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Container freight rates continue to rise in mid-March 2026
19 Marzo 2026 - Average spot container freight rates published by Drewry on 19 March 2026 show a moderate increase across all outbound routes from China. Transpacific trades recorded the sharpest gains, while fuel surcharges are weighing on global transport costs.
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Confirmed: MSC enters oil shipping
19 Marzo 2026 - An agreement between the Aponte group and South Korean shipowner Ga-Hyun Chung will see MSC acquire a 50% stake in Sinokor, the world’s largest operator of VLCC supertankers, with an estimated 24% share of tonnage available on the global spot market. The move turns market rumours into a formal corporate structure and reshapes the balance of power in crude transport at a time when freight rates are at their highest since 2020.
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Twenty thousand seafarers trapped in the Persian Gulf
18 Marzo 2026 - Around 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. The International Maritime Organization has condemned an unsustainable situation marked by attacks, insurance risks and compromised seafarers’ rights.
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Global port congestion amid geopolitics and rerouting
18 Marzo 2026 - The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on maritime infrastructure in the Gulf are reshaping global container flows, with heavy repercussions for ports in western India, African hubs and major Asian gateways, including record delays, rising surcharges and emergency measures.
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Maersk steps up investment in container terminals in Vietnam
18 Marzo 2026 - A deal worth about $1.7bn for a deep-water container terminal in Da Nang, led by Hateco with Apm Terminals. Capacity of up to 5.7 million TEU and a 50-year concession aim to strengthen Vietnam’s role on global routes.
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Psa strengthens Genova Sech terminal with two cranes
17 Marzo 2026 - Two new quay cranes built by Zpmc have arrived at the port of Genoa for the Psa Sech container terminal. The investment exceeds €20 million and forms part of the terminal’s development plan, with operations due to begin in June 2026.
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Drifting in the Sicily Channel: the wreck of the Arctic Metagaz
16 Marzo 2026 - The Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz, part of the so-called shadow fleet, was hit by explosions and a fire between Malta and Libya while carrying more than 60,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas. The abandoned vessel remains a potential environmental and navigational risk in the Sicily Channel.
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Grimaldi takes delivery of car carrier Grande Seoul
16 Marzo 2026 - The new vessel built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding and China Shipbuilding Trading has been delivered in Shanghai. The car carrier Grande Seoul, with capacity for 9,241 car equivalent units, is prepared for the future use of ammonia as an alternative fuel and will operate on the Asia–Europe route.
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Crisis in Hormuz hits fuel supplies for ships and aircraft
13 Marzo 2026 - The de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil once passed, is disrupting the availability of fuel for aircraft and ships. Jet fuel and bunker fuel prices are rising sharply, while supply tensions are emerging in European and Asian logistics hubs.
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Gulf war pushes up China–Europe container freight rates
12 Marzo 2026 - Spot container shipping rates between China and Europe are beginning to feel the impact of the war with Iran. The Drewry World Container Index of 12 March 2026 shows Shanghai–Rotterdam rates rising by 19% and Shanghai–Genoa by 10%, while increases on Asia–US routes are more moderate.
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Tankers and container ships hit not only in the Persian Gulf
12 Marzo 2026 - Between 11 and 12 March more cargo vessels, including container ships and tankers, were struck by Iran. Eleven merchant ships were involved within 24 hours. The case of the Source Blessing, operated by Hapag-Lloyd, shows that the threat is spreading across the wider area, while Brent crude has climbed back above $100 a barrel.
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Greek tankers defy the Revolutionary Guards in Hormuz
12 Marzo 2026 - While hundreds of tankers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the risk of attacks, Dynacom Tankers, owned by George Prokopiou, continues to send its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The Shenlong has already delivered one million barrels of Saudi crude to India, with its transponder switched off for five days.
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Grimaldi raises alarm over seafarers stranded in Hormuz
12 Marzo 2026 - On the opening day of LetExpo in Verona, Alis president Guido Grimaldi said around 30,000 seafarers are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz and called for immediate action to protect their safety. The Gulf crisis risks hitting energy flows, maritime transport costs and European supply chains.
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Cargo ship hit in the Strait of Hormuz
11 Marzo 2026 - On the morning of 11 March 2026 the British Royal Navy reported that a cargo ship had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz, as concerns grow over mines that Iran may deploy in the area.
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More LNG carriers diverted from Europe to Asia
10 Marzo 2026 - The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the halt in LNG production in Qatar have intensified competition for natural gas. An increasing number of LNG carriers originally bound for Europe are being redirected to Asia, where buyers are offering higher prices.
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Trump urges shipping to sail through Hormuz, but only ghost ships pass
9 Marzo 2026 - President Donald Trump has urged shipowners to resume transits through the Strait of Hormuz, announcing a $20 billion plan to replace insurance cover. Shipping companies remain cautious, however, with the exception of vessels travelling with their AIS switched off.
Brevi dal mondo
Dfds potenzia nel Baltico - Alleanza ferroviaria a Rotterdam - Evoluzione digitale di FS Logistix - Preoccupazione per la chiusura di Tarvisio
Podcast K44
Cronaca
17 camionisti arrestati a Savona per furto di gasolio
Un’indagine della Guardia di Finanza nel deposito fiscale carburanti di Vado Ligure ha coinvolto diciassette autotrasportatori, col sequestro di oltre 3.700 litri di gasolio. Il prodotto veniva sottratto durante il carico e rivenduto fuori circuito a prezzi inferiori.
Normativa
Videocast K44
Aereo
Dhl amplia capacità aerea Asia Europa
Dhl Global Forwarding annuncia nuovi voli settimanali tra Asia ed Europa tra Shanghai e Lipsia e tra Hong Kong e Liegi con Boeing 777F. L’integrazione con Dhl Express aumenta capacità, affidabilità e flessibilità lungo uno dei principali corridoi globali.
Ferrovia
Rail Cargo potenzia collegamento Villach-Desio
Dal 2026 due collegamenti settimanali Rail Cargo tra Villach e Desio, con transito in un giorno. Il servizio intermodale s’inserisce nel network Villach-Italy, potenziando i flussi tra Europa centrale e distretti industriali del Nord Italia.
Persone
La proprietà di Msc passa da Gianluigi Aponte ai figli Alexa e Diego
Il 13 aprile 2026 Mediterranean Shipping Company ha annunciato uno storico passaggio di generazione: la proprietà passa dal fondatore Gainluigi Aponte, che resta presidente esecutivo ai figli Alexa e Diego, che sono rispettivamente presidente e Cfo del Gruppo.
