India flags shipping risks, pushes supply chain resilience as Hormuz tensions hit energy markets
India flags shipping risks, pushes supply chain resilience as Hormuz tensions hit energy markets
in
International Shipping News
19/04/2026
At AZEC Plus meeting, S Jaishankar stressed safe maritime transit and resilient supply chains as Hormuz tensions disrupt energy flows.
India has raised concerns over attacks on merchant shipping and disruptions in global energy markets, calling for stronger supply chain resilience as tensions intensify around the Strait of Hormuz.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India remains committed to ensuring “safe and unimpeded transit passage” of maritime shipping, underlining that global growth depends on stable energy flows.
“Attacks on merchant shipping are completely unacceptable. Global growth demands that energy markets are not constricted,” Jaishankar said after participating in the ‘AZEC Plus’ meeting convened by Japan.
The remarks come at a time when maritime access restrictions are tightening around Iranian ports following a US-led block
India Flags ‘Deep Concerns’ Over Attack On Two Indian Ships In Strait of Hormuz
Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, April 18, 2026. REUTERS
India Flags ‘Deep Concerns’ Over Attack On Two Indian Ships In Strait of Hormuz
Reuters
Total Views: 0
April 18, 2026
By Saurabh Sharma
MUMBAI, April 18 (Reuters) –
India
said it had called in the Iranian envoy to New Delhi and flagged its “deep concern” over
the attack on two Indian-flagged ships
attempting to cross the
Strait of Hormuz
on Saturday.
One of the vessels attacked was identified as the Sanmar Herald, an Indian government source said.
The crew on board and the vessel were safe, the source said.
Related Article:
Fresh Attacks Shatter ‘Open Hormuz’ Narrative as Iran Pushes New Maritime Regime
India’s top foreign ministry official asked the Iranian ambassador to convey India’s view to Iranian authorities and resume at the earliest the process of
facilitating India-bound ships
across the Strait, a statement from the ministry said.
The ambassador said he would convey these views t
Greek, Indian Tankers U-Turn Before Hormuz Amid Reopening Doubt
Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, April 18, 2026. REUTERS
Greek, Indian Tankers U-Turn Before Hormuz Amid Reopening Doubt
Bloomberg
Total Views: 0
April 18, 2026
By Weilun Soon
Apr 18, 2026 (Bloomberg) –Several oil tankers have u-turned in the Persian Gulf after appearing to try to transit the
Strait of Hormuz
, as shipowners and oil traders remain in a state of disarray as they try to figure out whether Iran would stick to its promise to keep the chokepoint open for all.
The halted journeys of five Greek and Indian tankers early Saturday paint the first picture of how traffic is
navigating through the energy artery
, after Iran’s foreign minister said on Friday that it was completely open. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency later reported that the passage will still be closed if a US naval blockade was still in effect.
The
Greek and Indian tankers
had all made their journeys northeast toward Hormuz from waters off Dubai, filled with crude, b
Australia, Japan Sign $7 Billion Warship Deal
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba arrives in preparation for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Holly L. Herline/Handout via REUTERS.
Australia, Japan Sign $7 Billion Warship Deal
Reuters
Total Views: 0
April 18, 2026
SYDNEY, April 18 (Reuters) – Australia and Japan signed contracts on Saturday launching their landmark A$10 billion ($7 billion)
deal to supply Australia with warships
, Tokyo’s most consequential military sale since ending a military export ban in 2014.
Defense Ministers Richard Marles and Shinjiro Koizumi signed a memorandum “reaffirming the Australian and Japanese governments’ shared commitment to the successful delivery” of the warships, Marles said in a statement.
The
deal struck in August
anchors Japan’s push away from its postwar pacifism to forge security ties beyond its alliance with the U.S.
Fresh Attacks Shatter ‘Open Hormuz’ Narrative as Iran Pushes New Maritime Regime
A UKMTO map showing the approximate location of an attack on a containership, which reported being hit by an unknown projectile causing damage to some of the containers. The incident was reported 25 nautical miles northeast of Oman. Image courtesy UKTMO
Fresh Attacks Shatter ‘Open Hormuz’ Narrative as Iran Pushes New Maritime Regime
Mike Schuler
Total Views: 1
April 18, 2026
The
fragile narrative
that the Strait of Hormuz is “open” unraveled again Saturday after multiple new incidents were reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, marking the first confirmed attacks on commercial shipping since April 7.
