Listed Tanker Stocks – Full Ahead or Full Astern?
Tanker equities are caught in a sharp analyst split as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. BTIB’s Greg Lewis upgraded DHT, Frontline and International Seaways to Buy, citing VLCC spot rates of $100k‑$200k per day and an anticipated global oil restocking of over 500 million barrels once the waterway reopens. Evercore ISI’s Jon Chappell countered with downgrades, warning that the recent rally may reverse once rates normalize. The debate highlights how geopolitical uncertainty is reshaping earnings forecasts and valuation multiples for listed crude‑tanker owners.
India Subcontinent Gains in Liner Middle East Conflict Restructuring
The war in the Arabian Gulf is prompting a restructuring of global liner services, with the Indian Subcontinent emerging as a new transshipment hub. MDS Transmodal data shows ISC container traffic up 19.6% month‑over‑month between February and April 2024, while capacity...
15 Filipino Seafarers on Ships Seized by Iran Safe and Unharmed
The Philippines government confirmed that all 15 Filipino seafarers aboard the container ships Epaminondas and MSC Francesca are safe after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the vessels while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on April 22. Ten crew members...
US Seizes Iran-Linked Tanker Majestic X
U.S. forces conducted a right‑of‑visit boarding of the 280,000‑dwt VLCC Majestic X, also known as Phonix, in the Indian Ocean’s INDOPACOM area. The vessel, listed on OFAC’s Iran sanctions list in December 2024, was seized while transporting Iranian crude. The operation...
Rallying Support to Revitalize the SHIPS for America Act
The SHIPS for America Act was re‑introduced in the House and paired with a joint hearing on April 22 to discuss revitalizing the U.S. maritime industrial base. MARAD Administrator Stephen Carmel announced a suite of legislative proposals tied to the Maritime...
Escaping the Strait of Hormuz – Not Worth the Risk
The US‑Israel‑Iran conflict has left roughly 1,000 vessels and 20,000 seafarers trapped in the Arabian Gulf as Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed. A brief window of openness on 17 April prompted a rush of transits, but within 24 hours Indian‑registered...
Charity Urges Seafarers Not to Run Hormuz Gauntlet as Attacks Escalate
The Seafarers’ Charity has warned crews against transiting the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian forces attacked three container ships on 22 April, intensifying a wave of assaults on commercial vessels. The International Maritime Organization and the International Transport Workers' Federation echoed...
Weekly Tanker and Dry Bulk Time Charter Rates - April 22
Alibra Shipping released its weekly charter‑rate bulletin on April 22, covering both tanker and dry‑bulk vessels. The report shows Panamax tanker time‑charter rates climbing roughly 5% from the previous week, while Supramax dry‑bulk rates slipped about 3% amid softer demand. Visual...
Singapore Eyes Autonomous Feeders Between Container Terminals
Singapore’s Maritime & Port Authority (MPA) and PSA have issued an Expression of Interest to develop autonomous feeder vessels that will shuttle containers between Pasir Panjang Terminal and the newly built Tuas Port. The proposal calls for a remote operations...
Is CMA CGM Taking a Red Sea Gamble?
CMA CGM is quietly re‑introducing Suez Canal transits after more than two years of avoiding the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks. The carrier’s 8,500‑TEU Tosca is already en route via Suez, and larger vessels such as the 16,020‑TEU Jules Verne and...
Seacon and China Marine Bunker Formalise Partnership
Seacon and China Marine Bunker (CHIMBUSCO) have formalised a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly accelerate the green, low‑carbon transition of the global shipping industry. The partnership will integrate their core capabilities across marine fuel coordination, green‑fuel logistics, talent training, technology...
Ultrabulk Handymax Makes First Transatlantic Biomass Delivery
Ultra Yorkshire, an Ultrabulk handymax carrier, completed its first transatlantic voyage delivering 29,000 tonnes of biomass pellets from Baton Rouge to Liverpool for Drax Power Station. The trip used B100 biofuel, cutting CO₂ emissions by roughly 90 % versus conventional marine fuel....
Shipping Caught in Between Geopolitical Powerplay
Shipping executives warned that escalating geopolitical flashpoints—from a U.S. strike on an Iranian container vessel to simmering disputes in the Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea and Black Sea—are turning maritime trade into a high‑risk arena. Industry leaders at Singapore Maritime...
Volatile ME Peace Negotiations Leave Shipping in Limbo
Negotiations between the United States and Iran have stalled, with Tehran rejecting further talks and accusing Washington of breaching the cease‑fire. The uncertainty has left the Strait of Hormuz in limbo, prompting Bimco to advise carriers to avoid the area...
Malacca Strait Vessel Traffic at Record Levels in 2025
The Strait of Malacca and Singapore recorded a historic 102,525 vessel transits in 2025, surpassing the 100,000‑transit threshold for the first time. Traffic of ships over 300 gt rose 8.72% from 2024, averaging 281 reports per day to Klang VTS. Container...
Shipowners Bullish on Dry Bulk Prospects
Berge Bulk CEO James Marshall and Seanergy Maritime CEO Stamatis Tsantanis said the Capesize dry‑bulk market is set for strong earnings, with daily freight rates expected to exceed $50,000 in the second half of the year. They highlighted a structural...
