More than 200 guests attended the official naming ceremony of Stena Line’s newest vessel, Stena Futura, at Belfast Harbour. The 147-mhybrid freight ferry Stena Futura is the first of two next-generation “NewMax” freight vessels purpose-built for the busy Belfast–Heysham route. The ship is methanol-ready and equipped with hybrid propulsion systems
The foreign ministers of the Philippines and China met in Manila on Wednesday and both made "strong" protests over an encounter between the two countries' vessels this week in contested South China Sea waters.The Philippine foreign affairs secretary, Maria Theresa Lazaro, said in an X post that she reiterated the protest over what she called "unacceptable actions against Filipino personnel"
The Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own.Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a
The Philippines has received an assurance from Iran that it will allow the safe passage of Philippine-flagged vessels, fuel and Filipino seafarers through the Strait of Hormuz, Manila's foreign ministry said on Thursday.The assurance came after Philippine foreign minister Ma. Theresa Lazaro spoke with her Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi
China's defence ministry accused Philippine Coast Guard vessels on Friday of "dangerous manoeuvres" in response to reports of a collision earlier this week between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.The Philippine vessels' actions "seriously endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel," ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin.