Shipping News

Two vessels from CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container shipping line, have travelled through the Suez Canal, the authority that runs the waterway said on Tuesday, in a sign the disruptions linked to the Gaza war could be easing.While the Suez Canal provides the fastest link between Asia and Europe, since November 2023, shipping companies have had to take much longer routes because Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants attacked commercial vessels, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians during warfare in Gaza.CMA CGM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

DHL Global Forwarding and shipping group CMA CGM have agreed to jointly use 8,990 metric tons of second-generation biofuel to reduce emissions from ocean freight.The initiative is expected to cut around 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions on a well-to-wake basis for container shipments moved under DHL’s GoGreen Plus service, marking a further step in efforts to decarbonize maritime transport.Under the agreement, the biofuel used will be UCOME, a second-generation fuel derived from waste and residue feedstocks.

Japanese power generator JERA has signed separate heads of agreements with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and NYK Group for the charter of ammonia carriers, as it moves toward establishing Japan’s first large-scale low-carbon ammonia transport chain.Under the agreements, MOL and NYK affiliates will charter vessels designed to transport low-carbon ammonia produced at JERA’s Blue Point Complex in Louisiana to JERA’s Hekinan Thermal Power Station in central Japan. The arrangements are…

Danish shipping company Maersk said on Friday that one of its vessels had successfully navigated the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait for the first time in nearly two years, as shipping companies weigh returning to the critical Asia-Europe trade corridor.The company stated that while it had no firm plans to fully reopen the route, it would take a "stepwise approach towards gradually resuming navigation" via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Maersk declined to further elaborate on its plans.Maersk and rivals…

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has contacted seven maritime shipping companies as part of an inquiry into cartel-linked fuel smuggling between the United States and Mexico, asking the firms to explain their vetting procedures for ensuring their tankers aren't used to transport illicit hydrocarbons, according to copies of the letters seen by Reuters.The letters from Wyden, who is the most senior Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, were dated Friday. They come as stolen crude and bootleg fuel have become the second-largest revenue source for Mexican cartels after drugs…

The Federal Maritime Commission acknowledges the service of the members of the National Shipper Advisory Committee (NSAC). Since October 2021, NSAC’s members have provided information and perspectives on conditions in the ocean freight delivery system. NSAC’s meetings and recommendations have assisted the Commission on a range of matters related to international ocean transportation.NSAC will continue to focus on providing information and industry perspectives to the Commission…

Japan’s ClassNK has issued an approval in principle (AiP) for a bulk carrier concept developed by Oshima Shipbuilding that is designed to be ready for multiple alternative fuels, including ammonia, methanol and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS).The approval confirms the technical feasibility of the vessel from a regulatory and safety perspective and reflects growing industry efforts to future-proof newbuilds amid tightening emissions rules.The concept design was reviewed in line with ClassNK’s updated Guidelines for Ships Using Alternative Fuels…

"Assuming a significant increase in recycling of older ships and a reduction in average sailing speeds, we forecast that average market conditions in 2026 will be like those in 2025 but 2027 could see slightly weaker market conditions. We forecast ship demand growth of 2.5%-3.5% in both 2026 and 2027 while supply is estimated to grow 3% in 2026 and 3.5% in 2027,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO. The return to normal Red Sea and Suez Canal routings in the not-too-distant future, however, seems increasingly likely, which could result in a 10% reduction in ship demand.

According to Veson Nautical’s 2025 End-of-Year Market Report, a report which breaks down prevailing trends in all major oceangoing shipping sectors globally, these are the prevailing trends shipowners should watch in 2026.1. Routing Normalization vs. Geopolitical RealityMuch of 2025’s earnings strength—especially in containers, crude tankers and dry bulk—was driven by longer voyages around the Cape of Good Hope. Any sustained return to Suez transits in 2026 would compress ton-mile demand quickly. Owners should plan for volatility rather than assume a clean reversion to pre-Red Sea norms.2.

Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy has signed a second contract with Spanish ship owner Mureloil, extending the use of battery-supported diesel-electric propulsion into the chemical tanker segment.The agreement follows the installation of a battery system on Mureloil’s 8,000-deadweight-tonne tanker Bahía Candela and will see AYK supply an identical 4.2 MWh Aries+ battery system for its sister vessel Bahía Beatriz, currently under construction at Astilleros de Murueta shipyard near Bilbao.Battery systems are widely used in ferries and workboats…

Oslo-based dry bulk operator Western Bulk has re-entered ship ownership after acquiring a minority stake in a Kamsarmax vessel alongside a group of Norwegian partners, the company said on Tuesday.Western Bulk, together with A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, NRP Asset Management-managed Premium Maritime Fund 2024, and Pactum, has acquired the dry bulk carrier CSSC Shi Jia Zhuang, which will be renamed Western Egda.The 2020-built, eco-design Kamsarmax was constructed in China and has recently completed its five-year special survey.

