Against all odds, the Chilean Navy has rescued a survivor from a fishing vessel that went missing off Tierra del Fuego on Thursday. The four fishermen aboard the vessel were harvesting sea urchins, and the crew disappeared along with their vessel, the Ana Belen.

Good Samaritan fishermen located the survivor - who was wearing a black wetsuit - in an area known locally as the Bahia Sea, near the western entrance to Beagle Channel. The maze of inlets at the westward fringe of Tierra del Fuego bears the full brunt of the region's stormy weather, and this creates real challenges for shore access. The survivor could not be reached by helicopter because of powerful downdrafts from the cliffs above, and heaving surf made it impossible to get a small boat near to the rocky shoreline.

To complete the retrieval of the survivor, a Chilean Navy helicopter dropped a rescue swimmer into the water near the rocks, and he swam through the waves and climbed up on shore to reach the fisherman. Then, together, they got back into the frigid water and swam out to a pickup point. 

"The extraction lasted approximately 25 minutes, which was vitally important since they had to swim to the rescue boat that was waiting for them in a safe place," said Serio Surriba, commander of the naval aviation unit in Puerto Williams. 

The survivor has been identified as Juan Andrés Rojas Casco, a Paraguayan national. The search for the three other missing fishermen continues, and the Chilean Navy has pledged to make "every effort to find the rest of the crew." 

???? El Helicóptero Naval N-44 del Distrito Naval Beagle ejecutó una compleja maniobra para rescatar a un tripulante de la lancha motor “Ana Belén”, siniestrada el jueves en un sector austral de la jurisdicción.#ArmadaEnMagallanes #ArmadaPorChile pic.twitter.com/2rHEw6H79H

— Armada de Chile (@Armada_Chile) August 24, 2025

The missing have been identified as Joel Bogado, Fernando González, and César González, also Paraguayan nationals. Casco, who knows the circumstances of the sinking, has provided information to help authorities in the search for the other men. The authorities believe that there is a strong possibility that the others - like Casco - made it to land and may still be alive, if they can survive the freezing winter temperatures of the Magallanes region.
 

 

Malaysia is doubling down on shipbuilding with two key investment milestones achieved last week. At the forefront is Malaysia’s Pahang State, which is betting big on maritime development. Last week, Pahang signed a lease agreement with Teroka Majubina Holdings for the development of the Tanjung Agas Hybrid Shipyard Complex in Pekan, a small town on Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast.

The $18 billion project will be implemented in three phases in an area covering 1,000 acres. The construction of the project is expected to begin in eight months. The first phase will involve developing a green vessel recycling facility; the second component will include a shipbuilding center, providing ship construction and maintenance services; and lastly, the third phase includes building oil and gas storage facilities.

“With the establishment of the shipyard complex, Pahang will emerge as a regional maritime hub, providing competitive services in shipbuilding, green ship recycling and oil and gas hub,” said Wan Rosdy, Head of Pahang State.

The state is also implementing a similar project in the Gebeng industrial area, the Kuantan Maritime Hub (KMH), located about 35 miles to the north of Pekan. The $500 million project is being developed by Muhibbah Engineering and is scheduled for completion in 2034.  

The KMH project covers a 500-acre site, with some parts reclaimed from the sea. The hub is expected to host industries ranging from commercial shipbuilding and ship repair to defense and technical training.

These flagship projects are important for Malaysia to retain a long-term standing in the global shipbuilding sector, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s CEO, Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim.

“Malaysia should always remain vigilant of rising competition from lower cost yards in neighboring economies such a Vietnam and Indonesia. We should start focusing on reducing reliance on foreign automation tools, by approaching local robotic manufacturing in Malaysia, which could build a whole new automated system integration to improve productivity in our shipbuilding landscape,” added Sikh Shamsul.

As of June, the authority said it has approved shipbuilding and ship repair sector investments worth over $230 million, showing sustained interest by the private sector to invest in the Malaysian shipyard sector.

 

This month, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) held a keel laying ceremony for a new Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS) in Turkey. The event marked another milestone in the construction of MMEA’s largest vessel, with the steel-cutting ceremony held last month.

Construction is under way at Desan Shipyard after a memorandum of understanding with MMEA back in February. The signing of the construction contract followed in May, with the vessel scheduled for delivery in 2027. The construction project also involves cooperation with other Turkish defense industry companies such as Aselsan and Havelsan. The two companies will be involved in the installation of advanced weaponry, detection and communication systems.

The 99-meter-long vessel will serve deep sea operations lasting 28 days without resupply. It will have capacity for 70 crew members and additional room for 30 passengers. For surveillance and interdiction, it will be equipped with two unmanned aerial vehicles, four fast interceptor craft, a helicopter deck and detention compartments.

According to MMEA, the vessel will be deployed for surveillance in Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), especially in the South China Sea. In the past few years, Malaysia’s EEZ has become a hotspot for illegal Ship-to-Ship (STS) oil transfers. This has mainly involved older ships carrying sanctioned Russian and Iranian oil, raising concerns about compliance, safety and pollution.

Recently, Malaysia has introduced new regulations with an aim to curb shadow fleet STS transfers. Some of the efforts include closing the notorious Tompok Utara anchorage and layup area near the Singapore Strait. However, MMEA emphasizes that it requires enhanced operational and patrolling capabilities to curb increased criminal activities in Malaysian waters.

Last year, the agency got a budgetary allocation of $159 million to procure new vessels and maintain existing ones. Almost half of this allocation - $82 million - went into the acquisition of the MPMS. Another $37 million went into the procurement of two New Generation Patrol Craft (NGPC).

 

A shipyard worker has been charged with murder in connection with a shooting aboard a vessel under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division, and the circumstances of the incident are under investigation. 

At about 0730 hours Friday morning, the police department in Pascagoula, Mississippi responded to the Ingalls yard after a report of a shooting. Ingalls' management initiated a lockdown protocol, including a shelter-in-place order for all onsite personnel.

All 8,000 workers on the site were organized into sections and the police searched through these groups one by one until they found the suspect, "which worked out very great," Pascagoula Police Chief Terry Scott told reporters.  

The police took the suspect in custody after about 90 minutes of searching, and the remains of one deceased employee were recovered at the scene. The Pascagoula Police Department has named the suspect as Curtis James Jr., 25, a resident of Mobile; and the victim as Tahj Johnson, 27. James has since been charged with murder in connection with the shooting. 

Curtis James Jr. (Jackson County Sheriffs Department)

James and Johnson were coworkers in the Ingalls paint department, and the two men had a disagreement, the police reported Friday. Local media reports suggest that James had had an argument with Johnson earlier in the week and again just prior to the shooting.

The suspect does not appear to have targeted other personnel or the vessel itself. The ship in question was the newly-christened destroyer USS Jeremiah Denton, according to USNI, and it sustained no meaningful damage.

James has a history of prior arrests, according to the local Fox News affiliate, but in all cases the charges were dismissed.  

It is not yet clear how James' gun made it past gate security, and Ingalls is investigating. The gun has not been found.

"Today is a day that we hoped would never happen here in our shipyard," said Ingalls President Brian Blanchette. "I am deeply saddened by the events of today, and I extend my sincerest condolences to our victim’s family."

The last workplace shooting at Ingalls occurred 20 years ago. In 2005, quality assurance worker Alexander L. Lett shot two supervisors after he was denied a transfer. One victim died and one was critically injured; Lett pleaded guilty and is serving a life sentence. 

 

[By Bryan Peters and Letizia Paoli]

In late April 2018, about 40 nautical miles off Paramaribo, Suriname, what started as a routine day of fishing for 20 mostly Guyanese commercial fishers turned into a massacre.

A group of armed Surinamese pirates attacked their four vessels. The fishers were brutally beaten. Some were chopped with machetes. Others were burned with hot oil. All were forced overboard, some with heavy car batteries and other objects tied to their legs. The perpetrators fled with the fishers’ vessels, equipment and catch.

Only five survived. While three bodies were eventually recovered, twelve remain missing and are presumed dead. The attack sent a wave of fear through nearby fishing communities.

Prevailing assumptions about maritime piracy are often based on dramatic tales of high-seas hijackings of large commercial vessels. Our research has uncovered a different reality – one in which piracy often strikes closer to shore and disproportionately affects small-scale fishers, like those targeted off Suriname. These communities, largely absent from mainstream security discussions, are emerging as frequent and vulnerable victims.

