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The Maldives Customs Service intercepted more than 8,000 cartons of cigarettes illegally shipped into the country aboard the 'Jawks Javaahiru' on Oct 25, 2024, which is operated by the Hawks Private Ltd., one of the nation’s leading fuel importers and distributors. Under a court order, authorities subsequently searched the Hawks Boatyard on suspicion that more cigarette cartons may be stored there. Approximately 1,695 million cigarette sticks of Manchester brand have been found during the search on the boatyard, in the accommodation block and workshop by the customs service. The cigarettes were brought in aboard the 'Hawks Javaahiru' and taken to Thilafushi on a local boat, whichi is owned by the company and was unloaded after regular business hours. The company management was not involved in the smuggling operation. It was done by some employees in connection with some foreigners,. The management only learned of this when police also came with a court order to search the premises, Hawks was cooperating with authorities and would conduct an internal investigatio and has suspended the employees implicated in the attempted cigarette smuggling incident. Report with photos https://edition.mv/sports/37060

On Nov 6, the 'Salvamar Spica' has rescued 15 migrants from a boat, which had been located by a merchant vessel about 20 nautical miles south of Faro Sabinal. The castaways were transferred to Almeria. The 'Salvamar Gienah' has transferred 21 people to Motril from a boat which was previously located by the Guardia Civil south of Almuñécar. On the morning, the 'Salvamar Mizar' was mobilized to a cyuco which was located ten nautical miles south of El Hierro with 55 people on board. T'he migrants were accompanied to the port of La Restinga. The 'Guardamar Polimnia' has rescued 68 people from a rubber boat 42 nautical miles east of Arrecife. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1854147707532718127

International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) recently took delivery of another new quay crane (QC) and eight new hybrid rubber-tired gantries (RTGs) for its flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), establishing the terminal as having the largest fleet of modern container-handling equipment in the Philippines with 18 QCs and 58 RTGs. Manufactured by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Co. Ltd. (ZPMC), the QC is part of the five from ICTSI’s 2018 USD80-million capacity improvement program package. With a reach of up to 16 rows across twin, the new QC can service the largest feeder vessels calling the Philippines. It will be deployed at Berth 3.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the City of Dubrovnik have partnered to introduce sustainable tourism management practices that will preserve the Croatian city’s cultural heritage. CLIA president and CEO Kelly Craighead and Dubrovnik’s Mayor Mato Franković signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which outlines plans to make Dubrovnik a model of sustainable tourism for the Adriatic region. All plans focus on investment, collaboration and best practices that will benefit both Dubrovnik’s residents and visitors. “Today’s agreement validates the work we have already done with Mayor Franković and formalises the cruise industry’s continued commitment to the City of Dubrovnik and its people,” said Craighead.

The US Coast Guard medevaced an ailing woman from the 'Grand Princess' 70 miles off Oahu on Nov 5, 2024. Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu watchstanders received a phone call on Nov 4 at 6 p.m. from the cruise ship, requesting a medevac for the 29-year-old woman who was experiencing symptoms of appendicitis, while the ship was sailing approximately 570 nautical miles northeast of Kauai. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac. On Nov 5 at 6:17 p.m. an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point rendezvoused with the 'Grand Princess' about 70 nautical miles east of Kaneohe, Hawaii. The helicopter crew hoisted the woman and transported her to The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. The patient was in stable condition. Report with video: https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3958726/coast-guard-medevacs-ailing-woman-from-cruise-ship-70-miles-off-oahu/

On Nov 6, the 'Salvamar Spica' has rescued 15 migrants from a boat, which had been located by a merchant vessel about 20 nautical miles south of Faro Sabinal. The castaways were transferred to Almeria. The 'Salvamar Gienah' has transferred 21 people to Motril from a boat which was previously located by the Guardia Civil south of Almuñécar. On the morning, the 'Salvamar Mizar' was mobilized to a cyuco which was located ten nautical miles south of El Hierro with 55 people on board. T'he migrants were accompanied to the port of La Restinga. The 'Guardamar Polimnia' has rescued 68 people from a rubber boat 42 nautical miles east of Arrecife. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1854147707532718127

The first cargo of liquified natural gas under the long-term contract between PGNiG and US LNG provider Cheniere Energy arrived at the President Lech Kaczyński LNG Terminal in Świnoujście. The long-term contract, which was signed in November of 2018, will total approximately 39 bcm of natural gas over the 24 year period of the agreement. The official reception ceremony of the first delivery at the LNG terminal in Świnoujście included representatives of the government of the Republic of Poland, local authorities, as well as executives from PGNiG and Cheniere Energy.