Anemoi Marine Technologies, the U.K.-based designer of Rotor Sails for wind-assisted ship propulsion, has signed a deal to install its Rotor Sails on two newbuild chemical tankers under construction for Union Maritime.The 18,500 DWT vessels, to be built by Wuhu Shipyard Co in China, will feature a combination of technologies and retrofit readiness to safeguard cost-effective decarbonization across their lifecycle.The Rotor Sails are set to be installed at Wuhu in early 2026 after…

MPC Container Ships (MPCC) has entered into contracts with Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering in China for the construction of six 3,700 TEU container vessels scheduled for first delivery in second half of 2028.Each vessel will operate under a 10-year time charter, with extension options, to a top five liner company.The vessels are based on the newest design, which optimizes speed and fuel consumption for regional and feeder trades, while keeping enough flexibility to shift between…

Italy’s Cimolai Technology  reached a major construction milestone on one of the largest crane projects currently underway in Europe, completing the lifting and erection of the main girder of the first of two massive 800-ton rail-mounted Goliath cranes at the Port of Chioggia.The lift, carried out at Cimolai Technology’s Chioggia facility in the Val da Rio port area, marks the conclusion of a critical technical phase in a complex, international heavy-engineering project. Once completed…

Ukraine's navy accused Russia of deliberately attacking a civilian Turkish vessel carrying sunflower oil to Egypt with a drone on Saturday, a day after Moscow hit two Ukrainian ports.In a statement on Telegram, the navy said the vessel was called the Viva and had 11 Turkish citizens on board. It added that nobody was hurt and the vessel was continuing its journey to Egypt."The strike was carried out in the open sea in Ukraine's exclusive economic zone, outside the range of Ukrainian air defence systems…

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Japan’s ENEOS, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) and SEACOR Holdings have launched a joint study to develop a commercial methanol marine fuel supply network along the U.S. Gulf Coast.The study aims to establish the first large-scale ship-to-ship methanol bunkering operations in the United States, as the global shipping industry looks for practical pathways to meet the International Maritime Organization’s target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.Methanol…

“Between January and November 2025, cement shipments, including clinker, have jumped 13% y/y, driven by a 39% y/y increase in shipments to Africa’s Atlantic coast. The region is experiencing high economic growth, fast urbanisation and rapid development in infrastructure, supporting construction activity and boosting the demand for cement,” says Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO.Cement and clinker import dependency is high across most countries in the region as most countries have insufficient domestic production capacity.

Japan’s NYK has ordered a next-generation car carrier equipped with advanced marine digital-transformation (DX) systems aimed at improving navigational safety, reducing crew workload and enhancing operational efficiency.The vessel, which will measure 199.95 meters in length with a beam of 38 meters, is scheduled for delivery on March 31, 2026, from Shinkai Toyohashi Shipbuilding.NYK said the newbuild will feature an autonomous navigation system, a large-motion mitigation system designed to limit rolling that could shift vehicle cargo…

Wallenius Wilhelmsen has extended two key strategic contracts for shipping services with an estimated additional value of close to $500 million.The first contract is with a premium European auto manufacturer and is extended by three additional years, with the new contract now ending in 2030.The contract is estimated to have a total value of $580 million, with the extension value being $384 million based on expected volumes. The contract extension includes additional volumes and trade lanes. Rates are in line with current market levels and the renewed agreement started in October, 2025.

DNV has granted a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) to CSSC Shanghai Marine Energy Saving Technology (CMES-Tech) for its new 35-meter tilting type wind assisted rotor system.This is the first domestically developed rotor sail system in China to achieve this recognition under DNV’s WAPS rules (ST-0511). With this certification, the system is confirmed ready for installation on DNV classed commercial vessels and marks a major milestone for China’s green-shipping technology industry.As shipping faces mounting pressure from fuel costs and emissions regulations…

Wärtsilä has identified four key trends it expects to shape the global shipping industry in 2026, citing accelerating digitalization, rising decarbonization pressures and growing uncertainty over regulatory trajectories.The company highlighted lifecycle optimization as a major theme, with vessel owners increasingly moving from short-term fixes to long-term strategies that account for environmental impact, operational efficiency and economic performance from vessel design to end-of-life.

DNV has awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) to the joint consortium of MSC, Zhoushan Changhong International, and CIMC ORIC for a new 21,700 TEU ammonia-dual fueled ultra-large container ship design.The AiP is another milestone in the development of next-generation, zero-carbon mainline container shipping.The proposed 21,700 TEU container ship integrates the latest-generation of ammonia dual-fuel main engines alongside oversized C-type ammonia tanks.The hull design, with a new vertical bow…

Within the margins of the IMO Assembly meetings, on December 2, the World Maritime University (WMU), in collaboration with the 90 North Foundation, announced the release of the 2025 Arctic Report: The Arctic Ocean Region – Biodiversity, Governance & Protective Measures, a comprehensive assessment of one of the planet’s most rapidly changing and geopolitically significant regions.The report warns that the Arctic Ocean—long perceived as remote and inaccessible—is now experiencing profound environmental, economic, and political transformation.