China's research vessels have been attracting attention in the waters of neighboring states, not least because of suspicions of spying. The latest encounter occurred in the Japanese EEZ, about 140 nautical miles, when a Japan Coast Guard cutter found a Chinese research vessel deploying a suspicious object and ordered it to leave. 

The use of oceanographic research as a cover for espionage has a long and rich history, from the CIA's famous Glomar Explorer project to Russia's notorious spy ship Yantar. This gray-zone activity pattern extends across all of the world's leading naval powers, and China is no exception. As one example, China's Academy of Sciences has used its research vessels to place and service powerful acoustic seabed sensors near Guam, for the purpose of studying typhoons and whales; the research devices happened to be well-located for tracking U.S. Navy submarines, and are likely used for that purpose, multiple analysts have noted.  

In this context, China's neighbors pay close attention to the movements of its civilian research fleet - especially in sensitive areas, like the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands. On Sunday morning at about 0630, the Japan Coast Guard spotted the research ship Hai Ke 001 lowering a "pipe-like" object into the water at a position about 140 miles north of Taisho Island. The Japan Coast Guard issued a radio call and ordered the Hai Ke 001 to cease its activity, and the Chinese vessel complied, departing the scene and returning to the Chinese side of the EEZ median line.

The Philippine Coast Guard has also closely followed the movements of China's research fleet, especially in the contested waters of the western Philippine EEZ. On May 5, the PCG cutter BRP Teresa Magbanua intercepted the Chinese research vessel Tan Suo 3 off Ilocos Norte, within the Philippine exclusive economic zone. The PCG radioed Tan Suo 3 and informed the crew that the Chinese vessel's operations were unlawful under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS gives the coastal state the right to regulate oceanographic research within its 200-mile EEZ). The Magbanua instructed Tan Suo 3 to get under way and remain in motion. 

Deep Sea Warrior recovered aboard Tan Suo 3 (PCG)

During this conversation, the PCG spotted a submersible approaching Tan Suo 3. The sub was identified as the Deep Sea Warrior, a manned Chinese research sub with a maximum rated depth of 4,500 meters. An unidentified floating piece of equipment was also retrieved from the water by Tan Suo 3's crew. 

"These actions [are] clear evidence that the People's Republic of China are conducting illegal marine scientific research activities within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone, lacking the legal authority to undertake such activities in this area," said PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela in a statement.  

 

A second suspect has been arrested in connection with the sudden death of a cruise passenger aboard the luxury vessel MSC Virtuosa earlier this month. 

The second suspect is a 56-year-old resident of London, and he was detained for suspected manslaughter, according to the constabulary for Hampshire and Isle of Wight. He has since been released on bail. 

The incident occurred on May 3, just after MSC Virtuosa got under way from Southampton for a two-night cruise. Many of those on board were there for bachelor/bachelorette parties, and the atmosphere was rowdy in the hours after leaving port, one passeanger told the tabloid Daily Mail. 

At about 2030 hours, there was an altercation on board, and one man died at the scene. The crew of MSC Virtuosa notified the authorities, and a 57-year-old man was taken into custody when the ship returned to its home port. The first suspect was questioned extensively before being released on bail. 

The authorities have so far declined to name the two men or the deceased. However, the UK tabloid The Sun has identified the man who was allegedly killed as British national James Messham, 60, a former motorcycle stunt performer. 

The police are soliciting help from cruise passengers and crewmembers who may have witnessed the altercation, and information can be submitted to the Hampshire constabulary's tip line.

Police emphasized that the altercation was an isolated incident, and the rest of MSC Virtuosa's passengers were unaffected. 

MSC Virtuosa is a 6,000-passenger cruise ship that entered into service in 2021, and she serves the British market out of her home port of Southampton. She has also served as a set for a British murder mystery TV show, "The Good Ship Murder."

Top image: MSC Virtuosa (file image courtesy Geni / CC BY SA 4.0)

 

On Friday, a commercial fishing vessel capsized in off the coast of Washington, leaving the skipper missing.

At about 0815 hours on Friday morning, the fishing vessel Captain Raleigh was under way off the coast of Raleigh when it began taking on water. The master made a distress call and reported that the vessel's pumps could not keep up with the water ingress. 

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River received the call and issued a broadcast to nearby shipping to ask for assistance. The command center also dispatched rescue boat crews out of Grays Harbor and a helicopter SAR crew out of Astoria, Oregon. 

Shortly after the distress call, a good Samaritan came to the aid of the Captain Raleigh, and at 0830, just 15 minutes after the call, a Coast Goard boat crew was on scene. Minutes later, Captain Raleigh sank rapidly. Three crewmembers from the stricken vessel were already in their lifejackets and abandoned ship into the water, and were immediately retrieved by the Coast Guard responders. However, the master of the Captain Raleigh was reportedly still on board when it went down. 

Two boat crews and the helicopter aircrew carried out a surface search for the missing captain. A nearby dredger from the Corps of Engineers diverted to assist with sonar search of the bottom, and quickly found the position of the missing fishing vessel.  

On request from the Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy dispatched a helicopter with a salvage dive team from Air Station Whidbey Island. Surface conditions were unsuitable for diving until the evening; an attempt to access the wreck at 1800 hours was not successful, given debris, low visibility and strong underwater currents on the site. 

At 2040 hours Friday, the Coast Guard called off the search for the missing captain.

"This is a tragedy for our fishing communities," said Capt. Justin Noggle, commander of Coast Guard Sector Columbia River. "I’m thankful our Coast Guard crews were able to save the three crewmembers quickly, and our hearts are with the family and friends of everyone impacted by this tremendous loss."

Commercial salvors have arrived on scene and are developing a salvage plan, the Coast Guard said. No significant pollution has been reported, and the site is relatively accessible: the boat is resting in 40 feet of water outside of the Grays Harbor navigation channel. 

U.S. fishing industry media outlets have identified the Captain Raleigh's master as Jon Stevenson, 44, a longtime member of the fishing community based in Newport, Oregon. The local organization Newport Fishermen's Wives has started a charitable fundraiser for Stevenson's family. 

