Freedom of navigation — the legal principle that states ships from any country have the right to sail freely in international waters — is under attack.It has been for some time.But a confluence of geopolitical shifts, security threats and an accelerating frequency of legal assaults are finally starting to erode a fundamental principle of the law of…

The world economy is still globalised, at least for the moment. But superpower rivalry and the decay of global rules and norms mean that geopolitical tensions are deepening and global maritime trade is being caught in the crossfire, both literally and figuratively.Some of this is happening in plain sight. In the Red Sea, the Houthis redirected mari…

Decarbonisation is perhaps the biggest issue shipping faces, and it’s unique in that it affects everyone, whatever your politics. The question we, and much of the shipping industry asks, is not whether future fuels will become viable one day, but rather which of them will win the race. Of course, we’re often told things like “we see a multi-fuel fu…

Over the last few weeks, we’ve brought you several episodes from our experts here at Lloyd’s List briefing you on what to expect in each respective sector in 2025. Insurance editor David Osler is rounding that series off with a look at what the marine insurance market can expect over the next 12 months. The sector was thrust into the limelight in M…

THE geopolitical landscape changed seemingly by the hour in 2024, and 2025 has started in a similar vein. Cable cutting, new tranches of sanctions from the outgoing Biden administration and Chinese shipping giant Cosco being placed on a US Department of Defense sanctions for links to the Chinese military – all of that has happened in the first 10 d…

Decarbonisation is one of the most written-about topics in Lloyd’s List. Read our daily briefing on any given day and it will more than likely contain at least one story dedicated to the industry’s journey towards net zero. And there’s good reason for that too. It dominates shipping headlines and touches every corner of our industry and 2025 could …

Reading the runes of this industry is often a futile and thankless task – predictions are regularly wiped out just hours after they are made. Despite that, our markets team assembled to make sure you are as prepared as you can be in our unpredictable sector for the year ahead. Senior maritime reporter Greg Miller discusses tankers and dry bulk, ask…

Another year over, a new one just begun. As the clock ticks down on 2024 and 2025 begins, shipping is braced for another unpredictable year. Reading the runes of this industry is often a futile and thankless task – predictions are regularly wiped out just hours after they are made. But nevertheless, to prepare you for the New Year the Lloyd’s List …

The volume and frequency of sanctions being targeted against shipping has never higher, or more visible, Sanctions are now a daily part of the Lloyd’s List news agenda, so it’s sometimes difficult to see how and how fast things are changing. But the risk and compliance landscape has noticeably changed this year – we’re seeing more targeted sanction…

Each year, Lloyd’s List likes to gather a group of industry leaders, lock them in a room and not let them leave until they have divined the fate and fortunes of the shipping industry for the year to come.And that’s what we did earlier this month in London at the annual Lloyd’s List Outlook Forum, sponsored by Lloyd’s Register. Having gathered a bas…

EVER wanted to know what it’s like to operate ships where half the crew are women? Well, this week’s podcast is going to tell you. Lloyd’s List’s principal analyst, Michelle Wiese Bockmann, spoke to Hafnia, the New York and Oslo listed shipowner about a trailblazing initiative that has seen them crew five product tankers with 50% women. But I also …

After enduring social unrest, geopolitical tensions and the Covid-19 pandemic, this Asian financial and shipping hub — long seen by many as in decline — has finally found an opportunity to stage a comeback.The Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering and accompanying incentive scheme unveiled a few weeks ago is seen by the local shipping commun…

This episode of the Lloyd’s List podcast is brought to you by Lloyd’s Register and Columbia Shipmanagement Sign up for the Lloyd’s List Outlook Forum here: https://info.lloydslistintelligence.com/lloyds-list-outlook-forum-rsvpThe maritime industry is evolving faster than we often realise. Just a few years ago, high-frequency data collection was gro…

This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast is brought to you by Lloyd's Register and Columbia Shipmanagement Sign up for the Lloyd's List Outlook Forum here: https://info.lloydslistintelligence.com/lloyds-list-outlook-forum-rsvpThe wave of techno-optimism that began to spread in the wake of pandemic-related breakthroughs should be visible by now.Forc…

This episode of the Lloyd’s List Podcast was brought to you by Veson. Visit veson.com/decision-advantage for more information.Ten years or so ago, when the University of Plymouth ran their first cybersecurity symposium, the number attendees barely made double figures. This week, held in the main hall of the International Maritime Organization on Lo…

When the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) issued a paper in September setting out its position on the human element, its implications were clearly going to be far reaching. Its publication followed an IACS presentation in June to the Human Element Industry Group, which is made up of a number of maritime NGOs and it says …

