Freight. Red Sea shift sends container rates soaring despite demand dip
Asia-Europe rates climb 8% as carriers reroute through the Red Sea, defying post-peak season slowdown
- Strait. Tanker ablaze off Oman after projectile strike sparks sinking fears
- Energy. Tanker Fire Off Iraq Sparks Fears of Widening Maritime War
In-depth analysis with FP
Ports. Khalifa Port Leaps to 34th Globally as TEU Volumes Surge 21.6%
Abu Dhabi’s flagship hub handled 6.6 million TEUs in 2025, marking the highest growth rate among the world’s top 40.
Nigeria’s ports slash delays to hours after decade of reform
A 98% resolution rate and case handling in 1–8 hours mark a turnaround in West Africa’s busiest hubs.
Privatisation. Kenya bets $1.2bn on private hands to revive Mombasa and Lamu ports
Shipwrecks
Shipping. Cyclone Drives 32,688-DWT Bulker Aground on India’s Eastern Coast
The Sigma Pearl ran aground after losing propulsion amid 93-mph gusts as Cyclone Hamoon battered the Bay of Bengal.
Maritime Security. Fire Engulfs Unknown Vessel Off Iraq
Shipping. Seven Crew Abandon Ship as Seahorse Lists Off Lebanon
Shipping. UHL Freedom drifts in 4.5m North Sea waves after engine failure
Headlines
Labour. Shipping’s crew crisis: 64 seafarers killed in war zones as fleet grows
More than 570 vessels struck in the Black Sea alone this year as demand for qualified officers outstrips supply.
Tanker freight. Tanker chiefs bet on boom despite ageing fleet and war risks
Average tanker age hits 13.5 years as owners dismiss fears of a 2008-style crash at Monaco…
Mergers. Stena swallows Color Line in €650m ferry mega-deal
Luxury. Scenic Ikon: The 26,500 GT Yacht Redefining Luxury Warm-Water Cruising
Conflicts
Black Sea. Zim Containership Sinks After Black Sea Drone Strike: All Crew Saved
The Greek-owned Contship Jet, chartered by Zim, went down 17 nautical miles off Bulgaria with 421 containers.
Conflicts. 22 Indian Seafarers Killed as Hormuz Shipping Lane Becomes War Zone
Naval Arms. North Korea’s 5,000-ton destroyer packs 64 missile launchers in power play
Opinion
Chong Suk LEE
NSR: Polar Silk Road
José Rafael Díaz
How growing global trade is changing routes, partners, and ports
Ports
Shore Power. Aarhus Plugs in Denmark’s First Shore Power for Box Ships
Denmark’s largest container hub tests 6.5 MWh connection for 2,150-TEU vessel ahead of 2030 EU rules.
Long Beach. 35,700 containers stranded as US rail gridlock chokes LA–Long Beach
Nearly 10,600 boxes have waited nine days or longer for on-dock trains.
Shipyards
Shipyards. Hengli storms to top of global shipbuilding with 23.4% market share
Chinese yard secures 276 orders in nine months, leapfrogging South Korean and Japanese rivals
Shipbuilding. ASRY Delivers Bahrain’s First Self-Propelled Bunker Vessels to Bapco
Economy & Markets
Stock MarketsCovenant Logistics Group key third quarter performance indicators. (FP)
Business. Covenant Logistics rides 68% freight surge to $354m quarter
Managed Freight segment drives 68.4% revenue jump to $121.6m as fleet shrinks and contracts lengthen.
Business. Boluda buys Samskip: Europe’s new shortsea giant takes shape
The €1bn-plus deal creates a 32-vessel, 28-country network from northern Europe to West Africa.
Container manufacturing. India bets $1bn to break China’s grip on global container boxes
New Delhi approves 13-year scheme to lift annual capacity from 70,000 teu to 750,000 teu and erode Beijing’s 95% market.
World Economy
Sanctions. US Lawmakers Threaten Ports Over Russian Diesel Imports
Six Democratic senators warn major US ports and banks of legal action if they handle Russian diesel cargoes under.
Freight Tech. Freight matchmakers merge to plug the 10% that breaks the chain
123Loadboard and Direct Freight combine under One Freight Network to catch the loads.
Energy. First Russian diesel tanker sails for US under Trump-Putin deal
World seaborne trade
Daily tonnes through 1,400+ ports · 7-day average · last 6 months
Energy
Energy. Americas’ marine fuel shift: from pledges to pumps
IBIA convention in New York will test whether the region can turn alternative-fuel ambition into commercial-scale.
Energy. MOL’s first FSRU conversion deal locks in Germany’s gas supply until 2043
Japanese carrier secures long-term charter to restore Mukran terminal’s 13.5 bn m³ annual capacity from 2028
Renewables
Offshore. US Tug Delays Push Equinor’s Empire Wind to Mid-2027
Equinor blames late US-built support vessels for months of slippage at its 810 MW New York project
Renewables. Norway backs nuclear ship engines with $2m grant: first tests in 2027
FP Week Week 46 · 2026
Everything Rallied Except The Yards That Build The Ships
Fifty-two of 54 tracked names closed higher on the session
Shipping & Offshore
Maritime rescue. Indian Coast Guard races to save 6 stranded on cyclone-hit bulk carrier
Sigma Pearl lost engine power near Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Arnab battered the Bay of Bengal with 150 kmph gusts.
Data. Shipping Cuts Emissions Red Tape With Two New Data Standards
BIMCO-led industry group releases version 1.0 of OVD and VER frameworks to eliminate duplicate reporting and improve.
Offshore. SS United States sunk as 990 ft artificial reef off Florida
The 990 ft ocean liner was deliberately sunk 22 nautical miles from Destin to create a marine habitat and dive.
Arctic shipping. Russia to unlock year-round Arctic shipping by early 2027
Moscow targets regular eastbound sailings as cargo volumes surge past 40m tonnes and nuclear icebreakers multiply.
Containers
India container. India bets $1.2bn on containers to break China’s 95% global grip
New Delhi approves ₹10,000 crore scheme to lift annual domestic output from 70,000 to 750,000 TEU by 2040.
China. Namsung Shipping bets big on China with 7,100 TEU boxship order
South Korean carrier signs deal for two firm 7,100 TEU vessels at Dalian Shipbuilding, with options for two more
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Fishing
Fishing Crisis. UK Fishing Fleet on the Brink: Could Defence Be Its Lifeline?
British trawlers, outpriced by EU competitors, may find new purpose in coastal surveillance and defence roles by 2038.
Fishing. UN Negotiates Ban on Seamount Trawling by 2027
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