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Saba News

19 Mar 2024

Houthis Target Vessel in the Red Sea, Yemeni Military Source Says

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Yemen's Houthis targeted a fuel tanker, Mado, in the Red Sea with naval missile and Israel's Eilat port and resort region with winged missiles, the group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said on Tuesday.Mado is a Marshall-Islands flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker heading to Singapore from Saudi Arabia, maritime shipping trackers showed. The Houthis described it as American, but Equasis's shipping database indicates that it is owned by Naftomar Shipping & Trading Co Ltd of Greece.

03 Mar 2024

Houthis Blame UK and US for Glitch in Red Sea Undersea Cables

USS Mason (DDG 87) has shot down Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBM) launched into the Gulf of Aden from Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. Source: US CENTCOM

The Houthi Transport Ministry in Yemen said on Saturday there had been a "glitch" in undersea communication cables in the Red Sea as a result of actions by U.S. and British naval vessels.The actions "endangered the security and safety of the international communications and the flow of information," the ministry said in a statement, reported by the Houthi-run Saba news agency, without giving details."Any glitch in these cables as a result of the militarization of the Red Sea by U.S.

17 Jan 2024

US Lists Houthis as Terrorists, Business Fears Lengthy Red Sea Disruption

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The United States on Wednesday returned the Yemen-based Houthi rebels to a list of terrorist groups, while business chiefs warned that disruption to shipping in the Red Sea caused by their attacks could affect supply chains for months.Attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi militia on ships in the region since November have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major powers - an escalation of Israel's more than three-month-old war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza.The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians and have threatened to expand attacks to include U.S.

14 Sep 2023

Shippers Launch Tender to Accelerate Zero-Emission Shipping

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The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) has launched a Request for Proposals (RfP) for 600,000 TEUs over a three-year period on ocean vessels powered by zero-emission fuels.This will help its member companies reduce nearly one million metric tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 215,000 cars off the road. The RfP is the first major buyer-led initiative to accelerate the transition to zero-emission maritime fuels. ZEMBA was launched as a nonprofit membership organization in March 2023 by the Aspen Institute…

13 Sep 2023

Libyan Oil Ports Reopen after Storm Forced Closure

Credit: Wilding/AdobeStock

Four major oil ports in Libya have reopened after shutting down on Saturday because of the powerful storm that swept the country, killing thousands of people, port agent Al Omran International Maritime Agencies said on Wednesday. The eastern ports of Brega, Es Sidra and Ras Lanuf opened on Tuesday and the port of Zueitina opened on Wednesday morning, Al Omran said. Oil prices rose on Wednesday, with Brent firming around a 10-month peak reached during trading a day earlier, as…

18 Aug 2023

DP World Posts 10% Fall in H1 Profit, Flags Uncertain Trade Outlook

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Dubai's state-owned ports giant DP World said on Thursday its first-half profit fell nearly 10% from a year earlier, even as revenue climbed nearly 14%, and flagged an uncertain outlook for trade.Profit attributable to DP World's owners in the six months to June was down 9.7% at $651 million from a year earlier, when the port operator posted record profit of $721 million."While the near-term trade outlook may be uncertain due to macroeconomic and geopolitical factors, the solid financial performance of the first six months positions us well to deliver a steady set of full-year results…

14 Aug 2023

Ships Urged to Stay Away From Iranian Waters to Avoid Seizure

An L3 Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel, front, the U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141), the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6) and the guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) transit the Strait of Hormuz, Aug. 6, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo)

U.S.-led naval coalition in the Gulf has warned ships in the region to stay away from Iranian waters to avoid possible seizure, the U.S. Navy said.The warning shows tensions remain high in and around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran seized tankers in late April and early May, while Washington and Tehran finalize a deal to free five U.S. citizens detained in Iran and the U.S. allows $6 billion in Iranian funds held in South Korea to be unfrozen. "The International Maritime Security…

20 Jun 2023

Missing "Titanic" Submersible - Update

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A five-person submersible vessel taking wealthy adventurers on a $250,000 trip to see the wreckage of the 1912 Titanic disaster 12,500 feet (3,800m) undersea is missing in the Atlantic off Canada.Reuters is reporting the following individuals onboard:HAMISH HARDING. The British billionaire and chairman of aviation consultancy Action Aviation is among those missing, according to his stepson. Dubai-based Harding had posted on social media that he was proud to be heading to the Titanic as a "mission specialist"…

