26 MAR 2025 A proposed U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) fee structure targeting Chinese-built ships and operators could cost the container shipping sector alone over $106.9 billion annually and severely disrupt global supply chains, according to maritime expert John McCown. The USTR proposed new port entrance fees in February as part …
Read More »CYBER HACKERS CLAIM TO HAVE DISABLED IRANIAN SHIP COMMUNICATIONS
25 MAR 2025 A shadowy group of cyber hackers is claiming that it launched a massive attack and has successfully disabled communications for much of Iran’s merchant fleet. While the report cannot be independently verified, the group which calls itself Lab Dookhtegan is known and according to experts is credible …
Read More »PIRATES ABANDON YEMENI FISHING BOAT AFTER FOUR DAYS
24 MAR 2025 The EU’s operation monitoring security in the Horn of Africa region reports the pirates have abandoned the fishing vessel Al-Hidaya that they hijacked last weekend. EUNAVFOR Atalanta notes it is the third piracy-related case involving a Yemeni fishing vessel and is in addition to a Chinese fishing …
Read More »CHOKEPOINTS ARE THE FOCUS OF A NEW COLD WAR
23 MAR 2025 How the Slow Strangulation of Global Trade Became the Defining Battle of a New Cold War In 1883, Alfred Thayer Mahan laid out the brutal truth of global power: Whoever rules the waves rules the world. He wasn’t just talking about fleets of warships. He was talking …
Read More »ICS AND CMI LAUNCH MARITIME TREATY CAMPAIGN TO COMBAT GLOBAL REGULATORY GAPS
22 MAR 2025 The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and Comité Maritime International (CMI) have launched an updated campaign aimed at accelerating the ratification of critical maritime treaties, addressing growing concerns over regulatory inconsistencies in global shipping. The initiative, titled ‘Promoting Maritime Treaty Ratification,’ targets several key conventions requiring urgent …
Read More »YEMEN’S HOUTHIS WON’T ‘DIAL DOWN’ UNDER US PRESSURE OR IRANIAN APPEALS
21 MAR 2025 Yemen’s Houthis will not “dial down” their action against Israeli shipping in the Red Sea in response to U.S. military pressure or appeals from the group’s allies such as Iran, the Yemeni militant group’s foreign minister said. Jamal Amer spoke to Reuters late on Monday after the U.S. …
Read More »ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE ENDS, HEIGHTENING MARITIME SECURITY RISKS IN RED SEA AND GULF REGIONS
20 MAR 2025 The Israel-Hamas ceasefire has officially ended on Tuesday, with Israel resuming offensive operations in the Gaza Strip, potentially escalating maritime security concerns across the Middle East. According to maritime security firm Ambrey Analytics, the termination of the ceasefire came after unsuccessful negotiations to extend beyond ‘Phase 1,’ …
Read More »SHOTS FIRED AS PIRATES BOARD TANKER OFF CENTRAL AFRICAN COAST
19 MAR 2024 A bitumen tanker was briefing commandeered by pirates overnight with reports of shots fired. The indication is that the crew was uninjured and that the vessel is back underway after the boarders left the vessel. The Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) first …
Read More »OUR MOON IS ABOUT TO TURN BLOOD RED. HERE’S WHY.
18 MAR 2025 This Thursday night, for the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years, our planet’s faithful companion is going to get fancy and put on a lovely shade of rouge. What once may have been interpreted as an omen of ill tidings is now a good excuse to step …
Read More »SOMALI PIRATES SUSPECTED OF HIJACKING ANOTHER YEMENI FISHING BOAT
17 MAR 2025 Reports were received yesterday, March 16, of a Yemeni-flagged fishing boat that EUNAVFOR officials believe has been hijacked by Somali pirates. Operation Atalanta is involved as the authorities monitor the vessel and warn of the continued danger in the region. The report indicates that seven hijackers are …
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