This year marks a turning point for the EU Emissions Trading System. After a two-year phase-in, maritime transport will face full compliance under the EU ETS, alongside an expanded scope covering additional greenhouse gases and a tighter emissions cap.
These changes reinforce the EU’s climate ambition while significantly raising the stakes for affected sectors. Continue reading “New EU ETS rules take effect from January 2026”
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has sent out a warning following a manufacturer recall of nearly 50,000 affected signal flares.
The USCG Office of Design and Engineering Standards was notified of a manufacturer recall of the Orion Skyblazer II Red XLT Aerial Signal (also called Orion XLT Skyblazer self-contained red meteor flare) due to three incidents of spontaneous combustion. There were no reported injuries. Continue reading “Safety recall of flares issued due to spontaneous combustion”
In her foreword to this year’s Review of Maritime Transport 2025 report, UNCTAD secretary-general writes as follows:
“Global maritime transport has entered uncharted waters.
Not since the closure of the Suez Canal in 1967 have we witnessed such sustained disruption to the arteries of global commerce. Ships that once transited the Red Sea in days now sail for weeks around the Cape of Good Hope. Freight rates that were relatively stable for years now swing wildly from month to month. Supply chains we thought were resilient have proven fragile. Continue reading “Review of Maritime Transport 2025 Report published by UNCTAD”
Robert van Tol will be the new executive director of SYBAss (Superyacht Builders’ Association) effective 1st of January 2026. Following his past 7 years successfully establishing and scaling up the Water Revolution Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to driving environmental progress within the yachting sector, he brings fresh energy and a modern perspective to SYBAss.
Building on SYBAss’s position in the current maritime world, Van Tol’s appointment Continue reading “SYBAss announces new Executive Director”
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has advised about upcoming amendments to the IAMSAR (International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue) Manual, which operators must have onboard their vessels in hard copy by 1 January 2026 to comply with SOLAS regulations.
According to LR, under SOLAS regulation V/21, all ships are required to carry an up-to-date copy of the IAMSAR Manual Volume III. As stated in MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.2, the IAMSAR Manual Volume III must always be available in hard Continue reading “Updated IAMSAR manual to be carried onboard from January 2026”
The is a distressing case about a fatal accident that should never have happened. And as the investigation has revealed, a series of poor, inadequate and ineffective inspections and surveys that failed to discover serious rotten wood, would appear to be largely to blame and caused historic Maine schooner demasting.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has released a critical report on the demasting of a historic schooner, blaming the catastrophic incident on rotten wood that had gone unnoticed for years due to poor inspections. About three years after the mainmast of the 144-year- old schooner Grace Bailey broke during a routine voyage, causing the death of one passenger and leaving five others injured, a detailed investigation has established that the structural integrity of the mainmast had long been compromised by rot. Continue reading “Rotten wood and poor inspection caused historic Maine schooner demasting”
At the annual members’ assembly in December, Confindustria Nautica shared its latest sector forecast based on the research department’s data-based outlook for the industry. This analysis, drawn from a survey of member companies in early December, points to a cautiously optimistic forecast for Italian marine industry especially the recreational boating and superyacht sectors.
The superyacht segment ended 2025 in a strong position. Half of surveyed companies saw their turnover grow compared to last year, and another 25 per cent reported steady results. Order books show growth rates are returning to normal, with half of yards keeping order levels steady and a quarter seeing more orders than last year. Continue reading “Italian marine industry forecast reveals positive outlook for 2026”
The Mediterranean MoU has published its Annual Report on Port State Control in the Mediterranean region for 2024.
In the report, it said its 11 member states carried out 5,993 inspections on 4,907 individual ships, and the number of detentions increased by 20% to record 196 detentions in 2024.
Out of these inspections, 61% of the inspections (3,661) recorded with deficiencies, the total number of detainable deficiencies recorded was 1,290 deficiencies—16% of those deficiencies were related to Recognised Organisations. Continue reading “Mediterranean MoU Annual Report 2024”
According to Lloyd’s List, the 2025 ranking of world-leading classification societies brings a notable shift in the maritime industry’s landscape. For the first time, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) overtakes DNV to become the largest class society in terms of gross tonnage in service — a milestone that reflects both growing capacities and changing dynamics. Meanwhile, China Classification Society (CCS) climbed from sixth to fifth place, replacing Bureau Veritas (BV) in the top-five.
This reshuffling underscores a broader transformation. Classification societies are no longer just certifiers of seaworthiness, they are becoming central actors in the shipping industry’s technological, environmental, and regulatory evolution. Continue reading “Top 10 classification societies in 2025 revealed”
Safety management system procedures were not effectively implemented when the Spirit of Tasmania I’s second engineer was seriously injured in a fall during engine maintenance earlier this year, said the final report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
What happened
At about 0600 on 6 March 2025, the second engineer of Spirit of Tasmania I began a routine oil change on one of the ship’s main engine turbochargers. Problems were encountered during the oil change, and it was decided to replace the turbocharger’s bearing housing cover plate. This significant change to the scope of work required access to the top of the engine. Continue reading “ATSB investigation into serious fall injury in engine room of Spirit of Tasmania I”
Singapore is the world’s leading container port according to a new report published by DNV and Menon Economics.
The first edition of the Leading Container Ports of the World (LCP) report also showed that Shanghai and Ningbo-Zhoushan in second and third place, with Rotterdam and Busan completing the global top five.
Maritime transport carries close to 90 percent of global trade by volume, and container ports alone handle more than 80 percent of non-bulk merchandise. Today, these ports are undergoing a profound transformation, driven by rising trade flows, rapid advances in technology, and mounting pressure to meet climate targets. Continue reading “DNV highlights leading container ports of the world”
The gas tanker had just left its berth at the Port of Brisbane when it lost propulsion for two minutes as two of its three electrical generators were not properly configured causing the Gaschem Homer blackout, according to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) final report.
What happened
At 1100 local time on 15 March 2025, Gaschem Homer was departing for sea from its berth in the port of Brisbane, Queensland, under the conduct of a harbour pilot. At 1104, while the ship was being turned towards the port’s entrance, it experienced an electrical blackout, resulting in the total loss of propulsion and steering control. About two minutes later, the crew restored the electrical power. The incident did not result in damage or injury. Continue reading “Gaschem Homer blackout due to generator issue in Port of Brisbane”
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