Within a span of hours on April 18, three separate incidents were reported off Oman—two classified as attacks and one as suspicious activity—underscoring the continued volatility across one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.
A containership was struck by an unknown projectile roughly 25 nautical miles northeast of Oman, damaging cargo but causing no fire or
Drewry: World Container Index Down 3%
Drewry: World Container Index Down 3%
in
International Shipping News
18/04/2026
For many years, World Container Index (WCI) has been the go-to, independent, global reference for index-linked contracts. If your organisation is considering index-linked contracts or requires regional visibility/coverage beyond the eight trade lanes provided below, contact our ocean freight cost benchmarking team.
Source: Drewry World Container Index, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors
Six-week rally ends as Drewry WCI slips 3%.
Our detailed assessment for Thursday, 16 April 2026
The Drewry World Container Index (WCI) recently snapped a six-week rally—a surge initially triggered by higher bunker fuel prices following the late-February conflict in the Middle East. After trending downwards throughout January and early February, the index spiked in response to these geopolitical oil supply disruptions.
Strait of Hormuz reopens as U.S.-Iran peace talks progress
Strait of Hormuz reopens as U.S.-Iran peace talks progress
in
International Shipping News
18/04/2026
Iran announced Friday it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The waterway for global energy supplies, which has been shut since the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iran at the end of February, is now “completely open” for commercial shipping, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
President Donald Trump responded on X, saying “IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!”
Trump added that “the Strait of Hormuz is completely open and ready for business and full passage, but the naval blockade will remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran, only, until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.
Iran’s Navy Tells Ships Strait of Hormuz Shut Again, Two Vessels Report Gunfire
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. REUTERS/Mohammed Aty
Iran’s Navy Tells Ships Strait of Hormuz Shut Again, Two Vessels Report Gunfire
Reuters
Total Views: 1
April 18, 2026
ATHENS, April 18 (Reuters) – Merchant vessels attempting to cross the
Strait of Hormuz
on Saturday received radio messages from Iran’s navy telling them they were not allowed to pass, while two ships reported being hit by gunfire, shipping sources said.
Several commercial vessels tried to transit the strait after
receiving a notice
to mariners a day earlier saying passage would be allowed but restricted to lanes Iran deemed safe.
Read Also:
Shipping Industry Pushes Back on ‘Open’ Hormuz Narrative as Risks Persist
On Saturday, at least two ships reported that Iranian boats fired shots, shipping and maritime security sources told Reuters. The incidents were reported in waters between th
Ensuring maritime safety in times of rapid change
Ensuring maritime safety in times of rapid change
in
International Shipping News
18/04/2026
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Facing new technologies, regulations, sustainability goals, and a significant generational change, leading cruise operators are focusing on crew development and digital literacy whilst integrating tools for risk management and safety. A robust technology-enabled safety culture and fostering collaboration across all levels is key.
Hormuz on 16 April: Dry & Liquid crossings drop to 4; no gas activity recorded
Hormuz on 16 April: Dry & Liquid crossings drop to 4; no gas activity recorded
in
International Shipping News
18/04/2026
A quick update from AXSMarine on the latest vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz.
On 16 April, we recorded 4 confirmed crossings across tracked segments, down from 8 on 15 April, marking a further slowdown following the US counter-blockade enforcement. This brings the post-blockade (13–16 April) average to 8.2 crossings per day, compared to 11.6 during the ceasefire window (8–12 April).
Notably, no gas carrier crossings were observed on 16 April — the first gas-free day since 13 April — highlighting continued weakness in the most risk-sensitive segment.
Activity on the day was split evenly between dry bulk and tankers:
Two dry bulk/MPP vessels crossed inbound (East→West), including NESHAT (Iranian-owned) and SDR UNIVERSE (Turkey-owned). No outbound bulk movements were recorded, placing the segment at the lower end of its recent post-blockade range.
Two tanke