24 maritime news articles about Gard
Since 1 January 2023, the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) has been imposing a "Disruption Charge" on vessels with deficiencies. These charges can be as high as USD 250,000 and Gard members have reported numerous cases of this charge being levied since its introduction.
China’s maritime courts have developed a distinct approach to cargo claims. From shortage disputes to quality claims, carriers navigating Chinese ports face a complex legal landscape where evidence, survey methods, and procedural precision can determine the outcome.
Gard is aware of an increasing tendency for tug operators to furnish vessels with a ‘certificate of safe delivery’ upon completion of certain kinds of towage services. A signature from the Master is requested and often obtained.
As one of South America’s longest waterways, the Parana River provides a vital route for exporting agricultural products. However, the continuously shifting sediment beds, unpredictable currents and narrow channels have also made it a hotspot for ship groundings with numerous ships running aground in the river in 2025
The increased use of jumbo bags (FIBCs) in bulk mineral transport, including those prone to liquefaction, requires heightened awareness of the risks involved. While convenient, the bags’ application to certain cargoes presents distinct challenges.
The recent attacks on the M/V Magic Seas and M/V Eternity C in the Red Sea earlier this week have substantially increased tensions in the region, raising concerns for the safety of merchant vessel and their crews. Are we seeing isolated events or a renewed Houthi campaign?
Recent attacks between Israel and Iran have significantly heightened tensions in the area, raising concerns for the safety of merchant vessels in and around the Arabian/Persian Gulf and Israeli waters.
Newly opened Parana River channel has seen a spate of groundings since its opening in April 2025. Vessel groundings in new Parana channel off Paso Fighiera
At the recent meeting of MEPC 83, the IMO member states reached agreement on the first global GHG emissions levy for any industry. This comprises a global fuel standard, financial penalties and incentives, and a fund to support decarbonization initiatives with the aim of achieving the IMO’s 2023 GHG strategy of net ze
As we mark the IMO’s International Day for Women in Maritime, this article is both personal and professional: tracing a childhood spent at sea, a career shaped by absence, and a mission born from the question: ‘What if I had seen her? ’ As the maritime world faces rapid change and critical talent shortages, it is time
Safety in the maritime industry is often associated with regulations, compliance, check lists and procedures. But Dr.
On 9 April 2025, the UK Supreme Court handed down judgment in the case of the MSC FLAMINIA. This is only the third time in 20 years that a court has considered an attempt by charterers to limit their liability to owners under the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC).
In recent years, Gard has seen a steady increase in dry cargo shortage claims in Vietnam. Our data reveal that cargo claims in ports such as Cai Mep and Phu My have nearly tripled from 2020 to 2024.
After an initial spike in tensions between the two nations that disrupted trade, port operations have cautiously resumed, albeit under certain restrictions.
Risk assessments must be used actively to prevent stowaways from embarking. This means that the measures outlined in the Ship Security Plan must be tailored to the local conditions where the ship operates.
On 17 April, the US Trade Representative, released his report on the US Chinese-nexus port fees. Here are the details of the new fee scheme.
Responding to vehicle fires onboard vessels is both dangerous and challenging. These new guidelines by the Vehicle Carrier Safety Forum have been designed to reduce the risk to the safety of crews, passengers, the environment, the vessel and the cargo.
Onboard blending and commingling of liquid cargoes are common requests, but it is not done without risk. This article looks at how these operations work, the potential pitfalls, and what they mean for P&I cover for both shipowners and charterers.
Brazil’s soybean industry is poised for a landmark year in 2025, with projections indicating unprecedented production and export levels, according to Gard’s local correspondents Proinde. This could bring about logistical pressures and more claims.
In the last six months Gard has been notified of five incidents of mooring line failures at the port of Veracruz. Our local correspondent, Pinedo Abogados, attributes these failures to the ongoing port expansion construction at the Northern terminal and bouts of increasingly severe weather, specifically cold fronts.
The Solomon Islands, rich in mineral resources, has recently begun exporting nickel ore from at least two mines. Given the nation's developing status and limited regulatory oversight, we wish to highlight potential challenges related to these shipments.
A recent increase in incidents involving attendant ships colliding with offshore oil and gas, and renewable energy structures has led the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to issue a safety notice focusing on the causes of such incidents.
When vessels suffer damage from ice, shipowners often look to hold charterers accountable. But the legal landscape surrounding such claims is anything but straightforward.
The maritime industry has seen a significant shift toward dual-fuel vessels, driven by regulatory and economic considerations. However, the transition has brought new bunker management challenges, particularly for Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO).