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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The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC) has agreed on a draft workplan to develop a comprehensive safety regulatory framework for ships using new technologies and alternative fuels aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The draft workplan will be submitted to the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee at its 111th session (MSC 111) for approval in May 2026.
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Global trade is rarely shaped by rhetoric. It is shaped by tonnage, freight rates, port throughput, invoices, and settlement cycles. Long before political narratives emerge, commercial logic quietly determines outcomes. Financial infrastructure, contrary to popular belief, has almost never led trade; it has consistently followed it. From the gold standard to Bretton Woods, and later the rise of a US-dollar-centric settlement architecture, payment systems evolved in response to where goods flowed and how frequently ships sailed, not the other way around. China’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) should be understood within this historical continuum. It is less a geopolitical declaration than a commercial response to a changing geography of trade. As the Bank for International Settlements has repeatedly observed, payment systems tend to adapt to trade patterns rather than redirect them (BIS, 2022).
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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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Potential redirection of Venezuelan crude oil exports could push tanker shipping rates higher in the near to medium term, as shipments shift from shadow tankers to the mainstream fleet, according to Fitch Ratings. Any similar shift of Iranian oil transportation from shadow tankers to mainstream vessels represents an additional upside risk, while key downside risks include the resumption of transit through the Suez Canal and slowing global economic growth.
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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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Oslo-listed seismic data specialist TGS Geophysical Company has secured an additional Ocean Bottom Node contract in Europe, further strengthening its 2026 order book. The company said its node-on-a-rope crew is scheduled to mobilise in mid-summer, with the project expected to last for approximately 30 days.
According to TGS Geophysical Company, the award comes from a valued repeat customer, and under the contract, the company will deliver high-quality 4D seismic data while providing insights to help the client optimise oil and gas production.
Oslo-listed shipping and logistics group Stolt-Nielsen is evaluating a partial sale of its small-scale LNG subsidiary Avenir LNG, just months after gaining full ownership of the company.
In a filing to the stock exchange, Stolt-Nielsen said its gas shipping arm, Stolt-Nielsen Gas, is currently in discussions with a strategic investor regarding the potential sale of up to 50% of its stake in London-based LNG bunkering operator Avenir LNG.
South Korean shipping giant HMM has taken delivery of the world’s largest pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), marking a new milestone in the rapid evolution of global car shipping. Built by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), the vessel is capable of carrying 10,800 car equivalent units (CEU), the largest capacity ever recorded for a car carrier.
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A key milestone has been achieved in the Horizon Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) programme with the successful delivery and installation of the first Kronos Grand Naval radar at France’s Shore Integration Facility (SIF) in Saint-Mandrier.
The Kronos Grand Naval (KGN) radar, supplied by Leonardo, was shipped and installed at the DGA Shore Integration Facility on 17 December 2025. The installation represents a critical step in the Horizon-MLU cooperative programme, as it enables the start of qualification and acceptance activities for the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) at the SIF over the coming year.
A cargo ship emergency unfolded off Portugal’s central coast after a Dutch-flagged vessel reportedly lost its rudder shortly after departing port, prompting authorities to close the Port of Figueira da Foz and dispatch tug assistance amid rough sea conditions.
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Finnish shortsea shipping company Meriaura has taken another step in its fleet renewal programme by signing a contract to build a new open deck carrier in China, reinforcing its long-term focus on specialised shortsea operations.
The company confirmed that the 6,800 dwt vessel will be constructed at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard and is scheduled for delivery in early 2028. The newbuild will measure 120 metres in length and will be built to 1A ice class with DP2 notation, supporting Meriaura’s strategy of maintaining year-round operability in northern and ice-prone waters.
China’s state owned oil giant PetroChina has directed its traders to halt purchases and trading of Venezuelan crude oil since the United States assumed control of Venezuela’s oil exports earlier this month, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation.
PetroChina, a publicly listed subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), was historically the largest buyer of Venezuelan oil until it stopped imports in early 2019 following U.S. sanctions targeting Venezuela’s oil sector. Its latest decision to refrain from engaging with new Venezuelan crude — at least until further clarity from company leadership — underscores a tightening of supply to Chinese refiners and challenges in global crude trading under shifting geopolitical conditions.
Wan Hai Lines, a leading Taiwanese container carrier, is expanding its presence in Japan with the acquisition of Terminal C9 at Osaka Port for approximately $87 million, aiming to bolster its intra-Asia shipping network and enhance operational control.
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