Porti & ambiente — le notizie raccolte

The latest news and commentary on how the US/Israel-Iran conflict is affecting the global maritime industry and shipping markets. Iran continues to hit vessels in the Strait of Hormuz while another US interdiction looks likely in the Indian Ocean September 1, 2026 Attacks on commercial shipping by Iran continue in the Strait of Hormuz with a tanker hit on an outbound transit. The UKMTO said a Company Security Officer reported a tanker being struck by three unknown projectiles during an outbound transit of the Strait. No casualties or environmental impact were reported. The incident took place 17nm northeast of Khasab,Omanand was reported at 20:00 hrs UTC on 31 August. The name of the vessel involved was not released. On 30 AugustUSforces struck Iran’s Larak Island in the north of the Strait taking mine laying capabilities. Iranian media reported that three Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel died in the attack and seven were injured. Meanwhile it looks likely that US forces carried out another vessel interdiction as part of its blockade of Iranian ports. UKMTO said it had received a report of an incident involving a tanker and military forces in the Indian Ocean. Related:Tanker attacked in Hormuz, US hits Iranian mine launchers “Vessels are advised to consider the latest maritime security information and maintain awareness of the evolving operational environment. Authorities are aware and relevant investigations remain ongoing,” UKMTO said. Read more about: Marcus Hand Editor Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia. Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation. In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology. Marcus is the founder of theSeatrade Maritime Podcastthat delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics. Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Wind-Assisted Propulsion: Are we ready? at Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global 2024 IMPA 2024 SingaporeMaritime Procurement and Sustainability Panel, November 2024 Goodbye Globalization? Red Sea Impacts Reviewed,EGN Singapore (Executives' Global Network)webinar, February 2024 Offshore Marine Breakfast Forum atSea Asia 2023 Sustainable Finance, Shipping & Technology at Hong Kong Maritime Week 2022 Building & Operating Dual-Fuel Vessels, February 2022 Shipping’s Decarbonisation Challenge – The Role of Technology and Digitalisation at Hong Kong Maritime Week 2021 The Challenge Faced by Ship Registries in a Digital and Post-Pandemic Era, October 2020 The Future of Transhipment Hubs Post-Pandemic, November 2020 Offshore Marine Breakfast Forum at Sea Asia 2019 Marcus Hand regularly guests on mainstream media talking about maritime and shipping news stories. Below you'll find a list of selected appearances KBS World Radio -Korea24,May 2026 BBC News -Hindi Service,April 2026 RNZ -First Up, April 2026 Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

The US offshore vessel owner grows its access to the Brazilian market adding a fleet of 22 PSVs September 1, 2026 Houston-headquartered Tidewater has completed its latest acquisition giving it a strong foothold in theBrazilianmarket. The NYSE-listed company has closed its $500 million deal to acquire Wilsons Sons Ultratug (WSUT) announced earlier this year. Quintin V. Kneen, President & CEO of Tidewater said, “We are pleased to announce the closing of the WSUT acquisition, and we are excited to welcome our new employees to Tidewater. The WSUT fleet of 22 PSVs is an excellent complement to the Tidewater fleet and further expands our leading global market position in OSVs.” Speaking to theSeatrade Maritime New Podcastrecently Kneen highlighted 19 Brazilian built vessels in WSUT’s fleet as key point to the de its position in the Brazilian market where it has previously been an international operator, with the risk of vessels being off-hired in favour of local tonnage under the country’s cabotage laws. “Now with this base of 19 vessels, we're a permanent fixture in Brazil and it allows us to bring in extra vessels. When you have a Brazilian built vessel, you can bring in other vessels that are international-flagged and get that same protection. So, it's great from that perspective,” Kneen explained. Related:Nuclear maritime opportunities and floating data centres Listen to the full interview The 19 Brazilian-built vessels are all of the same design and constructed at the same yard meaning that equipment is common both for training crew and for maintenance. Kneen said he expected the integration of WSUT into Tidewater to be fully completed by early 2027. Tidewater has been a major consolidator in the offshore vessels sector acquiring Swire Pacific Offshore in April 2022 for $190 million, and a fleet of 37 platform supply vessels (PSVs) from Solstad for $580 million in a late 2023 deal. Read more about: Marcus Hand Editor Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia. Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation. In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology. Marcus is the founder of theSeatrade Maritime Podcastthat delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics. Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars. Wind-Assisted Propulsion: Are we ready? at Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global 2024 IMPA 2024 SingaporeMaritime Procurement and Sustainability Panel, November 2024 Goodbye Globalization? Red Sea Impacts Reviewed,EGN Singapore (Executives' Global Network)webinar, February 2024 Offshore Marine Breakfast Forum atSea Asia 2023 Sustainable Finance, Shipping & Technology at Hong Kong Maritime Week 2022 Building & Operating Dual-Fuel Vessels, February 2022 Shipping’s Decarbonisation Challenge – The Role of Technology and Digitalisation at Hong Kong Maritime Week 2021 The Challenge Faced by Ship Registries in a Digital and Post-Pandemic Era, October 2020 The Future of Transhipment Hubs Post-Pandemic, November 2020 Offshore Marine Breakfast Forum at Sea Asia 2019 Marcus Hand regularly guests on mainstream media talking about maritime and shipping news stories. Below you'll find a list of selected appearances KBS World Radio -Korea24,May 2026 BBC News -Hindi Service,April 2026 RNZ -First Up, April 2026 Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

Equipment makers enter SMM with a strong outlook, but China’s shipbuilding rise is reshaping the contest for technology and industrial value. August 31, 2026 SMM 2026 opens on 1 September 2026 to the strongest shipping markets seen at the trade show and an orderbook almost one third larger than last time Hamburg Messe opened its doors to the industry. ClarksonsResearch’s Clarksea index is more than 70% higher than two years ago at $42,710 per day, while the analyst’s figures show the global orderbook is 32.6% larger at 405.5m GT and valued at $666.4bn, 60% of which will flow through to suppliers as yards work through backlogs averaging four years. Clarksons Research managing director Stephen Gordon said that rising shipyard output could lead to record-breaking production in 2027, and picked out 2026 as a 50-year high forVLCCorders, record VLGC orders, and potentially another record-breaking year for container ships. Few records will be broken in European yards in terms of volume and ship numbers, however. A trade show in the heart of Europe’s shipping industry will be all too aware ofChina’sdominance in shipbuilding. China increased its output by another 10% in 2025, accounting for more than half of the world’s tonnage. Since SMM 2010, Chinese output was up 39% while the rest of the world’s output fell by 38%, according to Gordon. Related:Höegh Autoliners adds six car carriers at China Merchants China also accounts for the largest share of international representation at SMM, according to organisers Hamburg Messe und Congress, and the nation’s participation has expanded again in 2026. Europe’s years of competing with China, and Asia more broadly, in terms of sheer shipbuilding volume are over. However, European yards do retain considerable expertise and capacity for high-value, complex projects. Cruise is one such success story, with European yards holding 96% of the sector’s $72bn global orderbook. Across commercial shipbuilding, the crucial question for SMM’s European equipment manufacturers and technology providers is whether they can retain their share of the value generated by ship orders wherever they are placed. Chinese imports of key equipment such as marine engines have morphed into licensing agreements to produce equipment locally. European companies competing in a global market face difficult decisions around where manufacturing should be located, with implications for profitability, long-term viability, and domestic industrial capacity. The situation has attracted the attention of policymakers in Europe. This year’s SMM is the first since the publication of the European Commission’s EU Industrial Maritime Strategy. The European Council has expressed its concern over trade distortion and unfair subsidisation in third countries affecting EU industry, calling for research into the protection of European industries against unfair competition. Related:RCL returns to Huangpu-Wenchong Shipbuilding for four boxships The tension between protecting European industry and maintaining relations with the world’s largest shipbuilding nation will be the backdrop of the China-Europe Maritime Summit at SMM, hosted by DNV, the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR), and the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI). Equipment manufacturers and technology providers at SMM 2026 may take comfort from the orderbook and the strong outlook that comes with it, but their share of the next shipbuilding cycle is not guaranteed. Europe’s equipment manufacturers and technology providers have created value and maintained relevance through innovation, their strengths in digitalisation, decarbonisation, and ship efficiency align with shipping’s trajectory. SMM serves as an industry showcase for progress, and previews for the exhibition highlight developments in AI applications, alternative fuels, energy storage, propulsion, and robotics, among others. This year’s SMM comes at a booming time for many exhibitors, but it remains to be seen where the long-term value, expertise, and industrial capability will reside for the ships of the future. Related:Everllence and Hudong-Zhonghua in joint LNG carrier propulsion development 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 Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.

