The ocean has carried human commerce for millennia. Today, roughly 90% of global trade moves by sea — approximately 11 billion tonnes of cargo annually, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). But this invisible backbone of globalisation comes at a steep environmental price. The international shipping industry is responsible for…
The vast blue expanse has always been a stage for human ambition and ingenuity. For centuries, the maritime industry has been the backbone of global trade, connecting continents and cultures. At its heart lies the merchant navy, a silent force ensuring the flow of goods that sustain our modern world. But what does the…
The merchant ship is a marvel of human engineering, yet its journey remains bound to the oldest laws of geography. For decades, global shipping functioned on a delicate, "just-in-time" logistics model. Efficiency was measured entirely by speed and cost reduction. However, a rapidly changing world has exposed the fragility of this hyper-optimized network. From geopolitical…
The maritime industry is the undisputed lifeblood of global trade, carrying roughly 90% of the world's goods. Yet for centuries, the fundamental mechanics of seafaring have remained the same: a captain and crew braving the elements, relying on human vigilance to guide massive vessels across vast oceans.
Today, we are standing on the precipice of…
"He who commands the sea has command of everything." Themistocles, 480 BC
The ancient Athenian general said it before ships ran on fossil fuels, before containerisation, before a fifth of the world's oil moved through a single 33-kilometre corridor. He said it at a time when sea power was about warships and oars. What he…
The Merchant Tanker Pacifica, on her fifth day out from San Lorenzo, Argentina, was cutting through the mid-Atlantic swells with ease – no rolling, no pitching, just her engines thrumming deep in the hull. She was 260 metres long, laden with refined petroleum bound for Rotterdam. Her crew of twenty-four had settled into the routine…
Life rarely moves in a straight line. For some, success comes through smooth roads; for others, it is carved through storms. My journey to the Indian Maritime University, Kolkata Campus (DMET), has been nothing short of a voyage through turbulent seas.
A few years ago, I found myself fighting a battle far away from…
An initiative by DMET Samvaad, proudly sponsored by Seastella Maritime Media, to encourage knowledge sharing, storytelling, and thought leadership within the maritime community.
The maritime industry has always been built on technology, ports, and ships, but at its core, it is the people whose insights, experiences, and lessons shape the future of this profession.
Every…