Tag: seatrade maritime

Tug struck assisting abandoned container ship in Strait of Hormuz A UAE-registered tug trying to assist the stricken Safeen Prestige reported hit by missiles killing the crew Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Huangpu Wenchong contracts four boxships with Korean owners CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding is deepening footprint in East Asian market through orders from Namsung and Dongyoung Shipping. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

GMS calls on EU to approve Indian recycling yards The world’s ship recycling nation does not have a single facility that is approved by the European Union Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Seatrade Maritime News brings daily maritime briefings to CMA Shipping 2026 In response to the rapidly escalating geopolitical tensions and operational disruptions, the Seatrade Maritime News editorial team will conduct a twice-daily news briefing service at the upcoming CMA Shipping conference. Seatrade Maritime Go to seatrade maritime

Investors bet on container lines profiting from disruption Spot rates are on the rise as capacity management, demand and conflict begin to affect the global container market. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Nanjing Tanker invests in chemical tanker newbuild trio China Merchants Nanjing Tanker has unveiled its latest fleet expansion initiative. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Strait of Hormuz crisis impacts 4% of global dry bulk trade The world has focused on Middle East energy disruption in the last few days but dry bulk trades are in the firing line too. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

India demand and Panama pipeline positive for VLGCs, says Dorian LPG Owner upbeat on US production and structural demand growth from India LPG policies. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

20,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf: IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez and ICS Chairman Emanuele Grimaldi highlight the plight of crew trapped in the region Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Pilbara Ports moves forward with ammonia bunkering ambitions The West Australian port aims to leverage on the Yara Pilibara ammonia production plant Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

UECC orders multi-fuel battery hybrid PCTC pair The European shipowner adds two multi-fuel battery hybrid newbuilds at China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Container ship hit in Strait of Hormuz, nearly 150 vessels trapped The first container ship casualty in the Strait of Hormuz comes as the disruption the supply chain extends well beyond the Middle East region Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

MSC terminates all Arabian Gulf shipments The world’s largest shipping line is declaring “end of voyage” and discharging containers at next port of call, charging customers for the deviation costs Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

The Strait of Hormuz crisis and its devastating impact on Asia-Gulf trade The world’s most critical energy chokepoint and why its closure matters now to Asian economies Punit Oza Go to seatrade maritime

London marine insurers extend Middle East war risk zones Areas of risks including hull war, piracy, terrorism and related perils have been extended today by the Joint War Committee (JWC). Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

AI expertise transfer platform aims to solve the shipping talent crisis DOLGO, a startup supported by the NOAA-funded accelerator program, plans to incentivise expertise sharing to tackle the looming exodus of ageing shipyard workforce. Seatrade Maritime Go to seatrade maritime

Ports at the forefront of economic war in the Gulf The Arabian Gulf is a cul-de-sac with as many as six countries either totally dependent on ports in the region for critical supplies and to facilitate their exports. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Oman ports targeted by drone attacks Operations suspended at multiple Omani maritime facilities as drones target Duqm and Salalah. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

MISC returns to Hudong-Zhonghua for up to four LNG carriers Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding reaffirms partnership with MISC Berhad, LNG carrier orderbook rises to up to 10 vessels. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

China Harbour Engineering Company wins Singapore port project Chinese engineering company is to design and build a barge terminal and container yard at Tuas Port Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

US tanker struck twice in Bahrain port Fire extinguished onboard Stena Imperative after hits from two unknown projectiles in the Port of Bahrain. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Hengli Heavy Industry inks contract for VLAC newbuild pair The Chinese private shipbuilder has inked its first VLAC newbuilding order of the year Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Maritime in Minutes – February 2026 in review A round-up of the top maritime and shipping stories in February on the Seatrade Maritime Podcast. Marcus Hand, Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Oil prices soar, war risk cover withdrawn in Arabian Gulf Shipping networks and insurance arrangements are undergoing significant disruption in the wake of US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Shipping lines reroute from Red Sea avoiding Houthi threat Carriers abandon plans to return to Suez Canal route and reinstate to Cape of Good Hope diversions, while Arabian Gulf ports left isolated Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Ships avoid the Strait of Hormuz, tanker hit off Oman Drone attacks on the ports of Jebel Ali and Duqm, and a Palau-flagged tanker reported hit off Oman Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Shipping security risk increases dramatically in Persian Gulf Over 750 commercial vessels reported to be inside the Strait of Hormuz as the US and Israel attack Iran Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Yangzijiang Shipbuilding achieves a record performance in 2025 Profits for Chinese shipbuilder jump 28% as its orderbook surges past $22 billion Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

