Tag: seatrade maritime

Shipping markets in 2026 – will disruption defy fundamentals again? How will global the macro-economic outlook impact shipping markets in 2026? Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

HMM trials wing sails on a tanker South Korean owner HMM is partnering with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering in a bid to meet green regulations with wind assisted propulsion. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd unit completes acquisition of Florida International Terminal Hanseatic Global Terminals will own 100% of Florida International Terminals following the transaction Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Inchcape Shipping Services expands in Indonesia The shipping agency is opening adds to its presence in Jakarta with two new locations Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Eight VLCCs out, nine Hemen Holdings newbuildings in at Frontline Fleet renewal sales generate $831.5m as newbuild purchases from John Fredriksen’s Hemen Holdings tally $1.2bn. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

OOIL container line revenues down in Q4 Orient Overseas International reports small uptick in box liftings but a fall in freight rates Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Lunar New Year demand boosts limp Transpacific rates After a rollercoaster year Xeneta welcomes a return to seasonality and a more recognisable market Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Union Maritime takes delivery of wind-assisted LR2 The new 114,000 dwt tanker is the first vessel of its type to be powered by LNG and wind energy. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Asian maritime security in Q4 – smuggling and ship boardings Risk Intelligence examines security incidents and concerns in Asian waters in the third quarter of 2025 Thomas Timlen Go to seatrade maritime

Evergreen takes Inmarsat’s multi-network NexusWave fleetwide Upgrade integrates ViaSat-3 satellite connection to boost connectivity and support Evergreen’s digitalisation plans. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

AD Ports builds logistics cluster leadership team Senior executives join global and regional leadership teams at business unit containing Noatum Logistics. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Cape Shipping moves into the VLCC market Greek owner Cape Shipping has ordered a pair of very large crude carriers in China. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Shifting geopolitical blocs to reshape supply chains Attack on Venezuela seen as a response to the rise of China’s influence across the globe, which has fragmented the global economy and created blocs of regional influence. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

MSC and Hamburg port partners to consolidate terminal control Hamburg city and MSC have moved to take total control of the Hamburg terminal operator HHLA, as minority shareholders are set to be squeezed out. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Rotterdam forges ahead on shore power with ABB Europe’s largest port is to install shore power systems designed and built by ABB that are expected to cut yearly carbon emissions by close to 100,000 tonnes when fully operational by 2030. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Cartagena port breaks 4m teu barrier in 2025 The Port of Cartagena Group reached a milestone in the port history of Colombia by handling 4 million teu in a single year Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Venezuelan oil recovery: years of investment, uncertain future It will take multiple years and tens of billions of dollars to rehabilitate Venezuela’s dilapidated oil production infrastructure. Barry Parker Go to seatrade maritime

EPS returns to Jiangnan Shipyard for VLAC pair Eastern Pacific Shipping orders more ammonia carriers from Chinese shipbuilder Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd terminal arm invests in Brazil Hanseatic Global Terminals is taking a 50% stake in Imetame Logística Porto (ILP) to develop a new container terminal Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

South Korea prepares for Arctic container transit pilot Climate change expected to make the Northern Sea Route viable by 2030 according to South Korean research, and government is preparing to take advantage Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

PTP breaks the 14m teu barrier in 2025 The Malaysian port is a key hub for the Gemini Cooperation alliance of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd. Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Alternative fuelled vessel orders plateau as regulations stall Container ships continue to lead dual fuel capable newbuilding contracts according to figures from Clarksons Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

ASRY completes ADES rig project quartet Bahrain yard completes repair and upgrade projects for rigs ahead of global deployments for Saudi owner. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Venezuela impact on tanker markets may be limited in the near-term Crude grades, infrastructure neglect, and Russia long-haul trades dampen Venezuela raid freight market ripples. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Wrong belt hooks led to $3.8m lithium battery fire Genius Star XI’s cargo of energy storage systems broke loose and caught fire in heavy weather in December 2023, according to NTSB report. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Svitzer reshuffles regional executive heads Changes in leadership see executives shifting into top roles in Europe and the Americas Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Volatile tanker markets fuelled by ageing fleet and geopolitics Tanker owners are sailing into perilous waters in the early months of 2026 as drone attacks hit more ships over a wider area, the shadow fleet grows, and war in Ukraine grinds on. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Storms on container shipping’s horizon The interaction between regulations including tariffs and the emissions rules along with the possible chronic overcapacity could see a major upheaval of shipping supply chains. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Seatrium and Maersk Offshore Wind settle newbuild dispute The Singapore yard group to provide $250 million in credit to Maersk unit to complete purchase wind turbine installation vessel Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

US seizes second tanker off Venezuela Video shows the Panama-flagged VLCC Centuries being boarding by the US Coast Guard Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Maersk completes first Red Sea transit in nearly two years Container line says it does not mean it is at the point of switching its east – west network back to the Suez Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

140 Mawani employees complete bespoke LR training programme LR delivers its most extensive single-client training programme for Saudi Ports Authority. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Carnival signs Galveston LNG offtake agreement Multi-year cruise line deal brings Stabilis Solutions’ offtake to 55% of planned capacity at new Galveston LNG plant. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Top maritime news stories for week ended 19 December Premier Alliance shifts towards hub and spoke, Trump declares Venezuela sanctioned tanker blockade, shipbroker expansion through acquisition Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

MSC and Shandong Port launch container yard in Qingdao The world’s largest container builds on a strong presence in Qingdao and celebrates 3 million teu in volume at Qianwan Terminal Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Premier Alliance quietly shifting to hub and spoke network Reliability appears to be a key element of the updated Premier Alliance services due to be launched on 1 April 2026, with hub and spoke back in fashion Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Nordic American Tankers selling two Suezmaxes Both tankers are expected to be delivered to their buyers in January Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Container overboard AI detection system ready for trials Detection and reporting system uses onboard cameras and aligns with IMO mandatory reporting rules from 2026. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

DP World San Antonio gears up for Chinese New Year cherry exports The terminal in Chile expects to handle 13 vessels for exports of cherries to China over one and half months. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

AYK Energy deal demonstrates battery take-up in tanker trades Spanish tanker owner, Mureloil, is installing AYK Energy batteries on a second chemical tanker. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

India’s Bharat Container Line moves a step closer to reality New Delhi is set to realise its ambition to create the Bharat Container Line as it finalises the investor structure for the new company Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Amon Bulk gets $29m grants for ammonia-powered kamsarmax trio Zero-emissions shipping company brings ammonia-powered orderbook to five with latest round of government funding. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Samudera and Imoto Lines form Japanese shipowning venture The joint venture Blue Ocean Shipping will start with an initial fleet of two vessels. Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

CIMC Enric commissions large-scale bio-based green methanol project The Chinese company makes a major step forward in the decarbonisation of global shipping and clean fuel supply chains. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Zim settles boardroom battle with new director line-up Agreement to expand board to 10 members cools proxy battle with dissident shareholders concerned over management buyout and conflicts of interest. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Union Maritime chooses Anemoi sails for chemical tankers Two new 18,500 dwt chemical tankers under construction for Union Maritime are to have Anemoi Rotor Sails installed at Wuhu Shipyard in China. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

FMC vacancies to be filled by end of the month Two commissioners at the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) are set to be approved after the US Government shutdown delayed the process. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

CMB.Tech invests in Chinese green ammonia Owner to take 158,000 tonnes from BV-certified ammonia producer set to begin operations in January 2026. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Gram Car Carriers adds Orca AI to all 22 PCTCs MSC Group’s car carrier business rolls out AI-navigational awareness tech across entire fleet. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Arcelor Mittal books four bulkers at China Merchants yard The world’s second largest steelmaker is placing newbuilding orders at shipyard from China. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

