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TWS Intelligence Desk

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Relevant developments from Brazil and around the world, selected for professionals in shipping, cargo, logistics, insurance and claims.

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40 articles

Ports and terminals • Aug 04, 2026

Charleston’s Leatherman Terminal pause shifts container activity to two remaining terminals

South Carolina Ports’ planned August 1 pause at Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal consolidates Charleston container operations at Wando Welch and North Charleston terminals, requiring close attention to revised terminal, berth...

Container vessel alongside quay cranes at the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal in Charleston, South Carolina.

Cargo claims and loss prevention • Aug 04, 2026

Container losses more than doubled in 2025 as mandatory reporting begins

The World Shipping Council estimates that 1,478 containers were lost at sea in 2025, up from 576 in 2024. The increase reinforces the practical importance of accurate cargo information, stowage controls and prompt eviden...

A container ship carrying stacked freight containers underway in rough sea conditions.

Commodities and dry bulk • Aug 03, 2026

Ferrexpo halts Black Sea pellet exports after vessel strike, tightening war-risk exposure for bulk shipping

Ferrexpo says a drone strike on a vessel carrying 55,000 tonnes of DR-grade iron-ore pellets has made further Black Sea shipments unavailable in the near term, amid wider suspension of calls to Ukrainian ports.

Bulk carrier alongside a terminal loading iron-ore pellets, illustrating the Black Sea bulk-cargo trade affected by heightened navigation risk.

Merchant marine and regulation • Aug 03, 2026

UK finalises port state control guidance under 2026 regulations

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency has issued final MGN 711 guidance for the Merchant Shipping (Port State Control) Regulations 2026, reinforcing risk-based inspections, detention and port-access consequences for fore...

Illustrative view of a port state control inspection being conducted on a merchant vessel alongside.

Vessels and shipping • Aug 03, 2026

Two tanker security incidents reported off Oman underscore renewed Hormuz transit risk

UKMTO reported a projectile strike damaging one tanker’s engine room and a separate nearby explosion close to another vessel off Oman on 31 July–1 August. No casualties were reported, but the incidents reinforce the need...

The stateless crude oil tanker M/T Sophia transits the Atlantic Ocean during a right of visit boarding, Jan. 7, 2026. U.S. military forces are deployed to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Depart

Ports and terminals • Aug 03, 2026

Brazil sets public hearing for southern waterway-access concession covering Rio Grande, Pelotas and Porto Alegre

ANTAQ has scheduled an 11 August public hearing on the proposed SAIP Sul-Mirim concession, a project covering navigational-access infrastructure for three southern Brazilian ports and connected inland waterways.

Cargo vessel navigating the access channel at the Port of Rio Grande in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Maritime technology and decarbonization • Aug 02, 2026

EU proposes ETS-funded support for sustainable maritime fuels and zero-emission propulsion

The European Commission has proposed a new Sustainable Maritime Alternative Propulsion mechanism under the EU ETS, reserving allowances to help close the cost gap for eligible fuels and zero-emission propulsion. The prop...

A commercial cargo vessel fitted with wind-assisted propulsion sails near a European port.

Commodities and dry bulk • Aug 01, 2026

US tariff measures redraw exposure for Brazilian bulk and steel cargoes

New US Section 301 duties now apply to parts of Brazil’s export basket, while iron ore pellets and pig iron are among the exemptions. The split treatment raises cargo-classification and market-diversion questions for dry...

Pellets of iron ore from the LKAB mine in Kiruna, Sweden. The Kiruna City Hall gives these as souvenirs.

Merchant marine and regulation • Aug 01, 2026

EU 21st Russia sanctions package expands maritime exposure to LNG tanker sales and shadow-fleet support vessels

The EU’s 23 July package adds 41 vessels to its service and port-access ban, expands listing criteria to vessels supporting designated ships, and introduces controls around sales of LNG tankers to third countries.

Russia’s natural gas exports by pipeline to the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) declined by almost 40% during the first seven months of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021 and by almost 50% compared with the previous five-year (2017

Vessels and shipping • Aug 01, 2026

Red Sea traffic rebounds briefly while Hormuz crossings remain constrained

A two-day swing in vessel movements shows that commercial confidence in the Middle East’s principal chokepoints remains highly fragile: Bab el-Mandeb traffic recovered from a monthly low, but Strait of Hormuz transits st...

U.S. Sailors aboard the guided missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) prepare to offer rescue assistance to a burning vessel March 11, 2013, during a transit in the Strait of Hormuz. The William P. Lawrence was deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet

Article • Jan 10, 2024

From Mate's Receipt to Master's Peace of Mind: The TWS Maritime Service Advantage in Shipping

The role of a marine survey company like TWS Maritime Service is critical in the complex ballet of maritime trade, acting as a guardian and advocate for the interests and rights of their …

From Mate's Receipt to Master's Peace of Mind: The TWS Maritime Service Advantage in Shipping

Article • Jan 04, 2024

On bulk carriers, hatch covers serve two primary roles:

Granting access to cargo holds for loading/unloading when open, and ensuring weathertight sealing of the hatchway when closed, thus preventing water ingress in any sea state. These covers…

On bulk carriers, hatch covers serve two primary roles: