Nine Vietnamese fishermen went missing on September 27 after their mini purse seiner ‘BD 97258 TS’ left to catch tuna on September 12 from Vietnam’s southern coastal province of Khánh Hòa. Coast Guard officials have been searching for the crew over the past week and confirmed yesterday that they have not received any information about them. The vessel was operated by its owner, who was also the captain, along with eight fishers, and was fishing 147 nautical miles (272 km) southeast of Quy Nhon when contact was lost. Officials were alerted by the crew members’ families who notified they had not been in contact with the boat for hours. The reason for its disappearance stays in the dark.

Local political leaders in Gia Lai province, near the coast where the boat went missing, have announced to set up a temporary command post to direct the search, and requested officials for its urgent completion. In another tragic incident that happened on October 5, a fishing boat with 11 Vietnamese   fishers sank after it was hit by a Korean oil tanker. A nearby vessel managed to rescue ten of them, but the captain, who is also the owner, is still missing.

Korean Dongwon-owned StarKist is sponsoring this year’s annual Chosin Few Gala which will be held on October 4 in Arlington County near the company’s corporate headquarters. The event honors and reunites Korean War veterans who fought in the historic Battle of Chosin Reservoir and their families, for the 75th year. The celebrations include a cocktail hour with Charlie the Tuna, opening remarks from StarKist President and CEO Edward Min, dinner, and musical performances.

StarKist’s dedication to honoring Korean War veterans dates back to over a decade and continues this year through its sponsorship of the Chosin Few Gala. This ongoing partnership underscores the tuna brand’s deep commitment to recognizing the sacrifices of Korean War veterans and ensuring their legacy is never forgotten, read a StarKist statement. The Chosin Few are the soldiers who fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea in December 1950 during the Korean War. The US, China, and the UK were involved in the conflict.

Thai Union’s issuance of blue bonds in September has attracted significant investor interest and was oversubscribed 3.68 times. The canned tuna and seafood giant exceeded its target, set in 2023, of sourcing 75 percent of its long-term financing from sustainable sources by 2025 and is on track to reach 100 percent by 2030. Due to strong market demand, Thai Union increased the sustainability-linked bond of THB 7 billion (USD 216.4 million) for a five or ten-year duration to THB 9 billion (USD 278.2 million) by adding blue bonds with a term of 4 years.

Sustainability-linked instruments offer favorable financing terms upon achievement of set targets, while blue bonds allocate proceeds directly to ocean-related initiatives. Both instruments are closely linked to the company’s SeaChange® 2030 strategy. The transactions consisted a package of THB 10 billion (USD 309.1 million) in sustainability-related loans from a consortium of leading banks and a bond issue of THB 9 billion. Earlier this year, the company secured a THB 5 billion (USD 154.5 million) blue loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), bringing the total to THB 24 billion (USD 741.8 million) in blue financing.