The Saba Shipping’s Mega Star has become the largest ever bulk carrier to call at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port. The 229 metre-long Mega Star was carrying around 79,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel from Turkey, destined for Dubai. Last month, Jebel Ali Port welcomed the first scheduled vessel to call at its
The supply/demand imbalance that drove dry bulk markets down to 2009 levels during the first half of the 2014 is set for adjustment, with London-headquartered ship management company Newport Shipping Group predicting an improved tonnage balance over the next couple of years, resulting in a freight r
Member shipping lines in the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA)’s westbound section have recommended a quarterly low-sulfur charge of USD 47 per 40-foot container (FEU) and USD 38 per 20-foot container (TEU) from the U.S. West Coast, and USD 95 per FEU and USD 76 per TEU from the East and Gu
Since over 90% of the entire World’s trade occurs by the sea, it is important for its entirety to be carefully preserved in order to ensure that successful trade is not threatened. Numerous developments were made in these laws that established power over things like general security and trading prac
Security should be raised on oil tankers and other merchant fleet tonnage to counter the threat of terrorist attack in the Middle East, according to an advisory issued by Malta-based Maritime Asset Security & Training (MAST). The company put out its warning after Al-Qaeda insinuated it could execute
Human influence on the climate system has seen the sea rise and the concentration of carbon dioxide increase to an unprecedented level, UN’s Climate Change Synthesis Report for 2014 finds. The Synthesis Report distils and integrates the findings of the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (
Growth across major trade lanes is expected to reach 5.5% in 2015, according to Drewry’s Outlook for Container Shipping Webinar presentation held on Thursday. Drewry’s data estimate that average rates will decline by 3-4% globally next year, stressing the need for operators to cut costs. The freight
Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) has helped save almost 3,000 lives in the Mediterranean Sea during its 60-day mission which comes to an end today, October 31. Just this week, under the direction of Italy’s Rescue Coordination Centre, the MOAS crew rescued 331 people from two boats in
The rescue of all persons in distress at sea – including illegal migrants – is an obligation under international maritime law, as well as being a long established humanitarian duty, says the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS). ICS said that its member commercial ship operators are involved on a
Despite IMO’s recommendation to keep maritime business as usual in Ebola-affected areas players from the global shipping industry have already adopted a different approach in dealing with vessels that have called in the region. Countries from Europe, the US, Latin America and Asia have introduced he
A fire broke out on Tuesday night in Port Klang, Malaysia after two containerships brushed against each other in wharf. The two boxships involved in the accident are San Felipe managed by Ship Finance International (SFI) and United Arab Shipping Co’s (UASC) Al Riffa. Al Riffa had to be towed 1km awa
The U.K. Government has decided to end British support for search-and-rescue operations for migrants in danger of drowning in the Mediterranean, in what The Guardian described as a ”quiet announcement”. Mare Nostrum, the Italian-funded search and rescue operation focused on helping people whose boat
Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) has for the first time delivered LNG on-board a Q-Max Vessel to the Dubai Supply Authority (DUSUP) LNG Terminal located at the Jebel Ali Port. The Q-Max LNG Vessel “Lijmiliya” has a capacity of 263,000 cubic meters, a length of 345 meters and is one of t
Women seem to be blazing a new trail in marine engineering education in Oman, and the Middle East as more female students opt for this highly coveted profession. Mir and Hajar are graduates from the International Maritime College Oman (IMCO) in the Omani city of Sohar. They became friends after enro
