Captains and Cadets Celebrate Maritime Spirit at DRACEA 2025

Delphine Estibeiro – The annual DRACEA gathering brought together cadets, alumni, and stalwarts of the maritime fraternity for an evening of camaraderie, recognition, and celebration. Hosted at the Willingdon Club, the event was marked by heartfelt addresses, spirited awards, and a strong sense of community. Captain Rajesh Tandon, President, DRACEA, opened the evening with a…

Future of Sustainable Shipping Spotlighted

Pratik Bijlani – On 5th December, ClassNK successfully conducted a high-impact technical seminar at the Hilton Hotel, Mumbai, bringing together key maritime professionals for an in-depth exchange on regulatory developments, emerging fuel technologies and operational compliance shaping the future of global shipping. The well-attended seminar featured three focused technical presentations addressing alternative fuels, the cost…

Predictive Market Trends

Data is routinely used to make judgements in the field of international trade and shipping. Predictive market sentiment is one of the most significant concepts in this field. It might sound hard, but it just means utilising AI to figure out how the market feels and what might happen next. What does “market sentiment” mean?…

 India’s Global Trade Trends

Over the last decade, India has drawn ever closer to the United States, tentatively aligning itself with Washington as it continues to eschew formal alliances. This approach has paid off, securing U.S. investment, defence cooperation, and technological exchange, as well as the sense that the friendship between the world’s two largest democracies would only grow.…

Global Currents

Can you believe this: U.S. demands the return of the unexploded bomb! Here’s a summary of what’s known so far about the situation you described — the unexploded “smart bomb” dropped on Lebanon, and the U.S. demand that Lebanon return it. What’s going on The bomb in question is reportedly a GBU-39B Small Diameter Bomb…

SeaNext 2025 Inspires Next‑Gen Mariners

Pratik Bijlani – On 29th November, the Seagyan Maritime Foundation in partnership with Youth India Champs successfully hosted SeaNext 2025, a Youth Maritime Career Conclave at Thakur College, Mumbai. The event was designed to inspire and educate students about the diverse opportunities within the global maritime industry, bringing together aspiring cadets, educators, industry professionals, and…

Capt Phadnis Outlines Vision as MASSA’s COO

Pratik Bijlani – Capt Girish Phadnis’s recent appointment as COO of the Maritime Association of Shipowners, Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA) marks a significant milestone in his distinguished maritime journey. Reflecting on the achievement, he shares, “Stepping into the role of COO at MASSA is not just a personal milestone — it is the continuation of…

MSC Elsa 3 Sparks Legal Storm

On May 25, 2025, the Liberian-flagged container ship MSC ELSA 3 capsized and sank off the coast of Kerala while enroute from Vizhinjam to Kochi. The ship was carrying roughly 640 containers, thousands of litres of fuel and several containers of hazardous cargo (notably calcium carbide). Although all crew were rescued, the event quickly escalated…

Global Impacts

Vanke shares slide on renewed debt jitters Shares of China Vanke slid in Hong Kong on Wednesday as tumbling bond values reignited investor jitters over the company’s debt and broader real-estate risks. Several of Vanke’s yuan-denominated bonds plunged more than 20% in early trading — triggering suspensions of five exchange-listed bonds — amid renewed skepticism…