Stay on top of port closures, security incidents, congestion events and freight rate movements impacting global shipping. Updated continuously from verified industry sources.
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.
CMA CGM has inaugurated the CMA CGM Notre Dame, the world's largest LNG-powered container ship (24,000 TEU), which will operate on the Asia-Europe route calling at Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Tanger Med, Port Klang, Singapore, Yantian, Shanghai, and Ningbo. The deployment of this ultra-large vessel and nine upcoming sister ships (delivered through January 2028) will significantly increase capacity on one of the world's busiest trade lanes, potentially affecting port operations and scheduling at all listed call ports.
Vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to a four-day low of 43 crossings on July 2, 2026, amid ongoing regional tensions, with five vessels navigating without transponders and Iran-linked vessels accounting for nearly 60% of traffic. Freight rates for crude shipments from the Persian Gulf remain significantly elevated, well above the five-year average, reflecting sustained disruption to this critical energy shipping chokepoint.
Global ocean container shipping spot rates are surging across all major fronthaul trades, with Far East to US West Coast rates up +253% since the pre-Strait of Hormuz crisis baseline at end of February 2026, driven by strong peak season demand and ongoing Middle East uncertainty. Carriers are rapidly deploying record capacity on the Transpacific, but rates are expected to continue rising at least through mid-July 2026.
Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries have taken ~20% of Russia's refining capacity offline, redirecting more crude into seaborne exports from Baltic and Black Sea ports while cutting refined product exports by 17% YoY in Q2 2026. This creates a divergence between crude tanker demand (supported by higher Aframax/Suezmax liftings from Primorsk, Ust-Luga, and Novorossiysk) and product tanker demand (weakened), with elevated operational risk and loading unreliability at western Russian ports.
VLCC freight rates on Middle East Gulf to China routes have declined sharply from post-conflict highs as transit activity through the Strait of Hormuz recovers following the US-Iran MOU, with over 308 recorded transits since June 15. Vessel availability in the Middle East Gulf is increasing as owners reposition tonnage back to the region, gradually unwinding the fleet dislocations and risk premiums that had elevated global freight rates during the disruption.
The June 2026 European heatwave has caused significant drops in Rhine and Danube river levels, forcing barges to operate at approximately 50% capacity and triggering low-water surcharges, with knock-on delays cascading to major North Sea and coastal deep-sea ports. The inland waterway disruptions are expected to ripple through ocean shipping schedules as cargo backs up at port terminals awaiting reduced-capacity river transport.
Maritime trade between Iran and Qatar has resumed after a roughly five-month suspension, with shipping restarting between Iran's Dayyer port and Qatar's Al Ruwais port following a US-Iran peace deal. Transit in and out of the Gulf remains contested, though Iranian goods are also being cleared again at UAE's Jebel Ali Port, signaling a gradual normalization of Gulf maritime trade.
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.
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.
The Port of Beira (Mozambique) is reporting a significant number of vessels at anchorage (over 35 ships) compared to only 7 ships in port as of July 5, 2026, suggesting notable congestion. Container ship and general cargo ship schedules are listed as 'not available,' indicating potential operational disruptions at the port.
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.
A cargo ship loaded with scrap metal caught fire at Gdansk Port, Poland, with firefighting operations ongoing and access to the blaze hampered by the deep, densely packed cargo hold. The incident may cause localized disruptions to port operations at the affected berth while emergency response continues.
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 Durban Multi-Purpose Terminals (Maydon Wharf MPT and Point MPT) are reporting active daily ship movements as of 4 July 2026, with multiple vessels in port, a busy berthing schedule extending through August 2026, and 13 vessels at the outer anchorage, indicating significant port activity and potential congestion. The high volume of vessels queued at anchorage and across 15 berths suggests possible delays and congestion at Durban port operations.
Karaikal Port in India has imposed maximum permissible draft restrictions on its channel and Berths 1–4 at high water, effective until August 31, 2026. Additionally, fender replacement works are reported at Black Point Power Station, potentially affecting vessel operations in the area.
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 war in Iran and Arabian Gulf energy disruptions in Q2 2026 triggered a surge in global seaborne coal flows (+6% y/y to 353.1mt) as East Asian nations scrambled for alternative power generation supply. UAE ports also became inaccessible due to the Gulf conflict, disrupting bauxite imports to the region.