Author: Ruth M
A fire broke out aboard the Vietnamese-flagged cargo vessel GT Unity on the morning of August 8 while the ship was sailing in the South China Sea, approximately 104 nautical miles southeast of Con Dao, Vietnam. The incident, which occurred in the vessel’s engine room, was reportedly triggered by an electrical short circuit. The GT Unity was carrying 20 crew members at the time. One crew member sustained injuries during the fire, though details on the severity of the injury have not been disclosed. The injured seafarer was given immediate medical assistance on board, and arrangements are being made for…
Warsaw, August 2025 — Poland is making major strides in modernizing rail access to the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście, with a multi-billion-zloty program aimed at enhancing capacity, efficiency, and connectivity for Baltic Sea trade. The national rail infrastructure manager, PKP PLK, is spearheading a PLN 1.5 billion (€316 million) upgrade that includes laying 96 kilometers of new track — 61 kilometers in Szczecin and 35 kilometers in Świnoujście — along with installing 285 new turnouts and 84 kilometers of new overhead electrification. Twenty-two rail-road crossings are also being reconstructed to improve safety and operations. The upgrades will allow the…
Dublin, August 9, 2025 — Irish authorities have tracked a sanctioned oil tanker sailing through the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after it diverted from the English Channel, a route increasingly avoided by vessels seeking to sidestep stricter enforcement of sanctions and insurance requirements. The tanker, Blue, loaded a cargo of crude oil from the Russian port of Ust-Luga on July 31 before proceeding westward. According to maritime monitoring reports, the vessel switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal as it entered Irish-controlled waters — a tactic often employed by so-called “shadow fleet” operators to conceal their positions. The…
On the bustling coastline of Mombasa, the heartbeat of East Africa’s maritime trade is always in motion—towering cranes swinging overhead, trucks rumbling in and out, and vessels from across the globe docking in steady rhythm. But beneath the surface efficiency lies a quieter, stubborn problem: long-stay containers and condemned cargo occupying valuable yard space. This week, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) issued a fresh ultimatum to shipping lines, remove or destroy idle and damaged containers within 14 days, or face having them disposed of at the owners’ expense. The order, issued on 31 July 2025 by Managing Director Capt. William…
Panama City, 8 August 2025 — The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has introduced Merchant Marine Circular (MMC-404), establishing a compulsory Pre-Arrival Checklist for Panama-flagged vessels calling at ports under the oversight of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU), Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), and the China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA). The circular, issued on 31 July 2025 and now in effect, replaces and consolidates MMC-381, MMC-393, MMC-398, and MMC-402. It is intended to strengthen the operational readiness of the Panamanian merchant fleet, reduce the likelihood of Port State Control (PSC) deficiencies, and minimise the…
New Delhi / Washington, August 8, 2025: In a dramatic escalation of trade tensions, the United States has issued a sweeping 50% tariff on a broad range of Indian exports, including marine-related goods, as a punitive measure for New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil. The additional 25-percentage-point levy, stacked onto a prior 25% import tax, comes via a newly signed executive order and is slated to take effect on August 27, 2025. Key economic analysts warn that this tariff increase could slow India’s GDP growth by as much as 1%, especially hitting manufacturing and export-driven sectors hard. The move…
August 7, 2025 – Dubai — Shelf Drilling has announced a significant milestone with its first contract in the Dutch North Sea. The agreement was awarded to Shelf Drilling North Sea (SDNS), a subsidiary of the company, and involves the deployment of the Shelf Drilling Winner jack-up rig for operations led by Tenaz Energy Corp. This development follows the expansion of Tenaz Energy’s footprint in the Netherlands, following its recent acquisition of Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij B.V. (NAM), formerly a Shell–ExxonMobil joint venture. The acquisition has positioned Tenaz as a major operator in the Dutch offshore energy sector, particularly as the…
New York, United States. – Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (NYSE: GNK), a U.S.-based owner and operator of dry bulk vessels, reported a net loss of $6.8 million (–$0.16 per share) for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, a sharp reversal from a $23.5 million profit (+$0.54/share) during the same period in 2024. The loss underscores a broader contraction in the dry bulk freight market as well as internal operational cost pressures. Financial Performance Overview Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Snapshot Fleet Profile and Capesize Expansion Dividend Continuity Amid Losses Market Dynamics and Management Perspective The quarterly loss reflects macroeconomic and cyclical…
Bilbao, Spain – August 2025The Port Authority of Bilbao has awarded a €11.48 million contract to a consortium—Viuda de Sainz, Radimer Servicios Energéticos, Achiles Ingeniería Fotovoltaica, and Solar 360 (a Repsol–Movistar joint venture)—for the design, construction, and two-year maintenance of four solar photovoltaic (PV) plants to support its onshore power supply (OPS) initiative known as BilbOPS. The PV installations will be located at the following key port locations: Construction is expected to take 18 months, with an initial maintenance period of two years and an optional one-year extension. The goal is to power ships at berth using clean, renewable energy…
Valletta, Malta – August 2025Maltese activist group Ġustizzja għall‑Palestina has urged the Maltese government to either deflag a bulk carrier carrying Colombian coal to Israel or force the ship to return the cargo to its country of origin, citing violations of international law and Colombia’s own presidential decree. The vessel in question, the Malta‑flagged MV Fortune, departed Colombia on July 24, carrying coal destined for Israel’s Port Hadera, with expected arrival on August 14. According to the activist group, this shipment defies a decree issued by Colombian President Gustavo Petro in August 2024 banning the export of coal to Israel…