Geopolitical turmoil is making copper a national security issue, US veteran says
Geopolitical turmoil is making copper a national security issue, US veteran says
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Commodity News
30/04/2026
A confluence of geopolitical pressures, supply chain constraints, and accelerating demand from electrification and defense is reshaping how governments and investors think about .
According to a January 2026 study by S&P Global, global copper demand is projected to reach 42 million metric tons by 2040 — roughly 50% above current levels — while existing supply is poised to decline in the coming years as the mining sector faces compounding challenges across the value chain.
The White House designated copper a critical material essential to national security in February 2025, citing dependence on foreign sources and the risk of foreign market manipulation.
The supply base is also heavily concentrated. Six countries account for approximately two-thirds of global mining production, while China controls around 40% of smelting capacity, the study showed.
Earlier this month, China anno
Port of Rotterdam Authority starts trial with ‘supersector’ Rozenburg/ Maassluis
Port of Rotterdam Authority starts trial with ‘supersector’ Rozenburg/ Maassluis
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Port News
30/04/2026
The Port of Rotterdam Authority will begin a pilot on 1 May in which the Rozenburg and Maassluis sectors will be temporarily merged into a single so-called supersector during specific periods. The pilot will run until 1 November 2026. The Port Authority wants to assess whether this method can contribute to a more balanced workload during quieter periods.
In the port of Rotterdam, shipping traffic is divided into 11 geographical sectors, each of which is monitored and supervised by Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), the traffic management service of the Harbour Master’s Division that ensures safe, smooth and efficient shipping traffic.
Ardmore Shipping Provides Update on Fleet Investment, Dividend Policy, and Vessel Sale
Ardmore Shipping Provides Update on Fleet Investment, Dividend Policy, and Vessel Sale
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International Shipping News
30/04/2026
Ardmore Shipping Corporation provided the following update on capital allocation, vessel sale, and latest TCE guidance.
Fleet Investment
The Company signed contracts for the construction of two highly-efficient and versatile 40,500 dwt Handysize product/chemical tankers at Wuhu Shipyard, at a price of $44.9 million per vessel, inclusive of approximately $3 million for full IMO2 specification and MarineLine tank coatings. In addition, the Company is commissioning various performance and safety upgrades. The agreement also includes options to acquire two additional vessels on the same terms.
IMO Carbon Plan for Shipping Faces Growing Revolt as U.S. Courts ‘Silent Majority’
Opening of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 84th Session, April 27, 2026. Photo courtesy IMO
IMO Carbon Plan for Shipping Faces Growing Revolt as U.S. Courts ‘Silent Majority’
Mike Schuler
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April 30, 2026
The U.S.
KBRV Highlights ETS Uncertainty For Offshore Vessels Ahead Of EU Maritime Forum
KBRV Highlights ETS Uncertainty For Offshore Vessels Ahead Of EU Maritime Forum
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International Shipping News
30/04/2026
Ahead of next week’s Offshore Working Group meeting of the European Commission’s European Sustainable Shipping Forum (ESSF), the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (KBRV) sends a stark warning about the looming aberrations for the offshore shipping sector with next year’s ETS implementation.
The European offshore sector plays a crucial role in Europe’s energy transition. In particular, Belgian companies such as DEME and Jan De Nul are world leaders in offshore wind, dredging, and complex maritime infrastructure projects, in full support of Europe’s climate ambitions.
Yet the sector that is in full support of Europe’s climate ambition is due to be penalised with severe unfair competition with the upcoming implementation of the EU ETS in 2027.
“The key issue is that the foundational Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework was designed for commercial
Chinese to build plant to produce green methanol for bunkering
Chinese to build plant to produce green methanol for bunkering
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International Shipping News
30/04/2026
Chinese green energy firm Guangdong Liquid Sunshine will build a 75,000 mt/year biomethanol plant in Guangxi Province.
Construction of the plant is expected to begin this year, but the company has not yet said when it will be operational.
