Shipping News

The U.S. and Iran held indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday as they seek to agree on the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and secure a lasting ceasefire, a source with direct knowledge of the talks and an Iranian official said.The talks are based on a 14-point interim accord signed last month that was meant to halt the war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February and reopen the strait, while setting up 60 days of negotiations for a permanent peace deal.However, the U.S.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and IBM Japan have jointly developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform designed to support decision-making in vessel operations by integrating operational, weather and geopolitical information.The platform, which went live on July 1, is centered on MOL's Safety Operation Supporting Center (SOSC), which monitors and supports the safe operation of MOL-affiliated vessels worldwide.The companies said the platform consolidates weather and sea condition data…

No cargoes of North Sea Brent crude oil are scheduled to load in August as production steadily declines, traders told Reuters on Tuesday, marking a milestone for the global Dated Brent oil benchmark, which prices over 60% of the world's oil.Brent crude from the North Sea lends its name to the global Dated Brent benchmark, used for pricing physical cargoes and underpinning Brent crude futures and other derivative contracts. Over time, S&P Global Energy, known as Platts, which manages the benchmark…

Maritime software provider Veson Nautical has launched the Veson Platform, a unified platform that combines its IMOS operating system, CoCaptain artificial intelligence tools, communication capabilities and new data products under a single interface.The company said the new platform integrates IMOS, CoCaptain, Mail, Vessel Insights and Bunker Insights to provide maritime companies with workflows, collaboration tools and data on one platform.For more than 20 years, IMOS has served as an operating system for commercial maritime trade…

Oman's Asyad Group and France's CMA CGM Group have signed a framework agreement to develop, manage and operate a multipurpose logistics terminal in Sohar, establishing a strategic partnership aimed at boosting maritime connectivity and opening new regional trade corridors.The agreement, signed during the official visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to France, provides the framework for the development of a new $400 million multipurpose logistics terminal in Sohar.The companies said the project would enhance integrated logistics services and supply chain solutions…

Middle East producers are pushing ahead with loading oil and liquefied natural gas despite fresh ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed strikes between the U.S. and Iran in recent days, shipping data showed.Energy shipping in the strait slowed after attacks on a container ship on Thursday and an oil tanker on Saturday sparked fresh tit-for-tat strikes, straining Washington and Iran's interim peace deal.But on Sunday, a U.S. official said the two countries had agreed to halt recent hostilities and renew talks over the strategically important waterway.On Monday…

Jotun COSCO Marine Coatings signs agreement covering 125 newbuilding vessels with COSCO SHIPPINGJotun COSCO Marine Coatings (JCMC) participated in the Global Partners Conference held by COSCO SHIPPING (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. and COSCO Shipping (Hainan) Co., Ltd. in Boao, Hainan on June 26, bringing together industry partners to exchange insights on sustainable shipping and hull performance.

Crude prices may be back near levels seen before the Iran war, but the surge in oil exports from the Middle East following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is creating a chaotic market that could take months to settle.The steep slide in Brent crude LCOc1 back to pre-war levels of around $73 a barrel following the U.S.-Iran interim deal might, at first glance, suggest business as usual has returned to the world’s most important oil and gas hub. The narrow waterway, which once carried about a fifth of global oil and gas…

Tehran reasserted its right on Friday to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and warned Gulf states against siding with the U.S., a day after an attack on a ship near Oman highlighted the fragility of a preliminary deal to end the Iran war.Iran was responding to what it called an "interventionist, irresponsible and provocative" joint statement by the United States and six Gulf states that rejected Iran's insistence that it could charge tolls on vessels transiting the strait."Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements…

MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has agreed to acquire four eco-conventional container vessels for a total of $340 million, each backed by a three-year fixed-rate time charter with a top-five liner company, as it advances its fleet modernization program.The vessels, built in 2023 and 2024 and each with a capacity of 7,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU), are expected to be delivered in October and November 2026, subject to inspection and customary closing conditions.The fixed-rate…

Some 57 ships carrying an estimated 1,100 seafarers have transited the Strait of Hormuz since June 23 under a United Nations evacuation plan launched this week, data from the U.N.'s shipping agency showed on Thursday.These are the first numbers to be released by the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization for the initiative, which will enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 seafarers to leave the strait.According to current IMO data, 12 ships sailed through during the morning of June 25, 32 during June 24 and 13 during June 23.(Reuters - Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Editing by Louise Heav