Equinor is lashing out at the Trump Administration and the Department of the Interior saying it has been unable to get information and resolve the stop work order on the Empire Wind offshore energy project. Four weeks ago, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered the stop work asserting that the permitting had been rushed and required further reviews.

Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas, in an interview with POLITICO on Friday, May 9, called the situation “urgent and unsustainable.” According to the story, the company has been unable to secure a meeting with Burgum to hear his explanation and has not received the purported report that raised questions about the permitting. POLITICO notes that the report or further details have not been released by the Department of the Interior, which said the project required further review.

Bloomberg is reporting in a story on May 12 that the CEO of Equinor, Anders Opedal, and senior officials met with the US National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett. It says that the company has received no indication of a chance in stance from the Trump administration, which has vowed to stop the offshore wind energy industry.

“If no progress is made within days, Equinor will be forced to terminate the project,” Bloomberg reports Morris said Monday. “We are still fighting every day to find a resolution.”

Equinor highlights that it spent seven years in review of the project before gaining all the necessary approvals in 2024. Work started last year, and the company says the project is approximately 30 percent completed, with work on the onshore cabling and development of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in New York progressing. Offshore work had been scheduled to start when the order was issued, and the company reported it complied by stopping the offshore projects.

Morris is saying that the stop work order is costing the company $50 million a week. It has 11 vessels on standby and more than 100 people who had been scheduled to start the offshore portion of the project this spring. Work has continued onshore, but now the company says without information from the Trump administration, it will be forced in a matter of days to walk away from the project.

Equinor says it has invested about $2.7 billion so far in the project that was budgeted to cost $5 billion with commercial operations beginning in 2027. As of the end of March, Equinor reported it had drawn around $1.5 billion under the project finance term loan facility and that it had provided guarantees for the equity commitment in the project financing. In a full stop scenario, the company said it would have to repay the $1.5 billion and would be exposed to termination fees towards its suppliers.

Equinor is highlighting that this situation is larger than its project and about the administration honoring contracts and financial investments. Other companies, including Shell, TotalEnergies, and RWE, have already walked away from or paused their plans in the U.S. market citing the uncertainties and increased risks.

“They are setting a dangerous precedent by stopping a project in mid-execution,” Bloomberg reports Morris is now asserting. 

Speaking to investors during its quarterly report at the end of April, Equinor called the stop work order “unlawful.” Management said they were reviewing the situation and considering legal options.

New York state was quick and vocal in its objection and support of Equinor when the Trump administration ordered the stop work. Since then, 17 states and the District of Columbia filed suit in federal court challenging Trump’s executive order and the enforceability of the stop to the leasing process for offshore energy projects.
 

Plans were announced laying the groundwork for the creation of a transshipment hub in the Dominican Republic. It comes at a critical time as shippers consider steps to manage the Trump policies ranging from tariffs to port fees for Chinese-built ships. 

DP World, which has been operating in the Dominican Republic for more than 25 years, reports it signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of the Dominican Republic that calls for expanding its port and Free Trade Zone operations. The company will initiate negotiations with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMES to finalize the expansion agreement.

Industry analysts have called for the development of a transshipment hub that could better serve the needs of the Caribbean. Wth the changes in U.S. policies, it could now also provide an alternative to transshipping cargo via the United States and promote economic development.

DP World’s agreement calls for expanding the operations at the Port of Caucedo on the south coast of the island on the Caribbean Sea east of Santo Domingo. Since 2003, DP World reports it has invested more than $700 million in the development of the operations, including increasing capacity from 900,000 to 2.5 million TEU with three berths. It also operates a logistics center in the free trade zone with six warehouses. 

The company highlights the strategic location of the facility noting that it handles more than 60 percent of the DR’s market share. It says that with proximity to the United States and duty-free access, the DR offers a compelling environment and the opportunity to become the transshipment hub for the region.

The plan calls for investing $380 million into the port to increase capacity to approximately 3.1 million TEU. It would expand the quay and breakwater to accommodate larger vessels, add new ship-to-shore cranes and yard equipment. An additional $380 million would be invested in the Free Trade Zone to add 225 hectares of development-ready land and infrastructure improvements.

The website for the operation notes that it has already become one of the most important ports in the Americas region and is among the top 15 ports in Latin America. DP World highlights that it has the opportunity to be a strategic location for the redistribution of cargo to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the United States.
 

On Saturday evening, a U.S. Coast Guard boat crew shot out the engine of a high-speed smuggling boat off Point Loma after the vessel ignored repeated commands to stop and be boarded.  

At about 1750 hours, Coast Guard Sector San Diego spotted an 18-foot cuddy cabin boat moving at high speed about two miles south of Point Loma, making a northbound course. Watchstanders followed the suspicious boat using surveillance cameras as it entered San Diego Bay.

A Coast Guard Station San Diego patrol boat was diverted to intercept the vessel. The patrol boat found the speeding suspects and tried to make contact with the operator, but the cuddy cabin boat fled the scene. 

The Coast Guard response boat crew tried to get the speedboat to stop by issuing orders and firing warning shots. When this did not work, the crew shot four rounds into the vessel’s engine, disabling it and forcing it to stop. 

The Coast Guard crew boarded the vessel and took control of the scene. They found eight foreign nationals aboard: five adult men, one woman, and two male teenagers aged 16 and 17.

The suspects were taken to Ballast Point, near the entrance to San Diego's harbor, where they were transferred to officers from the Department of Homeland Security.

The intercept was the most dramatic of three separate interdictions off San Diego on Saturday. Earlier the same day, cutter Sea Otter intercepted a migrant boat off La Jolla, resulting in the capture of seven suspected illegal aliens, and cutter Terrell Horne interdicted a 20-foot pleasure craft off Point Loma, capturing another three suspects. 

Coast Guard and CBP boat crews routinely intercept human smuggling attempts off the coast of Southern California. Human trafficking methods on this route are hazardous, and migrants regularly lose their lives on the route. Just last week, a rustic smuggling boat capsized off San Diego, leaving three dead and seven missing.

Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri reported its best ever financial results with a strong long-term outlook as it also achieved its best ever quarterly order intake. The results demonstrate the corporate strategy, which is expanding the technical nature and future orientation as the group expands its work in defense and launches its new “Underwater” segment focusing on submarines and naval systems.

Revenues across the group were up by 35 percent to nearly €2.4 billion and contributing to a strong increase in earnings to €154 million (EBITDA) during the first quarter. The company reported all segments contributed, but especially shipbuilding which was up 53 percent. They also reported strong margin improvements due to growth in the defense segment, improvements in efficiency in cruise, and the first contribution from WASS Submarine Systems, which was acquired and consolidated at the beginning of 2025.

“The first quarter of 2025 marks the best results in our history,” highlighted Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Fincantieri. “The increase in revenues in the defense segment and the consolidation of our three dimensions - cruise, defense, and offshore - confirm the effectiveness of our integrated business model. We will continue to pursue our goals for 2025 with determination and beyond, actively contributing to the reindustrialization of the country and the strengthening of the European manufacturing system.”

The group highlights its long-term outlook as it booked orders valued at €11.7 billion, which it highlights was approximately three-quarters of the total booked in 2024. The total backlog is up 30 percent with 102 units on order. Among the orders this quarter was finalizing orders from Norwegian Cruise Line, Viking, and a new contract with the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. With growth in both the cruise and offshore orders, they highlight visibility up to 2036 from the orderbook.

The group is expanding its technical operations and focus on defense and complex systems. In addition to the launch of a new reporting segment from Underwater systems, they extended a 20-year partnership with Germany’s TKMS (Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems), which includes a modernization program of submarines for the Philippines’ Navy. 

“We will continue to pursue our goals for 2025 with determination and beyond, actively contributing to the reindustrialization of the country and the strengthening of the European manufacturing system,” said Folgiero. “Fincantieri is today a future-proof laboratory of heavy industry, a champion of Made in Italy ingenuity, committed to generating employment, competitiveness, and sustainable innovation along the entire value chain.”

Reaffirming its forecast for 2025, management pointed to the favorable macroeconomic trends in the cruise segment, the expected rise in defense spending, and the increasing demand for offshore energy. They said it created compelling business opportunities in both the wind and Oil & Gas segments, in part served by its Vard subsidiary, as well as the new opportunities in the underwater domain.

 

[This article was published in the March/April edition of The Maritime Executive, before the White House scaled back tariffs on China.]

At the turn of the century, Robert Mabro, energy economist and founder of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, wrote, "Is our world subject to sudden and radical transformations? Are there discontinuities that change, in a significant way, the course of historical developments? Or, on the contrary, should we agree with the lament of Ecclesiastes: 'There is nothing new under the sun'?"

While his questions were in the Forward to a book on oil economics and were meant to apply to the industry's challenges in 2000, the questions are legitimate for framing a broader discussion of economics, energy and geopolitics.

Given the turmoil engulfing the world following the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency and his activist governing style, Mabro's questions are appropriate. We wonder which answer Mabro would think most suitable.

DISRUPTOR

Trump has been a disruptor since he descended the Trump Tower escalator in 2015 and announced his candidacy for the U.S. presidency. A real estate developer and television personality, he was an atypical candidate. Since his declaration, nothing has been the same politically in the U.S. or worldwide.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump set forth an ambitious agenda of actions that stirred the emotions of many Americans and led to his reelection in a surprising outcome. He won every battleground state, scored record support among minorities and moved 90 percent of the 3,100 counties in the country to the political right.

Something was going on.

Trump's agenda for change was laid out in long, rambling campaign speeches, so few people should have been surprised by what his Administration is doing. As a lame-duck President, he knows he has, at best, two years to complete his task given Republican control of both houses of Congress until the 2026 election.

Therein lies the motivation to "flood the zone" via Executive Orders, appointing like-minded cabinet officers and instituting activist policies to fulfill his agenda. At the core of Trump's actions is his willingness to ask, "Why are we doing this?" It's no longer acceptable to answer, "because it's always been done that way."

Understanding how successful real estate developers operate helps to understand some of Trump's seemingly outlandish ideas. They create visions of the future and then work to make them happen. This often means taking controversial positions and pushing what seem unrealistic ideas.

His Gaza proposal is such an example. Dismissed by the media, Trump challenged Gaza's neighbors to resolve the 80-year-old refugee issue they have shunned or he would solve it by removing the one million refugees to camps the U.S. would construct and then turning the land into a glitzy Las Vagas of the Middle East.

The outrage was intense. However, in response, the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation adopted a $53 billion counter-proposal suggesting that the people best able to deal with it are meeting Trump's challenge.

Another untraditional approach to international relationships is Trump's willingness to aggressively use tariffs against friends and foes to secure better trade terms for the country. No one is happy with his plan. Compared to the economic brushfire of his anti-China tariffs during his first Administration, an all-out global trade war risks more significant financial harm.

It will likely spike inflation, potentially pushing the economy into recession. In response, the OECD lowered its global GDP growth projections to 3.1 percent for 2025 and three percent next year. Those projections are down by 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively. The agency also increased its inflation projections by a third of a percentage point for both years.

Are there routes to revised trade relationships that avoid an all-out trade war? Economists are pessimistic such a scenario exists without a return to the status quo. Therefore, they warn about disastrous outcomes – weak economic growth, increased inflation, higher interest rates and rising unemployment. Such an outlook has stock markets fading, consumer optimism sliding and expectations rising for higher living costs and interest rates. This is not a good outlook for energy demand.

"DRILL, BABY, DRILL"

At the same time, Trump has called for enhancing America's energy self-sufficiency by encouraging a "Drill, baby, drill" mantra for the domestic oil and gas business. He has suspended the prior Administration's push for offshore wind, wants to cut renewable energy subsidies and reversed Biden's pause on new LNG export terminals.

