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A drone view shows the container ship Solong, damaged as a result of colliding with the anchored Stena Immaculate oil tanker ship, towed by tug boats into the port of Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain, March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Hello Club Members! Here is your weekly Dispatch with all the maritime news you need to know to end your week.
Ship Photo of The Week
A drone view shows the container ship Solong, damaged as a result of colliding with the anchored Stena Immaculate oil tanker ship, towed by tug boats into the port of Aberdeen, Scotland, Britain, March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Top Stories
Markets, Shipping, and Supply Chains Rattled by ‘Liberation Day’ Tariff Reveal
Call it “Liberation Day” or another shot in the trade war—President Trump on Wednesday announced a sweeping 10% tariff on all U.S. imports, alongside steep duties on goods from over 60 countries including top U.S. trading partners like China (34%), the EU (20%), and Vietnam (46%).
From the Rose Garden, Trump hailed the move as being about “economic independence,” but markets—and the maritime world—are bracing for impact.
Within hours, Beijing hit back with its own 34% tariffs on U.S. goods and export curbs on rare earths, while other allies are also readying retaliation—or coming to the negotiating table. In response, global stock markets plummeted and commodities crashed to levels not seen since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wall Street felt the pain as tech and retail stocks led a broad selloff amid surging fears of a trade war-induced global recession, which JP Morgan now pegs at a 60% chance of happening.
The shipping industry, already navigating a shaky post-pandemic recovery and Red Sea chaos (which, by the way, continues despite near-daily U.S. military strikes), is now in even rougher waters. Container lines face the biggest hit as import volumes are expected to tumble and cargo flows shift unpredictably. Port fees, rerouting costs, and trade pattern chaos could put pressure on an already tight market.
Trump’s team is downplaying the chaos, insisting the pain is short-term for long-term gain. But with tensions running high and tariffs at their highest level in over a century, global supply chains are on red alert. Buckle up.
Levy or Leave It: IMO Nears Historic Climate Deal
The International Maritime Organization is steering toward a climate milestone as delegates prepare to finalize the world’s first global emissions pricing system at next week’s MEPC 83 meeting.
Running April 7th–11th, the high-stakes summit builds on months of heavy lifting by 1,000+ delegates and is set to introduce a dual-pronged framework: a fuel standard and a carbon pricing mechanism. Together, they aim to slash shipping’s emissions and generate billions to help finance the transition—though how many billions remains hotly debated.
The so-called universal levy remains the centerpiece—and the flashpoint. A UNCTAD study pegs a $150–300/ton levy as the sweet spot for equity and GDP impact. But ABS CEO Christopher Wiernicki warns the levy is a “wild card” until enforcement is clear.
If approved, the policy enters a slow but steady current: full adoption by October 2025, enforcement by 2027. Until then, expect rough seas—and sharp debate—as the world watches whether shipping can finally dock at climate responsibility.
Auto-Pilot Error
The Royal New Zealand Navy has published its final Court of Inquiry report into the October 2024 sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui, confirming the ship ran aground off Samoa due to a series of avoidable errors, poor training, and a dash of autopilot confusion.
The vessel, with 75 crew onboard, was conducting a reef survey when it maintained a collision course with land. Despite desperate attempts to change course, the ship remained stubbornly on autopilot—rendering the crew’s frantic thruster maneuvers completely ineffective.
The report cited deficient training, misjudged risks, and absent procedures as key culprits. Notably, the commanding officer wasn’t certified to command the ship — a violation of Navy protocols — but was commended for swiftly ordering an evacuation that saved lives.
Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding didn’t mince words, calling out the “gap between work as imagined and work as done,” and promised a fleet-wide overhaul. With nine recommendations on the table, the Navy hopes this hard lesson helps steer future operations away from disaster—and out of autopilot mode.
Collision Course
Maritime investigators in the UK released a not-so-long-awaited preliminary report into the last month’s fiery North Sea collision, where a container ship plowed a U.S. Navy-chartered oil tanker.
The Solong, running at 16 knots, struck the anchored Stena Immaculate—loaded with over 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel—on March 10, about 14 nautical miles northeast of Spurn Head. The collision ruptured a cargo tank, sparking a fire that scorched the Solong’s bow and spread to its containers, tragically killing one crew members on board.
According to the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), neither ship had a proper lookout despite visibility being patchy at best.
The Stena Immaculate, operated by U.S.-based Crowley and chartered by the U.S. Military Sealift Command, had been anchored overnight per port instructions. Crowley defended its crew, stating that they were in compliance with all watch-standing safety regulations and company policy. The company also praised the crew’s quick action to contain the fire and minimize environmental damage—details that have since emerged through crew interviews.
The Solong’s captain now faces gross negligence manslaughter charges as both ships are undergoing salvage. Meanwhile, investigators from both sides of the pond continue to dive into everything from crew fatigue to anchorage protocols. Final verdict? Still TBD. But so far, it appears to be a case of bad visibility and even worse decisions.
OPEC Springs a (Supply) Leak
OPEC+ jolted markets this week by announcing a surprise 411,000 b/d production boost for May—just a day after President Trump rolled out sweeping new tariffs. The one-two punch sent oil prices tumbling below $70 a barrel, raising alarms over a possible global slowdown. The move caught analysts off guard, especially with tariff tensions running high and fears of a mounting trade war. Was this a market-balancing act—or a geopolitical message? We’ll just have to wait and see.
As always, we’d love to hear your feedback. Email [email protected] with any questions, comments, tips, or concerns. Don’t forget to check out the Club Discord and gCaptain.com for the latest maritime news.
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Imports to the busiest U.S. seaport at Los Angeles dropped 9% year-on-year in May and could remain muted through the remainder of 2025, after companies responded to President Donald Trump's 145% tariffs on China by canceling or putting holds on shipments, according to port officials.
Equinor ASA expects its $5 billion wind project off New York — blocked then unblocked by the Trump administration — to proceed as planned, but said further investments in US offshore wind are likely off the table.
Commercial shipping in the Middle East may face a new threat after a wave of Israeli attacks against Iran’s military and nuclear leadership further destabilised the already volatile region, with concerns rising over a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
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