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The companies are citing the large number of claims already filed and the open-ended possibilities, saying that if the liability is not capped, it has the potential to disrupt insurance and freight operations and drive up the price of goods.

The maritime autonomy developer Mythos AI has installed a pilot-assist system designed for inland waterway navigation on a working towboat operated by Southern Devall. The system will help with collision-avoidance on the busy Mississippi River, and it is the first deployment of its kind on the waterway. 

In what management is calling a “defining moment” for the company, Austal and the Government of Australia have agreed on terms for a Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement. It took nearly two years to reach terms for the agreement, which sets the company up as a major supplier to the military, and in turn, Austal will launch a new subsidiary, Austal Defence Shipbuilding Australia.

China’s Ministry of Transport is highlighting its fast response to reports of a container fire aboard a foreign-flagged ship far out to sea. They are reporting thanks to a well-organized response, the fire was contained, saving the vessel and removing the risk to the crew.

OrbitMI, a leading provider of maritime SaaS software, is pleased to announce the appointment of Capt. Sujit Padhye to a senior leadership role overseeing product strategy and managed services

An activist group based in Malta has identified a bulker laden with coal bound from Colombia to Israel and is demanding action from the government as the flag state of the ship. At the same time, Colombia’s government is demanding action and threatening to use its navy to stop future shipments.

Hanwha Philly Shipyard and Matson marked a key milestone in the construction of the first of three new "Aloha Class" containerships as assembly began. The first grand block of the Matson vessel, which is being named Makua, was lowered into the construction dry dock on August 4.

The Port Authority in Callao, Peru, confirmed that port operations resumed Friday afternoon, August 1, several hours after they were forced to suspend all operations after an Evergreen ship lost boxes overboard while in the bay.

Malaysia’s maritime authorities are taking several new steps to strengthen enforcement in an attempt to stop the illegal anchoring and ship-to-ship transfers taking place in its waters. Because of its location near the busy Singapore Strait, Malaysia is one of the areas cited as a hotbed of activity with reports of frequent enforcement activities.

The recent efforts by the European Union and the UK to target more tankers linked to Russia’s oil trade and the United States’ large sanctions action this week against an Iranian trading network are beginning to impact across the shipping industry.

The issue of intermediaries in the oil supply chain surfaced in Australia this week as a tanker arrived from India, likely with Russian oil. It is leading to calls to close loopholes in the sanctions, which so far have focused on direct Russia trade but have not extended to products made from Russian crude in intermediary countries.

Holcim UK, a manufacturer and supplier of sustainable construction and building materials, reports it is retiring the vessel. Built in 1982, she is one of the last Greek-built ships coming from the Eleusis Shipyard, but her record comes as the longest-standing vessel serving the Port of Liverpool, and as the ship to have delivered the most cargo there in history.

Last week, a federal court fined a vessel operator in Alaska nearly $1.2 million for multiple alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. Corey Potter, manager of three fishing tender companies, was found in default in a civil enforcement suit alleging repeated bilge water discharges from the vessel Knot EZ in 2022.

The standoff continues between the government of the semi-autonomous region of Puntland and the federal government of Somalia over a cargo ship loaded with Turkish weaponry that is being detained

Investigators at New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) released their final report on a July 2023 incident with the Achilles Bulker, reporting that poor welding during maintenance led to a series of failures that ultimately saw the vessel lose its rudder and nearly run aground.

During the White House's tariff negotiations with the Japanese government over the last several months, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick proposed creating a multibillion-dollar Japanese investment package that would be directed by President Donald Trump.

The first U.S.-flagged, Jones Act-compliant, subsea rock installation vessel designed to support the offshore energy sector marked a milestone as the vessel was floated out at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard.

Canadian investment manager Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to sell a 49 percent stake in the ownership of UK ports and logistics company PD Ports to an investment company controlled by Spain’s Amancio Ortega, the owner of brands including Zara, Pull & Bear, and Massimo Dutti.

CMA CGM is making a unique move, announcing it is forming a joint venture with TotalEnergies to launch an LNG bunkering and logistics operation based in Rotterdam. It is the first time a shipping company is partnering with an energy provider for LNG bunkering and a key step to support the French carriers’ growing fleet of LNG-fueled vessels.

In a busy week in the world of sanctions - with President Trump threatening 100% tariffs on those evading US sanctions on Russia, the European Union announcing an agreement on its 18th round of anti-Russian sanctions, and the UK launching a further 137 listings of dark fleet entities - Moscow’s Higher School of Economics is offering a new academic program.