Philippines News

China is combining militia vessels with coast guard ships to expand "battlefield preparation" around Taiwan and into the western Pacific, Taiwan's Coast Guard said, warning the operations were also putting pressure on Japan and the Philippines.Responding to a Reuters exclusive this month on the first known sighting of a Chinese militia boat off Taiwan's Pacific coast in mid-August, the coast guard said it had dispatched a patrol boat to drive away the vessel, which was operating alongside a Chinese coast guard ship and a research vessel.The coast guard confirmed details in the Reuters report…

China's coast guard said it monitored the Philippines delivering necessities to a vessel on Second Thomas Shoal on Wednesday, roughly a month after Manila accused Beijing of obstructing its resupply mission in the disputed South China Sea.The China Coast Guard (CCG) said the Philippine ship receiving the delivery was "illegally grounded" at the shoal, which China claims as its own territory along with almost all the rest of the South China SeaThe Philippine military and coast…

Asian countries are racing to raise their oil stockpiling capacity, complete a regional power grid and speed up renewables in response to supply risks laid bare by the Iran war.Southeast Asia has been worst hit by the energy impact as 80% of the oil transported through the Strait of Hormuz from the Gulf flowed to the region before the Iran war began."The most advanced efforts are support for the development of oil stockpiling systems in each country and regional joint stockpiling on (a) voluntary basis…

The number of piracy-related incidents off Somalia is at its highest level in 10 years. The trend points to renewed activity in the area after several years with relatively few incidents.Danish Shipping has just published an analysis based on figures from the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), showing a significant increase in the number of attacks carried out by Somali pirates.The IMB recorded eight incidents off Somalia in 2024 and five incidents in 2025. In the first seven months of 2026 alone, 13 incidents have already been recorded.

Australian shipbuilder Austal said on Tuesday that Hanwha Group had offered to buy its U.S. operations for up to $1.20 billion as the South Korean conglomerate seeks to expand in the American defence market.Austal shares rose more than 16%, logging their best intraday jump since mid-February. The stock was the top gainer on the benchmark ASX 200 index .AXJO, which traded 0.2% higher as of 0125 GMT.Hanwha Defence USA offered to buy Austal's U.S. entities and operations for $1.05 billion to $1.20 billion, a move that would deepen its push into the U.S.

China's foreign ministry on Friday said it firmly opposed and would never accept the Philippines' establishment of "baselines" around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, calling the move "illegal and invalid" and a serious violation of China's territorial sovereignty.Scarborough Shoal, known in China as Huangyan Dao and in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc, is claimed by both countries.Manila earlier this week deposited its official nautical chart of Scarborough Shoal with the United Nations…

China's military and coast guard conducted patrols in the airspace and waters near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Thursday, separate statements showed.Tensions have recently flared between China and the Philippines amid repeated maritime disputes and confrontations in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely as its own despite overlapping claims by Southeast Asian nations.China's Coast Guard said in a statement it took necessary measures, including a verbal warning, blocking and water cannon shooting in accordance with the law and regulations to expel i

Rescuers were searching on Sunday for 17 people still missing after a Vietnamese ship sank in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, while 45 have been pulled from the waters since Saturday night, China's state broadcaster CCTV said.Chinese authorities said the cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18, with 62 Vietnamese nationals aboard, ran into distress in waters near Fiery Cross Reef, CCTV added.A distress flare from the vessel was first spotted by a Chinese rescue ship, the Nanhai Jiu 115…

Ships and aircraft participating in exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 conducted a planned, live-fire sinking exercise (SINKEX) and sank decommissioned USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), July 12, 2026, and decommissioned USS Peleliu (LHA 5), July 17. Mobile Bay and Peleliu were sunk in waters 15,000 feet deep, more than 50 nautical miles off the northern coast of the island of Kauai.During the SINKEXs, participating units from Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the U.S.