Our inspiration to dig deeper

While the economic impacts of piracy have been examined, its harms to people and coastal communities are far less studied. When we looked at Nigerian piracy we found that fishers are increasingly becoming the victims and are suffering serious consequences.

Attacks on fishers made up 14% of all reported piracy incidents worldwide between 2003 and 2023, showed our preliminary analysis on the harms of piracy, as part of a project funded by Research Foundation – Flanders (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek). While 14% may sound small, it is striking given the data was sourced from organizations that primarily track threats against commercial shipping: the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) and the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).

Knowing that piracy often goes unreported, we had a hunch these numbers were just the tip of the iceberg. We decided to dig deeper.

However, our investigation hit two major roadblocks early on. First, there’s no consistent data tracking piracy incidents where fishers are the victims. Second, while some studies explore the link between fishing and piracy, most focus on why fishers become perpetrators, not victims. Except for a few studies in the Gulf of Guinea, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, the experiences of fishers as victims have largely been overlooked.

Exposing the underreporting of attacks against fishers

To overcome these roadblocks, we combined the data from our preliminary work with incidents sourced from press reports for 2019 to 2023. Our results have recently been published in the journal Fish and Fisheries. During this period, 251 piracy incidents were identified globally in which 701 fishing vessels were targeted. Another 472 press reports identified piracy outbreaks targeting fishers without referencing specific incidents. One report noted 850 attacks on small-scale fishers off Atacames and Esmeraldas, Ecuador, between 2017 and 2021.

Of the 251 cases we identified, 201 were reported only by the press, while 27 appeared solely in incident reports from the IMB and the NGA. Twenty-three incidents were documented in both sources.

So piracy attacks on fishers appear to happen far more often than official reports suggest. And our numbers also likely underestimate the true scale of the problem (for example, because we only looked at English-language press reports).

Far-reaching consequences for victims and their communities

Our work confirms earlier case studies and shows that fishers – particularly small-scale fishers – suffer serious, direct harms from piracy.

Violence was prevalent in over half of the reported incidents, impacting 1,053 fishers. Twenty-seven incidents resulted in 66 fatalities, while 114 individuals were thrown overboard in 11 additional cases and are presumed dead. Physical assaults were reported in 64 further incidents, with over half classified as severe, involving gunfire, beatings or attacks with knives and machetes. Those who survived attacks suffered property losses, which were reported in 78% of incidents. Commonly stolen items included fish, outboard engines, fishing gear, navigation and communication equipment, mobile phones and personal belongings. In 37 incidents, entire vessels were taken. For small-scale fishers, losing equipment or vessels is devastating, as these are their main sources of livelihood.

Beyond the direct individual victims, piracy threatens the social and economic sustainability of communities that rely on small-scale capture fisheries and related activities like fish processing, gear manufacturing and repair, and market sales. Small-scale fisheries account for more than half of the world’s fish catch, primarily for local markets. These attacks, consequently, endanger food security, especially in Global South countries where seafood is a crucial source of nutrition.

What can be done to protect fishers?

The dominant narrative around piracy, focussed on harms to global shipping and other big business, prioritises commercial interests over human lives and highlights global economic disparities.

Urgent action is needed to change this, as attacks on fishers persist across many regions, with the human cost rising, especially in the Global South.

Improved data collection and further research are essential to develop a more comprehensive understanding of this issue. In regions where fishers are known to be targeted, governments and/or local academics could conduct in-depth case studies – as they would be better positioned to access law enforcement and other official data sources.

With improved data, systematic and empirical assessments of the harms of piracy – whether at the local, regional or global level – could become more feasible.

Using already available assessment tools, governments and researchers could identify, evaluate, rank and prioritise the harms associated with piracy against fishers. This would provide a robust evidence base to support policymakers in setting priorities and selecting the most appropriate interventions. Our earlier work on Nigerian piracy shows this is possible. While it may sound pessimistic, the reality is that piracy – like most crimes – is likely to persist. What we can do is target and try to reduce the most serious harms.

Until the issue is better understood, interim measures to protect those most at risk are needed. Since most attacks take place in territorial and internal water, we need to acknowledge that piracy is a local problem – one that requires a local response. Authorities must establish secure and inclusive mechanisms that encourage fishers to report all events, irrespective of severity, while addressing barriers such as fear of retaliation and distrust in government institutions. Increased proactive patrols and rigorous investigations of reported incidents is essential to signal governmental commitment to addressing piracy and to reduce the culture of impunity among perpetrators.

When governments are unwilling or unable to act, civil society and the private sector can play a crucial role. Informal reporting systems could be established by existing fishing cooperatives or NGOs supporting the sector. At a minimum, such systems would encourage fishers to report incidents or suspected pirate activity, even anonymously, allowing information and warnings to be shared with others in the community. This would help fishers make safer, more informed decisions about when and where to fish.

Inspiration could be taken from initiatives like the Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN), a non-profit representing the Caribbean yachting community. CSSN allows affected yachters to submit reports through its website and issues warnings to help other yachters plan safer routes.

For small-scale fishers, the sea is already full of risks – extreme weather, uncertain catches, declining stocks, exploitation and economic pressure. Piracy and other forms of predation should not be among them.

Our findings make clear that a broader, more inclusive approach to maritime security is urgently needed – one that values all lives at sea, not just those tied to global trade. Protecting fishers means acknowledging their vulnerability, listening to their experiences, and investing in solutions tailored to the realities they face.

Bryan Peters is a PhD researcher at the KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology in Belgium, focusing on the harms caused by maritime piracy. His research interests include blue crimes, organised crime, harm reduction, and crime prevention.

Letizia Paoli is professor of criminology and chair of the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology at the KU Leuven Faculty of Law and Criminology. Since the 1990s she has published extensively on organised crime, illegal drugs, doping and the related control policies. More recently, she has also researched the harms of crime, public perceptions of crime seriousness, as well as corporate and sports-related crime.

This article appears courtesy of Dialogue Earth and may be found in its original form here. 

 

Turkey is poised to strengthen its exploration rights in the Mediterranean region. Reports have emerged that Libya’s eastern-based government is likely to approve a 2019 maritime pact, which allows Turkey to explore for oil and gas in Libyan waters. The agreement had only been signed by the Tripoli-based government in Western Libya, which has strong ties with Ankara.

However, the eastern side in Benghazi seems to have softened its opposition to Turkey. According to Bloomberg, the Parliament in Benghazi is expected to approve the maritime pact with Turkey in coming weeks. The approval will give Turkey unfettered access to Libyan waters, where the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) is about to begin geological and geophysical surveys.

The ratification of the pact is seen as a major milestone for Turkey’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to unify Libya’s two rival governments. Early this week, the Turkish navy vessel TCG Kinaliada made a port visit in Tripoli. The vessel is also expected in Benghazi, an indication of the warming relations between Turkey and eastern Libya. The de facto leader of eastern Libya, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has been at odds with the Tripoli government over control of Libya’s oil revenue. The possibility of the two sides reaching a consensus on the exploration rights offers a glimmer of hope to Libya’s stability.

But the prospect of enacting the Turkey-Libya pact is likely to exacerbate ongoing maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean. The agreement opens up the expansive Libyan EEZ to exploration by Turkish vessels, an area that overlaps with maritime claims of Greece and Cyprus. Both countries accuse Turkey of wanting to control the disputed waters, known for significant oil and gas reserves.

The hydrocarbon blocks near the Greek island of Crete are among the most contested. In June, the Tripoli-based Libyan government objected to Greece’s tender call for hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete. The Libyan government argued that some of the areas in the region constitute its maritime zone.

It remains to be seen how energy politics in the Eastern Mediterranean will pan out, especially at a time Turkey appears to be gaining influence in the region. As Turkey pushes to become a regional energy hub, the Mediterranean Sea presents significant potential in achieving the ambition. Recently, Turkey bought two drillships, which will boost its exploration capacity in the Mediterranean region.

 

[By David Axe]

If China ever makes good on decades of threats and invades Taiwan, it could succeed or fail in the span of a few hours—the hours it would take to sail an invasion force across the Taiwan Strait and land troops on beaches or in ports.

