Maritime Law & Regulations News

BIMCO and Hunit have launched a joint pilot project with the aim to reduce risks, cut manual workloads, and modernize the way the maritime industry works with standard contracts.The pilot project will address challenges such as rising operational demands driven by sanctions regimes, increasing safety and emissions requirements, insurer expectations for transparency, and more frequent inspections, to name a few.Today, much of this work to is still managed through PDFs, inboxes…

China is deploying a large number of naval and coast guard vessels across East Asian waters, at one point more than 100, in the largest maritime show of force to date, according to four sources and intelligence reports reviewed by Reuters.China is in the middle of what is traditionally a busy season for military exercises, though the People's Liberation Army has not made any announcements of large-scale officially named drills.Still, the rise in activity is happening as China…

There is no specific timeline for when the shipping industry will resume sailing through the Suez Canal, but any return would be gradual, the chief executive of Hapag-Lloyd, the world's fifth-largest container company, said on Thursday.Shipping companies have been sailing costly routes around Africa since November 2023 to avoid attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi militants, who said they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war in…

War insurance costs for ships sailing to the Black Sea have spiked again, with insurers reviewing policies daily as the conflict in Ukraine spills into sea lanes, five shipping and insurance sources said on Thursday.The Black Sea is crucial for the shipment of grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and Turkey, as well as Russia and Ukraine.Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that attacks on Russia-linked tankers in…

The crew of the Greek-operated cargo ship Eternity C, which sank in the Red Sea in July after being attacked by Yemen's Houthis, have been released, an official with the ship's operator and a maritime security source told Reuters on Wednesday.The crew of the Liberia-flagged Eternity C abandoned the ship before it sank following repeated strikes by the Iran-aligned militants with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades.Rescuers pulled crew members alive from the Red Sea and Houthis later said they were holding a group of the seafarers…

The Romanian military blew up a maritime drone that was endangering navigation in the Black Sea, the Ministry of National Defence said on Wednesday, amid rising concerns about risks to shipping in the area linked to the war in Ukraine.The ministry said that the drone, which was found in an area 36 nautical miles (66 km) east of Constanta, was a Sea Baby. The Sea Baby is a maritime drone developed by Ukraine.A Romanian Defence Ministry spokesperson declined to specify the country that the drone came from, but confirmed it was a Sea Baby.

China's military sometimes simulates attacks on foreign naval vessels in the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan shares intelligence with international partners when they operate in those waters, a senior Taiwan security official said on Wednesday.China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own, says it alone exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over the strait, a major trade route for about half of global container ships.Both the United States and Taiwan say the strait is an international waterway, however.U.S.

A Russian-flagged tanker loaded with sunflower oil reported a drone attack off the Turkish coast on Tuesday, but its 13 crew members were unharmed, Turkey's maritime authority and the Tribeca shipping agency said.Ukrainian naval drones last week hit two tankers sanctioned by Kyiv and some of its Western allies in the Black Sea as they headed to a Russian port to load oil destined for foreign markets, as the country attempts to pile pressure on Russia's oil sector.Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Ukraine was not involved in Tuesday's attack…

Some congressional Republicans expressed concern about U.S. military actions off Venezuela's coast and joined Democrats in pledging to look into multiple strikes on one boat, although there was no word on Monday of any briefings or hearings.White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on Monday confirmed there had been two strikes on one boat in early September, saying they were within the law and authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, days after some members of Congress said…

Seatrium has issued a notice of arbitration against an affiliate of Maersk Offshore Wind, escalating a dispute over the termination of a contract for a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) intended for the Empire Wind 1 project in the United States.The move follows a notice of arbitration delivered by the buyer on October 21, one day after Seatrium notified the buyer that the vessel would be ready for delivery by January 30, 2026. The dispute will be heard in London under the…

Danish shipping company NORDEN has acquired the Southern African cargo activities of Taylor Maritime, previously operated under the IVS brand, adding to its growing parceling and project cargo business.As part of the deal, NORDEN will take over the specialist parceling team based in Durban, South Africa, led by Brandon Paul, who will continue serving customers on parcel trades from South Africa.“We are delighted that Brandon and his team join NORDEN as we are committed to further…

