Port Watch

Global Trade Monitor | Ports, Shipping & Geopolitics ⚓🌍

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

🚢📦 Logistics never sleeps.

Follow @PortWatchman for the latest global port & trade updates! #Shipping #Ports #Trade

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

MSC Cruises & German shipbuilder MEYER WERFT are close to finalizing a major order for 4 next-gen cruise ships (with options for 2 more).
Each ~180,000 GT vessel will carry up to 5,400 passengers. Deliveries start 2030.⚓🛳️

Follow @PortWatchman for more maritime news

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

MV Dan — a Tanzanian-flagged 99m general cargo ship (4,900 dwt, built 1985) has been beached on Nyali Beach, Mombasa Kenya, since May 17. It drifted off course en route from Tanga, Tanzania.

Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) says hull is intact with no leaks so far. Crew is safe, and round-the-clock security is in place. Refloating is scheduled for ~July 13 during favorable tides, coordinated with owners & salvors.

The vessel had safety deficiencies noted in a 2025 inspection (navigation, fire safety, watertight doors).

Follow @PortWatchman for port & maritime updates

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

CMA CGM successfully moved its ultra-large containership Galapagos (15k+ TEU) out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
It used the northern Iranian corridor and is now anchored off Oman, heading to China.
Dozens of other vessels are still trapped — but some are making the risky transit. ⚓🌊
Hormuz tensions continue to disrupt global shipping.
Follow @PortWatchman for supply chain updates.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Maersk has confirmed that its vessel Maersk Baltimore and a time-chartered vessel have safely exited the Persian Gulf after transiting the Strait of Hormuz without incident on June 24-25.
The carrier now has three vessels remaining in the Gulf and plans one more transit later. The remaining operational vessels will continue serving intra-Gulf routes.
Maersk continues to monitor the security situation closely.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Russian warship RFS Admiral Grigorovich has been spotted in the English Channel escorting "dark fleet" tankers carrying Russian oil.
UK & France have been seizing sanctioned vessels ⚓🌊

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

🇫🇷France has seized a tanker linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet”.
The vessel (Deliver) was intercepted near Sicily while heading to the Suez Canal on June 25, 2026. It was operating under a Cameroonian flag that had been cancelled weeks earlier.
This is the fourth such seizure by France this year as European countries step up efforts to enforce sanctions on Russian oil transport.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

CMA CGM has rolled out new FAK rates & Peak Season Surcharges (PSS) on key routes:
Med to Middle East Gulf: $6,100–$6,700/20ft, $6,300–$6,900/40ft (from 6 July)
Med to Red Sea: $2,100–$3,200/20ft (from 6 July)
PSS of $100–$200 on Med-ME/Red Sea from 8 July
Other surcharges hitting India–South America & China–Madagascar soon.
Shipping costs rising again as peak season builds. ⚓📈

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

US & Iran have agreed to halt strikes again.
Technical talks set for Tuesday in Doha, Qatar focused on Strait of Hormuz passage rules for commercial ships.

The announcement comes just one hour before US stock market & oil futures reopen. A fragile de-escalation after weekend tensions. ⚓🌍

One misstep here ripples to global energy prices & trade.

Follow @PortWatchman for chokepoint updates.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Tragedy in Saudi Arabia: Aramco helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura this morning, killing all 14 on board (all Saudi citizens).
Ras Tanura is home to one of the world's major oil refineries & export terminals.
Aramco had just resumed crude loading there after a 4-month pause due to regional tensions.
Investigations underway. Thoughts with the families. ⚓🕊️

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

@cptdankkk If the whole basis of AI is 'people no longer need to think' we're heading for civilizational collapse.
Human thinking is the architectures of modern day civilisation and if we leave that to computing then why live?

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Direct commercial flights between Tehran and Dubai are set to resume from July 1.
The route had been suspended due to regional airspace restrictions during the recent conflict. Ticket sales have now restarted.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

A projectile has hit the bridge of an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, June 27.
The incident occurred northwest of Oman around 8 AM UTC.
The vessel sustained damage to the bridge, but all crew are reported safe with no environmental damage so far, according to UKMTO.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Maersk has confirmed that its vessel Maersk Baltimore and a time-chartered vessel have safely exited the Persian Gulf after transiting the Strait of Hormuz without incident on June 24-25.
The carrier now has three vessels remaining in the Gulf and plans one more transit later. The remaining operational vessels will continue serving intra-Gulf routes.
Maersk continues to monitor the security situation closely.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

