Stay on top of port closures, security incidents, congestion events and freight rate movements impacting global shipping. Updated continuously from verified industry sources.
As of July 6, 2025, multiple container ships are present at Durban Container Terminals (Pier 1 and Pier 2/Durban Gateway Terminal), with six vessels berthed at PMT and three ships waiting at outer anchorage destined for DCT1, DCT2, Maydon Wharf MPT, and Point MPT. The anchorage queue may indicate congestion or delays at the Durban container terminals.
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.
The Durban Multi-Purpose Terminals (Maydon Wharf and Point MPT) publish their daily ship movement updates as of 6 July 2026, listing numerous vessels currently in port, due to arrive, and waiting at the outer anchorage. A significant number of vessels are queued at the outer anchorage, indicating potential congestion at the port of Durban.
A fresh attack off Yemen underscores the continuing security risks in the Red Sea, prompting vessels to consider alternative routing. Meanwhile, shipping movements through the Strait of Hormuz are showing early signs of recovery.
DP World has launched the first phase of its 30-year, $800 million concession at the Port of Tartous, Syria, with three new cranes delivered to boost cargo capacity and improve vessel turnaround times. This development signals a significant long-term enhancement of port operations at Tartous.
PSA Vietnam and LHF will jointly develop and operate four deep-sea container berths at Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong, Vietnam, with a capacity of 4.5 million TEUs. This major port development will strengthen Hai Phong's role as a deep-sea hub in global trade, potentially increasing vessel traffic and cargo throughput in the region.
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.
Saudi Arabia has significantly ramped up oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the sea lane, with exports more than doubling since June 17 as a backlog of tankers clears. However, tanker traffic remains volatile due to renewed hostilities, with throughput still well below the pre-conflict average of ~15 million barrels per day.
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.
The ultra-large bulk carrier Zhonghai Ronghua set a new draft record of 22.18 meters at Tianjin Port, China, successfully docking with 311,000 metric tons of cargo. This milestone demonstrates Tianjin Port's enhanced capacity to handle ultra-large deep-draft vessels, signaling potential increased traffic of mega bulk carriers at the port.
Singapore's residual fuel oil stocks declined 14% in June to 17.45 million bbls, with VLSFO availability remaining tight and supplier lead times extending to over four weeks. This supply tightness may cause bunkering delays and scheduling disruptions for vessels calling at the Port of Singapore.
The Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted due to ongoing US-Iran tensions, with transit volumes still well below pre-war levels despite a fragile 60-day ceasefire agreement. Traffic is slowly recovering after recent exchanges of strikes, but uncertainty over safe passage continues to affect chemical tanker operations in the region.
Gibraltar Port Authority warns that the EU's Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III) could divert bunker volumes away from West Mediterranean EU-regulated hubs like Gibraltar and Algeciras toward non-EU locations such as Morocco's Tanger Med, mirroring the Rotterdam-to-Antwerp shift already observed in Northern Europe. Additionally, ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions continue to affect shipping patterns, though Gibraltar reports no significant negative impact on its bunker volumes due to its strategic location.
The Drewry World Container Index surged 9% to $4,530 per 40ft container, driven by rising spot rates on Transpacific and Asia–Europe routes, with eight blank sailings announced on the Transpacific trade lane reflecting tight capacity. Ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, including security risks near Oman following an attack on a containership despite the partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, continue to fuel market uncertainty and elevated freight rates.
China test-fired a ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean, with potential space debris falling within Japan's EEZ, raising concerns over navigational safety and regional stability. No damage to ships or aircraft was reported.
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.
The 2026 Allianz Safety and Shipping Review highlights machinery failure as the dominant cause of shipping incidents globally, compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following a US-Iran confrontation in early 2026, which has trapped over 1,500 vessels in the Persian Gulf with severe maintenance disruptions. These combined factors are expected to cause prolonged machinery breakdowns, port congestion, and significant supply chain disruptions across the Persian Gulf region and beyond.
The IMO's 137th Council session has highlighted ongoing maritime security threats, including instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a resurgence of piracy in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 24 incidents in three months, and the hijacking of multiple vessels with 44 seafarers still held captive. These conditions continue to pose significant disruption risks to commercial shipping routes across the region.
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.
A bulk carrier was attacked by an armed skiff approximately 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, in the Red Sea, with the ship's security team repelling the assailants. The incident, amid an uncertain ceasefire and potential Houthi threats to resume strikes, is likely to maintain heightened security concerns and deter normal shipping traffic in the Red Sea region.
A fuel tanker barge exploded at the Costanera Sur mooring on the Paraguay River (Zanja H area, Asunción), killing five maintenance workers, prompting authorities to close off the surrounding area due to residual gas risk. The incident, occurring on the Paraguay-Paraná Hidrovia inland waterway, may cause localized disruptions to vessel traffic and mooring operations near Asunción while investigations and safety inspections are conducted.
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.
The Port of Richards Bay and Richards Bay Coal Terminal are reporting regular ship movements as of 5 July 2026, with multiple vessels in port, at anchorage, and scheduled to berth in the coming days. No major disruptions are indicated, but anchorage congestion is noted with 11 vessels waiting, suggesting moderate port busyness.
The Port of Maputo daily ship movement report for 5 July 2026 lists vessels currently in port, at anchorage, and expected to berth, indicating normal but active port operations. Multiple vessels are queued at anchorage, suggesting moderate traffic levels with no reported disruptions.