L’ospedale pediatrico Meyer di Firenze ha adottato il suo primo bilancio di sostenibilità, diventando la prima struttura pubblica in Toscana a rendicontare il proprio impatto ambientale, sociale ed economico. Il documento, elaborato dalla società di consulenza Deloitte, valuta la strategia dell’azienda ospedaliera universitaria sulle tematiche Esg (environmental, social and governance) per comprendere le attività svolte e l’impatto generato su pazienti, operatori, comunità e ambiente. L’ospedale ha gestito 8.901 ricoveri ordinari, 31.709 giornate di Day Hospital ed ha erogato 689.452 prestazioni ambulatoriali e di laboratorio, con un’attrazione extraregionale del 22,03%, confermando il suo ruolo di eccellenza sanitaria internazionale. La pubblicazione del bilancio avviene nel giorno in cui Marco Carrai, presidente della Fondazione Meyer – l’ente che raccoglie fondi per sostenere ricerca, cura e innovazione dell’ospedale pediatrico – conferma l’addio alla scadenza del suo mandato. Un mandato triennale che, sotto la guida dell’imprenditore, ha visto salire fino a quasi 17 milioni di euro la raccolta, ma ha visto tensioni per gli attacchi di chi ha rimproverato a Carrai il suo ruolo di console onorario di Israele per la Toscana, in un periodo segnato dalla risposta dello stato ebraico alla strage del 7 ottobre 2023 di Hamas, risposta di cui ha fatto le spese in larga parte la popolazione civile palestinese. I tre pilastri del bilancio I parametri presi in esame per il bilancio di sostenibilità sono molteplici. Nell’ambito dell’environment sono stati valutati il lavoro per contrastare il cambiamento climatico e favorire l’efficientamento energetico, la gestione dei rifiuti, la tutela della biodiversità e l’utilizzo delle risorse. Sul fronte social il focus ha riguardato la formazione del personale, l’inclusione e le pari opportunità, la salute e la sicurezza sul lavoro, l’accessibilità delle prestazioni sanitarie, l’accoglienza e il supporto ai pazienti, la ricerca, l’impatto sulla comunità e il rispetto della privacy. Sul fronte della governance, infine, sono stati analizzati etica e integrità, la governance della ricerca e della gestione dei fondi e la generazione e distribuzione di valore economico. “Questo documento non rappresenta soltanto un adempimento di rendicontazione o una raccolta di dati – osserva Paolo Marchese Morello, direttore generale uscente dell’Aou Meyer Irccs – ma nasce dal profondo desiderio di condividere con trasparenza la coerenza tra i valori etici che ci guidano ogni giorno e le decisioni strategiche che assumiamo per la tutela della persona, della comunità e dell’ambiente”. Per il presidente della Regione Toscana Eugenio Giani, che ha scritto la prefazione al documento, “l’impegno del Meyer su tutti i fronti Esg – dalla transizione ecologica con il programma Meyer in Green, al costante supporto psicosociale alle famiglie e alla promozione della parità di genere – dimostra come la tutela della salute debba andare di pari passo con la cura dell’ambiente e della società”. Meno energia consumata, più raccolta differenziata Nel 2025 il Meyer ha ridotto del 4,4% i consumi energetici complessivi, con una contrazione di quasi il 12% dei consumi di gas naturale grazie a continui interventi di efficientamento. Dal 2024 al 2025 è stata ridotta del 12% l’emissione diretta di gas serra, del 19% l’emissione derivante dal consumo di energia elettrica, calore e vapore e del 15% di emissioni derivanti dall’energia acquistata basandosi sulle scelte contrattuali dell’azienda. E’ stata avviata la transizione verso le energie rinnovabili attraverso la progettazione di un nuovo impianto fotovoltaico di futura installazione da 2 MW sul parcheggio aziendale, capace di coprire circa il 40% del fabbisogno elettrico diurno, e l’adozione della geotermia per il Family Center. Anche la progressiva transizione a illuminazione Led ha consentito di ridurre i consumi fino al 70-80% rispetto alle tecnologie tradizionali. Nel 2024 la quota di rifiuti di carta e cartone correttamente differenziata si è attestata al 98%, salita al 99% nel 2025, mentre la plastica è passata dal 67% al 70% nello stesso periodo. Secondo le stime, il patrimonio arboreo del Meyer produce annualmente 50 tonnellate di ossigeno. Il parco ha un potenziale di stoccaggio pari a circa 880 tonnellate di CO2, mentre il potenziale annuale di assimilazione si aggira intorno alle 70 tonnellate, il che significa sostanzialmente annullare l’inquinamento prodotto da 52 auto. L’investimento sul capitale umano Al Meyer lavorano 1.336 persone (+5,8% rispetto al 2024): la maggior parte di questi (il 96%) ha un contratto a tempo indeterminato. Preponderante è la componente femminile (78%). Nel corso del 2025 l’Aou Meyer ha registrato 127 nuove assunzioni, con un tasso di turnover del 4%, indicativo di una stabilità occupazionale complessivamente positiva. Con 39 ore di lezioni e corsi erogati a ogni dipendente, il Meyer ha investito in modo sostanziale sulla formazione. Al Meyer esiste la possibilità di utilizzare lo smart working; sono state attivate convenzioni con asili nido, servizi di trasporto pubblico e parcheggi per mitigare gli effetti del caro-vita di una città come Firenze; sono stati individuati spazi, come al Meyer Health Campus, dedicati alla socializzazione e all’ascolto psicologico. A breve è prevista l’apertura di uno sportello per i diritti dei dipendenti ed è stato creato un Gruppo di lavoro multidisciplinare aziendale permanente dedicato alla prevenzione e gestione della violenza contro gli operatori e alla valutazione del rischio da stress lavoro-correlato. Nel 2022 è stato adottato il Gender Equality Plan, un programma coerente di azioni e politiche volte a promuovere l’inclusione e la parità di genere a tutti i livelli organizzativi. “Con me gli oppositori hanno passato il limite” Scaduto il mandato triennale di Carrai, la Fondazione Meyer avrà bisogno di un nuovo presidente: “Guai a parlare di rimozione, perché l’apprezzamento per il mandato di Marco Carrai è un apprezzamento pieno”, ha detto Giani, secondo cui però “oggi questa rotazione di incarichi avviene per Marco Carrai, domani avverrà per chi viene dopo di lui”, perché “per gli incarichi di questa natura ci deve essere una circolarità”. Per la successione si è fatto il nome di Luigi Salvadori, già presidente della Fondazione Cr Firenze e prima ancora di Confindustria Firenze. “Io non l’ho fatto, e dico che è ancora presto”, ha precisato Giani. “C’è un limite oltre il quale l’avversario non può diventare il nemico“, ha affermato Carrai, secondo cui tale limite “serve a proteggere la politica stessa dalle degenerazioni: nel caso dei miei contestatori politici quel limite è stato oltrepassato“. Tra manifesti, volantini e prese di posizione, ha attaccato il presidente uscente della fondazione, “le difficoltà maggiori sono state quelle che io e la mia famiglia siamo stati costretti a vivere”, perché “la mia faccia grondante di sangue, con scritto ‘criminale di guerra’, ‘ricercato’, era su tutti i muri di Firenze e non solo. Pensate ai miei bambini di 9, 8, e 5 anni che giravano per Firenze, vedevano le foto del loro papà con le mani e il viso grondante di sangue, dove c’era scritto ‘genocida di guerra’, ‘morte a Carrai'”.

L'appello: rispettare scadenza 11 dicembre 2026 senza rinvii (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Roma, 31 ago - Recepire entro i termini previsti la nuova Direttiva europea 2024/2881 sulla qualita' dell'aria ambiente e non ricorrere alle possibilita' di deroga previste dalla normativa europea. E' la richiesta di diciassette societa' scientifiche e associazioni mediche italiane, affidata a una lettera inviata al ministro dell'Ambiente e della Sicurezza Energetica Gilberto Pichetto Fratin e, per conoscenza, al ministro della Salute Orazio Schillaci e alla Presidente del Consiglio Giorgia Meloni. La Direttiva, che dovra' essere recepita entro l'11 dicembre 2026, introduce valori limite piu' rigorosi per i principali inquinanti atmosferici, avvicinando progressivamente gli standard europei alle indicazioni dell'Organizzazione mondiale della sanita'. Per le organizzazioni firmatarie si tratta innanzitutto di una questione di salute pubblica e prevenzione. L'inquinamento atmosferico rappresenta infatti il principale rischio ambientale per la salute in Europa, con oltre 300mila decessi attribuibili ogni anno. L'Italia - riferiscono da Isde Italia - Associazione Medici per l'ambiente - e' tra i Paesi piu' interessati: si stimano circa 70mila morti l'anno attribuibili all'esposizione all'inquinamento atmosferico. I dati raccolti negli ultimi anni dalle centraline ARPA e APPA mostrano un progressivo miglioramento della qualita' dell'aria, ma il ritmo della riduzione dell'inquinamento non appare ancora sufficiente per raggiungere i nuovi valori previsti dalla normativa europea senza politiche piu' incisive. com-bag. Gli ultimi video Radiocor (RADIOCOR) 31-08-26 16:13:24 (0355)SAN 5 NNNN

Weather is no longer just something to be worked around it is transforming into a structural constraint for supply chains August 31, 2026 For most of maritime history, weather was a voyage risk — something a Master planned around, a factor priced into insurance and routing. In 2026, weather has become something else entirely: a standing feature of the trade architecture itself. It shows up not as a storm to be weathered but as a structural constraint — a canal that cannot be filled, a highway that no longer exists, a rail line too hot to run a train on. This summer alone has offered a compressed education in what climate disruption to trade actually looks like, from the heat domes over Western Europe to the flash floods that erased a border crossing in the Himalayas to the slow, grinding drawdown of Gatun Lake in Panama. None of these events happened to shipping. They happened to the world