The global shipping industry currently employs 2.57 million seafarers on the world’s 85,148 merchant ships.
A new BIMCO-ICS report warns that by 2030 the industry will need an additional 114,000 certified officers to keep pace with fleet growth.
There is already a current shortage of 39,100 officers.
The industry will need to recruit around 22,747 new officers every year through 2030.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

🇫🇷France has seized a tanker linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet”.
The vessel (Deliver) was intercepted near Sicily while heading to the Suez Canal on June 25, 2026. It was operating under a Cameroonian flag that had been cancelled weeks earlier.
This is the fourth such seizure by France this year as European countries step up efforts to enforce sanctions on Russian oil transport.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

🚨Update: The captain of the seized tanker has been charged.
38-year-old Indian national Ajay Pant faces charges for allegedly supplying Russian oil in violation of UK sanctions. He is scheduled to appear in Southampton Magistrates’ Court today (June 16).
The investigation continues, with the 24 crew members (mostly Indian and Georgian) still on board. ⚓

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

CMA CGM has announced several new surcharges across key trade lanes, effective in July 2026.

A Hazardous Surcharge of US$500 per TEU on hazardous cargo from the Far East to the Indian Ocean, South Africa and East Africa (effective 1 July).
Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) of US$200 per container on dry cargo from North Europe to the Middle East, Red Sea and Indian Subcontinent (effective 1 July).
PSS of US$200 per container on dry cargo from West/East Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black Sea and North Africa to India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (effective 1 July).
PSS of US$500 per container on all cargo from the Indian Subcontinent to North Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa (effective 15 July).

CMA CGM said the surcharges support its efforts to maintain reliable and efficient services across its global network. 📦⚓

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

BREAKING: IMO Pauses Strait of Hormuz Evacuation Plan After Cargo Ship Attack
The UN’s International Maritime Organization has halted the evacuation of over 11,000 stranded sailors following an attack on the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely.

Ship was struck by unknown projectile ~7.5 nautical miles southeast of Oman’s Dahit port
No casualties; vessel continued transit via southern route
Attack occurred outside the official IMO evacuation framework
Hundreds of ships remain stranded in the Gulf since February. Safety guarantees now required before resuming operations

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

BREAKING: A Singapore-flagged container ship (Ever Lovely, operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen) was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, sustaining damage to the bridge 13.9 km southeast of Oman’s Dahit port, per UKMTO.

No casualties or environmental impact reported. The ship’s owner, Evergreen, has not yet commented.
This comes hours after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned against using the southern corridor. Authorities are investigating.

#Shipping #StraitOfHormuz

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Iran is planning to charge fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to generate up to $40 billion per year.
The proposal includes charges for security, safety, and environmental services. Iran is discussing the idea with Gulf countries and China.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

BREAKING: A Singapore-flagged container ship (Ever Lovely, operated by Taiwan-based Evergreen) was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, sustaining damage to the bridge 13.9 km southeast of Oman’s Dahit port, per UKMTO.

No casualties or environmental impact reported. The ship’s owner, Evergreen, has not yet commented.
This comes hours after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned against using the southern corridor. Authorities are investigating.

#Shipping #StraitOfHormuz

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Shipping rates for oil tankers have spiked sharply in the Persian Gulf.
Sinokor (a major South Korean tanker operator) has booked a vessel to carry oil from the Gulf to India at 900% of the normal benchmark rate, meaning the cost is nearly 9 times higher than the standard rate for that route.
This is the highest rate seen this year and reflects a shortage of available tankers as more oil starts flowing again after the ceasefire.

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Multiple loaded Iranian oil tankers have just left the port of Chabahar and successfully crossed the US blockade line in the Strait of Hormuz without being stopped.
This is according to real-time AIS tracking data from @MarineTraffic
The departures come as the US reportedly begins allowing Iranian oil to flow back into the global market ahead of the peace deal signing. ⚓🛢️

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

The UK is sending specialist mine hunting equipment and experts to the Middle East to help make the Strait of Hormuz safe again for commercial shipping.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Lyme Bay arrived carrying advanced autonomous mine-hunting systems and over 100 Royal Navy specialists.
This is part of a larger multinational effort (involving the UK, France, and others) to clear mines and restore confidence so normal trade can resume through this vital waterway. ⚓🛢️
#Shipping #StraitOfHormuz

[Port Watch @PortWatchman]

Transits through the Strait of Hormuz hit a 2-month high on 18 June, with 25 vessels passing — the highest since mid-April.
This follows the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, but traffic is still far below normal levels (pre-conflict average ~110 per day).
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority has also released procedures for ships to apply for passage permits (48 hours in advance) via the northern route.
More normal shipping is gradually returning, but uncertainty remains. ⚓🛢️
#StraitOfHormuz #Shipping