U.S. Navy Jet Fires Upon, Disables Iranian Tanker Accused of Violating Washington’s Blockade
Air Force F-16 fighter jet patrols near the Strait of Hormuz. Navy Jet Fires Upon, Disables Iranian Tanker Accused of Violating Washington’s Blockade
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 2
May 6, 2026
U.S. forces disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday after CENTCOM said the vessel attempted to violate Washington’s blockade on ships entering or departing Iranian ports.
According to U.S.
Maersk Holds 2026 Outlook as Ocean Volumes Surge Despite Rate Pressure
FILE PHOTO: Container vessel Maersk Hangzhou sails in the Wielingen channel, Westerschelde, Netherlands, July 15, 2018. Rene van Quekelberghe/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
Maersk Holds 2026 Outlook as Ocean Volumes Surge Despite Rate Pressure
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 0
May 7, 2026
A.P. Moller – Maersk
reported solid first-quarter 2026 results on Thursday, posting strong volume growth across all business segments despite continued pressure on
container freight rates
and ongoing geopolitical volatility.
The Danish shipping and logistics giant reported underlying EBITDA of $1.8 billion and EBIT of $340 million for the quarter, as higher volumes and operational efficiencies helped offset weaker freight rates in an oversupplied container shipping market.
Ocean volumes rose 9.3% year-over-year, outperforming the broader container market, while Logistics & Services revenue increased 8.7% and terminal volumes climbed 4.3%.
Hijacked Tanker Off Yemen Deepens Fears of Somali Piracy Resurgence
The Iranian-flagged dhow ALWASEEMI, pictured by EUNAVFOR Operation Atalanta
Hijacked Tanker Off Yemen Deepens Fears of Somali Piracy Resurgence
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 0
May 7, 2026
European naval forces have confirmed the hijacking of an oil tanker off Yemen after armed individuals reportedly boarded the vessel near Qana Port before steering it toward the Gulf of Aden and the Somali coast, marking the latest sign that piracy threats in the western Indian Ocean are rapidly escalating again.
According to a new alert issued Thursday by the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean, armed individuals boarded the tanker
EUREKA
(IMO: 1022823) at approximately 0500 UTC on May 2 while the vessel was anchored off Qana Port in Yemen’s Shabwa province.
The advisory said the vessel was subsequently taken under the control of the attackers and is now believed to be underway toward waters off Somalia.
Operation ATALANTA, the European Union’s counter-piracy naval mission, later confirmed the hijacking
A New Front in Shipping’s Climate Battle: The Federal Maritime Commission
Container ships wait off the coast of the congested Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in Long Beach, California, U.S., October 1, 2021. REUTERS/ Alan Devall/File Photo
A New Front in Shipping’s Climate Battle: The Federal Maritime Commission
Editorial
Total Views: 174
May 6, 2026
By Sean Pribyl, Michael Amy (Holland & Knight) –
Federal Maritime Commission (
FMC
) Chairman Laura DiBella recently
participated
in the U.S. delegation to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 84th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84) session in London, marking an unprecedented development in U.S.
Cheap Spot Rates Now Could Cost Shippers at Peak Season
Stock Photo: Avigator Fortuner/Shutterstock
Cheap Spot Rates Now Could Cost Shippers at Peak Season
The Loadstar
Total Views: 0
May 6, 2026
By Alexander Whiteman (The Loadstar) – Despite the continuing deterioration in rates, ocean shippers are being advised to avoid the spot market and stick to their allocation with carriers.
Abandoning their contracted space could come back to bite them when peak season rears its head, they were warned this week.
Transpacific sailings to North America aside, east west sailings experienced a third
successive week of declining spot rates
, seemingly leaving no one able to predict which way the wind will blow.
One punter taking a shot, Flexport’s head of ocean for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Guillaume Caill, told those listening to the company’s European Freight Market Update, he thought the decline may be easing.
“The market has stabilised from April going into May, and I think the decrease in the spot market may have hit its bottom,” he said
Container Spot Rates Snap Back as Carriers Push Emergency Surcharges Amid Hormuz Tensions
A cargo ship full of shipping containers is seen at the port of Oakland, California, U.S., August 4, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
Container Spot Rates Snap Back as Carriers Push Emergency Surcharges Amid Hormuz Tensions
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 0
May 7, 2026
Container spot rates rebounded this week after
three consecutive weekly declines
, as ocean carriers pushed through a new wave of emergency fuel and peak season surcharges tied to rising operational risks and continued uncertainty surrounding the
Strait of Hormuz crisis
.
