Maritime Law & Regulations News

Canadian shipping company Algoma Central Corporation was fined $500,000 in the U.S. after pleading guilty to dumping wastewater into Lake Ontario.One of the Great Lakes operator's dry bulk carriers, the Algoma Strongfield, was built in China and delivered to Canada on May 30, 2017, by a crew from Redwise Maritime Services, B.V., a vessel transport company based in the Netherlands.During the delivery voyage, while manned by a Redwise crew, the oily water separator and oil content monitor malfunctioned or failed on multiple occasions…

Two crew members aboard the cargo vessel that blocked global shipping in the Suez Canal last month will be allowed to return to India owing to urgent personal circumstances, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said on Thursday.The Ever Given has been anchored in a lake between two sections of the canal since being dislodged on March 29 and is caught in a legal dispute linked to a $916 compensation claim made by the SCA against the ship's Japanese owner.The SCA said it was "sparing no effort to ensure the success of the negotiations" and was cooperating with the shipping agency to make sure the crew

Damen Shipyards Group is partnering with Purus Marine, an environmentally focused maritime vessel and infrastructure company established by EnTrust Global for the financing of green shipping projects. The partnership, named DP Lease, aims to support decarbonization of the maritime industry by providing flexible and attractively priced long-term lease financing solutions to solve the financing gap created by additional capital expenditure requirements associated with the purchase of environmentally-advanced vessels.Jan-Willem van Helden…

International Marine and Industrial Applicators, LLC (IMIA), a portfolio company of an investment affiliate of J.F. Lehman & Company (JFLCO), announced it has acquired Main Industries, Inc.Headquartered in Hampton, Va., Main Industries provides preservation, scaffolding and environmental containment services to the marine vessel new construction and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) markets. The company supports the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier new construction and MRO requirements (including refueling overhauls) in the Mid-Atlantic region…

A Crowley ship assist and escort tug serving the Bay of San Francisco is now running on cleaner-burning biofuel, in line with Crowley Shipping's commitment to sustainable operations that decrease the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas impacts of maritime operations.The Veteran, a 6,800-horsepower tug with a bollard pull of 182,000 pounds, received its first bunkering of 24,000 gallons of low carbon biofuel on March 9 in San Francisco, where Crowley has operated tugboats since 1906.Veteran joins Crowley’s Vision/650-10…

The United States stands ready to facilitate maritime border talks between Lebanon and Israel that will have benefits for the crisis-hit Lebanese economy, a U.S. envoy said on Thursday.On a visit to Beirut, Under Secretary of State David Hale blamed Lebanese leaders for failing to end a deadlock in cabinet talks to tackle the collapse, which has crashed the currency. He warned that "those who continue to obstruct" progress open themselves up to punitive actions, without naming individuals.As part of its pressure campaign on Tehran…

Evergreen Line said on Wednesday that it is investigating the scope of an Egyptian court order to detain the Ever Given container ship which got stuck in the Suez Canal last month.The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has made a $916 million compensation claim against the ship’s Japanese owner Shoei Kisen, according to UK Club, one of its insurers.The SCA has also obtained a court order to detain the ship as discussions over compensation continue.

The six-day blockage of the Suez Canal by the Ever Given has resulted in numerous trade and supply chain disruptions for businesses that depend on timely shipments. At least 400 cargo ships were stuck and many forced to reroute. Businesses may be protected from lost profits and the costs of these interruptions and supply chain delays by insurance.Businesses that depend on the Suez Canal to deliver their cargo, commodities and products face billions of dollars of lost profits and damages.

New Zealand said on Wednesday it will stop the export of livestock by sea following a transition period of up to two years, citing animal welfare concerns for a decision that will affect major trading partners including Australia and China.The ban was welcomed by animal welfare groups, but the peak farming industry body said it was caught by surprise and was unaware of any breaches of standards.Live exports by sea represent about 0.2% of New Zealand’s primary sector exports revenue since 2015 has averaged around NZ$60 million ($42.32 million) per year from 2015 to 2019.

The cargo vessel that blocked global shipping in the Suez Canal and is caught in a legal dispute in Egypt is fit to sail once approval is given, its technical manager said on Wednesday.The Ever Given was declared suitable for onward passage from the Great Bitter Lake to Port Said, where she would be assessed again before departing for Rotterdam, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) said in a statement.The ship has been in the lake, which sits between two sections of the canal, since being dislodged on March 29.

A commercial vessel owned by an Israeli firm was attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in Gulf waters, pro-Iran media and an Israeli television channel said on Tuesday.Israel’s top-rated Channel 12 TV quoted unnamed Israeli officials as blaming arch-foe Iran for the assault and said there were no casualties.Two maritime security sources told Reuters that an Israeli ship was hit near the UAE’s Fujairah port resulting in an explosion but that there were no casualties.An…

A ship that blocked the Suez Canal for almost a week in March has not been given clearance to leave the waterway as discussions continue over a compensation claim made to the vessel’s owner Shoei Kisen, an official from the Japanese company said on Tuesday.The Ever Given has been in a lake separating two sections of the canal since it was dislodged on March 29, as the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) conducts investigations.Yumi Shinohara, deputy manager with owner Shoei Kisen’s fleet management department…

