krogragg

Category: Containers

  • VLCC day rates rocket above half‑million dollars

    VLCC day rates rocket above half‑million dollars Amid soaring tanker rates, a US‑led naval coalition has warned shipping that stationary vessels and ships on predictable routes are “credible” targets for sabotage across the Middle East, after a tanker linked to the Stena‑Sonangol suezmax pool was struck off the Iraqi coast. The Combined Maritime Forces’ Joint…

  • Speak up for our sector

    Speak up for our sector Maritime leaders must use a single voice to challenge roadblocks and spotlight opportunities in an operating landscape that is fraught with turmoil, writes Intent Communications CEO Namrata Nadkarni. The maritime industry is no stranger to volatility, but the start of 2026 has brought a convergence of crises that would test…

  • Costamare orderbook hits 10 in 3,100 teu series

    Costamare orderbook hits 10 in 3,100 teu series Greek containership tonnage provider Costamare has expanded its newbuilding programme in China, adding four more 3,100 teu vessels to its growing series. The New York-listed owner, led by Konstantinos Konstantakopoulos, said it has signed up for the construction of the additional ships at a Chinese yard, with…

  • 3,200 ships caught up in Hormuz paralysis

    3,200 ships caught up in Hormuz paralysis VLCC freight surged to extraordinary theoretical levels on Monday as the war between Iran and the US‑Israel coalition roiled shipping in the Persian Gulf, with some 3,200 vessels stuck in the region. The benchmark TD3C from the Middle East to China was quoted at $423,700 a day, up…

  • BAL parent LC Logistics books $236m boxship duo

    BAL parent LC Logistics books $236m boxship duo Hong Kong-listed LC Logistics has ordered two 11,000 teu containerships from China in a deal worth about $236m. The vessels will be built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding in partnership with the trading arm China Shipbuilding Trading Company. The newbuilds are scheduled for delivery by November 30, 2028…

  • KMTC tied to six HD Hyundai boxships

    KMTC tied to six HD Hyundai boxships Seoul-based liner operator Korea Marine Transport Co (KMTC) has emerged as the owner behind a series of six feeder containership newbuildings booked at HD Hyundai Group yards. Shipbuilding sources say KMTC is the Asian owner behind a KRW 372.4bn ($258m) contract disclosed last week by HD Korea Shipbuilding…

  • Houthis vow to resume attacks following Iranian strikes

    Houthis vow to resume attacks following Iranian strikes With the US and Israel attacking Iran on Saturday, Iranian allies, the Houthis from Yemen, have vowed to resume attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea, bringing to a close a four-month cessation of violence at sea.  Shipping organisation BIMCO suggested ships with business…

  • Splash Wrap: The world of shipping condensed

    Splash Wrap: The world of shipping condensed Tariffs are back at the top of the shipping news agenda once again, creating confusion just as the transpacific contracting season gets underway.  Last Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that president Donald Trump violated federal law by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to unilaterally…

  • CMA CGM fills gap between Japan and Europe

    CMA CGM fills gap between Japan and Europe France’s CMA CGM is filling a gap linking the world’s third largest economy with the continent of Europe, launching Ocean Rise Express (OCR), a new weekly direct service linking Japan and South China straight to North Europe, offering what the carrier says are the best transit times…

  • Jeremy Nixon hands reins of ONE to Till Ole Barrelet after eight‑year run

    Jeremy Nixon hands reins of ONE to Till Ole Barrelet after eight‑year run One of the best-known names in container shipping is stepping back from his frontline role. Jeremy Nixon, who has been CEO of Japanese liner Ocean Network Express (ONE) since it was founded in 2018, will move aside at the start of July,…

  • Maersk and MSC handed temporary running of Hutchison’s Panamanian terminals

    Maersk and MSC handed temporary running of Hutchison’s Panamanian terminals Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) have moved in to run key terminals at the entrances to the Panama Canal after Panama published a Supreme Court ruling annulling long‑running concessions held by CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company (PPC), clearing the way for an immediate handover…

  • Trump tariff turmoil clouds transpacific contracting season

    Trump tariff turmoil clouds transpacific contracting season Tariffs are back at the top of the shipping news agenda once again, creating confusion just as the transpacific contracting season gets underway.  On Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that president Donald Trump violated federal law by using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to unilaterally…

  • Opposition to ZIM’s sale to Hapag-Lloyd grows

    Opposition to ZIM’s sale to Hapag-Lloyd grows Opposition to Hapag-Lloyd’s planned takeover of Israeli line ZIM is growing, with union protests and the controversial sale debated at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, yesterday. Hapag-Lloyd unveiled a $4.2bn takeover offer for ZIM a week ago (pictured), in a deal that would carve out a ‘New ZIM’ made…

