On October 2nd the UK High Court handed down its highly-anticipated judgment in a case that raised issues of the duty of fair presentation under the Insurance Act 2015.

Publication: Kennedys Law

On the night of 5-6 July 2011 the Brillante Virtuoso appeared to be the latest victim of a Somali pirate attack. This month, the High Court Justice concluded the beneficial owner was the “instigator of the conspiracy” to destroy the vessel in order to commit insurance fraud.

Publication: Kennedys Law

UK security firm says perpatrators’ appetite now extends beyond just barges with scrap steel. The Singapore Strait has seen a spike in the number of incidents of robbers boarding vessels, says a top security consultancy.

Publication: Tradewinds

Where is there room in shipping to be creative? To experiment and do a bit of day-dreaming? Who is encouraging success through trial and error, rather than prescription? James Wilkes writes for Splash247 how to make our industry a more attractive career option.

Publication: Splash247

Venezuela’s ports have become increasingly hazardous for shipping as the country struggles with civil unrest and a deteriorating economy, a top security firm has warned.

Publication: Tradewinds

Thieves are targeting vessels anchored in ports in Venezuela, North P&I Club and security consultant and analyst Gray Page have warned.

“Maritime Threat Picture” from the insurer and consultant showed that attacks on ships in ports in Venezuela had been growing during the country’s struggles with a collapsing economy and civil unrest.

Publication: Insurance Marine News. Read article.

James Wilkes, Managing Director, Gray Page speaks to Safety 4 Sea. He explains how he joined maritime industry and what makes his current role exciting.

Publication: Safety4Sea. Read article.

Piracy threat moves up a level with triple raid off Congo.

A BW LPG VLGC has emerged as the ship which narrowly avoided being hijacked off Congo earlier this week, while a bunker tanker has been seized and crew also taken from an RK8 Shipmanagement OSV, TradeWinds has learned.

Publication: Tradewinds. Read article.

An LPG Carrier has narrowly avoided being hijacked by pirates off the West Coast of Africa, TradeWinds has learnt.

The incident took place on Monday in position 04° 46.7’S, 010° 08.3’E, around 101 nautical miles (nm) west of Pointe Noire, in the Republic of Congo.

Publication: Tradewinds. Read article.

A jack-up drilling rig cold stacked off Singapore has been targeted by armed robbers. Two assailants, said to be armed with swords, are said to have boarded the unnamed rig and tied up two security guards.

Publication: Tradewinds. Read article.

Shipowners using Brazilian ports have been warned that drug smugglers may target their vessels in a bid to export drugs to the west.

Much of cocaine reaching Europe thought to have moved through Port of Santos, warns Gray Page.

Publication: Tradewinds. Read article.

A tug has recently been boarded by intruders off Malaysia’s Sabah state, in what is thought to have been a failed kidnap attempt.

Security consultancy Gray Page says incident may have been linked to Philippines –based Abu Sayyaf.

Publication: Tradewinds. Read article.

Incident involving German containership marks spread of piracy threat in West Africa. A Hapag-Lloyd chartered containership has reportedly been chased by pirates while sailing off the West African nation of Ghana.

Publication: Tradewinds, read Dale Wainwright’s article

Seafarer abandonment should be called-out for what it is: the flagrant exploitation and neglect of vulnerable people. And in other walks of life, that is considered to be criminal behaviour. James Wilkes writes for Splash 24/7.

Publication: Splash 24/7. Read article

James Wilkes, Managing Director of specialist maritime advisory and consulting group Gray Page writes for Associated British Ports Reports Magazine about some of the myths surrounding cyber security, terrorism and piracy in shipping.

See 2017 Report Magazine, Issue 4, page 30