Russia's biggest shipping company Sovcomflot says, according to Interfax news agency:The company is ready to buy back up to $400 million of Eurobond-2023, to finance it via new issue;The offer price is $1,072.25 per paper of a nominal price of $1,000;Sovcomflot plans to issue 7-year Eurobond, will hold calls with investors starting from April 14, Interfax cites a source.(Reporting by Moscow Newsroom)

NOAA is updating its baseline numbers used for gauging hurricane season activity using more recent storm data.Once every decade, the agency revises its set of statistics used to determine when hurricane seasons are above-, near- or below-average relative to the climate record. Beginning with this year’s hurricane season outlooks, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) will use 1991-2020 as the new 30-year period of record. “This update allows our meteorologists to make forecasts for the hurricane season with the most relevant climate statistics taken into consideration…

Four dead gray whales washed ashore on San Francisco Bay area beaches in nine days, with experts announcing that two of the giant aquatic mammals died from ship strikes and an investigation is ongoing Saturday on the other two.Biologists with the non-profit Marine Mammal Center in California said in a release Saturday that two dead whales washed ashore in the Bay area on Thursday, joining two more that were discovered dead in area beaches since March 31.Of the four animals, two died from blunt force trauma from ship strikes…

Survitec completed a $372M refinancing with funds managed or advised by the Credit Group of Ares Management Corporation.“Successfully concluding this financing demonstrates the confidence we believe that Ares and M&G have in our business," said Ray Leclercq, Survitec’s CFO.Survitec’s lead shareholders are Searchlight Capital Partners, a global private investment firm, and M&G Investments, an international asset manager.Survitec also recently announced another key element of its long-term growth plans.  In March 2021, the company said it had signed an intent to purchase Hansen Protection, a European provider of specialist survival suits and protective equipment.

Japan's Nakashima Propeller Co. has taken a majority stake in the German shipbuilding supplier Becker Marine Systems GmbH.“We have gotten to know Nakashima Propeller as a much respected and reliable partner through decades of cooperation,” said Dirk Lehmann and Henning Kuhlmann, the two managing directors at Becker Marine Systems, “and because we are expert suppliers in the area in front of and behind the propeller with well-known products such as the Becker Mewis Duct and the Becker Rudder family…

A senior cabinet minister said on Monday he had signed a document expanding Lebanon's claims in a row with Israel over their maritime border that has held up hydrocarbon exploration in the potentially gas-rich area.The amendment would add around 1,400 square kilometers (540.54 square miles) to the exclusive economic zone claimed by Lebanon in its original submission to the United Nations.Negotiations between old foes Lebanon and Israel were launched in October to try to resolve the dispute.

Maritime connectivity and IT solutions provider Marlink Group has obtained final regulatory approvals to acquire 100% of ITC Global from Panasonic. "The Marlink and ITC Global management teams are preparing for a swift closing of the transaction in the coming weeks, while remaining fully focused on providing best-in-class services to their customers across the world," Marlink said."Both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) have given their approval to the deal.

The United States will send two warships to the Black Sea next week, Turkey said on Friday as Russia, which has beefed up its military forces near Ukraine, accused non-coastal NATO powers of increasing naval activity in the region.Washington says Russia has amassed more troops on Ukraine’s eastern border than at any time since 2014, when it annexed Crimea from Ukraine and backed pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine.Violence has flared between Ukrainian troops and the separatists, spurring fears of a major escalation.

Iran released on Friday a South Korean ship and its captain detained since January after South Korea promised to try to secure the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions, a South Korean official said.The Iranian foreign ministry said the chemical tanker, Hankuk Chemi, was released after an investigation into environmental pollution, and at the request of the South Korean government and its owner, state news agency IRNA reported.The seizure of…

The state of Florida sued President Joe Biden's administration in federal court on Thursday seeking to block the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's decision to prevent the U.S. cruise industry from immediately resuming operations paused for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.The suit, filed by Republican Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody in Tampa, asked the court to issue an injunction barring enforcement of the CDC's order and to quickly lift a "nationwide lockdown" on the industry in place since March 2020.

Reinsurers are set to foot most of the bill for the grounding of the ship that halted traffic in the Suez Canal, industry sources said, with payouts expected to run into hundreds of millions of dollars.International supply chains were thrown into disarray when the 400 meter Ever Given ran aground in the canal on March 23, with specialist rescue teams taking almost a week to free the vessel.Around 400 vessels were affected by the canal’s closure, which led to some having to divert around Africa to get supplies to global markets.Ships typically have protection & indemnity (P&I) insurance…

Carnival Corp, the world’s largest cruise operator, is currently not taking a position on mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for passengers before traveling, a company spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday.The company’s statement comes just a day after rival Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd said it would mandate travelers be vaccinated under a proposed plan to restart U.S. cruises in July.The U.S.

