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To: All Ship Owners, Operators, Masters, and Navigating Officers

1. Background

Recent reports indicate an increased risk of GPS signal interference or jamming in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz. Vessels operating in this region should remain vigilant and prepare for potential disruptions to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including GPS.

2. Recommended Actions

In the event of suspected or confirmed GPS jamming, vessels are strongly advised to employ alternative navigation techniques to ensure safe passage. The following measures should be considered:

A. Non-GPS Navigation Methods

  • Celestial Navigation: Use sextant observations for celestial fixes.

  • Radar Navigation: Cross-check positions using radar bearings and ranges.

  • Dead Reckoning (DR): Maintain accurate logs of course and speed for position estimation.

  • Inertial Navigation Systems (INS): Rely on gyrocompass and inertial sensors if available.

  • Visual & Terrestrial Aids: Verify positions using lighthouses, buoys, and landmarks.

B. Operational Precautions

  • Cross-Verify Positions: Use multiple independent methods to confirm location.

  • Monitor AIS/ECDIS Discrepancies: Be aware that these systems may be compromised without GPS.

  • Report Incidents: Notify nearby vessels, port authorities, and maritime agencies (e.g., UKHO, IMB) of suspected jamming.

3. Contingency Planning

  • Ensure bridge officers are trained in manual navigation.

  • Conduct GPS-denial drills.

  • Carry updated paper charts as a mandatory backup.

4. Additional Resources

  • IMO Guidelines (MSC.1/Circ.1572)

  • UKHO Maritime Security Chart Q6099

5. Contact Information

For urgent assistance or further guidance, contact:

SHIP IP LTD
📞 Tel: (+359) 24929284
📧 Email: sales@shipip.com
🌐 Website: www.shipip.com


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Region: Strait of Hormuz / Gulf of Oman

🔍 Incident Overview

In the past 72 hours, multiple vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have reported severe GPS interference, resulting in erratic navigational behavior. This culminated in a serious incident involving the oil tanker Front Eagle, which collided with the vessel ADALYNN, leading to an onboard fire and minor spill.

The collision was reportedly linked to spoofed GPS signals that misled the Front Eagle’s navigational systems, causing a sudden course deviation. Emergency response units contained the fire, and all crew were evacuated safely. The collision and spill area have triggered an environmental monitoring operation.

🛰️ What Is GPS Spoofing?

GPS spoofing is the deliberate broadcast of false GPS signals, causing a vessel to believe it is in a different location than it truly is. This can result in:

  • Incorrect autopilot routing

  • Navigation into restricted waters

  • Increased collision risk

This interference has been confirmed by data from commercial satellite tracking and reported widely by global shipping operators.


🔒 Recommended Actions for Ship Operators

To safeguard vessels navigating the Persian Gulf, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, the following best practices are strongly advised:

1. Use Redundant Navigation Methods

  • Cross-check GPS with radar, visual bearings, and inertial navigation systems (INS)

  • Update crews on dead reckoning and manual plotting skills

2. Autopilot Safety Protocols

  • Disable autopilot in high-risk areas and steer manually

  • Increase bridge watch vigilance and apply voyage data recorder (VDR) reviews

3. Situational Awareness

  • Monitor NAVTEX, IMO GISIS, and UKMTO alerts for real-time guidance

  • Use AIS overlays and satellite services (like GNS Watch) to detect spoofing anomalies

4. Cybersecurity Drills

  • Simulate spoofing/jamming scenarios during bridge team drills

  • Test GPS signal validation via ECDIS-integrated tools where available

5. Report and Record

  • Immediately report GPS disruptions to UKMTO and MARLO Bahrain

  • Log incident time, false coordinates, and corrective actions in the vessel logbook


🌍 Broader Implications

The incident highlights a growing maritime cybersecurity and navigational safety threat in geopolitically sensitive regions. Shipping companies, charterers, and P&I clubs are closely monitoring risk levels, and rerouting is under consideration for some operators.