The problem with Trump's mantra is he has also signaled to OPEC that he wants it to help lower global oil prices. That news, coupled with the belief in slowing economic growth, has pushed crude oil prices below $70 a barrel – testing the resolve of domestic producers.

The 2000s shale oil miracle reversed the nation's long-term production decline and sent it to record output. U.S. oil production peaked in 1970 after growing by 55 times from 1900 (earliest data available). Once production peaked, it began sliding, falling nearly in half by 2008. However, when horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing were applied to shale oil formations, production rose two and a half times in 16 years. In 2024, crude oil output averaged 13.2 million barrels daily, making the U.S. the world's largest producer.

Drilling and unlocking shale oil is expensive. However, tapping these formations is easier since they are blanket subsurface layers in significant basins around the nation. This makes drilling and production more manageable and less risky than traditional exploration. Therefore, shale production can be highly responsive to market price signals. However, it also makes it susceptible to falling oil prices. This prospect worries domestic oil producers about how much drilling they should undertake if oil prices slide into the low $60s-a-barrel range.

Their concern is amplified by Trump's appeal to OPEC to boost production and help lower oil prices. He sees lower oil prices helping consumers at the gas pump and with home heating expenses. Lower oil prices mean less-costly diesel and jet fuel, reducing the cost of living for Americans and others worldwide.

Another energy issue weighing on commodity prices is the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war. In preliminary peace talks, new sanctions against Russia and its allies, China and Iran, are being proposed if a final resolution isn't found. The sanctions would be levied not only on the energy output of the countries but also against the ghost fleet of tankers hauling their oil and gas to customers.

With a lack of clarity on the outcome of the peace talks, producers worry about prices in the event of more or less crude oil reaching the market. Many producers assume that Trump will negotiate the war's end and that more oil will push prices down.

Trump's push for greater U.S. energy security reflects his administration's goal to reduce the industry's red tape, making securing permits to drill, produce and transport hydrocarbon energy easier. A less restrained energy industry can be more responsive to market dynamics. The Secretary of the Interior has proposed resurrecting the construction of new natural gas pipelines from the Marcellus Formation in Pennsylvania to New England, helping lower that region's energy costs.

ALL OF THE ABOVE

How do we answer Mabro's questions? In our view, all of them are true. How can that be? The idea that there is nothing new under the sun is correct because we cannot repeal the laws of physics that govern energy. Likewise, we have a two-century-long history of transitioning from less to more dense energy fuels. That transition has lowered costs and improved living standards and people's longevity.

In the name of clean energy, we're reversing that transition and using less-dense energy sources dependent on a fickle Mother Nature. Such discontinuities and radical changes to our history of progress will retard it. At the same time, billions of people in the Southern Hemisphere want to enjoy higher living standards, which require massive increases in power consumption.

Despite claims about the apocalypse of climate change unless we cease using hydrocarbon energy, the world's atmosphere is cleaner. The economic gains fossil energy has delivered allowed society to improve living standards, clean the environment and better adapt to weather conditions.

The affordable, clean and reliable energy trifecta must be upheld for the betterment of humanity. This favors the increased use of fossil fuels.

 

[By: MSHS Pacific Power Group]

MSHS Pacific Power Group (PPG) is excited to announce the relocation and expansion of our Seattle Marine Service Center to a larger, more capable facility. Following the successful launch of our original center on Lake Union in 2024—and in response to growing demand—we’ve moved to a new location at 2356 W Commodore Way, Suite 120, Seattle, WA 98199, on the shores of Salmon Bay.

This new waterfront facility enhances our ability to serve the Lake Washington boating community and beyond, offering improved access and expanded capabilities for boat owners and operators across the region.

The Salmon Bay Marine Service Center is designed to support a wide range of marine propulsion services, including complete overhauls, preventative maintenance, and expert repairs. Key facility features include:

• Capacity for yachts up to 150 feet in length and 40 feet in beam.
• 165 feet of dock space available.
• 50-amp shore power.
• Full suite of engine services, including diagnostics, mobile support, and emergency response.

As an authorized service provider for mtu, Volvo Penta, and Woodward, MSHS PPG continues to deliver expert-level support across a variety of propulsion systems. Our highly trained technicians and mobile teams ensure reliable, efficient service to keep vessels operating at peak performance.

This relocation reflects our continued commitment to delivering exceptional marine service, right where our customers need it most. Whether at the dock or out on the water, MSHS PPG is here to keep your vessel moving.

For more information about the Salmon Bay, Seattle Marine Service Center, and the services offered, visit pacificpowergroup.com.

The International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) is highlighting how it stepped in to aid one of its customers when a simple oversight racked up large fees. The provider of professional indemnity insurance settled a claim that it acknowledges was a lack of communication that led to a simple oversight.

The ship’s owner filed a claim for $135,000 in expenses and late fees it incurred when one of its ships was operating outside its normal liner schedule. It had scheduled special port calls and notified the liner agent of the inbound schedule, requesting that arrangements be made for the calls outside the regular service pattern.

Using the initial arrival plan, an agent scheduled the pilot for the ship and initiated the customs clearance for the ports. The agent, however, was heading out of the office on leave and handled the assignment over to a covering team.

When the ship was delayed in its first port of call, the company notified the agency of a three-day delay for the first of the two scheduled discharge ports. The agency’s team adjusted the arrangements at the first port but omitted to make changes for the second port.

The problem only became apparent when the ship reached the second port, and there was no pilot available. The company reports it incurred the $135,000 expense due to the urgent need to finalize a pilot and late fees that were incurred. It requested reimbursement from the insurance company, placing the blame for the expenses on the agent’s mistakes.

ITIC reports that the agency cooperated and provided the documentation and acknowledged their omission in adjusting the schedule at the second port. “As there was no defense,” ITIC said it “honored the claim and reimbursed the full amount.”

“A mistake like this highlights the need for clear internal communication and robust handover procedures,” said Mark Brattman, Claims Director at ITIC. “Our goal is to help members learn from such incidents and strengthen their operational procedures.”