The foreign ministers of the Philippines and China met in Manila on Wednesday and both made "strong" protests over an encounter between the two countries' vessels this week in contested South China Sea waters.The Philippine foreign affairs secretary, Maria Theresa Lazaro, said in an X post that she reiterated the protest over what she called "unacceptable actions against Filipino personnel", while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was quoted by an official readout as lodging a…

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will summon China's ambassador in Manila, his office said on Tuesday, hours after Manila's envoy in Beijing was similarly summoned following accusations by both sides of provoking tensions in the contested South China Sea.Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed to reporters Marcos had summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan at 5 p.m. (0900 GMT) on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, China's foreign ministry said it summoned…

The Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own.Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a backdrop of instability since the U.S. and Iran resumed open conflict, raising fears about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz…

“Global grain shipments have increased 13% y/y so far this year, supported by strong wheat, maize and soya bean exports from the Americas and Europe. Improved harvests across most major exporters have boosted their export surpluses, driving higher shipments to Asia, the Middle East and North Africa,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Grain shipments to China have jumped 15% y/y, supported by stronger soya bean, sorghum and barley imports. An improvement in trade relations between the US and China has led to a 137% increase in US grain shipments to the country…

The United States, Britain, France and Germany raised the alarm on Wednesday over recent Chinese activities off the east coast of Taiwan, where China has mounted Coast Guard patrols, saying they threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation.China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, sent Coast Guard ships earlier in June into the waters off the island's east coast for what it called a "special maritime traffic law-enforcement operation," angering…

The maritime industry continues to improve its safety record, but the challenges confronting shipowners, operators, insurers and regulators have never been more complex.According to Allianz Commercial's Safety and Shipping Review 2026, global shipping losses remain near historic lows, yet a new era of geopolitical conflict, cyber-enabled crime, aging fleets, alternative fuels, cargo fires and supply chain disruption is reshaping risk across the maritime sector. Here is maritime safety and shipping in 2026 — by the numbers.90% -Approximately 90% of global trade still moves by sea…

The United States has transferred four Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSVs) to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to strengthen the country's maritime domain awareness and its ability to monitor and respond to maritime challenges.The delivery, valued at approximately $13 million, was completed on June 22 during a turnover ceremony at the Philippine Navy's Naval Operating Base Subic, attended by U.S. and Philippine military officials.The Triton…

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) graduated 188 new merchant marine and military officers during its 90th commencement ceremony.U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, whose department oversees the Academy, one of the Nation’s five service academies, introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll.Driscoll delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2026 before an audience of more than 3,000 family members, friends, alumni and representatives from the federal government, U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard has accepted delivery of the 63rd Fast Response Cutter (FRC), Jeffrey Palazzo (WPC 1163).Jeffrey Palazzo is the fifth FRC to be homeported in Guam, joining the recently commissioned Vincent Danz (WPC 1162).The Sentinel-class FRCs replaced the 1980s Island-class 110-foot patrol boats and possess 21st-century command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance equipment, with improved habitability and seakeeping.The U.S.

Taiwan's maritime sovereignty cannot be "violated" by Chinese efforts to create a false impression of jurisdiction, the island's coast guard said after China ended a patrol off its eastern shores.China, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, was angered after Japan and the Philippines said last month they would begin formal talks on their maritime boundaries, viewing that as involving waters off Taiwan.Late on Saturday, Chinese state media reported that…

An oil cargo delivered to the Philippines that Kpler had said last month originated from Iran was actually from Russia, the shiptracking firm said this week.Kpler data that had showed the Suezmax tanker Ocean Start delivered Iranian oil crude to Petron's Bataan refinery on May 17 was revised to show the tanker delivered Urals crude from Russia, Kpler told Reuters on Monday.The revision was due to a review of further information on the voyage, Kpler said.Kpler's revised data showed…

A bulk carrier managed by Wallem Group has rescued two Filipino fishermen from a sinking fishing boat near the Babuyan Islands off the Philippines while on a voyage from Australia to Vietnam.The vessel was carrying 80,000 tonnes of coal from Abbot Point, Australia, to Cam Pha, Vietnam when the crew spotted a distressed fishing boat at about 08:35 local time in May.According to Wallem, the fishermen were waving for assistance as their vessel encountered difficulties.Under the direction of the ship's master, the bulk carrier stopped and launched its rescue boat.

Taiwan's coast guard said on Sunday that its ships had "expelled" four Chinese government ships that entered restricted waters off the island's south after the two sides broadcast testy warnings to each other, in an escalation of tensions.China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, has been angered by Japan and the Philippines saying last month they would begin formal talks on delimiting their maritime boundary, viewing that as involving waters off Taiwan.Late on Saturday…

The Chinese navy was spotted conducting aircraft carrier drills in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines last week, Japan's defence ministry said in a bulletin on Monday.The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force confirmed that China's aircraft carrier Liaoning and accompanying vessels were cruising the waters east of the Philippines' Luzon Island between May 26 and May 28, said the bulletin, which included a map.Liaoning-based planes and helicopters conducted roughly 170 take-off and landing drills as the Chinese fleet sailed around the western Pacific Rim…