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A K M Masud Karim...
A K M Masud Karim (21E) appointed as Deputy Director at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) A K M...
Maersk suspends bookings between Bangladesh...
Danish shipping giant Maersk has suspended all new cargo bookings between the Indian subcontinent, including Bangladesh, and the Gulf...
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz...
A commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said the Strait of Hormuz is closed and warned that...
Qatar LNG Shutdown Sends European...
(Bloomberg) – Qatar shut down liquefied natural gas production at the world’s largest export facility after it was targeted...
U.S.-Flagged Stena Tanker Hit by Iranian Missiles During Attack on Bahrain...
posted on: Mar 4, 2026
A tanker supplying fuel to the U.S. military was damaged early on Monday morning, March 2, as Iran continued its retaliatory strikes on neighboring countries. The crew of the tanker Stena Imperative was safely evacuated, but reports indicate one shipyard worker was killed and two others seriously injured. The tanker Stena Imperative (49,800 dwt) appears to have been docked in Bahrain for the past few days as part of its participation in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Tanker Security Program. U.S.-based shipping manager Crowley had highlighted in 2023 that it, along with its partner Stena Bulk USA, received the contract for three tankers to transport liquid fuel supplies in times of need for the U.S. Department of Defense. The tankers were Stena Immaculate, Stena Imperative, and Stena Impeccable, with Stena Immaculate involved in the allision in March 2025 off the coast of England when it was struck by a Portuguese-flagged containership. In a statement to the wire services,...
At Least 150 Oil and Gas Tankers Drop Anchor in Gulf Waters After Strikes on Iran...
posted on: Mar 3, 2026
By Jonathan Saul LONDON (Reuters) – At least 150 tankers, including crude and LNG vessels, dropped anchor in open Gulf waters beyond the Strait of Hormuz and dozens more were stationary on the other side of the chokepoint, shipping data showed on Sunday, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran plunged the region into turmoil. The tankers were clustered in open waters off the coasts of major Gulf oil producers, including Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as well as liquefied natural gas giant Qatar, according to Reuters estimates based on ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform. Many of the vessels were stationary within exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the key Gulf countries, including Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, according to MarineTraffic data. An EEZ extends up to 24 miles and beyond local territorial limits of 12 nautical miles. Dozens of cargo ships were separately clustered across various EEZs, the data showed. Critical Chokepoint...
Hormuz on the brink as Middle East conflict disrupts global shipping...
posted on: Mar 3, 2026
A dramatic military escalation between the United States, Israel and Iran has pushed the Strait of Hormuz into the centre of an active conflict zone, rattling energy markets and placing global shipping on high alert. The last 48 hours have seen the Middle East erupt as the United States and Israel began conducting extensive strikes against a wide range of targets in Iran. The strikes have been dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the United States and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel. Trump has said the aim of the operation is to “ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.” The US and Israel carried out a joint military operation on 28 February, targeting sites in Iran. Iran has responded with retaliatory military action. In response, Iran launched retaliatory military strikes targeting several American military bases in the Middle East, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)....
Chokepoints Under Pressure: When Geography and Conflict Strain the Arteries of Global Trade...
posted on: Mar 3, 2026
There are moments when geopolitics feels distant from daily life. This is not one of them. By Paul Morgan (gCaptain) – With confirmed US–Israeli strikes on Iran, renewed Houthi threat signalling in the Red Sea, and elevated instability across parts of the North Arabian Sea and Pakistan’s coastal flank, as well as the Russia – Ukraine conflict, the world’s maritime system is once again operating under simultaneous pressure. Two of the most critical corridors on the planet are under strain at the same time. That is not a theoretical modelling exercise for risk analysts. It is operational reality. Around 80 per cent of international trade by volume moves by sea. Energy, grain, fertiliser, industrial components, medical supplies and consumer goods all depend on uninterrupted maritime flow. When shipping works, it is invisible. When it falters, consequences appear quickly, first in energy markets, then in food supply, then in industrial production. The...
Iran-US conflict: Bangladesh in close contact with vessel at UAE port...
posted on: Mar 2, 2026
Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) is maintaining close communication with its vessel, MV Banglar Joyjatra, now berthed at the Port of Jebel Ali in the UAE, following heightened regional tensions linked to the Iran-US conflict. All 31 Bangladeshi crew members on board the ship are safe, while cargo unloading operations at the port have been temporarily suspended, according to the BSC. The bulk carrier arrived in the UAE on February 27 from Mesaieed, Qatar, carrying 38,800 tonnes of steel coils. BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek told The Daily Star that they held a Zoom meeting with the ship’s master yesterday morning and provided detailed safety and security instructions. “The master has been advised to remain extra vigilant, ensure strict access control during port stay, and maintain high crew morale,” Malek said. All crew members are in contact with their family members, he added. Only one out of seven vessels...
