Pentagon Pushes Hormuz Return, But Shipping Still Confined to High-Risk Corridor
AH-64 Apache helicopters fly over the Strait of Hormuz, April 17, 2026, with multiple commercial vessels visible below, as U.S. Army crews maintain a persistent aerial presence to support freedom of navigation and monitor maritime traffic in the strategic waterway. Central Command Photo
Pentagon Pushes Hormuz Return, But Shipping Still Confined to High-Risk Corridor
Mike Schuler
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May 5, 2026
The Pentagon’s rollout of Project Freedom is being presented as the first step toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Pushes First Ships Through Hormuz Under ‘Project Freedom’ as Iran Warns of Clash
Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, April 11, as two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers conducted operations. Pushes First Ships Through Hormuz Under ‘Project Freedom’ as Iran Warns of Clash
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 419
May 4, 2026
The United States has launched a major naval-backed operation in the Strait of Hormuz aimed at guiding stranded commercial vessels out of the conflict zone, with the first U.S.-flagged ships already completing guided transits, even as fresh attacks and industry warnings underscore the risk of renewed attacks.
President Donald Trump announced the initiative, dubbed Project Freedom, on Sunday, framing it as a humanitarian mission to assist “neutral and innocent” ships trapped in the strait amid months of escalating conflict.
“Countries from all over the world… have asked the United States if we could help free up their ships,” Trump said, adding that many vessels are running low on food and es
Bessent calls on China to help reopen Hormuz Strait
Bessent calls on China to help reopen Hormuz Strait
in
International Shipping News
05/05/2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that the United States has absolute control of the Hormuz Strait and called on China to join American efforts to reopen the waterway.
Speaking on Fox News, Bessent said the US is opening up the Hormuz Strait and encouraged Iran to allow more than 300 vessels to exit with American assistance. He stated that Iranians do not have control of the strait.
Bessent urged international partners to step up and pressure Iran, specifically calling on China to join the Hormuz operation. He noted that China has been buying 90% of Iranian energy and said next week’s summit presents an opportunity for President Trump and President Xi to share views.
U.S. Secures First US-Flagged Ships Through Hormuz as Iran Warns of Attack
Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 1, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
U.S. Secures First US-Flagged Ships Through Hormuz as Iran Warns of Attack
Reuters
Total Views: 520
May 4, 2026
DUBAI/WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) – The U.S.
Hormuz: The three pillars of rebalancing
Hormuz: The three pillars of rebalancing
in
International Shipping News
05/05/2026
We have now a full two months of the blockade of the world’s most important chokepoint for seaborne energy deliveries – the Strait of Hormuz. Brent and WTI have been on an upwards trend the last 10 days but are still roughly at just $110/b. How is this possible, given that initially about 18mbd of crude and products where blocked from reaching the markets?
The adjustments to supply, demand, flows and inventories are highly faceted and complex in the details, but overall the market has done its magic once again, and three pillars can be singled out as contributing most to the relatively stable market situation right now.
The Chinese miracle
The MEG pipeline rerouting
The Atlantic Basin supply surge
Vortexa data shows that Chinese oil imports – crude, condensates and all products including LPG/ethane – have peaked at 16.6mbd on 12 March (28-day moving average).
Evacuations Planned as Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak Traps 150 on Ship Off Cape Verde
Cruise ship MV Hondius docks off Cape Verde port, as passengers were not allowed off the ship, while health authorities investigated suspected cases of hantavirus aboard the vessel, in Praia Port, Cape Verde, in this screengrab obtained from a video, May 4, 2026. REUTERS TV via REUTERS
Evacuations Planned as Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak Traps 150 on Ship Off Cape Verde
Reuters
Total Views: 0
May 4, 2026
GENEVA, May 4 (Reuters) – Medics were working on Monday to evacuate two people with symptoms of the deadly hantavirus after a suspected
outbreak
on a luxury cruise ship held off West Africa carrying mostly British, American and Spanish passengers, officials said.
Around 150 people were still stuck on the vessel after three people – a Dutch couple and a German national – died, and others fell ill, including a Briton who left the vessel and was being treated in South Africa, authorities added.
Hantavirus, which can cause fatal respiratory illness, can be spread when particles from rodent
JOLTs job openings exceed forecasts, signaling steady labor demand
JOLTs job openings exceed forecasts, signaling steady labor demand
in
World Economy News
05/05/2026
The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that job openings in the United States have surpassed expectations, signaling a steady demand for labor in the economy. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTs) reported an actual figure of 6.866 million job openings, slightly above the forecasted 6.860 million.
This marginally higher-than-expected figure indicates resilience in the labor market, suggesting that employers are maintaining a steady pace of recruitment despite broader economic uncertainties.
China Orders Firms to Defy U.S. Sanctions in Escalation Over Iran Oil Trade
Photo credit: Shutterstock/Igor Grochev
China Orders Firms to Defy U.S. Sanctions in Escalation Over Iran Oil Trade
Bloomberg
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May 4, 2026
By Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) — China has ordered its companies to ignore US
sanctions
, an unprecedented act of defiance that threatens to trap a vast banking sector in the crossfire as tension rises between the world’s largest economies.
Beijing has often railed against unilateral sanctions and pronounced them illegitimate, but it has also quietly allowed its largest companies to comply with them, in order to avoid blowback on its own economy and to preserve access to the US financial system.
Saturday’s announcement — coming before a long-awaited meeting later this month between President Donald Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping — signals a far more aggressive stance. Beijing has now directed companies not to abide by US sanctions on private refiners linked to the Iranian oil trade, including heavyweight Hengli Petrochemical (Dali
DNV: Port State Control – Q1 2026 Detention review and other updates
DNV: Port State Control – Q1 2026 Detention review and other updates
in
International Shipping News
05/05/2026
E
ffectiveness of safety management systems and fire safety readiness are still in focus for Port State Control (PSC) authorities. Our Q1 2026 review highlights key detention concerns, upcoming inspection campaigns, new procedures for PSC, and what ship operators should be addressing to reduce risk.
Introduction
PSC activity in the first quarter of 2026 confirms that enforcement remains firmly on the fundamentals:
Effective safety management system
Sound maintenance practices
Crew familiarity with critical systems
Detention statistics and newly announced inspection campaigns indicate that shortcomings in ISM implementation and fire safety remain the most significant compliance challenges for operators. Early awareness and targeted preparation are therefore essential to sustaining strong PSC performance amid an increasingly dynamic regulatory and geopolitical environment.
Q1 20
Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center Reopens—But Credentialing Backlog Could Stretch to a Year
Crew members from Coast Guard Station Cape May, N.J., prepare to assist the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable with mooring, Dec. Coast Guard Photo
Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center Reopens—But Credentialing Backlog Could Stretch to a Year
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 0
May 4, 2026
The United States Coast Guard has resumed operations at its credentialing hub following the restoration of funding to the Department of Homeland Security, but the restart is unfolding under the weight of a backlog that could take months—if not longer—to unwind.
In a new update, the National Maritime Center (NMC) said it is returning to normal operations in a phased approach, prioritizing critical functions after the prolonged lapse in appropriations forced a shutdown of services. The system is back online, but it is far from caught up.
During the funding lapse, the NMC accumulated a backlog of more than 19,000 applications, with new submissions continuing to arrive even as processing slowed.