SSY ‘Top 3’ aim with Greig Shipbrokers acquisition The Scandinavian shipbroker will become part of SSY from January next year. Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Premier Alliance lines update 2026 service network Updated services will continue with Cape diversions while ONE introduces Vietnam Shuttle Express service to Los Angeles and HMM an India to Europe service Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Anglo-Eastern completes inaugural ammonia training course Preparation for ship manager’s first ammonia-fuelled ship brings 26 participants together for specialised training. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Bunker transparency scheme underway with heavyweight backing Amsterdam–Rotterdam–Antwerp participants include Cargill, Frontline, Hafnia, Hapag‑Lloyd, Oldendorff, and Trafigura. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

MOL, Sinopec and Marubeni ink marine biodiesel MoU The three parties are creating long-term supply system for marine biodiesel fuel. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

LR threatens 75% pay cut to striking members, Nautilus claims Industrial action in the Netherlands set to escalate in response to pay cut threat, union warns. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Shanghai port tops 50m teu throughput for second consecutive year In a record-breaking year, Port of Shanghai reaches milestone one month earlier than in 2024. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Pacific’s December GRI evaporates US demand has been stifled by average tariff rates of around 20%, up from the pre-Trump presidency levels of about 2%, while China has found new markets for its goods. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd orders eight dual-fuel vessels in $500m deal Carrier to take a further 14 feeder ships on long-term charter from yard as part of fleet renewal. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

MACN launches anti-corruption initiative in Indonesia, Malaysia and Germany Siemens-funded Transparent Trade Routes project to tailor interventions in three countries using a collective action approach. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Six ships targeted in new US sanctions on Venezuela OFAC targets the Venezuelan oil sector and six tankers linked to ‘deceptive and unsafe shipping practices’. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Elevating women’s voices with Women in Ports Women in Ports has big plans for 2026, targeting evidence-based solutions and skills for the future to boost ports sector diversity. Seatrade Maritime Go to seatrade maritime

ICTSI signs 25 year-partnership to operate Durban terminal Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 partnership set to launch after Maersk lawsuit dismissal. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Trusted data key to wind propulsion wider adoption Shipowners are becoming more open to discussing wind propulsion as data beats back historical over-promising and under-delivering. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Indian shipbuilding forges ahead with $2bn nod from HD Hyundai Tamil Nadu strategic partnership brings new Indian shipyard project closer to realisation. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Brazil court snubs terminal giants in Tecon 10 vote Terminal operators including Maersk and MSC would be barred from bidding on $1.1bn project under proposed rules. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Edison signs long-term charter for Knutsen newbuild LNG carrier Knutsen OAS Shipping-owned vessel to join Edison fleet on delivery in 2028. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Opec, Russia and Suez to determine relative health of 2026 tanker market Drewry lays out trio of OPEC scenarios and potential market impact of peace in Ukraine. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Hengli Heavy Industry secures eight more newbuilds Dalian yard booked out until 2029 as it racks up orders from Greek and Norwegian owners. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

ISS enters Zim’s boardroom battle Investor advisor wades into Zim share sale telling shareholders to stick with current board at AGM vote. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

bound4blue closes $44m funding round from diverse investor group Spanish suction sail developer cites immediate decarbonisation benefits and scalable commercial gains from the power of the wind. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

COSCO Shipping places record-breaking RMB50 billion newbuild order Monster order totals 87 vessels across eight ship types, all to be built at CSSC. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Cash stockpile gives Zim options for its future Analysts suggest sitting tight may be a viable strategy for acquisition target Zim as shareholder meeting looms. Barry Parker Go to seatrade maritime

DP World rebrands Unifeeder, P&O Maritime Logistics, and P&O Ferrymasters Ports group brings legacy brands under DP World identity, with no change to operations. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

AD Ports and Louis Dreyfus to build Karachi bulk facility LDC commits agricultural volumes to new clean bulk handling and storage facility at Karachi Port. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

