Incidents
On this page, we examine all of the incidents that left a visible mark in the composite index or in at least one of the data series feeding it. Attention runs on different rails for different kinds of events, and that shape is what a communications team actually needs to know.
Incidents publish once reviewed and approved by the editor, in batches with the monthly letter — a minimum of 14 days after an incident's window closes, so the numbers behind it have settled. For a live or very recent incident, this page won't have it yet: get in touch instead.
Incidents published
107
since 1 January 2020
Moved the Index
13
tier A — visible on the public chart
One signal only
7
tier B — search, research, news or social alone
Below the Index
87
tier C — a vessel type or news category only
Media-led
45
news outlets carried most of the extra attention; social media counts separately
Public-curiosity-led
16
search + research carried it
Social-led
18
posts on X and Bluesky carried most of the extra attention
Mixed
28
no single signal dominated
When they happened
One mark per incident, placed on the day attention peaked. Height is the Index level at the peak (same scale as the live chart); colour is the signal that led — gold means mixed, no single signal dominated. Tier A marks reach the Index; tier B and C sit below the 50 line, because they never moved the published number.
Where they happened
One dot per incident with a usable location. Size is the Index at the peak; colour is the signal that led — gold means mixed, no single signal dominated. At-sea incidents are placed in the named strait, gulf or stretch of coast, not at an exact position. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan.
All incidents
| Signature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-03 | Greek tanker crew abducted in CameroonCameroon port · Greek oil tanker | C | 55.0 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2020-02-05 | Coronavirus disrupts shipping markets and operations | C | 41.9 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | market |
| 2020-02-28 | Oil tanker captain murdered off Venezuelaoff Venezuela · multi-cause | C | 50.8 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2020-04-09 | Seafarers stranded by COVID-19 lockdowns | C | 54.7 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | labour |
| 2020-04-25 | Seafarer repatriation crisis during COVID-19 pandemic · multi-cause | C | 86.2 | Public curiosity | Spilled over | labour |
| 2020-05-20 | Pirates attack tanker Stolt Apal off YemenGulf of Aden, off Yemen · Stolt Apal | C | 53.5 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | piracy |
| 2020-06-04 | APL England loses containers off Australiaoff New South Wales coast, Australia · APL England | C | 69.5 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | other |
| 2020-06-14 | HMM Algeciras arrives in UKUK · HMM Algeciras · multi-cause | B | 78.3 | Media | No vessel type moved | other |
| 2020-06-25 | Venezuelan tankers stranded at sea amid sanctions | C | 58.9 | Media | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2020-07-02 | Pirates kidnap nine off Nigeriaoff Nigeria | C | 51.2 | Media | No vessel type moved | piracy |
| 2020-07-15 | Iran shipyard fires destroy multiple vesselsIran | C | 58.2 | Social | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2020-07-25 | Seafarers stranded amid COVID-19 crew change crisis | C | 55.1 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | labour |
| 2020-08-16 | Wakashio oil spill off MauritiusMauritius · MV Wakashio | C | 95.1 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | pollution |
| 2020-08-25 | Oil tanker fire in Arabian SeaArabian Sea | C | 52.7 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2020-09-05 | Cargo ship capsizes off Japan; tanker fire off Sri Lanka · multi-cause | C | 93.4 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | other |
| 2020-09-22 | CMA CGM cyber attack | C | 58.1 | Public curiosity | Stayed in one vessel type | other |
| 2020-10-25 | British forces board tanker after stowaway incident | B | 93.0 | Social | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2020-11-25 | Tanker Agrari attacked in Saudi Red SeaSaudi Arabian Red Sea · Agrari | C | 53.1 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2020-12-05 | Cargo ship attacked off Yemen coastoff Yemen coast | C | 55.8 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2020-12-14 | Oil tanker hit by external source off Saudi ArabiaJiddah, Saudi Arabia · Hafnia tanker | C | 67.2 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2021-03-01 | Helios Ray hit by explosion in Gulf of OmanGulf of Oman · multi-cause | C | 73.1 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2021-03-13 | Container ship Lori attacked in Gulf of OmanGulf of Oman | C | 56.1 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2021-03-29 | Ever Given blocks the Suez CanalSuez Canal, Egypt · Ever Given | A | 877.6 | Public curiosity | Sector-wide | grounding |
| 2021-04-27 | Ever Given detained in Egypt after Suez groundingSuez Canal, Egypt · Ever Given | C | 65.2 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | grounding |
| 2021-05-15 | Golden Ray cargo ship fire off Georgiaoff Georgia coast, United States · Golden Ray | C | 70.7 | Media | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2021-06-02 | MV X-Press Pearl fire and sinking off Sri Lankaoff Sri Lanka · MV X-Press Pearl | C | 94.2 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | fire |
| 2021-08-01 | Drone attack on tanker in Arabian SeaArabian Sea · multi-cause | C | 76.1 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2021-09-09 | Container ship runs aground in Suez CanalSuez Canal | C | 68.1 | Media | No vessel type moved | grounding |
| 2021-09-16 | Ever Ace maiden voyage to Suez CanalPort of Felixstowe, Suez Canal · Ever Ace · multi-cause | C | 60.0 | Public curiosity | Stayed in one vessel type | other |
| 2021-10-07 | California oil spill blamed on cargo shipoff Los Angeles, California | C | 85.2 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | pollution |
| 2021-10-24 | ZIM Kingston fireStrait of Juan de Fuca, off British Columbia | A | 118.9 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2021-11-03 | Iran seizes, then releases, Vietnamese tankerSea of Oman / Gulf of Oman · Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker | C | 91.0 | Social | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2021-11-21 | Beijing vessel identified in California oil spillCalifornia · Beijing | C | 66.2 | Media | No vessel type moved | pollution |
| 2021-12-18 | Cargo ship collision off Swedish coastBaltic Sea off Swedish coast | C | 61.9 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | collision |
| 2022-02-18 | Felicity Ace ablazemid-Atlantic, off Portugal · Felicity Ace | A | 155.9 | Mixed | Sector-wide | fire |
| 2022-03-15 | Ever Forward container ship groundingChesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA · Ever Forward | C | 108.0 | Media | Spilled over | grounding |
| 2022-03-21 | P&O Ferries mass dismissal of seafarersUnited Kingdom | C | 101.0 | Media | Spilled over | labour |
| 2022-04-09 | UN seeks funds to prevent Red Sea tanker disasterRed Sea · multi-cause | C | 68.3 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | pollution |
| 2022-04-17 | Ever Forward grounded in Chesapeake Bay refloatedChesapeake Bay · Ever Forward | C | 104.7 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | grounding |
| 2022-06-19 | World's largest cargo ship arrives in UK portUK port | C | 55.6 | Media | No vessel type moved | other |
| 2022-07-04 | Cargo ship stranded off Sydney coastoff Sydney coast, NSW, Australia | C | 68.0 | Social | No vessel type moved | grounding |
| 2022-08-20 | Chemical tanker and cargo ship collide near Japansouthwestern Japan | C | 87.2 | Media | No vessel type moved | collision |
| 2022-09-01 | Bulk carrier collides with LNG tanker off GibraltarBay of Gibraltar · bulk carrier, LNG tanker | C | 72.7 | Media | No vessel type moved | collision |
| 2022-09-11 | Iran seizes Greek tankers in AegeanAegean Sea · multi-cause | C | 59.9 | Media | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2022-10-20 | LNG carrier backlog off European portsEuropean ports | C | 49.4 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | market |
| 2022-11-16 | Pacific Zircon tanker attacked in Gulf of OmanGulf of Oman · Pacific Zircon | B | 67.7 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2022-12-16 | Russia assembles shadow fleet of oil tankers to evade sanctions · multi-cause | C | 60.8 | Media | No vessel type moved | regime |
| 2023-02-16 | Spain blocks Maersk tanker over Russian oil transferSpain · Maersk tanker | C | 59.7 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2023-03-05 | Container ship runs aground in Suez CanalSuez Canal | C | 59.0 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | grounding |
| 2023-04-27 | Iran seizes second oil tanker | B | 83.0 | Social | Stayed in one vessel type | seizure |
| 2023-05-25 | Container ship briefly grounded in Suez CanalSuez Canal | C | 58.6 | Media | No vessel type moved | grounding |
| 2023-06-05 | Iranian attack on merchant vessel in Strait of HormuzStrait of Hormuz | C | 57.2 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | attack |
| 2023-06-19 | RoRo vessel fire off Bohol coastoff Bohol coast | C | 58.1 | Media | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2023-07-06 | Port Newark cargo ship fire kills two firefightersPort of Newark, New Jersey | C | 90.4 | Media | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2023-07-30 | Fremantle Highway fire off Dutch coastoff Dutch coast, North Sea · Fremantle Highway | C | 108.3 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | fire |
| 2023-08-05 | Ukrainian drones attack Russian tanker in Black SeaBlack Sea, near Crimea Bridge · Russian oil tanker | B | 104.6 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2023-08-15 | Russia fires on cargo ship in Black SeaBlack Sea | C | 72.4 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2023-08-25 | Suez Canal tanker-LNG carrier collisionSuez Canal · Burri, BW Lesmes | C | 71.1 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | collision |
| 2023-09-13 | Ukraine strikes Crimean shipyard, damages shipsSevastopol, Crimea; Black Sea · multi-cause | C | 83.3 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2023-09-17 | First cargo ships resume Ukrainian port operationsOdesa, Ukraine | C | 84.5 | Media | No vessel type moved | policy |
| 2023-09-30 | Cocaine cargo ship seized off Cork coastCork coast, Ireland | C | 75.8 | Media | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2023-10-24 | British cargo ship Verity sinks in North Sea collisionNorth Sea, off Germany · Verity · multi-cause | C | 84.3 | Public curiosity | Stayed in one vessel type | collision |
| 2023-11-05 | Pro-Palestine protesters blockade ZIM ships in AustraliaAustralia · multi-cause | C | 89.9 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | policy |
| 2023-11-20 | Red Sea attacks beginRed Sea · Galaxy Leader | A | 122.0 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2023-11-26 | Cargo ship sinks off GreeceGreek island | A | 117.9 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | sinking |
| 2023-12-04 | Houthis attack merchant ships in Red SeaRed Sea | C | 83.1 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2023-12-12 | Carriers quit the Red SeaRed Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait | A | 137.2 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | attack |
| 2024-01-12 | Houthis attack ships in Red SeaRed Sea | C | 133.9 | Social | Stayed in one vessel type | attack |
| 2024-01-27 | Houthis attack oil tankers in Red SeaRed Sea | C | 136.6 | Mixed | Spilled over | attack |
| 2024-02-19 | Houthi attacks damage cargo ships in Red SeaRed Sea | C | 118.0 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-03-02 | Houthi attacks on Red Sea shippingRed Sea / Gulf of Aden · Rubymar, MSC container ship | C | 102.5 | Social | Stayed in one vessel type | attack |
| 2024-03-27 | Baltimore bridge collapseBaltimore, Maryland, USA · Dali | A | 615.2 | Public curiosity | Spilled over | collision |
| 2024-04-13 | Iran seizes container ship in Strait of HormuzStrait of Hormuz · MSC Aries | C | 166.8 | Media | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2024-04-27 | Houthis attack tanker Andromeda Star in Red SeaRed Sea · Andromeda Star | C | 82.2 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-05-18 | Houthi missile strikes tanker in Red SeaRed Sea | C | 96.7 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-06-09 | Cargo ships hit in suspected Houthi attacks off Yemenoff Yemen; off Cambodia's Sihanoukville · multi-cause | C | 62.2 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-06-24 | Houthis attack merchant ships in Red SeaRed Sea, off Yemen · merchant ship, MV Dali · multi-cause | C | 72.6 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-08-04 | Houthi missile hits container ship in Gulf of AdenGulf of Aden | C | 58.6 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-08-29 | Houthi attack on Greek tanker Sounion in Red SeaRed Sea · Sounion | C | 87.9 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | attack |
| 2024-09-18 | Red Sea tanker attacked by Houthis, fire avertedRed Sea | C | 75.7 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-10-12 | Oil tanker fire off German Baltic coastBaltic Sea, off Germany | C | 64.6 | Media | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2024-10-25 | Baltimore bridge collapse settlement agreedBaltimore · Dali | C | 55.9 | Media | No vessel type moved | collision |
| 2024-11-20 | Chinese bulk carrier suspected of cable sabotageundersea cables between NATO countries · Chinese-flagged bulk carrier | C | 59.6 | Social | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2024-12-15 | Russian tankers sink in Black Sea stormBlack Sea, Kerch Strait | C | 57.8 | Media | No vessel type moved | sinking |
| 2024-12-24 | Ursa Major cargo ship sinks in MediterraneanMediterranean Sea · Ursa Major | B | 94.2 | Media | No vessel type moved | sinking |
| 2024-12-30 | Finland seizes Russian shadow fleet tankerBaltic Sea · Russian oil tanker | C | 73.1 | Media | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2025-01-10 | Russian shadow fleet tanker disabled in Baltic SeaBaltic Sea | C | 65.9 | Media | No vessel type moved | other |