The plant will initially produce 75,000 mt/year of biomethanol from biomass, and the full output is expected to be earmarked for bunkering.
“The project is among the first wave of commercial projects in the wider industry designed to support early adopters decarbonising maritime fuel,” said Johnson Matthey, a company that will supply the technology for the plant to convert biogas into biomethanol.
In a second phase, Guangdong Liquid Sunshine plans to capture CO2 from the biomethanol production process and combine this CO2 with green hydrogen to produce e-methanol at the same site.
Johnson Matthey will also provide the technology to integrate biomet
US sanctions Iranian shadow banking system, warns of Hormuz toll sanctions risk
US sanctions Iranian shadow banking system, warns of Hormuz toll sanctions risk
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International Shipping News
30/04/2026
The US Treasury Department has rolled out sanctions on 35 entities and individuals that oversee Iran’s shadow banking architecture and facilitate Iran’s oil and arms trade, and warned that paying tolls to pass through the Strait of Hormuz risks US sanctions.
“Iran’s shadow banking system serves as a critical financial lifeline for its armed forces, enabling activities that disrupt global trade and fuel violence across the Middle East,” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said in an April 28 statement.
“Financial institutions are on notice: Any institution that facilitates or engages with these networks is at risk of severe consequences,” Bessent said.
The sanctions aim to disrupt the Iranian government’s mechanism to get payment for oil and other commodities, reducing revenue for Iran’s destabilizing activities, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sa
Why Strait of Hormuz disruption is more severe for global LNG markets than for oil
Why Strait of Hormuz disruption is more severe for global LNG markets than for oil
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International Shipping News
30/04/2026
Global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) markets are bracing for a period of sustained price elevation throughout 2026 as the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to throttle supply.
A new report from BCA Research highlights that even under a scenario where the strategic waterway reopens by May, global LNG exports are projected to decline by at least 6% this year due to the war.
The supply shortfall represents a significant constraint for energy-importing nations, though the structural outlook suggests a more balanced landscape beginning in 2027.
Rationing and the Asian demand response
The impact of the supply crunch is being felt most acutely in Asia, where major consumers are being forced to navigate a difficult adjustment.
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a primary artery for Persian Gulf LNG, and importing nations are increasingly turning to a combinatio
Pacific Basin Supply Assessment: Impact of Hormuz Closure on Seaborne Crude and Clean Product Flows to Asia
Pacific Basin Supply Assessment: Impact of Hormuz Closure on Seaborne Crude and Clean Product Flows to Asia
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International Shipping News
30/04/2026
This report assesses the impact of the Strait of Hormuz disruption on seaborne crude oil, dirty petroleum products and clean petroleum products flowing to the Pacific basin. It quantifies the decline in active supply flows, the drawdown of floating storage buffers, and the degree to which alternative origins are substituting for lost Hormuz supply. All data derived from AXSMarine vessel and commodity tracking as of late March 2026.
Executive Summary
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has removed a significant share of seaborne crude and refined product supply flowing to the Pacific basin.
POSCO, HD Hyundai Ramp Up India Investment Race
POSCO, HD Hyundai Ramp Up India Investment Race
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Shipbuilding News
30/04/2026
South Korea’s shipbuilding and steel industries are pouring trillions of won into India, a nation of 1.4 billion people, engaging in fierce competition to establish it as a global production and export hub.
According to industry sources on April 28, POSCO and HD Hyundai, representative companies of South Korea’s steel and shipbuilding sectors, are embarking on large-scale investments in India.
POSCO has signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with India’s top steelmaker, JSW Steel, to construct an integrated steel mill valued at approximately 10 trillion 800 billion won. The plan involves establishing a new corporation, with each company holding a 50% stake, to build a blast furnace-based steel mill in the state of Odisha, India.
The new steel mill is slated to have an integrated process from ironmaking to rolling, with an annual production capacity of 6 million tons. Through this, POSCO aims to expand its p