Drones have struck two cargo ships in the Black Sea, a day after the Ravenna-bound Royad Mammadov sank off Romania. One vessel sank and its crew is missing, while all 18 seafarers aboard the other were rescued after a fire broke out.

The Panama Canal Authority has announced that from 15 October the number of bookable transits through the Neopanamax locks will increase from nine to ten, taking total daily slots to 33. The maximum draught has already been raised to 14.94 metres, although the water deficit in the basin persists.

Drewry’s World Container Index fell 1% to $4,434 per feu, dragged down by Asia-Europe routes, with Shanghai-Genoa down 3%. Golden Week, increased Suez transits and a slight rise in capacity are prompting Drewry to forecast further declines next week.

On the Asia-North Europe route, container shipping capacity scheduled around Golden Week is 60% above pre-pandemic levels, but much of the increase stems from congestion caused by delayed vessels. Sea-Intelligence warns that late blank sailings and rolled cargo are likely in mid-October, while schedule reliability remains at very low levels.

Hungary’s Ministry of Transport and Investment under the Magyar government is reviewing the financial, technical and market viability of the Adria Port terminal project at the Port of Trieste. Delays, losses at the project company, a largely redacted feasibility study and uncertainty over traffic forecasts are under scrutiny, while the quay funded by Italy is almost complete.