Stay on top of port closures, security incidents, congestion events and freight rate movements impacting global shipping. Updated continuously from verified industry sources.
Approximately 8,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February 2026, with ongoing attacks on tankers and diplomatic negotiations delaying full reopening of the critical waterway. Port operations in Basra, Ras Laffan, and the broader Persian Gulf region have been severely disrupted, with vessel schedules, crew changes, and cargo movements all impacted.
A cargo vessel was attacked 30 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, in the Red Sea, with UK Maritime Trade Operations advising all vessels to transit the area with caution. The Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz are both facing heightened security risks, with Houthi forces having declared a ban on Israeli ships and vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz showing instability.
A CMA CGM container ship, the San Antonio, was struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early May and is so severely damaged it may be scrapped, as part of ongoing disruptions from the Iran war that has virtually closed the waterway to commercial shipping. CMA CGM has no plans to resume sending ships into the Gulf, with several vessels still trapped inside the zone, causing major rerouting and capacity disruptions for one of the world's largest container lines.
China has launched a second coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, asserting jurisdiction over surrounding waters and threatening boarding and inspection of vessels, prompting Taiwan to deploy monitoring ships and warn it will forcefully expel Chinese vessels. This escalating maritime standoff risks significant disruptions to shipping routes in waters east of Taiwan, a strategically important transit corridor in the Western Pacific.
A major Ukrainian drone attack struck St. Petersburg's oil terminal and the area of Vysotsk port (Baltic Sea), a facility handling oil, grain, coal, and LNG, causing damage to port oil infrastructure. The full extent of operational disruption at Vysotsk port remains unclear, but the strikes are likely to cause slowdowns or temporary interruptions to port operations in the region.
New York Harbor is hosting the "Sail 250" parade of over 40 tall ships from more than 20 nations along the Hudson River to mark America's 250th anniversary, with ships docked for public tours at multiple Manhattan and Brooklyn terminals through July 7, 2026. The event may cause temporary slowdowns or restricted navigation in New York Harbor and the Hudson River corridor from July 3 to July 8, 2026.
The CMA CGM container vessel San Antonio, struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Iran war, is to be scrapped as repairs are deemed economically unviable. The Strait of Hormuz — handling 20% of global oil and gas supply — was closed to shipping by Iran following hostilities, and the situation remains tense with ongoing ceasefire violations, posing continued severe disruption to maritime traffic in the region.
France has deployed mine countermeasure vessels to the Strait of Hormuz, alongside potential minehunters, escort frigates, and maritime patrol aircraft, as part of a joint international mission with the UK and Oman to secure navigation in the waterway. The presence of naval mines and ongoing trade disruptions in the Hormuz and Gulf region pose significant risks to the 20% of global oil and gas supplies transiting this critical shipping route.
The 'FortiBleed' cybersecurity incident has exposed administrator credentials from over 250 maritime firms across 194 countries, including shipowners, port authorities, offshore contractors, and freight companies, with 703 satellite-linked IP addresses associated with maritime satcom providers also compromised. While no direct physical port closures are reported, the potential for unauthorized access to operational networks poses a significant cybersecurity threat to global maritime infrastructure and port operations.
Iran's military command has warned all oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz to follow its approved routes or face an 'immediate and forceful response,' significantly escalating tensions in one of the world's most critical energy shipping lanes. Ship traffic remains well below pre-war levels, with routes being chosen on an hour-by-hour basis amid Iranian strikes on commercial vessels and ongoing geopolitical negotiations.
The 'FortiBleed' cybersecurity incident has exposed administrator credentials from over 250 maritime firms across 194 countries, including shipowners, port authorities, offshore contractors, and freight companies, threatening potential unauthorized access to operational networks. While no direct port closures or route disruptions have been confirmed yet, the risk of ransomware attacks or operational system compromises poses a significant latent threat to global maritime operations.
EU Operation IRINI is actively intercepting, boarding, and detaining Russian shadow fleet tankers falsely flying Cameroon's flag in the Mediterranean, with 9 ships intercepted since early 2026 and a new sanctions package planned for mid-July 2026. This enforcement action is causing disruptions to shadow fleet vessel movements, particularly near Sicily and across Mediterranean shipping lanes, with further expansion of sanctioned vessel criteria expected.