shipping depends on, and shipping absorbed the consequences anyway. Western Europe recorded its warmest June–July period on record this year, and the consequences went well beyond discomfort. Rail operators discovered that overhead lines and rail steel have thermal tolerances, and France's SNCF suspended intercity services when heat threatened to warp track and infrastructure. Related:Malacca Strait littoral states stand firm on freedom of navigation As wildfires spread across France and Spain through July and into August — Spain alone saw over 150,000 hectares burn and more than 100,000 people evacuated by late July — air traffic control began rerouting flights around smoke plumes, and a high-speed rail corridor between Madrid and Barcelona faced repeated disruption. A UN Economic Commission for Europe assessment released amid the crisis warned that European transport infrastructure will face 10 to 50 more days a year above 25°C by mid-century, with pavement deterioration, bridge-joint expansion, and rail deformation becoming routine engineering considerations rather than edge cases. For shipping, the direct hit is felt in landside connectivity — the trucks, trains, and warehouses that move a container from the quay to its final destination. When rail freight into and out of ports like Barcelona or Marseille is suspended for heat or rerouted for fire, containers back up on the terminal, dwell times climb, and the knock-on delay reaches inland customers weeks after the fire itself is out. It is a reminder that a port's efficiency is only as good as the weakest link in the corridor behind it, and that corridor is now, in a very literal sense, flammable. If Europe illustrates disruption, Nepal this past week illustrated erasure. On 26 August, a glacier collapse in Langtang National Park triggered a debris avalanche and flash flood that scientists have linked to climate-driven glacial and permafrost instability. The flood travelled nearly 100 kilometres down the Trishuli and Bhote Koshi valleys and struck the Gyirong Port complex — the crossing that handled close to a third of all trade between Nepal and China. Reports indicate 32 bridges and roughly 25 miles of road were swept away, including the entire route from Betrawati to the Rasuwagadhi border post. The only overland route linking Kathmandu to Tibet was, in the words of aid workers on the ground, simply cut. Related:Panama Canal cuts daily transit slots due to El Niño This is climate risk at its most unforgiving: not a delay to be absorbed but a route that no longer exists, with no short-term substitute. For a landlocked economy like Nepal, where overland corridors carry outsized economic weight, the loss is not measured in freight-rate volatility but in months, possibly years, of rebuilding — and in the interim, in trade that simply does not happen, or happens by far longer and costlier detours. It is worth noting this is not an isolated event for the region: a July 2025 glacial lake outburst destroyed the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge at the same border, and 2024 brought its own landslide-driven closures. The pattern is not one extreme event but an accelerating frequency of them at the same chokepoints — which should reframe how planners think about "one-off" disruptions in glacier-fed corridors globally, from the Andes to the Karakoram. Related:The Strait of Hormuz ‘tollway’ Where Nepal offers a sudden rupture, thePanama Canaloffers the opposite: a chokepoint tightening gradually, announcement by announcement, in full public view. A strengthening El Niño — with NOAA putting the odds of it reaching "very strong" status by late 2026 at 81% — has suppressed rainfall across the watershed that feeds Gatun Lake, the reservoir the canal's locks depend on entirely. The Panama Canal Authority has cut the maximum authorised draft at the Neo-Panamax locks five times in 2026 alone, from the design maximum of 50 feet down to 47.5 feet by early September. Daily transit numbers have, so far, been protected — a lesson learned from the far more severe 2023–24 drought, when transits fell as low as 22 ships a day and backlogs stretched for weeks. But draft restrictions still mean less cargo per vessel on a route that touches roughly 5% of global maritime commerce, spanning container, LNG, LPG, and dry bulk trades. The trickle-down here is quieter than Nepal's but arguably more consequential at scale: incremental capacity loss on a route with no substitute of comparable efficiency, forcing owners toward transshipment, partial cargo, or the long way round the Cape or Suez — each carrying its own cost, emissions, and scheduling penalty. It is climate change expressed not as catastrophe but as attrition, and attrition is harder to insure against because it never quite reaches the threshold that triggers force majeure. None of this is entirely new, and that is precisely the point. Hurricane Katrina struck theUSGulf Coast in August 2005 and offered an early, brutal preview of what climate-scale disruption does to trade infrastructure. The Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana — together handling a vast share of US grain exports and a critical share of the country's crude oil and refined product flow — were crippled for weeks. Roughly a quarter of US oil production and a similar share of refining capacity in the Gulf went offline, and the Mississippi River, the export artery for Midwestern corn and soybeans, was effectively closed to deep-draft shipping until channels could be dredged clear of wrecks and debris. Fuel prices spiked nationally within days, not because oil itself had become scarcer worldwide, but because the choke point that moved it to market had been taken out. Katrina's lasting lesson for trade planners was twofold, and both halves are visible again in 2026. First, single-corridor dependency is a structural vulnerability, not a cost efficiency — the Gulf Coast's concentration of refining and export capacity meant one storm could move global fuel and grain prices, in much the way a handful of draft-restriction announcements at one canal can ripple through container and LNG markets today. Second, the recovery timeline is always longer than the storm: dredging the Mississippi and restoring Gulf refining took months, and the economic drag persisted well after news coverage moved on, just as Nepal's Rasuwagadhi crossing will likely take years, not weeks, to rebuild. What changed relatively little in the twenty years since is the industry's willingness to pay upfront for redundancy — alternate corridors, distributed capacity, climate-hardened infrastructure — rather than pay for recovery after the fact. Katrina, the 2023–24 Panama drought, and this year's Nepal and European disruptions are, in that sense, the same lesson delivered at increasing frequency. Four different mechanisms across two decades — a hurricane crippling a river and refining corridor, heat degrading infrastructure, a glacier collapse erasing a route, a drought throttling a canal — point to one lesson: climate risk to trade rarely arrives as a single, insurable event. It arrives as compounding pressure on chokepoints that were engineered for a climate that no longer exists. The 2023–24 Panama drought taught the industry that water management could become a trade variable; this year's repeat, arriving on schedule with El Niño, shows that lesson translated into better contingency planning — draft cuts without transit cuts — but not into structural resilience. Nepal's recurring glacial-lake failures at the same border crossing show the opposite: a lesson not yet learned, because the infrastructure was rebuilt in the same vulnerable location each time. For maritime and trade leaders, the operating implication is to stop treating these as three separate news stories and start treating them as one continuous signal: route resilience, corridor redundancy, and climate-adjusted infrastructure standards are no longer environmental, social and governance line items — they are commercial due diligence. The chokepoints that will define the next decade of trade are not necessarily the ones drawn on a geopolitical risk map. Some of them are drawn by rainfall, temperature, and the melting point of ice a thousand miles from the nearest port. Read more about: Punit Oza Founder & Director, Maritime NXT Punit started his career in Dry Bulk Shipping over 30 years ago and has held senior management positions in some leading shipping companies, including Precious Shipping, Noble Group & Torvald Klaveness. Punit now runsMaritime NXT, Singapore, a platform dedicated to driving the “Next” in Maritime through training, teaching, mentoring, consulting & collaborating in the commercial shipping & digital transformation space. Punit is a Senior Adjunct Fellow at Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Academy, an Affiliated Research Fellow at Singapore Management University (SMU) and a guest lecturer and visiting professor at World Maritime University, Bayes Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Business School, Copenhagen Business School, University of Piraeus, Indian Institute of Management, Shillong lecturing on “Geopolitical Risks & their impact on Supply Chain and Trade Flows”. He also regularly conducts customised Geo-Strategic workshops for Shipping & Trading Companies. Punit hosts a monthly podcast on Geopolitics & Trade withSeatrade Maritime Podcast, interviewing prominent shipping, trade & technology leaders. Punit regularly contributes his views on Maritime, Geopolitical and related matters at various industry conferences and events and has appeared on Channel News Asia & CNBC Asia to discuss these aspects. Punit is also the current President of theInstitute of Chartered Shipbrokers. Subscribe and get the latest industry news, analysis and more straight to your inbox.