1. Crucial climate negotiations at the IMO – now is the time to deliver. “Sailing using green fuels must be cheaper compared to using traditional fossil fuels. The agreement must include a model that reduces emissions from shipping and significantly narrows the price gap between green and fossil fuels. This will also send a very clear signal to investors and producers that it’s time to get moving on scaling up green fuel production in a big way,” said Anne H. Steffensen, CEO of Danish Shipping.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/11/danish-shipping-crucial-climate-negotiations-at-the-imo-now-is-the-time-to-deliver/
2. FOLK Maritime purchases second vessel M/V Folk Jazan, to expand regional maritime connectivity. Folk Maritime Services Company, a PIF company and one of the region’s emerging leaders in providing regional liner and feeder services, announced the official purchase of its second owned vessel, M/V Folk Jazan. Registered at Jeddah Islamic Port, this acquisition marks a significant leap forward in strengthening regional maritime connectivity and solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as a global logistics powerhouse. M/V Folk Jazan has initiated operational deployment in the company’s routes throughout the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/11/folk-maritime-purchases-second-vessel-m-v-folk-jazan-to-expand-regional-maritime-connectivity/
3. NYK concludes contract for construction and charter of Dual-fuel Methanol VLCC for Idemitsu Tanker. On April 4th, NYK concluded a contract for the construction and charter of a very large crude oil carrier (VLCC) (hereafter, the “Vessel”) equipped with a main engine that can use methanol as a next-generation fuel. The vessel, which will feature a large shaft generator, will be constructed by Nippon Shipyard Co., Ltd. (Nippon Shipyard) and engaged in a long-term charter for Idemitsu Tanker Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu Tanker).
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/11/nyk-concludes-contract-for-construction-and-charter-of-dual-fuel-methanol-vlcc-for-idemitsu-tanker/
4. MSC launches new container line between the Port of Gothenburg and Asia. A new container service with direct traffic between the Port of Gothenburg and Asia is now launched by MSC, the world’s largest container shipping company. Every week, MSC vessels with a capacity of over 15,000 TEU will transport goods between the Port of Gothenburg and ports in China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
https://cyprusshippingnews.com/2025/04/11/msc-launches-new-container-line-between-the-port-of-gothenburg-and-asia/
5. World’s largest ECA to stretch from Portugal to Greenland. At this week’s Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting held at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the world’s biggest emission control area (ECA) has been agreed upon. The new Northeast Atlantic ECA, due by 2027, stretches along coastlines from Portugal to Greenland (see map below), joining existing nearby ECAs in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean.
https://splash247.com/worlds-largest-eca-to-stretch-from-portugal-to-greenland/
6. Uptick in blank sailings as US and China trade tariff blows. Global supply chain managers are having to contend with more blanked container sailings as the world’s top two economies show no sign of giving ground in an escalating trade war.China responded today to US president Donald Trump’s cumulative 145% tariffs, placing 125% tariffs on US products, effectively foregoing business between the two countries.
https://splash247.com/uptick-in-blank-sailings-as-us-and-china-trade-tariff-blows/
7. US targets UAE-based Indian in latest Iranian sanctions. The Trump administration’s so-called maximum pressure campaign on Iran has turned its attention to Jugwinder Singh Brar, an Indian national based in the United Arab Emirates, who owns the companies Prime Tankers and Glory International.
https://splash247.com/us-targets-uae-based-indian-in-latest-iranian-sanctions/
8. BIMCO Updates War Risk Clauses Amid Red Sea Crisis and Global Maritime Threats. BIMCO, the world’s largest shipping association and one of the primary providers of standardized contracts and charter party agreements used in the maritime industry, has announced significant updates to its War Risk Clauses for 2025 in response to escalating geopolitical challenges and ongoing maritime security concerns.
https://gcaptain.com/bimco-updates-war-risk-clauses-amid-red-sea-crisis-and-global-maritime-threats/
9. Taiwan Charges Captain of Chinese Cable Cutter. Taiwan prosecutors on Friday for the first time charged a Chinese ship captain with intentionally damaging undersea cables off the island in February, after a rise in sea cable malfunctions alarmed Taiwan officials amid tensions with China.
https://gcaptain.com/taiwan-charges-captain-of-chinese-cable-cutter/
10. Tariff Turbulence Tests Container Markets, But Spot Rates Hold Firm. Despite the huge uncertainty US tariffs have injected into container supply chains, and its potentially schizophrenic effect on demand, spot freight rates this week remained relatively strong. Despite widespread reports of booking cancellations and suspensions on trades into the US, Drewry’s World Container Index (WCI), which records rates paid in the past week, saw marginal gains on almost every east-west trading route.
https://gcaptain.com/tariff-turbulence-tests-container-markets-but-spot-rates-hold-firm/