Skip to content
Mariners Digest
Home
Mariners Digest Mariners Digest
Issue 9 · Past issue

Hormuz: most attacked ships don't report; Suez checks ships aged 25+; DGMA's MEO Class I exam tips

Saturday, 17 October 2026 · free, no ads · a new issue Tuesday to Saturday

  • 8items
  • 4official sources
  • 4to act on
  • 5 minto read

In 60 seconds

  • India: DGMA Chief Examiner on MEO Class I - an answer without the sketch loses 50%; allow 1.8 minutes per mark.
  • Hormuz: UKMTO says most attacked ships do not report; report every incident, every time.
  • Piracy at a 1992 low, but 8 Somali hijackings and 9 ships boarded at anchor off Manila and Batangas.
  • Safety lesson: one unsecured hull hatch sank Argos Georgia; 13 died (MAIB 19/2026).
  • IMO & rules: climate-rule vote set for 4 Dec; industry: Suez inspections for ships aged 25+.
❓ How to use
You are reading a past issue. Go to the latest issue →

🚨 Act on these first

  1. Kandla, JNPA, Paradip and Mundra notified as mega ports; port cargo up 8% · 🇮🇳 India — DGMA tracker
  2. Hormuz: UKMTO says most ships that are attacked do not report it · 🛡️ Security
  3. Piracy at its lowest since 1992, but Somali hijackings and Manila boardings rise · 🛡️ Security
  4. Lesson: one unsecured hull hatch sank a fishing vessel and killed 13 (MAIB 19/2026) · ⚠️ Safety lesson

India — DGMA tracker

India — DGMA tracker Urgent Official

Kandla, JNPA, Paradip and Mundra notified as mega ports; port cargo up 8%

Per the Shipping Ministry's September 2026 summary, four ports were notified as mega ports under the Indian Ports Act on 25 September 2026. They are Deendayal (Kandla), Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva), Paradip and Mundra. Cargo at Major Ports rose 8.01% in FY 2026-27 up to September, from 437.70 to 472.75 million tonnes. At Kandla, the foundation stone of India's first port-based e-methanol plant was laid on 26 September.

What to do: Nothing to do on board. Coastal and port crews: expect more traffic and new berths at these four ports, and watch for port-specific notices from your agent.
Affects: Crews calling at Indian major ports, port and shore staff When: Mega-port notification 25 Sep 2026
Source: MoPSW Monthly Summary, September 2026 ↗

Exams & certificates

Exams & certificates Official

MEO Class I: Chief Examiner says candidates fail on time, misread questions and messy answers

In a note dated 16 Oct 2026, DGMA's Chief Examiner of Engineers says MEO Class I candidates rarely fail for lack of knowledge. They fail on poor time management, misreading questions and unstructured answers. In 'Sketch and Describe' questions, a description without a sketch forfeits 50% of the marks. Units left out also cost marks. A minor calculator slip can still earn up to 90% if the method is shown. The note also reviews the July 2026 MEO Class I paper question by question. The published copy is a scan.

What to do: Sitting MEO Class I? Allow 1.8 minutes per mark (100 marks in 180 minutes). Keep the last 10-15 minutes to check numbering and units. Always draw the sketch, and write the formula before the numbers. Read the question-wise review in the note.
Affects: Engineers preparing for MEO Class I, MTI faculty When: Note dated 16 Oct 2026
Source: DGMA - Note from the Chief Examiner of En… ↗

Security

Security Urgent Reported

Hormuz: UKMTO says most ships that are attacked do not report it

Reported by gCaptain on 16 Oct: UKMTO's weekly overview says the majority of targeted ships refuse to submit reports. Because of this, nobody knows the real number of attacks. UKMTO recorded 12 attacks in its latest period, 10 of them in the Strait of Hormuz. Since 6 July, 55 of 74 projectile strikes were on the southern route. Of 254 transits in the seven days to 14 October, only 42 were tracked on AIS.

What to do: Masters and OOWs: report every attack, attempt or suspicious approach to UKMTO, even if you continue the voyage. Treat published attack numbers as a minimum. Read the latest JMIC advice on AIS before you transit.
Affects: Masters, deck officers and all crew transiting Hormuz and the Gulf When: Overview of 16 Oct 2026
Source: gCaptain (UKMTO weekly overview) ↗
Security Urgent Reported

Piracy at its lowest since 1992, but Somali hijackings and Manila boardings rise

According to the IMB report of 15 Oct, 51 incidents were reported from January to September 2026, against 116 a year earlier. They were: 36 ships boarded, 8 hijacked, 4 fired upon and 3 attempts. Somali pirates carried out eight hijackings. They held 94% of all crew taken hostage worldwide. Singapore Strait cases fell from 73 to 13. In the Philippines, nine ships at anchor were boarded (six in Manila, three in Batangas), against none in 2025.

What to do: Off Somalia: follow the latest BMP strictly. At anchor in Manila or Batangas: keep a proper anchor watch and good lighting. Report every actual, attempted or suspected incident to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre.
Affects: Masters, deck watchkeepers, security officers When: Report of 15 Oct 2026 (Jan-Sep 2026)
Source: ICC International Maritime Bureau ↗

Safety lesson

Safety lesson Urgent Official

Lesson: one unsecured hull hatch sank a fishing vessel and killed 13 (MAIB 19/2026)

On 22 July 2024 the longliner Argos Georgia, with 27 on board, flooded about 190 nautical miles east of Port Stanley. The starboard line-hauling hatch had opened unexpectedly. Its manual securing was probably not engaged, and the crew could not close it. Open weathertight doors let the water spread. The emergency response was disorganised, and distress and abandon-ship were called late. 13 people died. MAIB recommends automatic locking for shell doors and a documented safety management system for the owner.

What to do: Know every hull opening on your ship. Check that securing devices are engaged, keep weathertight doors closed at sea, and drill for flooding. If water is coming in and you cannot stop it, raise the distress alarm early, not late.
Affects: All crews, especially on fishing, ro-ro and offshore vessels with shell doors When: Report published 25 Sep 2026
Source: MAIB report 19/2026 ↗

IMO & rules

IMO & rules Official

Coming up: IMO climate rules - working group 23 Nov, MEPC 85, vote 4 Dec

IMO's MEPC 84 summary sets a second working-group meeting on the Net-Zero Framework for 23-27 November. MEPC 85 follows, from 30 November to 3 December. The adjourned extraordinary session is due to resume on Friday 4 December 2026, subject to confirmation by MEPC 85. States may submit new amendments to the draft. The framework would add a global fuel standard and GHG pricing to MARPOL Annex VI.

What to do: Masters, C/Es and shore staff: nothing changes on board yet. Keep your fuel-consumption (DCS) and CII records accurate, and watch for the result on 4 December.
Affects: Masters, C/Es, technical and fleet managers When: 23 Nov - 4 Dec 2026
Source: IMO - MEPC 84 meeting summary ↗

Shipping industry

Shipping industry Reported

Suez Canal: ships aged 25 and older now need an inspection and trials before transit

Reported by Splash247 on 15 Oct: the Suez Canal Authority now requires a comprehensive inspection and trials for ships aged 25 years or older before it gives permission to transit. All fees must be paid in advance. Ships coming back within six months of their last inspection are exempt if no defects or breakdowns were recorded. The rule is already in force. Fees and processing time were not disclosed.

What to do: On a ship built 25 or more years ago and bound for Suez? Tell your agent early, keep machinery, steering and defect records ready, and close out open defects before arrival to avoid delay.
Affects: Masters, C/Es and superintendents of older ships When: Already in force (instructions sent to agents, week of 12 Oct 2026)
Source: Splash247 ↗
Shipping industry Reported

ITF demands release of seafarer jailed in Turkey for drugs found on his ship

The ITF Executive Board says seafarer Ali Albokhari has been held in Turkey for three years since cocaine was found on the Phoenician M in October 2023. Eight other crew were cleared. According to the ITF, he and the Master were convicted on 'command responsibility', with no evidence directly linking him to the drugs. The union asks for an independent review of the case and his release.

What to do: Officers: if drugs are found or suspected on board, report at once to the master, company and authorities, and record every search and finding in writing. Ask your company what its drug-smuggling plan says about who searches and who signs.
Affects: Masters and senior officers, all crew on high-risk drug routes When: Statement of 16 Oct 2026
Source: ITF Seafarers ↗

One-question check

Sea water floods a compartment and moves freely (slack). Why does the ship's stability fall?

Mariners Digest summarises public sources in its own words and links every item to its source. Items marked Official link to the regulator's own document; Reported items come from the trade press. Always check the source before acting on it. This is not legal advice. Independent — not affiliated with the Directorate General of Shipping or IMO. How to use