Global piracy incidents rose again in 2025, with the Singapore Straits leading worldwide reports and violence against crews remaining a key concern.
Professional Mariner Article: Global Maritime Piracy, Armed Robbery Increased in 2025
gCaptain Article: Maersk’s Suez Return Signals a Turning Point in the Two-Year Red Sea Crisis
Maersk has confirmed the first permanent return of a major container service to the trans-Suez route, signaling cautious confidence that Red Sea security conditions have improved.
Professional Mariner Article: IMO Details Raft of New Shipping Rules in Force from Jan. 1
New IMO amendments in force from Jan. 1 strengthen seafarer welfare, fire safety, container reporting, fuel standards, polar operations, and shipboard technology across multiple conventions.
Professional Mariner Article: Polar Code Adds New Safety Provisions, Includes More Vessels
Below-average polar sea ice and shifting ice patterns are tightening navigation windows just as expanded IMO Polar Code requirements take effect in 2026, increasing the importance of real-time ice data and voyage planning.
MarineLog Article: Mitigating Risk for High-Value, Temperature-Sensitive Marine Cargo
From specialized packaging and preshipment testing to real-time sensors and customer tracking, proactive cold-chain strategies can dramatically reduce spoilage risks in marine shipments of perishable goods.
gCaptain Article: Big Boxships Return to Suez After Two-Year Hiatus
CMA CGM and Maersk ships are once again transiting the Suez Canal, signaling a tentative recovery of the Red Sea route after months of security-driven diversions around Africa.
gCaptain Article: UK Probe Focuses on Cargo Securing After Containers Go Overboard in the English Channel
The MAIB is investigating how 16 reefer containers were lost from Baltic Klipper in heavy seas near Portsmouth, triggering Solent channel disruption and an ongoing West Sussex shoreline cleanup.
gCaptain Article: Improperly Secured Lithium-Ion Battery Cargo Nearly Dooms Ship in the Pacific, NTSB Finds
An NTSB investigation has found that incompatible lashing gear and heavy weather allowed lithium-ion battery units to shift aboard the Genius Star XI, triggering thermal runaway fires that caused $3.8 million in damage and renewed concerns over battery cargo safety at sea.
gCaptain Article: Merchant Vessel Repels Armed Attack Off Yemen Coast as Red Sea Transit Risks Persist
A merchant ship has fended off armed small craft west of Yemen, the latest Red Sea security scare as traffic through the Suez Canal slowly recovers and authorities warn that regional risks remain far from eliminated.
gCaptain Article: Loose Wire, Fatal Consequences: NTSB Report Blames Electrical Failure for Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
An NTSB investigation has found that a single loose signal wire aboard the Dali triggered the blackout that led to Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse, exposing major gaps in bridge protection and emergency communication.