After abandoning the car carrier Morning Midas in the mid-Pacific, efforts are continuing to monitor the position of the vessel while salvage experts rush to the scene. A team from Resolve Marine is expected to take nearly four days to reach the burning ship which is approximately 300 miles southwest of Adak in the Aleutians.
The managers of the vessel, Zodiac Maritime, reported that smoke was discovered on one of the car decks of the vessel around 1400 local time on June 3. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there are a total of 3,048 vehicles on board including 70 fully electric and 681 hybrid, partially electric vehicles. Zodiac says the smoke was initially seen emanating from a deck carrying electric vehicles.
Due to the intensity of the fire, and with concern for crew safety, Zodiac reports the decision was made to abandon the ship. The 22 crew went into one of the lifeboats and were picked up by the containership Cosco Hellas which had diverted to the scene.
“We are proud of the diligent efforts of our crew in responding to the fire onboard,” said a spokesperson for Zodiac Maritime. “They immediately activated the vessel’s well-drilled emergency firefighting protocols and deployed the onboard fire suppression systems, all of which were fully operational.”
Recent pictures from the U.S. Coast Guard which has been overflying the scene show smoke emanating from the vessel. Zodiac notes that no pollution has been seen and the Morning Midas remains afloat but is still on fire.
Resolve Marine has been appointed and their first tug carrying a team of salvage specialists and specialized equipment is already traveling to the vessel. However, Zodiac says they will not reach the vessel until approximately June 9.
Until the salvage team can reach the vessel, Zodiac reports it can monitor the vessel via the onboard satellite-connected systems. However, this only allows for tracking the vessel’s location, with limited ability to monitor other onboard conditions.
Once the salvage team reaches the vessel, it will assess its condition and provide necessary support. An additional fire-fighting tug, capable of ocean towage, is being arranged to provide further support.
The vessel had called at multiple ports in China with the local media confirming it is operating under charter for SAIC Anji Logistics. Bloomberg says it has several brands of cars aboard including models from Chery Automobile Co. and Great Wall Motor Co. The vessel was heading to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico.
DHL Aviation, the aviation business of DHL Express, has launched Xcelerate, a premium fast-track airport-to-airport cargo product designed to offer customers priority shipping and superior service. This innovative offering provides the fastest available shipping options with guaranteed capacity and shorter transit times. The launch aims to meet the evolving needs of customers seeking expedited logistics solutions and enhances DHL Aviation’s range of international air cargo products for freight forwarders and major shippers.
Customers can benefit from immediate booking confirmations within the scope of a guaranteed service, ensuring that late bookings are accommodated efficiently. The product also allows for last-minute cargo acceptance, close to flight departures, with high loading priority. This means that shipments can be dispatched with guaranteed capacity at short notice, subject to availability, ensuring that urgent logistics needs are met.
Ingrid Raj, Global Head of Aviation Commercial, DHL Express stated, “We are excited to now offer our cargo customers a premium option similar to the experience offered to passengers by certain airlines. This ‘must-fly’ offering has been developed based on customer feedback and the collaboration of various departments.” Paul Ennis, VP of Global Operations at DHL Aviation, emphasized the commitment to excellence, noting: “With the introduction of Xcelerate, we are further living up to our customer promise of ‘Excellence, Simply Delivered’ by providing the highest levels of flexibility and attention for their cargo with a standardized, easy-to-access service.”
Furthermore, Xcelerate ensures priority release at destinations, meaning that shipments that arrive last will be the first to be recovered, enhancing efficiency for DHL customers. A dedicated customer service team will oversee shipments end-to-end, providing proactive email notifications to keep customers informed throughout the process and ensuring a seamless journey.
The introduction of Xcelerate not only enhances the product portfolio but also aligns with DHL’s sustainability goals, incorporating a mandatory Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) surcharge. This initiative supports DHL’s commitment to achieving over 30% SAF blending by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
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After several years of relative stability in the global oil market, notwithstanding the war in Ukraine and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, recent weeks have seen some shifting in the market. Brent crude was selling at $82 per barrel on January 15, and has since drifted downwards to below $65 per barrel on June 5, accelerating in recent weeks the steady downward trend in pricing seen over the last two years.
The oil market tends to be cyclical, with producers attracted into the market boosting production when prices peak, with high-cost producers then reducing activity as surplus inventory depresses the market. But behind the recent fall in prices are some factors, of particular relevance to the shipping market.
After a period of curbing output to maintain prices, both OPEC and OPEC+ are now unwinding production cuts. A leading voice for this change in direction has been Saudi Arabia, which has lost market share which it now seeks to recapture before the transition to renewable energy sources begins to reduce overall demand.
A reduction in price will hurt the finance ministries of those states particularly in the Gulf which are heavily dependent on oil revenues. But it will help the traditional producers recapture market share from high-cost fracking producers in America. It will also prove attractive to purchasers of heavily discounted Russian and Iranian crude, who since January have been facing sanctions that are wider in scope and which are being enforced with renewed vigor. Teapot refiners in China’s Shandong Province, as well as some Indian purchasers are becoming increasingly wary of taking Russian and Iranian crude off dark fleet shipping, or which has obviously been transshipped off Malaysia and elsewhere.
This trend can now be seen in estimates of Iranian oil exports to China, where refiners took advantage of still-low prices at the beginning of the year to stock up, but who are now facing tougher sanctions.
Iranian crude exports to China from Kpler and Vortexa estimates (CJRC)
Since President Trump issued National Security Presidential Memorandum 2 on February 4, the U.S. Treasury has issued three rounds of sanctions, in the latest listing the refiner Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group, the Shandong Jingang Port company, three ship managing agents, and adding Corona Fun and Viola to at least ten other shadow fleet vessels sanctioned since January. The U.S. Treasury is now also sanctioning long-standing shadow fleet ship captains, Indian nationals Ketan Agarwal and Lincoln Francisco Viegas being designated in the latest sanctions round.
The limited effectiveness of sanctions against determined entrepreneurs is apparent however in a review of activity in the well-established crude oil transshipment box in international waters off the Malaysian coast. The number of static vessels in the area seems to be even higher now than in April, when Bloomberg estimated, using satellite imagery, that there had been a significant increase from the 20 daily trans-shipments which it considered were occurring daily in 2024. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent may have had this in mind when he commented recently that “the United States remains resolved to intensify pressure on all elements of Iran’s oil supply chain.”
June 5, 2025 (Left) – Oil transshipment activity off Malaysia – April 13, 2025 (right) – source: Vesselfinder.com/CJRC
Lower pricing and improved sanctions enforcement will pressure Iran and Russia in particular, who already are in competition with each other to sell their discounted crude and may need to fight each other with further discounting. In the changed environment, many who previously bought from Iran and Russia will be looking for supply elsewhere, with the narrowed price differential no longer justifying the risk of breeching sanctions. For the global maritime community, looming over the whole market however is a much larger disruptive event; the European Union plans to prohibit all new oil and gas contracts and existing short-term spot contracts with Russian suppliers by the end of 2025, and then to ban all remaining imports by the end of 2027.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) remains steadfast in its determination to tackle illegal fishing in the country’s sovereign waters. In the latest enforcement effort, it destroyed three additional vessels and arrested 27 foreigners.
The newest crackdown occurred in a span of two days mid-last month in the country’s northern waters. In the first case on May 13, 2025, officers spotted an Indonesian vessel that was just about to embark on illegal fishing near Cartier Island. Upon boarding the vessel, which had a crew of five, the officers found a variety of fishing equipment. Both the vessel and equipment were destroyed.
The following day, another Indonesian vessel near Ashmore Reef was detected and apprehended. Onboard were 12 crew members, six reef fish, 65 kilograms of salt used to preserve catch, and a variety of fishing equipment. While the fishing equipment and salt were seized and the catch returned to the ocean, the vessel was disposed of at sea in accordance with Australian law.
On the same day, another Indonesian vessel was spotted near Scott Reef leading to the arrest of nine crewmembers, destruction of the vessel, and seizure of 150 kilograms of salt and fishing equipment.
One of the boats seized and destroyed in Australia (ABF)
The seizures and vessel disposals at sea in May were the latest as ABF intensifies its fight against illegal fishing in Australia’s waters mainly in the remote regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, are being frequented by Indonesian fishers.
In April, the ABF destroyed two Indonesian vessels and arrested 14 crews who were transferred to Darwin to face charges. Since July 1, last year, a total of 143 Indonesian fishers have been prosecuted in Darwin for illegal fishing.
“Australia does not tolerate illegal foreign fishing in its waters and those who are caught offending will face prosecution,” said Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, ABF Commander Maritime Border Command. “My message to those trying to exploit Australia’s maritime domain is clear: We are actively patrolling these waters, and you will be caught.”
Australia asserts that illegal fishing has become a huge menace that is causing severe impacts on the country’s marine ecosystems and natural resources while also posing significant biosecurity and economic risks. The country is attributing the recent surge in illegal fishing to social and economic pressures facing Indonesia.
Apart from destroying the vessels, authorities are trying to deal with the problem by slapping the offenders with hefty fines and jail time.
Japanese parliament has passed an amendment bill that will allow offshore wind projects in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The government initially introduced this legal reform in January 2024, with hopes of unlocking over 4 million square kilometers of Japanese EEZ for renewable energy development. Currently, Japan’s wind farms are installed in territorial and internal waters.
According to the Japan Wind Power Association (JWPA), the country’s EEZ has the potential to support up to 552 GW of offshore wind capacity. Most of this power will come from deep-water floating turbines.
Some of the key features of the bill include the designation of EEZ areas for offshore wind development. It mandates the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to establish a council to coordinate projects in consultation with relevant stakeholders. In addition, the bill provides for streamlined government-led environmental assessment procedures to safeguard biodiversity.
“This is great news. Congratulations to the Japanese government for making this possible. Scaling up floating wind is important for increasing Japan’s energy autonomy and resilience,” said Rebecca Williams, Deputy CEO at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
Japan has set a national target of installing 10GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, and 30-40 GW by 2040. However, due to factors such as inflation and depreciation of the yen, the business environment for offshore wind development has been greatly affected. This has seen companies such as Mitsubishi announce a review of their projects in Japan, significantly slowing the installation pace. Shell has also recently cut its team focused on Japan’s offshore wind energy sector as the company scales back its low-carbon operations.
These challenges have led the government to introduce legal reforms in the sector, in the hope of wooing developers. Besides the EEZ bill, there are reports that Japan is reconsidering a number of offshore wind regulations to reduce risks and cut the cost of projects. One key change is extending project durations to 40 years from the current 30 years. In addition, there is a proposal to relax cabotage laws to allow non-Japanese flagged ships to operate in offshore wind farm areas.
Wind energy plays a key part in the government’s energy plan. Japan looks to phase out its use of coal. Work has begun on the country’s first large-scale offshore project while the government has established a goal is for 10 GW by 2030 and 45 GW by 2040 from offshore wind.
The Texas Port of Corpus Christi is moving to cement its leadership in energy exports highlighting the recent completion of a massive $625 million channel improvement project. The port says the project was three decades in the making, but that it positions it as the U.S. gears to increase hydrocarbon exports reinvigorated by President Donald Trump’s policies.
Corpus Christi highlights that the port is already a leading U.S. energy export gateway and a major economic engine of Texas and the nation. The Port of Corpus Christi is the third-largest port in the United States in total waterborne tonnage and the port authority reports it moves more than 2.4 million barrels per day of crude oil to points outside the U.S. The port is also the second-largest U.S. gateway for liquefied natural gas exports.
The Channel Improvement Project saw the deepening of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from 47 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) to 54 feet MLLW. It also involved the widening of the channel from 400 to 530 feet with additional barge shelves. The project was conceived 35 years ago and was implemented in four phases, with construction commencing in 2017.
Phase 1 involved digging the channel from the Gulf of Mexico to Harbor Island while Phase 2 entailed dredging from Harbor Island to the west of the La Quinta junction. For Phase 3, dredging works saw the channel extended from La Quinta to Chemical TB with the last phase entailing the deepening and widening of the channel from Chemical TB to Viola TB. Overall, the project improved approximately 11.9 miles of the channel.
About five million cubic yards of dredged material from the project went into restoring marshes in the Corpus Christi and Nueces bays. It also constructed a 2,000-foot breakwater—to tie into a currently planned 4,000-foot breakwater—in the Nueces Delta.
Being a capital-intensive undertaking, the project was funded through Corpus Christi’s internal resources, federal budget allocated by Congress, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and private marine companies.
The newly expanded waterway is expected to facilitate safe, navigable commerce for larger vessels and two-way traffic, enabling more efficient transport of crude oil, LNG, and other commodities. By enabling the movement of larger vessels including very large crude carriers, exporters are projected to save in excess of $200 million in annual transportation costs.
Completion of the project comes when Corpus Christi is recording steady growth in cargo throughput. During the first quarter of this year, the port recorded a five percent increase in throughput, moving 51.3 million tonnes of commodities. The increase was driven primarily by a surge in crude oil and LNG shipments. Crude oil shipments increased by 10.5 percent to 33.4 million tonnes while LNG volumes were up 12.3 percent to 4.3 million tons. Increases were also recorded in dry bulk and breakbulk commodities. In 2024, the port moved a record 206.5 million tonnes of cargo.
Houston a competing port to Corpus Christi located further northeast on the Gulf Coast also recently reported that it will be expanding its channel. In May its port commission reported that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released its FY25 work plan, which includes $33 million allocated to the Houston Ship Channel Expansion, known as Project 11. Dredging activities are proceeding for another segment of Houston’s channel due to be completed by late Q2 or early Q3 2025.
The expansion of the ports’ capabilities will play another key part in the plan to grow the U.S. industry. Work is also underway on new LNG terminals to increase U.S. exports.
South Africa’s Department of Transport has announced what is being called the first definitive steps toward executing the plan for establishing a national shipping line. The concept has been discussed for nearly a decade but the newly named in 2024 director of the department, Barbara Creecy, has now spelled out the steps to making the South African National Shipping Company (SASCO) a reality.
Like many countries, South Africa cites its near total dependence on foreign shipping companies for its imports and exports. The government is seeking to reverse what it calls negative growth in import and export trade which has persisted since the 1980s. It believes the lack of a national shipping carrier is a factor. The plan calls for reducing or ending dependence on foreign carriers and increasing South Africa’s maritime sovereignty.
Officials point out that South Africa is the only nation in the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) that does not have a national shipping company. The closest the country had was Safmarine which was established at the end of World War II and ran till being sold to Maersk in 1999. Maersk ended the brand name and all ties to the South African flag in 2020.
South Africa is far from alone in expressing the desire to recreate its merchant marine. Countries in Asia have discussed similar efforts while the Australian government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has begun the process of restoring its national operations. Even the United States under Donald Trump is highlighting the need to rebuild its merchant marine.
South Africa’s Department of Transportation invited interested parties to submit proposals to join a steering committee that it will launch for the new national shipping company. Media reports are that the invite was sent internationally and includes some of the leading global shipping companies. The purpose of the committee will be to develop the business model. It will include members from the Department of Transportation, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, and other relevant stakeholders.
The government published its Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy in 2017 and undertook enacting legislation in 2022. One of the pillars of the police calls for “establishing a national shipping carrier as a strategic pillar in the revival of the maritime transport industry.”
In prevision discussions on the formation of SASCO, the government has said it would look at both new construction and the acquisition of ships or companies. All the vessels will be flagged in South Africa. It has proposed focusing on four segments starting with containerships but also crude and chemical carriers, dry bulk carriers, and bunker barges.
The official notice for the formation of the steering committee was released on May 30. It gives 30 days for a response.
Network Aviation Group has appointed Awery Aviation Software (Awery) to lead its global IT transformation, designed to streamline and centralise its wide-ranging cargo operations.
The agreement follows a comprehensive review process during which Awery was selected to implement a fully integrated digital solution that will support Network Aviation Group’s scheduled freighter services, charter activities, and General Sales and Service Agent (GSSA) business.
“After a thorough review process, and detailed period of collaboration, we’re confident that Awery’s platform is the right fit for a business as broad and operationally diverse as ours,” said Jonathan Clark, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Network Aviation Group.
“Our focus is now on implementing systems that bring greater consistency, better data visibility, and smarter coordination across all our businesses.”
Awery’s software will replace a range of legacy systems and manual processes, with the goal of enabling Network Aviation Group to function as a digitally connected organisation.
The software will be rolled out across all divisions of Network Aviation Group, supporting freighter operations, cargo sales, airline representation and charter services.
“Network Aviation Group has a unique structure and wide reach, and it was clear from the start that any system would need to adapt to that,” said Vitaly Smilianets, founder and CEO, Awery.
“Our teams have worked closely together to develop a solution that supports both standardisation and flexibility, so that each part of the business benefits while still operating in sync.”
