‘Turbulent and dangerous’: How shipping is the new global battleground
Key takeaways
- From the Strait of Hormuz to Panama, the South China Sea to the Black Sea, geopolitics is rewriting the rules of global shipping.
- For as long as it has existed, shipping has been a dangerous endeavour, subject to piracy and sea banditry.
- Now, a series of actions by major players — from the United States to Iran, and Russia to China — threaten to rip apart the rules that have helped ships navigate choppy ocean waters, say experts.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
From the Strait of Hormuz to Panama, the South China Sea to the Black Sea, geopolitics is rewriting the rules of global shipping.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo. A ship waits to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, which is conditional on the opening of the strait, in Oman [File: Shadi JH Alassar/Anadolu]By Virginia Pietromarchi Published On 1 May 20261 May 2026When Indonesia’s Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa floated the idea last week of charging a toll for vessels passing through the Strait of Malacca – inspired by Iran’s moves in the Strait of Hormuz – it set off alarm bells among insurers and Asian importers.
While Indonesia quickly walked back the suggestion, it underscored a growing reality, analysts say: what was once a rules-based order governing maritime navigation is becoming a more dangerous, expensive, and, above all, politicised business.