The Strait of Hormuz closure halted at least 150 tankers, paused Gulf terminal operations and forced carriers to suspend bookings and reroute vessels, driving delays and higher war-risk costs.
All 16 crewmembers were rescued after Sealloyd Arc issued a distress call and sank off Phuket. Authorities are containing an oil slick, recovering floating containers, and planning salvage.
Maersk orders eight 18,600 TEU vessels at New Times Shipbuilding, with delivery in 2029–2030 and dual-fuel engines for flexible deployment.
Maersk’s ocean unit posted an EBIT loss of $153 million in Q4 2025 and plans 1,000 layoffs in 2026 as carriers face weaker freight rates and rising capacity.
A UK court convicted the Solong captain on 2 February over a fatal allision with the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate on 10 March 2025. Sentencing is reported for 5 February.
With security conditions improving in the Red Sea, Maersk has run a second test voyage via Bab el-Mandeb on its MECL service, while CMA CGM is so far the only carrier to restore a full INDAMEX loop through Suez.
BIMCO reports that Suez Canal traffic in the first week of 2026 was only about 40% of the 2023 level, roughly 100 days after the last Houthi attack, with container ship transits still down 86% in late 2025.
The FMC is seeking additional comments as it investigates Spain’s Algeciras denials of US-flagged Maersk vessels in November 2024 and weighs possible countermeasures.
The Suez Canal on Tuesday saw CMA CGM JACQUES SAADE transit for the first time in two years, alongside MAERSK SEBAROK, as major liner routings begin to return.
