Two U.S. Naval supply ships collided in the Gulf of Aden November 20 at 5:26 a.m. local time with no injuries to crew members, the U.S. navy reports. USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6) and USNS Walter S. Diehl (T-AO 193) collided as they were beginning an underway replenishment operation. Initial reports
Small island developing states (SIDS) face severe and complex transport challenges, UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2014 reports. For UNCTAD, the way forward requires a portfolio of measures spanning a range of areas, including trade logistics, climate change and resilience-building, energy, a
Israeli containership owner and operator ZIM has managed to cut its loss for the quarter ending September 30 on the back of improved freight rates and the decline in fuel prices, the company said in its financial report for the third quarter 2014. The USD 3.4 billion debt restructuring, which includ
The Drewry All Earnings Index, which covers the main bulk shipping markets, jumped 53% in October to stand at 200 points on account of large gains for tanker owners, according to the Shipping Insight report published by shipping consultancy Drewry. Suezmax tankers registered a remarkable 400% gain o
The European Shippers’ Council (ESC) says that shipping industry needs a global authority to keep Vessel Sharing Alliances (VSA) in check, as they are a risky development for the free market for transportation of goods over sea. According to the ESC, the global market will be in the hands of four ma
The tendency to impose trade-restricting measures remains strong among the EU’s commercial partners, fuelling continuing uncertainty in the world economy, the European Commission’s annual report on protectionism shows. The 11th Report on potentially trade-restrictive measures focuses on the period b
DP World’s flagship Jebel Ali Port is the world’s most productive according to the latest port productivity report from the US-based Journal of Commerce (JOC). The rankings are based on the average moves of containers per ship, per hour, in 2013 as reported by shipping lines themselves, representing
The recent Containerisation International (CI) shipper sentiment survey has shown that shippers are worried about Vessel Sharing Alliances (VSA), with 70% of respondents expressing concern about the prospect of reduced competition with fewer global carriers, the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) reports.
The AIDAaura cruise ship visited Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port for the first time on Monday, November 17. This is the port’s second vessel call in the cruise season 2014/15 which according to Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) will be the busiest to date. The AIDAaura belongs to German tour operator AIDA Cruis
IMO Secretary-General Sekimizu has opened the 94th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) on Monday, which is being chaired by Mr Christian Breinholt of Denmark. The MSC is expected to consider and adopt the Polar Code and related amendments to SOLAS to make it mandatory; approve SOLAS amend
The global drowning report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) is shocking, and the worldwide loss of 372,000 lives to drowning each year is both disturbing and unacceptable, the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) said in a written statement. The IMRF welcomes the report for
Dubai-based Drydocks World has contracted Wärtsilä to design and supply the propulsion and other equipment for a new harbour tug that will operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG), making it the first harbour tug in the Middle East region to operate on gas. The 29 metre long tug is the first of a seri
Since the entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006), 113 ships were detained by one of the Paris MoU Authorities for MLC-related deficiencies, Paris MoU said in a release. This represents 17.4% of the total number of detentions (649) in the Paris MoU during this period. During t
United Nations and other leading international transport, trade and tourism organizations expressed concern about the reported denial of medical care for ill seafarers on board ships that had previously called at ports in Ebola-affected countries. In a statement, the Travel and Transport Task Force
