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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
The US Navy continues to strengthen its southern border security presence with the deployment of USS Stockdale (DDG 106), which departed Naval Base San Diego on April 11, 2025. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer takes over duties from USS Spruance in supporting U.S. Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) border security operations.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has become the first global container carrier to operate a fleet of 900 vessels, according to Alphaliner. The liner industry analyst reports that MSC’s milestone achievement was marked by the delivery of the LNG-powered MSC GERMANY, a 16,000 TEU “maxi-neo-panamax” containership. This newest addition represents the fifth unit in a series of twelve sister ships ordered from a Chinese shipyard in October 2022.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
Global piracy and armed robbery incidents against ships have risen sharply in the first quarter of 2025, with a notable 35% increase compared to the same period last year. The surge is primarily driven by a significant spike in incidents within the Singapore Straits. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports 45 incidents in Q1 2025, including 37 vessel boardings, four hijackings, and four attempted attacks.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted landmark amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), officially designating seafarers as key workers, marking a transformative shift in maritime labor rights.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
Following last week’s executive order on restoring America’s maritime dominance, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a landmark partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) to modernize the Academy’s Kings Point campus. The 10-year agreement, signed on April 11th by Brig. Gen. John Lloyd and VADM Joanna Nunan, addresses urgent maintenance issues and aging infrastructure at USMMA.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Homeport portal, a critical online platform for maritime operations since 2005, was permanently taken offline on April 12, 2025, leaving the maritime industry scrambling to adapt to alternative credentialing and verification processes. The shutdown follows a period of restricted access that began on March 4, 2025, causing significant disruptions across the maritime sector and preventing employers from verifying crew credentials.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
The Port of Long Beach has emerged as America’s busiest container port in the first quarter of 2025, achieving record-breaking cargo volumes ahead of what could be a dramatic downturn in inbound cargo volumes later in the year. March proved exceptionally strong for Long Beach, with dockworkers processing 817,457 TEUs—a 25% increase from March 2024 and the port’s busiest March on record. The surge was driven primarily by imports, which grew 25.8% to 380,562 TEUs, while exports declined by 1%.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
The International Labour Organization (ILO) on Friday approved groundbreaking updates to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), marking a significant victory for seafarer rights and working conditions. The comprehensive reforms, negotiated during an intensive week-long session in Geneva last week, introduce crucial changes addressing key challenges faced by maritime workers.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
Three NYK Group shipping companies are set to merge into a new entity called NYK Bulkship Partners Co., Ltd. The integration, scheduled for January 2026, will combine the operations of Asahi Shipping, Hachiuma Steamship, and Mitsubishi Ore Transport. The newly formed company will manage a fleet of 91 dry bulk vessels, including 22 owned ships. With dual business bases in Tokyo and Kobe, the merger aims to strengthen the group’s competitive edge in ship management and operations.
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1 week ago | 
gcaptain.com | Mike Schuler
The Port of Los Angeles, despite posting strong first-quarter numbers in 2025, is preparing for a significant downturn in cargo volumes as new tariffs threaten to reshape global maritime trade patterns. In March, the nation’s busiest container port processed 778,406 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), showing a 4.7% increase compared to the previous year.
