Andrew shared confidential information with Epstein as trade envoy, files suggest


Andy Verity

BBC


Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor appears to have knowingly shared confidential information with Jeffrey Epstein from his official work as trade envoy in 2010 and 2011, according to material in the latest release of files in the US seen by the BBC.

Emails from the recently-released batch of Epstein files show the former prince passing on reports of visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam and confidential details of investment opportunities.

Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about their official visits.

The former Duke of York, who served as trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, has been contacted for comment but is yet to respond.

Andrew has consistently and strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Being named in the Epstein files is not an indication of misconduct.

The emails indicate that on 7 October 2010, Andrew sent Epstein details of his official upcoming trips as trade envoy to Singapore, Vietnam, Shenzhen in China and Hong Kong, where he was accompanied by business associates of Epstein.

After the trip, on 30 November, he appears to have forwarded official reports of those visits sent by his then-special assistant, Amit Patel, to Epstein, five minutes after receiving them.

US Department of Justice

Andrew told BBC Newsnight in 2019 that he last saw Epstein in New York in early December 2010 to tell the disgraced financier he was breaking off the friendship.

However, on Christmas Eve that year, he emailed Epstein a confidential briefing on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, which was overseen at the time by British armed forces and funded by UK government money.

By this time, Epstein was already a convicted sex offender.

Sir Vince Cable, who was then business secretary, said: "I was unaware of Andrew... sharing information about investment opportunities [in Afghanistan] before, this is the first I've heard of it."

In a further email dated 9 February 2011, Andrew suggests Epstein might invest in a private equity firm he visited a week before.

Official terms of reference for trade envoys state that they "are not civil servants", adding: "However, the role of a Trade Envoy carries with it a duty of confidentiality in relation to information received. This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits.

"This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply."

Andrew has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein.

He was stripped of his royal titles in October last year following increasing numbers of questions about his links to the late, convicted sex offender.

Earlier in February, Andrew moved out of his home in Windsor to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Buckingham Palace had announced in October that he would be moving from Royal Lodge, at the same time his title of prince was removed.

The former prince left the property on Monday night and is currently living at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate while his new permanent home undergoes renovations.

Brief sent by Andrew to Epstein included gold investments, file seen by BBC suggests

Sean Coughlan, Royal correspondent
James Landale, Diplomatic correspondent


The former Prince Andrew travelled the world as the UK's trade envoy

A document apparently sent by Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Jeffrey Epstein included information on investment opportunities in gold and uranium in Afghanistan.

The BBC has seen a briefing, prepared for Andrew by UK officials when he was a trade envoy, which he forwarded to the convicted sex offender in December 2010 and includes a list of "high value commercial opportunities" in Helmand province.

This comes after the BBC reported that the former prince had called the document "confidential," according to an email in the latest tranche of Epstein files.

Andrew has been approached for comment but has yet to respond. Previously he has strongly denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein and rejected any suggestion he used his time as trade envoy to further his own interests.

Andrew shared confidential information with Epstein as trade envoy, files suggest

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Sir Vince Cable, who was business secretary at the time, described sharing the briefing as "appalling behaviour".

Thames Valley Police are already assessing whether to investigate the apparent sharing of documents related to Andrew's time as trade envoy.

In a new statement on Wednesday, police said: "We can confirm today that Thames Valley Police is leading the ongoing assessment of allegations relating to misconduct in public office.

"As part of this assessment, we have engaged in discussions with Specialist Crown Prosecutors from the CPS. We will provide updates as and when they are available, but at this stage it would be inappropriate to discuss further specifics of this work.

"During an assessment phase, information is evaluated to determine whether a criminal offence is suspected and whether a full investigation is required. Allegations of misconduct in public office involve particular complexities, and therefore an assessment must be conducted carefully and thoroughly."

As well as the Afghan document, Andrew also seems to have sent the disgraced financier official reports from his visits as a trade envoy to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, according to emails in the Epstein files seen by the BBC.

Emails in the files raise the possibility Andrew shared further trade documents with Epstein. One message indicates that a few seconds after sending the reports from the South East Asia visits, the former prince then sent a second batch of files called "Overseas bids".

These seem to be "Zip files" that usually contain many compressed pieces of information.

The Afghan document, which is in the Epstein files, was compiled by UK government officials specifically for the then Duke of York.

