Global Maritime Hub

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 …

European shipping is a vital part of the EU economy, supporting energy security, food supply, and stable global supply chains. While the EU represents a modest share of global GDP, …

Container shipping is reaching several new milestones at once, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The fully cellular fleet has exceeded 6,700 ships for the first time in history: 6,706 vessels …

Oceania trade capacity on the Far East-Oceania route has expanded sharply over the past year, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The Far East-Oceania trade has seen a significant capacity expansion …

North American container traffic showed a mixed but overall softer performance in February 2026, with declining import volumes at a national level masking significant divergence across key ports. Early forecasts …

Bunker fuel is rapidly emerging as the hidden fault line in the current Gulf crisis, with potentially far-reaching consequences for global shipping and trade. While markets remain focused on crude …

This move coincides with Iran notifying the United Nations Security Council and the IMO that: “Non-hostile vessels, including those belonging to or associated with other States, may—provided that they neither …

The Gulf conflict is tying up container shipping capacity and keeping commercial idling low, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. In early 2026, market sentiment expected liner services to return to …

Container shipping remains in a financial supercycle despite falling margins, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. The average operating margin for the leading container carriers slumped to 5.3% in the final …

The US government’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver has triggered strong reactions across the maritime sector, with industry groups and labor unions questioning both its necessity and …

The container market remains firm across vessel sizes, according to industry analysts Alphaliner, even as the full impact of the Middle East war has yet to be reflected in charter …

Transhipment hubs were a major driver of global port volume growth in 2025, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Throughput at the world’s leading container ports again exceeded forecasts in 2025, …

Global bunker prices surged sharply this week as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered a rally in crude …

Container ships around the Strait of Hormuz are experiencing unprecedented AIS signal disruptions, according to industry analysts Alphaliner. Alphaliner live satellite vessel tracking shows that 48 container ships in the …