Following the abduction of four crewmembers from "Elka Aristotle" tanker off Lome, Togo, the managing company of the Greek-flagged tanker announces that three of the crewmembers taken are free. However, the company reports that one of the four kidnapped crew, of Filipino nationality, has died, in what it is understood to not be a from actions by those holding the crew hostage but due to illness.

UK-based consulting services provider tpgroup has completed a sea trial of its autonomous navigation system, Northstar, demonstrating safe navigation of unmanned vessels in real-time and in a real-life environment, without human intervention.

European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) issued its 5th Annual Environmental Report analysing the environmental performance of the EU ports during 2020.

The US Coast Guard will issue an interim final rule to apply changes to fire protection, detection, and extinguishing equipment standards concerning the inspected towing vessels. This rule does not change the number of extinguishers required and becomes effective from March 28, 2018.

HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, announced that it will no longer provide project finance for new coal power plants, arctic drilling, as well as new tar sands projects, including the construction of any pipelines, becoming the latest in a series of international financiers to have distanced themselves from North American pipelines.

The Hong Kong Marine Department shared guidance reminding shipowners, ship managers and ship masters of their responsibilities to ensure their ships are properly maintained and of the procedures to follow when deficiencies are found or when the ship is detained during a PSC inspection.

In light of the MV Wakashio grounding and government's decision to sink the front part of the vessel, Greenpeace Africa and Greenpeace Japan argued that this plan would risk biodiversity.

The 33 incidents of robbery and theft against ships in Singapore Strait during January-November 2020 represent a 43% increase compared to the 23 incidents in January-November 2019, a new special report by ReCAAP ISC warns. 

The video depicts the German frigate 'Sachsen' suffering a missile explosion last week, during a training exercise off Norway, which resulted in minor injury of two crew members. 'FGS Sachsen' was operating with 'FGS Lübeck' near the Arctic Circle when it attempted to fire a Standard Missile 2 Block IIIA as part of the exercise.

While the EU list of approved active recycling yards has increased, the rules still don’t reflect commercial realities and lags behind on capacity to scrap large commercial ships, BIMCO said.