It provides an extensive overview of investment opportunities in Helmand province, at a time when the UK was militarily and politically committed to rebuilding Afghanistan.

As Andrew said in his note to Epstein, it's a "confidential brief produced by the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand Province".

It was a briefing produced for Andrew - who was trade envoy between 2001 and 2011 - in the same month that he visited Helmand, where he saw UK troops based there.

It gives an assessment of the current local economy and the business opportunities, including "significant high value mineral deposits" and the "potential for low cost extraction".

This includes valuable natural resources such as marble, gold, iridium, uranium and thorium and also possible deposits of oil and gas, with the information prepared by UK government officials, working for the Helmand reconstruction team.

According to official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about their official visits.

US Department of Justice


Sir Vince, who was seen as instrumental in ending Andrew's time as trade envoy, called for more transparency on Andrew's time as trade envoy.

"I have twice in the past asked to see the file on Andrew as trade envoy and, strangely, it is empty," he said.

"I met Andrew once as secretary of state, when I was invited to Buckingham Palace and he was asking me to find something useful for him to do. I didn't.

"Shortly after, in 2011, the first publicity appeared about his friend Epstein and I discontinued the envoy role," said Sir Vince.

The role of trade envoy is to promote the UK's business interests overseas and to encourage investment.

Speaking anonymously, a diplomatic source suggested that an envoy such as Andrew might legitimately have shared information with potential investors, encouraging them to support UK international business initiatives, which might have included in Afghanistan.

Andrew's apparent note to Epstein says he is going to "offer this elsewhere in my network (including Abu Dhabi)".

On the wider principle of sharing documents, a former senior trade official said many of the reports seen by a trade envoy would have been quite "pedestrian", but sometimes the former Duke of York had "really important meetings with really important people" that produced real commercial opportunities.

"So it is always possible that there were significant commercial things in the documents which would have been useful," the former official said.

"They were absolutely not for sending outside government and particularly not to somebody who might seek to use them for commercial purposes. This was certainly not something a trade envoy could possibly do and justify in any way."

The former prince continues to be dogged by his links to Epstein after the latest tranche of documents released by the US government included pictures of Mountbatten-Windsor, fully clothed, kneeling on all fours over a woman lying on the ground.

He is facing growing pressure to testify in the US about his links to Epstein and last week moved from his Windsor home to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

On Monday a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King was ready to support the police as they consider allegations against his brother.

Investors Back Away from DP World as CEO's Links to Epstein Scandal Appear

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem had led DP World for 20 years building it into a powerhouse in ports, shipping, and logistics (DP World)

Published Feb 11, 2026 4:21 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

While the shipping world seemed to be far removed from the growing U.S. scandal around convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, logistics giant DP World is now coming under pressure due to revelations about its long-time Chairman and CEO. Two giant institutional investors have announced they are suspending future investments with the company until it addresses the situation.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has led the global giant for nearly 20 years and built its global portfolio. At first, the reporting of his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein seemed to be prurient curiosity, but as the U.S. Department of Justice continued to release large batches of material, it became clear that it was a long-running friendship that involved messages of a sexual nature and assisting Epstein. DOJ is quick to point out that inclusion in the files is not evidence in and of itself of a crime, but the CEO’s name reportedly appears many times over many years. The friendship appears to have continued after Epstein’s conviction in 2008 and until shortly before he died in 2019.

The pension fund of Quebec, Canada, and the second largest in Canada, La Caisse (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec), was the first to act. It noted that the individual and the company were separate, but that it would “pause additional capital deployment,” with DP World. It said it expects DP World to address “the situation and take the necessary actions.”

La Caisse, which currently has a portfolio worth US$366 billion, has a relationship with DP World dating back a decade. It announced that it would invest $3.7 billion in 2016 into the company’s ports and terminals. In 2022, it announced another $5 billion, including investments in the Dubai port of Jebel Ali, and in September 2025, reported it would partner with DP World for the Port of Montreal expansion at Contrecoeur.

Today, February 11, the British investment giant British International Investment, with a portfolio valued at over $9 billion, announced it would also be suspending investments with DP World. Reuters reports BII is currently invested in at least four African ports alongside DP World.

