Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Resume Suez Canal Transit Under Gemini Cooperation

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Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Resume Suez Canal Transit Under Gemini Cooperation

July 7th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

On July 6, 2026, The Maritime Executive reported that Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have reached a joint agreement to try once more to resume using the Suez Canal and Red Sea for one of their service routes within the Gemini Cooperation. This represents the second occasion in 2026 that these two carriers have attempted to bring their itineraries back to that area.

The initial service to be restored connects Asia, the Mediterranean region, and Turkey. According to the companies, the Majestic Maersk, a 19,000 TEU container vessel registered under the Danish flag, will be the first ship to complete this passage. Based on AIS data and the published schedule, the vessel left Malaysia and is expected to arrive at the Suez Canal around July 24.

Maersk explained that this choice was made after a comprehensive evaluation of safety conditions in the Red Sea zone. It noted that reverting to this path offers faster transit times, greater sustainability, and the highest operational efficiency for client needs. Nonetheless, the firm cautioned that it will keep assessing the situation and might have to adjust individual sailings or implement a broader shift back to the Cape of Good Hope route. Maersk confirmed that contingency measures are already prepared.

With strong encouragement from the Suez Canal Authority, Maersk carried out its initial trial return voyages in November and December 2025. Those were the first instances since late 2023 that the carrier had dispatched ships into the southern Red Sea, following an incident where Houthi forces fired upon several of its vessels. By January 2026, Maersk was prepared to restart certain independent services through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, and one month later, the Gemini Cooperation with Hapag-Lloyd declared the reintroduction of its first routes to that region.

That resumption proved temporary. After hostilities erupted between the United States and Iran at the close of February, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd once again halted their operations through the Red Sea.

Maersk indicated that the current restart is the beginning of a gradual effort to reestablish transits. However, it cautioned that no definitive schedule has been set at this stage.

The Suez Canal Authority noted that in 2023, Maersk completed 1,158 transits carrying a total net cargo of 127 million tons. Although shipping traffic has been slowly returning to the Suez Canal, large container vessels have been slower to resume. CMA CGM has been the leading major carrier to reinstate services through the area. The Suez Canal Authority had expressed its belief that Maersk would take the lead, prompting other carriers to follow and bring their ships back to this more efficient route.

https://www.indexbox.io/blog/maersk-and-hapag-lloyd-resume-suez-canal-transit-under-gemini-cooperation/

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Shipping Container Rates Surge as Tanker Rates Fall Amid Middle East Ceasefire

June 29th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

Shipping container rates from east Asia and China to the United States continued to climb as importers accelerated shipments ahead of potential new tariffs, according to a report from ICIS. Meanwhile, liquid tanker rates softened amid a tentative ceasefire in the Middle East.

Strait of Hormuz Developments

Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased this week following a six-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran. However, the 8,500 TEU container vessel Ever Lovely was struck by a projectile on 25 June, prompting the International Maritime Organization to suspend its evacuation process. Lars Jensen, president of consultancy Vespucci Maritime, noted that Iran has not claimed responsibility for the attack, while a U.S. official attributed the incident to Iran. According to the Strait of Hormuz tracker, 12 vessels transited the waterway in the past 24 hours.

Current U.S. President Donald Trump accused Iran of the attack in a social media post and described it as a violation of the agreement. Iranian state news agencies reported that three foreign tankers attempting an unauthorized passage through the strait were turned back after a military warning. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned on social media that Tehran will reject any parallel shipping routes or maritime decision-making that bypasses its authority as a key coastal state.

Container Rate Surge

Transpacific container rates spiked again this week, with prices ranging from $5,200 to $6,200 per FEU to the West Coast and from $6,300 to $7,500 per FEU to the East Coast. Supply chain advisors Drewry reported a 12% increase from Shanghai to Los Angeles and a 6% rise from Shanghai to New York. Year-on-year, Drewry’s rates to the East Coast are up 25%, and rates to the West Coast are up 54%. Drewry attributed the robust transpacific demand to importers frontloading shipments ahead of potential tariff changes and higher bunker-related costs. The firm expects rates to rise further in the coming weeks as general rate increases and peak season surcharges are scheduled for July.

Rates from online shipping marketplace Freightos increased by 19% to the West Coast and by 13% to the East Coast. Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, said rates continue to climb as peak demand from an early busy season keeps vessels full at least into July. Levine added that spot rates will begin to ease from current or near-term levels as demand decreases, regardless of developments in the Strait.

