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The latest news and commentary on how the US/Israel-Iran conflict is affecting the global maritime industry and shipping markets. Latest series of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz leads makes an attack highly likely, says JMIC. July 7, 2026 The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), the information sharing operation run by the 47-nation Combined Maritime Forces, has raised the maritime threat level in the Strait of Hormuz to severe. The new risk reading for the contested waterway means an attack is highly likely, stepping up from the previous level of substantial, which means an attack is a strong possibility. In its latest advisory note, JMIC said the increase in the threat level was due to a series of three attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz on 7 July. "IRGC attacks, hailing, UAS activity, and targeted surveillance continued throughout the period, indicating sustained monitoring of commercial shipping and a continued intent to assert presence across key transit lanes," said the advisory. JMIC said reporting did not show a sustained increase in movements along the southern corridor, instead remaining stable after the corridor was widened. Related:Two more tankers attacked in Hormuz off Oman "The recent confirmed incidents highlight that the threat environment remains heightened and warrants extreme vigilance. IRGC hailing and routing pressure continue, particularly for AIS-active vessels," the advisory said. Monitoring of traffic volumes through the strait has been made more difficult buy AIS practices as some ships choose to switch off their AIS transponders to try and avoid detection, although Iran has proven capable of finding and hitting vessels with AIS off. The US assisted 37 transits between 5-6 July; there were 24 transits on 5 July and 25 on 6 July, the report said. The figures compared to a pre-war level of 138 vessels per day. While JMIC references three confirmed incidents, all reported by UKMTO on 7 July, some reports claim there have been as many as five attacks on ships in the area over the past two days. JMIC said it expects maritime traffic to decrease along both the northern and southern routes through the Strait of Hormuz. No ships have been attacked in the northern route in recent days, instead Iran appears to be focussing attacks on the southern route to deter ships from Oman's coast in favour of the northern route along Iran's shores. The northern route is controlled by Iran while the southern route is operated by the US and Oman. 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. UKMTO reports two separate attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, with both suffering structural damage. July 7, 2026 UKMTO has published two more reports of vessels being attacked in the southern route through the strait of Hormuz off the coast ofOman. The first 7 July attack, reported to UKMTO by a third party, has an incident time yet to be confirmed; it states a ship was hit by an unknown projectile and is believed to have structural damage. There were no reports of injuries or environmental impact. The second attack was reported by military authorities and occurred at 1305 hrs. The tanker was struck by an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) and sustained minor structural damage. The ship is continuing to its next port of call and no casualties or environmental damage were reported. Iran appears to be pressuring ships to avoid the southern route through the Strait of Hormuz, as it has not attacked any ships in the northern route closer to its own shores. A VHF message shared online warns vessels to only use routes approved by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, and that other routes are unsafe. Related:JMIC raises Strait of Hormuz threat level to severe The Strait of Hormuz has effectively been split into two routes due to the risk of mines in the usual channels. The latest incidents follow an attack overnight onQatariLNG carrierAl Rekayyat, a 2009-built Q-Flex series ship owned by Nakilat. A fire broke out on the laden LNG carrier after it was hit on the port side. The crew have been reported safe and were being evacuated. Saudi-flagged VLCC Wedyan was also hit in the early hours of 7 July. The attack on theBahri-owned 2010-built ship was confirmed by the IMO. Dr Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, demanded Iran cease its activities that threaten maritime navigation: “The targeting of the Qatari vessel "Al-Rekayyat" while transiting near the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an unacceptable attack on the security & safety of international maritime navigation, the security of global energy supplies, & a grave & explicit violation of international law, particularly the rules guaranteeing freedom of navigation & safe passage through international waterways. “We hold it fully legally responsible for this attack & for any resulting damages & consequences.” 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 agreement follows a series of concessions between carrier-controlled terminal operators and Vietnamese companies in the last few years to develop port facilities at Lach Huyen. The integrator’s positive earnings momentum was led by its air cargo-focused Express division that saw pre-tax profit increase 63% year over year in the quarter. With a recent investment commitment from current majority owner China Merchants Port Holdings, Hambantota’s annual box-handling capacity is expected to double to 2 million TEUs by the end of the year.