A formal investigation has been launched. The IMO is also reviewing the use of multi-layered navigation systems to prevent future spoofing-induced accidents.


📣 Stay Informed

SHIP IP encourages all ship operators and safety officers to update their navigational safety manuals and conduct crew refresher training in light of these developments.

For support or customized fleet guidance, contact us via:
📧 support@shipip.com | 🌐 www.shipip.com


Korean Register (KR) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) will be working closely together to develop new propulsion systems capable of handling green fuels including ammonia and hydrogen.

On 7 September, the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly collaborate at Gastech 2022, Milan, Italy. The move follows announcements that KR would be jointly developing a liquefied CO2 carrier with DSME.

Whilst the global maritime industry is introducing operational measures such as limiting engine output and installing energy-saving devices to meet stringent greenhouse gas regulations, in the longer term green fuels will be needed to achieve substantial emission reductions.

There is a high level of market interest in propulsion systems and materials for operating with green fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen and methanol.

Ammonia and hydrogen, widely recognized as green alternatives, but are considered to have more sensitive characteristics than commonly used LNG fuels. To be used as a marine fuel, extra technical requirements need to be addressed. These include the toxicity of ammonia, hydrogen embrittlement, cryogenic conditions equivalent to -253 ° C, diffusion characteristics, as well as ensuring the same level of safety as existing ships.

This joint research agreement between the two parties will build on the unique strengths and accumulated technology of each company.

DSME aims to commercialize ammonia-powered container ships by 2025 based on its advanced technology, and is at an advanced stage in developing eco-friendly fuel technologies, including low-carbon ammonia carriers and liquefied CO2 carriers.

KR has also been actively seeking better options for decarbonization pathways. As well as publishing guidelines for ammonia-fueled ships, the classification society is developing its own hydrogen-powered ship rules and is working on enhanced decarbonization initiatives to ensure ship safety and a greener future.

Dong-kyu Choi, Head of DSME’s R&D Institute, said: “The added value of eco-friendly ship propulsion technologies is expected to increase further in the future amid the strengthening of environmental regulations. Besides this collaboration with KR, we will continue to develop advanced eco-friendly ship propulsion technology and strive to speed up the commercialization of decarbonized ships.”

Dae-heon Kim, Executive Vice President of KR R&D division, said: “Gastech 2022 was a great opportunity to showcase our technical strength and efforts. The joint agreement with DSME is significant in preparing for the future of green fuels in the long term. We will do our best to support the technology needed to deliver a low emissions shipping industry.”

Source: https://www.marasinews.com/classification/kr-dsme-collaborate-eco-friendly-ship-propulsion-systems

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022

 


The Shanghai maritime authorities have organized boats and ships to take shelter from the approaching Typhoon Hinnamnor, the 11th of this year, as China on Saturday raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon control to level Ⅳ.

So far, a total of 796 ships have been evacuated from the Yangtze River estuary and the waters off Shanghai’s Yangshan Port.

Among them, more than 200 ships have been evacuated from the waters off the Yangshan Port.

The staff of the Yangshan Port Maritime Safety Administration have taken various measures to inspect all ships in the waters under its jurisdiction through vessel traffic services (VTS) system, electronic cruise system and on-site inspection, and urged relevant enterprises, units and ships to take precautionary measures against the typhoon as soon as possible.

The waters of the southwest coast of Shanghai’s Chongming Island and the waters of the Hengsha channel have long served as shelter areas for ships in Shanghai Port. Due to the impact of Typhoon Hinnamnor, more than 260 ships have been anchored and taken shelter in those areas.

The staff of the Chongming Maritime Safety Administration has ramped up patrol efforts to spot potential safety hazards in a timely manner, in order to prevent dragging of anchors, breakage of mooring chains and other secondary disasters.

The Shanghai maritime authorities have stepped up emergency response efforts, and deployed two professional rescue ships, 104 tugboats, 25 salvage ships and 38 cleaning ships to the related key areas to deal with the approaching typhoon.

