Houthis Claim First Launch of Hypersonic Missile Targeting MSC Ship

The Houthis military and spokesperson claim that they launched a hypersonic missile for the first time to target an MSC containership far out in the Gulf of Aden. This comes after several days of increased activity and additional claims that the militants are also launching a new, faster, and sleeker attack boat. The Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree revealed the identity of the missile that targeted the Israeli ship MSC Sarah V in the Arabian Sea for the first time. He said that the missile possesses advanced technology, is accurate in hitting, and reaches long ranges because it is locally made. Observers are raising new concerns based on the distance of the reported attack. The MSC Sarah V (67,795 dwt registered in Liberia) was 280 miles southeast of Nishtun, in eastern Yemen near Oman. The vessel sailed on Monday near Yemen’s Socotra Island, bound for Abu Dhabi. While the Houthis have always claimed a direct hit, the U.K. Maritime Trade Organizations said it received a report from the master of a “proximity” explosion. They said there were no injuries or damage, and the vessel was proceeding. The Houthis have previously staged a few…

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Master Faces Jail Time and Fines After Crew Reports MARPOL Violation

The master of a UAE-owned product tanker (PS Dream), Abdurrahman Korkmaz, has pleaded guilty to obstruction and violating ship pollution prevention laws in a Louisiana court. The criminal case against both the master and the shipping companies stems from the report of a crewmember who two weeks before the vessel reached New Orleans, reported the incident to the U.S. Coast Guard. This individual and another crewmember blew the whistle and provided evidence, including photos and videos showing oil being pumped overboard and trailing behind the tanker to the Coast Guard. The crew-supplied evidence was presented in court as a key part of the prosecution. Korkmaz faces up to six years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his role in ordering the dumping of oil-contaminated waste into the ocean during the voyage to New Orleans. According to documents and statements filed in court, Korkmaz ordered his crew to pump overboard from the residual oil tank which contained oily waste. A portable pump placed inside the tank and connected to a long flexible hose was used to discharge directly into the ocean without any required pollution prevention equipment or monitoring. The…

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Trafigura Orders Four Dual Fuel Ammonia Powered Vessels

Commodities trader Trafigura has placed an order to HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard for the construction of four Medium Gas Carriers (MGC) that will be capable of using low carbon ammonia as a propulsion fuel. The vessels will carry LPG or ammonia will be built at HD Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The first ship will be delivered in 2027. Each vessel, when delivered, will be equipped with a dual fuel low-carbon ammonia engine, supporting Trafigura’s commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its own shipping fleet by 25% by 2030. “We are excited to embark together with HD Hyundai Mipo on this ambitious project which supports our commitments to decarbonising shipping and will help us to develop the global low-carbon ammonia bunkering infrastructure needed for zero-carbon shipping to become a reality,” said Andrea Olivi, Head of Wet Freight for Trafigura. Trafigura is one of the world’s largest charterers of vessels, responsible for more than 5,000 voyages a year with around 400 ships currently under management. The company is one of the few operators to have tested a full range of alternative shipping fuels including LNG, methanol,…

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