Maritime Current News

Insights, Updates, and Maritime Intelligence

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Maritime Current News

Insights, Updates, and Maritime Intelligence

Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Insights,Updates,and Maritime Intelligence

The maritime news that truly matters

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Saudi Arabia Achieves Record Non-Oil Exports in Fourth Quarter 2025, Boosting Trade Surplus
Maritime Trade & Economy
Maritime Current News

Saudi Arabia Achieves Record Non-Oil Exports in Fourth Quarter 2025, Boosting Trade Surplus

Saudi Arabia has posted its highest quarterly non-oil exports since 2017, signaling a major shift in the Kingdom’s trade structure during the fourth quarter of 2025.
According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the merchandise trade surplus jumped 26.3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter, fueled by strong non-oil export growth, which is increasingly contributing to Saudi Arabia’s external balance.

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Kongsberg Maritime Signs MoU with PT PAL to Boost Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation in Indonesia
Maritime Environment Policy and Law
Maritime Current News

Kongsberg Maritime Signs MoU with PT PAL to Boost Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation in Indonesia

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PT PAL Indonesia, the country’s largest state-owned shipyard, to advance energy efficiency and decarbonisation in the maritime sector. The signing ceremony was held at PT PAL’s headquarters in Surabaya on February 26, 2026, and attended by representatives from both companies and the Norwegian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rut Krüger Giverin.

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Lloyd’s Register Advances Hybrid Nuclear Marine Power with Seatransport Partnership
Maritime Safety , Security and Technology
Maritime Current News

Lloyd’s Register Advances Hybrid Nuclear Marine Power with Seatransport Partnership

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has announced Approval in Principle (AiP) for a hybrid nuclear-ready power concept developed in collaboration with Australian ship design group Seatransport Pty Ltd, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of low-emission maritime propulsion.
The innovative design enables nuclear Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) to operate alongside conventional diesel-electric systems for 73-metre and 90-metre amphibious stern landing vessel (SLV) platforms. The AiP follows several years of close technical cooperation between LR and Seatransport aimed at ensuring regulatory compliance, operational safety and practical feasibility.

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Lloyd’s Register Hosts 2026 Hellenic Advisory Committee in Athens to Address Greek Shipping Challenges
Maritime Safety , Security and Technology
Maritime Current News

Lloyd’s Register Hosts 2026 Hellenic Advisory Committee in Athens to Address Greek Shipping Challenges

Lloyd’s Register (LR) convened its 2026 Hellenic Advisory Committee in Athens on 19 February, bringing together more than 30 leading Greek shipowners and senior executives to discuss the strategic priorities shaping the global maritime industry.
The high-level meeting was co-hosted by Nick Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Lloyd’s Register, and Elina Papageorgiou, Senior Vice President Greece & Cyprus. The session reinforced the Committee’s role as a senior advisory platform linking one of the world’s most influential shipping communities with LR’s global leadership team.

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DP World Boosts India–Middle East Shipping Reliability with 5,000+ TEU Vessel Acquisition
Maritime Trade & Economy
Maritime Current News

DP World Boosts India–Middle East Shipping Reliability with 5,000+ TEU Vessel Acquisition

Dubai, UAE –DP World has strengthened trade connectivity between India and the Middle East following the acquisition of a 5,000+ TEU container vessel, DP World Chennai, under its Marine Services arm, Shipping Solutions.
The vessel has been integrated into the company’s Red Sea–Gulf–India service, reinforcing schedule reliability and enhancing regional supply chain performance. Its maiden call at Jebel Ali Port marks Shipping Solutions’ owned capacity exceeding 6 million TEU, further consolidating DP World’s operational footprint across key markets.

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Unauthorised Salvage Operation at Gaddani: A Serious Threat to National Underwater Heritage and Marine Biodiversity
Editorial
Muhammad Moazzam

Op-Ed:  Salvage Operation at Gaddani: A Serious Threat to National Underwater Heritage and Marine Biodiversity

Coral reef habitats in Pakistan occur at a limited number of locations. These include areas off Hawksbay (between Abdur Rehman Goth and Cape Monz), Goth Mubbarak/Bhit Khori, Churna Island, Kaio Island, Ormara (Rodrigues Shoal), off Taq/Sakoni, Astola Island, Gwadar (off Headland), and the Daran-Jiwani region. Smaller reef patches are also present along parts of the Sindh and Balochistan coastlines.
Although restricted in distribution, these reef systems support a variety of marine organisms and provide habitat for many fish species. In addition to natural reef environments, shipwrecks along Pakistan’s coastline also influence local biodiversity patterns.

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Tragic Boat Sinking: At Least Three Egyptians Dead, Dozens Missing Off Greek Coast
Maritime Safety , Security and Technology
Maritime Current News

Tragic Boat Sinking: At Least Three Egyptians Dead, Dozens Missing Off Greek Coast

CAIRO –Egypt has confirmed the deaths of at least three of its nationals after a migrant boat carrying dozens of irregular migrants sank en route to Greece.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the vessel was carrying 50 irregular migrants, including 21 Egyptians. Three Egyptians have died, while 18 remain missing. The ministry is closely coordinating with Greek authorities to support search efforts and expedite the repatriation of the deceased.

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IMO Launches Open Call for Shipping Companies to Join NextWave Alliance to Upskill Seafarers
Maritime Safety , Security and Technology
Maritime Current News

IMO Launches Open Call for Shipping Companies to Join NextWave Alliance to Upskill Seafarers

The International Maritime Organization has launched an open call inviting global shipping companies to join the NextWave Alliance and support the upskilling of seafarers through expanded onboard training opportunities.

As part of its workforce development strategy, IMO will host a dedicated workshop on 9 April 2026 at its headquarters in London to explore the global expansion of the NextWave Seafarers Project. The initiative is designed to provide essential onboard training placements for cadets from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), helping to address the global shortage of qualified seafarers while building a future-ready maritime workforce.

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Maritime Safety , Security and Technology
Maritime Current News

Global Treaty on Fishing Vessel Safety to Take Effect in 2027

The long-awaited global fishing vessel safety treaty is officially set to enter into force in February 2027 after Argentina acceded to the 2012 Cape Town Agreement, closing a major gap in the international maritime safety framework.

Argentina’s accession was confirmed on 24 February 2026 when H.E. Ms. Mariana Edith Plaza, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the United Kingdom, deposited the instrument of accession at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization in London. The move brings the total number of Member States that have consented to be bound by the treaty to 28, collectively representing 3,754 qualifying fishing vessels of 24 metres or more in length. Under the treaty’s conditions, it enters into force 12 months after at least 22 States representing no fewer than 3,600 qualifying vessels join, requirements that have now been fulfilled.

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ABB Selects Corvus Energy Battery Systems for Washington State Ferries’ New Hybrid Vessels in Major US Maritime Electrification Project
Ports and Shipping
Maritime Current News

ABB Selects Corvus Energy Battery Systems for Washington State Ferries’ New Hybrid Vessels in Major US Maritime Electrification Project

ABB Marine & Ports has selected advanced battery systems from Corvus Energy for a new series of hybrid ferries being built for Washington State Ferries (WSF), marking a significant milestone in US maritime electrification.

ABB, acting as propulsion single-source vendor for WSF, will integrate Corvus’ Dolphin NxtGen Energy Storage Systems into two new ferries, with an option for a third vessel. The 1,500-passenger ships, each capable of carrying 160 vehicles, will be constructed by Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Florida, with delivery scheduled for 2030–31.

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CK Hutchison Suspends Panama Port Activities over ‘Unlawful’ Takeover Claim
Ports and Shipping
Maritime Current News

CK Hutchison Suspends Panama Port Activities over ‘Unlawful’ Takeover Claim

Panama Ports Company (PPC) container terminals in Cristobal and Balboa, following a ruling by the Panama Supreme Court of Justice that declared the PPC concession unconstitutional. An Executive Decree issued by the President of Panama mandated the occupation of the terminals by the state, leading government representatives to arrive unannounced and assume control. PPC employees were instructed to comply with government directives, transfer out of PPC, and cease communications with the company, under threat of criminal prosecution, effectively giving the state full control of the facilities.

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PSA Panama Launches Advanced Container Scanner and Inspection Area to Boost Trade Security
Ports and Shipping
Maritime Current News

PSA Panama Launches Advanced Container Scanner and Inspection Area to Boost Trade Security

PSA Panama has inaugurated a state-of-the-art fixed container scanner and a new physical cargo inspection area at UNITEC, marking a key milestone in its Master Plan to elevate service standards to a world-class level. These advanced facilities are designed to enhance Panama’s capacity to prevent and combat illicit activities in international trade, including drug trafficking and smuggling, while strengthening trust in the country’s logistics ecosystem through collaboration between public and private sectors.

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Cameroon announces Crackdown as 13% of Sanctioned Dark Fleet Tankers Fly Its Flag
Maritime Environment Policy and Law
Maritime Current News

Cameroon announces Crackdown as 13% of Sanctioned Dark Fleet Tankers Fly Its Flag

Cameroon has announced a sweeping crackdown on its ship registry after becoming a major flag state for sanctioned shadow fleet tankers, which now account for 13% of all sanctioned vessels broadcasting their flag via AIS in 2026.
The Government of Cameroon has pledged to deregister all shadow fleet tankers following diplomatic representations from Brussels and mounting scrutiny over a surge in registrations from sanctioned and previously stateless vessels in late 2025 and early 2026. According to Windward Maritime AI™ intelligence, more than 20 vessels reflagged to Cameroon in the past 30 days, and 43 in the past 60 days. Most of these tankers were previously flagless or stateless after using fraudulent registries or being removed by other flag administrations under international pressure.

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Ancient Fossils from Western Australia Reveal Globe-Trotting ‘Sea Monsters’ That Roamed 250 Million Years Ago
Maritime Environment Policy and Law
Maritime Current News

Scientists Discover Globe-Trotting Marine ‘Sea Monsters’ that Lived 250 Million Years Ago after Mass Extinction

The arid plains of the Kimberley region in Western Australia may seem far removed from the sea today, but around 250 million years ago the landscape was submerged beneath a shallow bay teeming with early marine life. New research has uncovered evidence that this ancient ecosystem was home to diverse, globe-trotting marine amphibians that thrived shortly after Earth’s most devastating mass extinction event.

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