The New York Shipping Exchange Freight Index surged by 23% to both the West Coast and the East Coast. The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index, which tracks rates for containers leaving Shanghai, rose by 3.7% and is now approximately 2.5 times the level seen at the start of the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Container ships and container shipping costs are relevant to the chemical industry because, while most chemicals are liquids shipped in tankers, container vessels transport polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene in pellet form, as well as titanium dioxide.

Tanker Rate Decline

U.S. chemical tanker freight rates assessed by ICIS were mostly lower, with decreases from the U.S. Gulf across most trade lanes. Most market participants remain cautious, awaiting resolution of the ongoing Middle East conflict. Rates on the U.S. Gulf to Rotterdam route plunged on weaker demand, partially offset by limited availability, especially for larger parcels. Space among regular carriers remains scarce, and contract of affreightment nominations have utilized most available tonnage.

Larger requirements continue to be well represented, with several large lots of methanol and ethanol fixed or indicated to the ARA region. Some interest was also noted for smaller lots of various chemicals. From the U.S. Gulf to Asia, the market remains uneventful, resulting in lower freight ideas. Very few new inquiries were reported over the past week, though a large parcel of ethanol was quoted for a second-half July lifting. For the U.S. Gulf to South America trade lane, the market weakened further as rates continued to be pressured lower. Very few cargoes are being fixed by charterers due to a lack of buyers in the region. The market is strongly supported by solid COA nominations, which naturally pushes spot rates even lower. On the bunker side, fuel prices were lower amid the continued decline in energy prices.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

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DHL Partners with Vela for Wind-Powered Cargo Shipping

June 25th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

DHL Global Forwarding has agreed to utilize wind-powered cargo vessels developed by French startup Vela, according to a report published on June 25, 2026. The service is expected to commence next year, with Vela’s first commercial transatlantic voyages planned for 2027.

Vela is developing aluminum trimarans approximately 67 meters in length. Each vessel can transport up to 415 tonnes of cargo, which is roughly five times the volume of a freight aircraft, yet remains significantly smaller than a conventional container ship. The ships are designed to cruise at about 14 knots using wind propulsion. Instead of adhering to fixed liner routes, the vessels will optimize their journeys based on weather patterns and wind conditions.

Vela has stated that the service could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 99% compared to air freight and by approximately 90% relative to traditional sea transport. The company is focusing on high-value and time-sensitive goods, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and luxury items, where shippers seek faster options than standard ocean freight but with a lower carbon footprint than air cargo.

DHL’s participation provides the project with a significant commercial anchor, as wind-powered shipping startups work to transition from demonstration projects to regular cargo operations. Vela intends to build a fleet of five trimarans by 2030, enabling weekly transatlantic sailings. Additional cargo capacity will also be offered to other companies.

The initiative is part of a broader resurgence of wind propulsion in commercial shipping, a trend that was prominently displayed at the Posidonia exhibition in Greece earlier this month.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

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Strait of Hormuz Recovery Could Take Months, Warns Freight Forwarder

June 23rd, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

A freight forwarder has joined chemical executives in warning that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will require several months to return to normal, contingent on the United States and Iran maintaining their latest peace agreement, according to a report by ICIS.

The strait serves as a major conduit for the world’s fuel, feedstock, and plastics, and delays in its reopening are expected to keep prices elevated. Over the past month, demand destruction has exerted a bearish influence on chemicals pricing, yet many product prices remain above pre-conflict levels despite the current downtrend.

Once the strait reopens, repositioning vessels will take time due to the distances involved in traveling to and from the Persian Gulf. Lynn Stacy, managing director at freight forwarder OEC Group Liquid Logistics Solutions, explained in an interview with ICIS that moving a container ship is not like moving a speedboat. A tanker carrying crude from the Middle East can take four to six weeks to reach its destination, after which the oil must be offloaded into storage. A refinery then processes the oil, and the resulting products must go back into storage, at which point logistics begins again.

During the conflict, OEC Group successfully redirected Persian Gulf shipments through the Red Sea, initially landing at the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. When Jeddah became congested, shipments were diverted to King Abdullah Port. Once on land, products were shipped by truck, which increased logistics costs. However, customers involved in drilling and oil production were willing to pay the premium, as the cost of shutting down for one day greatly outweighs the additional logistics expenses.

It remains unclear how much damage Middle Eastern infrastructure sustained, Stacy said. Damage to storage could create a bottleneck for refiners, who need a place to store their output. As storage runs out, refiners reduce operating rates, and run rates could remain depressed until sufficient storage capacity is available.

Stacy indicated that if the strait opened immediately, supply chains could return to normal sometime in the first quarter of 2027. His expectations align with those of chemical executives who have also warned that supply chains will take months to recover. LyondellBasell CEO Peter Vanacker told ICIS that the industry assumption is that the situation will have a very long tail, taking much longer than weeks, months, or quarters to balance out. Dow CFO Jeff Tate also expects a months-long process due to the sequence of events required before traffic returns to normal.

Stacy warned that if fighting resumes, traffic would seize up, as no ocean carrier would risk sending a vessel through the strait again. In response to the uncertainty, Stacy said his clients have been shipping as much as they can as fast as they can, aiming to make as much money as possible because the situation could stop abruptly.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

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Container Shipping Recovery Speeds: From Pandemic to Red Sea Crisis

June 23rd, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

A chart published by Sea-Intelligence this week illustrates how rapidly each major container shipping disruption since 2012 has seen delays revert to pre-crisis levels. The pattern indicates quicker recoveries: three months following the 2014 US West Coast labor dispute, one month after Hanjin’s 2016 bankruptcy, 15 to 26 months for the pandemic, and two months for the Red Sea crisis. The Hormuz situation, still ongoing, is marked with a question mark.

Imaad Asad, a shipping analyst at Sea-Intelligence, noted that carriers have fundamentally altered their operations by deliberately inserting buffers into their schedules. During the pandemic, the absence of such buffers meant any disturbance rapidly triggered a system-wide breakdown. Now, by proactively lengthening transit times, shipping lines absorb the impact of disruptions before they escalate. The industry has exchanged speed for stability, and the chart presents a flattering picture.

Simon Heaney, a container shipping analyst at Drewry, offered a more structural perspective. He observed that the crises differ greatly in scale; for container shipping, Hormuz is far less operationally disruptive than Red Sea diversions, which were themselves minor compared to covid. He added that a surplus of vessels has been key to the industry’s enhanced ability to absorb shocks. The sector has adapted to a state of perpetual crisis, aided by having extra ships to reposition. Disruptions yield diminishing returns for carriers. Their ideal scenario is an event that simultaneously triggers a demand spike and a logistics capacity squeeze, which has occurred only modestly with Hormuz.

Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, concurred that scale is paramount. The pandemic created unprecedented congestion at major ports worldwide, accounting for the exceptionally long recovery period. The Red Sea crisis affected a smaller portion of total container volumes and offered a feasible alternative via the Cape of Good Hope, allowing recovery even as rerouting continued. Hormuz operationally impacted only the 2-3% of global volumes that normally pass through the strait. Levine stated that the extent of delays and recovery times largely corresponds to the severity of the disruptions, while noting that lessons from the pandemic—especially carriers retaining excess capacity as a precaution—are now being applied to new challenges.

Peter Tirschwell, founder of the TPM conference, strongly disagreed. He argued that the key point is that delays are worsening over time, not that recovery from shocks is accelerating. He referenced the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index, which measures lifts per hour and has never rebounded after covid. Container carrier leaders acknowledge that long-term port delay deterioration is a reality the industry must confront for years ahead.

Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, contended that the frequency and character of disruptions have changed. He stated that disruptions have become more frequent since covid began, and their impact is more severe than before the pandemic. He cautioned against viewing crises as interchangeable, emphasizing that each is unique and failing to recognize their differences leads to being caught off guard. His broader argument was that freight volatility is now structural, no longer just a manageable risk but a permanent aspect of the operating environment.

The contrast between resilience and genuine system health is evident in the World Bank’s Global Supply Chain Stress Index, which tracks the volume of TEUs stuck in delays. That index currently sits at its highest point since the pandemic peak—over 2 million TEUs under stress—even as the Sea-Intelligence recovery chart suggests shocks are being absorbed more quickly. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index has risen back above $2,000 per TEU. Faster recovery from individual events does not equate to a supply chain functioning normally.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

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AI in Freight Forwarding: Starboard’s Approach to Smarter Quoting

June 19th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

The freight forwarding industry is full of artificial intelligence demonstrations. The true test is whether the technology can cope with the daily disorder of the quote desk: emails, PDFs, spreadsheets, carrier portals, agent responses, and rates that change before anyone can clean the data. That is where Sumeet Trehan, the founder of Starboard, sees the market heading. His argument is not that AI will eliminate small and mid-sized forwarders. Rather, it is that these forwarders are too crucial to global commerce and too connected to their clients to be pushed aside simply because larger players have superior tools.

Trehan reached this conclusion after a career at Maersk, BCG, and Flexport, where he helped establish the company’s Canadian operations. At Flexport, he said he started to wonder whether digital freight was tackling the right issue. Trehan stated that small and mid-size freight forwarders are indispensable for global trade, and their operational know-how cannot be replicated by a digital freight forwarder. Starboard’s proposal is that local forwarders should maintain the customer relationship and operational expertise, while the platform gives them some of the benefits usually linked to larger rivals: better technology, stronger procurement, and eventually financial infrastructure.

Forwarding remains a business driven by relationships, local presence, and exceptions. The person who knows which carrier office to contact or which route will break down still matters. However, the strain on smaller forwarders is significant. In developed markets, Trehan noted, forwarding has become a low-margin business, often running on net margins of 1-2%. After the freight rate itself, labor is the largest expense. He described this as nearly an existential crisis for many freight forwarders, asking how they can reduce costs, and stressed that it is not a five-year strategic plan but something that needs to be done immediately for many of their customers.

Starboard’s initial product focuses on quoting. In spot-heavy forwarding markets, importers and exporters may send the same request to multiple forwarders at once. A small or mid-sized forwarder might get 20-30 quote requests per day, Trehan said, with each taking one to two hours to prepare. Average response times can extend to 24-48 hours. That delay can cause lost business. The customer wants to know the cost to move cargo from point A to point B, and the forwarder that responds first often has the edge.

Starboard connects to the inbox of a forwarder’s sales or pricing team. When a request for quote arrives, its AI agent reads the request, extracts the cargo and routing details, splits the job into legs, searches contract and spot rates, and can contact agents or co-loaders for missing information. The company says users have cut response times from a day or two to roughly one or two hours in many cases.

Trehan argues the advantage is not just speed. Forwarders often get rates from many sources in different formats. A human might rely on memory, assuming yesterday’s best option is still today’s best option. In volatile markets, that assumption can be costly. He said the goal is not only to quote quickly but also to always quote at the cheapest and best rate available to customers.

The industry’s data problem is long-standing. Freight has spent decades trying to digitize around documents and messages that rarely align neatly between parties. Electronic data interchange may be common, but standardization remains inconsistent. Trehan sees AI as valuable because it can convert messy inputs into structured data that systems can use, without requiring forwarders to replace every legacy system first.

He is also wary of AI hype. Starboard spent over two years working with about 25 design partners in the US and Canada to train its agents on real quoting workflows. He said that while one can show magic in a demo, actually having something that can begin replacing human work takes years of effort. For forwarders evaluating AI, Trehan’s advice is to start with the business problem, not the technology. Faster quote turnaround, better win rates, higher profitability per quote, and less manual work are measurable. A vague AI pilot is not.

Trehan said customers have typically seen air quote response times drop to about an hour and ocean quotes to two or three hours. He also claimed average quoted rates can fall by around 5% when the system finds better options within the forwarder’s own rate sources. Starboard does not name those customers publicly, citing confidentiality agreements. His final advice is to choose the partner carefully. He noted that at this stage the technology is so nascent and early that one needs to invest in the team over the brand or the company. For smaller forwarders, the useful AI story may not be a future where the local operator disappears, but one where the operator responds faster and prices more intelligently.

https://www.indexbox.io/blog/ai-in-freight-forwarding-starboards-approach-to-smarter-quoting/

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Global Railway Supply Chain Round-Up: Partnerships, Innovation, and Expansion

June 19th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

A round-up of recent developments in the global railway supply chain has been published by Railway Gazette.

Indian Partnerships and Filtration Innovation Skylark Drones and e2E Rail, both based in India, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement covers the potential use of AI-powered asset intelligence, geospatial technologies, and digital infrastructure monitoring for railway projects. The companies plan to assess aerial surveillance and corridor monitoring to enhance infrastructure visibility across rail networks and construction sites. They will also examine LiDAR and photogrammetry-based mapping for high-accuracy infrastructure intelligence.

IMI’s Industrial Automation manufacturing facility in Noida, India, has created a three-stage air filtration system. The system was developed in response to a customer request and is designed to protect sensitive locomotive equipment from water, dust, and debris while maintaining reliability and ease of maintenance. A test rig was built to simulate real locomotive airflow, allowing testing to ISO 5011 standards. IMI reports that the system offers a 20% lower pressure drop than competing products, a design life exceeding 30 years, and durability against salt spray for 960 hours.

German Electrification Expansion

German electrification contractor Rail Power Systems has established a wholly-owned subsidiary named TwinRail. TwinRail acquired all assets and staff of Road & Rail Service, effective June 1. This move expands Rail Power Systems’ portfolio to include rail transport of construction materials to and from sites, shunting operations at worksites, stations, and industrial sidings, as well as consultancy services in railway operations. TwinRail’s fleet consists of three road-rail Unimogs and a three-way aerial work platform.

Alstom and EDC Renew Agreement

Alstom and Export Development Canada have renewed their 2023 Sustainable Corporate Partnership agreement for an additional three years. The partners plan to support projects in both developed and emerging markets. They will explore opportunities for Alstom to invest in large-scale contracts that maximize Canadian content and support economic growth by addressing working capital needs and scaling-up opportunities for local suppliers. On June 8, Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu commented that the agreement unlocks export opportunities and supports Canadian suppliers, including Indigenous procurement, while bringing Canadian expertise to the global stage.

Door Manufacturer Merger

Train door manufacturer Bode and bus door counterpart Ventura Systems have merged. The deal is backed by Waterland Private Equity, which acquired Bode from the Schaltbau Group. Ventura Systems was advised by Altum Corporate Finance, which noted that original equipment manufacturers and public transport operators increasingly prefer specialist partners with financial strength, technical depth, and a global service network for multi-year programs. The combination of Bode and Ventura is a direct response to that trend.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

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Descartes Releases Global Shipping Report on Strait of Hormuz Disruption

June 19th, 2026 Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy, Global Trade Intelligence at Descartes Leave a comment

U.S. Imports from Hormuz-Affected Ports Collapse in May as Strait Closure Hits Key Commodity Flows

Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, released a special June Global Shipping Report examining the impact of the Strait of Hormuz disruption on U.S. maritime imports. Total U.S. imports departing from Hormuz-affected ports1 fell from 1.5M metric tons in May 2025 to just 100,591 metric tons in May 2026, a decline of 93.2% year over year. The decline was far larger than the typical monthly swings observed over the prior 12 months. From May 2025 through February 2026, year-over-year changes ranged from a decline of 27.7% to an increase of 26.2%. March and April showed deeper declines of 33.0% and 34.7%, respectively, suggesting that import flows may have already been weakening before the full impact of the closure appeared in the data.

Figure 1. Total U.S. Maritime Imports Departing Hormuz-Affected Ports (Metric Tons)

Mineral fuels were largest source of lost volume.

The Harmonized System (HS) category most affected was Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils and Products of Their Distillation (HS27), the primary trade category for energy-related commodities (including crude oil and refined petroleum products, as well as petroleum gases such as LNG and propane, petroleum coke, bitumen, lubricating oils, and other mineral fuel products). HS27 imports from Hormuz-affected ports fell from 1.1M metric tons in May 2025 to 80,878 metric tons in May 2026, a decline of 92.8% (see Figure 2). This represented the largest volume decline among the major HS2 categories analyzed, accounting for more than 1.0M metric tons of lost import volume.

During the same month, total U.S. HS27 imports declined from 19.3 million metric tons in May 2025 to 16.4 million metric tons in May 2026, a decrease of 15.2%, representing nearly 3 million metric tons of lost import volume. Given the simultaneous 92.8% collapse in imports departing from Hormuz-affected ports, the data suggests the Strait of Hormuz disruption had a measurable impact on U.S. fuel import volumes. Although the decline in total U.S. imports was less severe than the decline observed through Gulf ports, the reduction was still substantial and highlights the strategic importance of the region to global energy supply chains.

Figure 2: Year-over-year HS27 U.S. Imports for Hormuz-Affected Ports

“May 2026 import data offers the clearest evidence so far of the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure on U.S. trade flows,” said Jackson Wood, Director of Industry Strategy at Descartes. “While the decline was broad-based across mineral fuels, fertilizers, refined petroleum products, crude oil, and aluminum transiting the Strait, the broader U.S. import impact varied by product category. For supply chain professionals, trade data provides an important lens to monitor the situation as it evolves in order to better understand routing risk, supplier exposure, and the potential downstream impact of maritime disruptions.”

