Tuesday’s introduction of extra port fees levied by Beijing and Washington, along with this evening’s big vote on the International Maritime Organization Net-Zero Framework, were near constants in terms of headlines in what has been the busiest week of the year for shipping news.
“The weaponisation of both trade and environmental policy signals that shipping has moved from being a neutral conduit of global commerce to a direct instrument of statecraft. For owners and charterers alike, navigating this new regulatory battlefield may soon prove as complex—and as costly—as crossing any ocean,” Greece’s Xclusiv Shipbrokers suggested in its latest weekly report, neatly summarising the situation the business of shipping finds itself in 2025.
In related news, one of Hong Kong’s largest shipowners, Pacific Basin, joined Seaspan in relocating to Singapore to keep the threats from the US at bay.
In terms of shipbuilding, the big news this week came from India, where France’s CMA CGM signed a letter of intent with Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) to build six LNG-powered feeder containerships, marking the first-ever order by a global liner operator at an Indian yard.
Splash has carried many strong Opinion pieces in recent days. To pick just one, our lead columnist’s take on what happens to global shipping when the US dollar starts to slip is highly recommended.
To understand what is at play – and the opposing forces – in London this week at the IMO, check out the latest episode of the Splash Wrap podcast below.