Le fragole fanno bene alla salute. O almeno dovrebbero. Sono ricche di vitamina C, antiossidanti e altri nutrienti preziosi. Eppure le analisi che abbiamo condotto raccontano un’altra storia: in molte fragole coltivate con metodi di agricoltura convenzionale abbiamo trovato residui di pesticidi, compresi interferenti endocrini, PFAS e sostanze neurotossiche. È quanto emerge dalla nostra ultima indagine, realizzata insieme al Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN Europe), su 41 campioni di fragole provenienti da 11 Paesi dell’Unione Europea, tra cui l’Italia. Stop pesticidi! Chiedi all’Unione Europea e al Governo italiano di introdurre regole più severe per proteggere la nostra salute Pesticidi nelle fragole italiane: cosa ci dicono le analisi Per valutare il livello di contaminazione da pesticidi delle fragole italiane abbiamo raccolto e analizzati 5 campioni. Ecco cosa abbiamo trovato. 1) Interferenti endocrini In 3 campioni su 5 abbiamo trovato fludioxonil e cyprodinil, sostanze che l’EFSA (l’Autorità per la Sicurezza Alimentare) ha classificato rispettivamente nel 2024 e nel 2025 come interferenti endocrini. Secondo alcuni studi, il cyprodinil interferisce anche con la funzionalità della tiroide, che contribuisce a numerose funzioni vitali tra cui lo sviluppo cerebrale. 2) PFAS, gli inquinanti eterni In 3 campioni italiani su 5 abbiamo trovato pesticidi appartenenti alla famiglia dei PFAS, ovvero sostanze chimiche tossiche usate in numerosi prodotti per le loro proprietà idro e oleorepellenti; queste sostanze vengono usate anche nei pesticidi per migliorarne le prestazioni. I PFAS sono estremamente persistenti e tossici, e quasi tutti si degradano formando acido trifluoroacetico (TFA). Il TFA è stato recentemente classificato dall’Agenzia europea per le sostanze chimiche (ECHA) come tossico per la riproduzione di categoria 1B, ossia una sostanza che può compromettere lo sviluppo del feto. 3) Sostanze neurotossiche 2 campioni italiani su 5 contengono almeno un pesticida neurotossico, pericoloso soprattutto per i potenziali effetti sullo sviluppo neurologico delle api e sospettato di avere effetti sullo sviluppo neurologico di feti e bambini. 4) Sostanze del gruppo “Candidate for Substitution” (CFS) In 3 campioni italiani su 5 risulta risulta almeno un pesticida classificato come “Candidate for Substitution” (CFS), ovvero sostanze che a causa della loro alta tossicità sono state inserite dall’Unione europea tra le cosiddette “candidate alla sostituzione”. Si tratta di un elenco di 44 pesticidi che dal 2011 gli Stati membri dovrebbero sostituire con alternative non chimiche o con sostanze chimiche meno tossiche. Basta pesticidi! Chiedi con noi più controlli e regole più rigide Le fragole europee non se la cavano meglio Le analisi hanno coinvolto 41 campioni di fragole provenienti da 11 Paesi europei: Austria Belgio Croazia Francia Germania Ungheria Irlanda Italia Olanda Slovenia Spagna In media, le fragole europee contengono residui di 3,5 diversi principi attivi pesticidi (rispetto ai 2,4 trovati nei campioni italiani). I pesticidi rilevati più spesso appartengono alle categorie più tossiche autorizzate nell’UE: Interferenti endocrini (fludioxonil rilevato nel 39% dei campioni e e cyprodinil nel 33%) (fludioxonil rilevato nel 39% dei campioni e e cyprodinil nel 33%) PFAS (rilevati nel 58% dei campioni) (rilevati nel 58% dei campioni) Sostanze neurotossiche (rilevate nel 17% dei campioni) (rilevate nel 17% dei campioni) Sostanze del gruppo “Candidate for Substitution” (trovate nel 56% dei campioni) Le fragole più contaminate sono quelle provenienti da Slovenia, Belgio e Irlanda, con una media rispettivamente di 7, 6 e 5 residui di pesticidi per campione. Inoltre il 61% dei campioni di fragole convenzionali contiene residui di più pesticidi, con una media di 3,5 pesticidi per campione. C’è tuttavia una nota positiva: tutti e cinque i campioni provenienti da agricoltura biologica (tra cui uno italiano acquistato in Austria), i campioni etichettati come “senza pesticidi” e il 22% dei campioni provenienti da agricoltura convenzionale sono risultati privi di residui di pesticidi. I risultati migliori provengono da Francia e Paesi Bassi, entrambi Paesi che hanno implementato politiche per la riduzione dell’uso dei pesticidi anche in agricoltura convenzionale. Stop pesticidi! Chiedi all’Unione Europea e al Governo italiano di proteggere la nostra salute Mangiamo mix di pesticidi potenzialmente tossici I risultati di queste analisi sono motivo di forte preoccupazione. Malgrado le tracce di pesticidi rilevate siano a norma di legge, il fatto che nel 61% dei campioni risulti la presenza di più pesticidi (il cosiddetto “multiresiduo”) è un problema da non sottovalutare. Oggi le conoscenze sugli effetti sulla salute legati all’esposizione cumulativa e dagli effetti sinergici dei cosiddetti “cocktail di pesticidi” sono ancora limitate: tuttavia, un numero crescente di studi scientifici dimostra che l’esposizione cronica a molteplici residui di pesticidi può favorire l’insorgenza di malattie croniche, tra