Corps opens Minneapolis locks for navigation season The St. Paul Engineer District is opening its Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 1, both in Minneapolis, to navigation for commercial and recreational traffic on Sunday,
RINA and Hanwha cooperate to promote advanced battery-hybrid propulsion systems With their eyes on the RO/RO ferry sector, Genoa-headquartered classifications RINA and Hanwha Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at promoting the adoption of advanced battery hybrid propulsion systems
Ports of Indiana opens bonded facility at Mount Vernon Ports of Indiana has opened a new federally approved bonded storage facility at its Mount Vernon port, marking a large expansion of capabilities and enabling the port to handle its first barge
NTSB: O-ring seal failure caused $5.5M engine room fire The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found that an O-ring seal failure caused a January 24, 2026, engine room fire on the 2020-built, 655-foot, ultramax bulk carrier Lem Verbena while it
Op-Ed: How cruise is setting the standard for low-methane LNG As the cruise industry embraces LNG, the conversation has shifted from feasibility to methane slip. Advances in engine technology, independent validation, and real-world operations show LNG becoming a credible, scalable fuel for
Maersk introduces PSS from US Gulf to West Coast South America Maersk has announced a Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) for shipments from the US Gulf to the West Coast of South America, effective from 6 May 2026 until further notice. The surcharge will apply to cargo moving from Houston, Mobile and New Orleans to destinations including Buenaventura, Ecuador, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. The PSS will be set at USD 150 per 20-foot dry container and USD 300 per 40-foot
Indian Register of Shipping announces leadership changes to support growth Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has announced new leadership appointments effective April 1, 2026, to strengthen operations and support growth. Key appointments Saikat Roychowdhury becomes Chief Operating Officer. He will oversee operations and audit functions. H. V. Ramesh takes over as Head of Technical. He will lead innovation and service delivery. Pavan Kumar Varma is appointed Management R
Drewry Intra-Asia Container Index jumps 28% on Middle East disruption Drewry 's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI) rose 28% in the first week of April, reaching $865 per 40ft container. The index has now increased for three consecutive weeks and stands 29% higher year-on-year. Middle East impact drives surge The sharp rise was mainly driven by higher rates on the Shanghai-Jebel Ali route. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt trade flows and push u
Explainer: Will the tollbooth become a constitution? The Strait of Hormuz is no longer being disrupted. It is being governed selectively, profitably, and with growing institutional confidence
UAE's String of Ports confronts the Hormuz paradox As Iran's selective passage regime tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, Abu Dhabi's globally diversified maritime empire faces its most severe test one that its own design may not have anticipated
Q1 2026 Container Market Analysis The following report, was conducted by Dr. Michael Tsatsaronis, Assistant Professor at the Department of Port Management and Shipping, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and his research team. CONTAINER MARKET The first quarter of 2026 presented a highly dynamic and fluctuating environment for the global containership market. The quarter commenced in January on a relatively positive
Bureau Veritas to acquire Lotusworks to boost data center growth Bureau Veritas has signed an agreement to acquire Lotusworks , strengthening its position in data centers and entering the semiconductor sector. The deal creates a new growth platform worth around €300 million and supports the Group's LEAP | 28 strategy. Expanding into high-growth sectors Lotusworks provides commissioning, quality assurance, and maintenance services for mission-critical facilitie
Maersk increases ECS from Indian Subcontinent to Europe Maersk has announced an increase in its Emergency Contingency Surcharge (ECS) for shipments from the Indian Subcontinent to North Europe and the Mediterranean, covering the E3W and E4W trade lanes. The revised surcharge will take effect from 6 April 2026 (Price Calculation Date), with further increases applied from 20 April 2026. For shipments from North West India and Pakistan to North Europe (E
The Hidden Cost of One Extra Re-Handle In container terminals, a single re-handle is often dismissed as a minor operational adjustment - an unavoidable part of daily operations. Yet across an entire terminal, these "small" moves accumulate into a significant, often invisible cost. The real issue is not the re-handle itself. It is the operating model that makes re-handling inevitable. Today, many terminals are not truly executing plans