Despite the modernization of so much of the operations and the push toward electronics and digitalization, it highlights that much of the shipping industry remains concentrated on fulfilling basic daily tasks. A simple oversight resulted in the delay and expense for the vessel and ultimately the insurance provider. 
 

[By: ClassNK]

ClassNK has released the ‘Guidelines for Safety Operation for Ammonia-Fueled Vessels’ for considering the introduction of ammonia-fueled vessels to ensure safe operation on board ammonia-fueled vessels. By following these guidelines, safe and secure operation can be achieved for those involved in the operation of ammonia-fueled vessels.

The Guidelines give top priority to protecting the safety of seafarers, and cover matters to be kept in mind in daily operations, such as measures to be taken in the event of an ammonia leak in consideration of health, and requirements for personnel protection equipment (PPE) and emergency equipment in case of an emergency.

With the aim of decarbonizing the shipping industry, the introduction of alternative fuel vessels is approaching 40% of the total on an order basis and is expected to increase further in the future. On the other hand, although alternative fuels such as ammonia have unique risks that conventional heavy oil fuels do not, there is not enough information on the operation of such vessels. In order to provide proactive information on the operation of ammonia-fueled vessels, this guideline was prepared based on the latest information in Japan and overseas, and published as the Ammonia Fuel Operation Guidelines. The guidelines summarize specific precautions and management methods for the transportation, storage, and operation of ammonia fuel, and provide practical content that can be used in the field from the perspective of seafarers.

The guidelines will be continuously and flexibly updated according to future industry discussions, research results, and the latest knowledge. As part of the ClassNK Transition Support Services, which comprehensively supports the smooth transition of customers to zero emissions, ClassNK will continue to contribute to the safe operation and active introduction of alternative fuel vessels.

The guidelines are available to download via ‘Guidelines’ of My Page on ClassNK’s website after registration.
https://www.classnk.or.jp/account/ja/Rules_Guidance/ssl/guidelines.aspx

[By Crowley]

Copán, the second vessel in Crowley’s Avance Class fleet of LNG-powered containerships, has begun its inaugural commercial operations from the Port of Jacksonville, Florida (JAXPORT), further expanding the company’s capacity and enhancing speed of ocean shipping for the Caribbean Basin.

Named for one of the most important archaeological sites of the Mayan civilization in Honduras, Copán was specifically designed to quickly and frequently deliver cargo while using lower emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) for fuel.

These capabilities make the Avance Class vessels — pronounced in Spanish “ah-bahn-seh” with the English meaning of advance — uniquely suited to quickly transport perishable goods like food and pharmaceuticals, as well as retail products, apparel, breakbulk cargo between the U.S., Central America and the Dominican Republic. The 1,400-TEU (20-foot equivalent units) ships can serve diverse container sizes for dry cargo and feature capacity for 300 refrigerated containers in their weekly port calls.

“Copán and its sister ships continue our investments to innovate our frequent and fast ocean carrier capabilities to meeting the critical needs of customer in the U.S., Central America and the Dominican Republic,” said Brett Bennett, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Logistics. “These vessels build on Crowley’s decades-long commitment for diverse and robust supply chain solutions in the Caribbean Basin while advancing LNG as a solution in the maritime industry’s ongoing energy transition.”

With its name, Copán and its sister ships embody Central America’s rich cultural heritage while reflecting the beauty and significance of this extraordinary part of the world. Not far from the border with Guatemala, Copán is a former citadel with public squares that reveal its three main stages of development before the city was abandoned in the early 10th Century.

Crowley initiated service of the first ship in its Avance Class, Quetzal, in April, and two more ships are expected to initiate service this year under charter with Eastern Pacific Shipping.

The Russian government mapped out its ambitious plans to modernize and expand its national fleet to counter the impact of foreign sanctions and restrictions. The shipbuilding industry is one of the hardest hit by the restrictions on exports of advanced technology and machinery to Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has spoken out on the efforts to fulfil the plans called for by President Vladimir Putin. Mishustin outlined today, May 12, at a meeting of the region premiers what he called an updated strategy for the development of the shipbuilding industry. In addition to expansion and modernization, one of the key goals is to develop the domestic capabilities to replace foreign shipboard equipment and create a domestic supply chain.

“In the next six years, we will spend over 500 billion rubles ($6.2 billion) in federal funding for these purposes, which is a record figure for the industry,” said Mishustin. He said the priorities would be to support freight traffic via the Northern Sea Route and to establish logistics routes between Russia and friendly countries. They are also seeking to support inland navigation and expand river tourism.

First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov provided specific details on the plan, noting that they must replace the existing fleet that was built in the 1970s and 1980s. The strategy calls for building more than 1,600 ships by 2036 and more than 2,600 by 2050. Previous reports said they would build 713 vessels by 2030.

The plan focuses on large-capacity projects including crude oil tankers, gas carriers, shuttle tankers, and bulk carriers. Published reports said 51 of the vessels would be for the Northern Sea Route, while there will also be a focus on icebreakers and the fishing fleet, which would add 279 vessels. They also look to support the North-South route, which includes Caspian Sea shipping.

To achieve the ambitious building plans, Mishustin said they will need to build new shipyards, expand production capacity, and undertake R&D to attract investors.  They will need to overcome “structural barriers” within the industry.

The priority remains on fulfilling the state’s defense needs, with a new plan being developed for the Russian Navy. They look to coordinate the needs of the Navy with the goals of expanding the merchant fleet.

 

Just in time for the peak container shipping season on the China-U.S. transpacific route, the Trump administration has negotiated a deal with the government of China to relax unprecedented tariffs on bilateral trade. The U.S. will drop its net tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 percent down to 30 percent, well below the levels that many market participants predicted. China will drop its tariffs on U.S. goods from 125 percent down to 10 percent. 

The temporary agreement is valid for at least the next 90 days while the two sides discuss permanent terms, giving U.S. importers a window to stock up on Chinese-made goods for the back-to-school and Christmas holiday shopping seasons.