U.S. Moves to Permanently Seize Sanctioned Tanker ‘Skipper’ and $150M Oil Cargo...
posted on: Mar 2, 2026
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to permanently seize the motor tanker Skipper and its roughly 1.8 million-barrel cargo of Venezuelan crude, marking the latest move in Washington’s expanding crackdown on oil shipments tied to Iran and Venezuela’s shadow fleet networks. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., alleges the vessel and cargo are subject to forfeiture for providing material support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including its Qods Force, which the U.S. has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. U.S. authorities seized the Skipper off Venezuela’s coast on December 10, 2025, after determining the vessel was operating without nationality while falsely claiming a Guyanese flag. Following the seizure, the tanker and its cargo were transported to waters off Texas. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the case reflects the administration’s continued focus on disrupting oil revenue streams that fund sanctioned regimes. Years-Long Sanctions Evasion...
Freight Rates Stall After Lunar New Year as Carriers Eye Blank Sailings...
posted on: Mar 2, 2026
By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) – Container freight spot rates on the major trades saw limited movement this week as supply chains in China slowly began to restart following the new year holiday. While some offices and factories reopened this week, the flow of trucks into and out of China’s ports takes a while to resume normal levels as truck drivers return to work, and thus cargo flows remain subdued. And as a result, spot freight rates on the main east-west trades mimicked last week in largely staying flat. Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) saw a 1% week-on-week decline in its Shanghai-Rotterdam leg, to end at $2094 per 40ft, while the Shanghai-Genoa leg was down 2% against the previous week, to finish at $2,826 per 40ft. As greater amounts of export cargo return to China’s ports over the coming week, the question is whether it will be enough to raise spot...
Chinese Ship Completes First Autonomous Docking and Cargo Handling...
posted on: Mar 2, 2026
Four years after having put what it said was the world’s first autonomous, electric container feeder ship into commercial service, Chinese officials report the ship successfully completed an autonomous docking procedure. It was the first time the vessel named Zhi Fei completed the autonomous docking procedure, with Chinese officials saying it improves efficiency and reduces the time and manpower needed for berthing. The Zei Fei is a 300 TEU container feeder ship that entered commercial service in April 2022. It is approximately 110 meters in length. It was designed to operate in three different modes, crew-managed navigation, remote-controlled navigation from a shore station, or unmanned autonomous navigation. The autonomous berthing took place at the Qingdao Port Terminal in Shandong Province on February 21. The autonomous navigation capability positioned the ship alongside the berth, and a vacuum-type automated mooring system using a form of suction cups adhered to the hull to secure the ship. The report...
উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারতকে বঙ্গোপসাগরের সঙ্গে যুক্ত করবে জাপান: জাপানি উপ-পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী...
posted on: Mar 1, 2026
জাপানের উপ-পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী হোরি ইওয়াও বলেছেন, উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারতের সঙ্গে বঙ্গোপসাগর ও ভারত মহাসাগরীয় অঞ্চলকে যুক্ত করার পরিকল্পনায় জাপান সর্বাত্মক সহযোগিতা করবে। শুক্রবার (২৭ ফেব্রুয়ারি ২০২৬) মেঘালয়ের রাজধানী শিলংয়ে পররাষ্ট্রনীতি বিষয়ক এক সম্মেলনে বক্তৃতাকালে সফররত এই জাপানি প্রতিনিধি বলেন, দক্ষিণ-পূর্ব এশিয়া, বাংলাদেশ ও নেপালকে অন্তর্ভুক্ত করে একটি সমন্বিত নেটওয়ার্ক তৈরি করা গেলে উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারতের রাজ্যগুলো ‘প্রবৃদ্ধির শক্তিশালী চালিকাশক্তি’ হিসেবে আবির্ভূত হতে পারে। শিলং-ভিত্তিক পররাষ্ট্রনীতি বিষয়ক থিঙ্কট্যাঙ্ক এশিয়ান কনফ্লুয়েন্স আয়োজিত ষষ্ঠ ভারত-জাপান ইন্টেলেকচুয়াল কনক্লেভ-এ হোরি ইওয়াও বলেন, ‘জাপান উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারতের সঙ্গে বঙ্গোপসাগর ও ভারত মহাসাগরের সংযোগ স্থাপনে সহায়তা করবে। ভৌগোলিক অবস্থানের কারণে দক্ষিণ-পূর্ব এশিয়ার প্রবেশদ্বার হিসেবে উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারত অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ অবস্থানে রয়েছে।’ উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারতের উন্নয়নে জাপান ‘দৃঢ়ভাবে প্রতিশ্রুতিবদ্ধ’ বলেও উল্লেখ করেন তিনি। তিনি আরও বলেন, ‘আমরা যখন এই অঞ্চলকে নেপাল, ভুটান, ভারত, বাংলাদেশ ও দক্ষিণ-পূর্ব এশিয়া নিয়ে গঠিত একটি বৃহত্তর অর্থনৈতিক অঞ্চলের অংশ হিসেবে দেখি, তখন এটি প্রবৃদ্ধির এক শক্তিশালী ইঞ্জিন হিসেবে কাজ করার বিশাল সম্ভাবনা তৈরি করে।’ হোরি ইওয়াও বলেন, উত্তর-পূর্ব...
