Society of Master Mariners' Bangladesh Maritime professionals knowledge sharing

09 JAN 2026  After multiple warnings throughout the year about the dramatic increase in piracy around Singapore, the monitoring operation ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, in its year-end report, highlights that the surge peaked at mid-year with the arrest of some perpetrators. It cautions that the rate remains high, however, while …

08 JAN 2026 A Chinese-owned and managed crude oil tanker is reporting that it was attacked by a suspected drone while sailing in the Black Sea. The tanker Elbus (159,000 dwt) was traveling only with ballast along the Turkish coast, reportedly bound for the Russian terminal at Novorossiysk. The vessel …

07 JAN 2026 Following the removal of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the Trump administration plans to oversee the country’s oil exports, and will take delivery of 30-50 million barrels as a starting point. That initial consignment is just the start, though, and the oil export management arrangement will continue indefinitely, …

06 JAN 2026 As the marine industry accelerates toward cleaner, smarter, and more efficient propulsion, hybrid systems continue gaining traction across a variety of markets. From inland towboats and offshore support vessels to ferries, crew transfer vessels (CTVs), and research platforms, operators are seeking propulsion solutions that reduce emissions and …

05 JAN 2026 China’s effort to adapt merchant ships into naval assets gained attention last month when a Chinese container feeder, the otherwise-unassuming Zhong Da 79, moored in downtown Shanghai with 60 missile launch tubes on deck. The quad-pack containerized launchers suggested a new ability to turn a normal boxship …

03 JAN 2026 For nearly two weeks, American forces have been shadowing the VLCC formerly known as Bella 1 across the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel’s crew, facing seizure by the US Coast Guard, pulled what might be history’s most audacious maritime escape maneuver: they grabbed some paint, slapped a Russian …