After April 2, facing unprofitable tariff levels, many American importers had stopped shipping goods out of China to await more favorable developments, hitting U.S. inventories and Chinese consumer-goods manufacturers hard. The slowdown will now shift in reverse as retailers move to rebuild stock. "Get ready for a shipping boom," said Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen in a statement early Monday. 

Stocks soared on news of the agreement, with the Nasdaq jumping by four percent by midafternoon. The Dow and the S&P 500 both gained about three percent. All three indices have now regained all of the losses incurred after the White House's April 2 tariff announcement; China-dependent consumer retail stocks showed particular strength, reflecting renewed confidence in their ability to source imported goods. Stock for toymaker Mattel jumped 10 percent, Best Buy rose six percent, and discount chain Five Below soared 20 percent. 

"We believe new highs for the market and tech stocks are now on the table in 2025," said Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, speaking to the WSJ. "This morning is a huge win for the bulls."

Trade-dependent container shipping stocks took off, regaining much of the lost ground of recent weeks. Matson, the Jones Act carrier that operates a specialty service from East Asia to the U.S. West Coast, jumped 19 percent in midday trading. Maersk's OTC stock traded up 10 percent, Hapag-Lloyd was up more than two percent, NYK by nearly four percent, and Yang Ming by one percent. Zim was a clear winner, with shares up by 14 percent. 

“We expect bookings from China to the U.S. to increase, which should help us . . . into peak season," Hapag-Lloyd told Reuters in a statement. 

The reduced level of activity at West Coast gateway ports is still built into the forecast through the end of May: the dozens of blanked sailings that ocean carriers implemented on ex-China routes are a guarantee of fewer ships with less cargo arriving LA/Long Beach in the immediate term. The first San Pedro port activity rebound could be expected in two to three weeks at the earliest, reflecting the minimum transit time needed for a box from eastern China to reach California. Some analysts predict that the San Pedro ports could swing from light activity to significant congestion by midsummer as retailers rush to bring cargo in from China at comparatively affordable tariff levels. 

Gene Seroka, head of the Port of LA, told the Wall Street Journal that he was less bullish about a spike in shipping volume. “I don’t see all of the normal cargo coming back to the levels that we had witnessed in recent weeks and months,” Seroka said. “Reason being, you’re not going to be frontloading at 30 percent [tariffs].”

Veteran shipping analyst Peter Sand concurred. :It must not be ignored there is still a 30% tariff on imports from China to the US and this will be prohibitive for some businesses with lower-margin goods, so there will still be an adverse impact on ocean container shipping demand," he said in a research note Monday. "It may also take shippers a little time to ramp up sourcing and manufacturing in China again if they took the foot off the gas following the 145 percent tariffs announced on 9 April."

Acting on information from the United States authorities, South Korea’s Busan Regional Customs made the second major cocaine seizure from an inbound vessel in just a matter of weeks. The authorities are working to determine if the shipment was bound for Korea or if they intercepted a larger smuggling operation.

Customs reported seizing 720 kg of cocaine from an unidentified containership as it was arriving on May 10 at the Busan New Port. The vessel, which is registered in Malta, was arriving from South America and was inspected after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration tipped off the Korean authorities of the possible smuggling operation. The seizure was said to represent 24 million doses, and the authorities estimated the street value at more than $254 million.

The vessel was detained, and the crew has been preliminarily interviewed. As part of the investigation, Customs said in a statement that it was working to determine “the origin and intended distribution route. We still don’t know whether Korea was the final destination or a transit point.”

Historically, South Korea has had a relatively low level of drug smuggling. Officials call the country drug-free to emphasize the success in limiting the smuggling of illegal narcotics.

The authorities, however, said this latest seizure again confirms that the smuggling plots are becoming larger and more involved. Less than six weeks ago, on April 2, Customs at the Okgye Port in the southeast of the country reported a seizure of one tonne of cocaine from a cargo ship arriving from South America, which they called at the time the largest drug bust on record for the country. It was hidden on a bulker which appeared to have made port calls in Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, and China.

Busan authorities in January 2024 also caught 100 kg of cocaine. The cocaine was found in the sea chest of a ship owned by a Korean company, but testing in that instance showed the drugs had been handled by individuals other than the crew. The authorities speculated the cocaine had been hidden aboard the vessel in Central or South America and considered the possibility it was bound for China or Europe when it was intercepted in South Korea. 
 

[By Wärtsilä Underwater Services and Megatugs]
 
Wärtsilä Underwater Services, a global leader in marine technology and services, has entered into a strategic partnership with Megatugs, a renowned Greek maritime services provider, to strengthen and expand underwater solutions for the global shipping industry. This collaboration will enhance efficiency, sustainability, and operational reliability for vessel operators worldwide.

The partnership between Wärtsilä Underwater Services team and Megatugs will combine expertise, resources, and cutting-edge technology to provide high-quality underwater maintenance and repair solutions. With a focus on minimizing downtime and reducing costs for shipowners and operators, the joint effort aims to set new industry standards below the waterline. From propulsion systems to rudders, hull- and scrubber system inspections and maintenance up to full size salvage and emergency repairs, our partnership covers full year, 24X7 support.

A Synergistic Approach to Marine Maintenance

By leveraging Wärtsilä’s extensive knowledge in shaft line and propulsion systems alongside Megatugs’ expertise in underwater services and salvage operations, this partnership will offer a more comprehensive and proactive approach to vessel maintenance. Key benefits include:

•    Enhanced operational efficiency: Faster and more effective underwater maintenance, reducing vessel downtime.
•    Sustainable solutions: Eco-friendly underwater cleaning and repair methods aligned with environmental regulations.
•    Global coverage: Expanded service reach, ensuring rapid response times in critical locations.
•    Innovative marine technology: Utilization of advanced tools and methodologies for precise underwater diagnostics and repairs.

Statements from Leadership

“Customer service is at the heart of everything we do. By joining forces with Megatugs, we’re enhancing our ability to respond swiftly to emergencies and support our clients wherever they operate” said William Winters at Managing Director at Wärtsilä Underwater Services. 