  • Splash Wrap: ZIM sale tops the agenda

    Splash Wrap: ZIM sale tops the agenda A planned $4.2bn sale of ZIM to Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd sparked protests and a strike in Israel this week. Under the structure outlined, Hapag-Lloyd will acquire ZIM and then carve out its Israeli operations into a separate entity to be controlled by FIMI. The new company, to be known…

  • Denmark detains sanctioned boxship

    Denmark detains sanctioned boxship Denmark’s maritime authority on Thursday detained an Iran-flagged container vessel anchored in Danish waters after determining it was not properly registered. LSEG data identify the ship as Nora, which was initially sailing under a Comoros flag. The Danish authority said Comoros had informed it the vessel was not found in the…

  • Costamare locks in $940m with 12 forward charters

    Costamare locks in $940m with 12 forward charters Greek container tonnage provider Costamare has locked in nearly $1bn in fresh contracted revenues after fixing 12 vessels on a forward basis for periods stretching up to eight years. The Konstantinos Konstantakopoulos-led group said in its quarterly earnings report the new deals will generate about $940m in…

  • CLdN takes over Samskip’s UK and Ireland business

    CLdN takes over Samskip’s UK and Ireland business Luxembourg-based shortsea operator CLdN has agreed to acquire the UK and Ireland quay-to-quay and door-to-door freight business of multimodal group Samskip. The deal covers Samskip’s container shipping services linking Rotterdam with the UK ports of Belfast, Blyth, Grangemouth, Hull and Tilbury, as well as the Irish ports…

  • SeaLead appoints new chief executive

    SeaLead appoints new chief executive Singapore-based liner operator SeaLead has appointed Cho Kit Wei as its new chief executive officer, promoting the current chief operating officer to the top role from March 2, 2026. Cho, a shipping executive with more than 20 years’ experience, has been with SeaLead since 2021. Before joining the company, he…

  • ZIM sets out terms of $4.2bn Hapag-Lloyd deal, outlines New ZIM carve-out

    ZIM sets out terms of $4.2bn Hapag-Lloyd deal, outlines New ZIM carve-out New York-listed Israeli carrier ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has laid out the full terms of its agreed sale, confirming shareholders will receive $35 per share in cash under a merger deal that values the company at about $4.2bn. The price represents a 58%…

  • Hapag-Lloyd closes in on Zim takeover

    Hapag-Lloyd closes in on Zim takeover Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed it is in advanced negotiations to acquire all shares in Israeli rival Zim Integrated Shipping Services in a deal reported to be worth up to $3.7bn. In a brief statement, the Hamburg-based carrier said no binding agreement has yet been signed and that approvals from…

  • Maersk and Eurogate line up $1.2bn overhaul for Bremerhaven

    Maersk and Eurogate line up $1.2bn overhaul for Bremerhaven Maersk’s port operating arm, APM Terminals, and Germany’s Eurogate are in advanced talks over a long-term partnership that would see €1bn ($1.2bn) invested in upgrading the North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven (NTB). APM Terminals already works alongside Eurogate at the facility. The new investment plan aims to…

  • Euroseas extends feeder charter at higher rate

    Euroseas extends feeder charter at higher rate Nasdaq-listed Euroseas has secured a new time charter for one of its feeder containerships, locking in a higher rate in what it describes as a firm feeder market. The 2007-built 1,740 teu EM Spetses has been fixed for a minimum of 22 months and up to 24 months…

  • MSC tops up Jinglu orderbook with eight more 11,500 teu ships

    MSC tops up Jinglu orderbook with eight more 11,500 teu ships Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has moved to deepen its bet on LNG-fuelled tonnage, exercising options for eight more 11,500 teu dual-fuel containerships at China’s Penglai Jinglu Shipyard. The latest deal lifts the series to 16 sister vessels, following an initial order placed in 2024.…

  • Splash Wrap: Ports in a storm

    Splash Wrap: Ports in a storm The deepening dispute between Panama and China over two key ports at the Panama Canal was a constant source of headlines following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that invalidated CK Hutchison’s long-held concession contracts. A trade pact between the US and India that cuts American tariffs and ties New…

  • Explosion knocks out MSC boxship near St Petersburg

    Explosion knocks out MSC boxship near St Petersburg An explosion and subsequent fire have hit the MSC-operated container ship MSC Giada III while the vessel was approaching St Petersburg in Russia’s Neva Bay, according to vessel tracking data and regional response activity. The 2,732 teu, Liberia-flagged ship was en route from Belgium to St Petersburg…

