Decks and Deals Weekly #54
During 17–23 October 2026, shipping markets tested diesel margins and Russian fuel diplomacy, while carriers raised container rates and sanctions reached the firms behind the fleet
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SANCTIONS
Decks and Deals Weekly #53
During 10–16 October 2026, shipping markets weighed possible sanctions relief as tanker risks persisted, Capesize earnings fell and container carriers tested their ability to charge more
Decks and Deals Weekly #51
During 26 September–2 October 2026, shipping markets rewarded control of vessels, contracts and access. Cargo recovery brought fresh opportunities, but the gains depended on who could actually deliver
Decks and Deals Weekly #49
In the week ending 18 September, maritime trade revealed its real constraint: access on workable terms. Freight rates, sanctions and investment structures showed who can charge for it
False flags, “phantom” registries and the shadow fleet evading sanctions
The new architecture of maritime illegality: 1,942 shadow-fleet tankers and gas carriers, 57% of sanctioned tonnage with false or unknown flags, and continuous registry changes undermining enforcement, safety, insurance and environmental protection
Venezuelan crude returns — and the tanker market is changing with it
The revival of Venezuelan crude exports is reshaping tanker employment, expanding demand across multiple vessel classes and demonstrating how sanctions policy can rapidly alter global crude trade flows and shipping market dynamics
Posidonia 2026: the visible power and the invisible power
At Posidonia 2026 in Athens, 1–5 June 2026, China sent 200 companies, opened a shipbuilding office and signed contracts. America sent a classification society. The asymmetry was not subtle
The Iran trade routes that U.S. sanctions helped build
Washington calls it maximum pressure. Tehran calls it an opportunity. After four decades of sanctions, Iran has built a parallel trade architecture that is already operational
The Iranian trap: Neither military action nor nuclear negotiations can solve Trump’s (and Israel’s) conundrum
After a failed regime-change strategy and an increasingly risky military buildup, the Trump administration turns back to nuclear negotiations with Iran—yet structural incompatibilities and Israeli opposition render both diplomacy and war perilous options
Decks and Deals Weekly #30
From 31 January to 7 February 2026, global shipping markets confronted structural distortions: collapsing shadow fleets, resilient mid-size tankers, aggressive Chinese-led newbuilding orders, and a widening gap between macro narratives and physical trade reality