Maritime Events
Morning Watch — today

The brief · Tuesday, 10 November 2026

IMO condemns attacks on shipping as US and China extend port fee suspension

  1. 01Safety & incidents

    IMO Council condemns attacks as Gulf conflict claims more seafarers

    The IMO Council condemned attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and Black Sea and mourned the 25th seafarer lost since the Strait of Hormuz conflict began. The US military said it struck a commercial ship trying to breach its blockade on Iran. Saudi Arabia confirmed another strike on its East-West crude pipeline.

  2. 02Regulation & policy

    US and China extend suspension of reciprocal port fees

    The USTR has postponed port fees on China-built or China-controlled ships calling at US ports for two months from Monday. China responded by extending its own suspension of fees on US shipping interests to January, effectively prolonging the trade truce by two months.

  3. 03Markets & finance

    Baltic Dry Index rises for fourth straight session

    The BDI gained 1.8% on Monday to 2,854 points, its highest since 9 October, led by Capesize and Panamax gains. Brazil–China C3 rose $2.93/mt to $36.80/mt, widening its premium over West Australia. Brokers report stronger thermal coal demand as the winter heating season begins.

  4. 04Markets & finance

    Container rates still elevated as fleet growth looms

    Xeneta says Asia–US West Coast spot rates are up 343% since the Iran war began, though new ships and Red Sea returns could ease costs. Sea-Intelligence projects the fleet growing from 34m TEU to 40m by mid-2028. Cosco reported an 81% profit jump, and US imports peaked in September at 2.37m TEU.

  5. 05Markets & finance

    COSCO lines up 24 VLCCs as China gains in LNG carrier orders

    COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation signed contracts worth RMB9.48bn ($1.42bn) for ten VLCCs and arranged 14 more through long-term bareboat charters. China won more LNG carrier orders than South Korea in October, while a Korean yard took a $494m order for two LNG carriers. RCL ordered two 9,200 teu ships for about $213m.

  6. 06Safety & incidents

    Black Sea: owners avoiding route as drone strike toll emerges

    Container News reports that owners are beginning to refuse Black Sea voyages altogether, rather than just paying higher war-risk premiums. Bulgarian officials confirmed human remains were found on a vessel struck by a drone off Romania. Vessels are queuing at anchor to enter the Danube to load grain, with export volumes low.

  7. 07Cyprus & East Med

    Eastern Mediterranean: ONE in Syria, migrant deaths off Crete

    Ocean Network Express has appointed Seanautics Maritime Services as its agent in Syria, citing growing regional demand. Greece's coastguard said 14 migrants died trying to reach Crete by boat. Separately, the US Coast Guard airlifted four crew from a Cyprus-flagged tanker off Puerto Rico with suspected food poisoning.

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.