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
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
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