Explainer: How Iran Turned Hormuz Into a Geopolitical Checkpoint
Iran has systematically transformed the Strait of Hormuz into a de‑facto geopolitical checkpoint, deploying naval mines, missile batteries and heightened patrols to control one of the world’s most vital oil arteries. The move coincides with escalating regional tensions and a deepening security partnership with China, which has financed port upgrades and logistics hubs along the Persian Gulf. These actions have already pushed oil freight rates up by roughly 15 percent and prompted a visible increase in US naval presence. The shift signals a long‑term re‑balancing of power in a chokepoint that supplies over a fifth of global oil demand.
Transworld Shipping Lines Reports Loss for Q3 Amid Aging Fleet Challenges
Transworld Shipping Lines posted a Rs 25 crore net loss for Q3 2025, a sharp reversal from a Rs 15 crore profit a year earlier. Revenue slipped to Rs 132 crore and EBITDA collapsed to Rs 8 crore as four of its twelve vessels near the end of...
Brunswick Harbor Dredging Advances to Restore Channel Depth
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun maintenance dredging in Brunswick’s inner and outer harbor to restore the channel to its federally authorized depth. Funded by $11.35 million in federal money and $6 million from the state, the work is slated...
Explainer: How Global Shipping Is Financing China’s Navy without Knowing It
Global shipping’s reliance on Chinese Tier‑1 shipyards is simultaneously financing the People’s Liberation Army Navy. CSIS data shows these yards produce 40% of China’s commercial tonnage while building virtually every major warship, generating $165 billion in export revenue from 2019‑2024. Freight‑rate...
Rotterdam’s 2025 Container Performance Reveals Structural Trade Shifts
Rotterdam’s 2025 container statistics show a structural reorientation of global trade, with imports rising 3.9% while exports continue to fall, especially to Asia. The export slump has widened the import‑export gap by 1.47 million TEU, increasing empty‑container circulation. Carrier alliance reshuffles...
With No Charterers, Marinakis Outfit Converts 8,800 TEU Quartet to Tankers
Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Marinakis’ Capital Maritime & Trading is converting four 8,800‑TEU container ship orders into Suezmax oil tankers after failing to secure charter contracts. The vessels were originally contracted with HD Hyundai Samho in December 2025 at $116.6 million...
APM Terminals Suape Enters Final Construction Phase
APM Terminals Suape has received 28 fully electrified equipment units from SANY, a $47 million investment that pushes the project into its final construction phase. The $350 million terminal, slated to open in the second half of 2026, will initially handle 400,000...
CNC Introduces Emergency Fuel Surcharge for Intra-Asia Shipping
CNC Line announced an Emergency Fuel Surcharge (EFS) for intra‑Asia shipments, effective 16 March 2026. The surcharge is USD 75 per TEU for dry, flat‑rack, open‑top, tank and special equipment containers, and USD 90 for reefers. It covers routes across China, Southeast...
CMA CGM Expands Asia–Iraq Connectivity with PHOEX Service
French shipping giant CMA CGM has launched its Phoenician (PHOEX) service to strengthen cargo links between Asia and Iraq. The route runs from Asian ports to Mersin, Turkey, where containers are transferred to coordinated inland haulage for delivery to key Iraqi...
MSC Highlights Inland Cargo Solutions to Gulf Amid Middle East
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has introduced alternative inland logistics routes to keep cargo flowing to Gulf markets amid heightened security concerns in the Middle East. The carrier’s Dragon and Jade services will continue to link major Asian ports with Saudi...
Ocean Network Express Operational Updates for Middle East
Ocean Network Express (ONE) announced immediate operational adjustments across multiple routes as the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed due to escalating security challenges in the Middle East. The carrier is deploying alternative routings to keep vessels moving while safeguarding crews,...
APM Terminals Liberia Establish Export Processing Centre in Liberia
APM Terminals Liberia and Global Logistics Services (GLS) announced a strategic partnership to build Liberia’s first dedicated Export Processing Centre, unveiled at the EU‑Liberia Business Forum in Brussels. The facility merges GLS’s local logistics know‑how with APM’s port‑operating capabilities to...
