Philippine News

December 6 ------ Philippos Ioulianou, Managing Director of EmissionLink, has warned the IMO’s decision to delay its Net Zero Framework is creating a regulatory vacuum that threatens to fragment global shipping decarbonization efforts. “What looks like a pause is, in reality, an open door for national governments to move ahead with their own systems,” Mr Ioulianou said. “Instead of gaining clarity, we risk creating a patchwork of unaligned carbon schemes that will make global

December 6 ------ Continuing to look to the future with remote ship management, shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries and Evergreen have opened the first remote monitoring center jointly developed by a shipyard and shipowner. It is the next step in a continuing project between the two companies that anticipates the era of remote autonomous navigation. The Samsung Remote Operation Center was established at Evergreen’s headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan. The companies report that th

December 5 ------ The West must draw clear red lines for responding to gray-zone aggression by China and Russia. Both adversaries have mastered operating below the threshold of open conflict to achieve their strategic aims with little consequence from Western governments. This ambiguity has eroded Western deterrence and emboldened authoritarian states to keep testing the limits of restraint. Western leaders must define where provocation ends and aggression begins. And they mu

December 5 ------ Last week, a container barge parted its tow wire and ran aground on a reef in the Bahamas, reportedly attracting looters from nearby communities. According to the operator, the barge Brooklyn Bridge broke away from its towing vessel due to severe winds while en route from Florida to Puerto Rico. The barge then drifted aground on a reef off Abaco, at the northern end of the island chain. The operator commissioned a dive inspection and confirmed that there was

December 5 ------ Taking the next step in the development of green hydrogen hubs, Norwegian company GreenH has selected compatriot Nel ASA as the technology provider for its projects in Kristiansund and Slagentangen. Following the investment decision for the hydrogen plant in Bodø earlier this year, the hydrogen producer announced that the requirements set by Enova for the support allocation to the projects at Vestbase in Kristiansund and Slagentangen outside Tønsberg had bee

December 5 ------ Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry (BSIC) and China Shipbuilding Trading (CSTC), both arms of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), have rolled out the red carpet for the final dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered bulk carrier in a series constructed for Japan’s shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL). As disclosed, Beihai Shipbuilding and CSTC held a naming ceremony for the fourth 210,000 dwt LNG-fueled bulker made for MOL on Novemb

December 4 ------ An academic team led by researchers at the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science completed a first in-depth study looking at sulfur emissions at sea and found “fairly good compliance” with the IMO regulations introduced in 2020. The group looked at compliance both in the European Sulfur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) and ships in the open ocean. The team found that the average sulfur content in ship fuel dropped nearly tenfold in open ocean areas foll

December 4 ------ South Africa’s Competition Commission has referred a case of alleged collusion and price fixing against eight of the world’s largest container carriers to its Tribunal for prosecution. The case alleges that for over a decade, the carriers conducted a price-fixing scheme. The Commission, which operates under a 1989 law, investigates the cases and if it finds sufficient information, refers the situation to the Tribunal for prosecution. There is also a Competit

December 4 ------ The rivalry between PortMiami in South Florida and Port Canaveral in Central Florida took a surprising turn with Port Canaveral nudging Miami from its traditional number one ranking in FY 2025. The difference was small between the two ports, just 0.4 percent, but it is a major achievement for Port Canaveral as it continues to see rapid growth in its cruise business. Port Canaveral topped even its own projections, which had set a target of around 8.4 million

December 4 ------ Germany’s Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE) has set the wheels in motion to enrich its liquefied natural gas (LNG) arsenal with another multi-year LNG supply agreement, which has been signed with Argentina’s Southern Energy, in a bid to further strengthen Europe’s energy security. The duo’s heads of agreement for an eight-year supply arrangement will enable SEFE to buy up to two million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG on a free on board (FOB) basis, with delive

December 3 ------ After four months of captivity, the crew of the bulker Eternity C is expected to be released by the Houthis. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs reports it has been advised of the release by the government of Oman, although no timing or details were provided. The Philippines said it had been discussing the plight of the individuals with the Omani authorities as it sought to gain their freedom. The Philippines had made an initial appeal in July when

December 3 ------ There was a new confrontation on Tuesday morning, December 2, as China continues its expansionist policies, claiming larger areas in the surrounding waters, but unlike other recent events, this one was with the Japanese. The two sides are telling different versions of the incident. Japan and China have long been at odds over a small group of islands known by the Chinese as Diaoyu Islands, while the Japanese, who assert the administration of the area, refer t

December 3 ------ Stillstrom and Port of Roenne have teamed up on a study looking into integrating offshore wind energy with maritime electrification. Maersk’s offshore power and charging solutions developer and the Danish port have initiated a joint white paper to explore how Energy Island Bornholm could serve as a blueprint for this kind of integration. The study, Energy Island Bornholm Powering Maritime Electrification, examines how renewable power production and future gr

December 3 ------ Fire services responded quickly to reports of smoke billowing from a bulker that was loading in the Paradip, India, port over the weekend. They were able to successfully douse the fire without injuries to the crew, but it again raised questions about the handling of the dangerous cargo. The Greek-owned bulker Eco Colonel, registered in Liberia, had arrived at Paradip on November 27. Over the weekend, the vessel was loading a cargo of nearly 30,000 metric ton

December 2 ------ Scrap metal is among the most notorious cargoes for fire risk, not because of its inherent properties but because it is often contaminated with flammable debris and ready-made sources of ignition, like damaged lithium-ion batteries. A recent blaze at the port of Hull, UK illustrated the continuing danger to shipping, port facilities and public health from scrap-related fires. On June 27, 2025, the freighter Altay was alongside a scrap yard at Albert Dock in

December 2 ------ The Republic of Panama was re-elected today with 148 votes to Category A of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council during the 34th Assembly held in London. This strong international support once again highlights the country’s strategic importance within the global maritime sector and its firm commitment to strengthening the IMO. This achievement reflects the sustained and effective diplomatic work of Panama’s Permanent Mission to the IMO, carr

December 2 ------ The United Nations warns that gang warlords in Haiti have turned the country’s coastal waters into a pivotal transshipment hub for drugs originating from South America and destined for key markets across the Caribbean, the U.S. and Europe. As the country plunges deeper into the abyss of lawlessness, the UN contends that large gangs have taken control and are deeply entrenched along strategic corridors, in effect turning most of the country’s coastal waters i

December 2 ------ Oslo-headquartered classification society DNV is hosting the first open tender process to offer long-term access to renewable e-methanol as a means of supporting the decarbonization of industry, transport and chemical sectors. As disclosed, the tender is in line with the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III)—which represents a set of guidelines that target enhancing renewable energy use and slashing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by

December 1 ------ In a tense, fiercely fought election, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on November 28, elected its council for the next biennial term for 2026-27. The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization with the elections for two-year terms. The elections came at the start of the 34th session of the Assembly, which runs through December 3, and which will have an influential r

December 1 ------ In a seismic era for shipping and global sustainability efforts, the perception of LNG as a marine fuel has shifted dramatically in recent years. Once seen as one of many ‘alternatives’ in the future fuels bucket, LNG together with liquefied biomethane (Bio-LNG/LBM/RNG) are firmly becoming mainstream options for owners and operators looking to decarbonize. Over the past three years, investment into the fuel has accelerated driven by a number of factors, incl