Brazilian federal prosecutors in Para state have filed a lawsuit to demand the removal of the hull and oily residues from the Haidar ship, which sank 10 years ago near Vila do Conde port, Brazil's biggest for live cattle shipments.In a statement on Wednesday, Para federal prosecutors recalled the Haidar wreck caused the death of 5,000 cattle and a spill of 700,000 liters of oily residues.A subsequent spill from the Haidar wreck was reported in 2018, prosecutors said, showing that remaining residues inside the hull represent "a constant threat."Some 215,000 liters of oil, diesel, fuel, and lubr

The 2022 sabotage of gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea marked a turning point: maritime infrastructure is no longer seen as a passive utility, but as a strategic asset at risk of disruption. The Joint Baltic Declaration on Security in the Baltic Sea was signed on November 20 by the Norwegian State Secretary Marte Gerhardsen, in the presence of the Polish Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.According to an official statement by the Norwegian State Secretary…

The livestock carrier Spiridon II has unloaded cattle in the Libyan city of Benghazi after being stranded off the Turkish coast for more than a month after a month-long voyage from Uruguay with nearly 3,000 cattle on board.The Spiridon II is now back at sea.It is unclear what happened to the dead animals and sewage onboard. Dozens of animals had already died, and many calves had been born, lost, or perished. The dead animals and excrement cannot legally be disposed of in the Mediterranean Sea due to MARPOL regulations.

Marketing in Maritime (MiM), the specialist networking and development community for marketing and communications professionals in the marine and energy sectors, appointed Kae-Ley Brann to a new role of Business Manager.Brann joins at a pivotal time in the Marketing in Maritime journey, as it prepares to embark on an ambitious new chapter as a community-led professional development platform. As Business Manager, she will steer the evolution of Marketing in Maritime’s new ‘MiMbership’ program…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) entered into an agreement with IMI plc, to acquire its Birmingham, UK-based Truflo Marine business, a provider of mission-critical valves and actuators.This acquisition will complement FMD’s existing build-to-print capabilities, strengthening its portfolio of high-endurance, severe-duty valves and components. Truflo Marine is located in Birmingham UK and are 270 employees strong. Truflo Marine brings a global presence and specialized expertise that complements FMD’s existing portfolio of engines, motors, valves, ventilation, and water treatment systems.

Four men, including the chief officer of an international livestock carrier, have been charged over their alleged roles in an organised crime plot to import more than 525kg of cocaine into Australia, after packages of the drug were found floating in the ocean off Western Australia.A Western Australia Joint Organised Crime Taskforce investigation into suspicious activity by an international vessel was already under way when members of the public alerted police on November 6 after finding large packages tied to flotation drums about 30km offshore.Later that day…

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers posted overseas in Beijing have prevented over 600,000 illegal vapes from hitting Australia’s streets after information sharing led to the referral of almost 70 high risk containers.The majority of the seized vapes - which had a street value of approximately $30 million, arrived into NSW between September and October 2025.The information allowed ABF officers to identify several other shipments related to the initial referrals, with majority of the containers falsely described as items such as glass bottles…

The Royal Van Beest Group announced that it has acquired Enduro Softslings. Established ten years ago in The Netherlands, Enduro Softslings has secured a leading position in the lifting industry through its manufacturing capabilities, custom-made soft slings, and customer support. As part of the Royal Van Beest Group, the leader behind brands like Green Pin and Irizar Forge, Enduro Softslings will gain access to resources and expertise to further fuel its growth.The partnership…

Odfjell SE and Japan’s Nissen Kaiun Co., Ltd. have formed a new Bergen-based joint venture, Odfjell Hakata Maritime AS, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership and adding substantial capacity to the global chemical tanker market.The JV will launch with a fleet of 10 stainless-steel chemical tankers, equally contributed by the two companies. Nine of the vessels are already operating under Odfjell Tankers via existing charter agreements, while the tenth is set to join the fleet in early December.

