Navigating the Future with a Focus on Safety

Pratik Bijlani – On 24th September 2024, the Director General of Shipping (DGS) and the National Maritime Day Celebration (NMDC) Committee commemorated World Maritime Day at the Maritime Training Institute (MTI) in Powai, Mumbai. This globally significant event, organized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), shines a spotlight on the maritime industry’s vital role in

Captain, 1st Officer Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug Smuggling ITF Expresses Outrage Over Harsh Punishment

Padmesh Prabhune – A Croatian Capt. Marko Bekavac, and his first officer Ali Al-bokhari, aboard the ‘Phoenician M.’, a 34,000-dwt Panama-flagged bulker built in 2010 have been sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment in Turkey after being found guilty of smuggling 137kg of cocaine. Incidentally, Bekavac has a 30-year record at sea with no reported offences.

CSL to Build 65 Eco-Friendly Ships, Ship-repair Facility

Padmesh Prabhune – Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) one of the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facilities in the country will build 65 ships worth 22,000 crores, fuelled by green energy for Indian and international clients, including the Indian Navy. According to reports, CSL has an all-time-high order book of around ₹22,000 crore, involving building 65 ships,

Quad Leaders Announce MAITRI- A New Regional Maritime Initiative India to host inaugural workshop in 2025

Padmesh Prabhune – India is to host the inaugural symposium of MAITRI a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific to enable its partners in the region to maximize tools provided through the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) and other Quad partner initiatives, to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their

Dry Market Round Up

The Baltic Dry Index has been trading within a narrow range over the past few weeks, closing today at 1,890 points. After a brief attempt to break the 2,000-point mark earlier in September, the index has mostly moved sideways. Despite this, it remains significantly higher compared to both early August 2024 and early September 2023

Lack of Container Inspection Reports Threatens Maritime Safety

Pratik Bijlani – The Cargo Integrity Group (CIG) has raised concerns over the lack of consistent reporting by national administrations on container inspections, a critical element in ensuring maritime safety. An analysis by CIG revealed that less than 5% of 167 national governments are submitting inspection results to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), despite a