21 Nov 2022

Houthis Attack al-Dhabba Oil Terminal in Yemen

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Yemen's Houthis attacked al-Dhabba oil terminal in Hadhramaut province on Monday, the group and Yemen's internationally recognized government said.The Iran-aligned Houthis fired a projectile from a drone that landed at the entrance of the terminal, which is located in the town of al-Shihr, two workers at the terminal told Reuters.Panamanian-flagged vessel Pratika had entered the terminal to load a shipment of crude but left after the attack, the workers said.The Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO)…

04 Jan 2021

South Korean-flagged Tanker Seized by Iran

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in Gulf waters and detained its crew, Iranian media said on Monday, amid tensions between Tehran and Seoul over Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks due to U.S. sanctions.Seoul confirmed the seizure of a South Korean chemical tanker by Iranian authorities in the waters off Oman, and demanded its immediate release.Several Iranian media outlets, including state TV, said the Guards navy captured the vessel for polluting the Gulf with chemicals."According to initial reports by local officials, it is purely a technical matter and the ship was taken to shore for polluting the sea…

23 Dec 2020

DP World to Build $1.1B Deep-water Port in Senegal

For illustration only - Credit: Pawinee/AdobeStock

Global port operator DP World has signed agreements with the government of Senegal to develop a deep-water port at Ndayane worth a total of $1.127 billion, its biggest investment in Africa to date, the company said on Wednesday.DP World Dakar, a joint venture between the Dubai-based logistics provider and the Port Authority of Dakar (PAD), will finance, design and develop land and maritime infrastructure for the new 600-hectare (1483 acres) port about 50 km from the existing port.The agreement to build the port was reached after talks between President Mack Sall and DP World Chairman Sultan bi

31 Mar 2020

Abu Dhabi's Gulf Marine Services Reaches Debt Restructuring Deal

A GMS self-elevating rig - Image credit: GMS

Abu Dhabi-based Gulf Marine Services (GMS) said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with its syndicate of banks to restructure its debt that will help it weather the coronavirus crisis.London-listed GMS provides support vessels for offshore oil and gas and other energy installations. It has been hurt by a downturn in the oil and gas services industry triggered by a prolonged slide in oil prices that has turned into a deep slump since the coronavirus crisis destroyed demand…

24 Jul 2019

Caribbean to Enhance Maritime Capacity

International Maritime Organization (IMO) has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Chile, to extend Chile's technical assistance to countries in the Caribbean region, in addition to Latin America.According to the UN body, the MoU on Technical Cooperation, signed by the Directorate General of Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine (DIRECTEMAR) of the Republic of Chile, replaces earlier MoUs (signed in 2002 and 2005) and strengthens the collaboration between IMO and DIRECTEMAR for the provision of technical assistance in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region."This will particularly support the provision of experts (including Spanish-speaking experts) to deliver training in Latin America and the Caribbean…

24 Jul 2019

Egypt Inks $14 mln Deal to Build Two Wheat Silos in Port Said

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Egypt inked a $14 million agreement with the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) to build two wheat silos in Port Said, the cabinet said on Wednesday.The project aims to raise Egypt's port storage capacity for imported wheat by around 15%, Supply Minister Ali Moselhy said.The General Company for Silos and Storage will execute the project, he said, which aims to ease pressure on silos in Damietta and Alexandria.The government also hopes the new silos will reduce transport times between ports and storage facilities.Egypt's investment ministry cited OFID Director-General Abdulhamid Alk

30 Jan 2019

Metal Shark Delivers New Patrol Boats in Aruba

A Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard AW139 helicopter flies above a Metal Shark 38 Defiant patrol boat following a commissioning ceremony in Aruba on January 23rd, 2019.

Four new high speed patrol boats manufactured by shipbuilder Metal Shark have entered service with the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) on the island of Aruba.The vessels were commissioned into service with a ceremony on January 23rd at DCCG’s Station Aruba in the district of Savaneta on Aruba’s southeast coast. Among those present were officials from the Aruban government, Dutch Ministry of Defense, DCCG, and Metal Shark, as well as local and regional media outlets.The new…

17 Jan 2019

Egyptian Ports Reopen After Sandstorm Clears

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Egypt reopened five ports on Thursday that it had shut due to bad weather as conditions improved and winds stabilized, the Red Sea Ports Authority said.Several Egyptian port cities and the capital Cairo were hit by a severe sandstorm on Wednesday, which prompted the closure of several ports.The ports of Alexandria and Dekheila on the Mediterranean in the Alexandria governorate, which had been shut since Sunday, reopened at 1330 local (1130 GMT), Reda Ghandour, a spokesman for the Alexandria Port Authority, said.He said the decision to reopen the ports was made after wind speed, wave height and