cui l’infertilità. È molto grave che l’EFSA, ovvero l’’Autorità per la Sicurezza Alimentare, dal 2005 a oggi non abbia ancora elaborato una metodologia che tenga conto dell’esposizione contemporanea a più pesticidi. Questa lacuna oggi espone le persone a mix di pesticidi potenzialmente tossici: cosa aspettiamo a introdurre una normativa più severa che protegga davvero la salute di cittadini e cittadine? Come puoi tutelarti Scegli fragole locali e biologiche, quando puoi Le fragole biologiche vengono coltivate senza pesticidi sintetici e i risultati delle nostre analisi mostrano che i campioni biologici sono effettivamente privi di residui di pesticidi.Per risparmiare, prova ad acquistarle nei mercati contadini e nei gruppi di acquisto, piuttosto che nei supermercati: le troverai a prezzi più convenienti e, al tempo stesso, con il tuo acquisto sosterrai gli agricoltori biologici locali. Coltiva le tue fragole La coltivazione delle fragole non richiede molto spazio: è sufficiente anche un semplice vaso in balcone, in modo da garantire che api e impollinatori abbiano accesso alla pianta. Scegli varietà più resistenti ai parassiti e assicurati che il terreno sia ben fertilizzato e mantenuto costantemente umido. Ricorda che le fragole sono sensibili ai funghi: è utile coprire il terreno con materiali organici come pacciamatura d’erba, trucioli di legno o paglia, che contribuiscono anche a mantenere l’umidità del suolo e il contenuto di carbonio. Firma la nostra petizione per dire stop ai pesticidi! Mentre sulla nostra tavola arrivano mix di pesticidi dagli effetti potenzialmente tossici, l’Unione Europea sta preparando la sua mossa. Tramite il Pacchetto di leggi Omnibus, sta spingendo per ridurre le revisioni periodiche sui pesticidi consentiti e ad allungare le autorizzazioni. Se approvata, questa proposta finirebbe per favorire l’uso dei pesticidi tossici rendendo più facile mantenere sul mercato molte sostanze pericolose: un regalo alle multinazionali che le producono e una rovina per la nostra salute. Non possiamo permettere che accada. Chiediamo di vietare le sostanze più pericolose per la salute e per gli ecosistemi, fermare l’indebolimento delle normative sui pesticidi, introdurre regole che tengano conto degli effetti dei mix di pesticidi negli alimenti e sostenere modelli agricoli capaci di ridurre drasticamente l’uso della chimica! Basta pesticidi Chiedi all’Unione Europea e al Governo italiano di proteggere la nostra salute!

Freight operations are moving fast, but a good amount of trucking companies are still juggling the day-to-day through spreadsheets, emails, phone calls, load boards and whatever internal systems they have in place. It works until it doesn’t. For carriers trying to move quicker, hire drivers and stay on top of compliance, all those disconnected pieces can slow things down and create more back-office work than necessary. Spotter AI, a transportation technology company based near Chicago, is continuing to build out its platform with updates across Spotter Driver, Spotter CRM, Spotter Lens and Spotter Extension. The goal is straightforward: give carriers, brokers, recruiters and CDL drivers practical tools that make dispatch coordination, communication, recruiting, freight intelligence and automation easier to manage. The updates build on the company’s existing products, including Spotter TMS and Sentinel, its safety and compliance platform. Together, the tools are meant to help transportation businesses handle more of their daily work from one place instead of constantly bouncing between disconnected systems. Spotter Driver, the company’s mobile app for iOS and Google Play, has been updated to support real-time communication between CDL drivers and carrier teams. Built for fleets using Spotter’s dispatch and TMS platform, the app gives drivers access to load information, dispatch updates, documents and operational support from the road. For carriers, the app creates a more organised way to manage driver profiles, permissions and communication with dispatch teams. Instead of relying on scattered texts, calls and emails, fleets can keep key information in a more structured workflow. That can matter in ordinary but important moments, such as when a load detail changes, a driver needs updated paperwork or dispatch needs to quickly confirm status without several rounds of back-and-forth. Driver recruiting remains a major pressure point for many fleets. Spotter CRM’s latest mobile and tablet updates are aimed at helping recruiting teams manage applicants, track hiring progress and respond to candidates from mobile devices. The updated CRM includes smart filters, fast search tools and real-time updates, giving recruiters more flexibility when working through hiring pipelines. Because the system is integrated with Spotter TMS, carriers can also connect recruiting activity with broader fleet operations across desktop, tablet and mobile. For growing fleets, the practical benefit is clearer visibility into where candidates stand and fewer duplicated steps. Faster follow-up can also