Konecranes Acquires Service Firms in Thailand and New Zealand
Konecranes closed two acquisitions in Q1 2026, buying Thailand‑based Ex‑Kcranes and New Zealand’s Trimate Industries. The deals, whose financial terms were undisclosed, add roughly €2.5 million in annual sales and about 20 employees to the group. The moves broaden Konecranes’ service footprint across...
Readers Speak: Hormuz Tensions Threaten Red Sea Recovery
Growing instability in the Strait of Hormuz is prompting concerns that the recovery of container shipping in the Red Sea could stall. A recent Readers Speak poll shows most industry respondents believe regional risk will expand beyond a single chokepoint,...
Ellerman City Liners Relaunches IPEX2 Service
Ellerman City Liners has revived its IPEX2 service, re‑establishing a dedicated shuttle route between Hull, United Kingdom and Gdynia, Poland. The relaunched line will operate with a single 325‑TEU vessel, delivering a direct North Sea‑Baltic connection after a period of...
Akkon Lines Launches Bulgaria Shuttle Service
Turkish carrier Akkon Lines will launch the Bulgaria Shuttle Service later this month, adding a dedicated short‑sea loop between Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania. The service will operate a single 350‑TEU vessel, calling at Gemlik, Izmit (Gebze), Varna, Burgas and Constanta...
Rhenus Group Expands Philippine Logistics Footprint
Rhenus Group has opened a 7,320‑square‑metre multi‑user warehouse in Parañaque, Metro Manila, expanding its Philippine network to eight facilities. The site features 20‑metre ceiling heights, comprehensive security systems and sustainability measures such as LED lighting, solar‑panel provisions and skylights. Rhenus...
CMA CGM Updates Freight Rates and Surcharges
CMA CGM announced a suite of new freight‑all‑kinds (FAK) rates and surcharges that take effect on April 1, 2026, covering Mediterranean origins to Australia, New Zealand and North America. The carrier also introduced a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) for China‑to‑East‑Africa routes from March 15...
Imabari Shipbuilding Delivers 64,000 DWT Bulk Carrier ULTRA DETERMINATION
Imabari Shipbuilding has delivered the 64,000‑dwt handymax bulk carrier ULTRA DETERMINATION from its Shin Kasado Dockyard in Japan. The vessel features four deck cranes, wide hatch openings and topside hopper tanks, allowing it to transport bulk commodities, steel products and...
ONE Expands AX4 Service to Key South America and Asia Ports
Ocean Network Express (ONE) is expanding its AX4 West Coast South America service to add Qingdao and Ensenada on the eastbound leg and Callao and Ecuador on the westbound leg, effective April 2026. The revised rotation links Shanghai, Ningbo, Qingdao,...
Port of Oakland Records Slight Growth
The Port of Oakland handled 195,897 TEUs in January 2026, marking a 1.4% year‑over‑year increase and a 9.1% rise from December 2025. Loaded imports grew 4.9% YoY and 15.4% month‑on‑month, while loaded exports were essentially flat, slipping 0.3% YoY. The...
Explainer: How Commercial Shipping Built Its Own Strategic Cage
The explainer outlines how five interlinked forces—rerouting, chronic overcapacity, dual‑use shipyards, terminal operator leverage, and nearshoring—have collectively confined commercial shipping within a self‑imposed strategic cage. Overcapacity pushes carriers into razor‑thin margins, while geopolitical rerouting adds complexity and cost. Dual‑use shipyards...
Premier Alliance FY2026 PN1 Service Update
Ocean Network Express, Yang Ming, and HMM announced a FY2026 update to the Premier Alliance Pacific North 1 (PN1) service, eliminating the Xiamen call. The final Xiamen‑Tacoma sailing, YM PLUM 194E, will arrive in Xiamen on April 23, 2026. Alternative...
Maersk Launches AE19 Service
Maersk has launched the AE19 service, a new addition to its East‑West network and the Gemini Cooperation, creating direct container links between Asia, the Mediterranean and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The service follows a complex rotation that includes ports such as...
