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Yesterday — 25 February 2025The Maritime Executive

Bound4Blue Installs Three Sails on an EPS Product Tanker

25 February 2025 at 04:26

 

[By bound4blue]

bound4blue has completed the installation of its breakthrough eSAIL® suction sails on tanker vessel Pacific Sentinel with a streamlined single-stop process for Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) at Besiktas Shipyard in Turkey during a planned drydocking.  

Three 22-metre, DNV Type Approved eSAILs® were installed on the 50,000dwt Pacific Sentinel in under a day per unit, as planned. The installation took place during a scheduled vessel drydock, with preparatory work completed in advance. The fully autonomous wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS) will help the vessel reduce overall energy consumption with forecasted energy consumption savings of around 10% depending on vessel routing, slashing OPEX and emissions to air, while also enhancing regulatory compliance. 

Fast-track, single-stop benefits 

The installation heralds a landmark in numerous regards, signifying EPS’ first step into wind-assisted propulsion – as a continuation of its ambitious decarbonisation programme - while also marking bound4blue’s first tanker installation. The Spanish-based wind pioneer has undertaken a fast-track “single-stop” process, ensuring minimal vessel downtime with all work undertaken during planned vessel maintenance at the shipyard.  

The fast-track, single-stop installation combined vessel groundwork, such as fitting pedestals for the eSAILs® and welding, with the simultaneous preparation and programming of the sails. This efficient approach helped minimize installation time. 

David Ferrer, Co-founder and CTO, bound4blue explains: 

“We’re committed to helping shipping companies, such as EPS, embrace clean, proven, wind power in the simplest, most cost efficient and effective manner. Thanks to our collaboration with shipowners, operators, shipyards, and other key partners in all installations carried out by bound4blue, we have achieved a quick, robust, and high-quality deployment procedure. In this case the vessel and sails were fully prepared in advance, ensuring they could be lifted and bolted into place without extending the planned time at the yard.” 

Easy advantages 

Ferrer adds that the nature of the eSAIL® unlocks further advantages for cost, weight savings and efficiency on what could otherwise have been a demanding task: 

“The fact that this is an MR Tanker creates unique challenges in terms of ATEX zones and air draft limitations, but the eSAILs® simplicity is the ideal solution.  

“It allows for non-EX-proof units, which streamlines the process, and reduces CAPEX, while their high performance achieves substantial savings without requiring excessively large sails, eliminating the need for tilting mechanisms and allowing for compatibility with the vessel's existing air draft. It is, we believe, an ‘easy’ way for such vessels, and many other demanding shipping segments, to access the compelling commercial, regulatory and environmental advantages of wind power.” 

Ensuring regulatory compliance  

The installation was also completed in collaboration with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), ensuring compliance with the highest classification and safety standards. Achieving a ‘wind-assisted’ notation played a key role in verifying the structural integration of the eSAILs® with the vessel while aligning with regulatory frameworks such as the EU ETS, CII, and FuelEU Maritime. 

Sustainable partnerships 

bound4blue has installed its solution on five vessels, with many more in its growing order book. EPS, which signed the agreement for the Pacific Sentinel in February 2024 and has now successfully completed this installation, further extended its collaboration with bound4blue in December 2024 through a new agreement for the installation of three eSAILs® on an MR tanker under construction at New Times Shipbuilding in Jiangsu Province, China. This installation is scheduled for late 2025. 

Speaking of the collaboration with bound4blue, Mirtcho Spassov, Decarbonisation Manager at?EPS, comments: “We are committed to reducing emissions across our fleet by embracing cutting-edge green technologies, including wind-assisted propulsion. We need the right partners to achieve meaningful impact, and we’ve found bound4blue, with their proven technology and solutions-driven approach, to be an excellent match. This successful installation is testament to our partnership, and we look forward to harnessing the benefits of wind propulsion in support of our drive to decarbonise. We look forward to completing our second installation later this year.” 

Delivering progress 

The eSAIL® units work by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface to generate exceptional propulsive efficiency. The technology is suitable for both newbuilds and retrofitting across the huge majority of vessel segments, including, but not limited to, Tankers, Bulkers, Ro-Ros, Cruises, Ferries, Gas Carriers, and General Cargo vessels.  

eSAILs® help shipping companies simplify compliance, and achieve advantage, with regulations including EU ETS, CII and FuelEU Maritime, while offering a typical payback of less than five years. 

InterManager Asks IMO to Send the Bill for Carbon Costs to Shipowners

25 February 2025 at 04:08

 

As the IMO closes in on global regulations for shipping's carbon emissions, professional shipmanagement firms are concerned that the language could have unintended effects on third-party managers. 

According to industry organization InterManager, the current proposed text that will be reviewed at MEPC83 improperly accounts for the role of shipmanagement firms. About 20 percent of all merchant ships have a third-party ISM manager - not the owner, nor the commercial manager, but purely a technical manager. Since a third-party manager has no say in the commercial operations of the ship, nor in its construction or bunker fuel selection, it should not be held legally responsible for the ship's emissions, according to InterManager. 

"In comparison to the charterer and shipowner, the ship manager has no material influence over the GHG intensity of a ship. Ship managers have no say regarding the type of engine powering the managed ship, nor whether sails, solar, fuel cells or other installations are installed on board. Such choices are decided exclusively by the shipowner," the association said in a statement. 

InterManager's proposed text would state that the entity responsible for compliance would be "the registered owner of the ship." This would put the financial burden on the shipowner, not the manager; the shipmanager would still be tasked with collecting emissions data and reporting it properly, in accordance with regulations. 

"We ship managers are fully committed to playing our part in shipping’s journey to net zero. However, when it comes to the GHG intensity of a ship, ship managers have no say whatsoever in any of the decisions that result in material impact; they are not even consulted. In shore terms, we are the facility managers, not the factory owners," said InterManager President Sebastian von Hardenberg. "In taking our points into consideration, the IMO can develop a more practical and equitable framework."

The association's objections mirror a long debate around who should be responsible for compliance with the EU's greenhouse gas rules for shipping. The newly-imposed FuelEU Maritime regulation places compliance responsibility upon the ship's technical manager; if the technical manager is a third party, it must work out contractual arrangements with the shipowner and charterer to protect its financial interests. 

By contrast, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme puts responsibility on the registered shipowner by default. If the ship is chartered out or managed by a third party, the shipowner must work out contractual arrangements for compliance costs with the charterer or technical manager. 