To learn more about the analysis and its implications for global supply chains, visit Descartes’ Global Shipping Resource Center.

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IGC Warns Strait of Hormuz Reopening Won’t Quickly Normalize Shipping

June 18th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

The International Grains Council (IGC) has cautioned that even if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, a rapid return to normal shipping patterns is improbable, and carriers are expected to stay wary. According to the IGC, the strait’s reopening will not instantly restore regular operations because minesweeping and clearing the accumulation of vessels that gathered in the Persian Gulf during the halt are necessary.

The United States and Iran are anticipated to formally sign a preliminary agreement on June 19, which would stop hostilities between the two nations and reopen the strait. Trade movement through the waterway has been interrupted for several months. Under normal conditions, the passage handles roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil and LNG and one-third of its fertilizer, but current traffic stands at under 10% of its typical volume.

Alexander Karavaytsev, senior economist at the IGC, stated that a modest uptick in traffic should be anticipated within days of the opening, but the timeline for full normalization remains very uncertain and might not happen until shippers regain complete confidence. He pointed out that the disruptions in the Red Sea and Suez Canal demonstrate that shipping patterns can stay below historical averages for years.

Vessel owners will require confirmation that transit is not just feasible but also secure, Karavaytsev said. Some may hold off until the peace accord is implemented and the final agreement is reached before deploying ships. Elevated risk insurance premiums are also expected to continue, possibly postponing a complete recovery to pre-crisis cargo volumes.

After the strait reopens, energy shipments will probably receive precedence, followed by dry bulk and container trades, including grain and oilseed imports. The Gulf region entered the disruption with fairly ample grain and oilseed inventories due to robust import programs earlier in the year, Karavaytsev noted. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also effectively rerouted cargoes to alternative pathways after the disruption, especially Red Sea ports and Fujairah, lessening the urgency to return to Persian Gulf ports.

In late April, Saudi Arabia bought nearly 1 million tonnes of wheat for delivery to Red Sea ports from June through August. Furthermore, domestic wheat harvests in Iran and Iraq are expected to curb nearby wheat import needs. The primary effect of the strait restrictions was on input markets. Fertilizer costs rose, potentially prompting some farmers to lower application rates. Higher crude oil prices also drove up marine fuel expenses, freight rates, and agricultural operating costs, Karavaytsev said. The strait’s reopening now will partly aid farmers with this year’s harvest, he said.

Fertilizer supply chains will require time to recover, and delayed shipments still need to be transported and distributed. For much of the Northern Hemisphere, fertilizer applications for the 2026-27 crop have already been finished, and input costs are mostly fixed. Improved availability and lower prices would be more significant for Southern Hemisphere crops, including late top-dress applications for wheat and South American maize and soybean crops planted from September.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

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Geopolitics, Decarbonisation, and Digitalisation Reshape Shipping and Ports

June 18th, 2026 IndexBox Leave a comment

Geopolitical tensions, the push for decarbonisation, the rise of digitalisation, and stricter energy efficiency standards are driving a fundamental transformation in the maritime sector. This was the consensus at a joint press conference held today for SMM 2026, the MS&D Conference & Expo, and ALL ABOUT PORTS, where top figures from industry, shipping, ports, and maritime bodies examined the main hurdles and prospects ahead. Participants concurred that the sector’s transition hinges on much deeper cooperation across the entire field.

Ports Evolving into Strategic Centres

Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress, noted that the most promising developments are now appearing at the boundaries between different fields rather than within them. He pointed out that SMM, the MS&D Conference & Expo, and ALL ABOUT PORTS together provide a platform in Hamburg for examining these shifts from multiple angles. While SMM places the major future challenges of the maritime industry at the forefront, the MS&D Conference & Expo concentrates on pressing matters in maritime security and defence. ALL ABOUT PORTS rounds out this offering by emphasising the growing function of ports as future centres for energy, infrastructure, and logistics. Ports are also becoming more prominent in conversations about resilience, energy provision, data networks, and security.