The global climate circus heads to Baku, Azerbaijan this weekend for the start of the annual COP confab. That’s the Conference of the Parties, meaning signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — or COP 29. Shipping will be there, but don’t expect much in the way of headline conclusions this year. If there is going to …

Once a year, an industry alliance of first-movers and green investors gather in a room for shipping’s answer to Davos, the annual Global Maritime Forum.And it’s always an interesting conversation. These are shipping’s optimists. The progressive cohort of industry leaders who have collectively invested billions of dollars in decarbonisation projects…

There have been shipowners listed on Wall Street going back to the 1980s, but it was only in the mid-2000s – with the China trade boom – that the shipping industry really came to the US public markets in a major way.In the two decades since then, there have been some controversies with these listed shipowners. These controversies have involved conf…

In this episode, associates Jake Steen, Samantha Miller, and Mattie Neira share their experiences working at Lloyd Gosselink. They discuss essential skills while also highlighting the firm’s supportive culture that fosters growth. The associates offer advice for potential new hires, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and networking. They wrap…

This episode of the Lloyd’s List Podcast was brought to you by Veson. Visit https://veson.com/decision-advantage for more information.Some shipowners warn that crew supply is only set to get worse due to a lack of young people wanting a career at sea. Others are concerned about the need to upskill existing crews to handle increasing digitalisation …

THERE is a hint of clickbait about this week’s title – we at Lloyd’s List are of course very passionate about diversity in shipping.But as the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association celebrates its 50th birthday at its annual meeting in Cyprus – the question of why shipping still hasn’t achieved gender parity loomed large.Female repres…

In this episode, David Klein, Water and Districts Practice Group Principal, provides an in-depth yet & high-level overview of water and wastewater impact fees.Par Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle and Townsend, P.C.

This episode of the Lloyd's List Podcast was brought to you by Veson. Visit https://veson.com/decision-advantage/ for more information.There is a very detailed series of policy discussions happening right now inside the walls of the International Maritime Organization.The question of whether the IMO can stick to its timetable and agree the basic ar…

Eric Christofferson is chief product officer at Veson Nautical, which is a provider of maritime data and freight management solutions to support global commerce. In this sponsored edition of the podcast, he comments on how data is reshaping how shipping contracts and compliance are managed.Par Lloyd's List

This episode of the Lloyd’s List podcast is brought to you by Lloyd’s Register — visit www.lr.org/en for more informationLaw and insurance editor David Osler assembles a star-studded line-up at the International Union of Marine Insurance annual conference in Berlin to assess the strength of the market in 2024…

In the long run, ‘doing good is good for business’, believes Natalie Sallaum, chief relationship officer at the vehicle carrier Sallaum Lines. In this edition of the Shipping Podcast, she draws on the company’s extensive experience of supporting community environmental initiatives to set out the benefits of being proactive about CSR and ESG…

This episode of the Lloyd’s List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd’s Register — visit www.lr.org/en for more informationTHE multi-fuel future of shipping is looking more limited than it was a year ago. We know what the three major molecules are – methane, methanol and ammonia. But this isn’t a question of picking a fuel and supporting it as if it…

This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd's Register - visit www.lr.org/en/ for more information.Should you wish to list all of the various risks, road blocks, unresolved problems and known challenges ahead for the shipping industry you will need a long piece of paper and ideally some medical assistance on standby. This i…

This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd's Register - visit www.lr.org/en/ for more information.In China, shipyards that were distressed assets just years ago are now highly sought after. And if you happened to buy into some back then, congratulations; you likely stand to make a windfall profit.Shanghai-headquartered DCL…

Employment Law Principals Sarah Glaser and Laura Ingram dive into recent significant shifts in employment law. They cover landmark cases and evolving standards that could impact your business practices and legal strategies. They cover key court decisions and their broader implications for employers, including changes in agency rulemaking and standa…

What do I build? Where do I build it? How much does it cost? And when can I get it? That’s the checklist of shipowner’s questions right now as they consider newbuildings. If you asked a shipowner what they would be looking for a decade ago the answer to those questions would be pretty standard. If money was no object they would plump for the qualit…

THE headline takeaway from the 2024 edition of the top 100 container port was a second successive year of muted volume growth during 2023 for the biggest container ports. The total tally of just over 690m teu handled by the top 100 ports represented a 0.8% rise on the previous year, continuing the trend of the ‘tepid 20s’ post-Covid with volume gro…

In this episode, attorneys Nathan Vassar and Lora Naismith dive into the complex world of wastewater regionalization in Texas. They discuss how regionalization impacts water quality, the intricacies of TCEQ's permitting process, and highlight significant case studies.Par Lloyd Gosselink Rochelle and Townsend, P.C.

Strict but fair. That’s the description of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority from retiring chief executive Mick Kinley. Some of the world's biggest shipping companies have been named and shamed by the regulator in recent years and their vessels banned from entering ports over sub-standard conditions or not paying crew.Speaking with character…

Concerns around security and geopolitics intensified at the end of last year as the Houthis began targeting vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden under the cover of a show of support for Hamas. Adding to the deteriorating situation was the resurgence in Somali piracy as some actors sought to take advantage of the chaos.Since November we’ve seen n…

Join us for an insightful episode as Gabrielle Smith, a principal in our Litigation practice group, moderates an engaging discussion with Chief Justice Darlene Byrne of the 3rd Court of Appeals. Together, they talk the details of the new Business Court and 15th Court of Appeals. Hear perspectives on the impact of these courts on the legal landscape…

A few hours after the containership Dali (IMO: 9697428) destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, there were media reports suggesting investigators would look into ‘bad bunkers’ as a potential cause of the accident.The National Transportation Safety Board ruled out that possibility after its initial investigation. But this incident alone…

In a market where unpredictability has become predictably common, the whole concept of accurate earnings guidance from the lines fell overboard several quarterly reports ago. Forecasts are couched in ever more provisional language as volatility and black swans continue to demand near constant expectation management amid yo-yoing sentiment. While US…

THE prospect of a dominant Trump presidency is significantly more like than it was only a week ago. But what does that mean for shipping?Will the anticipated “Trump trade” really result in more inflation, higher interest rates and sweeping tariffs? Will the inevitable bonfire of Biden’s environmental rules put the brakes on shipping’s already hesit…

The explosion of sanctions have demanded a compliance sea change from the marine insurance sector. But despite the rapid pace of investment to keep up, P&I Clubs have found themselves struggling to enforce an increasingly unenforceable regime.The flawed nature of the oil price cap regime is hardly news. But while the rest of the industry get to cri…

The threat posed by Houthi missiles and uncrewed surface vessels sits at the lower end of the risk spectrum for shipping. Things could be worse. A lot worse. That was the rather worrying assessment this week from the latest in a series of Geopolitical risk webinars we’ve been running here at Lloyd’s List and for this week’s podcast we are bringing …

As unpalatable as it may be to say out loud, global turmoil is pretty good for business. Shipping CEOs are as happy as shipping CEOs generally get to be.[Sidebar#LL1149672]They are after all a pretty philosophical bunch at heart and they understand that all this has been seen before and will be seen again.They know that unexpected good fortune tend…

When we talk about green shipping, are we always talking about actions that have a net benefit in terms of reduction of greenhouse gases? Are the commercial choices we make today about reducing absolute emissions, or just the most pragmatic financial options on the table? And are the regulations we are negotiating genuinely addressing the problem o…

There is a growing body of opinion across shipping that is routinely referring to nuclear, alongside carbon capture technology, as the only real options on the table that will allow shipping to fully decarbonise by 2050. Has the previously fringe option of nuclear powered ships now become sufficiently mainstream for the industry to genuinely consid…

Pragmatism seems to be the new buzzword sweeping through the shipping executive lexicon. What that means though requires a bit of decoding. Those of you who have been schlepping round the conference circuit at Posidonia in Athens this week will have no doubt noticed that it comes up quite a lot when talking about decisions that have not been made. …

This episode of the Lloyd's List Podcast was brought to you by Wirana - visit https://www.wirana.com/ for more information Shipowners are not having to woo bankers right now. They don’t need to. If anything it’s the bankers’ turn to buy the drinks at Posidonia this year and start talking up ways to deploy capital, because shipowners are paying down…

This episode of the Lloyd’s List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd’s Register — visit www.lr.org/en for more information.THE US refrained from imposing new sanctions on Iran’s shipping sector for most of last year and was said to be lax in its enforcement of existing sanctions as it was eyeing a prisoner exchange deal with Tehran that took place …

This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd's Register - visit https://www.lr.org/en/ for more information. “You have to be a cold bitch or an easy lay”. Those words of advice were given nearly 50 years ago by the boss of a London-based shipping company to a young woman starting out her maritime career.That young woman went…

This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast was brought to you by Lloyd's Register - visit https://www.lr.org/en/ for more information. BATTING centres are an iconic part of Japan's baseball-loving culture and found everywhere in the country as entertainment facilities.For Takaya Soga, the president and chief executive of NYK Line, the past year has f…