Red Sea traffic stalled in December as security uncertainty, shifting market forces and attractive Cape‑route economics kept most operators from returning despite a lull in Houthi attacks. A handful of carriers have begun cautiously testing the waters, but volatile regional politics and elevated costs continue to slow any meaningful rebound

No additional sailings have been announced as the carrier grapples with tariffs and evolving trade corridors in the east and west

The X-Press Pearl bill could hit $6bn, cautions Lloyd’s Market Association marine head

The Red Sea’s reopening will trigger more than a routing reset. It will expose a structural mismatch in the container fleet with too many large ships and too few small ones, prompting a period that will be defined by uneven capacity and widening regional disparities

Solong

Tanker rates rose over the course of 2025, in both the crude and products segments. The start of 2026 should be strong, given positive momentum, but geopolitical variables make it hard — if not impossible — to predict rates for the rest of the year

Any return will be stepwise and dependent on sustained security improvements

We bring you highlights from the Lloyd’s List Outlook Forum held in London earlier this month, featuring senior executives from many of the biggest names in shipping

The Lloyd’s List Outlook Poll shows that geopolitics is still the biggest risk to shipping, while respondents expected a Red Sea return during the second half of 2026

New service follows trend among container carriers to gradually resume Red Sea transits

The Lloyd’s List team discuss the rankings of this year’s Top 100 People and highlight some key rankings of which you should be aware