Bin Sulayem, age 70, is a prominent Emirati businessman and has a close association with the royal family, which oversees DP World and the country’s other major companies. He reportedly began working at the Jebel Ali port in the 1970s, which was also the origin of DP World. He became chairman of the company in 2007 and CEO and Chairman in 2016.

According to the company, under his leadership, the company undertook strategic investments and acquisitions, and today is responsible for approximately 10 percent of the global container trade. In 2006, DP World acquired the venerable British shipping company P&O for $6.8 billion. The company also made investments, including Imperial Logistics and Syncreon, and recently announced it would be unifying its operations under the DP World brand

Bin Sulayem, in his company profile, is reported to have also established Nakheel. The real estate and tourism company in Dubai is known for major projects including The Palm, built on an artificial island, the conversion of the liner Queen Elizabeth 2 into a hotel, and other businesses, including the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre.

The company’s profile says that it contributes more than 36 percent to the GDP of Dubai and about 12 percent to the GDP of the UAE. It operates in more than 80 countries. Last year, it reported nearly $20 billion in revenues.

 Maritime Union of Australia (NMU)

Carnival Australia Says NMU is Recruiting by Filing “Whistleblower” Report

Carnival Cruise Line rebranded two P&O Cruise ships for its Australian cruise operation (Carnival Cruise Line Australia)

Published Feb 10, 2026 7:43 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Carnival Cruise Line’s Australia operations have become the target of a campaign by the Maritime Union of Australia (NMU), which this week resulted in an unscheduled inspection by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). The cruise line is calling the MNU’s actions an effort to get attention and launch a membership drive, while the union is accusing the cruise line of low wages and poor working conditions aboard its ship homeported in Australia.

Carnival Cruise Line has operated in Australia since 2012, and in 2025, it consolidated its operations with the storied P&O Australia, which had been cruising from Australia for more than a century. Carnival rebranded two P&O cruise ships as Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter. The ships, each 108,865 gross tons with accommodations for 2,500 passengers, were built in 2001 for Princess Cruises and operated from Australia since 2022. Each ship has over 1,100 crewmembers. Carnival also operates one of its large ships year-round from Australia and has a second ship seasonally in Australia.

The MNU launched its campaign in January, charging “extreme exploitation” of the crew working on Carnival’s ships. They alleged low wages, tight living conditions, and poor working conditions. They were quick to point out that the cruise line employs mostly people from India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, calling them some of the “poorest economies on the earth.”

The MNU had announced it would stage a demonstration in the Port of Melbourne on January 21. They demonstrated in front of the Carnival Adventure while the ship was docked in the port to coincide with the Australian Open tennis match.

Carnival Cruise Line has consistently said it has nothing to hide. It says it adheres to the standards set by the International Labour Organization for pay and treatment of the crews aboard its ships. 

The union, however, elevated it, claiming it had received an anonymous complaint from a worker aboard the ship about working conditions. It asserted that it had received hundreds of complaints about the ships and reported that it was passing the “whistleblower” complaint to the authorities.

"This is exactly what happens when you allow foreign-owned and controlled companies to sail the Australian coast, using Australian ports, carrying Australian passengers paying Australian fares, but who are completely immune from Australian law,” said the MNU in a statement.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is well-known for its strict enforcement, especially on issues of crew welfare and safety, sent inspectors for the Carnival Encounter while the ship was in Darwin on February 2. AMSA responded to media questions, emphasizing that it ensures international crew welfare standards are met through regular port state control inspections. Ot said the results of its inspection were presented to the captain.

Carnival Cruise Line told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation after the inspection that it had confirmed that AMSA found “no deficiencies” and that “no follow-up actions were required.”

The union, however, asserts the investigation is ongoing. It said there are “broader, systemic problems across the cruise industry.” The MUA also reiterated its call for Carnival Cruises to recognize the right of crew members to organize and bargain collectively in line with international labor standards.

 

Maersk Predicts Difficult Times for Industry After a Strong Performance

Maersk expects overcapacity and continuing pressure of freight rates for the container business

Published Feb 5, 2026 7:47 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Maersk, long considered a bellwether of the container shipping industry and broader global economy, presented a bleak near-term outlook as it reported 2025 financial results. The company pointed to the continued uncertainties in global trade as well as a growing overcapacity in container shipping, which it foresees contributing to further declines in freight rates and its earnings outlook.