South Africa’s National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has welcomed a judgment delivered by the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Makhanda which strengthens its authority to prevent cruelty to animals during the export of live animals by sea.The ruling overturns severe restrictions previously imposed by the East London Magistrates’ Court during the planned loading of more than 53,000 animals onto the live export vessel Al Messilah in July 2023.The Magistrate had, amongst other things…

Okeanis Eco Tankers Corp. said that following strong demand it has successfully priced an offering  of 3,239,436 new shares of the Company’s common stock, par value USD 0.001 per share, at a price of $35.50 per Offer Share, raising gross proceeds of $114,999,978.The net proceeds from the Offering are expected to be used as partial consideration for the acquisition of two newbuilding Suezmax vessels, each currently under construction at South Korea's Daehan Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., each from an unrelated third-party seller, for an acquisition price of $97 million per vessel.

Recent history demonstrates just how unpredictable global supply chains can be, where delays, disruptions and prolonged transit times create substantial capital constraints for businesses. In-transit financing can address these challenges by converting goods enroute into liquidity that enables businesses to sustain operations and pursue growth without interruption.By combining negotiable bills of lading, structured credit arrangements and seasoned lending partners, businesses…

Ellerman City Liners, part of GB Global, has acquired Viasea Shipping from Norway’s ColliCare Holding AS, a move that strengthens Ellerman’s position in the European shortsea shipping market and deepens its commitment to sustainable logistics solutions.Founded in 2016, Viasea has grown rapidly as a challenger brand in Northern Europe’s shortsea sector, operating scheduled services between the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, and Lithuania. With offices across key logistics hubs including Moss…

German container shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd on Thursday posted a 50% drop in nine-month net profit to 846 million euros ($986.6 million) and lowered the top end of its full-year earnings outlook, citing market volatility and rising costs.The company narrowed its full-year earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) forecast to between 0.5 billion and 1.0 billion euros, reducing the upper end from a previous range of 0.2 billion to 1.1 billion euros announced in its August earnings."(We) will respond agilely to changes in global trade and maintain strict cost discipline…

Damen has announced the acquisition of Southampton-based I.M.E Group Ltd. The acquisition follows close collaboration between the two parties since the opening of Damen Services’ UK Service Hub in 2021. This investment in the UK industry expands the range of services available to clients throughout the UK in their day-to-day operations. With this step, Damen’s UK customers are assured of access to on-site support, mechanical and electrical engineering, docking services, parts supply…

Houthi militia have reportedly ceased attacks on Israel and shipping in the Red Sea, and the impact could be seismic for global ocean container shipping, warns Chief Analyst Peter Sand at Xeneta. However, an immediate largescale return to the region will require a series of further assurances.“Details are sketchy, and you cannot base the safety of crews, ships and cargo on the word of Houthi militia. Carriers need far more assurance than that and, perhaps more importantly, so do insurance companies…

A Tanzanian national has appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrate's Court in Australia charged with the alleged importation of 3kg of methamphetamine into Australia.An investigation started on November 8 after a security officer contracted by Flinders Ports at Port Adelaide stopped the cargo ship crew member, 50, for a random baggage inspection as he left for shore leave.Three suspicious packages containing a crystal-like substance were found in a backpack the man was carrying.

The U.S. military killed three men in a strike on a suspected drug vessel in international waters in the Caribbean on Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.Hegseth, said in a post on social media website X that the vessel was operated by a "Designated Terrorist Organization" but provided no further evidence. His post included a 20-second video clip, marked unclassified, of a boat in the water that gets struck by a munition and explodes.The military action was the latest of more than a dozen U.S.

A Greek prosecutor has extended charges to four more senior coast guard officers over one of the Mediterranean's deadliest accidents, a 2023 shipwreck in which hundreds drowned off the southwestern town of Pylos, legal sources said on Thursday.The charges follow an appeal by lawyers representing the victims, the sources told Reuters.The shipwreck of the overloaded migrant boat Adriana in international waters on June 14, 2023, sent shockwaves across Europe. A Greek naval court…

CMA CGM has reversed a decision to suspend cargo shipments to Mali over safety concerns and a fuel shortage, the French group said on Thursday following a meeting with the authorities.In early September, al Qaeda-linked militant group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) announced a blockade on fuel imports to the landlocked West African country. The group has since attacked convoys of fuel tankers attempting to enter the country or reach the capital, Bamako."Overland transport has been heavily impacted in terms of both transit times and costs…