Philippine News

June 8 ------ On Friday night, a small container ship went down in the middle of the Strait of Singapore, just hours after leaving the pier. At about 2200 hours local time on June 5, the small container feeder Golden Star 1 - a local vessel involved in coastal trading - began taking on water, and she quickly went down at a position about three nautical miles north of Batam, in the middle of the strait. The ship had nine crewmembers and about 100 containers on board. Golden St

June 8 ------ ABS issued approval in principle (AIP) for the integration of a nuclear reactor into a cargo vessel propulsion system developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and Capital Maritime Group. This design uses a special synthetic fluid to carry heat from the reactor core. Today’s designs typically focus on micro-scale thermal outputs of 10 to 20 megawatts. The MIT design’s near-atmospheric ope

June 7 ------ Adam Parnell, Director (Maritime) of voluntary near-miss reporting scheme CHIRP Maritime, says fatigue is the maritime industry’s inconvenient truth. In recent months, CHIRP has received a number of reports in which fatigue was a factor, so Parnell has prepared a special report. “This may be one of the most important documents we have ever published, as the sheer volume of reports we are receiving suggests fatigue may be widespread. In some cases, fatigue was ex

June 7 ------ 2026 data shows that the methane decarbonization pathway is moving forward despite geopolitical disruption and regulatory uncertainty, says industry coalition SEA-LNG. LNG bunkering volumes are surging in major bunkering hubs, liquefied biomethane sales have grown six-fold in major ports and LNG-fueled vessels now account for about 90% of the entire alternative fuel vessel orderbook. LNG bunkering volumes are rising in key ports. Singapore recorded a 48% increas

June 6 ------ At the Posidonia 2026, discussions at the Athens Metropolitan Expo extended well beyond geopolitics, cargo volumes, insurance costs and charter rates. Instead, some of the most influential voices in global maritime governance, including the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, and shipping ministers from several of the world’s leading flag states, focused attention on two challenges w

June 6 ------ As U.S. and Iranian forces continue to exchange limited fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, multiple oil producers are warning that physical supplies may begin to show signs of strain by the end of summer, even if today's market price signals are stable. "I think the way we see things today, it’s difficult to predict a very bright, you know, outcome," ADNOC CEO Sultan al-Jaber told Al Arabiya. According to al-Jaber, if global demand creeps back up and the H

June 5 ------ Posidonia 2026 (1-5 June) has emerged as the most technology-intensive edition to date, with artificial intelligence, energy-efficiency systems, and cloud-native maritime software converging across the halls of the Athens Metropolitan Expo, underscoring the broader digital transformation in global shipping. According to a survey conducted by Posidonia Exhibitions ahead of the event, more than 40 exhibitors have already integrated AI into their operations in some

June 5 ------ Negotiations between Iran and the United States appear to be continuing, but with misleading statements emerging from both sides as to how much progress is being made. Those leaking information about the negotiations seem more interested in influencing the progress of the talks than in conveying the truth. But it seems likely that both sides are aiming initially for an extension of the ceasefire to then facilitate further negotiations, accompanied by some form o

June 5 ------ The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) raised concerns about deceptive practices at its 59th Committee meeting in Glasgow. The Committee noted a continuous rise in the detention rate to 4.18% in 2025 (up from 4.03% in 2024 and 3.81% in 2023), reinforcing the critical role of Port State Control as a vital safety net. This safety net faces additional challenges from deceptive maritime practices, which the Committee discussed with c

June 5 ------ A crude oil supertanker has been observed at Iran’s main export terminal for the first time in nearly a month, underscoring the continued disruption to Tehran’s shipping operations amid intensified U.S. maritime pressure. Satellite imagery captured by the European Union’s Sentinel-1 system shows a vessel consistent in size with a very large crude carrier (VLCC) berthed at a jetty west of Kharg Island on 2 June. According to a report by Bloomberg, no similarly si

June 4 ------ Two tankers carrying oil products exited the Strait of Hormuz over the past week, while a liquefied natural gas carrier loaded cargo in the United Arab Emirates, shipping data showed - rare movements as traffic through the chokepoint remains limited. Several tankers have managed to leave the Gulf in the past month, but oil and LNG flows are still severely constrained by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28. About a fifth of global oil and L

June 4 ------ The U.S. administration has proposed new tariffs of 10% or more on trading partners following an investigation into countries importing goods allegedly produced using forced labor. On 2 June, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said it had identified 60 economies that had failed to “impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor,” describing the situation as a burden on U.S. commerce. “This creates a dynami

June 4 ------ The European Union has proposed that the bloc's Aspides naval mission take "the primary role" in clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz "when conditions allow" as part of a Franco-British-led initiative, according to a document seen by Reuters. The European External Action Service wrote in a note dated May 26 and sent to member states that "the situation requires the Union to provide a meaningful contribution" to a coalition led by France and Britain "to be ma

June 4 ------ Plans to launch a niche cruise line dedicated to the Spanish-speaking market have been delayed, with the new firm, called Corazul, reporting it has canceled its summer season in the Mediterranean due to launch in July. The new company says that it is continuing to move forward, but it will focus on a launch in the Brazilian market during the 2026-2027 season. Corazul announced in early 2026 its plans to relaunch a dedicated Spanish cruise operation. The market

June 3 ------ At the first day of the Posidonia conference in Athens, the contours of the Western shipping industry's biggest gathering became clear: This will be the biggest Posidonia ever, following on the heels of the biggest Marintec China conference ever - a sign of the industry's health and growth. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty (and rising airfare prices), 2,200 exhibitors have descended upon the Athens Metropolitan Expo center in order to meet an est

June 3 ------ Palaemon Maritime has released its maritime security report for May 24-31, indicating that the week saw 15 maritime security incidents, with heightened activity in major maritime corridors globally, including: Black Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Finland, Gulf of Guinea, Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz. Key developments include: • A suspected pirate attack was foiled near the Gulf of Aden, with the Indian Navy deploying a helicopter and boarding team to pro

June 3 ------ Shipping companies will not be required to pay twice for carbon emissions under both the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas told delegates at the opening of Posidonia 2026 (1-5 June). Speaking at Posidonia, Tzitzikostas sought to reassure shipowners that Brussels is aware of concerns over the cost of decarbonisation and i

June 3 ------ Addressing the opening of Posidonia 2026 (1-5 June), the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, highlighted the global scale and strategic importance of the maritime sector, describing the event as one of the world’s largest gatherings of the shipping industry. Posidonia reinforces Greece’s position as a central hub where the “heart of global shipping” beats. According to the Prime Minister, the exhibition opens a window into the future of the industry

June 2 ------ Despite the current ceasefire between the United States and Iran, it remains too risky to move the thousands of sailors stuck in the Gulf, the head of the IMO said. "We will not be able to activate anything until the root causes are addressed and there is more of a final agreement, a ceasefire, or complete agreement, between the parties involved in the conflict," Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general, told Reuters on Sunday ahead of the start of the Posidonia shi

June 2 ------ Shipping executives meeting in Athens said that any peace deal worked out between the United States and Iran would need to offer clear rules allowing vessels to resume normal business via the Strait of Hormuz. Shipowners and maritime industry officials met at a Capital Link conference and other events to begin Posidonia, a week-long biennial shipping exhibition. Below are selected quotes (in alphabetical order): ARSENIO DOMINGUEZ, SECRETARY GENERAL, INTERNATIONA