Ships have reported an increasing number of cases of significant GPS interference and jamming in recent months. The geographic areas with more than one reported incident include the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and multiple Chinese ports.
A group of shipping bodies and associations sent an open letter to European Commissioners, including President Ursula von der Leyen, calling for prompt and predictable disembarkations of persons rescued by merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea.
Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) launched its financial results for 2019 marking the port’s most successful year in terms of profitability. The Port which is owned by COSCO Shipping handled 5.65 million TEU across the three piers of the container terminal, achieving a new record.
The Suez canal, connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, has created a direct shipping route between the East and the West. However, over the years, the invasive species have increased the risk of extinction for native marine life, while they have also changed the Mediterranean ecosystem with potentially devastating consequences, according to scientists.
THETIS-Med is now online, in what is believed to be a milestone in the EU’s efforts to adopt regional cooperation among Mediterranean countries. This new information system supports the members of the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Med MoU).
The Port of Barcelona recently announced its total handling amount of LNG bunkerings during 2019. The European port managed to handle 18 LNG bunkerings, including AIDAnova and the Costa Smeralda.
Namely, in his statement at the Foreign Affairs Council, High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell stated that the EU needs to revive Operation Sophia. It was in May 2019 when the European Union decided to suspend the EUNAVFOR MED ‘Operation Sophia’ until 30 September 2019, with only air patrols to continue.
The Energy Transition and Extinction Rebellion has led the energy news agenda and stimulated reflection, however the impact on exploration drilling is not yet apparent, according to Westwood Energy.
During a meeting it was decided that a Mediterranean Sulphur Emission Control Area (Med SECA) is to be created by 2024, aiming to the protection of the Mediterranean region from shipping emissions.
Key cruise ship companies operating in French waters joined forces to limit air pollution caused by their vessels. The measures agreed include use of shore power and low-polluting fuel when maneuvering in harbors, as well as other measures to reduce emissions.