The Indian Navy successfully repelled a piracy attempt on bulk carrier MV Golden Arsenal in the Gulf of Aden on July 1, 2026, deploying INS Trikand and a P-8I aircraft to secure the vessel and its 21 crew members. The vessel sustained damage to its bridge superstructure but resumed its voyage after being cleared, highlighting ongoing piracy threats in the Gulf of Aden and Western Indian Ocean region.
France has released the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker Tagor after its owner paid a €1 million fine, following over a month of detention off the French coast after interception in the Atlantic on May 31. The vessel is expected to depart French waters soon, heading to Istanbul, while France continues legal proceedings against another detained shadow fleet tanker, Discover.
Iran has threatened an 'immediate and forceful response' against ships using unapproved navigation routes in the Strait of Hormuz, amid an ongoing conflict that has already seen at least 49 attacks on commercial vessels since February 28. Ship traffic through the strait remains well below pre-conflict levels (~45 vs ~130 vessels/day), with continued risk of disruption, rerouting, and vessel attacks for non-compliant ships.
Iran has issued a warning of an immediate and decisive armed response against ships transiting outside its designated route in the Strait of Hormuz, significantly raising security risks for maritime traffic. This threatens major disruptions to vessel schedules and shipping routes passing through one of the world's most critical chokepoints.
The bulk carrier Mayuree Naree, owned by Precious Shipping, was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on 11 March 2026, resulting in three crew fatalities out of 23 on board. This incident highlights ongoing security risks in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint, potentially causing rerouting or heightened caution among vessels transiting the area.
OFAC has issued a warning (effective 1 May 2026) that sanctions risk for Strait of Hormuz transits begins before any payment, covering vessel clearance coordination, information sharing with Iranian authorities, and escort acceptance linked to IRGC-designated entities. Operators transiting or waiting near the Strait face compounding sanctions, insurance, and charterparty exposure, with war-risk premiums volatile following military incidents and a naval cordon in place since 12 April 2026.
Three vessels — MT HONOUR 25, SWARD, and MV EUREKA — remain hijacked in the Western Indian Ocean/Gulf of Aden region, with crews held hostage by pirates for over two months, creating a grave humanitarian crisis. The Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment Chair is calling for urgent international intervention to secure the release of all seafarers, highlighting a resurgence of piracy threatening maritime security in the area.
Three vessels — Honour 25, Sward, and Eureka — remain under pirate control off Somalia, with crew conditions deteriorating and armed clashes between rival pirate factions reported, signaling a resurgence of piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. Regional maritime security authorities are urging international action, highlighting significant security risks for shipping traffic in these waters.
A 14% jump in global coal shipments in June 2026, driven by Chinese import demand following a Shanxi mining accident and reduced domestic production, has boosted dry bulk (panamax) freight rates and trade flows. Ongoing transit disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to redirect energy demand toward coal in Korea, Japan, and the EU, while a partial US-Iran ceasefire has increased ship transits through the strait, though security challenges persist.
The easing of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela has significantly expanded Venezuelan crude exports in 2026, with volumes rising from 1.90 million mt in June 2025 to 6.25 million mt in June 2026, reshaping tanker demand across VLCCs, Suezmaxes, and Aframaxes. This reintegration of Venezuelan crude into the mainstream tanker market is supporting vessel utilization and freight rates in the Atlantic basin.
Global container spot rates surged 9% driven by blank sailings, peak season surcharges, and tightening capacity on Transpacific and Asia-Europe routes. Security risks near the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman persist following a recent attack on a containership, with ship escort operations suspended, keeping upward pressure on freight markets.
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has surged to over 10 million barrels per day with US military support, following an interim peace agreement between the US and Iran, though the corridor remains volatile amid drone attacks on vessels and ongoing negotiations over Iran's potential imposition of transit fees. The situation poses continued risks of disruption to one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, which historically handles about a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies.