The Red Sea shipping crisis entered a dark new chapter with the first seafarer deaths. The Houthis fired a missile on March 6 at the True Confidence, a 13-year-old, 50,448 dwt bulk carrier. The missile struck near the stern of the vessel. Three crew – a Vietnamese and two Filipinos – died, and two more were severely injured. To date, in their near six-month campaign in solidarity with Hamas, the Houthis from Yemen have targeted some 70 merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with plans to escalate targets deeper into the Indian Ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope. Somali pirates proved a great menace throughout the month, hijacking the Bangladeshi-flagged Abdullah bulk carrier and its 23 crew and seeking out plenty of other hijack possibilities off the Horn of Africa. The Indian Navy rescued 17 crewmembers on another cargo ship that was seized in December last year, the Malta-flagged Ruen. The 35 arrested pirates are set to face trial in India. In one of the most high profile shipping accidents seen for years, the 9,962 teu Dali containership lost power and took down Baltimore’s longest bridge early on Monday morning with many feared dead. Search and rescue operations continue. The 81st meeting of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee wrapped up at the International Maritime Organization last week with a greenhouse gas levy now likely to be introduced by 2027. Among other key outcomes there was approval of SOx and NOx emission control areas in the Norwegian Sea and the Canadian Arctic, both expected to come into force in 2026. One of the most famous names in Japanese shipowning history, Sanko Steamship, let go of its last ship. Top management said the company would now exit shipowning. Sanko can trace its roots back to 1934. One of the world’s largest charterers, Trafigura, addressed the market shortage of modern supertanker tonnage by signing up to build its first VLCCs. With one of the smallest orderbooks of all sectors and only a handful of VLCCs delivering this and next year, many high-profile shipowners, including Fredriksen, Marinakis, Troim and the Saverys family, have jumped on available newbuilding slots this year. Even Ray Car Carriers sees opportunities in the supertanker sector, signing this month to build four VLCCs in South Korea. American gas supplier Venture Global LNG has moved into shipowning, announcing nine resales. The Mike Sabel-led company has bought nine ships under construction in South Korea, that will be delivered starting later this year. A giant black pipe will be inserted into the funnels of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) car carriers calling at ports in California from next year. NYK announced this month it has contracted American firm STAX Engineering to use its emissions capture and control technology to recover exhaust gases from ships at berth in response to the California Air Resources Board’s expanded exhaust emission regulations for vessels calling at ports in the state. TagsSplash Extra Archive Splash Extra March 2024