A lot could go wrong for the Chinese. Bad weather could slow the crossing. Taiwanese missiles, mines and drones and US submarines could sink enough of the invasion fleet to disrupt the landing sequence, potentially buying time for American bombers, winging across the vast Pacific Ocean, to launch devastating barrages of anti-ship missiles. A depleted and confused landing force could be vulnerable to Taiwanese counterattack.

That’s why China might choose to slowly strangle Taiwan instead of knocking it out with a single swift blow. It’s the less risky approach—and the Taiwanese and their allies aren’t ready for it. Taiwanese and US forces are arming themselves for a short, decisive battle over the Taiwan Strait. They’re not arming themselves for a drawn-out maritime blockade that might play out across millions of square miles of lonely ocean.

Most alarmingly, the Americans have botched an effort to acquire a large flotilla of inexpensive frigates that would be ideal for convoy escort duty—the kind of duty that could break a Chinese blockade at acceptable cost.

To understand how a blockade might play out, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington has run a series of realistic war games under different assumptions, reporting results last month. In some scenarios, Chinese forces interdict ships sailing toward Taiwan but don’t sink them—skirting the threshold of violence that might compel Taiwan’s allies, particularly the United States and Japan, to intervene.

In those scenarios, Chinese sailors seize more than 400 Taiwan-bound merchant ships—and Taiwan begins running out of food in two weeks and natural gas in 10 weeks. On the brink of collapse, ‘Taiwan would have to either make concessions to China sufficient to get China to cease its boarding campaign, escalate by using military force against Chinese forces in the exclusion zone or get the United States to intervene on its behalf,’ CSIS reported.

A US intervention risks drawing in Japan, too—and, as Chinese, Taiwanese, American and Japanese warships and warplanes tangle over the Pacific shipping lanes, violence is sure to break out. What follows, in several of CSIS’s scenarios, is a convoy war not dissimilar to the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.

US warships and patrol aircraft shepherd merchant ships across the Pacific to Japan, where Japanese ships and planes join the effort, fighting through Chinese missile and torpedo attacks to offload the merchantmen in Taiwanese ports. After the initial shock, Taiwanese food and energy imports quickly return to pre-war levels—assuming, of course, Taiwan has hardened its energy grid before the blockade, stored excess oil, coal and natural gas and stocked spare parts.

But the campaign is extremely costly—especially for the US Navy, which bears the brunt of the effort in most of CSIS’s simulations. According to the think tank, a convoy war falling just short of a full-scale regional war could cost the Americans 34 warships, including two aircraft carriers, as well as hundreds of aircraft. Nearly 19,000 Americans die.

The sinkings amount to more than 10 percent of the overall US fleet, losses that would take decades to make good at current shipbuilding rates. Anticipating exactly this scenario, in 2014 the US Navy launched a new program meant to build a lot of missile-armed frigates, cheaply and fast.

In addition to battling enemy fleets on the high seas, the frigates would need to be capable of ‘independent operations,’ according to the US Navy’s 2017 industry solicitation. That’s naval speak for convoy escort duty.

The Constellation-class frigates wouldn’t exactly be expendable. But with a target price of $1 billion each and a displacement of just 7,000 tonnes, they would be much cheaper and easier to build than Arleigh Burke-class destroyers of nearly $3 billion and 10,000 tonnes. As recently as last year, the Constellation class was planned to peak at 58 ships, making it the second-most-numerous ship type in US service, after the Burkes.

If the US Navy fought a convoy war with a large flotilla of affordable Constellations, and if CSIS’s war games are predictive, the service would still lose a lot of ships. But the loss would sting much less—meaning the fleet could fight through its casualties, onward to eventual victory as more and more merchant ships arrived in Taiwanese ports.

But the Constellation program is in trouble. The design was supposed to be simple, inexpensive and easy to build at scale. Instead, it’s become complex, expensive and impossible to build at scale.

The type’s displacement has swelled by more than 700 tons as the navy has heaped boutique features onto a licensed Italian hull design. The frigate’s cost has risen by $300 million per ship, owing in part to a desperate labor shortage at American shipyards. After 11 years of work, the US Navy has paid for six of the ships—but doesn’t expect to deploy the first in class until 2029. That’s years later than the original plan.

It’s not for no reason that, in their budget proposal for 2026, fleet planners asked for zero additional Constellations. That’s a good sign the frigate program is drifting towards cancellation. There’s nothing in the works to replace it—and the US Navy is almost certain to sail into a possible convoy war without the cheap, easy-to-replace ships that were supposed to make the convoy war affordable for America.

‘Conducting convoys is a basic naval task, but the US Navy is out of practice because convoys have not been a priority mission since the end of the Cold War,’ CSIS warned. ‘Deprioritizing was appropriate for the immediate post–Cold War era, when prospective adversaries had weak naval fleets. It is not appropriate for the current great power era.’

But the US Navy is building ships like there isn’t a possible convoy war on the horizon. This must change. America needs frigates the way Taiwan needs free and navigable seas.

David Axe is a journalist and filmmaker in South Carolina, United States.

This article appears courtesy of The Strategist and may be found in its original form here. 

 

In the past decade, the scourge of IUU (illegal, unregulated and unreported) fishing in West Africa has grown into a billion-dollar trade, leaving local livelihoods in peril. Poor fisheries governance has seen industrial trawlers encroach in areas designated for artisanal fishermen, which has become a major threat for small pelagic fish. In Ghana for instance, IUU fishing has been estimated to cost the country between $14.4 million and $23.7 million annually. In 2021, the European Union issued a yellow card to Ghana, a warning that the country could lose access to the lucrative European seafood market unless IUU fishing is tackled.

It is in this context that Ghana last week adopted a new fisheries and aquaculture law. The legislation was passed by the parliament in July and was signed into law by President John Dramani Mahama on August 19.

Ghana’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture said that the landmark law is part of a wider government effort to avoid sanctions in key global seafood markets. “The law is crucial in maintaining Ghana’s access to global markets, where seafood has become one of the country’s fastest-growing non-traditional exports,” noted the Ministry. Recent data from the Ministry indicate that Ghana’s seafood exports have reached more than $425 million annually.

The campaign group Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), which has been tracking IUU fishing in Ghana, also lauded the law as a bold step of leadership in the region. The Act safeguards livelihoods of over 200,000 small-scale fishers and millions of Ghanaians who depend on artisanal fisheries.

A notable reform by the new law is the expansion of the inshore exclusion zone (IEZ), doubling in size from 6 to 12 nautical miles off the coast. The IEZ allows local fishermen space to fish without competition from industrial trawlers. In the past few years, traditional fishers have faced immense competition from Chinese-backed trawlers, especially with the rise of ‘saiko trade’ in Ghana’s fishing industry. Saiko trade was formerly a traditional barter trade system where bycatch was exchanged for farm produce. The trade later transformed, and now involves industrial trawlers transferring frozen stocks of bycatch to small canoe operators for onward sale.

The practice is fueling depletion of small pelagics such sardinella, traditionally caught by artisanal fishermen and a staple food for local communities. In the past 15 years, average annual income per artisanal canoe has dropped by as much as 40 percent, according to data by EJF. In addition, over 90 percent of small-scale fishers have reported declining catches.

Early this year, Ghana attempted to rein in the industrial trawlers, a move that saw the government suspend fishing licenses of four Chinese vessels. The vessels were accused of unauthorized transshipment at sea (saiko trading) among other violations. The four vessels include Meng Xin 10, Florence 2, Long Xiang 607 and Long Xiang 608. The fishing ban will last for one year.

 

[By Mikael Lind, Wolfgang Lehmacher, Sandra Haraldson, Ernst Hoestra, Boris Kriuk, Richard van der Meulen, and Mark Scheerlinck]

Introduction: When Traditional Approaches Fall Short

Transport and logistics have always hinged on seamless coordination. Moving goods from point A to point B involves a complex web of actors, including shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, terminal operators, port authorities, customs officials, warehouse operators, and first-mile and last-mile delivery providers. Cargo is typically handed over in nodes from one controlling party to another. It is in these nodes that changes can be applied to the trajectory of the cargo. This requires collaboration. Traditionally, each participant has managed their role in isolation, sharing information only when necessary, primarily through bilateral channels.

