Maritime Safety News

Indonesian rescuers plan to try to right a passenger ship that capsized in the Java Sea last weekend as persistent strong currents and big waves prevent them from making an underwater search of the overturned vessel for the 129 people still missing.The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people on a 20-hour voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it capsized in bad weather early on Sunday. Six people died and 108 survived the incident, tallies that have not changed since Sunday.The national rescue agency and Indonesian Navy will make an assessment on Thursday on the plan to turn the capsized ship back over…

The future of maritime safety will not be determined by a choice between people and technology but will instead depend on how effectively the industry combines them. Capt. Naoki Saito, General Manager and Head of the Cyber Security Ship Management Systems Department, ClassNK fully acknowledges the critical place mandatory procedures occupy in upholding consistent maritime safety, and their role in preserving knowledge from operational experience. Mandatory procedures also ensure clarity on who is responsible for what…

VIKING has been appointed as Official Preferred Global Sales and Service Partner for the full range of respiratory protection equipment and mobile gas detection equipment offered by Dräger to the maritime industry.The agreement formalizes and expands an existing cooperation between two recognized front-runners in maritime safety. Under the terms of the agreement, VIKING becomes Dräger's Official Preferred Global Sales and Service Partner for respiratory protection equipment and mobile gas detection equipment across the global maritime shipping industry. Dräger is present in over 190 countries.

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has launched a new Maritime Safety Data Hub, providing the maritime industry with unique insights as well as direct access to the comprehensive analysis of risks shaping global shipping.Drawing on a dataset combining three years of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) data with an industry-first analysis of 106,975 maritime safety broadcasts transmitted in 2025, the new platform offers visibility into the conditions influencing maritime risk.

On August 28, the American Waterways Operators (AWO) organized the second annual Falls Overboard Safety Standdown Day. Falls overboard are the leading cause of mariner fatalities in the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry.Participating companies and stakeholders were encouraged to pause briefly on August 28 to review falls overboard prevention procedures with crew; reinforce safe deck behavior, buddy systems, fall restraint use and proper PPE.They were also encouraged to promote…

The charity rescue ship, EMERGENCY, rescued 50 migrants from an wooden boat in international waters off Libya on Monday, while seven others were found dead, the charity said.Two people are in critical condition and suffering from suffocation and needed urgent medical evacuation, EMERGENCY said in a statement sent to Reuters, without giving further details.The survivors said they had left the Libyan coastal town of Zuwara on August 16 and were from Somalia and Egypt, the charity said.The group of migrants included 45 males, five females and 29 of them were unaccompanied minors, it added.(Reuter

INTERCARGO has observed a recent increase in attacks on merchant vessels, alongside a noticeable shift towards the direct targeting of commercial shipping. This is deeply concerning to our members and to the wider industry. Seafarers keep global trade moving. They are civilians doing their jobs. They should never be treated as military targets.Merchant vessels not involved in hostilities have long been recognised as deserving protection, and attacks on them put the lives of ordinary working people at risk for reasons that have nothing to do with their jobs.

Improving injury rates are masking the continued threat of fatal accidents across the offshore marine contracting industry, according to the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) after its latest Annual Safety Statistics Report revealed fatalities more than doubled despite overall safety performance improving.The report covers more than 1.02 billion working hours submitted by 167 contractor members. While traditional safety indicators continued to improve during 2025…

Dozens of people were feared dead after a ferry carrying 133 people capsized off the coast of Guyana late on Saturday, with authorities suggesting an inaccurate passenger list and drug use by the crew might have contributed to the situation.No survivors have been found since Sunday afternoon, when Guyanese authorities announced they had rescued 67 people, including 15 children.The captain and other crew members are now in police custody, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said at a press conference late on Sunday."Search and rescue is still in progress," Edghill said.

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) announced the publication of new guidelines to support companies in developing new Safety Management Systems (SMS) and strengthening existing SMS for ships using methanol as fuel. As the maritime industry accelerates its decarbonization efforts, low-carbon methanol has emerged as one of the most scalable alternative fuel options. Its liquid state under ambient conditions, compatibility with existing fuel infrastructure, and increasing industry adoption make methanol an attractive near-term solution.

A Qatari LNG tanker remained stranded off Oman on Wednesday after a projectile strike sparked a fire in its engine room, though industry sources said the vessel's cargo appeared secure and the risk of an explosion was low for now.The attacks on the tankers prompted Washington to revoke a licence allowing Iran to sell oil and U.S. forces to strike Iranian targets overnight. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday an interim agreement to end the war with Iran was "over", comments that triggered a 5% jump in global oil prices.The U.S.