The Tanger Med port has emerged as the biggest port in Africa in terms of container capacity, surpassing Africa’s bigger ports like Durban (South Africa) and Mombasa (Kenya). The Tanger Med port now connects Morocco to 77 countries and 186 ports around the world. The Tanger Med II has two new container terminals – TC3 and TC4 – with an additional 6 million container capacity. The TC3, which is operated by Morocco’s main port operator Marsa Maroc, has a capacity of 1 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units). The TC4, which is operated by the Netherlands-based APM Terminals, has a capacity of 5 million TEUs. According to the Tanger Med Port Authority, with its new terminals, Tanger Med port will have a capacity of processing 9 million containers, 7 million passengers, 1 million vehicles and 700,000 trucks. Thanks to its extensions, Tanger Med port has now become the largest port in the Mediterranean region, surpassing some of the region’s top ports like Algeciras (Spain), Valencia (Spain) and Gioia (Italy). The port is located 40 kilometers east of the Moroccan town of Tangier, which is a gateway to both Europe and Africa. “Our aim is to develop an effective port platform integrated with transshipment activities, imports and exports,” Tanger Med Port Authority said on its website. The Tanger Med port has become vital for Morocco’s economy as it handled 317 billion Moroccan dirhams (US$33.14 billion) worth of exports and imports in 2018. It processed an overall tonnage of 52.24 tonnes last year.

The 'Hermanos Guerrero' suffered a rudder failure two nautical miles west of Punta Baños on Nov 6, 2024, at around 9.30 a.mn. UTC (Lat. 36.7100 Lng. -2.8883) and requested towing assistance with four crew members on board. The CCS Almería of Salvamento Marítimo mobilized the SAR boat 'Salvamar Spica' (MMSI: 225987262) from Almería, which took the ship in tow and safely pulled it to Almerimar at around 10.45 a.m.

On Nov 6, the 'Salvamar Spica' has rescued 15 migrants from a boat, which had been located by a merchant vessel about 20 nautical miles south of Faro Sabinal. The castaways were transferred to Almeria. The 'Salvamar Gienah' has transferred 21 people to Motril from a boat which was previously located by the Guardia Civil south of Almuñécar. On the morning, the 'Salvamar Mizar' was mobilized to a cyuco which was located ten nautical miles south of El Hierro with 55 people on board. T'he migrants were accompanied to the port of La Restinga. The 'Guardamar Polimnia' has rescued 68 people from a rubber boat 42 nautical miles east of Arrecife. Report with photo: https://x.com/salvamentogob/status/1854147707532718127

The French port of Marseille Fos plans to spend over US$22 million to reduce air emissions by extending its shoreside electrical connections to every ferry, cruise ship and repair quay in the eastern harbour. The port has also introduced speed restrictions to reduce industrial air pollution. Already available on the Corsica ferry quays, the shore power network will be expanded in two phases to cover North Africa ferry quays and the ship repair hub by 2022 and the cruise terminal between 2022 and 2025. The zero-emissions investment, which is supported by national and regional government, recognises the need to maintain the port’s economic value while improving the city’s waterside air quality.

Phase one of the new Jurong Port Tank Terminals (JPTT) was officially opened on Monday (July 29), with Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat saying it will allow Singapore to strengthen its position as one of the world’s top bunkering ports for low-sulphur fuels. The $200 million, 16ha petrochemical terminal is a joint venture between port operator Jurong Port and German firm Oiltanking with 252,000 cubic m of clean petroleum storage capacity. From January next year, the International Maritime Organisation will prohibit ships from using fuels containing more than 0.5 per cent sulphur.