Source: CCTV

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


With the brand new ship of the Italian Navy Thaon di Revel, “a concentrate of avant-garde Italian technology”.

A special VTC meeting was held in these days between the Information Fusion Center of the Singapore Navy and the Force Headquarter of Agenor – the maritime operation born from the European initiative called EMASoH (European-led Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz ), in connection with the latest ship delivered to the Italian Navy, the Thaon di Revel, of the brand new Ppa class (multipurpose offshore patrol vessel).

The event was opened by a speech by the Ambassador of Italy in Singapore, Mario Vattani. “This program – explained Vattani – has not only a strategic significance, it is also a concrete signal of the will of Italy, together with the other European partners, to be more present from now on in this region, in line with the Strategy European for the Indo-Pacific in which Italy has played an important role, thanks to the work done in recent years by the Farnesina ”.

The topic – very topical in light of the growing threats to maritime navigation – is the opportunity to improve collaboration at a trans-regional level, and establish standard operating procedures for sharing information on civil shipping, in order to extend maritime knowledge to the entire region. Indo-Pacific, and therefore the safety of the seas.

“It is a pleasure to note – underlined Ambassador Vattani – that the European multinational staff of Operation Agenor will embark for the next 4 months, aboard our ultra-modern multipurpose offshore vessel, a concentrate of cutting-edge technology, which shows the very high capabilities of our defense industries (in particular Fincantieri, Leonardo and Electronics), well known in South East Asia and throughout the world ”.

The Commander of Task Force 474, Rear Admiral Stefano Costantino (Commander of the Tactical Force of Operation AGENOR, assigned for the first time to Italy) has in turn promoted cooperation at the multilateral level in sectors of common interest with Singapore thanks to the involvement of ‘Defense Attaché of the Embassy in Singapore, Commander Armando Simi.

“The Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca are apparently distant bottlenecks, but they are united by crucial factors that strongly unite them – said Admiral Costantino – and highlight the importance and vulnerability of maritime communication lines, on which 90% of world goods travel today, vital for the European and national processing industries so hungry for raw materials and energy ”. Hence the importance of collaborating with other stakeholders, such as the IFC of Singapore to help ensure freedom of navigation and safe passage.

Source: https://www.italianpost.news/italy-singapore-connection-on-maritime-safety/

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


MANILA, Philippines — The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has suspended the passenger ship safety certificate (PSSC) of M/V Asia Philippines, the ferry that caught fire as it approached the Batangas International Port on Friday.

Marina regional director Emmanuel Carpio, in his letter addressed to Starlite Ferries Inc. dated August 26, said that based on the guidelines and the law, a ship’s passenger safety certificate should be suspended when “the ship has been involved in maritime casualties and incidents … that may put into question the integrity of its hull and its integral parts.”

Carpio cited the provisions of Republic Act No. 9295 or the Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004 and the Marina Administrative Order No. 11-19 and Marina Memorandum Circular No. 152.

“In view thereof, the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate of MV ASIA PHILIPPINES is hereby SUSPENDED until further notice from this Authority,” Carpio said in his letter.

Carpio added that the ferry will be subjected to thorough safety inspection by Marina inspectors and surveyors.

Starlite Shipping’s M/V Asia Philippines, a roll-on-roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry, was preparing to dock at the Batangas International Port when it caught fire on Friday evening. It was carrying 82 passengers and crew.

The Philippine Coast Guard said the ferry came from Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro and was about one nautical mile from the Batangas International Port when it caught fire.

The 49 passengers and 38 crew members of the vessel were all rescued. One passenger was reported hurt.

Source: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1654198/marina-suspends-safety-certificate-of-ferry-that-caught-fire-in-batangas/amp

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


Washington State Ferries (WSF) is embarking on an ambitious initiative to transition to a hybrid electric ferry system. This transition will improve local air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 76% by 2040.

To shift the largest ferry system in the United States to hybrid electric, WSF is working on three key elements of the electrification system – building new hybrid electric vessels, converting existing vessels to hybrid electric, and electrifying the terminals.