"This partnership redefines underwater services, setting a new industry benchmark and ensuring seamless global support for shipowners and operators. Together, we’re delivering smarter, faster, and more sustainable solutions to keep vessels moving and businesses thriving," said Paul Xiradakis, Director of Megatugs.
 

[By: Seamen’s Church Institute]

As part of its enduring mission to serve seafarers and mariners, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) will mark its fifth consecutive year supporting the cadets and crew for SUNY Maritime College’s Summer Sea Term. This weeks-long training voyage plays a vital role in developing the academy’s future merchant mariners.

SCI first joined the Summer Sea Term in 2021, responding to a request for emotional and mental health support during a challenging cruise shaped by ongoing COVID-19 concerns. Since then, SCI’s trained maritime chaplains have provided onboard care and support, at first aboard the Empire State VI and, beginning in 2024, aboard the new Empire State VII, the lead vessel in the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) class.

Chaplains are present and accessible to cadets, officers, and crew throughout the voyage, providing consistent support for stress, homesickness, vocational questions, or any personal concerns that may arise. SCI Chaplains provide non-denominational counseling, options for daily support, and, when called upon, sometimes lead services and rites such as burials at sea and baptisms—ceremonies that have occurred on past cruises.

The SUNY Maritime 2025 Summer Sea Term is set to commence with the departure of the Empire State VII from its Throggs Neck campus on Sunday, May 25. It will be staffed with a team of SCI Chaplains and Chaplain Associates, each assigned to a leg of the voyage. Chaplain Associate, the Rev. Charlie Stiernberg, M.D., a deacon from Houston, will take the first leg from Fort Schuyler to New Orleans; Chaplain Geoffrey Davis, SCI’s Chaplain for the Lower Mississippi & Gulf Coast Region, will take the second leg from New Orleans to Ponta Delgada, Azores; Chaplain Associate Jonathan Siger, a Houston-based rabbi, will sail from Ponta Delgada to Bergen, Norway; and Chaplain Associate Joy Manthey, a USCG-licensed captain, will take the final leg from Bergen back to Fort Schuyler, New York. The cruise is slated to conclude on July 29.

SCI’s chaplains are onboard to provide a compassionate presence while the cadets are at sea. Through their ministry and guidance, cadets experience the same holistic support SCI offers mariners across the industry—from blue-water seafarers to river and coastal mariners. “SCI deeply values its continued partnership with SUNY Maritime,” said the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt, SCI President and Executive Director. “As the Empire State VII begins its second Summer Sea Term training voyage, our sailing chaplains will again accompany cadets on their journey, ensuring they are seen, heard, and supported over every mile. We are honored to be part of this formative cadet experience.”

In standing alongside cadets, SCI not only provides meaningful pastoral care but also reinforces awareness of its mission—which is grounded in compassion, dependability, and integrity toward mariners and seafarers—letting cadets know that SCI will also be there when they eventually join the maritime workforce.

The U.S. Coast Guard released a series of new rules on May 9 that it says are designed to streamline and consolidate the process for foreign ships to be certified under the American registry. It reflects the dual ambitions of the Trump administration to grow the American merchant marine and reduce excess regulations imposed by the U.S. government on industry.

According to the announcement from USCG, the process of reflagging into the American registry is being consolidated under a single program based on international standards. Historically, it has been considered to be an onerous process requiring a demonstration of need, review and acceptance by the Maritime Administration and other government agencies, a planning process, and entailed inspection. 

USCG reports the changes to the process reduces pre-inspection plan review, which will result in avoiding scheduling delays and minimizing modification costs. They contend it will provide more job opportunities for American mariners.

One of the common means that foreign ships have entered the U.S. registry is through the Maritime Security Program established nearly 30 years ago by the Clinton administration. The U.S. Congress extended the program till 2035, guaranteeing 60 positions (all currently filled) for ships to operate under the U.S. flag and receive what MARAD calls a “financial stipend” (or incentive). It is to offset U.S. operating costs in exchange for making their ships and commercial transportation resources available upon request by the Secretary of Defense during times of war or national emergency. It provides a simplified certification process for ships to enter the U.S. registry.

USCG in the new iteration is offering foreign-built vessels the option of enrolling in voluntary sealift support without being in the 60 spots that receive financial incentives. They write that receiving payments as part of MSP enrollment is not a precondition for certification. This also includes vessels reflagging as part of the Ready Reserve Force recapitalization. 

The change was reportedly spearheaded by Captain Cory Heard, who is the Chief, Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance from USCG, and heading an interagency team to support Donald Trump’s executive orders. Wayne Arguin Jr., Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy at the U.S. Coast Guard, writes online that simplifying reflagging and certification for foreign-built vessels is the “first of many (initiatives) as we work to Restore American Maritime Dominance.”

This comes as the Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands on Saturday, May 10, confirmed in a social media posting a report from Reuters that the Trump administration is reviewing an idea that was first floated a few years ago to create a second U.S. flag registry in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It would be an open registry administered by a third-party commercial organization.

The plan was put forward by a private group in 2021 calling itself the Center for Ocean Policy and Economics, and winning support from conservative groups, including in 2023 from the Hudson Institute, a conservative think-tank. The groups said it would be a way to bypass burdensome domestic regulations that restrict entry into the U.S. registry for foreign-built ships and deal with the limited U.S. shipbuilding capacity. They argue it would create jobs and support the development of a shipyard in the Virgin Islands for maintenance work. The Hudson Institute set a target for 250 U.S.-registered ships, a goal that has now found its way into the recently introduced legislation in the U.S. Congress to support reinvigorating the U.S. merchant marine and shipbuilding.

The U.S.’s leading maritime unions have repeatedly joined together to oppose the proposed open registry. The unions in the past opposed the plan as it would permit foreign seafarers to crew the vessels, a move they said made the plan nothing more than a ploy to generate registry fees.

