As the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) MEPC 76 meeting kicks-off today Paul Bartlett surveys the complex regulatory requirements shipowners and managers are set to face.

The congestion situation at South China ports continues to worsen impacting well over 100 sailings from major container shipping lines and alliances as vessels calls at Yantian and other ports in the region are omitted or diverted.

Shipyards the Chinese repair centre of Zhoushand are losing hundreds of ships repair jobs due strict to Covid-19 restrictions on international vessel arrivals.

Evergreen containership Ital Libera, whose Master died of Covid, is diverting to Europe as no ports in Asia will accept the vessel.

Maersk is warning of delays of 14 days upwards at Yantian port due to heightened Covid restrictions, and lines are omitting and diverting more calls in South China.

UK-based Newport Shipping has been awarded approval in principle by DNV for new deck-mounted bunker tanks to store LNG for dual-fuel LNG engine retrofits.

A study has found that green ammonia-powered vessels have the potential to play a role in decarbonising the maritime industry, and demonstrating business models will be an important catalyst.

Brazil’s federal government has restricted the arrival in the country of foreign seafarers working onboard vessels or platforms to prevent the circulation of new Covid-19 strains in the country.

Seatrade Maritime News had the honour to take part in a recent Maritime London webinar – Shipping Media & PR: Getting the Message Across.

Australia has banned the bulker Maryam from its waters for an unprecedented 36 months with conditions onboard described as “absolutely appalling”.