Seychelles News

Yemen's Houthis said on Monday that they targeted three ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea, attacks they called part of their efforts to enforce a naval blockade on Israel.Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised address the vessels were targeted for attempting to approach ports bound for Israel.According to the latest data from LSEG, all three targeted vessels were Liberia-registered.One of the vessels, identified by the Houthis as bulk carrier Motaro, was last seen off Yemen's western coast in the Red Sea…

An oil tanker managed by an Azerbaijan-based firm is travelling the Northern Sea Route to China for the first time, taking a route so far dominated by vessels managed by Russian shipping giant Sovcomflot, according to LSEG data and two traders.The vessel Prisma is managed by a private company Vista Vvave Shipmanagement based in Azerbaijan, one of the traders said, citing the vessel's documents.Moscow wants to increase traffic via the Northern Sea Route (NSR), which runs from Murmansk near Russia's border with Norway eastwards to the Bering Strait near Alaska…

A group of suspected Somali pirates has been aprehended and transported to justice officials in Seychelles, EU counter-piracy forces said.The six men are accused of attempting to hijack the Marshall Islands-flagged merchant tanker vessel Chrystal Arctic in the Gulf of Aden on May 10.After the failed attack about 100 naautical miles north of Bosaso, the suspected pirates were arrested by ATALANTA forces and treated for injuries of varying severity.Then, an  ATALANTA warship transported…

Three missiles were sighted approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's Mokha, British security firm Ambrey said on Friday, and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that one vessel was damaged."The Master has reported two attacks.

Six crew members of a Sri Lankan fishing trawler hijacked by suspected Somali pirates have been rescued, Sri Lankan officials said on Monday.The hijacking on Sunday was the latest in a series of attacks that have fueled fears of a resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea waters after years without a successful raid.Pirates who caused chaos in the key waterways from 2008 to 2018 appear to be taking advantage of disorder caused by attacks on shipping by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group.Authorities were informed of the incident by a second boat traveling with the trawler on Su

Shipping companies remain in the dark over a new international navy coalition being assembled by the United States to combat attacks in the Red Sea, with many vessels continuing to avoid the area or cancelling contracts, sources said on Wednesday.The sources, who include shipping and maritime security officials, say few practical details are known about the initiative launched on Tuesday by Washington or whether it will directly engage in the event of further armed attacks at sea.Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have since Nov.

The leader of Yemen's Houthis warned on Wednesday they would strike U.S. warships if the Iranian-backed militia was targeted by Washington, which this week set up a multinational force to counter Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.The Houthis, which control vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of war, have since last month fired drones and missiles at international vessels sailing through the Red Sea, attacks it says respond to Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip.The U.S.-led security initiative will see Washington and ten other…

The United States on Tuesday launched a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea as attacks by Iran-backed Yemeni militants forced major shipping companies to reroute, stoking fears of sustained disruptions to global trade.The Houthi militant group, which controls vast amounts of territory in Yemen after years of war, has since last month fired drones and missiles at international vessels sailing through the Red Sea - attacks it says respond to Israel's devastating assault on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.This week…

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered a compact general purpose Bozçay Class harbor tug to the Seychelles Ports Authority.Based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RApport 1900SX design from Canadian naval architects Robet Allan Ltd, Mamelles is a diesel-powered tug designed for maximum efficiency in the performance of ship-handling duties for seagoing ships.Measuring 19.3m LOA with an 8.2m beam and maximum draft of 2.9m, Mamelles has conventional twin screw propulsion with twin nozzles and four rudders providing a bollard pull of 33 tonnes and excellent maneuverability.

Ports in China's Shandong province are demanding more detailed information about oil tankers that are more than 15 years old that call at their terminals, sources with knowledge of the matter said, potentially delaying the unloading of crude shipments in the world's biggest oil importer.Last week, the maritime safety administrations at Qingdao and Rizhao, which covers the oil terminals at the port of Lanshan, notified shipping agencies to submit details on their ships' age, where a ship is flagged…

A ship operated by Denmark’s Maersk Tankers has been banned from Spanish ports, Spanish officials said, after its cargo of oil products was found to have previously been carried by a vessel that was formerly Russian flagged.Trade in oil and oil products linked to Russia has been complicated by the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations' imposition of a price cap on Russian oil in December and separate European Union measures to prohibit the import of Russian crude and oil products into the bloc.Spain's northeastern Tarragona port on Feb. 10 refused entry to the Singapore-flagged Maersk Magellan tanker, saying the vessel had picked…

EUNAVFOR Atalanta and both the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC/Madagascar) and the Regional Coordination Operations Center (RCOC/Seychelles) conducted their first joint operation from September 21 to 24. This first Operation, named MARLIN, was aimed at strengthening maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean through sustainable collaboration between the States of the region and international partners. It contributed to the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA and the two regional centers in December 2021…

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said that its training on the International Safety Management (ISM) Code was conducted for nine countries in the eastern and southern Africa subregion.The participanting countries were Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.Thirty-two participants took part in the event, which was hosted by the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania (17-21 June).The UN body said that the code sets international standard for safe ship management and operation.The course is focused on how the code evolved and its importance in efforts to improve safe ship operation and pollution prevention.

Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) recently completed technical acceptance of a new azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug from Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey. The latest addition to the SPA fleet is another of the Sanmar flagship RAmparts 2400SX, designed by Robert Allan Limited exclusively for Sanmar and designated the Bogacay XLI.Mobilization has already commenced under the direction of a Sanmar delivery crew. The tug’s name will be unveiled upon arrival to its new home at Port Victoria in Mahe.Measuring 24.4m in length with a molded beam of 11.25m and a maximum draft of 5.7m…

How do you deal with maritime crimes at sea - and how do you train others to do so? These are the skills being taught on the latest in a series of regional training of trainers courses on combating insecurity in the maritime domain.Participants from 18 countries have attended the course, at the Mohammed Bin Naif Academy for Maritime Science and Security Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (30 June - 11 July).Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen were the participants.Participants learned teaching skills.

Proper implementation of International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s maritime security measures is essential for trade.The Seychelles is the latest country to benefit from training on the implementation of SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, said the UN body.Participants discussed ways to cooperate at the national level to acquire the necessary support they need in order to take ownership of implementation and compliance with IMO maritime security measures. They also learned how to train other officials with similar responsibilities.The workshop which concluded today in Mahe, Seychelles (26-30 August) brought together Port facility Security Officers (PFSOs) and representatives involved in maritime and port security…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been working with southern and eastern African countries to help implement marine environment protection measures contained in one of the organization’s flagship treaties – MARPOL.A workshop held in Mombasa, Kenya (17-19) gathered participants from 12 countries to focus on MARPOL Annexes I to V, and in particular the regulations covering garbage discharge from ships and adequacy of port reception facilities. The participating countries were - Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania (United Republic of).Participants discussed factors affecting full implementation of MARPOL and its annexes…

Senior officials from the newly established Kenya Coast Guard Services are undergoing training on coast guard functions at a national workshop in Mombasa, Kenya (24-28 June), said a press note from International Maritime Organization(IMO).The UN body said that fifteen participants are taking part in the training, which is using scenario development methodology and plenary discussions to highlight issues, identify insights and develop deeper understanding of effective ways to meet coastguard functions – with a view to enhancing maritime security in Kenya.The training is organized by the United Kingdom and IMO, under the auspices of the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct.It is supported by a joint team from the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)…

Crystal Yacht Cruises announced the 55-cruise roster of 2022 and early 2023 itineraries for Crystal Esprit.A number of new options punctuate the collection of regionally focused voyages, with dozens of seven- and eight-night options catering to busy travel schedules or easily combined into longer adventures, said a company press release.In addition to exploration of hubs of profound history, featured destinations also capitalize on the 62-guest Crystal Esprit’s adventurous spirit, with numerous locales that are ideal for active, outdoor pursuits.Featured are 11 new itineraries in the areas most popular among Crystal yachting guests, including five in the Greek Isles…

To encourage More women are joining the maritime ranks in a variety of professions within the industry and with a view to continuing the momentum to empower women in the maritime community, International Maritime Organization (IMO) is supporting a training course aimed at female officials from maritime and port authorities.Twenty-two women from 10 francophone countries in Africa - Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,  Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar, Senegal, Seychelles and Togo -, took part in the two-week "Women in Port Management" course, hosted in Le Havre, France (27 January - 7 February).The course covered lectures on port management, port security, marine environment, facilitation of maritime traffic, marketing, port logistics and other topics.

"Women bring intelligence and high skills to all fields of the shipping industry – let’s throw off the bowlines!”.This is the message from Port Captain Basak, one of the latest maritime women being featured by International Maritime Organization (IMO) under this year’s World Maritime theme: “Empowering women in the Maritime Community”.Women from across globe are giving an insight into their work, aspirations, how IMO’s Women in Maritime Program has supported them – and their top tips for current and aspiring female maritime professionals.The latest profiles include a Port Infrastructure Technician from El Salvador, a Student Support Officer from the Seychelles…

Training for African women working in search and rescue (SAR) operations underwent at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Rabat, Morocco (13-15 November).Thirteen officials from developing countries and Small Island Developing States took part in the first regional training course of this kind. The participating states were Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Seychelles and South Africa.The course included a practical exercise on a rescue boat and provided a platform to discuss how to improve and enhance the knowledge of African women working in SAR and to provide them with appropriate tools to manage SAR missions.International Maritime Organization (IMO)…

What do successful, well-run ports and female empowerment have in common? Both can make a significant contribution to sustainable economic development.International Maritime Organization (IMO)  provided support to eight female officials from developing countries, with an emphasis on Pacific Small Island Developing States, attended a Port Senior Management Program held at the Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) in Nahalal, Israel, (6-19 November).The two-week course provides participants with key information and updates on innovations in the port industry. The participants are from: Cabo Verde, Fiji, Kiribati, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea…