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Ocean freight risk is expected to remain elevated across the major Asia-North America and Asia-Europe trades over the next four weeks, with deteriorating schedule reliability emerging as a key concern, according to WiseTech Global’s new Ocean Freight Risk Outlook. The monthly report, launched today, provides a four-week forward-looking view of ocean freight capacity and risk across major trade lanes. On Asia-North America, WiseTech summarised: “Freight risk is expected to remain elevated over the month ahead, driven primarily by booking acceptance risk and weak service reliability rather than a sustained capacity constraint.” According to its data, the demand-to-supply ratio is forecast to rise from 76% in week 37 to 100% in week 38, before falling to 79% and then 91%. WiseTech said the temporary tightening is driven by reduced planned carrier capacity rather than stronger demand. Booking security risk is expected to remain around or above its historical average, rising to just above 40% in later weeks. Meanwhile, monthly on-time performance fell from 43% in May to 33.9% in August, with weekly performance dropping to 29.4% in week 35. One-to-three-day delays have also become the largest outcome, replacing on-time arrivals. Port performance remains below its historical average, while vessel queues at major Asian ports continue to present a potential source of schedule variability. Forward transit times, however, remain broadly in line with the 27.6-day baseline. WiseTech’s report also highlighted that performance varies substantially between the top 10 carriers, highlighting the importance of carrier selection where timing or capacity access is critical. Meanwhile, on Asia-Europe, WiseTech warned: “Freight risk is expected to remain elevated over the month ahead, driven primarily by weak service reliability rather than capacity availability or booking acceptance.” The demand-to-supply ratio on this trade is forecast to remain between 72% and 82%, with capacity above forecast demand throughout the outlook. Booking security risk is also relatively low, at around 19%-22%. But reliability remains the main issue. Monthly on-time performance declined from 34.3% in May to 22.9% in August, while weekly performance fell as low as 16.2% in week 34 before recovering to 24.5% in week 35. One-to-three-day delays remain the largest category, although their share fell to 30.2% in the latest week. Forward transit times of 40.8-42.9 days remain broadly around the 41.8-day baseline. Jon Charles, product manager at WiseTech, toldThe Loadstar: “Multiple factors are at play, and the type of resulting risk varies significantly by trade lane.” He said capacity risk was the main concern on Asia-North America, supported by stronger US consumer and import demand, combined with more aggressive blank sailings and carrier capacity management. On Asia-Europe, he said capacity pressure had eased as consumer-goods demand softened, carriers withdrew less capacity and the selective return to Suez shortened voyages and released effective capacity. “However, the transition between routings is also contributing to schedule disruption and, together with weak on-time performance, means service reliability remains a risk,” he said. For freight forwarders and cargo owners, Mr Charles said the consequences could include difficulty securing space, longer or less predictable lead times, and higher inventory and supply chain costs. “Businesses can’t control market disruption, but they can reduce their exposure through earlier planning and more informed carrier selection,” he said. The Ocean Freight Risk Outlook provides a monthly snapshot of expected conditions, while underlying CargoWise forecasts are updated weekly using booking activity, forecast demand, planned carrier capacity, booking responses, port conditions and operational performance. Mr Charles said the data is intended to provide an early indication of where risk is increasing or easing, giving businesses time to adjust carrier selection, bring bookings forward, increase lead-time allowances or warn customers of potential delays. “This level of detail has historically been difficult for shippers and freight forwarders to access from a single source,” he added.

