jin Hui in Swedish territorial waters south of Trelleborg and begun a preliminaryā¦
Israel Court Extends Detention of Gaza Flotilla Activists
An Israeli court has extended by two days the detention of two activists arrested aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece, their lawyer said on Sunday.Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were detained by Israeli authorities late on Wednesday and brought to Israel, while more than 100 other pro-Palestinian activistsā¦
Three Passengers Dead on Cruise Ship After Hantivirus Outbreak
Three people have died and one case of hantavirus has been confirmed among passengers on a cruise vessel sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization said on Sunday.Six individuals were affected in the incident, of whom three have died and one is in intensive care in South Africa, it said in a post on X.The WHO did not name the vessel or its operator, although a source familiar with the situation said it was the MV Hondiusā¦
Trump: US Will Help Free Ships Stranded in Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the United States would begin an effort to free up ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning.Trump, in a post on his Truth Social site, gave few details about the operation, including whether the U.S. Navy would be involved. He described the effort as a "humanitarian gesture" meant only to aid neutral countries that were not involved in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran."For the good of Iranā¦
Baltic Exchange Sued Over Hormuz Freight Losses
Commodity trader Mercuria is suing the Baltic Exchange, the world's top provider of benchmark shipping indices, over losses it said were caused by oil tanker pricing data that did not account for the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a court filing showed.The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which began on February 28, has left hundreds of ships and 20,000 seafarers stranded inside the Gulf andā¦
Chouest Group Acquires Alliance Business from Helix Energy Solutions Group
The Chouest Group announced it has completed the acquisition of the Alliance business from Helix Energy Solutions Group. Alliance will be integrated into Champagne Energy Solutions (CES), expanding the Groupās offshore decommissioning and plug & abandonment (P&A) platform.The transaction builds on the recent formation of CES and advances the Chouest Groupās strategy to deliver fully integrated, endā¦
Op-Ed: The Jones Act Waiver, A Gift to China and NATOās Iran Onlookers
When Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, the Administration had a real problem on its hands. I understand why a White House would want to move fast, but moving fast and moving smart are not the same thing. This week the Administration extended the current Jones Act waiver for another 90 days. Washington needs to take an honest look at what this waiver has actually produced.The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), which oversees the nationās merchant fleet, has data that tells the story.