NatPower raises alarm on UK shore power policy Structural commercial model flaws and high industrial electricity prices could undermine maritime electrification push, warns cold ironing company. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

VLCC rates – how high and for how long? Analysts of listed tanker stocks are raising target prices as they see more upside to come Barry Parker Go to seatrade maritime

MLC at 20 – hours of work and rest crisis and seafarer shortage To keep the world’s fleet sailing and trade flowing ship crews are being forced to 70 plus hour weeks without any days off Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Hengli Heavy Industry bags three more VLCCs The latest order brings the Chinese shipbuilder’s VLCC newbuilding tally to 38 Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Top Ships acquiring nine MR tankers newbuilds The tanker operator acquiring a series of medium-range tankers from a Chinese shipyard with time charters attached Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Brazilian and Malaysian ports ink MoUs Suape inks agreements with the Westports Malaysia and Northport in Port Klang Go to seatrade maritime

Seatrium profits doubles, plans further divestments The Singapore shipyard group is return its Admiralty Yard to the authorities by 2028 Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Engine performance climbs agenda as ETS ramps up With higher fuel costs for vessels trading in Europe owners are focusing on monitoring efficiency Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

ONE founding CEO Jeremy Nixon to stand down Emirates Shipping Line chief Till Ole Barrelet is set to take over the helm at Ocean Network Express mid-year Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Spike in cyberattacks demand persistent tracking at sea Pole Star Global says that with frequent Automatic Identification System (AIS) spoofing and GPS jamming there is a need for more effective persistent tracking methods. Go to seatrade maritime

Long-term charters may explain Zim’s premium price Amid industry debate on whether Hapag-Lloyd is over-paying for the Israeli carrier, Zim, Alphaliner offer some explanation for the high price. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Vale and Everllence to develop ethanol-powered engine Companies expect ethanol as a marine fuel to resonate in Brazil and China. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Japanese shipyards among 20 added to China export control list China has escalated export restrictions place on Japanese firms with shipyards involved. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Trump tariff turmoil – damage already done to supply chain Uncertainty continues to reign for US import tariffs with those struck down by the Supreme Court replaced almost immediately Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Port of Hamburg opens Dubai office Hamburg institutions establish a representative office in Dubai as UAE box volumes rise almost 30% in 2025. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Ageing fleet eases Red Sea return risks for feeders Fleet profile limits trickle-down exposure for feeder tonnage, says MPC Container Ships. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

ABB picks Corvus Energy battery systems for new US ferries Bergen-based battery system developer lands first Washington State Ferries deal Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Lalizas opens branch in the Philippines The new branch will serve as regional hub for the safety equipment manufacturer Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

ILO urges recognition of seafarers as keyworkers on MLC anniversary ITF charity marks MLC anniversary with €500,000 seafarers’ rights project to enhance protection of seafarers’ rights in the Arab world. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Eastern Pacific Shipping makes senior management appointments The shipping company is making senior management changes following CoolCo integration Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Tidewater acquiring Wilson Sons Ultratug for $500 million Deal expands Tidewater’s presence in the Brazilian market with a fleet of 22 offshore vessels Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Seatrium selling Indonesian shipyard, tugboat fleet Karimun Shipyard, a fleet of 17 tugboats, and a floating dock among $122.9 million in divestments Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Ramadan heralds reduced ship recycling volumes More older LNG carriers expected in Bangladesh yards in the coming weeks Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

