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Describing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz as an “incredibly dynamic environment”, Jos Standerwick, head of membership at the Baltic Exchange, yesterday sought to clarify a landscape that has “trapped 1,000+ vessels” and threatens the safety of thousands of seafarers. Moderating a webinar co-hosted with Maritime London, Standerwick first introduced Saleem Khan, chief data …

Chinese corn imports declined to approximately 3.8M mt in 2025, down from 8.4M mt in 2024. Of this, around 2.5M mt originated from Brazil (Panamax: ~2.0M mt vs. 1.78M mt in 2024), while imports from the U.S. totaled 169k mt (Panamax: ~153k mt vs. 1.36M mt in 2024). This contraction aligns with China’s policy direction …

The ship recycling market had a mixed week in terms of its 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 experienced a slight slowdown this week as the strengthening U.S. dollar has made purchases more expensive for local buyers, resulting in …

Shipping companies must improve how they collect, structure and use operational data if they are to remain competitive in an increasingly regulated and digital operating environment, according to new research from Lloyd’s Register (LR) and OneOcean. The report, Mastering maritime data for competitive advantage, launched today (18 March) at the Smart Maritime Network Conference in …

“During the first 11 weeks of 2026, bauxite shipments have surged 16% y/y, driven by strong Chinese demand for Guinean cargoes. Guinean bauxite has remained highly competitive, accounting for 79% of shipments and pushing non-Guinean bauxite shipments down 3% y/y. Bauxite has been one of the fastest growing dry bulk commodities, growing 10% on average …

The tanker market could be headed towards a new normal, significantly higher than the pre-Iran war period, but sill stable, compared to the wild volatility of the past couple of weeks. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “the conflict in the Arabian Gulf has rapidly evolved from a geopolitical shock into a …

Tensions in the Gulf have been escalating for nearly two weeks, culminating most recently in U.S. strikes on military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary crude export terminal. In parallel with disruptions to export flows, Gulf producers have announced production curtailments of approximately 10 million barrels per day, equivalent to around 5 VLCC cargoes per …

Recent events in Iran and the Middle East have sent shockwaves through Tanker markets, with conditions rapidly shifting into uncharted territory. The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of global oil exports pass, now sits at the centre of the crisis, with several commercial vessels including VLCCs idling as masters deem approach to the …

The dry bulk market could be facing a shortage of grain stocks over the next few months, which could have a negative impact on demand. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal said that “as the situation in the Middle East unfolds, with ongoing hostilities and energy markets dominating the headlines, the ripple effects of …

The dry bulk market entered 2026 with a stronger-than-expected start. January rates came in well above seasonal norms across all vessel classes, a strong early signal for the year ahead. Despite structural headwinds, China’s economic slowdown, a coal trade decline, and lingering trade policy uncertainty, shifting trade patterns appear to be reshaping commodity flows supporting …