  • Maersk posts ocean loss, 1,000 job cuts as container boom unwinds

    Maersk posts ocean loss, 1,000 job cuts as container boom unwinds The dark clouds swirling around the container shipping industry intensified today with Maersk following Japan’s Ocean Network Express, in announcing its ocean division had slipped into the red for the final quarter of 2025. The Danish shipping giant also revealed today it will lay…

  • Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to route one Gemini service through Red Sea

    Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to route one Gemini service through Red Sea Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are set to resume Red Sea transits on one of their shared Gemini Cooperation services, marking a cautious step back into the corridor after months of widespread diversions around the Cape of Good Hope. The Danish and German carriers said the…

  • SITC extends 2,700 teu orderbook

    SITC extends 2,700 teu orderbook Chinese intra-Asia container player SITC International Holdings is pressing ahead with its fleet renewal and growth plans, returning to Huanghai Shipbuilding for two additional 2,700 teu newbuildings. The Hong Kong-listed carrier will pay close to $76.5m for the pair, according to a stock exchange filing. Delivery is scheduled from January…

  • India sets aside $1.2bn to ramp container production

    India sets aside $1.2bn to ramp container production India has moved from talking about ships and ports to attacking the metal boxes that keep trade flowing. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget pledge contains a ₹10,000 crore ($1.2bn), five‑year scheme to build a domestic container manufacturing ecosystem. India’s current annual container output is roughly 30,000 units;…

  • MSC returns to mid-sized newbuilds

    MSC returns to mid-sized newbuilds Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) is moving back into the mid-sized containership segment with a fresh newbuilding order at China’s Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyard. Market sources say the world’s largest containerline has signed firm contracts for at least two conventionally fuelled 5,000 teu vessels, with some brokers suggesting the deal could already…

  • Evergreen lines up 23 newbuilds worth up to $1.5bn

    Evergreen lines up 23 newbuilds worth up to $1.5bn Taiwanese liner Evergreen is piling on fresh tonnage with orders for 23 new container ships worth up to $1.47bn, continuing its multi-year fleet expansion drive. The latest newbuilding programme covers a mix of feeder and mid-size vessels and will be split between Chinese yards CSSC Huangpu…

  • Apontes propel Switzerland higher up the shipowning ranks

    Apontes propel Switzerland higher up the shipowning ranks Veson Nautical has published its annual rankings of the top 10 shipowning nations with landlocked Switzerland noticeably climbing the ranks.  Switzerland entered the top 10 list last year, in ninth spot, largely down to the Aponte family’s Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the world’s largest containerline and a…

  • Wan Hai tightens grip on Japan routes with Osaka terminal investment

    Wan Hai tightens grip on Japan routes with Osaka terminal investment Taiwanese containerline Wan Hai Lines is moving deeper into Japanese port infrastructure with the acquisition of Terminal C9 at Osaka Port, spending about $87m to strengthen its core intra-Asia network. The Taipei-headquartered carrier said in a Taiwan Stock Exchange filing that its board approved…

  • Houthis tease new strikes amid US carrier build‑up in the Gulf

    Houthis tease new strikes amid US carrier build‑up in the Gulf As a US carrier strike group makes its way to the Gulf, a familiar foe to commercial shipping has reared its head for the first time in months.  A video titled ‘Soon’ published overnight by the Houthis, carried below, suggests the Iranian-backed Yemeni military…

  • Inaugural Splash Singapore targets top spot in Asian shipping calendar

    Inaugural Splash Singapore targets top spot in Asian shipping calendar The speaker lineup for the inaugural Splash Singapore, scheduled for September 24, is making good on earlier promises to make the event Asia’s leading shipping conference. Among recent speaker signups are Martin Fruergaard, the CEO of Pacific Basin Shipping, Jeremy Sutton, the CEO of Swire…

  • Danaos steps into LNG with Alaska project tie-up

    Danaos steps into LNG with Alaska project tie-up Greek owner Danaos is widening its reach beyond boxships and bulkers after striking a strategic partnership with US energy infrastructure player Glenfarne Group on the Alaska LNG project. The Nasdaq-listed company said it will invest $50m in development capital through Glenfarne Alaska Partners, while also lining up…

  • Greenland control and tariffs threaten to destabilise transatlantic shipping

    Greenland control and tariffs threaten to destabilise transatlantic shipping Donald Trump has reiterated his vow to “100%” place tariffs on European countries that oppose his demand to take control of Greenland, with liners on the north Atlantic trades already coming under pressure. Westbound rates on the transatlantic container tradesfrom Europe to the US are already…