US Supreme Court tariffs verdict – does it change anything? Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs have been struck down but the President responded with a 15% global tariff what does this mean for shipping and trade? Punit Oza Go to seatrade maritime

Lithium battery fires put the heat on P&I Clubs As a new policy year dawns for P&I Clubs marine mutual insurers are battling a rise in claims Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Top maritime news stories for week ended 20 February Container consolidation with Hapag-Lloyd, Trump’s Maritime Action heralds another US port fee, and Maersk and DP World terminal tie-up in Saudi Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

CMA CGM finalises landmark Indian container ship order The French container line has inked contracts with Cochin Shipyard for six new vessels Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Trump’s Maritime Golden Age could prove costly for shipping The release of the US Maritime Action Plan floated port fees that would impact virtually international shipping calling America Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Wind power cuts costs but has teething problems say shipowners The joint RINA and IWSA conference on wind propulsion saw a series of owners explain the benefits and pitfalls of sails and their experience in adding technology to their fleet Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

IMO NZF would send stable demand signal for zero-emission fuels Weaker alternatives risk delay to zero-emission availability and uptake, UCL report claims. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

MSC celebrates Lunar New Year with Firehorse service The world’s largest container line launches new service connecting China and Southeast Asia Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Box growth drives Hamburg throughput increase 2025 US volumes tumble on Trump tariffs while China and India throughput grow. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Damietta Alliance Container Terminals begins operations in Egypt The joint venture brings together Hapag-Lloyd, Eurogate and Contship Italia as well as local partners Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Sinokor set for ‘unprecedented’ control of VLCC spot fleet Following a surge of VLCC acquisitions Sinokor is set to account for 24% of the global spot trading fleet says Signal Ocean Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

AD Ports joins Cameroon’s Douala new dry bulk terminal concession Phase one investment of $87m to add 4m tonnes of dry bulk capacity to Cameroon’s largest port. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Two dead in fire on bulk carrier Mandy Engine room fire off the coast of China claims the lives of two Myanmar crew members. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Energy transition underpins dry bulk sector Lithium ore, bauxite and soybeans offer some support to bulkers while newbuild deliveries and Red Sea could tip balance. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

IMO ‘rolls with the punches’ to achieve NZF target In a keynote speech at the joint RINA/IWSA Wind Propulsion conference, the IMO said the industry must ride the divisions and keep its eye on the main decarbonisation targets Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

ZEPA launches battery-electric container handling standards, load tool New tool and updates aim to support port decarbonisation through transition to battery-electric operations. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Precious Shipping makes product tanker foray The dry bulk shipowner is acquiring a 20-year-old MR product tanker Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Oldendorff Carriers bags 25m tonne Emsteel freight agreement UAE steel manufacturer signs five-year, AED600m ($163m) deal to transport iron ore pellets. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd’s acquisition of Zim an era defining moment Hapag-Lloyd’s $4.2 billion deal to buy Zim is the beginning of the end of the container shipping’s age of consolidation as the top carriers vie for market share Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

CLdN buying Samskip’s UK and Ireland business In a week that has seen Hapag-Lloyd acquiring Zim a smaller deal has been sealed in the European shortsea sector Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Drydocks World joins emissions reduction group The Dubai-based shipyard will bring on the ground experience of integrating technologies ship board Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd in ‘advanced negotiations’ to acquire Zim German line says negotiations over Israel’s special rights ‘well advanced’ as multi-billion dollar merger talks progress. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd acquires Zim $4bn deal to create 400-ship, 3m teu container line remains subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

CMA CGM and Midea sign intelligent logistics MoU Box line and Chinese home appliance brand seek innovations to bring more efficient global supply chains. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

APM Terminals and Eurogate to invest $1.2bn in Bremerhaven modernisation Container terminal partners look to reach net zero emissions and boost capacity by 1m teu. Michele Labrut Go to seatrade maritime