This model has sustained the industry for decades, yet it increasingly reveals its limitations. In today’s volatile and interconnected world, where disruptions have shifted from exceptions to expectations, fragmented and linear information flows create blind spots, delays, inefficiencies, and fragility.

The solution transcends mere technological upgrades; it demands a fundamental reimagining of how we organize and interpret vast, disparate streams of supply chain data. Rather than scattered exchanges, what’s needed is a collaborative data-sharing regime that imposes order upon chaos, delivering shared visibility and situational awareness across the entire ecosystem. Such a framework empowers actors not just to be informed, but to act decisively, converting raw data into strategic insight. The result: enhanced coordination, resilience, and performance.

This is an ambition that the Virtual Watch Tower (VWT), a multi-stakeholder community co-creating a digital, federated architecture and solution as a public good, pursues in its approach to data sharing for better disruption and carbon footprint management.

The Inherent Limits of Traditional Data Sharing

In the traditional landscape, data exchanges are direct and narrowly focused, typically confined to transactions between two actors. A shipper updates a carrier. A carrier informs a forwarder. A terminal operator alerts a trucking company. Each communication serves immediate operational needs, with a transactional brevity that sacrifices holistic understanding.

This approach bears three critical shortcomings:

• Fragmentation: Each participant sees only a sliver of the entire operation, isolated snapshots rather than a cohesive panorama.
• Inefficiency: Data is redundantly transmitted across numerous bilateral links, leading to duplication and discrepancies.
• Latency: In the face of natural disasters, strikes, congestion, system outages, or geopolitical shocks, actors struggle to access timely and comprehensive data, hampering coordinated responses.

The consequence is a fragmented patchwork of data streams, leaving stakeholders “starving for data but lacking insight.”

Embracing a Collaborative Data Sharing Regime

A transformative alternative lies in a Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) approach. Instead of Actor #1 transmitting updates separately to Actors #2 and #3, data enters a shared, trusted pool accessible to all authorized participants (Figure 1). This shift from bilateral exchanges to an ecosystem-wide platform enables real-time shared visibility.

Figure 1: Fundamentals on Data Sharing: From bilateral to ecosystem-based data exchanges

This methodological leap unlocks profound benefits:

• Unified situational awareness: Everyone views the same data, smoothing misalignments and fostering shared understanding.
• Scalability: Data is shared once and consumed by many, eliminating inefficiencies.
• Resilience: Early detection and coordinated response to disruptions become routine.
• Trust and sovereignty: Each actor maintains control over their data, dictating access within an interoperable and fair framework.

In essence, collaboration brings clarity and meaning to the raw data flowing through supply chains.

A Four-Layer Framework to Bring Order and Insight

At the core of this new regime is a systematic model (Figure 2) that organizes fragmented information into three interlocking layers, which are wrapped within a fourth evolutionary layer that enables secure and trusted ecosystem-wide data sharing. Each layer enriches data with context and purpose, turning raw signals into orchestrated decisions.

This framework relies on establishing common semantics at each layer, ensuring that data shared between planning, progress, and analysis is coherent and interpretable by every actor. Only with agreed-upon definitions and structures can insights be generated and acted upon reliably across the supply chain.

Figure 2: Layered data sharing framework

1. Transport Planning Layer – Sharing Intentions

The planning layer looks forward. It captures actors’ intentions, the planned container movements, vessel unloading, and truck dispatches, offering a dynamic view of expected operations. Shared plans enable proactive coordination: for example, a delay of a ship leads to a new plan and prompts terminal berth reallocation and trucking schedule adjustments. The value of the shared plans also depends on standardized representations of intentions and schedules.

2. Transport Progress Layer – Documenting What Has Happened

This layer logs real-time data, including timestamps of events such as “container loaded,” “vessel departed,” or “truck arrived at gate.” Leveraging Internet-of-Things (IoT) sensors and system signals, it constructs a reliable, shared timeline, replacing isolated updates with a common factual record. Documenting events requires agreed-upon event codes and timestamp formats.

3. Transport Analysis Layer – Illuminating Insights

Here, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) synthesize data from planning and progress layers to simulate deviations, estimate delays, forecast arrivals, and even compute emissions. This layer distils streams of raw data into actionable insights, offering foresight, risk awareness, and performance metrics that anchor decision-making. Helpful analytical insights arise from consistently formatted and meaningful raw data.

4. Transport Data Sharing Ecosystem Layer – Wrapping and Enabling Across Layers

Surrounding and enabling these three layers is the data sharing ecosystem itself. This outer layer ensures that data flows securely, transparently, and with trust throughout the entire network. It enforces access controls and sovereignty policies, allowing each participant to determine who sees what, while supporting seamless interoperability and fairness. A trusted sharing environment must enforce semantic consistency as a basis for interoperability.

This ecosystem is not merely a container but a living framework that facilitates collaboration across planning, progress, and analysis, amplifying the value created within each layer and fostering resilient, coordinated supply chain networks.

Due to this systemic approach, the integrity of data management also enables a fully controlled Return Cycle, which, based on current Producer Responsibility rules, should be considered a major additional benefit.

How the Layers Synchronize: From Fragmentation to Elegance

Imagine a container moving from a factory in Asia to a warehouse in Europe:

1. The planning layer captures the intended shipping schedule.
2. As the shipment proceeds, the progress layer records the container’s loading onto a vessel and subsequent real-world events.
3. The analysis layer continuously compares the shipping plan against actual progress, predicts delays, recalculates arrival times, and updates emissions estimates.

Throughout this cycle, the data sharing ecosystem secures and governs the data flow to the port, trucking company, and other parties downstream , ensuring that access and usage rights are respected while enabling authorized actors to consume and engage with the same accurate and timely information.

This orchestration transforms once fragmented, reactive data into a continuous, coherent, and actionable stream.

Trust Reinforced by Data Sovereignty

Fear of losing control has long stifled data sharing. This regime addresses such concerns head-on: sovereignty is preserved. Each actor defines what to share, with whom, and under which conditions, supported by distributed platforms such as federated systems and blockchain.

No single entity dominates; instead, information is structured and shared across the ecosystem with embedded permissions. Trust flourishes when fairness and transparency underpin data governance.

Why Action Is More Urgent Than Ever

Today’s supply chains generate unprecedented data volumes. Every scan, movement, and transaction emits digital signals. Yet without structure, this mass merely manifests as noise.

Simultaneously, global volatility, from pandemics to geopolitical tensions and climate events, demands swift, coordinated reactions. The solution IS NOT more data, but smarter, better-organized data.

The four-layer framework provides a roadmap, turning disjointed signals into shared understanding and transforming data chaos into resilient coordination.

Aligning Incentives for Sustainable Data Sharing

Incentives must align across participants for this model to succeed. The logical starting point is the shipper, whose inputs, like shipment itineraries and booking details, anchor the shared structure.

Operators, terminals, and carriers then contribute data as part of service fulfilment. This reciprocity creates mutual value: clarity generated by others enhances each actor’s operations.

Over time, structured data-sharing will evolve from a competitive advantage to an industry imperative.

Conclusion: From Data Fragmentation to Meaningful Coordination

The logistics sector has historically amassed an abundance of data but suffered from a paucity of shared understanding. Traditional fragmented approaches yield isolated signals that obscure the bigger picture.

What is required goes beyond technology: a fundamentally new way to structure, interpret, and act on existing data.

The collaborative four-layer model achieves this by:

• Aligning plans: sharing intentions.
• Anchoring progress: documenting reality.
• Extracting meaning: illuminating insight.
• Enabling trust: facilitating secure, sovereign data sharing across the ecosystem.

Together, these layers weave disconnected updates into a shared narrative, trusted and actionable by all participants.

A vital first step is cultivating shared situational awareness. Structured data enables actors to perceive the broader ecosystem and receive early alerts about emerging disruptions, such as delays, capacity shortages, or congestion, empowering proactive responses.

However, structure alone is insufficient. The value emerges when visibility translates into action: rebooking when capacity tightens, alternative routing amid congestion, and emissions calculators to align disruption management with sustainability goals. These services transform awareness into resilience.

The message is unequivocal: collaboration is not optional; it is essential—a vision lived by VWT. Only through collective order, insight, and trust can supply chains transcend fragmented data to achieve meaningful coordination, moving from reactive firefighting toward proactive, resilient logistics. By moving data towards a public good, VWT translates data-sharing into a solution that benefits all.

About the authors

Mikael Lind is the world’s first (adjunct) Professor of Maritime Informatics engaged at Chalmers and Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE). He is a well-known expert frequently published in international trade press, is co-editor of the first two books on Maritime Informatics and is co-editor of the book Maritime Decarbonization.

Wolfgang Lehmacher is a global supply chain logistics expert, partner at Anchor Group. The former director at the World Economic Forum, and CEO Emeritus of GeoPost Intercontinental, is an advisory board member of The Logistics and Supply Chain Management Society, ambassador F&L, and advisor Global:SF and RISE. He contributes to the knowledge base of Maritime Informatics and co-editor of the book Maritime Decarbonization.

Sandra Haraldson is Senior Researcher at Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and has driven several initiatives on digital collaboration, multi-business innovation, and sustainable transport hubs, such as the concept of Collaborative Decision Making (e.g. PortCDM, RailwayCDM, RRTCDM) enabling parties in transport ecosystems to become coordinated and synchronised by digital data sharing.

Ernst Hoestra is the CEO of Erasmus Enterprise, has 25 years of senior leadership experience at companies including TNT, Pitney Bowes, and Cycleon (now ReBound Logistics), where his team introduced game changing technology to facilitate global returns management processes. He is also an investor, advisor, board member, and lecturer in innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship.

Boris Kriuk is Chief of AI at Strevio Limited, head of R&D at Sparcus Technologies Research Group, as an active member of Computer Vision Foundation, Association of Computing Machinery, honoured associate member at London Journal Press and Speaker at Computer Graphics Society, he has years of experience in AI for Logistics and Supply Chain research and innovation.

Richard van der Meulen is a global supply chain thought leader with 20+ years in international trade and logistics. As Vice President at Infor Nexus, he advances AI-powered cloud solutions and industry-wide collaboration. A frequent keynote speaker and strategist, he champions data sharing to enable resilient, digitally connected supply chains.

Mark Scheerlinck is co-founder of Chasqee BV, a young IT company creating innovative solutions for supply chain visibility and orchestration. As 4th generation in the port of Antwerp, with extensive experience in managing, creating and M&A of maritime supply chain companies, the practical experience is combined with vision and IT. A broad network in supply chain and ample experience as a speaker in EU context complement the drive to innovate.

 

Iran International, the London-based media site covering Iranian affairs - which is constantly a target of the Iranian authorities - has carried claims that a hacking group has disrupted the communications of Iran’s merchant fleet. It reports that in a recent attack mounted by the cyber hacker group Lab-Dookhtegan, ship-to-shore communications of 39 tankers and 25 cargo ships belonging to the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) were disrupted. Neither NITC nor IRISL have acknowledged any operational impacts.

Little is known of the Lab-Dookhtegan group or its sponsorship, save that from its name it is Iranian-focused. The group carried out similar operations against Iranian shipping in March 2025, claiming to have disrupted the communications capabilities of 116 NITC and IRISL vessels. The attack in March coincided with Operation Rough Rider, during which US forces mounted an air offensive against Houthi targets in Yemen.

Lab-Dookhtegan claims to have carried out its attack by targeting communications services provided to NITC and IRISL by the Fanava Group, the net result being that the host’s Falcon cybersecurity system was breached and ship-to-shore communications and AIS services were disrupted.

The results claimed by Lab-Dookhtegan, about which very little is known, have been technically assessed as being credible by Cyberdome, an Israeli global maritime cybersecurity provider, which has examined the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by Lab-Dookhtegan.

Fanava is an IT and communications company based in Tehran, apparently privately owned. In addition to hosting wide area networks using VSAT satellite equipment, it also has a financial services subsidiary handling card payments. Fanava Group does not seem to appear on US, UK or EU sanctions lists.

In recent months, both the US and UK sanctioning authorities have gone beyond their listings of ships, brokers and owners to include those providing services to dark fleet operations. For example, in July the US Treasury listed ship manager Draco Buren for its role in loading Iranian containers onto ships leased by SeaLead, both Singaporean entities. Then on August 21, the US Treasury listed two Zhejiang port handling companies in Dongjiakou and Yangshan, DJK Oil Products and Yangshan Shengang, on the basis that they had handled Iranian crude cargoes. On the same day, the UK belatedly sanctioned a network of shipping services and commodity companies run by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, son of Ali Shamkani. Shamkani (senior) survived an Israeli attack during the 12-Day War and remains a senior security advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The effectiveness of sanctions is dependent on the willingness of most entities to comply, in effect a form of community self-policing.

But it also relies on the effectiveness of enforcement action against the careless, and those deliberately seeking to circumvent the rules. The US Treasury’s OFAC imposed 12 civil penalties in 2024, issuing a total of $48.8 million in fines. So far in 2025, OFAC has issued seven fines totaling $235.9 million. The UK Treasury’s OFSI in contrast has taken four enforcement actions this year, levying a total of $1.04 million in fines, all directed against Russia/Ukraine-related breaches, none concerned with Iranian oil, and none directed against non-UK domiciles. Dr Helen Taylor, of the Spotlight on Corruption pressure group, described the UK sanctions regime as ‘all bark and no bite’.

The labored UK enforcement action in particular is unlikely to prove any obstacle to the fast-moving networks using front companies, Swiss lawyers, false identities and fictitious addresses which Iranian sanctions-busters are adept at developing. Seizure of valuable oil cargoes at sea is probably the only credible enforcement action, but will present diplomatic challenges and currently lacks a tested legal basis in international maritime law. Such considerations may come to the fore should US and EU3 snap-back sanctions be reintroduced, which is on the cards if Iran prevaricates in negotiations with the EU3, scheduled for August 25 in advance of the October JCPOA deadline.

In a surprising move on Friday, August 22, the Trump administration took action against an 80 percent installed offshore wind farm being built by Denmark’s Ørsted and a subsidiary of BlackRock. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ordered a “halt to ongoing activities related to the Revolution Wind project on the outer continental shelf (OCS) to allow time for it to address concerns that have arisen.”

Unlike previous orders, which stopped projects before construction commenced, Revolution Wind has been under construction since 2024. Ørsted reports that the project is 80 percent complete, with all its offshore foundations installed and 45 out of 65 wind turbines installed. Steel in the water started in May 2024, and the first turbine installation was completed in September.

The company says Revolution Wind is employing hundreds of local union workers both on and offshore and that approximately two million labor union hours have been spent on the project. The shore operations are at ProvPort and Quonset in Rhode Island, and State Pier in New London, Connecticut.

BOEM was vague in its reasoning, writing in the letter to Ørsted North America that it is “seeking to address concerns related to the protection of national security interest of the United States and prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas and the territorial seas.” The letter signed by Acting Director of BOEM Matthew Giacona also refers to “concerns that have arisen” during its review under the President’s Memorandum of January 20 which directed agencies to review the industry.

“Ørsted is evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously,” the company said in a statement confirming it was complying and taking steps to stop offshore activities. “This includes engagement with relevant permitting agencies for any necessary clarification or resolution, as well as through potential legal proceedings, with the aim being to proceed with continued project construction towards COD in the second half of 2026.”

In its statement, the company notes the project spent more than nine years in review and is fully permitted. It received approval of its Construction and Operations Plan in November 2023. 

Revolution Wind is located more than 15 miles south of Rhode Island and 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, with power contracts with both states. The nearest point of land is Martha’s Vineyard with the project approximately 12 miles southwest. Power was expected to start by the spring of 2026, and when the project is completed, it would generate a total of 704 MW, with 400 MW going to Rhode Island and 304 MW to Connecticut. Ørsted points out that the project is using the same turbine technology as South Fork Wind, which was completed as the first large, commercial offshore wind farm in the United States in 2024.

The stop work order pertains to all offshore activities on the OCS. The company can continue any emergency or safety work, as well as onshore activities. BOEM says the project may appeal this determination.