US Navy Fires upon and Boards Iranian Container Ship Touska
The U.S. Navy’s guided‑missile destroyer USS Spruance fired a five‑inch round into the engine room of the Iranian‑flagged container ship Touska, disabling the vessel before boarding it as part of the United States’ maritime blockade of Iranian ports. The ship...
Iran and US Say the Strait of Hormuz Is Completely Open
Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz is fully open for commercial traffic, directing vessels to a new coordinated route around Larak Island. The United States, while acknowledging the declaration, kept a naval blockade in place against Iranian ports and...
Why Shipowners Should Pay Attention to Their War Risk Cover
The London P&I Club warns that escalating geopolitical tensions are worsening the maritime risk environment, prompting shipowners to reassess their war risk insurance. Standard marine policies typically exclude war‑related damage, requiring separate coverage for threats such as piracy, terrorism and...
From Captured GHG Emissions to Green Tomatoes
Value Maritime and its ME2CC consortium will install a compact carbon capture and storage (CCS) system on the 4,900‑dwt LNG‑powered ro‑ro vessel Samskip Kvitbjorn. The modular unit reduces height and footprint by up to one‑third and can capture up to 75%...
Go Dual or Go Bust? Rationalising Operational Choices for the Future
Industry leaders at the CMA Shipping 2026 conference debated whether the maritime sector should adopt dual‑fuel engines or risk falling behind. The panel confirmed that dual‑fuel technology—capable of running on LNG, methanol, ethanol or ammonia—is technically mature, but widespread uptake is...
Navigating the Future: Financing, Innovation, and Sustainability in Global Shipping
At the CMA Shipping 2026 conference, a panel titled “The Business of Shipping” explored the intertwined challenges of financing, innovation, and sustainability in the maritime sector. Speakers highlighted the cyclical nature of asset values, noting that geopolitical events and macro‑economic...
Middle East Conflict to Redesign Container Trade Flows
Container lines are rapidly reconfiguring routes to bypass Gulf chokepoints after the Middle East conflict escalated, according to Drewry analysis. Higher war‑risk insurance costs and volatile fuel prices are prompting carriers to seek alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, Bab...
Are Ships Evading the US Blockade of Iran Ports?
The U.S. Central Command announced a maritime blockade of all traffic to and from Iran ports on 13 April, turning back ten vessels with no break‑throughs in the first 52 hours. Iranian‑flagged ships such as Kashan, Golbon and the Comoros‑flagged Blue Sky 4 skirted...
War Adds to US Supply Chain Uncertainty, Impact Not Drastic Yet
The Port of Long Beach and the National Retail Federation say the Middle‑East war has not yet caused a sharp drop in U.S. retail shipments, but it is adding uncertainty to global supply chains. Rerouting vessels and rising fuel costs...
IMO Hazardous Cargo Compensation Rules Move Closer
The International Maritime Organization’s 2010 Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Convention is now one step from activation after Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden ratified it, bringing the total to the 12 states required for entry into force. The treaty...
OneCare Prepares for Prolonged Middle East Disruption
OneCare Group warns that the Middle East conflict, which began in late February, is creating a prolonged disruption for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Seafarers stranded in the region face extended deployments, limited movement, and heightened safety concerns for...
IEA Cuts Oil Outlook on ‘Largest Disruption in History’
The International Energy Agency slashed its 2026 oil demand forecast by 730,000 barrels per day, citing the sharpest demand drop since the Covid‑19 pandemic. Conflict after the US and Israel attacked Iran has crippled Middle‑East energy infrastructure and effectively closed...
Oil Crisis Puts Wind in Econowind Sails
Econowind, a Dutch wind‑energy firm, unveiled its series‑five 30 m suction sail designed for deep‑sea ships. The steel‑constructed sail weighs 65 tonnes, a significant increase from the earlier aluminium models, and is slated for installation on a Boomsma Shipping vessel this summer....
Bangladesh in Ship Recycling Pole Position but Supply Remains Weak
Bangladeshi ship‑recycling yards have seized the pricing lead, offering $490‑495 for container vessels as stable exchange rates lift steel‑plate costs. The sector, however, is hampered by a shortage of scrap candidates and lingering OFAC‑sanctioned VLCCs that remain outside port limits....
First LNG Shore-to-Ship Bunkering Operation at South Florida Port
Sawgrass LNG & Power completed its first shore‑to‑ship LNG bunkering at Port Everglades on March 26, 2026, fueling the Ritz‑Carlton Yacht Collection vessel Ilma. The operation demonstrates the viability of LNG as a low‑carbon marine fuel for both cruise and cargo traffic in South Florida....
US Targets Iran’s Maritime Trade with Port Blockade
U.S. Central Command announced an immediate blockade of all vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports, escalating tensions that have already left the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut. The move follows President Biden’s earlier threat of a blanket maritime blockade...
Strait of Hormuz Control Key to Iran’s Deterrence Strategy
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has formalized control over the Strait of Hormuz, requiring vessel‑by‑vessel clearance and tolls paid in Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency. The move leaves roughly 175 fully‑laden tankers—about 150 million barrels of crude and products—stranded in the Arabian...
Asian Maritime Security in Q1 – Fewer Boardings and Sanctions Enforcement
In the first quarter of 2026, maritime incidents across East, South and Southeast Asia fell 40% year‑on‑year, with Singapore Strait boardings dropping 73% after Indonesian Marine Police patrols began. While theft and armed robbery persist, a March knife attack on...
Tankers Lift Global Orderbook to 17-Year High
The global shipbuilding orderbook reached 191 million compensated gross tonnes (CGT) at the end of Q1 2026, representing 17% of the world fleet—the highest level since 2011, Bimco reported. New tanker contracting jumped 40% year‑on‑year, with a three‑fold increase in orders and...
March VLCC Outlook – Historic Shockwaves Through the Market
The escalation of the Middle East conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending the TD3C benchmark to historic highs and briefly pushing Worldscale rates above 600, equivalent to over $600,000 per day. While much of the surge reflected risk...
Iran Strikes Saudi’s Critical Pipeline Serving Yanbu
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck the East‑West (Petroline) pipeline that feeds the Red Sea port of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia’s primary crude export route after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked. The line has been moving up to seven million barrels...
Rise in Container Ship Non-Operating Owner Orderbook
Orders from non‑operating owners (NOOs) for container ships between 700 and 9,000 TEU have tripled in the year to March 2026, reaching 116 vessels and 435,000 TEU. The surge, driven by Asian and Greek owners, also includes 90 larger ships (5,300‑9,000...
Marine Insurers Say Heightened Risks Remain in the Gulf
Marine insurers welcomed the cease‑fire announced by President Donald Trump and Iran, but warned that normal shipping through the Gulf will not resume immediately. Lloyd’s Market Association’s Neil Roberts said underlying tensions remain, keeping the Strait of Hormuz at heightened...
Safe Evacuation of Ships, Seafarers From the Gulf a Priority
The International Maritime Organization and the International Chamber of Shipping welcomed a 14‑day U.S.–Iran cease‑fire, aiming to evacuate roughly 1,000 vessels and 20,000 seafarers trapped in the Gulf after the Strait of Hormuz was closed in late February. IMO Secretary‑General...
Legal Battle for Costs of ‘Game Changer’ Baltimore Bridge Replacement
A civil trial set for June will determine liability for Grace Ocean and Synergy of the Dali, the vessel that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024. The owners are invoking an 1851 statute to limit exposure to...
China and Russia Veto UN Resolution on Strait of Hormuz
The United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after China and Russia exercised their vetoes on 7 April 2026. The text, championed by Bahrain and Gulf Cooperation Council members,...
Is the Iran War Creating a Crewing Crisis?
Columbia Group CEO Mark O’Neil warns that the Iran‑related Gulf conflict is spawning a hidden crewing crisis, as rising repatriation costs and flight shortages hinder crew changes. The International Maritime Organization has called on 40 foreign ministers to help free...
Sky-High Fuel Prices Will Drive Ship Efficiency Retrofits
U.S. efforts to block the IMO’s Net Zero Framework are unintentionally accelerating maritime sustainability as Middle‑East attacks drive bunker fuel prices to historic highs. The surge in marine fuel costs dramatically shortens the payback horizon for efficiency retrofits, making measures...
Tanker Shipping Market Very Tight Due to Dislocation of Tonnage
A New York panel convened by NYMAR and YSPNY warned that tanker markets have become exceptionally tight after the onset of Operation Epic Fury, which displaced VLCCs and forced Suezmaxes and Aframaxes onto Asian routes. Panelists highlighted Asia’s heightened dependence on Middle‑East crude...
Maritime AI Developments to Be Showcased at Posidonia 2026
Posidonia 2026, held June 1‑5 in Athens, will spotlight a wave of maritime AI products and services as the sector moves from theory to operational pilots. More than 40 exhibitors are demonstrating AI‑driven predictive maintenance, fuel‑optimisation, routing and compliance tools,...
ICS and ITF Press Gulf States on Seafarer Welfare
The International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation met Gulf State officials to address the plight of roughly 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to regional conflict. They discussed an IMO‑backed reporting system for...
Handover of Training Ship State of Maine an Important Waypoint for US Maritime
The U.S. Maritime Administration handed over the training ship State of Maine to Maine Maritime Academy, completing the third National Security Multi‑Mission Vessel (NSMV) built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. Delivered on time and on budget, the 720‑bed vessel can expand...
Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Reports 2% Profit Increase
Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation posted a modest profit rise in 2025, with total operating revenue reaching RMB 23.89 billion ($3.45 billion), up 2.7% year‑on‑year, and net profit climbing 2.1% to RMB 5.36 billion (about $774 million). The company highlighted the cyclical flexibility of international oil transport...
DP World Jeddah Boosts Red Sea Capacity with New Cranes
DP World has installed three semi‑automated quay cranes at its Jeddah Islamic Port terminal, part of an $800 million modernization program that doubles capacity from 1.8 million to 4 million TEU, with a long‑term goal of 5 million TEU. The ZPMC cranes, each lifting...