Shipping and terminal executives say the key is to offer more diversified services September 11, 2026 The Latin American region andPanamaare feeling the impact of an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment on the maritime business, pushing the reconfiguration of supplier networks and supply chains. “Today, supply chains compete against one another. The end customer does not buy a port or maritime transport. They buy reliability, visibility, speed and resilience across their entire logistics chain,”Maersk’sManaging Director Central America, Andean & Caribbean Sea Area, Efrain Osorio told the audience of the 11thLatin American Port Forum held in Panama. Osorio pointed that “integration drives competitiveness, benefitting importers and exporters when shipping lines, port terminals, inland transport, warehousing and digital solutions operate as a single ecosystem with shorter dwell times, better inventory planning, lower total logistics costs, greater supply chain reliability and a smaller environmental footprint.” Related:Suez returns raise bunching fears While the current geopolitical landscape is creating volatility, changing trade patterns, disruptions in shipping routes and sometimes port congestion, Latin America has a unique opportunity to benefit from this situation, said the speakers. “Shipping is resilience and those who do not adapt will miss the opportunity. This resilience helps us to move forward. Interaction amongst the ports is more efficient today. We are not competitors. Processes must be more streamlined and organised with new technologies and adaptation must be immediate and kept diversified,” commented William Elliott, president of Panama’s Evergreen’s Colon Container Terminal (CCT). Osorio and Elliott concurred that however, to capitalise on this opportunity, much deeper integration is required between the authorities, the ports, the shipping companies, logistics operators and land infrastructure. “The key is to offer more diversified services with added value. Resilience is offering and that is what customers look for.” “At CCT, our diversification has been in logistics, as we built a logistics park next to the terminal. We have seen recently more customers coming to Panama to transform products, and there is demand , quite a large demand,” added Elliott. “Nearshoring, friendshoring, diversification of manufacturing are opportunities for commercial exchange in the region, and the supply chain has to go with this tendency,” said Osorio. Will the future $8.5 billion investments plan for the maritime sector in the next decade, reshape Panama’s competitiveness and the transhipment activities in the region? But what to do for all those ports to compete between each other and with the other terminals in the region? Related:Flexport defeats Peloton’s $33.7m demurrage claim at FMC “As we are a transhipment hub, we need to be more efficient since our competition is outside,” said Enrique Piqueras, general manager ofPSA-Panama. “We had made progress, but it requires better and more efficient co-ordination between government and the private sector. “Governance is necessary. The sector cannot change strategy every five years [when a new government is elected].” Read more about: Michele Labrut Americas Correspondent Michèle Labrut is a long-time Panama resident, a journalist and correspondent, and has continuously covered the maritime sector of Central & Latin America. Michèle first came to Panama as a press attaché to the French Embassy and then returned to the isthmus as a foreign correspondent in the 1980s. Author of Seatrade Maritime's annual Panama Maritime Review magazine and of several books, Michèle also wrote for Time magazine, The Miami Herald, NBC News and the Economist Intelligence Unit. She has also collaborated in making several documentaries for the BBC and European and U.S. television networks. Michèle's profession necessitates a profound knowledge of the country, but her acumen is not from necessity alone, but a genuine passion for Panama. In 2012 she was awarded the Order of Merit (Knight grade) by the French Government for her services to international journalism and in 2021 the upgrade to Chevalier grade. Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

The number of vessels and carriers transiting the Bab el Mandeb is increasing slowly according to the latest figures from Linerlytica September 1, 2026 Congestion caused by climate disruptions such as El Niño and major storms are limiting offered capacity and are behind some carriers’ decisions to return to the shorter route to Europe via theSuez Canal. According to Linerlytica data port congestion in Asia is now higher, at 4.3 million teu, than during the Covid pandemic peak, which saw 4.0 million teu ‘stranded’. By taking the much shorter route via the Bab el Mandeb strait, the Red Sea and Suez vessel operators are taking a risk with hostilities in the Middle East periodically increasing with the Iran backed Houthi Movement still a threat to passing ships off the