PD Ports Delivers Support for Northern England Solar Energy Projects
PD Ports completed a large‑scale logistics operation for northern England’s renewable energy rollout, moving more than 220 containers of solar panels and over 300 containers of lithium storage cubes through its Teesport terminal. The company handled import, warehousing and inland...
CMA CGM Announces Rate Restoration Initiatives to Latin America and Caribbean
Shipping line CMA CGM announced new rate restoration surcharges for its Europe‑to‑Latin America and Caribbean services, taking effect on April 1, 2026. The carrier will levy a €325 per container fee on shipments from North Europe to Central America and the Caribbean, and...
CNC Revamps JPX Service
CNC has launched a revamped JPX service linking Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines with an optimized port rotation and stable weekly sailings. The new schedule introduces an express Ningbo‑Malacca link and direct connections to Manila North and South,...
HMM Warns of Potential Disruptions to Hormuz Transits
HMM has issued an advisory warning that escalating tensions and security risks in the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt its maritime services. The volatile environment is already affecting global supply chains and may lead to schedule delays, altered vessel itineraries,...
MSC Introduces War Surcharges
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company announced two new war‑related surcharges to offset escalating security risks in the Middle East. An Emergency War Surcharge of $500 per TEU for dry cargo and $1,000 per TEU for reefers will apply to shipments from...
CNC Launches BY8 Service for Faster Southeast Asia Connections
CNC has launched BY8, a new feeder service that directly connects Singapore, Port Klang, Belawan, and Yangon, streamlining Southeast Asian trade routes. The rotation eliminates unnecessary transshipments, delivering faster transit times and greater predictability for shippers. Additional sailings between Singapore...
RCL Introduces Rate Increase for Middle East Cargo Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions
Regional Container Lines (RCL) announced a General Rate Increase for cargo moving to and from the Middle East, effective March 2, 2026. The surcharge adds $2,000 per 20‑foot container, $4,000 per 40‑foot high‑cube container and $4,000 for special equipment such...
AD Ports Group Confirms Full Operations Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions
AD Ports Group announced that all its port, maritime, logistics and economic‑city operations remain fully functional despite heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The company activated its crisis‑management and business‑continuity plans and worked closely with UAE authorities to safeguard...
CN Index Climbs as Middle East Tensions Reinforce Shipping Risk
The Container News (CN) Index climbed to 543 this week, keeping global container shipping in the High Pressure zone. Freight rates across major East‑West lanes showed mixed movement, with softness on Asia‑USEC and Asia‑USWC but strength on Far East‑North Europe...
CMA CGM Suspends All Bookings for Key Middle East Ports
CMA CGM announced an immediate suspension of all bookings for ports in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq’s Umm Qasr, and most UAE and Saudi Arabian gateways, citing crew and cargo safety amid ongoing Middle East developments. The halt applies to both ports of...
Matson to Introduce Enhanced Intermodal Cargo Security Program
Matson, Inc. announced a carrier‑led intermodal cargo security program in partnership with BNSF Railway and War‑Lok, launching in the second quarter of 2026. The initiative adds two layers of protection—specialized locking devices on every international container leaving Los Angeles and...
Explainer: How Europe’s Commercial Harbours Became Military Targets
Belgium announced the deployment of a NASAMS air‑defence system at the Port of Antwerp. The move reflects a broader shift as European commercial harbours are increasingly viewed as potential military targets amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Authorities across the continent are...
Patrick Terminals Boosts Rail Support at Port of Melbourne
Patrick Terminals announced a two‑year program starting 1 March 2026 that waives the Exchange Transfer Charge for containers moved by rail at its PortRail Melbourne terminal. The concession applies to shipments originating or terminating at Somerton Intermodal, SCT Altona and Salta Dandenong....
CMA CGM Upgrades Eagle Express 1 Japan–US West Coast Service
CMA CGM has upgraded its Eagle Express 1 (EX1) service, adding weekly calls at Kobe, Nagoya and Yokohama to strengthen Japan‑U.S. West Coast trade. The new rotation cuts Los Angeles transit to 12‑16 days and is backed by on‑dock rail at...