  • CMA CGM signals caution by rerouting services away from Suez Canal

    CMA CGM signals caution by rerouting services away from Suez Canal CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest liner, has provided a counter-narrative to the many analysts expecting liners to flock back to the Suez Canal following the Houthis’ three-month-long ceasefire on merchant shipping.  Citing the “complex and uncertain international context”, the French liner today announced that…

  • Sinokor to top VLCC operator charts following stunning S&P raid

    Sinokor to top VLCC operator charts following stunning S&P raid Sinokor’s stunning raid in the tanker sale and purchase markets over the past six weeks is on course to make the Korean shipowner the largest operator of VLCCs in the world.  Brokers are agog at Sinokor’s market-altering decision to largely exit the container scene, selling…

  • What Maersk’s return to the Red Sea means for carrier profits in 2026

    What Maersk’s return to the Red Sea means for carrier profits in 2026 News yesterday that Danish carrier Maersk is taking its first structural step back into the Red Sea has analysts voicing caution that this could mark the start of big shift from the Cape of Good Hope through the Suez with a significant…

  • Damage reported following Russian strike on Chornomorsk

    Damage reported following Russian strike on Chornomorsk Russian forces have conducted a ballistic missile strike on the port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine, impacting a Malta-flagged vessel preparing to load containers. The strike has left at least one crewmember injured and caused damage to the unidentified vessel. Ukrainian authorities have reported that yesterday’s strike not only…

  • Maersk heads back to the Red Sea

    Maersk heads back to the Red Sea Danish carrier Maersk, the world’s second largest liner, has taken its first structural step back into the Red Sea, deciding to reroute its MECL service, connecting the Middle East and India with the US east coast, through the Suez Canal after months of Cape of Good Hope diversions.…

  • Suez traffic still 60% down 100 days after last Houthi attack

    Suez traffic still 60% down 100 days after last Houthi attack Suez Canal traffic remains sharply lower more than three months after the last reported Houthi attack, underlining how slow ship operators have been to return to the Red Sea route. According to BIMCO, it has now been 100 days since the last vessel was…

  • JR Shipping brings in Seatrade as strategic partner

    JR Shipping brings in Seatrade as strategic partner Dutch owner JR Shipping has brought in reefer specialist Seatrade as a strategic shareholder, marking a new phase for the Harlingen-based owner and manager while keeping its independent course. Under the deal, Seatrade takes a strategic participation in JR Shipping Group and becomes a long-term partner. Founders…

  • XT Shipping linked to four-boxship deal at Hengli

    XT Shipping linked to four-boxship deal at Hengli Israel’s XT Shipping has returned to the newbuilding market with a series of midsize containership orders in China, underlining renewed confidence in the container sector. Shipbroking sources say the Tel Aviv-based owner is behind an order for four 6,000 teu containerships at Hengli Shipbuilding, with delivery scheduled…

  • South Korea puts Arctic shipping on policy map with first boxship trial

    South Korea puts Arctic shipping on policy map with first boxship trial South Korea has formally elevated Arctic shipping into national policy, with Seoul planning its first-ever container ship trial voyage via the Northern Sea Route later this year. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) confirmed it is preparing a September trial using a…

  • Jinjiang Shipping eyes up to eight boxship newbuilds

    Jinjiang Shipping eyes up to eight boxship newbuilds Shanghai-listed Jinjiang Shipping has moved to grow its container fleet, unveiling plans to invest up to RMB 1.94bn (about $270m) in a series of bangkokmax newbuildings. The Shanghai International Port Group-controlled carrier has approved a proposal to order four 1,800 teu containerships, with options for a further…

  • Maersk carries out first Red Sea transit in almost two years

    Maersk carries out first Red Sea transit in almost two years In the early morning on December 19, the 2007-built Singapore-flagged boxship Maersk Sebarok completed a transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and into the Red Sea. This marks the first time a Maersk vessel transited the strait in almost two years. The company stated…

  • The year of the caveat

    The year of the caveat Splash’s editor gives readers his take on the world of shipping in the year 2025. At financial newswire Bloomberg, the official style guide has always shied away from using words such as but or if in sentences. “Clauses that start with although, but, despite or however often confuse more than…

  • Venergy steps into boxships with feeder newbuild deal in China

    Venergy steps into boxships with feeder newbuild deal in China Greek tanker newcomer Venergy Maritime has moved to diversify its fleet, placing its first order in the containership segment after an active year in tanker newbuildings. The Piraeus-based owner, led by Vyron Vasileiadis, has signed up for up to four 1,900 teu feeder container vessels…