coast of Yemen. However, with the Cape of Good Hope diversions absorbing between 5% and 7% of global capacity, 1.7 million to 2.4 million teu, the need to release capacity is becoming hard to resist. “Maersk, in particular, [is] still scrambling for additional tonnage,” said Linerlytica in its weekly market report, “This has been one of the main drivers behind Maersk’s decision to risk an early return to the Red Sea even though the majority of carriers are still reluctant to do so, including its Gemini Cooperation partnerHapag-Lloyd. Related:Soaring tanker rates, Arctic Silk Route - Maritime in Minutes August in Review The Danish carrier is by no means the only liner shipping company to test the waters withCMA CGMleading the way, and Wan Hai Lines,Cosco Shippingand most recentlyMSCall taking the plunge. French operator CMA CGM made 15 transits through the Suez route to Maersk’s 11 and these two lines, along with MSC have operated vessels in both north and southbound directions. Wan Hai and Cosco have, so far, made only northbound transits. Even with the capacity squeeze through burgeoning delays freight rates on the Asia to Europe routes have failed to recover with even the alternative North Sea Route receiving a “Lukewarm response” from shippers, said the consultant. Read more about: Nick Savvides Europe correspondent Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website. Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win theSeahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards. After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves. Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

IL CAIRO - L'Egitto ha completato i lavori di protezione costiera lungo 120 chilometri di litorale, nell'ambito di un più ampio sforzo per salvaguardare il settore turistico e l'economia del Paese dai cambiamenti climatici. Lo fa sapere il Centro stampa del governo citando stime della Banca Mondiale, secondo le quali le potenziali perdite legate al clima per il settore turistico potrebbero aggirarsi tra gli 82 e i 106 miliardi di sterline egiziane entro il 2060 (sul miliardo e mezzo di euro), motivo per cui lo Stato egiziano si è impegnato a proteggere i suoi 3.500 chilometri di costa, tra Mediterraneo e Mar Rosso. L'innalzamento del livello del mare e l'erosione costiera minacciano, inoltre, anche la pesca e le comunità del Delta.Un rapporto della Banca Mondiale sul clima, pubblicato a luglio, ha avvertito che dal 23 al 30% degli edifici di Alessandria rischia di essere spazzato dalle inondazioni costiere, mettendo a repentaglio il previsto aumento del 6% del Pil.Opere di protezione sono state realizzate ad Alessandria, Damietta, Matrouh, Beheira, Kafr El-Sheikh, Dakahlia e Port Said. Questo mese, il governatorato ha anche avviato le procedure per smantellare le strutture abusive sul lungomare e ampliare l'accesso pubblico alle spiagge, nell'ambito di un più ampio sforzo per la gestione del litorale.Altre iniziative hanno riguardato la costa sul Mar Rosso per salvaguardare le barriere coralline ed espandere l'ecoturismo comunitario, con il supporto del Programma delle Nazioni Unite per lo Sviluppo (Undp) e 15 milioni di dollari di finanziamenti statunitensi.L'Egitto avverte da anni della portata della minaccia dei cambiamenti climatici. Nell'ottobre 2021, l'allora ministro dell'Irrigazione Mohamed Abdelati aveva affermato che fino a un terzo del Delta del Nilo egiziano avrebbe potuto essere sommerso a causa dell'innalzamento del livello del Mar Mediterraneo e dell'intrusione di acqua salata, nonostante il Fondo verde per il clima avesse promesso 32 miliardi di dollari a sostegno degli sforzi del Paese per l'adattamento ai cambiamenti climatici. Riproduzione riservata © Copyright ANSA Da non perdere Condividi

Partial carrier returns to the Suez Canal are yet to move freight rates, while a widening US coast-to-coast spread creates opportunities for shippers. August 24, 2026 A limited Suez return is not enough to move the dial on Asia rates to theUSbut there’s “money on the table” if shippers look west, says analystXeneta. According to Xeneta’s chief analyst Peter Sand, both shippers and shipowners have been “playing Whack-A-Mole” in an attempt to keep their heads above water. “Supply chain managers are having to find solutions every time there is a new challenge, everyone wants the new normal, but there is no water on the Rhine or thePanama Canal, they want no trade wars between the US, Canada andChina, or typhoons causing congestion inShanghaiand other places, they’re being overwhelmed.” A flurry of services returning to theSuez CanalincludingMaersk,MSCandCMA CGMwas dismissed by Xeneta as insufficient to shift the dial on spot rates. “Several carriers are testing the waters - for the eventual return of services [to Suez], but most services remain on the route via the Cape of Good Hope. The devil remains in the detail,” said Sand with some carriers operating only one way – either front or back haul via Suez but not a full string. Related:Top maritime news stories for week ended 21 August These challenges have seen some shippers accept steeply rising surcharges because “they have more important things to worry about,” said Sand, while others have baulked at paying these extra charges. Having seen what is widely considered to be an early peak season peter out on the European trades, the persistent challenges for US cargo have seen rates soar, but Xeneta believes that with a burgeoning spread between US east and West Coast rates there could be wins for shippers. “Importing into the US East Coast is currently $3,334/feu more expensive than the US West Coast. Incredibly, this current spread between the trades is greater than the total cost of shipping one container into either coast before the start of the Middle East crisis on 28 February when spot rates stood at $1,879/feu into the US West Coast and $2,651 into US East Coast,” noted Sand. The analyst urged shippers with the flexibility to consider importing US freight into the West Coast and shipping containers overland to their final destinations with “dramatic savings” to be had. “This underlines the dynamic approach supply chain professionals must take in managing resilience and freight spend during major market shocks,” commented Sand. Xeneta data reports that the Far East US spot rates have increased around 2.7% week-on-week, US West Coast spot rates are $7,193/feu, while East Coast spot has blasted through the $10,000 mark and now stands at $10,527/feu. Related:Hapag Lloyd’s Zim deal scrutinised by Brazilian anti-trust Read more about: Nick Savvides Europe correspondent Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website. Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win theSeahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards. After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves.

Brazil has launched a full review of Hapag-Lloyd’s acquisition of Zim due to overlapping operations on key services, potentially delaying the closure of the deal August 19, 2026 DuringHapag-Lloyd’srecent Q2 results announcement, CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said he had no reason to believe the carrier would not “close the [Zim] transaction before the end of the year”. Today, on the occasion ofZim’sQ2 results, Brazil has announced a full anti-trust investigation into the acquisition of the Israeli carrier due to its market share on three key service routes, potentially delaying approval until the end of March 2027. Brazil'sAdministrative Council for Economic Defense will scrutinise “the overlapping operations on three key long-haul routes: West Coast South America to East Coast South America, Central America and Caribbean to East Coast South America, and North America to East Coast South America,” reportedAlphaliner. A Hapag-Lloyd spokesman said that the company would not comment on the ongoing anti-trust reviews but said: “We are currently working with the various regulatory bodies to obtain the necessary approvals, and we remain focused on closing the transaction toward the end of 2026.” Related:Race back to Suez gathers pace as MSC increases Red Sea sailings Australia’s Competition & Consumer Commission approved the acquisition this month, but the lines are awaiting decisions from Chinese, US and European authorities. Meanwhile, Zim has its full year guidance on the back of strong Q2 results to EBITDA of up to $2.4 billion and raising its EBIT projections to up to $1.1 billion. CFO Sami Jubran said the company expects a significantly stronger performance through the second half of the year, adding: “This anticipated improvement would enable our board of directors to consider declaring a dividend to shareholders based on our third-quarter results.” Overall Zim’s year-on-year performance improved, with volumes up 27,000 teu, average rates up $111 per teu to $1,590, revenues up $145 million and net profit up $40 million to $64 million. However, the company’s first half performance deteriorated when compared to the first half of 2025, reflecting a weaker Q1 this year. Volumes for H1 2026 fell 151,000 teu, average rates were down $177 per teu, revenues were down $465 million, and the carrier recorded a net loss of $22 million this year following a $320 million net profit a year ago. Last year Zim paid $240 million in total dividends to shareholders. Nine of Zim’s chartered vessels will see charters expire during this year, an aggregate of 35,000 teu, a further 13 ships of 78,000 teu will end charters next year. Conversely ZIM has charter agreements for 40 vessels, mostly newbuildings, with a total capacity of 286,000 teu. Related:Container lines under fire over Panama Canal surcharge lack of transparency By trade Zim increased its first half volumes on the Pacific by 79,000 teu and on the intra-Asia trades by 17,000 teu. Volumes through Suez fell 29,000 teu, and by 81,000 teu in the Latin American trades, while the Atlantic service liftings saw a decline of 37,000 teu. Read more about: Nick Savvides Europe correspondent Experienced