be important in a competitive driver market, where a qualified applicant may not wait long for the next opportunity. Spotter AI is alsoexpanding access to freight market datathrough Spotter Lens, a free online feature that provides freight analytics and rankings across the United States. Spotter Lens allows users to look at dry van, reefer and flatbed categories to better understand demand and market conditions. For carriers, brokers and dispatch teams, that type of visibility can help support lane planning, pricing discussions and decisions about where to focus capacity. In a market where timing and information can affect margins, a clearer view of freight demand can help teams make better operational choices before committing resources. Spotter Extension, the company’s Chrome extension, is designed for teams that spend much of the day moving between emails, load boards, maps and internal systems. The extension includes click-to-email functionality, customizable templates, Gmail-linked correspondence tracking, AI-generated pricing analysis, “Best Load” recommendations, advanced filtering and one-click Google Maps integration for route planning. The aim is to reduce the number of manual steps involved in common freight tasks. A dispatcher or broker, for example, can move from reviewing a load to checking a route or comparing pricing without having to jump between as many separate tools. For Spotter AI, the focus is not AI as a buzzword, but how intelligent tools can help reduce friction in everyday transportation work. Trucking operations depend on speed, accuracy and communication. When information is spread across too many systems, decisions can be delayed and opportunities can be missed. “Our mission is to simplify and modernise freight operations using intelligent tools that save time, improve communication and help carriers make smarter decisions,” said Atavicka Ware, Marketing Director at Spotter AI. “These latest updates further connect drivers, recruiters and fleet operators withreal-time tools built around the way trucking operations actually function.” As fleets look for ways to operate with more visibility and less complexity, Spotter AI’s latest updates reflect a broader shift toward transportation software that is more connected, mobile and operationally useful. For more information, visitwww.spotter.ai This article was sponsored by Spotter AI This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact[email protected]for licensing enquiries.

The latest contract follows a March VLCC order and brings Pan Ocean’s newbuilding programme at Beihai to four bulk carriers and three VLCCs. July 7, 2026 CSSCBeihai Shipbuilding, together with CSSC Trading, has signed a shipbuilding contract for two 319,000 dwtVery Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs)withSouth Koreanshipowner Pan Ocean. In a disclosure, Pan Ocean said investment in the vessels was $122m per ship and deliveries would be complete in late September 2030. This new deal follows a previous order for one VLCC signed by the two parties in March 2026 at $121.8m for delivery in December 2029. The yard said it marks a major batch breakthrough for Beihai Shipbuilding in commercialising its independently-developed Venus series VLCCs. Pan Ocean currently has four 210,000 dwt bulk carriers and one VLCC under construction at Beihai Shipbuilding. The latest supplementary VLCC order lays a solid foundation for deeper and more comprehensive cooperation between the two parties in the future, the shipyard said. “The global tanker shipping market has remained buoyant since 2026, with shipowners seeing rising demand for high-performance, low-energy-consumption and eco-friendly large crude carriers,” said the shipyard. Related:Hengli Heavy Industry bags 207 newbuild orders in H1 The newly-signed VLCCs belong to Beihai Shipbuilding’s self-developed Venus-series liquid cargo vessel portfolio. With an overall length of 339.5 meters, a beam of 60 meters and a deadweight of 319,000 dwt, the vessels are equipped with advanced high-efficiency energy-saving facilities that substantially improve overall energy efficiency and operational economy. Designed with green and low-carbon upgrading potential, the vessels reserve space for ammonia fuel conversion and can be retrofitted with two 6,000 cu m ammonia fuel tanks in the future, enabling compliant and eco-friendly operation. The vessels align with the latest CSR, OCIMF and international oil company standards. Read more about: Katherine Si China Correspondent China-based Katherine Si has worked in the maritime industry since 2008 is well-connected with local industry players including Chinese owners and yards. Having majored in English Katherine started at news portal ShippingChina.com where she rose to become a News Editor. In 2008 she moved to work with Seatrade and has since held numerous positions including China correspondent for Seatrade Maritime Review magazine. With extensive experience in writing, research and social media promotion, Katherine focuses on the shipping and transport sectors.