Reports say the Trump administration is looking at it as a possible “bold, private-sector driven initiative.” Reuters wrote in an exclusive story on May 9 that the National Security Council was aware of the proposed USVI Registry and was possibly considering the plan.
 

 

Since the downscaling of its Mediterranean footprint at Tartus in Syria from a fully-fledged naval base, complete with refueling, logistics and munitions warehouses, Russia’s Mediterranean Squadron has been without an alternative facility. This might not be a serious operational impediment had Russian naval vessels been able to access the facilities they once enjoyed in Sevastopol. But since the Turkish authorities exercised their right under the Montreux Convention to restrict the passage of combatant nations through the Bosporus, such an alternative arrangement is not possible - and even if it were, the no-ship Ukrainian Navy would still be waiting in ambush.

The exact status which the Russian Navy enjoys still in Tartus is unclear. Russian warships and parastatal cargo vessels still visit, and indeed the requirement to escort cargo vessels evacuating military equipment from Tartus places a major escort burden on the Russian warships which are present. But based on the long waits for entrance to the inner harbor, and the short duration of visits, the Russians no longer enjoy basing rights at Tartus, and have the same level of access that would be granted on a case by case basis to foreign warships making port calls. Russian cargo ships seem to enjoy easier access than warships, which normally have to anchor offshore.

The Russians have kept more access rights at their airbase at Khmeimim, 35 miles to the north, where Russian aircraft still stop to refuel on the way to Africa and where there are still logistics facilities. But even the Russian tenancy at Khmeimim is beginning to look somewhat fragile, as there having been a number of drone attacks on the base in recent weeks. The Russians are also sitting between a local population of Assad loyalists and their old adversaries, who are seeking revenge.

In the meantime, Russian naval operations in the Mediterranean have shrunk in scope. In the week to May 5, the Russian presence consisted of the cruiser Admiral Grigorovich (F745) off Tartus, the corvette Soobrazitelny (F531) and the Altay Class auxiliary Kola lingering off the Moroccan coast, the oiler Vyazma (A275) making a port visit in Alexandria, with the Vishnya Class intelligence collector Viktor Leonov (H175) shadowing the Royal Navy HMS Prince of Wales carrier strike group off Sicily and refueling in Algiers. The Kilo Class submarine Krasnodar (B265) left the Mediterranean without replacement (an unusual change) on April 27.

Until now, the Russians have usually maintained a force double this size in the Mediterranean. The lack of local maintenance facilities means that ships now have to be home-ported in the Baltic. This means that Russia’s ships can now keep station for shorter periods, sea transits to and from the Baltic reduce endurance, and the smaller deployed footprint requires proportionally higher support from oilers and auxiliaries. Moreover, the Mediterranean Squadron is now short on air cover and support in times of trouble.

Algeria has been touted as an alternative to Tartus. Russian and Algeria have historically enjoyed good relations, dating from the war of independence. Algeria still buys large volumes of Russian weapons, and there is still a large contingent of Russian instructors and technical support staff spread between five locations in Algeria. The Algerian Navy has a six-strong Kilo Class submarine fleet (and has recently taken delivery of its first 4th generation Sukhoi Su-35 fighters). But Article 31 of the Algerian constitution explicitly prohibits the establishment of foreign military bases on Algerian soil. A request from the Russians to establish a base at Mers El Kébir was rejected in 1968 and again in 2001, even though until recently Algeria was purchasing about 70% of its weapons from Russia and sourcing the bulk of its overseas technical training from Russia as well.

However, tensions have crept into the relationship of late, prompted by Russia’s interference in neighboring Mali, and by Algeria’s need to keep friendly with the United States and the United Arab Emirates over their support for Algerian rival Morocco. Algeria guards its independence and non-aligned status carefully, notwithstanding its historic ties with Russia.

Libya was also considered a naval base option, either in Benghazi or Tobruk. However, both ports lack infrastructure and lie in the contested area controlled for the moment by the mercurial Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar. Haftar is himself dependent on a changing cast of foreign backers, and his territory is unrecognized by the international community, making this option little more reliable than Russia’s former arrangement in Syria.

Egypt is no longer within the Russian orbit, and is good only for the occasional port visit. Port Sudan in the Red Sea could provide the necessary facilities, but as it is on the south side of the Suez Canal, it lies at some distance from the Mediterranean. Serbia, Russia’s only friend to the north, doesn’t have a coastline or port to offer.

For the present, Russia has no alternative but to operate in the Mediterranean with a reduced presence. It would not be so without Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which not only has closed off the Bosporus to Russian warships, but has also cast doubt in the minds of potential alternative hosts about the wisdom of aligning with a heavily-sanctioned partner.

 

On Saturday, the Royal Navy's UK Maritime Trade Operations office reported a Persian Gulf / Arabian Gulf security incident with all of the characteristics of a bomb-boat attack - but without the bomb. 

On the 10th, the master of a merchant vessel alerted UKMTO about an unusual encounter south of Kish Island, Iran, at a position about 80 NM to the northwest of Jebel Ali. A small craft had collided with the vessel, and had previously attempted to collide with several other nearby ships as well.

The crew of the small boat were spotted transferring safely over to another small craft - leaving the boat unmanned before its final maneuver into the hull of the merchant ship. 

No seafarers were injured, but the merchant ship remained at the scene for some time before proceeding on its commercial voyage, UKMTO said. While the ship was in the area, the crew received VHF calls from "local authorities" requesting that they stop and allow a boarding party aboard.

No detonation was reported by UKMTO. However, the incident bears hallmarks of Houthi bomb boat technology. Typically, Houthi unmanned bomb boats are piloted by a human skipper until the final approach, when the pilot engages a remote control system and abandons ship. A crew on a nearby support vessel guides the bomb boat the rest of the way to the target by remote control. 

Iran appears to have supplied at least some of the guidance systems for Houthi drone boats, based on captured examples of the craft. Iran has also long experimented with unmanned craft of its own, and Iranian security forces are known to use misleading radio announcements to merchant shipping; during previous periods of heightened tensions, they have periodically engaged in boardings and hijackings.