South Korea and the Northern Sea Route
27.08.2025
Seoul plans to use the Northern Sea Route (NSR) via Russian territory. Pilot shipments are expected to begin in 2026, and in 2025 the government will establish a dedicated task force to develop the Arctic route.
President Lee Jae-myung sees the NSR as an alternative to the Suez and Panama canals and aims to transform the South Korean ports of Busan and Ulsan into hubs of Arctic trade.
The main competitor is China, where Shanghai is already emerging as an Arctic hub. Despite currently modest cargo volumes (mainly Russian oil and gas exports), experts predict the route’s significance will grow rapidly.
The creation of an NSR economic zone in South Korea’s southern regions is expected to give a new boost to port development.
Maersk Containership and SFL Car Carrier Collide in Danish Straits
08.08.2025
The containership Maersk Gironde and the car carrier SFL Composer collided late on Tuesday, August 5, as the two vessels were making their way through a busy section of the Danish Straits. The Danish Maritime Authority is reporting that both vessels were detained for further inspections and an investigation of the incident.
The collision happened shortly before midnight local time. The two vessels were in the Danish Straits near Funen on the east coast of Denmark. They were in the deep-water channel, which is a busy shipping lane feeding into the Baltic. The Danish authorities are reporting that both ships sustained “material damage” above the waterline. There were no injuries to the crew and no reports of pollution.
Pictures appearing in the Danish media show a large scrape along the side of the car carrier starting about three-quarters of the way back along its 200-meter (656-foot) length with a large dent and a hole at the stern. The Maersk Gironde sustained damage to its bow.
The Maersk Gironde, built in 2002, operates a North Europe shuttle route. The vessel, which is 61,600 dwt with a capacity of 4,800 TEU, was sailing from Wilhelmshaven, Germany, to Gdansk, Poland. The ship is at anchor awaiting approval to proceed, reports Maersk.
The SFL Composer, built in 2006, has a capacity of 6500 units, and according to SFL Corp., it is operating under charter to Volkswagen. The pictures show the vessel being assisted by two Svitzer tugs, with reports that it was being moved to the Port of Odense.
Underwater surveys of the vessels were planned for Wednesday morning. The Danish Maritime Authority did not comment on the circumstances or weather conditions at the time of the incident.
IranianNavy Returns to Bandar Abbas: A Step Toward Maritime and Logistical Stability
30.07.2025
The Iranian Navy has begunreturning to the port of Bandar Abbas six weeks after an emergency evacuation
during the 12-Day War. This marks one of the first signs of the countryrestoring its military and logistical infrastructure. Key Southern Fleet
vessels, including frigates, landing ships, reconnaissance vessels, and part ofthe supply fleet, are back in port. However, some critical assets—like the
submarine IRINS Tarek and the flagship IRINS Makran—have yet to return. Over recentweeks, ships have been entering port individually to refuel and resupply before
relocating to coastal anchorages, avoiding congestion. This strategy hasmaintained minimal logistical operations amid a tense internal situation. The
Navy’s return is a significant signal: Iran is seeking to reassert control overstrategic maritime points, including transport infrastructure and defense
logistics. Despite ongoing political tensions, the revival of naval activitymay help stabilize supply chains, trade flows, and transport corridors in the
Persian Gulf region.
Trickle of Containerships Return to Suez Canal Under Discount Program
22.07.2025
Two months into its special discount program to draw containerships back to the Suez Canal, the authority reports that 10 of the large vessels have now completed the transit. It continues to emphasize the opportunities, while carriers other than CMA CGM and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Line appear to continue to avoid the region in light of the continuing dangers.
The CMA CGM Zephyr (156,198 dwt – 15,536 TEU) was the latest of the large vessels as she headed the southern convoy on July 19, as she traveled from Singapore to the Mediterranean. The Authority reports that the 366-meter (1,200-foot) long vessel, which was carrying 11,800 TEU, was one of the largest vessels to make the transit.
Starting in mid-May, the Suez Canal Authority began offering for three months a 15 percent discount on fees for containerships over 130,000 net tons. It is available to vessels whether they are laden or in ballast. The goal was to begin to rebuild traffic, and so far, the SCA reports six CMA CGM vessels have made the transit. In addition, four MSC vessels have returned to the Suez Canal.
Admiral Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, stressed that the SCA continues to provide its navigational services. He says they have implemented mechanisms that maintain the regular flow of traffic through the canal despite tensions in the Red Sea, including adopting flexible marketing and pricing policies as well as providing new maritime and logistical services.
CMA CGM was the first to respond with the CMA CGM Osiris (155,979 dwt – 15,536 dwt), becoming the first large containership to make the transit from the Red Sea since March 2024. The sisterships CMA CGM Aquila and CMA CGM Callisto (128,550 dwt and 11,388 TE) each made the transit. They were followed by the larger CMA CGM Jules Verne (186,470 dwt – 16,000 TEU) and the CMA CGM Adonis, a sister ship to the CMA CGM Zephyr that made last weekend’s transit.
The SCA also highlighted that CMA CGM ranked first in terms of net tonnage of container vessels transiting the canal during the first four months of 2025. It said the line represented 19 percent of the total container vessel tonnage transiting the canal during that period.
Hopes for a further increase in tonnage, however, seemed to be further delayed by the Houthis’ recent attack on two Greek bulkers. They marked the first attacks on merchant vessels in 2025 and killed seafarers and resulted in the loss of the two vessels.
While CMA CGM is transiting the Suez Canal, EUNAVFOR Aspides highlights it continues to provide protection in the Red Sea near Yemen. They released a picture of the Italian frigate Andrea Doria escorting vessels, including a CMA CGM containership.
The SCA is also highlighting its opportunities with vehicle carriers. Chinese EV manufacturer BYD sent its new vessel BYD Xi’an through the Suez Canal last week on a voyage from Singapore to Italy. The vessel, designed to carry as many as 9,442 vehicles, was carrying 7,000 cars, the SCA reports. Two weeks earlier, the BVD Hefei also made the transit.
Admiral Rabiee reports that the SCA expects at least a 20 percent increase in the tonnage of vehicle carriers making the transit in the second half of 2025 compared to the first half of the year.
DP World to Invest $800 Million in Rebuilding Syria’s Tartus Port
14.07.2025
DP World has signed a 30-year concession agreement with Syrian authorities to develop the Port of Tartus. The company plans to invest $800 million in modernizing infrastructure, installing advanced equipment, and digitizing terminal operations.
The goal is to transform Tartus into a key trade hub connecting Southern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The project will follow the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model and is expected to drive Syria’s economic recovery, create jobs, and expand regional trade routes.