Saga on Wednesday reported a stronger than expected annual profit, sending its shares sharply higher, as lower motor insurance payouts during lockdowns offset losses in its over-50s tour and cruise operations.The British company, hit hard last year by a shutdown of cruises globally and collapse of other travel, said it was ready to resume its tour and cruise businesses this year after suspending them in March 2020, with timing subject to government restrictions.“Customer demand remains strong…

Incidents of piracy and attacks on merchant vessels in waters of the Gulf of Guinea are endemic. There are multiple factors at play, including but not limited to: poverty, limited government presence in coastal communities, minimal maritime law enforcement capability among coastal states, and corruption. Some foreign nations, primarily European, conduct patrols outside the 12 nautical mile territorial seas, but far too few to make a significant dent in the problem, and with no authority to operate closer to shore…

The guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain conducted a “routine” transit of the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, the U.S. Navy said, as China sent more fighter jets into Taiwan’s air defense zone and a Chinese carrier group drilled near Taiwan.“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement.Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Heavens

Greenpeace protested against deep-sea mining in the Pacific on Monday, with the environmental organization’s Rainbow Warrior boat trailing a ship doing research for DeepGreen, a company which plans to mine the seabed for battery metals.Greenpeace activists were pictured in rubber dinghies holding banners reading “Stop Deep Sea Mining!”, with the Maersk Launcher, a ship chartered by DeepGreen, in the background.The protest took place 900 nautical miles (1,036 miles) off Mexico’s western coast…

An Iranian cargo ship has come under attack in the Red Sea, Al Arabiya TV reported on Tuesday, quoting unnamed sources, and semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim said the vessel was targeted by a limpet mine.Al Arabiya cited the sources as saying the vessel was attacked off the coast of Eritrea and was affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, but provided no evidence to support the assertion.Tasnim identified the ship as the Iran Saviz. “The vessel Iran Saviz has been stationed…

Crowley Maritime Corp. has appointed Trish Skoglund as corporate director of mergers and acquisitions, guiding strategic investments that create sustainable growth and accelerate the company’s competitive advantages.In her newly created role, Skoglund will contribute to all aspects of strategic acquisitions, and she will collaborate with Crowley’s business units to identify growth opportunities that best maximize the company’s diverse capabilities and offerings, the company said.

A social media post has falsely claimed the Ever Given ship that blocked the Suez Canal is carrying nuclear weapons. There is no evidence to support this – and Evergreen Line, the company leasing the vessel, told Reuters the allegation is false. The original post has now been removed from Facebook; however, other accounts have shared a screenshot. It claims information has been leaked in the Netherlands that the “EVERGREEN was loaded with WEAPONS and NUKES”. Comments left underneath suggest some users believe the claim to be true. “This is getting deep. More tentacles than an octopus.

A Chinese carrier group is exercising near Taiwan and such drills will become regular, China’s navy said late on Monday in a further escalation of tensions near the island that Beijing claims as its sovereign territory.Taiwan has complained of an increase in Chinese military activity near it in recent months, as China steps up efforts to assert its sovereignty over the democratically run island.China’s navy said the carrier group, lead by the Liaoning, the country’s first aircraft carrier put into active service…

As part of his Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (EO 14008)—issued on the first day he took office—President Biden made significant commitments to renewable energy. These commitments include collaborating with multiple federal agencies in the United States and promoting critical industry support for the acquisition of electric vehicles for the federal fleet, as well as rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, the landmark international agreement signed in 2015 to limit global warming.

Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. and three former and current management officials from the Long Island-based petroleum barge company have paid $375,000 in restitution to the brother of one of two seamen killed in a 2017 barge explosion off Port Aransas, Texas.The seaman alleged the company fired him for cooperating with investigators and reporting safety concerns to the U.S. Coast Guard following the deadly blast on board Buster Bouchard/B. No. 255. The National Transportation…

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention on Friday issued new guidance to the cruise ship industry, including the need for COVID-19 vaccinations, a necessary step before passenger voyages can resume.The new technical instructions, the first update since October, include increasing from weekly to daily reporting frequency of COVID-19 cases and illnesses and implementing routine testing of all crew based on a ship’s COVID-19 status and establishing a plan and timeline…

Turkey has detained 10 retired admirals for signing a statement in support of an 85-year-old maritime accord, accusing them of conspiring against the constitutional order, the state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Monday.Officials said their declaration on the Montreux Convention, signed by more than a hundred former high-ranking navy personnel, was a direct challenge to civilian government and evoked past army interventions.Turkey's military staged three coups between 1960…

Offshore drilling rig contractor Seadrill has asked creditors to write off more than 85% of its debts in exchange for a 99% stake in the reorganized company, a court filing showed.The Oslo-listed firm controlled by Norwegian-born billionaire John Fredriksen in February filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, the second time it has done so in four years.Seadrill has in the past year written off billions of dollars worth of assets due to a bleak outlook for the oil sector…

Jones Capital said it has acquired Rockport Terminals, one of the largest private intermodal terminals on the Texas Gulf Coast.Rockport Terminals is located within 28 miles of the fast growing Port of Corpus Christi, but outside of the Port's tariff zone. With more than 250 acres of industrial land, Rockport Terminals boasts access to the Intracoastal Waterway, nearby railways and many major highways. Today, the terminal specializes in bulk liquids storage, bulk and break bulk…