  • Samudera and Imoto set up Japan coastal shipping venture

    Samudera and Imoto set up Japan coastal shipping venture Singapore-listed Indonesian owner Samudera Shipping Line is stepping deeper into the Japanese market through a new joint venture with Imoto Corporation, part of the Imoto Lines Group. Through its wholly owned unit in Japan, Samudera has signed an agreement with Imoto to set up Blue Ocean…

  • Containership orders break new record in 2025

    Containership orders break new record in 2025 COSCO and Hapag-Lloyd’s new orders last week have lifted the total number of containerships ordered in 2025 to a record 633 ships for 5.08m teu, according to data from Linerlytica, surpassing the previous record of 4.74m in 2021 and 4.77m in 2024.  China’s shipyards have accounted for a…

  • ICTSI pours $175m into Rio terminal expansion

    ICTSI pours $175m into Rio terminal expansion Manila-based port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) is pressing ahead with a major expansion at Brazil’s Rio Brasil Terminal, committing R$948m ($175m) to lift capacity and modernise operations at the Port of Rio de Janeiro. The investment programme, running from 2025 to 2029, will increase annual…

  • Navios Partners rolls out new leadership structure

    Navios Partners rolls out new leadership structure Navios Maritime Partners has announced a series of senior leadership changes as the New York-listed diversified owner reshapes its top management structure under chairwoman and chief executive Angeliki Frangou. At the centre of the move is the creation of an office of the chairwoman, designed to bring senior…

  • Black Sea shipping carnage deepens as Turkish vessels hit in Russian retaliation

    Black Sea shipping carnage deepens as Turkish vessels hit in Russian retaliation The risks facing commercial shipping in the Black Sea escalated sharply over the weekend after two Turkish-controlled vessels were struck amid a wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure, following Kyiv’s recent strikes on Russian-linked shipping and energy assets. On Friday, Cenk…

  • Shanghai’s box boom exposes a resilience blind spot

    Shanghai’s box boom exposes a resilience blind spot In container shipping, the leverage – and the real fragility – now lives where the cranes greet the sea, writes Wolfgang Lehmacher.  Shanghai has just pulled off something remarkable, even by its own lofty standards. The world’s largest container port handled more than 46m teu in the…

  • ONE Continuity loses 45 containers off the Canary Islands

    ONE Continuity loses 45 containers off the Canary Islands A complex cargo recovery and re-lashing operation is under way in the Canary Islands, involving a team of eight specialised personnel, crane operators, welders and lashing experts. A mega-container ship operated by Ocean Network Express (ONE) and owned by Seaspan lost around 45 containers overboard after…

  • Splash Wrap: Raids, record orders and rewired trade

    Splash Wrap: Raids, record orders and rewired trade US forces seized the VLCC Skipper off Venezuela as the battle between Washington and Caracas intensified with the Trump administration suggesting other vessels could be hijacked, too.  China’s state-run shipping COSCO, the world’s largest shipowner, placed a massive order for 87 newbuildings worth more than $7bn with…

  • Euroseas banks multi-year cover for boxship trio

    Euroseas banks multi-year cover for boxship trio Greek boxship owner Euroseas has secured three forward charters for its modern 2,800 teu feeder ships, locking in multi-year employment well ahead of schedule. The Nasdaq-listed firm said the 2024-built Leonidas Z, 2023-built Gregos and 2023-built Terataki have all been fixed for 35 to 37 months at a…

  • FSB clearance and underwater checks slow Russian port calls

    FSB clearance and underwater checks slow Russian port calls To add to the complications brought about by Ukraine’s renewed maritime attack campaign in and around the Black Sea, shipowners and charterers planning to call at Russian ports should brace for delays and heavy regulatory friction after Moscow introduced sweeping new entry rules for foreign vessels,…

  • Bidders circle again as Dongwon revives hunt for HMM

    Bidders circle again as Dongwon revives hunt for HMM The race to acquire state-controlled South Korean flagship HMM is heating up once again. Two years after the first sale attempt failed, Dongwon Group, South Korea’s largest fishing company, has signalled its renewed interest, stirring up the market.  Although the company’s valuation has soared to as…

  • Containers fall overboard in English Channel

    Containers fall overboard in English Channel Emergency response services were put on alert in the English Channel after 18 containers fell overboard from Seatrade’s reefer containership Baltic Klipper during heavy weather on Saturday. Images of containers and plenty of bananas washing up on English shorelines were carried by UK media across the weekend.  An investigation…

