Stay on top of port closures, security incidents, congestion events and freight rate movements impacting global shipping. Updated continuously from verified industry sources.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a notice warning that uncoordinated unmanned maritime system (UMS) operations near major West Coast port approaches are reducing maritime domain awareness and posing navigation risks. The USCG strongly recommends UMS operators coordinate with local Captains of the Port to ensure safe vessel movement and protect the Marine Transportation System.
The Port of Maputo ship movement report dated 25 June 2026 lists vessels currently in port, at anchorage, and expected arrivals through mid-July 2026, with no ships expected to berth on the report date. A notable anchorage queue of 11 vessels suggests potential congestion or waiting times at the port.
The US-Iran conflict caused a de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stranding an estimated 20,000 seafarers and disrupting commercial shipping through the Gulf for months, with attacks on multiple vessels killing and wounding Indian crew members. Although an interim ceasefire has allowed traffic to partially resume, sporadic violence continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, deterring many mariners from returning to the region.
Bunker fuel availability is tight across multiple European and African ports, with lead times ranging from 5 to 15 days required for HSFO, VLSFO, and LSMGO deliveries, indicating significant supply constraints. Rough winds and seas forecast around Gibraltar Strait (July 1-4) have suspended bunkering operations for vessels not berthed alongside or within breakwaters.
Kuwait's Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port on Bubiyan Island has entered the implementation phase under a $4 billion EPC contract with CCCC, with Phase 1 set to deliver a 1,200-metre container terminal with 2.7 million TEU annual capacity. The project experienced a setback in March 2026 due to infrastructure damage from a drone and cruise missile attack during the US-Israel and Iran war, but development is now progressing toward completion.
Norwegian offshore unions are in state-mediated wage talks to prevent a wider strike that could affect drilling rigs, floating platforms, and well intervention vessels including the AKOFS Seafarer and Equinor's Gullfaks B platform in the North Sea. An ongoing service workers' strike since June 15 has already caused production losses, including the shutdown of Aker BP's Tambar field, with potential output losses rising above 120,000 boepd after mid-July if unresolved.
DOF has secured a contract from TotalEnergies to disconnect the existing FSO Unity and connect a replacement unit offshore Nigeria, with offshore execution planned for Q4 2027 and Q1 2028. The operation involves mooring disconnection and subsea construction activities, which may temporarily disrupt crude oil storage and transhipment operations in the Amenam-Kpono and associated fields area.
The US and Iran are holding indirect technical talks in Doha to negotiate the reopening and management of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been partially closed since a US-Israeli military conflict with Iran began in February 2026. Traffic through the strait—which handled one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade—remains patchy and unpredictable, with a foreign container ship recently running aground after straying outside Iran-designated shipping lanes.
U.S. House Republican leaders are urging President Trump to let Jones Act waivers expire on August 16, 2026, as scheduled, rather than extending them further following the Iran conflict. The expiration of these waivers would end foreign-flagged vessel access to U.S. coastal trade routes, potentially affecting fuel and cargo movements between domestic ports.
Two security incidents were reported in the Gulf of Aden approximately 76–85 nautical miles south of Balhaf, Yemen, including an illegal armed boarding that caused damage to a merchant vessel's bridge. Shipping traffic in the area faces ongoing threats from hostile small craft, prompting UKMTO to advise vessels to exercise heightened caution when transiting the region.
On January 29, 2026, a GPS spoofing/jamming event linked to a U.S. military test (PMSRCA 26-02) affected at least seven vessels approaching the Port of Long Beach, causing erratic AIS position data and temporary loss of navigation reliability over a 100-mile area. While all vessels entered port without incident, the event highlights significant navigational safety risks within the Los Angeles/Long Beach Traffic Separation Scheme and warns of a broader global threat to maritime GPS/GNSS systems.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a notice warning that uncoordinated unmanned maritime system (UMS) operations near major West Coast port approaches are reducing maritime domain awareness and posing navigation and operational risks. Operators are strongly urged to notify the cognizant Captain of the Port in advance to ensure safe vessel movement and protect the Marine Transportation System.
U.S. Congressional leaders are urging the Trump Administration to let the current Jones Act waiver expire on August 16, 2026, which would restrict foreign-flagged vessels from operating in domestic U.S. waterborne commerce. If the waiver expires as requested, foreign maritime operators currently conducting approximately 95% of waiver voyages would lose access to U.S. coastal trade routes, potentially disrupting domestic cargo flows and vessel scheduling.
Rohde Nielsen has completed capital dredging works at Fisherman Islands, marking the conclusion of port infrastructure improvement activities in the area. The completion of dredging operations may enhance navigational depth and vessel access capacity at the port.
The Port of La Guaira, one of Venezuela's two main ports, was temporarily closed following devastating magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes on June 24, 2026, and has since reopened for humanitarian relief operations with U.S. military assistance. However, the port's resumption of commercial shipping remains uncertain, as officials have not announced a timeline for its return to normal commercial operations.
A sulfuric acid spill at BWC Terminals in Channelview, Texas on December 27, 2025 resulted in approximately 1 million gallons of the chemical being released, with some entering the Houston Ship Channel. While the incident occurred in late 2025, the ongoing regulatory and cleanup proceedings highlight a past disruption risk to one of the busiest waterways in the U.S.
Iran has rejected foreign involvement in mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting sole authority over the process while pledging free passage for merchant vessels for 60 days under a US-Iran memorandum. Ongoing regional tensions, recent Iranian attacks on vessels, and Qatar's temporary suspension of small craft sailing continue to pose significant disruption risks to one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
The South Korean bulk carrier HMM Namu, damaged by an attack in May, is undergoing repairs in Dubai and is expected to exit the Strait of Hormuz by mid-to-late July 2026. While the Strait has reopened to commercial traffic following a US-Iran ceasefire, residual disruptions persist with only two South Korea-linked vessels still stranded in the Persian Gulf.
The MT Eureka, a cargo vessel with 22 crew members including 8 Egyptians, has been held by Somali pirates off the Puntland coast since early May 2026, with ransom negotiations having broken down. The hijacking highlights ongoing piracy risks in the waters off Somalia, potentially disrupting shipping routes in the region.
Nord Gas Solutions has been contracted to supply an LNG regasification system for an Exmar FSRU conversion that will support the expansion of the EemsEnergyTerminal in Eemshaven, Netherlands. This development is set to boost LNG import capacity at the Dutch terminal, enhancing maritime LNG traffic in the region.
This Africa Ports & Ships daily bulletin covers multiple maritime developments including: Port Sudan resuming transshipment container operations, ONE launching a new Mediterranean-West Africa (MAX) service, PIL/Evergreen inaugurating a new Asia–South Africa direct service, a mobile crane fire briefly disrupting Durban Harbour's D Berth, construction beginning on Gabon's Kobé-Kobé deepwater port, and Folk Maritime launching a new Red Sea Express (RSX) service connecting Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. These events collectively signal operational changes, new shipping routes, and localized disruptions across African and Red Sea ports.
The Durban Multi-Purpose Terminals (Maydon Wharf MPT and Point MPT) publish their daily ship movement updates as of 1 July 2026, listing vessels currently in port, upcoming arrivals, and a confirmed lineup extending through early August 2026. The schedules indicate active and ongoing port operations with multiple berths occupied and a dense vessel lineup, reflecting normal but busy traffic conditions at Durban's multipurpose terminals.
As of July 1, 2026, Port Elizabeth reports 11 vessels at anchorage, including CMA CGM, MSC, and Maersk vessels, suggesting potential congestion or waiting times at the port. Multiple ships are present across various terminals including the Manganese Terminal and general berths.
A container ship has run aground in the Strait of Hormuz after reportedly transiting outside the corridor designated by Iran, posing a potential disruption to one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. The grounding may cause rerouting, delays, or traffic slowdowns in the strait until the vessel is refloated and the passage is cleared.