Houthi forces have captured Perim Island, which divides the shipping lanes of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into two corridors. There has been no physical closure of the passage, but insurance premiums are rising and the return of container ships to Suez is again being called into question.

Average spot container freight rates remained broadly stable in the first full week of September 2026, but trends varied across routes.

The Korean electronics giant Samsung has filed a complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission seeking at least $186m over detention, demurrage and rail storage charges linked to “store door” shipments during the pandemic period. The French carrier rejects the allegations and says it complied with the rules.

Toyota Motor Corporation will supply Scania with its 300 kW third-generation fuel cell system for a pilot fleet of 40 industrial vehicles. The agreement provides for the first operational activities in the first quarter of 2027, with further details to be unveiled at IAA 2026.

Sources in the Yemeni government say the Houthis have seized the port city of Al-Makha, less than 80 kilometres from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as they intensify attacks on Saudi refineries.