Global Shock!
Trump sanctioned a Chinese port for accepting Iranian oil. China put a tax on U.S. ships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qri0lqnvmAY&t=628s
Tag: Shipping
First Red Sea naval attack in months raises alarms
“The attack on the ship comes as Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are also suspected of numerous drone and missile attacks over the past two weeks.
An attack on a vessel in the Red Sea was reported on Sunday, which was the first attack there in months.
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The US launched airstrikes on the Houthis in mid-March. The airstrikes ended in April with some kind of a deal, and the Houthis appeared to stop attacks on ships.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/first-red-sea-naval-attack-190545338.html
How Iran Can Close The Straits Of Hormuz
Iran has several ways to close the Straits of Hormuz, and opening it back up will be deadly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTly35T4fz0
The Houthi Red Sea Crisis – Complete Animated Documentary
The Houthi Red Sea Crisis – Complete Animated Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7C2XMRbgmQ
Could American PIRATES help win a war with China?
Cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgGVttwEi1I
The first driverless semis have started running regular longhaul routes
“Driverless trucks are officially running their first regular long-haul routes, making roundtrips between Dallas and Houston.
On Thursday, autonomous trucking firm Aurora announced it launched commercial service in Texas under its first customers, Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, which delivers time- and temperature-sensitive freight. Both companies conducted test runs with Aurora, including safety drivers to monitor the self-driving technology dubbed “Aurora Driver.” Aurora’s new commercial service will no longer have safety drivers.”
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“Aurora is starting with a single self-driving truck and plans to add more by the end of 2025.”
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/transportation/articles/first-driverless-semis-started-running-213139083.html
Are US Ports Empty and What Impact Does the Tariff Have on Global Shipping?
Tariffs’ effects on costs and shipping have a multi-month delay due the time it takes to ship and businesses stocking up on goods before the tariffs.
The tariffs are very costly, and the unpredictability causes chaos and inefficiencies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33kfpNiiAmo
Is the Jones Act Unconstitutional?
“Passed in 1920, the Jones Act severely limits competition in the American shipping market by requiring that ships operating between U.S. ports be American-built, American-crewed, and American-flagged. The number of ships that meet the Jones Act’s standards has been declining for decades, and now fewer than 100 are in operation. Anyone who wants to ship goods—including rum—from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or other outlying U.S. territories to the mainland is required to use one of those few dozen vessels.
Unsurprisingly, the lack of competition drives up shipping costs. The lawsuit points out that it costs roughly three times as much to ship rum from Hawaii to Los Angeles as it does to ship the same goods from Los Angeles to Australia—an international route where greater competition keeps prices lower, even though the trip is significantly longer.”
https://reason.com/2025/02/25/is-the-jones-act-unconstitutional/
Trump tells countries to ax talks on shipping carbon tax, or else
“The Trump administration has upended what it calls “blatantly unfair” talks to set a carbon tax on international shipping and has vowed “reciprocal measures” to shield U.S. ships from any fees, according to a letter seen by POLITICO.
The International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Environmental Protection Conference (MEPC) is taking place in London this week and aims to reach a deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from shipping.
The U.S. letter aims to block the process.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-scrap-maritime-decarbonization-talks/
Puerto Rico Pays More For American Energy Than Its Neighbor
“Because of the century-old Jones Act, U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico must use overpriced, outdated ships to import American LNG—while the Dominican Republic enjoys cheaper energy from the same source.”
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“Over 100 years ago, Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act, requiring all goods transported between U.S. ports to be carried on ships that are built in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, crewed by Americans, and flagged under the United States. While support for the Jones Act was built on maintaining a strong U.S. maritime industry and protecting national security, it has failed to live up to these promises.
Due to absurdly strict requirements, the Jones Act increases the cost of shipping and ship manufacturing by limiting competition in domestic markets and even inspiring collusion. These inflated costs have historically made it impossible for Puerto Rico to import LNG from the United States. Unlike the mainland, Puerto Rico can’t import LNG via trucking or rail and must instead import LNG using Jones Act carriers (which, until recently, didn’t exist).”
https://reason.com/2025/04/05/puerto-rico-pays-more-for-american-energy-than-its-neighbor/