SAFIR

Two vessels loaded with liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Ras Laffan, Qatar, turned back after they moved eastward towards the Strait of Hormuz, ship-tracking data showed on Monday.Had the vessels successfully crossed the strait, it would have been the first transit of LNG cargoes through the waterway since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began on February 28.Data from analytics firms Kpler and LSEG showed the vessels, Al Daayen and Rasheeda, loaded their cargoes in late February. The data also indicated that the Al Daayen tanker was signalling for China at the moment.Additionally, Kpler data showed both tankers as controlled by QatarEnergy.

A cargo ship carrying wheat sank in the Sea of Azov after coming under attack from Ukrainian drones, a Russia-installed official said on Sunday, leaving one person dead and two missing.Vladimir Saldo, Moscow-installed leader of the Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine's Kherson region, said the attack occurred on Friday but crew members were unable to make known what had happened to them until Sunday."It became known that the reason for the sinking of the Volgo-Balt in the Sea of Azov was a terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime," Saldo wrote on Telegram.He said the crew abandoned ship and was only able to reach shore on Sunday near the village of Strilkove in Kherson region.

Swire Shipping announced an expansion of its regional footprint with the establishment of a new branch office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This milestone underscores the company’s continued investment in Southeast Asia and its commitment to strengthening customer engagement and service delivery across the region.The newly formed Malaysia team will be led by Koon Yan Tan, formerly Head of Swire Shipping Singapore Agency, who is designated to assume the expanded role of Head ofSingapore and Malaysia Agencies.

MariApps Marine Solutions, a global leader in maritime digital solutions and a member of the Schulte Group, has announced it has acquired 100% ownership of Hyderabad-based software company, EffiaSoft Private Limited.This acquisition marks a milestone in MariApps’ commitment to expandingi ts digital ecosystem and enhancing its technological capabilities. By integrating EffiaSoft’s portfolio of enterprise software solutions, MariApps reinforces its position as the chosen provider of end-to-end digital transformation for the maritime industry and beyond.

Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes in March 2026 decreased 23.5 percent from a year ago. Loadings were also below the month’s 5-year average by 35.1 percent. The iron ore trade stands at 2.7 million tons, a decrease of 7.7 percent compared to 2025. For the first three months of the year, iron ore shipments are 21.2 percent below their 5-year average.Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.