Weekly Supply Chain Report

First attack on a Chinese-owned oil tanker at the Strait of Hormuz entrance — Al Jeer Port, UAE. Chinese business and finance outlet Caixin reported that on Monday, 4 May 2026, a Chinese-owned and Chinese-crewed oil tanker was attacked for the first time off Al Jeer Port (Ras Al Khaimah), UAE — at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz — with a fire breaking out on the vessel's deck; the vessel's name, tonnage, cargo volume, destination, crew status and weapon system used have not been officially confirmed; the incident overlapped with the U.S. naval blockade on Iran, President Trump's Freedom Project escort operation and reports of Iran-U.S. final-agreement talks mediated by Pakistan; a direct strike on a Chinese-owned, Chinese-crewed hull opens a new physical-security risk category for the Iran-China energy corridor.

In the same period, Austal wins A$150.3M Australian Border Force Cape-class patrol boat extension. Australian shipbuilder Austal disclosed via an ASX announcement on May 4, 2026 that it has secured an A$150.3 million (about $99 million) contract extension to build two more Evolved Cape-class patrol boats for the Australian Border Force; Hulls 1105 and 1106 will be built at the Henderson yard in Western Australia, lifting the agency's order to six; in March 2026 Austal had handed over ADV Cape Hawke, the tenth class vessel, to the Royal Australian Navy; since 2020 the yard has been contracted to deliver 16 Evolved Cape-class boats across the RAN and Border Force.

Elsewhere, Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers, Aker Solutions and Vår Energi sign Trudvang CCS MOU. KNCC (a joint venture of Knutsen Group and NYK Line), Aker Solutions and Vår Energi CCS signed a memorandum of understanding on May 4, 2026 to develop the Trudvang CCS project on the Norwegian Continental Shelf; the framework treats transport, offshore injection and long-term storage as a single integrated system; initial capacity is planned at around 2m tonnes per year, with potential to scale above 20m tonnes; the target injection site is the Utsira formation, used for decades at Sleipner; KNCC's medium- and elevated-pressure liquefied-CO2 carriers can perform vessel-to-platform transfer.

Then, Iran strikes UAE with 4 missiles + drone, fire at Fujairah petroleum facility, Brent tops USD 114. The UAE Defense Ministry said Iran fired 4 missiles at the country, with air defense systems running ballistic missile, cruise missile and UAV intercept operations and destroying 3 of them; one fell into the sea; however a drone strike caused a fire at a petroleum industry facility in Fujairah; Brent crude rose 5% past USD 114 per barrel; the attack occurred in the same escalation window in which Trump launched the 15,000-personnel "Freedom Project" escort operation and UKMTO reported a tanker hit 144 km north of Fujairah.

Continuing on, ADB launches Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility for Asia. The Asian Development Bank launched the Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility on May 4, 2026 to scale processing, manufacturing and recycling of critical minerals across Asia-Pacific; the facility is structured around a grant window for project preparation and a catalytic finance window for cofinancing and risk-sharing; opening commitments exceed US$1 billion, with US$20 million from Japan and US$1.6 million from the UK in the grant window plus US$500 million MoUs each from Korea Eximbank and K-Sure as the first catalytic partners; ADB will scale existing critical-minerals engagements in India, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and the Philippines under the new umbrella; the mechanism positions as the largest multilateral financing structure to build processing capacity outside China within Asia-Pacific.

Meanwhile, Three Turkish-linked commercial ships hit by drones in the Black Sea: Medkon SIA, Kıran Marmara and Fethiye-M. Three Turkish-linked commercial ships sailing in convoy to Ukrainian ports — Medkon SIA, Kıran Marmara and Fethiye-M — were hit by drones in the Black Sea; the incident was disclosed late on May 4, 2026, with no verified casualty or serious-injury information released; maritime authorities and sector representatives called for an urgent update of regional security protocols, while P&I additional war-risk premiums and Joint War Committee area listings are expected to be reviewed.

Shortly after, UAE: our air defense systems engaged against a missile threat. The United Arab Emirates announced that its air defense systems engaged against a missile threat; operational details — system type, source of the threat, target area and successful intercept ratio — have not been disclosed; the announcement coincided the same day with UKMTO's report of a tanker hit by an unknown object 144 km north of Fujairah, the IRGC's new Strait of Hormuz control map covering the Mount Mubarak–Fujairah–Qeshm Island line, and U.S. President Trump's 15,000-personnel "Freedom Project" escort operation.

