Global Maritime Hub

According to Alphaliner, changing carrier strategies and growing feeder networks have reshaped the intra-North Europe container market over the past year. Maersk has achieved by far the highest growth in …

North American port volumes remained resilient in June, with the Port of Los Angeles recording its busiest June on record and several major U.S. gateways reporting strong year-on-year growth despite …

Containership demolition sales remained exceptionally low during the first half of the year, despite figures being boosted by accidents and sanctions, according to Alphaliner. The containership demolition market continues to …

Container shipping networks have become structurally leaner since the disruptions of 2020, with shipping lines maintaining broad global coverage while reducing service frequency and relying more heavily on transshipment, argues …

Containership sales declined sharply during the first half of 2026, although strong buying interest and limited vessel availability kept prices firm, according to Alphaliner. The second-hand sale and purchase containership …

US container ports continued to handle resilient import volumes in June 2026, even as shipping markets faced growing uncertainty from geopolitical tensions, evolving U.S. trade policy and ongoing supply chain …

Container fleet growth in the first half of 2026 was led by CMA CGM, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. After many years, MSC appears to be no longer the fastest …

The India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) could replace around 60% of the container traffic that currently passes through the Strait of Hormuz if expanded into a network of …

Container shipping portfolios differ sharply between European and Asian carriers, with Asian lines generally performing better due to stronger Far East export exposure, according to Alphaliner. Alphaliner’s latest quarterly report …

Global container shipping is entering a more volatile phase as shifting trade flows, geopolitical tensions, inventory imbalances and freight rate pressures reshape container markets in the second half of 2026. …

The global container ship orderbook is nearing 13 Mteu as owners increasingly turn towards smaller and mid-sized tonnage, according to Alphaliner. The global container ship orderbook is nearing the 13 …

Transpacific shipping could see a new wave of independent carrier services in the coming months, according to a recent market analysis from Sea-Intelligence. The company examined the relationship between Asia–North …

Intra-Europe shipping is seeing a sharp rise in the deployment of 8,000+ teu vessels in the Mediterranean, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The number of vessels above 8,000 teu trading …

North American container traffic weakened in April as several major gateways reported lower inbound volumes compared with a year earlier, although performance varied significantly across the region. On the US …

Global bunker prices continued to decline during Week 24, 2026, as a temporary stabilization of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East eased concerns over possible supply disruptions. Bearish sentiment …

Gemini Cooperation is making a calculated shift in East/West container deployment, reducing capacity exposure on Transpacific and Asia-North Europe routes while aggressively expanding its Asia-Mediterranean network footprint. In issue 768 …

MSC has widened its container fleet market share gap with Maersk, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The two leading container carriers displayed notably different market share trends in the month …

Global bunker prices remained volatile in Week 23, with fuel indices moving in different directions as uncertainty over the Middle East conflict continued to affect energy and bunker markets. The …

The global container fleet continues to shift strongly toward Far East–Europe services, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The effect of the military conflict in the Middle East on shipping is …

West Africa container trade continued to expand in early 2026, supported by rising imports from China and growing consumer demand across the region. New data shows containerised imports into West …

Canadian ports are losing relative importance in global maritime trade as shipping connectivity and vessel capacity increasingly shift toward Asia, according to a new Bank of Canada analysis. The analysis …

Global bunker prices moved lower this week as reports of a possible US-Iran peace agreement pressured bunker fuel markets, although volatility remained high amid uncertainty around the Middle East conflict. …

Container carriers recorded widely varied first-quarter operating margins in 2026, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Route trends lead to range of Q1 operating margins for lines. The average operating margin …

Strait of Hormuz shipping controls are tightening after Iran launched a new maritime authority and digital insurance platform aimed at strengthening oversight of vessels and cargoes transiting one of the …

Maritime electrification is accelerating as shipping companies increasingly adopt battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support hybrid propulsion and all-electric vessel operations amid rising decarbonisation pressure across the maritime sector. …

Global bunker prices edged higher this week, although the wider bunker market remained broadly stable with limited fluctuations and no clear directional trend. MABUX reported gains across the main fuel …

European carriers dominate the South America trades between Europe and ECSA & WCSA, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The trades between Europe and the two coasts of South America are …

Transpacific container trade patterns continued to shift during the first quarter of 2026, with Canadian West Coast ports gaining market share at the expense of major US gateways as shippers …

US West Coast ports are regaining container volume momentum after years of disruption and competitive pressure, but new analysis from the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association warns that the region still …

MSC has secured a dominant position in the North Europe–Mediterranean container shipping market, according to Alphaliner. MSC controls nearly half of all cellular capacity deployed in the North Europe – …

Global bunker prices remained volatile during Week 20 as mixed movements continued across the marine fuel market amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. HSFO prices edged lower during …

Global bunker prices recorded mixed movements this week as volatility continued across the bunker fuel market amid ongoing Middle East tensions. HSFO and VLSFO prices moved sharply higher, while MGO …

The Gulf conflict continues to tighten container tonnage supply, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Nine weeks after the start of military action in the Middle East Gulf, commercial idling of …

Chinese container ships built for domestic and coastal trades are increasingly attracting attention in the global charter market, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Over the past decade, the Chinese coastal …

Container shipping reliability improved in March 2026, with global schedule performance reaching its joint-highest level of the year, signalling a gradual stabilisation across major trade lanes despite ongoing delays. According …

IMO MEPC 84 maritime fuel regulations are shaping the future of alternative fuels in shipping, as new data reveals significant shifts in global fuel consumption patterns. The IMO MEPC 84 …

Container shipping speeds declined sharply in early 2026 as bunker prices surged, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Between Q4 2025 and Q2 2026 (to 14 April), the average speed of …

Global bunker prices resumed a clear upward trend this week, supported by persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, supply-side concerns and elevated risk premiums across the bunker market. The …

Container shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is facing a sharp escalation in security risks, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. All three non-Iranian container ships attempting to transit the Strait …

Panama Canal traffic is increasing in 2026, with higher transits and tonnage reflecting resilient global shipping flows as the waterway continues to operate without congestion despite rising demand. The Panama …

Reefer capacity among top container carriers has expanded significantly, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The top-10 carriers have jointly increased their reefer capacity by 7.9% since April 2025. MSC showed …

Global bunker prices declined this week as HSFO, VLSFO and MGO fell amid easing geopolitical tensions and stabilising energy markets. Global bunker prices moved lower this week as the market …

Global bunker prices moved lower this week as the bunker market entered a phase of temporary stabilisation following the April 8 ceasefire announcement in the Middle East. The correction was …

Mid-tier carriers recorded strong profit growth in 2025, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Mid-tier carriers operating outside the principal East-West trade routes saw strong earnings development in 2025, significantly outperforming …

Container shipping rates remain elevated despite a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, as disruption in the Strait of Hormuz continues to impact global supply chains. Analysis from Xeneta indicates that container shipping …

Strait of Hormuz shipping remains effectively restricted despite ceasefire headlines, with container lines continuing to avoid transits due to ongoing security uncertainty and operational risks. Despite headlines to the contrary, …

Global bunker prices moved lower this week as bunker markets entered a corrective phase after reports of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East reversed the earlier rally driven by …

The decline in the NOO fleet has slowed, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The fleet of Non-Operating Owners (NOO) in the 700 – 9,000 teu sizes, the most traded in …

Container freight rates are rising amid Middle East disruption, though volatility remains below Covid-era extremes. Shippers “should not panic” despite surge in Middle East ocean spot rates The increasing volatility …

Global bunker prices continued to move higher this week as the bunker market remained volatile amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted supply chains and tightened …