The summer issue should, apparently, start with something about the weather - though it's probably early autumn when you're reading this. And that's actually what links the two. Alright, we had a few heat-wave days in north-central Poland too, fair enough, but the summer of 2026 was in many places across Europe, including its northern regions, one massive, never-ending, here-to-melt-your-brain-out, scorching thermal onslaught. It was thus a bit of a tone-turbulence sharing with partners from Germany or the UK that one could endure here a bone-chilling bike ride in the morning, courtesy of milk-thick fog, ahead of a day that wasn't all that warmer, for good measure sprinkled with rain, wind, a leaden sky - and whatever else Mother Nature felt like tossing in (a touch over-generously).

Our 2026 trip season began on the German Baltic coast - in Rostock. Though the settlement dates back to the 1100s, joined the Hanseatic League in 1251, and thrived as a vibrant seaport already in the 14th century, what we know today as Rostock Overseas Port has its roots in 1960.

Rostock has time and again reached all-time highs in cargo handling, all while navigating unprecedented supply-chain reshufflings, and is positioning itself as a green-energy hub for Northern Europe.

"…with great potential remaining," greeted us Henryk Tybuszewski, Hotel/F&B Manager at Unity Line (together with Polferries the founders of the POLSCA Baltic Ferries brand), when our other Przemek and I boarded Skania moored at the Westerplatte Ferry Terminal in Gdańsk's Inner Port on 3 August.

Maritime security, especially complying with the ISPS Code, is most often discussed in the context of ports, terminals, and shipboard compliance.

Fatigue remains one of the biggest safety concerns in shipping. Its impact on judgement, concentration, and decision-making is well understood, and no one questions the importance of work and rest hour regulations.

For carriers, damaged container corner castings create an operational hazard with potentially severe consequences for handling efficiency, cargo integrity, and vessel safety.

Deciding on the number of mooring lines a vessel must carry is done on a case-by-case basis. The ship must prove compliance with SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-8 and its associated MSC guidelines, which entered into force on 1 January 2024.

In a seascape regularly buffeted by external shocks - pandemics, inflationary pressures, volatile oil prices, and shifting trade-war dynamics - maintaining tight, disciplined control over operating expenses (opex) has long been a strategic imperative for shipping firms.