On another front, MISC enters FSRU sector with 20-year Petronas Gas deal at Lumut RGT-3 in Malaysia. Malaysian shipowner MISC accepted a 20-year letter of award from Petronas Gas on April 30, 2026 to supply, operate and maintain a newbuild FSRU for Malaysia's first FSRU-based regasification project, RGT-3 in Lumut, Perak; operations are expected to start in 2029; the FSRU will be built by Samsung Heavy Industries under a KRW 484.8 billion ($352 million) order with delivery scheduled by February 15, 2029; the terminal is sized at 170,000 m³ of LNG storage and 500 million standard cubic feet per day of regasification send-out, sufficient to support roughly 3.5 GW of power generation demand in Peninsular Malaysia; the deal extends MISC beyond LNG shipping into operating regasification infrastructure directly, while RGT-3 will become Petronas's third regasification terminal after Malacca and Pengerang.

In parallel, Singapore and New Zealand sign world's first legally binding supply-chain resilience pact AOTES. Singapore and New Zealand signed the world's first legally binding bilateral supply-chain resilience agreement, the Singapore-New Zealand Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES), on May 4, 2026; signatures were placed by Singapore's Tan See Leng and New Zealand's Todd McClay, witnessed by PMs Lawrence Wong and Christopher Luxon; the pact bars unjustified export restrictions on agreed essential supplies including food, fuel, healthcare and chemicals and creates a consultation and information-sharing framework for crises; about one-third of New Zealand's fuel is refined in Singapore, while New Zealand serves as a trusted food supplier; AOTES will be incorporated into the ANZSCEP free-trade agreement, after the two countries had agreed in principle in October 2025 under their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Around the same time, Türkiye and Armenia sign memorandum on joint Ani Bridge restoration. After Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz's meeting with PM Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan on the sidelines of the 8th European Political Community Summit, Türkiye's Special Representative Ambassador Serdar Kılıç and Armenia's Special Representative Ruben Rubinyan signed a memorandum on the joint restoration of the historic Ani Bridge; the visit is the highest-level Turkish contact in Yerevan since Abdullah Gül's 2008 trip; talks covered transport, customs, energy and digital connectivity; the foundations were laid at the two sides' 6th meeting in September 2025; the prospect of a gradual opening of the Türkiye-Armenia border (closed since 1993) carries strategic weight for the South Caucasus transit corridor.

In the same period, Iranian press (Fars): U.S. warship hit by two missiles off Jask — unverified. Fars News Agency claimed a U.S. warship that ignored warnings was struck by two missiles off Jask Island and left the area damaged; the single-source claim has not been corroborated by the U.S. Department of Defense, CENTCOM, the 5th Fleet, UKMTO or major maritime outlets; vessel class, crew status and weapon system were not disclosed; the claim aligns with the opening hour of Trump's 15,000-personnel "Freedom Project" operation launched in the Strait of Hormuz on May 4 morning.

Elsewhere, UKMTO reports tanker hit by an unknown object roughly 144 kilometers north of Fujairah in the UAE. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a tanker sailing roughly 144 km north of Fujairah in the UAE was hit by an unknown object, with all crew safe and no environmental impact; an investigation is under way and ships in the area were urged to report suspicious activity; the incident coincided with the first day of a U.S. military escort operation moving ships stranded inside the Strait of Hormuz.

Then, AYK Energy to supply 6,758 kWh battery system for CSL's MV Yampu bulker under Wärtsilä deal. UK-based AYK Energy said on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 that it will supply a 6,758-kWh battery system for the 11,000-dwt diesel-electric MV Yampu bulker being built for CSL Australia at Jiangjiang Nanyang Shipyard in China; the deal sits as a subcontracted equipment package under a broader contract held by Finland's Wärtsilä with CSL; the system will form the core of the vessel's hybrid diesel-electric configuration, with about half of energy demand expected to come from shore power and onboard storage and the design leaving open a later move to fully electric operation; Yampu is intended for South Australia's limestone trade and will replace MV Accolade II, owned and operated by CSL with Adbri as cargo partner and crewed by Australian seafarers.

Continuing on, TUSAŞ signs F404 engine procurement contract with GE Aerospace for the HÜRJET programme. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) announced on May 5, 2026 that it has signed an engine procurement contract with GE Aerospace covering F404 engines for the HÜRJET advanced jet trainer and close air support aircraft programme; the deal is set to support HÜRJET's serial production targets and the programme's sustainable growth and lift the platform's global competitiveness; the F404 is a widely used, proven military jet engine family, and TUSAŞ framed the step as a strategic international supply chain cooperation that strengthens the engineering capabilities of Türkiye's aerospace industry.