While posting a strong overall performance in 2025, which included nearly five percent volume growth for ocean shipping and terminals that achieved record volumes, revenues, and EBIT, the company reported continued declines in freight rates, which contributed to sharply lower earnings. Average freight rates were down more than 20 percent year-over-year and approximately eight percent in sequential quarters in the fourth quarter, which the company attributed to driving its shipping segment to an earnings loss (EBIT) of $153 million in the quarter. The company overall reported $13.3 billion in revenues with earnings (EBIT) of just $100 million. (EBITDA $1.8 billion).

The company reached the top of its forecast for 2025, in part as the return to Red Sea routes was delayed and continued to drive utilization. It reported full-year revenues of $54 billion with earnings on an EBIT basis of $3.5 billion (EBITDA $9.5 billion).

CEO Vincent Clerc, however, presented a bleak picture to investors during the company’s conference call. He said they expected that global container volume would grow between two and four percent this year, but said they expected “container shipping rates to develop adversely.”

One key concern is overcapacity, both from the new ships entering the market and the six-year deferral at scrapping older ships. He forecast an overcapacity of between four and eight percent in 2026, saying “you will need to see some scrapping” for the overcapacity to be reduced. 

The overcapacity, he said, could be further exacerbated if the return to Red Sea routes comes faster than anticipated and in turn further pressure rates. He still expects a gradual return to the routes through the Suez and Red Sea and pointed out that it would make slower steaming possible and contribute to lower costs.

Maersk’s forecast for 2026 presented a worst-case scenario, which could see a financial loss of $1.5 billion (EBIT) and a best-case scenario of a profit of $1.5 billion. Cash flow could also be negative, and to reduce depreciation, the company made a change in the estimated useful lives of vessels from 20 to 25 years, effective January 1, 2026.

Clerc points to steps to reduce corporate overhead, continuing a trend of headcount reductions across the company. For 2026, he said Maersk would cut around 15 percent (1,000 positions) from a global corporate workforce of 6,000 and a total workforce of more than 100,000. This follows broader reductions that started in 2023. The forecast is that Maersk will reduce corporate expenses by $180 million with these latest headcount reductions.

The company is also reorganizing its logistics segment into groups focused on landside, forwarding, and solutions.  To demonstrate faith and support the stock price, the company also initiated a new share buy-back program. The company’s shares were able to claw back some of their early losses, but still closed the day down four percent.

Strength of Cruise Market Spurs New Niche Startups

One new entrant is Corazul which is targeted to the Spanish market using a 30-year-old cruise ship originally built for P&O (Corazul)

Published Feb 6, 2026 5:43 PM by The Maritime Executive

The continuing strong demand for cruise vacations and the positive outlook are once again attracting new players into the market and driving the formation of niche offerings. The COVID-19 pandemic and the economics of operating cruise ships largely drove small players from the market, but the strength of the industry is once again creating interest for new companies.

Much of the focus on 2026 will be on the entry of the luxury hotel brands into the market. Ritz-Carlton started the trend, launching cruise ships in 2022 with a smaller ship called Evrima, followed by two larger cruise ships. The much-talked-about Four Seasons yacht cruise ship launches this spring and will be followed by the sailing yacht Orient Express Corinthian, but also emerging are new players seeking to reopen the Spanish cruise market and yacht cruising in the Greek Islands.

Vice President of Sales for Corazul Cruceros, Alex Busquets, says Spanish cruises largely left the market after the collapse of the two Spanish cruise brands, Pullmantur, which closed during the pandemic, and Iberocruceros, which was operated by Carnival Corporation until 2014. 

Busquets told The Maritime Executive that their research showed only 10 percent of Spanish cruisers stayed with the industry. He says they found that 90 percent of the customers had gone back to hotels and resorts, but they believe the interest in cruising remains strong.

Corazul was announced last month and plans to start operations in July, offering a uniquely Spanish product. He said the Spanish culture centers around socializing and outdoor activities. The new cruise product will be tailored, he says, to their style with numerous outdoor activities and music to appeal to Spanish customers. Dinner aboard the ship will be served at 8:30 pm and 10 pm, also to reflect the Spanish culture.

Onboard, the primary language will be Spanish, followed by Portuguese, and then English. They will tailor programs to families, another important part of the Spanish culture. They also look to attract young people to their cruises.

