Articles by Jonathan Saul

UK’s Asset Freeze of Russian Shipping Firm Sovcomflot Causes Problems for Re/Insurers

Russia’s top shipping company Sovcomflot (SCF), already struggling to find berths to discharge cargoes, is facing fresh pressure after the UK on Thursday joined countries that have slapped sanctions on it, with implications for insurance and certification. With a modern …

Bangladesh Files $22.4M Insurance Claim After Missile Hits Ship in Ukraine

State-owned Bangladesh Shipping Corp. is seeking $22.4 million from its insurer for a cargo ship hit by a missile in March, government officials with knowledge of the talks said, in the first major marine insurance claim from the conflict in …

London’s Marine Insurers Widen High-Risk Shipping Areas as Ukraine Conflict Escalates

London’s marine insurance market has widened the area of waters around the Black Sea and Sea of Azov that it deems high risk as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensifies and perils to merchant shipping grow. The insurance industry’s Joint War …

As Foreign Seafarers Are Evacuated From Ukraine, Mariners Count Cost of War

Bangladeshi seafarer Asiful Islam recalls the moment when a missile struck his cargo ship last week off the Ukrainian port of Olvia, killing his crew mate. “I was just 15 feet away when it hit our ship. Our third engineer, …

Ship Insurer West Withdraws Cover on 2 Russian Ships Over U.S. Sanctions

British ship insurer West of England has withdrawn cover for two container ships operated by Russia’s FESCO Transportation Group after the vessels were listed by the U.S. Treasury as part of broader sanctions, West said on Wednesday. These are the …

Insurers Raise Costs of Shipping Through Black Sea for Vessels Still Willing to Sail

Insurers have raised the cost of providing cover for merchant ships through the Black Sea, adding to soaring rates to transport goods through the region for vessels still willing to sail after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ship owners pay annual …

Global Shipping Industry Faces Growing Pressure to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ocean freight costs are likely to remain high in 2022 as investors and regulators scramble to accelerate decarbonization of the shipping industry and companies grapple with green financing, sources say. Shipping, which transports about 90% of world trade and accounts …

Shipping Firms in Crosshairs as Investors, Insurers Shun Coal

Shipping companies that transport the world’s coal are in the crosshairs of some financial backers who are cleaning up their businesses in the absence of a truly global drive by nations to renounce the dirtiest fossil fuel. In a sign …

Banks Demanding Stricter Environmental Criteria When Financing Shipping Companies

Banks are demanding much stricter environmental criteria when financing shipping companies as investor pressure grows on the sector to accelerate going greener, according to Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Shipping, which transports about 90% of world trade, accounts for nearly 3% …

World Faces Shortage of Sailors for Commercial Ships, Risking Supply Chains: Report

There could be a shortage of merchant sailors to crew commercial ships in five years if action is not taken to boost numbers, raising risks for global supply chains, a report said on Wednesday. The shipping industry is already struggling …