Meanwhile, Uzmar-Sanmar joint venture wins 20-year Kocaeli-2 regional tug concession with 75.5% public revenue share. Türkiye's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure awarded the 20-year operating rights for the Kocaeli-2 Regional Service Area tug concession to a joint venture of Uzmar Towage and Sanmar Shipping; the consortium prevailed by offering a 75.5% public revenue share; the tender was launched with TL 21.115 million provisional collateral and covers designated industrial ports, terminal jetties and coastal installations along the Gulf of İzmit; the 75.5% public-share level was significantly higher than the 41% Uzmar offered to win the Samsun Regional Service Area tender in February 2026, and is expected to act as a benchmark for upcoming regional tug tenders in Türkiye.

Shortly after, U.S. CENTCOM hits Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman attempting to bypass the blockade. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said an Iranian-flagged oil tanker attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade against Iran was neutralized by gunfire in the Gulf of Oman; the action is consistent with the framework Trump set out earlier the same day, in which the Freedom Project escort operation was paused while the blockade itself remained fully in effect; vessel name, tonnage, cargo, crew status and final disposition have not been disclosed; the strike comes on top of the 42 turned-back tankers Adm. Brad Cooper announced on April 30.

On another front, Damen Shipyards takes over Dakar shipyard under 20-year PPP; no direct state payment, partnered with Senegal's SIRN. Dutch Damen Shipyards Group has begun operating DAMEN Shiprepair Dakar through a joint venture with Senegal's government under a 20-year public-private partnership (PPP); the Senegalese side is represented by Société des Infrastructures de Réparation Navale (SIRN), and the contract was signed with Damen Holding BV on April 2, 2026; five candidates were prequalified and Damen Holding BV beat Jobson Italia SRL in the final round; the PPP is structured as user-paid with no direct remuneration to Damen from the Senegalese state; the facility comprises a 191-metre by 25-metre drydock, a 235-metre by 38-metre floating dock and about 500 metres of quay, employing more than 300 personnel.

In parallel, Vanuatu-flagged cargo ship carrying soda sinks off Andros Island in the Sea of Islands; nine crew (eight Turks plus one Azerbaijani) rescued. Greek state broadcaster ERT reported on the morning of May 6, 2026 that a Vanuatu-flagged cargo ship carrying 8,000 tonnes of soda from Albania to Ukraine struck rocks and sank off Andros Island in the Sea of Islands; the nine-strong crew comprising eight Turkish and one Azerbaijani nationals was rescued by the Greek Coast Guard and transported to Andros Island, with no casualties or serious injuries reported.

Around the same time, CMA CGM San Antonio container ship struck by missile in Strait of Hormuz, crew injuries reported. According to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) data, the Malta-flagged CMA CGM San Antonio container ship was struck by a probable cruise missile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, with some crew members reported injured; CBS News reported the incident, the latest attack attributed to Iran; U.S. President Donald Trump announced a temporary pause to the Freedom Project maritime security corridor at the request of Pakistan and other countries; U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the Pentagon, described the operation as a 'security gift to the world'; CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper said the system layers early warning, electronic warfare and continuous surveillance.

In the same period, AD Ports signs MoU with CMA CGM to expand inland intermodal logistics network across the UAE. AD Ports Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CMA CGM Group and CMA Terminals Khalifa Port to expand inland logistics connectivity across the UAE and the wider region; the agreement covers a rail-linked intermodal network, inland container depots and cargo distribution hubs; Khalifa Port's reach will be extended beyond the quay into the Northern Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman; CMA Terminals Khalifa Port opened in 2024 and operates as a joint venture 30% owned by AD Ports; AD Ports CEO Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi described the deal as consolidating the UAE's inland intermodal logistics backbone.

Elsewhere, Rheinmetall confirms it is working with MSC to take over Romania's largest shipyard at Mangalia. German automotive and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall confirmed on May 6, 2026 that it is working with MSC, the world's biggest container carrier, to take over the bankrupt Mangalia shipyard on Romania's Black Sea coast; the three-drydock yard traces its origins to 1976, was taken over by DSME for 20 years in 1997 and then run by Damen, and has been under insolvency since June 2024; the partners aim to develop Romania into a major European shipbuilding production hub; Rheinmetall recently acquired the shipyards of the Lürssen Group.

Then, Trump pauses Hormuz Freedom Project escort operation by mutual decision — blockade remains in effect. Trump announced via Truth Social that the Freedom Project escort operation launched on May 4 has been paused briefly by mutual decision, citing a request from Pakistan and other countries and major progress toward a complete and final agreement with Iranian representatives; the blockade remains fully in effect; per Rubio, the operation had been run with 15,000 personnel and the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group to rescue roughly 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries.

