Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea (DPRK) are strengthening ties to circumvent the oil cap and Iranian ships are using flag-switching (with which flags?) to evade sanctions, and more. This week’s Maritime Global Trade Roundup analyzes these subjects and more. Check out the easily-digestible highlights and trends, powered by Maritime AI™ insights. The Strengthening of a Worrisome Alliance  The White House recently announced that Russia has been quietly shipping refined petroleum to the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea at levels that appear to violat ..read more

Maritime insurers have a lot at stake…vessels and cargo can obviously involve huge sums of money. It is nearly impossible to effectively do business – contract negotiation, identifying new opportunities, etc. –  without possessing immediate and intricate knowledge of new deceptive shipping practices (DSPs) and the latest geopolitical tensions. .  April saw a major Iran attack on Israel, the seizing of the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship, MSC Aries, and more Houthi disruptions – plus the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and more military drills and tension in the South China Sea. In addi ..read more

An ecosystem already on edge from months of Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea, the Panama Canal drought, and continued Russia-related sanctions is now coping with the aftermath of Iran’s big attack.  Having Russian backing since the outbreak of the Ukraine war seems to have emboldened the Iranians, creating a potentially dangerous new maritime ecosystem with possible effects on commercial, trade, and ocean freight activities in the area. Our recent Global Trade Report examined Iran’s recent attack and the before-and-after impact on the maritime ecosystem. Shipping Companies on High Aler ..read more

You need to know:  Two main factors that make the 5 recent Houthi rebel attacks significant The attacks’ effect on the supply chain – guess who is benefitting…          Who unseated China as the largest Russian crude oil importer This week’s Maritime Global Trade Roundup has these answers and more. Check out the easily-digestible highlights and trends, powered by Maritime AI™ insights. 2 New Developments from 5 Houthi Attacks  The Houthis resumed their attacks on shipping vessels last Wednesday, April 24, after a long period of not execu ..read more

What’s going on with an alleged Iranian spying vessel? How did Iran’s missile attack and ship hijacking impact the six major carriers?  This week’s Maritime Global Trade Roundup has these answers and more, including info on Russia’s oil supply to China. Check out the easily-digestible highlights and trends, powered by Maritime AI™ insights. First, take a quick look at Windward’s refreshed homepage!  Alleged Iranian Spy Ship Returns to Iran The Behshad, an Iranian general cargo vessel owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, crossed the Hormuz Strait last week after sail ..read more

Your AIS Data is Foundational… You depend upon AIS data as the foundation for many of your IT projects. As a chief information officer (CIO) or chief technology officer (CTO), AIS data is the lifeblood of understanding constantly evolving maritime trade flows and mapping the movements of vessels. The Panama Canal drought, Red Sea disruptions, Iran attack and hijackings, and the lifting and then reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela are reminders of how trade routes can change in the blink of an eye.  This is just one aspect of AIS data’s utility. It is also critical for identifying ..read more

The Iran attack…Venezuela oil sanctions are back…decreased Russian oil trading…IUU fishing… There was recently some volatility and noteworthy developments, as always. Check out the easily-digestible maritime global trade highlights and trends we are sharing this week, powered by Maritime AI™ insights. Before diving deep, take a look at Windward’s refreshed homepage!  The MSC Aries Seizure in the Strait of Hormuz The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps seized the MSC Aries (IMO: 9857169), a 366-meter container vessel, while en-route to the Hormuz Strait on April 13. The IRGC claimed that th ..read more

It was an interesting and somewhat volatile week…as always. Here are the quick highlights and analysis you need from the week in maritime global trade (and sometimes from slightly before this week), powered by Maritime AI™ insights. Also, check out our Windward Trade Patterns & Risk Insights Report for Q1 and Volatility Grows in North America: Global Trade Report.  Possible PoD Changes After The Bridge Crash’s Effect on the Supply Chain  There was a noticeable increase in port calls following the accident to other ports on the East Coast by container vessels following the tragic ..read more

Windward is excited to participate in next week’s Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2024. We’ll be part of the new trade exhibition, Expo@SMW, from April 16-18, which will bring together leading experts to unveil the latest in maritime research and development.  This year’s theme, “Actions Meet Ambition,” reflects an emphasis on the maritime sector’s desire to adopt proactive measures and more strategic decision-making to tackle evolving risk and industry-wide challenges, while setting ambitious goals for innovation and sustainability.  Come talk to Windward at our booth to discover the ..read more

See Risk Reduction in Action The post Windward Q1 Trade Patterns & Risk Insights Report appeared first on Windward ..read more