Decks and Deals Weekly #47
The week of 21–28 June 2026 delivered a drone strike on a trapped Evergreen vessel, a 39% VLCC rate collapse, container shipping’s third-largest spike in history, and a ceasefire that kept shooting
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MSC
The inheritance of silence: MSC Aponte and the end of strategic neutrality
On 13 April 2026, the Aponte family confirmed what insiders already knew: ownership of the world’s largest container line had formally changed hands. The announcement was brief. The stakes are not
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
COSCO’s $7bn fleet gamble: Power play or overcapacity catalyst?
While the world was distracted, COSCO quietly signed a $7 billion deal for 87 new ships. This colossal move isn’t just about adding vessels; it’s a calculated reconstruction of maritime power—one that could reshape global shipping for a decade
CMA CGM’s strategy: Building an ark while everyone else predicts a drought
While its own CFO, Ramon Fernandez, forecasts a grim 2026 for shipping, CMA CGM is pouring billions into an unprecedented expansion. This is not just business; it’s a high-stakes declaration of strategic intent
Decks and Deals Weekly #18
The global shipping market is sending mixed signals. While container lines brace for a difficult 2026 due to overcapacity, Greek owners are doubling down on LNG, cementing their strategic role in Europe’s energy security
Decks and Deals Weekly #17
MSC hits seven million TEU while Maersk orders $2.3 billion in tonnage. Container rates collapse, tanker markets diverge, and Somali pirates resurface. Global shipping November 2025 delivers drama, deals, and one sobering reality
MSC’s 7M TEU milestone: The dawn of capacity hegemony
The seas now belong to one titan. MSC has crossed the seven-million-TEU threshold—a scale of power no carrier has ever touched. This is not just dominance; it is the reshaping of global trade itself
MSC doubles down on mega ships amid market doubts
Mediterranean Shipping Company orders twenty more ultra-large vessels worth billions, defying prevailing industry sentiment favouring smaller ships. This bold container shipping strategy challenges conventional thinking while competitors embrace feeder vessel flexibility
When port consolidation becomes corporate conquest
MSC’s $23 billion acquisition of CK Hutchison’s port empire represents the most audacious port consolidation in maritime history, fundamentally reshaping global trade infrastructure while raising uncomfortable questions about market dominance