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The ship recycling market’s sentiment improved last week, despite adverse conditions. In its latest weekly report, Best Oasis (www.best-oasis.com), a leading cash buyer of ships, said that “the Indian ship recycling market witnessed improved activity this week, despite a significant appreciation of the USD. While the stronger dollar continues to place pressure on recyclers, the …

BIMCO’s executives and analysts have weighed in the aftermath of the ceasefire agreement in the Middle East war. More specifically, Chief Safety & Security Officer, Jakob Larsen commented the following: Will ships trapped in the Persian Gulf seek to leave immediately, or will they likely await further clarification of the ceasefire deal? Ships trapped in …

Six weeks into the Iran–US conflict, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered the most significant supply disruption in the modern oil market. Approximately 11 million barrels per day of crude production has been taken offline, export volumes from the Middle East Gulf have fallen from 15 million to an effective 7 million …

The first quarter proved to be on of the strongest in recent years, in terms of S&P deals. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “the first quarter of 2026 delivered one of the most active S&P periods in recent memory, with 351 transactions recorded across tankers and dry bulk, representing a combined …

The escalation of tensions around the Strait of Hormuz has led to one of the most significant disruptions to commercial shipping observed in recent years. Drawing on AXSMarine AIS-derived data combined with commercial datasets, activity observed throughout the month points to a sharp contraction in vessel movements, a significant concentration of tonnage within the Persian …

A seminal shift in how the US utilises maritime sanctions has seen a move away from rigid, long-term policy towards a “deeply pragmatic” and often unpredictable approach designed to stabilise markets in real-time, according to sanctions expert. In a webinar hosted by the Baltic Exchange, Claire McCleskey, co-founder of Clarity Compliance Consulting and former head …

The pressure on the oil and shipping markets from the Hormuz Strait situation could very well remain, long after the war in Iran ends. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “the Strait of Hormuz is no longer simply a chokepoint. It is gradually being reshaped into a controlled corridor where access is …

Escalating Houthi attacks against Israeli targets signal potential maritime sabotage ahead, threatening to reshape global tanker trade flows and introduce significant inefficiencies into an already strained supply chain. We analyse how redirecting crude exports via the Cape of Good Hope could nearly triple tonne-miles out of Yanbu, favor specific tanker benchmarks, and shift clean product …

In 2008, shipping entered unparalleled territory as soaring Chinese demand drove a newbuild demand spike. VLCC valuations skyrocketed to levels never seen before. Yet amid all the volatility, there was no reliable, unbiased data to guide decision-making. The market was flooded with speculation, theoretical projections, and optimistic estimates, but little ground truth. In that environment, …

A stronger dollar has curbed demand for older ships over the past week, but the overall market is showing mixed performance. In its latest weekly report, Best Oasis (www.best-oasis.com), a leading cash buyer of ships said that “the Indian ship recycling market witnessed reduced buying interest this week, primarily due to the significant strengthening of …