Russia Signs Port Investment Deal With Myanmar's Military Junta

25 February 2025 at 02:19

 

The Russian government has signed an MOU with the military dictatorship of Myanmar to build a special economic zone in Dawei, a small port town on Myanmar's narrow Malay Peninsula coastline. 

The memorandum - signed by Russian economic development minister Maxim Reshetnikov and Myanmar's investment minister Kan Zaw - covers the construction of a seaport, a coal-fired powerplant and an oil refinery at Dawei. A Thai consortium entered into a similar port development MOU with Myanmar's previous government, but the deal fell apart in 2021.

The zone would be 50,000 acres in size, providing room for industrial development. Reshetnikov told Russian media that "oil refining is still the most complex element," and that this might not be actualized. "There is a desire of the Myanmar side to have a refinery. Our companies are still studying the economics of such a project, it is very complicated from the point of view of economic feasibility," he said. 

The project's success will require the junta to retain control of Myanmar, with assistance from Russian and Chinese arms suppliers. Since seizing power and overthrowing the elected government in 2021, Myanmar's military forces have been steadily losing ground to a loose coalition of rebels. According to the BBC, the junta had full control of just 20 percent of the country as of November, and rebel groups have been slowly advancing on several fronts.

Trump Says That Tariffs on Canada and Mexico Will Take Effect Next Week

25 February 2025 at 02:06

 

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the tariffs he has threatened to impose on all goods from Mexico and Canada will go into effect once a one-month negotiated pause expires. 

"The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule," he told reporters in a press conference with French President Emanuel Macron at the White House. "We've been mistreated very badly by many countries, and that includes Canada and Mexico. . . . All we want is reciprocal, we want reciprocity. We want the same, so if somebody charges us, we charge them." 

Early this month, Trump threatened to revise the tariff rates on Mexico and Canada upwards to 25 percent (except for Canadian energy, which would be subject to a 10 percent levy). After securing border-related concessions from both nations, Trump agreed to pause the tariff hike for a month for negotiations. If the tariffs do go into effect as he forecast, they will begin to affect cross-border trade on March 4. 

Canada is preparing to retaliate with its own tariffs on a list of $110 billion worth of U.S. goods. "The threat of tariffs is a real one and may continue for a while. We need to be able to deal with the unpredictability of President Trump," said Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, speaking to reporters in London on Monday. 

If fully implemented, an across-the-board tariff schedule of 25 percent for Canadian and Mexican goods would have significant economic effects. Economists predict that Mexico and Canada would likely enter a recession; U.S. GDP would be reduced by about 0.5 percent compared with business as usual; and inflation would increase in all three countries. Mexico, as the largest exporter of goods to the United States - larger than Canada or China - would be especially hard-hit.  

Offshore Services Giant Proposed in $4.7B Deal to Merge Saipem and Subsea 7

25 February 2025 at 00:44


Two of the leaders in the offshore sector for energy, Saipem and Subsea 7 entered into an understanding that is designed to lead to a merger of equally to create an offshore services giant. The deal valued at nearly $4.7 billion would combine the companies to create a global presence with a fleet of more than 60 construction vessels and 45,000 employees.

The companies highlighted that they have highly complementary geographical footprints, competencies and capabilities, vessel fleets, and technologies that will benefit the global client base. They believe a combination would also unlock annual synergies of approximately €300 million to be achieved in the third year after completion, with one-off costs to achieve such synergies of approximately €270 million. The combined company would have a current backlog of €43 billion and annual revenues of nearly €20 billion.

Explaining the rationale for the combination, the companies told investors it would create a more comprehensive solution for customers, expand the expertise and experience base, and create a global and diversified operation. It would also lay the foundation for future innovation in the industry. The management of both Saipem and Subsea7 said they share the conviction that there is compelling logic in creating a global leader in energy services, particularly considering the growing size of clients’ projects.

While recognizing the potential, analysts were quick to question the logistics of completing such a combination. They cited a difficult regulatory approval in part reflected by the companies’ projection that it would be mid-2026 before the deal could be completed.

The companies reported they have completed a memorandum of understanding for the combination which calls for a merger of equals. Each company would own 50 percent of the combined entity with the new company being known as Saipem 7. Current plans call for Alessandro Puliti, CEO of Saipem, to be appointed as CEO of the combined company while John Evans, CEO of Subsea 7, would be the CEO of the offshore business which will comprise all Subsea7 and Saipem’s Offshore Engineering & Construction activities.

The companies’ large shareholders are expressing their support for the combination. Siem Industries, the largest shareholder of Subsea7, would own approximately 12 percent of the new company, while Eni and CDP Equity, the largest shareholders of Saipem, would own approximately 10.6 percent and approximately 6.4 percent of the new company.

The companies independently developed as leaders in the offshore services industry tracing their origins to the 1950s and the start of modern offshore operations. Each has been involved in the consolidation and growth of the industry. The modern Subsea 7 emerged in the early 200s and reports it is the product of over 25 different legacy companies and businesses with Kristian Siem continuing to drive the company as its chairman. Saipem was also the product of mergers and served as the service supplier for Eni until 2015 when it reduced its holding setting the stage for the modern company.

The timeline for the deal calls for completing the merger agreement by mid-year. They will require extensive antitrust approvals and shareholder approval from each company.

Trump Administration Sanctions 13 More Iran-Linked Tankers

25 February 2025 at 00:40

 

The Trump administration has imposed another round of sanctions on Iranian oil exports, expanding the list of vessels and shipping companies blacklisted for ties to Iran's energy sector. 

Shortly after returning to power in January, President Donald Trump instructed the State Department to "impose maximum economic pressure on the government of Iran," including both new sanctions and ramped-up enforcement. The executive order is intended to deny Iran the ability to make nuclear weapons and the ballistic missile systems it needs to deliver them, and to reduce Iran's war chest for fueling conflict in the Mideast.

Iran relies heavily on foreign tanker operators and on Chinese oil markets, making its energy sector vulnerable to targeted sanctions. The U.S. Treasury has repeatedly expanded the list, and today's additions included 13 vessels and 22 entities.

"This network of illicit shipping facilitators obfuscates and deceives its role in loading and transporting Iranian oil for sale to buyers in Asia," said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement. "Today’s action represents an initial step to realize President Trump’s campaign of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. It disrupts efforts by Iran to amass oil revenues to fund terrorists’ activities."