More than 44 pounds of cocaine was seized from a Marshall Islands-flagged bull carrier anchored in the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, Md., on Wednesday.The drugs were discovered during an early morning examination by officers and agents from the DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Coast Guard, and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police aboard the 958-foot Samjohn Solidarity. The 20 bricks of cocaine found concealed inside the vessel’s anchor locker has a street value of more than $1 million.No arrests were made…

The blockage of the Suez Canal is likely to lead to large reinsurance claims, adding to upward pressure on marine reinsurance rates, James Vickers, chair of reinsurance broker Willis Re International, told Reuters.Formal investigations began this week into how the giant container ship Ever Given ran aground in the canal, shutting down shipping in the major global waterway for almost a week.The incident and its impact on hundreds of ships delayed in the canal would be a “large loss” for insurance market Lloyd’s of London…

Italy’s government has ruled that large cruise ships and container vessels must not pass close to Venice’s historic center and should instead dock in a different location to preserve the famed lagoon.A decree approved late on Wednesday called for public consultations on building a terminal outside the lagoon where passenger vessels over 40,000 tons and container ships can berth without passing in front of Saint Mark’s square.In the meantime, large boats must dock at the industrial Marghera Port…

Gulf Marine Services, a UAE-based provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels serving the offshore oil, gas, and renewables industries, has struck a deal with banks to reduce the interest rate on its loan."Under the revised agreement the rate of interest payable by the Company on its borrowings will decrease from LIBOR +5% to LIBOR +3%, retrospectively from the beginning of this year. The reduced interest rate will apply until the end of 2022, after which the existing ratchet will apply…

Coatings manufacturer Hempel has completed the acquisition of Wattyl Australia and New Zealand, increasing its footprint in Australia and New Zealand.On 18 February 2021, Hempel A/S signed an agreement to acquire leading paint and coatings manufacturer Wattyl Australia and New Zealand from The Sherwin-Williams Company, the world’s largest paint and coatings company and headquartered in the United States.Hempel received formal customary approval from the relevant authorities in Australia and New Zealand and the acquisition was closed on 31 March.

Germany's coordinator for transatlantic relations called on Wednesday for a moratorium on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe, breaking ranks with many in Chancellor Angela Merkel's government.The United States is opposed to the project, saying it increases Europe's reliance on Russian energy and U.S. President Joe Biden is dangling the threat of sanctions."The project is a serious obstacle for a new start in transatlantic relations…

Chinese state-run shipping giant COSCO Shipping Development Co said on Tuesday that it holds a 3.74% stake in Bank of Kunlun, which has acted as a key official channel for money flows between China and Iran.The statement was made by the shipping firm on the e-interview platform of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in response to an investor question on whether it held a stake in the bank.COSCO did not elaborate on when it acquired its holding, although the bank had disclosed the shipping firms stake in its 2019 annual report.COSCO’s comments come days after China and Iran, both subject to U.S.

The blockage of the Suez Canal for nearly a week will result in a “large loss” for Lloyd’s of London, its chairman said on Wednesday, as the insurance market recorded a 900 million pound ($1.2 billion) pretax loss in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Canal is working to clear the backlog after the refloating this week of a stranded giant container ship. The blockage threw global supply chains into disarray.Bruce Carnegie-Brown told Reuters it was too early to estimate the exact loss…

I have a good friend named John Guste. He and his wife grew up in the same neighborhood as my wife, they all went to college together, and now our kids are friends. As a doctor, I’m sure he has little concern with the messy, yet mundane, intricacies of offshore energy and maritime policy. You can imagine my surprise then when one night while I was reading the Congressional Record from 1977—I’m a blast at parties—to see John’s grandfather testifying before the U.S. House of Representative’s Ad Hoc Select Committee on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) issues.Mr.

Formal investigations into how the giant container ship Ever Given ran aground in the Suez Canal, shutting down shipping in the major global waterway for almost a week, begin on Wednesday, a canal official told Reuters.The six-day blockage threw global supply chains into disarray after the 400-metre-long (430-yard) ship became jammed diagonally across a southern section of the canal, the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia.Egypt’s Leth Agencies said on Wednesday that a total of 163 ships had transited the Suez Canal since its reopening and that a total of 292 ships were currently w

Tanker operator International Seaways Inc said on Wednesday it will buy Diamond S Shipping Inc for about $416 million, as it aims to expand its crude shipping capacity and create one of the largest U.S.-listed tanker companies.Diamond S shareholders will receive $10.17 per share, or 0.55375 shares, of International Seaways’ stock for each share of Diamond S common stock held, representing a premium of about 5.9% to Tuesday close.International Seaways, which will become the second largest U.S.-listed tanker company by vessel count after the deal, will also assume Diamond S’ net debt of about $5

The British Royal Navy has taken delivery of a new autonomous vessel as the service examines the use of cutting-edge unmanned craft across a range of military operations including surveillance and force protection. The new vessel, named Madfox (short for maritime demonstrator for operational experimentation), was officially handed over to the Navy's experimentation innovator NavyX, who is working toward preparing the uncrewed surface vessel (USV) for a demanding year of testing at sea."With Madfox now directly in the hands of NavyX…

