Between 17 and 23 May 2026, global shipping ran on four clocks: Trump halted Iran strikes, Brent dropped 5%, the BDI rally reversed, tankers softened, and containers climbed into an early peak
The Trump–Xi summit became historic precisely because almost nothing happened, exposing a transformed balance of power and challenging the increasingly ritualistic misuse of the so-called “Thucydides Trap”
Steve Bannon warned that future geopolitical conflicts will center on control of sea routes, highlighting U.S.–China rivalry, strategic maritime zones, and Greece’s key role in global shipping