The contract was finalised and signed at this year’s Air Cargo Europe event in Munich, Germany, where both companies were exhibiting.
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A highlight of this year’s Air Cargo Europe event came when Silk Way Group announced the launch of two strategic brands, both of which will play a transformative role in shaping the future of logistics across the Middle Corridor: SW AFEZCO (Silk Way Alat Free Economic Zone Company) and Alat Logistics Centre.
Both brands are central pillars of the Silk Way Cargo Village, a major infrastructure project aimed at positioning Azerbaijan as a vital logistics hub strategically situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. SW AFEZCO is responsible for overseeing the construction, development, and infrastructure planning within the Alat Free Economic Zone.
As the Group’s dedicated entity in charge of physical execution and regulatory alignment, SW AFEZCO ensures that the entire ecosystem— from transport corridors to customs areas – is designed to meet international standards and investor needs. By managing land use, attracting tenants, and facilitating investment processes, SW AFEZCO plays a crucial role in enabling the long-term growth and competitiveness of the region as a logistics and industrial hotspot.
“The launch of SW AFEZCO and Alat Logistics Centre marks a significant step forward in our ambition to turn Alat into a vital node in global trade,” said Zaur Akhundov, President of Silk Way Group.
“We are building more than infrastructure — we are creating a future-ready, sustainable logistics hub that reflects Azerbaijan’s strategic location and economic vision. Our goal is to provide global partners with world-class logistics services and a gateway to emerging markets.” The Alat Logistics Centre is the core logistics integrator within the Silk Way Cargo Village, designed to provide multimodal transport solutions connecting air, rail, and road networks. Strategically located within the Alat Free Economic Zone and adjacent to the SW AFEZCO upcoming green cargo airport, Alat Logistics Centre is designed to facilitate seamless cargo movement across Eurasia.
With cutting-edge infrastructure and intelligent logistics services, Alat Logistics Center will host warehousing, freight consolidation, customs clearance, and e-commerce fulfillment operations. Its aim is to maximize efficiency in cargo flows, reduce transit times, and enhance the competitiveness of trade routes along the Middle Corridor.
Together, SW AFEZCO and Alat Logistics Center represent a forward-looking, integrated logistics platform that merges infrastructure, operations, and sustainability. Their combined impact will accelerate Silk Way Group’s mission to strengthen Azerbaijan’s role in global logistics and to develop the Alat region into a smart, green, and investor-friendly logistics hub.
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DEA Aviation, a technology-led aerial data acquisition company, opens a new office in Lincoln marked by a visit from MP for Lincoln, Hamish Falconer.
The new state-of-the-art facility is designed to support the research and development of critical technologies to enhance DEA’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The Retford-based technology company has expanded into Lincolnshire, within the envelope of the Greater Lincolnshire Defence and Security Cluster, as a key milestone in its growth ambitions.
Specialising in innovative technology for aerial mapping, environmental surveying, orthographic surveying, and surveillance, DEA’s new research and development hub will continue to integrate the latest in sensor and image capture capability and provide additional data exploitation and dissemination competence to better serve its customers both in the UK and overseas.
Following two successful rounds of UK Government financing through UK Export Finance facilities/loans, the aerial technology company is now positioned to invest in accelerating its consistent adoption and spiral development of leading edge capabilities to meet customer evolving needs.
Hamish Falconer, Labour MP for Lincoln and Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, attended and officially opened the new office today, stating: “It was a pleasure to be at the opening of DEA Aviation’s new research and development office today. This investment is a real vote of confidence in our city’s potential and a sign of the growing strength of Lincoln’s tech and defence sectors.
“DEA’s work in cutting-edge aerial intelligence and mapping is exactly the kind of innovation I want to support – bringing high-skilled jobs, new opportunities, and long-term growth to Lincoln. I look forward to seeing the difference this new facility will make both locally and nationally.”
Commenting on the visit, Gerald Cooper, CEO of DEA said: “The opening of our new base in Lincoln is an exciting step forward for our business. We employ over 230 highly skilled technicians, pilots and software engineers already and we’re committed to growing this number further with the provision of new jobs at the Lincoln office.
“The Greater Lincolnshire Vision for Growth highlights the county council’s desire to support and grow technical and innovative roles in the area and we share this ambition.”
Looking forward, DEA also plans on integrating further into the Defence and Security Cluster through new infrastructure and locations within the area.
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