Weekly Newsletter

Issue 1 · 6 October 2026

The LIMA Briefing

Maritime news that matters, and what it means for your people.

From the Bridge

Welcome aboard.

Welcome aboard. Two weeks ago, on World Maritime Day, we launched the Liverpool International Maritime Academy with one purpose: to help our industry turn policy into practice. This briefing is part of that mission. Every Tuesday, we will bring you the developments that matter most, and our view on what they mean for the people who must make them work, at sea and ashore. Thank you for sailing with us.

Captain Tony Field, Founder & President, LIMA

This Week in 60 Seconds

1.Suez Canal traffic reaches its highest level since December 2023 as major carriers return.
2.IMO Net-Zero Framework talks are due to resume this October.
3.The world fleet is short of 39,100 certified officers, and the gap is growing.

Top Story

Suez is back, but the Red Sea is not back to normal

Container lines are steadily returning to the Suez Canal after almost two years of sailing around Africa. According to Lloyd's List Intelligence, Suez transits reached 1,232 in August, up 28% year on year and the busiest month since December 2023, and ultra-large container ships are returning to the route. In mid-September, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd moved further Gemini services back to the trans-Suez route. The recovery remains cautious, however, with security threats continuing in the southern Red Sea.

LIMA Expert Insight

Crews and shore teams returning to the Red Sea must refresh high-risk transit procedures, ship security planning and bridge team management. Any company's return plan should include refresher training before the first transit, not after.

Net-Zero Framework back on the IMO agenda

The IMO's proposed global fuel standard and emissions pricing system, whose adoption was postponed in October 2025, is expected to return to the negotiating table this October. Whatever the outcome, the shift to new fuels is already under way.

The first global code for autonomous ships is now in effect

The IMO's MASS Code took effect on 1 July 2026 on a voluntary basis, with a mandatory code targeted for 2032. Remote operators and shore controllers will need new competencies.

Freight markets split by trade lane

Drewry's World Container Index rose 1% in mid-September on stronger transpacific rates, while Asia-Europe rates eased as Suez services return.

New IMO training guidelines for methanol and ammonia

Seafarers on ships using methanol, ethanol or ammonia as fuel now have dedicated international training guidance, approved by the IMO in May 2026.

STCW review enters its drafting phase

The IMO has identified more than 400 gaps in the global rulebook for seafarer training, with a revised convention expected around 2029 or 2030.

A new simulation centre in Gibraltar

The University of Gibraltar has opened a maritime simulation centre, funded by industry partners, that includes training for LNG bunkering.

MENA Spotlight

Jeddah gains a new link to ten global ports

Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has added the 5CX service to Jeddah Islamic Port, connecting it with ten regional and international ports, including Damietta in Egypt, in support of the Kingdom's National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

Number of the Week

39,100

The current global shortage of STCW-certified ship officers. The BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 also estimates that 113,735 more officers will be needed by 2030, while there is a surplus of ratings. Structured pathways from rating to officer are part of the answer.

Read the report summary →

Expert Corner

The Shore Blind Spot

"When something goes wrong at sea, the investigation usually starts on the bridge or in the engine room. These are the right questions to ask, but they are rarely the whole story. Behind every ship stands an organisation ashore, and many of the conditions that lead to an incident are created there long before the ship leaves port."

Read the full article on our website →

From LIMA

•We have launched. Read the announcement and our founder's message on why LIMA is different.
•Coming soon: our first webinar, "From Policy to Practice: What the IMO's New Agenda Means for Maritime Training." Watch this space for the date.
•Bilingual by design: all LIMA programmes are available in Arabic and English.

Dates to Watch

5-9 OctoberMarine Accident Investigators' International Forum (MAIIF 33), Bohol, the Philippines
October (date to be confirmed)IMO session expected to consider the Net-Zero Framework, London
26-30 OctoberWorld Maritime Day Parallel Event and Korea Maritime Week, Busan
25-27 NovemberMarine Accident Investigators' Forum in Asia, Hong Kong

Is your team ready for what's next? Tell us about your people and your goals, and we will design a programme around them.

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