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Posted by Amanda Bradfield
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12 February, 2026
IF YOU woke up this morning feeling a little off, blame it on Friday the 13th… or maybe you just need an extra coffee! After a week of getting back into routines, it was a good time to take stock, note the important dates for the year, and feel a bit more organised before we blink and the year passes us by yet again.
The fast paced world of shipping has certainly kept us on our toes this week.
Blank sailings, sometimes referred to as “slides”, occur when a vessel/voyage simply does not depart as scheduled, and they’ve been coming thick and fast. With Lunar New Year approaching, carriers are now picking and choosing which sailings to run, often waiting until vessels are fuller before setting off, as volumes remain softer than ideal. (That was the simplified version!)
Staying in Asia, heavy berth congestion continues at Shanghai, Ningbo, and Nansha, with Southeast Asian ports like Port Klang and ports in Indonesia also experiencing delays.
The weather hasn’t exactly been making life easier in the Western Mediterranean. Terminals at Alge
Out at sea, vessels in the Bay of Biscay are facing tricky conditions, with another spell of severe weather expected from 13–15 February. Inland traffic is recovering slowly, with lingering congestion and flood impacts on trucks. Things are improving but expect a few more delays as the region works through these conditions.
Beyond blank sailings and rough weather, what’s else has been shaping the shipping news this week?
💠New logistics precinct approved for Melbourne’s inner west
💠Mackay container depot to unlock global trade for Central Queensland
💠Flinders to trial innovative cantilever automated crane at FACT
💠First green shipping corridor established between France and China
💠VICT secures Port of Melbourne terminal operations through 2066
💠Australia moves to reclaim Darwin Port, escalating trade tensions
💠Trump unleashes new tariffs on Iran, India, and beef imports
💠U.S. commits to IMO but challenges Net Zero shipping framework
💠Maersk orders flexible tonnage and duel fuel container ships
💠HMM Navigates a Tough Finish to 2025
💠Australis Shipping Eyes New Australian-Led Bulk Service for Oceania
💠CK Hutchison Escalates Panama Dispute, Signals Potential Legal Action
💠Investors Pause DP World Deals Amid Scrutiny of CEO Links
💠IMO Launches 2026–27 World Maritime Day Theme
Here’s the Sydney Express alongside Patrick Terminals. She’s one of the larger container ships that visit Fremantle, measuring 300 metres long and 48 metres wide. This vessel was previously known as the Hanjin Switzerland and was operated by South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping, which filed for bankruptcy in late 2016. I'm sure some will remember how much this shook the industry!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