Readers Speak: What Could Derail the Hapag-Lloyd–ZIM Merger?
Industry watchers are focused on the pending merger between Hapag‑Lloyd and ZIM Integrated Shipping Services. Readers of Container News flag regulatory approval and Israel’s “golden share” as the most likely obstacles, while labor unrest is viewed as a secondary concern....
Hapag-Lloyd Reroutes IMX Service via Cape of Good Hope
Hapag‑Lloyd has suspended all Trans‑Suez sailings on its IMX service and will reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope because of deteriorating security in the Middle East and rising tensions in the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait. The carrier says the safety...
How Iran’s Missile Barrage Struck at the Heart of Global Trade
Iran’s recent missile barrage over the Persian Gulf resulted in debris striking Jebel Ali, the world’s busiest container port, igniting a fire that forced a temporary shutdown. The incident halted more than 10% of global container throughput, disrupting supply chains that...
Explainer: Why EU Keeps Its Warships in the Red Sea
The European Union has announced that Operation ASPIDES, its naval mission protecting Red Sea shipping, will be extended through 2027. The decision signals that the underlying drivers of the Red Sea crisis – chiefly Houthi‑linked attacks on commercial vessels –...
LOGISTEED and REXEV Advance EV Truck Electrification
LOGISTEED and REXEV have launched a joint demonstration to integrate electric trucks into LOGISTEED’s delivery fleet in Japan, applying REXEV’s energy‑management platform. The project targets three cost‑saving levers: peak‑demand charge reduction, schedule‑based charging aligned with market prices, and using idle...
Lloyd’s Register Grants Approval for Hybrid Nuclear Vessel
Lloyd’s Register has issued an Approval in Principle for a hybrid nuclear‑ready power concept co‑developed with Australian ship designer Seatransport. The design merges micro‑modular nuclear reactors (1.2‑2.6 MW) with diesel‑electric propulsion on 73‑metre and 90‑metre amphibious stern landing vessels. Recent sea...
Cosco and OOCL Remove Conakry From WMAX Service
Cosco Shipping Lines and OOCL have removed Conakry, Guinea, from their West Mediterranean‑West Africa (WMAX) service. The revised rotation now operates with two 1,800‑TEU vessels on an 18‑day schedule, calling at Valencia, Algeciras, Dakar, Tema and Abidjan before returning to...
Milaha Expands Intra-Gulf Express (MIG) Service to Include Bahrain
Milaha, the Qatar‑based maritime and logistics leader, has expanded its Milaha Intra‑Gulf Express (MIG) service to include Bahrain, adding the kingdom to a seven‑port rotation that spans the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and Qatar. The revised loop runs...
Wan Hai Revises JST Service Rotation
Wan Hai Lines has restructured its intra‑Far East Japan‑Kansai‑Thailand (JST) service, dropping Kobe and the southbound Hong Kong call from the rotation. The revised schedule still operates four 1,700‑TEU vessels, calling at Osaka, Moji, Hakata, Tokuyama, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Shenzhen (Shekou),...
Multiple Attempts Made to Sneak Electronic Waste Into Port Klang
Malaysian customs seized nearly 1,000 tonnes of electronic waste in five separate incidents at Port Klang. The shipments were uncovered after officers detected mismatches between declared cargo and the containers' actual contents. The crackdown highlights heightened vigilance against illegal e‑waste...
Port of Barcelona Launches Tender for Multipurpose Terminal
The Port of Barcelona has opened a tender for a public multipurpose maritime terminal at the Príncep d’Espanya wharf after the previous concession expired. The new terminal will handle non‑containerised general cargo and mixed traffic, excluding passenger, dry and liquid...
RCL Shifts RCP2 Slot Allocation to CNC’s China–Philippines Service
Regional Container Lines (RCL) has moved its slot allocation from CNC Line’s Japan‑Philippines (JP8) service to the carrier’s China‑Philippines (CP2) rotation, continuing to market the lane as RCP2. The shift narrows RCL’s focus to the Shenzhen‑Philippines segment, replacing Batangas with...