The newly-named entities include AustinShip Management Pvt Ltd, Cosmos Lines, Flux Maritime and BSM Marine LLP of India; Alkonost Maritime, Petroquimico and Octane Energy of the UAE; IMS Ltd. of Malaysia; NyCity Shipmanagement of Shandong, China; and Petronix Energy Trading of Hong Kong. Petronix stands accused of buying "hundreds of thousands of metric tonnes of Iranian oil from sanctioned Naftiran Intertrade Co."

The newly-named vessels include the Amak, Asterix, Ayden, Casinova, Chamtang, Fiona, Lydia II, Meng Xin, Peterpaul, Phoenix I, Urgane I, Violet I and Yateeka.  

EU Says Owners “Significantly Undermining” Recycling Regs by Flag Switches

24 February 2025 at 23:30


A decade after the European Union first adopted its ship recycling regulation to address concerns over environmental issues, it issued a new evaluation of the regulations highlighting shortcomings. Overall, it concludes the regulation is effective, but finds shipowners continue to “flag hop” incentivized by additional revenue from selling end-of-life ships.

The commission evaluated the framework ahead of the June 2025 entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention ratified by UN members in 2024 to provide a global framework for recycling and the treatment of environmental concerns. The EU was also reviewing the list of companies authorized under the regulation and released an update.

While saying it believes the regulation has “largely achieved its objectives,” the report however warns that its “effectiveness has been significantly undermined through the practice of shipowners charging ship’s flag shortly before being recycled.” It also points to a continuing absence of hazardous materials inventories on ships in service which it says results in the quantities of inventories often being insufficient at the recycling stage.

Shipowners they concluded are still incentivized by additional revenue to send their vessels to South Asian yards despite none of the yards being recognized by the EU. Ships are transferred from the flags of EU member states to a non-EU flag shortly before being recycled. Middlemen often buy the vessels without disclosing intent and send them to Asia or sometimes briefly lay the ship up in an intermediary country before delivering it to the scrapyards.

There have been several high-profile cases but, in most instances, owners elude punishment while scrapping ships in Asia. In June 2024, Norwegian regulators imposed an approximately $750,000 fine for illegally exporting two ships to India for scrapping despite claims by then-owner Teekay that it sent the ship for further trading. As part of the evaluation, the EU reports it will focus on preventing circumvention efforts by clarifying standards and ensuring penalties for infringements.

The updated list for 2025 from the EU removes yards in Latvia, Lithuania, and Turkey from the recognized group. The list currently has 31 yards in Europe, 11 in Turkey, and one in the United States. Ships registered in an EU member state are required to use one of these yards for ship recycling. The EU emphasized the importance of the regulations saying European shipowners have 30 percent of the world’s tonnage.

The EU highlights the Hong Kong Convention sets out international ship recycling standards that are less stringent than the current EU Ship Recycling Regulation. It is assessing how the convention will be implemented and possibly improved towards stricter global standards. The EU reports its model has become a benchmark both within and outside the EU. It will look to further enhance the standards to ensure that environmental risks are reduced during the handling of end-of-life vessels.
 

Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Underway After Five Days of Emergency Repairs

24 February 2025 at 22:54

The U.S. Navy reported tonight, February 24, that the carrier USS Harry S. Truman has returned to sea after emergency repairs in Crete. The carrier group was underway today and conducting routine flight operations.

The carrier arrived back at the Naval Support Base in Souda Bay, Greece on February 16 just four days after it collided with a bulker north of the Suez Canal. The report indicated that an assessment team would conduct a full survey of damaged areas and develop a repair plan to be executed immediately.

The Navy quickly assembled an emergency team that included engineers, naval architects, and other personnel from the Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center and Norfolk Naval Shipyard. In an “all-hands” effort, the sailors worked together with a local industry partner, Theodoropoulos Group, to assess the damage, develop the plan, and complete repairs to restore weathertight integrity to the carrier.

The initial damage assessment reported the exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space had sustained breaches as well as external damage including a line handling space, the fantail, and the platform above one of the storage spaces. The aircraft elevator however was not damaged and remained fully operational. 

The work was completed in just five days with the carrier group underway on February 23. A Navy spokesperson told Stars & Stripes the repairs included removing damaged pieces of metal and installing weatherproofing bulkheads.

“Our ship remains operationally ready to complete deployment with mission and purpose on full display by the entire crew,” said Capt. Chris Hill, commanding officer of Harry S. Truman. “We are out here launching and recovering aircraft.”

Hill took over command of the carrier as interim commanding officer the Navy reported on February 20. Hill transferred from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower which is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard after completing its nine-month deployment in July 2024. The captain had led the first phase of the U.S. mission in the Red Sea region to combat the Houthis after they started attacking merchant ships. Hill replaced Capt. Dave Snowden, commanding officer of USS Harry S. Truman who was relieved due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command after the collision.

The Navy emphasized that there was no impact on Harry S. Truman’s mission or schedule due to emergency repairs. Since deploying, they report the carrier's eight embarked aviation squadrons have flown over 5,500 stories. This includes two strikes into Houthi-controlled Yemen and a strike on ISIS-Somalia. The Houthis had been aggressively targeting the Truman in January before suspending their strikes after the Gaza ceasefire.

The Harry S. Truman is deployed with the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg. The strike group also consists of three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout, USS The Sullivans, and USS Jason Dunham. The group deployed on September 23, first traveling to Northern Europe and then into the Mediterranean and Red Sea.
 

Report: Two Attacks on Russia-Linked Tankers Were Caused by Limpet Mines

24 February 2025 at 22:08

 

At least two recent explosions affecting tankers in the Mediterranean this year can be explained by limpet mine attacks, three security sources told Reuters this week. 

Five tankers have been damaged in suspicious incidents over the last two months, and all vessels were linked to a recent history of Russian port calls.  

Overnight on February 14, a blast damaged the Greek-owned Seajewel off Savona. Reports indicate that divers found a two-foot by four-foot hole with plates driven inward, indicating external forces were at work. Dead fish found near the blast site further suggested an explosion. 

Other recently-damaged tankers with Russian trading ties include the Grace Ferrum, Koala, and Seacharm. The Russian military cargo ship Ursa Major also went down in December near the Strait of Gibraltar after a series of engine room explosions, and the Russian operator claimed that it had been sabotaged. 

Without specifying which particular incidents, three sources confirmed to Reuters that at least two blasts were likely caused by limpet mine attacks. One source said that the munitions used were Soviet BPM-type limpet mines, a time-delayed shaped charge with a magnetic casing that can be hand-placed by divers. The time-delay fuse can be set for durations as long as a month, according to open-source data, allowing the vessel to transit far from the point of placement before detonation. 

