Articles by Nicholas Takahashi and Ann Koh

Ransomware Attack Hits Japan’s Biggest Port, Disrupting Cargo Shipments

Japan’s biggest maritime port was crippled by an alleged Russian cyberattack, disrupting cargo as operators rushed to prevent a wider delay in shipments. Ransomware — used by hackers to lock access to files or systems unless a payment is made …

Burning Oil Tanker off Malaysia Rings Alarm Bells About Shadow Fleet

Three crew members are missing from a Gabon-registered tanker that caught fire on Monday in the South China Sea, a Malaysian maritime enforcement agency official said on Tuesday. The Pablo, an Aframax-class crude oil tanker whose insurers are unknown, was …

Ukraine Grain Corridors Need More Ships, Affordable Insurance to Accelerate Exports

Ukraine’s first shipments of grain since being invaded by Russia are a harbinger of relief for squeezed global markets, but many challenges remain before the millions of tons of food stuck in the country can be released. Perhaps the biggest …

China’s Military Drills Force Shippers to Reroute Vessels to Avoid Taiwan Danger Zones

Shippers rerouted vessels as China began its most provocative military drills in decades around Taiwan, with at least one owner barring ships from transiting the strait. Taiwan said China fired 11 missiles in waters around the island as of 4 …

Cost of Insurance for Merchant Ships Sailing to Black Sea Ports Spirals Out of Control

The cost of insuring merchant ships sailing to ports in the Black Sea has spiraled out of control, becoming a huge potential impediment to the movement of Russian cargoes from the region. Underwriters are charging as much as 10% of …

Transport Industry Expects Continued Staffing Woes as Concern Over Omicron Spreads

From seafarers refusing to get back on ships to truck drivers whose concern over Covid-related border closures trumps the lure of higher pay, the transport industry is bracing for another roller coaster year of supply-chain disruptions. As omicron infections surge …

Rising COVID Outbreaks on Ships Endanger Maritime Workers, Risk Trade Disruptions

Global vaccinations of seafarers are going too slowly to prevent outbreaks on ships from causing more trade disruptions, endangering maritime workers and potentially slowing economies trying to pull out of pandemic slowdowns. Infections on vessels could further harm already strained …

Shipping Containers Plunge Overboard as Supply Race Raises Risks

Containers piled high on giant vessels carrying everything from car tires to smartphones are toppling over at an alarming rate, sending millions of dollars of cargo sinking to the bottom of the ocean as pressure to speed deliveries raises the …

Lengthy Legal Battles Expected from Suez Canal’s Longest Closure in Almost 50 Years

The Suez Canal may be open again, but the battle over damages from the waterway’s longest closure in almost half a century is just beginning. With cargoes delayed for weeks if not months, the blockage could unleash a flood of …

Huge Backlog of Ships Waits for Salvage Team to Re-Float Vessel Blocking Suez Canal

A huge backlog of vessels was building up around the Suez Canal amid warnings that the salvage team could need days — or even weeks — to prise out the giant container ship that’s blocking the crucial waterway. Work to …