AI tool introduced to detect misdeclared and dangerous goods in containers
The latest tool in the fight against misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods in containers is being launched by the World Shipping Council in its Cargo Safety Program. The industry-led initiative is using a new AI-powered screening tool in an attempt to identify the dangers that are a leading cause of fires and increase protection for crew, vessels, and the environment. At launch, carriers representing more than 70 percent of global TEU capacity have joined the program.
Misdeclared dangerous goods are a leading cause of ship fires, reported as responsible for more than a quarter of all cargo-related incidents, according to data from Allianz’s Safety and Shipping Review 2025.
Construction update as a fleet of wind-powered cargo trimaran gets biopharma customer
Construction on what is being billed as the first of a fleet of wind-powered cargo trimaran vessels is proceeding as the French company Vela Transport reports it has booked a major biopharmaceutical client for the service. Last fall, the company reported it had raised the capital for the construction of its first vessel and expects to launch its transatlantic cargo service in late 2026.
Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical has signed an agreement to become the first biopharmaceutical company to transport products on the new service.
5 missing in catastrophic trawler collision off Mauritania
A collision between two fishing boats left five people missing off the coast of Mauritania last week, prompting a large-scale search.
The Gambian-flagged Right Whale and the Mauritania-flagged Tafra 3 collided off the coast on Friday, in fine weather and calm surface conditions. A video obtained by Faro de Vigo and Voz de Galicia appears to show that Right Whale’s bow hit Tafra 3 amidships on the starboard side; Tafra had trawl cables visibly trailing astern, indicating that she was engaged in fishing operations or working on gear over the side in the moments before impact.
After the collision, the two ships remained connected and Right Whale continued to push Tafra ahead for about two minutes. When Tafra finally drifted away, it became apparent that the smaller vessel had a wide-open tear in her hull all the way from the main deck level down. She listed further and further to starboard, then sank by the stern in about 50 meters of water.
School children injured as sailing ship and dredger collide
The Dutch rescue service is reporting minor injuries among a group of school children who were on a class trip aboard a historic sailing ship. The vessel Storebaelt, which operates charter trips, was off the Netherlands coast on Sunday evening, September 14, when it and a dredger collided.
According to KNRM, the sailing vessel had 25 school-age children aboard along with five adults. They received a report of the collision at 2030 local time, and two rescue boats reached the vessels in 10 minutes. Five of the children were removed from the sailing ship and transferred to the shore of one of the rescue boats. Waiting ambulances and volunteers attended to the children.
“A few were shocked, and some have bumps on their heads,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said on Dutch broadcaster NOS. The remaining children remained aboard the 65-meter (213-foot) sailing vessel while it was towed to shore. They were transferred to a local hotel at 0100 on Monday morning.
Historic 1927 USCG cutter McLane sold for scrap
A U.S Coast Guard cutter built in 1927 that has been part of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum exhibits in Muskegon, Michigan, for years, has been towed away and will be scrapped. The decision came following what the museum said was significant deterioration that made efforts towards continuous preservation unfeasible.
The museum announced on September 10 that after thoughtful deliberation, it had made the difficult decision to deaccession the cutter McLane from its permanent collections. The cutter has been part of exhibits for over three decades, having been moored at Muskegon harbor since 1993.
The 38-meter (125-foot) Active-class patrol cutter was commissioned in 1927 and served the USGC with distinction through multiple eras of the agency’s history. She was named after Louis McLane, who was appointed U.S. Secretary of State in 1833. Part of McLane’s active duty was patrolling the waters of the Territory of Alaska, including the Bering Strait, during World War II.
South Korea’s HD Hyundai heavy in talks
South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is in talks with multiple companies about buying a U.S. shipyard, a senior company executive said, seeking to tap into President Donald Trump‘s push to revive America’s ailing shipbuilding industry.
The world’s largest shipbuilder based on orders is targeting 3 trillion won ($2.2 billion) in annual revenue by 2035 from building warships for the U.S. Navy, said Woo-maan Jeong, head of planning and management for HD Hyundai’s 329180.KS naval and special ship unit, in an interview at its Ulsan headquarters.
Tariff turmoil drives record summer cargo surge
The Port of Los Angeles handled 958,355 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in August, nearly matching last year’s strong performance amid economic headwinds and shifting trade policies.
“The Port of Los Angeles moved nearly 2 million containers in July and August combined,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka stated at a media briefing. “That’s the best two-month stretch for any port in the Western Hemisphere. Retailers and manufacturers have continued to bring goods in early, both to get ahead of holiday demand and to hedge against any shifts in trade policy.”
The strong performance follows the port’s busiest month in its 117-year history this July, when it handled over 1 million TEUs as retailers and manufacturers accelerated shipments amid concerns over impending tariff increases.