project44 debuts AI Freight Procurement Agent ahead of TPM...
posted on: Mar 1, 2026
Liner shipping is descending on Long Beach for its annual confab with tech firms rushing out new products for the sector. project44 has unveiled its AI Freight Procurement Agent inside Intelligent Transportation Management, automating carrier selection, rate benchmarking and negotiations to reduce manual sourcing and strengthen cost control and service performance. Replacing static bid cycles and spreadsheet-driven negotiations, the agent continuously benchmarks contracted rates against live market conditions, launches digital mini-bids, evaluates carriers by cost, transit time and reliability, and can recommend or execute awards within customer-defined guardrails. Operating on project44’s logistics data graph-connecting 259,000+ carriers and 1.5bn shipments annually and processing 700m logistics events daily-the agent uses verified, real-time performance data so sourcing reflects current market dynamics rather than stale bids. “Intelligent TMS laid the foundation for continuous optimisation. The AI Freight Procurement Agent turns analytics into autonomous action within defined guardrails, delivering measurable savings while maintaining full...
IMO Piracy Report: Six incidents during January 2026...
posted on: Mar 1, 2026
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has published its Monthly Piracy Report for the month of January 2026. According to the IMO, eight acts of piracy and armed robbery were attempted against ships during the month of January 2026 and reported by Member States or international organizations in consultative status. The incidents include: #1 In territorial waters Name Withheld (Bulk carrier, Liberia) The incident: Four robbers armed with knives boarded the ship while underway and escaped with the ship’s engine spares. All crew members were safe. The incident was reported to VTIS. Upon arrival at the anchorage, the Singapore Coast Guard boarded the ship for investigation. Response: SSAS activated. PRC relayed the message to Singapore Police Coast Guard and Indonesian Marine Police HQ. (IMBKL) Location: Malacca Strait, Singapore Straits, Singapore 01° 04.40′ N 103° 41.10′ E Empress Zonda (Bulk carrier, Panama) The incident: Duty crew on routine rounds onboard an...
Liberty Class autonomous naval ships can be cranked out like sausages...
posted on: Mar 1, 2026
A new naval autonomous ship project isn’t much to write home about these days, but the new Liberty Class being developed by Blue Water Autonomy in partnership with Damen Shipyards stands out because it’s designed to be built quickly and in large numbers. Major naval powers are looking toward a future of hybrid fleets, where conventional ships operate in tandem with autonomous vessels that act as force multipliers, freeing crewed craft for more complex missions. It’s a bold concept, but it depends on having enough autonomous ships available to make a meaningful difference. Given how large autonomous ships are becoming, they risk facing the same shipbuilding bottlenecks that conventional vessels already encounter in Western shipyards. Producing one or two hulls a year simply won’t cut the mustard. To address this, Blue Water Autonomy is developing its Liberty Class autonomous ship for the US Navy’s Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC)...
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The ‘Cadet Gridlock’ in Bangladesh’s Maritime Sector: A Sorrowful Story of Wasted Potential The ‘Cadet Gridlock’ in Bangladesh’s Maritime Sector: A Sorrowful Story of Wasted Potential By Minar Rashid 21E On 15 November, the BMCS Gala Night 2025 was held at Singapore’s Orchid Country Club. With the vibrant participation of hundreds of Bangladeshi mariners and their families, the event became a remarkable reunion […]
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