Continuing on, Egypt and Algeria sign Sonatrach crude oil supply memorandum. A memorandum of understanding was signed at a ceremony attended by Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi and Algerian Energy Minister Mohammed Arkab, opening crude oil imports for Egypt's domestic market from Algeria's state oil company Sonatrach; Cairo continues its strategy of diversifying fuel imports across multiple countries following the U.S.-Israel-Iran war energy crunch; the Mediterranean basin route (Arzew/Bejaia → Alexandria/Suez/Ain Sokhna) offers an alternative free of the Hormuz risk premium.

Meanwhile, Italian unions FILCAMS-CGIL and UILTuCS call strikes against Kering CEO Luca de Meo's sharp recovery plan. Italian unions FILCAMS-CGIL and UILTuCS called nationwide strikes — starting at Gucci workshops in Tuscany — against the sharp cost-cutting measures introduced by Kering CEO Luca de Meo, recruited from Renault in late 2025 to reverse softening luxury demand and margin erosion at the parent of Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga; the plan covers sales-team headcount cuts, extension of supplier payment terms from 120 to 180 days, side-line product closures and a tighter returns policy in stores; unions argue the longer payment terms will push small and mid-size workshop-suppliers in Tuscany and Veneto into cash-flow distress and create an 8-12-week delivery-delay risk for the autumn/winter 2026 season.

Shortly after, F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln disables Iran-flagged VLCC Hasna in the Gulf of Oman. A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln disabled the Iran-flagged VLCC Hasna in the Gulf of Oman on 7 May 2026; the report by Splash247 editor Sam Chambers said the tanker was alleged to have attempted to breach the U.S. naval blockade on Iran; CENTCOM-sourced imagery and confirmations show that Hasna began turning toward shore after the strike, with no official statement on crew casualties; the incident came in the same window as the Trump administration's Freedom Project convoy-escort operation and reported Pakistan-mediated Iran-U.S. final-agreement talks; Splash247's lead piece characterised the event in 19th-century naval terms as "gunboat diplomacy returns to Hormuz".

On another front, MKE and Century Arms sign US export deal for 12 semi-automatic rifle models. Türkiye's state-controlled defence manufacturer Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi AŞ (MKE) and US firearms importer Century Arms signed an agreement at the SAHA 2026 International Defence, Aviation and Space Industry Fair at the Istanbul Fair Centre to export 12 different semi-automatic rifle models to the United States; the deal was signed by MKE General Manager İlhami Keleş and Century Arms General Manager Michael Sucher; Deputy Defence Minister and MKE Board Chairman Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu and Mustafa Varank, chairman of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology Commission, attended the ceremony; Vermont-based Century Arms' distribution network will serve as the channel for the MKE rifles to enter US retail; financial terms and delivery schedule were not officially disclosed; the contract follows Türkiye's defence and aviation export performance of $2.87 billion in the January–April 2026 period.

In parallel, Hanwha Ocean and Thordon Bearings sign MoU for Canadian Patrol Submarine Program (CPSP). South Korea-based Hanwha Ocean and Burlington (Ontario)-based Thordon Bearings have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore cooperation on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Program (CPSP) and other international maritime projects, focused on submarine systems, naval technologies and long-term lifecycle support; Hanwha Ocean is one of two qualified suppliers selected by the Canadian government for the CPSP, considered one of the world's largest conventional submarine procurement programmes; Thordon's oil-free bearing technologies are already installed on Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigates and Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels; Hanwha Ocean said it plans to support the development of domestic Canadian capabilities for submarine subsystems and maintenance, contingent on a final program award.

Around the same time, ÖZATA Shipyard and Maritime Montering sign MoU on naval outfitting cooperation for military vessel projects. ÖZATA Shipyard and Norway-based marine outfitting solutions provider Maritime Montering signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the SAHA EXPO 2026 International Defence and Aerospace Exhibition to expand cooperation on military vessel projects in Türkiye; the agreement targets integration of outfitting solutions with advanced shipbuilding capabilities on naval platforms and covers local production, engineering support and technology transfer; the cooperation will be carried out by Maritime Montering's local subsidiary in Türkiye; Maritime Montering Türkiye General Manager Murat Korkut said the Group has supplied high-quality outfitting solutions for around 100 military vessels worldwide; building on a track record in civil shipbuilding, the MoU strengthens localisation of outfitting capabilities in Türkiye's naval defence supply chain.