KEZAD Group secures logistics investment across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain KEZAD Group has announced five new industrial and logistics projects across its KEZAD Al Ain and KEZAD Al Ma'mourah zones in Abu Dhabi, attracting a combined investment of AED 147 million, a total footprint of over 84,000 square metres and the creation of 500 jobs. The five incoming projects span a diverse range of industrial activities. Haber/Elixir will establish an oilfield chemicals blending
DP World and Ichijo Komuten expand Japan-Philippines supply chain DP World has strengthened its partnership with Japanese homebuilder Ichijo Komuten by activating a direct shipping connection between Sendai, Japan and the Philippines through CMA CGM's JP8 service. The weekly service, which commenced on March 18, marks the first regular international shipping link between Sendai and the Philippines in eight years and is designed to support the faster and more re
Explainer: COSCO's fleet expansion as geopolitical positioning As Iran's blockade reduces Hormuz traffic to single digits, China's state shipping giant is ordering US$4 billion worth of LNG-powered vessels a bet on route recovery that doubles as a play for Gulf market dominance
Ukraine's drone war disrupts logistics in Black Sea A sustained campaign of drone strikes has degraded 40% of Russia's western oil export capacity
ICAP rolls out dry FFA desk Broker ICAP has moved deeper into freight derivatives, launching a new global dry forward freight agreement (FFA) desk. The desk, part of TP ICAP Group, is set up across London, Copenhagen, Dubai and Singapore, giving round-the-clock coverage across the main freight trading hubs. The move comes as swings in dry bulk rates continue to draw ...
Floating ports of the future Michael Priv, founder of Blue Vector Ocean Alliance, a nonprofit corporation focused on developing next-generation coastal infrastructure to support large-scale zero-emission maritime transport, makes the case for modular floating infrastructure as tomorrow's terminals. For many centuries, vessels and ports were designed as fortifications against the ocean. Ports and vessels carved out safe zones
Peter Döhle extends boxship run with Chengxi contract German owner Peter Döhle Schiffahrts is adding to its container fleet with a pair of feeder newbuildings at Chengxi Shipyard in China. Shipbuilding sources say the Hamburg-based company has contracted the CSSC-affiliated Jiangsu yard, better known for building other vessel classes, for two 3,100 teu newbuilds. The units, which will come with capacity for about ...
Carlova expands tankers newbuild slate Greek owner Carlova Maritime is stepping up its tanker push, doubling its VLCC exposure in South Korea while branching into China for an aframax newbuild. The Athens-based company, led by Anthony Inglessis, has ordered a second 300,000 dwt VLCC at Hanwha Ocean. The vessel is slated for delivery in the third quarter of 2029. Carlova ...
Trump floats US toll on Hormuz The tussle for control of the Strait of Hormuz has entered a new phase, with US president Donald Trump suggesting the United States could itself charge tolls on vessels transiting the waterway, a dual-corridor system emerging under Iranian and Omani management, and two Qatari LNG tankers blocked by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Trump's comments, made to ...
Novatek creates shipbuilding arm Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer, has officially expanded its vertical integration by establishing a dedicated shipbuilding subsidiary. The move, seen as a strategic pivot to bypass escalating Western sanctions, marks a significant shift in how the Arctic LNG specialist intends to manage its future fleet requirements. The new entity, registered as Severny Inzhiniring ...
India secures its first ammonia dual-fuel bulk carrier order India has secured its first order for ammonia dual-fuel vessels, with Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited signing a contract to build four 92,500 dwt bulk carriers for Energy ONE Limited at its Pipavav shipyard. The four vessels, measuring 229.5 m in length with a beam of 37 m, will be equipped with ammonia-fuelled propulsion ...
Avikus wins DNV type approval for autonomous navigation system HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation subsidiary Avikus has secured type approval from DNV for its HiNAS Control autonomous navigation system - the first such approval for a mass-producible system designed for broad application across vessel types - marking a pivotal moment in the journey from experimental technology to mainstream maritime deployment. The approval, three years in ...
Spain and the dark fleet Rafael Muñoz Abad, a maritime analyst at the CISDE International Campus, writes for Splash today on the lessons not learnt from the Prestige tanker disaster in 2002. Spain is one of the European Union countries most exposed to the phenomenon of the so-called 'ghost fleet', or 'dark fleet'. This is the case at three key ...
Hormuz crisis spurs surge in Panama Canal tanker transits The Panama Canal route has suddenly become a lot more attractive to Pacific basin countries in desperate need of energy...
Iranian activity drives increase in Strait of Hormuz traffic There is evidence the fleet sailing the chokepoint is diversifying, but non-Iranian linked trade only accounted for a fifth of...
Trump war risk insurance scheme doubles capacity to $40bn The US is doubling down on its reinsurance facility for Strait of Hormuz war risk policies despite widespread market indifference...
South Korea's shipyards report growing tanker demand buoyed by Iran conflict The expansion of geopolitical risks in the Middle East has been immediately reflected in tanker freight rates, causing a sharp...
Iran 'terrorist' designation presents quandary for marine insurers Making payments to transit the Strait of Hormuz could land shipowners in a legal grey area, particularly given that Iran's...
Middle East port update: Tuesday, April 7 Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues to be severely disrupted and conditions may change at short notice
The Week in Charts: Omani ships transit Strait of Hormuz eastbound | Tanker stocks bounce back amid war, reapproaching multiyear highs Lloyd's List's weekly showing of the data and figures behind our news, analysis and markets coverage
Novorossiysk terminal hit in drone attack as Russia's port struggle to resume loading Moscow's ability to profit from oil at over $100 a barrel are being hampered by Ukrainian drone attacks reducing loadings...
Better seafarer welfare is too much for charterers to pay. Or is it? The Sustainable Shipping Initiative wants the industry's help to come up with better ways to embed seafarer welfare in commercial...
The Daily View: We break it, you buy it
India receives first sanctioned VLGC amid rush to secure LPG cargoes Amid a crunch in seaborne LPG imports, Indian importers appear to have taken advantage of the recent temporary easing of...
War-driven supply squeeze could boost US resins exports in 2026 Polyethylene prices have roughly doubled since the end of February as Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off the region's petrochemical plants from the rest of the world.
STB rules for Norfolk Southern in dispute with CSX at Port of Virginia The agency's ruling maintains the competitive status quo in which NS is the only railroad with direct access to Norfolk International Terminals.
US household goods imports flatten as housing weakness weighs on demand Earnings calls across home builders and home improvement and furniture retailers show an uneven market where consumers are choosing smaller maintenance and repair projects and delaying large discretionary purchases.
American Steel: Exploring the hurdles facing Trump's proposed shipbuilding spree Welcome to our first edition of the American Steel newsletter, a weekly exploration of topics in the US maritime industry. This week, we're fittingly starting with a visit to America's capital, where the Trump administration has proposed a budget that would embark on historic levels of newbuilding orders at US yards.
Norden makes new hire to oversee project cargo business for wind turbine components New recruit previously worked in logistics for one of the world's largest wind turbine manufacturers
'Not a toll to be paid': Singapore rejects Strait of Hormuz safe passage talks with Iran City-state backs IMO corridor idea while defending navigation rights
Key Iran oil hub struck as Trump promises 'a whole civilisation will die' if Strait of Hormuz stays shut Countdown to deadline for Tehran to agree to reopen the waterway or risk massive attack
Bayes Business School starts scholarship fund for legendary shipping degree Greek alumni Yiannis Procopiou and Zisis Stylianos kick-start initiative and call on others to join
Clarksons backs Wallenius Wilhelmsen's Hyundai deal to knock $480m off risk Investors had been worried about owner being forced to buy out partner in Eukor
Yamal LNG sends first cargo to China in six months Voyage by Chinese vessel comes as the EU steps up Russian gas import ban
Clyde & Co ordered to pay costs over alleged fake collision case The crew of an aframax tanker denied hitting a Vietnamese fishing boat in 2019
Combined $11.5bn S&P market 'one of most active ever' in first quarter Brokers log 351 vessels changing hands in record freight markets
Japan looks to ship-to-ship VLCC transfers to bring in crude amid energy crisis But trade minister says Middle East war is having no effect on oil supply so far
Nam Cheong bags offshore charter contract from CNOOC unit Malaysian shipbuilder and offshore vessel owner now has 25 of its 36 ships under long-term charters
Dry bulk markets get support from Asia switching from gas to coal, Clarksons says Analysts see 'clearest benefit' for kamsarmax and panamax
Abandoned ship struck twice by Iran in Strait of Hormuz sinks Container ship was hit while trying to sail through the waterway
Container ship damaged after being struck by projectile near Iran coast Incident happened in Middle East Gulf, British maritime security organisation says
Europe restricts shipowner hull coating choices as new additive approvals slow to a trickle European yards, coatings developers and shipowners are at a disadvantage as biocide approvals fall
ICAP sets up dry freight futures desk Brokers will be located in London, Copenhagen, Dubai and Singapore
Synergy Marine signs seafarer training deal with Shipping Corp of India Agreement covers collaboration on maritime development
Seacon-linked bulker pair fetches firm prices in S&P market, say brokers Fresh panamax pair reportedly changes hands at firm market-aligned levels
Don't expect traffic flooding back to Strait of Hormuz, Clarksons says Traffic remains at anaemic levels and there is no sign of that slowing down
Tanker names lead shipping stocks higher in Oslo Frontline and Torm gain after Easter holiday, but 'coming week could prove decisive for shipping markets'
'Sustained but opaque' tanker loadings seen at key Iran terminal Windward observes US-sanctioned ships at Kharg Island
Pareto hikes product tanker target prices as Hormuz reopening could trigger 'fixture frenzy' Tonne-miles growth makes up for lost volumes from Persian Gulf
Russian seafarer returns home nine months after Houthi attack Electrical engineer was not among crew members freed in December
Fearnleys hires shipbroker from Braemar as it expands LNG coverage LNG unit established new bases in Sydney and Geneva
Indian LPG carrier trio heads out of Strait of Hormuz Vital supplies are continuing to be exported on MOL and Great Eastern-controlled ships
Nam Cheong bags OSV charter contracts worth $25m Malaysian shipbuilder and offshore vessel owner has 25 of its 36 ships under long-term charters
Indian shipbuilder SDHI bags order for four dual-fuel post-panamax bulk carrier newbuildings Energy One is a partner in investment fund New Energy One
BTS Tankers reveals tanker newbuildings acquired as resales from Seacon Shipping Singaporean company has acquired two brand-new product tankers originally ordered by Chinese shipowner
Eastern Pacific inks suezmax brace in China after a string of tanker sales Diversified shipping company is rebuilding its suezmax tanker fleet
Russian Black Sea tanker terminal hit by Ukrainian drones in 'significant' attack CPC outlet near Novorossiysk suffers damage to single point mooring and other infrastructure
Hai An Transport snaps up German container ship at firm price Vietnamese liner player makes second acquisition in a month, buying from Hammonia Reederei
Wallenius Wilhelmsen tackles $897m liability in deal with car producer Hyundai Neither side can sell 20% stake in Eukor while shipment contract is in place
Sanctioned Teodor Shipping entities take Samsung Heavy to court Samsung says it was not paid the final instalment
Russia's Novatek eyes its own shipyard to tackle LNG carrier delivery delays Northern Engineering was registered by a Russian gas producer last month
Supply costs surge amid fresh water concerns for stranded seafarers Two-tier system emerging in Middle East with responsible owners shouldering additional costs and carrying out crew changes
Entities linked to sanctioned Teodor Shipping sue Samsung Heavy for unfair contract termination Samsung says shipowners failed to pay final instalment
Hai An Transport snaps up German container ship at very firm price Vietnamese liner player's second acquisition in a month has been bought from Hammonia Reederei
Missile strikes reportedly rock Saudi Arabian petrochemical hub Blasts at Jubail heightens risks to global energy supply chains
Truckstop.com acquires heavy haul rate platform Wize Load Truckstop.com, announced Tuesday that it has acquired Wize Load, a provider of heavy haul rate intelligence tools. The deal brings specialized pricing data into the Boise, Idaho-based freight technology company's platform as it expands its offerings for loads that require significantly more planning than standard truckload shipments. Freight moving on open-deck trailers, heavy-haul configurations
Trump budget boosts military shipbuilding by 242% to $65.8 billion The American shipbuilding revival will start with battleships. President Donald Trump wants to increase federal spending for shipbuilding by 242%, to $65.8 billion, for battleships, submarines and other naval vessels, according to documents released by the White House on Tuesday. The proposed fiscal 2027 budget says that the funding would go to build "18 battle force ships and 16 non-battle force
Amazon signs new delivery deal with Postal Service at 20% less volume Amazon.com has agreed to a new deal for the U.S. Postal Service to continue providing last-mile package delivery service, but at lower levels than in previous years. The Wall Street Journal and Reuters were first to report Monday that Amazon ( NASDAQ: AMZN ) had signed a tentative contract with the Postal Service to deliver about 1 billion parcels per year, which represents a 20% cut in volumes.
Mexico freight disruption lingers as truckers' strike fractures Mexico's nationwide trucker and farmer strike stretched into a second day Tuesday, with ongoing highway blockades, mounting congestion around Mexico City and continued disruptions to key freight corridors across the country. What began Monday as a coordinated protest across at least 20 states has evolved into a prolonged logistics disruption, with some transport groups signaling the strike could
Freight market sees Covid-era extremes return A monthly survey of supply chain managers showed extreme capacity tightening and rate growth across the freight market in March, a dynamic last seen at "the height of the Covid era freight boom." The Logistics Managers' Index-a diffusion index in which a reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below 50 signals contraction-returned a reading of 39.2 for transportation capacity and 89.4 for
Motta, convicted kingpin of staged truck accident scam, seeks new trial Vanessa Motta, the New Orleans attorney convicted of being a mastermind of the Louisiana staged accident case, is asking for a new trial. Central to her request is the murder of Cornelius Garrison, a so-called "slammer" who pleaded guilty in 2020 to involvement in the staged collisions with trucks, agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and was soon after gunned down in his home. While there is a l
Best month in years marks broad US rail recovery Data from U.S. railroads in March signaled that the goods economy is finding solid footing after an extended period of uneven performance. A broad recovery takes shape Analysis by the Association of American Railroads showed March 2026 delivered the strongest monthly performance for U.S. freight rail in years. Total U.S. rail carloads averaged 230,401 per week, representing the highest March resu
Latest DOE/EIA diesel benchmark price increase adds almost 25 cts The benchmark diesel price used for most fuel surcharges has risen for the 12th consecutive week, with few prospects of it stopping its relentless climb anytime soon. The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration average weekly retail diesel price rose 24.2 cents/gallon, effective Monday but published Tuesday, to $5.643/g. During those 12 weeks, which started to see increases in anti
Qantas begins 1st-ever dedicated freighter service to Singapore The cargo division of Australian airline Qantas on Friday launched new dedicated freighter services to Singapore for the first time, providing cargo owners and freight forwarders with greater capacity, routing options and schedule flexibility. Qantas Freight said it will operate twice weekly on a Sydney-Shanghai,China-Singapore-Sydney rotation utilizing an Airbus A330-200 converted freighter that
Two Boxes raises $3.2M to scale AI returns platform Two Boxes , an AI-powered returns processing platform, has raised $3.2 million in a new funding round led by Assembly Ventures, as the company looks to tackle one of e-commerce's most persistent pain points: returns and fraud. The latest raise brings total funding to $13 million and will be used to expand the company's product roadmap and deepen its push into enterprise customers, particularly ac
Fraud is growing in the gray area Over the past several years, investigators working through The Bannon Report have tracked freight fraud, cargo theft, identity misuse, and suspicious activity across the industry. While records go back earlier, the first clean dataset began in 2022. That snapshot included about 1,400 entities tied to investigations or known risk. At that time, the list supported active cases, not long-term analys
Postal Service can proceed with 8% parcel surcharge, regulator says The Postal Regulatory Commission on Monday approved the U.S. Postal Service's request to add an 8% surge for transportation-related expenses on parcel products. The change will be effective April 26 through Jan. 17, 2007. The Postal Service has previously raised prices to cover the costs associated with increased volumes during peak season, but last month requested permission for the first time t
The Suez Canal Authority has announced that it will introduce surcharges on transit tariffs through the Egyptian canal for most major cargo vessels, effective July 15.
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