Redazione AnsaREGGIO CALABRIA - Luglio 07,2026 - News (ANSA) - REGGIO CALABRIA, 07 LUG - E' stata approvata con emendamenti la proposta di legge recante 'Misure per la riduzione dell'inquinamento da sostanze poli- e perfluoroalchiliche (Pfas)'. Ferdinando Laghi (Tridico Presidente) nella sua relazione ha spiegato che le sostanze derivanti da poli- e perfluoroalchiliche sono composti chimici di sintesi."Non esistono, cioè, in natura, ma sono state create in laboratorio e si sono diffuse a livello planetario perché funzionano benissimo. Purtroppo - ha aggiunto - solo in un tempo molto, troppo successivo, si è scoperto che nuocciono gravemente alla salute". Ricordando che la Calabria è tra le Regioni con la più alta incidenza dei siti campionati "appare fondamentale - ha aggiunto Laghi - alla luce degli effetti delle Pfas sulla salute umana e della conclamata contaminazione di tali sostanze nel territorio regionale attuare, organizzare e sistematizzare il monitoraggio delle Pfas nelle acque, già svolto da Arpacal, per proteggere efficacemente la salute pubblica e l'ambiente".Con la relazione del consigliere e firmatario Sergio Ferrari (FI) l'Aula ha poi approvato all'unanimità, con emendamenti, la proposta di legge recante 'Norme per la promozione della sicurezza e dell'educazione stradale e per la disciplina del sistema regionale di monitoraggio dei dati sull'incidentalità stradale'. "Gli incidenti stradali - ha spiegato Ferrari - rappresentano una delle principali cause di mortalità e disabilità, con rilevanti costi sociali, sanitari ed economici, incidendo in modo significativo sulla popolazione giovanile. La complessità infrastrutturale e le criticità organizzative della rete viaria calabrese rendono necessario un sistema regionale strutturato, stabile e integrato di monitoraggio della sicurezza stradale. Non possiamo più permetterci interventi sporadici e frammentati. Proprio da questa precisa urgenza nasce la proposta di legge all'esame oggi dell'Aula", ha aggiunto. (ANSA).

Antaq, Brazil’s national waterway transportation authority, is continuing to press for a two-stage bidding process for the Tecon10 container terminal project in Santos, despite government opposition. The Loadstarreportedin mid-May how the Brazilian government’s chief of staff office was keen to remove Antaq’s bidding restrictions, which barred existing terminal operators in the port – APM Terminals, MSC, CMA CGM and DP World – from entering the first round of bids, due to anti-competition concerns. However, should no suitable offers be received, a second round of bids would be held that would allow existing operators to participate. In a later development, Brazil’s Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) ruled that shipping lines should also be barred from the first round, on the basis that ‘vertically integrating’ carrier and terminal operations would be similarly anti-competitive. However, Brazil’s Investment Partners Programme (IPP), which runs the country’s public-private investment projects, drew up a technical note which, firstly, argued that the TCU had failed to provide adequate reasons for excluding shipping lines, and secondly, recommended that existing terminal operators be allowed to bid in the first round. In a new filing to the government, Antaq claimed the government used the IPP paper to order it to lift its auction restrictions, but that appears to have been rejected the request on the basis that it would compromise the agency’s legal autonomy “to set restrictions, limits and conditions in tender documents to prevent market concentration and anti-competitive practices”. According to Brazilian newspaperValor, the agency’s filing to Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports, said: “The issue would therefore touch on Antaq’s regulatory autonomy directly, and proposals that weaken competition oversight should be rejected.” However,Valoralso reported that Antaq director general Frederico Dias, who is also the appointed special rapporteur to the Tecon10 auction, had said that “if the government lays out clear public policy grounds without overstepping Antaq’s legal authority, the agency should take that guidance into account”. The new Antaq filing is now being studied by the ministry, and Antaq will only move forward with auction after its response. The government’s current schedule is to open the bidding process by the end of the year, which means the issue will need to be resolved and the tender documents published by September. This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact[email protected]for licensing enquiries.

