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The government through its Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has stepped in to revive a project to domestically build a containership as a feeder ship operated by the national shipping corporation.

In what is being called a commercial milestone for autonomous shipping, Korea’s H-Line and Avikus, HD Hyundai’s Autonomous Navigation Technology division, signed an order for the first installation of autonomous technology on ocean-going ships.

U.S. Central Command confirmed tonight, December 17, new attacks on Houthi command and control facilities just hours after reports of Houthi missiles aimed at Israel. Earlier, Central Command also confirmed the arrival of the carrier Harry S. Turman strike force in the region after transiting from the Mediterranean.

The MS ARTANIA, a distinguished cruise liner built in 1984 with a capacity for 1,200 passengers, continues to offer a unique maritime experience by blending classic elegance with modern amenities. Since 2011, the vessel has been operated by Phoenix Reisen

Petrobras announced plans for an investment of $2.73 billion as part of an effort to modernize its offshore support vessel fleet. The company looks to expand its capabilities while also enhancing the performance of its vessels.

The containership Kaimana Hila (50,981 dwt) has returned to service after completing the third LNG conversion for Matson. When she was completed in 2019, Matson highlighted that commercial supplies of LNG were not available along its network but the vessel along with her sister ship Daniel K. Inouye were designed LNG-ready anticipating a future conversion.

According to Russian transport agency Rosmorrechflot, the aging river-sea tanker Volgoneft 212 sank in a wintertime storm Sunday about five nautical miles outside of the Kerch Strait. Waves in excess of 25 feet were forecast by Russia's meteorological agency, according to TASS. A video taken by a crewmember shows that the aging vessel broke up in the storm.

Anger at the cost of the Houthi blockade is growing as the balance of power changes in the region

Despite multiple attempts to connect an emergency tow, a runaway barge has gone aground on the picturesque beaches of Sotteville-sur-Mer, France. It was one of many marine casualties stemming from Storm Darragh, which swept over the British Isles and the coastline of northern France last weekend. 

The engine room fire aboard the ro/ro Stena Europe last year was caused by a commonplace failure: leaking fuel on exposed exhaust components. A loosened flange connection in a pressurized fuel line sprayed diesel onto a hot exhaust manifold, igniting a fire and causing extensive damage to the compartment - a risk that investigators believe could have been mitigated with proper repairs.

President-elect Donald Trump has joined with the leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association in support of the union’s fight against automation in U.S. ports. The incoming president issued a statement backing union leadership in its contract negotiations with the international shipping lines and terminal operators and the current stalemate over automation.

Shipping authorities are scrambling to come up with temporary solutions after an accident on Sunday, December 8, damaged a key lock on a tributary of the Rhine, the Moselle, which provides access for larger ships to France and Luxembourg.

Vessels have been repeatedly warned of the dangers while transiting the Singapore Strait but the latest report includes a rare instance of violence against the crew. Ambrey is reporting that a crewmember was stabbed and taken ashore to a hospital overnight on Wednesday, December 11.

The widely used digital maritime platform RightShip which tracks safety and sustainable practices has agreed with the bulker industry to revise the timeline for increasing its safety inspection program.

Chinese officials released figures for the shipbuilding industry in the first nine months of 2024 reporting that its yards have dominated new orders and expanded their global leadership. The numbers will undoubtedly further fuel the growing global sentiment against China’s shipbuilding dominance and the specific protests by trade groups in the United States and Canada.

In a unique collaboration, a ship designed to transport spent nuclear fuel operating for the UK government will also become the first to trial a new wind-assisted propulsion technology. 

Amasus, a European shortsea, bulk, and general cargo company, and Spain’s bound4blue have agreed to a second installation of the company’s suction sail technology, eSail, on one of the company’s cargo ships.

A freighter at the port of Dakar, Senegal sank at the pier last week after it was hit by an arriving bulker, according to the local port authority. That bulker, named by Senegalese officials as the Zografia, appears to be a Greek-owned vessel that survived a Houthi missile attack in January.  

The United Kingdom is living up to its promise to establish green shipping corridors to decarbonize the maritime sector. In December last year, the country made a pledge in the Clydebank Declaration at COP26 to establish six green shipping corridors by the middle of this decade through a coalition of like-minded countries.

Russian authorities are reporting that three crewmembers were recovered but that four others were missing after a small general cargo ship capsized near Korsakov port at the southern end of Sakhalin Island in the Far East.