During the northern winter, they will relocate to Brazil, similar to what the previous companies had also done. Busquets says their research showed strong demand and limited capacity in Brazil. They believe there will be a positive market for a Spanish product tailored to Brazil. At 69,000 gross tons and a capacity for approximately 2,000 passengers, Busquets says the ship is ideal for their target market.

Their ship will be named Buenavista, and eagle-eyed observers quickly identified her as the former Oriana of P&O Cruises, built in 1995 at Meyer Werft in Germany. P&O sold the ship in 2019 to the Chinese, who relaunched her as Piano Land. The ship has passed a critical age barrier for the Chinese market, and its operators, Astro Ocean, are merging with Adora Cruises, but the owners are not saying whether they chartered or sold the ship. Astro Ocean says plans for its operations will be announced in due course. Corazul is deferring to the Chinese, but unconfirmed reports are that they have a charter with an option to buy the ship.

Busquets reports the Chinese owners liked the European style aboard and made very few changes, which will make it easy to bring the ship back to Europe. They plan a quick refresh and changing things such as the Chinese signage before launching in July. He says other elements can be updated as they go forward.

Corazul has strong expectations. They note it is currently harder to find second-hand cruise ships, but they say the intent is to acquire more ships.

 

Blue Zephyr will offer a new spirit of yacht cruising in the Aegean (Blue Zephyr Cruises)

 

Another niche player announced recently, calling itself Blue Zephyr Cruises. The company plans to launch in May in the Aegean, saying it will bring a new spirit to yacht-style cruising. They will offer touches of Greek culture, with, for example, an outdoor taverna, while saying the ship is all about luxury, with spaces designed for calm and privacy.

 

Ghana’s mining reforms risk choking investment, says industry body

Reuters | January 19, 2026 | 

Image courtesy of Newmont Mining

Ghana’s main mining industry body said on Monday that proposed changes to how the country manages tax and royalty terms risk deterring investment and slowing output.

Reuters reported last week that Africa’s top gold producer plans to scrap long-term mining investment stability agreements and double royalties under sweeping reforms.

The changes, which the country’s mining regulator said were intended to boost state revenue and crack down on firms abusing the terms of their licenses, mean that stability agreements with Newmont, AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields will not be renewed.

A draft bill expected to go to parliament by March proposes royalties starting at 9% and rising to 12% if gold hits $4,500 per ounce or higher, roughly double the current 3%–5% range.

Fears of stalled projects, lost jobs

The Chamber of Mines, which represents big mining companies, said in its statement on Monday that it backed the principle of a sliding‑scale royalty system that would allow the state to earn more at higher gold prices. But it warned that the current proposal would push Ghana further up the global effective tax curve, potentially stalling projects and costing jobs.

“We understand the rationale behind a sliding scale, but the structure must strike a sweet spot where government secures sustainable revenues while the industry continues to expand and reinvest,” chief executive Kenneth Ashigbey said.

“The current proposal does not strike that balance.”

The chamber didn’t offer a counterproposal.

Ghana’s mining regulator, known as the Minerals Commission, and the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ghana’s large‑scale miners already pay a 3% growth and sustainability levy on top of the 3-5% flat royalty rate, both levied on gross revenue rather than profit, along with a 35% corporate income tax, 8% dividend tax and the state’s 10% free carried interest, the chamber said.

Stability and development agreements should be reviewed and improved but not cancelled outright, it said.

The chamber said it welcomed ongoing consultations with Ghana’s lands and natural resources minister and said a competitive and predictable fiscal regime was essential for sustaining investment.

(By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Susan Fenton)

Ghana’s Takoradi Port Receives Largest Bulker as Manganese Exports Surge

Takoradi Harbor (Banku / CC BY SA 3.0)

Published Jan 18, 2026 11:45 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The dry bulk shipping market in West Africa continues to see massive transformation, as China’s appetite for minerals from the region surge. In the last few years, capsize and above loadings in West Africa have maintained a double-digit growth. In a market report last year, the investment bank Jefferies estimated that West Africa now represents 14 percent of Capesize liftings compared to six percent four years ago.

