The Francis Scott Key Bridge Baltimore accident: Now we know the cause
You don’t need me to remind you of the catastrophic incident in March 2024, which resulted in the MV Dali totally destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, killing six highway workers in the process. It really is one of the most spectacular and tragic maritime accidents in recent times, witnessed around the world by millions. We have covered the story in more detail elsewhere in this news bulletin, Continue reading “What caught my eye: January 2026”
Well, it is not often that I find myself at the centre of the news, but so it seems this month. On my trip to Goa in September to participate in the IIMS Indian Conference, I met up with Nishit Doshi from Trader Magazine, who has closely followed the Institute’s progress over the past decade. We chatted, and I gave an exclusive interview to him. He was keen to know about my journey over the past decade, leadership ethos, and how IIMS continues to evolve and remain relevant amid sweeping changes across the maritime industry. Reading Nishit’s 
How cool to have a boat named after you. Can there be a higher accolade? I always thought a street being named after you, or a library perhaps, would be incredible, but a boat has far more cache! This was the surprise that awaited Richard Parry, the outgoing chief executive of the Canal & River Trust. Volunteers and colleagues at the charity’s base on the Grand Union’s Hatton lock flight in the UK have named a new workboat in his honour.
Dear colleague
You don’t need me to remind you of the safety concerns and issues surrounding lithium-ion battery technology. My views are well known! But this is the first instance I am aware of a narrowboat on the UK canal network exploding as a result of this battery technology. Reports suggest that debris was thrown 40ft across the canal and witnesses said the explosion was very loud and shook their boats. Fortunately, there were no injuries. This is yet another wake up call, but sadly, I suspect we will never know what caused the batteries to blow given the total destruction of the boat. 
What a truly bizarre spectacle this is. It seems that climate change is causing excessive weed growth in UK canals as of July 2025. The poor guy in the boat (pictured above) seems to have been almost swallowed whole by the green stuff which is clearly out of control. Here’s the story.
