1. Port Pro of the Month: Thessaloniki. The Port of Thessaloniki hosted this year’s ESPO Conference. We thought it would be interesting to talk to Ioannis Tsaras, CEO of the Port of Thessaloniki (ThPA S.A). In the following sections, you will learn more about innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation in this Greek port, as well as the importance of resilience in the port sector. Discover more fascinating topics addressed by our Port Professional of the month below!
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/07/04/port-pro-of-the-month-thessaloniki/
2. IMO targets seafarer fatigue, work and rest hours, and harassment at sea. IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee seeks stronger compliance with global safety management standards to protect crew welfare.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is taking action to ensure that ships worldwide are safely managed and operated, with a renewed focus on seafarer issues such as work and rest hours, fatigue, and violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/07/04/imo-targets-seafarer-fatigue-work-and-rest-hours-and-harassment-at-sea/
3. Fitch Ratings Raises Near-Term Oil and Henry Hub Gas Price Assumptions. Fitch Ratings has raised its 2025 oil price assumptions due to higher geopolitical risks, and has increased its Henry Hub natural gas price assumptions for 2025-2027, reflecting increasing exports and reducing storage levels. Our medium-term and mid-cycle assumptions for oil and all European gas price assumptions are unchanged.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/07/04/fitch-ratings-raises-near-term-oil-and-henry-hub-gas-price-assumptions/
4. U-Freight named top shipper by Cebu Pacific. For the fifth year in succession, the U-Freight Group has been recognised as a Top Shipper of Cebu Pacific for 2024, following a remarkable year in which the company handled over 2,300 tonnes of cargo via the airline.
The award was formally presented at Cebu Pacific’s annual Eagle Wings Cargo Awards Ceremony held in Manila where Joey Cheung, general manager (pictured above left, receiving the award) and Terry Yau, sales director, (picture above – second left – in the group photo, alongside Joey) were in attendance.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/07/04/u-freight-named-top-shipper-by-cebu-pacific/
5. Saudi Red Sea Authority regulates Coastal Tourism and attracts investments. The Saudi Red Sea Authority launched a new media campaign highlighting its pioneering role in regulating and developing the Saudi’s coastal tourism sector. Central to this effort is the introduction of a comprehensive set of regulatory frameworks and technical codes designed to reshape the sector’s landscape, boost its appeal to tourists, operators, and investors alike, and activate collaborative synergies across the public, private, and third sectors all supported by the unmatched natural assets of Saudi Arabia’s western coastline.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/07/04/saudi-red-sea-authority-regulates-coastal-tourism-and-attracts-investments/
6. Ocean Installer vessel scores offshore wind cabling work. Marine construction contractor Ocean Installer, a Moreld subsidiary, has won two new contracts for the North Sea Giant subsea construction vessel.The 2011-built vessel will be used in the offshore wind market for cable repair and cable installation gigs. The contracts are expected to take approximately three months of offshore work to complete.
https://splash247.com/ocean-installer-vessel-scores-offshore-wind-cabling-work/
7. Limpet mine threat in the Mediterranean grows. A series of suspected limpet mine attacks and unexplained blasts targeting commercial tankers in the Mediterranean has reignited concern over the evolving nature of maritime threats. “These incidents – marked by stealth, ambiguity, and geopolitical undertones – signal a shift in the maritime risk landscape that demands a recalibration of both operational vigilance and strategic foresight,” Norwegian P&I club Skuld urged in a release.
https://splash247.com/limpet-mine-threat-in-the-mediterranean-grows/
8. Two dead, six injured in latest Russian missile attack on Odesa port. The port of Odesa endured another devastating missile strike yesterday, resulting in the deaths of two individuals and injuries to six others, including two foreign nationals working on a , Sao Tome & Principe general cargo ship. The missile struck the berth where the vessel was unloading a shipment of metal, according to Ambrey, a maritime security specialist. Damage to gantry cranes, warehouses and port equipment was reported at the berth.
https://splash247.com/two-dead-six-injured-in-latest-russian-missile-attack-on-odesa-port/
9. Chinese Captain in Baltic Sea Cable Damage Case Appears in Hong Kong Court. The captain of a Hong Kong-registered ship alleged to have damaged undersea cables in the Baltic Sea was assigned a lawyer in a Hong Kong court on Friday, with the case adjourned until September to allow the prosecution to gather more evidence. Wan Wenguo, the captain of the container ship NewNew Polar Bear, appeared in Hong Kong’s Eastern magistrates’ court without legal representation so was assigned a duty lawyer by the court.
https://gcaptain.com/chinese-captain-in-baltic-sea-cable-damage-case-appears-in-hong-kong-court/
10. Trump Bill Secures $9 Billion for U.S. Arctic Surge, Six New Icebreakers to Counter Russian and Chinese Dominance. President Trump’s vast tax and spending bill has secured funds the U.S. Coast Guard has been searching for since the early 2010s. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” appropriates close to $9 billion for the expansion of the Coast Guard’s Arctic icebreaker fleet. It also sets aside $300 million for infrastructure upgrades related to the homeporting of the newly acquired Storis icebreaker in Juneau, Alaska.
https://gcaptain.com/trump-bill-secures-9-billion-for-u-s-arctic-surge-six-new-icebreakers-to-counter-russian-and-chinese-dominance/