  • Global liners look at acquiring ZIM

    Global liners look at acquiring ZIM Hapag-Lloyd is seeking to acquire ZIM, Israel’s largest container carrier, according to multiple media outlets, but the move is already running into resistance from ZIM’s workers’ committee, which has warned that the presence of Qatari and Saudi sovereign funds among the German carrier’s shareholders could pose a national security…

  • Economou ramps up boxship ordering spree

    Economou ramps up boxship ordering spree Greek owner George Economou’s TMS Group is set to boost its containership fleet with another wave of LNG dual-fuel newbuildings at China’s Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard. Industry sources say TMS is planning up to 10 neo-panamax vessels of 11,400 teu, including eight fixed orders and two options, with deliveries…

  • Zodiac Maritime unleashes $1.6bn VLCC and boxship play in China

    Zodiac Maritime unleashes $1.6bn VLCC and boxship play in China Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Maritime has joined the latest wave of crude carrier orders, placing a major VLCC newbuilding programme in China as part of its broader $1.6bn fleet renewal drive. The London-based owner has ordered six firm and up to eight conventionally fuelled VLCCs from…

  • Black Sea war risk premiums surge

    Black Sea war risk premiums surge Insurance rates for ships trading in the Black Sea have jumped sharply following a fresh wave of attacks on vessels linked to Russia. Citing data from Marsh, the world’s largest insurance broker, Bloomberg reported yesterday the cost of covering port calls in the region has more than tripled in…

  • Digital Container Shipping Association welcomes IKEA as first shipper to join its partnership programme

    Digital Container Shipping Association welcomes IKEA as first shipper to join its partnership programme IKEA Supply has joined DCSA+, the Digital Container Shipping Association’s partnership programme for advancing digital standards across the container shipping industry. As the first shipper to participate, IKEA Supply adds the cargo owner perspective to a growing community of carriers, forwarders,…

  • Global Ship Lease snaps up three boxships in $90m deal

    Global Ship Lease snaps up three boxships in $90m deal New York-listed boxship owner Global Ship Lease (GSL) has moved to expand its fleet, striking a deal to buy three 8,600 teu vessels for a combined $90m. The vessels — Korean-built in 2010 and 2011 and fitted with ECO upgrades — come with charters already…

  • Eastern Pacific locks in 12 newbuilds at Hengli

    Eastern Pacific locks in 12 newbuilds at Hengli China’s Hengli Shipbuilding has confirmed a major newbuilding programme for Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), detailing a 12-ship order that marks one of the most substantial commitments at the yard this year. The deal, valued between $1.1bn and $1.6bn, spans three vessel types and signals the Idan Ofer-led…

  • Splash Wrap: All eyes on the Suez Canal

    Splash Wrap: All eyes on the Suez Canal The Suez Canal Authority was in bullish form this week, suggesting that many shipping companies are readying to ditch the Cape of Good Hope and return to Red Sea transits, something that will have an enormous impact on freight rates.  Diana Shipping made its move on New…

  • Marseille-Fos maps out $1.5bn expansion through 2029

    Marseille-Fos maps out $1.5bn expansion through 2029 France’s biggest port has unveiled an investment plan of unprecedented scale as Marseille-Fos races to secure a stronger foothold in the Mediterranean container market. The new 2025–2029 strategic blueprint, approved this week, calls for up to €1.3bn ($1.5bn) in spending — triple the previous five-year cycle — as…

  • HMM orders four boxships at Hanwha Ocean

    HMM orders four boxships at Hanwha Ocean In a busy week for HMM’s expansion plans, South Korea’s flagship line has tapped Hanwha Ocean to build four 13,000 teu ships in a deal worth $730m. The ships will deliver in 2029. On Monday, Splash reported HMM had contracted HD Hyundai for eight 13,400 teu LNG dual-fuel…

  • New container port index launches

    New container port index launches The partnership that has been producing the Leading Maritime Cities of the World index over the past decade has turned its attention to container ports, providing a rival index to the one compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global. DNV and Menon Economics have crowned Singapore as the world’s…

  • Maersk holds off on date for Suez return

    Maersk holds off on date for Suez return A Maersk spokesperson says the company has not set a firm date for resuming Suez Canal sailings, despite the Suez Canal Authority announcing an early-December comeback for the Danish carrier. In a statement, Maersk said it intends to restore navigation on the East–West corridor “as soon as…

  • Splash Wrap: Bridges, bombs, bottlenecks

    Splash Wrap: Bridges, bombs, bottlenecks The Black Sea entered one of its most volatile phases as Ukraine and Russia escalated long-range strikes on each other’s critical energy and port infrastructure, leaving commercial shipping exposed to huge levels of risk. Latest shipping traffic data points toward a rise in Suez Canal transits, with authorities in Egypt…