journalist working online, in monthly magazines and daily news coverage. Nick Savvides began his journalistic career working as a freelance from his flat in central London, and has since worked in Athens, while also writing for some major publications including The Observer, The European, Daily Express and Thomson Reuters. Most recently Nick joined The Loadstar as the publication’s news editor to develop the profile of the publication, increase its readership and to build a team that will market, sell and report on supply chain issues and container shipping news. This was a similar brief to his time at ci-online, the online publication for Containerisation International and Container News. During his time at ci-online Nich developed a team of freelancers and full-time employees increasing its readership substantially. He then moved to International Freighting Weekly, a sister publication, IFW also focused on container shipping, rail and trucking and ports. Both publications were published by Informa. Following his spell at Informa Nick joined Reed’s chemical reporting team, ICIS, as the chemical tanker reporter. While at ICIS he also reported on the chemical industry and spent some time on the oil & gas desk. Nick has also worked for a time at Lloyd’s Register, which has an energy division, and his role was writing their technical magazine, before again becoming a journalist at The Naval Architect for the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. After eight successful years at RINA, he joined Fairplay, which published a fortnightly magazine and daily news on the website. Nick's time at Fairplay saw him win theSeahorse Club Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year 2018 awards. After Fairplay closed, Nick joined an online US start-up called FreightWaves.

What do the first six months of 2026 tell us about the state of global container shipping? In this episode of The Loadstar Podcast, Charlotte Goldstone is joined by Container Trades Statistics CEO Nigel Pusey and The Loadstar managing editor Gavin van Marle to dig into the numbers behind the biggest stories shaping the market. From an 8.9% surge in Far East exports and continued growth in intra-Asia trade, to tariffs, shifting sourcing strategies and the impact of the Middle East conflict, the trio explore how geopolitics and disruption have reshaped global container flows. They also revisit predictions made earlier this year – including whether the European peak season came early, how long Red Sea diversions would last, and whether carriers would begin returning to Suez – before looking ahead to what could shape the second half of 2026.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have rejected reports alleging their intent to impose tolls on transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, with carriers seemingly showing more faith in the Iran-backed group as crossings increase. Citing “unspecified regional sources”,Reutersreported last week,also covered byThe Loadstar,that “the Houthis may start to impose fees on international commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb Strait”. But the group toldThe Loadstar: “We categorically deny these claims and confirm we have neither taken nor considered decisions to impose fees for transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait. “We emphasise [that] transit through the Bab al-Mandab Strait is free of charge. Furthermore, the services we provide – including the Safe Transit Service for vessels – are, as is well known, entirely free of charge.” Conditions in the Red Sea have been somewhat confusing for several years, with an on-off campaign being conducted by the Houthis as part of their support for Israel’s war on Palestine. The current working assumption is that all vessels may be subject to attack, but the Houthis have reduced their core target list to ships explicitly supporting the Israeli state, particularly Zim. Some clarity was provided in the statement toThe Loadstar, the group noting: “All vessels outside the scope of the declared ban may transit safely. Additionally, for added assurance, such vessels may submit a safe transit request”. It added: “We categorically confirm that any individual or entity requesting the payment of money in exchange for transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait does not represent the Republic of Yemen or HOCC in any capacity whatsoever.” Carriers seem to be listening, with CMA CGM and Maersk having upped their Suez transits and Linerlytica reporting that the number of containerships detouring around the Cape of Good Hope has dropped to a 2.5-year low. Hovering around 5.2% of the global containership fleet, this drop is pronounced – at their peak, diversions accounted for 16% of the fleet. Linerlytica said: “CMA CGM and Maersk continue to drive the early return to the trans-Suez route, directing ships on their EPIC and AE11 westbound voyages through the Bab el Mandeb. The ships will avoid calling at Saudi ports and will head directly to Suez.”

