Decks and Deals Weekly #42
Between 3 and 9 May 2026, global shipping markets digested a hardening Hormuz blockade, the Ocean Koi seizure, US-Iran live-fire exchanges, an Israeli counter-bid for ZIM, and a BDI rally through 3,000
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GLOBAL SHIPPING
Decks and Deals Weekly #41
Between 26 April and 2 May 2026, global shipping markets confronted a hardening Hormuz blockade, MEPC 84 talks in London, the UAE’s surprise exit from OPEC+, and Hapag-Lloyd’s shareholder-cleared takeover bid for ZIM
Return from the Orthodox Christian Easter holidays with an upward trend
The dry bulk market rebounded strongly after Orthodox Easter, with gains across all vessel sizes, based on data from the week that closed on April 17, 2026
Dry bulk pulse: calm seas, hidden currents – rates shift across oceans
Dry bulk markets remained largely stable in the week ending April 2, 2026, with modest gains across most vessel segments and regional divergences shaping a cautiously balanced global freight environment
Decks and Deals Weekly #36
Between 15 and 21 March 2026, global shipping faced its most compressed week of crisis and calculation — war insurance at 5%, a collapsed record fixture, a proxy fight, and Trump walking away from Hormuz
Shockwaves from the Gulf: Dr. Stavros Karamperidis on shipping disruption and the new energy risk
Dr. Stavros Karamperidis, Associate Professor of Maritime Economics and Head of the Maritime Transport Research Group, analyses how escalating tensions in the Gulf could disrupt shipping markets, energy flows, and global supply chains
Navigating turbulence: Ultramax & Handysize markets in a volatile global shipping landscape
Global dry bulk markets faced rising volatility in the week ending 6 March 2026, as fuel shortages, Middle East tensions, and shifting cargo flows reshaped freight dynamics for Ultramax and Handysize vessels
Decks and Deals Weekly #34
The week of March 1–7, 2026, handed global shipping its most disruptive seven days in decades: the Strait of Hormuz closed, tanker rates shattered records, and insurers quietly finished what the missiles started
Navigating geopolitical tempests: Shipping in an era of escalation
As tensions rise in the Gulf, global shipping once again stands at the frontline of geopolitics, where energy flows, financial markets, and maritime strategy converge in a fragile balance shaped by risk and resilience
Decks and Deals Weekly #31
Between 8–14 February 2026, the global shipping industry showcased a stark dichotomy: a record-breaking surge in newbuild orders, primarily in tankers, confronted the grim reality of looming overcapacity and falling freight rates