For a week the world was gripped by the extraordinary sight of a massive container ship that had run aground in the Suez Canal in Egypt. The Ever Given is 400m long (1,312ft) and weighs 200,000 tonnes, with a maximum capacity of 20,000 containers. It was carrying 18,300 containers when it became wedged in the canal, blocking all shipping traffic. Efforts to free it finally paid off when it was partially dislodged in the early hours of Monday 29 March. Adejuwon Soyinka asked maritime…

The blocking of the Suez Canal by one of the world’s largest container ships is likely to result in losses worth hundreds of millions of euros for the reinsurance industry, Fitch Ratings said, even as rescue teams were successful in partially refloating the vessel on Monday.The 400-metre (430-yard) long Ever Given got wedged diagonally across the canal in high winds early last Tuesday, blocking the path for hundreds of vessels waiting to transit the shortest shipping route between…

USTC has acquired BunkerEx in a move to step up and streamline digitalization activities across USTC companies.BunkerEx caters to digitalization and transparency within logistics and transport, providing accessibility and optimization of online platform for fueling costs.“The acquisition of BunkerEx is a testament to our ambition to digitalize and be at the forefront of innovation and new technologies within the industry. We see great potential in BunkerEx and the team behind it…

Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) on Thursday launched the first of three Multi Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPV) procured by ARMSCOR for the South African Navy (SAN).The vessels will augment South Africa’s maritime security by enhancing the country’s capability to respond effectively, rapidly and cost-effectively to threats such as illegal trafficking and fishing.The more than 600-ton vessel was transported from the DSCT shipyard on the evening of March 23 to the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) synchrolift at the Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront Basin.

A cargo ship owned by an Israeli company was damaged by a missile in the Arabian Sea on Thursday in what was suspected to be an Iranian attack, an Israeli security official said.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ship was on its way from Tanzania to India and was able to continue its voyage after the attack.The official did not provide further details.According to Israel's Ynet news website, the ship sailing under a Liberian flag did not sustain serious damage and Channel 12 news reported the ship is owned by XT Management…

USTC has acquired 60% of CM Biomass, the world’s largest independent wood pellet trading company, a move designed to consolidate USTC as a global force in shipping and trade. USTC, which has a long history within commodity trade, shipping, and logistics, has acquired the stake of CM Biomass, a company in theCopenhagen Merchants Group. The remaining 40% will be held by the existing owners, and the CM Biomass management team and the organization will remain unchanged with Simon Rodian Christensen as its CEO.

The owner and insurers of one of the world's largest container ships stuck in the Suez Canal face claims totaling millions of dollars even if the ship is refloated quickly, industry sources said on Wednesday.The 400-metre, 224,000-tonne Ever Given ran aground on Tuesday morning after losing the ability to steer amid high winds and a dust storm, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement, threatening to disrupt global shipments for days.GAC, a Dubai-based marine services company…

Fourteen U.S. states including Louisiana and Wyoming filed suits on Wednesday against President Joe Biden's administration to challenge his pause on new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters.The legal actions, which seek to restore regular federal drilling auctions, come a day before the administration is set to launch a review of the oil and gas leasing program.Biden, a Democrat, in January signed an executive order putting on hold new leasing pending that review. During his election campaign…

Seafarers' lack of access to vaccinations is placing shipping in a "legal minefield", while leaving global supply chains vulnerable, warns the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).The organization is planning to circulate a legal document to the global shipping community later this week highlighting its concerns following reports that some states may require crews to be vaccinated in order to enter their portsComplicating matters even further, it's expected developing nations will not achieve mass immunization until 2024…

Norway will block Rolls-Royce from selling a Norwegian maritime engine maker to a Russian company on national security grounds, its justice minister told parliament on Tuesday.Based on Norway’s west coast, and owned by Britain’s Rolls-Royce for more than 20 years, Bergen Engines supplies NATO member Norway’s navy as well as the global shipping industry.The blocking of the sale is a blow for Rolls-Royce, which is aiming to raise 2 billion pounds ($2.76 billion) from disposals by…

Germany's Greens have enshrined in their election programme plans to abolish the contested Nord Stream 2 pipeline to ship Russian gas to Europe's biggest economy, creating a hurdle to a potential alliance with the conservatives.Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, who have backed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline opposed by the United States, are leading in polls ahead of September elections and are seen as most likely to seek a coalition with the ecologist Greens that are forecast to come second.Armin Laschet…

Singapore port operator Jurong Port has completed its acquisition of a stake in a major oil storage terminal in the city-state from the family behind collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd, a port spokesman said on Saturday.The spokesman said government-owned Jurong Port had completed the purchase of a 41% stake in Universal Terminal from the Lim family. He declined to give details on the transaction.A lawyer for the family did not immediately respond to a Reuters email…

The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday commissioned its newest national security cutter, USCGC Stone (WMSL 758), during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Charleston, in South Carolina. Adm. Karl Schultz, the commandant U.S. Coast Guard, presided over the ceremony.Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss., Stone is the ninth legend-class national security cutter in the Coast Guard's fleet.Legend-class national security cutters are 418 feet in length, 54 feet in beam and 4,600 long tons in displacement.