10 Dec 2018

GREAT WORKBOATS: The Very Best 10 of 2018

MarineNews showcases the ten best of North America’s 2018 workboat deliveries. Domestic shipyard production is robust, innovative and getting greener. And, that translates into two kinds of ‘green.’As the domestic offshore energy support sector slowly awakens, other sectors have been happy to take the spotlight in its absence. As always, and if a hull was delivered in 2018, we took a look at it, with several areas as a focus for inclusion into this edition. For my part, I’m always excited when the U.S. boatbuilding sector can deliver for a foreign buyer. We’ve checked that box here. And, that’s because we can compete on price, quality and when we do…

18 Oct 2018

Egypt Cuts Fees for Ships Arriving at East Port Said

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Egypt will reduce the tariffs on container ships and ferries coming from foreign ports to East Port Said for a period of one year, the Suez Canal Authority said in a statement on Thursday.A 30 percent discount on port, docking and guiding fees will apply for vessels carrying less than 80,000 tonnes while those carrying more than that will receive a 40 percent discount, the statement said.Vessels carrying more than 50 containers will be eligible for a discount of up to 60 percent, but both rates cannot be applied at the same time, it said.The Suez Canal is the fastest shipping route between Eur

25 Jun 2018

U.S. Yards: Competing – and Winning – Here and Across the Big Pond

Louisiana-based Metal Shark powers into the second half of 2018 with a healthy backlog, multiple recent deliveries into foreign markets, and a portfolio of patrol craft that has attracted multiple clients – here and abroad. Key patrol boat contracts for this rapidly expanding builder include the U.S. Coast Guard Response Boat – Small (RB-S). Over 300 of these units are service since the award of the contract in 2012 and, says Metal Shark, new units are in production and shipping weekly. Separately, over 50 of the U.S. Navy Force Protection Boat – Medium (FPB-M) have already been delivered and are in service. That contract, too, is still active and boats are shipping regularly. Looking ahead, Metal Shark was awarded a contract in October 2017 to produce up to 50 of the U.S.

20 Jun 2018

Metal Shark is Competing - and Winning - Here and Oversees

U.S. shipbuilder Metal Shark powers into the second half of 2018 with a healthy backlog, multiple recent deliveries into foreign markets, and a portfolio of patrol craft that has attracted multiple clients – here and abroad.At a time when more than a few workboat builders are feeling the pain of lingering offshore malaise and an oversupplied inland market that no longer needs large quantities of barges, Louisiana-based Metal Shark has found its groove in a suddenly active and highly competitive niche market. In fact, by the end of 2018, Metal Shark’s military vessels will be either in service or in production for nearly 50 countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Latin America.

24 May 2018

Tropical Storm Hits Yemen's Socotra

Yemen declared a state of emergency on the island of Socotra on Thursday as a tropical storm intensified after flooding several villages and capsizing boats to leave at least 17 people missing, government officials said. Socotra, which lies between the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, has been largely untouched by Yemen's three-year-old war. It is under the control of the internationally recognized government whose president, Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, is in exile in Saudi Arabia. The island "requires urgent aid to help people stranded in their villages or those who reside in the mountains," government spokesman Rajeh Badi told state news agency SABA. He said 17 people were missing after two boats capsized and three cars were washed away by floods.

10 May 2018

New Patrol Boats Delivered in Curacao

(Photo: Metal Shark)

Four new high-speed patrol boats commissioned on the island of Curacao are the first to be delivered to the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) under a 12-boat order announced last year.The welded aluminum 38 Defiant monohull patrol boats were designed and manufactured by Louisiana based shipbuilder Metal Shark as the result of a multi-year effort by the DCCG to procure a replacement for its fleet of open-cockpit rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIB).The new enclosed-pilothouse vessels will serve as the DCCG’s main interceptors, patrolling the territorial waters of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, St.

13 Oct 2016

Houthis Say Ready to Help Investigate Attacks on Shipping

Yemen's dominant Houthi group denied any role in missile strikes on U.S. warships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and offered to help investigate attacks on international shipping in the area, the news agency controlled by the group reported on Thursday. The U.S. military on Thursday launched cruise missiles on three coastal radar sites in areas of Yemen controlled by Iran-aligned Houthis, retaliating after failed missile attacks this week on a U.S. Navy destroyer, U.S. officials said. U.S. officials have told Reuters there were growing indications that Houthi fighters, or forces aligned with them, were responsible for Sunday's attempted strikes, in which two coastal cruise missiles designed to target ships failed to reach the destroyer.