Screengrab from YouTube video posted by Island News The container ship MV Dali’s collision with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, which took the lives of six people and caused substantial infrastructure damage, is sparking legal disputes over liability and damages. The City of Baltimore claims in court filings filed Monday that the ship’s owner and manager are directly responsible for the tragedy, rejecting the firms’ attempt to limit their accountability under pre-Civil War maritime law. The incident occurred on March 26 when the 298.7-meter-long cargo ship headed for Sri Lank ..read more

Screengrab from Youtube video posted by OM PROD The Celestyal Journey, a 700 ft cruise ship, was hit by a tragic incident while docking at the port of Kusadasi in Turkey. The cruise ship collided with a concrete pier during its routine arrival last week. The incident occurred when the ship’s crew misinterpreted the ship’s speed and approached the pier abruptly, which resulted in the collision. Despite efforts to slow down by lowering the anchor, the ship slammed into the concrete pier through the bow bulb. The Celestyal Journey hit the concrete pier at 12 p.m. local time while the passengers ..read more

Representation Image The US Navy has contracted Electra, an aerospace company specializing in sustainable aviation solutions, through the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to explore the potential of Electra’s electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft for improving logistics operations in contested environments. This study aims to identify specific challenged logistics scenarios and examine how Electra’s hybrid-electric eSTOL technology can meet the Navy’s unique operational requirements. Contested logistics, or transferring military personnel or supplies through difficult or ..read more

Image Credits: Wikipedia China’s Taijing-4 03 satellite obtained radar images of what is recognised as the Norfolk Naval Station, the world’s largest military base, located in Virginia, USA. These images, which appeared on China’s Weibo site, showcase three aircraft carriers and two Arleigh Burke Class destroyers, highlighting China’s growing space prowess and surveillance capabilities. The Norfolk Naval Station is strategically important to the US Navy since it is a crucial centre for Atlantic Ocean Operations. With 75 ships, 134 aircraft, and various support facilities, such as 11 aircraft ..read more

Screengrab from video posted by Guardia di Finanza on X The Italian police are currently highlighting their efforts to crack down on the smuggling of illicit narcotics into the nation. The State Police are reporting 24 significant raids in the Policoro area in southern Italy, whereas, in the north at Ravenna on the Adriatic, they are reporting a massive seizure of cocaine discovered underneath the waterline on a bulker. The combined investigation was conducted by the State Police and the Financial Police in association with several law enforcement units and targeted anti-drug units. The bulke ..read more

Image Credits: Armada de Chile On 19 April, Chile’s newest Polar icebreaker, “Almirante Viel”, successfully completed its first week of intense testing at sea. The 10,500-ton Almirante Viel will replace the predecessor with the same title. The former was constructed at the Vickers-Armstrong shipyard in Montreal, Canada, in 1969. It served the Chilean Navy from 1995 until it was decommissioned in 2019. The construction represents an essential milestone for Chile’s naval industry. It is the first icebreaker to be constructed in the South Pacific and the greatest icebreaker ever built in South A ..read more

Representation Image A Chinese sailor’s dead body was discovered, under mysterious circumstances, in a vessel that was anchored at Kamarajar Port in Ennore. The Chinese vessel, with a crew comprising 22 members, sailed with coal from a port in Indonesia. The victim has been identified as Kang-Yuvu. The body was recovered from the vessel and sent for necessary investigation. The crew complained to the Indonesian police regarding the sailor’s missing, as the vessel was anchored at the port based in Indonesia on 6 April. The Minjur police recovered the body and sent it to the Government Stanley ..read more

Representation Image A ship near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait witnessed an unexpected explosion in the distance, signalling a new attack by the Houthi rebels. The strait between Eritrea and Djibouti in Yemen and the Horn of Africa links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean. It is undeniably a critical waterway for international trade. The explosion came after a sort of lull from the Houthis, who have been launching dozens of attacks on shipping in the region on the pretext of Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas. The Houthis have launched over 50 attacks on international shipping, sei ..read more

In the commercial shipping industry, there is a deluge of data. When a cargo vessel goes from point A to point B, multiple data volumes are endlessly generated, ranging from vessel parameters to route conditions to cargo statuses. Vessel parameters include information such as speeds, heading, fuel consumption and efficiency, engine performance, stability data, working of cargo equipment and machinery (if any), onboard power consumption, and so on. Route conditions essentially mean weather data and sea conditions and how the vessel responds to them. Cargo statuses focus on the charter time de ..read more

Representation Image According to a news release from Stockholm University, a fire on Griffin (also popularly known as the Gribshunden or Griffin-Hound) while sailing to Kalmar in 1495 caused it to sink. The ship served as the flagship for John, also popular as Hans, the Danish-Norwegian king who was in power from 1481 until 1513. The research findings are laid out in the report released this month. While the wreck looks to have disintegrated partly, some of the components on the seabed appear to be well-preserved. Along with the parts from the elevated fighting platforms, the researchers cam ..read more