Philippine News

July 29 ------ Regional powers are seeking greater control over two of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints as tensions linked to the Iran conflict threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Oman has proposed a regional mechanism to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz, with voluntary fees from users helping fund navigation, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations, a Gulf source told Reuters on July 28. The propo

July 29 ------ The Seaport Administration of Ukraine reported an attack overnight on the blocked port of Mykolaiv as Russian strikes on infrastructure and ships continue. It is at least the third attack on the former port in the past 10 days. An unidentified cargo ship was struck in the latest attack, with one person killed and several injured. The Seaport Administration pointed out the senselessness of the attack, reiterating that the port has been closed since the invasio

July 29 ------ The International Maritime Organization has advanced measures aimed at improving the consistency and effectiveness of Port State Control inspections worldwide, with particular attention to machinery and maintenance inspections, the qualifications of Port State Control Officers and the training of personnel entering the PSC system. The proposals were considered during the 12th session of IMO’s Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III 12), held f

July 29 ------ Plastic nurdle spills are among the least-desired forms of pollution for coastal states: They are difficult to remediate, persist for years, and are harmful to wildlife. But they recur regularly because nurdles are a common global commodity, as stakeholders at Port of Tyne, UK discovered this month. When the WTIV Wind Orca allided with the moored container ship BG Orange at Port of Tyne last week, it damaged several containers on the small boxship's starboard

July 28 ------ Ukrainian officials reported that for the first time since 2023, there is no traffic on its shipping corridor on the Black Sea. Ship operators reportedly made the decision based on the increased attacks and deaths of seafarers since Russia and Ukraine escalated the attacks on shipping this summer. Ukrainian government officials are emphasizing that the ports remain open and said it was the decision of individual ship operators. The government is working on a re

July 28 ------ Renewed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have drawn condemnation from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as escalating security risks threaten a critical maritime corridor and raise concerns over further disruption to global trade routes. The attacks resumed on July 22, with four vessels reportedly hit or affected during the latest wave of incidents. In particular, according to Windward, ENCELIA (IMO 9240172) was struck by an uni

July 28 ------ The Government of India has issued a security advisory for Indian nationals seeking employment on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea region, warning of heightened risks due to the ongoing conflict and an increase in attacks on merchant ships. In an advisory issued on 26 July 2026, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the security situation in and around the Black Sea and adjoining maritime areas remains “highly volatile”, with comm

July 28 ------ The residential segment of cruising is poised for rapid growth, with Villa Vie Residents set to announce the details of its second ship. The company, which launched two years ago with a smaller cruise ship, will reveal the details of its second ship on September 30 with an event to celebrate two years of sailing for the Odyssey as a residential ship. Many companies have aspired to enter the residential segment, but only The World (43,000 gross tons with 165 res

July 27 ------ Ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell on Sunday after Yemeni Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast, while transit through the Strait of Hormuz stayed low over the weekend, shipping data from Kpler showed. Red Sea traffic has been disrupted off the coast of Yemen since last week by the Tehran-aligned Houthis, who want to blockade Saudi exports, expanding the U.S.-Iran conflict that has already choked oil supply through the Strait of

July 27 ------ On Sunday, Iranian state media claimed that a "violating" oil tanker hit a mine in the Strait of Hormuz while navigating outside of the Iranian transit zone, breaking a brief pause in hostilities and war-risk casualties in the contested waterway. Despite the new incident, U.S. sources indicate that American military operations are on hold in order to give time for diplomatic efforts, according to CNN and the Washington Post. Defa Press reports that the unnamed

July 27 ------ Rescuers were searching on Sunday for 17 people still missing after a Vietnamese ship sank in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, while 45 have been pulled from the waters since Saturday night, China's state broadcaster CCTV said. Chinese authorities said the cargo vessel Khoi Nguyen 18, with 62 Vietnamese nationals aboard, ran into distress in waters near Fiery Cross Reef, CCTV added. A distress flare from the vessel was first spotted by a Chinese rescue

July 27 ------ On July 19, Yemen’s Houthi rebel movement declared a “maritime embargo” against Saudi Arabia. The Houthis stated that the blockade was a direct retaliation for Saudi Arabia's long-running restrictions on Yemen and a recent alleged attack on the Sanaa International Airport. On July 22, the Houthis targeted two oil tankers, the Encelia, an Aframax controlled by Saudi’s Bihar International and the Layla, a Bahri VLCC. While the Encelia was hit and damaged, the att

July 26 ------ The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) published its annual Safety Statistics Report, revealing that safety performance indicators improved in 2025. According to the publication, both lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) and total recordable injury rate (TRIR) declining compared with the previous year. However, the report highlighted that fatalities increased, reinforcing the need for greater focus on serious injury and fatality prevention.

July 26 ------ For decades, cargo criminals followed a familiar playbook: steal consumer electronics, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals or luxury goods. These products were easy to fence and commanded healthy profits. But according to the latest BSI Consulting and TT Club 2025 Cargo Theft Report, the economics of cargo theft are changing rapidly—and nowhere is that more evident than copper. The report reads less like a crime summary and more like a lesson in commodity markets. Crim

July 25 ------ Several tankers have altered course in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthi militia warned vessels against calling at Saudi Arabian ports, raising concerns over further disruption to regional energy flows and maritime trade. According to Reuters, ship-tracking data showed that at least five tankers changed direction on Wednesday, with two signaling destinations near the Suez Canal. Some vessels that had loaded crude at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port reportedly shifted n

July 25 ------ The insurance cost of shipping goods through the southern Red Sea doubled for some companies after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacked at least one tanker overnight, sources said. The Houthis said their forces had carried out missile and drone strikes on Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla. This worsened the turmoil for shipping in the region, with the Strait of Hormuz essentially shut down. Maritime security sources confirmed the strike on the Encel

MANILA, Philippines, July 24 ------ A seafarer reported by Romanian media to be Filipino has died after a strike hit a Ukraine-bound gas tanker in the Black Sea. The seafarer, who is yet to be identified, was one of three crew members wounded when the Gas Lisbon, a Liberian-flagged tanker carrying propane to a Ukrainian port, was struck outside Romanian territorial waters overnight to Tuesday. A representative of Romania's health ministry told Agence France Presse that the se

July 24 ------ Russia said it carried out strikes on the Ukrainian port cities of Odesa and Chornomorsk targeting port infrastructure and vessels it claimed were supporting Ukraine’s military operations. The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks hit a dry-cargo ship unloading at Chornomorsk, along with military cargo facilities and fuel storage sites. It also reported strikes on loading and storage facilities in Odesa, as well as cargo vessels allegedly transporting suppl

July 24 ------ Two tankers off the coast of Larak Island are spilling oil into the waterway, according to maritime data consultancy WindWard. One of the leaks was identified previously, and comes from the Greek-owned tanker Kavomaleas. It was hit in an IRGC attack on the south side of the strait, then captured and towed into Iranian waters. The other leak is linked to an AIS-dark tanker, name unknown, which appears to have been in the same location since May, according to the

July 24 ------ European authorities are reporting that refrigerated shipments of bananas continue to be one of the favored means of smugglers for the delivery of cocaine. In the same week, the authorities in both the UK and Italy reported large seizures coming from South America. Italy’s Guardia di Finanza said the seizure on July 20 represented one of the most significant anti-drug operations carried out in recent years at the Vado Ligure port in the Savona region. They note