Authorities have made a major drug bust from a containership bound for Australia.Earlier this month, Australian Federal Police (AFP) were tipped that the containership MSC Joanna allegedly contained a large quantity of cocaine on board, and authorities tracked the vessel as it made its way to Sydney.Through Maritime Border Command, ABF officers provided ongoing monitoring of the vessel, including planning the aerial and on-water response. Aerial surveillance observed a man launching a small vessel from Taren Point and meeting the MSC Joana off the coast of Sydney before sunrise on March 11.

In two major pieces of legislation passed by Congress at the end of 2020 and the beginning of this year, Congress addressed the difficulty that many smaller inland and coastal ports have in obtaining funding for their infrastructure projects. First, on December 11, 2020 Congress passed the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA), and on January 1, 2021 overrode President Trump’s veto. Second, on December 24, 2020 Congress passed…

German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd said on Thursday it almost tripled its net result in 2020 due to lower costs and higher freight rates, but shied away from specifying 2021 results due to uncertainty in the coronavirus crisis.The net result in 2020 amounted to 935 million euros ($1.12 billion) compared with 373 million euros in 2019 after revenue rose 3% and freight rates increased 4%, it said in a statement.Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth largest container line, expected to…

Integrated Wind Solutions, a newly formed offshore wind service company owned by Norway's Awilhelmsen investment group, is eyeing a private placement of new shares in the company in connection with a listing on Euronext Growth Oslo, aiming to raise up to $89 million.Integrated Wind Solutions describes itself as a company that aims to be a leading offshore wind service player by integrating service operation vessels with engineering and manpower services in the windfarm’s construction and operations phase.

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted unanimously to confirm veteran government trade lawyer Katherine Tai as the first woman of color to serve as U.S. Trade Representative, putting her to work enforcing trade deals, confronting China’s trade practices and patching up ties with U.S. allies.The rare 98-0 vote for Tai, a Yale and Harvard-educated daughter of immigrants from Taiwan, reflects support from pro-labor Democrats, traditional free-trade Republicans and China hawks from both parties.Tai…

German container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd announced Wednesday it has reached a deal to acquire NileDutch, based in the Netherlands, strengthening Hapag-Lloyd's position in the African market.The sale and purchase agreement will see Hapag-Lloyd acquire all shares of  Nile Dutch Investments B.V., subject to the approval of antitrust authorities.Rotterdam-headquartered NileDutch is among leading providers of container services from and to West Africa. The company currently offers 10 liner services…

It is widely expected that cuts in defense and security budgets are coming as governments across the world grapple with the fiscal fallout from the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure that these cuts do not undermine global security, policymakers should approach their defense budgets with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.In navigating the tough choices that lay ahead, government decision-makers should pursue spending reforms that enable states to operate both leaner and smarter, without sacrificing their vital security interests.The maritime security domain offers an exemplary case study.

U.K.-based safety and survival solutions provider Survitec on Wednesday said it has signed an intent to purchase Hansen Protection, a Norwegian provider of specialist survival suits and protective equipment.Ron Krisanda, Survitec's executive chairman, said, "Hansen Protection has a reputation for consistently delivering excellent products and services. The coming together of our two businesses, through a combination of our people, products, technology and wide-reaching footprint, will bring added value to our customers and reinforce Survitec’s position in the energy and marine sectors."

Panama is urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to step in to help stranded seafarers and shipowners wrapped up in a trade dispute between China and Australia.Some 74 vessels loaded with Australian coal and more than 1,500 mariners are currently idled in Chinese ports and waters after Beijing last year placed an unofficial ban on imports from Australia, reportedly in retaliation for Canberra's call for an international probe of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Leading Japanese lenders have joined an initiative that links the provision of shipping finance to cuts in carbon dioxide emissions as the sector accelerates efforts to go green.In recent weeks, Shinsei Bank Ltd, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing and MUFG Bank have signed up to the scheme, the banks said.With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions.In 2019, a group of leading banks signed up to environmental commitments known as the “Poseidon Principles”…

China has launched a crackdown on illegal sand mining operations on the Yangtze river, which have made large parts of central China more vulnerable to drought.Excessive sand mining on the Yangtze, which provides water for a third of the Chinese population, is believed to be responsible for the abnormally low levels of water during the winter drought season in recent years.Sand mining in the river and its connecting lakes and tributaries has also affected shipping routes and made it harder for authorities to control summer floods.According to a notice issued by the water…

Concordia Damen announced Monday it has launched a capital fund to facilitate the purchase of new and/or used inland vessels.The company has made available a business plan tool on its website, providing its customers—on a nonobligatory basis—the possibility of having a customized plan calculated for a motor vessel of its stock database.The resultant plan is specifically designed to serve as the first assessment of the financing of a vessel. Following the data capture on the website…

Dredging contractor Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting Co., LLC will pay $185,000 to settle alleged dumping violations off the coast of Rhode Island.The Quincy, Mass.-based company will pay the fine under a recent settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for alleged violations of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA, also known as the Ocean Dumping Act).EPA alleged that the violations occurred during the transport of dredged material from New Bedford Harbor in Mass. to the Rhode Island Sound Disposal Site (RISDS).

