Jim Wilson

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has appointed former master mariner, Greg Witherall, as Executive Director Operations, effective immediately. An executive with more than 30 years’ experience across the maritime sector, Mr Witherall brings operational, technical and regulatory expertise to the role. His career spans seafaring, vessel command, safety regulation and executive leadership. Mr Witherall...

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers have stopped 426 illicit weapons allegedly concealed within three shipping containers from reaching the Australian community. On Monday, 6 July 2026, ABF officers in Sydney’s Port Botany intercepted the containers, which originated from Asia and had been declared as containing metal fittings. During x-ray examinations, officers identified anomalies within the...

Nasdaq Helsinki-listed Kalmar Corporation has received an order for ten Kalmar Hybrid Straddle Carriers and 2 Hybrid Kalmar AutoStrad machines from container stevedore Patrick Terminals.  The 10 Hybrid Straddle Carriers are to be deployed at Patrick’s Melbourne terminal and the 12 Hybrid AutoStrads at Sydney AutoStrad terminal. The order was booked in Kalmar’s Q2 2026...

The importance of preserving navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law was reaffirmed by the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO Council is the executive organ of the IMO  and is responsible for the work of the IMO. In a resolution adopted during the 137th session (6 – 10 July), the...

What do the United Nations and the IMO really matter? This author has certainly heard many insults and criticisms hurled at bodies like the U.N. and the IMO. They are distant, have no power, and are mere global talking shops, the critics say. What value have circulars and missives against cruise missiles? Denunciations vs drones?...

U.S. armed forces have been attacking Iran since last weekend, following Iranian attacks on commercial tankers owned and operated by the United Arab Emirates. Late evening (U.S. Eastern Time) on Wednesday 15 July, U.S. Central Command (“Centcom”; the U.S. military command that operates in the Middle Eastern region) forces struck Iranian command centers, air defense...

Ship traffic to and from Iranian seaports is blockaded by the United States Central Command (“Centcom”) as of 16:00 U.S. Eastern Time on July 14. Centcom has reinstated the blockade of Iran following new directions from U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week, following a resumption of hostilities against commercial shipping. Writing on his Truth...

Amin Saikal, Australian National University; The University of Western Australia; Victoria University Control over the Strait of Hormuz has become the main bone of contention between the US and Iran in their prolonged conflict. In the face of Tehran’s determination to control the strategic waterway as a critical leverage of deterrence, US President Donald Trump...

Kevin Morrison, University of Technology Sydney Iran and the United States have ended their fragile peace agreement, signed only a month ago, with the exchange of missile fire. Once again, this halts the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz and puts major oil importers like Australia on tenterhooks. And this time...

Ben Soodavar, King’s College London US forces have struck hundreds of Iranian targets – including in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas – over three consecutive nights in a bid by the US president, Donald Trump, to regain some modicum of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has also inscribed the US as...