1. INTERCARGO statement on loss of seafarers in attack on merchant ship in Odesa. The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) issued the following statement last week saying it was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of four seafarers in the attack on a bulk carrier in Odesa that occurred on 11 March 2025.
https://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/news/intercargo-statement-on-loss-of-seafarers-in-attack-on-merchant-ship-in-odesa
https://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/news/intercargo-statement-on-loss-of-seafarers-in-attack-on-merchant-ship-in-odesa
2. Sweco in a report to the Nordic Council of Ministers need for stronger waste prevention measures to accelerate the Nordic transition to a circular economy. In a new report commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Nordic Working Group for Circular Economy, Sweco recommends the governments of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland, to implement more systematic waste prevention strategies to achieve regional and national sustainability goals. The report outlines practical measures to strengthen the circular economy in the Nordics, with a particular focus on waste prevention and reuse.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/18/sweco-in-report-to-the-nordic-council-of-ministers-need-for-stronger-waste-prevention-measures-to-accelerate-the-nordic-transition-to-a-circular-economy/
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/18/sweco-in-report-to-the-nordic-council-of-ministers-need-for-stronger-waste-prevention-measures-to-accelerate-the-nordic-transition-to-a-circular-economy/
3. Orion Talent launches funded recruiting program to address skilled talent shortage in the Maritime Industrial Base. The shortage of skilled labor in the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) has reached a critical point, jeopardising shipbuilding timelines and essential operations. In response, Orion Talent is proud to announce its Navy-funded partnership with BlueForge Alliance (BFA), which focuses on recruiting next generation workforce members and securing top talent for critical roles across the MIB supply base.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/18/orion-talent-launches-funded-recruiting-program-to-address-skilled-talent-shortage-in-the-maritime-industrial-base/
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/18/orion-talent-launches-funded-recruiting-program-to-address-skilled-talent-shortage-in-the-maritime-industrial-base/
4. Trade rises at Port of Long Beach in February. Trade moving through the Port of Long Beach rose for a ninth consecutive month in February as retailers continued to move goods ahead of anticipated tariffs placed on some imported products and materials.
Dockworkers and terminal operators moved 765,385 twenty-foot equivalent units in February, up 13.4% from the same month last year. Imports rose 11.8% to 368,669 TEUs and exports increased 2.9% to 90,026 TEUs. Empty containers moving through the Port climbed 19.1% to 306,690 TEUs.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/18/trade-rises-at-port-of-long-beach-in-february/
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/18/trade-rises-at-port-of-long-beach-in-february/
5. Navigator wraps up ethylene carrier trio buy. New York-listed Navigator Holdings has completed the final acquisition of three handysize ethylene carriers set to complement the recently expanded export terminal at Morgan’s Point in Texas.
The company owns the Morgan’s Point ethylene export terminal in a 50-50 joint venture with Enterprise Products Partners.
https://splash247.com/navigator-wraps-up-ethylene-carrier-trio-buy/
https://splash247.com/navigator-wraps-up-ethylene-carrier-trio-buy/
6. Jan De Nul and Hellenic Cables ink framework deal with National Grid. Belgium’s Jan De Nul and its Greek consortium partner Hellenic Cables, have signed a framework agreement with British utility National Grid for future HVDC cable projects across the UK and Europe. The deal will entitle the consortium to participate in upcoming tenders for call-off projects for the design, manufacturing, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of HVDC cable systems as part of National Grid’s large-scale offshore and onshore transmission infrastructure investment program.
https://splash247.com/jan-de-nul-and-hellenic-cables-ink-framework-deal-with-national-grid/
https://splash247.com/jan-de-nul-and-hellenic-cables-ink-framework-deal-with-national-grid/
7. Only One Tank Containing Jet Fuel Damaged in Ship Crash Off Britain. Only one tank filled with jet fuel was damaged after the U.S. military-contracted tanker that was transporting a shipment was struck by a cargo ship off England’s northeast coast, U.S. logistics firm Crowley said.The tanker, Stena Immaculate, which can carry tens of thousands of tons of jet fuel, was at anchor on March 10 off Humberside when it was struck by the smaller Solong. Fires and explosions broke out.
https://gcaptain.com/only-one-tank-containing-jet-fuel-damaged-in-ship-crash-off-britain/
https://gcaptain.com/only-one-tank-containing-jet-fuel-damaged-in-ship-crash-off-britain/
8. Chokepoints Are The Focus Of A New Cold War. In 1883, Alfred Thayer Mahan laid out the brutal truth of global power: Whoever rules the waves rules the world. He wasn’t just talking about fleets of warships. He was talking about chokepoints—the narrow passages through which the vast majority of the world’s trade must pass. Control them, and you don’t need to launch an invasion. You can starve an economy and restrict military sealift without ever firing a shot.
https://gcaptain.com/chokepoints-are-the-focus-of-a-new-cold-war/
https://gcaptain.com/chokepoints-are-the-focus-of-a-new-cold-war/
9. ‘Technical neutrality’ under threat at IMO, warns SEA-LNG lobby. At the upcoming Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting (MEPC 83) at IMO headquarters from 7 to 11 April, the Committee is expected to agree on new measures to bolster climate action and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, with a view to adoption in October 2025.
https://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/news/technical-neutrality-under-threat-at-imo-warns-sea-lng-lobby
https://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/news/technical-neutrality-under-threat-at-imo-warns-sea-lng-lobby
10. The next big maritime tech breakthroughs. For Mikael Skov, who heads up Hafnia, the world’s largest product tanker owner, artificial intelligence emissions reduction and autonomous vessels are likely going to be the biggest tech breakthroughs in general in the industry due to their direct impact on both operational costs and environmental sustainability.
https://splash247.com/the-next-big-maritime-tech-breakthroughs/
https://splash247.com/the-next-big-maritime-tech-breakthroughs/