Israel is highly likely to have been behind an attack in the Mediterranean this week that damaged an Iranian container ship, an Iranian investigator said on Saturday, Iran’s media reported.The Shahr e Kord vessel was hit by an explosive object which caused a small fire, but no one on board was hurt, Iran said on Friday. Two maritime security sources said initial indications suggested the ship was intentionally targeted by an unknown source.“Considering the geographical location and the way the ship was targeted…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said Friday that its Technical Solutions division was one of 11 companies selected to provide development, technical, management and engineering services for Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) department. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order contract includes a three-year base term with a two-year extension option. HII will compete for task orders under the contract. The combined value of all potential task orders across the base and option years is $250 million.“This award reaffirms HII’s commitment to the Navy and NIWC’s ISR mission and the need for innovative and cost-effective solutions…

An Iranian container ship was damaged in an attack in the Mediterranean, the state-run shipping company said on Friday, adding it would take legal action to identify the perpetrators of what it called terrorism and naval piracy.The ship, Shahr e Kord, was slightly damaged in Wednesday’s incident by an explosive object which caused a small fire, but no one on board was hurt, the spokesman, Ali Ghiasian, said, according to state media.“Such terrorist acts amount to naval piracy…

It was an odd legislative journey, but ultimately one with a happy ending. That’s one way to sum up the rather tortuous process that led to the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA). For the first time WRDA (usually reauthorized every two years) was not enacted as its own legislative bill. This time it was rolled into the massive government 2021 omnibus budget bill, the ‘‘Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,’’ signed into law on December 27.Still, the WRDA text itself…

A Bangladeshi woman whose husband died dismantling an oil tanker in a local shipyard was given the green light this week to keep pursuing a claim for compensation from a UK company linked to the vessel in a test case for the shipbreaking industry.Britain’s Court of Appeal threw out a request by London-based shipbroker Maran (UK) Ltd for the negligence case to be dismissed, the second appeal the company has lost.Hamida Begum’s husband, Khalil Mollah, 32, fell to his death in 2018 while breaking up the tanker Ekta in the Bangladesh port of Chattogram…

Shipping and trade groups are calling on the European Union to advance the development of ammonia and green hydrogen as the best marine fuel options to enable the industry to accelerate decarbonization.With about 90% of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions.To reach goals for shipping set by the United Nations, industry leaders say the first net-zero ships must enter the global fleet by 2030, with vessels powered by green hydrogen and its derivative compound ammonia among the options.The coalition of groups…

Minerva Bunkering said it launched a new offering enabling customers to mitigate carbon emissions associated with the bunker fuel they consume. With each transaction, Minerva retires verified carbon offset certificates in an equal and offsetting amount to the emissions value of the bunker fuel as calculated per the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) published emissions factors.“Our global client base of ship owners and operators is increasingly seeking to reduce the emissions intensity of their operations as well as provide carbon-neutral freight services to their own customers.

The modern merchant mariner is required to be competent in a number of skills and knowledge areas, such as firefighting, CPR, vessel security and even how to work as a team. Absent from this list is the mariner’s role in fighting climate change. Maybe it’s time for that to change.The Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) is an internationally recognized set of rules that set minimum standards and competencies for mariners to perform their jobs effectively and safely. Before STCW was formed in 1978 it was left to individual governments to set mariner training standards.

A group of prominent shipping nations and organizations are calling for a $5 billion research fund to help launch zero-emissions vessels by 2030, in a move aiming to accelerate the industry's efforts to decarbonize maritime transport.A proposal by governments including Georgia, Greece, Japan, Liberia, Malta, Nigeria, Singapore, Switzerland is being submitted Wednesday to the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO), in a bid to establish the IMO Maritime Research Fund using mandatory contributions from shipping companies…

Marine transportation services company Centerline Logistics said it has finalized its acquisition of Saltchuk Marine Services’ California ship refueling business, currently operated by Saltchuk subsidiary Foss Maritime.With the completion of this expansion, Centerline expands its existing California bunkering operations, adding Saltchuk’s six bunker barges as well as its established customer contracts in the California market. Centerline now operates bunker barges in the ports of Los Angeles and San Francisco…

The U.S. Interior Department announced Tuesday it will launch its review of the federal oil and gas leasing program on March 25, a key step that will determine whether the Biden administration will permanently halt new leases on federal land and water.The review will kick off with a public forum on oil and gas leasing on federal land and water, with participants representing industry, environmental conservation and justice groups, labor and others, and commence an online comment…

Norway has suspended the sale of a Norwegian engine maker owned by Rolls-Royce Holdings to a Russian-controlled company while it assesses the security implications for the country’s navy and the civilian sector, the government said on Tuesday.Norway’s NSM security agency is assessing the 150 million-euro ($178 million) sale announced on Feb. 4 of Bergen Engines to a company controlled by Russia’s TMH Group, NSM and the justice ministry said.Britain’s Rolls-Royce said it was selling…

South Korean shipbuilding giant Samsung Heavy Industries must pay $411 million to offshore drilling contractor Stena Drilling, a London arbitration tribunal has ruled.The spat between the two companies began after Stena Drilling in 2017 terminated the order for the construction of the harsh environment semi-submersible drilling rig Stena Midmax.Stena Drilling had ordered the rig in June 2013, with the delivery expected in March 2016. Citing excessive delay, Stena Drilling on June 1, 2017, terminated the rig order.