The latest news and commentary on how the US/Israel-Iran conflict is affecting the global maritime industry and shipping markets. Saudi Arabia’s growing reliance on Yanbu exports leaves crude shipments exposed to Houthi attacks around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait under new embargo threat. July 20, 2026 Yemen’s Houthi have announced a maritime embargo againstSaudi Arabia, effective immediately, justifying the action as “an eye for an eye.” In a statement, spokesman for the Houthi breakaway Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree Qasim Saree, said the move was a response to Saudi Arabia’s targeting of Sana’a International Airport in a recent attack, as well as “its unjust and oppressive siege on our dear people for nearly twelve years, plundering our resources and imposing a comprehensive blockade on our ports and airports by land, sea, and air.” During a recent period of relative peace around the Bab el Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the Houthi have repeatedly threatened to close the waterway to international traffic since the start of the war between theUSand Iran. Last week, Reuters reported that Iran had briefed its Houthi allies to close the Bab el Mandeb Strait should the US target Iranian power infrastructure in the ongoing conflict. Related:Crew abandon tanker in Strait of Hormuz, ship hit off UAE The Houthi have demonstrated their ability to target international shipping off Yemen's coast. the group launched a campaign of attacks on ships in late 2023 that reshaped global supply chains as vessels detoured around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the threat of attack, seizure, or destruction in southern Red Sea. Most container shipping companies still swallow the cost and delay of shunning theSuez Canalroute in favour of the Cape of Good Hope diversion to avoid the Red Sea. While the details of the Houthi embargo were not laid out, any threat to Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea on Saudi Arabia’s west coast carries amplified economic risk to the nation due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz on its east coast. The pressure hasenergy majors looking for alternatives to keep oil flowing out of the Middle East. Saudi crude oil volumes have increasingly been diverted from the usual Gulf export routes, flowing instead by pipeline for export via the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Since the start of the Iran conflict, Saudi Arabia began loadingVLCCswith crude destined for Asia at Yanbu, but those ships must then travel via Bab el Mandeb — within reach of Houthi attacks. Stunting the flow of Saudi crude out of the Red Sea will inflict further economic damage on a nation that has already seen its crude oil exports fall to lows not seen in decades, while volumes transported to the Red Sea by pipeline for export have quadrupled in the months since the US-Iran war started. For the first half of July, around 75% of Saudi crude and condensate exports were via Yanbu, according to Kpler data. Related:Crew abandon burning Dynacom tanker in Strait of Hormuz While there was a return to near-normality for Saudi oil exports in the Gulf in June 2026 after the signing of a peace MoU between the US and Iran, Hormuz has slammed close once again. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz hit fresh lows in recent days as Iran continues to assert its control of the narrow waterway by attacking ships choosing to use the US-administered southern route through Suez off theOmancoast. Kpler reported 30 transits in the period 17-19 July, compared to JMIC's pre-war level of 138 vessels per day. The most recent incident suspected to involve Iran sawDynacom tankerKavomaleasset ablaze off Omanand its crew abandon ship. As of 19 July, there had been 11 Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz since 25 June, according to JMIC figures. Iran’s use of Hormuz has also been cut off by a renewed US military blockade. As of July 19, the blockade had redirected six vessels and disabled one vessel, according to US Central Command. Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021

The latest news and commentary on how the US/Israel-Iran conflict is affecting the global maritime industry and shipping markets. A tanker strike and dwindling Gulf traffic come as Iran could revive Houthi attacks, threatening simultaneous disruption at two maritime chokepoints. July 17, 2026 Structural damage was caused to a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz late on 16 July when it was struck by an unknown projectile. According to a UKMTO warning, the ship suffered minor structural damage in the attack, the crew are all safe and accounted for and the ship is continuing to its next port of call. Ambrey risk said the ship was not transmitting its AIS at the time of the attack, and was hit on its port side. The attack signals the