| 2025-03-02 | Multiple container shipping incidents and market reports · multi-cause | C | 49.4 | Social | No vessel type moved | other |
| 2025-03-12 | Solong hits Stena ImmaculateNorth Sea, off UK coast · Stena Immaculate | A | 201.0 | Media | Spilled over | collision |
| 2025-05-23 | Container ship capsizes off Kerala coastKerala, Arabian Sea | A | 137.8 | Media | No vessel type moved | sinking |
| 2025-06-05 | Two cargo ship fires: Alaska and KeralaAlaska and Kerala, India · cargo ship off Alaska, Wan Hai container ship off Kerala · multi-cause | C | 76.8 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2025-07-07 | Houthi attack sinks bulk carrier Magic SeasRed Sea · Magic Seas | C | 86.1 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2025-07-21 | UK sanctions 135 Russian shadow fleet tankers · multi-cause | C | 51.5 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2025-07-29 | Matson shipping bans EVs after cargo vessel fires | C | 55.3 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2025-08-19 | Bulk carrier explosion near Baltimore HarborBaltimore Harbor, Maryland | C | 92.6 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2025-09-01 | Houthis launch missile at tanker in Red SeaRed Sea, off Saudi port of Yanbu · Scarlet Ray · multi-cause | C | 64.0 | Public curiosity | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2025-10-18 | Tanker fire in Indonesian shipyard kills 10Indonesian shipyard · tanker | B | 71.8 | Social | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2025-10-24 | North Sea tanker collision trial scheduledNorth Sea · multi-cause | C | 61.5 | Media | Stayed in one vessel type | collision |
| 2025-11-22 | Container ship fire at Port of Los AngelesPort of Los Angeles · ONE Henry Hudson | C | 96.7 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | fire |
| 2025-11-30 | Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian shadow fleet tankersBlack Sea and Mediterranean Sea · Sea Baby, Valery Gorchakov | A | 111.2 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | attack |
| 2025-12-11 | US seizes tanker off Venezuelaoff Venezuela, Caribbean Sea | A | 273.9 | Mixed | Stayed in one vessel type | seizure |
| 2026-02-09 | US seizes shadow fleet tanker in Indian OceanIndian Ocean | C | 83.5 | Media | No vessel type moved | seizure |
| 2026-03-01 | Russian shadow fleet LNG tanker fire near MaltaSoutheast of Malta, Mediterranean · Russian shadow fleet LNG tanker | A | 194.0 | Mixed | Spilled over | fire |
| 2026-03-12 | Strait of Hormuz crisisStrait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf · Thailand-flagged bulk carrier, Hapag-Lloyd container vessel | A | 332.3 | Public curiosity | Spilled over | attack |
| 2026-05-03 | Strait of Hormuz shipping crisis and attacksStrait of Hormuz | C | 209.8 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2026-06-14 | US strikes tanker off Oman; UK intercepts Russian shadow fleetStrait of Hormuz / Oman coast; English Channel · multi-cause | C | 206.2 | Media | No vessel type moved | attack |
| 2026-06-27 | Cargo ship attacked in Strait of HormuzStrait of Hormuz | C | 186.8 | Mixed | No vessel type moved | attack |
Signature bar = share of the extra attention carried by each signal over the incident's window (three-signal basis before July 2024 for the composite verdict). "Multi-cause" means more than one distinct story shares the window — a property of the Index, not an error.
How the big ones ran
The 13 incidents that moved the Index, each as its four-signal signature — the share of the extra attention carried by search, research, news and social over the window. Social is X only before July 2024.
Ever Given blocks the Suez Canal
2021-03-29 · peak 877.6
Public curiosity Sector-wide
ZIM Kingston fire
2021-10-24 · peak 118.9
Mixed No vessel type moved
Felicity Ace ablaze
2022-02-18 · peak 155.9
Mixed Sector-wide
Red Sea attacks begin
2023-11-20 · peak 122.0
Mixed No vessel type moved
Cargo ship sinks off Greece
2023-11-26 · peak 117.9
Mixed Stayed in one vessel type
Carriers quit the Red Sea
2023-12-12 · peak 137.2
Media Stayed in one vessel type
Baltimore bridge collapse
2024-03-27 · peak 615.2
Public curiosity Spilled over
Solong hits Stena Immaculate
2025-03-12 · peak 201.0
Media Spilled over
Container ship capsizes off Kerala coast
2025-05-23 · peak 137.8
Media No vessel type moved
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian shadow fleet tankers
2025-11-30 · peak 111.2
Mixed Stayed in one vessel type
US seizes tanker off Venezuela
2025-12-11 · peak 273.9
Mixed Stayed in one vessel type
Russian shadow fleet LNG tanker fire near Malta
2026-03-01 · peak 194.0
Mixed Spilled over
Strait of Hormuz crisis
2026-03-12 · peak 332.3
Public curiosity Spilled over