Record Exports but Shipping Concerns Remain at Chinese Ports
Record Exports but Shipping Concerns Remain at Chinese Ports
In spite of the global shipping crisis reports say China’s exports rose 25.6% in August from a year ago to $294.3 billion, according to customs statistics published earlier this month. Imports jumped 33.1% over the same period to $236 billion. Both figures are records. However, challenges to trade including the shutdown of the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan,…
New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Caught Off Guard by Weather, Transportation Flooded
New York City’s subway system flooded in areas as a result of intense rains that first devastated New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and then headed north. Reports says first responders rescued commuters from halted subway trains on Wednesday evening after a two onslaught of rain flooded subway stations. Some riders were left to fend…
Satellite-Based AI Surveillance System Being Created in Japan
Reports say Japan is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance system that will use advanced satellite technology to identify and track foreign ships operating close to its waters or that may breech its territory. The reports say the Japanese government is setting an initial 450 million yen ($4.1 million) aside for the project, and is…
Crimson Polaris Runs Aground, Breaks
The Crimson Polaris ran aground August 12, 2021 and proceeded to break in two off the north coast of Japan. The crew, mostly Chinese and Fillipino, was rescued and brought to safety by local coast guard. The ship was registered in Panama. Photos show the stern tipping up and the rest of the boat listing…
Oil Leaking onto Georgia Beach Continues
Several miles of beach on St. Simons Island, Georgia was fouled with oil as it spilled into the waters nearby earlier in the week. The remains of a cargo ship that overturned but is being dismantled on the Georgia coast continued to leak oil. Workers were trying to keep up with the spill clearing away…
G7 and EU say Iran Behind Mercer Street Vessel Attack
The Defense Department of the United States has announced the drone used in the attack of the Mercer Street commercial vessel was produced in Iran, U. S. Central Command said in a statement Friday, August 6, 2021. The statement outlined that a team sent to the vessel to investigate found that the ship off the…
Beirut Still Recovering from Blast One Year Later
One year after one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, the Beirut, Lebanon blast that demolished the port and caused damage throughout the area, the city is still recovering. People gathered to at the site of the explosion to mark the anniversary. The explosion resulted from the detonation of tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a…
Possible Hormuz Hijack Situation Resolves Peacefully
An incident that was initially reported as a “potential hijack” amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz has resolved. The British maritime agency reported boarders of a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah region in the Gulf of Oman have left. The incident was initially regarded as a “potential hijack”…
Blyth and Ramsey Ships Retired after 20-Plus Years
Fifteen years after they formed the vanguard of the Royal Navy’s minehunting mission in the Gulf, Her Majesty’s Ships Ramsey and Blyth have passed into history. The two sister ships were decommissioned in Rosyth during a service marking their long service around the globe. Both Sandown-class mine countermeasures vessels have served extensively during careers spanning…
The Israeli-Owned MV Mercer Street Attacked Near Oman
An attack on the MV Mercer Street may be the latest step in rising tensions between Israel and Iran. According to Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, there is some indication via evidence that Iran is responsible for the incident that occurred on Thursday, July 29, 2021 off the coast of Oman and killed two aboard….
U.S. Coast Guard Participates in Exercise Argus
The U.S. Coast Guard participated in the Danish Joint Arctic Command’s annual joint large-scale Exercise Argus in Southern Greenland in June. Deployed forces demonstrated U.S. Coast Guard capabilities to build partner capacity and expertise in search and rescue, incident management, and marine environmental response. These efforts solidify key strategic relationships while achieving mutual Danish, Greenlandic,…
Finns Actively Using EMSA’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft to Support Coast Guard
The Finnish Border Guard reports they will be using EMSA’s remotely piloted aircraft services from the base of Hanko to provide increased situational awareness for operational tasks in search and rescue, maritime safety and security, customs and border control, environmental protection and general law enforcement at sea. The Finnish Border Guard says it intends to…