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The congestion seen at some of the world’s major ports beginning with the crisis in the Red Sea appeared to be past its peak, but the shipping industry could be hit by looming strikes, according to a leading shipping analyst.  

Freightos has found that while congestion was still affecting global shipping routes, the worst of the problem appeared to be behind the industry, with traffic at the Port of Singapore below May and June levels, although some vessels are still waiting up to three days to dock.

The port had been one of the worst hit by increased traffic in South Asia as ships made early stops before taking the long trip to Europe around the Cape of Good Hope, as a diversion around the conflict-struck Red Sea and Suez Canal.

Strikes in the US could cause months of backlogs in the region, similar to the issues seen in Canada after 13 days of strike action by port workers in the province of British Columbia in 2023.

Belfast shipyard Harland & Wolff (H&W), where the ill-fated Titanic was laid down, has been issued a new loan worth $25m to save it from collapse. 

However, the late reprieve has not saved the company’s Scilly Ferries project, which was intended to launch later this month. 

The company announced via the London Stock Exchange that its existing creditors had extended the shipyard’s lines by $25m, meaning its full facility is worth $140m. 

H&W has been struggling to find adequate liquidity since a potential government-underwritten loan was pulled by the last UK administration.

Along with the new credit, H&W has appointed Rothschild & Co as financial advisor, to help “assess strategic options”. 

Danish container shipping giant Maersk has settled a whistleblower discrimination case in the US and agreed to delete negative records of its former employee. 

The case was brought against Maersk Line by the US Department of Labor after a Chief Mate on one of the firm’s US-flagged ships was fired for reporting safety concerns directly to the Coast Guard without first informing Maersk. 

As a result of the out-of-court settlement, the shipping line will compensate the unnamed sailor and change its safety reporting policies.

A hearing by the US government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration “found the company violated the employee’s rights under the federal Seaman’s Protection Act by retaliating against the seaman.”

A new collaboration between two of the world’s largest container shipping firms has been postponed by the US government’s maritime business regulator over competition concerns. 

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said it needs “more information” on the alliance between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, known as the Gemini Cooperation. 

Gemini was supposed to begin legally on 15 July 2024, but will now be delayed by the request for information, which the FMC said it will analyse for impacts on competition in the US shipping market. 

The companies made a filing with the Commission on their bilateral agreement on 31 May this year, which would have allowed the Cooperation to begin 45 days later, without the Request for Additional Information (RFAI). 

The RFAI is used to “identify and achieve clarity” on areas of the deal or agreement the FMC has seen as insufficient or incomplete. 

The International Maritime Organisation has opened calls for expressions of interest in support of creating National Action Plans to cut greenhouse gases (GHG).

The support will be provided through the GreenVoyage2050 programme, which has been set up to help developing countries measure their baseline emissions as the shipping sector turns towards net zero goals.

IMO’s 2023 Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, passed at the MEPC, has set goals of moving towards net zero, or close to, by 2050.

“A National Action Plan outlines a country’s strategies to reduce GHG emissions from ships," the IMO explained.

"These plans can include various measures, such as enhancing institutional and legislative frameworks, promoting energy efficiency, researching and adopting low-carbon and zero-carbon fuels, accelerating port emission reduction strategies, and developing infrastructure for green shipping."