WSF is currently developing the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the construction of five new hybrid electric Olympic Class (HEOC) vessels. These new vessels, along with plans for 11 additional new vessels and six converted vessels, are required to be built in Washington in accordance with state law.

To encourage collaboration among existing and future Washington maritime firms, WSF will co-host an Industry Day with Maritime Blue on October 6, 2022, in downtown Seattle from 9 AM to noon in advance of the release of the RFP.

Matt von Ruden, WSF’s Electrification Program System Administrator commented, “The development of this RFP, and future selection of a shipbuilder for these five new vessels, is an exciting milestone not only for our electrification efforts, but for the maritime industry as a whole. We look forward to working with new partners to support the development of a greener maritime industry here in Washington state.”

To learn more about the electrification program and the upcoming Industry Day, visit WSF’s electrification webpage or watch our video below.

Source: https://gcaptain.com/washington-state-ferries-journey-to-hybrid-electric/

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


On Monday 22 August 2022 an incident occurred where a section of the quayside gave way causing two workers to fall into the sea and a crane to tilt to the side. Following the incident, one of the workers was rescued but the other worker was missing and Keppel worked with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Police Coast Guard on search operations.

On Wednesday morning 24 August the body of the missing subcontract worker who fell into the sea following the incident on Monday was found, a Keppel Shipyard spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added: “We would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and are rendering our full assistance to them. Keppel Shipyard values the safety and life of every worker and we deeply regret this tragic incident. We are working closely with the authorities to conduct thorough investigations and review.”

Migrant Workers’ Center (MWC), a non-government organisation dealing with employment practices and the well-being of migrant workers in Singapore, in a social media post on Tuesday shared its concerns over “yet another workplace accident”, adding it is a worrying trend.

“We are in the process of establishing contact with the worker’s employer, Kumarann Marine, to offer guidance and provide support to the injured workers,” the organisation added.

It is understood that a nearby vessel is SBM Offshore’s FPSO Prosperity, which is currently being prepared at the shipyard for operations on an ExxonMobil-operated project off Guyana.

As reported by Singapore’s The Straits Times on Wednesday, with Monday’s incident, at least two workplace accidents have taken place at the Keppel shipyard in Tuas this year.

Source: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/investigation-underway-after-fatal-accident-at-keppel-yard/

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


A CONMAN who pretended to be a cruise ship’s captain to sell bogus luxury holidays at exotic locations to friends, family members, and other acquaintances has finally been jailed.

A serial fraudster named Jody Oliver, formerly of Barbourne Road, duped victims of £320,000 by providing them unbelievable rates for non-existent cruise trips. Among those scammed were individuals who’ve lost savings believing they booked holidays that happen only once in a lifetime.

The “Walter Mitty” swindler went to an extraordinary extent to maintain the ruse and even dressed up as a P&O captain to deceive them.

Oliver was steadily living a dual private life and divided the time between his wife and boyfriend, who was based in Newport over the weekends.

Conman
Image for representation purpose only

Andrew Davies, who was prosecuting, mentioned that Oliver was at the centre of a web of lies and deceit. He didn’t care about who he hurt or wanted to swindle and lied to those he even professed to love.

The defendant used various names and job descriptions to source money and mainly lived a life he could not afford. He was living two different fantasy lives. Now, neither of these was sustainable with legitimate incomes.

Oliver told his boyfriend, Mr Burgess, that he was a successful high-flying businessman employed at Jaguar Land Rover. Burgess did not know that the defendant was married with three children.

After Oliver lied about having been “headhunted” by P&O owner Carnival, he started working on creating an alter ego named Captain Jonathan Flynn Oliver.

Centred on the Alma Inn pub based in Newport, where he frequently socialized, he started offering free cruises to circle, mentioning that these were perks his job offered before selling them at bargain rates.

By this time, Oliver was much over his head in debt and had already lost over £130,000 from gambling within 12 months and had taken out crippling high-interest loans to stay afloat. New sources mention that the simple ploy the defendant deployed was to provide luxurious cruises to some exotic locations at a fraction of the rate obtained from legitimate agents.

He created an aura of a cruise vessel’s captain by dressing up as a ship captain when he met people to discuss potential cruises.

The holidays were cancelled due to overseas security problems or cruise vessel issues.

It has been reported that Oliver was a seasoned con artist.

In 2004, the defendant reportedly gained notoriety after conning Colin McRae, the former world-champion rally driver, into believing that Coca-Cola would offer him a £3 million sponsorship deal.

The former special police constable was also convicted of another VAT scam about three years ago.

Oliver admitted six counts of fraud. The offences were reportedly committed between 2018 (February) and 2019 (January). Matthew Buckland, who was mitigating, said that he could offer an apology note on behalf of Oliver and that he had pleaded guilty.

Oliver was reportedly imprisoned for six years and might encounter proceeds of crime hearing as relevant authorities would be checking if money can be seized from him to compensate the victims.

References: Worcester News, South Wales Argus

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


While symbolic barriers are better than nothing, it would be best to invest in physical barriers. The Nautical Institute gives this advice in its latest Mars Report in which a dredger’s master accessed the area a crane was in operation and was crushed between the crane and cargo hold as a result.

The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. A summary of this incident:

A small hopper dredger equipped with a deck grab crane was occupied with the refurbishment of a port breakwater. The work involved lifting boulders from the cargo hold with the deck grab crane and positioning them at the breakwater. The chief engineer, who maintained direct contact with the crane operator via a portable radio, was on the bridge overseeing the operation.

The master, who was new to the ship and had joined only two weeks earlier, was occupied with administrative tasks. At one point, he decided to go on deck and check on some recent maintenance work at the bow. He took the access way on starboard side of the cargo hold to reach the forecastle (the port side access way had been cordoned off.) During this time, the crane operator, who was placing one boulder in position at the breakwater, noticed the master in proximity of the paint locker.

After checking on the maintenance, the master decided to check the status of the boulders in the cargo hold. He climbed the starboard stairs to the cargo hold and looked inside the cargo hold. At this time, the crane operator had the crane’s boom in line with the cargo hold and was picking up a boulder from the hold. Within a matter of seconds, the crane turned clockwise towards the breakwater, entrapping the master between the body of the crane and the cargo hold coaming.

The crane operator heard a scream and turned the crane back towards the cargo hold. He immediately noticed the master lying on deck. He raised the alert and the chief engineer, who was on the bridge, called for shore medical assistance.

The master was admitted to the local hospital; he had suffered a massive hematoma, muscle laceration of the right abdominal wall, and a fractured vertebrae. The victim was discharged from hospital the next day and received further medical treatment once home.

Investigation findings

The investigation found, among others, that although access to the forecastle from the port side of the cargo hold had been cordoned off by a physical barrier system (a chain), access to the forecastle from the starboard side was unobstructed. Black and yellow “hazardous area” markings were painted in a semi-circle on the deck around the crane, extending from port to starboard. But paint markings are a symbolic barrier system and therefore require one’s interpretation to be effective (as opposed to a physical barrier system).

Advice from The Nautical Institute

  • While symbolic barriers are better than nothing, their effectiveness is debatable. Physical barriers are much better. And an excellent complement to physical barriers are administrative barriers documented in a vessel’s safety management system (SMS).
  • Mars Report 201851 documents a very similar accident, but one with more serious consequences as the victim, new to the ship, died of his injuries. In that case, not only was there an absence of physical barriers, but no danger warnings were present.

Source: https://swzmaritime.nl/news/2022/08/24/lack-of-physical-barriers-results-in-dredgers-master-being-crushed-between-crane-and-cargo-hold/

 

CREWEXPRESS STCW REST HOURS SOFTWARE - Paris and Tokyo MoU have announced that they will jointly launch a new Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) from 1st September 2022 to 30th November 2022


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