The BPM has a small main charge of just seven pounds of tritonal, but placed directly on a ship's hull it is enough to be effective. When activated, it has an anti-removal plunger that detonates the mine if another diver tries to pull it off. 

Like all Soviet munitions, BPM mines were exported to third countries linked to Russian expansionism. The design has changed little over decades, they remain in production, and they continue to crop up in modern conflict zones - making attribution difficult. 

Bulker Held for 15 Months in India During Cocaine Investigation Released

24 February 2025 at 21:21

 

The Vietnamese-owned bulker Debi has finally been released by the courts in India after being held for 15 months. The vessel was first detained after cocaine was found hidden aboard the ship while it was in transit which later resulted in a dispute over port fees. 

India’s High Court in Orissa signed off on the release of the vessel (37,000 dwt and built in 2012) which is registered in Panama. The owners owed nearly $1 million in port fees to Orissa for the time the vessel was detained. For part of the time, it was in the anchorage and the remainder on berth. The crew had gone on strike last November when the ship moved to the dock to resupply a year after the ship was detained. The crew had refused to do any additional work until they were released.

The owners of the vessel and the Paradip International Cargo Terminal are reported to have reached an out-of-court settlement, the details of which were not released. The admiralty judge after reviewing the settlement agreed that there was no reason for the case to continue and said the ship was released. The Debi however as of today shows it remains at the port according to its AIS signal.

The vessel was traveling from Asia to Denmark to transport a cargo of steel plate when it made the port stop in Paradip, India. A dockworker noticed suspicious packages attached to the underside of one of the deck cranes and reported it to the authorities. The packages were found to contain 22 kg of cocaine which was seized on November 30, 2023. The street value of the cocaine was reported at over $25 million. 

Indian authorities searched the vessel and ordered the crew to be detained while they investigated the smuggling. The crew’s personal electronics were seized, but they remained in limbo. One crewmember jumped overboard in a possible suicide attempt after a dispute on the ship which was blamed on the crew’s long detention. A junior engineer he was rescued and taken to a hospital while the remainder of the crew continued to wait. Finally, in December 2024, the court ordered the crew could begin to leave and 11 went home on December 23 while nine replacements took their positions. The others were expected to leave once their replacements arrived. The reports said of the 21 crewmembers, 17 were from Vietnam.

The port fees continued to accumulate while the vessel was detained in the port. The ship was officially arrested in February 2024 and in August the court had ordered it sold. The court last week ordered a refund of more than $27,000 in court fees to the terminal operator.

International associations have increasingly highlighted cases such as the Debi where vessels and their crews are being routinely detained for smuggling charges or other infractions. Crewmembers have also been convicted on charges related to the discovery of narcotics aboard their ships without ever being directly linked to the smuggling operation. Unions are calling for fairer treatment and expedited processing of crews in these cases.

In the case of the Debi, the authorities repeatedly said they were investigating but no charges were ever filed against the crew. The cocaine was concealed out of sight and it was unclear if the crew was aware or if the ship was simply a courier in the case with the crew unaware that the drugs had been stashed aboard.
 

German Police Board Freighter on Suspicions of Subsea Cable Damage

24 February 2025 at 21:18

An aging freighter was stopped and boarded in Kiel after a suspected cable damage incident off Gotland last weekend, according to German authorities - and in a familiar pattern, it was missing its port-side anchor. 

The Antigua-flagged freighter Arne got under way from St. Petersburg on February 19, bound for Seville. She passed Gotland on the evening of February 20-21, and reduced speed by about three knots as she transited past the southeastern side of the island.

On the same day, Swedish authorities announced a new suspected "disturbance" to the CLion1 subsea cable, which links Germany and Finland under the Baltic. The damage did not appear to be severe, as "the disturbance does not affect the functionality of telecommunications connections running in the cable," operator Cinnia said in a statement. 

Arne's speed fluctuations and course attracted the attention of the NATO monitoring mission in the Baltic. The German Federal Marine Police dispatched the patrol vessels Bamberg and Neustadt to monitor and escort Arne to Kiel Bay. Denmark's cutter HDMS Luna joined in the convoy as well. 

Arne was boarded near the Kiel Canal entrance on Saturday afternoon. Local media noted that the ship was missing her port-side anchor, just like several other vessels accused of damaging subsea cables in the Baltic over the past year, including the NewNew Polar Bear and Eagle S.  

However, Arne was allowed to go after a three-hour inspection, and made an uneventful transit of the Kiel Canal. She is now underway southbound in the English Channel. Finnish authorities say that it is possible that the CLion cable was damaged earlier, in the Christmas Day anchor-drag incident involving the tanker Eagle S. 

Arne is a 27-year-old freighter flagged in Antigua and owned in Latvia. As is common for a vessel of her age, she has a history of port state inspection deficiencies, including violations related to firefighting equipment and pumps, ISM code compliance, alarms, GMDSS systems and her VDR. 

UK and EU Expand Sanctions on Shadow Fleet and Russian Infrastructure

24 February 2025 at 20:15


Marking the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the launch of the so-called “special military operation,” the UK and EU rolled out sweeping new sanctions. Both programs emphasized they continue to aim at undermining Russia’s sources of income and those support the war effort while the UK also said it was designed to strengthen Ukraine’s position.

“Lasting peace will only be achieved through strength. That is why we are focused on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position,” said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. “Every military supply line disrupted, every rouble blocked, and every enabler of Putin’s aggression exposed is a step towards a just and lasting peace.”

The UK is calling today’s announcement the largest sanctions package against Russia since 2022. A total of 107 sanctions were announced targeting military supply chains, revenues, and the enables supporting Russia’s efforts. It noted for the first time the sanctions are targeting foreign financial institutions supporting the war effort including sanctions against the Kyrgyzstan-based IJSC Keremet Bank and the inclusion of the North Korean Defense Minister and other North Korean generals.  

Today’s sanctions include another 40 shadow fleet ships carrying Russian oil. According to the UK, these vessels have collectively carried more than $5 billion worth of Russian oil and oil products in the last six months. The specifications bring the total number of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK to 133, which the UK calls the highest of any nation in Europe.  

Other inclusions in the new sanction package included producers and suppliers of machine tools, electronics, and dual-use goods for the Russian military, including microprocessors and goods coming from countries including states in Asia, Turkey, Thailand, India, and China. It includes companies that procure arms, deliver military-industrial goods, and individuals inside and out of the Russian government.

