Maritime Events
Morning Watch — today

The brief · Thursday, 5 November 2026

Hormuz attacks continue as Democratic sweep of Congress jolts oil and US maritime policy

  1. 01Safety & incidents

    Deadly attacks on shipping continue in and around Hormuz

    Iran says four oil tankers caught fire after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and its Revolutionary Guard Navy keeps reporting daily tanker strikes. Riviera reports a seafarer killed, one vessel sunk and several damaged, while an Indian crew member died in a drone attack on a cargo ship off Oman. Thirteen others were rescued.

  2. 02Fuel & energy

    Midterm result moves oil and clouds the Iran war outlook

    Oil fell 9% in volatile trading on Wednesday after Democrats won both chambers of Congress, having edged higher earlier in the day. President Trump said he has no immediate plans for Iran strikes. Analysts say the result raises questions over tariffs, shipbuilding, sanctions and energy policy.

  3. 03Regulation & policy

    Jones Act waiver lobbying intensifies before 15 November

    The American Maritime Partnership has written to President Trump urging him to let the emergency Jones Act waiver lapse on 15 November, after nearly eight months of exemptions. With Democrats now controlling Congress, US shipping interests face a new set of leaders to lobby on the issue.

  4. 04Markets & finance

    ONE doubles profit forecast as transpacific leads earnings

    Ocean Network Express raised its full-year profit forecast to $2bn after more than quadrupling quarterly net profit, though it expects rates to soften seasonally. Alphaliner data show the transpacific is the most lucrative major trade. Carriers are seeking November rate increases, and a possible watchmen strike at Los Angeles and Long Beach adds uncertainty.

  5. 05Markets & finance

    Tanker owners report strong quarters; Baltic Dry rebounds

    Torm's third-quarter net profit rose on high product tanker rates, Ardmore earned $16.3m, and Navios Maritime Partners reported $185.7m for the quarter. Wallenius Wilhelmsen's net profit rose 53% on the previous quarter to $212m. The Baltic Dry Index climbed 4% to 2,694 points, led by larger vessels.

  6. 06Regulation & policy

    US targets fake registries; EU court backs Russian register curbs

    The US Treasury sanctioned an India-based network accused of running fraudulent ship registries used by Iran's shadow fleet. Separately, the EU's Court of Justice upheld most of the restrictive measures the European Council imposed on the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

  7. 07Cyprus & East Med

    Eastern Mediterranean: Piraeus results and Greek yard milestone

    Piraeus Port Authority's nine-month profit fell 21.5%, although Pier I posted its first quarterly gain of 2026. Procopiou-backed Skaramangas Shipyards completed its first LNG carrier repair. Greek owners Laskaridis and Benelux Overseas have been linked to further tanker and gas carrier orders in China.

Written by Maritime AI at 06:30 Cyprus time from 250 headlines and their outlets’ own summaries. It can get things wrong — read the original articles before you rely on anything here.