This momentum is likely to be sustained in 2026, buoyed by uptick of exports from the Guinea’s Simandou iron ore project. The first shipment of nearly 200,000 metric tons of iron ore from Simandou arrived in Majishan port in East China on Saturday. A second shipment left Guinea in late December, which is part of the planned 120 million tons’ yearly production in Simandou.

Again, Ghana has signaled increase for its manganese exports to China this year. The move will see the country for the first time in history receive an ultra-capsize bulk carrier. Last week, Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) said that the 300,000 DWT bulk carrier MV CBS Years is set to arrive at the Port of Takoradi on January 27.

The deployment of the vessel to Takoradi also involves other partners including Cosco Shipping Lines and the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA). A welcome ceremony will be held next week commemorating berthing of the largest bulk carrier in West African waters. In preparation for the arrival, some members of GPHA’s marine operations team, including marine pilots, have been sent to China for advanced simulation in berthing capsize vessels.

“MV CBS Years’ call at Takoradi marks a significant business turning point for the GMC, in line with the company’s 10 million tons export target in 2026,” said Kofi Gyetsua Ankuma, GMC Administrative Superintendent. Ghana has almost doubled its manganese export target, with production in 2024 hitting five million tons. This has seen the country retain its third position as Africa’s largest manganese producer after Gabon and South Africa.

GMC has also partnered with China’s Tianyuan Manganese Industry (TMI) to build Ghana’s first national manganese refinery. The project is budgeted to cost $450 million, although it has been facing delays since 2024.

London Gateway Posts Strong Growth and Is Poised to Be UK’s Largest Port

DP World's London Gateway topped 3 million TEU and is poised to claim the top spot in the UK (DP World)

Published Jan 19, 2026 5:52 PM by The Maritime Executive

DP World’s London Gateway Port, located on the Thames, reported strong growth in 2025 as it continues to expand its operations. The Times (London) asserts that the terminal, which has been in operation for a little more than a decade, is on track to claim the top spot in the UK, and become the largest UK container port.

Today’s announcement of year-end data highlights that London Gateway port achieved a more than 52 percent growth in its container throughput in 2025, reaching more than 3 million TEU. The Times points out that Hutchison’s Felixstowe container port does not release data, but it speculates the port has slipped from its public assertion of more than 4 million TEU annual down to around the 3.6 million TEU the port was believed to have handled in 2024.

The achievement is especially notable as London Gateway only started operations in November 2013. It was an effort launched by the former P&O Group to revive the Port of London, which had been in a long decline with the death of breakbulk cargo, replaced by containers. Felixstowe had opened its first container terminal in 1967-1968 and saw rapid growth through the 1970s to the 1990s. Its last major expansion opened a decade ago in 2015.

Driving in part London Gateway’s rapid growth was the addition of a fourth berth. The port was also successful in wooing the newly launched Gemini Cooperation between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to base UK operations in London instead of Felixstowe. The port also opened its second rail terminal in 2025.

DP World highlights that construction is underway on two all-electric berths for London Gateway as part of a further £1 billion investment. In addition to expanding to six berths, DP World highlights that it will be spending a further £170 million over the next two years for the construction of a new BOXBAY container handling system. They call it an intelligent High Bay Storage (HBS) system that increases efficiency by eliminating the need to reshuffle boxes while also increasing capacity.

The company highlights that its total UK operations topped 5 million TEU in 2025 when factoring in the more than 2 million TEU throughput handled at Southampton. It points out that it now has more than half the total UK market, which is estimated at just over 9 million TEU.

The Times highlights that London Gateway is likely “stealing” market share from Felixstowe as it shifts the center of the container import-export trade to London. The paper also reports that the UK’s giant grocery and general merchandiser TESCO is set to become one of the biggest tenants at London Gateway.

The company also highlights the strength of the transshipment operations. With the addition of the Gemini vessels, London has become a gateway for vessels arriving from Asia. 

While DP World’s focus remains on the strong growth at London Gateway, the company highlights that it is also making large investments in DP World Southampton. As part of a £60 million investment, the operation in Southampton is scheduled to receive the first of its new quay cranes later this year. DP World says it will form the tallest quay crane fleet in Europe as it moves to futureproof the operations at Southampton.

AD Ports Buys Spanish Shipyard Astilleros Balenciaga

AD Ports is expanding tis shipbuilding capabilities acquiring a Spanish shipyard specializing in the offshore energy sector (Astilleros Balenciaga Shipyard)

Published Jan 20, 2026 8:38 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Abu Dhabi-based AD Ports acquired a Spanish shipyard as part of its effort to expand in the Mediterranean and serve the offshore operations sector. The reports indicate that it paid €11.2 million ($13.1 million) for 100 percent ownership of Astilleros Balenciaga, based on the northern coast of Spain near Bilbao.

The shipyard, which traces its origins to 1921, will now be known as Balenciaga Shipyard. AD Ports acquired the yard for its Safeen Drydocks subsidiary, which is part of its Noatum Maritime group. The yard has both shipbuilding and repair facilities.

For AD Ports, the acquisition is an opportunity to further expand its presence in the offshore services sector and specifically offshore wind. The company recently announced a partnership with Masdar, the state-owned renewable energy company that is investing in the European offshore wind sector. Safeen will develop and deliver offshore wind projects for the partnership with Masdar.

Safeen Drydocks was launched in June 2023 as a joint venture 51 percent owned by AD Ports and working with Premier Marine Engineering Services, which was developing a shipyard at the Khalifa Port. It is a 45,000 square meter facility with a 350-meter (1,150-foot) berth for vessel repairs. The yard also has a floating dry dock.

The Balenciaga Shipyard has two dry docks, a 105-meter slipway, and a fabrication factory, as well as a cutting plant. The company recently invested in an expansion of its facilities.

The Spanish shipyard works with tug boats, offshore support vessels, fishing vessels, cargo vessels, and product carriers. Safeen highlights its capabilities in structural prefabrication of large modules for offshore projects, which it looks to leverage to further develop its presence in the offshore market. The shipyard is one of the few yards in Spain specializing in the construction of Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) as well as research vessels, offshore support vessels, and specialized tugs.

AD Ports Group highlights that it will further consolidate its operations in Spain and the Mediterranean region. 

 

Union Condemns Pace of Investigation Into P&O Ferries' 2022 Ferry Layoffs

File image courtesy P&O Ferries

Published Jan 11, 2026 8:13 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

A trade union in the United Kingdom is reawakening the ghosts of the 2022 unilateral sacking of about 800 seafarers by P&O Ferries after condemning a government agency for delays in concluding civil investigations against the company’s bosses.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has criticized the Insolvency Service over delays in launching a civil trial against P&O Ferries. RMT believes the delayed civil investigation is eroding confidence and allowing senior figures involved in the layoffs to escape accountability.

In 2022, P&O Ferries declared 786 seafarers redundant, without prior notice or consultations with workers’ unions. The company, owned by Dubai-based DP World, announced plans to substitute foreign agency workers to crew its ships, who would be paid far less.

The move sparked protests from the UK government and workers’ unions, prompting the Insolvency Service to carry out a criminal investigation into the circumstances. Britain has consultation requirements for layoffs, and at the time, then-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that if the law was not followed, it would be "a matter for criminal prosecution and unlimited fines" for P&O. The agency decided not to file criminal charges after coming to the conclusion that there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.

While the government agency opted out of any criminal proceedings, RMT says that a civil probe into potential misconduct by the ferry operator’s directors remains unresolved.

The trade union is now warning that the failure to reach a conclusion risks sending a signal that law-breaking can go unpunished, particularly since senior executives have already departed with bonus payments. 

“Almost four years on from one of the most disgraceful acts of corporate law-breaking in modern British industrial history, workers are still waiting for answers. This situation raises serious questions about whether company law is being enforced in the public interest or quietly shelved when powerful employers are involved,” said Eddie Dempsey, RMT General Secretary.

RMT highlighted that it has written to the Insolvency Service demanding an update on the investigation, saying that further delay will make the agency look "opaque and ineffective."

Since the mass layoffs, the UK has implemented measures to protect seafarers. It requires shipping lines to pay seafarers higher wages and prohibits fire and rehire practices.

Currently operating 11 ro-pax and ro-ro cargo ships, P&O Ferries offers services from UK ports to Belgium, France, Ireland and the Netherlands.

