Global News

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.

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.

The Russian-flagged Ro-Ro vessel Lady Mariia was attacked by several drones while sailing through the central Mediterranean, Maritime Executive reports. The ship left Oran, Algeria, on September 1 and was later tracked east of Malta. The attack reportedly took place between Crete and Libya.

Norway will provide assistance to Russian citizens left in a difficult situation in Svalbard after the seizure of the Professor Molchanov. The vessel was detained in the Arctic archipelago following a Norwegian court order linked to a legal claim by Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz, Reuters reports.

APM Terminals, part of Maersk, is in talks to help develop Nigeria’s planned Badagry deepsea port. The project could become a new major container gateway for Nigeria and West Africa. APM Terminals has signed an agreement to start exclusive negotiations with the project developers, Splash 247 reports.

Ilya Espino de Marotta has taken over as Administrator of the Panama Canal, becoming the first woman to lead the waterway. She will serve a seven-year term through 2033 as the Canal faces growing water concerns and plans major infrastructure projects, GCaptain reports.

Taiwanese shipping company Yang Ming has ordered six 13,650-TEU LNG dual-fuel containerships from South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean. The $1.14 billion order is part of Yang Ming’s plan to renew and improve its fleet, The Maritime Telegraph reports.

Ten crew members are missing after the Turkish-flagged general cargo ship Tugberk Imamoglu sank following a collision with the product tanker Alsu in the Sea of Marmara on September 2, The Maritime Telegraph reports.

CSSC Shipping is expanding its dry bulk portfolio with 10 new 80,000 dwt bulk carriers in China, Splash 247 reports. The deal is worth around $481 million and will add a large block of new tonnage to the company’s fleet.

DP World has named its first methanol dual-fuel vessel, DP World London, during a ceremony in Aarhus, Denmark. The new container ship is part of the company’s fleet modernisation strategy and its move toward lower-emission shipping solutions, Marine Insight reports.

The Panama Canal is changing its booking system to give shipping companies more flexibility as water conditions put pressure on available transit capacity, Splash 247 reports. The temporary changes will apply to Neopanamax vessels and are designed to make better use of the canal’s limited capacity.

Greek shipowner Enesel is expanding its return to the dry bulk market with a new 210,000-dwt Newcastlemax at a Chinese shipyard. Splash 247 reports that the latest deal brings Enesel’s dry bulk newbuilding programme to nine vessels, little more than a year after the company exited the sector.

Seaspan has reached investment grade status after Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) upgraded its issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to BBB- from BB+, Seaspan announced on August 27. KBRA also affirmed Seaspan’s senior secured debt rating at BBB.

Two of Maersk’s largest container ships passed through the Suez Canal together on August 22, Maritime Executive reports. The move is part of Maersk’s efforts to return more vessels to the Suez-Red Sea route and improve sailing efficiency.

More than 90 seafarers are being held by pirates and armed robbers in the Gulf of Aden and nearby waters as piracy resurges in the region, Splash 247 reports, citing the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Canada’s largest icebreaker, CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent, reached the North Pole on August 16 during its 2026 Arctic mission, Maritime Executive reports. The vessel is collecting scientific data to help Canada map the limits of its continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Helsinki Shipyard has won a contract to build Finland’s next icebreaker, Splash 247 reported. The 96-meter vessel, named Aino, will replace the 1954-built Voima. Construction is planned to start in 2027, with delivery scheduled for September 2029. Sata Shipbuilding in Pori will produce the steel and ship blocks, while final assembly will take place in Helsinki.

Container shipping is slowly returning to the Suez Canal as major carriers reassess the security risks in the Red Sea. The Maritime Executive reports that MSC is the latest major carrier to test the route.