"Strong communities are built by people who show up for one another. OCIMF will be showing up to support mariners by partnering with the Sailors’ Society in a charity fundraising event on Saturday 27 September."
Director's Log
Strong communities are built by people who show up for one another. OCIMF will be showing up to support mariners by partnering with the Sailors’ Society in a charity fundraising event on Saturday 27 September.
Miles for Mariners: One Day, One Island, One Ride (or Walk) is a one-day challenge that reflects OCIMF’s shared commitment to crew wellbeing across the maritime industry. Participants can choose to circumnavigate the Isle of Wight by bike (100km or 80km) or enjoy a 20km coastal walk. Along the way there will be pit-stop lunches and energy snacks, with the day ending in an informal meal and drinks – a chance to relax, celebrate, and connect.
Every kilometre covered helps fund the Sailors’ Society’s 24/7 global wellbeing services for seafarers and their families. It’s a challenge, but one that makes a real difference.
We’d love you to join us – whether by riding, walking, donating, or simply spreading the word – to show your support for seafarers.
For more information, visit Miles for Mariners 2025 - Sailors' Society
If you’d like to join our OCIMF team, or help our teammates each reach their £1,200 (cyclist) or £250 (hiker) fundraising targets, please contact me at
Thanks for your consideration.
Karen Davis
Director OCIMF
Maritime security news
The International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB)
On 7 July, the IMB released its 2025 half year report recording 90 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the first half of 2025 compared to 60 and 65 in the same periods of 2024 and 2023 respectively. This marks the highest number of reported incidents over six months since 2020, when 98 incidents were recorded. Of the incidents reported, 79 vessels were boarded, six attempted attacks, four hijackings and one vessel fired upon. Concern for crew wellbeing contin ues with 40 crew taken hostage, 16 kidnapped, five threatened and three each assaulted and injured.
Of most concern is the continued rise of incidents in the Singapore Strait, where 57 incidents have been recorded, accounting for 63% of all global incidents. IMB Director, Michael Howlett said, “The Singapore Strait is a critical shipping route, with ships carrying roughly 30% of global trade. This rise in incidents is deeply concerning as it puts the safety of our seafarers and the security of international commerce at risk.”
Members are encouraged to look at the guidance and reporting procedures in the latest version of the Best Management Practices – Maritime Security.
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre
On 10 July, the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) released its 2025 half year report on Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia. While most of the incidents were opportunistic, the statistics highlight a total of 95 incidents of piracy and armed robbery were reported to ReCAAP ISC representing an 83% increase compared to 52 incidents reported in the same period last year. Many of these incidents were caused by vessels not being prepared; OCIMF encourages use of the latest information and guidance provided in Best Management Practices – Maritime Security.
The ReCAAP ISC Executive Director, Mr Vijay D Chafekar, said, “The spike in sea robberies in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore is a matter of concern. To bring down the number of incidents and help ensure the safety of seafarers using the SOMS, I urge littoral State authorities to increase their presence in locations where incidents are occurring repeatedly, and to arrest the culprits who are boarding ships illegally to steal items. Shipmasters transiting the areas of concern need to increase lookouts on deck during hours of darkness and install preventive measures to deter unauthorised boarding by perpetrators.”
The full report can be found here. In support of releasing this report, ReCAAP ISC held a dialogue with the shipping industry to discuss the security situation in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). OCIMF is grateful to Capt Hemant Berry (AMPOL) and Ee-Her Lam (Shell) for representing members at this important event.
Maritime Security Committee
OCIMF’s Maritime Security Committee (MSC) met on 7 July. A packed agenda focusing on the outputs of a new maritime strategy was overshadowed by discussion of the persistent attacks against vessels in the Red Sea and regrettable loss of life. The MSC reaffirmed its ambition to produce the best possible guidance and advice in rapidly changing circumstances for members. In the near term, the committee is producing an information paper on counter-drone equipment and working collaboratively with other associations to address safe navigation in areas of extreme electronic interference.
For more details, please contact Russell Pegg, OCIMF Security Adviser,
Barges Expert Group
14th meeting: 31 July (virtual)
Lead: Unni Krishnan (IMT)
Co-leads: Vincent Denis (BASF), Jose Maria Risso Patron (YPF)
Secretary: Ton Mol (OCIMF Barge Adviser)
The Barges Expert Group (BEG) met for its 14th meeting in July. On the agenda was the progress of the development of the Global Barge Guide and the information paper about Smart Shipping. Updates were given on regional barging activities in North America, Europe and South-Central America. One highlight was the visit to Houston in July, where members from both American regions had their first joint meeting. The BEG also discussed engagement in the Asia/Pacific region, with a plan for an OCIMF Day for Barging in Singapore on 20 November (more details to follow). OCIMF Secretariat gave updates on their areas of work, including the Human Factors Adviser, Maartje Wibrew-Forster, and the Offshore Adviser, Christopher Holland, who talked about aligning the OCIMF Management Self-Assessment (MSA) tools.
The next BEG meeting is planned for December. For more information contact Ton Mol, OCIMF Barge Adviser,
IMO – looking ahead to Autumn 2025
Safe deployment of new fuels and technologies
Following a routine August break, IMO meetings resume with the 5-day Intersessional Working Group on safety of ships using Alternative Fuels (ISWG-AF 2) beginning 1 September, and reporting to the 11th subcommittee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 11) in the following week.
The interim guidance for safety of ships using hydrogen as fuel is expected to be finalised during these sessions. Discussions on creating a mandatory regulatory instrument for methanol/ethanol as fuel are expected, as well as experiences gained from research and use of fuel cell technologies. Focus will also be on gas ships to finalise a comprehensive set of amendments to the Gas Ship Code and develop guidance for use of ammonia as fuel on gas ships. Also under consideration is proposed enhancement to the IMO interim recommendations for carriage of liquefied hydrogen in bulk to include a wider range of containment systems.
Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS)
A 5-day intersessional MASS working group is planned from 29 September to 3 October. This meeting will focus on human element themes such as minimum safe manning, human control and supervision, human-centred design, training provisions for remote operators and role of the Master. The IMO road map envisages a non-mandatory MASS Code to be adopted by May 2026 during the 111th session of the Maritime Safety Committee.
Climate change and IMO’s Net-Zero framework
An extraordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC-ES.2) is due to take place from 14–17 October 2025 to consider, with a view to adopting, a new Chapter 5 to MARPOL Annex VI – Regulations on the IMO Net-Zero Framework. This new chapter aims to deliver on the GHG reduction targets set out in the IMO 2023 GHG reduction strategy to promote a just and equitable energy transition of international shipping.
Upon adoption, the new regulations are expected to enter into force after a minimum of 16 months in 2027. Importantly, regulatory adoption by the IMO will initiate commencement of essential work on developing guidance to support implementation of the various newly introduced features of the IMO Net-Zero Framework such as the global fuel standard, the economic measure and ensuring compliance with GHG fuel intensity targets.
OCIMF looks forward to contributing to these important discussions at the IMO and would welcome and encourage member participation.
For enquiries regarding IMO matters, contact Risk and Regulatory Affairs Adviser, Abhijit Aul