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Persistent AIS positions fixed MSC ANTONIA within the designated inset boundary, while anomalous southern AIS transmissions are attributed to likely GNSS interference, rather than vessel movement. Image credit: Pole Star Global
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
Persistent AIS positions fixed MSC ANTONIA within the designated inset boundary, while anomalous southern AIS transmissions are attributed to likely GNSS interference, rather than vessel movement. Image credit: Pole Star Global
Top Stories
US and China Hit Snooze on Trade War
In a surprise reset, the U.S. and China this week agreed to lower tariffs for 90 days, hitting pause on their trade feud and triggering a freight frenzy across the Pacific.
Starting May 14, U.S. tariffs on most Chinese goods dropped from a crushing 145% to 30%, while China trimmed its 125% duties on American products to 10%.
Markets cheered the détente, and shippers wasted no time capitalizing. Hapag-Lloyd said bookings from China to the U.S. soared 50% in two days. Spot container rates jumped 16% to Los Angeles and 19% to New York, with more general rate increases set to hit June 1. Maersk and others are scrambling to reallocate ships to meet the crush.
The temporary truce comes as U.S. and Chinese officials scramble to avoid another tit-for-tat spiral. Bessent suggested the deal could be extended — if Beijing plays nice. Talks are already underway to balance trade, and China, for its part, has agreed to cancel recent non-tariff measures like rare earth export controls.
Still, memories of the 2018 trade truce that fizzled linger. Analysts warn this import rush may lead to short-term congestion, but not a lasting fix. As a result, freight demand is seen peaking early, capacity is tight, and a 30% tariff isn’t exactly a fire sale.
For now, it’s game on: shippers are racing the clock, ports are bracing for a cargo crush, and carriers are enjoying a brief return to pricing power. Whether this becomes Phase Two or Déjà Vu remains to be seen.
Canal Cash-Back: Suez Slashes Fees to Woo Back Ships
Egypt’s Suez Canal is offering container ships a 15% discount on transit fees starting May 15 — but only if they tip the scales at 130,000 metric tons or more. The three-month incentive aims to lure vessels back now that Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have slowed under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The Suez Canal Authority says the deal applies to both loaded and empty ships and is partly meant to ease the sting of soaring insurance costs in what’s still considered a high-risk zone.
The canal’s earnings have taken a nosedive, dropping to $880.9 million in Q4 last year from $2.4 billion the year before — collateral damage from missiles, drones, and a maritime route detour. Shipping reps recently urged canal officials to throw in temporary perks, and Egypt seems to have listened.
GPS Jamming Grounds MSC ANTONIA
A containership lost in digital translation? That’s the case for the MSC ANTONIA, which ran aground near Eliza Shoals outside Jeddah on May 10 — and GPS spoofing is taking the blame. Maritime AI firm Windward and shipping tracker Pole Star both confirmed that fake GPS signals likely misled the 304-meter Liberian-flagged vessel while en route from Sudan to Saudi Arabia.
This isn’t an isolated glitch. GPS interference in the Red Sea has exploded in 2025, with ships experiencing position jumps up to 6,300 km — a quantum leap from last year’s 600 km. More than 180 vessels have reported issues this year alone, especially near Sudan.
Pole Star VP Captain Steve Bomgardner called the spoofing “unsophisticated” but dangerous. “A case like this was bound to happen,” he said, urging increased awareness of electronic warfare at sea. Thankfully, no injuries were reported — but the ANTONIA is still stuck.
Bayesian Logic Fails: Superyacht Capsize Leaves 7 Dead
A night of luxury turned tragic off Sicily’s coast when the 33-meter superyacht Bayesian, owned by British tech mogul Mike Lynch, capsized in hurricane-force winds on August 19, 2024, killing seven people. An interim UK report released this week says the vessel tipped past the point of no return — 70 degrees — in just 15 seconds after a storm walloped the area with gusts over 70 knots.
The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) flagged serious design vulnerabilities. The Bayesian was operating in a risky setup — motoring, sails down, centerboard raised, and low on supplies — a combination not accounted for in the yacht’s safety documentation. Neither Lynch nor the crew knew how exposed they were.
The tragedy unfolded in the early hours, just minutes after a crew member posted storm footage online. Survivors were rescued by a neighboring yacht. Italian authorities are pursuing criminal investigations while the MAIB continues its probe.
Russia Scrambles Jet in Shadow Tanker Standoff
Things got tense over the Baltic this week when Estonia intercepted a mystery oil tanker — and Russia sent in a fighter jet. Estonia says the Jaguar, an unflagged, Gabon-listed ship suspected of skirting sanctions, refused to stop near Tallinn while sailing toward Russian waters. NATO aircraft were scrambled, and for one brief minute, a Russian Su-35 breached Estonian airspace.
Estonian officials say the Jaguar is part of Moscow’s shadow fleet — aging tankers dodging Western sanctions to deliver Russian oil to buyers like China and India. The vessel ignored radio calls and was eventually escorted out by Estonia’s navy. Meanwhile, Russia’s RT posted footage from the tanker showing Estonian patrol ships and choppers nearby.
Russia defends the move, warning it’s ready to protect its fleet. Neighboring NATO states aren’t thrilled — Lithuania called the standoff a serious risk of escalation. As of Thursday, the Jaguar was safely back in Russian waters, anchored near Primorsk.
Trump’s Red Sea Deal: Ceasefire with a Catch
Turns out President Trump’s surprise May 6 ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthis was weeks in the making — and came just as both sides were feeling the heat. After 52 days of U.S. strikes and mounting drone losses, U.S. intelligence picked up chatter in early May suggesting the Houthis were ready to tap out. A deal was brokered (via Oman, not Israel), with Houthis promising to stop attacking U.S. ships — but not Israeli ones.
While Trump called it a win for “restoring American deterrence,” it came at a hefty price: over $1 billion in munitions, two lost jets, and seven MQ-9 drones shot down. Still, the strikes did damage — including a deadly April hit on a key fuel terminal that reportedly killed 74 and cut into the Houthis’ revenue.
Experts warn the ceasefire may not last. As one official put it: Iran and its proxies don’t always separate “Made in Israel” from “Backed by the U.S.”
Throttle Russia, Not Just Scold It
Seventeen rounds in and still no knockout — so the EU is prepping to hit harder. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Wednesday that current sanctions haven’t deterred Putin’s war plans, and it’s time to “suffocate” Russia’s economy. The latest EU package, its 17th, targets nearly 200 shadow fleet tankers, 30 dual-use trading companies, and 75 individuals linked to Russia’s military-industrial machine.
Also in the mix: measures to sanction hybrid threats like seabed sabotage, and an export ban on missile chemicals. The package isn’t final yet, but adoption is expected next week.
Barrot, en route to a NATO meeting in Turkey, also plans to huddle with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham about a Trump-aligned bill slapping 500% tariffs on buyers of Russian oil. Meanwhile, peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow quietly resumed in Istanbul, but EU leaders are making it clear: no ceasefire, no letup.
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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