This category covers the latest developments in the ports and shipping sector, including maritime transport, vessel charters, shipping agreements, port operations, and logistics. It features news on commercial shipping activities, low-carbon and alternative fuel vessels, global trade movements, and strategic partnerships shaping the maritime industry. The section highlights how ports and shipping contribute to international trade, energy transport, and the transition toward sustainable and efficient maritime operations.
Hong Kong’s commerce chief summoned the Panamanian Consul General in the city on Friday to protest a court ruling that annulled CK Hutchison’s contract to operate two ports at the Panama Canal. The move follows warnings from China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office that Panama could face “heavy prices” over the decision.
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Kongsberg Maritime has been selected by Consórcio Marenova to design and equip four methanol- and ethanol-ready handy-size product tanker newbuilds for Petrobras Transporte (Transpetro), strengthening Brazil’s fleet renewal and future-fuel shipping capabilities. The vessels will be constructed by Consórcio Marenova, a joint venture between Ecovix in Rio Grande and MacLaren in Niterói, and will be operated by Transpetro.
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Dockworkers across Italy disrupted port operations after unionized labor staged a 24-hour strike protesting the alleged “militarization” of ports and the handling of arms and military cargo, forcing several container ships to remain offshore or divert to alternative anchorages. Reports indicate that vessels operated by ZIM and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company were among those affected.
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China has instructed its state-owned firms to pause negotiations on new projects in Panama following the Central American nation’s decision to nullify CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.’s contract to operate two strategic ports along the Panama Canal. The directive comes amid Beijing’s growing response to Panama’s move, which it views as influenced by U.S. interests.
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Port workers at Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port have launched an indefinite strike in protest against the decision to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to foreign terminal operators, including UAE-based DP World.
The non-stop work stoppage is being led under the banner of the Chittagong Port Protection Struggle Council, which opposes the handover of NCT management to a foreign entity. According to the council, the strike has brought port operations to a standstill.
Italy’s port operations are set for disruption as dockworkers prepare for a nationwide strike on February 6, 2026, raising concerns across the European maritime and logistics sectors.
The Genoa-based grassroots dockworkers’ union Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) has announced a 24-hour international general strike that will involve port workers and the wider maritime sector at ports throughout Italy. The planned action is expected to affect cargo handling, vessel turnaround times, and related port services, potentially creating delays in regional supply chains.
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port) and the Tamil Nadu government have teamed up to create a large-scale shipbuilding and heavy industries hub in Tuticorin (Thoothukudi), marking a major boost for India’s domestic maritime manufacturing sector.
The partnership has been formalized through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) named National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, Tamil Nadu, structured as a 50:50 joint venture between VOC Port and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT).
Container Corporation of India Ltd. (CONCOR), the Navratna public sector logistics leader, has announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ending December 31, 2025. The Board of Directors approved the unaudited standalone and consolidated results and declared a robust interim dividend, highlighting the company’s continued strength in India’s multimodal logistics sector.
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Danish shipping giant Maersk will take temporary control of two key Panama Canal ports after Panama’s Supreme Court ruled contracts held by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison were unconstitutional.
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) confirmed on Friday that APM Terminals, part of the Maersk Group, will serve as the “temporary administrator” for the Balboa and Cristobal ports, located at either end of the canal. CK Hutchison’s subsidiary, Panama Ports Company (PPC), had managed these ports since 1997 under a concession extended in 2021 for 25 years.
PSA Singapore and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) have entered into a strategic collaboration to establish a joint venture roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal in Singapore, marking a major step toward strengthening global automobile logistics and enhancing terminal service quality.
The partnership brings together PSA Singapore, operator of the world’s largest container transhipment hub, and MOL, one of Japan’s leading shipping companies, to jointly manage Ro-Ro terminal operations. By combining their respective strengths, the two companies aim to unlock operational synergies and support long-term growth in automobile transportation.
OceanScore has been appointed as the new administrator of the Environmental Ship Index (ESI), taking over the role with effect from 1 January 2026, following an announcement by the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH). The move marks a significant step in strengthening one of the shipping industry’s most widely used environmental incentive schemes.
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Stonepeak has committed US$2.4 billion to acquire a minority stake in a portfolio of 10 major container terminals operated by CMA CGM, marking one of the largest recent infrastructure investments in the global port sector. Under the agreement, CMA CGM and Stonepeak will establish a US-based joint venture, United Ports LLC, through which the terminals will be held.
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Galveston LNG Bunker Port has entered into a strategic partnership with TOTE Services to develop and operate a dedicated fleet of Jones Act–compliant LNG bunker vessels serving the US Gulf Coast. The collaboration is aimed at supporting Galveston LNG Bunker Port’s planned small-scale LNG bunkering facility, which is being positioned as the first dedicated LNG bunkering terminal on the US Gulf Coast.
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Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is returning to the mid-sized containership market with a newbuilding order at China’s Yangzhou Guoyu Shipyard. Market sources report that the world’s largest container line has signed firm contracts for at least two conventionally fuelled 5,000 TEU vessels, with some brokers suggesting the agreement could include up to five ships, including options.
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Interasia Lines proudly announced that INTERASIA ENGAGE made her maiden call for the KCI service at the Port of Incheon on January 14, 2026. The welcome ceremony was successfully held with attendance from President Lee of the Incheon Port Authority, the CEO of Hanjin Incheon Terminal, valued local partners, and Jerry Hsieh, Representative of Interasia Lines Korea.
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