1. V.Group takes on management of International Seaways LR1 newbuilds. UK-based shipmanagement and marine services giant V.Group has secured a deal for six LR1 tanker newbuildings that US owner International Seaways expects for delivery from South Korea’s K Shipbuilding.
The René Kofod-Olsen-led company will be responsible for full technical and crew management of the scrubber-fitted, LNG-ready sextet.
https://splash247.com/v-group-takes-on-management-of-international-seaways-lr1-newbuilds/
2. INTERCARGO responds to IMO’s decision on GHG reduction measures. At last week’s landmark MEPC 83 meeting, the International Maritime Organization Member States assumed responsibility and agreed on a medium-term greenhouse gas reduction measure that differs from the levy-based approach INTERCARGO and industry partners have advocated for many years.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/17/intercargo-responds-to-imos-decision-on-ghg-reduction-measures/
3. Vertom seals 15-year deal for newbuild quartet. Dutch shipping group Vertom and Norway’s Strand Shipping have landed a 15-year charter deal with aquaculture feeds producer Skretting for four diesel-electric newbuilds.The vessels that will be deployed for the import of raw materials have been designed to reduce the environmental footprint of Skretting’s supply chain.
https://splash247.com/vertom-seals-15-year-deal-for-newbuild-quartet/
4. Blystad PSV scores Shell fixture. Norwegian shipping investor Blystad Group has seen its platform supply vessel secure employment for up to six months in UK waters.The 2010-built Songa Commander, commercially and technically managed by Remøy Shipping, has been fixed to Shell for three months firm at an undisclosed dayrate.
https://splash247.com/blystad-psv-scores-shell-fixture/
5. Pronounced spike in low-level crimes in the Singapore Strait. The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has revealed a rise in global piracy and armed robbery incidents in the first quarter of 2025 – driven by a spike of incidents in the Singapore Strait.A total of 45 cases of piracy and armed robbery against ships were recorded in the first three months of 2025 – an almost 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
https://splash247.com/pronounced-spike-in-low-level-crimes-in-the-singapore-strait/
6. Report Reveals Technical and Human Failures in 2014 Sewol Ferry Disaster. A report by South Korea’s Maritime Safety Tribunal (KMST) has identified multiple causes behind the April 16, 2014 Sewol ferry disaster that claimed 304 lives—mostly students on a school trip—in what became the country’s worst maritime disaster.
https://gcaptain.com/report-reveals-technical-and-human-failures-in-2014-sewol-ferry-disaster/
7. Greece Submits Plans on Maritime Use After Falling Foul of EU Rules. Greece has submitted plans to the EU setting out how it will organise maritime activities such as fishing, tourism and offshore energy after years of delays that drew rebuke from the European Commission.In February the EU Court of Justice ruled that Greece had violated EU regulations by failing to draft a maritime spatial plan by March 2021. The European Commission had referred Greece to the court over the delays.
https://gcaptain.com/greece-submits-plans-on-maritime-use-after-falling-foul-of-eu-rules/
8. NTSB Calls for National Reforms After Fatal Port Newark Ship Fire. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its findings on the July 2023 fire aboard the roll-on/roll-off container vessel Grande Costa D’Avorio at Port Newark, which resulted in two firefighter fatalities and over $23 million in vessel damage.
https://gcaptain.com/ntsb-calls-for-national-reforms-after-fatal-port-newark-ship-fire/
9. New era at CIBA with Vassilios Demetriades at the Helm. The Cyprus International Businesses Association (CIBA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Limassol, bringing together government officials, representatives from political parties, Αmbassadors, representatives from Chambers and Associations, business leaders, and members of the international business community.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/17/new-era-at-ciba-with-vassilios-demetriades-at-the-helm/
10. United Global Ro-Ro celebrates maiden voyage of LNG-Powered Vessel at Khalifa Port. United Global Ro-Ro, the joint venture between Noatum Maritime (part of AD Ports Group’s Maritime & Shipping Cluster) and Erkport, has celebrated a key milestone with the maiden call of its first LNG-powered Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) at Autoterminal Khalifa Port.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/17/united-global-ro-ro-celebrates-maiden-voyage-of-lng-powered-vessel-at-khalifa-port/