Philippine News

September 19 ------ Maritime operators are navigating an unusually volatile Gulf shipping market, with months of disruption and uncertainty leaving large numbers of vessels anchored for extended periods across the Arabian Gulf. AIS data gathered by MarineTraffic and reported by Weathernews put the number of stranded vessels at 958 as of mid-June 2026, with 63% idle for 100 days or more – a glimpse into a crisis that has continued to evolve since. Whatever happens next in th

September 19 ------ With the battle lines forming for the International Maritime Organization to finalize and adopt its Net Zero Framework, a new study is looking at the validity of continuous emissions measurement technology as it applies to the regulation. They are looking at the use of real-time monitoring aboard LNG vessels versus the current modeling used in assessing emissions. The IMO adopted in 2023 its Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and the Carbon Inten

September 18 ------ Escalating geopolitical tensions are placing merchant shipping and seafarers under growing threat across several major trading regions, with IMO warning that civilian vessels and crews must not become targets of conflict. Speaking in London at the IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (14–18 September), IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez warned that geopolitical tensions are exacting an increasingly deadly toll on commercial shipping

September 18 ------ Commodity vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz dwindled to just three ships on Wednesday, down from 12 a day earlier and well below the 10-day average of about 17, preliminary ship-tracking data showed. The figures exclude any vessels that might have passed through the waterway with their Automatic Identification System transponders turned off to avoid detection. Of the three vessels, an empty Supramax dry bulk ship entered the strait via the Irani

September 18 ------ The headline grabbing global attention is simple enough: a shipowner reportedly paid more than $5 million for a single Panama Canal transit slot. But that may only mark the start of an historic surge in shipping costs. The vessel was a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier operated for South Korea's SK Gas. The fee was not the canal toll itself, but an auction premium paid to secure passage through one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints. It

September 18 ------ Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) joined the growing number of container lines returning to the Suez Canal, sending its first ultra-large vessel through the canal as part of Cosco’s strategy to resume some of its normal routes for Cosco and OOCL vessels. It comes as the Suez Canal Authority highlights continued growth despite the latest military moves by the Houthis at the southern terminus of the Red Sea. The OOCL Portugal (225,000 dwt) made the trans

September 17 ------ The safety risks facing seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz remain acute, after the Djibouti-flagged St Helena was reportedly struck by an unknown projectile as vessel traffic through the strategic waterway fell to just four transits the following day. The incident occurred at around 20:40 UTC on September 14, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). A verified source reported that a vessel had been struck by an unknown projectile. No casualtie

September 17 ------ Shipping group Maersk said that four more of its joint container services with Germany's Hapag-Lloyd will resume sailings through the Suez Canal, as they gradually return to using the shortcut between Asia and Europe. The Asia-Europe trade corridor through the Suez Canal was abandoned by most shippers earlier this decade after attacks in the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthis, forcing ships to take the much longer trip around Africa. "The Suez Canal is a vital mar

September 17 ------ Somali pirates have released the Saint Kitts and Nevis-flagged general cargo vessel Sward and its 17-member crew after about 138 days in captivity. The vessel was released near Garacad, Puntland, on September 11, after being seized off Somalia on April 26 while sailing from the Suez Canal towards Mombasa. The crew comprises 15 Syrian and two Indian nationals and was reported to be in good health. According to Puntland security sources cited by AFP, the pir

September 17 ------ Lloyd's Register has granted Design Appraisal to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' fore-accommodation LNG carrier design featuring Mitsui O.S.K. Lines' Wind Challenger hard-sail system, advancing the concept towards potential commercial deployment. The appraisal confirms that the design complies with LR's Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems notation requirements and follows Approval in Principle granted at Gastech 2025. The partners describe the vessel as the worl

September 16 ------ More than one in 10 cargo transport units inspected in 2025 were found to have safety deficiencies, according to data compiled and published by the World Shipping Council (WSC), highlighting continued risks associated with cargo declaration, packing, marking and securing. According to WSC’s consolidated results of container inspection programs, government authorities in seven countries reported 93,079 unit inspections, identifying deficiencies in 9,645 uni

September 16 ------ Participants in the tanker industry are no strangers to market cycles combined with extreme volatility. However, even seasoned veterans are looking at current developments in the market and scratching their heads. What is happening is truly unprecedented. It begs the question: What is driving this market and, more importantly, how sustainable is it? In this Tanker Opinion we will focus on the market for Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), the most volatile

September 16 ------ Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz are escalating, with Iran placing 77 vessels on a newly published “Non-Compliance List” as conflicting accounts over an attack on a tanker highlight the growing risks facing commercial shipping in the region. The list, published by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), warns that vessels deemed to have breached Iranian protocols governing passage through the Strait could face restrictions on future transits, including f

September 16 ------ South Korean shipbuilder HD Hyundai and Singapore-based BW LNG highlight that they are moving forward with building the world’s first three-tank LNG carriers. The design permits an increased carrying capacity of up to 2,800 cbm (1.6 percent) while avoiding terminal berthing restrictions that could be caused by larger vessels. Designs for the new vessels were developed by HD Hyundai, working in conjunction with French cargo tank technology company GTT, BW a

September 15 ------ The IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) will meet for its 12th session (CCC 12) at IMO Headquarters in London from 14-18 September 2026, to address issues relating to the safe carriage of cargoes, dangerous goods and containers, as well as the use of alternative fuels and related technologies. According to the IMO, key highlights from CCC 12 will include further work on the development of safety provisions for alternative fuels an

September 15 ------ The Philippine Coast Guard has completed its search of all passenger spaces aboard the burned-out ro/ro ferry June Aster, which caught fire off Palawan last Wednesday and subsequently ran aground. PCG responders have now fully searched the bridge, crew accommodation, economy passenger berthing and air-conditioned passenger accommodation areas, and are about two-thirds of the way through the cargo decks. So far, a total of 76 bodies have been recovered. Esc

September 15 ------ Two of the commercial ships hijacked by Somali pirates were recently freed, while four other small tankers remain under the control of the pirates. The situation continues in what is now reported to be the most active period of pirate activity off the Horn of Africa since 2013. The EU monitoring and security operation EU NAVFOR Atalanta reports that a show of force was able to scare off one pirate group that had boarded a bulker off the coast of Yemen last

September 15 ------ London-headquartered Lloyd’s Register (LR), a maritime classification and technical services provider, is teaming up with South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), headquartered in Ulsan, and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), based in Seongnam, to push hybrid-electric propulsion into the next generation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers (LNGCs). The partners have secured approval in principle (AiP) for a 185,000-cubic-meter

September 14 ------ Shipping capacity transiting the Red Sea doubled year-on-year in August, while spot rates from China to Jeddah and Khor al Fakkan have surged beyond Covid-19 peaks, according to Xeneta. The Xeneta Weekly Ocean Container Shipping Market Update highlights divergent impacts from the ongoing disruption to the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz, with carriers gradually restoring some Red Sea services while container shipping through Hormuz remains effectively closed.

September 14 ------ Lithium-ion batteries come with known fire risks, and they are a top cargo of concern for container lines and ro/ro operators. Improperly-declared battery cargoes - transported out of compliance with IMDG Code rules - are a significant hazard. But under current regulations, shippers can pack as many small batteries as they want into a standard box without telling the carrier what's inside - a fully compliant loophole that the World Shipping Council says th