The European Council also reported the adoption of its 16th Russia sanctions package. Like the UK they are targeting energy, trade, transport, infrastructure, and financial services and also went beyond Russia with sanctions for Belarus, the regimes in Crimea and Sevastopol, and those controlling the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

“This new round of sanctions not only targets the Russian shadow fleet but those who support the operation of unsafe oil tankers, videogame controllers used to pilot drones, banks used to circumvent our sanctions, and propaganda outlets used to spout lies,” said Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission.

The EU package targets 74 additional vessels, with the EU highlighting its total number of listed vessels at 153. As part of the effort, the EU is also adding a new listing criterion, targeting those who support the operations of unsafe oil tankers. This includes targeting terminals and operations in the ports of Ust-Luga, Primorsk, and Novorossiysk.

This sanction package also includes export restrictions on 53 companies and 34 companies in countries other than Russia. The EU added elements to prevent circumvention of the sanctions and to stop disinformation it is also suspending the broadcasting activities of eight media which it believes are supporting and justifying Russia’s war.

In addition to demonstrating Europe’s support for Ukraine, today’s actions were also believed to be a sign to Donald Trump who has not included Europe as he pushes for peace with Russia. Yesterday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron reported they spoke by phone to demonstrate their commitment to Ukraine. Macron met with Donald Trump today, February 24, in Washington D.C. Starmer is also scheduled to meet with Trump on Thursday, February 27. European leaders are warning against appearing “weak” and not unified when speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump has discussed the sanctions while Russia highlighted that it wants the sanctions ended as part of any peace talks. The Biden Administration was aggressive in its efforts to sanction Russia, including designating 183 tankers in January 2025. Included in the latest effort was a broad effort including crude oil and product tankers and gas carriers associated with Sovcomflot as well as the shadow fleet.
 

EU Can Do It! Five Simple Steps to FuelEU Maritime Compliance

24 February 2025 at 19:15

 

Change is on the horizon. On January 1, 2025, FuelEU Maritime arrives, and with it a whole new approach to measuring and reducing your fleet emissions. To ensure compliance, flexibility and strategic business advantage, you have to act now. But how? What are the foundations for success in a new regulatory reality? How can you turn complexity into smooth sailing and profitable decision making? NAVTOR’s Jacob Clausen has some easy answers.

1. Ensure You Are Collecting the Right Data

Every regulation demands data, but none quite like FuelEU Maritime. The framework measures the GHG intensity of energy used by ships trading within the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) across the full “well-to-wake” spectrum. This means you need systems to accurately track fuel consumption and emissions data across the entire lifecycle of the fuel (not just on a “tank-to-wake” basis, as with EU MRV). This requires sophisticated data collection way beyond basic manual inputs. Forget Excel; intelligent data capture is the way forward.

2. Track Fuel Usage by Source to Compute GHG Intensity

Those intelligent systems should be integrated not just across your fleet, but also your fuel suppliers. To ensure compliance you must have a deep understanding of your fuel sources, tracking all consumed energy step-by-step, all the way from initial extraction right through to onboard combustion. A joined-up approach is essential for both compliance and optimal business value (nobody wants to pay unnecessary penalties).

Staying ahead - smart shipping solutions can help you navigate the evolving regulatory landscape with ease

3. Understand Your Fleet's Current GHG Intensity

You can only plan your voyage when you know your point of departure. So understanding where your fleet currently stands in relation to the 91.16 gCO2e/MJ regulation baseline is absolutely essential. By calculating your fleet's GHG intensity now, you can better plan for the necessary reductions. With a 2% reduction target for 2025, operators should aim to cap GHG intensity at 89.34 gCO2e/MJ by that year. And remember the scale continues sliding, with a 6% reduction by 2030, tapering down to an 80% cut by 2050.

4. Evaluate Your Compliance Options

Each fleet and operation is unique, meaning that the most cost-effective compliance solutions vary. That means you need to evaluate options based on your specific situation:

  • Fuel Mix: Transitioning to low-carbon fuels, such as biofuels or LNG, can reduce GHG intensity.
  • Shore Power: Using shore power when docked can minimize onboard fuel consumption and emissions.
  • Wind-Assisted Propulsion: Installing wind-assist technologies, such as suction or rotor sails, can cut fuel use, contributing to reduced GHG emissions.
  • Banking, Pooling, or Borrowing: These mechanisms allow for strategic management of emissions allowances. Operators with surplus allowances can bank or pool them for future use, while those facing deficits can borrow allowances to avoid penalties.
  • Penalty Consideration: When alternative fuels or technology investments are too costly, evaluating the cost of non-compliance penalties may provide a stopgap measure.

5. Plan Ahead now to Manage Cost Exposure

Legally, compliance with FuelEU Maritime comes into force on April 30, 2026, when 2025’s figures are digested. This can create the illusion that there’s plenty of time. There’s not. Delaying decisions to the last minute will leave operators vulnerable to higher costs and fewer options, while planning ahead creates insight and opportunity.

Those with surplus emissions reductions can consider banking or pooling their allowances, while those anticipating compliance challenges must plan ahead for alternatives such as biofuels, shore power, or borrowing allowances. A proactive strategy not only reduces risk, but positions your fleet for long-term sustainability – both commercially and environmentally.

There is a great deal of confusion, and some consternation, with regards to the advent of FuelEU Maritime. However, with the right solutions, partners and planning, you can simplify this complex regulation and sail compliantly into a more sustainable and profitable future. But the time to act is now. Get in touch with NAVTOR to find out more about safe, secure and cost-effective compliance.

This article is sponsored by NAVTOR

Fire Stricken Grimaldi Conro Towed to Port

24 February 2025 at 17:49


Grimaldi’s Conro Grande Brasile (26,000 dwt) was towed to port on Sunday, February 23, after a fire broke out while the vessel was in the English Channel last week. The fire is believed to have been extinguished and contained to a small section of the RoRo sector of the vessel and the crew escaped uninjured.

The authorities granted permission for salvage tugs to bring the ship to port during daylight hours. Four tugs from Dutch company Multraship, numbers 32, 33, 35, and 36, moved the dead ship into Antwerp where it was tied up at the Euroterminal. Boskalis’ Smit unit was hired to oversee the salvage of the vessel.

Images online showed scorching from the fire on the vessel’s superstructure near the funnel. Blistering is visible on two or more decks but contained within an area of the ship. Grimaldi initially reported one fire on February 17 which its crew attempted to extinguish with the CO2 system. Lifeboats from the UK’s RNLI attended the vessel but were released only to be recalled later the same day when a second fire was discovered aboard the vessel. The Grimaldi crew abandoned ship into its lifeboat and were rescued by one of the tugs and transferred to the Ramsgate Lifeboat to be taken to shore.

 

 

Grimaldi told the European press there were indications of what had caused the fire but would not speculate until the investigation was completed. The vessel frequently transports used cars and containers and was bound for West Africa.

Two of the Multraship tugs reached the vessel on February 18 and working with Boskalis’ tug Kamara were conducting cooling operations. The French rescue vessel Abeille Normandie was also standing by monitoring the operation.

Salvage crews were expected to board the vessel now that it has returned to port to ensure the fire has been extinguished. Then inspectors will begin searching for the origins. 

Today, February 24, there are unconfirmed reports of yet another fire on a different Grimaldi vessel. Lloyd’s is reporting that fire occurred on the Grande Congo (47,600 dwt) as the vessel was transiting to Norfolk, Virginia. This Conro is now docked in Norfolk having arrived from Spain. 

The company has experienced several vessel fires in the past few years. In 2019, it had fires on two vessels that led to changes in the rules for handling hazardous cargo. Then in 2023, another of the company’s vessels in New Jersey when a fire started as cars were being loaded. Two local firefighters were killed after boarding the vessel. It burned for days damaging the RoRo section of the vessel.

Grimaldi has indicated it will be fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigation into the fire on the Grande Brasile.

EU Warns of Active and Evolving Threat as Pirates Abandon Seized Dhow

24 February 2025 at 17:03

 

The Yemeni fishing vessel that was seized by pirates a week ago has now been abandoned after the crew was robbed. The EUNAVFOR operation Atalanta that monitors security in the region however is warning after two events in recent weeks that “similar organized piracy incidents might take place again in the area.”

This latest incident was reported to the authorities on February 17. It was believed that armed pirates boarded the Yemeni dhow Saytuun-2.  It was hijacked off Garmaal, on the northern coast of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region within Somalia. Atlanta classified it as an armed robbery because the vessel was staying within coastal waters.

The vessel was being monitored while the EUNAVFOR was also coordinating with its security partners, including the Yemeni Coast Guard and the Puntland Maritime Police Force as well as the international Combined Maritime Forces. They reported that there were five crewmembers aboard and the vessel was traveling to the south after it was hijacked. They believed there were six pirates aboard.

The pirates fled the vessel on February 22. Teams from one of the warships involved in the international security effort contacted the fishing vessel yesterday, February 23 in what Atlanta termed a “friendly approach.” They gathered information from the crew that confirmed that armed pirates with ladders had taken control of the vessel. The crew was uninjured but said the pirates had taken some of their belongings before leaving the dhow.

Earlier in February there was a similar incident involving another Yemeni-flagged dhow, Al Najma. The vessel with a crew of 12 aboard was boarded on February 9 near Ely, Somalia also in the Puntland region. The EU naval forces began a search to locate the vessel and were tracking the vessel when the pirates also abandoned the hijacked dhow. It was released on February 13 and again forces participating with Atalanta visited the vessel to confirm the safety of the crew.

“These recent events within Somali territorial waters demonstrate an active and evolving threat in the region,” Atlanta warned in its weekly report. “Despite routine patrols performed by CMF, EUNAVFOR Atalanta, and other warships in these waters, pirates continue to demonstrate sophisticated operational capabilities.” Atalanta also warns of a “well-established coastal support infrastructure.” Atalanta concluded that the prates maintain the capabilities and intent to target vessels in the region.

This comes 17 years after the security operation was first created. Atalanta began its patrols in 2009 and reports its efforts have led to the conviction of 145 pirates. They have documented 139 vessels that have been held in the region but noted that there are also an unknown number of unreported/unconfirmed dhows and smaller vessels that have been seized.

Last year, Atlanta reported a spike in activity in the first quarter which continued till May 2024. After that, there were a few suspicious approaches before a Chinese fishing vessel was seized in December and held until the end of the year. The two incidents with the Yemeni-flagged dhows occurred this month raising the new concerns about continued dangers in the region.

Before yesterdayThe Maritime Executive

Iranian Naval Vessels Call in Malaysia for the First Time

24 February 2025 at 04:23

 

Two Iranian naval vessels commenced a visit to Port Klang, in Malaysia’s Malacca Straits on February 21. Malaysian newspapers describe the visit as the first made by Iranian naval vessels.

In the second such tie-up in the past few weeks, when in the past the two entities were rarely seen working together operationally, Iran’s regular Navy (Nedaja) deployed the Moudge Class frigate IRINS Dena (F75) and the IRGC Navy (Nedsa) contributed the drone carrier Shahid Mahdavi (C110-3). It is the Mahdavi's first operational deployment outside home waters.

The Iranian flotilla has been at sea for at least three weeks, cruising off Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, but also deeper into the Indian Ocean south of the Equator.

Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, the Nedsa commander, told Press TV that the deployment to Malaysia was one of five flotillas currently deployed outside Iranian home waters.  Besides the flotilla customarily stationed in the Red Sea, a flotilla with naval cadets aboard is known to be on a long-range cruise, and two other flotillas are believed to be in the Indian Ocean. This level of activity is unusually high, and reflects Iranian fears of a further Israeli attack to neutralize Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Spanish Expedition Finds Evidence for Methane Leaks in Antarctica

24 February 2025 at 02:53

 

A team of Spanish scientists have revealed alarming evidence of methane leaks in Antarctica. The researchers are exploring the vast quantities of methane stored in the Antarctic seabed. The study, carried on board the Spanish research vessel Sarmiento de Gamboa, focused on the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula. These Antarctic edges are one of the most rapidly warming parts of the planet.

“We have estimated that in this area there are some 24 gigatons of carbon accumulated in methane hydrates, an amount equivalent to what all humanity emits in two years,” said geologist Rogers Urgeles, who together with Ricardo León led the expedition.

For decades now, polar scientists have been studying methane hydrates - a mixture of water and methane gas trapped under high pressure - in the frozen continents. The methane hydrates are as a result of decomposition of organic matter buried for over 20,000 years beneath the polar seas; most of this research has focused on the Arctic.