continued danger Iran poses to ships choosing to transit the Strait of Hormuz by theUS-administered southern route near the coast ofOman, a pressure that has led ships to avoid using the route. Intelligence firm Kpler said overall transits of the Strait of Hormuz hit a three-week low on 16 July with just eight recorded transits, seven of which were via the northern route close to Iran’s coast. In its latest operational update on 16 July, JMIC counted 10 Iranian attacks on shipping since 25 June, not including the latest, and maintained a severe threat level for the Strait of Hormuz, meaning an attack is highly likely. “Recent confirmed incidents reinforce that the threat environment remains heightened and warrants extreme vigilance. IRGC attacks, hailing, and routing pressure continue, particularly for AIS-active vessels,” said JMIC. Related:Trump says ceasefire is “over” as Iran readies for Hormuz closure Assessing the shipping response, Kpler said: “While regional mediation efforts remain under way, commercial shipping patterns suggest military developments are now shaping operational decisions more than diplomatic progress.” The US continues to apply its own pressure in the region under its embargo of Iranian ports. On 16 July, US Central Command reported that its forces conducted a “verification boarding” in the Gulf. Videos and Images were shared of fully armed US Marines taking off in a helicopter from a naval vessel, fast roping onto the deck ofVLCCWen Yaoand proceeding towards the bridge. Central Command reported that three commercial vessels have been redirected since the blockade was put back in place, and one vessel,Belma, was disabled for non-compliance.Belma was hit with hellfire missiles on 15 Julyfor allegedly attempting to run the blockade after ignoring multiple warnings. Despite the huge risk to seafarers, ships, and cargoes, the US maintains that the Strait of Hormuz is free and open, except to vessels calling Iran. Shipping industry bodies, including theIMO, have called on shipowners and operators, flag states, and administrations to avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz and exposing seafarers to danger. Related:JMIC raises Strait of Hormuz threat level to severe The UN body’s current list of confirmed incidents, not including this latest, counts 47 confirmed incidents involving 18 seafarers fatalities. As Iran demonstrates its ability to choke shipping volumes passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported that Iran is also preparing to exert its influence in the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait once again. According to Reuters, if the US follows through on president Trump’s threat to hit Iran’s power networks, Iran will use its Houthi proxies in Yemen to recommence attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Houthi attacks began in late 2023, including vessel seizures and sinkings among the 127 incidents, and have fundamentally reshaped global shipping routes since, slashing transits through the Suez Canal and diverting ships on the much longer Cape of Good Hope route. Logistics routes across the Middle East have been reshaped by disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, diverting cargoes over land bridges and pipelines to new import and export terminals. Closure of Bab-el-Mandeb would multiply current logistical difficulties by further limiting sea routes around the region. Read more about: Gary Howard Middle East correspondent Gary Howard is the Middle East Correspondent for Seatrade Maritime News and has written for Seatrade Cruise, Seatrade Maritime Review and was News Editor at Lloyd’s List. Gary’s maritime career started after catching the shipping bug during a research assignment for the offshore industry. Working out of Seatrade's head office in the UK, he also produces and contributes to conference programmes for Seatrade events including CMA Shipping, Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East and Marintec. Gary’s favourite topics within the maritime industry are decarbonisation and wind-assisted propulsion; he particularly enjoys reporting from industry events. Gary Howard regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Ports of Refuge: Strengthening Maritime Resilience, at Seatrade Maritime Logistics Middle East 2025 Debunking LEO and Cloud for Maritime Industry, December 2022 (watch on-demand recording) Making Data Work for Shipping at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is the Zero-Carbon Future a Slow Shipping Future?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021 Is Ship Finance Transforming Faster than Shipping?at Seatrade ShipTech Virtual 2021

