COMMENT April 2026 Same ships, different day


of course brings inflationary impacts. On top of that, the major shippers are rerouting container ships to avoid the Red Sea, instead transporting goods around the Cape of Good Hope. Maritime freight giants such as Maersk, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd all increased prices, which again will be passed onto businesses and ultimately, the consumer. For the Arab Gulf states, the crisis is even more concerning. Most of the region relies heavily on imports to feed its populace, and on the Strait of Hormuz to deliver that food. It feels a little like Groundhog Day for our industry. The Suez Canal blockage and Red Sea piracy have prepared us for challenges in this region, while we also had to react quickly to major changes in shipping volumes after the US introduced tariffs. In the last edition of DLM, I’d commented on the importance of maintaining momentum after a bright start to the year. It looks like that will be once again tested in the face of adversity. However, this edition is also full of optimism. Manufacturers are quietly confident about Europe, which is the focus of our


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regional report. And the container handling equipment market continues to go from strength to strength – find out why in our dedicated feature. We also turn our attention to TOC Europe as it returns to Hamburg this year, with an excellent exhibitor line- up and conference agenda. We hope to see you there.


Phoebe Galbraith, editor


s we go to press, shipping is once again dealing with a regional crisis that has global implications. The conflict in Iran has spilled over into the wider Arab Gulf region, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed to shipping as I write. This has major implications for energy prices – around a fifth of the world’s oil moves via this route – which


Dockside Lift & Move Supplement | April 2026 | iii


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