Incidents off the West African coast are currently slightly higher than in Southeast Asia, a position last held by West Africa in 2008, the year in which a total of 39 crew members were kidnapped for ransom off various vessels mostly in the oil industry in Nigeria. Up until the date this report is being published the areas of maritime piracy related incidents worldwide are as follows:
Every time Arctic sea ice extent reaches a new record low a host of new reports and studies predict a rapid increase in shipping activities in the Arctic. Expectations are high that Arctic shipping routes, particularly the Northern Sea Route, will rival traditional shipping routes and complement the Suez Canal route as a key waterway for trade to and from Asia by the middle of this century. One of the drivers of Arctic shipping, as the logic goes, is China’s rapidly growing international trade. As China aims to diversify its trade routes and reduce its dependence on trade passing through the Strait of Malacca, the Arctic offers an alternative and shorter route to conduct part of its trade. How realistic are such scenarios?
Declining sea ice is creating new possibilities for industrial activities in the Arctic, yet the region is highly variable in its resources and conditions, creating a complex risk picture.
A collision took place between two cargo ships in the area outside Tokyo Bay leaving one sailor dead and eight others missing.
Maersk recently launched a new sustainability strategy with the aim of accelerating the company’s positive impacts. The purpose is to address significant sustainability challenges in society which at the same time constitute bottlenecks to Maersk’s growth strategy.
The effect of increasingly stricter air emissions legislation implemented through International Maritime Organization (IMO) Annex VI and other local air quality controls, together with favorable financial conditions for the use of natural gas instead of liquid fuel oil as a bunker fuel is increasing the number of marine vessel owners that are considering the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel.
UN has recently issued a report on the Maritime Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Piracy in the region has become a growing concern. Much of the piracy that affects West Africa is a product of the disorder that surrounds the regional oil industry.
In recent years, many nations have begun to identify and address climate risks associated with rising GHG emissions. Since energy use is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, climate policies that target these emissions are likely to play a significant role in the world’s energy future by directly and indirectly affecting people’s energy choices.
In the early hours of 18 January 2014 a 75,000-ton tanker, the MT Kerala, vanished off the coast of Angola. A sophisticated pirate gang hijacked the Greek-owned vessel, disabling its identifications system and communication equipment, and painting over its identifying markers.
Port of Rosario, Argentina’s largest port for exporting grain might remain blocked for almost a week due to the grounding of a Bulk Carrier in the main channel of Parana River. The Cyprus flagged MV Paraskevi remains grounded there since last Tuesday 11 March.
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Officer of the Watch 