Philippine News

June 14 ------ The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicts a strong likelihood of El Niño developing, raising global concern over intensified climate extremes and widespread economic impacts. Anew WMO El Niño/La Niña Update, issued in June, indicates an 80% likelihood of an El Niño event during June–August 2026. Probabilities for this to continue until at least November are near or above 90%. Although some uncertainty remains about El Niño peak strength and timing, m

June 14 ------ The oil market is telling two distinct stories, and future pricing depends upon which one prevails. In the short run, energy markets are leaning hard on drawdowns, run cuts, refined product inventories and demand destruction in order to keep prices in check. If the situation continues unchanged, falling inventories could drive prices skyward by midsummer. On the other hand, the market faces an oversupply situation as soon as the Strait of Hormuz reopens and a f

June 13 ------ The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has released the Seafarer Statistics in the EU report, where it explores various statistics and trends regarding seafarers during the year 2024. The report draws on data from certificates and endorsements registered by EU Member States, as well as Iceland and Norway, up to 31 December 2024. The information was subsequently transferred to and recorded in the STCW Information System (STCW-IS) by 31 December 2025, providi

June 13 ------ It would be "unwise" to assume that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will return to how it was before the Iran war, the head of French shipping group CMA CGM said. CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container line, is among firms with vessels stranded inside the Gulf since the start of the conflict that has virtually closed the waterway, which carries a fifth of global oil and LNG supply. "Even if a solution for peace is implemented in the coming weeks, th

June 12 ------ Global oil markets continue to face heightened volatility and uncertainty as the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit chokepoint, remains effectively closed more than three months after military action began on 28 February. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) short-term energy outlook, since then, shipping traffic through the waterway has been severely restricted. Brent crude oil spot prices averaged $107 per barrel in May

June 12 ------ Port state control detentions have risen by about 70 percent over the past five years, even though the number of inspections has stayed flat, according to a new paper published by Survitec during Posidonia. The report draws on data from the main PSC inspection regimes and finds that detention is no longer a rare event confined to "problem" ships. Only half of all inspections now pass without deficiencies, and one in seven merchant ships will likely be detained

June 11 ------ One hundred days after the United States and Israel launched “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran, the conflict has continued to escalate despite intermittent calls for de-escalation, according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The federation said the renewed intensity of the war has further exposed transport workers to serious and unacceptable risks across the region. From the outset, the ITF has stressed that transport workers are civili

June 11 ------ A bow-ramp deck cargo ship has gone aground off the northwest coast of Luzon, partially capsizing and releasing oil into the water. On June 8, the Philippine Coast Guard received notice that the landing ship MSCI 1 had conducted an intentional grounding in bad weather off Badoc, Ilocos Norte province. The vessel (a type locally referred to as an LCT after the WWII-era Landing Craft Tank) was carrying a cargo of gravel, and 15 crewmembers were aboard. The master

June 11 ------ A Palau-flagged product tanker issued a distress call early on Wednesday morning, June 10, in a position approximately 20 nautical miles off Sohar, Oman. U.S. Central Command later issued a statement saying that for the second consecutive day, U.S. forces disabled another vessel that violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran. Centcom said in its statement that a U.S. aircraft fired precision munitions into the tanker’s engine room a

June 11 ------ Belgian shipping company Exmar has celebrated the delivery of the first in a series of four newbuild dual-fuel ammonia midsize gas carriers (MGCs), seen as a breakthrough in the green shipping quest and a landmark milestone in the firm’s attempt to future-proof its vessel fleet. While announcing the first-ever newbuild dual-fuel ammonia oceangoing vessel delivery, Exmar described the milestone as a historic step in low-carbon shipping, spotlighting MGC Antwerpe

June 10 ------ Secretary-General of the IMO, Arsenio Dominguez, has issued a warning to the shipping industry: "I am increasingly concerned by reports that vessels continue to attempt to transit the Strait of Hormuz without any credible security guarantees, despite well‑established risks and the fact that seafarers have already been killed, injured and others detained in recent incidents. “My primary concern is for the safety and lives of the seafarers being placed in these s

June 10 ------ The Suez Canal Authority has posted its first wide-ranging rate increases in the form of revised surcharges for transits in three years. It comes, however, as the canal continues to pursue efforts to increase transits and new risks are emerging for shipping. The circulars show that the surcharges applied on top of the base rates will be increased starting on July 15. The authority calls these surcharges temporary, but they will represent significant price incre

June 10 ------ Over the past week, 2-8 June, two (one CAT 3 and one CAT 4) incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. The two armed robbery incidents occurred in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) on 05 Jun 2026. The first incident took place 1.9 nm off Pulau Cula, Indonesia at 0228 hrs involving a bulk carrier. Three perpetrators were involved, not armed, the crew was not injured, and nothing was stolen, categorized as CAT 4. T

June 10 ------ Danish authorities reported placing the helmsman of a general cargo ship under arrest on Monday evening after the vessel he was controlling hit a docked sailboat and then proceeded to knock down lampposts and bollards as it hit the dock in Korsør, Denmark. No one was injured in what one official described as a “parking accident.” The general cargo ship Olymp Trader (4,684 dwt) was arriving in Denmark from Wismar, Germany, at around 2000 local time on June 8. Th

June 9 ------ To mark World Ocean Day, the IMO is calling on its 176 Member States and the global shipping industry to step up implementation of measures to protect the marine environment. In a video message for World Oceans Day, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “At IMO, we take our responsibility to protect the ocean seriously. With shipping being one of the main users of the ocean space, it is the reason why we focus on enhancing our regulatory framework to red

June 9 ------ The European Council announced that it was imposing sanctions, including on Iran’s IRGC, while calling for freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The move comes as the Europeans also appear to be setting the stage for a mine clearance program in the Strait of Hormuz. The Council said it was extending its legal framework targeting those involved in Iran’s actions and policies threatening the freedom of navigation in the Middle East. It said the actio

June 9 ------ Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement said that it had launched a missile attack on Israel and declared a “complete and total ban” on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, warning that Israeli-linked vessels would again be considered legitimate military targets. The announcement raised concerns over renewed disruption to the Red Sea shipping route that had previously been heavily affected. In a statement, the group said it fired missiles at what it describe

June 9 ------ In an open letter to the industry, ABS has set out a measured and data-driven approach to support the development of an effective global framework for maritime decarbonization. Titled, The ABS View: A Practical Path Forward on IMO Mid-Term Measures, it reflects broad alignment across the industry on the need for one international approach to emissions reduction, while recognizing that implementation will be shaped by real-world constraints across the global flee

June 8 ------ Education and upskilling of the next generation of seafarers took center stage at the Eugenides Foundation event during Posidonia 2026. The Eugenides Foundation, alongside leading representatives of international maritime education and industry, addressed the pressing challenge of training and upskilling the next generation of seafarers during a high-level event held within the framework of the Posidonia 2026 international maritime exhibition. During the event “

June 8 ------ The Panama Canal Authority issued an advisory to shipping companies announcing that it plans to reduce the maximum authorized draft for the Neopanamax locks. It emphasizes that this is a precautionary step based on the lessons learned during the 2023-2024 water shortage and should have a limited immediate effect on shipping, but raises concerns as transit levels are at peak levels. The restriction will lower the draft limit by half a foot to a maximum of 49.5 fe