Tag: Thomas Witt Transportation
The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport Has Started
A significant new global initiative launched at the start of 2026, and it has gone largely unnoticed outside of policy circles. The first-ever United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026 to 2035) launched in January 2026, officially kicking off a ten-year coordinated global effort to accelerate progress toward sustainable, inclusive, and resilient mobility systems worldwide.…
Alternative Fuels Reshaping Maritime Shipping in 2026
The shipping industry has a long-standing carbon problem, and it’s finally doing something about it. The International Maritime Organization has identified ammonia, biofuels, electric power, fuel cells, hydrogen, methanol, and wind as potential solutions for cutting shipping emissions, and in 2026, several of those options have moved from concept to commercial reality. Transportation consultant Thomas…
DOJ Indicts Chinese Container Giants for Global Price-Fixing Cartel
The container shortage nightmare that paralyzed global shipping during the pandemic years wasn’t just bad luck. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, it was at least partly a crime. On May 19, 2026, the DOJ unsealed a sweeping indictment accusing four of the world’s largest container manufacturers and seven executives of orchestrating a global…
Could Nuclear Power Be the Future of Commercial Shipping?
The U.S. government thinks so — at least enough to formally explore it. In May 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) launched an initiative to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) for commercial cargo ships, issuing a Request for Information and calling on shipbuilders, nuclear developers, and industry operators to weigh in on…
The Strait of Hormuz Crisis Won’t Be Over Anytime Soon
Even if a ceasefire happened today, normal shipping and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz would not return until late 2026 at the earliest—and more likely into early 2027. Shippers who are planning around a near-term resolution are building on a foundation that does not exist. Transportation consultant Thomas Witt has been tracking the…
Panama Canal Auction Prices Hit Record Highs in 2026
Sixty days ago, paying $4 million for a single canal transit slot would have sounded like a mistake. Today, it’s a real number—and it’s happening right now. As the Iran war’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz generates a seismic shift in global transportation flows, businesses have spent as much as $4 million for…
