Key Container Ship Data Trends Reported in April 2026 in International Shipping News 12/05/2026 Data reported throughout April 2026, based on Alphaliner proprietary datasets and AIS-derived vessel tracking, highlighted how geopolitical disruption in the Middle East continued to reshape container shipping dynamics. Across the month, vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz remained severely constrained, liner participation declined further, and operational risks escalated following direct attacks on container ships. At the same time, structural trends such as fleet expansion and strong capacity utilization persisted, keeping overall market conditions tight despite widespread disruption. Hormuz Transits Remained Severely Restricted Despite Ceasefire Developments Data reported in April showed that container ship activity across the Strait of Hormuz remained largely unchanged following the announcement of a US–Iran ceasefire. Within 24 hours of the announcement, only three container ships transited the Strait, including two Iranian-owned vessels inbound and one small feeder outbound. While this was above the March average of fewer than one vessel per day, it remained extremely limited by historical standards. Crucially, these movements did not signal any meaningful return of international liner operations. Since the onset of the crisis, only a handful of large non-Iranian vessels completed isolated transits, including ships operated by Maersk, COSCO, and CMA CGM. Overall, container traffic through Hormuz remained sporadic and highly selective, with activity largely concentrated among Iranian-linked and regional feeder operations. Direct Attacks on Container Ships Marked a Clear Escalation Developments during April also showed a clear escalation in operational risk for container shipping in the region. Three non-Iranian container ships attempting to transit the Strait came under direct attack, with two subsequently seized. Among them was the MSC FRANCESCA, operated by MSC, alongside the EPAMINONDAS and EUPHORIA. These incidents reinforced a broader pattern observed throughout the month. AIS-derived data recorded 54 container ship crossings over a 53-day period since early March, with roughly half linked to Iranian ownership or domestic routes. The remaining crossings were dominated by smaller feeder and regional vessels, with only a limited number of deepsea liner ships attempting passage. Notable exceptions included isolated transits by Maersk, COSCO SHIPPING, CMA CGM, and a late reappearance of a Hapag-Lloyd-linked vessel after an extended AIS blackout. Overall, April data confirmed that international liner participation had become both sporadic and increasingly exposed to risk, while parallel regional activity continued under more opaque ownership structures. Global Container Fleet Continued to Reach New Capacity Milestones Despite regional disruption, structural fleet growth remained a defining trend throughout April. Global container ship capacity surpassed 34 million TEU, with approximately 33.6 million TEU accounted for by the fully cellular fleet. This marked a new milestone for the industry. At the carrier level, MSC extended its lead further, with fleet capacity exceeding 7.3 million TEU and representing around 21.6 percent of the global fleet. Capacity deployment also continued to expand on key trade lanes. Weekly volumes on the Far East–Europe corridor exceeded 540,000 TEU, setting another record and continuing the upward tr