Maritime Education and Training: Building Competence for a Global Industry

Shipping industry is the lifeline of global economy, connecting markets with people and responsible for transporting over 80% of world trade. As vessels become larger & technologically advanced and international regulations grow more stringent, the need for a highly skilled and competent maritime workforce becomes paramount. Maritime Education and Training (MET) is the indispensable foundation…

Capt AP Kothurkar “Smartie” (1930–2025)

Chief Officer AP Kothurkar, who served on the TS Dufferin in 1966, passed away peacefully in Pune on 09th October at the age of 95. Fondly remembered by generations of seafarers, he was often described as the man who “turned boys into men,” having trained and mentored more than 600 cadets over two decades. Joining…

Maritime Camaraderie Shines at DMET/MERI Pre-Diwali Bash

Pratik Bijlani – On 11 October, the DMET/MERI Alumni Association came together once again for their much-awaited annual Pre-Diwali Bash, marking the 4th consecutive celebration of this cherished tradition. Held at the Ramada Hotel in Navi Mumbai, the event brought together former cadets, faculty members, and maritime professionals from across batches and chapters in a…

From Underwriting to Algorithms

The maritime industry has always sailed through turbulent waters – weather, operational hazards, human error, and volatile markets have made insurance and risk management a complex, costly domain. But artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly reshaping this space, offering unprecedented visibility, predictive power, and automation in how maritime risks are identified, priced, and managed. The Challenge:…

Baltic Shipping Watch Europe’s top ports gridlocked by strikes

Container operations at Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, have come to a standstill as lashers began a 48-hour strike on Wednesday afternoon to demand higher wages, while harbour pilots’ protests in neighbouring Antwerp-Bruges continue to disrupt marine traffic. Dutch union FNV said workers at International Lashing Services and Matrans Marine Services — the two lashing firms…

War Risks, Sanctions, and Piracy: Marine Insurance Experts to Convene in Mumbai

Delphine Estibeiro – November 20, will mark a significant gathering for the maritime and allied sectors as industry leaders convene at the Fairfield by Marriott International Airport, Mumbai, for an exclusive workshop on marine insurance. Titled Navigating Risk, Securing Trade: Practical Mastery in Marine Insurance, the event is organised by Shipping Academic Conferences in association…

Redefining Ship Design and Engineering

Building a ship is a difficult job. You need to think about how it goes through water, how strong it is, how much fuel it uses, and how much it costs to make. Engineers now have new tools to make ships smarter because to improvements in artificial intelligence (AI). We will look at how AI…

No Nuclear, No Net Zero

Nuclear energy must be on the table if shipping has any hope of meeting the IMO’s net zero targets by 2050, a panel of industry leaders warned at London International Shipping Week. At a packed seminar hosted by Indian Register of Shipping, experts debated whether nuclear propulsion could be the “missing piece” in maritime decarbonisation.…