vessels News

Oil Tanker Hauling US Crude U-Turns in Red Sea to Dodge Houthis

An oil tanker hired by Norway’s Equinor ASA that came to a halt in the Red Sea six days ago — when Houthi militants stepped up attacks on merchant shipping — has performed a u-turn and is now sailing back …

Oil Spills and Near Misses: More Ghost Tankers Ship Sanctioned Fuel

LONDON –– An oil tanker runs aground off eastern China, leaking fuel into the water. Another is caught in a collision near Cuba. A third is seized in Spain for drifting out of control. These vessels were part of a …

Insurers Count the Cost of Ships Snagged in Ukraine Crisis

Insurers are facing half a billion dollars in claims for up to 60 commercial ships still stuck in Ukraine a year after the start of the war with Russia, industry sources said. When the conflict started, more than 90 merchant …

Black Sea Shipping Rates Rise as Reinsurers Cut Cover

LONDON –– Costs for hiring ships to transport commodities from the Black Sea have risen by more than a fifth since the start of the year, reflecting higher war risk insurance rates, industry sources said. The Black Sea is crucial …

Germany’s Rhine Water too Low Even for Some Empty Vessels

BERLIN –– Water levels on Germany’s Rhine river are so low that some vessels cannot sail even when empty, a shipping cooperative said on Friday, although long-awaited rain has begun to ease bottlenecks on one of the country’s main commercial …

Another Ferry Seized on Disrupted Dover-Calais Route

LONDON –– A second P&O ferry that sails between the English town of Dover and the French city of Calais has been detained by British officials due to a “number of deficiencies,” likely exacerbating Easter holiday travel disruption. P&O Ferries, …

War in Ukraine Puts Shipping’s Recovery in Jeopardy

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has the shipping industry bracing for new shocks to its labor force, which relies on experienced crew from both countries. Ukrainian and Russian seafarers make up nearly 15% of the industry’s 1.9 million seafarers and …

Aging Oil-Storage Ships Pose Safety, Environmental Risks Around the World

The decades-old, oil-storage ship that blew up off the coast of Nigeria recently — killing some of its crew and spewing its contents into the Atlantic Ocean — is one of many vessels of similar vintage dotted across the globe. …

Marine Insurance Losses Projected Below $250M From Beirut Blast

LONDON — Insurance claims for damage to ships, goods and the port itself after a warehouse explosion last week in the port of Beirut were likely to total less than $250 million, reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter said on Monday. Overall …

Alabama Fire Chief Confirms 8 Deaths in Boat Dock Fire

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — At least eight people were killed early Monday in an explosive fire that consumed at least 35 vessels docked along the Tennessee River. Scottsboro Fire Chief Gene Necklaus said all eight people who were known to be …