International Shipping News.

The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, which measures rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, jumped on Friday, posting its biggest weekly gain in over four months, supported by a steady rise in capesize vessel rates. The main index, which tracks rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, gained 22 points, or 1.1%, ... […]

Current global economic and geopolitical landscapes are shaped by several key uncertainties. Tensions between Israel and Iran, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz, pose risks to regional stability and energy supply routes. Similarly, Houthi activity in the Red Sea threatens shipping through the Suez Canal. Oil sanctions continue to disrupt global energy markets, while evolving ... […]

New figures released today by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reveal yet another disturbing surge in the abandonment of seafarers worldwide. So far in 2025, at least 2,286 seafarers on 222 vessels have been left stranded, often without pay, food, or medical support. By comparison, at this point in 2024, already the worst year ... […]

The escalating sanctions regime against Russia is reshaping trade flows, supporting parallel markets, and challenging traditional oversight. In yesterday’s Baltic Exchange Sanctions Policy Update webinar Jos Standerwick, chief executive of Maritime London, and Daniel Martin, a partner and lead for HFW’s sanctions team, spoke about the complexities of the evolving sanctions environment and its implications ... […]

Drewry’s World Container Index decreased 2.6% to $2,602 per 40ft container this week. Our detailed assessment for Thursday, 17 Jul 2025 Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI) fell 2.6% this week, marking its fifth consecutive weekly decline. This ongoing downturn follows an earlier period of volatility triggered by higher US tariffs announced in April. The market ... […]

Asia’s high sulphur fuel oil spot market extended losses on Friday, as discounts deepened and the contango market structure widened. Singapore 380-cst HSFO cash differential was pegged at a discount wider than $6 a metric ton, and the 180-CST cash differential traded at a discount of $4.82 a ton. In the bunker market, traders said ... […]

The Greek former owner of a cargo ship, seized by Spain in 2023 for carrying more than four tons of cocaine along with coffee beans from Latin America to Europe, denies any link to drugs, his lawyer said on Friday. In January 2023, Spanish authorities intercepted the then Greek-operated, Togo-flagged vessel Blume, off the Canary ... […]

Onshore fuel oil stockpiles snapped a three-week run of gains as both imports and exports declined, official government data showed on Thursday. Residual fuel inventories (STKRS-SIN) dropped to 23.38 million barrels ( 3.68 million metric tons) in the week to July 17, down 5.4% from the previous week, according to Enterprise Singapore data. Net imports ... […]

In a groundbreaking project, Sanfu Shipyard in China delivered two state-of-the-art, methanol dual-fuel container feeder vessels to the owner MPC Container Ships and long-term charterer North Sea Container Line. The vessels mark the launch of a green corridor across the North Sea. The NCL Vestland and the NCL Nordland are two identical sister ships delivered ... […]

North America Bunker fuel demand has improved over the week in Houston, and availability is good across all three fuel grades at the port. “We can offer HSFO at $428-429/mt and LSMGO at $681-695/mt, under a week. VLSFO availability also good,” a bunker trader said. The shortest time for HSFO and LSMGO in Houston is ... […]