Stay on top of port closures, security incidents, congestion events and freight rate movements impacting global shipping. Updated continuously from verified industry sources.
Seven OPEC+ countries agreed to expand oil production by 188,000 barrels per day in August, following a US-Iran interim deal that reopened the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, though vessel traffic remains below pre-war levels and Iran has warned tankers to use approved routes or face a 'forceful response.' Tensions over the strait persist, with full Gulf oil production recovery not expected until at least Q1 2027.
A tanker was struck by a projectile near the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, causing a fire but no casualties, heightening security concerns in the region. While the Strait has reopened to commercial traffic, shipping volumes remain below pre-conflict levels and isolated incidents continue to pose risks to the normalization of Gulf maritime exports.
Super Typhoon Bavi (Category 5) is forecast to strike Taiwan and mainland China on July 10, 2026, with wind gusts up to 100 knots and 12-metre waves, threatening to disrupt navigation and port operations across all vessel segments. Chinese ports may close or scale back operations, causing congestion and tightening vessel supply across the Pacific, with dry bulk commodities such as iron ore, coal, and soybeans most at risk.
A Qatari LNG tanker (Al Rekayyat, owned by Nakilat) was struck by a projectile near the Omani coast while exiting the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire and heightening security concerns for vessels transiting the Persian Gulf chokepoint. The attack has prompted shipowner unease, route fragmentation, and at least one other LNG tanker to abort its transit, while European gas prices surged up to 6%.
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will resume some sailings through the Suez Canal under their Gemini joint network, specifically the AE15 service connecting Asia, the Mediterranean, and Europe, reducing transit time by four weeks compared to the Cape of Good Hope route. This marks a gradual return to the trans-Suez corridor after most shippers had rerouted around Africa due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, with the move expected to put downward pressure on freight rates.
H1 2026 saw a wave of maritime sanctions developments across EU, UK, and U.S. regimes targeting Russian crude and refined products, Russian LNG, Iranian oil, Venezuelan oil, and shadow fleet networks, with infrastructure such as Karimun Oil Terminal (Indonesia) and ports like Murmansk and Tuapse explicitly included. These evolving, time-bound sanctions create compliance-driven disruptions for vessel operators, cargo handlers, terminals, and service providers across multiple key maritime trade routes and chokepoints.
Iran has announced plans to impose service/transit fees on all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint handling 20% of global oil and gas shipments. While the exact implementation date remains unclear, the policy could significantly affect shipping costs, traffic flow, and route decisions for vessels transiting this strategic waterway.
Iran has announced plans to charge service fees for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with 'special considerations' for China and allied nations, while a 60-day fee-free window under a US-Iran interim peace agreement is currently in effect. The future fee structure and management arrangements — being developed jointly with Oman — introduce significant uncertainty for shipping routes handling one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies.
Africa Ports & Ships' daily bulletin for 6 July 2026 covers multiple maritime developments across Africa, including the resumption of transshipment operations at Port Sudan, a new container service (MAX) by ONE linking West Africa and the Mediterranean, construction milestones at Pointe-Noire's East Mole terminal, and plans for a new deepwater port at Mayumba in Gabon. These developments signal improving port operations, new shipping routes, and ongoing infrastructure investments across African maritime gateways.
Geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz persists despite recovering crude exports, as conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran over the waterway's future governance keep shipping risk elevated. While Saudi Arabia and Gulf producers have largely restored export flows through Hormuz, security concerns could challenge the sustainability of higher export volumes in the medium term.
Chinese independent refineries in Shandong are returning to regular crude oil markets, driving increased VLCC activity to ports such as Yantai, while falling crude prices have left some cargoes stranded without buyers upon arrival. A VLCC carrying Angolan and Congolese crude discharged at Yantai port is being held by traders with no firm buyer, signaling potential short-term congestion or delays in cargo offloading in the region.
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd announced that their AE15 service (Asia-Mediterranean-Europe) will transition from the Cape of Good Hope routing back to the Suez Canal, starting with the Majestic Maersk, as part of the Gemini Cooperation's gradual return to trans-Suez operations. Despite this step, carriers have no current plans to restore additional Gemini services to the Suez corridor, reflecting continued caution over Red Sea security.
Gulftainer has launched a new dedicated UAE-Iraq feeder service via GT Lines, connecting Port of Umm Qasr (Iraq) to UAE gateways and global logistics hubs. This new trade corridor is expected to improve cargo flows and predictability for the region, with no disruption but rather enhanced connectivity for Umm Qasr and UAE ports.
Africa Ports & Ships daily bulletin covers multiple maritime developments across Africa and beyond, including a new deepwater port project at Mayumba (Gabon), milestone construction at the East Mole container terminal in Pointe-Noire, resumption of transshipment operations at Port Sudan, and a new Mediterranean-West Africa container service launched by ONE. These developments signal evolving port infrastructure, route changes, and improved connectivity across key African maritime hubs.
A US-Iran ceasefire and the lifting of the US naval blockade have restored commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz, with oil flows rebounding to approximately 7 million b/d, though still well below pre-war levels of 20 million b/d. The temporary 60-day peace accord has eased maritime disruptions in the Persian Gulf, but flows remain constrained and the situation depends on the ceasefire holding or being extended.
This Africa Ports & Ships daily bulletin covers multiple maritime developments including the recovery of Port Sudan's transshipment operations, new shipping services (ONE's Mediterranean Africa Express and PIL/Evergreen's Indo-Pacific corridor), new port construction in Gabon (Kobé-Kobé deepwater port), a crane fire at Durban Harbour's D Berth, and Folk Maritime's new Red Sea Express service linking Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. These developments collectively signal evolving trade routes, infrastructure investment, and minor operational disruptions across African and Red Sea ports.
Somali pirates continue to hold the crews of three vessels — MT HONOUR 25, SWARD, and MV EUREKA — in the Western Indian Ocean/Gulf of Aden region, with deteriorating humanitarian conditions prompting international calls for intervention. The DCoC/JA warns that piracy in the area remains an active threat, urging all maritime stakeholders to maintain strict vigilance and adhere to Best Management Practices.
Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have partially recovered to approximately 10 million barrels per day (plus 5 million via alternative routes) following a U.S.-Iran interim peace agreement, though the waterway remains under geopolitical tension with Iran recently attacking ships and rejecting U.S. conditions for unrestricted passage. A 60-day toll-free transit window is in place, but future arrangements remain uncertain, posing ongoing risks of disruption to one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
Turkish authorities have banned the Virgin Voyages cruise ship Scarlet Lady, chartered by Atlantis Events for an LGBTQ+ cruise, from docking at Kuşadası (July 7) and Istanbul, forcing a rerouting to Cairo, Egypt, and Crete, Greece. The itinerary change affects approximately 1,900 passengers on a 10-day Athens-to-Venice voyage departing July 5.
Norden has upgraded its profit forecast as its chartered vessels exit the Strait of Hormuz, signaling continued disruption and rerouting of dry bulk shipping traffic through this strategic waterway. The company has also sold vessels and purchase options to capitalize on high asset prices amid the ongoing tensions in the region.
Oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz are continuing to normalise following earlier disruptions, with the ICE Brent curve moving into contango as the prompt market becomes increasingly oversupplied. Separately, Emirates Global Aluminium has restarted around 7% of production pots at its Al Taweelah smelter, signalling a gradual easing of Gulf supply and shipping disruptions that had previously impacted the region.
Hannibal (Contship Group) has launched a new intermodal rail service between Melzo (Rail Hub Milano) and Europoort Rotterdam, operational since 8 July, with 6 trains per week and a ~24-hour transit time. This expands the Group's multimodal coverage at the Port of Rotterdam, enhancing connectivity for containerised and conventional freight bound for Northern Europe, including the UK and Scandinavia.
The UK Government announced a new sanctions package on 16 June 2026 targeting Russia's shadow fleet, designating over 20 vessels involved in Russian oil and LNG transport, along with ship insurers and maritime service providers. These measures are expected to disrupt seaborne Russian energy exports, particularly those linked to the Arctic LNG 2 project and crude oil circumvention networks.
Navigistics Consulting's 'Jones Act 2026 Waiver After Action Report' reveals that the Trump Administration's 150-day blanket Jones Act waiver has allowed foreign-flagged vessels, including Chinese-built and Chinese-controlled ships, to carry domestic U.S. cargo on routes where American vessels were available, with the waiver set to expire on August 17, 2026. The report finds no military necessity for the waiver and no consumer price relief, prompting maritime advocates to urge Congress to let the waiver expire and restore U.S.-flagged vessel priority on domestic shipping lanes.