The maritime industry continues to improve its safety record, but the challenges confronting shipowners, operators, insurers and regulators have never been more complex.According to Allianz Commercial's Safety and Shipping Review 2026, global shipping losses remain near historic lows, yet a new era of geopolitical conflict, cyber-enabled crime, aging fleets, alternative fuels, cargo fires and supply chain disruption is reshaping risk across the maritime sector. Here is maritime safety and shipping in 2026 — by the numbers.90% -Approximately 90% of global trade still moves by sea…

Oman said it would keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping without imposing any tolls and had designated two temporary routes north and south of the existing shipping lane to facilitate the safe passage of vessels departing the region.In coordination with the International Maritime Organization, Oman established temporary maritime corridors to help ships leave the area safely amid heightened security risks.The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the war…

Oil tanker operators are reaping record profits after nearly doubling the hire cost of vessels going through the Strait of Hormuz and wider Gulf region this week on rising demand as traffic through the waterway slowly picks up, according to shipping data and sources.Traffic through the vital strait has been modest since Iran lifted its effective blockade last week after agreeing to a 60-day ceasefire with the U.S., as talks on a permanent deal to end their war continue.The number of ships going through Hormuz is a fraction of the daily average of 125 before the conflict began on February 28.

An evacuation plan to enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf to sail through the Strait of Hormuz is underway after Iran and the U.S.

The Board of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has unanimously elected John Denholm CBE as Chairman of the Board.The decision was made by the ICS Board of Directors at the organization's Annual General Meeting, held at Palazzo Valentini in Rome, Italy.John Denholm succeeds Emanuele Grimaldi, President and Managing Director of Grimaldi Euromed SpA, who has served as Chairman since June 2022.A qualified chartered accountant, John Denholm joined the family-owned shipping business J. & J. Denholm, becoming Chief Executive in 1993. He currently serves as Executive Chairman of J. & J.

Australian mining company Fortescue has signed an agreement with Belgian shipping and cleantech group CMB.TECH to charter up to 12 ammonia-capable bulk carriers, stepping up efforts to decarbonize maritime transport and support the development of green ammonia as a marine fuel.Under the agreement, Fortescue will charter 12 Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels, each with a carrying capacity of 210,000 deadweight tonnes, from Bocimar, the dry bulk shipping arm of CMB.TECH.Up to three of the vessels will be delivered with dual-fuel ammonia engines and are expected to enter service by the end of 2026…

"Global fertilizer shipments have fallen 11% y/y since the start of the Iran war. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has restricted fertilizer exports from the Persian Gulf, tightening the global supply and increasing prices. The ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran could lead to a rebound in shipments,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Under normal conditions, 16% of global fertilizer shipments come from the Persian Gulf and pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of the strait has significantly disrupted cargo volumes.

Shippers in Asia and Europe said confidence in resuming transit through the Strait of Hormuz could take weeks to rebuild and navigation will only restart once safety is assured, after the U.S. and Iran agreed a framework deal to reopen the waterway.U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding to end their war and reopen the strait on Friday. Global oil prices fell about 5% on Monday in response.President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that ships loaded with oil are starting to move out of the strait…

Japanese shippers welcomed on Monday the U.S.-Iran peace agreement which will reopen the Strait of Hormuz but are awaiting more details of the deal and clearance of mines before allowing their ships to pass the chokepoint.According to the association, 38 Japanese-linked vessels remain stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that began on February 28 has largely stopped shipping through the strait, the transit route for roughly a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply…

A new European partnership is set to help shipping companies navigate one of the industry's biggest climate challenges: how to decarbonize the existing fleet quickly, safely, and cost-effectively.The new FIT-HORIZONS project is bringing together 19 leading maritime companies, researchers, universities, software developers, and technology providers from across Europe to develop an intelligent and flexible retrofit design environment for low- and zero-emission shipping.Coordinated by SINTEF Ocean and funded by the European Union with nearly USD$4.61 million (€4 million)…

BIMCO has adopted a Biofuel Clause for Time Charter Parties to address legal and operational challenges as the use of low-carbon fuels in shipping increases.As the shipping industry decarbonizes, regulatory frameworks reshape companies’ fuel strategies. The integration of biofuels into charter party agreements is complex, however, and often raises questions around fuel quality, engine compatibility and liability. The clause provides clear definitions, agreed fuel specifications aligned with ISO standards and a structured process for sampling, testing, storage, and handling of biofuels.

The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY), a leading industrial maritime hub, took part in the "Posidonia 2026" exhibition held in Athens, Greece, June 1-5. The exhibition provided ASRY with a platform to showcase its integrated services and specialized maritime solutions across different sectors of the industry, while also strengthening engagement with key clients, strategic partners, decision-makers, and representatives of global shipping and maritime operators. It also helped expand opportunities for cooperation…