Nearly 50 days into one of the most disruptive shipping crises in history, diplomatic signals and military escalation are running in parallel in and around the Strait of Hormuz with both sides – the US and Iran – enforcing blockades in the region. 

Privately held Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest containerline and a huge name in the cruise market, revealed Monday that its founder, Gianluigi Aponte, 85, has handed over his business empire to his son and daughter, Diego and Alexa. MSC became the first container carrier in the world to operate 1,000 ships this month. The delivery of the 11,480 teu MSC Migsan from China’s Zhoushan Changhong shipyard brought about the four-digit world-first for container shipping. 

Israeli liner operator ZIM is preparing for a leadership change, with long-serving chief executive Eli Glickman set to step down. The company said Glickman has informed the board of his decision to leave, but will remain in place for a six-month notice period to support an orderly handover while a successor is identified.

After nine years in the post, Mark O’Neil is no longer president at Columbia Shipmanagement and CEO of Columbia Group. A note sent to employees yesterday from owner Heinrich Schoeller said O’Neil has left the company, effective immediately. No reason was given for the sudden departure from one of the world’s top shipmanagers.

This week’s Splash Wrap podcast (carried below) surrounds the incentives/confidence to invest in wind propulsion and how this is changing.