Ballast water management system manufacturer Techcross said it has opened the door to a new business: anti-biofouling technology.Having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a total of four customers, including three major domestic shipping companies and one Japanese shipping company at the end of last year, South Korea-based Techcross is working alongside each to research and develop technologies related to ship biofouling prevention and treatment equipment.Biofouling…

For operators venturing into the offshore wind space, 2021 started off with a gust of changes and reports. From Jones Act clarifications and new enforcement authorities, to millions in port infrastructure funding, the new Congress and presidential administration will have plenty of tools available to shape the future of the industry’s development.NDAA brings Jones Act changesOne of the most persistent questions that has hung over the development of the U.S. offshore wind industry has been whether the Jones Act will apply during both the construction and operational phases.

NATO Maritime Air (MARAIR) Operations team carried out a communications test flight with the NATO Alliance Ground System (AGS) during its flight on February 25, 2021.As the AGS was flying over the Central Mediterranean, MARAIR based out of NATO Maritime Command headquarters in Northwood, U.K. was able to establish a communications link to the AGS operators in the Sigonella Airbase, NATO Air Command and Combined Air Operations Center Torrejon.MARAIR was able to cross-reference the AGS sensor data with their automatic identification system (AIS) picture…

A Chinese-flagged fishing vessel with 16 crew members carrying 130 tonnes of oil has run aground off Mauritius, causing a minor spill, a minister said on Monday.“Nothing to be worried about,” Sudheer Maudhoo, whose Blue Economy Ministry looks after maritime affairs, told Reuters, saying 310 metres of floating booms were controlling the leak.Drone footage showed dark patches in the Indian Ocean waters near the Lu Rong Yuan Yu 588 after it ran aground on Sunday.The incident followed July’s accident of the MV Wakashio…

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions—all day, every day.We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.From challenge comes change, so let's all choose to challenge.In this guest blog, Dryad's Belle Davenport, shares how her preconceptions about the maritime industry…

As of April 1, 2021, Damen Shipyards Group will start a specialized Financial Services division to support clients in the financing of new ships by means of both operational and financial lease constructions.In itself it is not new that Damen assists its clients in attracting financing for new ships. This has been happening for 30 years, the company said. “However, the demand for lease solutions is increasing,” explained Jan Willem van Helden, managing director of Damen Financial Services.

Trelleborg has, through its Trelleborg Industrial Solutions business area, signed an agreement and finalized the acquisition of the Dutch company Gutteling Group BV. The company develops and sells composite hoses to the chemical industry and is the market leader in hoses for liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship-to-ship transfer. The acquisition complements Trelleborg’s industrial hose, and specifically, composite hose, offering. Composite hoses are mainly used for aggressive chemicals…

A shipping company and chief officer have been convicted in Australia for dumping garbage near the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system.Following a prosecution by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), on February 26, 2021, the chief officer and operator of Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Iron Gate were fined and convicted in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for dumping the equivalent of a 120-liter household garbage bin full of food waste into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park…

A Bangladeshi flagged bulk carrier was approached by suspected attackers off the coast of the Philippines on Wednesday.The ReCAAP ISC said it received information from the Philippine Coast Guard about the incident involving Akij Pearl off Sibutu Island, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines.While the bulk carrier was underway, an unidentified speed boat with three perpetrators on board attempted to board the ship at about 10:45 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The master reported the incident to the Philippine Navy Littoral Monitoring Station (LMS).

Offshore drilling company Valaris, the world's largest by fleet size, has received approval from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas of its prearranged plan of reorganization, and has agreed with Korea's Daewoo to delay deliveries of two newbuild drillships.The offshore driller filed for bankruptcy in August 2020, in a move to restructure its debt load and reduce debt by more than $6.5 billion.The company this week said that in addition to bankruptcy court confirmation…

Preventing pollution from dumping of wastes at sea relies on global frameworks, regional conventions and protocols and national regulations, the UN's shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said. To be effective, these need to be aligned and implemented effectively. This was the subject of a March 2 meeting organized by IMO's Office of the London Protocol and Ocean Affairs (OLCP&OA) and UNEP/MAP.The meeting was attended by Barcelona Convention Contracting Parties…

The United States on Wednesday hailed plans by NATO ally Germany to sail a warship across the contested South China Sea, calling it welcome support for a “rules-based international order” in the region, something Washington says is threatened by China.German government officials said on Tuesday a German frigate would set sail for Asia in August and, on its return journey, become the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002.“The United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability…

DeepGreen Metals, an EV battery metals maker, said on Thursday that it will be acquired by blank-check firm Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corp in a $2.9 billion deal.The deal will consist of a $330 million private investment from investors along with Allseas, adding to the list of existing strategic investors such as Maersk Supply Service and Glencore.Vancouver-based DeepGreen intends to produce metals from polymettalic rocks, found in deep oceans, for use in batteries…

The U.S. Justice Department declined to investigate or prosecute then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao after the inspector general’s office referred allegations of potential misuse of office for review, a report made public on Wednesday said.The report included allegations that Chao directed staff to research or purchase personal items for her online using her personal credit card or performed other personal errands for her or her father.The report focused largely on Chao’s actions related to her family’s shipping business…