  • Black Sea threat level red

    Black Sea threat level red The Black Sea has entered one of its most volatile phases as Ukraine and Russia escalate long-range strikes on each other’s critical energy and port infrastructure, leaving commercial shipping exposed to huge levels of risk. Over the weekend, Ukraine claimed fresh hits on Rosneft’s Ryazan refinery — one of Russia’s…

  • MPCC adds $232m quartet of boxship newbuilds

    MPCC adds $232m quartet of boxship newbuilds MPC Container Ships has moved again to refresh its fleet, signing up for four 4,500-teu newbuildings in China backed by long-term employment. The Oslo-listed tonnage provider confirmed it has struck a deal with Jiangsu Hantong Ship Heavy Industry for the quartet, with deliveries set to begin in the…

  • Splash Wrap: Flows shift again

    Splash Wrap: Flows shift again The Houthis officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed Houthi chief of staff, Yousef Hassan Al-Madani, who succeeded…

  • Hapag-Lloyd targets 22 new ships in fleet renewal drive

    Hapag-Lloyd targets 22 new ships in fleet renewal drive Hapag-Lloyd is moving ahead with a major fleet renewal programme that will see the German liner giant invest in up to 22 new containerships in the sub-5,000 teu range. The Hamburg-based carrier said the move forms part of its long-term strategy to modernise and decarbonise its…

  • Vietnam’s Hai An steps up fleet growth with DSIC newbuild deal

    Vietnam’s Hai An steps up fleet growth with DSIC newbuild deal Vietnam’s Hai An Transport and Stevedoring has stepped up its fleet expansion drive with an order for its largest containerships to date. The Hanoi-based shipowner has contracted Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC), part of China State Shipbuilding Corp, for up to four 7,100 teu…

  • Shipping hesitates on Red Sea return

    Shipping hesitates on Red Sea return Experts covering the Red Sea shipping crisis have advised caution over any swift return to the Middle Eastern tradelane. Yesterday, the Houthis officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a…

  • Houthis signal end to Red Sea attacks as shaky ceasefire holds

    Houthis signal end to Red Sea attacks as shaky ceasefire holds The Houthis have officially announced that they have paused maritime attacks on Israel and lifted their so-called naval blockade on Israeli ports. This announcement appeared at the end of a letter (pictured below) sent to Hamas’s military wing, Kata’ib al-Qassam, by the newly appointed…

  • ‘Ambition is not yet reaching the fixture desk’: RightShip warns of reward deficit for responsible owners

    ‘Ambition is not yet reaching the fixture desk’: RightShip warns of reward deficit for responsible owners A new 37-page report published today by vetting specialist RightShip makes clear the growing frustration among owners who invest in safer, greener operations yet see little commercial recognition for it, with just 27% of charterers polled saying they offer…

  • Splash Wrap: Pirates, crews and cyberstorms

    Splash Wrap: Pirates, crews and cyberstorms Compared to recent months, geopolitics did not muscle into many Splash headlines this week, the final days of the tit-for-tat port fees levied by the US and China, which are set to come to an end on Monday. The most shocking news came from the Horn of Africa, where…

  • AD Ports buys into Syria’s Latakia terminal in CMA CGM deal

    AD Ports buys into Syria’s Latakia terminal in CMA CGM deal AD Ports Group has struck a deal with France’s CMA CGM Group to acquire a 20% stake in Latakia International Container Terminal (LICT), Syria’s main container facility, for AED 81m ($22m). Under the agreement, the Abu Dhabi-based ports and logistics group will join CMA…

  • EuroHoldings makes first move into tankers with MR buy from Latsco

    EuroHoldings makes first move into tankers with MR buy from Latsco EuroHoldings, the Nasdaq-listed offshoot of Greek containership owner Euroseas, has taken its first step into the tanker market with the acquisition of an MR product carrier from fellow Latsis family company Latsco Shipping. The 2015-built, 49,997 dwt Hellas Avatar will change hands for $31.83m,…

  • Costamare lifts Chinese newbuild series to six boxships

    Costamare lifts Chinese newbuild series to six boxships Greek containership owner Costamare has expanded its newbuilding programme in China, adding two more 3,100 teu vessels to its growing series. The New York-listed company said in its third-quarter earnings report that the vessels are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2028 from an undisclosed…

  • Splash Wrap: Deals, diplomacy and disruption

    Splash Wrap: Deals, diplomacy and disruption Donald Trump’s tour of Asia provided the biggest shipping news of the week. His meet-up with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, yesterday saw the tit-for-tat port fees shelved for a year, and panamaxes surging as China committed to resume buying large amounts of American grain. Trump’s earlier meetings this…

  • India nets $7bn in fresh investment from DP World and Maersk

    India nets $7bn in fresh investment from DP World and Maersk India’s ambitions to become a global maritime powerhouse have gained major momentum, with Dubai-based DP World and Danish group APM Terminals announcing fresh investments worth more than $7bn combined to expand port and logistics infrastructure across the country. The announcements, made during India Maritime…

  • Tanker rates poised to close 2025 with best year in a decade

    Tanker rates poised to close 2025 with best year in a decade The year 2025 is shaping up to be the best year for tankers in a decade, according to analysis carried in the October issue of Splash Extra, now available to read for free.  Year-to-date average VLCC earnings of $44,279 are the best since…

  • Monaco owner Transocean breaks into boxships with newbuilds in China

    Monaco owner Transocean breaks into boxships with newbuilds in China Monaco-headquartered Transocean Maritime Agencies has been revealed as the buyer behind an order for containership newbuildings in China, marking the company’s latest fleet expansion and its first step into the box segment. Industry sources and shipbuilding databases show Transocean has contracted two 1,930 teu vessels…

  • HMM joins the exclusive teu millionaires club

    HMM joins the exclusive teu millionaires club South Korea’s flagship carrier HMM has become the eighth member of the exclusive teu millionaires club. HMM’s fleet now stands at 1,007,180 teu, according to analysis by Alphaliner, which noted in its most recent weekly report that the Korean carrier’s operated capacity has doubled over the past five…

  • CMA CGM plots expansion in Saudi Arabia with $450m Jeddah terminal JV

    CMA CGM plots expansion in Saudi Arabia with $450m Jeddah terminal JV French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM has taken another step to expand its terminal footprint in the Middle East, signing a term sheet with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) for a potential joint venture to build and operate Terminal 4…

  • APM Terminals and Alabama Port move ahead with Mobile expansion

    APM Terminals and Alabama Port move ahead with Mobile expansion APM Terminals and the Alabama Port Authority have agreed to move ahead with a $131m expansion at the Port of Mobile, adding a new 1,300-foot container berth to handle growing trade volumes through the Gulf of Mexico gateway. The “Phase V” project will boost berth…

  • Queue times for commodity vessels off Chinese ports hit highs not seen since 2022

    Queue times for commodity vessels off Chinese ports hit highs not seen since 2022 Xi Jinping’s meeting with Donald Trump in South Korea later this week cannot come soon enough to smooth troubled commodity supply chains with vessels backing up off China on a scale not seen for years.  Queue times for commodity vessels off…

  • Port fees: from temporary problem to structural risk to trade?

    Port fees: from temporary problem to structural risk to trade? Sagitta Marine managing director Thomas Zaidman on what happens if fair and unimpeded port access becomes a tool of trade policy. After decades lying in the long grass, geopolitical forces have re-emerged as a key operational risk. This is not to say that politicians especially…

  • Why realism, not rhetoric, will drive shipping’s path to net zero

    Why realism, not rhetoric, will drive shipping’s path to net zero Philippos Ioulianou, managing director of EmissionLink, writes for Splash today. The decision by the International Maritime Organization to delay the Net-Zero Framework by a year has exposed deep divisions. What should have been a coordinated global effort toward decarbonisation has resulted in paralysis at…

  • Oceanbulk linked to boxships comeback

    Oceanbulk linked to boxships comeback Greek shipowner Petros Pappas is edging back into the container market, with his privately held firm Oceanbulk reportedly striking a deal for a pair of feeder newbuildings in China. Shipbuilding and market sources have tied Oceanbulk to a contract for two 3,100 teu boxships at Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard, priced…

  • Peter Döhle boosts boxship fleet with four newbuilds in China

    Peter Döhle boosts boxship fleet with four newbuilds in China Hamburg-based shipowner Peter Döhle Schiffahrts is expanding its container fleet with an order for four feedermax vessels in China. Shipbuilding sources report that the 2,900 teu ships have been booked at China’s CSSC Guangzhou Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, with deliveries scheduled between late 2027 and 2028.…

  • MSC and Maersk join CMA CGM in moving tonnage to India

    MSC and Maersk join CMA CGM in moving tonnage to India The world’s three largest containerlines are reflagging ships to the Indian register to take advantage of local cabotage laws and growing business around the shorelines of the world’s most populous nation. France’s CMA CGM was the first global liner to make the move this…