Jens Meier, CEO of Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and patron of ALL ABOUT PORTS, stated that ports have moved beyond their traditional role as mere loading and unloading sites. They are transforming into vital hubs for energy, infrastructure, logistics, and increasingly for data and security. As strategic points where economic competitiveness, energy security, digital infrastructure, and defence preparedness meet, ports need to become more resilient, better connected, and more inventive than ever. The ALL ABOUT PORTS programme covers topics such as ports’ involvement in the energy transition, safeguarding critical infrastructure, digitalising and automating port activities, and approaches for building resilient supply chains and sustainable port growth.

Maritime Shift Becomes an Industrial Task

Pressures on shipping are mounting. Emissions must be cut, operations must be digitalised, and vessels must run more efficiently. Shipyards and maritime suppliers are crafting the technologies needed to meet these goals. Dr Reinhard Luken, Chief Executive Officer of the German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM), remarked that geopolitical forces are reshaping the maritime sector, bringing new markets and technologies. He highlighted that the technological advantage held by Germany and Europe presents significant opportunities for expansion both locally and globally. According to Luken, shipbuilding has become one of the most technology-driven industries worldwide. Alternative propulsion methods, digital vessel management, automation, artificial intelligence, and cyber resilience are now essential for modern ships. At the same time, competitiveness, technological independence, and the ability to innovate are gaining importance for Europe.

Energy Efficiency and Digitalisation Driving Change

Energy efficiency is no longer just an environmental concern; it has turned into a critical factor for competitiveness. Digital tools, automation, and data-driven methods enable operators to manage ships and fleets more effectively while cutting operational expenses. The technologies needed for the maritime transformation are growing more intricate and interdependent, making global cooperation across the entire maritime value chain vital for speeding up the creation of new solutions and bringing them into real-world use. Hauke Schlegel, Managing Director of VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems, observed that the maritime industry is entering an era of deep technological change. Energy efficiency, digitalisation, and automation are revolutionising both shipping and shipbuilding. He added that there is increasing urgency to deliver sustainable, high-performance solutions to the market faster. The required technologies are too complex, and the obstacles too large, for any single company or region to handle alone. Progress relies on international partnerships, knowledge sharing, and joint development of new approaches. Schlegel emphasised that the maritime supply industry is crucial in this shift, acting as a bridge between technology creation, system integration, and industrial application to turn innovations into practical tools. Events like SMM encourage global dialogue and establish the groundwork for moving from technological development to market-ready products more swiftly.

From the viewpoint of international classification societies, geopolitical shifts, regulations, and technological progress are also altering the landscape for investment and fleet planning. Rasmus Stute, Vice President and Area Manager Germany at DNV Maritime, stated that SMM arrives at a pivotal moment for the industry. He pointed to the clear evidence of geopolitics’ significant impact on shipping, affecting both commercial operations and the global regulatory framework. He described the regulatory situation as more of a temporary slowdown than a permanent barrier, underscoring the need to incorporate flexibility into current decisions. Shipowners today face more regulatory demands than ever, while energy efficiency, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies grow in importance. Classification societies have a key role in ensuring that innovations can be deployed safely and in helping firms navigate an increasingly complicated environment.

Resilience Becomes a Key Factor for Global Supply Chains

For shipowners, a central issue is how to maintain dependable supply chains amid rising geopolitical instability. Recent geopolitical crises and interruptions to major trade routes have shown how tightly security, economic performance, and supply chain dependability are linked. Silke Lehmkoster, Managing Director Fleet at Hapag-Lloyd AG, explained that from a shipowner’s perspective, innovation is only valuable if it functions in daily operations. The necessary technologies must boost efficiency, enhance safety, and support commercially viable decarbonisation. They should also improve living and working conditions for seafarers, who operate these systems day in and day out. She added that recent geopolitical events have demonstrated that resilience is now a key competitive advantage for global supply chains, making collaboration across the maritime industry more critical than ever.

The discussions at the press conference revealed how tightly the main challenges confronting the maritime industry are now interwoven—spanning energy efficiency and digitalisation to maritime security and the evolving role of ports as centres for energy, infrastructure, and logistics.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd Resume Suez Canal Transit Under Gemini Cooperation

Strait of Hormuz Developments

Container Rate Surge

Tanker Rate Decline

German Electrification Expansion

Alstom and EDC Renew Agreement

Door Manufacturer Merger

Ports Evolving into Strategic Centres

Maritime Shift Becomes an Industrial Task

Energy Efficiency and Digitalisation Driving Change

Resilience Becomes a Key Factor for Global Supply Chains

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