1. ‘A massive ship came out of the blue’: Sailor recounts how North Sea collision unfolded. For the crew onboard the Stena Immaculate, the cargo ship which was about to plough into them seemed to just “come out of the blue”.
Within seconds, fires began to break out. Soon the flames were tearing through the jet fuel-laden vessel, triggering several explosions.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/17/a-massive-ship-came-out-of-the-blue-sailor-recounts-how-north-sea-collision-unfolded/
2. Technical neutrality under threat at IMO. SEA-LNG and its members welcome the ongoing discussions at IMO to establish technical and economic measures to achieve the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships. Despite the limited time remaining before MEPC83, we remain confident that the current negotiations will continue to progress in a positive and cooperative spirit that will ultimately lead to agreement on a fit-for-purpose, robust, and enforceable legislative framework that will accelerate the maritime energy transition.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/17/technical-neutrality-under-threat-at-imo/
3. Maritime framework in focus as Jamaica develops its maritime services. President of the Comité Maritime International delivers lecture
As Jamaica continues to develop its maritime sector, expanding its shipping services, growing its bunkering capability, and operating the country’s first floating drydock, the need for robust legal expertise and essential regulatory frameworks is paramount.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/03/17/maritime-framework-in-focus-as-jamaica-develops-its-maritime-services/
4. Trump Launches Large-Scale Strikes On Yemen’s Houthis, At Least 24 Killed. U.S. President Donald Trump launched large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday over the group’s attacks against Red Sea shipping, killing at least 24 people at the start of a campaign expected to last many days.
https://gcaptain.com/trump-launches-large-scale-strikes-on-yemens-houthis-at-least-24-killed/
5. Russian Captain Involved In US Tanker Crash Appears In UK Court. The captain of a container ship that crashed into a U.S. tanker earlier this week off Britain’s east coast appeared in an English court on Saturday charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Russian national Vladimir Motin, 59, was captain of the Portuguese-flagged Solong that hit the Stena Immaculate tanker, carrying military jet fuel, on Monday morning.
https://gcaptain.com/russian-captain-involved-in-us-tanker-crash-appears-in-uk-court/
6. UK ship collision: Solong captain charged with manslaughter; salvors board vessels. Humberside Police and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have led a joint investigation into the collision between a tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea, off the coast of East Yorkshire.Humberside Police said the captain of the Portuguese-flagged container feeder vessel Solong, 59-year-old Vladimir Motin of St Petersburg, Russia, had been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and would appear at Hull Magistrates Court on Saturday, 15 March, 2025.
https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/uk-ship-collision-smouldering-solong-towed-stena-tanker-no-visible-fire-or-pollution-8420/
7. Container Shipping Lines Association flag teething troubles at Vizhinjam Port.
With the newly opened Vizhinjam Port gears up to handle more number of ships, the Container Shipping Lines Association (India) has highlighted some challenges faced by its member lines that pose impediments in vessel operations in the port.They cited the absence of an Immigration Check Post (ICP) at Vizhinjam as a major operational barrier and have not been encountered at other ports in India.
https://www.shippingtribune.com/news/shipping/Container+Shipping+Lines+Association+flag+teething+troubles+at+Vizhinjam+Port+
8. US Starts To Build Submarine Presence On Strategic Australian Coast Under AUKUS. In the control room of the American USS Minnesota, off the Western Australian coast, sonar operators adjust to the chatter of dolphins in new waters where the U.S. submarine presence will soon grow significantly.
https://gcaptain.com/us-starts-to-build-submarine-presence-on-strategic-australian-coast-under-aukus/
9. Prices for vintage capes rise. Prices for vintage capesize bulkers are rising again, as spot rates are up around 300% in a month driven in part by an armada of ships waiting to load bauxite at West African ports.
Lila Global is widely reported to have sold a pair of 2006-built capes, the 172,000 dwt Maran Sailor and Maran Odyssey, for $19m each. In comparison, Nasdaq-listed Greek owner OceanPal sold a one-year older sister ship in January for $16.2m to China’s Rongchang Shipping.
https://splash247.com/prices-for-vintage-capes-rise/
10. Liner shipping profits forecast to slide by more than 80% this year. Liner shipping profits are forecast to slide by more than 80% this year.Analysts at Sea-Intelligence have calculated that the container shipping industry made a combined EBIT last year of $60bn, the third highest figure recorded in the history of the business, and the highest outside the covid era.
https://splash247.com/liner-shipping-profits-forecast-to-slide-by-more-than-80-this-year/