Jim Wilson

IMO is preparing to launch the second audit cycle of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) with a revised Framework and Procedures. Building on lessons learned from the first cycle, the revised approach aims to make audits more responsive, data-driven and supportive of Member States’ implementation needs. At Assembly 34, IMO adopted the revised...

By the International Maritime Organization Republic of Korea SMART-C Women Project is empowering women across the Asia-Pacific maritime sector through specialized online training – opening pathways to broader career opportunities and fostering a more balanced and diverse workforce. In the largest cohort to date, 40 female maritime professionals from Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste &...

Japanese shipping major, “K” Line, has announced that  demonstration tests of autonomous navigation have been completed for the domestic ro-ro vessel “HOKUREN MARU No.2”, which will sail the Kushiro–Hitachi route. The vessel, operated by “K” Line, obtained certification related to autonomous ships from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClasssNK) dated January 27, 2026, and subsequently passed the...

Hapag-Lloyd and representatives of the Government of India have signed three Letters of Intent (LOI) to deepen maritime cooperation and support the continued development of India’s shipping and logistics sector. The LOI were signed in Mumbai by Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd, and Sarbananda Sonowal, India’s Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways....

Join us for a presentation by Dr Robin Bowley of UTS, followed by canapes, drinking and networking. Young Shipping Australia welcomes you to its first event of the year. Join us for a presentation by Dr Robin Bowley of UTS on “Managing Geopolitical Risks to Shipping”, followed by canapes, drinks and networking. Start time: Please arrive...

Escalation of the war in the Middle East has taken place with an attack on installations on the Iranian South Pars gas field and a subsequent retaliatory Iranian attack on the Qatari Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility. South Pars straddles the Qatari-Iranian Persian Gulf maritime border. Iran uses South Pars to provide domestic energy...

Seven nations have overnight declared that they are ready to “contribute to appropriate efforts” to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and have welcomed the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada released the statement yesterday. “We express our deep...

“IMO’s Autonomous Ship Code: What it Means for Us,” was a presentation hosted at Mills Oakley Offices on March 19, 2026 and delivered by Mehrangiz Shahbakhsh and Capt. Melwyn Noronha from Shipping Australia Limited (SAL) to the Sydney Marine Discussion Group. The presentation focused on the draft non-mandatory IMO MASS Code, which is expected to...

Six nations have proposed to the International Maritime Organization that a safe maritime corridor be set-up to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships from the Persian Gulf. IMO Secretariat documents state that as of about 13 march 2026 there are about 3,200 vessels confined to the west of the Strait of Hormuz with...

The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has strongly condemned the threats and attacks against vessels and purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2817, which have adversely affected merchant and commercial vessels and threatened the safety and welfare of seafarers. The Council called for a coordinated approach...