Maersk has announced that it is returning a third service to the Red Sea routing, its Mediterranean-West Africa WAF 6 service. “We are pleased to inform you of immediate structural changes to our WAF6 service,” the carriers said in a statement yesterday. “WAF6 is solely operated by Maersk and is a service that connects the Middle East, Mediterranean and West Africa. “It will now transit via the Red Sea between Salalah and West Mediterranean. “This change marks another step towards a gradual return to the trans-Suez corridor,” Maersk added. It is the third Maersk-linked service to return to Suez in recent days, following its US-flagged US east coast-Middle East MECL services, and the Gemini Asia-Med Loop 2 string operated with Hapag-Lloyd. Meanwhile, the recent history of the WAF6 service is a great example of how carriers have redesigned their networks in response to geopolitical developments. An analysis of Xeneta’s eeSea liner database shows that until this March, the WAF6 had a relatively simple east Mediterranean-west Mediterranean-west Africa routing with a typical port rotation of Port Said-Algeciras-Tanger-Tena-Lagos, with west African-bound shipments from Asia, Europe and North America able to be transhipped either in Port Said or at Algeciras and Tanger. In that structure it deployed five vessels with an average capacity of 4,600 teu However, following the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran conflict, Maersk dropped the east Mediterranean coverage and instead introduced a call at its Oman transhipment hub at Salalah, presumably to carry cargoes from Asia. It offered a new port rotation of: Tanger-Algeciras-Tema-Apapa-Cape of Good Hope-Salalah but now had to deploy nine ships instead of five and effectively transformed the service into a Middle East-Europe string. In May it added a tenth vessel to the service which led to marked improvement in the WAF 6’s schedule reliability, which according to Sea-Intelligence’s monthly schedule reliability report went from 0% of on-time vessel arrivals in February/March to 40% on time the following month. By reverting to Red Sea routings Maersk ought to be able to remove two to three of the vessels from the string for redeployment elsewhere in its network, as well as being able to offer additional options for cargo from Asia by transhipping over Salalah. However, much will also continue to hinge on the geopolitical situation – shortly after its WAF 6 announcement news broke that Saudia Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis had traded missile attacks, threatening the short-lived peace in the region. “Maersk will continue to monitor the security situation in the Middle East region very closely. The safety of the crew, the vessels, and customers’ cargo remains the highest priority. “Should the security situation change in the Red Sea, which may necessitate reverting individual sailings or the wider structural change of the service back to the Cape of Good Hope route, we have contingency plans in place,” the carrier said.

Geopolitics will have a greater impact on container shipping in the foreseeable future, than pure cargo supply and demand, according to the Korea Ocean Business Corp (KOBC). The ship finance institution’s report says that, in response, shipping lines are moving towards a system “focused on supply chain stability and flexible networks”. It noted that in November 2023, as the Red Sea crisis and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued, shipping lines became less focused on cost efficiency, more on maintaining cargo flows and port calls, even if it meant longer sailing distances. For example, Asia-Europe routes, originally centred on Suez Canal transits, had structurally changed since Houthi rebels began attacking merchant ships, and began detouring round the Cape of Good Hope. This soaked up a significant number of newbuildings. The KOBC report said: “As a result, despite the delivery of large ships, the oversupply feared by the market has not materialised, and freight calculations are shifting from simple supply and demand to a structure influenced by a complex mix of geopolitical risks, transport distances, and network operation methods.” Before the Red Sea crisis, freight rates on the Asia-Europe route alone could largely explain overall market trends, but after geopolitical risks expanded, freight rates on various routes were independently influenced, significantly weakening market synchronisation. And KOBC also observed that liner operator strategies were changing. In the past, economies of scale and cost reduction were the main competitive factors, but now, flexible network planning, using multiple routes and service continuity – such as the hub-and-spoke strategies of the Gemini Cooperation and HMM – have emerged as key competitive factors. Meanwhile, MSC has shifted to an “optionality” strategy to secure multiple routes. KOBC said: “These changes aren’t temporary but are likely to establish a new operational environment for the global container market, going forward. Future market analyses will need to examine both geopolitical variables and shipping companies’ response strategies.”