Decks and Deals Weekly #37
The week of March 22–28, 2026 reshaped global shipping as Hormuz turned into a toll-controlled chokepoint, tanker markets split sharply, and geopolitical shocks from Ukraine to Yemen redrew the map of risk
The week of March 22–28, 2026 reshaped global shipping as Hormuz turned into a toll-controlled chokepoint, tanker markets split sharply, and geopolitical shocks from Ukraine to Yemen redrew the map of risk
Between 8 and 14 March 2026, the tanker market set confirmed all-time rate records, Greek-owned ships took direct hits in two separate war zones, and the IEA launched its largest-ever emergency oil release
In a move of calculated audacity, Greek shipowner George Prokopiou sent five tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. This high-stakes operation reveals the very DNA of Greek shipping dominance
Washington has unveiled the Maritime Action Plan to reclaim control of global shipping. The strategy is bold, the framing is national security—and the industrial base it relies on barely exists
During the week of 15–21 February 2026, global shipping was reshaped by Hapag-Lloyd’s $4.2bn ZIM bid, Hormuz tensions, surging tanker rates, container overcapacity, Ukrainian port strikes, and bold Greek newbuilding orders
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
The global shipping outlook for 2026 is a masterclass in self-sabotage. After years of record profits, the industry has enthusiastically ordered enough new ships to guarantee a spectacular collapse in freight rates, creating chaos
From January 11–17, 2026, the global shipping market priced in fragile calm while bracing for conflict, as Maersk returned to the Red Sea amid rising geopolitical risk and swelling orderbooks
The first week of January 2026 exposed an illusion in global shipping: spot container rates jumped, but short-term discipline masks structural oversupply, rising regulatory costs, and geopolitical risk, leaving downside heavier than upside
Global shipping 2026 is shaping up as a year of controlled anxiety, where executives speak softly, watch capacity closely, distrust geopolitics deeply, and quietly fear that markets may punish complacency faster than strategy can react