World
From Hormuz to Panama: Maritime Shipping Becomes the New Geopolitical Battleground
Experts warn that the rules-based maritime order is being dismantled as major powers—from the US and Iran to China and Russia—use shipping as a tool of coercion, driving up costs and exposing global trade to unprecedented risks. Incidents from the Strait of Hormuz to the Panama Canal highlight a shift from predictable norms to power-based access, threatening higher insurance, fuel, and compliance costs while non-state actors further exploit gaps.