DNV awards type approval to new CMES-Tech tilting rotorsail design China’s first domestically-developed rotor sail system design earns recognition under DNV’s WAPS rules. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Firm freight markets and falling steel prices beset recyclers Arrivals of old LNG carriers ease on firmer rates but remain likely scrapping candidates due to poor fuel efficiency. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Baltic Klipper loses 16 boxes overboard off UK coast Some 16 containers were swept overboard from ship owned by reefer company Seatrade in heavy weather off the UK coast, coastguard recovery operations are ongoing. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Fincantieri and 3D printers Roboze sign strategic agreements with ASRY Agreements to boost maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities and establish dedicated additive manufacturing facility in Bahrain. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Return to Suez could stifle intra-Asia container rate boost China and India are the main drivers behind the continued growth of the intra-Asia trades, but freight rates could be hit by return to Suez transits. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

South Korean design for multi-fuel bunker tanker The Sun Comprehensive Energy design would be able to deliver LNG, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

DNV AiP for new ammonia dual-fuel ultra-large container ship Another milestone has been achieved by industry players in the development of next-generation, zero-carbon mainline container shipping. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Monjasa moves crew management in-house Bunkering specialist Monjasa agrees partnerships in Panama, Colombia, and Namibia to provide cadetships Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Neu orders six VLOCs at China Merchants’ Qingdao Shipyard China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry’s newly acquired shipyard in Qingdao has won its first VLOC contract. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Israeli government urged to block Hapag-Lloyd buyout of Zim Work force opposes Hapag-Lloyd’s Zim take over on grounds of national security Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Bimco piloting ‘self-performing’ contracts with Hunit Agentic contracts aim to tackle operational inefficiencies from growing administrative burden. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Houthis release 10 seafarers from the Eternity C The 10 crew of the bulker attacked and sank in July were released by the Houthi following mediation by Oman Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Winning adds six VLOCs at Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding Winning International Group continues to expand its China-West Africa seaborne trade fleet. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Cosco Shipping AiP for battery vehicle firefighting solution Fires caused by electric vehicles on board car carriers is a major concern for the industry requiring new firefighting techniques. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Methanol fuel gains ground but hurdles remain, says DNV There are now more than 450 methanol-capable ships at sea or on order, but regulatory frameworks are likely to prove critical in underpinning its wider take-up Go to seatrade maritime

Dag von Appen revealed as the 2026 CMA Jim Lawrence Commodore Award recipient Dag von Appen will receive the 2026 Jim Lawrence Commodore Award at CMA Shipping 2026 for his exceptional contributions to global shipping and leadership in the maritime industry. Seatrade Maritime Go to seatrade maritime

DNV grants Jiangnan Shipyard AiP for Intelligent System The award from the leading classification society is major milestone in the shipyard’s digital transformation Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Nine crew kidnapped from gas carrier off Equatorial Guinea One seafarer injured and four left onboard CGAS Saturn in attack on off West Africa Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Panama court rules $186m Glencore bunker case can proceed The fuel contamination case brought by bunker supplier Kamca dates back to 2018 and involves damage to 107 vessels Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Super-Eco Tankers orders newbuilds at Yangzhou Guoyu Super-Eco Tankers Management made first newbuild investment in over two years. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

LR Advisory to assess Nippon Paint hull coating performance A technical agreement will examine the long-term speed loss performance of two coatings from the Japanese manufacturer Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

VLCC newbuild pair to get Norsepower sails JMU to deliver two Idemitsu Kosan VLCCs with pair of 35-metre rotor sails installed. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Hubei Port boosts logistics service with DP World The port of Hubei in China is enhancing economic and trade connections with UAE. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

New senior officers at the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers The professional body has appointed a new Chairman, Vice Chair, and Vice President Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Maritime in Minutes – November 2025 in review A round-up of the top maritime and shipping stories in November on the Seatrade Maritime Podcast. Marcus Hand, Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime