DECK TV

On June 26, 2025, Qingdao Port in Shandong province formally commissioned China’s first hydrogen‑electric tugboat, Tug No. 1—a significant milestone in the maritime industry’s transition to clean energy. Developed by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard, the vessel integrates a hybrid propulsion system combining hydrogen fuel cells with liquid‑cooled lithium batteries, enabling emissions-free harbor operations.

On May 2, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade and Directorate General of Shipping issued a comprehensive ban on all direct or indirect imports, transit, and anchorage of goods originating from or destined for Pakistan. The move, justified on national security grounds, has effectively barred Pakistani-flagged vessels from Indian ports and severely limited indirect routing options.

Pakistan has launched a comprehensive diagnostic study at its Gadani Ship‑Breaking Yard, the world’s third‑largest facility of its kind, as part of the “Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling and Decent Work” initiative jointly led by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The Government of the Bahamas will implement sweeping maritime reforms on July 1, 2025, via the Port Authorities (Amendment) Bill of 2025. Key changes include substantial increases in cruising permit fees, new charges for anchoring and fishing, mandatory AIS compliance for larger vessels, and the introduction of a per‑passenger tax. These measures aim to enhance maritime safety, environmental conservation, and revenue collection.

Photo credit: The Maritime Executive In a significant environmental regulation, the 16 member states of the OSPAR Convention have approved a new regional ban on the discharge of scrubber wash water in the North‑East Atlantic. The decision was finalized during the Ministerial meeting in Vigo, Spain, on June 26–27, 2025. Under the agreement, discharges from open‑loop scrubbers—which use seawater to remove sulfur oxides from exhaust—will be prohibited in internal waters and port areas by July 2027.

Global shipping is facing a growing array of hybrid threats—complex strategies that blend cyber operations, physical assaults, electronic interference, and state-backed subversion. Renewed geopolitical tensions, particularly around hotspots such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of Aden, have emboldened actors to deploy tactics intended to disrupt maritime trade with plausible deniability.

The Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2026 request allocates approximately $47.3 billion towards shipbuilding to procure 19 new battle force ships—an increase from just five in FY 2025—helping the Navy maintain its targeted fleet size of 287 ships. This funding forms part of a $292.2 billion budget for the Navy and Marine Corps, which integrates $248.9 billion from the base budget and an additional $43.3 billion via supplemental reconciliation efforts.

Photo from: New Mangalore Port MANGALURU – On 28 June 2025, T K Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), officially inaugurated a state‑of‑the‑art Security Surveillance Tower at New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA). Operating 24/7, the tower features drone surveillance and automated emergency response capabilities, significantly enhancing ISPS‑compliant perimeter security.

Maritime analytics firm Windward reports that between June 12 and 24, a total of 55 vessels transmitted 101 atypical nationality-related messages while traversing the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters. These broadcasts included designations like “China owned,” “Russian crude,” and “vessel no link Israel,” aiming to create a perception of neutrality and reduce the likelihood of being targeted amid elevated regional risks.

On June 26, Iran’s state news agency Nour News announced that the damaged processing unit at the South Pars Phase 14 offshore gas facility had resumed operations. The site had been struck by Israeli forces on June 14 in what marked the first reported attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure in over a decade. South Pars, located off the coast of Bushehr province, is the world’s largest natural gas field and supplies approximately 70 to 75 percent of Iran’s gas output.