Good morning, and welcome to my daily Panamax Post column and happy Holi2026.

London will see patches of low cloud and mist linger in places early on. Plenty of sunshine later in the day. 16C.

With much in the news, I wish you good fixtures and safe travels. And now for the news before the headlines.

Drones hit an oil storage terminal at Fujairah, UAE, a key energy transshipment and bunkering hub for the Gulf region.

Nearly 400,000 tonnes of Indian basmati rice is stuck at ports and in transit as freight rates have more than doubled since the United States and Israel attacked Iran: Reuters

Hapag-Lloyd AG has several ships stranded in the Persian Gulf: Shipping Watch

Reports of fixtures over $400,000 per day, Trump plan for Strait of Hormuz naval escorts could encourage risk taking owners to seek fortunes.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has declared “end of voyage” all shipments bound for Arabian Gulf ports currently on board its vessels.

The prime minister said the “UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based” on RAF Akrotiri.

One day after leading marine insurance underwriters decided to withdraw war risk cover for the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hurmuz, the White House has ordered a foreign-aid policy bank to begin offering “guarantees” for shipping of all nations through the strategic waterway.

A Russian-controlled sanctioned LNG carrier caught fire in the central Mediterranean, likely from a kamikaze drone strike while transiting toward the Suez Canal.

In 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) war gamed a potential US–China conflict, assessing whether China could successfully invade Taiwan in 2026.

South Korean flagship HMM’s onshore union has vowed legal action and a potential general strike after major shareholders and the government moved to press ahead with plans to relocate the company’s headquarters from Seoul to Busan.

Punit Oza, FICS, AFNI, LLB, M.Sc. has a guide for shipping companies and managers on welfare, security, and human-centred leadership in a time of crisis.

Israel has organized a number of emergency transport efforts to aid Israelis caught overseas as the war with Iran began.

Belgium announced during a press briefing on Tuesday, March 3, that it has completed its inspection of the tanker Ethera, which it detained overnight on Saturday as it was sailing along the coast and brought into port.

Reporting a strong financial performance in 2025 and a positive outlook as the brand continues to grow its fleet, Viking announced it has ordered two additional expedition cruise ships and optioned yet two more ocean cruise ships.

Swiss bulker owner Suisse-Atlantique Group S.A is moving to expand its fleet, with brokers reporting a five-ship ultramax order in China.

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