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The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sinking of MSC Elsa 3: Kerala HC admits PILs seeking compensation
A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court has admitted public interest litigations (PILs) that were filed seeking compensation for fishers and others affected by the sinking of MSC Elsa 3, a Liberia-flagged container vessel that was carrying hazardous and other cargo, off the Alappuzha coast on May 25. The Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji posted the case for hearing in September, considering that a Single Bench is hearing an Admiralty suit filed by the State government seeking ₹9,351 crore as compensation for marine and coastal pollution, loss of fishers' livelihood and the 'remediation' measures following to the ship's sinking. However, the petitioners can approach the Division Bench in instances where directions to the government, the Director General of Shipping or to the Pollution Control Board are needed, the court said. The PILs had been filed by T.N. Pratapan, former MP and chairperson of the Kerala Fishermen Coordination Committee, among others. Another PIL was filed by Charles George, social activist and president of Kerala Fish Workers Coordination Committee and of Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Union, seeking $134 million as environmental security deposit following sinking of the vessel. The counsel for MSC, which operated the vessel, said that the inclement weather has affected efforts to salvage goods and oil from the sunk vessel.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
8 smart buoys in S'pore waters from 2026 to enhance sea safety
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai speaking at the the International Safety@Sea Week on July 15. SINGAPORE – Eight smart buoys will be installed in Singapore's waterways from 2026, as part of a push by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to use technology to boost safety at sea. The buoys will be equipped with sensors that can collect and transmit data about the marine environment, such as currents. They will also be able to transmit this data in real time to MPA to help it monitor Singapore's waters, the agency said. 'These smart buoys serve as digital sentinels supporting safe navigation,' said Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai on July 15. He announced MPA's plans in his opening address at International Safety@Sea Week that is being held at the Conrad Singapore Marina Bay. MPA said data collected from smart buoys will be used for marine traffic management, incident response planning and environmental monitoring and modelling. 'The data can also be shared with government agencies, institutes of higher learning and research institutes to support various use cases to benefit Singapore,' MPA said. It added that the smart buoys will be installed within Singapore's port waters where marine traffic is high, and where data collected may be useful for environmental modelling. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years In future, these smart buoys may also be used to relay information to ships and warn of adverse weather conditions, Mr Murali said. The use of smart buoys is one example of how the maritime industry can 'complement human capabilities … to better predict, prevent and respond quickly to safety hazards and incidents at sea', said Mr Murali. He also spoke of the increasingly complex challenges faced by the maritime industry, such as heightened geopolitical tensions and climate change. An attack on a bulk carrier in the Red Sea earlier in July underscores the 'urgent need' to protect the safety of seafarers, Mr Murali said. The Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated carrier sank in the Red Sea on July 9, following attacks over two consecutive days by Yemen's Houthi militants. Ten of the ship's complement of 22 crew and three guards were rescued. The remaining 15 are considered missing, including five who are believed to be dead. The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Arsenio Dominguez thanked Mr Murali 'for recognising the challenges we're facing when it comes to safety and security, particularly in the Red Sea'. Speaking at the same conference, Mr Dominguez said: 'I will continue to condemn those cowardly attacks. 'Shipping should not be collateral damage for geopolitical situations. Seafarers should not be negatively affected because of geopolitical situations, and we need to do our best not just to invest in people, but in protecting them as well.' On the issue of climate change, Mr Murali noted that changing weather patterns and the rise in extreme weather events are making navigation increasingly more challenging and uncertain . 'We can ride the waves': Murali But 'it is not all rough seas and dark skies ahead', Mr Murali said. He called for collaboration in training the maritime workforce, collaboration and partnerships within the sector, and leveraging technology to augment existing capabilities. One way Singapore is supporting the ongoing training of the maritime workforce is through a maritime energy training facility (METF) to equip maritime workers with skills to handle clean marine fuels. So far, the facility has trained more than 600 seafarers and maritime professionals. Its target is to train more than 10,000 seafarers by the 2030s. The MPA is also developing a METF digital platform that will give individuals and companies easy access to training courses. Mr Murali said the digital platform will be ready by end-2025. On fostering closer collaboration and partnerships, Mr Murali announced that the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) will open a regional office in Singapore. The Straits Times understands the office will open this month. The ICS is the global trade association for shipowners and operators, and represents over 80 per cent of the world's merchant fleet. 'ICS' regional office in Singapore contributes to our thriving ecosystem, reflecting Singapore's commitment to being a trusted global hub port and contributing to the advancement of maritime safety,' Mr Murali said. In terms of leveraging technology, Mr Murali pointed to Singapore's Maritime Digital Twin, a dynamic real-time virtual model of the Port of Singapore, powered by artificial intelligence. Integrating live data from vessels, port operations and environmental sensors, this digital twin will improve navigational safety, operational efficiency and environmental sustainability, MPA said in March 2025. The digital twin is also expected to enhance situational awareness and emergency response to oil and chemical spills.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Rescued crew of Greek ship sank by Houthis taken to Saudi Arabia
Ten mariners rescued after Houthi militants sank a Greek ship last week have arrived in Saudi Arabia, maritime security sources said on Monday, after rescuers ended their search for the remaining crew. The rescue mission began on Wednesday when the Iran-aligned group sank the Liberia-flagged Eternity C cargo ship, with 22 crew and three armed guards on board, after attacking the vessel with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades over two consecutive days. Eight crew members and two security guards were rescued. All the crew were Filipino, except for one Russian. On Sunday, maritime risk management firm Diaplous and British security firm Ambrey said in a joint statement that the vessel's owner had decided to end the privately run search for the remaining crew. "The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's owner reluctantly, but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore," they said. The ship carrying the rescued crew has arrived in Jizan, a Diaplous official said.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
Search called off for crew of Houthi-hit ship, maritime agencies say
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A vessel said to be Greek-operated, Liberia-flagged Eternity C is seen sinking in a footage released by Yemen's Houthis, in the Red Sea, on July 9, 2025. ATHENS - Maritime agencies Diaplous and Ambrey said on July 13 that they had ended their search for the remaining crew of the Eternity C cargo ship that was attacked by Yemen's Houthi militants last week . The decision was made at the request of the vessel's owner, both agencies said. The Liberia-flagged, Greek-operated Eternity C sank on the morning of July 9 following attacks over two consecutive days, according to sources at security companies involved in the rescue operation. Ten of the ship's complement of 22 crew and three guards were rescued . The remaining 15 are considered missing, including five who are believed to be dead, maritime security sources said. The Houthis said they had rescued some of the crew. The crew included 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Three armed guards were also on board, including one Greek and one Indian, who were both rescued. 'The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's owner reluctantly but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore,' maritime risk management firm Diaplous and British security firm Ambrey said in a joint statement. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a similar assault last Sunday targeting another ship, the Magic Seas. All crew from the Magic Seas were rescued before it sank. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic Singapore Experts call for legal agility to tackle influx of drug-laced vapes in Singapore Singapore askST Jobs: Feeling the pinch? Here's what to do if your pay rise is not matching inflation rate Opinion Hong Kong's past is disappearing, one icon at a time Asia Heaven sent? India's opposition parties build temples to woo Hindu voters Sport Sinner dethrones Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown The strikes on the two ships marked a resumption of a campaign by the Iran-aligned fighters who attacked more than 100 ships from November 2023 to December 2024 in what they said was solidarity with the Palestinians.
GMA Network
5 days ago
- GMA Network
DMW confirming if 3 Pinoys killed in MV Eternity C attack
A vessel said to be Greek-operated, Liberia-flagged MV Eternity C sinks in a video footage released by Yemen's Houthis, in the Red Sea, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 9, 2025. The vessel had 21 Filipino crew members, more than half of whom remain unaccounted as of July 11, 2025. HOUTHI MEDIA CENTER/Handout via REUTERS The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is still verifying reports that three of the 21 Filipino crew members of MV Eternity C were killed in the attack by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. At a news forum in Quezon City, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia on Saturday said search and rescue operations for the remaining 13 Filipino seafarers are ongoing, in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of National Defense (DND). "Malakas ang ating paniniwala na sila ay buhay pa… (Our belief is strong that they are still alive)," Olalia said. "Mayroon tayong unconfirmed reports. Aalamin natin ito sa mga kababayan natin na na-rescue… sa oras na makausap natin sila. Tatlo ang sinasabi sa news na may kababayan tayong namatay sa MV Eternity C," he said. (We have unconfirmed reports. We will verify this with our countrymen who were rescued... once we get in touch with them. News reports have said some of our countrymen at the MV Eternity C have died.) The DFA said last Wednesday that two Filipino seafarers aboard MV Eternity C were "most likely" killed. Olalia reiterated that the other 13 Filipino sailors remain unaccounted. He said the DMW is still verifying reports that the unaccounted Filipino sailors are being held captive by the Houthis. Meanwhile, the eight rescued Filipino crew members are now in a "safe port" for their "eventual facilitated repatriation." The DMW has suspended the license of the principal and manning agency of the 21 Filipino seafarers aboard the ill-fated ship. Eternity C had 22 crew members on board, comprising of 21 Filipinos and one Russian. Reuters had reported that three guards were also on the vessel during the incident. It was attacked Monday with sea drones and skiffs 50 nautical miles southwest of the port of Hodeidah in Yemen. In an order issued in March 2024, the DMW mandated shipowners and manning agencies to report planned passages through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and ensure that Filipino crew are informed of the risks. Olalia reminded Filipino seafarers of their right to refuse to sail. The Philippines is one of the world's largest providers of shipping manpower. A bulk of Filipino seamen or more than 20% of the world's 1.2 million sailors man oil tankers, luxury liners, and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to attacks, piracy and ransom kidnappings. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