The first active leak of methane from the Antarctic sea floor was confirmed by researchers in 2020. While additional data is needed to understand the methane seepage, there have been reports showing global warming could be a factor. However, the first leak was confirmed near the Ross Sea, a region which is yet to significantly warm. But tracking of these methane leaks is critical for climate models, which currently do not account for it. Methane in the atmosphere is considered roughly 20 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas.

The new study by the Spanish scientists further confirms the presence of huge methane hydrate reserves in the Antarctic Peninsula. Ongoing geological and climate-driven processes have made the reserves destabilize, causing seepage of methane. León and Urgeles reported observing columns of methane in the ocean up to 700 meters long and 70 meters wide. The gas could be bubbling up from the subsoil, often through mud volcanoes hundreds of meters above the seabed, the scientists told the Spanish Newspaper El Pais. The observed methane columns dissolve at about 150 meters from the ocean surface. The researchers recommend long-term monitoring to track methane release trends in the Antarctic, as well as the amount that escapes into the atmosphere.

Mexico’s LNG Ambitions Face the Trump Era and Environmental Concerns

24 February 2025 at 02:52

 

[By Emilio Godoy and Patrick Moore]

Last September, just off the Gulf coast of the Mexican city of Altamira, the country’s first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) left a floating facility run by US company New Fortress Energy, bound for Europe.

The new venture is part of a wave of gas investment that has arrived in the country in recent years, targeting markets in Europe and Southeast Asia with US-produced, Mexico-processed natural gas, liquefied by cooling to -162C in a process that compresses its volume to allow for easier shipping.

Since the beginning of the decade, significant increases in global LNG infrastructure have been announced, with USD 1.1 trillion worth of new terminals under development as of last year. This has been driven by forecasts of growing gas demand in Asia, soaring output from the US, and Europe’s efforts to cut down on its dependency on Russian gas imports following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – a landscape that has led US producers to set their eyes on new ports on the Mexican coast that could shorten shipping routes to overseas markets.

But ambitions of a potential boom in Mexico may be running up against mixed weather in the global gas market, as well as political developments on both sides of the border. This includes the prospect of tensions between returned US president Donald Trump and his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum over trade and tariffs, migration and a host of other issues.

Environmental campaigners, meanwhile, have continued to voice concerns over the potential consequences of a build-up in LNG infrastructure that could position Mexico as the world’s fourth-largest exporter of the fuel.

“The industry talks about gas being a transitional fuel and replacing coal in Asia, but that is not the case. It is more polluting than coal, because of all the steps involved in exporting it,” said Nichole Heil, research and campaigns coordinator for the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP), a non-profit focusing on the impacts of private funds.

“Part of the problem is also the export of emissions,” she added. “The United States exports them to Mexico, Mexico sends them to Asia, and they are not included in the emissions accounting.”

A cross-border bet on LNG

The US and Mexico have a long-standing relationship in the gas sector. Mexico imports more than half of its gas supply, almost all of it via pipelines from its northern neighbour, with a growing network transporting gas from hubs in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

The prospect of exporting and processing LNG via this network has seen at least half a dozen projects pitched in Mexico. In addition to the Altamira terminal that made its first shipment in 2024, works to build an export terminal at the Costa Azul hub on the country’s west coast are underway, with operations expected to begin in 2026. Elsewhere on the west coast, the Vista Pacífico, Saguaro and Amigo terminals have been proposed.

As US investors eye projects, Mexico’s national power company, CFE, has also sought to get in on the action. It proposed the Salina Cruz export terminal in the southern state of Oaxaca and the Coatzacoalcos facility on the Gulf coast of the state of Veracruz.

These proposals have seen Mexican and US developers such as CFE, Mexico Pacific and Sempra Infrastructure strike deals with financers and potential LNG buyers including banks and multinational energy firms from Australia, China, France, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.

However, proposed LNG projects in Mexico have also been contingent on acquiring permits for the re-export of US gas issued by the Department of Energy, which allow for shipments to countries with which the US does not have free trade agreements – a roster that includes the European Union and nearly all Asian nations.

The issuing of LNG export permits had been paused since January 2024 as former US president Joe Biden’s administration called for a review into their climate impacts.

The measure generated uncertainty over projects, court battles, and anger in the industry, but was revoked on 20 January, day one of Donald Trump’s return to the White House – true to pledges he made during his election campaign.

The lifting of the Biden-era order has been welcomed by the sector, but analysts remain uncertain about the wider impacts Trump’s return will have on ambitions for Mexican LNG exports, even with his firm backing for fossil fuels – notoriously promising to “drill, baby, drill”. Commentators have highlighted political risks from potential US policies, both domestic and those targeted at Mexico, that could raise tensions between the two countries.

LNG shipments may yet get caught up in the trade war unleashed by President Trump, which has so far included imposing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods starting 4 February. Mexico, meanwhile, negotiated an extra month to avoid an announced 25% US tariff on the country’s goods, after President Sheinbaum agreed on 1 February to US demands to increase security at its northern border.

For Heil, the PESP researcher, Trump’s push for more LNG has serious consequences. “Outside of questionable economic gains for Americans, the uncertain demand for LNG, suppressed private equity returns, and financial liabilities associated with LNG impacts on local communities and the environment create a shaky foundation for the LNG industry and its potential future,” she says.

Environmental concerns

The role of natural gas and its liquefied form in global energy systems is a source of fierce debate, including its contested labeling as a “bridge” or “transition fuel” in the switch to renewables-based systems.

On the expansion of Mexican LNG infrastructure, environmentalists have expressed fears over the potential impacts along these new supply chains. These include methane leaks during liquefaction, transportation and regasification processes, among other problems, that would contribute negatively to emissions.

The proposed Saguaro project, in particular, has attracted strong opposition from a coalition of more than 30 community and environmental organizations, as well as the US-based NGO, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has described it as the “wrong project, wrong place.”

Mima Holt, the NRDC’s global coordinator for international climate, said that processes to evaluate new projects must consider potential economic and environmental impacts. “That includes climate impacts and the unique characteristics and needs of special places like the Gulf of California,” she noted. “The ‘Aquarium of the World’ is not a sacrifice zone for the whims of the American oil industry.”

Pablo Ramírez, director of the climate change campaign at Greenpeace Mexico, questioned the development of LNG projects in the country.

“They do not take into account environmental and social liabilities, and those costs are not reflected in the terminals,” he told Dialogue Earth. “What we have seen is that the plan for these projects between private companies and the Mexican government is a new form of maquila,” he added, referring to Mexican factories that assemble and manufacture for export. “We manufacture gas that is not ours, generating wealth that does not stay here and assuming liabilities. CFE is looking for a rate that will pay off exports and the gas pipelines it manages.”

Meanwhile, the relocation of US gas export operations has been pitched by supporters as a method of cutting certain emissions in its supply chains, namely those from shipping.

In its 2022 environmental assessment of the Vista Pacífico project, the US Department of Energy estimated that life-cycle emissions of LNG shipped from New Orleans to Shanghai – a route that requires going through the Panama or Suez canals, or long voyages around southern continental capes – would total 688 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per megawatt-hour of power generated using the fuel. Of this, 76 kilograms – or 11 percent – would come from tanker transport.

In comparison, transporting LNG directly across the Pacific, between Shanghai and Topolobampo in western Mexico, where the Vista Pacífico facility is being proposed, would reduce overall emissions by between 3% and 7% due to the shortened route, the assessment noted.

Boom or bubble?

Beyond the potential environmental impacts of a global LNG infrastructure build-out, some analysts have also cast doubt on the long-term economics of export projects, amid a mixed outlook for demand.

Rather than a boom, organizations such as the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) have warned of a bubble as LNG potentially reaches oversupply by 2026.

A few years on from Europe’s rush to find new suppliers after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the continent’s LNG demand is now in decline as its countries pursue ambitious clean energy targets by the end of the decade.

Meanwhile, in Asia – the region forecast to account for the majority of future LNG demand growth – varying challenges around project delivery and fiscal issues may dampen demand, the IEEFA says. It also suggests that Chinese policies favouring domestic industries will likely constrain the country’s import demand.

PESP’s Nichole Heil raised the prospect of such investments becoming faltering assets. “As the global momentum shifts towards reducing carbon emissions and adopting renewable energy, investments in gas pipelines and LNG facilities with long payback periods may not deliver the expected returns. This poses risks for institutional investors, especially pension funds, which rely on consistent returns,” she told Dialogue Earth.

Rachel Eunbi Shin, an energy supply chain researcher at the South Korean NGO For Our Climate, said that the industry has encouraged oversupply to stimulate artificial demand. “Demand is falling; most players are buying LNG and planning to resell it, creating an artificial market. But the infrastructure is increasing,” she told Dialogue Earth from Seoul.

As for Mexico’s projects, President Sheinbaum has not expressed a government stance on the wave of LNG projects, but praised Mexico Pacific’s investment last October when she met the corporation’s CEO Sarah Bairstow.

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

White House Wants Chinese Ships to Pay $1 Million for Every Port Call

24 February 2025 at 02:36

 

Following a union complaint about unfair Chinese competition in shipping and shipbuilding, the Trump administration's trade representative has proposed unprecedented access fees for Chinese-operated and Chinese-built ships - fees large enough to change the economics of container shipping in the U.S. market. 

China's state-led shipbuilding sector dominates the global market for new tonnage, and China is the leading shipowning nation (by some metrics). Decades of preferential funding and government support have allowed Chinese shipyards to deliver useful tonnage at prices that other international competitors cannot match.  

The USTR's action has been coming since at least last year. The White House's office of the  U.S. Trade Representative began looking at ways to deploy Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to counter China's shipping dominance strategy in 2024. The Act gives the president broad authority to take action against foreign nations that engage in unfair trade practices. It has been used extensively in the past to counter Chinese exporters' practice of selling goods below cost to gain market share. 

"The U.S. Trade Representative determined that China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and thus is actionable," the USTR wrote in a Federal Register notice Friday. 

The proposed fee structure is complex and steep, and the register notice contains several policy alternatives. All would be quite costly for the operator: 

- Each U.S. port call for any vessel operated by Chinese interests will be subject to a fee of either a) $1 million per ship for any size vessel, from tugboats up to VLCCs; or b) $1,000 per deadweight tonne - a far lower price. 

- Each U.S. port call for each vessel built in China, but operated by non-Chinese interests, will be subject to a fee of up to $1 million, depending on the proportion of Chinese-built ships in that operator's fleet. 

- Operators who have newbuilds on order in China will face additional fees of up to $1 million per port call.

- If an operator owns a U.S.-built vessel, each port call of that vessel in the U.S. could generate a refund in an amount of up to $1 million per entry. Specifics for minimum vessel size, cargo volume, voyage distance or port call duration were not provided. 

The proposal also includes an ambitious proposal to require that an increasing percentage of U.S. exports be carried on U.S.-flagged tonnage. The schedule would ramp up fast with a one-percent U.S.flagged quota effective immediately, followed by three percent by 2027, five percent by 2028, and 15 percent by 2032. A parallel quota requiring exports on U.S.-built vessels would take effect beginning in 2028, ramping up to an ambitious five percent by 2032. 

The USTR did not specify whether the percentage of U.S. export cargo would be measured by tonnage or by dollar value.  


 

German Navy Thwarts Another Sabotage Attempt

24 February 2025 at 02:25

 

Germany's navy has reported a pattern of suspected sabotage targeting its warships over the past year, and a new attempt was reported just last week. According to German outlets, someone appears to have tried to contaminate the drinking water system of the frigate Hessen. 

WDR, NDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung reported last week that an unknown perpetrator made an attempt to put a large quantity of waste oil into the Hessen's freshwater tanks. The frigate was moored at the German Navy's main base in Wilhelmshaven for repairs, and a contractor was hired to refill the vessel's tanks with clean water. The attempted contamination was prevented, and sources within the German Navy told media that they had ruled out the possibility of an accident. 

A police investigation is under way into the circumstances of the case, and Germany's Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence (BAMAD) has joined the effort.

Hessen is well-known from her time on patrol in the Red Sea last year, where she helped to defend merchant shipping from Houthi attacks. Beginning in February, Hessen took up station off Yemen as part of EU Operation Aspides, and was shooting down her first drones within days. During one of her earliest engagements, the crew misidentified an American drone as a Houthi munition and targeted it with two SM-2 missiles. Against the odds, both missed for "technical reasons." The frigate returned to Germany in early May, having spent three months on deployment. 

The apparent attempt to sabotage Hessen is the latest in a string of incidents affecting German warships in port. In 2024, a German Navy minehunter was damaged by unknown personnel while in shipyard in Rostock. Several cable harnesses were severed, according to Spiegel. In addition, an unknown saboteur dumped dozens of kilos of metal filings into the oil sumps of the main engines aboard the brand new corvette Emden, according to multiple German media outlets. The contamination was detected and cleaned out, and Emden has been successfully delivered. 

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