In the same period, Excelerate Energy signs definitive nine-month charter with Jordan's NEPCO for newbuild Acadia FSRU. New York-listed Excelerate Energy signed a definitive nine-month charter with Jordan's National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) for the newbuild Excelerate Acadia FSRU after delays to Iraq's planned LNG import project pushed back the vessel's long-term deployment; the vessel is expected to begin operations at the Aqaba LNG import terminal in mid-2026 and the charter is forecast to contribute around $20 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2026; Acadia had originally been earmarked for long-term work in Iraq under a five-year integrated LNG import agreement signed in October 2025 with a subsidiary of Iraq's Ministry of Electricity, including minimum contracted volumes of 250 million standard cubic feet per day and extension options; the vessel will move to its long-term Persian Gulf position once the Jordan charter ends.

Elsewhere, EU clears European airlines to use Jet A fuel amid Hormuz crisis. EU Commission clears European airlines to use U.S.-standard Jet A jet fuel amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Then, US CENTCOM says it is blocking more than 70 tankers from Iranian ports — 166 million barrels of crude stranded. On 8 May 2026 the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in an official post on X that more than 70 commercial tankers are blocked from entering or leaving Iranian ports under the naval blockade enforced in the Strait of Hormuz region since 13 April 2026; the blocked vessels have a combined capacity of more than 166 million barrels of Iranian crude with an estimated cargo value above $13 billion; CENTCOM said more than 15,000 troops, 200 aircraft and 20 warships are executing the mission; ship-tracking data compiled by Anadolu show no major commercial vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the 24 hours leading up to 0900 GMT on 8 May, marking a second consecutive day with effectively zero major transits; the climb in the blocked-tanker count from roughly 42-52 in late April to over 70 in two weeks signals sustained structural pressure on Tehran's oil export revenues, while regional war-risk premiums for shipowners and P&I clubs continue to hold around 2.8% of contract value annualised.

Continuing on, TOBB-backed BOMACO to build integrated free zone and dry port in Idlib, Syria. BOMACO — established in the United Kingdom by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD) and Gümrük ve Turizm İşletmeleri (GTİ) — signed a protocol on 8 May 2026 with Syria's Idlib Governorate to build an integrated free zone and dry port in the Idlib region; the deal was signed at the Idlib Governorate building by BOMACO CEO Saruhan Enver Balaban and Director General Ahmed Al-Dhamin, with Idlib Governor Mohammed Abdulrahman and Hatay Deputy Governor Alper Arın Yılmaz attending; according to Syrian state news agency SANA, the integrated free zone and dry port will be co-located on the same site and is positioned as a hub for cross-border trade and logistics infrastructure; initial talks were held the previous month with Kuteybe Bedavi, head of Syria's Land and Sea Ports and Customs Administration, while BOMACO focuses on border-gate, customs and logistics facility development through Build-Operate-Transfer and other PPP models; as the Idlib corridor is connected to Türkiye only via the Hatay border gates, the planned facility will provide bonded transit, RoRo-road combined handling and consolidated border-crossing-time capacity in a single hub for Türkiye-Syria border trade.

Meanwhile, U.S. CENTCOM strikes Iranian military facilities in Hormuz after attacks on 3 U.S. destroyers — Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out self-defence airstrikes against Iranian military facilities on 7-8 May 2026 in response to Iran-launched attacks against three U.S. destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz theatre over the previous 24 hours; according to PortNews on 8 May, the target list covered Qeshm Port, military installations at Bandar Abbas and entrenched missile and drone launch sites along the Strait of Hormuz coastline; U.S. defence officials framed the strikes as calibration of the kinetic enforcement of the Iran blockade rather than a wider-war escalation; Iran said the operations against U.S. destroyers were carried out by the IRGC Navy (IRGC-N) using coast-to-sea missiles and kamikaze drones; Bandar Abbas, run by Iran's State Ports Organization, handles roughly 55% of the country's container traffic and Qeshm Island hosts strategic military positions controlling the Hormuz exit channel; civilian vessel traffic in the area resumed after a two-hour pause, Brent crude jumped about $4 in the hours of the event and tanker war-risk premiums for the region were re-set near 2.8% of contract value annualised.

Shortly after, Jikai Bridge opens over China's 134-km Pinglu Canal. China opened Jikai Bridge over Pinglu Canal; route to shorten 560 km, projected $750m annual savings.

On another front, Aramco CEO Nasser: ~1 billion barrels of oil have left the world market in two months. Aramco CEO Nasser: Hormuz blockade has stripped ~1 billion barrels of oil from the world market in two months.