1. Diversity and inclusion training should become mandatory to eradicate LGBTQ+ harassment at sea, says Columbia crew member. Columbia Group is calling for greater awareness and education around diversity and inclusion across the maritime industry, after a young crew member spoke out about the fear and anxiety LGBTQ+ individuals may face when considering a career at sea.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/08/01/diversity-and-inclusion-training-should-become-mandatory-to-eradicate-lgbtq-harassment-at-sea-says-columbia-crew-member/
2. UK P&I Club announces launch of UK Fixed.
The UK P&I Club has introduced UK Fixed, its Fixed Premium Protection & Indemnity (P&I) product for owners of smaller vessels, following the integration of Thomas Miller Specialty Marine (TMS) into the Club’s operations.
https://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/news/uk-pampi-club-announces-launch-of-uk-fixed
3. Madagascar launches $7 million initiative to protect coasts from climate change. Madagascar has officially launched a landmark initiative aimed at enhancing climate resilience by restoring critical coastal ecosystems and improving livelihoods across vulnerable regions. Nearly 100,000 people are expected to benefit directly across four key coastal regions—Boeny, Menabe, Diana, and Atsimo Atsinanana—where climate impacts are already threatening both livelihoods and biodiversity.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/08/01/madagascar-launches-7-million-initiative-to-protect-coasts-from-climate-change/
4. Harbor Commission Vice President Frank Colonna elected Monday as President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. Harbor Commission Vice President Frank Colonna was elected Monday as President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners, the five-person board that oversees the Port of Long Beach.
The Board also selected Steven Neal as Vice President and Sharon L. Weissman as Secretary.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/08/01/colonna-elected-harbor-commission-president/
5. US trade deals are not a magic bullet to breathe new life into subdued ocean container market as freight rates continue to plummet. Do not expect the EU-US tariff agreement or US-China negotiations in Stockholm this week over a new trade deal to breathe life into ocean container shipping demand or halt the dramatic decline in freight rates in 2025, analysts warn.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/08/01/us-trade-deals-are-not-a-magic-bullet-to-breathe-new-life-into-subdued-ocean-container-market-as-freight-rates-continue-to-plummet/
6. ‘Unexciting’ container market sees liner CFOs adjusting full-year forecasts. The outlook for the second half of 2025 in the global container shipping market is shaping up to be a disappointing one, with weak demand, overcapacity, and trade policy turbulence leading liners to rethink their full-year financial outlook. Today saw Japan’s Ocean Network Express revise downwards its projections for the full fiscal year, other lines are likely to follow suit.
https://splash247.com/unexciting-container-market-sees-liner-cfos-adjusting-full-year-forecasts/
7. Malaysia cracks down on illegal ship-to-ship transfers. Malaysia has introduced new regulations to combat illegal ship-to-ship (STS) oil transfers in its territorial waters, a move that could disrupt operations of the so-called shadow tanker fleet moving sanctioned oil to China.
https://splash247.com/malaysia-cracks-down-on-illegal-ship-to-ship-transfers/
8. Hutchison faces court challenge for control of ports in Panama. The future of two of Panama’s most strategic ports is hanging in the balance after president José Raúl Mulino said on Thursday that public-private partnerships could assume control of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals if the courts strike down the operating contract of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings.
https://splash247.com/hutchison-faces-court-challenge-for-control-of-ports-in-panama/
9. VesselBot provides data-driven look at emerging patterns in maritime emissions. In its latest quarterly analysis titled ‘Decoding Maritime Emissions, Q2 2025: A Data-Driven Look at Emerging Patterns’, VesselBot delivers unprecedented granular analysis that examines the maritime industry through an entirely new lens. This comprehensive study analyzes maritime performance by vessel size, age, shipbuilding origin, and trade route, providing groundbreaking insights into fleet performance variations.
https://www.shipmanagementinternational.com/news/vesselbot-provides-data-driven-look-at-emerging-patterns-in-maritime-emissions
10. Tech Tools for seafarer health need context, not control, say Industry experts at OneCare Group, urging responsible, seafarer-led use of wearables. The shipping industry must rethink how it deploys health tracking tools at sea, with experts warning that wearables and diagnostic technologies, when issued without proper explanation, can negatively affect seafarer wellbeing.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/08/01/tech-tools-for-seafarer-health-need-context-not-control-say-industry-experts-at-onecare-group-urging-responsible-seafarer-led-use-of-wearables/