US strikes Iranian fast boats as Iran attacks UAE oil facility
US strikes Iranian fast boats as Iran attacks UAE oil facility
in
International Shipping News
05/05/2026
President Donald Trump says the US has struck seven Iranian “fast boats” in the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington seeks to guide stranded ships out of the Gulf through the largely closed waterway.
The UAE and South Korea both reported strikes on ships in the vital channel on Monday. The UAE also said a fire broke out at the oil port of Fujairah after an Iranian attack.
Shipping company Maersk told the BBC that one of its US-flagged vessels had successfully exited the strait with US military protection – under what Trump has called “Project Freedom”.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that events in the strait “make clear that there’s no military solution to a political crisis”.
He added: “Project Freedom is Project Deadlock.”
Maersk said the transit of one of its commercial vessels was “completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed”.
The Strait of Ho
Nine ships use Strait of Hormuz as ‘renewed tensions’ to slow traffic: CAS
Nine ships use Strait of Hormuz as ‘renewed tensions’ to slow traffic: CAS
in
International Shipping News
06/05/2026
Nine ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on May 3, down from 13 on May 2 and 21 on May 1, S&P Global Commodities at Sea(opens in a new tab) said in a May 4 report.
The May 3 traffic comprised three cargo ships, two bulk carriers, two landing craft, one bitumen tanker and one LPG small gas carrier, CAS said. Three of the ships entered the Persian Gulf, including the LPG tanker G Jades, which is part of the Iranian fleet and is currently in ballast, CAS said. It passed the US naval blockade May 2, CAS said.
Another Iranian ship, the VLGC Sarv Shakti, left Hormuz heading east on May 2 and also crossed through the US naval blockade on May 3, CAS said.
“Shipping at the Edge of a New Risk Order”
“Shipping at the Edge of a New Risk Order”
in
Hellenic Shipping News
06/05/2026
T
he global shipping industry is no longer navigating isolated crises. It is operating within a persistent, interconnected risk environment, where geopolitical tensions, energy flows, food security, and insurance capacity are increasingly interdependent.
The conflicts spanning the Middle East, the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, and the growing instability across key maritime corridors are not temporary disruptions. They are shaping a new structural risk framework — one that will define the industry for the next decade.
Crowley Confirms US-Flagged CS Anthem Safely Transited Strait of Hormuz
Photo courtesy Crowley
Crowley Confirms US-Flagged CS Anthem Safely Transited Strait of Hormuz
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 0
May 5, 2026
Crowley has confirmed that one of its managed vessels has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, providing more visibility into the limited number of U.S.-flagged ships that have exited the Persian Gulf since the conflict began.
In a statement, Crowley Maritime said the Crowley-managed vessel
CS Anthem
“has safely completed its transit through the Strait of Hormuz.”
“The safety of our crews and vessel, and the continuity of service for our customers, remain our top priorities,” the company said, while also recognizing “the professionalism of U.S. Navy and government partners who work globally to support maritime safety.”
Crowley declined to provide further operational details, noting that “as a matter of policy, we do not discuss details of vessel routing or security arrangements.”
The
CS Anthem
is now one of two U.S.-flagged commercial vessels co
U.S. Blockade and Hormuz Gridlock: Analyzing April’s Oil Market Disruption
Blockade and Hormuz Gridlock: Analyzing April’s Oil Market Disruption
in
International Shipping News
06/05/2026
A chaotic April ended with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed for a second consecutive month, cascading oil shortages across Asia and a U.S. blockade choking off Iranian tankers and oil exports.
Iran’s oil exports collapsed 43% over two months, according to data from Vortexa. forces had redirected 44 blockade-busting Iranian vessels across the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, adding to economic pressure.
A 12-day ceasefire that began on April 8 was extended but failed to restore commercial transits or freedom of navigation through the Strait, with traffic down 93%.
Is there a ceiling to VLGC freight rates?
Is there a ceiling to VLGC freight rates?
in
International Shipping News
06/05/2026
D
uring the last two months that the Middle East Gulf conflict has been going on, we have seen record repositioning of the mainstream VLGC fleet toward the US Gulf Coast, peaking at 150 vessels mid-March.
As of April 30, the count of ballast VLGCs en-route to the USGC has returned to the January 2026 average, as US LPG exports reached a dataset high this April, at 2.8mbd.
Despite large swings in vessel availability, BLPG3 (USGC-to-Chiba) freight rates still continue to widen and the question now becomes whether there is a limit to this upside.
Pull from Asia strengthens, Panama congestion rises
US LPG exports to Asia reached a dataset record this April at 1.7mbd, rising 21% m-o-m. Continued tightness in MEG volumes has structurally strengthened US market share across Asia into June, as we highlighted previously.
Notably, US LPG exports pointed to Northeast Asia (NEA) strengthened by 23% m-o-m, setting a
U.S. Shifts to Shipping Protection as Trump Administration Declares ‘Epic Fury’ Over
The Malta-flagged tanker Agios Fanourios I, an oil tanker that sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, arrives in Iraq’s territorial waters off Basra,Iraq April 17, 2026. Shifts to Shipping Protection as Trump Administration Declares ‘Epic Fury’ Over
Bloomberg
Total Views: 0
May 5, 2026
By Eric Martin, Josh Wingrove and Eltaf Najafizada (Bloomberg) — The US said offensive operations against Iran are over as it shifts to protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but the targeting of another cargo vessel after a day of strikes signaled that the conflict is dragging on.
“Operation Epic Fury is concluded,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the White House Tuesday, 66 days after the US and Israel began bombing Iran. “We achieved the objectives of that operation.”
While the US now seems intent on trying to deescalate the conflict, which has killed thousands in Iran and roiled global energy markets, the pathway to a deal that reopens the strait remains distant.
Rubio Calls U.N. Vote ‘Test’ as U.S. Pushes Iran Shipping Crackdown
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a press briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Rubio Calls U.N.
Fresh Hormuz Attack Underscores Risks of Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ Push
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. Central Command Photo
Fresh Hormuz Attack Underscores Risks of Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ Push
Mike Schuler
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May 5, 2026
UKMTO has issued a new verified attack warning for the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo vessel was reportedly struck by an “unknown projectile,” underscoring the continued dangers facing commercial shipping despite Washington’s push to reopen limited traffic through the waterway.
The advisory was issued at 1830 UTC on May 5 and states that “a verified source reported a cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile.” UKMTO said the environmental impact remains unknown and advised ships in the area to report suspicious activity while authorities investigate.
No vessel name, flag, ownership details, or exact location were included in the initial warning.
The latest incident com
Matson’s Fleet Expansion Moves Into Full Production at Hanwha Philly Shipyard
Matson’s first Aloha class ship ‘Daniel K. Inouye’ making its first approach to Honolulu on its maiden voyage, November 28, 2018. Photo: Matson
Matson’s Fleet Expansion Moves Into Full Production at Hanwha Philly Shipyard
Mike Schuler
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May 5, 2026
Matson’s $1 billion Aloha Class fleet renewal program reached another major milestone Tuesday as
Hanwha Philly Shipyard
advanced construction on the second and third LNG-powered containerships destined for the Jones Act trades.
The latest milestones build on the program’s
October 2024 steel-cutting ceremony
for the first vessel, which marked the return of commercial containership construction at the Philadelphia yard after several years focused largely on government work and repair contracts.
Tuesday’s events included the dock mounting of the first grand block assembly for the program’s second vessel — signaling the start of hull assembly — along with the official steel cutting for the third and final ship in the series.
The thr