 

Bananas Ahoy as Overboard Containers Wash Ashore

Containers that fell overboard were drive onshore during the storm (Andy/BirderNikon on X)

Published Dec 11, 2025 6:36 PM by The Maritime Executive

Five days after eight containers carrying bananas were washed overboard from the reefer ship Baltic Klipper in Southampton Water, bananas in the thousands are still washed up onto the beaches of the West Sussex coast in southern England. A total of 16 containers were lost overboard, with others transporting plantains and avocados.

It has turned into a bit of a bonus day for residents who have been finding the jetsam within the wreckage of the containers. With heavy seas and high winds, the containers were driven onto shore, and many were broken apart. As of Tuesday, 11 of the 16 containers had beached. HM Coastguard reports that a helicopter and an aircraft have been carrying out searches for the missing containers.

 

 

Police, customs authorities, and the Receiver of Wrecks have warned beachcombers not to eat the bananas or to take them home.  But local people have interpreted prevailing Wrecks and Salvage law in a more free market fashion, and have helped themselves to the bananas, rather than see them going to waste.

Even after five days at sea, what were green and unripe bananas when washed overboard have now ripened despite the cold conditions. True to the spirit of journalistic inquiry, your correspondent can attest that seawater has not degraded the taste of the bananas, with the only threats to health posed by skin slippage and by eating too many of them.

 

Bananas ended up driven inland as the storm continued (CJRC)

 

Due to the stormy and windy weather in the Selsey area, bananas have been swept off the beach into coastal roads, making for slippery driving conditions in some areas.

Shipping in the port of Southampton, which was delayed on Saturday, December 6, has now resumed. The port was operating, however, with a single lane for shipping as the authorities worked to locate the containers. The P&O Cruises ship Iona held overnight at her berth in Southampton, has now reached Tenerife, the first stop on its somewhat curtailed cruise.  

The Baltic Klipper was shifted into Portsmouth on Monday night. Pictures show additional toppled containers still aboard the ship.

 

 

Members of the British government have been calling for strong efforts to ensure the shipping company and its insurers will pay the costs of the cleanup. Seatrade, which operates the vessel, said its insurers are fully engaged in the process, and in the meantime, volunteers are scouring the beaches, aiding in the cleanup (and possibly taking a few bananas home as a reward).

 

DP World to Consolidate ID Ending P&O and Unifeeder Brands

DP World will unify its operations replacing the brand names of P&O and Unifeeder (DP World)

Published Dec 9, 2025 7:37 PM by The Maritime Executive

DP World reports it will unify its global operations in an effort to elevate its image as an integrated global logistics provider. In the process, the company’s legacy brand, including the storied names of P&O and Unifeeder, will be phased out.

The company highlights the changes in the global marketplace, saying customers increasingly expect seamless, end-to-end service delivery. It says the unification of the brands is designed to strengthen its positioning, but behind the scenes, the operations will remain the same.

“We are building a future where trade flows effortlessly,” said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at DP World. “Unifying these brands complements the next natural step in our transformation journey from a leading port operator into a fully integrated global logistics provider.”

DP World began in the 1970s as a port operator. In addition to its global port terminal operations, the company moved to make acquisitions in major segments. It acquired the operations of P&O in 2006, giving it the ferry operations as well maritime logistics business. P&O had spun off its cruise ship operations into a separate company, which merged with Carnival Corporation in 2005.

P&O Ferrymasters will become DP World Multimodal Solutions, an operation that includes more than 100 rail modalities, 14 inland terminals, and provides a broad range of logistics services. P&O Maritime Logistics becomes DP World Maritime Solutions, with a fleet of more than 400 ships, including 17 specialized multi-purpose cargo vessels. It also provides pilot and otage services.

Separately, DP World acquired Unifeeder in 2018. The company dates to 1977 when it was started in Denmark, and with operations of 37 vessels in Northern Europe with a capacity of over 37,000 TEU. Unifeeder will become part of DP World Shipping Solutions, which will have a fleet of 150 vessels, ranging between 350 to 8,500 TEU. 

According to DP World, together, the unified businesses will provide integrated, multimodal connectivity across continents, enabling customers to move cargo efficiently, sustainably, and reliably. It said the transformation represents a major step in DP World’s journey from a leading port operator into a fully integrated global logistics provider. Each business the company notes plays a vital role in connecting global trade flows, from feedering and shortsea shipping to inland logistics and offshore services. Now they will deliver the full spectrum of solutions under a single, global brand, DP World.