Trade flows between Africa and Europe are on the up, especially containerised goods, but SME forwarders are yet to experience the benefit, leaving questions on just how shippers are booking their cargo. Container Trades Statistics (CTS) data, which reports two months in arrears, shows that, following disastrous January Europe-Sub-Saharan Africa volumes dropping more than 10% year on year, the route has seen back-to-back months of growth. But despite CTS recording a 17.9% year-on-year upswing in May volumes, forwarders toldThe Loadstarthey had yet to see much in the way of growth, one describing their situation as a “status quo” in which “hardly anything was happening”. That 17.9% May uptick was preceded by upswings of 6.7%, 8.8%, and 6.1%, year on year, with April and May rate data showing a similarly strong momentum, climbing 10.9% and 12.5%, respectively. Similarly, on Sub-Saharan Africa-Europe routings, volume growth has returned after a March blip (down 1.9% year on year) coinciding with the onset of war in the Persian Gulf, with volumes up 10.8% in May and 4.6% in April. Again, however, forwardersThe Loadstarspoke to appeared largely ambivalent over the way the April and May had played out on Europe-bound African exports, one noting that part of the problem was that their attention had been “tied up on other trades”. “There is a lot of potential sitting around for Middle East-Africa trade, but we cannot do much to move cargo, with everything is getting stuck in India on FCL and LCL volumes not being accepted,” said one forwarder. Reasons behind the split between the data and the experience of forwarders are hard to pin down, one possibility being that the forwardersThe Loadstarhas spoken to are simply less engaged in the Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe trades. Another possibility is that shippers are either favouring the multinationals (the forwardersThe Loadstarspoke with are SMEs) or that, as on other trades, notably Asia-Europe, shippers are sidestepping forwarders to book direct with carriers. This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact[email protected]for licensing enquiries. This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact[email protected]for licensing enquiries.

Genova - Il cronoprogramma, per il momento, non cambia, ma i costi rischiano di aumentare: sono queste le notizie che emergono dal punto sullo scolmatore del Bisagno fatto in Consiglio Regionale dall'assessore Giacomo Giampedrone, in risposta ad un'interrogazione del consigliere Simone D'Angelo (Pd). Per quanto riguarda i materiali, «nella prima fase c'era materiale argilloso e rischiavamo di non riuscire a scavare, scavavamo 4-6 metri al giorno perché era tutta argilla - spiega Giampedrone - Ora è migliore la solidità del materiale e stiamo scavando 16-18 metri al giorno, quindi 7-8 anelli della galleria. Anche con la miglior qualità del materiale, c'è una qualità complessiva che non sembra idonea al ripascimento, stiamo ancora valutando. Se fosse, si apre un tema di materiale che doveva rientrare nel costo dell'intervento, in un'economia circolare che non era rifiuto ma materiale riutilizzato. Non abbiamo deciso e non sappiamo cosa troviamo davanti, quello che abbiamo trovato finora sembra non avere l'idoneità per quel tipo di finalità. Se lo proietto per i 600-700.000 metri cubi che dobbiamo scavare, rischia ovviamente di essere un tema sia di costi che di siti idonei. Adesso ci troviamo in una fase dove, già da progetto, nei prossimi 300-400 metri invece torneremo al materiale argilloso, quindi torneremo alla fase iniziale, con qualche giorno di scavo e qualche giorno di sospensione dello scavo perché la fresa va pulita. Quello non sarà idoneo sicuramente al ripascimento, quello che viene dopo invece dovrebbe essere materiale migliore per lo scavo, non so se sarà meglio per il ripascimento. Io spero di sì, perché questo mi consentirebbe di compensare un po' le risorse». A fine estate verrà fatto il punto dei siti di stoccaggio «che dobbiamo trovare eventualmente per aggiungere il materiale che non può essere a ripascimento ma va smaltito in altro modo. Questa è la situazione ad ora e abbiamo già accumulato più di 100.000 metri cubi di materiale, quindi siamo in una fase abbastanza buona di produzione. Ovviamente quei 100.000 metri cubi dobbiamo iniziare a dire dove andiamo a stoccarli. Abbiamo già avviato il rinnovo del piano di utilizzo delle terre, perché anche fosse che una parte non è buona e una parte è buona, io devo rivedere quel piano, perché prevedeva che il