Sam Chambers

Houthi attacks branded war crimes by Human Rights Watch - Splash247 The Houthi armed group in Yemen attacked two bulk carriers in the Red Sea earlier this month, which NGO Human Rights Watch said today are violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes. The Hou...

'Commanders who willfully order or carry out these unlawful attacks, mistreat detainees, or are liable as a matter of command responsibility, are responsible for war crimes' Our lead today splash247.com/houthi-attac...

NATO warns of surging state-linked cyber threats targeting ports - Splash247 Ports are facing a deluge of cyber attacks from state-backed hackers, according to a new policy brief from NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). Handling 80% of world trade a...

Ports are facing a deluge of cyber attacks from state-backed hackers, according to a new policy brief from NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence splash247.com/nato-warns-o...

Zara founder buys into UK ports - Splash247 The Financial Times is reporting Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega, founder of the Zara fashion empire, has made his first move into maritime infrastructure, acquiring a 49% stake in UK port operator...

Ports are so fashionable these days splash247.com/zara-founder...

Fredriksen seeks buyer for his famous London residence - Splash247 Shipping magnate John Fredriksen is officially cutting ties with the UK, listing his palatial Chelsea estate, The Old Rectory, for a reported $337m. The 81-year-old billionaire—formerly the UK’s tenth...

If you happen to find £250m down the back of the sofa, you could bid for London's third-largest private home splash247.com/fredriksen-s...

Splash Wrap: Trump leads headlines in a calmer week for shipping - Splash247 Compared to almost every other week of 2025, from a shipping news/geopolitical point of view this week has been comparatively calm. Nevertheless, the word Trump featured in more Splash headlines than ...

That's officially a Wrap for the week! Introducing Splash Wrap, our weekly take on the key shipping headlines, delivered every Friday as both an article with backlinks and a podcast splash247.com/splash-wrap-...

Offshore vessels get the Tripadvisor treatment - Splash247 A seafarer has launched a new website, OffshoreShipAdvisor.com, designed to serve as a Tripadvisor-style platform for seafarers and offshore workers. The goal is to allow crewmembers to rate and revie...

It's only Monday, but I'd like to think that this could be the most important shipping story I write this week. Imagine an anonymous Tripadvisor-style platform that dishes the dirt on the living conditions of every ship afloat ... just imagine that! splash247.com/offshore-ves...

Damen to 3D print a workboat - Splash247 Damen Compact Crafts (DCCr), part of the Damen Shipyards Group, and high-tech company CEAD are launching a collaboration to develop a 3D-printed workboat, exploring the potential of large-format 3D pr...

CLICK: SHIP! splash247.com/damen-to-3d-...

Washington takes another swipe at the IMO in launching flag investigation - Splash247 The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is conducting a nonadjudicatory investigation to examine whether the vessel flagging laws, regulations, or practices of certain foreign governments create unfavou...

'As the IMO lacks the authority to enforce vessel registry standards or penalize non-compliant nations, its efforts are unlikely to serve as an effective deterrent or bring about meaningful change to curb abuses. A comprehensive and enforceable approach is needed' splash247.com/washington-t...

'All companies with ships present in or heading to this port are hereby notified that, as of the time of this announcement, the aforementioned port has been included in the target bank' splash247.com/houthis-warn...

KMTC returns to the transpacific after 40-year absence - Splash247 Korea Marine Transport Co (KMTC) is rejoining the suddenly booming transpacific container trades after a 40-year absence.  From Wednesday last week, cargo leaving China bound for the US carries a 30% ...

Korea Marine Transport Co (KMTC) is rejoining the suddenly booming transpacific container trades after a 40-year absence splash247.com/kmtc-returns...

China smashes car carrier size records twice in less than a month - Splash247 China has broken the record for the world’s largest car carrier for the second time in under a month with the sailaway of the Anji Ansheng, a 9,500 ceu ship owned by SAIC Anji Logistics, a subsidiary ...

China has broken the record for the world’s largest car carrier for the second time in under a month splash247.com/china-smashe...

Shanghai spot box rates to US west coast leap 31% in just one week - Splash247 Friday’s weekly publishing of spot rates from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange has given a stark picture of the frenzy building on the transpacific. Rates from China to the US west coast leapt 31% week-...

Friday’s weekly publishing of spot rates from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange has given a stark picture of the frenzy building on the transpacific splash247.com/shanghai-spo...

Denmark first to launch remote pilotage - Splash247 With approval from the Danish Emergency Management Agency, DanPilot and Danelec are now initiating a test program for remote pilotage – the first of its kind in the world.  The test program created by...

DanPilot and Danelec are now initiating a test program for remote pilotage – the first of its kind in the world splash247.com/denmark-firs...

How iron ore seaborne trading patterns are changing - Splash247 Some heavy-hitters were on stage for the final session of this year’s Geneva Dry summit, the iron ore panel moderated by Tim Huxley, the CEO of Mandarin Shipping, who kicked proceedings off by asking ...

'We’re always swimming in uncertainty in the capesize market' splash247.com/how-iron-ore...

Liners confident of pushing through rate rises on surging transpacific business - Splash247 Liner executives are reporting a dramatic pick-up in box bookings between China and the US this week as a 90-day mini-reprieve in the tariff war between the world’s two largest economies gets underway...

HSBC is expecting rate increases scheduled for mid-May and early June to stick, noting how the share prices of global liners have now surpassed the pre ‘Liberation Day’ levels reflecting to some extent the much improved outlook splash247.com/liners-confi...

