Philippine News

November 7 ------ Despite reporting better than expected third quarter results and narrowing the range for its yearly income estimate, investor concerns continue to grow on the container shipping segment as Maersk pointed to continuing issues. While it reported strong quarterly results, it was the underlying issues around freight rates that raised the greatest concern for Maersk and the industry more broadly. Among the first of the large, publicly traded container carriers to

November 7 ------ Lloyd’s Register (LR), in collaboration with COSCO Shipping Group, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the University of Southampton, has launched a new center for developing and testing zero-carbon and intelligent-ship technologies. Named the International Maritime Future Technologies Innovation Centre, this virtual center aims to advance research and development in low- and zero-carbon maritime technologies, intelligent ship systems, and digital innovation.

November 6 ------ The annual report of the Panel of Experts on Yemen has an established reputation for producing carefully researched and well-substantiated information, and this latest report identifies that sanctions imposed on the Houthis have been relatively ineffective in constraining their ability to purchase equipment needed to mount their attacks on shipping. The report identifies an increase in arms shipment seizures, which it attributes mostly to the closure of port

November 6 ------ The European Commission has adopted the Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) which sets out a common approach to boost investments in renewable and low-carbon fuels focusing on waterborne and aviation transport. The plan responds to the urgent need of Europe’s transport and fuels industry to unlock investments and scale up production of renewable and low-carbon fuels and is part of a comprehensive transport package introduced on November 5, 2025. Wha

November 6 ------ Officials in the Philippines are trying to understand how containers with radioactive dust were exported and now what to do with them since they have been sent back to the country. The Philippines is demanding that one of the country’s steel producers take responsibility for the cargo, while the company denies involvement and says only the government has the ability to handle the contaminated cargo. The case has intensified, according to a report from Bloomb

November 6 ------ Eight months after going public with plans to launch a resident cruise line called Crescent Seas, the company has relinquished charter agreements with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) for two cruise ships, instead saying it is focusing on plans for a newbuild. It becomes the latest in a series of efforts that tried but failed in concepts to convert existing cruise ships into residences at sea. “In the six months since launching Crescent Seas, the brand

November 5 ------ Last week at the annual IISS Manama Dialogues in Bahrain, Cyprus' foreign minister warned that the security situation around the waters bordering Yemen is on the brink of worsening significantly. Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos observed that Cyprus, besides being located astride major global shipping routes and being closer to Yemen than to Brussels, Cyprus "has the eleventh largest commercial fleet in the world and the third biggest in the EU . . . [an

November 5 ------ The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) and the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) have formed a partnership to reinforce collaboration between the dry bulk shipping and marine fuels communities, with a focus on decarbonization, safety, and quality. The two organizations entered into a reciprocal membership agreement to formalize their working relationship, underscoring the shared commitment to advancing safe, efficie

November 5 ------ Philippine officials are reporting that there were no injuries as two ferries made contact early on Tuesday, November 4, in an apparent docking accident. The Coast Guard believes it was due to the rough weather, as one of the strongest typhoons of the season was passing through the central Philippines. The passenger car RoRo ferry Maria Rebecca was arriving at Jolo, an island in the southern Philippines, on Tuesday morning. Built in 1972, the 748 gross ton f

November 5 ------ Vietnamese officials report efforts are underway to secure a larger dry bulk carrier that was damaged in a grounding a week ago. The goal is to secure the vessel ahead of a strong approach typhoon. The Star Bueno (178,978 dwt) was arriving from South Africa, carrying a load of iron ore and waiting for its berth on October 25. The area was overtaken by a strong monsoon with winds and waves which washed through the anchorage. The vessel dragged anchor and, eve

November 4 ------ A product tanker operated by Stolt Tankers sailing near the coast of Somalia is reporting shots fired and a possible boarding attempt. It is the latest in a series of suspicious activities being reported in the past few days, increasing fears of renewed piracy in the region. Several security consultancies reported the incident, which was later confirmed by Stolt as well as the UK and EU forces in the region. The tanker Stolt Sagaland (44,000 dwt) was underwa

November 4 ------ The Clean Arctic Alliance has welcomed the Nordic Council’s adoption of a resolution concerning polar fuels, which calls on Nordic governments to craft and implement a regulation that would mandate the application of cleaner, marine fuels that could cut black carbon emissions whilst operating in the Arctic region. The Nordic Council had adopted the resolution, which called on the UN’s shipping body International Maritime Organization (IMO) specifically to cr

November 4 ------ The White House issued its fact sheet detailing the scope of the agreements reached with China during the meeting between the two countries’ presidents and discussions among the staff to make the agreements actionable. As reported last week, the U.S. and China will suspend the special port fees introduced against each other’s ships, as well start large agricultural shipments to China. The United States confirmed it will suspend, starting on November 10, for

November 4 ------ Satellite imaging of the loading terminal at Tuapse, Russia confirms that oil was spilled after the Ukrainian attack last weekend. The strike was a rare example of a Ukrainian attempt to target foreign-flag merchant tankers; historically it has limited its efforts to Russian-flagged vessels and shoreside infrastructure. The Telegram channel Dosye Shpiona ("Spy Dossier") - often cited by Russian military analysts - claimed that the prolonged, large-scale atta

November 3 ------ The Mission to Seafarers released its latest edition of the Seafarers Happiness Index, and it shows that after a period of encouraging improvement earlier this year, perception of working and living conditions at sea has taken a turn for the worse. With most indicators that define the lives of seafarers on a decline, the index shows that the average happiness level has plunged to 7.05 out of 10 in the third quarter of 2025. This is a sharp decline from 7.54

November 3 ------ Debate over whether the Hong Kong Convention’s (HKC) flag-state International Ready for Recycling Certificate (IRRC) can substitute for the Basel Convention’s Prior Informed Consent (PIC) goes to the heart of how the world manages end-of-life ships. Proponents claim the HKC delivers equivalent level of environmental protection through HKC compliant yards, Inventories of Hazardous Materials (IHM), and Ship Recycling Plans (SRP) tailored to vessels followed by

November 3 ------ Dutch maritime solar innovator Wattlab has delivered a seaworthy solar energy system for a diesel-electric vessel owned by compatriot shortsea shipping company Vertom. After two successful pilots with Wattlab in three years, Vertom chose to outfit its latest coaster with 79 kWp of installed solar power – the first seagoing vessel to do so. The 7,280-dwt diesel-electric multipurpose cargo vessel MV Vertom Tula was delivered earlier this year. As explained, th

November 3 ------ The U.S. military has eliminated another suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean, neutralizing a suspected cocaine shipment and three vessel operators. The 15th strike brings the number of suspected narco-traffickers eliminated using lethal force to more than 60 individuals. "This vessel—like every other—was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying nar

November 2 ------ The never-ending controversy over commercial ships' threats to endangered whales and other species in the Californian waters has flared up again after conservationist groups sued the Trump administration for failure to protect the mammals. With reports showing that at least 10 gray whales have been killed by probable ship strikes in the San Francisco Bay Area so far this year, while several more whales have died from undetermined causes, the Center for Biolo

November 2 ------ The energy sector is often front and center when the discussion revolves around breakbulk and heavy-lift cargoes. Windmills, on land or anchored to the ocean floor, have been all the rage for the past several years. And why not? Energy makes the world go around - whether it's green or liquid gold. Dry bulk is another sector critical to our developing society. However, dry bulk products, like breakbulk cargoes, would not be available or accessible were it no