Stay on top of port closures, security incidents, congestion events and freight rate movements impacting global shipping. Updated continuously from verified industry sources.
Multiple maritime disruptions are reported across Africa and the Middle East, including a vessel stranded for over 5 months at Dar es Salaam, a piracy incident near Garacad (Somalia) with the Egyptian vessel Sward still under pirate control, the MSC Sariska V struck by projectiles at Um-Qasr (Iraq), a livestock carrier lost off Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz closure causing a 7.5–10.1% reduction in global crude oil supply. Additional developments include infrastructure upgrades at Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal and new terminal/LNG agreements at Port of Ngqura.
Greek Maritime Minister Vasilis Kikilias warned at the Capital Link conference that the ongoing Iran war in the Middle East poses a significant danger to global societies and shipping. This geopolitical conflict raises concerns about potential disruptions to maritime traffic in the Middle East region, including key shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.
An MSC container ship was struck by a large explosion approximately 40 nautical miles from Umm Qasr, Iraq, in the Gulf, raising serious security concerns for maritime traffic in the area. This incident is likely to cause disruptions including rerouting, slowdowns, and heightened security checks for vessels transiting the northern Arabian Gulf and approaching Iraqi ports.
Iran has claimed responsibility for a strike on the MSC Sariska V, a Panama-flagged container ship, off the coast of Iraq, signaling a renewed escalation of attacks on commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea region. This incident is likely to trigger rerouting, heightened security measures, and potential slowdowns for maritime traffic transiting the area near Iraq and the broader Gulf waterway.
A US Hellfire missile strike has disabled a VLCC en route to Kharg Island, Iran's main crude oil loading terminal, by targeting its engine room. This incident is likely to cause significant disruptions to tanker traffic and crude oil loading operations at Kharg Island, with potential rerouting or avoidance of the area by other vessels.
Iran claims to have targeted a second MSC vessel (MSC Panaya) in retaliation for the US disabling a tanker bound for Kharg Island, escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf/Strait of Hormuz region. This represents a significant security threat to commercial shipping in the area, potentially forcing rerouting and causing disruptions to vessels transiting the Gulf and calling at regional ports.
The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, with Iran selectively allowing passage and suspected mining of the waterway, disrupting approximately 20% of global oil and LNG supplies. The EU is proposing to expand its Aspides naval mission to conduct mine-clearing operations, but no timeline for reopening has been established as hostilities and diplomatic stalemate continue.
Iran's seizure of the Strait of Hormuz following its war with Israel and the US (starting Feb. 28, 2026) has reduced maritime traffic through the choke point by 90%, causing major disruptions to tanker and bulk shipping routes and stranding vessels in the Persian Gulf. This has triggered significant freight rate surges across dirty tankers, dry bulk, and container segments, with shippers rerouting cargo via longer alternative routes.
Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Qatar and other Gulf oil-producing neighbors following U.S.-Israeli strikes, disrupting regional energy output and triggering an armed conflict in the Persian Gulf region since February 28, 2026. This military escalation poses significant risks to maritime traffic through the Persian Gulf, including key Qatari LNG export terminals and major regional shipping lanes.
The U.S. Secretary of State confirmed no sanctions relief has been offered to Iran in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed amid an ongoing U.S.-Iran war that began on February 28, 2026. This prolonged closure of one of the world's most critical oil shipping chokepoints poses a major ongoing disruption to global maritime trade and tanker routes through the Persian Gulf.
The U.S. has imposed an active maritime blockade on Iran since April 13, 2026, disabling six commercial vessels and redirecting 122 others attempting to reach Iranian ports, including the latest interdiction of the tanker M/T Lexie heading to Kharg Island. The Strait of Hormuz and all Iranian port approaches remain subject to U.S. military enforcement, posing severe disruption risks to vessel schedules, oil export operations, and regional shipping routes in the Persian Gulf.
France intercepted and detained the sanctioned Russian tanker Tagor in the Atlantic Ocean, redirecting it to the French mainland as part of a European strategy to disrupt Russia's "shadow fleet" oil shipments. This incident signals increased interception risk and potential rerouting or delays for vessels linked to Russian oil trade in European Atlantic waters.
The U.S. military is quietly coordinating with commercial shippers to navigate the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Iranian threats, including mines, drones, and fast attack boats, resulting in severely limited traffic through the strait (only 2–4 transits observed per day). Vessels are reportedly turning off AIS transponders and hugging the Omani coast to avoid Iranian threats, indicating significant operational disruptions and rerouting risk for the critical global shipping corridor.
The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, with Iran selectively allowing passage and potential mines in the waterway, severely disrupting the transit of approximately one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies. The EU is considering expanding its Aspides naval mission to lead a mine-clearing effort in the Strait, but a full reopening remains contingent on conflict resolution and stabilization of the situation.