India’s Great Eastern Shipping is adding a new 157,000-dwt Suezmax tanker to its fleet. The vessel will be built by a major shipbuilder in the Far East and is expected to be delivered between October 2028 and March 2029. Splash 247 reports.
Danish chemical tanker company Uni-Tankers is renewing its fleet with eight new stainless steel tankers. The 7,600 dwt ships will be built by state-owned Haidong Shipyard in Taizhou, China, with deliveries starting in 2028. Uni-Tankers confirmed the programme on LinkedIn, while Splash 247 reported that it is part of the company’s plan to replace older vessels.
Puntland Maritime Police Force has rescued the tanker Sibu 1 after Somali pirates held it for more than a month, The Maritime Telegraph reports, citing Reuters.
A seafarer was killed after the capesize bulker Cape Dao was hit while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on September 23. The 2002-built ship, flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag, was struck off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. The attack caused a fire in the engine room and left the vessel drifting, Splash 247 reported.
Shipping is making progress with cleaner fuels, but uncertainty over the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework could slow the transition. A new report from the UCL Energy Institute and the Getting to Zero Coalition shows that technology is moving forward, while demand, investment and policy support remain weaker, reports gCaptain.
Oil producers in the Gulf are using ship-to-ship (STS) transfers off Oman to keep oil exports moving while the Strait of Hormuz remains under pressure. Shuttle tankers carry crude from Gulf terminals to safer waters, where the oil is transferred to larger vessels for trips to Asia.
A Chinese Coast Guard ship rammed the Philippine fisheries vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat off Palawan on September 18, adding to growing tensions in the South China Sea. The Philippine vessel was carrying fuel for local fishermen when the Chinese ship made two close passes and hit it during the second one, damaging parts of the deck. No one was injured, Maritime Executive reported.
Two commercial ships heading to the United States were boarded by US Coast Guard and FBI teams after authorities received indications that their computer networks had been compromised, Reuters reported.
Celebrity Cruises has reached a major milestone in its move into European river cruising. The first hull of its new river fleet has been floated in the Netherlands and moved to another yard for interior work. The ship, Celebrity Compass, is scheduled to enter service in August 2027, Maritime Executive reports.
Turkey’s GSD Holding has ordered another Japanese-built bulker as part of its fleet renewal programme. The company has signed a contract for a 40,300 dwt handysize vessel, with delivery planned for 2030, Splash 247 reports.
Spanish authorities have seized 3.36 tonnes of cocaine after intercepting a high-speed boat south of Gran Canaria, Maritime Executive reports. The Guardia Civil found the drugs in 139 packages after officers chased the RIB and detained its five crew members.
The International Maritime Organization has ended four days of talks on its proposed Net-Zero Framework without reaching a final agreement. The discussions showed some progress, but key issues remain unresolved, Maritime Executive reports.