Peak coal and energy security dominate discussion at Geneva conference - Splash247 The future of coal was one of the dominant topics crystal balled at this year’s Geneva Dry conference, with some panellists believing that last year saw the peak in seaborne trades. The panel, led by ...

Of peak coal and energy security ... a really interesting panel at Geneva Dry splash247.com/peak-coal-an...

Vitol and Grindrod winding down bunkering firm Cockett - Splash247 A famous name in bunkering is to fade from view. Vitol and Grindrod have decided to close down their bunkering business, Cockett. The joint shareholders of the marine fuels and lubricants trader said ...

A famous name in bunkering is to fade from view splash247.com/vitol-and-gr...

Suez Canal offers discount in bid to lure boxships back - Splash247 Egypt’s Suez Canal will offer a 15% discount for the next three months on transit fees for containerships of approximately 13,500 teu and above in terms of capacity, to encourage trade back, with rece...

'Given the fast-changing news flow in the current climate, we do not expect a rush to return to normal Red Sea transits given the risks' splash247.com/suez-canal-o...

MSC ship aground off Jeddah, likely victim of GPS spoofing - Splash247 Three days on from grounding off Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the 7,000 teu MSC Antonia remains stuck in the Red Sea, with vessel tracking showing the ship was likely the victim of GPS jamming.  Analysis fro...

Three days on from grounding off Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the 7,000 teu MSC Antonia remains stuck in the Red Sea, with vessel tracking showing the ship was likely the victim of GPS jamming splash247.com/msc-ship-agr...

Tariff truce tipped to usher in covid era uptick in box fortunes - Splash247 The 90-day tariff ceasefire between the world’s top two economies could see covid era surges in shipments and box freight rates, one leading analyst has suggested.  The US and China have agreed to sla...

The 90-day tariff ceasefire between the world’s top two economies could see covid era surges in shipments and box freight rates, one leading analyst has suggested splash247.com/tariff-truce...

Paper tigers at sea - Splash247 Darren Shelton discusses why shipping prefers the illusion of regulation. In global shipping, we often talk about regulation as a good thing – and rightly so. Rules are meant to protect the environmen...

Why shipping prefers the illusion of regulation splash247.com/paper-tigers...

How tariffs have already reshaped minor bulk trade flows - Splash247 Tariffs, increasing stem sizes and changing trade patterns formed much of the debate at the Minor Bulks session at this year’s packed Geneva Dry summit.  Wlillem Vermaat, shipping director at Heidelbe...

Tariffs, increasing stem sizes and changing trade patterns formed much of the debate at the Minor Bulks session at this year’s packed Geneva Dry summit splash247.com/how-tariffs-...

US and China agree to slash tariffs - Splash247 In a significant curtailment of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies, the United States and China have agreed to considerably slash tariffs for the next 90 days. As part of the deal...

'We want more balanced trade, and I think both sides are committed to achieving that' US and China agree in Geneva to a tariff ceasefire splash247.com/us-and-china...

Dry bulk’s long path towards decarbonisation - Splash247 Low-hanging fruit and the ramifications of what was agreed at last month’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) gathering at the International Maritime Organization formed much of the discus...

'A good compromise is when all parties are not happy' A neat way of summing up shipping and green regulations splash247.com/dry-bulks-lo...

UK readies sanctions on another 100 Russian-linked tankers - Splash247 The UK is set to impose a new wave of sanctions against the Russian oil trade, targeting up to 100 more ships. The biggest sanctions package against Russia’s shadow fleet should bring the total number...

'The shadow fleet operation, masterminded by Putin’s cronies, is not just bankrolling the Kremlin’s illegal war in Ukraine – the fleet’s languishing vessels are known to be damaging critical national infrastructure through reckless seafaring in Europe' splash247.com/uk-readies-s...

Backers of new US Virgin Islands registry present plans to Trump - Splash247 The backers of a new open registry have dusted off plans first aired three years ago, and presented the concept of a US Virgin Islands (USVI) flag to Donald Trump, amid the current government’s determ...

Another sunny place for shady ships? splash247.com/backers-of-n...

South Korea’s largest shipyard set to welcome humanoids to workforce - Splash247 Amid ongoing workforce shortages, humanoids will start working at South Korea’s largest shipbuilder soon.  HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering) and HD Hyundai Robotics have signed a memorandu...

Amid ongoing workforce shortages, humanoids, such as this one here, will start working at South Korea’s largest shipbuilder soon splash247.com/south-koreas...

How the business of chartering is evolving - Splash247 How brokers will evolve, and what owners and charterers will seek out of their broking houses in the years ahead formed much of the debate in the Chartering Spotlight panel at last week’s Geneva Dry s...

'As brokers, you need to be stronger, fitter, faster than you ever had to be before' splash247.com/how-the-busi...

Maersk slashes 2025 global container projections - Splash247 Danish liner giant Maersk has lowered its global container market forecast for this year due to increased macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. Maersk has issued a fresh prognosis for market dev...

Global container demand over the remainder of the year “remains highly uncertain, shaped by a rapidly evolving trade policy landscape and increasing recession risks in the United States": Maersk splash247.com/maersk-slash...

No quick resumption of Red Sea transits on the cards - Splash247 The Houthis from Yemen appear not to have got this week’s memo from the White House claiming that the Red Sea shipping crisis is drawing to a close. Donald Trump, the American president, said on Tuesd...

The Houthis from Yemen appear not to have got this week’s memo from the White House claiming that the Red Sea shipping crisis is drawing to a close splash247.com/no-quick-res...