materiale andasse a ripascio e invece ho già capito che quando va bene sarà il 30-40 per cento». Ma c'è anche la questione dei tempi. Ad oggi, la talpa non scava «quei 20 metri al giorno che vogliamo, ma se superiamo questa fase che dovrebbe essere 200-300 metri, secondo me andiamo anche più di 20 metri». L'obiettivo resta quello di completare le operazioni che consentono l'apertura della galleria per le emergenze dal 1 gennaio 2027, come da cronoprogramma. Secondo Giampedrone sarà possibile recuperare parte del tempo perduto perché «a materiale più idoneo la fresa scava quello che deve scavare, quindi io sono convinto che siccome non è ancora materiale idoneo proprio al top rispetto a quello che mi aspetto di trovare quando saremo alla fase più avanzata, faremo anche più di 20 metri al giorno». Il cronoprogramma definitivo verrà tracciato a fine estate. Ultima nota per gli scavi a monte: «Scaviamo con le mine e ci sarà una volata (operazione di scavo eseguita con esplosivo, ndr) l'8 luglio tra le 20.30 e le 21.30. Abbiamo consolidato un sistema con i Municipi in cui parte una mail che avvisa tutti, perché qualche cittadino ovviamente non si aspetta che ci sia una volata». «All'accumularsi dei ritardi si somma l'aumento delle incognite - accusa il consigliere D'Angelo - È facile presagire che l'1 gennaio lo scolmatore non sarà in funzione: il rischio è quello di un aumento dei costi molto pesante. Parliamo di centinaia di migliaia di metri cubi di materiale che, se non idoneo, dovranno in qualche modo uscire dal sito dove attualmente opera la talpa. C’è una forte incognita sia per lo stoccaggio temporaneo, sia per attività industriali che potrebbero diventare complementari sullo smaltimento o sulla trasformazione del materiale di scavo. La Val Bisagno è una di quelle zone, insieme alla Valpolcevera, che devono essere attenzionate per l’impatto dei cantieri e per il livello di inquinamento. Lo scolmatore è un’opera attesa da tutti, ma il prezzo che si deve pagare non può essere quello dell’impatto sulla salute, sull’ambiente e sulla quotidianità della vita dei cittadini della Val Bisagno».

Opportunistic Chinese shipowner BAL Container Line is making a selective comeback to the transpacific trade, after exiting liner shipping to focus on being a tonnage provider. According to container shipping consultancy Linerlytica, BAL has postponed chartering its new 14,400 teuBAL Athenato Maersk Line for the Gemini Asia-North Europe AE3 service. Instead, BAL will deploy the vessel on an ad hoc China-US West Coast service, from 24 July, calling at Ningbo, Shanghai, Long Beach, and Shanghai, to take advantage of booming transpacific spot rates. Maersk is expected to take on theBAL Athenaonce it completes its transpacific stint in early September. BAL, which previously operated a standalone China-Mexico service, stopped its independent liner operation in January 2023, when rates began normalising after the Covid-induced boom. On 3 June, LC Logistics, BAL’s intermediate holding company, said in a Hong Kong Stock Exchange filing it had soldBAL Athenato China Development Bank Financial Leasing ,under a sale-and-leaseback transaction. Itwas one of two ships BAL ordered in June 2024; the other being sold to MSC in December for $170m, BAL realising a $25m profit. On Friday, the Shanghai Containerised Freight index showed the Shanghai-US West Coast rate had risen 9% from 26 June, to $6,630 per 40ft. The Shanghai-US East Coast rate gained 12%, to $8,296 per 40ft. However, Linerlytica said the SCFI figures did not reflect the real-time picture, adding: “Transpacific rates remain very firm, with carriers able to hold their 1 July GRIs. “Spot rates to the US west coast have soared above $7,000 per 40 ft while rates to the US east coast have risen to over $8,600, with the SCFI yet to reflect these higher rates,” the analyst said. The early peak season has seen Shanghai-US West Coast rates surge fourfold from about $1,800 per 40ft in February. This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact[email protected]for licensing enquiries.

Sifting through the extensive coverage that the CMA CGM-FedEx Supply Chain $1.4bn-enterprise-value deal has received in the past week, you may be forgiven for thinking this time is not different when it boils down to the French carrier’s 3PL arm Ceva Logistics. The facts talk louder than words. CMA CGM endorsed Corporate America in its own way – ahead of “Liberation Day“, the shipping group, if you recall, in March 2025 was one of the very first to promise “$20bn investment in ...

The recovery in global container shipping schedule reliability lost momentum last month, although there was a marked improvement through the second quarter. According to Xeneta’s Global Reliability Scorecard, global on-time carrier performance averaged 39% in May, marking the third consecutive monthly increase, after rising from 36% in March to 37% in April. Average delays also fell, to 3.4 days, the lowest level since July 2025. However, Destine Ozuygur, senior market analyst at Xeneta, has warned that June saw the trend reverse, with on-time arrivals slipping two percentage points to 37% and average delays edging back up to 3.6 days. “Global on-time performance hit 39% in May… This was the closest reading to the 40% ceiling we’ve seen since December 2023,” said Ms Ozuygur. But she added: “June checked our collective optimism; no trade improved, on-time arrivals fell, 2pp to 37%, and delay crept back up to 3.6 days.” Keith Gaskin, MD and founder of ShiftX, said improving schedule reliability remained a difficult balancing act for carriers, amid the persistent port congestion. “Capacity is only usable if it can be deployed, removed at the port, and loaded at the port efficiently and on time, and it’s been a huge issue this year,” he toldThe Loadstar Podcast. Among carrier alliances, the Gemini Cooperation continued to outperform rivals, averaging 69% on-time performance during Q2, with average delays of just 1.1 days. The Ocean Alliance recorded the biggest improvement, lifting schedule reliability by 15 percentage points, to 43%. However, Mr Gaskin warned that carrier efforts to maintain schedules may come at the expense of customers whose cargo was ready to ship. “I think some of the alliances are trying to work really hard to bring their schedule integrity to a much higher percentage, and to that end, we’ve seen sometimes the vessel just cutting and running, because it was delayed and they couldn’t turn around the containers on the port quick enough because of congestion. “So, on the one hand they’re trying to improve schedule reliability, but if you’re a customer that delivered your container on time ad did all your customs clearance; through no fault of your own, you may have faced rolling boxes because the carrier is trying to improve its schedule reliability. So it’s very difficult balancing act,” he explained. On the carrier level, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd led the field, with Q2 averages of 58% and 57% respectively, more than 10 percentage points ahead of third-placed CMA CGM’s 46%. Wan Hai was the only major carrier to perform worse than in the first quarter, falling six percentage points, to 15%. Despite the “stall in momentum” in June schedule reliability, however, Ms Ozuygur underscored that “the global recovery is real”. Source: Xeneta Capacity management pressures appeared to ease during the quarter and global blanked sailings fell to 9% of planned teu in June, equivalent to around 890,000 teu, making it the first month this year to record fewer blanked sailings than in the corresponding month of 2025. Performance varied widely by tradelane. East Coast South America posted the strongest improvement, with schedule reliability jumping 17 percentage points quarter on quarter, to 54%, while West Coast South America reached 48%. Far East-Europe recorded the second-largest gain, climbing 14 percentage points, to 39%, while both the Far East-North America and Europe-North America trades improved by seven percentage points. “The Middle East was the obvious exception: on-time arrivals fell in May, even as every other trade improved, and the trade closed Q2 at just 25%,” Mr Ozuygur said. Mr Gaskin said congestion remained particularly acute in Northern Europe ports, with Rotterdam continuing to create knock-on disruption across networks. “I think people now just build-in a big buffer for some of these delays,” he added. This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact[email protected]for licensing enquiries.

Taiwanese prosecutors searched EMC offices and executives’ homes as they investigate alleged share purchases made before disclosure of a major Eva Air stake sale. July 7, 2026 Taiwanese authorities have raidedEvergreenMarine Corporation's (EMC) Taiwan offices and executives' homes among 10 locations searched as part of an investigation into insider trading. The raids follow a complaint made in 2024 by an EMC shareholder against nine people — including EMC board member Chang Kuo-hua, his brother Chang Kuo-cheng, and executives in the Evergreen Group — alleging that shares were purchased before public disclosure of a significant material decision at the company. Chang Kuo-hua, who also serves as president and vice chairman of Evergreen Marine Corp. (Taiwan) Ltd, has been released on $3.73m bail after questioning on 7 July while Chang Kuo-cheng posted $374,000 bail. Kuo-hua is the eldest son of the late Evergreen Group founder Chang Yung-fa, and Chang Kuo-cheng is the founder's third son. Investigations by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office are centred on the period after Chang Yung-fa died in 2016, when a family dispute ended with EMC and its airline subsidiary Eva Air effectively splitting by EMC selling large tranches of Eva Air shares. Related:El Niño returns to squeeze Panama Canal capacity Prosecutors allege that Chang Kuo-hua acquired around 98m shares in Evergreen Marine, the largest company in the EMC group, during the delay between EMC's 19 June 2023 decision to sell the Eva Air shares and the August 2023 public disclosure of that decision. According to the prosecutors, an analysis report from the Taiwan Stock Exchange concluded that shares were traded by insiders during the prohibited period prior to public disclosure of material information. The complaint alleged that the illegal trades allowed Chang Kuo-hua to make profits of around $65.4m. EMC confirmed to the Taiwan Stock Exchange on 6 July that “The Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Justice conducted relevant searches and investigations at the Company today.” According to the notice, the company is co-operating with the investigation and that normal operations are continuing during the investigation. Chang Kuo-hua has strongly denied the allegations. In May 2024, the Taiwan Stock Exchange imposed a TWD200,000 ($6,230) fine on EMC for violating regulations involving material information and internal control requirements. 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.