ECITB Global has rolled out a suite of new courses designed to help workers operating in confined spaces within the engineering construction industry (ECI) across the world.The international skills body introduced the four new confined space courses in Qatar earlier this year to replace the confined space low and medium-risk courses.These now form part of the ECITB training courses mandated in the Middle East country by Ashghal, the government regulatory authority for all public works in Qatar.More than 5…

Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, Axios reported, citing two U.S. officials.Two commercial ships suffered significant damage but had no casualties, the report said, citing a U.S. official.Separately, Britain's maritime security agency said a tanker caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile east of Oman's Limah early on Tuesday.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations…

Iran's state media said on Wednesday a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after entering shallow waters outside the shipping route designated by Iranian authorities.State media reiterated the Revolutionary Guards' warning that vessels should transit only through the corridor south of Iran's Larak island, which Tehran says is the sole approved entry and exit route for ships passing through the strait.(Reuters - Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and IBM Japan have jointly developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform designed to support decision-making in vessel operations by integrating operational, weather and geopolitical information.The platform, which went live on July 1, is centered on MOL's Safety Operation Supporting Center (SOSC), which monitors and supports the safe operation of MOL-affiliated vessels worldwide.The companies said the platform consolidates weather and sea condition data…

OCIMF announced the appointment of Don Davis as its new Managing Director. Don joins the organisation at a pivotal moment, as OCIMF enters a new phase following the recent evolution of its mission and brand to support maritime safety across the wider energy sector.Don will join OCIMF on secondment from Chevron and assume the role on July 1, 2026. He succeeds Karen Davis, who will remain with the organization until the end of June to support a smooth leadership transition.The appointment comes at a milestone in OCIMF’s evolution.

All three missing Indian seafarers have died after a U.S. military strike on a tanker in the Gulf of Oman, Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Thursday.The U.S. said its military carried out a "precision" strike on the vessel that failed to follow its instructions and was carrying oil from Iran.Indian sources told Reuters that New Delhi had summoned the U.S. deputy chief of mission after lodging a "strong protest" on the strike.(Reuters - Reporting by Hritam Mukherjee; Editing by YP Rajesh)

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has secured its first orders for the VIKING Pentagon Star, a new mass rescue device designed to enable the rapid recovery of large numbers of people from the water during maritime and aviation emergencies.Originally developed in response to a tender from a major coast guard, the device is now being introduced to the market after securing additional orders from airports in Scandinavia.The Pentagon Star is aimed at government and professional users in the defense, search and rescue, and civil aviation sectors.

The Chamber of Shipping of America has recognized 48 Crowley-owned or -managed vessels with 2026 Jones F. Devlin Safety Awards for achieving a combined 427 years of service without a lost-time injury.The Jones F. Devlin Safety Award recognizes merchant vessels that operate for at least two consecutive years without a crew member experiencing a lost-time injury. The awarded Crowley vessels include tugs, barges, commercial container ships and tank vessels operating globally.The…

Offshore infrastructure services provider North Star has secured a multi-million-dollar pipeline of emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) contracts covering 17 vessels operating in the North Sea.The awards, comprising new contracts and extensions, represent around 50 years of combined contract duration, the company said.North Star said the contracts were secured through competitive tenders and renewals with offshore energy operators across the UK Continental Shelf.The company…

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) announced the launch of the sixth edition of its benchmark publication, the Tanker Safety Guide (Chemicals). First published in 1971, the Tanker Safety Guide (Chemicals) is an industry reference for the safe operation of chemical tankers. This new edition provides up‑to‑date, practical guidance for those serving on board ships carrying hazardous and noxious liquid substances in bulk under MARPOL Annex II, supporting safe, compliant and pollution‑free operations.The sixth edition incorporates substantial updates to reflect evolving industry practice…

Maritime safety regulations are often shaped by hard lessons. Few accidents demonstrate this more clearly than the loss of the ferry MV Estonia in September 1994.Maritime safety regulations are often shaped by hard lessons. Few accidents demonstrate this more clearly than the loss of the ferry MV Estonia in September 1994.More than 30 years later, the incident is still a touchstone for passenger vessel safety. Many of the stability and survivability questions it raised are influencing…

ABS and Alfred Maritime GmbH have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore technical projects that benefit cruise operators, vessels, crews and passengers.The MOU establishes a framework for both organizations to collaborate across three key areas: fleet performance and health monitoring; maintenance optimization; and safety and emergency systems.The collaboration brings together Alfred Maritime’s expertise in fleet performance management with ABS’ classification and safety leadership.