According to the latest Drewry World Container Index (WCI), the composite index increased 3% to $2,286 per 40-foot container, driven primarily by gains on major Transpacific routes.
Rates from Shanghai to New York climbed 7% week-over-week to $3,721 per FEU, while Shanghai to Los Angeles rose 5% to $3,062 per FEU.
The increases come as carriers implement Emergency Fuel Surcharges (EFS) and Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) amid elevated bunker costs, longer
Gulf’s Fragile Trade Lifeline Hangs on Two Eastern UAE Ports
Tankers are seen off the coast of the Fujairah, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky
Gulf’s Fragile Trade Lifeline Hangs on Two Eastern UAE Ports
Reuters
Total Views: 0
May 6, 2026
FUJAIRAH, May 6 (Reuters) – At the UAE port of Fujairah, conveyor belts offloaded grain from bulk carriers on Wednesday, while crude oil flowed through pipes and onto tankers berthed along its quay.
Dozens of loaded trucks lined up near the port and others parked outside waiting their turn, while offshore, vessels labeled Cosco, Gardenia and other shipping lines lay at anchor, service boats weaving between them.
Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, another eastern port with open access to the Indian Ocean, have become the UAE’s economic lifeline since the effective closure of the
Strait of Hormuz
.
They are now handling the bulk of the UAE’s seaborne trade in place of the major terminals on the western c
Maersk delivered volume growth across all businesses in Q1
Maersk delivered volume growth across all businesses in Q1
in
International Shipping News
07/05/2026
A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S (OMX: MAERSK-B) delivered solid first quarter results with EBIT of USD 340m, driven by strong volume growth across all businesses, continuous operational improvements, and cost containment measures.
Executive Summary
Ocean outperformed the market growing volumes by 9.3%
Logistics & Services grew revenue by 8.7% while continuing to improve margins
Terminals lifted volumes by 4.3% and made significant expansion investments
Continued execution of the USD 1.0bn share buy-back programme
Global container market volume expected to grow by 2-4% in 2026
Maersk’s full-year guidance is maintained
CEO
Statement
“We’ve seen strong demand across most regions this quarter, supporting robust volume growth in our three business segments. In Ocean in particular, market volatility remains high and industry oversupply continues to put pressure on rates.
CMA CGM Containership Confirmed Attacked in Hormuz, Crew Injured
A CMA CGM containership transits the South Red Sea under escort by a EUNAVFOR warship. Photo courtesy Operation ASPIDES
CMA CGM Containership Confirmed Attacked in Hormuz, Crew Injured
Reuters
Total Views: 1
May 6, 2026
PARIS, May 6 (Reuters) – A CMA CGM container ship was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, injuring crew members and damaging the vessel, while another vessel run by the French group exited the Gulf, as the
U.S.-Iran conflict
continued to disrupt shipping traffic.
The
San Antonio
was hit on Tuesday, with injured seafarers evacuated for medical treatment,
CMA CGM
, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, said on Wednesday, declining further comment.
It marked the latest attack on ships since the war erupted, stranding hundreds of vessels and disrupting 20% of global oil trade.
Washington launched an operation on Monday to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing two
U.S.-flagged vessels
to exit the Gulf.
However, U.S. President Donal
Drewry: Suez Canal Containership Crossings Recover
Drewry: Suez Canal Containership Crossings Recover
in
International Shipping News
07/05/2026
Drewry’s Red Sea Diversion Tracker delivers timely intelligence to shippers, carriers, ports and other stakeholders on the evolving structure of carrier networks in the region. This tracker page will be updated fortnightly (every other Tuesday).
Red Sea Diversion Tracker – assessment for 05 May 2026
The number of containerships sailing via the Suez Canal recovered in the last 2 weeks, going back to the pre-Iran conflict levels, according to the Drewry Red Sea Diversion Tracker.
In the 2-week period ended 3 May, 56 containerships transited through Suez (27 in week 17 and 29 in week 18). The 2-week total was up 33% from the 42 transits in the previous 2-week period ended 17 April.
Much of the increase was due to CMA CGM, which ramped up the number of its 8,000teu+ Suez transits to 10 in the latest 2-week period, up from 2 in the previous 2-week period.