Dodgy owners start sending sanctioned tankers to the subcontinent Three tankers with murky ownership credentials have arrived off Alang as pressure mounts on the dark fleet. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Trump’s Maritime Action Plan floats foreign built vessel US port fee The long-awaited action plan seeks to redevelop US shipbuilding funded through foreign investment and proposed port fee Barry Parker Go to seatrade maritime

JSW returns to Wuhu Shipyard for more bulkers Wuhu Shipyard has secured an order for four bulk carriers from its long-term client, India’s JSW Group Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

DP World replaces Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has resigned with immediate effect and new top executives announced Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Maersk Suez transit strategy confusion deepens Maersk heralded its return to the Red Sea/Suez Canal with the sailing of the Maersk Detroit, but that ship has diverted to the Cape and another has turned tracking off. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Expansion lifts AD Ports box volumes 23% in 2025 Group records 19% rise in profit to AED584m ($569m) as port holdings and fleets grow. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Changing oil markets and shifting tanker landscapes Despite huge uncertainty oil markets have been less responsive to crisis than in the past, and crude oil demand remains resilient Barry Parker Go to seatrade maritime

US shipbuilding boost: tie-up on autonomous naval craft Blue Water Autonomy and Damen have revealed plans for series production of new autonomous Liberty-class ships at Conrad Shipyard in the US. Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Wan Hai Lines orders six container ships at Huangpu-Wenchong Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding secured the second batch of newbuilds from the Taiwanese owner Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Hutchison threatens Maersk over Panama ports operations Port operator warns APM Terminals and other third parties against colluding in “unlawful actions” in Balboa and Cristobal. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Oceanbird bags first commercial order Alfa Laval and Wallenius Lines’ wind propulsion joint venture to retrofit two sails in Europe early next year. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Momentum slows on Trump’s US maritime action plans The second Trump administration started out with much focus on reviving US maritime capabilities but tangible results remain few a New York conference is told Barry Parker Go to seatrade maritime

HMM stays in the black in Q4 South Korean line highlights sharply declining freight rates in 2025 and oversupply from newbuilding deliveries this year Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Synergy bags management of Yang Ming newbuild pair The Singapore Synergy Marine Group to take on technical management of the first LNG dual fuel container ships for Taiwanese line Marcus Hand Go to seatrade maritime

Consilium highlights the Future of Safety at IMarEST UAE Consilium Safety has unveiled its next-generation marine safety solutions, the SMiG (Safety Management System interface Graphics) software and the C2P platform, at an IMarEST UAE branch supported seminar Go to seatrade maritime

Indian container line takes shape with MoU signing Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL) plans order 15 vessels by end 2027 and the agreement provides funding measures Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

General cargo ship loss “wholly avoidable” says MAIB Investigation finds Polesie and Verity watchkeepers took unnecessary risks, witnesses unwilling to co-operate. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Dynacom orders nine suezmaxes at Hengli Hengli books 10 suezmax orders for $700m – $1bn, including one to an anonymous European owner. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Anemoi renews wind-power deal with Cosco shipyards The four-year Frame Agreement between the partners has been renewed and follows nine installations at Cosco yards so far. Paul Bartlett Go to seatrade maritime

Wärtsilä signs Abu Dhabi decarbonisation MoU Five-year Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy spans training, efficiency, and potential government-to-government support. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime

Pacific container spot rates plunge ahead of contract season Plummeting spot rates out of Asia ahead of Lunar New Year is not in the traditional container trading book, and could presage cancelled sailings and uncertain scheduling Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Cosco debuts Beibu Gulf and Middle East car carrier service New service from Cosco Shipping Car Carriers targets automobile manufacturers in Southwestern China for exports to Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Katherine Si Go to seatrade maritime

Hapag-Lloyd dodges red ink in Q4 Hapag-Lloyd’s Q4 results eclipse those of its alliance partner, Maersk, but the trend remains downwards, even with Gemini cost savings. Nick Savvides Go to seatrade maritime

Fleet growth takes Bahri to record profit Saudi owner reports $2.4bn profit as fleet tops 100 vessels and diversification continues. Gary Howard Go to seatrade maritime