Ørsted said in its statement that it is considering “a range of scenarios, including legal proceedings.” The company is 50 percent owned by the Danish state, and just announced it was facing financial challenges due to the actions of the new U.S. government. It launched a rights offering to raise $9 billion from existing shareholders, which it is said is necessary to fund the construction work for another U.S. wind farm, Sunrise Wind, as well as completing Revolution Wind, after investors determined the risks are too great in the U.S. market based on the uncertainties raised by the Trump administration’s assault on wind energy.

Last year, Eversource sold its 50 percent interest in its partnership with Ørsted to Global Infrastructure Partners and its Skyborn Renewables fund. GIS was acquired last year by BlackRock to expand the group's investment in renewable energy and infrastructure, with BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, reported to be a friend and supporter of Donald Trump.

This is the second time the administration has issued a stop work order on an offshore wind farm. In April, the Department of the Interior suspended licenses to Equinor just as offshore work was due to begin on the Empire Wind project off New York. The suspension lasted for a month and drew broad criticism, while there were reports of pressure, including from the Norwegian government, which owns Equinor. There were reports of a deal where New York State will permit an oil pipeline it was blocking in exchange for the lifting of the stop work order on Empire Wind. Equinor reported it would take a $1 billion impairment charge related to the impact of the U.S. actions on the project and the offshore wind industry. 

Last week, the Trump administration also announced a further review of the manufacture of wind turbines and their components. Trump has repeatedly said they are made in China, although none of the U.S. projects are using Chinese turbines. The Commerce Department was ordered to start a trade investigation citing national security concerns over the importing of components for wind energy projects. 

Experts point out that 40 percent of the components for wind energy projects come from Europe, while Mexico is supplying more than 30 percent of the material used in the construction. The Trump administration has said it will include aluminum and steel components for wind turbines in the 50 percent tariff on imports, and the new trade investigation could impose further tariffs on components. The administration has already suspended future licensing and revoked previous approvals. Trump has promised to “stop the windmills.”

 

The US Coast Guard arrested the master of a containership this week after the pilot guiding the ship to port reported the captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. A field sobriety and breathalyzer test administered by the USC after the vessel docked found the captain was impaired more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.

The vessel, the MSC Jubilee IX, is a 108,770 dwt containership with a capacity of 8,800 TEU. The ship had arrived in the anchorage near Everett, Washington, coming from Busan, South Korea, with a stop in Vancouver, Canada. Built in 2008, the vessel, which is registered in Liberia, appears to have joined the MSC fleet in March 2025.

A Puget Sound pilot boarded the MSC Jubilee IX on August 20 to guide the ship to port in Seattle and reported to the US Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound that the vessel’s captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. The pilot and first mate operated the vessel during the transit from an anchorage to Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle without incident.

After the vessel docked, a Coast Guard boarding team and the Coast Guard Investigative Service boarded the ship and commenced a port state control examination. During the investigation, they administer the sobriety test.

The captain was arrested and transported to the King County Jail, where charges were referred to the King County Prosecutor for boating under the influence. 

The vessel was detained by the Coast Guard until a relief captain was identified and confirmed. The vessel was later cleared to resume operations and departed Seattle on August 22 for Prince Rupert, Canada, and a return trip to Yantian, China.

The incident is similar to a January 2024 arrest when the captain of another MSC containership, a Polish national commanding MSC Roshney V, was also detained after the pilot in Felixstowe in the UK also suspected the master was intoxicated. Tests revealed his blood alcohol level was nearly four times over the limit. The master pleaded guilty in a UK court and was given a suspended sentence and a small fine. He told the court he was sorry for his actions and that his career at sea was over.
 

 

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is carrying out another major operation in its fight against drug cartels and human smuggling in the Eastern Pacific. Recent efforts in coordination with the U.S. Navy have already led to the seizure of over 13,000 pounds of cocaine and the arrest of 11 suspects.

Homeland Security announced that just days after the USCG embarked on Operation Pacific Viper with the deployment of large numbers of forces and warships to fight Latin American drug cartels, the results are evident. In a matter of days, the agency has hunted down, interdicted, and boarded several illegal vessels, resulting in seizures and arrests.

The first seizure happened on August 8 when the Legend-class cutter Hamilton interdicted a drug smuggling vessel south of Mexico, seizing over 4,000 pounds of cocaine and arresting three smugglers.

Three days later, the Navy guided missile destroyer Sampson was operating in the known drug trafficking corridor when she interdicted a smuggling boat. Sailors, together with USCG Law Enforcement Detachment officers onboard, identified the suspicious vessel, prompting the launch of MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a rigid-hull inflatable boat to intercept it.

 

Destroying smugglers' boats (USCG)

 

The smuggling vessel attempted to flee with the traffickers trying to dump their cargo overboard before they were subdued, leading to the seizure of about 1,300 pounds of cocaine and the arrest of two suspects. Due to deteriorating seaworthiness and heavy seas, the smuggling vessel was left to sink.

In yet another case on August 16, USCG cutter Stone interdicted a smuggling vessel south of the Galapagos Islands, with officers disabling it by shooting its engine out from a helicopter. Three suspected drug smugglers were detained with over 3,500 pounds of cocaine being confiscated. The vessel was set on fire.

A day later, Stone carried out another interdiction, disabling the engine on a smuggler’s vessel with fire from a helicopter. It resulted in the arrest of three smugglers and the seizure of over 4,000 pounds of cocaine. The suspects arrested in the two cases are said to be Ecuadorian nationals.

Another seizure of nearly 3,000 pounds of cocaine occurred on August 19 after Stone yet again interdicted a smuggling vessel. On the same day, a boat launched from the Reliance-class medium endurance cutter Venturous seized over 750 pounds of cocaine that was jettisoned by a target of interest.

 

Seized cocaine on the deck of USS Sampson (Homeland Security)

 

“80 percent of illicit drug seizures occur at sea,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The U.S. Coast Guard is surging maritime interdictions in the Eastern Pacific to stop the cartels and criminal organizations, cutting off drugs and human smuggling before it reaches American shores.”

Operation Pacific Viper is taking place while reports indicate that President Donald Trump has also ordered the deployment of three warships off the coast of Venezuela to intensify the fight against drug trafficking. 

Reuters is reporting that the Aegis guided-missile destroyers USS Graverly, John Dunham, and Sampson, and a contingent of 4,000 sailors and marines are designed to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, for whom the U.S. is offering a $50 million reward for his arrest over his alleged links to cocaine trafficking.
 

 

The Port of Auckland in New Zealand is finally set to embark on major infrastructure expansion projects aimed at enhancing its competitiveness. It is proceeding after getting a government greenlight under a new law designed to cut red tape in the approval process for huge infrastructure and development projects.

Under the Fast-track Approvals Act, Auckland’s wharf expansion project has become the first mega project to be granted consent. The greenlight now allows New Zealand’s main import terminal to proceed with the implementation of the Bledisloe North and Fergusson North projects, as well as the construction of a cruise passenger terminal and other upgrades.

The consent was granted by an expert panel set up under the Act, which was introduced in Parliament in March last year and enacted in record speed as part of the coalition government’s plan for its first 100 days in office. The Act, which received Royal Assent in December and became effective in February, establishes a permanent fast-track regime that makes it easier and quicker for large projects to gain approvals. The decision came just 66 working days after the panel was convened.

“The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that have, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,” said Chris Bishop, New Zealand Infrastructure Minister.

Having become the first to get approval under the act, the Port of Auckland will, starting next month, embark on implementing key projects that are critical to future growth. The Bledisloe and Fergusson wharves expansion forms the core of the projects that will not only allow berthing of larger containerships but also make Auckland a hub for cruise shipping.

The Bledisloe North wharf project will include a new reinforced concrete-piled wharf at the terminal, giving it enough depth for large cruise ships and RoRos. For Fergusson North, the project involves a wharf extension that will enable the port to handle 10,000 TEU ships in the future. Currently, the port can only handle ships with a 5,000 TEU maximum capacity.

Auckland has termed the projects as once-in-a-generation infrastructure that is needed to serve the city for decades to come, not only by making the port “big ship capable” but also by providing long-term fit-for-purpose infrastructure. In February, the port that is owned by the Auckland Council revealed it intends to invest NZ$120 to NZ$150 million (US$70 to $88 million) over the next three to four years in infrastructure expansion.  

“The Bledisloe North wharf extensions will enable larger cruise ships to berth, and increase New Zealand’s importing and exporting capacity,” said Bishop. The project will deliver lasting economic benefits by boosting the efficiency of a critical part of Auckland’s economy and supporting long-term growth.

Auckland’s infrastructure investments come when the port, the second largest after Port of Tauranga, is recording growth in container throughput to hit the 900,000 TEU mark in 2024.

The Auckland project was among a total of 149 projects on the fast-track list, with others involved in mining, power, and residential development, among others, being under consideration.
 

APM Terminals, the terminal operations for AP Moller-Maersk, has entered into an agreement with the authority overseeing ports on India’s east coast along the Bay of Bengal. Under the Memorandum signed in India on August 22, they plan to explore the development of ports to create an “Eastern Gateway” as part of India’s plan to expand trade.

According to officials, the agreement while help realize the vision of creating Andhra Pradesh as the logistics hub of the east. The region has more than 620 miles of coastline. The vision is to develop marine infrastructure such as ports, fishing harbors, and fish landing centers every 30 miles. 

The region is currently home to Visakhapatnam, a port city and industrial center, which is the third-largest port by volume in India and one of the country’s 12 major ports. However, it is mostly a bulker port with smaller container operations in the region. The coast currently hosts a total of 15 ports in eight coastal districts, with five operational non-major commercial ports and four green field projects, which will be operational by 2026.

Working with APM, the goal is to accelerate port and terminal development in the state. APM has expressed its intent as part of the MoU to invest approximately $1 billion to modernize ports and terminals. They will focus on the development of the Machilipatnam, Mulapeta, and Ramayapatnam ports and infrastructure. 

These are three of the ports currently being developed by the authority in the region. In June, the local authorities reported that Ramayapatnam Port was the most advanced with Phase 1 work nearly two-thirds (64 percent) completed. Both Machilipatnam and Mulapeta have completed more than 40 percent of their Phase 1 development.

APM is seen as a logical partner for the next phase of development, with the local officials noting that it is at the forefront of introducing advanced cargo handling technologies, promoting sustainable operations, and enhancing efficiency in container and bulk handling. APM Terminals has been present in India since 2004 and operates two key assets. The Gujarat Pipavav Port is located 152 nautical miles (10 hours steaming time) from Nhava Sheva in Mumbai. It was India’s first public-private port operation and has a capacity for 1.35 million TEU annually.

APM is also in partnership with India for the operations of APM Terminals Mumbai (Gateway Terminals India), which is the largest container facility in the country. Efforts are currently expanding its capacity above 2 million TEU annually.
 

Fire concerns and the potential for toxic, runaway fires spurred by lithium-ion batteries continue to weigh heavily on the shipping industry. Lynden’s Alaska Marine Lines has become the latest carrier to report it will no longer ship electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles due to the increased safety risk.

The company operates a vital cargo barge service across Alaska as well as to Hawaii. It is a vital connection for moving commercial freight and is used by Alaskans for shipping materials or to bring items from the “Lower 48.”

“Although we have previously shipped EVs and PHEVs, the increased complexity and fire risk associated with shipping large lithium-ion batteries on vessels at sea has caused us to reevaluate how to best keep our employees and equipment safe. While issues with lithium-ion batteries are infrequent, the inability to extinguish or contain this type of fire, especially while at sea, can lead to catastrophic results,” the company said in a customer statement released on August 12.

The new policy is effective immediately for Central Alaska, Western Alaska, and Hawaii. The company said it would continue to carry the vehicles for the next few weeks until September 1 for Southeast Alaska. The decision does not impact other hybrid vehicles, smaller electric recreational vehicles, e-bikes, and four-wheelers. Alaska Marine Lines said it will continue to reassess the ability to safely ship these vehicles as industry standards and safety procedures improve.

Alaska Public Media highlights that the restrictions will be especially hard for the Southeast, where electric vehicles are growing in popularity. It reports that the State of Alaska’s Alaska Marine Highway System and its ferries will continue limited transport of EVs. 

The ferry system limits just two EVs per trip, and a spokesperson told KCAW Alaska that special precautions are in place on the ferries. They have designated spaces with more area around the two spots for EVs, and each ferry carries two special fire blankets designed to smother EV battery fires. 

Alaska Marine Lines’ policy follows a similar decision announced by Matson in June. The carrier reported that its vessel from California to Hawaii and Guam would no longer transport EVs despite the precautions that it had put in place to control possible fires.

Similar policies have also emerged in Europe. Havila, for example, which carries cars on the Norwegian Coastal voyages, announced in 2023 that it was banning EVs and hydrogen vessels from its ships.
 

Equinor, one of the leading developers in the offshore and renewable energy industry, is not proceeding with its development projects in Australia, marking another setback for the developing industry. The Norwegian company had been working in Australia for the past few years and was positioned to be one of the first to develop a project.

Australia’s Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, said that Equinor and its Australian partner, Oceanex Energy, had been unable to agree on terms for the next phase of the development project. They had been selected by the government in February to receive a feasibility license to proceed with the research for the project, but according to Bowen, the company has decided to decline the license for the proposed Novocastrian Offshore Wind Farm.

Oceanex has spent years developing the plan and the local expertise for the project, which is one of the projects selected for the Hunter coast of New South Wales. The plan calls for a mega 2 GW floating wind farm located more than 12 miles offshore south of Newcastle. The proposed timeline expected construction to begin in 2028 and operations by 2031.

No official reason was given for the decision not to proceed, but it is being pointed out that Equinor has withdrawn from a number of projects both in Australia and elsewhere in recent months. Novocastrian was positioned according to Oceanex to be “at the forefront of deep-water deployment.”

Equinor had launched its partnership with Oceanex in 2022, citing the strong potential for offshore wind energy in Australia and the government’s strong desire to develop the industry. Oceanex is also developing offshore plans for the Illawarra and South Coast regions.

Equinor last month quietly withdrew from another project, its third in Australia, the Bass Offshore Wind Energy project. To be located near Tasmania in the Bass Strait, it calls for 70 to 100 turbines with a capacity of 1.5 GW. Equinor was working with the Australian company Nexsphere, which assumed full ownership of Bass from Equinor. Unlike Novocastrain, Bass has not yet been selected for a feasibility license.

Bowen said that Oceanex wants to continue to pursue the project, but it lacks the access to capital required. He believes that both Oceanex and Nexsphere will be shopping for new international partners.

The changing economics for offshore wind energy and the challenges of developing a new market have weighed heavily on Australia’s plans. Last month, Blue Float Energy, which is developing the plans for a Victoria offshore project, reported it was not proceeding. The plan calls for a 2 GW project for the Gippsland region, but reports said the company’s lead investor, Quantum Capital, determined the project was no longer commercially viable.

The changing economics have also challenged projects in other parts of the world. Ørsted recently announced it would not proceed with the Hornsea 4 project in the UK in its current proposed form. The company has also reported that it was unable to secure an investment partner in the United States for its Sunrise Wind project. It is planning to sell rights to its current shareholders to raise more than $9 billion, which will primarily be used to complete construction of the U.S. project. 

Bowen reiterated that the Australian government remains firmly committed to renewable energy. Analysts, however, question whether the government can meet its goals as the leading offshore projects have stalled before reaching feasibility and the final investment decision.
 

 

More than a week after the crew of the containership Marie Maersk reported smoking coming from containers, the fire is controlled but likely still burning. The ship has resumed sailing as it works to get additional help from shore in its efforts to extinguish the fire.

“One container, which has been flooded with water, still shows an elevated temperature while being under control,” reports a spokesperson for Maersk. “Marie Maersk is sailing slowly eastwards off the West African coast to meet another supply vessel with additional firefighting equipment which will be loaded onboard.”

The last AIS signal from the containership showed it sailing at more than 10 knots eastward into the Gulf of Guinea. It had been holding off Liberia on the West Coast during the first phase of the firefight. The ship was bound from Rotterdam to Malaysia and then China when the smoke was spotted on the morning of August 13. The ship initially moved closer to shore so that equipment and personnel could be brought out to aid the efforts.

An external firefighting team boarded the vessel on Tuesday, August 19. Maersk reports together with the crew of Marie Maersk, they have the fire under control, while it is still not completely extinguished. 

“The expert Crisis Response Team of Maersk remains in constant touch with the vessel crew, salvage operator, flag state authority, and classification society to take qualified decisions about the next steps,” the spokesperson told The Maritime Executive on August 22. The port of destination is “under contemplation,” with the goal of finding the best solution for the crew, Maersk’s customers and their cargo.

The ship has a rated capacity of just over 19,000 TEU, but it is unclear exactly how many containers are currently aboard and how many might be empties. Maersk says that due to the prevailing conditions in the affected cargo bays, it cannot confirm the exact impact of the fire on each container. The expectation is that the ship will be taken to a port of refuge to offload the damaged containers and ascertain the full extent of the damage.
 

[By: ALMACO]

Le Groupe ALMACO, a proudly Canadian subsidiary of ALMACO Group, today announced it has signed an over 100M CAD Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Chantier Davie Canada Inc. (Davie), Canada’s premier shipbuilder, for the outfitting of the Polar Max Icebreaker – a flagship project under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) and a cornerstone of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) future fleet. The move supports Le Groupe ALMACO and Davie’s shared vision of building local capabilities and fostering long-term industrial growth in the Canadian marine sector.

Polar Max: a Unique Project Executed Across Continents
The execution plan for Polar Max is a truly international collaboration between Davie and ALMACO, spanning both Canada and Finland. The hull will be constructed at Davie-owned Helsinki Shipyard, with Le Groupe ALMACO delivering interior accommodation spaces and other essential areas during this stage. In parallel, in Québec, Davie’s skilled shipbuilders and Le Groupe ALMACO will lead the design, procurement, and fabrication of the 1,400-ton superstructure – the top part of the ship.

This dual-build approach not only leverages expertise across two continents but also accelerates the project timeline by allowing major work to proceed simultaneously in both locations and guarantee the timely delivery of the ship to the Government of Canada. Once the hull is transported from Finland to Canada, the superstructure will be integrated at Davie’s facility in Lévis, Québec. This approach follows a proven process, successfully used for the delivery of Combat Support Ship (CSS) Asterix to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). Work on the superstructure begins in late summer, with final integration and vessel delivery to Canada by 2030.

Expanding ALMACO Group’s Presence in Québec
To support the Polar Max project and to create a long-term presence, ALMACO is expanding its operations in Canada. ALMACO set up operations in Québec already in 2022 and will open a new Le Groupe ALMACO office in Québec City in September 2025.

Québec’s role in the Polar Max program further reinforces its position as a global shipbuilding hub, recognized for innovation, technical excellence, and a highly skilled workforce. In delivering the project, Davie and ALMACO intend to collaborate extensively with subcontractors across Québec and Canada’s broader shipbuilding industry, ensuring that expertise and economic benefits are shared nationwide. As part of this effort, ALMACO’s role in the Polar Max will generate new jobs in Québec, creating opportunities for local talent and driving long-term growth in the province’s advanced marine sector.

The company has launched a major recruitment program, combining the know-how of ALMACO’s Europe-based employees with the skills of Canadian professionals. Le Groupe  ALMACO is committed to employing local talent in all functions – from engineering and project management to manufacturing and other roles.

A Shared Commitment to Canada’s Maritime Future
“Working with Davie again is a proud moment for us,” said Vilhelm Roberts, Executive Chairman of the Board and Co-owner of ALMACO Group. “We’ve maintained a close relationship with their team ever since the Asterix Project, and this new contract confirms our shared ambition to deliver world-class vessels while growing local expertise and capacity. We’re not just outfitting a ship—we’re helping to build the future of Canadian shipbuilding together.”

“Polar Max is a once-in-a-generation project that demands the very best from every partner involved, said Davie co-owner and CEO, James Davies. “Our work with ALMACO on Asterix proved that when we combine their world-class expertise with Canadian ingenuity, we deliver faster, better and with greater impact. This is a lasting partnership which will not only help deliver Polar Max on time and to the highest standard – it will also create jobs and develop skills and industrial capability here in Canada.”

Davie is a key player in Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. ALMACO is honoured to support this important national initiative and looks forward to continuing its collaboration with Davie on Polar Max, and beyond.

“This is great news that ALMACO has chosen Québec to expand its activities and partner with Davie on the Polar Max Icebreaker project. The National Shipbuilding Strategy continues to generate exciting opportunities for Canada’s shipbuilding industry, creating high-value jobs and strengthening our economy while advancing shipbuilding expertise in Québec and across the country,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions.

“The Polar Max project is an excellent example of how Canadian industry and international partners can collaborate to deliver world-class capabilities while creating good-paying jobs here at home. With ALMACO expanding its footprint in Québec, we can expect more skilled jobs, greater shipbuilding expertise, and a stronger, more resilient Canadian marine sector. As a key project under the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Polar Max icebreaker will contribute to a more modern, capable Canadian Coast Guard fleet and secure long-term economic growth and shipbuilding capacity for our country,” said the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, Canada.

“Davie’s leadership in the Polar Max project is a powerful driver of economic growth for Québec,” said Christopher Skeete, Minister for the Economy. “The collaboration between Davie and the ALMACO Group will generate business opportunities in both jurisdictions’ naval sectors. It will also consolidate Québec’s position as a shipbuilding hub, while recognizing the strategic importance placed on the Arctic in the 21st century.”

A Trusted Partnership Renewed
The Polar Max project represents a significant milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Davie and ALMACO Group. Their previous partnership to deliver the CSS Asterix to the Royal Canadian Navy in 2017 created lasting impact on the Canadian and international maritime industries. The Polar Max contract highlights the trust and shared commitment to delivering top-tier marine outfitting and advancing shipbuilding excellence in Canada.

Introducing Mobile Cabin Factory for Modular Cabins
A local “cabin factory” will be established in Québec. This facility, a first of its kind in Canada, will allow Le Groupe ALMACO to produce pre-fabricated modular cabins on site, significantly improving project logistics, efficiency, and quality assurance. The move supports Le Groupe ALMACO and Davie’s shared vision of building local capabilities and fostering long-term industrial growth in the Canadian marine sector.

[By: Witherby Publishing Group]

Capt. Iain Macneil MNM and Kat Heathcote Macneil MBE return to their roots with the announcement of a new CBT Joint Venture initially focussing on the burgeoning Maritime Security Sector. Witherby Publishing Group's owners are delighted to announce the signing of an exclusive MoU between themselves and Steve Richards and Cathy Wallwork of VIRSEC.

Capt. Macneil, CEO of Witherbys and original founder of Seamanship International said, "while it's been a while since we stepped away from CBT creation to focus on our takeover of Witherbys and expanding that portfolio of technical, operational and compliance guidelines, I always felt we may well return to the CBT sector under the right circumstances. We have been extremely impressed with VIRSEC and indeed, as part of my own re-qualification as Master Unlimited in 2024, I used their online STCW Ship Security Officer (SSO) course: while onboard ship, in my own time, at a pace that suited me, prior to successfully completing an online examination to receive an MCA Approved Certificate. Since then we have looked more closely at the company and its owners and feel their style and values align with our own. Their sharp focus on their area of expertise and their accreditation from bodies such as the MCA and ABS makes them the ideal partner, and we very much look forward to adding our maritime expertise to their undoubted security and course creation skills. With an initial focus on security aspects such as: Port Security, Drug Trafficking, Piracy and Armed Robbery, Cyber Security, Stowaways and Distressed People in Small Boats, it is our intention to specialise in the training required for compliance and certification before expanding the portfolio in support of STCW, SOLAS, MARPOL and the ISM Code.

Our last foray into CBT was the highly successful internal competence management system developed for Shell, and we are really pleased to be moving back into this area alongside this excellent small company.”

Steve Richards, Operations Director at VIRSEC added: “We are really excited to be working with Witherbys on this Joint Venture and view this as a unique opportunity to transform how maritime professionals access and experience training. Witherbys’ integrity and heritage, combined with VIRSEC’s focus on practical, quality-led training, will enable us to create courses that are not only compliant, but also engaging, flexible and future-ready. Our shared vision is to empower seafarers and maritime organisations with the knowledge and confidence to operate safely and securely in an increasingly complex world.”